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Letter #2658

Ioannes DANTISCUS to [Sigmund von HERBERSTEIN]
Heilsberg (Lidzbark Warmiński), 1543-08-17

English register:

Dantiscus received Herberstein’s letter sent from Vienna on June 6. He justifies his being unable to comfort the younger Polish queen, Elizabeth von Habsburg, with conversation: he has left Cracow (June 1). He describes the intrigues of Bona Sforza, the elder queen of Poland aimed at hindering his communication with Queen Elizabeth. As Herberstein wished, he has written to Queen Elizabeth. He has also reminded Sigismund I, the elder king of Poland, in a letter about the conversation concerning Queen Elizabeth that he had with him in private before he left. He describes King Sigismund I’s fatherly kindness towards Elizabeth.

Dantiscus says that Herberstein’s resentment over the ungratefulness of Queen Bona (for services rendered in elevating her to the royal status) is shared by many, and that it is dangerous to write about it. That is also why he is not replying to some other issues raised in Herberstein’s letter.

Dantiscus mentions that Herberstein visited him with Niklas II zu Salm when he was lying ill in Cracow. He informs him that he has recovered his health. He reminds Herberstein that he was to give his excuses to King Ferdinand I: that because of illness he had been unable to deal with the matters entrusted to him in the letter delivered by Herberstein, and that he had failed to reply to it. He asks that Herberstein commend him to Ferdinand I’s attention and express his gratitude for previous favors. He encloses a copy of news received from Gdańsk, which he recently sent to Queen Bona. He asks Herberstein to write to him about current events and to send his reply through Seweryn Boner, to whom he is entrusting the present letter.




Manuscript sources:
1fair copy in Latin, autograph, ONB, Cod. 13.598, f. 56

Prints:
1CEID 2/1 No. 36, p. 175-178 (in extenso; English register)

 

Text & apparatus & commentaryPlain textText & commentaryText & apparatus

 

ONB, Cod. 13.598, f. 56r  

Clarissime ac Magnifice Domine, amice carissime plurimumque honorande. Salutem diuturnissimam omniumque fortunarum et dignitatum Magnificentiae Vestrae accessionem precor ex animo.

