Letter #752
Cornelis DE SCHEPPER to Ioannes DANTISCUSBrussels, 1532-02-18
English register:
De Schepper is back in Brussels at last after a difficult mission. On his journey back he reported on the situation in Switzerland and Italy to the King of the Romans [Ferdinand] and to the Emperor [Charles V], whom he met in Mauence. Both Princes appreciated De Schepper's judgment. The Emperor granted him a leave of six weeks, whereafter he should join the court again, presumably for another assignment relating to the Swiss problem. He recommends that Dantiscus defer his departure until April. Then, they can travel to the imperial court together. Moreover, in the current winter season travelling is very uncomfortable and dangerous, as De Schepper has experienced during his journey. He is staying in Brussels for several days, where he will try to obtain the payment of a sum that is due to him.
On his way back, he was the guest of the Prince-Bishop of Liège [Erard de la Marck], who strongly urged De Schepper to inform Dantiscus that he can provide him with money when necessary. The Prince-Bishop invites Dantiscus to spend Lent with him at his castle in Kuringen. He can provide Dantiscus with everything his status requires. De Schepper insists that Dantiscus should accept the Prince-Bishop’s offer, and gives some travelling advice.
In Liège De Schepper met the son of the Castellan of Biecz [Mikołaj Myszkowski, son of Wawrzyniec Myszkowski], who was employed by the Prince-Bishop on the recommendation of Dantiscus. The boy enjoys the particular attention and the full confidence of his employer, proof that the latter holds Dantiscus in high esteem.
Dantiscus attaches too much importance to the planned conference in Passau: neither the delegates [of King Ferdinand] - the Bishop of Ljubljana [Christoph Rauber], [Sigmund von] Dieterichstein, [Sigmund von] Herberstein, Beat [Widmann] and Alexius Thurzó - nor the envoys of the Emperor - Count Palatine Friedrich and the Bishop of Speyer [Philipp von Flersheim] - have already left for there. It is rumoured that Krzysztof Szydłowiecki and others will attend the meeting on behalf of the Polish King [Sigismund I].
Because of his misconduct during his last embassy Hieronim Łaski is now loathed by the King of the Romans and those who used to admire [or mistrust?] (suspiciebant) him. Not only has he negotiated in Augsburg with representatives of Lutheran princes and cities, and with enemies of the Empire, such as the followers of Hans Thomas von Absberg and Hans Thomas von Rosenberg, but he has moreover suggested that he holds the keys to war and peace with the Turks. He was, however, unable to present a mandate when asked by the King of Romans. Upon this the King publicly expressed his disapproval of the actions of Łaski, who then left the Austrian court and threatened to lead the Turks into Austria to avenge his honour. Consequently, there is not much hope for negotiations.
De Schepper would like to meet Dantiscus before his departure. His thoughts will always be with him. He advises Dantiscus once again not to leave so early in the year, and he insists that he should accept the offer of the Prince-Bishop of Liège.
| received Antwerp, 1532-02-19 Manuscript sources:
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Text & apparatus & commentaryPlain textText & commentaryText & apparatus
Reverendissimo [in Ch]risto Patri et Domino, domino Ioanni [Dan]tisco episcopo Culmensi, serenissimorum [Polon]iae regum oratori et consili[ario] etc., domino honorandissimo
Anntorff
Salutem plurimam.
Post plurimos labores tandem veni Bruxellam, nam cum principio ad regem Rhomanorum divertissem exposuissemque illi, quaecumque occurrebant circa negotium Helvetiorum et res Italiae, deinde illud idem copiosius ipsi caesareae maiestati Moguntiae. Placuit utrisque consilium meum bonaque gratia caesaris assecutus sum commeatum ad hebdomadas sex, tunc iussus redire ad aulam, forte iterum pro Helveticis rebus, quas aut movere, aut infringere hoc tempore est impossibile.
Audio vero te parare abitionem, id quod nequaquam consulo, nam etiam si ad mensem Aprilem exspectes, ita venies in aulam, ut olim Cicero in castra Pompeii, hoc certissime tibi persuade, habebisque tunc me comitem itineris. Deinde pro certissimo habe itinera esse pessima et incommodissima hoc tempore adeo, ut sine gravissimo discrimine vitae aut equo insidere, aut plaustro vehi non possis. Experto crede, qui ipse crediturus non fuissem, nisi magno meo cum metu et periculo didicissem. Tantum ubique est nivium et gelu, non adeo induratae sunt viae, ut equum ferre possint. Solum inter Coloniam et Bruxellas aliquoties cecidi, familiaris etiam periclitatus est, id quod in toto itinere mihi numquam fere prius intervenit. Sed pro prudentia tua facile scis, quid tibi incumbat. Tantum id mihi nuntia, qui aliquot diebus adhuc hic sum futurus resciturus, an possim ex his praefectis aerario extorquere, quod mihi debent.
