The Hartlib Papers

Deare freind

Yowrs of the 8. of March I haue receiued: the last weeke I sent yow halfe a sheete of the discourse concerning the independents & thought by this post to haue sent another sheete; but the [seeknes?] of a freind falling in upon the second Easter Holy-daye on which I was obliged to preach; did detaine me two dayes at Delf, & this daye I was appointed by the Prince to meet with two of his Counsellours; Dr Riuet & Monsieur Suylichum his secretarie whom hee deputed to conferre with me about the memoriall which I did giue him concerning the reasons which moued me to resigne. these two haue largely debated the same with me; & haue undertaken to procure the Remedies necessarie to take awaye the euills which make my Ministerie useles in this place; & declare unto me that the Prince will not giue any consent unto my departure but that the Reasons which I haue alledged shall bee made of none Effect, by the satisfaction which shall bee giuen to me. Thus yow see that I cannot yet get loose from hence except I will wilfully breake all bonds of respect, & take an irregular course, which I cannot doe in Conscience: I see none other waye to make me free, then to propose another particular call unto me of a place to bee accepted of in the Ministerie else where: where I may haue maintenance & Leisure to attend public thoughts, more profitablely then here I can doe: for to desert this calling without some demonstration of an Employment to them, wherin I may shew my self to bee more usefull then here I am to the Church is not warrantable, nor will they suffer me to go without offence: when I did alledge my call by the Parliament & my promise to assist the Counsells of Peace, they said that I could satisfie the Parliament & discharge my vowe by writing; I said that writing was but a dull kind of assistance: at last they bidde me sette downe in write what I thought necessarie to redresse the grieuances which I alledged; & the Prince would interpose his authoritie to effect the same; thus yow see that I am engaged at least in a treatie: & if I come off it will bee with difficultie, & if I cannot come off otherwise then by the waye which I haue mentioned; till that bee effected or some other meanes used by the Ambassaders, I will not faile to laye all the Cases that I can conceiue to heart which yow may propose unto me, & therefore I would not haue yow to leaue off writing till yow heare further from me of my finall resolution. I haue nothing to adde but this; that the French Ambassadors haue laid a challenge for to gaine for the Papists the freedome of Exercise in Religion in this state, which the state hath answered with much Resolutnes; but the wiser sort feare that in ende there may bee some troubles arising from hence: for the Papists here [catchword: doe] [left margin:] doe shew themselues very impertinent & tumultuous, if troubles should arise upon any other cause as in such a mixt state there is neuer any wanting; then they will foment the Division & ioyne to one partye or other, & doe as they doe in England oppose that which is most opposit to their superstitions. there is at Amsterdam one Zacharie taken for transgressing an expresse command of the state in pursueing some shippe of the Kings that was in the inland water: & it is supposed that hee will bee proceeded against as a Pyrate for such hee is renowned to bee before hee did any seruice to the Parliament: they say hee was a Renegado before hee came hither, & that hee may bee in danger of Hanging: nor is it supposed that the Parliament will or can owne him in such a fact. Thus I commend yow to God & Rest

                    Yowr most Faithfull & entire freind

                                       Iohn Durey.

Hague this 31/21 March 1644.

              A Monsieur

                Monsieur Samuel Hartlib

              at his house in

              little Dukes place

                 neer Algate        in

                                      London.