The Hartlib Papers

No. 58. Iun. 2. 1655.

Deare freind

I wrote you once before this weeke viz: on[altered from of] the 29 of the last moneth; & in it I sent you the Copie of my Circular letter for information [left margin: Marked Litt. Y] to the German Churches; & the Copie of a Memorandum which the Senat of Zurich gaue me when I went from them concerning the Grisons: together with an Answer to the letter which the Transyluanian envoye sent me. I haue since receiued yours of the 18 May wherin you acquaint me with the impatience of your Guest[altered from guest] at which I am sorry: wee must all learne Gods time by patience, wee know not what is Seasonable & what euer wee may coniecture of opportunities, they are not found such till all circumstances requisite make them ripe. I thank you for the Positions which tend mainly to a Conionction of Counsells & Consequently to a discouery of our designes, which wise states men use not reddily to lay open. although they haue no Cause to mistrust those with whom they deale, yet it is not wisdome to uncouer themselues, so as to put it to a hazard, that their counsels may miscarry by the ill managing of others who know of them. & upon this account also your Guest should not bee so impatient, & if I were by him I hope I should bee able to imprint so much unto him.

I purpose to go from hence to Hanaw (but keep this to your self) & beeing ridde of my negotiation here I shall bee I hope in a posture to giue you a narratiue therof; I am now upon taking my leaue from hence. if Dr Owen write unto me I hope hee will let me know how farre they haue proceeded in their thoughts of fundamentals & of Pract: Divinity: & whether the Confession of Faith is not put in Latin? & such like. & what course is laid to Correspond in this busines with these & other Churches? hee that writes to you from Leiden must not make more haste then good speed: I belieue that all the trading of Blake in the Mediterranean sea is but a preparatiue to the designe which hee [catchword: aimes at]

From Geneua one of the Chief Pastors writes thus to me[H underlines] <H: to Mr Dury> of the 28. May. stil. vet.

The meanes to bring terror to the wicked is to bring to passe the agreement of the faithfull, for of this they are extreamly apprehensiue. which begins to appeare in the Case of those poore men who are escaped from the Massacre in the vallies of Piemont. a certain Captain Iaget & another with between 1200 & 1500 men haue fallen upon the Murtherers, & haue taken all backe againe except one place called the Tour. where the Irish haue fortified themselues; but of these about 300 also, haue been surprized & all put to the sword by that escaped remnant. there is nothing now else to bee intended but to assist & encourage them, as wee endevour to doe by sending to them what is requisite for their subsistence. It would bee good that notice should bee taken of his Highness the Lord Protectors interesting of himself in this busines, & that instructions might bee giuen to Generall Blake to demand those treacherous Murtherers of Ireland, ouer whom hee hath a right; & are still setting themselues to become the Hang-men of our poore [left margin, H?: /] brethren.       Thus farre hee <H?: />

This adioyned answer to Mr Tossanus letter to me is to bee marked with Litt: Y. as you see. with the figure 3. which supposeth that the Circular letter must bee marked with Numero 1. & D. Tossanus Answers to me with <left margin: litt. Y.> Numero. 2. & then this as you see it followes for they make all together but one piece of intelligence here you haue a letter from the Antistes to his Son. the Lord bee with you, & heare for you the prayers of

                         your most assured & faithfull

                              seruant in Christ

Basel this 2. Iune. 1655                         I. Dury

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