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Letter #3065

[Ioannes DANTISCUS] to [Samuel MACIEJOWSKI]
s.l., 1547-03-18

English register:

Dantiscus’ friends have recommended to him the case of the Gdańsk (Danzig) citizen Hans Keting, who is litigating over his mother’s inheritance with his half-sisters. On their suggestion, he referred the matter to arbitrators, yet after eight years he has obtained nothing, having incurred considerable costs to the detriment of his younger brother’s sons. Dantiscus deplores the fact that legal proceedings in his native city get protracted to an extent where one of the parties becomes worn down financially despite having just cause.

The friends mentioned above have asked Dantiscus to ask the addressee to intercede before the king on Keting’s behalf. The protracted dispute can only be brought to a conclusion if, by the monarch’s decision, the matter is referred to the councillors of Royal Prussia for resolution.

Keting is carrying with him the draft documents concerning this referral, which he would want to be issued under the [royal] seal. Dantiscus asks the addressee to make any appropriate amendments.

The documents should be issued sufficiently in advance for the matter to be considered by the councillors of Royal Prussia at the next Diet [of Royal Prussia], convened for the feast of Saint Stanislaus [8 May 1547]. Dantiscus assures him that he and Keting will not fail to show their gratitude.




Manuscript sources:
1rough draft in Latin, in secretary's hand, AAWO, AB, D. 70, f. 260r (t.p.)

Auxiliary sources:
1register in German, 20th-century, B. PAU-PAN, 8250 (TK 12), f. 369

 

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

 

AAWO, AB, D. 70, f. 260r

Reverendissime etc.

Commendarunt mihi amici mei huius boni viri Hans Keting burgher of Gdańsk⌊Ioannis KetingsHans Keting burgher of Gdańsk⌋ civis Gedanensis causam, qui varie et iniquissime a sororibus suis uterinis et compromissariis, in quos, earum persuasione inductus, compro written over i⌈ioo written over i⌉misit, exagitatur, ita ut iam per integrum octennium, quo tempore non parvas exposuit expensas fecit, nihil de hereditate et portione materna consequi potue written over i⌈iee written over i⌉rit, in maximum eius liberorum suorum et nepotis ex fratre minorennis on the margin⌈liberorum suorum et nepotis ex fratre minorennisliberorum suorum et nepotis ex fratre minorennis on the margin⌉ detrimentum et praeiudicium. Et certe miserandum est, quod in ea Gdańsk (Danzig, Dantiscum), city in northern Poland, on the Baltic Sea, at the mouth of the Vistula on the Bay of Gdańsk, the largest and wealthiest of the three Great Prussian Cities, alongside Thorn (Toruń) and Elbing (Elbląg); represented in the Council of Royal Prussia and a member of the Hanseatic League⌊civitate patr written over e⌈err written over e⌉ia meaGdańsk (Danzig, Dantiscum), city in northern Poland, on the Baltic Sea, at the mouth of the Vistula on the Bay of Gdańsk, the largest and wealthiest of the three Great Prussian Cities, alongside Thorn (Toruń) and Elbing (Elbląg); represented in the Council of Royal Prussia and a member of the Hanseatic League⌋ eousque lites protrahantur, donec altera partium penitus exhauriatur et ob contractam ex diuturnis litibus paupertatem a iustissimis actionibus et causis plerumque superinscribed⌈plerumqueplerumque superinscribed⌉ desistere multi superinscribed⌈multimulti superinscribed⌉ cogantur.

Qua re[1] plurimum me rogarunt praenominati amici mei hac occasione moti plurimum me rogarunt on the margin⌈hac occasione superinscribed in place of crossed-out ... and then crossed-out⌈... illegible⌈...... illegible⌉ occasione occasione superinscribed in place of crossed-out ... and then crossed-out⌉ moti plurimum me rogarunthac occasione moti plurimum me rogarunt on the margin⌉, ut eundem apud Reverendissimam Dominationem Vestram ita superinscribed⌈itaita superinscribed⌉ promoverem, quo illa superinscribed in place of crossed-out illa⌈illa illa illa superinscribed in place of crossed-out illa⌉ Hans Keting burgher of Gdańsk⌊eiusHans Keting burgher of Gdańsk⌋ patrocinium apud serenissimam 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⌊regiam maiestatemSigismund 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⌋ susciperet atque illi obtinere atque eum superinscribed⌈eumeum superinscribed⌉ iuvaret, ut tandem in a diuturnis litibus liberari et earum finem consequi possi written over e⌈eii written over e⌉t. Quod nulla alia ratione fieri posse persuasum habet, nisi auctoritate regiaea cogni, causa inter ipsum et eius sorores, tum etiam compromissi, Council of Royal Prussia the principal local authority in Royal Prussia. It consisted of two bishops: of Ermland (Warmia), who served as president of the Council, and of Kulm (Chełmno); three voivodes: of Kulm, Marienburg (Malbork), and Pomerania; three castellans: of Kulm, Elbing (Elbląg), and Gdańsk (Danzig); three chamberlains: of Kulm, Marienburg, and Pomerania; and representatives of the three Great Prussian Cities: Gdańsk, Thorn (Toruń), and Elbing (ACHREMCZYK 2016, p. 17-18)⌊dominis harum terrarum consiliariisCouncil of Royal Prussia the principal local authority in Royal Prussia. It consisted of two bishops: of Ermland (Warmia), who served as president of the Council, and of Kulm (Chełmno); three voivodes: of Kulm, Marienburg (Malbork), and Pomerania; three castellans: of Kulm, Elbing (Elbląg), and Gdańsk (Danzig); three chamberlains: of Kulm, Marienburg, and Pomerania; and representatives of the three Great Prussian Cities: Gdańsk, Thorn (Toruń), and Elbing (ACHREMCZYK 2016, p. 17-18)⌋ decidenda committatur.

