CIDT&C Corpus of Ioannes Dantiscus' Texts & Correspondence

Letter #922

Cornelis DE SCHEPPER to Ioannes DANTISCUS
Vienna, 1533-03-27

English register: De Schepper has finally received a letter from Dantiscus. It took three months to reach him, although his whereabouts were well known. At that time Dantiscus had not yet received any letter from De Schepper; however, by now this problem should have been resolved.

He comments on the difficult time he went through, and summarises the news from his earlier letters: his wife's [Elisabeth Donche] childbirth, the losses [due to the floods] (which are less severe than feared), and the tempting job opportunities in France and elsewhere, of which he has informed the Emperor [Charles V].

He considers his current mission of little use, but he will loyally perform his duties and bear misfortunes with equanimity. The Bishop of Przemyśl [Jan Chojeński] as well as Jan Tarnowski offered him prospects in Poland, in case things go utterly wrong in his present career. He thanks Dantiscus for his support in this matter. Nevertheless, in Poland De Schepper would prefer to be with Dantiscus. He urges Dantiscus to enjoy above all the company of his family and friends, and to write to him.

He and the Archbishop of Lund [Johan Weze] are in Vienna for their current mission. They have conducted negotiations in Pressburg with the envoys of Count Janós [Thurzó], although Hieronymus Łaski, who was one of them, had already left.

The negotiations were suspended in anticipation of the arrival of the envoy of the Sultan [Suleiman the Magnificent], who comes to King Ferdinand with a peace proposal. The Sultan's desire for peace is undoubtedly inspired by fear after the recent military setbacks. De Schepper stresses that the Sultan is the one suing for peace, and is proposing an honourable and unconditional peace.

He denies the rumours that are circulating in Poland and Hungary, that the Emperor and the Pope [Clement VII] have agreed to a peace treaty in which King Ferdinand should cede territory of Sklavonia. Nor is it true that the pashas had to be bribed. The Sultan wishes to involve the Emperor in the peace, but that is not likely to happen any time soon.

They are expecting the response of the Emperor, to whom the Count of Salm [Niklas II Graf of Salm and Neuburg] was sent as an envoy. At the instance of the Sultan the Voivode [John Zápolya] has sent Alvise Gritti to defend his case. The partisans of the Voivode were wrong in their assumption that the Sultan was only willing to agree to peace when the Voivode could reign over all of Hungary. After the retreat of the Sultan from Pannonia, King Ferdinand discreetly inquired about his intentions, and it appeared that there was a great willingness to conclude a solid peace treaty.

De Schepper wishes Dantiscus all the best, and promises to send a short letter to Campensis. He sends special greetings to Dantiscus' brother-in-law [Johann Reyneck]. As his planned mission to Poland is not going to take place, he sends Dantiscus the greetings from his wife [Elisabeth Donche], his brother-in-law [Mark Laurijn] and other friends in writing.

He reports on the planned journey of the Emperor to Spain. The French pose no threat since a significant force, under the command dux of Thamyse [François Le Fèvre?], has been left behind in Italy. The interests of the Emperor are guaranteed by the alliance of Bologna, although the Venetians remain a risk factor.

The Archibishop of Bari [Esteban Gabriel Merino] has been made cardinal. Lord of Praet [Louis of Flanders] and all other acquaintances have left the court; only [Nicolas Perrenot] de Granvelle and [Francisco] de los Cobos remain. After his current assignment, De Schepper will return home and travel to Spain from there.

He regrets that by his frequent travelling he was unable to do more for the cause of the Queen of Poland [Bona Sforza], although he achieved some results. Godschalk [Ericksen] and he will remain committed to her interests.

He would write more but the sparse correspondence from Dantiscus makes him fear that his own letters are being intercepted. He emphasises at length the honourable character of the proposed peace with the Turks. He foresees a poor outcome for the Lutherans, and the Kings of England [Henry VIII] and France [Francis I].

received [1533-04-12 — 1533-04-18]

Manuscript sources:

1	fair copy in Latin, autograph, UUB, H. 154, f. 114-115
2	copy in Latin, 18th-century, LSB, BR 19, No. 18
3	copy in Latin, 18th-century, SUB, Sup. Ep. 4-o 41, No. 12, f. 9v-11v
4	copy in Latin, 18th-century, SBB, MS Lat. Quart. 101, No. 11, f. 29r-33r
5	copy in Latin, 18th-century, SLUB, C 110, f. 38v-45r
6	copy in Latin, 18th-century, BCz, 1366, p. 91-98
7	copy in Latin, 18th-century, B. Ossol., 151/II, f. 12r-14r
8	copy in Latin, 18th-century, BCz, 49 (TN), No. 75, p. 203-204
9	register with excerpt in Latin, English, 20th-century, CBKUL, R.III, 30, No. 78

