The Hartlib Papers

Title:Copy Letter In Hand ?, John Dury To Mr Collier
Dating:10 August 1647
Ref:4/1/5A-B
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[Hartlib's hand:]
For Mr Collier Fellow of St Iohns - College
[scribal hand:]
Sir
yours of the 3 Iuly I did receave a good while agoe, wherin I perceive the realitie of your affection towards your cousen: I did expect that you would have undertaken for him in respect of his fidelitie, but yow only give me a Large testimony of your confident opinion of him, & soe recomend him to me, to bee trusted in what may concerne my affaires. I have noe cause given me by him for to distrust him in any thing; for his carriage to me hath been faire: but this is not a sufficient ground to confide matters of trust to him: there is a medium betweene resposing trust & mistrusting; & that of a good Latitude: if he had any to undertake & that would bee repensable for him; I would have a ground[altered] of trust to bee put in him, but without some that will doe soe, it is noe prudencie to Confide. But the truth is, that I am of opinion, that this Court Life will not bee fit & proffitable for him: hee must bee wakned from a sofft and drowzie spirit; which seemeth to bee upon him; & the ease and plentie of the Court life in Providing largely for the belly; will rather keep him in that disposition then awake him out of it, for since hee is come to a full dyet here, & doth not Command his appetit; hee is fallen into some fittes of sicknes occasioned by meere Repletion & want of lively motion; which have made him for the most part useles to mee, in any thing, and is wholy now become a burden. I did expect that he should have beene provided with a sute of Cloaths, fitte to have made him appeare in places
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in places where others of his ranke are; & this was promised should bee done; but he hath neither cloaths nor any shift of Linnen where of he hath great need even for the conservation of his health; chiefly in those times of hi Infection, wherin cleanlynes is a great part of our preservation I have (being now this week to goe out off London) recommended him to Mr. Hartlibs care againe by whom hee was recommended to mee; & have undertaken to provide him with nescesaries till some other course may bee taken for him, which will waken him to more industrie, then this way would have done, if he hadde stayed with me, for truly I conceive that this course of Court life, will utterly spoile him: if he should continue in it: therefore in Love to his well fare I shall recomend him to you againe as I have done to Mr. Hartlib; & commending you to the Gracious favour of God rest
              Your affectionate & Loving/
                 freind & servant
                       Iohn Durye//.
                                        St Iames.
                                        this 10 August
                                                 1647