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Letter #1796

[Ioannes DANTISCUS] to [Jan CHOJEŃSKI]
Löbau (Lubawa), 1537-11-21

English register: Dantiscus is replying to Chojeński’s letter. He is pleased with the good news Chojeński sent him (about the victory of the Polish unit in a skirmish with the Wallachians), as he had feared that the conflict between the king and the gentry would embolden the enemy. He agrees with Chojeński that it would be best to set aside internal disputes and finally defeat “the Wallachian” (i.e. Moldavian hospodar Petru Raresh) before the end of this winter. Dantiscus points to the disastrous effects of discord in the country in the past and at present, giving as an example – known to him from Chojeński’s letter – the recent defeat of the Roman king (Ferdinand I Habsburg) in the war with the Turks. He concludes that for lack of mutual love, people are giving power over the world to the devil. He interprets the conduct of the kings of England and France as a visible effect of this: Henry VIII has introduced a new marital law making the duration of a marriage dependent on the gender of the progeny, and he is increasingly cruel towards his own subjects; Francis I, in his greed for power, gold and blood, is building alliances with the infidels against Christians. These events, Dantiscus thinks, portend the approaching fulfillment of the Biblical prophecies of the end of the world. Dantiscus is pleased that Chojeński’s planned diplomatic mission has been postponed, because Chojeński’s presence in Cracow will greatly facilitate the dispatching of Dantiscus’ and Giese’s documents to Rome. Chojeński will receive detailed information regarding this from Dantiscus’ brother Bernard (von Höfen), who will have arrived in Cracow before Chojeński receives the present letter. Dantiscus informs Chojeński that since he has already received the breve allowing him to take over in the Warmia diocese before obtaining the provision bulla, he intends to accept the Warmia Chapter’s invitation and plans to be in Lidzbark on December 6.


Manuscript sources:
1office copy in Latin, in secretary's hand, BCz, 244, p. 306-305(!)
2copy in Latin, 18th-century, BK, 232, p. 234-237
3copy in Latin, 18th-century, B. Ossol., 151/II, f. 170v-171v
4copy, 18th-century, BCz, 55 (TN), No. 78, p. 489-493

Auxiliary sources:
1register in Latin, Polish, 20th-century, B. PAU-PAN, 8248 (TK 10), f. 653

Prints:
1CEID 1/1 No. 84, p. 349-353 (in extenso; English register)
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