Early printed source materials:

1	Monumenta inedita p. 427-429 (in extenso)

Prints:

1	AT 15 No. 159, p. 222-226 (in extenso; Polish register)
2	DE VOCHT 1961 No. DE, 254, p. 170 (English register)
3	Españoles part II, No. 71, p. 242-243 (excerpt in Spanish translation)
4	CEID 2/2 (Letter No. 55) p. 251-258 (in extenso; English register)

Text & apparatus & commentary Plain text Text & commentary Text & apparatus

UUB, H.154, f. 115v

Reverendissimo in Christo Patri et Domino, domino Ioanni Dantisco episcopo Culmensi etc., domino tamquam orig. tanquam⌈tamquamtamquam orig. tanquam⌉ patri honorandissimo

In Prussia

UUB, H.154, f. 114r

Salutem plurimam.

Deus meliorem mentem det istis tabellariis, quam habuere hactenus in perferendis litteris tuis et meis, vix enim quinque dies sunt, ex quo tuas accepi Viennae de data tricesimae, ni fallor, aut vicesimae nonae Decembris, neque tamen in obscuro esse potuit, ubi ego fuerim, quando Foccharis et Welzeris id omnino constitit, et imprimis vestratibus. Gaudeo itaque vehementer te vivere et valere, quantumvis nonnihil officiat dexteri pedis dolor, quem levius tolerare te scribis, quam nullum in externis curis, qua in re vehementer tecum assentior. Quod autem miraris me nihil scripsisse, omnino arbitror tibi satisfactum cum tempore esse, nam antea non vacabat in rerum omnium desperatione gravissimisque itinerum periculis, quibus demum ereptus sum, cum ex Mantua venissem Oenipontem. Tristissimam rerum, quam tibi depinxi, faciem talem omnino esse arbitrare, neque tamen desinimus caeci orig. ceci⌈caecicaeci orig. ceci⌉ esse. Ego vero, ut bonum nuntium orig. nuncium⌈nuntiumnuntium orig. nuncium⌉ ad te scribam, ad has fortunas occallui orig. obcallui⌈occalluioccallui orig. obcallui⌉ neque curo amplius, sed spem posui in Deum.

Uxor feliciter orig. foeliciter⌈feliciterfeliciter orig. foeliciter⌉ peperit, prout scripsi. Non omnia perdita sunt. Adhuc domi est, quod me alat.

Offeruntur undique condiciones orig. conditiones⌈condicionescondiciones orig. conditiones⌉, tum ex Francia, prout aliquoties ad te scripsi, tum ab aliis, non sine scitu caesaris, cui ea exposui et expono per litteras. Praeterea orig. Preterea⌈PraetereaPraeterea orig. Preterea⌉ nunc versor in hac legatione ut minime utili, quae tamen mihi pariat experientiam et cognitionem aliquantam istarum rerum. Id vero satis arbitror esse. In summms 2 a,
ms 1 [...] paper damaged⌈ams 2 a,
ms 1 [...] paper damaged⌉ usque ad extremum sum permansurus in officio boni viri, quem si caesar alere vel ab ignominia meorum vindicare nolit, feram aequms 2 o,
ms 1 [...] paper damaged⌈oms 2 o,
ms 1 [...] paper damaged⌉ animo et, postquam reipsa ostendero per me nihil omissum esse, respiciam vel postliminio ad res meas. Neque non possum maximas tibi gratias agere, quod talem te obtuleris futurum, qualis hactenus fuisti, neque parvae gloriae loco duco, quod in inclito orig. inclyto⌈inclitoinclito orig. inclyto⌉ vestro regno, si omnia apud nos pereant, offeruntur a clarissimis viris Pzremisliensi episcopo, illustri domino Ioanne comite a Tarnovia, qui me prior litteris suis amicissimms 2 is,
ms 1 [...] paper damaged⌈isms 2 is,
ms 1 [...] paper damaged⌉ ad amicitiam provocavit, amicorum officia, quae eo sunt gratiora, quod ab integerrimis viris sincerissimoque orig. syncerissimoque⌈sincerissimoquesincerissimoque orig. syncerissimoque⌉ affectu profecta sciam. Nolo tamen diffiteri ad neminem me libentius venturum esse, quam ad te, si casus aliquis acerbior ingrueret, secundum te ad eos. Sed haems 2 c,
ms 1 [...] text damaged⌈cms 2 c,
ms 1 [...] text damaged⌉ Deus meliora faciet. Quare desine mea causa dolere et temet cum dulcissima matre, amicissimis sororibus, affinibus et amicms 2 is,
ms 1 [...] paper damaged⌈isms 2 is,
ms 1 [...] paper damaged⌉ oblectare, quibus officiosissime cupio commendare, et ad me aliquando scribe. Sciet enim reverendissimus Pzremisliensis aut Karolus Coczer litteras ad me tuas, aut Focchari transmittere.

