Letter #1356
Cornelis DE SCHEPPER to Ioannes DANTISCUSBruges, 1535-09-16
English register:
After a solemn introduction, De Schepper will comply with Dantiscus' instructions and adopt a more informal style in the rest of his letter. Receiving Dantiscus' letter of 19 June from Althausen was most agreeable. He was indeed concerned about yet another rumour about Dantiscus' death, and his unease was reinforced by the absence of any news from Dantiscus for months, although he had written to him extensively from Madrid. From Spain he received only a letter from Fabian [Wojanowski], and a duplicate of Dantiscus' previous letter was sent after him from Vienna, by which he knew at least that Dantiscus was still alive last December. He gives praises to the Lord for the good news.
De Schepper has waited more than a month to reply to Dantiscus' letter which he received on 1 August, because of the preparations for the meeting of Queen Mary [of Hungary] with her sister Queen Eleanor of France. Princess Dorothea [of Denmark], the daughter of King Christian [II of Oldenburg], was also present at this meeting. Meanwhile she is travelling to her fiancé, Count Palatine Friedrich [II von Wittelsbach], escorted by the Lord of Bergen [Antoon III van Glymes], now marquis, and the Bishop of Brixen [Georg of Austria]. They left two days ago.
De Schepper has used the hustle and bustle of these preparations to go to Bruges for a few days to manage his personal affairs. His duties at the court usually proceed to the detriment of his private affairs. When he was recalled to Brussels he was occupied by one task after another. Amidst these activities he seeks an opportunity to write Dantiscus, although it is difficult to find appropriate messengers. He keeps wondering why it took four months for his post to travel from Spain to Prussia, even when he sent it through the Fuggers.
De Schepper never doubted that Dantiscus would take his consolation to heart, as he said in his letter. On the other hand he did not write it because he thought Dantiscus needed to be comforted, but by supporting Dantiscus he was trying to strengthen himself against the vicissitudes of fate and the uncertainty of favour. No one in their circles will deny the merits of Dantiscus or his commitment to the cause of the ungrateful one. De Schepper can feel little sympathy for someone, however important, who is expressing such defamation. Only the wicked believe allegations against decent people. It adorns Dantiscus that he has forgiven so easily, even though he is innocent. In due time Christ will repay his moderation. His innocence will be his best defence.
That Dantiscus receives new assignments as an envoy is proof that he is still held in high esteem. De Schepper is pleased that Dantiscus' health still allows him to accept these assignments. He also praises his restraint: Dantiscus does not need to prove himself any more. He is better to leave this kind of assignment to those who chase fame and favour. He is making the right choice to spend rest of his life in serene tranquility. He can also serve the public interest from a sedentary life.
De Schepper is not surprised that Dantiscus has not received his letter of last year from Székesfehérvár. He had entrusted it to [Hieronim] Łaski, who was distrusted by his employer, the so-called King Ioannes [John Zápolya]. Presumably all correspondence he had with him was suspected. That letter has not arrived, but it is not so very important; De Schepper’s devotion to Dantiscus remains the same, even if it is not expressed in writing.
Sassenkerle is regaining his health, and sends his greetings. De Schepper received one letter from Fabian [Wojanowski] from Spain, to which he has replied. He does not know his current whereabouts, but he has certainly made arrangements concerning Ysipe [Isabel Delgada]. Should Dantiscus' daughter [Juana] arrive in the Netherlands, De Schepper will treat her as his own. In his absence, his wife [Elisabeth Donche] will take care of her. She was pleased to learn that Dantiscus was alive and well, and she recommends herself to him, together with her sister [Joanna Donche], her daughter and little Ascanius [De Schepper jr.]. The bailiff of Ghent and Dantiscus' former servant Michiel [De Vriendt] are doing well. When De Schepper was recently in Ghent, the Lord of Heule [wouter van der Gracht] mentioned him honourably. He and Carondelet were delighted to learn that Dantiscus was still alive.
