Letter #1118
Cornelis DE SCHEPPER to Ioannes DANTISCUSPrague, 1534-02-13
English register:
Since his letter from Vienna, De Schepper has received two letters from Dantiscus. The letter of 14 October 1533 reached him on 21 December in Monzón. The one of 11 January 1534 he found on his return from Spain in Prague on 5 February 1534.
De Schepper successively responds to both letters. He is grateful for Dantiscus' congratulations on his safe return from Constantinople. He needs to keep his reply brief because the next day he is leaving again for Constantinople. During his short stay in Spain he was unable to carry out Dantiscus' commission concerning Isope [Isabel Delgada] and Juana [Dantisca], but Godschalck Ericksen will ensure that everything is arranged via the Welsers. The most appropriate intermediary among the Welsers in Spain is no longer Ulrich Ehinger, but Hieronymus Sailer. Juana will travel on the first fleet after the winter, and will be received by De Schepper's wife [Elisabeth Donche] in Bruges before sailing to Prussia. He himself returned from Spain to Germany through Burgundy. Hieronymus Sailer had already been informed of Dantiscus' request by the Welsers’ factor [Albrecht Cuon]. Therefore Dantiscus can be assured that everything will go smoothly.
In his second letter Dantiscus reported that he had been informed by the Archbishop-Elect of Lund [Johan Weze] that De Schepper had sent him a letter after his return from Turkey. De Schepper confirms that he entrusted this letter to Karl Koczer, along with his letters to the Queen of Poland [Bona Sforza], the Bishop of Przemyśl Jan Chojeński and Count Jan Tarnowski. When asked for an explanation why the letter to Dantiscus had not reached its destination, Koczer assured him that he had sent it to Thorn, as he should have done. De Schepper therefore suspects that his letter was intercepted, and can only condemn this practice. Anyway, the letter contained nothing that was untrue or inappropriate.
The Archbishop's of Lund news about the reward received by De Schepper from the King of the Romans [Ferdinand I] is correct. The Emperor [Charles V] himself showed his appreciation by appointing him [supernumerary] member of the Privy Council of Queen Mary [of Hungary]. He stresses that he does not aspire to great fortune and is satisfied with what he can achieve. He is grateful to Dantiscus for his friendliness. He was only able to spend a few days in Bruges with his infant son [Cornelis jr.] and his wife.
When he returns safely from his forthcoming mission he wants to retire, but without deserting his princes or homeland. Then he will write more frequently to Dantiscus. Before his return from Constantinople it will be impossible to write, but his thoughts will be with his family and with Dantiscus. Dantiscus can count on De Schepper for transferring his daughter Juana to Antwerp.
He responds to Dantiscus' news about Lübeck and the shipwreck of the Netherlandish merchant fleet. According to the report of the Amsterdam merchant Pompeius Occo to the Archbishop of Lund, only a few ships have perished. The vast majority of the Dutch ships have safely returned to port, carrying a huge load of grain from Gdańsk.
The Emperor stayed in Monzón with the delegates of the Kingdoms of Aragon, Valencia and Catalonia until 30 December. He used his time to set things right in these Kingdoms and attained the desired result. The three Kingdoms voluntarily donated 600,000 ducats to him. The Emperor managed to settle numerous private conflicts and also some Inquisition issues, and clamped down on the private wars among noblemen. After having assisted at the closing session of the Cortes, the Emperor left for Zaragoza, where on 31 December he joined the Empress [Isabella of Portugal], who is pregnant.
De Schepper left on January 1 from Monzón. In Bellpuig he met the Lord of Nassau [Hendrik III of Nassau-Breda] with his wife the Marchioness [Mencía de Mendoza]. When travelling through France their escort exceeded that of the French King [Francis I] himself. The latter was returning from Marseille where the marriage had been celebrated between his second son, the Duke of Orleans [Henry II of Valois], and the grandniece [Catherine de' Medici] of the Pope [Clement VII], both barely 14 years old. In order to prevent his cousin from being sent back, as once happened to Margaret of Austria, the Pope and the King were eyewitnesses to the actual consummation of the marriage. The stipulations of the agreement between Pope and King were not disclosed, but it can be assumed that the Pope wants the Duke of Orleans to be the ruler of Italy. His first move is to induce the French King to claim the Duchy of Urbino for his son, as part of the dowry. The Pope is also willing to cede other Italian cities. De Schepper wonders what the reaction of the Emperor will be.
In Germany there was a meeting of the envoys of the Swabian League. Young Christoph of Württemberg strives to regain his right of succession to his Duchy.
