Letter #2450
[Ioannes DANTISCUS] to [Łukasz GÓRKA]Heilsberg (Lidzbark), 1541-07-09
English register:
Using the mediation of his friend Achatius von Zehmen (Cema), Castellan of Gdańsk (Danzig), Dantiscus wishes to commend himself to the kind memory of the addressee and assure him of his ever-growing goodwill. By the order of the members of the Council [of Royal Prussia], von Zehmen will report to the addressee any decisions made during the recent Diet [of Royal Prussia] in Marienburg (Malbork). Although Dantiscus believes that von Zehmen needs no letters of recommendation, he has decided to send one to the addressee anyway.
In the absence of the addressee’s son, the general starost of Wielkopolska (Greater Poland) [Andrzej Górka], Dantiscus asks to involve his officials (praefectos) in ensuring that the present evil does not lead to an even greater danger in the near future.
Dantiscus expresses his conviction that the addressee is aware of the royal proscription imposed on [Alexander Sculteti] and how he has been importuning the City Council of Gdańsk (Danzig). Zehmen will inform the addressee of the details of this matter. It is said that [Sculteti] has found safe refuge, and even support for his vile practices, in the Kingdom [of Poland], especially in Wielkopolska (Greater Poland), which is an obvious affront to the dignity of the king and to the kingdom’s Senate. Along with the citizens of Gdańsk (Danzig), Dantiscus asks the addressee to avert the looming misfortunes. In return, he and they will strive to repay the addressee for the favour.
In a postscript, Dantiscus responds to news of the unfavourable turn of events in Hungary by quoting a sarcastic paraphrase of a verse from the Book of Job currently circulating in Poland, he feels not without reason: “Shall we receive Bona at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?” He asks to be informed by letter or through the castellan of Gdańsk, should the addressee’s son, currently in Hungary, be in possession of any reliable news regarding the situation there. He also asks that the postscript be destroyed.
Manuscript sources:
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Text & apparatus & commentary Plain text Text & commentary Text & apparatus
Reverendissime in Christo Pater, illustri[s] d[omine, domine mi] carissime atque observandissime.
Amicissim[am obsequiorum meorum] [commen]dationem.
Commodum se obtulit, cum ... Achacium Czeme, castellanum Gdane[nsem, Sthumensem capi]taneum, amicum meum intime dilectum [ad Reverendissimam et ] Illustrem Dominationem Vestram concessurum, ut illam una cum eo et iis ... inviserem meique memoriam apud eam tritiorem efficerem ac animi m[ei] ben[evolentiam et] ... observantiam, quae erga Reverendissimam et Illustrem Dominationem Vestram [in dies] fit auctior, declararem. Accedit praeterea, [ut in eam] profectionem , quod in n[ovis]simis hic nostris Marienburgi comitiis domini haru[m ter]rarum consiliarii quaedam sub fidei litteris Reverendissimae et [Illustri] Dominationi Vestrae per ipsum dominum castellanum referri destinaverint. Quem et ob id sine meis commendatitiis, quamvis illis apud Reverendissimam et Illustrem Dominationem Vestram non egeat, quae in eum singulari favore propensa est , dimittere nolui.
Quam impense oro pro suo in me et illum veteri amoris studio, velit ea, quae omnium hic nostrum nomine coram dicet, in iis maxime, quae cum ad harum terrarum, tum etiam ad totius Regni commodum et tranquillitatem pertinent, in animum admittere, et cum illustris et magnificus dominus comes a Gorka, Maioris Poloniae capitaneus generalis, unicus et carissimus Reverendissimae et Illustris Dominationis Vestrae filius, abest, sic per eius praefectos prospicere, ne quid gravius ex hoc malo, de quo agitur, [i]n peius gliscente [i]n dies suboriatur.
Incognitum porro non est Reverendissimae et Illustri Dominationi Vestrae, quo pacto spectabilis magistratus Gdanensis ab eo, qui praeter iustam causam se hostem denuntiavit, infestatur, et licet ille a serenissima maiestate regia domini nostri clementissimi ex omni regia ditione sit publice proscriptus, nullibi tamen tutius, ut ferunt, nactus est domicilium et asylum, immo et ad sua exercenda latrocinia praesidium praesentius, quam in Regno et illius Maioris [Po]loniae finibus, quod quanta cum in[dig]nitate serenissimae maiestatis regiae atque cum totius Regni senatus [con]temptione fiat, nemini obscurum est.
Qua in re ..., cum dominus castellanus recensurus est abunde omni[a, nihil] addo amplius, praeterquam hoc solum, qu[od] Reverendissima et Illustris Dominatio Vestra, quantum possum, oro, diligen[ter, ut] pro sua auctoritate prudentiaque incompara[bili] [iis] malis, quae hinc ortum habere possint, quant[um potest] ..., obicem ponere non gravetur. Idipsum ... Gdanenses una mecum omni gratitu[dine] ... [et digna] compensatione promereri studebunt [apud Reverendissimam et Illustrem Dominationem] Vestram.
Cui me et dominum castel[lanum] ... commendo.
Ex Heilsberg, IX Iuli[i MDXLI].
Postscript:
[Reverendissime et] Illustris mi Domine
Scribitur mihi ex remotis regionibus ...d, quia res in Hungaria non satis recto consilio [confec]ta turbulentum habeat eventum. In Polonia non imm[e]rito hoc carmen Sancti Iob canitur: Si Bonam suscepimus, ma[la] cur non sustineamus? etc. Cumque eo loci adhuc illustris filius Reverendissimae et Illustris Dominationis Vestrae agat, oro, si quid earum rerum cer[ti] habet, ...ndem ...dum sit, vel sub solita inter nos fide per generosum dominum castellanum Gdanensem aut litteris suis confidenter significet, ... lapidi ... putet.
Hancque schedam discerpat et me solita sua benevolentia, qui Reverendissimam et Illustrem Dominationem Vestram impensissime amo et observo, prosequatur.
Datae ut in litteri[s].