CIDT&C Corpus of Ioannes Dantiscus' Texts & Correspondence

Letter #1846

Ioannes DANTISCUS to Tiedemann GIESE
Heilsberg (Lidzbark Warmiński), 1538-04-15

English register: Dantiscus is recovering; advice, pleasant company and conversation provided by the Doctor [Nicolaus Copernicus] have been his medicine. Through the Doctor, Dantiscus is sending Giese news about the lawsuit against Paweł [Snopek].

Dantiscus has heard that his own rights to a prebend and the rights of the Provost [Paweł Płotowski] are being questioned; he intends in the future to punish those responsible.

He asks Giese to support Paweł [Snopek] and on this matter to trust the information provided to the Doctor [Nicolaus Copernicus].

received [1538]-04-16

Manuscript sources:

1	fair copy in Latin, autograph, address in secretary's hand, BCz, 245, p. 30-31

Prints:

1	BERG p. 196 (excerpt)
2	Kopernik na Warmii No. 440, p. 495 (Polish register)
3	RC No. 391, p. 169-170 (English register)
4	NCG 6/1 No. 115, p. 226-227 (in extenso; German translation)
5	CEID 1/2 No. 8, p. 81-82 (in extenso; English register)

Text & apparatus & commentary Plain text Text & commentary Text & apparatus

BCz, 245, p. 30

Reverendissimo Domino Tiedemann Giese (Tidemannus Gisius) (*1480 – †1550), in 1519 ennobled by King Sigismund I; 1504-1538 Canon of Ermland (Warmia); 1516-1527, 1533-1537 Judicial Vicar and Vicar General of Ermland; 1523-1538 Custos of Ermland; 1537-1549 Bishop of Kulm (Chełmno); 1549-1550 Bishop of Ermland (BORAWSKA 1984, passim)⌊Tidemanno GiseTiedemann Giese (Tidemannus Gisius) (*1480 – †1550), in 1519 ennobled by King Sigismund I; 1504-1538 Canon of Ermland (Warmia); 1516-1527, 1533-1537 Judicial Vicar and Vicar General of Ermland; 1523-1538 Custos of Ermland; 1537-1549 Bishop of Kulm (Chełmno); 1549-1550 Bishop of Ermland (BORAWSKA 1984, passim)⌋, electo et confirmato Culmensi et custodi Warmiensi, fratri et amico carissimo et honoran(do) or honoran(dissimo)⌈honoran(do)honoran(do) or honoran(dissimo)⌉

BCz, 245, p. 31

Reverendissime Domine, frater et amice carissime et honoran(de) or honoran(dissime)⌈honoran(de)honoran(de) or honoran(dissime)⌉.

Salutem et fraterni amoris commendationem.

