BCz, 1595, p. 1132

Reverendissimo in Christo Patri et Domino, domino Ioannes Dantiscus (Johannes von Höfen, Ioannes de Curiis, Jan Dantyszek, Johannes Flachsbinder) (*1485 – †1548), eminent diplomat and humanist in the service of the Jagiellons, neo-Latin poet; 1530-1537 Bishop of Kulm; 1537-1548 Bishop of Ermland⌊Ioanni Dei gratia paper damaged⌈[gratia]gratia paper damaged⌉ episcopo Culmensi Varmiensi paper damaged⌈[miensi]miensi paper damaged⌉Ioannes Dantiscus (Johannes von Höfen, Ioannes de Curiis, Jan Dantyszek, Johannes Flachsbinder) (*1485 – †1548), eminent diplomat and humanist in the service of the Jagiellons, neo-Latin poet; 1530-1537 Bishop of Kulm; 1537-1548 Bishop of Ermland⌋, domino et avunculo suo clementissimo[1]

BCz, 1595, p. 1129

Salutem et sui quam humillimam commendationem.

Si eam in scribendo diligentiam, Amplissime Praesul, in me probaveris, quam Pliny the Elder (Gaius Plinius Secundus) (*23 AD – †79 AD), Roman stoic philosopher and naturalist⌊Plinius SecundusPliny the Elder (Gaius Plinius Secundus) (*23 AD – †79 AD), Roman stoic philosopher and naturalist⌋ ab amico suo usque requisivit, has modo litterulas Amplitudo Tua non posset non boni consulere, quod cum nullum argumentum scribendi suppetat, id ipsum quod nihil suppeteret, tantum non hoc tempore coactus sim exarare. Nam si argumenta animi votis responderent, alia plerumque Amplitudo Tua ac uberiora legeret. Praesentes nihilominus eo futuras gratiores in spem venio, quia talem sortitae sint grammatopherum, qui Amplitudini Tuae non gratus modo, verum sic dilectus numquam non exstitit, ut fabulamenta etiamnum omnia, quae ille perferret, quam gratissima Amplitudini Tuae redderet.

Pervenit Cracow (Kraków, Cracovia), city in southern Poland, Małopolska, on the Vistula river, from 1038 capital of the Kingdom of Poland⌊hucCracow (Kraków, Cracovia), city in southern Poland, Małopolska, on the Vistula river, from 1038 capital of the Kingdom of Poland⌋ fama Amplitudini Tuae derepente tantus morbus incidisse, ut etiam salus Amplitudinis Tuae desperaretur. Rumor sane ille haudquaquam laetus et intempestivus mihi nuntius fuit, qui quantum doloris incussit, quantum contristarit, non opus est prolato et, veluti rem minime dubiam, praetereo. Hoc autem probe scio non mediocrem vitae partem mihi sustulisse omniumque rerum fastidium ingenerasse atque tum temporis non potui non vehementer mirari hominum insignem malevolentiam et in malis perferendis miram velocitatem notare, meas etenim ad aures ea Amplitudinis Tuae adversa valetudo, si bene memini, aut 1538-04-10⌊decima1538-04-10⌋, aut 1538-04-11⌊undecima Aprilis1538-04-11⌋ pervenit, ad aliorum non dubito, quin postridie ab eo die, quo Amplitudo Tua eo morbo affecta fuit, perventum sit. Nunc autem gratias ago Deo meo, qui preculas suorum non aspernatus sed benigne suscipiens Amplitudinem Tuam ad pristinam revocavit sanitatem meumque acerbum dolorem dolorem et luctum incredibili vicissim gaudio compensavit.

Accepi insuper serenissimam Sigismund I Jagiellon (Zygmunt I) (*1467 – †1548), King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania (1506-1548); Duke of Głogów (Glogau) (1499-1506), Duke of Opava (1501-1506), Governor of Silesia (1504-1506); son of King Kazimierz IV Jagiellon and Elisabeth of Austria⌊regiam maiestatemSigismund I Jagiellon (Zygmunt I) (*1467 – †1548), King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania (1506-1548); Duke of Głogów (Glogau) (1499-1506), Duke of Opava (1501-1506), Governor of Silesia (1504-1506); son of King Kazimierz IV Jagiellon and Elisabeth of Austria⌋ Amplitudini Tuae legationem ad Ferdinand I of Habsburg (*1503 – †1564), from 1521 Archduke of Austria, from 1526 King of Bohemia and Hungary, Croatia and Slavonia as Ferdinand I, 1531-1558 King of the Romans, 1558-1564 Holy Roman Emperor; son of Philip I the Handsome and Joanna the Mad of Castile, a younger brother of Charles V of Habsburg⌊Romanorum regem FerdinandumFerdinand I of Habsburg (*1503 – †1564), from 1521 Archduke of Austria, from 1526 King of Bohemia and Hungary, Croatia and Slavonia as Ferdinand I, 1531-1558 King of the Romans, 1558-1564 Holy Roman Emperor; son of Philip I the Handsome and Joanna the Mad of Castile, a younger brother of Charles V of Habsburg⌋ dedisse eamque Amplitudinem Tuam, etsi vix morbo levatus, suscepisse. Factum equidem Amplitudinis Tuae plurimum laudo proboque, hoc enim praeter id, quod summam gloriam et honorem BCz, 1595, p. 1130 inde referet, Amplitudo Tua praestiterit, ut eum animum, quem ab initio non nisi fidelissimum et infractum serenissima Sigismund I Jagiellon (Zygmunt I) (*1467 – †1548), King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania (1506-1548); Duke of Głogów (Glogau) (1499-1506), Duke of Opava (1501-1506), Governor of Silesia (1504-1506); son of King Kazimierz IV Jagiellon and Elisabeth of Austria⌊regia maiestasSigismund I Jagiellon (Zygmunt I) (*1467 – †1548), King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania (1506-1548); Duke of Głogów (Glogau) (1499-1506), Duke of Opava (1501-1506), Governor of Silesia (1504-1506); son of King Kazimierz IV Jagiellon and Elisabeth of Austria⌋ cognovit, eundem modo non cognoscat solum, sed penitus etiam perspiciat et ad perpendiculum in his maxime annis superinscribed⌈annisannis superinscribed⌉ et hac tempestate non immutatum, verum (si quid accedere possibile est) quasi fide auctum experiatur.

