Letter #1877
Ioannes DANTISCUS to Tiedemann GIESEHeilsberg (Lidzbark Warmiński), 1538-07-23
English register:
Dantiscus informs that he has received a package of letters sealed by Giese from the hands of “the Italian deceiver” (sycophanta Italus) [Vicentz Walch]. He is critical about the news that Giese, persuaded by “another deceiver” [Wojciech Kijewski], paid the first one the excessive sum of 25 ducats for delivering the package [containing the confirmation bulls for Dantiscus and Giese, and letters to them from Cracow]. As Georg Hegel has informed Dantiscus, that messenger took the package from the Fuggers in Venice and refused to hand it over to Hegel in Cracow after the latter offered him three ducats in payment, hoping to get more from the addressees.
[Kijewski], who is behind this unpleasant incident, is trying with all his might to regain his lost favour with the Queen [Bona Sforza]. Dantiscus has read and is sending back [Kijewski’s] letter to Giese – he thinks it has been very cleverly worded. He himself paid the messenger 10 zlotys, which is the amount he owed, while Giese – as had previously been agreed – should not have paid anything for the package.
During Dantiscus’ latest stay in Cracow [June 27 — July 2, 1538] [Kijewski] politely entertained him to dinner, as if he had never been disloyal to him. Dantiscus displayed Christian self-restraint and tolerance towards him.
Enclosed with the letter from Samuel [Maciejowski] which Dantiscus received was a royal document concerning transferring the administration of the bishopric of Pomerania to Giese.
Responding to Giese’s doubts regarding the settlement of accounts with the Fuggers, for his information Dantiscus sends the bill and the letter he received from Georg Hegel. If Giese still has doubts, Dantiscus will send for an explanation to Cracow. He thinks, however, that since they have finally received their bulls, there is no sense in complaining further about the delay.
One of the bulls received contains the text of the oath that Dantiscus should take before the Bishop of Courland or Giese [as the Bishop of Kulm (Chełmno)] – Dantiscus deems it necessary to meet with Giese on the matter. Dantiscus will be happy to help Giese in connection with his consecration.
Dantiscus and Achatius von Zehmen (Achacy Cema) have completed the task they were given and the King [Sigismund I] has promised that he will make sure the old privileges of the Prussian ius indigenatus are observed, and that he will also try to convince his son [Sigismund II Augustus] to do the same. Samuel [Maciejowski] has left the matter of the Thorn (Toruń) articles unresolved in anticipation of Dantiscus’ opinion about the ban on entrusting castles (with the exception of Marienburg (Malbork)) to Poles. Dantiscus will soon clarify the matter.
Dantiscus sends Giese the King’s decision regarding [Anna] Wachsschlagerin (Woszczkowa). He plans to discuss the details when they talk.
When staying in Wrocław (Breslau), Dantiscus discussed the matter of the canonry with [Ioannes] Rupoldus – he does not want to resign in exchange for uncertain promises and is coming to Ermland (Warmia) soon. Dantiscus heard the same from Doctor Jan Benedyktowicz [Solfa], but he does not know what their true intentions are.
After the harvest Dantiscus plans to visit the cathedral [in Frauenburg (Frombork)].
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Text & apparatus & commentaryPlain textText & commentaryText & apparatus
Reverendissimo Domino Tidemanno Gise, electo et confirmato Culmensi, fratri et amico carissimo ac honorando
Reverendissime Domine, frater et amice carissime atque honorande.
Sa[lutem] [et] fraterni amoris commendationem.
Accepi a sycophanta Italo litterarum fasciculum signo Dominationis Vestrae Reverendissimae offirmatum. Cui si ad alterius sycophantae persuasionem XXV ducatos Dominatio Vestra Reverendissima dedit, eos non perdidit solum, verum et non incallido persuasori, cum rescierit, risum movebit. Quod si primum impostor ille cum litteris venisset ad me, caruisset Dominatio Vestra Reverendissima ea iactura, quandoquidem Georgius Hegel mihi scripsit, quod Veneciis a Fuggaris precario accepisset litteras noster tabellarius et quod ob id, cum eas Cracoviae reddidisset, tres illi ducatos obtulisset conductam mercedem. Ceterum ipsum percipere noluisse, impense orans, ut liceret sibi illas ad nos deferre, aureos sperans montes, et hoc opera eius, qui eum Dominationi Vestrae Reverendissimae commendavit.