Reverendissimus dominus Lundms 2 ensis,
ms 1 [...] paper damaged⌈ensisms 2 ensis,
ms 1 [...] paper damaged⌉ et ego hic sumus Viennae in commissione nostra. Fuimus Posonii in Hungaria per aliquot dies ibi tractantes cum oratoribus illustris ms 2 domini Ioann,
ms 1 [...] paper damaged⌈domini Ioannms 2 domini Ioann,
ms 1 [...] paper damaged⌉is comitis Scepusiensis, viris certe insigni eruditione ms 2 et prudentia praeditis,
ms 1 [...] paper damaged⌈et prudentia praeditisms 2 et prudentia praeditis,
ms 1 [...] paper damaged⌉. Magnificum tamen dominum Hieronymum de Lasko, qui ms 2 unus,
ms 1 [...] paper damaged⌈unusms 2 unus,
ms 1 [...] paper damaged⌉ UUB, H.154, f. 114v fuerat ex quattuor, non vidimus, abierat enim rediturus, nisi conventus interruptus fuisset. Cuius causa haec fuit, quod dum illic tractaremus, advenit nuntius orig. nuncius⌈nuntiusnuntius orig. nuncius⌉ caesaris Thurcarum ad Ferdinandum regem missus pacem ferens honestissimis immo nullis condicionibus orig. conditionibus⌈condicionibuscondicionibus orig. conditionibus⌉ aliis, nisi indicibus valde written over e⌈edede written over e⌉ magni timoris. Qui unde emergat, non est obscurum divinare, ex damnis scilicet acceptis et ex ms 1 offirmatione,
ms 2 affirmatione⌈offirmationems 1 offirmatione,
ms 2 affirmatione⌉ omnium in Styria Carinthiaque, et finitimis provinciis incolarum, apud quos multum perdidit aestimationis orig. estimationis⌈aestimationisaestimationis orig. estimationis⌉ nomen Turcicum orig. Thurcicum⌈TurcicumTurcicum orig. Thurcicum⌉, ali written over tot⌈tot ali ali written over tot⌉quot modis tentatis, nulla re bene gesta. Quod affirmare nisi sciremus, reverendissimus dominus Lundensis et ego, non essemus adhuc tam affecti in eam, quam debemus, partem, in quam nos honestum est, ut simus affecti, quam nunc scribimus. Itaque certum habe a nobis pacem a Thurcarum caesare non tam offerri, quam peti, solidam illam et citra indignitatem cuiusquam, quod ideo dicimus, quia sparguntur et in Hungaria, et in Polonia rumores, quod pontifex et caesar in hanc consenserint pacem, quae esset, ut Ferdinandus regnum teneret Hungariae, daret Thurcis Sclavoniae, bassas sibi largissimis donationibus devinciret. Quod omne falsum est, nam ne unus quidem pes terrae in Hungaria, Sclavonia aut aliis provinciis datur Thurco neque quicquam bassis aut tributi nomine, aut largitionis, neque pro ipso quidem Hu written over dan(?)⌈dan(?) Hu Hu written over dan(?)⌉ngariae regno tribuitur. Tantum manet aequalitas et amicitia, paxque vita ipsorum durante, prout moris esse Thurcarum tute nosti. Cum caesare nostro et ille pacem ambit, quam tamen in tempora dividit, sed ita longa, ut interim sit vel dominus, vel asinus moriturus.

Hoc tantum potuimus scripsisse. Exspectamus orig. Expectamus⌈ExspectamusExspectamus orig. Expectamus⌉ responsum a caesare, pro quo missus est illustris comes de Salm. Econtra vayvoda misit Ludovicum Griti ad instantiam caesaris Thurcarum pro re sua. Quid sit facturus, nescimus. Hoc scimus pacem firmam et solidam esse, cuius causa haec est. Cum semper vayvodani dixerint Thurcarum caesarem nihil, nisi totum Hungariae regnum daretur vayvodae, voluit experiri id serenissimus Rhomanorum rex atque ob id post fuga written over ae⌈aeaa written over ae⌉m Thurcarum caesaris ex Pannonia aut, si mavis, fugae similem discessum, missus est quidam, qui animos invenit praeparatos praefati caesaris. Obtulitque illa, quae a tam magni habito principe nemo exspectasset orig. expectasset⌈exspectassetexspectasset orig. expectasset⌉, nisi qui sciret, quantum esset, quod nobis esset formidandum, quod plurimis videtur esse valde exiguum.

