Letter #916
Cornelis DE SCHEPPER to Ioannes DANTISCUSVienna, 1533-03-18
English register:
De Schepper complains that Dantiscus is not answering his letters and that he has had no news about him through their mutual friend [Nikolaus] Nibschitz.
He can understand that upon returning home Dantiscus' attention exclusively went to his family and friends, but such a long silence is hard to forgive. Even though some of De Schepper’s letters might have been intercepted, several other letters have been sent through reliable channels. He insists that Dantiscus write to him, or at least dictate a letter, as he is anxious to be reassured about his friend's wellbeing.
Together with the Archbishop of Lund [Johan Weze] he attended the meeting in Pressburg with the envoys of the Voivode [John Zápolya]. The case of King Ferdinand seems to be developing favourably. The Sultan [Suleiman the Magnificent] has sent an envoy to King Ferdinand; in the meantime a truce is being maintained. According to messages from Constantinople he aims at a lasting peace. The Imperial Diet in Pressburg has been suspended until the arrival of the envoy.
He reports on the movements of Charles V in Italy. The Archbishop of Bari [Esteban Gabriel Merino] has been made cardinal. In Italy a new league has been concluded; the commander of the troops is Antonio de Leiva. By order of the Pope [Clement VII] the impending excommunication of the King of England [Henry VIII] was proclaimed in the dioceses of Therouanne and Tournai. The Scots seem to be preparing for a war against England. In Germany, everything is quiet. After he has put things in order in Spain, the Emperor Charles V will establish the seat of his Empire in the Kingdom of Naples.
Hieronymus Sailer asks for news of Dantiscus. Godschalk will follow the Emperor to Spain. Ericksen is representing the interests of Queen [Bona] at the imperial court, as De Schepper's deputy. The Queen has consulted with him about replacing Godschalk, because she has heard that the latter is not in the favour of the Emperor, which is completely untrue.
De Schepper expects that he will travel to Flanders after his current mission, and from there to Spain, while the Archbishop of Lund will travel to Spain via Italy. Dantiscus can ask him without any problem to arrange some matters for him in Spain. De Schepper encloses a letter to Dantiscus forwarded from Spain.
He reports on the itinerary of the Emperor and Empress [Isabella of Portugal], and further urges Dantiscus to give some sign of life. He conveys greetings from his wife [Elisabeth Donche] and Mark Laurijn and reports on an inheritance dispute following the death of the lord of Fiennes [Jacques III of Luxembourg].
He expresses his discontent concerning the succession of [Alfonso de] Valdés by a favourite of [Francisco] de los Cobos. In guarded terms he repeats what he learned from Godschalk about the handling of a problem with Jewish subjects at the imperial court, and about the actions of Johann Vuystinck in this matter.
He criticises a number of people, and also the change of power at court. He feels uncertain about his prospects, now that all his acquaintances there are gone. He refers Dantiscus to Hieronymus Łaski for more detailed information.
He suggests that Dantiscus send his letters through two different channels.
| received 1533-03-28 Manuscript sources:
Early printed source materials:
Prints:
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Text & apparatus & commentaryPlain textText & commentaryText & apparatus
Reverendissimo in Christo Patri et Domino, domino Ioanni Dantisco episcopo Culmensi etc., domino tamquam patri honorandissimo
In Prussia
Salutem plurimam.
An vivus sis, an mortuus, ego profecto coniectura assequi non possum, adeo diu est, quod de te nihil audio, nam neque ad tot litteras meas quicquam rescribis, et dominus Nyptzitz, amicus noster, in litteris suis ad me nullam penitus mentionem tui facit. Scio ego, cum primum ad tuos venires, indulgendum fuisse pientissimae matri tuae, scio, affinibus, amicis, sodalibus, sed tot mensibus, quod nihil scripseris, ignoscere vix possum. Si vero, ut alibi, ita apud vos invaluit incivilis consuetudo litteras aperiendi, forte potest fieri, ut meas omnes non acceperis, tametsi quasdam ad reverendissimum Pzremisliensem, alias ad Foccharos dederim et Carolum Cutzer. Sed haec missa faciamus et, si potes, rescribe, si non potes per chiragram, iube Campensi aut alicui alteri ex amanuensibus, nam miro teneor desiderio cognoscendi de valetudine tua.
Nos hic recte valemus fuimusque in Posonio congressi cum vayvodanis oratoribus, resque serenissimi Ferdinandi regis optima in spe sunt. Imperator Thurcarum mittit ad serenissimum regem praefatum oratorem unum insignem, qui de hora in horam hic Viennae exspectatur. Interim indutiae sunt, quae optime servantur. Scribitur et ex Constantinopoli longam et firmam pacem eundem caesarem Thurcarum nobiscum facere velle. Haec dieta propter adventum praefati oratoris dilata est, donec, quid rei sit, quod afferet, intellexerimus.