In the Indies [America] large gold deposits have been discovered. The first cargo that has arrived is just the prelude to even greater riches. The Emperor is entitled to one fifth of the revenue.
Dantiscus' Spanish friends were relieved when the rumour of his death was dispelled. In Bohemia only the Count [Leonardus] de Nogarola and Jiři Žabka are left. De Schepper’s letter is accompanied by a letter from Petrus [Mirabilis], Dantiscus' former steward, who is now in the service of [Nicolas Perrenot de] Granvelle.
De Schepper is pleased that Campensis will be able to devote himself to his studies. He sends Dantiscus a copy of the Lyon edition of his Paraphrasis. As he is approaching such a difficult enterprise, he recommends himself to Dantiscus' prayers. He conveys greetings to Dantiscus' family and promises that his colleague the Archbishop of Lund will look after the affairs of Dantiscus' brother-in-law [Johann Reyneck] during his absence. The next day he leaves for Constantinople; he will meet Alvise Gritti en route.
| received [1534]-03-24 Manuscript sources:
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Text & apparatus & commentaryPlain textText & commentaryText & apparatus
Reverendissimo in Christo Patri et Domino, domino Ioanni Dantisco episcopo Culmensi, administratori Pomesaniensi, domino, amico et patri honorandissimo
Lubaviae Prussiae
Reverendissime in Christo Pater et Domine, domine ex animo observandissime et carissime.
Praemissa ea in scriptis, quam praesens facere mallem, obsequiorum meorum oblatione.
Ab eo tempore, quo ad Reverendissimam Dominationem Vestram ex Vienna copiose scripsi, quod fuit, nisi fallor, in hac angustia temporis septima aut octava Octobris, binas ab eadem accepi litteras, priores de data XIIII-ae Octobris, quae mihi sunt traditae in Monsonio Aragonum XXI Decembris, alteras, cum ex Hispaniis venissem Pragam, quinta Februarii, quae erant datae Lubaviae XI Ianuarii. Prioribus scribit Reverendissima Dominatio Vestra se habuisse ex reverendissimo domino Lundensi litteras, quibus de reditu meo fuerat certior facta, gratulatur, gaudet, et ex animo, uti video, de hoc ipso. Qua in re agnosco tamdiu mihi cognitum expertumque animum ipsius et benevolentiam erga me, de qua alias plura.
Nunc ad rem, quia mihi brevissimum tempus est, iterum enim et crastino die hinc abeo Constantinopolim, natus, ut mihi videor, ad labores, sed quos eo fero libentius, quod sub te doctore eos didicerim, hoc est tuo exemplo fretus nihil existimem esse virtuti invium. Et ita res se habent.
De re mihi commissa de Isope et Ioannica praesens nihil potui efficere, quia non substiti in Hispaniis, nisi uno mense, neque fui Valleoleti, sed solum in Monson. Sed per Welzeros fient omnia et ex parte mea dedi negotium communi amico nostro Godtscalco Eryco consiliario caesareo, ut non apud Ulrichum Ehingher, qui non perinde bene audit, sed apud Hieronymum Sayler, qui iam ducta filia Bartholomei Welzeri negotium Welzerorum agit in Hispaniis (nam Ulrichus Ehinger, compater tuus, parum verbis temperavit et adversus Welzeros apertam inimicitiam exercet inflatus cruce Iacobea, unde male). Agat, ut cum prima classe mittatur ad domum meam Brugas et deinde in Prussiam, omnino autem puto non fore difficultatem. Ab eo tempore non fui domi, nam redii in Germaniam per Burgundiam, sed ad coniugem meam negotium perscripsi ita, ut non sit defectus desuper futurus. Intellexi etiam ex Nicolao Federman, qui pro Welzeris fuit in Monson, nam Hieronymum Zayler non ibi inveni, quod iam recesserat versus Madritiam, qualiter ille Welzerorum factor, de quo scribit Reverendissima Dominatio Vestra, etiam ad eum desuper scripsisset, ita ut non sit futura aliqua difficultas in re, et diligenter ego omnia commendavi. Haec fere sunt priorum litterarum contenta. In secundis de XI Ianuarii scribit Reverendissima Dominatio Vestra se accepisse litteras ex reverendissimo domino electo archiepiscopo Lundensi, de data XV-ae Novembris. Ex illis intellexisse, qualiter ego manu mea copiose ad eam scripsissem, postquam rediissem ex Thurcis, id quod verum fuit, nam copiose et prolixe scripsi eo tempore, hoc est, uti dixi, septima aut octava Octobris. Scripsi ad serenissimam dominam reginam Poloniae, item ad reverendissimum dominum Ioannem Choiensky episcopum Pzremisliensem et ad illustrem dominum Ioannem comitem in Tarnof. Dedi autem litteras Carolo Kotzer, qui nunc a me interrogatus, qui fiat, ut minime receperit suas Reverendissima Dominatio Vestra, respondet se eas misisse ad Towrn oppidum et credere, quod bene sint directae. Aliud non scio, nisi quod forte tales apud vos sunt, qui non libenter vident aliquid obseratum, quod fortunatum et felix principium non gratulor Poloniae vestrae. Aliquamdiu fuit et adhuc est pessimus ille mos apud quasdam gentes, quas novi, quibus ob id ipsum non successit melius. Sed haec alias. In illis litteris nihil est scriptum, nisi verum, decens et honestum, cui si quis non favet, perdatur et crepet.
