The Hartlib Papers

Dearest Sir

I have been hitherto wnwilling to wryte to yow, becaws I was not fixed to any place, but still a going from one to another, since I arrived heer. For on wednesday the 28. of august at night wee <came> downe from graves end, & on sunday morning the 1. of september stylo veteri wee came to the texell & from thence on moonday morning to Amsterdam, from whence shortly after I went to Roterdame, & from thence to [Camphire?], & so back to Roterdame againe, & from thence to ley, & vtright, & so to Amsterdame back againe, wher I now am, but intend presently for Franeker; wher god willing I mynd to setle for some tyme, till I see further about me. I delayd therfor till now to wryte to yow, till yow might know, wher to send me an answer, or to wryte to me, as yee shall have occasione: which yee may doe by Mr Morian, who is well acqwaint with Doctor Vander Linden Rector of the vniversitie of Franeker, whether I goe. I have a letter of recommendatione from him to that Doctor, & came to know of his living neer by Mr Rollitius, only by accident of his mentioning of him: wherupon I took occasione to tell Mr Rollitius, that I desyred to be acqwaint with him, upon the grownds of yowr familiarity & his, & for what I had heard of him, from yow, & Mr Durey. When I had saluted him from yow, & told him I had no letters from yow to him, but only to Mr Rollitius, yet of my self I took that boldnesse to come & see him, as yowr freind, & desyre his acqwaintance, & was cowrteowsly received of him, as I had been of Mr Rollitius before. Tuo motives I have, that make <me> goe to Franek befor any other place; 1. the easienesse of living ther, cheaper then elswher, & 2. a pwblick chemicall laboratory, that is ther erecting, (as Mr Morian informs me) by Vander Lindens means, who is a favorer of chemistrie. Iust this night, when I was come to take my leave of him, Mr Rollitius told me, he had received letters from yow, inqwyring if I was arrived in safety, or had been with him, & wher I was, that yee was so long a hearing of me; for which yowr care, & remembrance of me, I very hartily thanke yow. I wold see yow godwilling abowt 3. months hence[,? MS edge] if by yowr means, & Mr Dwreys, & such freinds as yow can make for the purpos, as Sir Oliver Flemins, & others, yow cowld obtaine me a licence to come into the kingdome, & remaine some three months therin in safety, for doing of some bookish businesse, & privat adoes of myne owne, that no ways concerne the state; and liberty to returne to Franeker againe in safety, & without trowble, or molestatione. But unlesse the licence showld containe a graunt <left margin: of this liberty & safe conduct or passe back againe>, & a warrant from any danger by the act against the Scots, or by pressing the ingagement on me, I will not hazard. Therfor I intreat yow as effectwally & speedily as yow can to try yowr moyen, what can be done on this behalf, & to acqwaint me therwith ether by Mr Morian, or Mr Rollitius; I mean by desyring them to send me yowr answer, or which of them yow think fittest, as soon & as safely, as may be. Remember me to Mr Durey, yowr wyfe & the rest of yowr family; Mistris Durey, & all others that shall desyre to heare of me, or inqwyre for me. I Rest

                         Yowr trewly loving & asswred

                           freind in the Lord

                                  William Hamiltone.

  Amsterdame the 13./3 of October 1650

Sir, wheras Valerianus magnus, that I had of yow, containd no more of the four tractats mentioned in the title page, but the first de peripatu, I thowght good to acqwaint yow, that I found all the four tractats in amsterdame. Also I intreat yow to have a care of this letter heerin inclosed, & directed to Mr Ihonson of allsowlls, to send it safely to him.

For his worthy, & much respected

Freind Mr Hartlib, at his

hows neir Charin Crosse, & nixt

  doore to Doctor midcaffes

                       These present