Deo gratia rectius valeo, quemadmodum frater et communis amicus noster dominus Nicolaus Copernicus (Mikołaj Kopernik) (*1473 – †1543), humanist, physician and astronomer, doctor of canon law; nephew of Łukasz Watzenrode, Bishop of Ermland; 1497-1543 Canon of Ermland (Warmia); 1511-1513, 1520, 1524-1525, 1529 Chancellor of the Ermland Chapter; 1523 General Administrator of the bishopric after the death of Fabian von Lusian (Luzjański) (KOPICZKO 2, p. 161; SBKW, p. 123-124)⌊doctorNicolaus Copernicus (Mikołaj Kopernik) (*1473 – †1543), humanist, physician and astronomer, doctor of canon law; nephew of Łukasz Watzenrode, Bishop of Ermland; 1497-1543 Canon of Ermland (Warmia); 1511-1513, 1520, 1524-1525, 1529 Chancellor of the Ermland Chapter; 1523 General Administrator of the bishopric after the death of Fabian von Lusian (Luzjański) (KOPICZKO 2, p. 161; SBKW, p. 123-124)⌋ latius referet. Nicolaus Copernicus (Mikołaj Kopernik) (*1473 – †1543), humanist, physician and astronomer, doctor of canon law; nephew of Łukasz Watzenrode, Bishop of Ermland; 1497-1543 Canon of Ermland (Warmia); 1511-1513, 1520, 1524-1525, 1529 Chancellor of the Ermland Chapter; 1523 General Administrator of the bishopric after the death of Fabian von Lusian (Luzjański) (KOPICZKO 2, p. 161; SBKW, p. 123-124)⌊CuiusNicolaus Copernicus (Mikołaj Kopernik) (*1473 – †1543), humanist, physician and astronomer, doctor of canon law; nephew of Łukasz Watzenrode, Bishop of Ermland; 1497-1543 Canon of Ermland (Warmia); 1511-1513, 1520, 1524-1525, 1529 Chancellor of the Ermland Chapter; 1523 General Administrator of the bishopric after the death of Fabian von Lusian (Luzjański) (KOPICZKO 2, p. 161; SBKW, p. 123-124)⌋ dulcis consuetudo et colloquium consiliaque, quae inde cepi, mihi fuerunt pro pharmaco. Ab eo obtinui, ut quaedam meo nomine Dominationi Vestrae Reverendissimae dicat, maxime in eo, quod citationem contra dominum Paweł Snopek (*after 1480 – †1554), close collaborator of Ioannes Dantiscus; Econom of the Dominium Ermland (Warmia); in 1524 mentioned as Canon of Guttstadt (Dobre Miasto) for the first time; 1528-1554 Provost of Guttstadt; 1536-1538 Canon of Ermland (in December 1538 he was forced to resign in favour of Alexander von Suchten; in 1543 he regained this prebend but two years later had to step aside for Kaspar Hannau) (KOPICZKO 2, p. 308; SBKKDM, p. 103; SBKW, p. 227; PSB 39/3, p. 405-406)⌊Paulum dispensatoremPaweł Snopek (*after 1480 – †1554), close collaborator of Ioannes Dantiscus; Econom of the Dominium Ermland (Warmia); in 1524 mentioned as Canon of Guttstadt (Dobre Miasto) for the first time; 1528-1554 Provost of Guttstadt; 1536-1538 Canon of Ermland (in December 1538 he was forced to resign in favour of Alexander von Suchten; in 1543 he regained this prebend but two years later had to step aside for Kaspar Hannau) (KOPICZKO 2, p. 308; SBKKDM, p. 103; SBKW, p. 227; PSB 39/3, p. 405-406)⌋ contingit. Quam non puto a bonis viris technis non fraternis Romanensibus rabulis ingestam.

Audio et meam praebendam revocari sub incudem, quasi illam falso titulo possederim.[1] Accedit et, q(uo)d domino Paweł Płotowski (*ca. 1485 – †1547), in 1523, after the death of Fabian von Lusian (Luzjański), Płotowski was one of the King's four candidates for the post of the bishop of Ermland; in 1530 and 1537, after the death of Jan Konopacki (Johann von Konopat) Sr and Dantiscus' transfer to the bishopric of Ermland, he made an effort to obtain the dignity of bishop of Kulm; from 1522 Provost of the Ermland (Warmia) Chapter, and from 1523 Canon of Ermland; secretary to Crown Grand Chancellor Krzysztof Szydłowiecki, and from 1533 royal secretary and courtier; in the thirties and forties several times royal envoy to the Royal Prussian Estates (SBKW, p. 191; KOPICZKO 2, p. 249-250)⌊praepositoPaweł Płotowski (*ca. 1485 – †1547), in 1523, after the death of Fabian von Lusian (Luzjański), Płotowski was one of the King's four candidates for the post of the bishop of Ermland; in 1530 and 1537, after the death of Jan Konopacki (Johann von Konopat) Sr and Dantiscus' transfer to the bishopric of Ermland, he made an effort to obtain the dignity of bishop of Kulm; from 1522 Provost of the Ermland (Warmia) Chapter, and from 1523 Canon of Ermland; secretary to Crown Grand Chancellor Krzysztof Szydłowiecki, and from 1533 royal secretary and courtier; in the thirties and forties several times royal envoy to the Royal Prussian Estates (SBKW, p. 191; KOPICZKO 2, p. 249-250)⌋ ingeritur. Quae nequaquam mihi placere possunt. Daturus aliquando operam, ut eiusmodi turbationum auctores, quod merentur, pendant. Non deerunt mihi modi et ad eam rem commodi.

