Letter #427
Cornelis DE SCHEPPER to Ioannes DANTISCUSVeere, 1529-03-09
English register:
De Schepper complains that he has not received any letter from Dantiscus. He himself has sent letters to Dantiscus through merchants and through the envoys of Margaret of Austria. Dantiscus can get more news from Ulrich Ehinger. He assures him of his lasting attachment. He will give Dantiscus an extensive account of his successful embassy to Poland and of his report to King Ferdinand, whenever they meet again in person.
He asks Dantiscus to confirm the rumours about Jean Lalemand. He is curious about the role of the Chancellor [Mercurino Gattinara] in the changes that have occurred. He hints at the less favourable opinion of the Vice-Chancellor [Balthasar Merklin] at the court of Margaret of Austria.
He is detained in the Netherlands by the affairs of King Ferdinand. Moreover, the weather is so bad that it is madness to sail to Spain. Even the short crossing from Flanders to Zeeland, together with his wife [Elisabeth Donche] and the family, proved extremely dangerous. He refers to his earlier prediction about the difficult journey back to Spain. He will wait for a more favourable season and he urges Dantiscus to warn him if he returns to Poland in the meantime.
He supposes Dantiscus is still in Spain, and that Jan Lewicki is with him. Dantiscus should inform him about the intentions of the Chancellor [Mercurino Gattinara], and the intended journey of the Emperor [Charles V] to Italy. De Schepper will rely on this information for his own decisions. He has tried in vain to refute the false rumours that the Polish King [Sigismund I] has joined an alliance of the French and English with the Voivode [John Zápolya]. The English King [Henry VIII] has sent a member of the Höchstetter firm as ambassador to King Ferdinand. On behalf of the French King [Francis I] and himself, he offers Ferdinand a large sum for the war against the Turks, if he cedes the cities that have been taken by the Voivode.
A Diet will be held at Speyer, where Ferdinand will be present. The mission of the Bishop of Malta [Balthasar Merklin von Waldkirch] seems to be yielding few results. In the Netherlands there is a truce with the French, and no problems with the English. De Schepper strongly disapproves of a possible marriage of Polish Princess Jadwiga to Gustav I Vasa, termed by him the 'pseudo-King' of Sweden. His kingship has no future, is unlawful and lacks the support of the Swedish nobility. From the Netherlands, Søren Nørby will be commanding the fleet against England or Denmark. Meanwhile King Christian stays in Brabant, neglecting his duties. The news about the Turks is disturbing. De Schepper is concerned about the spread of the Reformation and Anabaptism, esp. in the regions of the Meuse, Mosel and Rhine.
He wants to be recommended to the Chancellor for a position at the chancery, and he inquires about the successor of Lalemand and the Bishop of Malta.
From Veere in Zeeland his wife and her family, as well as the abbot of Middelburg [Maximiliaan I of Burgundy] and the painter Jan Gossart recommend themselves to Dantiscus. He himself sends greetings to dantiscus’ paramour [Isabel Delgada].
In the first postscript he asks Dantiscus to write through the Fuggers or the Welsers in Antwerp.
In the second postscript he informs Dantiscus that he will contact several court relations to intervene for a further appointment in Germany, and for the regulation of his emoluments. He asks the support of Dantiscus and indicates the factor of Welsers in Antwerp as his intermediary.
| received Barcelona, [1529]-05-06 Manuscript sources:
Prints:
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Text & apparatus & commentaryPlain textText & commentaryText & apparatus
AAWO, AB, D.3, f. 25vMagnifico et excellenti domino Ioanni Dantisco, serenissimorum Poloniae regis et reginae oratori et nuntio orig. nuncio⌈nuntionuntio orig. nuncio⌉, domino et amico primario et observando
In Hispaniis
AAWO, AB, D.3, f. 23rMagnifice domine tamquam orig. tanquam⌈tamquamtamquam orig. tanquam⌉ pater honorande. Post commendationes meas praevias.
Valde miror, quod hactenus non scripseritis, cum praesertim tot sese ad id faciendum obtulerint occasiones. Ego enim ad vos subinde per mercatores transmisi litteras et si ad vos, id quod spero, advenerit salvus dominus Udalrichus Eyngher, tametsi sine meis ad vos litteris abierit, referre tamen potuit, quae me concernebant. Cum ad vos iter pararent oratores illustrissimae dominae Marguarythae, scripsi tum, quantumvis non copiose, non enim satis mihi persuaseram litteras ad vos eas perventuras esse. Si vero praeter spem meam vos earundem orig. earumdem⌈earundemearundem orig. earumdem⌉ potiti estis, longe mihi ex animo res ea gratissima est, sin minus, parva iactura est, dummodo sciatis animum eundem orig. eumdem⌈eundemeundem orig. eumdem⌉ esse.
Nolo nunc multa tibi scribere de successu rerum mearum in Polonia, quaque me humanitate exceperint principes tui, quamque ego de illis relationem apud serenissimum regem dominum Ferdinandum fecerim, quae denique ad sacram caesaream maiestatem transcripserim. Haec enim malo, ut ex me aliquando praesens orig. presens⌈praesenspraesens orig. presens⌉ intelligas, modo praesentia tua frui posse mihi aliquando concedant superi.
