Letter #755
Cornelis DE SCHEPPER to Ioannes DANTISCUSBrussels, 1532-02-21
English register:
As the rumour had circulated that Dantiscus had left, De Schepper is delighted to learn from his letter that Dantiscus is in good health, and is still staying in Antwerp. He refers to his previous letter in which he repeated the offer of the Prince-Bishop of Liège [Erard de la Marck] to Dantiscus.
He has not been able to obtain from the treasury-officials the payment of the amount owed to him. He wants to stay in Brussels and try to obtain a rapid settlement of the matter, as he fears that it will be postponed indefinitely when the Queen [Mary of Hungary] leaves for Antwerp or Flanders. His friends also advise him to handle this first, even before going home.
Hence, unless Dantiscus has to leave urgently, De Schepper will defer his visit to him a few days. The visit to Antwerp will also give him the opportunity to meet the Lord of Beveren [Adolf of Burgundy] to discuss this matter. Although De Schepper is very concerned about the poor health of his wife [Elisabeth Donche], this will not keep him from visiting Dantiscus before his departure. There is no reason why Dantiscus should hasten his departure for the sake of the Monteserico matter or the negotiations about Hungary. There is no evidence that this will be dealt with at court in the near future, and certainly not before ille [Emperor Charles V?] has made a break in his journey. Not even the King of the Romans [Ferdinand] or the Cardinal of Trent [Bernhard von Cles] know when that will happen. All De Schepper could find out at court is that the Emperor wants to go to Regensburg, which according to the Comendador of León [Francisco de los Cobos] will not happen soon. The King of the Romans will probably join the Emperor in Stuttgart, and they will see what the intentions of the German princes are. The Archbishop of Salzburg [Matthäus Lang] is trying to get the Bavarian princes back on the side of the Emperor.
Esslingen has chosen the side of the Protestants. De Schepper despairs of a good outcome to the Hungarian negotiations: in the assembly that is planned the Hungarians could as well agree on a third party. Regarding the meeting in Passau, De Schepper refers to his previous correspondence. The envoys of the Emperor have not yet left. Because of the departure of Hieronim Łaski, whose evil intentions are clear, and the lack of preparations at the imperial court, De Schepper is convinced that there will be no meeting at all.
The Venetians had spread the rumour of substantial Turkish war preparations. They were going to take significant measures in defense of their territory. In Italy, this seemed a confirmation of these rumours, but since they have now toned down their preparations, the situation appears to be less threatening. De Schepper gives an account of the recent itinerary of the Emperor, who was travelling from Mayence to Heidelberg, to spend Shrove Tuesday there. He had ordered his retinue to travel directly to Bruchsal via Speyer and expect him there. [Alfonso de] Valdés also took this route. De Schepper has met [Ulrich] Ehinger in Mayence. The Margrave [Johann Albrecht of Brandenburg] and the Archbishop of Mayence [Albrecht von Hohenzollern] have accompanied the Emperor on his departure from Mayence; the Margrave complained that he was unable to find out the intentions of the Emperor.
Andrea Doria was ordered to equip his ships; he received an annuity and the principality of Melfi. De Schepper thinks that the Pope [Clement VII] will meet the Emperor in Mantua. He fears the future: among other things, as it concerns the Lutherans.
| received Antwerp, 1532-02-22 Manuscript sources:
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Text & apparatus & commentaryPlain textText & commentaryText & apparatus
Reverendissimo in Christo Patri et Domino, domino Ioanni Dantisco episcopo Culmensi etc., domino et patri honorandissimo
Salutem plurimam.
Gratissimum mihi fuit ex litteris tuis intelligere bonam valetudinem tuam neque minus iucundum, quod Antverpiae te offenderint, incertis enim rumoribus ferebaris abiisse, a qua opinione non abhorruit reverendissimus dominus Panormitanus.
Quod ad reverendissimum dominum Leodiensem attinet, ita se res habet, sicut ad te perscripsi. Interim in te situm est officio illius velle aut nolle uti, sed id omnino pro certissimo habe gratius illi futurum, si utaris.