In itinere fui apud reverendissimum cardinalem Leodiensem die integro, nam id volebat. Is mihi iniunxit serio, non verbis utens, sed integre et sincere, prout virum bonum decet, rogavit etiam et omnino mandavit, ut tibi dicerem, si pecuniam non haberes honori tuo et reputationi, quam hactenus habuisti, sufficientem, significares, sese eam tibi suffecturum habiturumque singularis beneficii loco, quod suo officio non eris dedignatus uti. Deinde transeas per Curingam, arcem ipsius, quae est in recto itinere tuo ab oppido Diest ad Mastricht prope Hassel, et illic cum eo transigas Quadragesimam. Sese scire in aliena patria constitutis aliquando non omnia adesse. Praeter ea, quae tibi necessaria sunt, suffecturum, quibus possis pro meritis tuis et pro ea, quae tibi convenit reputatione, munitus esse. Ista non iniunxit, quo modo solent, qui nolunt officium nisi verbo testari, sed animo integro et tibi affecto, magno cum praeconio virtutum tuarum et ministrante illi Polono illo, quem tu promovisti ad ipsius servitium, filio, ni fallor, castellani Byecensis, quem tui causa facit maximum, et id mihi dixit illo praesente. Nam quod ad iuvenem attinet, non video, cur illum debeat praeferre palatinis Rheni, ducibus Bavariae et comiti Reyngrave, quorum liberos apud se habet, praeter alios nostratis nobilitatis comites, quos vestris cedere non puto et bene scio.
Cum illo solus pransus sum et cenatus, neque alium admittebat ministrum (nam vetitis vescebatur), nisi illum, sive quod iuvenem illum vult bene instituere, sive quod multum tribuit fidei Polonicae, quorum utrumque facit tui causa non illius, quem non nisi nomine tuo et commendatione novit.
Non sum, qui possum tibi consulere, tamen rogo, habe rationem valetudinis tuae, nam ex affectu haec ad te scribo.
Scio, quod de conventu Pataviensi plura tibi persuadeas, sed nihil est. Nam qui ibi fuere ordinati, episcopus Labacensis, Dieterichstein, Herbestein, doctor Beatus, Alexius Thurso, nondum abiere, sicut neque Fridericus palatinus Rheni et episcopus Spirensis, qui ibidem sunt ex parte caesaris futuri. De parte vestra rumor est futurum Christophorum de Schydloviecz et alios. Hieronymus Lasky novissima legatione tam male se gessit, ut sit regi Rhomanorum et omnibus, qui eum ante suspiciebant, redditus exosus. Is praeterquam, quod venit Augustam Vindelicorum tractavitque cum Lutheranis oratoribus principum et civitatum omnium, quod ex commeatu facere prohibebatur, et cum hostibus imperii declaratis, scilicet clientibus Ioannis Thomae de Asberg, quem aliquando tibi dixi occisum a Iudaeis in Bohemia apud oppidum Tachou in vico Cleynchedlitz, dum istic essem, et Ioanne Thoma de Rosembergk, passim seminavit in suis manibus sitam esse pacem et bellum cum Turca, et cum requireretur a rege Rhomanorum ut mandatum depromeret, non potuit, et protestatus est rex Rhomanorum coram suis consiliariis per se non stare, quominus consulatur tranquillitati publicae, illum vero solum fallaciis uti. Ita abiit noster Lasky, qui dixit se Turcas induxisse in Austriam, ut suo honori satisfaceret.
De nostris rebus ita habe neminem illic esse, qui tractet. Quid multi suspicentur, non te fugit, et ego illorum sententiae accedo.
Alibi video statum rerum, de quo soliti sumus nonnumquam conqueri. Vellem autem omnino te convenire ante abitum tuum, si scirem, ubi locorum esses. Ubicumque vero futurus es, illic scito Cornelium animo esse. Uti vero dixi, non consulo, ut tam cito abeas, rogo vero, ne dedigneris officio cardinalis, uti nam is a me hoc postulavit, et ad te non scriberem, nisi tam serio iniunxisset.
Bene vale et, ut Cicerioniane dicam, me ama.
Ex Bruxellis, XVIII-a Februarii anno XV-c XXXII.
Tuus Cornelius