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Letter #2490

[Ioannes DANTISCUS] to Georg WITZEL (VICELIUS)
Heilsberg (Lidzbark), 1541-09-24

English register:

Dantiscus was overjoyed to receive Vicelius’ letter of 18 April, which confirmed that he was still alive, contrary to rumours which have been gleefully spread by local Lutherans. A similar situation had occurred a year and a half previously, when news circulated that Vicelius had been caught in adultery and defenestrated. These rumours were refuted by Nicolaus Worlab, who, responding to Dantiscus’s inquiries, informed him that Vicelius had moved from Berlin to Würzburg. Uncertainty about the addressee’s life and whereabouts has kept Dantiscus from writing, even though he has had his letter for the past six months.

Dantiscus has received assistance from Dietrich von Rheden, canon of Ermland (Warmia), who holds benefices and has friends in Mainz. Through their mediation, he will forward this letter to the addressee, along with a gift of twenty thalers. He asks that this modest offering be accepted as the beginning of a new friendship, which, once matured, will bear more abundant fruit. Together with his friends, he eagerly awaits the publication of the addressee’s work De Sanctis, the title page of which he had already been sent previously. He requests that five copies be sent via Rheden’s contacts in Mainz, along with any other new works mentioned by Vicelius in his letter, especially the most recent response to the defamatory writings, of which many are circulating in Prussia. He assures that all expenses will be covered.

It is up to Vicelius to maintain Dantiscus’ friendship by replying frequently to his letters. Dantiscus recommends that such correspondence be addressed to Rheden or to his friends in Mainz.

Rumours are circulating that Vicelius is living with a woman and has children. Regardless of the truth of these claims, Dantiscus wishes to hear it directly from him. He apologises for not writing a longer letter due to pressing duties.




Manuscript sources:
1office copy in Latin, in secretary's hand, BCz, 245, p. 285

Auxiliary sources:
1register in Polish, 20th-century, B. PAU-PAN, 8249 (TK 11), f. 365

 

Text & apparatus & commentary Plain text Text & commentary Text & apparatus

 

BCz, 245, p. 285

Salutem tibi prolixe precor a Domino Deo atque omnia felicia paper damaged⌈[elicia]elicia paper damaged⌉.

Reverendissime Frater Georg Witzel Sr (Georg Wetzel, Vicelius, Wicelius) (*1501 – †1573), Catholic theologian. After his studies at the University of Erfurt and in Wittenberg, he was ordained priest. Under the influence of Luther's teaching he converted to Lutheranism and married in 1524. In 1525 was appointed to the pastorate of Wenigenlupnitz and later to the pastorate of Niemeck. In 1527 he converted back to Catholicism. (ADB, Bd. 43, s. 657-662)⌊ViceliGeorg Witzel Sr (Georg Wetzel, Vicelius, Wicelius) (*1501 – †1573), Catholic theologian. After his studies at the University of Erfurt and in Wittenberg, he was ordained priest. Under the influence of Luther's teaching he converted to Lutheranism and married in 1524. In 1525 was appointed to the pastorate of Wenigenlupnitz and later to the pastorate of Niemeck. In 1527 he converted back to Catholicism. (ADB, Bd. 43, s. 657-662)⌋.

