The Hartlib Papers

Title:Letter, John Dury To The Lord President Of The Counsel
Dating:11 March 1655
Ref:4/3/85A-86B: 86A BLANK
Notes:Referred to in 4/3/84.
[4/3/85A]

My Lord
My negotiation in this place is now drawing to an ende; therefore I shall endevour briefly to summe up all that hath beene done in it since I came hither, that your Honour may bee able to looke upon the busines at once & make an estimat therof wherunto it may happily tend, or bee brought.
I came to Zurich the 18th. of May hauing deliuered my letters & made a demande to enter upon busines with the Divines of Zurich, I did treat with the Deputies that were appointed to meet with me till I was called to Araw which was the 13th. of Iune, where the Ambassadors of the Cantons met & gaue me Audience; from thence beeing returned to Zurich I continued to treat with them, about the meanes & manner of proceeding in the[altered from this?] busines, till wee had agreed upon all: then the Magistrat of Zurich gaue me an Answer in the name of all the Cantons to my proposition made at Araw & aduised me to visite the chief Churches to giue them more particular information of my designe this I begunne to doe from the 3d. of August till the 7. of February The order of my proceeding to doe this was this: first I visited[altered] the foure Chief Cantons; then I made a progres towards their Confederates on the East side; & afterward on the West side.
from Zurich I went to Berne & stayed with them from the 5th. of Aug: till the 31th. the first of September I came to Basel & stayed there till the 18th. of October. I came to Schaphusen the 20th. of october, & went from thence the 16. Nouember; & so returned againe to Zurich; from whence I set forth the second time towards the easterne Circuit <left margin: viz:> to St. Gall, to Appenzall & to the Border of the Grisons; & in this Circuit I spent a matter of 14. dayes time & came backe againe to Zurich. & before I could fitte my self; & determine the way to bee taken in going the Westerne Circuit; I was at Zurich & Berne; detained till the 8th. of Ianuary. on that day I went towards Biel; & from thence towards Neufchastel, & then to Lausanna & lastly to Geneua; from whence after I had stayed tenne dayes there: I returned the 30th. of Ianuary. & in the way comming back, at Lausanna & Berne I was kept up till the 24th of February: the 25th I was at Araw; where the Ambassadors of the Cantons beeing met I had an opportunitie to speake to them in their Assembly, & to bidde them farewell. the substance of that which I said unto them I wrote the last weeke to Mr Secretarie which no doubt Your Lordship hath seene; this weeke I haue acquainted him [catchword: with some]
[4/3/85B]

with some <other> particulars which no doubt your Honour hath seene or will see: by which it will appeare that the Lord hath fitted this poeple to a full resolution of concurring with us in this designe; & to bee willing to prepare the Protestant states in Germanie to a like concurrence with us; which is as much as at this time I could wish them to doe till matters bee further ripened amongst our selues at home; & wee bee in a posture; with Calme affections amongst one <towards> another to lead on the worke further; upon such Principles of Faith & obedience, as will vnite us fundamentally in the Truth. & to bring these mens thoughts unto the Consideration of fundamentals; I haue (beeing at Geneua) translated into Latin the 20 Articles of fundamentals which were drawen up by the Committee in England to be presented to the Parlament; & haue imparted them to the Churches here. that the Harmonie of Confessions which is upon the mould; may bee reduced therunto if they think good. it is not unlikely by the appearance of affaires here & in the neighbourhood, that emergencies will make these endevours henceforth more usefull & necessary then euer heretofore. I purpose to make all the haste I can homewards, & to make no longer stay with the Churches by the way then the Civilitie of a Visit requires; for I conceiue that a further treatie with them is neither requisite nor expedient, till I haue giuen his Highnes a full account of that which is done, & some other resolutions bee formed therupon; whiles these [letters deleted?] thoughts grow more ripe among the Germane Protestants.
Mr Pell knowing that I was writing to your Lordship desired me to present his humble seruice & duty to your Lordship which I desire also may bee favourably accepted from
            your Lordships
from Zurich                 Most humble seruant in Christ
  this 11th. March                     Iean Dury.
            1655./54.
I am informed of Mr Cressit his dealing with me, at this distance; I haue begunne to deale also with his Conscience in the busines; once & a second time; I haue one word more to say unto him; & then I shall leaue all unto God, to bee determined between us.
[4/3/86B]

         For the Right Honourable
          my Lord President of
            the Counsell.
               These
                          at
                           Whitehall
[seal]