Marco de la Torre makes excuses that his health does not allow him to reply more extensively to the letter received and fully express his thoughts. He would most readily do so in a direct conversation. Three days ago a sudden bout of catarrh almost killed him, and his life is still endangered.

The powders sent to Dantiscus earlier were only a modest expression of gratitude for kindness received; Marco de la Torre hopes to send fresher and better-quality ones soon.

He extends thanks once again for the muscat — especially since he is now ingesting more medicines than ordinary food.

Two days ago in his chamber he spoke with the queen [Bona] about the godless innovators and the influx of reprehensible books to Lithuania. The queen was outraged. Even worse, the heresiarch and his followers have allegedly won the support of some of the dukes for their preaching in Vilnius. Unfortunately there is no one there who could take a stand against their devious sophistic arguments. Marco de la Torre has sent a letter calling on the King [jr.] [Sigismund II Augustus] to stick to the religion of his father and mother and expel the dissenters from his duchy [the Grand Duchy of Lithuania].

He leaves it up to Dantiscus’ other correspondents to give him news of events in Cracow. He only informs him about rumours that the Emperor is short of money for military operations, so he will not conduct any in the coming year, which will strengthen the enemy of the Christians [Turkey] enough to enable it to seize Hungary and Vienna and directly threaten Germany. Marco de la Torre fears this could be a planned divine punishment for the desecration of relics, plundering of churches and other forms of sacrilege.