Letter #6189
[Ioannes DANTISCUS] to [Samuel MACIEJOWSKI]Heilsberg (Lidzbark), 1543-01-09
English register:
On 1 January, Dantiscus sent a letter. An envoy of the Gdańsk (Danzig) city council, the royal burgrave and mayor [Johann von Werden] arrived to see him. Dantiscus encloses a copy of his reply to the municipality regarding the matters presented by the envoy. The council explains that, based on an agreement with Denmark, Gdańsk merchants are permitted to conduct maritime trade via the Danish strait [the Sound], but with the exception of transporting grain and war materials to Denmark’s enemies [The text of this paragraph is damaged in many places].
Dantiscus replied that the aforementioned agreements do not apply to the Kingdom of Poland and to other dominions of the king [Sigismund I Jagiellon]. The grain and other goods brought to Gdańsk are going bad, causing significant harm to the inhabitants of the Kingdom. In Dantiscus’ opinion, if the king does not wish to send an envoy concerning this matter to the king of Denmark [Christian III of Oldenburg], whom he had helped to gain the throne, he should at least make a formal protest in writing to demand the lifting of the blockade. This blockade is causing substantial losses to the Polish nobility and stirring their discontent. Dantiscus recalls that he had already pointed out in a previous letter to the addressee how severe the consequences of keeping the straits closed in spring would be for the king’s subjects.
The second part of the diplomatic mission was prompted by the king’s letter to Dantiscus, which he forwarded to the city council of Gdańsk. In the letter, the king requested advice concerning the unrest caused by two defendants [Tiedemann Giese Jr, Barthel Brandt] in connection with the administration of communion under both kinds. Relying only on the council’s written statement, the burgrave responded by making assurances that, as far as is known, communion under both kinds is not being administered to anyone. The council wishes for Dantiscus to intercede with the king in order to clear their fellow citizens of suspicion [The text of this paragraph is damaged in many places].
The justification presented regarding the public administration of communion under both kinds in Gdańsk can easily be rejected by the king, for those who receive communion in this manner usually travel to the Pomesanian diocese. The council permitted the common people to demand such communion for the laity in defiance of royal decrees, a fact which they did not even mention, since it is wholly unjustifiable. Dantiscus had already written earlier to identify the persons responsible for stirring up unrest in this matter. In his view, if the actions of these individuals are curtailed, the situation will calm down, and the unrest and unreasonable demands being instilled in the people to undermine royal authority or the validity of the court summons will not happen again.
In his previous letter, Dantiscus outlined the potential consequences of the king’s failure to respond to such audacity by allowing a person to remain at court and unpunished after being sent to defend it. In doing this, he believes that he has satisfied his conscience and remained loyal to the monarch. It is now up to the ruler to decide what course of action he deems appropriate.
If he has written anything too bold or imprudent, Dantiscus asks the addressee to kindly intercede on his behalf and to instruct him in what way he may have caused offence so that he may act with greater caution in the future.
Manuscript sources:
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Text & apparatus & commentary Plain text Text & commentary Text & apparatus
Reverendissime in Christo Pater et Domine, [...] paper damaged⌈[...][...] paper damaged⌉ obser paper damaged⌈[obser]obser paper damaged⌉vande.
Salutem et fraternam commendationem paper damaged⌈[am commendationem]am commendationem paper damaged⌉.
