The most Humble Expression of Sir Balthazar Gerbier, concerning his Integrity and zeale to this State and Nation; and the account he desires to give thereof:

WHEREAS the thoughts of men are only knowne to God, and men onely to judge by words and actions; As it im­ports to all States that men should not offend by words or deeds; So it im­ports to know their intentions, especially in unsetled times, that there wants no men who minde but mis­chiefe; who also make it their work to traduce all such as run not their course; Which being a known Truth, justly moves the said Sir Balthazar Gerbier, to declare, first, that it was a true zeale towards this Na­tion, which moved him to come to it, in the year 1616 (from Zealand his Native Country, belonging to the States Generall) and to apply himself during the best part of so many yeares since to the publique service; Hee never to his knowledge by Word or Action, said or did any thing, that might or could contra­dict the truth of that zeale by him profest.

[Page 2]Secondly, That as soon as he perceived this Na­tion to be threatned with disturbances, hee (by the intercession of the Prince Elector Palatine, the then King being at Yorke) became an humble Suitor for leave to retire, and to return beyond the Seas, resol­ving then to abandon all Court entertainments, and imployments, that could have argued in him a dispo­sition, contradicting what he had so long profest; and so preferred the keeping entire and spotlesse his Inte­grity before all other worldly considerations in gene­rall, as in particular, the recovery of all such summes of money as hee hath disburst during his Residency abroad, for the service of the State, and at home in his charge of Master of Ceremonies, for which hee had gotten some Tallies struck upon Bishops, which were stopt soon after that it was told at Court, he cea­sed not to pay Assessements, and which was the cause also that Sir Clement Cotterell being at Oxford, was in­stantly invested in his charge, though it was setled upon the said Sir Balthazar Gerbier, during life, by Pa­tent under the then great Seale of England, first as adjoynt to his Predecessor Sir John Finet, and since his decease in quality of Sole Master of Ceremonies.

Which could not be taken from him, except he had merited that which was most unjustly and injuriously told to his face, (by the Instigation of the Lord Cot­tington) that hee had deserved to be hanged by his Legges, for having named those who did betray this State. The Interest whereof, being the cause of what he then did, was ever so deare unto him as it shall ever be preferred by him beyond all that may concern his particular, as in that of his Office of Ma­ster of Ceremonies, during life, he shall never complain [Page 3] against the State, that it was, during his absence setled upon a Gentleman, who for his service in quality of publique Minister hath well deserved; and who ha­ving all the necessary qualities, is so fit for the executi­on thereof.

Thirdly, that during his seven years absence, he hath not only continued to contribute to the maintenance of the Army by due payments of Assessements, and all kind of taxations, (though himself deprived of all Em­ployments). But publiquely profest to wish the pre­servation of this State, against all Forreigne and Inland Enemies, with the same zeale and integrity of mind as he hath proceeded with, during his former twelve yeares constant Residency in the Court of Bruxels, whence he did as diligently as possibly he could, ad­vertize the State of all the Trecheries intended and acted against the same, as he did divers times repre­sent to the late King, that his Neighbours would ne­ver consider his power, except it was seasoned with an harmonious concordance of Parliaments, of which truth the said Sir Balthazar Gerbier, appeales to his Journalls which the State doth possesse.

But his fidelitie to the State proved to him his utter ruine, so great then being the resentments of those who were offended; that in obedience to the Parliament he named those who advertised the publick ministers of State in forraign Courts, especially those of Rome and Spaine, of all the secrets of this State, and who did crosse and overthrow divers of the most important af­faires wherein the honour and greatnesse of this Nation was concerned. Fourthly

That his late re passing the seas hither with his fa­mily was on the same grounds he first came to this State [Page 4] whence he departed without standing in need of any quietus est, having that of his own conscience, the free score whereon he was again moved to present himself, and to offer to give such a ful account of all his actions as should be thought fit, besides the explaining of all such expedients contained in severall of his papers, both written and Printed, and as were sent first by himself to the right Honourable Master Speaker, since the year 1646, and by M. Reni Augier this States resident at Paris (to whom the said Sir Balthazar Gerbier shal alway appeal, as to an infallible witnesse of his zeal, affection & fidelity to this State) By which expedients (whenput in practice) the revenue of the State may be augment­ed by two or three hundred thousand pound per an. & this with notable advantage & applause of the people, as may prove the present use of one of them, by him so long since proposed, which having bin observed by the late Dr. Dorisla, hath also by some active person been presented to the Parliam. under the notion of an Office of general Remembrances of matters of Record, which when setled, and practised as it ought to be, may render to the State more then fortie thousand pound per annum.

