Letter #1778
[Ioannes DANTISCUS] to Antonio PUCCILöbau (Lubawa), 1537-11-16
English register: Dantiscus is asking the cardinal protector for his help in arranging for a reduction in the amount of annates for himself and Tiedemann Giese. He argues that the bishops’ income has decreased substantially as a result of the last two wars and the development of Lutheranism in the territories neighboring upon the Chełmno and Warmia dioceses. Dantiscus points out that though he paid the required 700 ducats for the provision for the Chełmno bishopric, his predecessors took advantage of substantial reductions due to the devastation of the bishopric estate. He also notes that the Warmia bishop, who is in a much better financial situation than the Chełmno bishop, pays just 400 ducats for his confirmation. The amount of the fee for the Chełmno bishopric seems all the more unjust to Dantiscus when the annual income of the Chełmno bishop barely reaches the required fee of 700 ducats. Dantiscus asks for support for the activity of his plenipotentiary in Rome, Dietrich von Rheden. He recalls the great kindness shown to himself by the cardinal protector during the coronation of the emperor (Charles V) in Bologna, and is counting on his continued kindness.
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Text & apparatus & commentaryPlain textText & commentaryText & apparatus
Ad
Reverendissime in Christo Pater et Domine, domine modis omnibus colendissime.
Tametsi verear hanc meam scriptionem non nihil molestiae Dominationi Vestrae Reverendissimae allaturam,
cogit me tamen rei cf. Adagia 1526 No. 1240 ingens telum necessitas – – de reinevitabili; Adagia 1526 No. 1241 adversum necessitatem ne dii quidem resistunt ⌊necessitas, quae ingens telum est et cui, ut proverbium habet, ne dii quidem resistuntcf. Adagia 1526 No. 1240 ingens telum necessitas – – de reinevitabili; Adagia 1526 No. 1241 adversum necessitatem ne dii quidem resistunt ⌋, ea in notitiam Dominationis Vestrae Reverendissimae deducere, quae cum meis tum etiam reverendissimi
Ex
[1 ] Fees for church benefices – annates – were introduced in 1316 by Pope John XXII. The beneficiary’s formal pledge to pay the annates was the necessary condition of receiving a provision bulla for the new office. Starting from the Council of Constance (1414-1418), annates from higher-ranking benefices were to be paid in two annual installments at the Apostolic Camera in Rome. The amount of annates was specified for every benefice, though information was also gathered about the actual situation of each beneficiary and analyzed at the consistory during which the provision was to be settled, and this is doubtless where Dantiscus saw a chance for reducing the fee (cf. Dudziak; further references there). Applications for a reduction to the fee seem to have been widespread at the time, as shown, for example, by the Polish episcopate’s letters to the pope in 1537 (cf. VMPL, No. DLXXX, DLXXXI, p. 520-523). See also cf.
[2 ] Dantiscus’ plenipotentiaries in the Holy See in 1530 were Stanisław Rzeczyca, Polish penitentiary in Rome, and Ioannes Colardus, papal scriba. Their efforts on behalf of Dantiscus have been discussed on the basis of the correspondence published in cf. AT 12 ⌊AT (vol.XII)cf. AT 12 ⌋, in the doctoral dissertation by Hieronim Fokciński Procedura nadawania godności biskupich w XVI w. (Fokciński)
[3 ] The Polish-Teutonic war of 1454-1466, called the Thirteen Years’ War and not – as Dantiscus writes – the Fourteen Years’ War
[5 ] The Polish-Teutonic war of 1519-1521
[6 ] For more about Dantiscus’ participation in the ceremony during which Charles was crowned as emperor (February 24, 1530) cf. e.g. cf. AT 12 No. 65, p. 77-79 ⌊AT, XII, No. 65, p.77-79cf. AT 12 No. 65, p. 77-79 ⌋