while you yet held your fiefs, so that you have left the kingdom to ask for help from foreign potentates, and not intending to leave your native land altogether, which journey you humbly ask us not to take umbrage at: there is great doubt whether you have spent the moneys you received for the property you sold on astronomical instruments, as it is said here that you have them to lend in thousands of daler to lords and princes, for the good of your children and not for the honour of the kingdom or the promotion of science. Also it is very displeasing to us to learn that you seek for help from other princes, as if we or the kingdom were so poor that we could not afford it unless you went out with woman and children to beg from others. But whereas it is now done, we have to leave it so and not to trouble ourselves whether you leave the country or stay in it. Lastly, as you humbly state that if it might be permitted you to finish your work in this kingdom you would not refuse if it could be done without injury to you; now we shall graciously answer you that if you will serve as a mathematicus and do what he ought to do, then you should first humbly offer your service and ask about it as a servant ought to do, and not state your opinion in such equivocal words (that you will not refuse it). When that is done, we shall afterwards know how to declare our will. And whereas your letter is somewhat peculiarly styled, and not without great audacity and want of sense, as if we were to account to you why and for what reason we made any change about the crown estates; and we besides remember how you have published in your epistles various nonsense about our dear father, to the injury both of his love and of yourself; now we by this our letter forbid you to issue in print the letter you wrote to us, if you will not be charged and punished by us as is proper. Commending
