| Title: | Copy Letter In Hand ?, John Dury To Bishop Of Kilmore |
|---|---|
| Dating: | 1 May 1640 |
| Ref: | 5/12/9A-12B: 12A BLANK |
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[right margin, H:]
To William Lord Bishop of Kilmore
[scribal hand:]
Right Reverend Father in God
The constant course of your favours; your late benevolence which Mr. Hartlieb hath received for me, the particular acknowledgment which I am bound to make unto your Lordship of the use of your Answeres unto my problemes concerning the meanes of peace, draw me to a more familiar way of writing, then heretofore I have used, for when I speake Latin I thinck myself a stranger to those to whom I make my addresse, but now I must take the freedome which your favours give unto me et mine own ingenuity doth affect, et perhaps is most requisite for the circumstances of my worcke. et first heere I will acknowledge the receipt of the letter written in December last which is an answer to mine which I wrote in common to my Lord Primat to your self et the Bishop of Ardach heretofore: it is come to my hands since my last (which was written to his Grace on the 10th of March last) was sent, for if it had come before, I would have then acknowledged the receipt thereof et now I doe not purpose to answer it, or sollicite any further assistance as heretofore I have done, till my Lord Ambassadour bee going from hence et you have taken into your consideration the circumstances of my last proceedings which Mr Hartlieb no doubt hath imparted unto you. for if my Lord Ambassador thinck it fit that I should stay here, et attend some occasions of proceeding on the grounds [catchword: here]
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here laid, et if the troubles of our State at home will leave any hope, that thoughts of peace may be hereafter seasonable or taken to heart by us; then I will intreat the advice which your Godly wisdome shall thinck fitting to impart upon some cases which are proposed unto me by those of Bremen, to the end that I may obtaine a decision thereof from our divines, who have hitherto assisted the counsells of Peace. the cases concerne <left margin: the settling of> their private state amongst themselfes in quietnesse; because in their study of moderation some of their scrupulous brethren have taken offence at them, et allthough they have sufficiently cleered themselfes from all grosse heresies, which the malice of some did lay unto[altered from to] their charge, yet they will not acquiesce, but proceed in censuring et traducing, not being willing to receive any satisfaction although it bee never so fairely offered. this hath moved them to appeale to the judgments of others, et to intreat me to give addresse unto their suite which they putt up to our Divines, that the respect due unto their authority may be a meanes to pacifie such as seeke[altered from seecke] occasion of needlesse disputes. I have not as I said before as yet sent any of their writes to any, but when my Lord Ambassador is to goe, if I goe not myself with him, I will resolve what is most expedient to be done. in the meane time [catchword: I]
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I must acquaint your Lordship that those who were appointed by Duke George of Brunswick et Luneburg to consult with me about the meanes of Peace did require some particular et fundamentall counsells for agreement which they might propose et make use of unto their brethren to dispose them towards the effect of the worck: this their readdinesse to concurre, et Zeale to worck upon others mooved me to fitt the Counsells which your Lordship gave unto me heretofore unto their good inclination in setting downe the heads thereof some what more dinstinctly et contracting the answers, yet leaving nothing out which is materiall.
This I did the rather because the write was to be imparted unto States men, that they might conceive the substance of the way, which I would recommend et testified to have been imparted unto me, by your Lordship et since approved et liked of by all that have taken it into consideration. This write was approoved by all, et is to be made use of by them towards others in recommending the purpose of agreement. I am thincking (yet am not resolved) to cause two or three hundreth coppies thereof to be printed here, that I may distribute unto other parts to season the rest with the same moderat conceptions; et if I resolve to do [catchword: so]
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so, I will do your Lordship Right in acknowledging that the worck of Peace is beholden to your Piety et wisdome for these advises, testifying withall the freedome I have used in casting them in a lesser mould for the readdier use of many, et then I will intreat your Zeale towards the publick good of the churches, to inlarge in due time et give forth your more full advices in your own way. Your Lordship doth see what great liberty I take, but I hope, it will not be without good liking because I use all the circumspection that I can, that nothing may bee ill taken or offensive on any side; neither is any thing by the grace of God hitherto miscarried this way; although some chiefly in Sweden have sifted the worck very narrowly to find matter of obloquie to discredit it, fearing least if it tooke effect the licentiousnesse of their uncharitable et unruly proceedings in many things might be restrained. there is a spirituall warrfare proposed unto the Godly et moderat Spirits of this age against men of partiall dispositions: for all these committ in all places one kind of radicall errour et excesse, which doth trouble all the quiet of the churches, which is in determining all things
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this rigour, et not be so censoriously iealous over one another in matters of religion, there would be some hope of doing good: yet all hopes do not faile, for even the extremitie of confusions which arise from the multitude of controversies which are endlesse make men on all sides weary of strife, et long for some way of settling matters towards peace et unity. The treaties past betwixt the divines of Denmarck et me in this businesse are now published at the instance of divers, who had seene the judgment of those of Coppenhagen upon my worke. I purpose to send some coppies into England with my Lord Ambassdour towards Mr. Hartlieb to be presented unto your Lordship et the rest of my Patrons in your parts. I long for rest et some settlement till I bee able to recollect my spirits, et see what will come in end of all those turmoiles whereinto the world is cast, for whilest these feares et pitts et snares are upon the Rulers of the earth, it is not well possible to bring them to take spirituall matters so to heart as the weight thereof requireth et deserveth, yet that these labours are not in vaine I have many evident et pregnant demonstrations when I looke unto particulars heere et there how men are affected with them but because the times are evill, et the wayes of publick [catchword: corre-]
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correspondency to bring matters to a full conclusion are not easily brought to passe; therefore I can blame nobody for not doing that which cannot in reason be required of any, till all be brought to consent freely in one way which may bee found seasonable to be followed, this way I hope God will shew unto us, et in his own time give thereto successe. I am loath to be any longer troublesome, therefore I take humbly my leave et with all thanckfull acknowledgment in my prayers unto God for your former et latter benevolences which I take as tokens of his providence over my worke; I rest
Your Lordship
his
most obliged et affectionatly
duetifull servant
Hamburg the 1. May I. D.
1640
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To the Right Reverend father
in God William Lord
Bishop of Killmore
in
Ireland
[Dury's hand?:]
Duræus ad Episcopos.
Exoniensem - Epistolæ 2
Armachanum 2
Sarisburiens. 2
Dunelmensem 1
Kilmoriensem 1
Anonymum 1