Worthy Sir.
although I have not hadde the Honour to know yow otherwise then by the fruits of your excellent Spirit, attested by some common freinds who have made known unto me the zeale of your Publicke Affections yett I am confident that you will take this freedome in good part. For allthough in face wee may bee unknown and Strangers one to another; yett in relations to the Publicke our acquaintance is grounded in a common Interest. Therefore in matters which may tend to the advancement of Gods Glory, to the furtherance of Religion, to <H: the> encrease of Vertue[H alters from vertu.?] and Learning<H:,> and to the suport of the Public cause against the Common enemies there.off whose strength is the Malignitie of Error, Violence, and deceit; I say in matters of this natture all such as stand up for Truth meeknesse and Rightousnes declaring<H: dealing> may and ought to encourage one another in those wayes<H:,> which may bring successe unto their upright Intentions; and should seeke occasions to provoke one another to love & to good Workes[H alters from worekes]. This aime giveth me this freedome to come unto you in the behalfe of one who was worthy Mr Pyms intimatte and familiar[H alters from ... and] acquaintance; whom he in His Life tyme did cherish & support for Publick Aimes, & who by his favour and recomendations hath beene made an Instrument of much Service for the good of many. (Now having understood that you are one of the Executors of his Last Will & by that meanes gathering this much, that the Trust which hee hath[H alters from had] put upon you Yow[H capitalises], will noe doubt incline you to Informe <H: fullfill> his best wishes & Intentions. For this Cause I thought that it would bee accep= [catchword: table]
acceptable unto you to know<H:,> that I have offtymes heard him sollicitously Consult upon meanes, and earnestly seeke out contrivances, by which his freind Mr Hartlib might bee maintained in his Publicke Negotiations; and truly if soe greatt a throng of buisnesses[H alters from buisnes] none but hee could beare; hadde not opressed him before his departure, I make noe doubt[altered] but hee would have brought the Matter to Passe. But seeing that part of his will towards <him> could not bee fullfilled by himself during this life, it will bee in you worthy Sir, an excellent effect of that faithfullnes, which you owe to the deceassed, not only to executte his will in temporall but rather in spirituall purchases. For hee did esteeme Mr Hartlib and his Negotiations to my knowledge a greatt purchase for himself and others in respect of an Vniversall Good. hence it is that I must become a Suitor to you that such a Purchase may not bee neglected or lost, but that you will suceed in the Care which you <H: hee> had for him<H:,> to recommend his endeavours to the Acceptance of those<H:,> to whome theie might bee most vsefull, that is unto the Parlliament. I need not to make any large description of the profitablenes of the Way[H capitalises] of his employments and the worthynes of his Person; I suppose it is not unknown to you what his deserts are in the one and the other respects; (or if you have not beene heitherto soe fully acquainted therewith you will easily learn it by others both divines and States-Men of the best sort to whom Mr Hartlib is fully known: & amongst others by Mr St John the Solicitor and Mr Pallmer the devine) but I will [catchword: breifly]
breifly mention a way, which your recomendation in all liklyhood may effect for him to suport him to doe service for the Publicke, & that is, that some Prebend (which of old were ordained for men of Learning to enable them to serve the Church) may bee setteled upon him by the<H: an> order of the <Hs:Men?> that <are> fare lesse[altered] deserving then hee have such maintainance; nay[blotted] many that are not worthy at all of them<H:,> lasie bellies fruges consumere nati, keep them unproffitably<H:.> Others[H capitalises] that are strangers for some worth or parts respected in them, have a right to some of them & I heare that amongst others of late Mr Vousius<H: Vossius> hath gotten the Prebend[H capitalises] hetherto<H: heertofore> given him by the King, [deletion] <H: now> againe confirmed upon him by Authority of Parlliament. This[H capitalises] doth induce me to make a motion in this Kind for Mr Pymmes freind & (as I may soe call him) Pupill for Publicke Aimes, that hee may not bee forgotten in the distribution[H alters from ?] of such gifts<H:.> For[H capitalises] hee hath not only deserved<H:,> but is able and in the way to deserve more of the Common wealth and Church both, [2 words deleted] then twentie others that enjoye such Revenues without proffitt to any other <then> themselves: Certainly there is a Iustice in rewarding good Services as well as in punishing disservices, and it is noe lesse beneficiall[H alters from benefitiall] to give encouragments to Vertue[H capitalises] then to [word deleted]<H: deterre> from Vice<H:,. and if att any time these Considerations should be seriously represented unto the State verily these tymes require them, And therefore I make bold to settle your zealle upon this worke[H alters from woreke], not soe much for the Love, which I [letter deleted] owe to Mr Hartlib as an eniment object of Christian Love and Charity but rather for the [catchword: good]
good which I know will from thence redound both unto the cause and<H: of> Religion and Learning and all<H: all> Grace[H capitalises] & Vertues[H capitalises] to bee advanced in the Church and State<H:.> For[H capitalises] this really I can testifie of him<H:,> as one as<H: that> for many years have had experience[altered] of his wayes<H:,> & heerin I have none[H alters from no] other desire<H: designe> than what<H: what> I truly have proffessed;<H:,> and therine desire. that you should have the Honour of Accomplishing so good a Worke[H alters from Wereke], wherby you shall <H: will> oblige mee to bee at all Occasions>
Sir
your most Affectionatte & humble servant
in Christ[altered]
Hague This 2/12 Febr John Dury.
1645
To the Worshipful Francis
Rous Esqr.
