| Title: | Copy Extracts In Scribal Hand B, Arnold Boate & [Gerbier] |
|---|---|
| Dating: | 26 August 1648 - 9 September 1648 |
| Ref: | 36/1/17A-20B: 19B-20B BLANK |
| Notes: | Copies of second extract at 10/2/2 & 10/2/4. |
[36/1/17A]
Extracts of Letter from
Paris 16/26 Aug: 1648
Sir knowing your commendable inclination for the furthering of all noble desires that any wayes doe tend to these advancement of the publick good I have made bold to addresse vnto yow the Inclosed Project, wherwith if you think good modle yow will find all necessarie directions in the adjoining letter but if not I pray you to send both the one and the other unto the authour of the Moderate Intelligencer putting upon the outside of the letter the subscription which hath beene omitted, because wee know not his name here and to procure his Answer wherby Sir Balthazar Gerbier, the worthy author of these propositions (than who noe body could bee more helpefull to yow for to give yow all necessary Instructions about yowr owne plot of erecting a Bureau d'Addresse in England) may know what he hath to expect from him. Besides this Frindly Office will very much oblige Sir Balthazar and mee. Arnold Boate
Paris: 27. of Aug: 1648.
Sir
Though my person and my name may be unknowne to yow (as yours is to me) I shall desire yow not to stop their but reflecting your selfe on yowr [one? altered] wishes (exprest in one of the weekly Intelligences on a discourse that the Duke of Yorke was said designed for a french Acadamie perswade yow soe to consider my propositions (manifested In the paper herwith) as that yow will put it to the Presse to have the same printed in folio. In a faire large Character. Which don I shall likewise desire yow to use your best meanes for the dispiercing thereof through the Kingdome and to direct store of them unto particular noble [catchword: Families]
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Families, as also to the principall [Endes? altered from Indes] of the Townes of remarke to the End that I may discover how fathers of Familyes will like the said Establishement, and how many of them will resolve to have their sonnes soe instructed that accordingly I may dispose myselfe to repair into England and provide for the said Establishment; and that I may approve myselfe thankfull to yow for all such yong men as by your meanes shall be adrest to me as I doubt not but many other good thinges might be setled for the good of the publick, for which yow shall not be the worse.
For the place to establish such an glorius & usefull Academie (as Is by me Intended) It is indifferent to me eather at the west Zouth or North side of London, or at Nottingham Yorke or any other place where noble mens children will be best.
Nor will I soe start aa the distempers in England that it should coole my zeale in the vndertaking for I doe perswade myselfe that in these times (as well as in others) Parents are bound to have their sonnes instructed: Nay that they are obliged the more to keep them within the Land; untill they have attained their ripe sensces, for reasons expressed in the said annexed Paper, and many others besides. --------
Paris 9th of September.1648.
Sir
I doe returne you my hearty thankes for your answer both to Mr Doctor Boates my friend and me: I shall entreate yow to continue your curtesies which will returne to [catchword: yow]
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yow with noe losses. What you not of Sir Francis Kenistons designe is news to me, except a discourse I heard once concerning the keeping of Schollars, and learned disputing men about controversies at a House betweene Westminster and Chelsy which is not the thing I aime at lesse to entrench on any of the vniversities who have nothing to doe with any riding great Horses, fighting on Horse backe fencing, fireworkes, petarts, beseeging and defending of great places March of Armies &c. Besides drawing, liming painting, And the other sciences which doe not square with Theologie Law & the like Nor doe the Vniversities medle with the Italian, French, German, nor Low Dutch languages, which any schoole matter (that hath them) may teach without troubles to the State. Nor is any Father of family compelld nor any Gentelman presst to come to such an Academie, If lovers of Vertues are more inclined to send their Sonnes to travell, & have them returne infected with the vices of forraigners & the worst of all with the Generall modde of gallants of the time Atheisme let them wander abrouad what I doe intend is harmlesse and a generall good, to those who love the virtues and manly actions. If they will not have them at my shopp they may buy them at another for I am an Enemy to Monopolls, where men aime at Vocations to barr other fellow neighbours from livelyhood, when none (forsooth) but one man must doe such a thing: here in Paris are no lesse then 12 Royall academies (Besides the great & famous Vniversitie where Legions of Students are and besides a 100 privat schooles and thrice more privat house Teachers (may and woemen Teachers) and in effect were not here Legions of of [Vitions?] it might be said a second [Athens? altered]
Therefore my opinion is that my designe is different to that which may [deletion]<have> mooved the Vniversities of England to Oppose what Sir Francis Kenniston may have minded. The latine [catchword: &]
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and Philosophie (I mention) excepted which I have [putt?] put in the Advertisement to the Fathers of families as a kind of due to the Language and Sciences, which fitts well with the Ittalian (as being a daughter to the lattin) and a grand Father or Grandmother to the French and that there went noe [blank] in England that Noble men and others have their liberty to put their son's in privat Schooles too learne what they please, and yow know that there is an Act of Parliament (which I am contended all the world should know I doe acknowledge as the supreame Court of Iustice & the matricks of the sacred fundamentall Laws of the Land) that binds men to have their sonns to learne but it is reached in the two vniversitie of the Land), if soe there would I go, and with the countenance of the vniversitie set up my Academie. But I have already heard that a Rider got himselfe from his horse, by attempting It among Schollers, whose gownes and Books permitt them not to apply themselves to the Manly actions Intended by my Academie.
All which I thought fit to reply on the expression. as I will not stick to put forth somwhat in print (when the time and occasion shall require it.) to undeceave any man who shall perswade himselfe that my designe should entrench on any body if another man of more or lesse experience will doe the like, he may in Gods name/. for I doe not presume to teach all London lesse all the Country. But one thing I know that having lost 30 yeares about Courts & Princes to remaine now Crosse handed, to meditate on King Davids saying is a small comfort Vice Nolite confidere principibus neque fillijs hominum in quibus not est salus.
Therefore if I can I will give the rest of my days to a harmless publick and put all sciences [the?] worke the more because untill this time they have bin idle and have not acted their part to get me some returne of my labour come who pleaseth and lett any that please besides my selfe pitch on the same./.
They are sciences manly action and Foreigne Languages (which are not to seeke in me) which I meane [catchword: to ex-]
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expose to the publick with a future designe to have to the Academie a Public Hall whereunto the Poore of the Parishes (I meane the sonn's) may have accese to learne Gratis. if the case and the Nobility may suffer the same. Thus I doe conceive that the Parliament is not be troubled with my Proposition. Only with my humble request for my Passe though I might well returne with my harmlesse Family without a Passe for I did never beare Arm's against the Parliament. Nor had any thing to doe in the Consultations of the fire brands, I doe love peace and am a punctuall reverer of Sacred Law's my prayers are for Peace, & a good Peace. Et ill vault me bonne guere q'une mauvaise Pair. Nor doe I never medle with disputations. the Paris Church is my Cathedrall, That is to say the Paris Church which stand on the soile where the truth of the Gospell is.