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Text #670

Councillors of Royal Prussia to Sigismund I Jagiellon
Löbau (Lubawa) 1539-06-14
English register:

The Prussian councillors express regret in connection with the King’s [Sigismund I Jagiellon’s] negative response to the supplication sent through the Bishop of Ermland (Warmia) [Ioannes Dantiscus], on changing the date and time of the springtime Diet [of Royal Prussia].

In the face of the continued danger posed by the plague, and invoking their privileges, they ask the King to consent to moving the date and time of the Diet that did not take place to St. Michael’s Day, and to leave the choice of venue up to the councillors. This will enable them to base their decision on the current epidemiological risk.

Their supplication is in the form of an open letter because at this time they do not have the seal of Royal Prussia with them. They are also sending the supplication to the Bishop of Ermland [Ioannes Dantiscus], who will clarify the matter to the King on their behalf in a separate letter.



Manuscript sources:
1copy in Latin, 16th-century, AAWO, AB, D. 68, f. 278r-v

Prints:
1CEID 1/2 Appendices, No. 1, p. 317-319 (in extenso; English register)

 

Text & apparatus & commentaryPlain textText & commentaryText & apparatus

 

Serenissime Princeps, Potentissime Rex et Domine Clementissime.

Fidelium servitiorum nostrorum in gratiam Serenissimae Maiestatis Vestrae subditissimam commendationem.

Nos, infrascripti Serenissimae Maiestatis Vestrae terrarum Prussiae consiliarii, cum sigillum harum terrarum ad manus non habeamus, patentibus iis nostris litteris per nos ex communi consensu scriptis Serenissimae Maiestati Vestrae humiliter significandum duximus, quod ad nostram supplicationem, quam ratione conventus, qui pro Divi Stanislai die praeterito celebrari debuerat, ad Serenissimam Maiestatem Vestram per medium reverendissimi domini episcopi Warmiensis, praesidentis nostri, dederamus, ab eodem iis diebus Serenissimae Maiestatis Vestrae responsum accepimus, ex quo petitiones nostras, ut videlicet tempus et locus illius conventus ob pestis contagium, quod tum et adhuc in praesenti Marienburgi saevit, transferretur, non esse admissas dolenter quidem intelleximus, cum etiam iis, quibus castri cura tradita est, liberum permittatur saluti suae consulere, nobis vero non item.

Cum igitur suspecti aeris et mortis metu, qui a natura cunctis est inditus, tum etiam non dubia spe precium nostrarum exaudiendarum, conventus noster pro statuto die et loco non coierit ac Serenissima Maiestas Vestra in litteris Gedani clementer nobis datis novissimeque Cracoviae confirmatis, quoties res postulaverit, alium locum et tempus praescribendi arbitrium sibi reservaverit, iterum ad Serenissimam Maiestatem Vestram supplices confugimus atque humillime oramus, elapso iam commodiore veris tempore instanteque messe, cuius cura incumbit omnibus, ut conventum, qui non abs re infectus transiit, in futurum pro Divi Michaelis festo celebrandum, unico ad omnes hic ordines scripto mandato cum omnibus causis tractandis, convertere dignetur, cum tali facultate (si ita Serenissimae Maiestati Vestrae propter ancipitem hic aeris statum placebit) dominis consiliariis concedenda, ut possint, si suspicio pestis tunc in Graudencz esse comperietur, conventum ipsum in locum aliquem salubriorem communi consilio transferre, mandatis Maiestatis Vestrae quoad cetera salvis manentibus, et quo in iis reverendissimo domino Warmiensi nostrum omnium nomine diffusius scribenti Serenissima Maiestas Vestra credat certius, ad illum has patentes sigillis nostris firmatas Serenissimae Maiestati Vestrae mittendas dedimus.

Cui nos supplicissime commendamus cupientes eandem Serenissimam Maiestatem Vestram in diuturna et felicissima prosperitate valere.

Datae Lubaviae, die XIIII Iunii anno Domini MDXXXIX.

Eiusdem Serenissimae Maiestatis Vestrae devoti et fideles consiliarii ac servitor[es]

Tidemannus episcopus Culmensis manu propria subscripsit

Ioannes de Lusianis palatinus Culmensis ac capitaneus Rosinensis [etc. subscripsit]

Georgius a Baisen palatinus Marienburgensis et Gnevensis etc. subscripsi[t]

Georgius a Conopat palatinus Pomeraniae manu propria subscripsit

Achacius Czeme castellanus Gedanensis, capitaneus Sthumensis subscripsit