A SUMMARIE ACCOUNT OF Mr Iohn Dury's FORMER and LATTER NEGOTIATION For the procuring of true Gospell Peace with Christian Moderation and Charitable Unity amongst the Protestant Churches and Academies â—ABORE ET CONSTANTIA LONDON Printed for the Author in the year 1657. A SUMMARY ACCOUNT OF Master JOHN DVRYE's former and latter NEGOTIATION WHen in the yeer 1628. John Dury was in Prussia Minister to the English Company of Merchants residing at Elbing he was sent unto The first occasion of this work was at Elbing dealt withal Anno. 1628 and moved by Dr. Godeman a wise godly and learned man one of the King of Swedens Privy Councellors and Judge of his high Court in those parts to second him in a business of Ecclesiasticall Unity amongst Protestants which he said his King and Master would be glad to advance So good a motion being readily entertained it came to pass afterward when Sir Thomas Roe was sent Ambassadour Extraordinary by his Majesty of Great Brittain Mr. Durre's being at Elbing to agree the Swedes and Polonians which also he did successfully perform that both Doctor Godeman and Master Dury did make him throughly acquainted with all the passages of their Negotiation Whereupon he according to that generous disposition which did lead him to favour all good endeavours of a publick nature did very willingly assist them with Counsel Anno. 1629 and at Master Duryes intreaty conferred with the Lord Chancellor Oxenstiern to see how far he would shew himself in the business and what course might be resolved upon to proceed joyntly to the effect thereof The Lord Chancellor manifested a good liking to the work and promised to my Lord Ambassadour to joyn effectually therein towards his King and the Lutheran Clergy of his best acquaintance Upon this ground my Lord Ambassadour encouraged Master Dury to proceed and when his Lordship was gone into England the Lord Chancellor sent for him heard his particular Proposals conferred with him about the same testified his willingness to give assistance thereunto and desired Master Dury to give him information of the passages of the work in time to come so he went from Elbing into England in the year 1630. England Chiefly Anno. 1630 because his Congregation at Elbing was dissolved by reason of the inconveniences which war had brought upon the Trade in that place and because Sir Thomas Roe had promised to move the chief Prelates in England to assist him in the work of pacification Mr. Dury's being in England Being then arrived there he first acquainted his most familiar friends of the Clergie with his purpose and shewed them some Declarations written by the chief Preachers of Dantzigh to make it appear that they were not onely ready to joyn in such a Negotiation but also desirous and in hope that the Divines in England would in like manner concur which being done he came to Sir Thomas Roe who was mindfull of his promise and became every way as good as his word towards him For he recommended the business towards the King who was pleased to refer the consideration of the matter to the Bishop of Canterbury and to the Bishop of London that they should hear Master Dury and declare their resolutions to his Proposals This was done accordingly and he was commanded to write unto the Divines of his acquaintance in Prussia and to the Lord Chancellor Oxenstiern to testifie first the good inclination and resolution which the Clergie of England had to co-operate in due time towards so good a work Secondly That their Counsell for the present was onely this that to prepare a way for future Treaties the Magistrates of both sides should inhibâ—â— railing disputes in the Pulpit and put down the names of partiality so far as could be done and not suffer any publick Disputes to be fomented about matters of Ceremony in the form of publick Worship This he did and after a good space when news came that the Protestant Princes in Germany had leagued themselves together for their mutuall defence Anno. 1631 Mr. Dury's being in Germany and that an amiable conference of their Divines had been holden with good success at Leipzigh to compose their differences in Religion Master Dury was permitted to go into Germany that he might see how the Divines of all sides might be disposed towards a Conjunction of Councels and endeavours in the Work To make a way for this purpose he had before-hand by the means of Sir James Spense Lord of Oreholm and Generall to the Scottish Nation in the Swedish Army given notice to his Majesty of Sweden what his aim was in the business of Reconcilement and how it might be effected Therefore when he came in the year 1631. into Germany he found the King somewhat prepared whom soon after the Battell fought at Leipzigh he spoke withall at Wirtsburg His Majesty was pleased to give him large audience At Wirtsburg and by conference received full information of all those deliberations and particular waies whereby the Work could be prosecuted of which the Summary resolution whereunto his Majesty gave assent was this That the Counsel given by the Prelates of England was to be followed for the inhibition of Disputes and partial names and