» CORPUS of Ioannes Dantiscus' Texts & Correspondence
Copyright © Laboratory for Source Editing and Digital Humanities AL UW

All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any other information storage and retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the publisher.

Letter #5201

Ioannes DANTISCUS to Albrecht I von Hohenzollern-Ansbach
Heilsberg (Lidzbark Warmiński), 1538-09-19


Manuscript sources:
1fair copy in German, in secretary's hand, GStA PK, XX. HA Hist. StA Königsberg, HBA, C 1, No. 522

Auxiliary sources:
1register in German, GStA PK, XX. HA Hist. StA Königsberg, Ostpr. Fol., 14 320, f. 27v

Prints:
1HARTMANN 1525-1550 No. 522, p. 291 (German register)

 

Text & apparatus & commentaryPlain textText & commentaryText & apparatus

 

Dem durchlauchtenn, hochgebornen fursten und herrnn, herrnn 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)AlbrechtennAlbrecht 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), / von Gots gnadenn marggraff zcu BrandenburgBrandenburgBrandenburg, / in Prussia, region in central Europe, bordered by Pomerania, Poland, Lithuania and Livonia. From 1466 Prussia was divided into Royal Prussia (Prussia Regalis), which was a part of the Kingdom of Poland, and Teutonic Prussia (Prussia Ordinis Theutonici) – covering the remnants of the former territory of the Teutonic Order’s state in Prussia. In 1525, the Order’s last Grand Master, Albrecht von Hohenzollern, converted to Lutheranism and became the first lay duke in former Teutonic Prussia (dux in Prussia), which from then on was called Ducal Prussia (Prussia Ducalis). At that time, as a result of the treaty of Cracow, Ducal Prussia became a fief of the kings of PolandPrewssenPrussia, region in central Europe, bordered by Pomerania, Poland, Lithuania and Livonia. From 1466 Prussia was divided into Royal Prussia (Prussia Regalis), which was a part of the Kingdom of Poland, and Teutonic Prussia (Prussia Ordinis Theutonici) – covering the remnants of the former territory of the Teutonic Order’s state in Prussia. In 1525, the Order’s last Grand Master, Albrecht von Hohenzollern, converted to Lutheranism and became the first lay duke in former Teutonic Prussia (dux in Prussia), which from then on was called Ducal Prussia (Prussia Ducalis). At that time, as a result of the treaty of Cracow, Ducal Prussia became a fief of the kings of Poland, zu StettinStethinStettin, / PomeraniaPomernPomerania, der The Kashubians autochthon Slavic people that inhabite Kashubia – land in Gdańsk Pomerania and the eastern part of Western PomeraniaCassubenThe Kashubians autochthon Slavic people that inhabite Kashubia – land in Gdańsk Pomerania and the eastern part of Western Pomerania und The Wends WendenThe Wends hertzog, burggraff zu Nuremberg (Nürnberg, Norimberga), city in Germany, BavariaNormbergkNuremberg (Nürnberg, Norimberga), city in Germany, Bavaria / und furst zu RügenRugenRügen, unnserm gunstigen, lieben herrnn und freunndt

Durchlauchter, hochgeborner furst, gunstigerr, lÿber her und freundt. / Unser freuntschafftliche dinst zuvorannn. /

Was uns Ewer Furstliche Durchlaucht den XVI dits mit eingelegter supplication der Königsberg Town Council ersamen von KonspergkKönigsberg Town Council zu cf. Albrecht I von Hohenzollern-Ansbach to Ioannes DANTISCUS Königsberg, 1538-09-16, CIDTC IDL 4935geschrybencf. Albrecht I von Hohenzollern-Ansbach to Ioannes DANTISCUS Königsberg, 1538-09-16, CIDTC IDL 4935, / habenn wir lesende dysenn thag entpfangennn / und zu guther mass vornhomenn. / Bedunckt uns, Ewer Durchlaucht seÿ zu milde bericht, / das wir der selbtennn underthann allem unser merckte haben lassen vorbythenn, / so wir die von wegenn gifftigerr lufft, / dÿ in etlichen fleckenn und dorffernn hirumb, / so wol Ewer Furstliche Durchlaucht, alse der unsernn, / und nemlich zu 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 LeagueDantzkeGdańsk (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, / do der gemein man inss meyste sein handel sucht und treibt, / uber handt genomen, / den unsernn alse andern gantz haben nider gelegt / und nicht zu halten / uff dismal abgethann, / biss sich Gott uber unss erbarme / und solche straff genediglich von unss wende, / welchs so wol Ewer Furstliche Durchlaucht underthannn, wÿ den unsern zu gutt geschenn, / domit eynner von dem andrenn infectionn zu denn seinnen nicht brennge, / wÿ dan Ewer Furstliche Durchlaucht, alse unss ÿst angetzeigt, / beÿ den yrennn auch zu thun befolhenn, / derwegen hirÿnne kein eygener, sender gemeÿnerr nutz gesucht wirdt, / dÿweÿl so wol denn unsernn, wÿ dem andern solche merckte vorbottenn. /