Nunc solum cuperem de rebus vestris certior fieri, audio enim insignem mutationem factam istic orig. isthic⌈isticistic orig. isthic⌉ esse. De Lalmanto encrypted ⌈LalmantoLalmanto encrypted ⌉[4] enim nescio, an vere orig. vaere⌈verevere orig. vaere⌉ multa hic dicantur. Maltensis encrypted ⌈MaltensisMaltensis encrypted ⌉[5] non omnino hic etiam bene audit. Credo haec prudentia cancellarii patefacta esse, de quo cuperem encrypted ⌈prudentia cancellarii patefacta esse, de quo cuperemprudentia cancellarii patefacta esse, de quo cuperem encrypted ⌉,[7] multa ut scriberes, nam ego impeditus sum hic in negotio orig. negocio⌈negotionegotio orig. negocio⌉ serenissimi domini Ferdinandi et tempestatibus his ad navigandum tam inidoneis demens sum, si me commisero. Hic enim validissimus ventus fuit continuus per quinque hebdomadas, quo non est visus auditusve maior memoria hominum. Profecto ego, cum ex Flandria traicerem orig. traiicerem⌈traiceremtraicerem orig. traiicerem⌉ in Zelandiam, qui traiectus unum miliare patet, hodie 32-s dies agitur, numquam tam prope fui, ut perirem cum uxore mea et familia, viginti quatt paper damaged⌈[t]t paper damaged⌉uor horis distentus in mari amissa malo arbore, quam 
AAWO, AB, D.3, f. 23v unicam navicula traiectoria habebat, veloque et rudentibus in mare proiectis, adhaec amisso gubernaculo orig. gubernaclo⌈gubernaculogubernaculo orig. gubernaclo⌉, cum terra potiundi nobis potestas nulla fieret. Hoc me cautiorem facit et puto tibi a me significatum fuisse, quo tempore iter huc parabam ex Hispaniis, aditum quidem bonum, sed reditum perquam periculosum futurum – id, quod nunc accidit. Exspectabo ergo anni tempus minus his malis subiectum. Et tu interea sive mari, sive terra reditum tuum adornas, noli facere, ut de hoc incertus sim.
Ioannem Levicium satis credo apud te esse, si modo adhuc in Hispaniis agis. Ideoque reor non tantum nunc esse, quod agas. Rogo te, ut copiose rescribas ad me, quo in me sit animo cancellarius, encrypted ⌈quo in me sit animo cancellarius,quo in me sit animo cancellarius, encrypted ⌉ et an caesar in Italiam iturus sit encrypted ⌈caesar[9] in Italiam[10] iturus sitcaesar in Italiam iturus sit encrypted ⌉.[11] Ego enim eo ex nuntio orig. nuncio⌈nuntionuntio orig. nuncio⌉ consilium caperem, quid factu esset optimum. Angli Francique passim regem Poloniae encrypted ⌈regem Poloniaeregem Poloniae encrypted ⌉[13] secum foedere iunctum esse favereque Ioanni vayevodae.[14] Ego vero, quamquam id omnino falsum esse scio, vix tamen id possum nostris persuadere. Ioannes Statidius(!) praepositus orig. prepositus⌈praeposituspraepositus orig. prepositus⌉ Budensis, qui vayevodae orator apud Gallum Anglumque fuit, secreto itinere creditur rediisse in P written over ...⌈... illegible⌈...... illegible⌉PP written over ...⌉oloniam ad vayevodam.
Hoochsteterorum primarius mercator apud superinscribed⌈apudapud superinscribed⌉ regem Angliae gratiosus ab eo missus est ad serenissimum regem Ferdinandum orator iussusque dicere, si idem rex Ferdinandus ea oppida, quorum nunc potitur vayevoda, in eius potestate esse permittere velit, se Francumque regem quater centena milia aureorum ad bellum Turcicum eidem transmissurum esse, sin minus, eam se(?) summam ad vayevodam perventuram. Nondum constat, quid Ferdinandus responderit.
Conventus principum Germanorum indictus est Spiram. Cui et Ferdinandum interfuturum fama est. Quid agat reverendus dominus Maltensis, incertus sum, fructum tamen commissionum tam magnificarum adhuc video esse perquam exiguum. Nos hic indutias orig. inducias⌈indutiasindutias orig. inducias⌉ habemus cum Francis, nullum vero dissidium cum Anglis! Gustavus Erycson pseudo rex Suetiae iampridem ambiit in comitiis Petercoviensibus nuptias cum Hedvigi vestra, virgine superinscribed in place of crossed-out Regine(?)⌈Regine(?)virginevirgine superinscribed in place of crossed-out Regine(?)⌉ iis dotibus praedita, ut indignum sit ea potiri hominem, de cuius fortuna prope iam actum est. Omnis enim nobilitas Swetiae
AAWO, AB, D.3, f. 25r
adversus illum conspiravit neque potest illius regnum stabile esse, qui praeter ius et fas omnes episcopos sacerdotesque regno exegit. Severinus Norby apud nos est, reservatus ad bellum Anglicum, si quod immineat, aut ad res in Dania perturbandas, quae iam plurimum vacillant. Rex Christiernus agit apud Brabantos abiecta cura regnorum.