Qui me tuis cf. Georg WITZEL (VICELIUS) to Ioannes DANTISCUS Fulda, 1541-04-18, CIDTC IDL 2414⌊litteriscf. Georg WITZEL (VICELIUS) to Ioannes DANTISCUS Fulda, 1541-04-18, CIDTC IDL 2414⌋ Fulda, city in central Germany, Hesse, 100 km NE of Frankfurt am Main⌊Fu<l>daeFulda, city in central Germany, Hesse, 100 km NE of Frankfurt am Main⌋ XVIII Aprilis datis paper damaged⌈[datis]datis paper damaged⌉, quas heri accepi, maiorem in modum exhilarasti, eo potissimum, quod in paper damaged⌈[m, quod in]m, quod in paper damaged⌉ vivis te adhuc agere significabant, huc enim rumor perlatus fuit te e paper damaged⌈[e]e paper damaged⌉ medio per Lutheranos sublatum(!) instead of sublatum per Lutheranos⌈per Lutheranos sublatum(!)per Lutheranos sublatum(!) instead of sublatum per Lutheranos⌉, qui non sine publica laetitia ab infectis paper damaged⌈[is]is paper damaged⌉ Citizens of Ducal Prussia ⌊meis vicinisCitizens of Ducal Prussia ⌋ passim spargebatur. Neque dissimil(is) erat ante sesqui annum, quo ferebaris in adulterio deprehensus e fenestra esse praecipitatus. Qua in re ut certior fierem, ad amicum tuum Nicolaus Wolrab ⌊Nicolaum WolrabNicolaus Wolrab ⌋ cf. Ioannes DANTISCUS to Nicolaus WOLRAB 1540, first half of the year, CIDTC IDL 6457, letter lost⌊litterascf. Ioannes DANTISCUS to Nicolaus WOLRAB 1540, first half of the year, CIDTC IDL 6457, letter lost⌋ dedi. Ab eo gestiens didici commentitiam fui written over e⌈eii written over e⌉sse calumniam et quod e Berlin (Berolinum), city in Germany, capital of Brandenburg⌊BerlinoBerlin (Berolinum), city in Germany, capital of Brandenburg⌋ Würzburg⌊Witeburgum(!)Würzburg⌋ te contulisses. Cum itaque iis rumoribus distractus nescirem, ubi ageres viveresne, a scriptione ad te et missione, quam destinaveram, ne, ut nunc sunt tempora, periret, quod mitteretur, hactenus mihi temperavi. Et licet cf. Georg WITZEL (VICELIUS) to Ioannes DANTISCUS Fulda, 1541-04-18, CIDTC IDL 2414⌊tuascf. Georg WITZEL (VICELIUS) to Ioannes DANTISCUS Fulda, 1541-04-18, CIDTC IDL 2414⌋ habeam, quas adelon ms. adelen(!) ⌈adelonadelon ms. adelen(!) ⌉ quispiam ad me misit, in sextam usque mensem retentas, non tamen ausi cuivis credere in hac motoria, qua versaris, fabula, qua toties sedes mutas, ut has ad te darem.