Das aber zuvor etliche unser underthann sich in vordechtliche solche sterblicheit wider unser vorbott gen Königsberg (Królewiec, Mons Regius, Regiomontium), city in Ducal Prussia, on the mouth of the Pregel (Pregoła) river, capital city of Ducal Prussia; today Kaliningrad in RussiaKonsspergKönigsberg (Królewiec, Mons Regius, Regiomontium), city in Ducal Prussia, on the mouth of the Pregel (Pregoła) river, capital city of Ducal Prussia; today Kaliningrad in Russia begeben, / wor dy sein, tragen wir kein wÿssen, / haltens aber dovor, / das dÿ selbtigen in unsere stet, / nemlich / Rössel (Reszel), town in Ermland (Warmia), 55 km NE of Allenstein (Olsztyn), on the border with Ducal PrussiaResselRössel (Reszel), town in Ermland (Warmia), 55 km NE of Allenstein (Olsztyn), on the border with Ducal Prussia, Braunsberg (Braniewo), town in Ermland (Warmia), 19 km NE of Elbing (Elbląg), port on the Vistula Lagoon, a member of the Hanseatic LeagueBraunsbergkBraunsberg (Braniewo), town in Ermland (Warmia), 19 km NE of Elbing (Elbląg), port on the Vistula Lagoon, a member of the Hanseatic League und ander, / im den dyse plage angegangen, / solche vorgifftung eingebracht. / Solten dan dÿ jarmerckte freÿ sein / und von allen seythennn leuthe zu samne komen, / hat Ewer Furstliche Durchlaucht yren hohenn vorstandt nach zu bedencken, / wass eÿnnerr nicht brochte ader nheme, / das thet der ander, / und wurd so ein gemein sterbenn ( do unss Got wolle vor behuthen ) im lande erschenn, / welchs grossern schaden, dan ein offner krieg pflegt zu thun etc. Wo durch gemeÿne sterblicheit jung und aldt wirdt weg genhomenn, / do bleÿben dÿ hubenn lenger wuster, / dan in kriegss gelaufftennn, / noch welchen / yo / dÿ jugent bleÿbt / und bawt wider an, / wÿ solchs Ewer Furstliche Durchlaucht bass vorstett / ane unserr slechts antzeÿgen etc.

Wan auch dermass von wegen boser und erschrecklicherr lufft Ewer Furstliche Durchlaucht auss gleichmessiger ursachen ÿre merckte wirdt legennn, / sol uns nichts beswerennn. / Wollenn auch dorumb Ewer Furstliche Durchlaucht danckbar sein, / domit wir hie im lande guthe gesuntheÿtt allenthalbennn mochten behalthen. / Wÿ gestreng und vorsichtiglich es anderswo / in solchem fhal der gÿfft wirdt gehalthennn, / yst Ewer Furstlichen Durchlaucht unvorborgennn, / dÿ wir byttenn, dÿsenn unsern bericht / uns wolde zu gutt haldennn, / dergleichen wir auch in freuntlicher wilferung gen Ewer Furstliche Durchlaucht, der wir in allem gern gefallennn, / mit der thadt wollen werden befunden. /

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 ErmlandIoannessIoannes 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, von Gots gnadennn byschoff zu Ermland (Warmia, Varmia), diocese and ecclesiastical principality in northeastern Poland, 1466-1772 within the Kingdom of Poland, Royal PrussiaErmelandtErmland (Warmia, Varmia), diocese and ecclesiastical principality in northeastern Poland, 1466-1772 within the Kingdom of Poland, Royal Prussia