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Letter #5685

[Ioannes DANTISCUS] to [Samuel MACIEJOWSKI]
Heilsberg (Lidzbark Warmiński), 1539-06-24

English register:

Supporting the requests expressed in the [Royal Prussian] councillors’ open letter to the King [Sigismund I Jagiellon], Dantiscus asks the addressee for help in persuading the ruler to look more kindly than previously upon their wish regarding moving the Diet [of Royal Prussia] to St. Michael’s Day [September 29], and also to ensure that the opinion of the Prussian councillors is taken into consideration when dividing offices following the death of Ludwig von Mortangen (Mortęski), Castellan of Elbing (Elbląg).

He asks once again for help with achieving a positive resolution to the matter of Lake Drużno (Drausen), in which the Castellan of Gdańsk (Danzig) [Achatius von Zehmen (Cema)] is interested.

Dantiscus asks the addressee to defend him before those who are making him solely responsible for decisions made collectively by the [Prussian] councillors. He warns that if they have to write jointly to the King on every matter, the resultant delays will be detrimental to the ruler’s affairs and thus also to the state.

Dantiscus makes his excuses to Maciejowski for having used the hand of a scribe in his letter to him and the King, the reason being his impaired sight. He indicates that soon he and [Tiedemann Giese] will recount the reprehensible conduct they both experienced as bishops of Kulm (Chełmno) from the King’s subjects living there.

Dantiscus also expects the addressee’s help in connection with the spreading of Lutheranism among the elite in [Royal Prussia].




Manuscript sources:
1rough draft in Latin, autograph, AAWO, AB, D. 68, f. 279v (t.p.)
2office copy in Latin, in secretary's hand, AAWO, AB, D. 68, p. 279v, left margin
3copy in Latin, 20th-century, B. PAU-PAN, 8243 (TK 5), a.1539, f. 32-33

Auxiliary sources:
1register in German, 20th-century, B. PAU-PAN, 8249 (TK 11), f. 107

Prints:
1CEID 1/2 No. 70, p. 252-254 (in extenso; English register)
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