Letter #5812
Juan de VALDÉS to Ioannes DANTISCUSBologna, 1533-01-12
English register:
Juan de Valdés offers Dantiscus his friendship and his services, asking that he accept him in this role of the successor to his late twin brother Alfonso. He considers establishing relations with the deceased man’s friends as part of his legacy. He mentions that Dantiscus made friends with Alfonso before the latter was employed at the imperial court. He emphasizes that Alfonso, who experienced kindness and friendship from Dantiscus, treated him with the great respect owed to an older and more experienced man (maior). He highlights his physical resemblance to his brother, modestly saying he might not equal him in the qualities of mind.
He guesses that Dantiscus might have written a text in memory of the deceased. If this is so, he asks to be sent the piece. This form of remembrance would alleviate somewhat his pain after his brother’s death.
Because he is going to visit the pope, he asks for any letters to be sent there. It will be an honor and a pleasure to serve as an intermediary in Dantiscus' buisness with the curia.
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Text & apparatus & commentaryPlain textText & commentaryText & apparatus
Reverendissimo ac doctissimo viro Domino
Nisi compertum haberem, praesul amplissime, tuum animum sic sanctissimis
atque honestissimis disciplinis praeditum, ut ab illorum instituto,
qui non virtutem, sed fortunam in hominibus diligere solent, penitus
abhorreas, haudquaquam hoc negotii essem aggressus. Nunc autem, cum
meminerim te cum fratre meo
Cum itaque, amplissime praesul, te ille semper ut
maiorem observaverit tuque
Bene vale, amplissime
praesul, et me
Dominationis Tuae Reverendissimae subditissimus clientulus