The Hartlib Papers

Title:Letter, John Dury To [Hartlib?]
Dating:9 June 1640
Ref:2/2/21A-B
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Deare freind
your last was the 22. of May. I hope all mine are come to your handes I desire to heare from yow concerning my rents; for I am not willing to fall a printing of any thing till I haue money in readiness; I haue not yet taken from Mr Aldersee the 129 Rixd. & therefore I write no thankes to Mr Kendric as yet. yow see what I write here to Sir Thomas Rowe concerning my resolutions in tyme to come I purpose to write herafter some other thinges in this kind which will concerne my future intentions more particularlye; my desire is to settle abroad & if it can bee effected rather here then at Bremen if I hadde a Competencie to liue by without distraction & knew that knew that I should be able to go through stitch with the printing businesse I would fall Cheerfully to worke to cause thinges come to the presse: but I am somewhat in suspense because I see no more meanes & scarse that which will suffice to feed & clothe me & my man. yow see what I write here to Mr Ball to answer his letter & cleere his secret suspicions. yow may tell him that I haue beene so farre from colluding with [symbol to represent a name?] or intending to currye favour by this way in seruing any of his endes; that when I was at Hildesheim, I did reflect upon the use which perhaps hee would intend to make of it, & in that consideration hauing protested to my Lord Ambassador that I would not suspend my worke or my proceeding in it from any man, nor regard any man further then hee should bee carefull to looke after the true aime of my worke without partialitie I added these words. I studye to neglect my self that I may doe a freewilling & not humane but divine seruice unto others; namely this that the ingenuitie of grace which God hath putte in their hearts may fructifie towards a public good in the communion of Saints, to the ende that this whole businesse may bee not as it were from men but as from God, that is to say on all sides freewilling without worldly endes & well grounded in Christianitie. for if I would sette my mind to serue particular endes; I suppose I am not so dull & unexperienced in the world but that I could find a plausible subiect, & if I would professedly chuse a partye I think I could take an opportunitie to steppe in & gette as others doe something for my self which might perhaps sette me in a more quiet state & life in the world. but I hope I haue weaned my heart from such thoughts of worldly wisdome & haue begunne to despise the hidden thinges of darknesse. for knowing that there is no constancie in the spirits of those who apply their thoughts that [catchword: way]
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way to seeke themselues; I rather will chuse to bee discountenanced & deserted of all men, then loose the content of a freewilling & unrewarded seruice towards the Church of God. therefore when all other helpes faile in the world public agitation of the worke then the Course that can make me most able to follow this resolution will bee my chief rest. these are the formalia which then I wrote unto him; & I am gladde that God then so directed me to think & write that now they may bee a witnesse of my intention whether or no I did in that treatie intend any collusion with such as seeme to side with Papists: therefore yow may boldly cleere me of all such suspicions: & desire such as are ingenuous to lette me know their doubts before they bee fomented in secret & breed a preiudice in their thoughts against my worke: yow see I haue inserted in my letter to Mr Ball the Principall Clause which may bee excepted against in the Declaration of those of Brunswic; & if they will take it as I haue declared the meaning therof they will haue no cause of offence I long to heare more of the Lord Primats discourses with [that?] <left margin: yow> about [Practical Divinity?] & my worke & what they all will say, to the matters which I haue furnished you withall to propose unto them; I pray yow lette me heare what Canons are made at the Convocation as soone as may be knowen for that is materiall in my worke. yow see the newes which I write to my Lord, & to the Generall Lieut. Salute them from me & Remember me most heartily to sweet Mr Godeman, & excuse me to Mr St Amands & Sir William Waller that I haue discontinued my taskes which I owe them I hope now to bee my owne man seeing I am setled a little better then I haue been heretofore. the Grace of God bee with yow I
                                  rest Yowrs in Christ
                                       Iohn Durye
Hamburg this 9. Iune
             1640.
[right margin, Hartlib:]
12<9.> Iune 1640.