The Hartlib Papers

Title:Letter, Sir Cheney Culpeper To Hartlib
Dating:[1643]
Ref:13/312A-313B
View full size
[13/312A]

Mr Hartlib;
          I see your loue kindenes esteemes more of my thowghts then they can deserue; But I am of this opinion that yf 2: or 3: honeste men wowlde (hauinge (vpon any subjecte what soeuer) firste communicated[altered] the helpe of theire collections &thowghts to one another) wowld afterwards make (eache of them) a seconde essay there might be from these seconde thowghts a short &yet plaine &full resulte be drawne; Thus by the waye of Quæres might a convincinge extracte of matters of reason Lay Lawe &Facte be made vpon these times vpon out of the Pamphlets on bothe sides [left margin: I praye sende me another Bookers allmanacke]
View full size
[13/312B]

Thus might of <a> Committee of Merchants &suche other rationall assistants as might be joyned to them presente suche a resulte of theire firste &seconde thowghts as wowlde leaue the treasure of the Kingdome lesse subjecte to oppression in the Collection or [frawde MS blotted] <H: fraude> in the issuinge of it, bothe which I finde too muche taken vp to the Parliament's preiudice; In a woorde thus might excellente results be made not onely concerning the treasure &militia &other (as I may call them) subordinate businesses & but euen concerning the very wayes of Cowncell &that euen in the heade itselfe of which the perfidious disswetude
View full size
[13/313A]

of Parliament hathe not onely hindred that aduance in which the modernes ages haue giuen l to all other artes &sciences &to this allsoe in some other free Cowntries, but hathe allsoe obliterated the beawty[altered] of of that firste Coalition (excellente for these times) which owr ancestors made &wee muste nowe restore, which in a woorde is is but this, that (all Ius diuinum or immutability in being seuered from humane ordinances &[letters deleted] reappropriated to the Scriptures <diuine>) <the peoples of> this age &all future may (by the same kinde of representatiue body (call it Parliament or whate else you will) by which our ancestors firste made the Gouernment) may (accordinge to the Common lawe &2. statutes
View full size
[13/313B]

make an annuall Visitation howe bothe the supreme &inferior magistrates performe their duties This beinge done; Babylon [letters deleted] were fallen. But howe will then the Kings of the earthe etcæt stande afarre of &cry Alas, Alas, that great Citty when Popery &illegall Prærogatiue, Tiranny Ciuill &Eclesiasticall shall fall
Yf the Scots be come; An humble petition from bothe nations; &a pardon from the Parliamen of (with exemption of Popery, Prelacy, &the Spanishe faction) wowlde be seasonable &wowlde sha perhaps shake the allready distracted cowncells at Oxforde &howe [left margin:] soeuer proue an vnanswerable future witnes againste them, &the Spanish faction wowlde be a proper &sufficient subject for the Parliament to take liuery &sesin of theire priuiledges