Letter #2372
[Ioannes DANTISCUS] to [Samuel MACIEJOWSKI]Heilsberg (Lidzbark), 1541-07-17
English register:
Dantiscus reports to Maciejowski the latest developments in the legal proceedings involving [Anna] Wachsschlagerin (Woszczkowa). Numerous prior rulings notwithstanding, the woman continues to present her complaints to the king [Sigismund I Jagiellon] and members of his court. She accused Dantiscus of partiality, whereupon he recused himself from actions undertaken by the members of the [Royal Prussian] Council, who postponed considering the dispute until the most recent Diet [of Royal Prussia] in Marienburg (Malbork) [in May 1541]. Throughout the duration of the Diet, however, Woszczkowa failed to appear before the [Royal Prussian] Council, whereas the opposing party insisted that the proceedings continue.
During this time, she was staying at the castle in Marienburg, where she slandered both Dantiscus and Maciejowski before certain councillors and many others, accusing them of corruption. She also claimed that Maciejowski had fallen into serious disfavour with the queen [Bona Sforza] because he refused to grant her access to his correspondence with Dantiscus concerning the case.
At the close of the Diet, Wachsschlagerin submitted to the [Royal Prussian] Council an explanation for her absence, citing a supposed illness. Her opponents petitioned that, given her continued evasion of the settlement mandated by the king, the royal judgment obtained by Dantiscus on his return journey from Wrocław (Breslau ) [i.e. in the summer of 1538] should be enforced.
In the absence of Dantiscus, who had recused himself from the proceedings, the [Royal Prussian] Council decided to proceed with the enforcement of the royal judgment. Wachsschlagerin failed to appear in Thorn (Toruń) and submit to the enforcement of the judgment, and instead lodged an appeal to the king. However, the appeal was not admitted, as it was contrary to the law.
In this situation, the aggrieved party turns to Maciejowski, asking him to intercede with the king. Dantiscus strongly supports this appeal, invoking the relevant laws that have been in force [in Prussia] for the past three hundred years. He warns of the disorder that will arise if these statutes are no longer upheld.
Manuscript sources:
| ||||
Text & apparatus & commentary Plain text Text & commentary Text & apparatus
BCz, 245, p. 281Reverendissime in Christo Pater et Domine paper damaged⌈[omine]omine paper damaged⌉, [...] paper damaged⌈[...][...] paper damaged⌉ honoran(de) or honoran(dissime)⌈honoran(de)honoran(de) or honoran(dissime)⌉.
Salutem et fraternorum obsequiorum meorum commendationem paper damaged⌈[obsequiorum meorum commendationem]obsequiorum meorum commendationem paper damaged⌉.
[...] paper damaged⌈[...][...] paper damaged⌉rat superiori anno serenissima maiestas regia [...] paper damaged⌈[...][...] paper damaged⌉ iam tandem serio et, qua possent, maiori paper damaged⌈[ri]ri paper damaged⌉ [...] paper damaged⌈[...][...] paper damaged⌉rent causae, in qua contra tot latas sententias paper damaged⌈[entias]entias paper damaged⌉ [...] paper damaged⌈[...][...] paper damaged⌉ Voschkowa lamentis suis multam maiestati regiae paper damaged⌈[regiae]regiae paper damaged⌉ atque paper damaged⌈[atque]atque paper damaged⌉ in aula omnibus adfert molestiam, si quo pac[...] paper damaged⌈[...][...] paper damaged⌉ consensu sedari possit. Quo factum est, quod paper damaged⌈[od]od paper damaged⌉ [...] paper damaged⌈[...][...] paper damaged⌉ domini con paper damaged⌈[domini con]domini con paper damaged⌉siliarii me excepto, qui ob suspicionem quam implacabilis paper damaged⌈[acabilis]acabilis paper damaged⌉ per hanc mulierem superinscribed in place of crossed-out haec mulier⌈haec mulier per hanc mulierem per hanc mulierem superinscribed in place of crossed-out haec mulier⌉ de me concep{i}tam adscribed⌈amam adscribed⌉ adesse nolui. Partes [...] paper damaged⌈[...][...] paper damaged⌉runt et ex Graudentino pro divi Michaelis festo proximo on the margin⌈pro divi Michaelis festo proximopro divi Michaelis festo proximo on the margin⌉ conventu compositionem hanc transigen paper damaged⌈[ransigen]ransigen paper damaged⌉dam ad verna comitia novissime habita Marienburgi paper damaged⌈[urgi]urgi paper damaged⌉ [...] paper damaged⌈[...][...] paper damaged⌉ reservarunt, utraque parte consentiente, eo cum res con paper damaged⌈[s con]s con paper damaged⌉ducta esset, quam diu duravit conventus, mulier haec coram paper damaged⌈[ram]ram paper damaged⌉ consilio non visa est, adversa parte interim superinscribed⌈interiminterim superinscribed⌉ aliquoties flagitante paper damaged⌈[nte]nte paper damaged⌉, ut coeptum negotium prosequeretur.