De Schepper has already heard about what Dantiscus wrote on Denmark, and especially about the scheme of Duke Albrecht of Mecklenburg, which turned out badly. They are also aware of the intrigues of others Dantiscus mentioned. However, Duke Friedrich will not keep quiet. Queen Mary is willing to mediate, but the Duke of Holstein [Christian III of Oldenburg], supported by Margrave Albrecht, among others, is not willing to make concessions.
The Emperor [Charles V] decided to send a delegation, composed of Wilhelm von Rennenberg, Godschalk [Ericksen] and De Schepper, to the meeting of the Wendish towns in Lüneburg. They are preparing to leave. Their mission is to inquire about proposals to achieve the pacification of Denmark. This war has lasted too long and causes huge inconvenience for all parties. It is no longer tolerable that the seas are closed for navigation, that there is increasing poverty and that the Dutch are abandoned and chained from all sides. They have also been mandated to negotiate concerning the settlement of disputes between Gdańsk and the citizens of the Holy Roman Empire, should a delegation from Gdańsk be present. Through them, De Schepper will send a report of the events to Dantiscus. Reportedly some impious figures within the Senate of Lübeck have been replaced by men of good reputation. De Schepper hopes this will facilitate the successful outcome of the negotiations. They had already been informed that Duke Albrecht [Hohenzollern] had given naval support to the Duke of Holstein. May the Lord inspire the princes with peace instead of war.
De Schepper knows about the Polish expedition to Muscovy, also through [Hieronim] Łaski, who has now been liberated from Hungarian captivity. He was badly rewarded for his efforts. He is a man of many talents, who unfortunately came across bad employers. The future will be better. He wrote to De Schepper that he has transferred his Hungarian possessions to his former employer and is free from his allegiance to him. After his reconciliation with King Ferdinand, through the mediation of the Bishop of Lund [Johan Weze], he intends to return to Sieradz. This is a wise decision, after his experience of infidelity and false promises.
De Schepper shares Dantiscus' desire for peace, but also his scepticism about its feasibility. For God blinds the judgement of the princes he wants to punish, as is proved by the vicissitudes encountered by the Sultan [Suleiman]. At the time of De Schepper’s first mission to Constantinople, the Sultan was ready for peace if the Emperor agreed; when he returned to Constantinople with a peace proposal from the Emperor, the Sultan had so changed his mind that he preferred war. Since then, the fortune of the Ottomans has gone downhill. They suffered defeats against the Persians and the Emperor, and they lost their African province. Alvise Gritti, the instigator of the war, was killed by the Hungarians. The fleet of Barbarossa has been destroyed and he lost Tunis and all other cities he conquered. The Emperor suffered only minimal losses.
He has no news about Campensis, and he is not surprised that he cannot get along with [Girolamo] Aleander. The Latin version of the Psalter which is added to Campensis' Paraphrasis is that of Ulrich Zwingli, an erudite man, but with a wicked mind. De Schepper wanted to send Dantiscus a few copies, but they were sold out. He has ordered a number of new publications from Lyon, which he will send to Dantiscus in due time. That will be the easier once the war has ended. De Schepper and many others were delighted by Dantiscus' Epistula from his Helicon. Granvelle sent his wife [Nicole Bonvalot] from Spain to Burgundy, while he himself accompanied the Emperor to Africa and to Naples. The Grudii brothers have returned to their homeland because they could not tolerate the Spanish climate. One of them became councillor at the Council of Holland.
He has nothing certain about the Indies, nor from [Hernán] Cortés, except that he is in good health, and that from day to day more gold from these regions is arriving in Spain. The merchants will be able to give a more extensive account.
The disagreement between Hieronymus Sayler and Ulrich Ehinger has been settled. The most respectable men stand on the side of Sailer whereas the arrogance of Ehinger is unbearable. He has no recent news from them; since the departure of the Emperor the messengers from Spain are less frequent.
