ONB, Cod. 13.597, f. 16v

Generoso domino Sigmund von Herberstein (*1486 – †1566), diplomat in the service of Emperor Maximilian I, Charles V, and Roman King Ferdinand I, writer and historian. In 1517 sent to Poland to conduct the marriage between King Sigismund I Jagiellon and Duchess Bona Sforza d'Aragona, and to Moscow to arrange a truce between the Grand Duchy of Muscovy and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania; 1515 member of the Council of the Holy Roman Empire, in 1515-1553 carried out many diplomatic missions (in 1517 and 1526 he was twice an imperial envoy at the Muscovy court)⌊Sigismundo de HerbstainSigmund von Herberstein (*1486 – †1566), diplomat in the service of Emperor Maximilian I, Charles V, and Roman King Ferdinand I, writer and historian. In 1517 sent to Poland to conduct the marriage between King Sigismund I Jagiellon and Duchess Bona Sforza d'Aragona, and to Moscow to arrange a truce between the Grand Duchy of Muscovy and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania; 1515 member of the Council of the Holy Roman Empire, in 1515-1553 carried out many diplomatic missions (in 1517 and 1526 he was twice an imperial envoy at the Muscovy court)⌋[1], consiliario et oratori Maximilian I of Habsburg (*1459 – †1519), from 1486 King of the Romans, actual ruler of the Empire from the death of Frederick III (1493), 1508-1519 Holy Roman Emperor of the German Nation; son of Emperor Frederick III and Eleanor of Portugal⌊caesareae maiestatisMaximilian I of Habsburg (*1459 – †1519), from 1486 King of the Romans, actual ruler of the Empire from the death of Frederick III (1493), 1508-1519 Holy Roman Emperor of the German Nation; son of Emperor Frederick III and Eleanor of Portugal⌋, domino et amico observandissimo.

ONB, Cod. 13.597, f. 16r

Generose Domine, commendationem plurimam.

