» 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 #614

Cornelis DE SCHEPPER to Ioannes DANTISCUS
Bruges, 1531-04-15

English register:

If De Schepper had known Dantiscus would come to Ghent before Easter, he would have postponed his departure to meet him there. But the Margave [Johann Albrecht of Brandenburg] had told him that Dantiscus would spend Easter in Antwerp.

The Emperor [Charles V] will not return to Ghent before Easter, so there is no reason why Dantiscus should not come and visit De Schepper tomorrow in Bruges. It is only a short journey. De Schepper will show him a gigantic and well-crafted globe. Whenever the Emperor returns, he will accompany Dantiscus back to Ghent.

All his acquaintances in Bruges insist that Dantiscus should come. There is a lot worth seeing; a crossing to Zeeland is easily possible. De Schepper will answer the Ciceronian letter [or: will answer in a more Ciceronian style?] (Ciceronianis litteris) when he is in the mood for it.

De Schepper’s wife [Elisabeth Donche] and her sister [Joanna] send Dantiscus greetings and wait impatiently for his visit.


            received Ghent (Gandavum), [1531]-04-15

Manuscript sources:
1fair copy in Latin, autograph, AAWO, AB, D. 3, f. 44
2copy in Latin, 20th-century, B. PAU-PAN, 8242 (TK 4), a.1531, f. 24 (t.p.)

Auxiliary sources:
1register in German, 20th-century, B. PAU-PAN, 8246 (TK 8), f. 319
2register in English, 20th-century, CBKUL, R.III, 31, No. 235

Prints:
1DE VOCHT 1961 No. DE, 116, p. 71 (English register)
2CEID 2/2 (Letter No. 27) p. 143-144 (in extenso; English register)

 

Text & apparatus & commentaryPlain textText & commentaryText & apparatus

 

AAWO, AB, D.3, f. 44v

Reverendissimo in Chris paper damaged⌈[Chris]Chris paper damaged⌉to Patri et 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 episcopo Cul paper damaged⌈[Cul]Cul paper damaged⌉mensiIoannes 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⌋, serenissimorum 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⌊Poloniae regisSigismund 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⌋ et 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⌊regi paper damaged⌈[regi]regi paper damaged⌉naeBona 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⌋ oratori etc., domino tamquam orig. tanquam⌈tamquamtamquam orig. tanquam⌉ patri honorandissimo[1]

