Letter #1995
Ioannes DANTISCUS to Tiedemann GIESEHeilsberg (Lidzbark Warmiński), 1538-11-22
English register:
Dantiscus informs Giese of the messenger’s return from the [royal] court. He sends Giese the King’s [Sigismund I Jagiellon’s] letter for perusal, and also a letter he received a little earlier from the Queen [Bona Sforza], containing accusations against Dantiscus. He intends to write a reply to the Queen the next day, enclosing a letter written from last year’s Graudenz (Grudziądz) Diet. He is counting on the Queen understanding that what happened was not his fault, that it was [Stanisław] Kostka who acted against the King’s earlier decision, and that since the other lords and towns [of Royal Prussia] consider this to be acceptable, then Dantiscus cannot protest either.
Dantiscus declares that unless the Council of Royal Prussia comes to his defence, in future, when others abandon the public good in favour of their own interests, he will assume a reserved attitude as well. First, however, he wants to know what Giese and the voivodes think. Unless [the Prussians] take care of their own affairs, they will be doomed.
[Stanisław] Kostka has just sent Dantiscus a royal decree ordering the delivery to Marienburg (Malbork) of tax money of which Dantiscus has not seen a teruncius (Pol. trojak). He expects Giese has also received the decree for perusal.
He asks if the King’s letter to Giese says the same as the one to himself. He does not doubt that the letters to the other senators are the same. Unless others respond, he too will be forced to conceal his concern [for the public good].
Dantiscus forwards letters from [Nikolaus] Nibschitz (Nipszyc) and [Stanisław] Hozjusz (Hosius) to Giese as well as the King’s letter containing the previous decision on delivering the money. He asks for Giese’s opinion on the matter.
Soon, in accordance with Georg Hegel’s calculation, he will send Giese 54 florins and 38 grosz.
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Reverendissimo in Christo Patri et Domino, domino Tidemanno Dei gratia episcopo Culmensi, fratri et amico carissimo et honorando
Reverendissime in Christo Pater et Domine, frater et amice carissime ac honorande.
[C]ommendationem solitam.
Postquam laetos hos dies hic absolvimus, rediit heri nuntius meus ex aula nostra, qui adiunctas a serenissima maiestate regia attulit.
Habui etiam pauloante et alias a reginali maiestate, ex quibus videbit, quibus modis, ut iampridem mecum consuevit, expostulat. Cui cras, Deo bene favente, sum responsurus mittamque exemplum litterarum ex conventu Graudnicensi superiori anno datarum. Ex iis, si dignabitur, cognoscet, quod non ex me vel per me hic omnia fiant. Obcallui iam contra eiusmodi expostulationes etc. Quid dominus Costka effecit contra priorem maiestatis regiae sententiam, intelliget. Si aliis dominis et civitatibus res placebit, mihi non displicet. Tota haec faba in meo cuditur dorso .
Si domini consiliarii cum Dominatione Vestra Reverendissima me non defenderint et excusaverint, ego in praesenti ictus hos perferam, deinceps me penitus continebo, cumque republica relicta quisque suam curare debeat, mihi non deero tamque mihi cito in aula parabo amicos quam alius quispiam etc. Velim tamen prius, quod suum mihi cum aliis dominis Dominatio Vestra Reverendissima communicaret consilium. Si res nostras non curaverimus, video nobis imminere procellam plane interitum adferens etc.
Hac hora puer domini Costka mihi generale quoddam mandatum a maiestate regia attulit, ut contributam pecuniam, cuius ne teruncium quidem adhuc viderim, in Marienburgum transmitterem. Existimo, quod et illud videndum Dominationi Vestrae Reverendissimae per eundem puerum dederit. Aveo scire, si litterae regiae ad Dominationem Vestram Reverendissimam cum illis ad me conveniant, dubium mihi non est, quin cum illis ad alios palatinos consentiant. Si videro nostros ad ea oscitantes, ego totus dormiam, cor autem vigilabit etc.
Scripsit dominus Nibschicz et Hosius Dominationi Vestrae Reverendissimae, quas in fasciculo inveniet, addidi et litteras maiestatis regiae prioris sententiae de reponenda pecunia, quas cum aliis ad me scriptis remittet et de mente sua cum hoc nuntio me certiorem reddet Dominatio Vestra Reverendissima.
Cui paulopost iuxta Georgii Hegel script[u]m florenos 54 grossos 38 aurei valoris mittam.
Cupioque eandem diutissime feliciter valere et vivere ex animo.
Ex Heilsberg, XXII Novembris MDXXXVIII.
Dominationis Vestrae Reverendissimae deditissimus frater Ioannes episcopus Varmiensis scripsit