Prima die huius scripsi [...] paper damaged⌈[...][...] paper damaged⌉ haud on the margin, in the hand of Dantiscus⌈haudhaud on the margin, in the hand of Dantiscus⌉ [...] paper damaged⌈[...][...] paper damaged⌉ ve paper damaged⌈[ve]ve paper damaged⌉nit ad me missus a magistratu Gdanensi on the margin⌈a magistratu Gdanensia magistratu Gdanensi on the margin⌉ S[...] paper damaged⌈[...][...] paper damaged⌉ bur paper damaged⌈[bur]bur paper damaged⌉grabius et praeconsul[...] paper damaged⌈[...][...] paper damaged⌉ haec duo(?) habuit in primo paper damaged⌈[mo]mo paper damaged⌉[...] paper damaged⌈[...][...] paper damaged⌉ in quo ad illius magistratus [...] paper damaged⌈[...][...] paper damaged⌉ iunctis superinscribed in place of crossed-out iunctis⌈iunctis iunctis iunctis superinscribed in place of crossed-out iunctis⌉ litteris scripsi, quarum ipse [...] paper damaged⌈[...][...] paper damaged⌉ ex paper damaged⌈[ex]ex paper damaged⌉emplum pro litterisque scriptis gratiam [...] paper damaged⌈[...][...] paper damaged⌉ me commonefaciens, quod cum Regno Daniae paper damaged⌈[aniae]aniae paper damaged⌉ [...] paper damaged⌈[...][...] paper damaged⌉ sibi intercederent, ut in the Dantiscus hand, superinscribed in place of crossed-out haberet⌈haberetsibi intercederent, utsibi intercederent, ut in the Dantiscus hand, superinscribed in place of crossed-out haberet⌉ tempore belli, si quod illi regno paper damaged⌈[no]no paper damaged⌉ [...] paper damaged⌈[...][...] paper damaged⌉ merca paper damaged⌈[merca]merca paper damaged⌉toribus civibus Gedanensibus cum navibus merc[...] paper damaged⌈[...][...] paper damaged⌉ hab eis permitteretur per angustias freti Danici, qu[...] paper damaged⌈[...][...] paper damaged⌉ quor paper damaged⌈[quor]quor paper damaged⌉sum vellent, navigatio permitteretur superinscribed, in the hand of Dantiscus⌈permittereturpermitteretur superinscribed, in the hand of Dantiscus⌉ praeterquam, ne ad hostium es frumenta et haec, quae ad bellicum apparatum on the margin in place of crossed-out apparatum⌈apparatum apparatum apparatum on the margin in place of crossed-out apparatum⌉ sunt necessaria pecuniasque item, inferrent, unde magistratus causabatur, quod ea in re cum rege written over i⌈iee written over i⌉ Daniae, secus quam pacta essent confecta, agi non posset.
Respondi, quod ea pacta Regnum Poloniae aliasque serenissimae superinscribed⌈serenissimaeserenissimae superinscribed⌉ regiae maiestatis diciones non obligarent, neque ob id frumenta cum aliis rebus superinscribed⌈cum aliis rebuscum aliis rebus superinscribed⌉, quae inde advehuntur Gedanum, in loco vilescere et cum magno regnicolarum detrimento sic perdi oportere. Quapropter censeo et ex re omnium serenissimae maiestatis regiae subditorum esse puto, quod serenissima maiestas regia, si ob id ad regem Daniae nuntium mittere nolit quemadmodum magistratus Gedanensis, ut in secunda ad me legationis parte attigit, expedire atque necessarium esse arbitratur, saltem serio litteris serenissima maiestas regia cum eo superinscribed, in the hand of Dantiscus⌈eoeo superinscribed, in the hand of Dantiscus⌉ rege Daniae, qui recens ab illa a serenissima maiestate regia on the margin, in the hand of Dantiscus⌈a serenissima maiestate regiaa serenissima maiestate regia on the margin, in the hand of Dantiscus⌉ beneficio in regni acquisitione fuit adiutus, expostularet, ne frumentis et aliis ex Regno rebus angustias illas maris subditis regiis superinscribed, in the hand of Dantiscus⌈subditis regiis subditis regiis superinscribed, in the hand of Dantiscus⌉ clauderet, esset enim eiusmodi occlusio equestri senatui, equestri ordini, toti nobilitati omnibusque serenissimae maiestatis regiae subditis intolerabilis nullisque modis ferenda, hincque sibi implacabile odium gravissimasque inimicitias conciliaret, sicut huius rei superinscribed in place of crossed-out idipsum⌈idipsum huius rei huius rei superinscribed in place of crossed-out idipsum⌉ in novissimis written over am⌈amisis written over am⌉ ad Dominationem Vestram Reverendissimam memini, quod si cum rege illo Daniae sic non in the Dantiscus hand, superinscribed in place of crossed-out nunc⌈nuncnonnon in the Dantiscus hand, superinscribed in place of crossed-out nunc⌉ tractabitur, angustiaeque superinscribed, in the hand of Dantiscus⌈queque superinscribed, in the hand of Dantiscus⌉ illae quae[1] pro instante verno tempore on the margin⌈pro instante verno temporepro instante verno tempore on the margin⌉ occlusae manserint, non obscurum est, quantis damnis regnicolae ceteriquae subditi serenissimae maiestatis omnes afficientur.
