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Letter #950

Ioannes DANTISCUS to Sigismund I Jagiellon
Marienburg (Malbork), 1533-05-17


Manuscript sources:
1fair copy in Latin, autograph, BNW, BOZ, 2053, TG 16, No. 1902, f. 92-93
2copy in Latin, 16th-century, BJ, 6557, f. 368v-369r
3copy in Latin, 16th-century, BK, 217, No. 293, f. 274r-v
4copy in Latin, 16th-century, BCz, 271, f. 298v-299r
5copy in Latin, 17th-century, BCz, 270, p. 417-419
6copy in Latin, 18th-century, BCz, 49 (TN), No. 133, p. 389-391
7copy in Latin, 18th-century, BCz, 274, No. 226, p. 464-465

Auxiliary sources:
1register in Polish, 20th-century, B. PAU-PAN, 8247 (TK 9), f. 285

Prints:
1AT 15 No. 264, p. 367-368 (in extenso; Polish register)

 

Text & apparatus & commentary Plain text Text & commentary Text & apparatus Excerpts concerning Dantiscus' travels

 

BNW, BOZ, 2053, TG 16, No.1902, f. 92r

Serenissima Regia Maiestas, Domine et domine clementissime. Humillimam perpetuae meae servitutis et orationum commendationem.

Accepi hic plenas in me gratiae Serenissimae Maiestatis Vestrae cf. Sigismund I Jagiellon to Ioannes DANTISCUS Cracow, 1533-04-28, CIDTC IDL 941⌊litterascf. Sigismund I Jagiellon to Ioannes DANTISCUS Cracow, 1533-04-28, CIDTC IDL 941⌋ et mandata, quibus illam in contumelia mihi a Citizens of Graudenz ⌊GraudnicensibusCitizens of Graudenz ⌋ illata liquido mihi declarat. Habeo igitur, quas tenuitas mea potest, Serenissimae Maiestati Vestrae immortales gratias. Ceterum cum hi, qui in me deliquerunt, veniam a me petieru written over i⌈iuu written over i⌉nt, nequaquam illam eis pro paterno et pastorali meo officio negare potui et spero, quod obsequentiores hinc ecclesiae et mihi filii futuri sint, quam prius fuerint. cf. Ter. Hau. 77 homo sum, humani nil a me alienum puto ⌊Homines sumus.cf. Ter. Hau. 77 homo sum, humani nil a me alienum puto ⌋ Quae in hoc Provincial Diet of Royal Prussia ⌊conventuProvincial Diet of Royal Prussia ⌋ egerimus, Serenissima Maiestas Vestra ex litteris adiunctis fidelium Inhabitants of Royal Prussia ⌊subditorum suorumInhabitants of Royal Prussia ⌋ intelliget. Ego quidem, quod potui, praestiti et in decursu septem mensium ter non sine gravibus expensis Provincial Diet of Royal Prussia ⌊conventibusProvincial Diet of Royal Prussia ⌋ harum Serenissimae Maiestatis Vestrae terrarum interfui, quod certe in hoc possessionis meae principio non potuit mihi non esse durissimum, cum adhuc in servitio Serenissimae Maiestatis Vestrae debita contracta restant non pauca solvenda, venit etiam res familiaris sustinenda, unde coactus, verecunde tamen, a Serenissima Maiestate Vestra mendicare adigor idque, quod peto, non admodum est magnum et sine magno suo detrimento id ipsum Serenissima Maiestas Vestra sacellano et servo suo praestare potest. Depositae sunt apud me centum et quadraginta marcae Prutenicales leves, quae exactae sunt a pauperibus Kulm clergy ⌊meis ecclesiasticisKulm clergy ⌋ ratione contributionis proximae. Et cum istiusmodi pecuniae sacrae sunt et fortas BNW, BOZ, 2053, TG 16, No.1902, f. 92v sis pretium sanguinis, Serenissimae Maiestatis Vestrae thesauro in tam parvo numero non satis apte conveniunt. Qua de re Serenissimae Maiestati Vestrae humillime supplico, dignetur sacra sacris relinquere et me istis pecuniis in hac mea egestate sublevare, quae non parum mihi sunt profuturae et in illis parum admodum Serenissimae Maiestati Vestrae decedet. Quod ego promereri nequeo, Deus Omnipotens Serenissimae Maiestati Vestrae abunde rependet.