And finallie the ground of the said Sir B. Gerbier his comming over to be for the erecting of an Academy, on all such Principles and orders as are mentioned in his Treatises heretofore presented to divers Members of this Honorable Court of Parliament, and of the Coun­cel of State, and in the following leaves.

For the performance whereof he in his own person (& in those of his own family) undertakes, as also to prove his said design to tend to the glory of God, the honor of the Nation, the improvement of all lovers of Vertue, and the breeding of youth therein.

SIR Balthazar Gerbier Knight, the Author of the Academy at Bednall Greene neere London, wherein the honour of the Na­tion, the generall satisfaction of all Fa­thers of Families, and the improvement of all men that are Lovers of Languages, Sciences, and all Noble Exercises is concerned, having, during his being conversant with Forreigne Nations, and his Re­sidency among them, in service of the State observed both the advantages which Fathers of Families, and all Lovers of Vertue procure to themselves by publicke Academies, as also the inconveniences whereunto many of those that travell, are subject; hath also fixt [Page 6] on this most Noble, and most necessary designe (how great and laborious soever it may prove to him and his) to apply all his time, his cares, labours, faculties, and all possible industry, as well in his owne person, as by those that shall teach the Hebrew, Greeke, Latine, French, Italian, Spanish, German, and Low Dutch, se­verall sorts of Hands of excellent Writing both An­cient and Moderne Histories, joyntly with the con­stitution and Government of the most famous Em­pires and States of the World, besides the true ex­perimentall Naturall Philosophy, as also what is most necessary and most Noble, of the Mathematicks, to wit, Arithmetick; the true method of keeping Books of Account, by Debter and Creditor, as is practized in Italy, and other parts of Europe.

Geometry, Geographie, Cosmographie, Perspective, and Architecture, as well for building, as for magnifi­cent shewes, and secret motion of Scenes, and the like. But above all, what is most excellent of practi­call, Mathematickes, whatsoever belongs to Fortifica­tions, Besiedging and defending of places, fire-works, ordering of Battalioes, and marches of Armies, Mu­sicke playing of all sorts of Instruments, Dancing, Fencing, Riding the great horse, together with the new manner of Fighting on horse-back, and if there be any Lovers of vertue, who have an inclination to Draw­ing, Painting, Limbning & Carving either for their cu­riosity, or to attain to a greater excellency in severall of the fore-mentioned Sciences (viz.) Architecture, Fortification, &c. they may have them as exactly taught as any of the other Sciences, and by a short method, which shall give them a full insight in the Theoricall [Page 7] part of the said Sciences and exercises, at the self same time that they shall be taught in the forraign Langua­ges? whereunto shall serve severall Treatises held forth by the said Sir Balthazar Gerbier in the Langua­ges aforesaid; he being fully perswaded, that all such Fathers of Families as mind the improvment of their Sonnes, will chearfully and readily imbrace what is now proferred unto them, and prefer the placing of their Sonnes in the Academy, to their travelling a­broad, not onely in troubled times, but at any other hereafter, for when all is done, Parents doe spend much for keeping of some of their Sonnes abroad, when during the said chargable time, they for the most part become acquainted onely with Academists, and they returne, leaving to those Forraigners the ho­nour of their education, when if they bee taught be­fore their travelling abroad, they will then in a short time make themselves known among the best of men, in the Court of Princes, and there lodge a glorious impression of the abilities of the Nation, every whit as able of Body and Mind, as any other can be.

They will also, Travelling in a more mature age, be the more secured against those, who make it their practice to corrupt young men, & to infuse into them destructive Principles, to their Country, and to their Religion, which is so generally manifest, as no doubt both Germains, Polonians, Sweds, Danes and Flemings will soon resolve to Travell towards these parts, and to this Academy, which will also redound to a parti­cular glory to the Nation, both for the present and for the future, and make good that the present time [Page 8] fovoureth what is so noble, and so generally useful and commendable,

All Lovers of Vertue, Are therefore invited to this Academy, where they shall be received, well used, carefully and diligently instructed, without exception of age, as it shal be in the pleasure of every Scholler in this Academy to select the prosecution of any of the Languages, Sciences and Exercises in particular ac­cording to his genius or affection, and accordingly les­sen or increase his charge.

The Master or Professors shall be ingaged to read weekly the Wednesdays in the afternoones Publicke Lectures on Languages, Sciences, and Exercises gra­tis, both for strangers of civill conversation, as well as the Academists.

The Master and Constitutor being cheifly positive, onely in the regulation, for preventing idlenesse, and consequently vitiousnesse in life, or manners, hopeing that beginning and and ending every day, with Pray­ers and Thanksgiving intended, and filling the rest of the time with vertuous Exercise and Study, God will so blesse their Endeavours, as that he may be the more glorified, and this Nation better served.