Secundam legationis partem litterae ad me regiae extorserunt, quas magistratui miseram superinscribed, in the hand of Dantiscus⌈extorserunt, quas magistratui miseramextorserunt, quas magistratui miseram superinscribed, in the hand of Dantiscus⌉, in quibus super commotionem in the Dantiscus hand, adscribed in place of crossed-out tumultum⌈tumultum commotionem commotionem in the Dantiscus hand, adscribed in place of crossed-out tumultum⌉ ratione communionis sub utraque per duos istos citatos excitato in consilium
a me superinscribed, in the hand of Dantiscus⌈a mea me superinscribed, in the hand of Dantiscus⌉
requirebatur in the Dantiscus hand, written over atur⌈aturebaturebatur in the Dantiscus hand, written over atur⌉. Ad quas quidem litteras, ut esset, quod excusaret
magistratus in the Dantiscus hand, superinscribed in place of crossed-out respondit⌈respondit m<a>g<ist>ratus magistratus in the Dantiscus hand, superinscribed in place of crossed-out respondit⌉ per dominum burggrabium on the margin⌈per dominum burggrabiumper dominum burggrabium on the margin⌉, qui tamen hoc responsum ad me nonnisi scripto a magistratu a me referre voluit, respondit superinscribed, in the hand of Dantiscus⌈responditrespondit superinscribed, in the hand of Dantiscus⌉, quod scilicet communio sub utraque specie
AAWO, AB, D.110, f. 36v [...] paper damaged⌈[...][...] paper damaged⌉
nemini superinscribed in place of crossed-out et neminem⌈et neminem nemini nemini superinscribed in place of crossed-out et neminem⌉, quod sciretur, concedatur superinscribed in place of crossed-out sic illam percipere⌈sic illam percipere concedatur concedatur superinscribed in place of crossed-out sic illam percipere⌉ [...] paper damaged⌈[...][...] paper damaged⌉ esset nullique permitteretur in eoque
maiestati [...] paper damaged⌈[...][...] paper damaged⌉visse edoctam, verum in illlis litteris maiesta[...] paper damaged⌈[...][...] paper damaged⌉ q paper damaged⌈[q]q paper damaged⌉uod communio
istiusmodi in the Dantiscus hand, superinscribed in place of crossed-out sub utraque specie⌈sub utraque specie istiusmodi istiusmodi in the Dantiscus hand, superinscribed in place of crossed-out sub utraque specie⌉ Gedani paper damaged⌈[i]i paper damaged⌉ [...] paper damaged⌈[...][...] paper damaged⌉ [po]stulatum esse superinscribed⌈po paper damaged⌈[po]po paper damaged⌉stulatum esse[po]stulatum esse superinscribed⌉ [...] paper damaged⌈[...][...] paper damaged⌉ q paper damaged⌈[q]q paper damaged⌉uod contra receptum morem sacrosanctae [...] paper damaged⌈[...][...] paper damaged⌉ orthodo paper damaged⌈[orthodo]orthodo paper damaged⌉xae ecclesiae, ut superinscribed, in the hand of Dantiscus⌈utut superinscribed, in the hand of Dantiscus⌉ eiusmodi communio sub utraque detur in the Dantiscus hand, superinscribed in place of crossed-out daretur⌈daretur sub utraque detur paper damaged⌈[ur]ur paper damaged⌉ sub utraque detur in the Dantiscus hand, superinscribed in place of crossed-out daretur⌉ [...] paper damaged⌈[...][...] paper damaged⌉faceret. Hoc frivolo superinscribed, in the hand of Dantiscus⌈frivolofrivolo superinscribed, in the hand of Dantiscus⌉ lem<m>ate syndicus usus[2] [...] paper damaged⌈[...][...] paper damaged⌉ eo, in quo non fuerat accusatio
inducturum se putavit in the Dantiscus hand, superinscribed in place of crossed-out subintulit⌈subintulit inducturum se putavit inducturum se putavit in the Dantiscus hand, superinscribed in place of crossed-out subintulit⌉[3] [...] paper damaged⌈[...][...] paper damaged⌉que a me magistratus[4] a superinscribed in place of crossed-out per and then crossed-out⌈peraa superinscribed in place of crossed-out per and then crossed-out⌉
domino written over um⌈umoo written over um⌉ burgrabio written over um⌈umoo written over um⌉ redd[...] hidden by binding⌈[...][...] hidden by binding⌉[...] paper damaged⌈[...][...] paper damaged⌉ motus in the Dantiscus hand, superinscribed in place of crossed-out turbae⌈turbae motus motus in the Dantiscus hand, superinscribed in place of crossed-out turbae⌉
nulli written over ae⌈aeii written over ae⌉ ob hoc negotium audia written over u(?)⌈u(?)aa written over u(?)⌉ntur,
quod se [...] paper damaged⌈[...][...] paper damaged⌉ conterraneos meos
serenissimae maiestati regiae extra eam suspicio paper damaged⌈[cio]cio paper damaged⌉nem per commendatitias meas deducerem
[5] ex ea suspicione paper damaged⌈[one]one paper damaged⌉ apud maiestatem regiam levarem.