Quae me suis cf. Sigmund von HERBERSTEIN to Ioannes DANTISCUS Vienna, 1543-06-06, CIDTC IDL 6995, letter lost⌊litteriscf. Sigmund von HERBERSTEIN to Ioannes DANTISCUS Vienna, 1543-06-06, CIDTC IDL 6995, letter lost⌋ 1543-06-06⌊VI Iunii novissimi1543-06-06⌋ Vienna (Wien, Vienna), city in eastern Austria, on the Danube river⌊ViennaeVienna (Wien, Vienna), city in eastern Austria, on the Danube river⌋ datis non vulgariter exhilaravit, tum quod Magnificentiam Vestram sospitem eo appulisse, tum etiam quod de multis, quae scire avebam, me reddidere certiorem. Si me 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⌋, unde 1543-06-01⌊prima eiusdem mensis1543-06-01⌋, quo Magnificentiae Vestrae datae sunt litterae, aliquanto corpore firmior exivi, offendissent, non gravate, immo libenter et cupide id, quod a me postulant, praestitissem, Elisabeth of Austria (Elizabeth von Habsburg) (*1526 – †1545), Queen of Poland, Grand Duchess of Lithuania; first wife of Sigismund II August Jagiellon (1543-1545), daughter of Ferdinand I of Habsburg, and Anna Jagiellon⌊serenissimaeque reginae ElisabethaeElisabeth of Austria (Elizabeth von Habsburg) (*1526 – †1545), Queen of Poland, Grand Duchess of Lithuania; first wife of Sigismund II August Jagiellon (1543-1545), daughter of Ferdinand I of Habsburg, and Anna Jagiellon⌋, dominae meae clementissimae, quantum a me dari potuisset consolationis atque grati colloquii, impartivissem. Cui tamen, innitens monitioni Magnificentiae Vestrae in praesens hinc scripsi, quandoquidem, cum me nuper maledicentem a se dimitteret, humaniter se mihi clementissimam exhibuit. Missus erat a Bona Sforza (*1494 – †1557), Queen of Poland and Grand Duchess of Lithuania (1518-1557); the second wife of Sigismund I Jagiellon; Duchess of Bari and Rossano; daughter of Gian Galeazzo Sforza of Milan and Isabella of Aragon⌊seniore illaBona Sforza (*1494 – †1557), Queen of Poland and Grand Duchess of Lithuania (1518-1557); the second wife of Sigismund I Jagiellon; Duchess of Bari and Rossano; daughter of Gian Galeazzo Sforza of Milan and Isabella of Aragon⌋ ad eam Mikołaj Wolski (Mikołaj of Gawartowa Wola) (†1548), 1509 clerk and standard-bearer of Sochaczew; 1511 wojski in Płock; 1513-1532 Sochaczew castellan; 1518 majordomo of Queen Bona Sforza; 1522 starosta of Lanckorona; 1532-1548 - of Sanok; 1526 - of Wizna; 1528 - of Łomża; 1532-1535 castellan of Wojnicz; 1535 - of Sandomierz; 1514, 1516 envoy of King Sigismund I Jagiellon to Rome (Urzędnicy 4/2, p. 272; Urzędnicy 4/3, p. 222; NIESIECKI 3, vol. 9, p. 405)⌊magister curiaeMikołaj Wolski (Mikołaj of Gawartowa Wola) (†1548), 1509 clerk and standard-bearer of Sochaczew; 1511 wojski in Płock; 1513-1532 Sochaczew castellan; 1518 majordomo of Queen Bona Sforza; 1522 starosta of Lanckorona; 1532-1548 - of Sanok; 1526 - of Wizna; 1528 - of Łomża; 1532-1535 castellan of Wojnicz; 1535 - of Sandomierz; 1514, 1516 envoy of King Sigismund I Jagiellon to Rome (Urzędnicy 4/2, p. 272; Urzędnicy 4/3, p. 222; NIESIECKI 3, vol. 9, p. 405)⌋, ut mihi nomine illius responderet. Qui cum instructus aliud dixisset admonens me de fidei observantia erga principes meos etc. quam quod illa dici iussisset, conversa ad me inquit, hocque seorsum: ne vos ista turbent, quae praeter commissionem meam audistis, facile cognoscitis unde perveniant etc. Scripsi igitur Elisabeth of Austria (Elizabeth von Habsburg) (*1526 – †1545), Queen of Poland, Grand Duchess of Lithuania; first wife of Sigismund II August Jagiellon (1543-1545), daughter of Ferdinand I of Habsburg, and Anna Jagiellon⌊eius maiestati reginaliElisabeth of Austria (Elizabeth von Habsburg) (*1526 – †1545), Queen of Poland, Grand Duchess of Lithuania; first wife of Sigismund II August Jagiellon (1543-1545), daughter of Ferdinand I of Habsburg, and Anna Jagiellon⌋ offerens me, si quo pacto illi inservire possem, obsequentissimum. Neque temperare mihi potui, quin et 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⌊serenissimam regiam maiestatem senioremSigismund 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⌋ de iis per inditam litteris meis schedam commonefacerem, quae in abitu meo secreto cum eius maiestate de serenissima Elisabetha fui collocutus. Ubi tum se maiestas eius regia non secus, atque si naturalis esset pater, pientissima affectione exhibuit[1], de qua in illam, ipsius virtutis simulacrum, nemo est, qui dubitare possit. Quod vero Magnificentia Vestra scribit, quod nihil gratiae ab Bona Sforza (*1494 – †1557), Queen of Poland and Grand Duchess of Lithuania (1518-1557); the second wife of Sigismund I Jagiellon; Duchess of Bari and Rossano; daughter of Gian Galeazzo Sforza of Milan and Isabella of Aragon⌊illaBona Sforza (*1494 – †1557), Queen of Poland and Grand Duchess of Lithuania (1518-1557); the second wife of Sigismund I Jagiellon; Duchess of Bari and Rossano; daughter of Gian Galeazzo Sforza of Milan and Isabella of Aragon⌋, cui in assecutione status, in quo est, super omnes inservivit[2], reportaverit, ut ferat commune cum multis hoc ipsum oportet. De quo calamo non datur tuto loqui etc. Essent et de aliis, quae in litteris suis Magnificentia Vestra attigit, non pauca rescribenda, quae a me consulto omittuntur. Hoc unum suadere auderem atque utinam persuadeam, ut patienter feratur ad tempus, hoc namque Deus in sua habet manu, quod in praesenti nequeat mutari. cf. Verg. A. 1.199 dabit deus his quoque finem ⌊Dabit iis aliquando nostri miserata Divina potentia finemcf. Verg. A. 1.199 dabit deus his quoque finem ⌋. Sed de iis hactenus. Quomodo res meae 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⌋ habebant, Magnificentia Vestra, cum me iuncto sibi collega illustri comite a Salm[3] in lecto decumbentem inviseret, agnovit[4]. Iam Deo gratia et vires et non parva ex parte vigor, qui tum totus evanuerat, rediit longeque salutem meam firmiorem nunc sentio, quam a satis longo fuerit tempore. Quod si ad felicissimas serenissimae reginae Elisabethae nuptias[5] non venissem, utcumque in valetudine affectus, vix puto hucusque me mansisse superstitem etc. Incidit mihi inter scribendum mentio litterarum, quas mihi Magnificentia Vestra 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⌋ a 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⌊serenissimo domino suoFerdinand 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⌋, immo et meo, 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 etc. regeFerdinand 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⌋ reddidit. Quibus quod non responderim scripto, aegritudinem tum meam in causa fuisse Magnificentia Vestra non ignorat[6]. Quam ob id impense oro, si forsan inter tot graviorum relationes negotiorum excusationis meae coram illius serenissimam regiam maiestatem in reditu oblita fuerit, eam adhuc iis meis amicissime admonita facere non negligat, mihique in iis, quae mihi eius serenissima maiestas iniungere litteris suis dignabatur, non defuisse voluntatem, licet ad ea exsequenda facultas mea parum profuisset, renuntiet. Meque illius maiestati, cui me plurimum ob immensam gratiam, qua me et in aula Charles V of Habsburg (*1500 – †1558), ruler of the Burgundian territories (1506-1555), King of Spain as Charles I (1516-1556), King of Naples and Sicily, King of the Romans (1519-1530), Holy Roman Emperor of the German Nation (elected 1519, crowned 1530, abdicated 1556); son of Philip I the Handsome and Joanna the Mad of Castile⌊caesareae maiestatisCharles V of Habsburg (*1500 – †1558), ruler of the Burgundian territories (1506-1555), King of Spain as Charles I (1516-1556), King of Naples and Sicily, King of the Romans (1519-1530), Holy Roman Emperor of the German Nation (elected 1519, crowned 1530, abdicated 1556); son of Philip I the Handsome and Joanna the Mad of Castile⌋ atque sua prosecuta est clementissime, debere fateor, quantum potest diligentius commendet, meque (quod Magnificentia Vestra fecit semper) qua olim benevolentia benevolentissime prosequi non desinat. Nova, quae iis diebus ex nundinis Gdanensibus[7] ad me perlata sunt, quemadmodum illa Bona Sforza (*1494 – †1557), Queen of Poland and Grand Duchess of Lithuania (1518-1557); the second wife of Sigismund I Jagiellon; Duchess of Bari and Rossano; daughter of Gian Galeazzo Sforza of Milan and Isabella of Aragon⌊serenissimae reginae meae senioriBona Sforza (*1494 – †1557), Queen of Poland and Grand Duchess of Lithuania (1518-1557); the second wife of Sigismund I Jagiellon; Duchess of Bari and Rossano; daughter of Gian Galeazzo Sforza of Milan and Isabella of Aragon⌋ descripsi, iis inclusa[8] accipiet Magnificentia Vestra, oroque, ubi per opportunitatem poterit, medio magnifici domini Seweryn Boner (*1486 – †1549), merchant and financial agent of King Sigismund I Jagiellon; 1520-1542 Burgrave of Cracow, 1524-1549 Governor and salt mine supervisor in Cracow, 1532 Castellan of Żarnów, 1535-1546 Castellan of Biecz, 1546-1549 Castellan of Sącz (PSB 2, p. 300-301; NOGA, p. 299)⌊Severini BonarSeweryn Boner (*1486 – †1549), merchant and financial agent of King Sigismund I Jagiellon; 1520-1542 Burgrave of Cracow, 1524-1549 Governor and salt mine supervisor in Cracow, 1532 Castellan of Żarnów, 1535-1546 Castellan of Biecz, 1546-1549 Castellan of Sącz (PSB 2, p. 300-301; NOGA, p. 299)⌋ castellani Biecensis, quem, ut has Magnificentiae Vestrae reddi curaret, rogavi, ea, quae apud vos aguntur, ad me rescribere non velit gravari. Quo me super id, quod prius debeo, me sibi Magnificentia Vestra efficiet devinctissimum. Eandemque ut dominus Deus quam diutissime sospitet, prosperet in omnibus, opto ex animo.