Commodum se obtulit eximius et venerabilis dominus Dietrich von Rheden (Teodoryk Reden) (*1492 – †1556), doctor of both canon and civil law. Rheden spent most of his life in Rome where he was dealing with, among other things, the affairs of the Ermland Chapter; 1532-1551 Canon of Ermland (Warmia); Canon of Mainz and Lübeck; in 1551 he was appointed Bishop of Lübeck, but he did not accept the dignity (KOPICZKO 2, p. 263; SBKW, p. 200)⌊Theodoricus de RhedenDietrich von Rheden (Teodoryk Reden) (*1492 – †1556), doctor of both canon and civil law. Rheden spent most of his life in Rome where he was dealing with, among other things, the affairs of the Ermland Chapter; 1532-1551 Canon of Ermland (Warmia); Canon of Mainz and Lübeck; in 1551 he was appointed Bishop of Lübeck, but he did not accept the dignity (KOPICZKO 2, p. 263; SBKW, p. 200)⌋, ecclesiae meae canonicus, qui et Mayence (Mainz, Moguntia), city in western Germany, seat of the Prince-Elector Archbishops of Mayence, primates of Germany⌊MoguntiaeMayence (Mainz, Moguntia), city in western Germany, seat of the Prince-Elector Archbishops of Mayence, primates of Germany⌋ habet sacerdotia, et amicos plurimos. Ab Dietrich von Rheden (Teodoryk Reden) (*1492 – †1556), doctor of both canon and civil law. Rheden spent most of his life in Rome where he was dealing with, among other things, the affairs of the Ermland Chapter; 1532-1551 Canon of Ermland (Warmia); Canon of Mainz and Lübeck; in 1551 he was appointed Bishop of Lübeck, but he did not accept the dignity (KOPICZKO 2, p. 263; SBKW, p. 200)⌊eoDietrich von Rheden (Teodoryk Reden) (*1492 – †1556), doctor of both canon and civil law. Rheden spent most of his life in Rome where he was dealing with, among other things, the affairs of the Ermland Chapter; 1532-1551 Canon of Ermland (Warmia); Canon of Mainz and Lübeck; in 1551 he was appointed Bishop of Lübeck, but he did not accept the dignity (KOPICZKO 2, p. 263; SBKW, p. 200)⌋ obtinui, ut has cum viginti Vallensibus Ioachimicis ad te ex Mayence (Mainz, Moguntia), city in western Germany, seat of the Prince-Elector Archbishops of Mayence, primates of Germany⌊MoguntiaMayence (Mainz, Moguntia), city in western Germany, seat of the Prince-Elector Archbishops of Mayence, primates of Germany⌋, quocumque in loco reperiri possis, perferri curaret, quod certe futurum mihi persuadeo. Suscipies igitur ab ignoto amico tenue novi amoris signum, qui postquam adoleverit, uberius aliquando proferet. Opus tuum cf. Georgius Vicelius, Hagiologium, seu de sanctis ecclesiae. Historiae divorum toto terrarum orbe celeberrimorum, e sacris scriptoribus... congestae et nunc primum... in presbyterorum pié doctorum manus emissae per Georg(ium) Vicelium..., Moguntiae, Franciscus Behem, 1541 ⌊De Sanctiscf. Georgius Vicelius, Hagiologium, seu de sanctis ecclesiae. Historiae divorum toto terrarum orbe celeberrimorum, e sacris scriptoribus... congestae et nunc primum... in presbyterorum pié doctorum manus emissae per Georg(ium) Vicelium..., Moguntiae, Franciscus Behem, 1541 ⌋, cuius titulum excusum prius etiam ad me miseras, multi mecum, ut tandem in lucem prodea{n}t, exspectant. Quod si interim absolutum est, quinque a te mihi exemplaria ad amicos domini Dietrich von Rheden (Teodoryk Reden) (*1492 – †1556), doctor of both canon and civil law. Rheden spent most of his life in Rome where he was dealing with, among other things, the affairs of the Ermland Chapter; 1532-1551 Canon of Ermland (Warmia); Canon of Mainz and Lübeck; in 1551 he was appointed Bishop of Lübeck, but he did not accept the dignity (KOPICZKO 2, p. 263; SBKW, p. 200)⌊TheodericiDietrich von Rheden (Teodoryk Reden) (*1492 – †1556), doctor of both canon and civil law. Rheden spent most of his life in Rome where he was dealing with, among other things, the affairs of the Ermland Chapter; 1532-1551 Canon of Ermland (Warmia); Canon of Mainz and Lübeck; in 1551 he was appointed Bishop of Lübeck, but he did not accept the dignity (KOPICZKO 2, p. 263; SBKW, p. 200)⌋ Mayence (Mainz, Moguntia), city in western Germany, seat of the Prince-Elector Archbishops of Mayence, primates of Germany⌊MoguntiamMayence (Mainz, Moguntia), city in western Germany, seat of the Prince-Elector Archbishops of Mayence, primates of Germany⌋ mitti velim, praeterea et quicquid earum lucubra{bra}tionum, quarum meministi, maxime autem in codicillos contra te evulgatos, quorum Royal Prussia (Prussia Regalis), region, part of Prussia annexed to the Kingdom of Poland in 1466 under the provisions of the Second Peace of Thorn⌊hicRoyal Prussia (Prussia Regalis), region, part of Prussia annexed to the Kingdom of Poland in 1466 under the provisions of the Second Peace of Thorn⌋ copia circumfertur, novissime paper damaged⌈[e]e paper damaged⌉ edider(is). Quodcumque pro illis pretium postulabitur, cuicumque illud pendendum paper damaged⌈[dendum]dendum paper damaged⌉ seu quocumque mittendum praescribetur cum gratitudine reddetur neque biblio paper damaged⌈[biblio]biblio paper damaged⌉polam morabitur.