Ac quod Amplitudo Tua, cum Sigismund I Jagiellon (Zygmunt I) (*1467 – †1548), King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania (1506-1548); Duke of Głogów (Glogau) (1499-1506), Duke of Opava (1501-1506), Governor of Silesia (1504-1506); son of King Kazimierz IV Jagiellon and Elisabeth of Austria⌊regiae maiestatiSigismund I Jagiellon (Zygmunt I) (*1467 – †1548), King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania (1506-1548); Duke of Głogów (Glogau) (1499-1506), Duke of Opava (1501-1506), Governor of Silesia (1504-1506); son of King Kazimierz IV Jagiellon and Elisabeth of Austria⌋, tum ceteris omnibus notum et testatum esse {esse} voluit, nempe Amplitudinem Tuam nihil detractare, quoquo tempore, et quoquo versus, modo id per valetudinem licere written over a⌈arere written over a⌉t, regiae maiestati honori esse et emolumento, id nunc denique sole meridiano clarum magis et nemini non perspicuum reddetur. Eo vero deventum esse profecto miserum, ut Prussia, region in central Europe, bordered by Pomerania, Poland, Lithuania and Livonia. From 1466 Prussia was divided into Royal Prussia (Prussia Regalis), which was a part of the Kingdom of Poland, and Teutonic Prussia (Prussia Ordinis Theutonici) – covering the remnants of the former territory of the Teutonic Order’s state in Prussia. In 1525, the Order’s last Grand Master, Albrecht von Hohenzollern, converted to Lutheranism and became the first lay duke in former Teutonic Prussia (dux in Prussia), which from then on was called Ducal Prussia (Prussia Ducalis). At that time, as a result of the treaty of Cracow, Ducal Prussia became a fief of the kings of Poland⌊PrussiaPrussia, region in central Europe, bordered by Pomerania, Poland, Lithuania and Livonia. From 1466 Prussia was divided into Royal Prussia (Prussia Regalis), which was a part of the Kingdom of Poland, and Teutonic Prussia (Prussia Ordinis Theutonici) – covering the remnants of the former territory of the Teutonic Order’s state in Prussia. In 1525, the Order’s last Grand Master, Albrecht von Hohenzollern, converted to Lutheranism and became the first lay duke in former Teutonic Prussia (dux in Prussia), which from then on was called Ducal Prussia (Prussia Ducalis). At that time, as a result of the treaty of Cracow, Ducal Prussia became a fief of the kings of Poland⌋ eos dare legatos cogatur, quos ad orbis monarchas ableget Poland (Kingdom of Poland, Polonia)⌊PoloniaPoland (Kingdom of Poland, Polonia)⌋.

Quod superest, precor, ut Deus Optimus Maximus susceptam legationem super omnia omnibusque ex partibus fortunet, cum eam honeste subterfugere non potuit Amplitudo Tua. Ad proximam, quam scripsi Amplitudini Tuae epistulam huc adveniens, puto praesens respondebit. Quare non est, quod litteras aliquas ab Amplitudine Tua interea exspectem. Christus Jesus of Nazareth (Jesus Christ), in Christianity the Messiah foretold in the Old Testament⌊IesusJesus of Nazareth (Jesus Christ), in Christianity the Messiah foretold in the Old Testament⌋ eandem Amplitudinem Tuam cum sibi carissimis iugiter servet.

Dat(ae) or Dat(um)⌈Dat(ae)Dat(ae) or Dat(um)⌉ Cracow (Kraków, Cracovia), city in southern Poland, Małopolska, on the Vistula river, from 1038 capital of the Kingdom of Poland⌊CracoviaeCracow (Kraków, Cracovia), city in southern Poland, Małopolska, on the Vistula river, from 1038 capital of the Kingdom of Poland⌋, 21 Maii, anno Domini 1538.

Reverendissimae Amplitudinis Tuae infimus clientulus Kaspar Hannau (Gasparus Hannovius, Kacper Hannow) (*1519 – †1571), Dantiscus' nephew (son of Anna), doctor of both canon and civil law, friend of Marcin Kromer, Bishop of Ermland; his studies in Cracow (1536-1538), and later in Rome (1539-1548), were financed by his uncle; from 1545 Canon of Ermland (Warmia) and Dean of Guttstadt (Dobre Miasto) Collegiate Chapter; from 1547 Canon of Włocławek (ORACKI 1984, p. 84; KOPICZKO 2, p. 108-109)⌊Gaspar HannowKaspar Hannau (Gasparus Hannovius, Kacper Hannow) (*1519 – †1571), Dantiscus' nephew (son of Anna), doctor of both canon and civil law, friend of Marcin Kromer, Bishop of Ermland; his studies in Cracow (1536-1538), and later in Rome (1539-1548), were financed by his uncle; from 1545 Canon of Ermland (Warmia) and Dean of Guttstadt (Dobre Miasto) Collegiate Chapter; from 1547 Canon of Włocławek (ORACKI 1984, p. 84; KOPICZKO 2, p. 108-109)⌋

[1] Missing parts of address were written on lost piece of paper the seal was impressed through.