Is, inquam, modis quibus potest omnibus gratiam reginalis maiestatis venatur, ad quam assequendam, cum non abs re iampridem ex illa exciderit, iis nequicquam technis utitur. A me male habitus tabellarius, quod sic Dominationi Vestrae Reverendissimae spe lucelli imposuisset (siquidem X florenos monetae debebam), decem dumtaxat abstulit aureos. Dominatio Vestra Reverendissima, quae scit impendia pro veredariis mihi esse relicta, prorsus illi debebat nihil. Expensum itaque consultoris imposturae hoc feret incommodum, cuius remitto artificiosas litteras. Cracoviae nuper excepit me, fuitque mecum in prandio, non secus atque si nihil umquam contra me egisset. Sustinentiam, quam debui, Christianam habui, nihil addens, quam ne deinceps mihi succenseret, cognosceret enim aequiore, quam ipse putaret, animo me eius tolerare malevolentiam, maxime cum mihi obesse nequeat. Sed de iis hactenus.
Reverendus dominus Samuel adiunctas misit regias litteras ad capiendam possessionem administrationis Pomesaniensis. Maiestas regia accepit bullam declarationis in personam Dominationis Vestrae Reverendissimae. Qua cum sit contenta, non misit litteras videturque mihi magis ex re esse ecclesiae vestrae, in cuius ditione iam liberum est Dominationi Vestrae Reverendissimae facere, quod reliquum est.
Quod Dominatio Vestra Reverendissima Fuggarorum calculum miratur, itidem et ego, neque adhuc assequor ex scheda Georgii Hegel, quam, ut remittatur, iis addidi, quomodo omnia habeant. Fatetur quidem se a nobis accepisse mille in auro ducatos Dominationis Vestrae Reverendissimae et centum viginti quinque meos in auro, et in moneta florenos per 30 grossos 1312, grossos 15. Quorsum et in quos usus eam pecuniam dispensaverit, ex ratione cognoscet, ex illa si quod dubium habuerit, significet. Missurus sum paulopost Cracoviam, ut ab eo in omnibus certiores reddamur.
Quod si Dominatio Vestra Reverendissima, cum fasciculum aperuit, hanc schedam legisset, fortassis in calculo non haesitaret, quoque clarius possit rimari omnia, mitto et eius ad me litteras. De mora non est quod inquiramus, cum iam pro multo auro parum plumbi acceperimus. Aliquando dabit Deus iis quoque finem, utinam cito.
Inter bullas inveni obsignatum plumbo iuram[entum] [quod] [Se]di Apostolicae in manus episcopi Curoniensis aut Dominationis Vestrae Reverendissimae [praestare] tenebor, de quo ut conveniamus, erit necesse.
De con[ficiendo] munere consecrationis, si quid in usum Dominationis Vestrae Reverendissimae poss[em], [ut] prius sum pollicitus, offero meam operulam. Res domino castellano Gdanensi et mihi commissas non infeliciter secundum temporis angustiam transegimus, maiestas regia cum in iis seorsum nos audivisset, ex vere regia benignitate respondit conservationem privilegiorum nostrorum et huius verbi „indigena” vim et effectum se curae et memoriae commendatum habiturum filioque regi idipsum se persuasurum, quemadmodum illa aliquando latius ex me audiet.
Negotium confirmationis articulorum Thoroniae factorum commissum fuit praesentibus Regni consiliariis domino Samueli. Qui cum litteris pro Dominatione Vestra Reverendissima missis ad me scripsit se eos articulos, qui tum reperiri non poterant, invenisse, verum in eis contineri, quod castra Prussiae praeter Marienburgense Polonis tradi non deberent. Unde hoc ortum sit, a me petit edoceri, et paulopost verbis privilegii nostri edocebitur, sicque iterum novus erit labor, sed, ut spero, non inutilis.
In causa anus illius maiestas regia testimonium prius Cracoviae factum et hoc, quod instructio mihi ex conventu novissime missa continet, suscepit ac confirmavit, et contra illud debachantes ut puniantur, admisit, priora decreta omnia approbavit, et robur habere ipsamque Vosschowa iuramentum, si non dimittetur, praestare iussit. De quibus etiam inter nos liberius etc.
Vratislaviae aliquoties dominus Rupuldi me convenit, obfirmatus se canonicatum Varmiensem pro oblatis incertis et quae non responderent non dimissurum et ob id se brevi ad nos venturum. A domino doctore Ioanne Benedicti idem inaudivi. Quid vero corde tegant, quod ut fertur, multas habet latebras, me praeterit.
Dominationi Vestrae Reverendissimae in hoc suo episcopatu multam et longam precor felicitatem. Eandemque in prosperrima diuturnitate faustissime valere cupio summopere.
Ex Heilsberg, XXIII Iulii MDXXXVIII.
Reverendissimae Dominationis Vestrae frater integerrimus Ioannes episcopus Varmiensis scripsit
Postscript:
Finita messe ad ecclesiam me conferam etc.