Ceterum tuum erit, quo amorem int te meum coeptum paper damaged⌈[um]um paper damaged⌉ [...] paper damaged⌈[...][...] paper damaged⌉ alimentis in dies facias ampliorem, crebras ad me dare litteras [...] paper damaged⌈[...][...] paper damaged⌉ domino Dietrich von Rheden (Teodoryk Reden) (*1492 – †1556), doctor of both canon and civil law. Rheden spent most of his life in Rome where he was dealing with, among other things, the affairs of the Ermland Chapter; 1532-1551 Canon of Ermland (Warmia); Canon of Mainz and Lübeck; in 1551 he was appointed Bishop of Lübeck, but he did not accept the dignity (KOPICZKO 2, p. 263; SBKW, p. 200)⌊TheodoricoDietrich von Rheden (Teodoryk Reden) (*1492 – †1556), doctor of both canon and civil law. Rheden spent most of his life in Rome where he was dealing with, among other things, the affairs of the Ermland Chapter; 1532-1551 Canon of Ermland (Warmia); Canon of Mainz and Lübeck; in 1551 he was appointed Bishop of Lübeck, but he did not accept the dignity (KOPICZKO 2, p. 263; SBKW, p. 200)⌋, amicis eius Mayence (Mainz, Moguntia), city in western Germany, seat of the Prince-Elector Archbishops of Mayence, primates of Germany⌊MoguntiamMayence (Mainz, Moguntia), city in western Germany, seat of the Prince-Elector Archbishops of Mayence, primates of Germany⌋ inscribere, unde certu[...] paper damaged⌈[...][...] paper damaged⌉ citius ad me pervenient. Tibique de me persuade, quod de tui a[...] paper damaged⌈[...][...] paper damaged⌉ eloquar, an sileam.

Hic de te fertur, quod mulierem et liberos paper damaged⌈[ros]ros paper damaged⌉ [...] paper damaged⌈[...][...] paper damaged⌉ foveas.[1] Utcumque res habet, a te scire aveo. Piguit, ve[...] paper damaged⌈[...][...] paper damaged⌉ occupationes non admittunt, ut alteram calamus paginam [...] paper damaged⌈[...][...] paper damaged⌉. Tu iis brevibus, quae longam in te spirant benevolentiam, sa[...] paper damaged⌈[...][...] paper damaged⌉ [...] paper damaged⌈[...][...] paper damaged⌉tem esse puta.

Et feliciter atque diutissime vale.

[1] Indeed, from 1524 Georg Witzel Sr (Georg Wetzel, Vicelius, Wicelius) (*1501 – †1573), Catholic theologian. After his studies at the University of Erfurt and in Wittenberg, he was ordained priest. Under the influence of Luther's teaching he converted to Lutheranism and married in 1524. In 1525 was appointed to the pastorate of Wenigenlupnitz and later to the pastorate of Niemeck. In 1527 he converted back to Catholicism. (ADB, Bd. 43, s. 657-662)⌊Georg WitzelGeorg Witzel Sr (Georg Wetzel, Vicelius, Wicelius) (*1501 – †1573), Catholic theologian. After his studies at the University of Erfurt and in Wittenberg, he was ordained priest. Under the influence of Luther's teaching he converted to Lutheranism and married in 1524. In 1525 was appointed to the pastorate of Wenigenlupnitz and later to the pastorate of Niemeck. In 1527 he converted back to Catholicism. (ADB, Bd. 43, s. 657-662)⌋ was married to Elisabeth Kraus came from Eisenach; from 1524 wife of Georg Witzel⌊Elisabeth KrausElisabeth Kraus came from Eisenach; from 1524 wife of Georg Witzel⌋. They had eight children: Elisabeth Witzel, daughter of Georg WITZEL ⌊ElisabethElisabeth Witzel, daughter of Georg WITZEL ⌋, Anna Witzel, daughter of Georg WITZEL ⌊AnnaAnna Witzel, daughter of Georg WITZEL ⌋, Georg Witzel Jr, son of Georg WITZEL Sr ⌊GeorgGeorg Witzel Jr, son of Georg WITZEL Sr ⌋, Michael Witzel, son of Georg WITZEL Sr ⌊MichaelMichael Witzel, son of Georg WITZEL Sr ⌋, Gabriel Witzel, son of Georg WITZEL Sr ⌊GabrielGabriel Witzel, son of Georg WITZEL Sr ⌋, Katharina Witzel, daughter of Georg WITZEL Sr ⌊KatharinaKatharina Witzel, daughter of Georg WITZEL Sr ⌋, Konkordia Witzel, daughter of ⌊KonkordiaKonkordia Witzel, daughter of ⌋ and Charitas Witzel, daughter of Georg WITZEL Sr ⌊CharitasCharitas Witzel, daughter of Georg WITZEL Sr ⌋.