| Title: | Copy Letters In Hartlib'S Hand, [John Dury] To [Hartlib] And [Caspar Godemann?] |
|---|---|
| Dating: | 13 March, 21 March, 4 April 1639 |
| Ref: | 9/1/76B-79B |
| Notes: | Continuation of letters in 9/1/73; G.H. Turnbull suggests that the second letter of 13 March may be to Godemann (see Hartlib Dury and Comenius, 1947, pp.193-4). |
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Bremen the 13. of March. 1639.
your 2. last Letters I haue received here at Bremen. Hee that will edifie any Man in this age which is the quintessence of [partial?] seasons must bee extreamly mortified and armed against all assaults of traducements because there is such a Spirit of jealousie in these times that the least sparke of suspition is able to fire not one Man only but a whole Nation or Society at least. Wee must looke to God who ruleth the houres and resolue to suffer and beare the crosses of persecution for doing good. If wee arme not ourselves with this resolution wee shal find ourselves deceived in the end. As for the Clergy Men at Court who laugh as you say [for owning] at M.G. for owning mee so much I marveile not at it because they haue
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another aime then sweet M.G. They loue privat endes and thinke all to bee folly that serueth not therunto with profit to themselves but Mr G. and I are without respect to ouselves set vpon an Vniversal good. Well let them at least not bee scandalized at my constancy for I purpose to hold out so long as God shal inable mee. I pray you let mee know what judgments fall vpon the writes I haue heretofore sent vnto you concerning the manner of my proceedings. My desire is if it bee Gods will to settle here with dr Bergius and Crocius which I find Men of a most peacable disposition and wholly bent to my study. But how shall I subsist? If once j were setled here I shall bee able God willing to worke as much and more good then euer j could haue imagined because this place is as fit for Correspondency to all parts as Hamburg is and because from hence occasions will rise of treaties both with the Lutherans of denmark and other Quarters and also with our owne side in Holland and else where. Dr Crocius is busie to cleare himself from all imputations of Socinianisme which I am persuaded hee is free from. Dr Bergius is printing certain dissertations which fully agree with the Scope and meanes of my Worke. The Magistrate of this place will I hope this day make a decree that the Clergy should treate with mee about this busines. For 2. dayes agoe when I was with their President to acquaint him with my purpose, hee said that my desire should bee proposed to the Senat at this day, and that hee made no doubt but that it would bee granted, namely that they would command their Ministery to take this matter jointly in their consideration and treat therof with mee. I haue dealt with each of them severally for the space of this 10. or 12. dayes. Some of them are not well inclined to the Scope by reason of jealousies and privat divisions amongst themselves But I am persuaded yet they will not become opposit's to peace. For they haue no cause of any exception against mee. After I had dealt with them all severally I presented them jointly with a Letter which was read in their Consistorie and a resolution taken therupon that 4. of their Colledge should take the mat-
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ter in consideration and treat with mee about it which being done 2. of them were sent in the name of all the rest vnto the President of the Senat with whom I had beene a little before and desired leaue to treate with mee, so that here a foundation is laid for some furhter proceedings if the Magistrat doth give order vnto them to proceede. Thus you see that if I knew how to subsist here without feare of being destitute I could advance the cause much and haue a conveniency to perfit all my imperfect taskes and recover somwhat of my lost time in other Studies. But as I vse also. to say so again in these desires and purposes I must resigne myself vnto Gods good will and pleasure. I know hee will doe that which is most expedient for his owne glory with vs and by vs, if wee but perseuere in his loue with faithfulnes. The Letter to the king of denmark Secretary I will send from hence with the first occasion. I doubt of the kings inclination to Comenius designes because hee is full of other thoughts and like to bee again in armes if the reports bee true which are told vs I know not what to advice my Sister. For I haue no ground to subsist myself and I cannot apply my mind to another aime then this way, wherein I am habituated hitherto and which in ende will bee the only profitable and necessarie studie of this Age, if God once bee pleased to graunt vs deliverance out of our common straits and a setled peacable abode.