Christianissimus imperator noster Carolus ultima Februarii recessit ex Bononia profecturus Alexandriam ibidemque exspectaturus, donec classis parata fueri[t]. Reverendissimus archiepiscopus Barensis nunc est cardinalis creatus. Liga nova in Italia est facta et ordinati milites pro conservatione Italiae. Cuius ligae capitaneus generalis est dominus Antonius de Leyva. Pontifex misit breve apostolicum in patriam nostram et iussit episcopis Morinensi et Tornacensi, ut valvis templorum affigerent, quo brevi declaratur rex Angliae excommunicatus, nisi uxorem repudiatam recipiat. Iamque fama est Scotos bellum adversus Anglos parare. Quicquid sit, equidem nescio. In Germania omnia sunt valde tranquilla. Fama est caesaream maiestatem autumno futuro stabilitis rebus Hispaniarum traiecturam in regnum Neapolitanum una cum imperatrice et ibidem sedem imperii posituram.
Hieronymus Sayler valde miratur, quod nihil de te audit. Dominus Godtscalcus Saxocarolus sese ex animo Reverendissimae Dominationi Tuae commendat. Secuturus est caesarem in Hispanias. Hunc meo loco substitui, ut negotia serenissimae reginae vestrae sollicitet, id, quod facit et fecit. Ceterum praefata serenissima regina per litteras me consulit, num sit melius, ut ipsa aliquem ad caes[a]rem mittat, ex quo, ut ait, Godtscalcus non est caesari gratus. Nescio, quis de Godtscalco ita ipsam informavit, neque enim indiligentem sese praestitit et apud caesarem, et magnates gratiosus est, et gratiosior quovis, quem illa mittet, te uno, dico, excepto, nam Fabianum optime novi et pace tua dixer[im], animo est excelsiore, quam ut sese demittere possit in molestias nostras. S[cis], quid velim. Ego tamen consulo reginae, ut aliquem mittat, et sic experietur, nam ego adhuc maneo in ista legatione. Quod quamdiu sit futurum, nescio, et ea finita transibo in Flandriam, et inde, si res exigant aut vol[et] caesar, in Hispanias. Reverendissimus dominus archiepiscopus Lundensis collega meus pe[r] Italiam fortassis repetet Hispanias, nisi bella obstiterint. Is se ex animo tib[i] commendat offertque servitia sua tum intuitui veteris consuetudinis, tum quod fatea[tur] se plurimum debere tibi. Si quid in Hispaniis actum voles, tutissime per eum agere poteris. Mitto ad te litteras ex Hispaniis missas, scis, cuius sint. Nihil exinde est rerum novarum.
Imperatrix erit Barchinone ad istud festum Paschatis, credo caesarem ante Pascha ibi futurum, tametsi fama est et rationi conformis videt[ur] eum non nisi in festis Paschalibus abiturum e Genua. Si quid acciderit nobi[s] in Germania existentibus, libens te faciam certiorem, modo vivere intelligam. Nam nisi rescripseris, ego arbitrabor mortuum esse et hunc dolorem quod nolit Nyptzitz mihi communem facere.
Quia principio spes erat me in Poloniam venturum, scripsit ad me uxor mea et Marcus Laurinus frater, se ut tibi commendarem. Id nunc per litteras facio. Dominus de Fiennes mortuus est, domina de Egmondt habet controversiam cum illius vidua resque processit ad graviora verba.
Curia nostra est, ut prius. Locum Valdesii habet Hispanus quidam, famulus domini commendatoris Cobos, qui neque litteras neque natare.
Negotium Iudaeorum est tale: Ioannes Vuysting Traiectensis sollicitat. Captivus ille monoculus, qui fuit apud Tridentum, deductus est Bononiam, post examen inventus reus. Hispani praeter don Garciam de Padilla commendatorem de Calatrava dicuntur illi favisse. Ipsa illustrissima Sabaudiae dux Bononiae pro nebulone instetit. Caesar respondit exposita vita furciferi se non posse quicquam contra iustitiam in gratiam cuiusquam concedere. Sic Ioannes triumphat et, ut Godtscalcus noster scribit, destinatus est Vespasiano successor adversum Iudaeos et contra eos moturus ex Alexandria, quo sequitur caesarem. Ego enim nihil amplius scribo, quam idem Saxocarolus ad me scribit.
Quid de me futurum sit, incertus sum. Taedet me huius vitae. Doctor Mathias fit intolerabilis et waltkirchisat, Obernburger est secretarius. Ego ubique excludor. Pratensis redibit in Flandriam. Barensis est cardinalis. Scis, quid dominus de Nassaw de Osmensi. Ita praeter Cobos et Grandvellam nemo manet, res tamen procedunt mira felicitate. Tantum potest Dei voluntas. Hieronymus Lasky apud vos est, poterit is plura recensere. Scribe ad me duabus viis, altera per Focharos, altera per naves ad Brugas aut Zelandiam semisubmersam. Nam quid facturus sim, nescio. Ego me ex animo tibi, sororibus tuis, amicis, Campensi, fratribus omnibus commendo et rectissime valere cupio.
Ex Vienna Pannonum, XVIII-a die mensis Martii anno Domini 1533.
Eiusdem Reverendissimae Dominationis Tuae humilis inservitor tamquam filius Cornelius Duplicius Scepperus eques et orator caesareae maiestatis in regno Hungariae manu propria