Si quid Dominatio Vestra Reverendissima pro domino Paweł Snopek (*after 1480 – †1554), close collaborator of Ioannes Dantiscus; Econom of the Dominium Ermland (Warmia); in 1524 mentioned as Canon of Guttstadt (Dobre Miasto) for the first time; 1528-1554 Provost of Guttstadt; 1536-1538 Canon of Ermland (in December 1538 he was forced to resign in favour of Alexander von Suchten; in 1543 he regained this prebend but two years later had to step aside for Kaspar Hannau) (KOPICZKO 2, p. 308; SBKKDM, p. 103; SBKW, p. 227; PSB 39/3, p. 405-406)⌊PauloPaweł Snopek (*after 1480 – †1554), close collaborator of Ioannes Dantiscus; Econom of the Dominium Ermland (Warmia); in 1524 mentioned as Canon of Guttstadt (Dobre Miasto) for the first time; 1528-1554 Provost of Guttstadt; 1536-1538 Canon of Ermland (in December 1538 he was forced to resign in favour of Alexander von Suchten; in 1543 he regained this prebend but two years later had to step aside for Kaspar Hannau) (KOPICZKO 2, p. 308; SBKKDM, p. 103; SBKW, p. 227; PSB 39/3, p. 405-406)⌋ potest, oro ei non desit, ne mali homines potiantur voluptate sua, quae illis aliquando in magnum possit verti dolorem. Diffusius super iis cum domino Nicolaus Copernicus (Mikołaj Kopernik) (*1473 – †1543), humanist, physician and astronomer, doctor of canon law; nephew of Łukasz Watzenrode, Bishop of Ermland; 1497-1543 Canon of Ermland (Warmia); 1511-1513, 1520, 1524-1525, 1529 Chancellor of the Ermland Chapter; 1523 General Administrator of the bishopric after the death of Fabian von Lusian (Luzjański) (KOPICZKO 2, p. 161; SBKW, p. 123-124)⌊doctoreNicolaus Copernicus (Mikołaj Kopernik) (*1473 – †1543), humanist, physician and astronomer, doctor of canon law; nephew of Łukasz Watzenrode, Bishop of Ermland; 1497-1543 Canon of Ermland (Warmia); 1511-1513, 1520, 1524-1525, 1529 Chancellor of the Ermland Chapter; 1523 General Administrator of the bishopric after the death of Fabian von Lusian (Luzjański) (KOPICZKO 2, p. 161; SBKW, p. 123-124)⌋ sum collocutus. Cui, quaeso, Dominatio Vestra Reverendissima fidem habeat.

Et quam diutissime feliciter valeat.

Ex Heilsberg (Lidzbark Warmiński, Heilsberga), town in Ermland (Warmia), the main seat of the bishops of Ermland⌊HeilsbergHeilsberg (Lidzbark Warmiński, Heilsberga), town in Ermland (Warmia), the main seat of the bishops of Ermland⌋, XV Aprilis MDXXXVIII.

Reverendissimae Dominationis Vestrae integerrimus frater Ioannes Dantiscus (Johannes von Höfen, Ioannes de Curiis, Jan Dantyszek, Johannes Flachsbinder) (*1485 – †1548), eminent diplomat and humanist in the service of the Jagiellons, neo-Latin poet; 1530-1537 Bishop of Kulm; 1537-1548 Bishop of Ermland⌊IoannesIoannes Dantiscus (Johannes von Höfen, Ioannes de Curiis, Jan Dantyszek, Johannes Flachsbinder) (*1485 – †1548), eminent diplomat and humanist in the service of the Jagiellons, neo-Latin poet; 1530-1537 Bishop of Kulm; 1537-1548 Bishop of Ermland⌋ episcopus Varmiensis scripsit