that as Master Dury did intend to labour with the Divines of the Reformed side to dispose them to joyn unanimously in the means and waies of amity so his Majesty would recommend the same endeavours to be undertaken by some Divines of the Lutheran side who should in like manner work upon the rest of their own party and afterward when a fit preparation should be found on both sides then His Majesty did offer to give unto Master Dury his Letters of publick recommendation towards the Princes of Germany and chiefly towards the Elector of Brandenburg and Landgrave of Hessen that with his and their concurrence and the help of forrain Divines the business might be brought to a solemn conclusion Anno. 1632 This favourable resolution being taken Master Dury dealt first with the Divines of Hessen then with those of Hanaw and of the Palatinate and of Deuxpont and of the Weâ—teraw till he heard the King of Sweden was dead which evil news although they made a stop in some part of his resolutions yet they made him not leave the same but altering a little his course he procured from all the foresaid Divines certain Letters and Declarations whereof some were inscribed to the Bishop of Canterbury some joyntly to him and to the Bishop of London whereby they shewed their serious intention to labour for unity with a desire to be assisted by the Church of England Whiles this was a doing At Heilbron Sir Robert Anstruther arrived as Extraordinary Ambassadour from his Majesty to the Princes of Germany With him Master Dury having now gained the consent of some of the chief reformed Churches in those parts and thinking it fit to deal with the Lutheran side also went to the meeting of the
effect took his leave of the Magistrate and Ministry of that place some of the Magistrate were very earnest with him to persevere in the prosecuting of his work and the Ministry gave him their answer in writ shewing that they were willing to proceed first by way of private correspondency in writing and then by way of publick meeting when things should be repined Before he went from Hamburg he sent by Sea to the chief Prelates who in England had assisted him a Treatise which Doctor Calixtus of Helmistat had written in behalf of the work that they might declare their judgment unto him concerning the same Then he passed again through Buxtehude and Stade where hee confirmed Master Haveman and Scholvinus in their resolutions to moderation and dealt again with Statius Buscherus to take off the edge of his spirit against Doctor Calixtus At Bremen hee stayed fourteen days at Bremen to print an Information directed to all the Reformed Churches concerning the Councells of peace whereunto the Lutheran side did give way that if the same should finde on the reformed side in like manner approbation the businesse might bee in due time set forward by publick authority at Oldenburg at Embden From Bremen hee went to Oldenburg where he dealt with the Superintendent of that place and by his means presented to the Earl of Oldenbueg that which was fit to give him information of his work Anno. 1641 From thence hee came to Embden Mr. Dury's being at Groningen where hee stayed certain days to insinuate the printed information unto the Divines both of the City at Amsterdam and of the County At Groningen hee did the like from whence coming to Amsterdam the Hague hee conferred with the chief Divines of his acquaintance there and sent to all the Presbyteries which they call Classes of North-Holland and neighbouring parts so many copies of the printed information with adjoined letters as were requisite to bee imparted unto them From the Hague hee did the like unto all the Presbyters of South-Holland and Zealand and of the neighbouring places as also to the Synods which were to bee held in every Province Thus having given satisfaction to the chief of the Low-Countries and used means to send information from Amsterdam into Helvetia and from the Hague into France in England hee came to Zealand and took Shipping for Eengland Where being safely arrived hee made his application to the King and Parlament and to all that were in power and place to move them to countenance and assist his designe but the division between the King and Parlament increasing daily his motions though not unseasonable yet were not effectually entertained by any either in England or Scotland because severall applications being made to the Churches and to the men of eminency in both Nations all the year 1641. hee found all to bee in vain be cause every one was intent upon his particular occasions the Hague and all minding onely their Domestick grievances the common interest of Protestants could not bee laid to heart therefore when hee saw that nothing could bee effected or intended so long as the differences were like to grow greater hee accepted of a Call which was given him to the Court of the Princesse Royall at the Hague to attend the Service of that family in the education of that Princesse Hee was in that imploiment in the years 1642 1643. till he received a Summons from the Parlament whereby hee was called unto the Assembly of Divines and because tht