Accepi litteras Generositatis Vestrae, datas ex Reutte, town in Tyrol, on the Lech river, S of Füssen in Bavaria⌊ReittenReutte, town in Tyrol, on the Lech river, S of Füssen in Bavaria⌋ 1516-10-27⌊XXVII Octobris1516-10-27⌋, 1525-11-05⌊quinta huius mensis Novembris1525-11-05⌋ allatas[2] ad me per quendam ad me missum a domino Vinsterwalter, quibus mihi mentem Maximilian I of Habsburg (*1459 – †1519), from 1486 King of the Romans, actual ruler of the Empire from the death of Frederick III (1493), 1508-1519 Holy Roman Emperor of the German Nation; son of Emperor Frederick III and Eleanor of Portugal⌊caesareae maiestatisMaximilian I of Habsburg (*1459 – †1519), from 1486 King of the Romans, actual ruler of the Empire from the death of Frederick III (1493), 1508-1519 Holy Roman Emperor of the German Nation; son of Emperor Frederick III and Eleanor of Portugal⌋ significat, utpote, quod quantocius irem Innsbruck (Oenipons), city in western Austria, Tyrol, on the Inn river⌊InsprugkInnsbruck (Oenipons), city in western Austria, Tyrol, on the Inn river⌋. Hoc quam facerem libenter, nec dici nec scribi potest, cur autem fieri impraesentiarum adhuc fieri non possit, intellexit ex litteris meis per Veit Hofer missis, in quibus omnes meas incommoditates et de famulo saucio etc. ac etiam de mea inopia perscripsi. Quaspropter Generositatem Vestram non rogo solum, verum confidenter obsecro, ut omnia Maximilian I of Habsburg (*1459 – †1519), from 1486 King of the Romans, actual ruler of the Empire from the death of Frederick III (1493), 1508-1519 Holy Roman Emperor of the German Nation; son of Emperor Frederick III and Eleanor of Portugal⌊caesareae maiestatiMaximilian I of Habsburg (*1459 – †1519), from 1486 King of the Romans, actual ruler of the Empire from the death of Frederick III (1493), 1508-1519 Holy Roman Emperor of the German Nation; son of Emperor Frederick III and Eleanor of Portugal⌋ exponat. Nihil renuo Maximilian I of Habsburg (*1459 – †1519), from 1486 King of the Romans, actual ruler of the Empire from the death of Frederick III (1493), 1508-1519 Holy Roman Emperor of the German Nation; son of Emperor Frederick III and Eleanor of Portugal⌊caesareae maiestatiMaximilian I of Habsburg (*1459 – †1519), from 1486 King of the Romans, actual ruler of the Empire from the death of Frederick III (1493), 1508-1519 Holy Roman Emperor of the German Nation; son of Emperor Frederick III and Eleanor of Portugal⌋, etiam si mox moriendum esset, dummodo clementius in me respiciat, ne videar omnibus hic mortalibus ludibrium. Ille[3], qui famulum meum fraudulenter ac praeter causam sat dignam vulneravit, versatur cotidie in oculis meis et creditur omnia, quae perfide gessit, impune egisse, non sine mea magna ignominia. Misereatur quaeso mei Generositas Vestra, si forsan Maximilian I of Habsburg (*1459 – †1519), from 1486 King of the Romans, actual ruler of the Empire from the death of Frederick III (1493), 1508-1519 Holy Roman Emperor of the German Nation; son of Emperor Frederick III and Eleanor of Portugal⌊caesarea maiestasMaximilian I of Habsburg (*1459 – †1519), from 1486 King of the Romans, actual ruler of the Empire from the death of Frederick III (1493), 1508-1519 Holy Roman Emperor of the German Nation; son of Emperor Frederick III and Eleanor of Portugal⌋ mei misereri gravabitur, propter quam tot nuper subivi pericula et omnes meas fortunas apud Sigismund I Jagiellon (Zygmunt I) (*1467 – †1548), King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania (1506-1548); Duke of Głogów (Glogau) (1499-1506), Duke of Opava (1501-1506), Governor of Silesia (1504-1506); son of King Kazimierz IV Jagiellon and Elisabeth of Austria⌊serenissimum dominum meumSigismund I Jagiellon (Zygmunt I) (*1467 – †1548), King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania (1506-1548); Duke of Głogów (Glogau) (1499-1506), Duke of Opava (1501-1506), Governor of Silesia (1504-1506); son of King Kazimierz IV Jagiellon and Elisabeth of Austria⌋, domum, parentes, actiones, omnia denique mea reliqui, et consoletur me. cf. Vulg. Est. 4:1 spargens cinerem capiti et in platea mediae civitatis voce magna clamabat ostendens amaritudinem animi sui ⌊Prae amaritudine animicf. Vulg. Est. 4:1 spargens cinerem capiti et in platea mediae civitatis voce magna clamabat ostendens amaritudinem animi sui ⌋ ac dolore summo plus de his scribere nequeo, videntur enim hae levitates mihi soli non illatae, sed domino etc. Praeterea quomodo mihi nunc est eundum? Viaticum non habeo. 1516-11-04⌊Heri1516-11-04⌋ accepi in mutuum non sine rubore a domino doctore Konrad Peutinger (*1465 – †1547)⌊Conrado PeutingerKonrad Peutinger (*1465 – †1547)⌋ quindecim Renenses, cum quibus usque ad Generositatis Vestrae adventum vivere decrevi. Nihil recuso pro Maximilian I of Habsburg (*1459 – †1519), from 1486 King of the Romans, actual ruler of the Empire from the death of Frederick III (1493), 1508-1519 Holy Roman Emperor of the German Nation; son of Emperor Frederick III and Eleanor of Portugal⌊caesarea maiestateMaximilian I of Habsburg (*1459 – †1519), from 1486 King of the Romans, actual ruler of the Empire from the death of Frederick III (1493), 1508-1519 Holy Roman Emperor of the German Nation; son of Emperor Frederick III and Eleanor of Portugal⌋, immo fideliter, ut consuevi, serviam, et serviam quam diu in vivis fuero. Consideret modo Maximilian I of Habsburg (*1459 – †1519), from 1486 King of the Romans, actual ruler of the Empire from the death of Frederick III (1493), 1508-1519 Holy Roman Emperor of the German Nation; son of Emperor Frederick III and Eleanor of Portugal⌊sua maiestasMaximilian I of Habsburg (*1459 – †1519), from 1486 King of the Romans, actual ruler of the Empire from the death of Frederick III (1493), 1508-1519 Holy Roman Emperor of the German Nation; son of Emperor Frederick III and Eleanor of Portugal⌋, in quibus iactor procellis, potis est me facile eruere. Iturus sum quocumque maiestas sua mandaverit, nec patriae me desiderium detinebit. Non sum ut aspalacus, qui non nisi apud Boeotios ms. Boecios(!) ⌈BoeotiosBoeotios ms. Boecios(!) ⌉, ubi nascitur, vivere potest[4]. Ego vivam undique et moriar, ubi Maximilian I of Habsburg (*1459 – †1519), from 1486 King of the Romans, actual ruler of the Empire from the death of Frederick III (1493), 1508-1519 Holy Roman Emperor of the German Nation; son of Emperor Frederick III and Eleanor of Portugal⌊maiestas caesareaMaximilian I of Habsburg (*1459 – †1519), from 1486 King of the Romans, actual ruler of the Empire from the death of Frederick III (1493), 1508-1519 Holy Roman Emperor of the German Nation; son of Emperor Frederick III and Eleanor of Portugal⌋ voluerit. Proinde Generositatem Vestram rogo, procuret mihi apud maiestatem caesaream, quae in rem meam ex litteris meis expedire videbuntur. Confidenter confido Generositatem Vestram pro amico obsequentissimo facturam. Cui me iterum iterumque commendo.

