Letter #837
Cornelis DE SCHEPPER to Ioannes DANTISCUSVienna, 1532-09-30
English register:
De Schepper and Godschalk [Ericksen] have arrived in Vienna. Godschalk has recovered from dysentery; the disease was probably caused by his grief over the death of Prince John [of Denmark]. De Schepper refers to his successful commission in Ulm and Augsburg, his letter from Augsburg and his meeting with Gabriele da Martinengo. Dantiscus' letter was transmitted to him by Fabian [Wojanowski].
He thinks that the Spaniards now in power at the imperial court are well disposed towards him, and he also counts on the support of the Germans.
Dantiscus has rightfully earned the favour of his princes [Sigismund I and Bona Sforza], and their compensation for his expenses.
De Schepper has replied to the Queen [Bona Sforza], that he is willing to accept any assignment from her; he leaves it to her discretion to determine his remuneration. At the moment he has to render an account of his expenses for the purchase of military equipment. Although these purchases were made in full transparency, it is not easily explained to the Spaniards who are in charge of the accounts.
Of [Wolfgang] Prantner he has heard nothing; he is currently active in Pressburg. The Turks have not yet arrived there.
The Emperor [Charles V] has mitigated his stance on the issue of the Jews, after those who were imprisoned in Antwerp allowed him a loan. Ioannes Venetus Lapidarius, an acquaintance of Dantiscus, has disappeared after leaving Regensburg to deliver evidence about what had been concluded in Burg Kogl. He probably fell into an ambush.
De Schepper is pleased that Dantiscus recommended him to some Polish dignitaries. He welcomes the news about their mutual friend [Nikolaus] Nibschitz, and expresses his appreciation for Fabian Damerau.The panic caused by the advance of the Turks has proved exaggerated. Their huge army disintegrated near Güns (Köszeg) and other places, and faced retaliation for their looting. This fear has been subdued at present, and the Emperor has everything settled. Hence he has decided to spend next winter in Italy, consigning the command to his brother [Ferdinand I], who will soon leave to occupy Buda.
In Vienna people from all over the Empire are present: from Italy, Spain, Germany and the Netherlands. There is plague in the city; last night [Alfonso de] Valdés fell ill, and De Schepper visited him that same morning. He has no time to write more, and sends greetings from Godschalk. The Count [Leonardus] of Nogarola and Joseph Lamberg have returned. The Archbishop of Lund [Johan Weze] is on a mission on behalf of the Emperor.
| received Löbau (Lubawa), 1532-10-24 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 honorandissimo
Salutem.
Nolo apud te titulis agere. Heri sub noctem applicuimus huc, Godtscalcus et ego. Nam ille post mortem principis Ioannis sive sorte, sive maerore incidit in dysenteriam, qua tribus hebdomadis laboravit, immo amplius, et a qua, nisi Saxo Carolus fuisset, non evasisset. Veni autem rebus praeter exspectationem bene gestis apud Ulmam et Augustam, prout latius ex Augusta Vindelicorum, et cum Gabriele Martinengio, apud quem uterque fuit gratiosus. Inveni autem apud dominum Fabianum litteras tuas. Quas non sine summa exspectatione inveni, metuebam enim, ne quid tibi obvenisset.
Iam vero, quod ad res meas attinet, non opus est longa explicatione verborum. Eaedem enim sunt, quam prius, nisi quod, uti dixi, non omnino male sum insinuatus Hispanis, qui rerum potiuntur, et forte non omnino male id meritus. Sane, si testimonia Germanorum pondus habent, possum videri ad tractandum cum iisdem non inidoneus.
Quod ad id attinet, quod serenissimis regibus tuis gratus advenisti, merito quidem id tuo accidit, sicut et quod in diminutionem damnorum per te sustentorum in te contulere.
Quod ad operam meam attinet, rescripsi sacrae reginali maiestati me quicquid possem impensurum, et id fiet, sed quod ad mercedem, tu nosti ingenium meum minime mercennarium neque electurum aut Foccharos, aut Welzeros, ideoque respondi nihil me tale petere, sed faceret maiestas sua, quod bonum esset in oculis suis. Neque vero nunc prolixus fui, quandoquidem cogor expensorum per me rationem reddere, dico expensorum in emendis bombardis, pulveribus, globis, hastis et tota supellectile Martia, quae non parvo constetit estque acta non in tenebris, sed in luce et coram rebus publicis, quamquam adhuc satis molestiarum sum exhausturus apud Hyspanos, qui praefecti sunt rationibus, nihil minus, quam qualiter conveniat cum Germanis, transigere intelligentes. Sed haec Deo committenda sunt.
De Brandtnero nihil audivi interim. Militat ille Posonii, quo ne umbrae quidem advenere Turcarum, non sine sinistra fama apud hospitem suum Ratisbonae.
Iudaeorum negotium primum acriter cordi fuit caesari, deinde, cum hi, qui capti erant Antuerpiae, succurrissent in iis necessitatibus patriis inferioribus praestita aliquanta summa pecuniae, refrigere mihi videtur.
Ioannes vero ille, quem nosti, Venetus ille Lapidarius, cum ex Ratisbona abiisset ad ferenda certa testimonia rerum transactarum in arce Cogell, numquam rediit neque rescripsit. Puto alicubi insidiis mercatorum circumventum interiisse.
Quod me illustribus dominis castellano Cracoviensi commendaris aliisque, gratissimum est. Quod vero recte valeat Niptzitz amicus noster communis, gratissimum. Est vir ille talis, de quo dici id poetae possit, sed tamen feliciore eventu, quem optarim perpetuum aut diu saltem duraturum esse: Si duo praeterea tales Idaea tulisset terra viros etc.
Quod ad ulteriora attinet, de domino Fabiano nunc nihil amplius scribere possum, quam quod dignus est quavis magna provincia, ita quod, quocumque extenderit ingenium, illic sit valiturus.
Quod ad res novas attinet, de Turcis magna et ingentia dicta sunt. Quae exitura in id videntur, quod dixit poeta quidam: Parturiunt montes, nascetur ridiculus mus, nam ille Xerxeus apparatus apud Guncium et alibi dissolutus est neque impune tulere praedatores exercitam grassationem, dedere enim poenas, sicut latius intelligere potuisti. Interim timor ille orbis aut fugit, aut, quocumque nomine voces, retrocessit. Caesar rebus omnibus optime comparatis, cum videat instante hieme nihil posse magnum geri, videtur abiturus in Italiam commissa fratri summa rerum et exercitus. Qui ad expugnandam Budam videtur hinc abiturus. Omnes hic adsunt: Itali, Hispani, Germani, nostrates. Laboratur autem peste Viennae. Hac nocte incidit in febrem calidam acutam Valdesius noster, apud quem hodie mane fui. De quo metuo. Det illi Deus, quod expedit.
In praesentiarum non possum ultra morari neque ad te copiosius scribere. Tu istam brevitatem consule boni et rectissime vale. Commendat se ex animo tibi dominus Godtscalcus noster. Comes Nogarolius cum Iosepho a Lambergk huc rediit. Lundensis abest in commissione caesaris, nescio ad quos. Te vero, Pater ex animo venerande, Deus conservet. Et brevi copiosius. A me litteras exspecta.
Viennae Pannonum, ultima Septembris anno Domini XV-c XXXII-o.
Eiusdem Reverendissimae Celsitudinis Vestrae humilis inservitor tamquam filius Cornelius Duplicius Scepperus