Illa vero in castro Marienburgensi se continebat et seorsum quosdam circuibat dominos, quibus me on the margin⌈meme on the margin⌉ et coram(?) plerisque aliis me impudenter receptore(!) more traducere non abstinebat dicens me Dominationem Vestram Reverendissimam multis muneribus corrupsisse et ab omni aequitate reddidisse alienam, quodque quodam tempore miserim ingens argenteum deauratum poculum tanti ponderis, ut vix levari potuerit, et quod tum reginalis maiestas a Dominatione Vestra Reverendissima litteras meas sibi legendas dari postulasset, quod quia facere renuisset, in magnam eius maiestatis incidisse indignationem. Eiusmodi mediis cum parte adversa quaerebat compositionem. Cumque iam fere omnes conventus actiones ad finem perductae essent, tum illa quendam ad dominos consiliarios misit se excusans, quod aegritudine praepedita sistere se ad compositionem causae non posset. Pars vero adversa petiit, ut cum illa detrectaret solitis suis technis concordiam a serenissima maiestate regia tractari commissam et aliud non ageret, quam quod longioribus moris, quas hucusque nectere non desiisset, elaberetur, ut tandem quae iuris sunt iuxta serenissimae maiestatis regiae ultimam sententiam manu regia sigillo appenso subscriptam, [q]uam opera Dominationis Vestrae Reverendissimae [r]ediens ex Vratislavia pro existimationis meae conservatione obtinui on the margin⌈manu regia sigillo appenso subscriptam, q paper damaged⌈[q]q paper damaged⌉uam opera Dominationis Vestrae Reverendissimae r paper damaged⌈[r]r paper damaged⌉ediens ex Vratislavia pro existimationis meae conservatione obtinuimanu regia sigillo appenso subscriptam, [q]uam opera Dominationis Vestrae Reverendissimae [r]ediens ex Vratislavia pro existimationis meae conservatione obtinui on the margin⌉, quaque adscribed⌈queque adscribed⌉ omnes aliae confirmatae sunt, decernerent.
Quod dominis consiliariis negare non licuit decretumque fuit, me tamen non praesente, ut sententiae serenissimae maiestatis regiae fieret exsecutio. A qua exsecutione, cum ea Thoroniae in effectum venire deberet, infatigabilis pertinen paper damaged⌈[nen]nen paper damaged⌉tiae mulier haec iterum ad maiestatem regiam appellavit, quae [...] paper damaged⌈[...][...] paper damaged⌉ appellatio legitime non facta, quandoquidem ab exsecutione senten paper damaged⌈[nten]nten paper damaged⌉tiae non appellatur, non est admissa.
Scribitur igitur Dominationi Vestrae Reverendissimae paper damaged⌈[ominationi Vestrae Reverendissimae]ominationi Vestrae Reverendissimae paper damaged⌉ a parte laesa Dominationi Vestrae Reverendissimae, quae eiusdem superinscribed in place of crossed-out cuius⌈cuius quae eiusdem quae eiusdem superinscribed in place of crossed-out cuius⌉ patrocinium implorat [...] paper damaged⌈[...][...] paper damaged⌉, ut illi strenue impartiat et nos ab ea muliere liberet paper damaged⌈[iberet]iberet paper damaged⌉ iuraque nostra, quae a trecentis annis et adhuc in re [...] paper damaged⌈[...][...] paper damaged⌉ sunt intercessione sua ad serenissimam maiestatem regiam in vigore on the margin⌈in vigorein vigore on the margin⌉ conservet [...] paper damaged⌈[...][...] paper damaged⌉ oro. Perpendens, si eo in casu iuribus nostris detractaretur paper damaged⌈[ractaretur]ractaretur paper damaged⌉, quae confusio, ne dicam tumultus, apud nos exorirentur paper damaged⌈[ur]ur paper damaged⌉ [...] paper damaged⌈[...][...] paper damaged⌉ semper quando contribuendum est, quod iura nostra non [...] paper damaged⌈[...][...] paper damaged⌉ fieret si huic observatae legi nedum consuetudini paper damaged⌈[ni]ni paper damaged⌉ [...] paper damaged⌈[...][...] paper damaged⌉. Quod ut ingenue et sub mutua inter nos paper damaged⌈[s]s paper damaged⌉ [...] paper damaged⌈[...][...] paper damaged⌉ hic omnibus intolerabile esseob id superinscribed in place of crossed-out Sunt igitur omnes hi and then crossed-out⌈Sunt igitur omnes hi esseob id esseob id superinscribed in place of crossed-out Sunt igitur omnes hi and then crossed-out⌉ [...] paper damaged⌈[...][...] paper damaged⌉ apud serenissimam maiestatem regiam in maiori aestimatione paper damaged⌈[ione]ione paper damaged⌉ [...] paper damaged⌈[...][...] paper damaged⌉ Aviculae ploratus haberi conveni[...] paper damaged⌈[...][...] paper damaged⌉ nobis hic omnibus non defuturam confido. on the margin⌈nobis hic omnibus non defuturam confido.nobis hic omnibus non defuturam confido. on the margin⌉ Quam Dominus Deus quam diutissime paper damaged⌈[tissime]tissime paper damaged⌉ [...] paper damaged⌈[...][...] paper damaged⌉.
Ex Heilsberg, XVII Iulii MDXLI.