Ex Augsburg (Augusta Vindelicorum), city in Germany, Bavaria⌊AugustaAugsburg (Augusta Vindelicorum), city in Germany, Bavaria⌋, quinta Novembris anno MDXVI.

Ioannes Dantiscus (Johannes von Höfen, Ioannes de Curiis, Jan Dantyszek, Johannes Flachsbinder) (*1485 – †1548), eminent diplomat and humanist in the service of the Jagiellons, neo-Latin poet; 1530-1537 Bishop of Kulm; 1537-1548 Bishop of Ermland⌊Ioannes DantiscusIoannes Dantiscus (Johannes von Höfen, Ioannes de Curiis, Jan Dantyszek, Johannes Flachsbinder) (*1485 – †1548), eminent diplomat and humanist in the service of the Jagiellons, neo-Latin poet; 1530-1537 Bishop of Kulm; 1537-1548 Bishop of Ermland⌋ eques Ierosolymitanus ms. Hierosolymitanus(!) ⌈IerosolymitanusIerosolymitanus ms. Hierosolymitanus(!) ⌉[5], doctor etc., Sigismund I Jagiellon (Zygmunt I) (*1467 – †1548), King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania (1506-1548); Duke of Głogów (Glogau) (1499-1506), Duke of Opava (1501-1506), Governor of Silesia (1504-1506); son of King Kazimierz IV Jagiellon and Elisabeth of Austria⌊serenissimi Poloniae regisSigismund I Jagiellon (Zygmunt I) (*1467 – †1548), King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania (1506-1548); Duke of Głogów (Glogau) (1499-1506), Duke of Opava (1501-1506), Governor of Silesia (1504-1506); son of King Kazimierz IV Jagiellon and Elisabeth of Austria⌋ secretarius.