Nos ad haec pauca Dominationi Tuae Reverendissimae commendamus et felicissime orig. foelicissime⌈felicissimefelicissime orig. foelicissime⌉ valere eandem orig. eamdem⌈eandemeandem orig. eamdem⌉ exoptamus. Campensi paucis scribo, quia non suppetit tempus in ms 2 istis gra,
ms 1 [...] paper damaged⌈istis grams 2 istis gra,
ms 1 [...] paper damaged⌉vissimis negoms 2 tiis,
ms 1 [...] paper damaged⌈tiisms 2 tiis,
ms 1 [...] paper damaged⌉. UUB, H.154, f. 115r Deus te conservet incolumem cum tuis omnibus. Sororio tuo, tametsi amicorum et fratrum nomine eum prius comprehenderim, meo nomine plurimam salutem dicito, quia, quod et ille se mihi commendaret, scripsisti. Et bene vale, Domine et Amice, et Pater vere amate, et Deus te conservet. Si non tam brevi, semel tamen conveniemus, ubi Deus redditurus est unicuique secundum opera sua. Sacerdotium tuum gratum habeat, qui pro nob written over ...⌈... illegible⌈...... illegible⌉bb written over ...⌉is passus est et in quem speramus. Aliquando memineris precibus tuis nostri. Uxor, frater et amici se tibi commendant, quia putabant me in Poloniam profecturum. Sed haec ego per litteras.

Caesar est Alexandriae traiecturus in Hispanias circa XIIII-m Aprilis diem. Ibi classis parata est. A Gallis nihil est periculi. Manent ad conservationem Italiae septem milia veteranorum militum Germanorum duce Thamyse conterraneo meo et totidem Hispanorum praeter lixas et calones, praeter equitum quattuor milia et levioris armaturae totidem equitum, in quibus sunt duces Ferdinandus Gonçaga, Sucre, Milort et alii. Si Gallus advenerit, est ordo prout in liga orig. ligua⌈ligaliga orig. ligua⌉ Bononiae facta, quam tu nosti, nisi quod a Venetis non satis est, quid boni sperandum, atque ideo exterorum est exercitus maior.

Reverendissimus dominus Barensis patriarcha Indiarum est cardinms 2 a,
ms 1 [...] paper damaged⌈ams 2 a,
ms 1 [...] paper damaged⌉lis. Dominus Pratensis et omnes alii abeunt ex curia. Mams 2 net,
ms 1 [...] paper damaged⌈netms 2 net,
ms 1 [...] paper damaged⌉ Grandtvella et commendator maior orig. major⌈maiormaior orig. major⌉ Legionis Cobos. Egms 2 o,
ms 1 [...] paper damaged⌈oms 2 o,
ms 1 [...] paper damaged⌉ his rebus peractis sum reversurus ad meos, postmodum in Hispanias. Doleo, quod non potuerim apud serenissimam reginms 2 am,
ms 1 [...] paper damaged⌈amms 2 am,
ms 1 [...] paper damaged⌉ Poloniae probare studium meum, tametsi enim quaedam acta sunt et eorum litterae sint sufficientes written over r⌈rss written over r⌉ testes, qui rerum praesident, tamen non potuere hactenus ea fieri, quae voluissems 2 m,
ms 1 [...] paper damaged⌈mms 2 m,
ms 1 [...] paper damaged⌉, ob crebra itinera. Id optimum est quodque mihi est gratissimum, et a quo abhorrere me scivisti, ne quisquam meae negligentiae aut absentiae causa damnum orig. dannum⌈damnumdamnum orig. dannum⌉ pateretur, id enim accidit serenissimae reginae. Cui Godtscalcus et ego, ille meo nomine, eg written over ...⌈... illegible⌈...... illegible⌉egeg written over ...⌉o ob insignem maiestatis ipsius erga me propensitatem, libentissime inservivimus et inserviemus ms. inseruienus(!) ⌈inserviemusinserviemus ms. inseruienus(!) ⌉ nullis ipsius impensis.

Ex Vienna, XXVII-o Martii Anno Domini M D XXX III-o.

Eiusdem Reverendissimae Dominationis Vestrae humilis filius Cornelius Duplicius Scepperus eques, consiliarius, commissarius et orator in inclito orig. inclyto⌈inclitoinclito orig. inclyto⌉ regno Hungariae