The Marquise of Zenete, wife of Lord Hendrik of Nassau, has arrived in the Netherlands. She intends to spend the rest of her life in this country, together with her husband. The Lord of Nassau has left Spain and retired from the imperial court. In his city of Breda he has had a castle built and heavily fortified. He has installed forty-four bronze bombards, which he ordered in Augsburg when the court stayed there. He has little contact with the court of the regent. The Duke of Aarschot is the most important person at the court, besides Queen Mary and the Lord of Nassau, but he is often absent because of his poor health. Lyncken from Brussels frequently asks after Dantiscus’ health. He should send an answer to her letters, and give De Schepper instructions as to what to do about her. Mme De Baillieul, the former wet-nurse of Queen Mary, gave De Schepper a letter for her son [Carolus de Tautenberg], who is in Dantiscus' service. Dantiscus should urge him to write to his mother. De Schepper sends greetings to Dantiscus' mother and sisters, and to his brothers Bernhard and Georg, and promises more news soon.
| received [1535]-12-22 Manuscript sources:
Early printed source materials:
Prints:
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Text & apparatus & commentaryPlain textText & commentaryText & apparatus
Reverendissimo in Christo Patri et Domino, domino Ioanni Dantisco episcopo Culmensi, administratori Pomesaniensi etc., domino tamquam patri ex animo observandissimo
Reverendissime in Christo Pater, domine honorandissime.
Iam in ipso initio litterarum oblitus fueram praecepti illius tui, quo per litteras convenisti mecum, ne turgidis nominibus et titulis chartas oblinirem, tantum pro veteri consuetudine scriberem familiariter. Huic ut obtemperem, perlatae sunt ad me tuae de decima nona Iunii scriptae in Altennhaws, quibus nihil gratius esse potuit. Nescio enim, quo fato iterum nobis mortuus dicebare adeo certis indiciis, ut apud me fama fidem inveniret. Augebat eam, quod ex Madricio cum scripsissem satis copiose, prout tum res nostrae erant, multis post mensibus nihil de te audirem. Tantum ex Hispaniis missae sunt ad me litterae a domino Fabiano et duplicatae priorum litterarum tuarum ex Vienna, quae vixisse adhuc mense Decembri superioris anni testabantur, sed praeterea nihil. Laudatus sit itaque Deus, cuius benignitate vivimus quidem adhuc mundo, postea convicturi apud eum in sancta perennitate.
Quominus autem toto mense superiori rescripserim, nam tuas Kalendis Augusti Bruxellae accepi, in causa fuit profectio reginae Mariae ad confinia regni Francorum, ubi conventum est inter Leonoram Franciae reginam et hanc nostram Mariam. Cui conventui interfuit et Dorothea regis Christierni filia, quae nunc ad sponsum ipsius Fridericum palatinum per dominum de Bergis nunc marchionem et reverendissimum dominum Brixinensem deducitur abiitque hinc nudiustertius. Cum itaque perstreperent omnia huiusmodi apparatibus, mihi ex re visum est, si Brugas interea advolarem ad inspiciendas fortunulas et curandam rem familiarem, adeo enim huic aulae deditus sum, ut privata omnia publicis postposuerim. In ea cura consumpti sunt dies aliquot, donec litteris reginae revocarer ad pistrinum. Hic iam absumptis aliquot diebus, cum ex negotiis negotia nascerentur, pertaesus eorum quaerere coepi opportunitatem ad te scribendi. Quae volenti ut deesse numquam potest, ita aliquando frustra est, praesertim cum non speres facile incidere in tabelliones. Nam quod mensibus fere quattuor meae haeserunt inter Hispanias et Prussiam, id vero perquam mirum videtur mihi, praesertim cum ad manus dominorum Fuggarorum traditae fuere et celerrime sint ex Hispaniis Antwerpiam perlatae. Sed haec ita habere sinamus.
