Letter #2752
Sigmund von HERBERSTEIN to Ioannes DANTISCUSVienna, 1544-08-28
| received Wormditt (Orneta), 1544-10-21 Manuscript sources:
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Text & apparatus & commentaryPlain textText & commentaryText & apparatus
UUB, H. 154, f. 79vReverendissimo domino, domino Ioanni Dantisco episcopo Varmiensi etc. domino suo observandissimo
UUB, H. 154, f. 79rReverendissime Domine, domine observandissime, servitutem meam in primis Vestrae Reverendissimae Dominationi commendo.
Occurrit nuntius satis commodus ad dominum Severinum Bonar etc. etc. non potui me continere, quin ad Vestram Reverendissimam Dominationem V scriberem qualiacumque etiam, ut saltem Vestra Reverendissima Dominatio intelligat observantiam meam erga Eandem. Ex omni parte affertur caesarem Turcarum ad futurum annum affuturum magnis copiis, ut Viennam obsideat; et citius venturus, quam antea unquam, quamvis etiam per certos exploratores habetur filium illius seniorem Mustapha Solthan cum rege Persarum concordasse contra patrem, quia timet fratrem suum ex noverca procreatum sibi praeripere regnum ex auctoritate matris imperatricis, quae tantum apud imperatorem potest, quantum nulla unquam potuit apud quemquam, et ob id missos bassas Suleymanum et Ruistam, qui primi sunt omnium. Barbarossus irruit in insulam Lyparim, quam depraedavit.
Aiunt summum pontificem misisse duos cardinales, alterum ad caesarem Christianum, alterum ad Gallum Turcicum pacis causa componendae. Caesar multum temporis consumpsit obsidendo oppidum Sancti Desiderii, milites tandem fessi pacti sunt decima praesentis velle consignare oppidum 15, si non fuerit illis succursum. Caesar inquam novum militem scribit, vult utique plus ultra. Sunt, qui aiunt nunc obsedisse Scholon.
Serenissimus rex meus agit conventus pro futura expeditione. De regina Elisabeth nondum habemus quicquam immutatum. Deus reformet in melius aliquando. Vestrae Reverendissimae Dominationi me et servitia mea denuo commendo.
Dat(ae) or Dat(um)⌈Dat(ae)Dat(ae) or Dat(um)⌉ Viennae Austriae, XXVIII Augusti anno Domini 1544.
Eiusdem Vestrae Reverendissimae Dominationis obsequentissimus Sigismundus liber baro in Herberstain etc. manu propria
Postscript:
Locustarum ingentes copiae tarde quidem advenerunt, attamen milium et gramina omnia consumunt, oleribus et vitibus pepercerunt.
Naves vicecancellarius caesaris Sch scribit ex Spyra 18 praesentis, oppidum Sancti Desiderii 16 caesari deditum et caesar progressus versus Scholon.
[] Plus ultra – from 1516 Charles von Habsburg’s famous motto, expressing (especially from 1519, when he was elected emperor as Charles V) his political and imperial aspirations. As an inscription it was usualy accompanied by the image of Hercules between two columns (cf. König, p. 197-199).
[] After the lengthy and grueling siege of Saint-Dizier, on August 21 Charles V called a council of war to decide the future of the French campaign. Because of problems with provisioning, a retreat was recommended but the emperor decided to march on Châlons so as not to jeopardize his reputation and enforce favourable conditions of the peace treaty. He was discouraged from crossing the Marne by the French forces stationed on its left bank, in Jalons. Without attempting to seize Châlons, on September 3 he captured Epernay where provisions were stored (see du Bellay, IV, p. 265-268; Knecht, p. 493-494; Cadenas y Vicent, p. 314; Fernández Álvarez 1975, p. 129; Fernández Álvarez 2002, p. 656; Kohler I, p. 287-288).