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Letter #191

Iustus Lodvicus DECIUS (DECJUSZ, DIETZ) to Ioannes DANTISCUS
Naples, 1523-11-10


Manuscript sources:
1fair copy in Latin, autograph, AAWO, AB, D. 3, f. 6-7
2copy in Latin, 20th-century, B. PAU-PAN, 8241 (TK 3), a.1523, f. 39-40
3register with excerpt in Latin, English, 20th-century, CBKUL, R.III, 31, No. 205

Prints:
1DE VOCHT 1961 No. DE, 5, p. 10 (reference)

 

Text & apparatus & commentaryPlain textText & commentaryText & apparatus

 

Salutem dico.

Tua amicitia, mi Dantisce, mihi neque antiquius neque carius est quicquam. Tibi mihique gratu<l>or ex animo. Tibi, quod multis exanclatis laboribus salvus adveneris, et mihi, quod optimum reduxeris amicum. Sed tu (ita Christus me amet) mecum non amice agis, qui subinde magnificis quibusdam titulis epistularum tuarum desumis initia, quasi vero inanibus his deliramentis dederim aures aut his similia a me tu coneris extorquere. Desine, quaeso, palatinos notare nos, nomine fortasse odioso his, quibuscum feliciter mihi cessit. An tu putas, quia ingenium mihi est non per omnia felix, ideo stupidum sit candore carens? Tu mihi amici aures vellicare videris. Noli, obsecro, colentem te fugere, si nondum officia in te perspecta sunt. Cum rediero, efficiam plenius, cognoscas, satis erit Iustum Ludovicum me esse, etsi summum lubuerit addere, scis tu, cuius in aula muneris functio communis est. Si ea in re praestas, amore in te atque benevolentia vincere non patiar.

Quarta ista est epistula, quam post meam abitionem ad te scripsi, incultiores fortasse quam tam delicati palati gustus patitur. Sed cave, aliter memineris, quam a litteris te, me vero a rationibus esse, atque adeo a laborum libellis. Haec tamen longius quam vel tu cuperes vel ego vellem, calamus ipse protrahit. Deinceps inter eos me annum{c}era, quibuscum familiariter vivere placet has honorum praefationes, qui fucato student eloquio, relinque, nam frustra mecum contendis a me numquam auditurus, quo vel doctior vel melior evadas, novisti enim quam male hic cultus agellus quamque imm{m}aturos producat fructus.

De re Gundeliana successus me male habet, animus meus ita exacerbatus, ut ne verbum quidem addere placet. Sed coram latius. Officia mea in te si fuerint aliqua, crede mihi Iustum tam lubens praestasse, quam accepisse Dantiscum . Vellem, ea mihi facultas esset, ut antequam de actis gratias mihi ageres, novis praevenirem te beneficiis. Quae tamen per absentiam meam tibi desunt, agam, ut ex praesentia olim sarciantur. Res mihi per omnia descripsisti, si penicillo aulicae vitae res nostras demonstras pro novitatibus, quod laborem sumpseris, habeo gratias. Quae mecum sunt, iussi per puerum ex litteris regiis describere, non enim vacabat absolventi infra hoc biduum quinquaginta quattuor epistulas. Tu igitur barbariem meam boni consule, quaeso.

Wawrzyniec Międzyleski Dominus CamyenecensisWawrzyniec Międzyleski quamquam meus sit aemulus, quia tamen vere ignorans est, compatiar ei tam in hac re quam in aliis, si quid adversi illi acciderit. Mandata, quae misistis, utinam bonam frugem faciant in rem Christianam, mihi certe ut mala factio semper displicuit, ita Gamaliel GamalielisGamaliel consilium numquam non placuit, ovibus autem tuis simul et Citizens of Thorn ThorunensibusCitizens of Thorn bonam precor mentem. Videbantur enim mihi, cum domi essem, longe a recto tramite abiisse.