Quod in animum admisisti consolationem meam, quam et tuam fuisse scribis, numquam dubitavi, quin ita faceres, nec ob id scripseram, quod te consilii et rationis egentem inventuras fuisse crederem, sed in te confirmando non parum memet ipsum obfirmavi adversus motus favorum et fortunae nebulas. Quem enim nostri generis et in aula versatum latent merita tua? Quis diligentiam et industriam tuam, quam in rem ingratae impendisti, ignorat? Sane utcumque alii ista interpretentur, ego illi ex animo favere non possum, etiamsi maior esset, quod de inaudito tam facile protulerit. Deferuntur quidem subinde boni viri, at contra illos non nisi a malis creditur. Tu vero pie fecisti, qui cum fruaris optima conscientia, tam facilis fuisti ad ignoscendum, ut ne recorderis quidem eorum, quae adversum te isti. Iudex non deerit illis in tempore Christus, qui modestiam istam tuam non ita patietur vanescere. Interea non est, quod de illius erga te benignitate diffidas. Conspirent illi adversus innocentem, at illum magis tuebitur sua innocentia , quam quivis Aiacis clypeus.
Iam quod denuo mitti coepisti ad munia legationum, ne existimaris adhuc sinistram de te haberi opinionem. Perquam gratum est intelligere te ea esse valetudine, ut adhuc eas obire queas, sed quod gravate eas suscipis, prudenter ut omnia facis. Venisti enim ad stadium neque opus est amplius, ut tibi nomen diligentis et industrii pares. Fides, industria, diligentia tua in aperto. Illis versandum est in huiusmodi muniis, qui famam aut gratiam venantur. Tibi abunde haec adsunt omnia, immo ipse, quod maius duco, famae et gratiae ob saturitatem contemptus. Quiesce itaque, si potes, in futurum sancto intentus otio et labores istos sua sibi habere permitte. Prodesse reipublicae etiam sedentarius satis potes.
Quod litteras meas anno superiori scriptas Bellogradi, quas domino Lasky tradideram, non receperis, haudquaquam miror, nam ipse tum suspectus fuit Ioanni, qui se regem vocat, domino tunc suo. Et ob id facile fieri potuit, ut suspectae etiam fuerint ipsius litterae, et inter illas meae. Nihil autem refert, quod perlatae non fuerint, animus enim meus ille semper est, qui fuit semper erga te, etiam si scripto non declaretur, quod propter multas occasiones et impedimenta usuvenit.
Saxo Carolus noster laboravit adversa valetudine, iam tamen incipit restitui in pristinam sanitatem. Illum tuo nomine salutavi plurimum et egit gratias, teque ex animo resalutat.
De Fabiano tuo post unas ab eo receptas litteras ex Hispaniis, ad quas illi rescripsi, nihil audivi neque satis scio, secutusne sit caesarem in Aphricam, aut in Italiam diverterit, aut substiterit in Hispaniis. Non dubito tamen, quin de Ysipe tua disposuerit. Si contingeret ad hoc litus appellere filiam tuam, ego illam ut meam tractarem. Itidem faceret uxor mea, quae absente me non omisit ad Focharos et Welzeros mittere rescitum, num advenisset. Et nunc, cum de incolumitate tua intelligeret, supra quam scribere possum, gavisa est seque una cum sorore et filia, et Ascanio, ut scribis, egregie robusto et garrulo, ex animo tibi tuisque commendat. Balyvus Gandavensis adhuc bene valet una cum Michaele tuo. Fui his diebus Gandavi. Illic per dominum de Heulle facta est tui honorifica mentio gaudebatque is plurimum, quod ex mortuo nuntiato revixisses. Idem fecit reverendissimus Panhormitanus.
De iis, quae de Daniae regno scribis, fueram prius certior factus, praesertim de conatu Alberti ducis Mechelburgensis, qui illi haud satis cessit feliciter. Iam et conatus aliorum, quos enumeras, non erant nobis in obscuro, sed Fridericus palatinus dux omnium minime videtur quieturus. Itaque serenisima regina Maria partes suas interponere voluit, ut boni aliquid inter partes componi possit, sed Holsatus, adiutorio marchionis Alberti et aliorum, et victoria quoque elatus, non videtur condescensurus in ea, quae sunt pacis. Ne tamen non sint omnia tentata, caesaera maiestas ordinavit, ut aliquot nostrum, scilicet Guilielmus comes de Renneberg, Godtscalcus noster et ego, proficisceremur ad conventum Vandalicarum civitatum in Luneburgo, ad quod iter iam accingimur. Summa rerum proponendarum erit, quod scire cupiemus, an non possint aliqua bona media haberi ad pacificandos tumultus, qui sunt in regno Daniae, nimium enim diu duravit id bellum et non sine maximo incommodo omnium partium, nec illud quidem ferendum erit ulterius, quod nonnulorum ambitione et impotentia maria navigantibus occluduntur, diripiuntur fortunae pauperum, ceduntur, vinciuntur miseri Hollandi ab utraque parte Lubicensibus, Holsatis, Swetis, Prussis. Indigna res, quae toleretur diutius.