Prince of Orange would not give him consent to go thither Mr. Durye's being in England Anno. 1645. till 1654. nor could hee find any comfort in his imploiment at Court hee resigned his charge at that place and accepted of the câ—l which the Marchant-adventurers at Roterdam gave him to bee the Minister of their Company there hee was in the year 1644. and the first Summons whereby hee was called unto the Assembly of Divines beeing still insisted upon he went from Rotterdam in the year 1645. and cam to London where in the service of the Churches for the composure of Domestick differences he imploied himself between all emergent parties till the year 1654. So the work of his publick Negotiation for the Unity of Protestants was suspended for the space of almost thirteen years wherein he entertained onely a correspondency by letters with some of the Divines of his acquaintance beyond the Seas to keep the thoughts of so good a work a foot amongst them so far as the times could permit Then the Peace being happily concluded between England and the United Provinces on the fifth day of Aprill 1654. Master Dury having gotten his Highnesse the Lord Protectors approbation and countenance for the continuance of his design of Pacification amongst Protestants and having obtained the assistance of the two Universities and of the chief Ministers in and about London to concurre with him in his endeavours In the Low Countreys In high Germany in Switzer Land at Zurich he went from London on the foresaid day of April and through the Low-Countries and a part of High Germany hee came to Zurich in Switzerland on the eighteenth day of May where having delivered his Highnesses letter inscribed to the Protestant Cantons recommending his designe unto them those of Zurich at his desire appointed three professors of Divinity and three of the chief Ministers to treat with him till they should call a meeting of deputies from all the other Reformed Cantons to hear his proposalls that a generall resolution might bee taken to carry on his work This meeting was held at Araw in the Canton of Berne on the thirteenth of June where Master Dury having proposed the scope of his Negotiation and the main grounds upon which it was to be agitated Mr. Dury's being at Zurich and communicated some Documents to bee considered of by all the Cantons Anno. 1654 the deputies returned home and made report of that which had been proposed and imparted unto them and on the twenty seventh day of the following Moneth the Generall Resolution of the Cantons was delivered in writing to him by the Senate of Zurich which was to this effect That the Cantons rejoiced much to find his Highnesses favourable affection expressed unto them and acknowledged it a great honour that hee had acquainted them before others with his purpose to advance the Vnion of Protestants in Europe That to Master Dury's proposall and scope they gave their full assent as to a work most commendable and necessary That they would not onely commend it to all their Churches and Academies but would concurre to further it with their advice and authority That to find the effect of this their imclination they invited him to visit their chief Cities and Academies Intreating him withall to testifie unto his Highness their reciprocall love and affection and that his recommendatory letters have with them a great weight By this time Master Dury had
their Clergie unto the work of Peace Ecclesiasticall according to the grounds laid by the States of the Empire at Frankfort Anno 1634. he had dealt by permission and command of her Majesty with the chief Divines of that Kingdom and although some difficulties were risen as in weighty matters is usual yet that he had not omitted any thing which could serve for the taking away of the same Thus he went from Stockholm Anno 1638. and came to Lubeck there he had speech with Dr. Hunnius At Lubeck one of the chief Divines of those quarters Him he prepared to entertain the motion of Peace Mr. Durye's being at Lubick and Hamburg Anno. 1639 which afterward should be made unto him From Lubeck he set forward towards Hamburg to meet Sir Thomas Roe who there was residing as Embassadour Extraordinary from his Majesty of Great Brittain towards the King of Denmark and Princes of Germany To him he gave attendance all the while he staid in those parts not leaving his former purpose but rather using the advantage of his Lordships favourable countenance In this new period of the Negotiation he went slowly to work first because he looked towards the Swedes how they would behave themselves after his departure Secondly because he waited for some overture to begin and make some Proposals at the publick Treaties of Peace in Germany which then was thought upon by reason of the Emperours Ambassadour who was come to those parts and the Mediators which did offer themselves towards that Negotiation But when those Treaties were not likely to proceed At Bremen he went to Bremen that he might acquaint the Divines of that place with his former proceedings and gain in time to come their assistance by way of counsel These were very cordial in the business and