Letter #824
Alfonso de VALDÉS to Ioannes DANTISCUSRegensburg, 1532-09-03
English register:
Valdés has received Dantiscus’ letter, delivered by Tarnowski. The letter wasn’t signed but he recognized the sender’s handwriting and seal. He has fulfilled Dantiscus’ request and helped the people who brought the horses for the emperor. He always tries to make sure everybody sees how much Dantiscus means to the imperial court even when he is absent. He reproaches Dantiscus that when he wrote to the French envoy he didn’t enclose a letter to him. He, on the other hand, has written twice to Dantiscus, sending one letter through the nobleman Dantiscus left at the imperial court in connection with the Prussian matter, the other through Ehinger. He wants to know if the letters reached their destination.
Seeing the readiness of the forces flowing in from all directions, the emperor has recovered and he set off for the camp the previous day. The chancellery will follow tomorrow, after dispatching the correspondence to Spain and Italy. The Turks have not seized the town yet, though it had been expected to withstand an attack for no more than two days. The Turkish fleet, which bypassed Esztergom as it sailed up the Danube, did not dare attack Pressburg which was defended by Pedro Zapata. The garrison of Vienna swear they will not let in the Turks. Everyone expects the Turks to plunder the villages and retreat. Valdés, on the other hand, doesn’t believe there will not be a confrontation when two such huge armies stand opposite each other. He expects great changes and hopes things will be resolved before winter. The imperial forces are greater than expected, volunteers keep arriving. Spain will support the expedition financially. If Valdés weren’t Spanish he would declare that Germany had been saved by Spain. The defense of Esztergom is being led by [Thomas] Lescanus, assisted by Pedro Zapata who has come to levy knights in Hungary. Previously Valdés sent Dantiscus some gloves, this time he sends a Spanish indusii ornamentum, thinking it will help Dantiscus with his amorous conquests. Valdés asks Dantiscus, if he can, to try to persuade John [Zapolya] to join the emperor’s anti-Turkish campaign. He reluctantly renews Granvella’s request regarding [mediation in the purchase of] a horse. At the interested party’s request, he entrusts to Dantiscus the matter of which Pimpinello wrote to him.
received 1532-09-20 Manuscript sources:
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