| Title: | Letter, Sir Cheney Culpeper To Hartlib |
|---|---|
| Dating: | 29 March 1648 |
| Ref: | 13/213A-214B |
[13/213A]
Mr Hartlib
I am sorry for what you write concerning you <+> feares from Scottlande, beinge but what I haue from elsewhere, &yourself knowe my former feares from the Scottishe Aristocraticall Intereste bothe in Churche &State whoe hauinge (for theire owne endes of greatnes &power) joined in pullinge downe the Power of Monarchy &Episcopacy, doe begin to finde themselues to be parte of that allsoe of that Babilonishe rubbishe which muste downe, &(that [letters deleted] theire fowndation, (bothe of power &strenght of reason) beinge taken away) the superstructed skreene, is like to fall into a tumblinge motion, soe as theire care nowe muste bee (yf they can soe ballance the wheele) as to take soe muche of eache of theire incensed enimies as that (yf possible) them wheele may stande in equilibrio, whilste them selues lie vpon the toppe, for I dare say that (as the case nowe standes) neyther monarchy nor Democratie will joine with them, but with this reserued resolution & within them selues, to eate them laste; yet beinge the spawne of Monarchy they are like to followe theire naturall inclination in joininge &(perhaps) fallinge with it, &then this Parliament which is <yet> kept up in the spirits of men, (not for theire owne sakes) may perhaps, (yf they doe not voluntarily make themselues instrumentall in the intereste of true publique liberty) finde a newe generation presse harde vpon theire heeles as they doe nowe vpon Aristocracy, &that lately on Monarchy <+>
[13/213B]
I knowe nothinge of the Bathe you mention but showlde
<Hartlib: Note that the People in the House according to the Patients order hee hauing paid the price of it should have buried that sheet. But they desirous of the benefit kept it wherby that whole Family was in fected and most of them dyed.>
The Lillburnistes time is not yet, they will but wronge theire w owne ende, a with drawinge &reseruinge theire strenght may doe well whilste the other rubbishe pulls downe one another;
I am sorry Acontius is soe ill relished (but wonder not at it,) &am as glad that Mr Dury, is by this or any occasion rouzed, I confesse that waytinge vpon oportunities is good, but I allsoe conceiue that sometimes a wise &zealous man will make more oportunities then he findes &truly Mr Dury n can neuer [word deleted] bestryde a better cause &author
My Quære (yf I were in towne) concerninge Mr Flemminges engine wowlde be, whether one man or horse to doe as muche as a 100: muste not haue a hundredfolde the time, yf soe, his engine is noe woonder, for in the statique, time &power are the ball ballance of eache other, but for one man or horse (in the same time) to doe as
[13/214A]
muche as 100; had beene woorthe the Parlement lookinge after; for it wowld mightily lessen the vse of drawght cattell, &truly I conceiue [letters deleted] a conjunction of the equipendium, sway wheele, &endeles screwe, will in the same time, muche improue the same power,
I conceiue Dr Gibbons hathe somethinge worthe markinge I but I conceiue allsoe that he see muche more in himselfe then the world can yet apprehende. This I obserue to arise in the spirits of men the Scripture must be the rule of our faythe &life, not as it is a dead letter with out o us, but as wee finde somethinge within vs that answeres to it; This something is by Mr Dury raysed by an of Analisis, Dr Gibbons dothe it by substernements as he calls it; our Churche by the Spirit of God, but howe farre or muche of these or any of these are within our reache or power, that soe wee may neyther neglecte our duty on the os one side nor (on the other) rely on suche strenght as wee haue not, this (I confesse) to me is the greateste difficulty
I haue formerly seene Pruuostes laste letter &truly by my former apprehensions &what you laste write I can apprehende noe neerer &more quieste way of pullinge downe &remouinge all the Babilonishe rubbishe, then by suche a plenty of Gods good creatures, as that (all hauinge enowght), superfluity may be a care &burden, not an aduantage of honor or pleasure; God hathe better disposed of me then to be of the Parliament where I showlde (perhaps) haue pleased none &leasst of all my selfe
I haue ho noe hope from the publike concerning your office of Addresse, &I I feare when priuate
[13/214B]
intereste shall be sollicited, that it will come but slowly on, I shall nowe ere longe be in towne &then will speake what is fittinge to Mr Westroe, but cannot doe it soe well by letter, I conceiue he hathe bothe your
I am extremely sorry for Mr Woorsly whome (to deale freely with you) I muste judge somewhat erroneous, that wowlde not see him selfe well bottomed before hee vndertooke his journy, For my selfe I still continue in my late condition, &alltogether vncerteine howe thinges will goe with me
Yf Dr Chylde pleas to spende his judgement on my philosophy, I be gladd to receiue it
Your affectionate frind
Cheney Culpeper
----------
March 29th
48