| Title: | Letter, John Dury To [Hartlib] |
|---|---|
| Dating: | 29 May 1652 |
| Ref: | 4/2/22A-23B |
| Notes: | Copy of enclosure to Lord Commissioner Lisle at 4/2/33. |
[4/2/22A]
Deare freind
yours of the 15th. of Aprill which was giuen to Mr Edwards I haue receiued by Mr Bonneel; the packet is still in Mr Edwards hands; to bee deliuered when hee comes himself if wee stay so long here; if wee stay not so long I shall leaue a note for Mr Chambers to receiue it: when God brings us back againe to Hamburg, I shall endevour if it bee possible & time will permit to find out Ioachim Lang to speake with him to make enquirie of Mr Ravius; his brother is come to towne a few dayes ago & hath been with me; I find that as yet hee is not able to pay his debts; & he tels me that Mr Spurstow his Claime comes wholly unexspected because he conceiued that what Mr Spurstow disbursed; was his allowance for his employment assigned unto him:
That which you write concerning Mr Stirck doth much affect & afflict me; that God is pleased so to exercise him with his family under a sad dispensation; I hope it will tend only to purifie him, & fit him after he is approoued for more eminent seruice. I can say nothing else but that he hath been faithfull hitherto to us in his aimes: if God would haue blessed his endevours & directed him in a way of aduantage to trade therewith, he might haue been out of his straits before this time but that which he <left margin: has> thought the most compendious & reddie way, for his owne relief; & the aduancement of public designes, hath not obtained a blessing of successe hitherto: I could haue wished that hee had followed the plainest[altered from plained] roade way of knowen experiments; which might haue been lucriferous; but his hope to abbreuiat his way hath retarded his designe for want of successe. the Lord shew him an issue, & direct us to bee seruicable unto him, & furnish us with abilities to that effect; if God bring me home in safetie, & do not withdraw the subsistence which I haue assigned unto me I shall not bee wanting unto him: I know it is an inward grief unto his spirit; that hee is not in a capacitie to doe what hee faine would; but hee & wee must learne to deny our selues, & expict Gods time & way to bring to passe his owne will; it is his hand of sicknes [catchword: upon him]
[4/2/22B]
upon him which hath ordinarily retarded the workes which in their owne nature would haue been lucriferous if prosecuted: now when God doth manifestly stop our Course wee ought to lay our hand upon our mouth & say that he hath done it; & yet wait upon him in the way wherin he hath set us & wherunto he doth fit our talents. it is now six weekes since your letter was written about his condition; I hope before this time God hath shewed you an issue & shined upon him & his endevours with successefull hopes, if not effects.
The other extracts & passages of your letter from Fundanius & Figulus, & Moriaen; I thank you for <them>, they are not such as I now can dwell or discourse upon, having diuers other thoughts that are incident about present affairs & time will not permit me to make any full narratiue; I must reserue the account to the memorandums which I purpose to make, & in due time you may haue imparted unto you.
by this inclosed Copie you will see how neer wee are upon our departure; & you will also perceiue with what a sparke I haue been yoked who I find hath been as a spye upon me, [& allowing?] by reason of some forestalements sutable to his owne nature which were giuen him against me; before wee went from England; I haue cause to suspect that hee hath giuen his Brother ill informations concerning me; to preuent the euill effects therof I haue written a this letter to his Brother; wherof this Copie (when you haue perused it, & if you think good taken an Extract or Copie therof to keep, deliuer or inclose it safe to come to my Lord Bradshawes hands for in mine to him I haue sent the originall inclosed, to bee deliuered to my Lord Commissioner Lisle & haue told him that by your addresse[altered] the Copie is to bee imparted unto him; to the ende he may know how it stands between me & Mr Lisle, & what requitall I am like to haue from him; for all the care I take about him: I had an aduertisement giuen me by my wife, which I think was giuen her by Dr Cox [catchword: concerning this]
[4/2/23A]
concerning this sparkish youth; that I should look to my self lest he should play me some trick or other: which I haue done the best I can; & by the preseruation of this Copie partly in your hand; partly in my Lord Bradshawes knowledge the preuention I hope will bee effectuall; for what euer he may haue informed; will come I hope to a discouerie by this meanes; & bee brought to an after reckoning of his accounts, & a review of his informations it is no wonder Deare freind; that such as haue nothing of substance, & reall obiects of uertue & science to entertaine themselues withall in their conuerse amongst men, should feed their emptie soules with ambitious fancies & iealousies against their neighbour; for what they understand or affect not, & cannot intermedle withall, they imagine to bee preiudiciall to themselues; & this is the humour of all naturall men that meddle in State businesses more or lesse; when they are not raised aboue the fashion of the world; & haue not grace to direct their endevours to good endes; & in a harmles way. but his youth is to bee pardoned in these things for many reasons; & I truly forgiue him all; as I desire the Lord to forgiue me & bee mercifull unto me: it is no new thing to me, to do good & to bee ill rewarded for it; bene agere & male audire gloriosum est.
iust now since I begunne this, the Captain of the shippe appointed to transport us, hath been with me, & told me that to morrow in the afternoone; hee will fall downe from hence towards the mouth of the Riuer, & from thence send his boat to us: so that I suppose from hence I shall write no more for the next post will bee on Saturday next; that is on this day eight dayes; & before that time God willing we may bee neer Lubeck.
you may take if you thinck[altered from thanck] good your opportunitie & tell my wife what I haue written to you concerning Mr Lisle. the Grace of God bee with you I rest your in all faithfulnes in
Stockholm Christ
this 29. May Iohn Durie
1652.
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[left margin:] Lowys de Geer is still at Amsterdam & very sick so that it is doubted of his life; this Monsieur Wolzogen told me yesterday being uery sad at it.
