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Letter #2787

Marco de la TORRE to Ioannes DANTISCUS
Cracow (Kraków), 1545-01-26

English register:

Marco de la Torre makes excuses that his health does not allow him to reply more extensively to the letter received and fully express his thoughts. He would most readily do so in a direct conversation. Three days ago a sudden bout of catarrh almost killed him, and his life is still endangered.

The powders sent to Dantiscus earlier were only a modest expression of gratitude for kindness received; Marco de la Torre hopes to send fresher and better-quality ones soon.

He extends thanks once again for the muscat — especially since he is now ingesting more medicines than ordinary food.

Two days ago in his chamber he spoke with the queen [Bona] about the godless innovators and the influx of reprehensible books to Lithuania. The queen was outraged. Even worse, the heresiarch and his followers have allegedly won the support of some of the dukes for their preaching in Vilnius. Unfortunately there is no one there who could take a stand against their devious sophistic arguments. Marco de la Torre has sent a letter calling on the King [jr.] [Sigismund II Augustus] to stick to the religion of his father and mother and expel the dissenters from his duchy [the Grand Duchy of Lithuania].

He leaves it up to Dantiscus’ other correspondents to give him news of events in Cracow. He only informs him about rumours that the Emperor is short of money for military operations, so he will not conduct any in the coming year, which will strengthen the enemy of the Christians [Turkey] enough to enable it to seize Hungary and Vienna and directly threaten Germany. Marco de la Torre fears this could be a planned divine punishment for the desecration of relics, plundering of churches and other forms of sacrilege.


            received Heilsberg (Lidzbark Warmiński), 1545-02-16

Manuscript sources:
1fair copy in Latin, AAWO, AB, D. 6, f. 67 + f. [1] missed in numbering after f. 67
2copy in Latin, 20th-century, B. PAU-PAN, 8244 (TK 6), a.1545, f. 1r-2v
3register with excerpt in Latin, English, 20th-century, CBKUL, R.III, 31, No. 358

Auxiliary sources:
1register in German, 20th-century, B. PAU-PAN, 8250 (TK 12), f. 189

 

Text & apparatus & commentaryPlain textText & commentaryText & apparatus

 

AAWO, AB, D.6, f. 67r

Reverendissime in Christo Pater et Domine, domine observandissime.

Post animi mei singularem devotionem et perpetuam felicitatem etc.

Quia longe plura intellectus intelligit, quam vox exprimere et manus scribere possit, ideo, ut de meis conceptibus facilius Paternitatem Vestram Reverendissimam participem reddere possem, viva voce et oretenus cum Vestra Reverendissima Paternitate de emergentibus conferre optarem, praesertim quod aegritudo mea catharralis ita impetuose me invasit, ut vix naturae debitum nudius quartus non solverim. Neque etiam nunc a periculo prorsus me reperio, sed adhuc cf. Verg. A. 7.200 qualia multa mari nautae patiuntur in alto ⌊impetuosis fluctibus et furiosis ventis in alto agitor maricf. Verg. A. 7.200 qualia multa mari nautae patiuntur in alto ⌋. Quid autem futurum sit, novit cf. Thomas Super Sent. lib. 1d. 37 q. 1a. 2 Utrum Deus sit in omnibus per potentiam, praesentiam et essentiam; Thomas Super Sent. lib. 1d. 37 q. 1a. 1 arg. 2 videtur quod multo fortius Deus in absentia sui possit effectum producere; et ita non oportet quod sit in rebus quas condidit ⌊ille, qui per absentiam, potentiam et praesentiam rebus omnibus adestcf. Thomas Super Sent. lib. 1d. 37 q. 1a. 2 Utrum Deus sit in omnibus per potentiam, praesentiam et essentiam; Thomas Super Sent. lib. 1d. 37 q. 1a. 1 arg. 2 videtur quod multo fortius Deus in absentia sui possit effectum producere; et ita non oportet quod sit in rebus quas condidit ⌋.

Non mirabitur ergo Vestra Reverendissima Paternitas, si suis humanissimis cf. Ioannes DANTISCUS to Marco de la TORRE before 1545-01-26, CIDTC IDL 7082, letter lost⌊litteriscf. Ioannes DANTISCUS to Marco de la TORRE before 1545-01-26, CIDTC IDL 7082, letter lost⌋ non satisfecero. Etenim qui vult, si ad velle sequi debeat effectus, necessum est, ut possit. Boni ergo consulat Vestra Reverendissima Paternitas, quaeso, si in rescribendo parcus ero.

