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Letter #2901

Piotr KMITA Sobieński to Ioannes DANTISCUS
Cracow (Kraków), 1546-01-16
            received Heilsberg (Lidzbark Warmiński), 1546-02-01

Manuscript sources:
1fair copy in Latin, in secretary's hand, author's signature, BCz, 1599, p. 627-630

 

Text & apparatus & commentaryPlain textText & commentaryText & apparatus

 

Reverendissime Domine, amice mihi longe carissime ac honorandissime.

Salutem plurimam ac verorum bonorum accessiones perpetuas a Christo Iesu, domino nostro, Vestrae Reverendissimae Dominationi precor ex animo.

Simulque ei gratiam habeo magnam, quod non tantum mutuae nostrae benevolentiae atque veteris coniunctionis interea etiam meminit, verum etiam illam omnibus partibus cumulatum iri cupit, prout ea omnia ex litteris eius nuper ad me datis liquido cognovi. Quod quidem Vestrae Reverendissimae Dominationis studium, ut iustos sui progressus habeat, per me non stabit, quin ut ne me in officiis amicitiae superari contingat, remis velisque contendam. Hoc si quidem honestissimum mihi, hoc etiam utrimque utile atque adeo in re publica necessarium esse certa ratione colligo.

Quod autem Vestra Reverendissima Dominatio ad me inter alia de Imperial Diet (Reichstag) ⌊caesarianis comitiisImperial Diet (Reichstag) ⌋ attigit, et nos hic eventum illorum avide exspectamus, praesertim quod iam tandem meliora ab unanimi consensu profecta consilia, si non aliud certe parum non extrema necessitas poscit et quasi ab invitis extorquet. Nec ignoro ea calamitate temporum de nostra quoque pelle agi atque adeo nostram ut vicinorum nostrorum salutem (nisi quod Deus prohibeat) ita urgentibus sese fatis in dubium revocari, sic ut non minore prae illis delicto dormiamus. Cum enim undique hostibus cingamur, nihilominus sunt hic etiam nonnulli, qui temonem consilii nostri, partim ineptiis suis, partim nequitia retardant omnemque illius ad meliora cursum impediunt, cum summum iam nunc operae pretium erat bene constitutis legibus ad artes belli et defensionem Poland (Kingdom of Poland, Polonia)⌊RegniPoland (Kingdom of Poland, Polonia)⌋ tractandam t[o]tas vires intendere, ut utrumque tempus, pacis videlicet et bellorum, cum ingruerint, legitimo iure atque expedite tractetur et iuvante Domino Deo transigeretur.

Qui vero sint hi, per quos in vetere limo haeremus, non opus esse in praesentia videt[ur], ut illos significem, neque enim omnia sunt credenda charti[s], quae dicendo potius quam scribendo aperiri oporteat. Ego certe optarim illis, ut ne nostro malo ineptiant aut ut potestati suae indulgeant quam minimo rei publicae tumultu. Si quidem ut nolim, quominus unicuique suae libertatis atque adeo privilegiorum iusta constet ratio, ita pro viribus meis curo, quo sublatis omnibus altercationum fontibus tot partes nostrum in unum corpus regni concorditer coalescant et sa[l]vis uniuscuiusque iuribus, quantum ad sustinendam hostiu[m] vim attinet, foedere et si quod firmius vinculum est, colligarentur. Id autem ut fiat mature, vel hoc suadet, quod ut bo[na] sunt, ita etiam mala nobis omnibus communia forent, si ut su[nt] in procinctu, olim ingruerint.

Inde etiam fit, quod multum diuque ad Albrecht I von Hohenzollern-Ansbach (Albrecht von Brandenburg) (*1490 – †1568), 1511-1525 Grand Master of the Teutonic Order; from 1525 to his death Duke in Prussia as a liegeman of the Polish king; son of Friedrich V of Brandenburg der Ältere and Sophia Jagiellon (daughter of Casimir IV Jagiellon), nephew of Sigismund I, King of Poland; founder of the university in Königsberg (1544)⌊viciniAlbrecht I von Hohenzollern-Ansbach (Albrecht von Brandenburg) (*1490 – †1568), 1511-1525 Grand Master of the Teutonic Order; from 1525 to his death Duke in Prussia as a liegeman of the Polish king; son of Friedrich V of Brandenburg der Ältere and Sophia Jagiellon (daughter of Casimir IV Jagiellon), nephew of Sigismund I, King of Poland; founder of the university in Königsberg (1544)⌋ Vestrae Reverendissimae Dominationis acta dissimulatum est, quo ille rediens ad cor liberalitati nostrorum responderet. Et si lau[dem] prudentis atque officiosi principis consequi vellet, nobiscum publice studeret defensioni. Ne tamen in feudum Albrecht I von Hohenzollern-Ansbach (Albrecht von Brandenburg) (*1490 – †1568), 1511-1525 Grand Master of the Teutonic Order; from 1525 to his death Duke in Prussia as a liegeman of the Polish king; son of Friedrich V of Brandenburg der Ältere and Sophia Jagiellon (daughter of Casimir IV Jagiellon), nephew of Sigismund I, King of Poland; founder of the university in Königsberg (1544)⌊illiusAlbrecht I von Hohenzollern-Ansbach (Albrecht von Brandenburg) (*1490 – †1568), 1511-1525 Grand Master of the Teutonic Order; from 1525 to his death Duke in Prussia as a liegeman of the Polish king; son of Friedrich V of Brandenburg der Ältere and Sophia Jagiellon (daughter of Casimir IV Jagiellon), nephew of Sigismund I, King of Poland; founder of the university in Königsberg (1544)⌋, nostris Sigismund I Jagiellon (Zygmunt I) (*1467 – †1548), King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania (1506-1548); Duke of Głogów (Glogau) (1499-1506), Duke of Opava (1501-1506), Governor of Silesia (1504-1506); son of King Kazimierz IV Jagiellon and Elisabeth of Austria

