Reverendissimo in Christo Patri ac Domino, domino 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⌊Ioanni Dei gratia episcopo WarmiensiIoannes 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⌋, domino ac patrono suo perpetua fide colendo

Salutem cum obsequiorum humillima commendatione.

Nihil dudum optatius mihi contigit, Reverendissime Praesul, dulcissimis Reverendissimae Paternitatis Tuae litteris, quibus prius a Celsitudine Tua, quam a reliquis cognoscerem, quam in partem cecidisset parrhsia litterarum mearum, cuius ita me dudum poenituit, ut nisi Celsitudinis Tuae innata quaedam erga me pietas, quae mihi quidem non iucunda solum, sed et admirabilis frequenter videri solet, perspecta fuisset, magno me maerore affecisset. Sed excelsum Tuum animum, propensamque in hominem nullius sortis benevolentiam mirari quam imitari facilius homini puto. Neque enim nova aut nunc recens nata est, quae me a primis unguiculis ita complexa est, fovendo lambendoque non secus quam ursa catulos solet, eo produxit, ut quicquid in me sit, id Reverendissimae Paternitati Tuae totum lubenter acceptum ferre et soleo et debeo. Quae quidem ita se semper erga me gessit, ut, quod ad altiora emergere hactenus non licuerit, fortunae potius quam vel meae negligentiae, vel Celsitudinis Tuae voluntati ascriberetur. Salutis enim meae progressuumque in bonis litteris rationem Celsitudo Tua semper habuit maximam: colorum et virium emolumenta si aeque Nemesis (Rhamnusia), remorseless goddess in Greek mythology, the personification of vengeful fate as a remorseless goddess⌊RhamnusiaeNemesis (Rhamnusia), remorseless goddess in Greek mythology, the personification of vengeful fate as a remorseless goddess⌋ cordi fuissent, iamdudum nihil laborassemus. Verum et haec se nunc magis propiciam exibet Tibique, Reverendissime praesul, domine ac patrone unice, ulterius in clientem suam munificentiam et liberalitatem explicandi aperit occasionem.

Nam cum sub hesternum crepusculum graviter Mauritius Ferber Jr (*ca. 1516 – †1546), studied in Leipzig; resided in Frauenburg since 1538; 1531 Ermland canon; chancellor of the chapter (KOPICZKO 2, p. 72; SBKW, p. 59)⌊venerabilis dominus MauritiusMauritius Ferber Jr (*ca. 1516 – †1546), studied in Leipzig; resided in Frauenburg since 1538; 1531 Ermland canon; chancellor of the chapter (KOPICZKO 2, p. 72; SBKW, p. 59)⌋ laboraret morbo, ut apparebat pestilentissimo, inter manus meas animam beatissimam Deo Patri commendans e vivorum contubernio maximo omnium dolore cessit, cuius animae Deus Optimus Maximus bene faxit, in eius locum cum ordinaria electione Reverendissimae Celsitudini Tuae una cum Ermland Chapter cathedral chapter based in Frauenburg (Frombork, Varmia)⌊capituloErmland Chapter cathedral chapter based in Frauenburg (Frombork, Varmia)⌋ alium sufficiendi facultas sit egoque nonnullos ea in re mihi non difficiles patronos senserim, qui tamen si a Celsitudine Tua instigabuntur, proniores ad hoc reddentur. Reverendissimam Tuam Paternitatem obnixe, quibus possum modis, oro, ut semel inceptam benevolentiam hoc beneficio confirmet, ac ut prudentissimus quidam Apelles (*4th century BC), famous painter of ancient Greece⌊ApellesApelles (*4th century BC), famous painter of ancient Greece⌋, qui caput et summa pectoris Aphrodite (Venus), Greek and Roman goddess of love, beauty, and sexuality⌊VenerisAphrodite (Venus), Greek and Roman goddess of love, beauty, and sexuality⌋ politissima arte perfecit, nunc reliquae parti corporis summam adhibere manum Celsitudo Tua dignetur. Hoc me beneficio Celsitudo Tua cum sibi, tum suis nepotibus ita devinctum reddet, ut cum uterque hic adfuerit, Geryon ⌊GerionemGeryon ⌋ quendam Celsitudo Tua confeci[sse] videbitur, contra quem ne Heracles (Hercules), Greek mythic hero, famous for his extraordinary strength, son of Zeus and the mortal Alcmene⌊HerculesHeracles (Hercules), Greek mythic hero, famous for his extraordinary strength, son of Zeus and the mortal Alcmene⌋ quidem vires suas exercere audebit. Ita me iam cum probably Johann Hannau Jr (Johann Hannow, Ioannes Hannovius) (*ca. 1524 – †1575), nephew of Ioannes Dantiscus (son of Anna), who financed his education in Kulm; in 1541 immatriculated at the Cracow University; probably worked at the royal chancellery; 1546 Ermland canon (KOPICZKO 2, p. 108)⌊domino Ioanneprobably Johann Hannau Jr (Johann Hannow, Ioannes Hannovius) (*ca. 1524 – †1575), nephew of Ioannes Dantiscus (son of Anna), who financed his education in Kulm; in 1541 immatriculated at the Cracow University; probably worked at the royal chancellery; 1546 Ermland canon (KOPICZKO 2, p. 108)⌋ gero, ut ad fraternam convinctionem nihil reliquum sit. Numquam sine muto magistro conspicimur, quem loquacem uterque facimus, ego quaerendo, ille respondendo, mutua hac confabulatione nihil dulcius, quae ut inter nos perpetua sit.