From the same place and date.
your last hath found mee out here at Bremen where I am to trie what foundation may bee laid for further proceedings in my Worke. The divines here are very willing to entertaine the motions which I haue made vnto them and desirous to haue mee staying with them. But when I went from my Lord Ambassador I promised to bee no longer absent then 14. day's or 3. Weekes and before I can or will settle my resolution of staying any where to enter in a course of negotiation. I must haue further permission and councel and hope of support. This City is furnished with the most moderat and learnedst divines which are to bee found in Germany of our Religion. They are as busy in my Worke of Reconciliation as I myself am for which cause the more igno-
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rant[altered from ignorants] Zelot's of the Reformed side are offended at them and spare not to traduce them for Socinians, yet without just cause. They are seated in a place of most conuenient Correspondency towards all Quarters with which I need to negotiate. I could wish to spend a yeare or 2. here for a final trial of this Worke before I should finde in my heart to giue it over; and that so much the rather because a doore is already opened here to treat with the Divines of denmark in respect that the king of denmark doth take vpon him to place Lutheran Preachers in the Cathedral of this
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vnto the realitie of the matter and meanes intended to a necessary purpose. The effect of my negotiation in Sweden will appeare in its owne time. That which I wrote to Mr H. wherof you desire to know the certainty is truth, that the Lords Regents haue since my departure forbidden railing against mee and against the Calvinists in general because one that came from thence who had treatied with the Regents about a Plantation of Strangers to bee transported of some of their barren Quarters told mee circumstatially that since my comming away the Lords Governours of the State had by Decree inhibited that custome of their Clergy to make a way for further Vnion.
I am glad the french Chancellor hath written into Scotland to persuade them to some yeelding Resolutions. If j could [conceive? MS edge] how to soften them by word write or worke I would not bee wanting to the Publike. For I am more bound to my native Country then to any other that is a stranger to mee and I to it, yet I conceive that if once the common consent of all forraine Protestants bee gained towards an agreement and the Execution bee publikely vndertaken by some few, that the perswasion of all and the exampels of some will and may bee effectual to worke vpon those of mine owne nation. Therfore in this constancie of my labour for Peace I endeavor no lesse for the good estate and pacifying of my Country then if I directly dealt with themselves although I seeme to doe a worke of another kinde, and if j were with those that laugh at you for owning mee with so much zeale I suppose I should make them easily confesse that as the occasions of divisions haue beene propagated from those forraine Quarters towards vs like a contagious and epidemical disease, so the cure therof should begin when the first cause arose by the remooual therof and [catchword: the]
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and the propagation of reconciliation and peace should bee no lesse hoped for from their example then the rents haue beene infectious by their practise.
I know that the meanesse of my way is contemtible in the eye of the World, but withal I know that the kingdome of God doth not come with appearance, therfore I am not staggered at mine owne wants and weaknesses, but can resolue if it bee convenient to walke yet in a lower sphere then hetherto I haue done and yet with good evidence of a full progresse in my Worke. The strenght of God is most seene in humane weakenes and Spiritual effects are seldome wrought vpon the soules of Men without Spiritual meanes and wayes of proceeding which depend not vpon worldly and outward strenght and formulations. I hope you vnderstand my meaning.
From Bremen the 21. of March 1639.
I am here almost reddie to receive a dispatch. It is agreed vpon in the Senat and in the Consistorie and yet not without some opposition of Adversaries who by calumnies and foolish objections did labour to hinder the good foundation which is now like to bee laid or rather laid alreddie here. Pray for the peace of Ierusalem with mee stil as you doe. For God will not cast of the petition of the poore which is according to his will. In a word I haue gotten as I suppose here all my demaundes. There is no place like this fit for abode, and for action for mee. Therfore pray and thinke how I could bee maintained here./.
Hamburg the 4. of April 1639.
I hope all the Letters j wrote to you from Bremen are come to your hands. Now hauing dispatched all things there to my content (for which I thanke God) I am come hither and haue found divers of your packets and papers lying here for mee. I should haue written to diverse according to the resolution intended at Bremen but I am hurried away from hence towards Gluckstad where my Lord Ambassador is with the king of denmark and therfore haue no time to write any thing scarce could j find [leisure?] <time> to reade your Letters which I found all on a heape waiting here for mee, far lesse could I or can
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I finde leasure to looke vpon M. [Hübner's?] Pansophical dissertations and Comenius Letters. But God willing j will doe it at Gluckstad. For now there is no time to stay here because I must hire a wagon to bee gone least I come too late and loose an opportunity which perhaps in many Months will not bee gained againe. Pray for mee that God will bee pleased to direct mee in all things and support mee that I may bee also able to helpe you in your endeavours./.
[letters continue in 9/1/79]