[] The terms of her marriage to Sigismund II Augustus were agreed, with Herbersteins involvement, at the congress in Poznań in 1530 (cf. Sigmund von HERBERSTEIN to Ioannes DANTISCUS Poznań (Posen), 1530-10-08, CIDTC IDL 1045⌊CEID 2.1 No. 15cf. Sigmund von HERBERSTEIN to Ioannes DANTISCUS Poznań (Posen), 1530-10-08, CIDTC IDL 1045⌋). When the marriage contract was being signed in June 1538 in Wrocław (Breslau), Sigismund II Augustus was represented by Dantiscus and Janusz Latalski. The marriage and Elizabeth’s coronation took place on May 6, 1543 in Cracow. Elizabeth died in Vilnius on June 15, 1545. Herberstein exchanged correspondence about the attitude of the Jagiellon family and court towards Elizabeth with Duke Albrecht von Hohenzollern and primate Piotr Gamrat, among others (see Herberstein 1855, p. 344-360; Herberstein 1560, f. E2r-v; Jagiellonki, I, p. 104-115, Additions III, No. 5, p. 292-293; Voigt, p. 287-291; Szesnastowieczne epitalamia, p. 210-317 (epithalams by Clemens Janicius, Petrus Roysius and Georgius Sabinus); cf. Dembińska, p.228-229; Kolankowski, p. 87-91, 322-324; Deggeller, p. 23; Pociecha, IV, p. 212-214; Sucheni-Grabowska, p. 53-61; Wojciechowski, p. 334; Habsburżanki, p. 26-28; cf. Ioannes DANTISCUS to Sigmund von HERBERSTEIN Cracow, 1543-05-23, CIDTC IDL 2647⌊CEID 2.1 No. 35cf. Ioannes DANTISCUS to Sigmund von HERBERSTEIN Cracow, 1543-05-23, CIDTC IDL 2647⌋).