Doleo vehementer, quod nescierim te Ghent (Gent, Gand, Gandavum), city in the Low Countries, the County of Flanders, today in Belgium⌊GandauumGhent (Gent, Gand, Gandavum), city in the Low Countries, the County of Flanders, today in Belgium⌋ venturum fuisse ante hos dies sacros,[2] exspectassem orig. expectassem⌈exspectassemexspectassem orig. expectassem⌉ enim neque tantum accelerassem reditum, sed spem, quam semper habueram, ademerat mihi illustrissimus Johann Albrecht of Brandenburg-Ansbach (Johann Albrecht von Hohenzollern) (*1499 – †1550), son of Friedrich V, Margrave of Brandenburg and Sophia, daughter of Casimir IV Jagiellon, King of Poland; brother of Albrecht I von Hohenzollern Duke in Prussia; 1545-1550 archbishop of Magdeburg and bishop of Halberstadt ⌊marchioJohann Albrecht of Brandenburg-Ansbach (Johann Albrecht von Hohenzollern) (*1499 – †1550), son of Friedrich V, Margrave of Brandenburg and Sophia, daughter of Casimir IV Jagiellon, King of Poland; brother of Albrecht I von Hohenzollern Duke in Prussia; 1545-1550 archbishop of Magdeburg and bishop of Halberstadt ⌋ transacturum te dicens Pascha Antwerp (Antwerpen, Antverpia), city in the Low Countries, from 1315 a Hanseatic port, in the 16th century the centre of Brabant’s artistic life and the wealthiest trade city in Europe, today in northern Belgium⌊AntwerpiaeAntwerp (Antwerpen, Antverpia), city in the Low Countries, from 1315 a Hanseatic port, in the 16th century the centre of Brabant’s artistic life and the wealthiest trade city in Europe, today in northern Belgium⌋, quod mihi vero orig. vaero⌈verovero orig. vaero⌉ propius videbatur. Ex quo autem Charles V of Habsburg (*1500 – †1558), ruler of the Burgundian territories (1506-1555), King of Spain as Charles I (1516-1556), King of Naples and Sicily, King of the Romans (1519-1530), Holy Roman Emperor of the German Nation (elected 1519, crowned 1530, abdicated 1556); son of Philip I the Handsome and Joanna the Mad of Castile⌊caesarCharles V of Habsburg (*1500 – †1558), ruler of the Burgundian territories (1506-1555), King of Spain as Charles I (1516-1556), King of Naples and Sicily, King of the Romans (1519-1530), Holy Roman Emperor of the German Nation (elected 1519, crowned 1530, abdicated 1556); son of Philip I the Handsome and Joanna the Mad of Castile⌋ non ita brevi venturus est Ghent (Gent, Gand, Gandavum), city in the Low Countries, the County of Flanders, today in Belgium⌊GandauumGhent (Gent, Gand, Gandavum), city in the Low Countries, the County of Flanders, today in Belgium⌋, quid oberit, si 1531-04-16⌊cras1531-04-16⌋ Bruges (Brugia, Brugge), city in the Low Countries, in the County of Flanders, in the 13th-15th centuries one of the most important commercial ports and trading centres in Europe, today in Belgium⌊hucBruges (Brugia, Brugge), city in the Low Countries, in the County of Flanders, in the 13th-15th centuries one of the most important commercial ports and trading centres in Europe, today in Belgium⌋ ad nos venias, itinere non adeo longo et quod sex horis etiam pedes quis absolvat?[3] Idque ut facias, oramus vehementer.

Visurus es, ut alia omittam, globum magnum[4] et quo nullum maiorem vidisti umquam orig. unquam⌈umquamumquam orig. unquam⌉ neque tam bene depictum. Ego rursus te comitabor Ghent (Gent, Gand, Gandavum), city in the Low Countries, the County of Flanders, today in Belgium⌊GandauumGhent (Gent, Gand, Gandavum), city in the Low Countries, the County of Flanders, today in Belgium⌋, cumprimum Radom (Radomia), town in east-central Poland, Masovia, 100 km S of Warsaw⌊caesarRadom (Radomia), town in east-central Poland, Masovia, 100 km S of Warsaw⌋ advenerit. Interea non deerunt alia spectatu digna, quibus tempus fallemus. Proinde, si quid possunt preces meae Elisabeth Donche (Anna Isabella Donche, Isabeau) (†1549), from 1528 wife of Cornelis De Schepper, mother of Cornelis Jr and Anne, sister of Joanna Donche (AT 16/1, p. 215)⌊uxorisElisabeth Donche (Anna Isabella Donche, Isabeau) (†1549), from 1528 wife of Cornelis De Schepper, mother of Cornelis Jr and Anne, sister of Joanna Donche (AT 16/1, p. 215)⌋que et amicorum aliquot, qui Bruges (Brugia, Brugge), city in the Low Countries, in the County of Flanders, in the 13th-15th centuries one of the most important commercial ports and trading centres in Europe, today in Belgium⌊hicBruges (Brugia, Brugge), city in the Low Countries, in the County of Flanders, in the 13th-15th centuries one of the most important commercial ports and trading centres in Europe, today in Belgium⌋ sunt,[5] oro te vehementer, ut huc venias. Satis futurus es Ghent (Gent, Gand, Gandavum), city in the Low Countries, the County of Flanders, today in Belgium⌊GandauiGhent (Gent, Gand, Gandavum), city in the Low Countries, the County of Flanders, today in Belgium⌋, cum redierit Charles V of Habsburg (*1500 – †1558), ruler of the Burgundian territories (1506-1555), King of Spain as Charles I (1516-1556), King of Naples and Sicily, King of the Romans (1519-1530), Holy Roman Emperor of the German Nation (elected 1519, crowned 1530, abdicated 1556); son of Philip I the Handsome and Joanna the Mad of Castile⌊caesarCharles V of Habsburg (*1500 – †1558), ruler of the Burgundian territories (1506-1555), King of Spain as Charles I (1516-1556), King of Naples and Sicily, King of the Romans (1519-1530), Holy Roman Emperor of the German Nation (elected 1519, crowned 1530, abdicated 1556); son of Philip I the Handsome and Joanna the Mad of Castile⌋, interim te aliis imperti. Quod si etiam in animo habes hinc in Zeeland (Zealand, Selandia), county in the Low Countries, belonging to the Habsburg Netherlands, with Middleburg as its capital. It covers the islands in the estuary of the Schelde (Scheldt) and Maas (Meuse) rivers, today a province of the Netherlands⌊ZelandiamZeeland (Zealand, Selandia), county in the Low Countries, belonging to the Habsburg Netherlands, with Middleburg as its capital. It covers the islands in the estuary of the Schelde (Scheldt) and Maas (Meuse) rivers, today a province of the Netherlands⌋ traicere orig. traiicere⌈traiceretraicere orig. traiicere⌉, brevissimus erit traiectus iste et ego te non patiar solum traicere orig. traiicere⌈traiceretraicere orig. traiicere⌉, tantum veni de reliquo acturus pro arbitrio.

