The Hartlib Papers

suffered very much at the hands of some great Ones about the Court, who thought me too forward & hott in my affections & actions against the adverse Party; which I doubt some of them favoured too much. And howsoever the Lord would not suffer these men to prevaile further against me; yet they have bin a meanes both to keepe me vnder, and to keepe from me mine owne, which I have disbursed in his Majestys service, besides my ordinary allowance, as yow well know. And I beleive I may truly say that never any One of his Majestys Ministers in forraigne employment was ever so farre behind hand as I am. This hath bin my lott a long time, & to suffer from their tongues, who were no great wellwillers to our Religion; but never vntill now to be so much as suspected much lesse to be rumored & voiced (as your letter insinuates) to be of a contrary disposicion, or affection; & which indeed might well follow, if the former were true) that I were declyning from my Religion.

I should desire no better Iudges, & hope for justice at their hands against mine adversaries. In the meane time, my confidence is that none of those false imputacions (proceede they from what Authours soever) will be entertayned with creditt, by any wise men that know me not, without due proofe; as I presume they will be sooner heard, then rejected of all honest men, who have any knowledge of me, or of my conversation. Neverthelesse, the very rumours & reports may perhaps breed jealousies & doubts of me in some mens minds, & that may turne also to my prejudice; which indeed I beleive to be the cheife aime of my false accusers.

Brandenburg, & of their answers to the same. These contayne the substance of my negotiacion with them, & out of these will appeare quite the contrary vnto That which hath bin suggested against me, & these I can send yow with the lesse danger; because they are in other mens hands, as well as mine; & it may be conceived it proceedes from others as well as me, if they should come to be made publicke; according as some passages of mine heretofore with other Princes have bin both published & printed here in Germany without any communicacion much lesse knowledge or consent of mine Now these I send yow, that if yow thinke it fitt for the clearing of my reputacion, yow may communicate the same with my Lord Say & Seale of the Lords house & with Mr. Pym of the Howse of Commons( for these Gentlemen I heare to be amongst the most eminent for wisedome & piety in our present Parliament) whose good word through such assured evidence & information, will soone be able to stop the false ignorant vaine & aierie suggestions of my illwillers, or such as their slanders may have any way wrought vpon, if at least they have so farre prevayled vpon any. But if you shall be moved to shew these [catchword: Copie]

Copies vnto those Gent aforesaid or to any other that is honest, discreet & Religious; I pray have a speciall care to begge at their hands, that they will keepe all private & secrett to themselves as I desire yow also not to be acknowne, that yow have any of these papers from me; for that I neither dare nor can avouch the communicating there of. What to say or write more on this subject I know not; but only to desire yow (if possible) to sift out the Authours of these wicked informacions which I confesse I suspect to proceede from some few foolish proud & malitious men here, because they have otherwise discovered (but to their owne shame) their folly envy & malice against me in other respects, & all because I would not (as in my place with a safe Conscience I could not) comport with their vicious & corrupt humours; which I confesse deserve much pitty; & I will pray God to make them vnto themselves seeme as odious as they will be vnto all good & discreet men. For my carriage towards them my cheife witnes is in heaven, & I have another within mine owne brest. hic murus aheneus esto.

let yow vnderstand it in breife. First for his Navy, it is vsuall for him euery yeare[altered] in the Sound to put it into a posture & equipage: but this Spring he hath had an occasion extraordinary both for men & shipping, by reason of an agreement passed betweene him & the King of Spaine for the trade of Spanish salt: for the fetching whereof he hath lately sent out a fleete. Then for his land forces, I beleive them only to have bin intended for the defence of his owne Countryes of Holstein & the parts adjacent; which were obnoxious vnto any quartering, & other inconveniences, when the Imperiall & Swedes armies the last winter, were so neere these parts; especially if the Imperialists had gotten the vpper hand; which was much feared there, though it hath pleased God since to turne the scales. Whither this King hath bin sought vnto to send any forces for England, I cannot tell, or am able to avouch any certainty in this particular, by reason of the different reports I have heard, both whilest I was at Dantzigk & since my coming home. But I have enquired after it by the best meanes I could without suspicion; & cannot discerne as yet any like=[catchword: lihood]

lihood or good ground of it. Sure I am, if any such thing hath bin at all negotiated, it hath not bin by me; & as I know nothing at all thereof, so if ought be of it, it was done no doubt when I was out of these parts so farre of with the Prince Elector of Brandenburg. But for mine owne part, I can yet hardly beleive any such matter; & am confident that the King of Denmarkes preparacions were not out at the first for any such Designe, aswell for the reasons before menconed as for that the Duke of Holstein & Gentry of the whole Country share in those leavies of the King & do contribute to the maintenance of the same. Besides I know the States of Denmarke to be vtterly averse from warre; & in their late Parliament, were very vrgent with their King, as not to intermeddle any way in the differences betwixt the Emperor & Crowne of Sweden, so not to remaine in Holstein so long as of late yeares he hath bin accustomed to do; but to keepe his residence & abode at Coppenhagen, & in Denmarke. Moreover there was a deliberacion holden lately both in Denmark & Holstein whether they should continue their forces on foote any longer seing the armies aforesaid were removed now so farre of. & herevpon there are some of them [catchword: since within]

within these 14 daies cashiered, for the easing of their charge; though they hold the greatest parte still in pay vntill they see further what successe the warre will produce. And thus yow have my opinion touching this busines. But I must tell yow withall that many have a jealousy of the King of Denmark league with Spaine: which although it be given out only to be for the trade of salt; yet it is doubted to reach further, & howsoever, they in Spaine may make vse of Danish ships from time to time (when they are there) at their pleasure, & these may be prejudiciall vnto such as are in warre with Spaine. And thus much in answer vnto your letter; wherewith I conclude at this time, & with my heartiest commends, committ yow to the proteccion of the Almighty.