Letter #2623
[Ioannes DANTISCUS] to [Samuel MACIEJOWSKI]Heilsberg (Lidzbark), 1543-01-29
English register:
Dantiscus has handed over useful information and letters of recommendation to the royal envoy [Krzysztof Konarski]. He instructed the citizens [of Gdańsk (Danzig)] to provide the envoy with a length of Lund cloth and fifty Prussian marks. He noted that if the addressee’s letter on this matter produces no result, he doubts that his own efforts will have any effect. The two defendants [Barthel Brandt and Tiedemann Giese Jr] strongly object to any developments which they learn are in accordance with Dantiscus’ wishes.
At the most recent [Royal Prussian] Diet in Marienburg (Malbork), members of the [Royal Prussian] Council boldly wrote to the king [Sigismund I Jagiellon] in the two men’s defence, prompted by the chairman of the session standing in for Dantiscus [Tiedemann Giese], either feigning ignorance about the reason for the lawsuit or actually lacking any knowledge on the matter. They sent the letter to the syndic [Konrad Lagus] in such a way that it reached the king but bypassed Maciejowski. Dantiscus encloses a copy of that letter, secretly obtained by his chancellor [Nicolaus Human], who was despatched to the Diet. Dantiscus did not consent to undermining the king’s authority nor to calling the royal court distant and unusual for these lands. He asks that his protest be conveyed to the king.
The aforementioned letter praises the loyalty of the defendants to the king more than their faith. However, Dantiscus doubts they can indeed be loyal to the king, given that their faith is perverse. During the feast of Corpus Christi, they did not take part in the procession, withdrew from the city, and drew their allies away with them. He has already written enough on this subject.
He supports the departure of the castellan of Gdańsk [Achatius von Zehmen (Cema)] to Denmark, provided that he can reach the destination without hardship. In the attached letter to the king, he has explained why such a journey is impossible during the harsh winter months and what he believes can be done in the meantime.
He asks to be excused from attending the upcoming Diet of the Kingdom of Poland, and also to be spared from travels and hostile people.
Manuscript sources:
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Text & apparatus & commentary Plain text Text & commentary Text & apparatus
Reverendissime in Christo Pater et Domine, frater ....
[Salutem et] meorum obsequiorum commendatio[nem] ....
... nuntium serenissimae maiestatis regiae nobile[m] [Christophorum Konarsky] ... eius legatione in omnibus, quae ... abunde edoctum commendaticiisque [ad]... a me auctum absolvi, dedi item ... et ad eos, qui inibi non parum possunt ... commodo illorum procurando ad hoc iter non admod[um] ... proficiscatur, ut illi cum uno Lundensis panni stamine et quinquaginta marcarum nostratium pecuniola subvenirent. Quod adminiculum si non litterae Dominationis Vestrae Reverendissimae, quas habet, impetrabunt, nescio, si meae quid momenti habebunt. Duo enim illi citati, ubi quippiam ex meo desiderio progressum agnoverint, strenue se opponunt.
Pro quibus (quod satis mirari non possum <)> ab eo, qui pro me praesidebat, in conventu proximo Marienburgi domini consiliarii inducti, dissimulantes vel nescientes citationis causam, satis animose serenissimae maiestati regiae scripserunt. Quae litterae sic missae sunt ad syndicum, ut serenissimae maiestati regiae redderentur, ne de illis Dominatio Vestra Reverendissima notitiam habere possit. Quarum exemplum, quod cancellarius meus, quem ad conventum miseram, secreto nactus est, iis inclusum mitto. Ad eas me non consensisse, ut auctoritati regiae derogetur quodque tribunal regium remotum et insolens his terris dici debeat, impense rogo, Dominatio Vestra Reverendissima protestationem ex me serenissimae maiestati regiae faciat .
In illis litteris fides erga serenissimam maiestatem regiam citatorum supra fidem commendatur. Quam neque ego admodum impugno. Quomodo autem recta et vera in principem esse debeat, cum praepostera sit et iniqua erga Deum et Eius vivum Corpus et Sanguinem? Ipsi videant . Cui, ut hostes, ne honorem exhiberent debitum, manifesto processioni, quae illo die, utpote Corporis Christi apud omnes pios Christianos solemnis est et venerabilis, se subduxerunt et alios suos complices ex illa extra urbem traxerunt. Qua in re, cum iam satis superque aliquoties , nulla affectione, sed conscientia et fide mea erga serenissimam maiestatem regiam adactus, scripserim, finem facio.
Ceterum, quod generoso domino castellano Gedanensi profectio in Daniam sit iniuncta, non improbarem, si eam commode transigere posset. Quod qua de re hoc duro brumae tempore fieri nequeat, et quae interim commodo esse mihi visa sint pro rudi meo captu, in adiunctis serenissimae maiestati regiae descripsi.
Cui , quod ad regni comi[tia] ... ut me Dominatio Vestra Reverendissima dictatorem adhuc ...ns et plurimum oro, sunt enim in me (qu... ...corrosimus) maria et flumina congelata, quae ...cio, non nisi ferventiore sole resolventur ... in Dominum Deum spero serenissimam maiestatem regiam ...m et hic amplius non ero Dominationemque Vestram Reverendissimam ...mem videbo aliquando cupidissime.
Quam oro, ut me habeat commendatissimum meque veteri sua benevolentia prosequi non desinit et sic me in corpore et animo affectum a profectionibus et malevolis meis tueatur.
Eandem Dominationem Vestram Reverendissimam ad prorogatissima tempora salvam et felicem esse ex animo cupio.
Datae Heilsberg, XXIX Ianuarii 1543.