[1] In the early days of his correspondence with Herberstein (CEID 2/1, letters No. 1, 2, 4-6) Ioannes Dantiscus (Johannes von Höfen, Ioannes de Curiis, Jan Dantyszek, Johannes Flachsbinder) (*1485 – †1548), eminent diplomat and humanist in the service of the Jagiellons, neo-Latin poet; 1530-1537 Bishop of Kulm; 1537-1548 Bishop of Ermland⌊DantiscusIoannes Dantiscus (Johannes von Höfen, Ioannes de Curiis, Jan Dantyszek, Johannes Flachsbinder) (*1485 – †1548), eminent diplomat and humanist in the service of the Jagiellons, neo-Latin poet; 1530-1537 Bishop of Kulm; 1537-1548 Bishop of Ermland⌋ uses this syncopated form of his name. In Ioannes Dantiscus (Johannes von Höfen, Ioannes de Curiis, Jan Dantyszek, Johannes Flachsbinder) (*1485 – †1548), eminent diplomat and humanist in the service of the Jagiellons, neo-Latin poet; 1530-1537 Bishop of Kulm; 1537-1548 Bishop of Ermland⌊Dantiscus’Ioannes Dantiscus (Johannes von Höfen, Ioannes de Curiis, Jan Dantyszek, Johannes Flachsbinder) (*1485 – †1548), eminent diplomat and humanist in the service of the Jagiellons, neo-Latin poet; 1530-1537 Bishop of Kulm; 1537-1548 Bishop of Ermland⌋ subsequent letters, the forms “Herberstain” and sometimes “Erberstain” appear. Herberstein himself usually signed his name as “Herberstain”.

[2] Unknown letter.

[3] Laurentius, see CEID 2/1,letter No. 2.

[4] Aspalax, Gr. – mole. Plin. Nat. 8, 226: item Boeotiae Lebadeae inlatae solum ipsum fugiunt, quae iuxta in Orchomeno tota arva subruunt, talpae. Plinius’ text, however, only speaks of the absence of moles around the Beotian town of Lebadea. Moreover, to denote a mole Ioannes Dantiscus (Johannes von Höfen, Ioannes de Curiis, Jan Dantyszek, Johannes Flachsbinder) (*1485 – †1548), eminent diplomat and humanist in the service of the Jagiellons, neo-Latin poet; 1530-1537 Bishop of Kulm; 1537-1548 Bishop of Ermland⌊DantiscusIoannes Dantiscus (Johannes von Höfen, Ioannes de Curiis, Jan Dantyszek, Johannes Flachsbinder) (*1485 – †1548), eminent diplomat and humanist in the service of the Jagiellons, neo-Latin poet; 1530-1537 Bishop of Kulm; 1537-1548 Bishop of Ermland⌋ does not use the Latin word talpa (which Plinius uses), but the Greek aspalacus. This suggests that Ioannes Dantiscus (Johannes von Höfen, Ioannes de Curiis, Jan Dantyszek, Johannes Flachsbinder) (*1485 – †1548), eminent diplomat and humanist in the service of the Jagiellons, neo-Latin poet; 1530-1537 Bishop of Kulm; 1537-1548 Bishop of Ermland⌊DantiscusIoannes Dantiscus (Johannes von Höfen, Ioannes de Curiis, Jan Dantyszek, Johannes Flachsbinder) (*1485 – †1548), eminent diplomat and humanist in the service of the Jagiellons, neo-Latin poet; 1530-1537 Bishop of Kulm; 1537-1548 Bishop of Ermland⌋ found the mention of Beotian moles not in Plinius’ work, but in a later text, e.g. a popular Physiologus. There are traces of how the quoted excerpt from Plinius functioned, though in slightly changed form, for instance in the works, popular at the time, of Jean Tixier de Ravisi (1480-1524) aka Ravisius: Aspalacus est animal, quod sola Boeotiorum terra fert. A qua translatum statim perire dicunt. Frequens est tamen apud Orchomenios (Cornucopie 1560, p. 15).

