Letter #343
Cornelis DE SCHEPPER to Ioannes DANTISCUSBarcelona, 1527-05-17
English register:
De Schepper received Dantiscus' ciphered letter at the moment they were preparing to set sail. His codebook was already packed in his trunk, but he could grasp the general contents. [De Schepper replaces names of persons with symbols and nicknames, to conceal the meaning of his answer.] He agrees that the [Vice-Chancellor] Balthasar Merklin von Waldkirch?] will soon fall, and expresses his contempt for the attitude of Jean Lalemand towards the Chancellor [Mercurino Gattinara].
De Schepper conveyed Dantiscus' matters to the latter. The Chancellor wants to help him but the Emperor [Charles V] does not agree. Their departure was delayed by the arrival of a messenger with news about the arrival of the Pope [Clement VII]. The Chancellor is determined to leave for Italy. He plans to return within two months. He intends to accompany the Pope [to Spain]. He has left behind most of his retinue, luggage, horses and mules. De Schepper has also dismissed his servant Ioannes, who will bring his letter to Dantiscus. He will engage him again upon his return to Spain. Meanwhile Ioannes is at the service of Louis of Praet; De Schepper also recommends his servant to Dantiscus. He will do his best to bring back the Chancellor. [Louis] of Praet visited the Chancellor [as mediator on the Emperor's behalf]. As a result, the Chancellor will visit his possessions in Italy, and will subsequently accompany the Pope on his voyage to Spain. De Schepper comments on the ships they will use for the journey. The Chancellor is in good health now. When De Schepper is back in Spain he will compensate for the departure of Dantiscus' acquaintances the count [of Montfort-Rothenfels] and [Wolfgang] Prantner. He promises to write from Genoa.
De Schepper is pleased with the victory [of Poland] over the Tatars. He is worried about bad omens, and there is also disturbing news from Turkey. The circumstances of the journey were not suitable for De Schepper to take care of the issue Dantiscus has entrusted to him. As the documents are currently enclosed in his trunk, this will have to wait until his arrival in Genoa. He will write more from the port of Palamos.
He recommends himself to Dantiscus’ paramour [Isabel Delgada] and the Vice-Chancellor.
| received Valladolid, [1527]-05-27 Manuscript sources:
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Text & apparatus & commentaryPlain textText & commentaryText & apparatus
Magnifico Domino Ioanni Dantisco, regiae maiestatis Poloniae oratori, domino meo tamquam patri carissimo
Salutem.
Litterae tuae mihi redditae sunt, quo tempore omnis apparatus factus est ad navigandum. Ideoque vix cifras tuas legere potui, quandoquidem afuit libellus ille meus conscius penetralium, inclusus intra arculam, quae iam occlusa fuerat. Legi tamen utcumque et assecutus sum etiam nucleum legendo. Quod ad vicecancellarium pertinet, equidem reor verum illum Icarum, ut ais, futurum. Lalmant, si hunc nostrum perdat, a quo adiutus est, profecto iam nullus est. Exposui tua omnia Argirophonti. Placet animus erga se tuus, cuperet et rei publicae provisum esse, sed quid facias, si caesar nolit?
Constituerat rebus et fortunis omnibus assumptis proficisci, sed postremo a tabellione retardatus, maxime ob adventum pontificis maximi, iam non aeternum, sed ad tempus abiturus est, rediturus, uti mihi asseveravit, intra menses duos, aut prius, etiam si dictis pontifex maximus maneat. Hunc enim comitari in animo habet. Itaque res omnes hic dimittit, equos, mulos, ne uno quidem ex his secum assumpto, familiarium partem maximam, quidquid etiam cari secum hactenus habuit, supellectilem omnem, armariola omnia praeter arcam unam et lectum, et revocatam in formam mediocrem, rem culinariam.
Quae res effecit, ut et ego hunc praesentium latorem Ioannem familiarem meum mulionem a me dimiserim, ne euntibus oneri esset. Et quia mihi profecto bene inserviit, nolim illum omnino a me alienari, quippe qui cum nostro sperem me rediturum intra menses duos aut prius Barcinonen. Id, quod cum compertum esset magnifico domino a Prato, eundem secum assumpsit ad vos usque eodem usurus, si ei videretur, ad reditum usque meum. Enimvero quia et is profectionem in Flandriam iam pridem assumptam dubius est, an resumpturus sit, velim in hunc eventum, ut agasonis huius servitio, si opus tibi sit, utare, est enim fidus neque inexpers agasonicae. Ego interea dabo operam, ut hunc nostrum vobis reducam. Et fortassis erit, quod industriam ego meam interponere potero, praesertim cum videam hoc Palinuro imprimis opus esse rebus iam collabentibus.
Fuit hic, qui dictus est pridem, dominus Ludovicus a Flandria, dominus a Prato. Is et vices quoque suas interposuit et profecit nonnihil, cum apud hunc nihil perinde in votis sit, quam operam suam toti reipublicae accomodare. Statutum tamen est Italiam invisere et salutare limites patrios huius nostri Maiageniti, deinde comitari pontificem maximum, qui se ait in Hispanias venturum esse, eumque bonis avibus perducere. Ad hoc iter praesto est nobis oneraria navis una Genuensis, ipsi caracam vocant, et myoparo unus, cui brigantino inditum iam nomen est, ad consulendum fugae, si qua ex parte periculum ingruat. Ipse autem senex meliore est valetudine quam umquam prius.
Doleo tibi decessisse amicos tuos dominum comitem et doctorem Brandtnerum. Spero tamen me tibi propediem novam importunitatem facturum reditu meo, sed interim non sine litteris eris ex Genua Lygurum, si eo pervenerimus incolumes, scribendis. Victoria ex Tartaris virtute vestra comparata, mihi grata est. Angit omen locustarum, cum id videam fere olim Aegypto uberrimae regioni exitio fuisse. Multo magis deterrent Turcaicae litterae quae, quod abominor dicere, mutationem rerum haud dubiam portendunt.
De re tua Granatae inchoata nihil tibi satisfacere possum, cum iam pridem in sarcinas redacta fuerit, quae hinc transmittentur in Italiam, paucas illas quidem, uti dixi, sed in his tamen iam a triduo contenta sit. Ubi Genuam persolverimus aut redierimus, efficiam, rem tantulam totam ut habeas. Nam ipso in itinere longe mihi secus accidit, quam speraveram. Cum enim danda esset opera his negotiis, subinde defuit cubiculi commoditas, subinde visitantes et nonnumquam impedientes amici. Aliquando etiam molestia contracta, quandoque vetabat religio, quae sibi nonnihil vendicabat. Quibus omnibus factum est, ut iter maxima ex parte mihi deperierit. Reliqua ex Palamos ad te latius scribam.
Tu cura valetudinem tuam et vale meque reverendo domino vicecancellario et tuae commenda.
Ex Barcinone, XVII-a die mensis Maii anno 1527.
Tuus ex animo filius et inservitor, Cornelius Duplicius Scepperus