Primum enim, quo ad pulveres: tantum abest, quod Vestra Reverendissima Paternitas mihi actura sit gratias, cum loco magni beneficii acceperim hanc occasionem mihi oblatam, quod utique aliqua in re eidem gratificari valuissem, quamquam res se offerat ita vilis, quae neque memoria Paternitatis Vestrae Reverendissimae digna possit censeri. Est tamen animus adhuc alios mittendi pulveres recentiores et forte melius praeparatos.

De muschato autem magnas habeo gratias Paternitati Vestrae Reverendissimae, quod instituerit tempore veris me eo consolatum reddere, nam ad praesens certe magis apotheca orig. apotecha⌈apothecaapotheca orig. apotecha⌉ quam coquina vivo, cum meus stomachus admodum sit deiectus et disgratiatus orig. disgrasiatus⌈disgratiatusdisgratiatus orig. disgrasiatus⌉.

De impiis novatoribus cum serenissima Bona Sforza (*1494 – †1557), Queen of Poland and Grand Duchess of Lithuania (1518-1557); the second wife of Sigismund I Jagiellon; Duchess of Bari and Rossano; daughter of Gian Galeazzo Sforza of Milan and Isabella of Aragon⌊reginali maiestateBona Sforza (*1494 – †1557), Queen of Poland and Grand Duchess of Lithuania (1518-1557); the second wife of Sigismund I Jagiellon; Duchess of Bari and Rossano; daughter of Gian Galeazzo Sforza of Milan and Isabella of Aragon⌋ nudius tertius abunde in meo cubiculo sum commentatus. Nec defuit inter loquendum mentio exsecrandorum libellorum transmissorum in Lithuania⌊LythuaniamLithuania⌋, quod sua serenissima Bona Sforza (*1494 – †1557), Queen of Poland and Grand Duchess of Lithuania (1518-1557); the second wife of Sigismund I Jagiellon; Duchess of Bari and Rossano; daughter of Gian Galeazzo Sforza of Milan and Isabella of Aragon⌊maiestasBona Sforza (*1494 – †1557), Queen of Poland and Grand Duchess of Lithuania (1518-1557); the second wife of Sigismund I Jagiellon; Duchess of Bari and Rossano; daughter of Gian Galeazzo Sforza of Milan and Isabella of Aragon⌋ cum stomacho audivit. Sed deterius est, quod intelleximus et hic passim spargitur rumor, haeresiarcham illum cum suis assertoribus Vilnius (Wilno, Vilna), city in Lithuania, on the Vilnia river, capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania⌊WylnaeVilnius (Wilno, Vilna), city in Lithuania, on the Vilnia river, capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania⌋ futurum concitantibus quibusdam ducibus eiusdem farinae. Quod si rumor veritati cohaerebit, procul dubio catholica religio magno exponetur disAAWO, AB, D.6, f. 67vcrimini, praesertim cum nullus in illa patria exstet, qui cavillis et sophisticis eorum argumentationibus ac distortis sacrae scripturae locis et expositionibus occurrere possit aut valeat. Ego tamen, pro mea devotione in catholicam et sanctam fidem, ad serenissimum Sigismund II Augustus Jagiellon (Zygmunt II August) (*1520 – †1572), 1529-1572 Grand Duke of Lithuania (ruled from 1544); 1530-1572 King of Poland (crowned vivente rege (ruled from 1548, after the death of his father); son of Sigismund I Jagiellon and Bona Sforza⌊regemSigismund II Augustus Jagiellon (Zygmunt II August) (*1520 – †1572), 1529-1572 Grand Duke of Lithuania (ruled from 1544); 1530-1572 King of Poland (crowned vivente rege (ruled from 1548, after the death of his father); son of Sigismund I Jagiellon and Bona Sforza⌋ litteras dedi, quibus suam maiestatem sum hortatus, velit paterno et materno instituto religioso inniti et sacrilegos hos ac seditiosos homines ex suo Lithuania⌊ducatuLithuania⌋ exterminare. Utinam litterae meae effectum optatum sortiantur.

