| Title: | Letter, William Potter To Hartlib |
|---|---|
| Dating: | 2 February 1656 |
| Ref: | 7/81/3A-4B: 4A BLANK |
[7/81/3A]
Deare Freind
Yours of the 22th of Ianuary received I am preparing some things much to the purpose as you desire, which when ready I intende to acquaint you with, but in the meane tyme another worke of very Publique Concernement which I am preparing for the presse seemes att present more necessary; The Tract you gave mee was not (The healing motion) but mencioned it with much dislike; For the inclosed paper you sent mee about Lawes I hartily thanke you; I have taken a Copy thereof and returned it to you agayne; Hee saith enough to Convince the necessitie of reforming and abbridging our owne Lawes and the proceedings thereof; And I doubt not but a body of Law Collected out of the Morrall Commands of the Ould Testament, without further applycation of the same to particular cases (which are indeed infinite) might do best of all; provided that wee were sure our Iudges would bee as honest as those over the Iewes, and [deletion] <such> as they needed not particular direction from God in some cases as they had, and Gods Continuall superintenance by Mirracles and Prophetts to steere and Guide the Affaires of that Nation by a more Immediate hand then now; Or else in regard the Aplication of such generall rules to particular cases leaves so very much to the honesty and discretion of the Iudge; perhapps it might bee fitt that the persons whose cases were before them should bee altogether vnknowne; which how itt might be effected I did once propound and have the notes still by mee
The World haveing had severall Thousand yeares experience since those tymes of Moses, was then voyde of much of that subtill undermining serpentine Craft whereby to Circumvent the force of Playne Lawes which since it hath obtayned; except all the Law in every case be in a manner Solely put into the Iudges Brest; And then without Gods immediate supperintendence, wee <are> put to as many shifts another way; and must vse some [prudence?] more that <then> what the very letter of Scripture <other then in generall rules> doth hold forth as far as I yet know. The Countermining of the New Craftes and Subtilties which every Age produces, by a new improvement of our <human> Understanding Care and Industry to finde out and apply new Lawes and remedies agaynst such new disceases I conceive is the very designe of providence on purpose that no facultie which hee hath created, not [catchword wanting]
[7/81/3B]
wanting manifold occasions of excercise wee might know the Value thereof, and how much wee are beholding to him for them; That in the Sweate of our browes wee must eate our Bread, is a rule which I find true in every thing; neither doth hee prompt vs in the eare where so much as to find the seede thereof; and therefore it was many ages before the World knew the vse so much as of sowing Corne; This makes those that have power to neede those that have skill, & both, those that find out the meanes to either;
Febr. 2. 1656 your most affectionately loving Freind
William Potter
[7/81/4B]
To his very speciall
Freind Mr Samuell
Hartlib Senior att his
house att Chearing
Crosse Westminster
London/
6d
[top right, another hand:] Potter