Quod Quam de illis, quia serenissima maiestas hidden by binding⌈[as]as hidden by binding⌉ regia non habeat, quandoquidem usus illiusmodi sub utraque communionis hidden by binding⌈[onis]onis hidden by binding⌉ publice Gdani nondum conceditur superinscribed in place of crossed-out non servitur(?)⌈non servitur(?) nondum conceditur nondum conceditur superinscribed in place of crossed-out non servitur(?)⌉ facile serenissima maiestas regia remitt[...] paper damaged⌈[...][...] paper damaged⌉, nam ad dioecesim Pomesaniensem, qui illa communione utuntur, proficisci solent on the margin⌈nam ad dioecesim Pomesaniensem, qui illa communione utuntur, proficisci solentnam ad dioecesim Pomesaniensem, qui illa communione utuntur, proficisci solent on the margin⌉, quod vero magistratus plebi contra regias constitutiones talem hidden by binding⌈[em]em hidden by binding⌉ prohibitam laicis communionem postulare permiserit, de eo verbum nullum, excusari enim nequit. Ceterum a superinscribed in place of crossed-out a⌈a Ceterum a Ceterum a superinscribed in place of crossed-out a⌉ quibus postula hidden by binding⌈[la]la hidden by binding⌉tio et motus illi exstimulati superinscribed in place of crossed-out concitati⌈concitati exstimulati exstimulati superinscribed in place of crossed-out concitati⌉ sint, prius scripsi, qui si coerciti fuerint, reliquum vulgus quiescet nullique deinceps motus aut postulationes tam audaces adeo temerariae concitabunt<ur>, quae id temporis superinscribed⌈id temporisid temporis superinscribed⌉ non nisi in terrorem, quo auctoritas superinscribed⌈auctoritasauctoritas superinscribed⌉ citatioque adscribed⌈queque adscribed⌉ regia evanesceret, plebi ut in publicum proderent suggestae sunt.
Eam audaciam hidden by binding⌈[am]am hidden by binding⌉ si maiestas regia illumque, qui ad defendendam eandem ad aula hidden by binding⌈[la]la hidden by binding⌉m missus est, ad aulam superinscribed⌈ad aulamad aulam superinscribed⌉ impune relinquerit written over ere⌈ereeriterit written over ere⌉, quid sit subsecuturum hidden by binding⌈[um]um hidden by binding⌉, in prioribus meis annotavi. Ego equidem conscientiam et fidem hidden by binding⌈[m]m hidden by binding⌉ meam erga serenissimam maiestatem regiam exoneravi superinscribed in place of crossed-out liberavi⌈liberavi exoneravi exoneravi superinscribed in place of crossed-out liberavi⌉. Quae faciat, quod in oculis suis bonum esse expedireque putaverit.
Apud quam superinscribed in place of crossed-out Cui⌈Cui Apud quam Apud quam superinscribed in place of crossed-out Cui⌉, si quid forsan liberius planiusve a me scriptum consultumque esse inconsi hidden by binding⌈[i]i hidden by binding⌉deratius existimabitur written over verit⌈veritbiturbitur written over verit⌉, ut id omne fidei meae imputet, Dominatio Vestra Reverendissima intercessione sua efficere velit, summopere oro on the margin⌈summopere orosummopere oro on the margin⌉, meque edocere, in quo forsan offendi, ut hinc cautior esse possim. Qua in re me supra id, quod iam pridem debeo, me on the margin⌈meme on the margin⌉ Dominatio Vestra Reverendissima sibi written over mi⌈mi sibi sibi written over mi⌉ devictissimum atque auctoratum perpetuo superinscribed⌈perpetuoperpetuo superinscribed⌉ constringet.
Meque illi commendatissimum ms. commendatissimus(!) ⌈commendatissimumcommendatissimum ms. commendatissimus(!) ⌉ esse cupio et precor omnia faustissima.
Dat(ae) or Dat(um)⌈Dat(ae)Dat(ae) or Dat(um)⌉ in Heilsberg, IX Ianuarii MDXLIII.
[1 ] illae quae first corrected to quae illae with the numbers 1, 2, then quae and the numbers crossed out
[2 ] Here crossed out a mark of inserting text from the margin (in the gap because of paper damaged)
[3 ] Here a mark of inserting text from the margin (in the gap because of paper damaged)
[4 ] Here a mark of inserting text from the margin (in the gap because of paper damaged)
[5 ] Here starts part of text written in Dantiscus’ own hand