De iis autem, quae hic aguntur, aliis scribendi relinquo locum. De rebus vero bellicis aiunt Charles V of Habsburg (*1500 – †1558), ruler of the Burgundian territories (1506-1555), King of Spain as Charles I (1516-1556), King of Naples and Sicily, King of the Romans (1519-1530), Holy Roman Emperor of the German Nation (elected 1519, crowned 1530, abdicated 1556); son of Philip I the Handsome and Joanna the Mad of Castile⌊imperatoremCharles V of Habsburg (*1500 – †1558), ruler of the Burgundian territories (1506-1555), King of Spain as Charles I (1516-1556), King of Naples and Sicily, King of the Romans (1519-1530), Holy Roman Emperor of the German Nation (elected 1519, crowned 1530, abdicated 1556); son of Philip I the Handsome and Joanna the Mad of Castile⌋ nostrum hoc anno feriaturum, quoniam cf. Cic. Phil. 5.5 Quid est aliud omnia ad bellum civile hosti arma largiri, primum nervos belli, pecuniam infinitam qua nunc eget, deinde equitatum quantum velit? ⌊deest nervus bellicf. Cic. Phil. 5.5 Quid est aliud omnia ad bellum civile hosti arma largiri, primum nervos belli, pecuniam infinitam qua nunc eget, deinde equitatum quantum velit? ⌋. Nam ita exhausta sunt haec culmina Christianorum, ut parum absit, quin se ad hospitale recipiant. Ita enim sunt sapientes, quod eorum extenuatione hostem Christiani nominis validiorem reddiderunt in tantum, ut si hoc anno, quemadmodum fama vagatur, venerit in Hungary (Kingdom of Hungary)⌊UngariamHungary (Kingdom of Hungary)⌋, verendum est, ne occupata Vienna (Wien, Vienna), city in eastern Austria, on the Danube river⌊WiennaVienna (Wien, Vienna), city in eastern Austria, on the Danube river⌋ Germany (Germania, Niemcy)⌊GermaniaeGermany (Germania, Niemcy)⌋ terrorem incutiat. Sed utinam Deus Optimus Maximus hoc dirum omen avertat. Verum metuo, ne haec sit voluntas Domini in vindictam iniuriarum illatarum tropheis Salvatoris et Sanctorum ac expilationis ecclesiarum ac eiectionis aliorumque sescentorum sacrilegiorum, quorum summam scribere longum esset. Haec enim rara et inconsueta, Reverendissime Domine, sine numine divum non eveniunt.

Quam cupio valere ex mentis sententia diutissime.

Eiusdem Reverendissimae Paternitatis Vestrae obsequentissimus frater Marco de la Torre (Marcus Venetus) (†1545), doctor of theology, professor at the Cracow University (1519), confessor of Queen Bona Sforza (since ca. 1521); since 1517 or 1518 till 1538 Provincial of the Franciscan Order in Poland; since 1517 or 1518 till 1545 - Commissar-General; probably since 1537 also in Silesia, Bohemia, Austria and Prussia (POCIECHA 2, p. 67-76; KANTAK 2016, p. 27-53)⌊Marcus a TurriMarco de la Torre (Marcus Venetus) (†1545), doctor of theology, professor at the Cracow University (1519), confessor of Queen Bona Sforza (since ca. 1521); since 1517 or 1518 till 1538 Provincial of the Franciscan Order in Poland; since 1517 or 1518 till 1545 - Commissar-General; probably since 1537 also in Silesia, Bohemia, Austria and Prussia (POCIECHA 2, p. 67-76; KANTAK 2016, p. 27-53)⌋ Venetus, The Franciscans (Order of Friars Minor Conventual) ⌊ordinis fratrum minorum conventualiumThe Franciscans (Order of Friars Minor Conventual) ⌋ commissarius generalis, serenissimae Bona Sforza (*1494 – †1557), Queen of Poland and Grand Duchess of Lithuania (1518-1557); the second wife of Sigismund I Jagiellon; Duchess of Bari and Rossano; daughter of Gian Galeazzo Sforza of Milan and Isabella of Aragon⌊reginalis maiestatisBona Sforza (*1494 – †1557), Queen of Poland and Grand Duchess of Lithuania (1518-1557); the second wife of Sigismund I Jagiellon; Duchess of Bari and Rossano; daughter of Gian Galeazzo Sforza of Milan and Isabella of Aragon⌋ confessor etc.