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Letter #1445

[Ioannes DANTISCUS] to [Matthias, Abbot of the Cistercian monastery in Koronowo]
Althausen (Starogród), 1536-05-04

English register:

After the addressee’s departure Dantiscus was told that the man [Krzysztof Osieczkowski] who killed Matthias, guardian of the Franciscans in Kulm, was telling everybody that he had been wrongfully excommunicated by Dantiscus, because his alleged victim died of an attack of epilepsy or apoplexy, suffered as he was celebrating Mass.

Dantiscus demands that the addressee provide a statement in writing that the guardian, blue and swollen as a result of being beaten up, died at Easter (in die Sanctae Pascae) at the church [of the addressee’s convent in Koronowo]. Such a statement will enable Dantiscus to refute the charge that he had initiated proceedings against the murderer based on a false accusation.




Manuscript sources:
1rough draft in Latin, autograph, BCz, 244, p. 92 (t.p.)

 

Text & apparatus & commentaryPlain textText & commentaryText & apparatus

 

Reverende Domine, amice et frater carissime.

Salutem in Domino et omnem felicitatem .

Edocti sumus post discessum a nobis nuper Dominationis Vestrae Reverendae, quod occisor ille fratris Mathiae guardiani olim Ordinis Sancti Francisci civitatis nostrae Culmensis coram multis et praecipue per complices suos coram magnifico domino palatino Culmensi se iactaverit guardianum ipsum in ecclesia Dominationis Vestrae Reverendae, dum celebraret missam, subito ante altare morbo comitiali aut apoplexia corruisse indeque paulo post mortuum, et quod ob id nullam ad defuncti mortem ansam aut occassionem dedisset seque igitur a nobis immerito excommunicatum atque sub interdictum denuntiatum.

Postulat itaque ipsius rei veritas pro iuris nostri defensione, cum idem guardianus in die Sanctae Paschae miserrime a suo occisore prius caesus livoreque undique tumens e vivis cesserit apud ecclesiam Dominationis Vestrae Reverendae, ut nobis eadem Dominatio Vestra testimonium veritatis litteris suis perhibeat. Quod sic negotio hoc exigente a Dominatione Vestra Reverenda poscimus impenseque rogamus, ne nobis impingi possit, quod per calumniam, quam officium nostrum pastorale fugit maxime neque umquam in usu habuit processus nostros emiserimus. Factura rem in primis Deo mutuaeque professioni nostrae dignam ac debitam et qua nos Dominatio Vestra Reverenda sibi in hoc amicitiae nostrae, quod inter nos est, vinculo plurimum reddet propensiores.

Eandemque Dominationem Vestram Reverendam quam diutissime in Christo optime valere optamus.

Ex castro nostro Starigrod, IIII Maii MDXXXVI.