| Title: | Letter, John Dury To Hartlib |
|---|---|
| Dating: | 26 May 1640 |
| Ref: | 2/2/18A-19B |
[2/2/18A]
Louing freind
these are to aduertise yow of the receipt of your last dated the 1. of May, wherin one was inclosed to my Lord Ambassador, which I did instantly deliuer unto him; wherin yow related many particularities of newes, which seemed to foretell that which now wee heare is come to passe, namely the raising of the parliament in discontent wherat wee haue great cause to bee deiected, & <to> flye to God for helpe of those public Calamities which are like to ensue therupon. lette us therefore now prepare to heare the rodde, & learne to know him who hath appointed it. lette us studye to bee unblameable in the midst of this [crooked?] generation, & to that effect possesse our soules in patience, & to bee prudent in keeping silence because the dayes are euill. in this your last, yow say of Mr [name deleted] that hee hath blamed 61. for making the [name? deleted] beleeue of 2. yow know not what, & that yow learne from others that hee doth wrong himself for traducing so much 2. amongst [word deleted] as they have heard hee doth. I know not how [name? deleted] hath understood [name? deleted] his speeches, but I am sure the Lieut. Generall hath written to my Lord a very kind & thankfull letter which hee did shew <me> few dayes ago. & I suppose my Lord hath not otherwise informed [the Lieut. Generall?] concerning Scotland then as hee himself hath beene informed & in probabilitye beleeued to bee true if the Lieut. Generall doth find other thinges now then hee expected; that ought to bee no preuidice unto my Lords iudgment, or <left margin: his> information giuen to him: for Ambassadors ought to informe as they are informed from home & not speake any thing in preiudice of their Masters proceedings: as for his traducing of 2. so much amongst forreiners as they say hee doth; I am not conscious of it, nor can I well beleeue it; I speake without partialitie or priuat affection that I haue found his Lordship in discourses with my self & others of my nation here very equitable & indifferent in many thinges; trueth is that when [catchword: hee hadde]
[2/2/18B]
hee hadde gotten information from home of thinges insolently committed as they were laid before him; that then hee would ouerflow somewhat in exaggerating matters: but that is the mans veine & humour which no iudicious person will take in ill part Chiefly from one in his place who in such occasions is obliged to shew himself partiall: & as for my Country men here I can testifie that they are (even as my self) all of them exceedingly beholden to him, which they also doe willingly confesse most of them, that I haue spoken with-all; & haue said, that few men in his place would haue caried himself so as hee did, all the while hee was here. I desire yow therefore to testifie so much on his behalfe, to those that make men beleeue him to bee so partiall: sometymes I confesse nationall Comparisons are fallen from him, which I count an imprudencje.[altered] perhaps men haue taken uppe those wordes which hee hath uttered in this kind either merrily or too earnestly; & made [e....? MS torn] constructions therof towards others. yow know the man is free spoken & full of mirth & witte which hee doth mixe with serious matters: this his disposition should bee distinguished from the propertie of his iudgment in thinges: but euery one is not able to doe this; and [men? MS torn] are addicted rather to make the worst constructions then the best of matters. for this Cause it is good counsell to bee sober & graue in speaking ones mind in these tymes; & to couer the infirmities which wee doe perceiue in others by compassion ouer them: wee ought not to relate one to another the euills & faults which wee see in one another or heare of <each> others. public thinges may bee related but priuat reports preiudiciall to any ought not to bee related no not to freinds except it bee required of them [catchword: or may]
[2/2/19A]
or may bee a preiudice unto them if they should bee ignorant therof. the mysterie of factiousnesse in these tymes doth lye hidden in iealousies & reports which insensiblely are [conveiged?] into the spirits of men. before they are aware therof they are prepossessed & ledde away; & an euill will is bredde in them, before they haue tyme to think of the remedie or preuention, which may bee used against the malignant effects which ensue upon euill surmises. happie is the man therefore that can clense his soule from such leauen; hee shall posesse his spirit in peace when the world is most full of troubles. these are the tymes wherin wee must striue to enter into this frame of spirit. for it is righteousnesse that will deliuer in tyme of trouble; & verily amongst all the effects of Righteousnesse, there is scarse any more usefull outwardly towards the world, then to bee free from wronging another with the tongue; or spreading abroad the wrongs which wee heare. I am almost sicke at the reports which I heare from yowr quarters: the Lord direct yow; yow are to receiue with my Lords followers from
I [MS torn deliberately?]
Hamburg. this 26 of May
Anno 1640
[left margin:]
This inclosed to the [Generall Lieut?] is nothing but a Complement to testifie the receipt of his two. & to tell him that the newes I wrote last concerning Bannier are confirmed viz. that hee doth assault Piccolomini I shutte it thus for [want? MS torn] of waxe otherwise I hadde left it open to yow to read
[2/2/19B]
To his Louing freind
Mr Hartlieb
Seruant to the Prince Elector
Palatin at his house in
Dukes place neere Algate
in
London
[bottom of page, Hartlib:]
[2? MS torn]6. May 1640.