Cum et vestri Gedanenses nescio quid conqueruntur de subditis caesareae maiestatis, pro quibus differentiis componendis nobis etiam dabitur commissio, si aderunt vestri, bene est, nihil enim quaerimus ultra, quam bonis mediis sopire controversias. Per eos redeuntes ad sua, non omittam, quin scripturus sim ad te de iis, quae occurrent. Intelligimus etiam Lubicensi senatu eiectos esse nescio quos viros improbos, qui res omnes humanas et divinas prophanarunt. In eorum locum suffectos alios, qui prius exulaverant, bonos illos et circumspectos. Si verum est penes hos auctoritatem esse, sperandum est daturos operam, ut res bene componantur, et id est, quod petimus. Brevi sciemus omnia haec. De navibus ab illustrissimo Alberto duce in subsidium ducis Holsatiae missis ad nos pridem fama pervenit. Deus principibus mentem det ad pacem et tranquillitatem, potius quam ad huiusmodi bella, quae vereor, ne brevi renascantur, cum credentur extincta esse etc.
De expeditione vestra adversus Moscum etiam audivi. Scripsit de eadem ad me etiam praefatus dominus Lasky iam liber a catenis et compedibus Hungaricis. O praemia pro tot laboribus, periculis, expensis! Et solent huiusmodi laborum talia esse. Mihi in eo viro plurima placent, ingenium, industria, vis animi, laborum tolerantia, periculorum contemptus, eruditio, dexteritas, et quae non? Tantum incidit in male fortunatos dominos, sed meliora erunt futura. Scripsit inter alia, qualiter omnia bona, quae habuisset in Hungaria, libere dimisisset in manibus regis, cui inservierat, seque sacramento, quod illi praestiterat, absolvisset, meditareturque redire in Syradiam suam prius reconciliatus Ferdinando regi Rhomanorum opera reverendissimi Lundensis nostri. Quod si fecerit, egregie sibi prospexerit expertus infidelitatem multorum et suo iam doctus periculo, quam parum fidendum sit splendidis promissionibus.
Ceterum, quod scribis satius fuisse futurum, si in initiis pax facta fuisset, quae haberi poterat honesta et commoda, in eadem tecum sum opinione. Plures ad bellum sunt viae, sed ad pacem una tantum, quae victori placet. Et ex tot casibus, quos pertulimus et alios perferre vidimus, edocti sumus omnia prius quam armis experiri etc. Sed solet Deus huiusmodi animos immittere principibus, quos castigare vult, prout vidimus in caesare Thurcarum accidisse, qui cum priore mea in legatione per Imbrahimum Bassam mihi dici iussisset, si vellet Karolus caesar in pacem aliquam solidam intendere, se neutiquam ab eadem abhorrere. Et in secunda legatione mea idem Karolus caesar mihi commisisset, siquidem Thurcarum caesar honesta media proponi curaret, se a pace honesta et condicionali non abhorrere. Atque interim, dum abessem, ita fuisset inversus ipsius Thurcarum caesaris animus, ut bellum nobiscum quam pacem mallet confisus in quorundam vanis pollicitationibus. Experientia nobis cognitum est, quod post illud tempus defecit gloria Othomannorum, et qui prius vincere consueverunt, iam passim a Parthis terra, a caesare Karolo mari terraque victi sunt atque exuti provincia Aphrica, ex qua sperabant nobis iugum imponere. Ipse Aloisius Griti belli auctor et vocati in Thraciam Barbarossae, quamquam postea ductus est facti poenitentia, caesus tamen est misere ab Hungaris. Barbarossa omni classe exutus amisit Thunetum, Bonam, Clypeam, Hadrumentum et alia omnia, quae occupaverat, praeter machinas et munitiones, quarum ingens vis reperta, et haec omnia parva immo nulla cum iactura copiarum Karoli caesaris et brevissimo tempore. Ista sunt opera dexterae Dei excelsi, quae adest iis, qui pacem sectantur et diligunt, et perdit gentes, quae bella quaerunt.