Quod reverendissimus dominus Lundensis scripsit de munificentia erga me serenissimi Rhomanorum regis, aliquid est tale et verum est. Fuit et erga me caesar non minus gratus dato mihi loco et ordine consiliarii secreti apud serenissimam reginam Mariam in patria mea. Qui locus est honestus et potero crescere, nam apud nos rarae sunt sementes similium mei, verbo absit invidia. Habeo gratiam Dominationi Vestrae Reverendissimae, quod me talem videre cupit, qualem amor ipsius erga me esse velit. Equidem semper non abhorrui a mediocritate et in ea nunc sum non magnis neque maximis fortunis praeditus, sed quibus contentus sum, si alia non advenerint. Filium habeo Cornelium patris nomine, apud quem et ipsius matrem fui quatriduo tantum Brugis. Sic mihi satis est. Si ex hac peregrinatione mihi contigerit redire, prout omnino spero, dedam me quieti, sic tamen, ut principibus meis, patriae et religioni non desim, pro qua utinam honeste hunc spiritum. Tunc frequentius accipies meas, nam haud video, quomodo ante reditum meum ad te scribere possim, animum tamen, cuius corpus et praesentia erit Constantinopoli, sciat Reverendissima Dominatio Vestra permansurum esse Lubaviae et Brugis, est enim celer cursor.
De Ioannica tua ad Franciscum Verner mittenda Antverpiam satis in praecedentibus scripsi. Fiet, neque de sponsione mea dubitet, quando ea opus non est, cum Welzeri ultro ad se susceperint negotium, et non suscipientibus illis ad me semper est refugium, prout praefato magnifico domino Godtscalco commisi et ille facturus est.
De Lubecensibus vestris et aliis, deque naufragio classis Belgicae non scio, quid dicam, nisi quod haec sunt scripta a Pompeio Occo cive Ambsterdamensi ad praefatum reverendissimum dominum Lundensem, qualiter circa XXII-m Novembris rediit classis Belgarum cum navibus praeter armatas fere triginta, quae venerant ex Gdano onustae frumento, Hollandicis, quarum navium duae onustae perierunt sub Norvegia, una autem navis bellica parva sine malis et arboribus fuit dimissa sub Norvegia, nescitur, an perierit. Tres aliae, quae habitae fuere pro perditis, venere ad Embdem et sunt salvae. Haec sunt verissima.
De nostris novis Hispanicis haec sunt. Caesar, ex quo rediit ex Italia, tamdiu mansit Barcinone in conventu Montissonii cum deputatis trium regnorum: Aragonum, Valentiae et Cathaloniae, et redigendis in ordinem rebus praefatorum regnorum insumpsit totum illud tempus usque ad paenultimum diem Decembris anni XV-c XXXIII, quo die finis exoptatus impositus fuit illi tractatui. Ex quo conventu tria illa regna, prout moris est illorum, dant libere caesareae ipsius maiestati sex centena milia ducatorum dono. Certe maiestas ipsius multum laboris insumpsit in componendis negotiis privatorum hominum et materia inquisitionis, quae non contra hereticos modo et Iudaeos, et maranos coepta fuit institui in praefatis regnis, more regnorum Castellae, verum etiam contra blasphemantes et iurantes etiam leviter. Voluit et maiestas sua malum morem abolere, qui in illis regnis est de denuntiatione belli, quam nobilis ad nobilem facit, hoc est bandelerorum. Utrumque confectum est ex maiestatis ipsius sententia, quae tunc, hoc est paenultima die Decembris, cum mane interfuisset conclusioni praefati conventus, hoc est Hispanice de las Cortes, abiit, et ultimo die Decembris venit Caesar Augustam, quo praecesserat imperatrix, quae est gravida et fert uterum, sana nunc et pulchrior solito.