[5] Ioannes Dantiscus (Johannes von Höfen, Ioannes de Curiis, Jan Dantyszek, Johannes Flachsbinder) (*1485 – †1548), eminent diplomat and humanist in the service of the Jagiellons, neo-Latin poet; 1530-1537 Bishop of Kulm; 1537-1548 Bishop of Ermland⌊DantiscusIoannes Dantiscus (Johannes von Höfen, Ioannes de Curiis, Jan Dantyszek, Johannes Flachsbinder) (*1485 – †1548), eminent diplomat and humanist in the service of the Jagiellons, neo-Latin poet; 1530-1537 Bishop of Kulm; 1537-1548 Bishop of Ermland⌋ traveled to the Holy Land in 1505-06. The title Eques Ierosolymitanus that he uses in signing some of the letters to Sigmund von Herberstein (*1486 – †1566), diplomat in the service of Emperor Maximilian I, Charles V, and Roman King Ferdinand I, writer and historian. In 1517 sent to Poland to conduct the marriage between King Sigismund I Jagiellon and Duchess Bona Sforza d'Aragona, and to Moscow to arrange a truce between the Grand Duchy of Muscovy and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania; 1515 member of the Council of the Holy Roman Empire, in 1515-1553 carried out many diplomatic missions (in 1517 and 1526 he was twice an imperial envoy at the Muscovy court)⌊HerbersteinSigmund von Herberstein (*1486 – †1566), diplomat in the service of Emperor Maximilian I, Charles V, and Roman King Ferdinand I, writer and historian. In 1517 sent to Poland to conduct the marriage between King Sigismund I Jagiellon and Duchess Bona Sforza d'Aragona, and to Moscow to arrange a truce between the Grand Duchy of Muscovy and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania; 1515 member of the Council of the Holy Roman Empire, in 1515-1553 carried out many diplomatic missions (in 1517 and 1526 he was twice an imperial envoy at the Muscovy court)⌋, is meant to remind the addressee of this episode. To commemorate it, Ioannes Dantiscus (Johannes von Höfen, Ioannes de Curiis, Jan Dantyszek, Johannes Flachsbinder) (*1485 – †1548), eminent diplomat and humanist in the service of the Jagiellons, neo-Latin poet; 1530-1537 Bishop of Kulm; 1537-1548 Bishop of Ermland⌊DantiscusIoannes Dantiscus (Johannes von Höfen, Ioannes de Curiis, Jan Dantyszek, Johannes Flachsbinder) (*1485 – †1548), eminent diplomat and humanist in the service of the Jagiellons, neo-Latin poet; 1530-1537 Bishop of Kulm; 1537-1548 Bishop of Ermland⌋ also ordered that a cross of the Order of the Hospital of St. John (the Baptist) of Jerusalem (the Jerusalem Cross) be placed on the heraldic right of his coat of arms on the reverse of the 1529 medal by Christopher Weiditz, and in the same position on his larger bookplate (probably wrongly dated to 1530-1532) and on binding stamp from 1539 (see p. 160-161, cf. p. 5-6 and plate 2; Morka, p. 401, fig. 265; IV, plate after p. 258; p. 24-25 and plate 7; p. 20-23 and plates 22-24: bookplates of Krzysztof Szydłowiecki (*1466 – †1532), one of the most trusted advisors of the King Sigismund I Jagiellon; 1497-1507 Marshal of the court of prince Sigismund Jagiellon, Cracow master of pantry; 1507-1510 court treasurer; 1509 castellan of Sandomierz; 1511 Vice-Chancellor of the Crown; 1515 - grand chancellor; 1515-1527 Voivode of Cracow; 1515 - Starost; 1527-1532 - Castellan⌊Krzysztof SzydłowieckiKrzysztof Szydłowiecki (*1466 – †1532), one of the most trusted advisors of the King Sigismund I Jagiellon; 1497-1507 Marshal of the court of prince Sigismund Jagiellon, Cracow master of pantry; 1507-1510 court treasurer; 1509 castellan of Sandomierz; 1511 Vice-Chancellor of the Crown; 1515 - grand chancellor; 1515-1527 Voivode of Cracow; 1515 - Starost; 1527-1532 - Castellan⌋ ; p. 77, footnote 28; Skarby BN, p. 98-99; p. 168, plate XIX 2.