Ad quam rem iam exempla superinscribed in place of crossed-out confectam conscriptam⌈confectam conscriptam superinscribed⌈ conscriptam conscriptam superinscribed⌉ exempla exempla superinscribed in place of crossed-out confectam conscriptam⌉ commissionis written over em⌈emisis written over em⌉ et quorun adscribed in place of crossed-out ae⌈aeorunorun adscribed in place of crossed-out ae⌉dam mandatorum written over a⌈aorumorum written over a⌉, quae sub sigillo iudicio tamen Reverendissimae Dominationis Vestrae prius accedente on the margin⌈iudicio tamen Reverendissimae Dominationis Vestrae prius accedenteiudicio tamen Reverendissimae Dominationis Vestrae prius accedente on the margin⌉ sibi extradi petit, secum adfert. Qui Ea ut ita exemplo descripta et sigillata superinscribed in place of crossed-out ipsi Dominationis Vestrae Reverendissimae, quae illi etiam alias satis propensa est, concedantur, plurimum oro, opera,⌈ipsi Dominationis Vestrae Reverendissimae, quae illi etiam alias satis propensa est, superinscribed⌈, quae illi etiam alias satis propensa est,, quae illi etiam alias satis propensa est, superinscribed⌉ concedantur, plurimum oro, opera, ... illegible⌈...... illegible⌉ exemplo descripta et sigillata exemplo descripta et sigillata superinscribed in place of crossed-out ipsi Dominationis Vestrae Reverendissimae, quae illi etiam alias satis propensa est, concedantur, plurimum oro, opera,⌉ opera obtineat si ... descripta et pro arbitrio Reverendissimae Dominationis Vestrae immutata on the margin⌈si ... illegible⌈...... illegible⌉ descripta et pro arbitrio Reverendissimae Dominationis Vestrae immutatasi ... descripta et pro arbitrio Reverendissimae Dominationis Vestrae immutata on the margin⌉, plurimum oro et ut Hans Keting burgher of Gdańsk⌊eumHans Keting burgher of Gdańsk⌋ in superinscribed⌈inin superinscribed⌉ tu written over a⌈auu written over a⌉m meo, tum superinscribed in place of crossed-out quam⌈quam tum tum superinscribed in place of crossed-out quam⌉ iustitiae nomine, quam solam sibi administrari cupit, commendatum habeat, plurimum oro.

Quod Reverendissimam sponte Reverendissimam Dominationem Vestram facturam cum sciam Nec dubito Reverendissimam Dominationem Vestram id sponte facturam esse, cum iusti Hans Keting burgher of Gdańsk⌊eiusHans Keting burgher of Gdańsk⌋ causae semper benevoluerit et libenter oppressis operam suam impartiat, hic autem, omnium ope destitutus, ad solam Reverendissimam Dominationem Vestram ut ad sacram anchoram confugit. Quae Hans Keting burgher of Gdańsk⌊eumHans Keting burgher of Gdańsk⌋ etiam maturius expedire dignetur, quo haec eius causa coram Council of Royal Prussia the principal local authority in Royal Prussia. It consisted of two bishops: of Ermland (Warmia), who served as president of the Council, and of Kulm (Chełmno); three voivodes: of Kulm, Marienburg (Malbork), and Pomerania; three castellans: of Kulm, Elbing (Elbląg), and Gdańsk (Danzig); three chamberlains: of Kulm, Marienburg, and Pomerania; and representatives of the three Great Prussian Cities: Gdańsk, Thorn (Toruń), and Elbing (ACHREMCZYK 2016, p. 17-18)⌊dominis consiliariis harum terrarumCouncil of Royal Prussia the principal local authority in Royal Prussia. It consisted of two bishops: of Ermland (Warmia), who served as president of the Council, and of Kulm (Chełmno); three voivodes: of Kulm, Marienburg (Malbork), and Pomerania; three castellans: of Kulm, Elbing (Elbląg), and Gdańsk (Danzig); three chamberlains: of Kulm, Marienburg, and Pomerania; and representatives of the three Great Prussian Cities: Gdańsk, Thorn (Toruń), and Elbing (ACHREMCZYK 2016, p. 17-18)⌋ in proximo Provincial Diet of Royal Prussia ⌊conventuProvincial Diet of Royal Prussia ⌋ pro 1547-05-08⌊divi Stanislai ms. Stanislao(!) ⌈StanislaiStanislai ms. Stanislao(!) ⌉ festo1547-05-08⌋ celebrando proponatur. Quod ego una cum Hans Keting burgher of Gdańsk⌊illoHans Keting burgher of Gdańsk⌋ semper omni studio et diligentia on the margin⌈omni studio et diligentiaomni studio et diligentia on the margin⌉ promereri nitemur erga Reverendissimam Dominationem Vestram.

Quae be Quam longo tempore superinscribed in place of crossed-out bene et feliciter valere⌈bene et feliciter valere longo tempore longo tempore superinscribed in place of crossed-out bene et feliciter valere⌉ cum omnium rerum felici superinscribed⌈felicifelici superinscribed⌉ successu prosperrime valere superinscribed⌈prosperrime valereprosperrime valere superinscribed⌉ opto ex animo.

[1] Qua re ms corrected from Quare