Gaudeo tibi, cum Philipp Melanchthon (Philipp Schwartzerd) (*1497 – †1560), Lutheran theologian, humanist, Martin Luther's collaborator and friend, author of the Augsburg Confession. He was strongly influenced by Luther, whom he called his spiritual father. In 1519 he was present as a spectator at the disputation of Leipzig between Martin Luther and Johann Eck. He was also in attendance at the Diet of Augsburg (1530) and at the religious colloquy of Worms (1557)MelanchtoniPhilipp Melanchthon (Philipp Schwartzerd) (*1497 – †1560), Lutheran theologian, humanist, Martin Luther's collaborator and friend, author of the Augsburg Confession. He was strongly influenced by Luther, whom he called his spiritual father. In 1519 he was present as a spectator at the disputation of Leipzig between Martin Luther and Johann Eck. He was also in attendance at the Diet of Augsburg (1530) and at the religious colloquy of Worms (1557) consuetudinem intervenisse. O, quam cuperem hunc hominem huic tragoediae eripere, si mihi tanta esset facultas! Mihi enim videtur inter Germanos eruditos non ultimas tenere partes. Mosellano per epistulam gratias egi, quod mei tecum fuerit honestissime memor idque nuper similiter ad Philippum, quid docti mei habent memoriam! Esse potest qui in omnes sum liberalis. Reposita est apud me tibi gratia immortalis et mihi tecum longa comoedia, cum convenerimus interim, tu tenebis; ut recte valeas, cura. Te Isabella d'Aragona (Isabella of Naples) (*1470 – †1524), duchess of Milan (1489-1494) and Bari (1499-1524); wife of duke of Milan Gian Galeazzo II Maria Sforza, daughter of king Alphonse II of Naples and Ippolita Maria Sforza; mother of queen Bona Sforzaillustrissimae dominaeIsabella d'Aragona (Isabella of Naples) (*1470 – †1524), duchess of Milan (1489-1494) and Bari (1499-1524); wife of duke of Milan Gian Galeazzo II Maria Sforza, daughter of king Alphonse II of Naples and Ippolita Maria Sforza; mother of queen Bona Sforza commendavi, quae pollicita est, quicquid ornamentis tuis addere possit, se facturam. Ego, ne in hac parte tibi desim, mecum commendationem portabo. De hereditate ipse informabo, non caret ea res mysterio.

Tu videris in scheda subsignificare velle aulae de me vel sententiam vel animum. Addis praeterea omen minime infelix, riderem te certe nisi scirem amicum, ut dicis singularissimum. Cum ego, mi Dantisce, fide et integritate principi recte servire potero, ex te habes, quanti sim vulgi opinionem facturus. Et quamquam nemo aemulis careat, spero tamen mihi in ea aula esse amicos, de quibus mihi m[agis] est non quantos, sed quam bonos habeam. Neque quantum fuero in aul[a] elevatus, sed quantum in Christo homo debilis ac paulo post moriturus profecerim pergratum mih <i> tuum in me est studium, quod et hic me ignorare nolueris. Unum te oro, me fac aliquando certiorem, quae causa sit, cur reverendissimus dominus Andrzej Krzycki (Andreas Cricius) (*1482 – †1537), humanist, neo-Latin poet, diplomat, correspondent of Erasmus of Rotterdam; in 1525 he took part in the negotiations leading to the secularisation of the state of the Teutonic Order; from 1504 Canon of Poznań (from 1511 Scholastic, from 1519 Provost); from 1512 Canon of Cracow, Scholastic of Płock, and secretary to the first wife of Sigismund I Jagiellon, Barbara Zápolya; 1515-1523 royal secretary; 1518-1530 Provost of the Chapter of St. Florian in Cracow; 1522-1525 Bishop of Przemyśl; 1525-1527 Bishop of Poznań; 1527-1535 Bishop of Płock; 1535-1537 Archbishop of Gniezno, Primate of Poland (PSB 15, p.544-549)Premisliensis episcopusAndrzej Krzycki (Andreas Cricius) (*1482 – †1537), humanist, neo-Latin poet, diplomat, correspondent of Erasmus of Rotterdam; in 1525 he took part in the negotiations leading to the secularisation of the state of the Teutonic Order; from 1504 Canon of Poznań (from 1511 Scholastic, from 1519 Provost); from 1512 Canon of Cracow, Scholastic of Płock, and secretary to the first wife of Sigismund I Jagiellon, Barbara Zápolya; 1515-1523 royal secretary; 1518-1530 Provost of the Chapter of St. Florian in Cracow; 1522-1525 Bishop of Przemyśl; 1525-1527 Bishop of Poznań; 1527-1535 Bishop of Płock; 1535-1537 Archbishop of Gniezno, Primate of Poland (PSB 15, p.544-549) me suis litteris numquam dignatus sit, cum toties ego illi scripsi, nec causam invenio, cur illi merito displiceam. Ecce non iota unum, sed totos libellos ad te scripsi , quamquam ut raptim ita non satis culte, parce, mi Dantisce, quaeso. Et quos utrique(!) amicos cognoscis, sal{a}uta, et vale.