[1] For more about the kind and fatherly attitude of Sigismund I towards his daughter-in-law, see Jagiellonki, I, p. 112, 133-135; Jagiellonki, V, Additions II, No. 8, p. 27-28.

[2] A reference to Herberstein’s involvement in bringing about the marriage between Sigismund I and Bona Sforza d’Aragona (see cf. Ioannes DANTISCUS to Sigmund von HERBERSTEIN [Augsburg], [1516-10-21 — 1516-10-28], CIDTC IDL 122⌊CEID 2.1 No. 1cf. Ioannes DANTISCUS to Sigmund von HERBERSTEIN [Augsburg], [1516-10-21 — 1516-10-28], CIDTC IDL 122⌋, cf. Sigmund von HERBERSTEIN to Ioannes DANTISCUS Pressburg (Bratislava), 1520-08-13, CIDTC IDL 150⌊No. 11cf. Sigmund von HERBERSTEIN to Ioannes DANTISCUS Pressburg (Bratislava), 1520-08-13, CIDTC IDL 150⌋, cf. Introduction, p. 9-61).

[3] Niklas II, count of Salm and Neuburg (d. after 1551), imperial secret counsellor and Oberstkämmerer – high chamberlain (up to 1550/1551). In 1533, as an envoy of Ferdinand I, he went to Emperor Charles V and pope Clement VII to settle the matter of returning Koróni to Turkey. Knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece (1533), commander-in-chief of the forces in Hungary ( Generalfeldhauptmann in Ungarn ), and in 1547-1550 commander-in-chief of the forces in Lower Austria ( Oberbefehlshaber an der niederösterreichischen Grenze ) (KF, III, No. 678a, p. 665, KF, IV, p. 29, No. 715, p. 114-115, No. 718, p. 123; AT, XV, No. 159, p. 224; cf. Elementa, XLVIII, No. 380, p. 138-140, No. 406, Annexum II, p. 191, No. 416, Annexum VIII, p. 223, Annexum X, p. 225; Herberstein 1560, f. D4v; Herberstein 1855, p. 329, 331, 334, 336-337, 360, 381; cf. Pociecha, IV, p. 167; Kohler II, p. 145).

[4] Cf. cf. Ioannes DANTISCUS to Sigmund von HERBERSTEIN Cracow, 1543-05-23, CIDTC IDL 2647⌊CEID 2.1 No. 35cf. Ioannes DANTISCUS to Sigmund von HERBERSTEIN Cracow, 1543-05-23, CIDTC IDL 2647⌋, footnote 6, p. 174.

[5] After Elizabeth von Habsburg’s marriage to Sigismund II Augustus and her coronation (May 6, 1543), the wedding celebrations and accompanying events linked to the stay of foreign envoys continued for the next three weeks in Cracow (see cf. Ioannes DANTISCUS to Sigmund von HERBERSTEIN Cracow, 1543-05-23, CIDTC IDL 2647⌊CEID 2.1 No. 35cf. Ioannes DANTISCUS to Sigmund von HERBERSTEIN Cracow, 1543-05-23, CIDTC IDL 2647⌋.

[6] See cf. Ioannes DANTISCUS to Sigmund von HERBERSTEIN Cracow, 1543-05-23, CIDTC IDL 2647⌊CEID 2.1 No. 35cf. Ioannes DANTISCUS to Sigmund von HERBERSTEIN Cracow, 1543-05-23, CIDTC IDL 2647⌋, footnote 5, p. 174.

[7] Most likely a reference to the fair marking the feast of St. Dominic (August 8), held next to the Dominican Fathers’ church in Gdańsk from the 13th century, to which merchants from the Baltic countries came in great numbers.

[8] The novitates enclosed with the mentioned letter is not known. Herberstein refers to its content in cf. Sigmund von HERBERSTEIN to Ioannes DANTISCUS Vienna, 1543-10-11, CIDTC IDL 2664⌊CEID 2.1 No. 37cf. Sigmund von HERBERSTEIN to Ioannes DANTISCUS Vienna, 1543-10-11, CIDTC IDL 2664⌋ – his reply to the present letter.