The Hartlib Papers

Title:Copy Letter In Hand ?, John Dury To Sir Thomas Roe
Dating:12 June 1640
Ref:6/4/60A-61B: 61B BLANK
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 [Hartlib's hand: Hamburg the 12. of Iune 1640. S. T. R.]
Thus having done with publique matters give mee leave to come againe to particulars concerning my selfe [And?] & to begin where I left last. I thinke it for many reasons fitt for mee to resolve to live abroad if it may bee well taken & permitted. And allthough I hope not or intend not to live all my life abroad yet I cannot but incline my heart to this resolucion rather to stay neere hand the places where my worke may bee agitated whiles it is in agitation then without a necessary cause to retire from the same Soe then I conceive that in England, for this present whiles matters stand thus that my presence would bee of noe vse Therefore I see noe cause to make hast as I did intend heretofore either to print the things which I have vnderhand or to retire from hence by Holland into England I say I see noe cause to doe soe Because I cannot imagine that those that are in place will take my busines to heart in a publique way things being soe vnsettled at home Neither ought I to desire any[altered] such thing of them All then that I desire is that I may have an answer to the writes which I have sent over to our cheife divines that I may make vse of theire Spirituall Counsells for the publicke good of Gods Church soe long as it shall bee more expedient for mee & for the good of the worke to stay abroad then to come home Now how long it shall bee expedient Circumstances will yeeld & I thinke noe man can forsee There- [catchword: fore]
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to settle my mind at rest allsoe in this matter (for it hath somewhat troubled mee) I have settled this Conclusion that I ought to stay at the occasions of my worke soe long as my license to stay abroad doth last now that will last yet about a whole yeare Therefore seing nothing doth call mee from my worke & I ought not to intend to leave it I thinke my selfe bound if I will bee faithfull to it to stay out the tyme which Gods providence hath allotted mee & in that tyme dispose my selfe either to leave all in a faire way or to ripen matters for continuance of the purpose if things frame well at home For if things frame not well I can cleere my hands of the negotiacion when I see noe possibility of proceeding And to doe this mee thinkes God doth allow mee this yeare wherein hee is like to determine the issue of many businesses vpon which privat mens intentions & aimes doe take theire rise And lesse then a yeares Space will [ch?] scarce suffice to vnty conveniently all the relacions into which I am involved If I should (as I must) intend to bee ready to leave off the negotiacion from henceforth (and I find that I must intend to bee ready soe to doe Because I will not bee vnder the leisure censure of vndertaking impossibilitys Nor will I trust too confidently vnto mine owne imaginacions least the love of my desired object deceive mee though mine owne selfe conceitednes against the which I strive never-
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-theles as much as I am able to doe This is my resolucion & these are the reasons which induce mee to take it vp concerning the tyme of myne abode here or at Bremen which resolucion nevertheles I am ready to submitt to your worships good liking that if the mocions <H: motives> bee not sufficient or if I can bee informed that by comming sooner home I shall bee able to doe more good to the publick[altered] in my way I am willing to alter this purpose Thus then I leave all to the providence of God & Commending my selfe to your vertuous lady & to your Constant favour I rest
                          Y W his
                               Most obliged &
                               humble Servant
                                       I: D: