Letter #3094
[Ioannes DANTISCUS] to [Stanisław HOZJUSZ (HOSIUS)][Heilsberg (Lidzbark)], 1547-05-27
English register:
Trusting in Samuel Maciejowski, Dantiscus has described the situation prevailing in Royal Prussia on an autograph sheet enclosed with the present letter. He asks that the addressee, together with Maciejowski, should convey to King Sigismund I any information contained therein which they consider appropriate. He stipulates emphatically, however, that the contents of the enclosed sheet are not to be disclosed to anyone else, above all because they rest more on suspicion than on certain evidence. As he has already written on several occasions, there are persons at court who immediately pass on both news and conjecture to those whose identity has been indicated in the aforementioned enclosure.
Citing a passage from the First Epistle to Timothy, Dantiscus laments the fact that many people are falling away from the faith and becoming ever more prone to deceit and hypocrisy. For this reason, life is becoming increasingly unbearable for him and he longs to depart in the mercy of God.
He notes that the envoys of Royal Prussia [Tiedemann Giese, Achatius von Zehmen (Achacy Czema), Johann von Baysen (Jan Bażyński), Johann von Werden] gave less thought to the public interest than to their own. One of them obtained for himself [in Vilnius from Sigismund Augustus] a promise of the grant of two villages; another – it is not known what. They ought to have proceeded directly to the royal court [in Cracow (Kraków)]. Dantiscus, together with the [Ermland (warmia)] chapter, spent seven hundred marks on dispatching the envoys, and other parties contributed as well. The travel funds were squandered and the journey was cut short. Dantiscus deplores the state of Prussian affairs.
Dantiscus does not object to the grant of a canonry to Konarski [most likely Krzysztof Konarski] following the death of the provost [Paweł Płotowski], provided this does not infringe upon the chapter’s right of election during a month reserved to the ordinary. He asks the addressee to attend to this. Dantiscus will see to the implementation of the royal nomination for Konarski when a canonry falls vacant. In the meantime, he requests that the admission to the chapter of the venerable elder Fabianus Emmerich, whom he mentioned in his letter from Marienburg (Malbork), should not be questioned. It will not bode well for the Prussians if, as in the case of the starosties, canons are imposed upon them by the [royal] court in contravention of their privileges. Under the law, the grant of the provostship rests with the king, but a canonry is not attached to it. Dantiscus asks the addressee to be vigilant in upholding their common rights.
As he mentioned in his letter, Dantiscus asks for support in the efforts of the castellan of Elbing (Elbląg) [Johann von Baysen (Jan Bażyński)] so that the voivode of Płock [Feliks Srzeński] may not prevail [in the matter of the estate of Mewe (Gniew)]. His success could give rise to unrest, of which there is already no shortage in Prussia, while more serious disturbances are feared from the neighbours.
Dantiscus further asks the addressee to support the petition of Georg Schewecke and his brother [Georg von Höfen] to the king, which is contained in the letter to Samuel Maciejowski. When time permits, he asks him to pass on news from the court and concerning Alexander [Sculteti].
At present, little reliable news is reaching Dantiscus. It is reported that the emperor [Charles V of Habsburg] has sent the elector of Saxony [Johann Friedrich der Großmütige] to Spain, to be held where the king of France [Francis I of Valois] was once imprisoned, the latter being certainly dead. The dauphin [Henry II of Valois] is besieging Boulogne-sur-Mer, and unrest is breaking out in England. Some of Dantiscus’ fellow countrymen [the inhabitants of Gdańsk (Danzig)] believe in the capture of Johann Friedrich, and some do not. It is reported that they fasted for several days in their distress.
Georg Hegel will disburse money to the addressee. Dantiscus asks that he kindly receive it.
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Text & apparatus & commentary Plain text Text & commentary Text & apparatus
Mi Carissime Domine Doctor.
Descripsi reverendissimo domino nostro communi, pro fide mea erga principes nostros, sub singulari, quae mihi est in dominationem eius reverendissimam fiducia, ea, quae hic aguntur, et molimina, quae tractari dispicio, in scheda hac mea manu, quam litteris inclusi. Cumque in ea non pauca sint, quae nisi solam Dominationem Vestram cum ipso reverendissimo domino scire velim, ut inde, quod videbitur, maiestati regiae deferatur, a Dominatione Vestra peto diligenter, ut sic eam schedam cum reverendissimo domino contineat, ne a quoquam alio videatur, ob id potissimum, quod plus suspicionis quam explorati propter vaferrima apud nos quorundam ingenia significet. Sunt enim apud vos, ut prius aliquoties scripsi, qui, quidquid resciverint vel coniectura sint assecuti, e vestigio ad illos, qui in scheda designantur, transmittant.
Incidimus in tempora, in quibus homines multi, desciscentes a fide, ut Apostolus ait, ad fraudes et sycophantias texendas propensiores quam prius umquam redduntur. Qua de re mihi vita in dies fit taediosior cupioque in misericordia Domini dissolvi etc.
Nostri oratores, si adeo rei publicae nostrae fuissent studiosi, quantum privatae, quam non neglexerunt (alter sibi duas villas in promissis obtinuit, alii nescio quae alia), recta ad vos fuissent profecti. Ad eam profectionem ego cum capitulo septingentas marcas impendimus. Contributum fuit etiam ab aliis. Viaticum est absumptum, via intermissa. Video rebus nostris ab omni parte imminere ruinam, quae diu suspendi et differri nequit; eam ne sim conspecturus, a Domino Deo oro sedulo etc.
Quod maiestas regia canonicatum post mortem praepositi domino Conarsky contulit, mihi non adversatur, modo iura et libera electio in mense ordinarii communis ecclesiae nostrae non offendantur. Quod ne fiat, Dominatio Vestra curare velit. Concessa est illi nominatio, in qua se continere potest, quousque vacatio aliqua ad eam se obtulerit, ubi tum ei non sum defuturus. Ne itaque bonus senex dominus Fabianus Emerich, cuius ex Marienburgo scribens memini, molestetur, Dominatio Vestra, quaeso, efficiat. Actum erit de nobis, si, quemadmodum castris hic contra privilegia nostra praefecti intruduntur, sic etiam ecclesiae nostrae deberent per aulam intrudi canonici. Praepositura quidem maiestatis regiae distributioni, quantum iuris est, ex pactis permittitur, cui tamen canonicatus non est adiunctus. In eo Dominatio Vestra velit dare operam, ne libertati nostrae communi quicquam derogetur etc.
Pro domino castellano Elbingensi, ut in litteris attigi, quantum potest, rogo, agat, ne palatinus Plocensis praevaleat et tumultum hic nobis excitet, cuius iam satis inter nos habemus gravioremque ex viciniis metuimus.
Rogo item, ad supplicationem domini Georgii Schefke et fratris mei ad maiestatem regiam factam, quae in litteris meis est ad dominum reverendissimum, quantum aequitas postulat, patrocinium suum velit addere et de omnibus sub otio, quod suffurari potest ex negotiis, quae apud vos in novis atque de Alexandro habentur, rescribere.
Hic ad praesens fidedignum parum admodum circumfertur. Aiunt quidam maiestatem caesaream in Hispaniam misisse Saxonem in eo loco custodiendum, ubi rex Galliae servabatur, qui certo mortuus esse fertur, et Delphinum oppugnare Boloniam motusque quosdam esse in Anglia. Sunt apud gentiles meos, qui Saxonem captum esse non credunt et qui credunt. Dicuntur se aliquot diebus ex maestitudine inedia macerasse etc.
Tributum Dominationi Vestrae numerabit dominus Georgius Hegel, quod ut boni consulat, oro.
Datae ut in litteris etc. 27 Maii 47.