2 A BIOGRAPHICAL MEMOIR 



moting measures to obtain for him that patronage and 

 support, which, late in life, he was necessitated to solicit. 



Among the eminent persons of his acquaintance was 

 Dr. John Worthington,* Master of Jesus College, Cam- 

 bridge, and Vice- Chancellor of the University. In a letter 

 written to him on the 3rd of August, J 660, Hartlibf 

 gives the following account of himself and family : — 



" My father was a merchant, but no ordinary one, 

 being the King of Poland his merchant ; who hath 

 founded a church at Pomania in Poland. And when 

 the Jesuits prevailed in that kingdom, he was fain to 

 remove himself into Prussia, where he came to Elbing, 

 where not any house of credit was yet built. But he, 

 with another, Patritius, of Breslaw, in Silesia, built two 

 stately houses, which are yet standing at Elbing, being 

 the principal houses of the town ; the building whereof 

 cost my father many thousands of rix-doUars in those 

 cheap days. Immediately after he erected there Nium- 

 firbing, my grandfather, the Deputy of the English 

 Company at Dantzick, bringing the Company to Elbing ; 

 and so that town by trading came to that splendour 

 and wealth wherein it hath continued these many years. 



" My father had married before two Polonian gentle- 



* The Diary and Correspondence of Dr. J. Worthington, edited 

 by J. Crossley, Esq., Printed for the Chetham Society. Vol. 13, 

 4to, Manchester, 1847. 



t Brit. Mus. Add. MSS. Ex. Legato Joh. Ward, No. 6269. 



