LETTER CCX. ADMODUM REVERENDO IN CHRISTO FRATRI, D. LUDIVOCO DE DIEU ECCLESIÆ LUGDUNO-BATAVÆ PASTORI FIDELISSIMO. LITERAS tuas cum adjuncto librorum academiæ vestræ catalogo diu est quod accepi, uti et alteras postea quibus argumenta Ephræmi opusculorum incluseras; pro quibus maximas tibi gratias et ago et habeo. Admodum vero indolui casum tuum qui filium primogenitum, et quidem talem amiseris: cui tamen levando solatia præbere non est visum, non modo quod propria sapientia abunde instructus sis ad hæc et similia, quibus omnes obnoxii sumus, fortiter toleranda; sed etiam quod tantum temporis intercesserit, ut sit intempestivum nunc adhibendo remedia obductam jam vulneris cicatricem refricare videri. Hoc tantam dicam, non tuam tantum vicem, sed et publicam me doluisse in hac calamitate: quum Ecclesia simul et res literaria non potuerint a tanto ingenio et taliter exculto non maximos suo tempore fructus percipere; ac proinde in hac jactura non parum et ipsæ amiserint, ac tecum in partem detrimenti, et eam quidem permagnam, venerint. Sed quum Deus hoc ita esse voluerit ac ipsius decreta impatienter ferre non minus irreligiosum sit quam irritum, omnino in ipsius voluntate est acquiescendum. Latorem istorum istuc transmisimus ad coemendos illic characteres vel Syriacos vel Hebraicos, quibus hic imprimamus Vetus Testamentum Syriacum; quod facere statuimus simul atque ipse ad nos reversus fuerit, ac proinde rogatum te velim ut per ipsum nobis remittas Pentateuchum Syriacum et Psalterium, quæ olim tibi commodavimus. Quippe iis notis opus fuerit ad tollenda errata alterius nostri exemplaris, in quibus, etiam ubi sunt admo dum manifesta, nihil mutare volumus, nisi aliorum codicum auctoritate. Quod si et vobis vel in publica bibliotheca, vel in privatis, quippiam hujusmodi librorum est, ulla videlicet pars Veteris Testamenti Syriaci, quæso ut collatis operis cum D. L'Empereur (ad quem itidem super hac re scripsi) id nobis procuretis: pro quo officio permagnas vobis gratias habebimus, ac codices vestros simul ac opus nostrum fuerit absolutum (quod parvo temporis spatio speramus fore) fideliter restituemus. Pluribus non agam tecum, ut hanc rem tibi commendatam faciam, quum non dubitem quin per se tibi magnopere cordi futura sit, utpote cum bono publico Ecclesiæ ac literarum conjuncta, ac proinde omnibus istarum studiosis pro virili promovenDeus te, charissime frater, quam diutissime incolumem nobis conservet, tuisque optimis studiis benedicat. Vale. Tuus in Christi ministerio conservus, Dublinii, Julii vii. Anno 1637. JA. USSERIUS ARMACHANUS. LETTER CCXI. MR. BATTIERE TO THE ARCHBISHOP OF ARMAGH. MOST REV. FATHER IN GOD, MY MOST HOnoured Lord, I HAVE received a letter from your grace by Mr. Cullen, with much joy, as well to hear of your grace's good health, (which I pray to God may continue long so for the good of Christendom) as to see me favoured with some employment again for your grace, than whom I know no body living I desire to serve with more affection: I will with one word set down here what hath been done in your lordship's business since Mr. Cullen's arrival. I brought him first to my lord the earl of Leicester, who for your grace's sake, and his own worth, showed him all kindness, and to Mr. Joanes. I carried him to Mr. Duluy, where he made acquaintance, bestowing a compliment upon them from your grace. Pere Sirmond and Mr. Rigault we could not find at home yet, nor Gabriel the Sionita, whose great Bible I showed him also, and conferred the Syrian characters together, of which there be three or four here; but of this Mr. Cullen will give a better account a while hence; for I have written also to Geneva, where such a character is to be sold, to have the sight of it in print, and at what rate they mean to sell it, to compare the prices and characters together with these here. In the mean while Mr. Cullen is advised to sequester himself from English and Irish, to profit the more in the French tongue, for conversing afterwards with those that he hath business withal, and to that end I hope he will not be denied a prorogation of his licence of travelling and absenting himself from the college for some few months longer, with the continuation of his stipend, (he being employed in work so good for the commonwealth) especially upon your grace's commendation. I have set one to work for the transcribing of Concil. Lemovicense, and Theodori Pænitentiale, and will go on with the rest one by one, as I can get them; for to demand so much at once would seem strange to them, although they be very courteous and officious. Of printed books, I bought Vita Leonis et Caroli of Sirmondus; but the rest marked to me are not his. Hincmari Opuscula are of Cordesius, and I think your grace hath them. Ivo Carnotensis of Juret. Damianus of Caetan a Benedictine. Bellarm. de Script. eccl. of Sirmond, but scarce any thing altered in it. Browerus de Treverensis ecclesiæ antiquit. I cannot get yet. There is nothing added to the Councils of Binius, nor any thing printed of St. Chrysostom but what your grace hath. Du Chesnes's third and fourth volume are a printing, but not yet finished. This kingdom being now in wars on all sides, doth not afford any great design for the advancement of learning. Of late, one Mr. Gallant, a counsellor of state, and a Protestant, set forth a book, de Franco Allodio, in French, in which he gives a touch unto the Waldenses history, and Simon de Montfort: I wrote of this man heretofore to your grace, as one best versed in that history, and best stored with their writings; this book I will send with the rest. I wonder your grace hath not received my former, with one from Mr. Buxtorf; if I am not deceived, I sent them away with those of the city and university of Basil to my lord deputy; to whom I made bold to add one of mine, to thank his greatness for the favour of my naturalization in Ireland, and for his nobleness to my kinsman Frey. I am not so out with Ireland, (where I have heretofore received so good entertainment) but I hope to see it again; which I desire the more for your grace's sake, to tender my best respects in person to so much worth; and should think me happy if I could deserve a mean prebend in your cathedral, to wait more close upon your grace. I humbly |