entertaining him with all kindness and liberality which no Germans before them had done such encouragements and declarations were given as he could desire both from the Clergie and Magistrate of that City Then he proceeded towards the King of Denmark At Gluckstad who was at Gluckstad there with the good liking and countenance of my Lord Ambassadour he acquainted the Lord Chancellor Raventclow with his desire to deal with the Clergie of Denmark if his Majesty would give him leave so to do His Majesty gave way to his demands and was pleased to recommend certain Writings which his Chancellor received from Master Dury unto the consideration of his Divines of the University of Coppenhagen These gave their judgment and advice concerning his Negotiation tending to shew their approbation of the purpose their particular counsel and proposals in prosecuting of it and their willingness to treat further about it with Master Dury Mr. Dury's being at Gluckstad if his Majesty would give permission thereunto The King caused their judgment to be delivered to Master Dury who thereupon did accept of the offer of their Treaty and gave them a large Answer to all their Propositions containing divers overtures towards a constant progress in a Theological way of Treaty Unto this Answer by His Majesties command they gave a further Declaration of their judgment whereunto Master Dury having replied and shewed his Majesty a brief and ready way to come to the purpose the King was pleased to write unto my Lord Ambassadour to let him know that he thought it fit Master Dury should be more particularly authorized from England before the matter could proceed betwixt him and his Divines to any issue Whiles these matters were thus in agitation Master Dury dealt also with the Magistrates and Ministry of Hamburg and Lubeck and with the Illustrious Archbishop of Bremen At Bremen who gave him a reference to some chief Divines who entertained his motions with very good liking and gave him an answer to the same at Stade In like manner he made Proposals to those of Stade who took the same into mature consideration and promised to concur with others in answering At last he went to those of Brunswick and Luneburg where at Brunswyck with the singular favour of those Princes and by the most pious and peaceable inclinations of their Counsellors and chief Divines towards the work of Reconcilement a ground was laid for a very effectual progress For they have made the work their own undertaking to dispose the rest of the Lutheran Churches and Universities unto a real concurrence in it that afterwards they may proceed with our Churches joyntly to a full conclusion Duke Augustus of Brunswick was the first to whom Master Dury made his address this learned and wise Prince was pleased in favour of the Work not only to convocate his chief Divines and appoint them with some of his Counsellors of State to confer Collegially a whole day with Master Dury but also to settle a resolution which his Divines subscribed Mr. Dury's being at Hildesheim obliging themselves thereby to joyn in all the waies of agreement whereof they had conferred together and moreover to recommend the matter to his Cousin Duke George by a large and most effectual Letter With this address he came to Duke George residing at Hildesheim where he had no less but rather more favourable entertainment then he had gotten at Brunswick For by an Act of Councell the chief Divines who then were in place were appointed to visit and entertain him till others that were sent for should come And when the chief of them were come Master Dury was lodged and entertained with them in one house at the Princes charge for the space of fourteen days that they together might ripen matters and bring their thoughts to a head Which being done a Committee of some Counsellors of State was appointed to give them publick audience in the Princes Name to hear them confer upon the matter of agreement to consider their Counsels and joynt resolutions and to make relation thereof unto the Prince that by his Authority and Countenance such assistance might be given to the Work in due time as should be thought expedient All which being done first the Divines gave to Master Dury a Theological Declaration wherein they testified their agreement to all his Proposals and then their more particular resolutions concerning the manner of proceeding which they would follow in the future advancement of the Work on their part were also imparted unto him The substance whereof was this That Doctor Calixtus chief Professor of the University of Helmestat should by order of the Prince put forth some Treaties wherein the heads of matters in dispute amongst Protestants should be handled historically out of Antiquity to shew what the Church of all ages hath believed thereof and how notwithstanding some difference of opinion thereabout among the ancient Fathers Brotherly love was alwaies maintained These Treaties should be thus improved First they should be sent unto the Lutheran Universities of Wittenburg Leipzigh Iena Marpurg Mr. Dury's being in Hildesheim and Rostock and also to those of Brandenburg