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⌊principibusSigismund I Jagiellon (Zygmunt I) (*1467 – †1548), King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania (1506-1548); Duke of Głogów (Glogau) (1499-1506), Duke of Opava (1501-1506), Governor of Silesia (1504-1506); son of King Kazimierz IV Jagiellon and Elisabeth of Austria

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⌋ invitis, sponsalium vel quocumque colore aliquis obrepat, ultro citroque transactionum condicio repugnat. Ut vero moneta Albrecht I von Hohenzollern-Ansbach (Albrecht von Brandenburg) (*1490 – †1568), 1511-1525 Grand Master of the Teutonic Order; from 1525 to his death Duke in Prussia as a liegeman of the Polish king; son of Friedrich V of Brandenburg der Ältere and Sophia Jagiellon (daughter of Casimir IV Jagiellon), nephew of Sigismund I, King of Poland; founder of the university in Königsberg (1544)⌊eiusAlbrecht I von Hohenzollern-Ansbach (Albrecht von Brandenburg) (*1490 – †1568), 1511-1525 Grand Master of the Teutonic Order; from 1525 to his death Duke in Prussia as a liegeman of the Polish king; son of Friedrich V of Brandenburg der Ältere and Sophia Jagiellon (daughter of Casimir IV Jagiellon), nephew of Sigismund I, King of Poland; founder of the university in Königsberg (1544)⌋ simulque aliorum vicinorum tanta calamitate omnium nostrum invecta iam tandem excluderetur, Iustus Ludovicus Decius (Justus Ludwik Decjusz, Jost Ludwig Dietz, Iodocus Decius) (*ca. 1485 – †1545), merchant, historian, reformer of the Polish monetary system; ennobled in 1519; 1520-1524 royal secretary; 1528 Cracow town councillor; 1528 alderman in Piotrków; 1526-1535 administrator of the royal mint in Königsberg; 1528-1535 administrator of the royal mint in Thorn; 1530-1540 administrator of the royal mint in Cracow; 1519, 1520, 1522, 1523-1524 - royal envoy to Italy (PSB 5, p. 42-45; WYCZAŃSKI 1990, p. 250-251; NOGA, p. 304)⌊Ludovicus olim JostusIustus Ludovicus Decius (Justus Ludwik Decjusz, Jost Ludwig Dietz, Iodocus Decius) (*ca. 1485 – †1545), merchant, historian, reformer of the Polish monetary system; ennobled in 1519; 1520-1524 royal secretary; 1528 Cracow town councillor; 1528 alderman in Piotrków; 1526-1535 administrator of the royal mint in Königsberg; 1528-1535 administrator of the royal mint in Thorn; 1530-1540 administrator of the royal mint in Cracow; 1519, 1520, 1522, 1523-1524 - royal envoy to Italy (PSB 5, p. 42-45; WYCZAŃSKI 1990, p. 250-251; NOGA, p. 304)⌋ non contemnendam vim regiae monetae ante semestre tempus excussit. Ea vero, quia ducali par pondere est, eo urgere negotium intellego, quod ex Royal Council of Poland ⌊senatusRoyal Council of Poland ⌋ consulto nostro meliorem cudi oporteat brevi. Nam dispectis omnibus viis et ad perpendiculum consilii sani revocatis ea prae ceteris compendiosior esse videtur, par si quidem pari non cedit, sed meliori.

Haec autem quia nunc primum in deliberationem adducta sunt, supervacaneum est hoc aut illud a me de eis apud Vestram Reverendissimam Dominationem divinare, ne de dubiis ante tempus definiendo et mei oblitus esse, et auribus Vestrae Reverendissimae Dominationis emunctis abuti viderer. Si tamen hi flores, quos promittunt, ferent olim fructus, non neglegam Vestrae Reverendissimae Dominationi primoque tempore significare.

Quod restat, quaeso, ut me, qua coepit, benevolentia prosequatur. Ego vero studebo, ut ne vel amore, vel fide in Vestram Reverendissimam Dominationem alicui eius benevolorum sim secundus atque ut longum sospes et felix valeat, precor ex animo.