De Campensi tuo nihil audio penitus neque miror, quod illi cum Aleandro, ut scribis, non satis bene convenit. Quomodo enim inter diversissima ingenia bene conveniret? Quod auctorem scire cupis illius versionis succinctae et bene Latinae Psalterii, quae iuncta est Paraphrasi Campensis, audio illum fuisse Udalrichum Zwinglium eruditum, sed malo hominem ingenio. Illius exemplaria misissem ad te duo ad tria, si ad manum fuissent, sed bibliopolae iam omnia vendiderunt. Curavimus tamen aliquot de novo afferri ex Lugduno, quae cum tempore sum ad te missurus, facile enim erit in futurum, si bella cessaverint, ad te litteras mittere. Epistula tua veteri ex Helicone quantum me compluresque viros bonos oblectarit, facilius est tibi cogitare, quam mihi exprimere.
Granvellanus uxore ex Hispaniis in Burgundiam transmissa apud caesarem est nunc Neapoli et fuit una in Aphrica.
Grudii fratres Hispanicum aerem non ferentes reversi sunt in patriam. Alter adeptus est consiliarii locum in Hollandia.
De Indiis non habeo certi aliquid, quod ad te scribam, neque de Cortesio, nisi quod bene valet, et auri in dies plus ex illis regionibus in Hispanias advehitur manifesto miraculo. De iis rebus plura possunt mercatores ad te scribere, quorum sitis omnis ad aurum est. Quod de dissidio Hieronymi Sayler cum Ulricho Ehinger scribis, ita fuit, sed audio rem inter eos pacatam. Optimus quisque et qui materiam novit, a partibus Sayleri stetit. Compatri tuo plus inest fastus et verborum, quam ut multi ferre velint aut queant. De utroque a multis diebus nihil audivi neque mirum, cum caesar afuerit ab Hispaniis ideoque minus commeent cursores.
Iis diebus venit ab Hispaniis marchionissa de Zenette uxor domini Henrici comitis de Nassaw transactura reliquum vitae cum marito in hac patria. Valedixit enim idem dominus Henricus Hispaniae et caesari fuitque iam hic annum integrum pertaesus aulicae servitutis. Arcem aedificavit et munivit in oppido Breda suo valde fortem et inexpugnabilem. In eam invexit bombardas illas quadraginta quattuor aeneas, quas conflari iussit Augustae, dum illic essemus, cum ingenti vi rerum necessariarum. Illic agit parum curans aulam nostram et raro ad eandem se conferens. Post reginam Mariam et illum primas tenet illustris dux de Arschot, sed valetudine impeditus et ipse abest plurimum. Lynken Bruxellensis, quam nosti, frequenter ex me sciscitatur de valetudine tua aitque se ad te scripsisse. Cuperet sibi responderi. Scribe ad miseram et illam consolare, et mitte ad me litteras, et quid factum voles, significa. Est et Bruxellis vicina mea de Baillieul, nutrix, ut puto, reginae Mariae, quae filium apud te se habere ait, ad quem mihi litteras dedit, sed illae nunc ad manum non sunt. Fac, ut rescribat ad matrem de valetudine sua.
Dominae matri tuae, sororibus et Bernhardo commilitoni meo in Burgos, et Georgio, fratribus tuis et meis me iterum ex animo commenda. Et vale felicissime, Domine et Pater animo meo observandissime. Brevi ad te plura perscribam.
Datae Brugis, die XVI-a Septembris XV-c XXXV-o.
Tuus, quem nosti, ex animo filius Cornelius Scepperus