Letter #2554
[Ioannes DANTISCUS] to [Tiedemann GIESE]Heilsberg (Lidzbark), 1542-03-30
English register:
Dantiscus returns to the addressee royal recommendations concerning matters to be addressed at the upcoming Diet [of Royal Prussia]. He assures the addressee of his own willingness to assist him, however he believes it necessary to first gauge the sentiments of his colleagues [i.e. the other members of the Council of Royal Prussia].
Regarding the case of the voivode of Kulm (Chełmno) [Johann von Lusian (Jan Luzjański)], Dantiscus has deemed it appropriate to use the approach detailed in the lawsuit enclosed with the letter. He relies on the addressee’s judgment as to whether or not to send the lawsuit to the voivode, thereby provoking him. Only if this course of action proves ineffective will the matter be submitted for the king’s adjudication.
Dantiscus announces that he will discuss personally with the addressee the matter concerning his sister, the nun [Małgorzata Giese], and declares his willingness to provide all assistance in this just cause.
He jokingly welcomes Giese to the club of gout sufferers. He sends him some oil extracted from the mace flower [i.e., the aril surrounding the nutmeg seed]. He hopes it will relieve his pain and swelling as it did for himself.
Manuscript sources:
Auxiliary sources:
| ||||||||
Text & apparatus & commentary Plain text Text & commentary Text & apparatus
Reverendissime etc.
Remitto Dominationi Vestrae Reverendissimae commissio<n>es regias, de quibus opus erit, ut in proximis comitiis colloquamur. In me non deerit, quod a me in usum et commodum Dominationis Vestrae Reverendissimae praestari queat, verum ex re capiendum erit consilium explorandumque, quo animo futuri sint collegae mei.
De palatino Culmensi, qui sui non potest esse non similis, visum mihi fuit hominem principio hoc convenire modo, ut ex meis ad illum apertis litteris Dominatio Vestra Reverendissima intelliget. Eas si putabit expedire, ut reddantur, ut insanientem in rabiem vertant, sit in arbitratu Dominationis Vestrae Reverendissimae. Postquam negotium hoc, quod me non secus atque Dominationem Vestram Reverendissimam male habet, sic temptatum fuerit et non profecerit, tum demum commissione regia utamur.
In causa religiosae sororis Dominationis Vestrae Reverendissimae coram latius conferemus nihilque a me desiderari patiar, quod per me in iis, quae iustae petuntur, fieri possit.
Dolenter audivi a puero hoc Dominationem Vestram Reverendissimam laborare podagra. Quae si nunc primum Dominationi Vestrae Reverendissimae accessit, ab iis, ut in adagione est, quibus illa plerumque facessit negotium, congratulandum esset, quod copiae factae sint auctiores. Sed extra iocum, mitto Dominationi Vestrae Reverendissimae oleum macis, quo mihi, cum sic res fert, mederi sum solitus. Quodsi etiam experiri voluerit, consulo quidem, non praescribo, mihi nocuit numquam, sed profuit praesentissime. Velim illud parem ad sedandos tumores et dolores Dominationis Vestrae Reverendissimae habere virtutem, quam ego sensi non semel etc.
Quod reliquum est, precor Dominationi Vestrae Reverendissimae solidam atque firmam valetudinem ad tempora diutissima. Cui et commendatissimus esse cupio ex animo.
Datae Heilsberg, XXX Martii MDXLII.