Ego primo die Ianuarii recessi et inveni dominum de Nassaw cum marchionissa coniuge sua in Belpuyts. Qui dominus de Nassaw per Franciam cum uxore venerat habens familiam quadringentorum equorum et amplius inermium, sed optime vestitorum et cum tali pompa, ut omnium Francorum iudicio ipse rex Franciae, qui tunc redibat a conventu Massiliae, ubi fuit cum papa, non habuerit tam bene vestitam familiam nec tantum equorum bonorum, vestium, auri, quantum ipse. Quaeris, quid actum sit Massiliae? Venit eo pontifex, venit et rex Gallorum, adducta est neptis pontificis filia quondam Laurentii de Medicis, cui datus est titulus ducatus Urbini, cum ducatum illum teneat alius. Ea puella nupsit duci Aurelianensi, filio regis Francorum secundogenito aetatis 14 aut nondum annorum. Pontifex, ne aliquando remitteretur haec sua neptis, prout ab olim Margarytha Austria filia Maximiliani, quae denupserat Carolo regi, voluit, ut celebraretur matrimonium et exercerentur realiter matrimonialia, ut verbo Beatricae reginae utar, auribus autem non credens videre voluit nudum cum nuda et coeuntes in opere – dignum spectaculum pontifici et regi, uterque enim aderat. Complurima feruntur ab ipsis tractata, sed publicatum est nihil, nam sine arbitris facta sunt. Certissimum autem est neque id clam est ipsum pontificem velle hunc ducem Aureliani constituere dominum Italiae. Principium huius rei erit expulsio ducis Urbini, veniet enim in Italiam Gallus per speciem asserendi ea, quae filio suo debentur ratione dotis uxoris. Cui praeter praedictum ducatum pontifex consignabit in manus Parmam, Placentiam, Bononiam, Anconam et, si opus est, Florentiam. Nescio, quid caesar ad haec faciet, omnino autem suspecti sunt caesari conatus isti neque desunt Franco solitae suae practicae ubique et per omnia.
In Germania convenere oratores ligae Suevicae. Est et ibi iunior dux Wirtenbergensis Christophorus instans pro reductione in suum ducatum. Nescitur, quid futurum sit.
Nuntio praeterea tibi inventam esse in Indiis a caesareanis regionem, ubi tanta est auri copia, quanta est ferri in Biscaia. Pro probatione huius rei a paucis naviculis, quae eam oram percurrendo forte fortuna incidere in regionem hanc, perlata sunt ad vicesies centena milia castellanorum auri, cuius summae quinta pars ad caesarem spectat, reliqua ad eos, qui ibi fuere et sumptus navigationis fecere. Mira de iis et vera tamen dicuntur. Sane Deus mirabilia signa ostendit temporibus nostris. Caesar curabit maiore classe eam regionem transcurri. Interim haec praeludia sunt.
In Hispania non desii te commendare amicis, quibus cupis. Fama ibi fuerat te mortuum esse, sed excussit eam epistola tua prior, quae mihi reddita ibi fuit. Itaque omnes te resalutant et ex animo bona omnia illi apprecantur. In Bohemia praeter comitem Nogarolis optimum virum et tui amantissimum, qui ex animo te salutat, et Georgium Sapka, ex notis nullus est. Petrus tuus apud Grandvellanum est, eius ad te litteras transmitto.
Quod mihi Campensem commendas, gratum est, quod studiis ille intendet. Eius paraphrasim Lugduni impressam una cum nescio cuius interpretatione ad te nunc mitto. Et me precibus tuis apud Deum et memoriae commendatum habe, suscipio enim labores et pericula multa ob rempublicam Christianam nulla alia re inductus, quam intuitu Dei, et quod pulcherrimum existimem de ea bene mereri. Commenda item me dominae matri tuae, fratribus, sororibus et amicis, et domino doctori Ioanni Reyneck, cuius causam in absentia mea reverendissimus dominus Lundensis, qui hic permansurus est, et diligenter, et fideliter nec infructuose aget et expediet, quique se Reverendissimae Dominationi Vestrae ex animo commendat. Et bene valeat eadem Reverendissima Dominatio Tua fausta et felix.
Ex Praga, die decima tertia Februarii anno XV-c XXXIIII-o.
Eiusdem Reverendissimae Dominationis Vestrae addictissimus et magis quam ex toto animo inservitor Cornelius Duplicius Scepperus etc.
Postscript:
Cras post prandium eo Constantinopolim. Deus secundet iter. Aloisium Griti inventurus in itinere aut alibi.