Nos hic multa audimus de Turcis suntque haud dubie ingentes apparatus. Turbinibus istis fidei innovatae totus orbis involvitur, presertim orig. presertim⌈presertimpresertim orig. presertim⌉ vero laborant hoc vitio orig. vicio⌈vitiovitio orig. vicio⌉ anababtistarum et non [...] stain⌈[...][...] stain⌉ credentium corpus Christi esse in sacramento altaris ripa Amasi Mosellae et Rheni, nam qui Albim accolunt, saniores adhuc sunt. Haec sunt, quae scriptu digna occurrunt.
Tu ad me brevi rescribe ageque cum cancellario, ut rediens habeam emolumenta cancellariaecancellarie encrypted ⌈cancellario, ut rediens habeam emolumenta cancellariae orig. cancellarie⌈cancellariaecancellariae orig. cancellarie⌉cancellario, ut rediens habeam emolumenta cancellariaecancellarie encrypted ⌉ – id, quod mihi non semel et tibi quoque promisit. Alias non est, quod multum ambiam in aula versari, possum enim domi honeste vivere mea existens mediocritate contentus. Scribe item ... illegible⌈...... illegible⌉, quis successerit in locum Lalmanti et in locum Maltensis encrypted ⌈quis successerit i<n>[18] locum Lalmanti[19] et in locum Maltensisquis successerit in locum Lalmanti et in locum Maltensis encrypted ⌉. Et rectissime vale.
Commendat sese tibi numquam prius viso, sed fama noto homini, uxor mea cum familia. Salutat te itidem reverendus dominus praelatus Middelburgensis et Ioannes Malbodius pictor. Tu vicissim tuae meo nomine tot offerres salutes, quot sunt caesi orig. cesi⌈caesicaesi orig. cesi⌉ vituli inter Pascha orig. Passcha⌈PaschaPascha orig. Passcha⌉ et Pentecostes orig. Penthecostes⌈PentecostesPentecostes orig. Penthecostes⌉.
Ocius orig. Ocyus⌈OciusOcius orig. Ocyus⌉ ex oppido Veriensi Zelandiae, IX-o die mensis Martii Anno Domini XVC-o XXIX-o.
Tuus ex animo tamquam orig. tanquam⌈tamquamtamquam orig. tanquam⌉ filius Cornelius Duplicius Scepperus
Postscript No. 1:
Scribe per Welzeros aut Fuggaros Antverpiam.
Postscript No. 2:
Scribo ad illustrem dominum cancellarium, item ad Valdesium et ad Alexandrum, si caesar uti opera mea adhuc voluerit in Germania, ut mandet Hieronymo Welzero scribere ad factorem suum Antverpiae de continuanda mihi solutione, donec in next line⌈ecec in next line⌉ fuero absens vel adhuc per annum. Mitto copias litterarum caesaris, quas de novo hidden by binding⌈[vo]vo hidden by binding⌉ iterum fieri vellem, quia iam annus exspiravit, ideoque nihil amplius recipio. Non hidden by binding⌈[on(?)]on hidden by binding⌉ quod me multum id angit, sed tamen non esset inutile. Tu rem promovebis apud cancellarium, item apud Valdesium de litteris illis in simili forma pro auctione stipendii revocandis deque nova commissione tradenda Hieronymo Welzero. Si nihil hidden by binding⌈[il]il hidden by binding⌉ profeceris, is solum labor deperierit. Hoc te volui admonitum esse. Et iterum vale hidden by binding⌈[le]le hidden by binding⌉.
In oppido Veriensi, ut supra.
[4 ] Lalmanto symbol [S2] (arrow right) used for Jean Lalemand; cf. Dantiscus’ solution of the second incidence of this sign later in this letter
[5 ] Maltensis symbol [S1] (double gibbet) used for Balthasar Merklin von Waldkirch
[6 8 17 ] Symbol R used for Gattinara
[7 ] solution of the cipher in Dantiscus’ hand on an added slip of paper (f. 24v)
[9 ] symbol A used for Emperor Charles V
[10 ] symbol X used for Italy
[11 ] solution of the cipher in Dantiscus’ hand on an added slip of paper (f. 24v)
[13 ] symbol V used for the King of Poland Sigismund I
[14 ] in phrase Angli Franci que passim regem Poloniae secum foedere iunctum esse favereque Ioanni vayevodae, main verb omitted
[18 ] in] -n missing in an encrypted original and existing in Dantiscus’ transcription on f. 24r
[19 ] Lalmanti symbol [S2] (arrow right) used for Jean Lalemand, solved by Dantiscus on an added slip of paper (f. 24r)