[1] There is no doubt that Alexander Sculteti (Scholtcze) (*ca. 1485 – †1570), doctor of canon law, cartographer, historian and friend of Copernicus; accused by Dantiscus and Stanisław Hozjusz (Hosius) of Sacramentarian heresy, in 1540 banished by King Sigismund I Jagiellon; in 1541 imprisoned by the Inquisition in Rome; after release from prison in 1544 he stayed in Rome for the rest of his life; 1509-1516 notary at the Roman Curia; 1519-1541 Canon of Ermland (Warmia), 1530-1539 Chancellor of the Ermland Chapter; 1536-1538 administrator of the komornictwo of Mehlsack (Melzak, today Pieniężno) (KOPICZKO 2, p. 299; SBKW, p. 219-220)⌊Alexander ScultetiAlexander Sculteti (Scholtcze) (*ca. 1485 – †1570), doctor of canon law, cartographer, historian and friend of Copernicus; accused by Dantiscus and Stanisław Hozjusz (Hosius) of Sacramentarian heresy, in 1540 banished by King Sigismund I Jagiellon; in 1541 imprisoned by the Inquisition in Rome; after release from prison in 1544 he stayed in Rome for the rest of his life; 1509-1516 notary at the Roman Curia; 1519-1541 Canon of Ermland (Warmia), 1530-1539 Chancellor of the Ermland Chapter; 1536-1538 administrator of the komornictwo of Mehlsack (Melzak, today Pieniężno) (KOPICZKO 2, p. 299; SBKW, p. 219-220)⌋ was involved in the actions aimed against Paweł Snopek (*after 1480 – †1554), close collaborator of Ioannes Dantiscus; Econom of the Dominium Ermland (Warmia); in 1524 mentioned as Canon of Guttstadt (Dobre Miasto) for the first time; 1528-1554 Provost of Guttstadt; 1536-1538 Canon of Ermland (in December 1538 he was forced to resign in favour of Alexander von Suchten; in 1543 he regained this prebend but two years later had to step aside for Kaspar Hannau) (KOPICZKO 2, p. 308; SBKKDM, p. 103; SBKW, p. 227; PSB 39/3, p. 405-406)⌊SnopekPaweł Snopek (*after 1480 – †1554), close collaborator of Ioannes Dantiscus; Econom of the Dominium Ermland (Warmia); in 1524 mentioned as Canon of Guttstadt (Dobre Miasto) for the first time; 1528-1554 Provost of Guttstadt; 1536-1538 Canon of Ermland (in December 1538 he was forced to resign in favour of Alexander von Suchten; in 1543 he regained this prebend but two years later had to step aside for Kaspar Hannau) (KOPICZKO 2, p. 308; SBKKDM, p. 103; SBKW, p. 227; PSB 39/3, p. 405-406)⌋ and Dantiscus. In December 1538, he was responsible for Snopek’s canonry being given to Alexander von Suchten (*ca. 1520 – †1576-1590), doctor of medicine, alchemist, poet; studied in Leuven, Ferrara, Rome, Bologna and Padua; as a nephew of Alexander Sculteti, accused of heresy and sentenced in 1545 to lose a canonry and hereditary property; 1538-1545 Canon of Ermland (Warmia); 1549 court physician and librarian of Ottheinrich of Palatinate-Neuburg; 1557 court physician of Sigismund Augustus in Vilnius (PSB 45/3, p. 337-338)⌊Alexander von SuchtenAlexander von Suchten (*ca. 1520 – †1576-1590), doctor of medicine, alchemist, poet; studied in Leuven, Ferrara, Rome, Bologna and Padua; as a nephew of Alexander Sculteti, accused of heresy and sentenced in 1545 to lose a canonry and hereditary property; 1538-1545 Canon of Ermland (Warmia); 1549 court physician and librarian of Ottheinrich of Palatinate-Neuburg; 1557 court physician of Sigismund Augustus in Vilnius (PSB 45/3, p. 337-338)⌋, Sculteti’s nephew (cf. Słownik Biograficzny Kapituły Warmińskiej, ed. by Jan Guzowski, Olsztyn, WSDMW "Hosianum", 1996 ⌊SBKWcf. Słownik Biograficzny Kapituły Warmińskiej, ed. by Jan Guzowski, Olsztyn, WSDMW "Hosianum", 1996 ⌋, p. 227, 240). Earlier, in 1532, he questioned Dantiscus' right to the canonry of Ermland, trying to prevent him from obtaining the Ermland coadjutorship (cf. Teresa Borawska, Tiedemann Giese (1480-1550) w życiu wewnętrznym Warmii i Prus Królewskich, Olsztyn, 1984 ⌊BORAWSKA 1984cf. Teresa Borawska, Tiedemann Giese (1480-1550) w życiu wewnętrznym Warmii i Prus Królewskich, Olsztyn, 1984 ⌋, p. 199-200).