Tuae Celsitudinis suffragium efficeret, sed manus dolore victas vix duco. Dum enim haec maestus ex tam repentino amici funere scribo, irrumpit Mauritius Knobelsdorf younger brother of Eustachius and Sebastian Knobelsdorf⌊frater iunior MauritiusMauritius Knobelsdorf younger brother of Eustachius and Sebastian Knobelsdorf⌋, quem hic apud me alo, ac clamitans, flens, eiu[lans] mortem Sebastianus Knobelsdorf (†1546)⌊fratris SebastianiSebastianus Knobelsdorf (†1546)⌋ Gdańsk (Danzig, Dantiscum), city in northern Poland, on the Bay of Gdańsk at the mouth of the Vistula, on the Baltic, the biggest and wealthiest of the three Great Prussian Cities (Gdańsk, Thorn (Toruń), and Elbing (Elbląg)) with representation in the Council of Royal Prussia; a member of the Hanseatic League⌊DantisciGdańsk (Danzig, Dantiscum), city in northern Poland, on the Bay of Gdańsk at the mouth of the Vistula, on the Baltic, the biggest and wealthiest of the three Great Prussian Cities (Gdańsk, Thorn (Toruń), and Elbing (Elbląg)) with representation in the Council of Royal Prussia; a member of the Hanseatic League⌋ defuncti nuntiat, quae me res iam dolore fractum et confectum pene exanimat. Nescio, an consultum sit hoc Anna Schonjohann mother of Eustathius Knobelsdorf (PSB 13, p. 129)⌊matriAnna Schonjohann mother of Eustathius Knobelsdorf (PSB 13, p. 129)⌋, praesertim si domesticis curis distringatur, detegere. Egomet quoque mereor, ne quid hauserim ex anhelitu Mauritius Ferber Jr (*ca. 1516 – †1546), studied in Leipzig; resided in Frauenburg since 1538; 1531 Ermland canon; chancellor of the chapter (KOPICZKO 2, p. 72; SBKW, p. 59)⌊domini MauritiiMauritius Ferber Jr (*ca. 1516 – †1546), studied in Leipzig; resided in Frauenburg since 1538; 1531 Ermland canon; chancellor of the chapter (KOPICZKO 2, p. 72; SBKW, p. 59)⌋, a quo numquam discedebam, quod me in caeleste illud beatissimarum animarum consortium et domicilium brevi rapiet, faxit Jesus of Nazareth (Jesus Christ), in Christianity the Messiah foretold in the Old Testament⌊ChristusJesus of Nazareth (Jesus Christ), in Christianity the Messiah foretold in the Old Testament⌋ modo feliciter. Valeat Celsitudo Tua, cui me ex animo commendo.

Datae in Frauenburg (Frombork, Varmia, Warmia), town in Ermland, on the Vistula Lagoon, Ermland bishopric see⌊FravenborgkFrauenburg (Frombork, Varmia, Warmia), town in Ermland, on the Vistula Lagoon, Ermland bishopric see⌋, Anno 1546, Aprilis 14.

Reverendissimae Paternitatis Tuae deditissimus verna et cliens Eustathius Knobelsdorf (Constans Alliopagus) (*1519 – †1571), neo-Latin poet, studied at the universities in Frankfurt an der Oder (1534-1544), Wittenberg (1538), Leipzig, Louvain (1540), Paris, and Orleans; from 1533 Dantiscus provided financial support for his education; 1544 secretary of the Ermland (Warmia) Chapter; 1546 Canon of Ermland; 1546 Canon of Wrocław (Breslau); 1546-1548 Chancellor of the Ermland Chapter; 1548-1551 administrator of the Chapter's estate in Allenstein (Olsztyn); 1552 Custos of Ermland; 1553 Vicar General of the bishopric of Ermland; 1558-1564 administrator of the diocese of Ermland in the absence of Bishop Stanisław Hozjusz; 1559 Chancellor of the Wrocław Chapter; 1565 Dean of the Wrocław Chapter; 1567 General Judicial Vicar of the diocese of Wrocław (BORAWSKA 1996 Życie, p. 70, 103; KOPICZKO 2, p. 152; SBKW, p. 152; KNOBELSDORF)⌊Eustathius a KnobelsdorfEustathius Knobelsdorf (Constans Alliopagus) (*1519 – †1571), neo-Latin poet, studied at the universities in Frankfurt an der Oder (1534-1544), Wittenberg (1538), Leipzig, Louvain (1540), Paris, and Orleans; from 1533 Dantiscus provided financial support for his education; 1544 secretary of the Ermland (Warmia) Chapter; 1546 Canon of Ermland; 1546 Canon of Wrocław (Breslau); 1546-1548 Chancellor of the Ermland Chapter; 1548-1551 administrator of the Chapter's estate in Allenstein (Olsztyn); 1552 Custos of Ermland; 1553 Vicar General of the bishopric of Ermland; 1558-1564 administrator of the diocese of Ermland in the absence of Bishop Stanisław Hozjusz; 1559 Chancellor of the Wrocław Chapter; 1565 Dean of the Wrocław Chapter; 1567 General Judicial Vicar of the diocese of Wrocław (BORAWSKA 1996 Życie, p. 70, 103; KOPICZKO 2, p. 152; SBKW, p. 152; KNOBELSDORF)⌋