Res meae in hoc statu sunt cum quaestoribus istis, ut quando sim in illis finem habiturus, non satis sciam. Nisi vero etiam urgeam praesens, desperandum sit penitus de illis in futurum, nam serenissima regina brevi hinc solvet ventura Antverpiam et deinde in Flandriam, et hominibus istis quidvis est excusationis loco, adeo ut omnino consulant amici, extrema ut hic tentem, priusquam aut domum aut alio me conferam. Proinde, nisi tam extreme te urget profectio tua, ut aliquot dies morari non possis, rogo aegre ne feras, si non tam cito, quam vellem, ad te venero. Audio vero istic brevi venturum esse illustrem dominum a Beveris, ad quem de ea etiam re scripsi petiique, ut tempus locumque significaret, quo eum convenire libere possem. Vellem itaque una fidelia duos, ut aiunt, parietes dealbare, quin et nuntiarunt mihi concives aliquot mei uxorem non adeo prospera valetudine esse. Quae res me plus, quam dici potest, afficit, sed neque rerum mearum respectus, neque uxoris valetudo plus apud me sunt habitura momenti, quam desiderium conveniendi tui, modo tam cito abire decreveris. Quod ut mihi significes, etiam atque etiam peto.
Quod deterreri te scribis, quominus maneas, negotio Montis Serici et tractatibus Hungaricis, omnino tibi persuade in aula nostra neque tractari quicquam, neque expediri, neque videri mihi quicquam expeditum iri, priusquam ille certo se aliquo loco firmarit, quod quando et ubi facturus sit, sane serenissimus rex Romanorum et cardinalis Tridentinus se id plane ignorare mihi dixerunt. Neque vero cum ad aulam nostram venissem, certum aliquid rescire potui, nisi mentem caesaris esse contendere Ratisbonam. Quod tam brevi non futurum mihi dixit commendator maior Legionis. Rex Romanorum mihi dixit se in itinere caesari occursurum. Ego puto Stockardiae conventuros, donec de voluntate principum Germaniae certi quid resciverint. Pro Bavaris reducendis in partes nostras laborat reverendissimus Saltzburgensis, interim neque adversarii desident. Puto te audivisse, qualiter in partes suas pertraxerint Eslingam aboleverintque cum missa omnem divorum cultum. Nos interim, quid agamus, nescio. De tractatibus Hungaricis nihil boni spero, nam Hungari omnino sunt conventuri in Rachuz fquam obstante rege et vayevoda videnturque in tertium aliquem consensuri. Quod de conventu Pataviensi scripsi, id ita se habet, sed nemo adhuc videbatur itineri accinctus ex parte nostra, non Fridericus palatinus, non episcopus Spyrensis. Ego puto nihil inde futurum neque congressuros oratores. Argumento id mihi potissimum est, quod Hieronymus Lasky pessime contentus recesserit videaturque nihil boni machinaturus et apud nos omnia sunt imparata.
De Turcis sic se res habet. Veneti sparsere rumores de maximis ipsorum apparatibus dixeruntque generalem, qui est dictatoris loco, cui pro tuitione finium ordinavere quinquaginta triremes. Hoc nobis argumento fuit in Italia non vanos rumores esse, sed tamen postea non eo ardore, quo inceperant, Veneti instruxere, apparatum continuavere, sed frigide admodum procedentes videntur ostendere non tam ingens periculum imminere.
Ego caesarem conveni Moguntiae, deinde feria sexta ante Quadragesimam deduxi Oppenheym, feria septima dimisi inter Oppenheim et Neuwschloss, quod est ex opposito Wormatiae, iuris palatini electoris. Postridie venturus erat Heydelbergam, ibi transacturus Carnisprivium. Familiam vero universam praemisit Bruxellam Suevorum recto per Spyram, quo ipse non est venturus, itinere. Ibi iussi sunt eum praestolari.
Valdesius profectus est Spyram exspectaturus Bruxellae. Ehynger bene valet dimisique eum Moguntiae. Illustrissimus dominus marchio cum Moguntino deduxit caesarem e Moguntia, deinde rediit. Nihil video, quid illic agatur. Conquestus est id mihi praefatus marchio, qui de intentione caesaris nihil dixit se comperti habere.
Andreas Aurius parare iussus est triremes suas donatusque sex milibus ducatorum annuis cum titulo principatus Melphis. Ego puto pontificem venturum Mantuam, ibi congressurum cum caesare. Quid de Lutheranis sit sperandum, neque video neque scio. Omnes male ominantur. Haec habe veraque esse scito. In reliquis tu consilio tuo utere et rectissime vale, et pristina omnia de Cornelio tuo tibi persuade.
Ex Bruxella, XXI Februarii anno XV-c XXXII.
Reverendissimae Dominationis Tuae addictissimus inservitor Cornelius Scepperus