Mortuus est in Marienburg (Malbork), town and castle in northern Poland, in Pomeranian Voivodeship, on the Nogat, a branch of the Vistula in its delta, the seat of the Grand Masters of the Teutonic Order in Prussia (1309–1457) and a voivodeship capital in Royal Prussia, within the Kingdom of Poland (1466–1772). Alternating with Graudenz (Grudziądz), Marienburg was the venue of the Provincial Diets of Royal Prussia, chaired by the bishop of Ermland (Warmia)⌊castro MarienburgensiMarienburg (Malbork), town and castle in northern Poland, in Pomeranian Voivodeship, on the Nogat, a branch of the Vistula in its delta, the seat of the Grand Masters of the Teutonic Order in Prussia (1309–1457) and a voivodeship capital in Royal Prussia, within the Kingdom of Poland (1466–1772). Alternating with Graudenz (Grudziądz), Marienburg was the venue of the Provincial Diets of Royal Prussia, chaired by the bishop of Ermland (Warmia)⌋ sacerdos quidam intestatus, cuius bona omni iure ad loci ordinarium devolvuntur. Dominus Stanisław Kostka (*1487 – †1555), leader of the so-called nobles’ party, active in Royal Prussia from 1536, and opponent of most members of the Council of Royal Prussia, who sought to preserve the province’s autonomy and a balance of power in its governance. Tensions between Kostka, Prussian Treasurer, and the Council had been growing since the Diet in Graudenz (Grudziądz) in 1533. Sent there as the King’s deputy, Kostka, contrary to custom, took part in the proceedings, prompting the Council to suspend the meeting. He accused its members of hostility towards the Poles and appealed to the royal court. In the absence of Mauritius Ferber, Bishop of Ermland, the Diet was chaired by Dantiscus, and the incident seriously damaged his later relations with Kostka; 1531–1555 Treasurer of the Prussian lands and of Marienburg (Malbork); 1544–1545 Castellan of Elbing (Elbląg); 1545–1546 Castellan of Kulm (Chełmno); 1546–1549 Vice-Voivode of Kulm; 1546–1551 Voivode of Pomerania; 1551–1555 Voivode of Kulm (PSB 14, p. 356; Urzędnicy 5/2, p. 216; MAŁŁEK 1976, p. 119-123)⌊thesaurariusStanisław Kostka (*1487 – †1555), leader of the so-called nobles’ party, active in Royal Prussia from 1536, and opponent of most members of the Council of Royal Prussia, who sought to preserve the province’s autonomy and a balance of power in its governance. Tensions between Kostka, Prussian Treasurer, and the Council had been growing since the Diet in Graudenz (Grudziądz) in 1533. Sent there as the King’s deputy, Kostka, contrary to custom, took part in the proceedings, prompting the Council to suspend the meeting. He accused its members of hostility towards the Poles and appealed to the royal court. In the absence of Mauritius Ferber, Bishop of Ermland, the Diet was chaired by Dantiscus, and the incident seriously damaged his later relations with Kostka; 1531–1555 Treasurer of the Prussian lands and of Marienburg (Malbork); 1544–1545 Castellan of Elbing (Elbląg); 1545–1546 Castellan of Kulm (Chełmno); 1546–1549 Vice-Voivode of Kulm; 1546–1551 Voivode of Pomerania; 1551–1555 Voivode of Kulm (PSB 14, p. 356; Urzędnicy 5/2, p. 216; MAŁŁEK 1976, p. 119-123)⌋ Serenissimae Maiestatis Vestrae bona illa retinet, allegans militarem consuetudinem, quod bona illorum, qui intestati moriuntur in Marienburg (Malbork), town and castle in northern Poland, in Pomeranian Voivodeship, on the Nogat, a branch of the Vistula in its delta, the seat of the Grand Masters of the Teutonic Order in Prussia (1309–1457) and a voivodeship capital in Royal Prussia, within the Kingdom of Poland (1466–1772). Alternating with Graudenz (Grudziądz), Marienburg was the venue of the Provincial Diets of Royal Prussia, chaired by the bishop of Ermland (Warmia)⌊castroMarienburg (Malbork), town and castle in northern Poland, in Pomeranian Voivodeship, on the Nogat, a branch of the Vistula in its delta, the seat of the Grand Masters of the Teutonic Order in Prussia (1309–1457) and a voivodeship capital in Royal Prussia, within the Kingdom of Poland (1466–1772). Alternating with Graudenz (Grudziądz), Marienburg was the venue of the Provincial Diets of Royal Prussia, chaired by the bishop of Ermland (Warmia)⌋, cedere soleant castro, quae quidem consuetudo iuribus ecclesiasticis non debet nec potest derogare. Quapropter causam hanc in decisionem et voluntatis Serenissimae Maiestatis Vestrae sententiam humillime reiecimus. Supplico igitur cum primis nos ex eo dubio resolvere pro sua in omnes incomparabili aequitate dignetur.

Alia non restant, quam quod me humillime Serenissimae Maiestati Vestrae, Domino meo clementissimo, commendo. Jesus of Nazareth (Jesus Christ), in Christianity the Messiah foretold in the Old Testament⌊ChristusJesus of Nazareth (Jesus Christ), in Christianity the Messiah foretold in the Old Testament⌋ Dominus noster eandem quam diutissime in optima valetudine et omnium rerum felicissimo successu conservet.

Ex Marienburg (Malbork), town and castle in northern Poland, in Pomeranian Voivodeship, on the Nogat, a branch of the Vistula in its delta, the seat of the Grand Masters of the Teutonic Order in Prussia (1309–1457) and a voivodeship capital in Royal Prussia, within the Kingdom of Poland (1466–1772). Alternating with Graudenz (Grudziądz), Marienburg was the venue of the Provincial Diets of Royal Prussia, chaired by the bishop of Ermland (Warmia)⌊MarienburgoMarienburg (Malbork), town and castle in northern Poland, in Pomeranian Voivodeship, on the Nogat, a branch of the Vistula in its delta, the seat of the Grand Masters of the Teutonic Order in Prussia (1309–1457) and a voivodeship capital in Royal Prussia, within the Kingdom of Poland (1466–1772). Alternating with Graudenz (Grudziądz), Marienburg was the venue of the Provincial Diets of Royal Prussia, chaired by the bishop of Ermland (Warmia)⌋, 17 Maii 1533.

[1] Written on piece of paper which is now lost