Tuus Iustus Ludovicus Decius (Justus Ludwik Decjusz, Jost Ludwig Dietz, Iodocus Decius) (*ca. 1485 – †1545), merchant, historian, reformer of the Polish monetary system; ennobled in 1519; 1520-1524 royal secretary; 1528 Cracow town councillor; 1528 alderman in Piotrków; 1526-1535 administrator of the royal mint in Königsberg; 1528-1535 administrator of the royal mint in Thorn; 1530-1540 administrator of the royal mint in Cracow; 1519, 1520, 1522, 1523-1524 - royal envoy to Italy (PSB 5, p. 42-45; WYCZAŃSKI 1990, p. 250-251; NOGA, p. 304)Iustus Ludovicus DeciusIustus Ludovicus Decius (Justus Ludwik Decjusz, Jost Ludwig Dietz, Iodocus Decius) (*ca. 1485 – †1545), merchant, historian, reformer of the Polish monetary system; ennobled in 1519; 1520-1524 royal secretary; 1528 Cracow town councillor; 1528 alderman in Piotrków; 1526-1535 administrator of the royal mint in Königsberg; 1528-1535 administrator of the royal mint in Thorn; 1530-1540 administrator of the royal mint in Cracow; 1519, 1520, 1522, 1523-1524 - royal envoy to Italy (PSB 5, p. 42-45; WYCZAŃSKI 1990, p. 250-251; NOGA, p. 304)

Postscript:

Adeo male puer descripserat, ut mittere puderet, aliam in rem usus ipse addo brevibus pontificem nondum creatum, quod illi vocant, idque cum privati studii odiique tum esse Mediolanensis belli successus gratia. Quando rationibus spirituales hic vinci, ut decimas ab Hadrian VI (Adriano de Florensz (Dedel)) (*1459 – †1523), tutor of young Charles von Habsburg (later Emperor Charles V), 1522-1523 PopeAdriano pontificeHadrian VI (Adriano de Florensz (Dedel)) (*1459 – †1523), tutor of young Charles von Habsburg (later Emperor Charles V), 1522-1523 Pope Charles V of Habsburg (*1500 – †1558), ruler of the Burgundian territories (1506-1555), King of Spain as Charles I (1516-1556), King of Naples and Sicily, King of the Romans (1519-1530), Holy Roman Emperor of the German Nation (elected 1519, crowned 1530, abdicated 1556); son of Philip I the Handsome and Joanna the Mad of CastilecaesariCharles V of Habsburg (*1500 – †1558), ruler of the Burgundian territories (1506-1555), King of Spain as Charles I (1516-1556), King of Naples and Sicily, King of the Romans (1519-1530), Holy Roman Emperor of the German Nation (elected 1519, crowned 1530, abdicated 1556); son of Philip I the Handsome and Joanna the Mad of Castile promissas solverent, aggrediuntur vi, coniecti in carceres coguntur exsoluere nihil non poterint proficientes etsi non inviti solvent pecunias, quas in concessum usum servatas vellent, res et meo aliorumque iudicio aliquantulum infra Christianum caesarem. Milan (Mediolanum, Milano), city in northern ItalyMediolanumMilan (Mediolanum, Milano), city in northern Italy caesariani habent, obsessi a The French GallisThe French utrimque non multum efficiunt, nuper facto tradamento(!) a quibusdam, cum Gallis 29 Octobris portae nocte reserandae fuerant, scelus una ferme hora ante datum tempus publicatum et interceptum est, auctores supplicio affecti sunt. Alfonso d'Este (*1476 – †1534), third Duke of Ferrara, Modena and Reggio (1505-1534); in 1526–1527 took part in the expedition of Emperor Charles V against Pope Clement VII; son of Ercole I d'Este, Duke of Ferrara, and Leonora of NaplesDux FerrariaeAlfonso d'Este (*1476 – †1534), third Duke of Ferrara, Modena and Reggio (1505-1534); in 1526–1527 took part in the expedition of Emperor Charles V against Pope Clement VII; son of Ercole I d'Este, Duke of Ferrara, and Leonora of Naples Reggio nell'Emilia (Regium Lepidi, Reggio Emilia), city in northern Italy, Emilia RomagnaRegioReggio nell'Emilia (Regium Lepidi, Reggio Emilia), city in northern Italy, Emilia Romagna et Rubbio capto Modena, duchy in northwestern Italy, belonged to the Este familyModonamModena, duchy in northwestern Italy, belonged to the Este family obsidet, Citizens of the Republic of Venice VenetiCitizens of the Republic of Venice lento quidem subsidio Charles V of Habsburg (*1500 – †1558), ruler of the Burgundian territories (1506-1555), King of Spain as Charles I (1516-1556), King of Naples and Sicily, King of the Romans (1519-1530), Holy Roman Emperor of the German Nation (elected 1519, crowned 1530, abdicated 1556); son of Philip I the Handsome and Joanna the Mad of CastilecaesariCharles V of Habsburg (*1500 – †1558), ruler of the Burgundian territories (1506-1555), King of Spain as Charles I (1516-1556), King of Naples and Sicily, King of the Romans (1519-1530), Holy Roman Emperor of the German Nation (elected 1519, crowned 1530, abdicated 1556); son of Philip I the Handsome and Joanna the Mad of Castile misso mihi eventum potius velle exspectare videntur quam The French GallosThe French pellere. Haec raptim.