Litteris Ciceronianis conabor respondere, si quando sese mihi facilem(!) praebiturus est Cicero (Marcus Tullius Cicero) (*106 BC – †43 BC), Roman orator, writer and philosopher⌊CiceroCicero (Marcus Tullius Cicero) (*106 BC – †43 BC), Roman orator, writer and philosopher⌋.

Commendat sese tibi Elisabeth Donche (Anna Isabella Donche, Isabeau) (†1549), from 1528 wife of Cornelis De Schepper, mother of Cornelis Jr and Anne, sister of Joanna Donche (AT 16/1, p. 215)⌊uxorElisabeth Donche (Anna Isabella Donche, Isabeau) (†1549), from 1528 wife of Cornelis De Schepper, mother of Cornelis Jr and Anne, sister of Joanna Donche (AT 16/1, p. 215)⌋ et Joanna Donche sister of Elisabeth Donche⌊sororJoanna Donche sister of Elisabeth Donche⌋ orantque, ne tardes diutius.

Eiusdem Dominationis Vestrae Reverendissimae humilis inservitor Cornelis De Schepper (Cornelius Scepperus, Cornelis De Dobbele, Cornelius Duplicius) (*1503 – †1555), erudite, diplomat in the Habsburgs' service; close friend of Ioannes Dantiscus; initially in the service of Christian II of Oldenburg, King of Denmark; 1526 secretary and councillor to Emperor Charles V of Habsburg (CE, vol. 3, p. 218-220; DE VOCHT 1961, p. 15-24)⌊CorneliusCornelis De Schepper (Cornelius Scepperus, Cornelis De Dobbele, Cornelius Duplicius) (*1503 – †1555), erudite, diplomat in the Habsburgs' service; close friend of Ioannes Dantiscus; initially in the service of Christian II of Oldenburg, King of Denmark; 1526 secretary and councillor to Emperor Charles V of Habsburg (CE, vol. 3, p. 218-220; DE VOCHT 1961, p. 15-24)⌋

[1] Missing parts of the address supplied by the editor were written on a lost piece of paper through which the seal was impressed

[2] Easter 1531: 9 April.

[3] This is the same invitation as in De Schepper’s letter of 13 April 1531 (cf. Cornelis DE SCHEPPER to Ioannes DANTISCUS Bruges, [1531]-04-13, CIDTC IDL 612⌊IDL 612cf. Cornelis DE SCHEPPER to Ioannes DANTISCUS Bruges, [1531]-04-13, CIDTC IDL 612⌋).

[4] Probably the terrestrial globe constructed for Marcus Laurijn (person 163) (cf. also IDL ...) [Note to be elaborated].

[5] Note on Bruges humanist network around Marcus Laurijn to be elaborated.