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Letter #1684

Nicolaus COPERNICUS to Ioannes DANTISCUS
Frauenburg (Frombork), 1537-08-09
            received [1537]-08-11

Manuscript sources:
1fair copy in Latin, autograph, BCz, 2713, p. 7-8
2copy in Latin, 18th-century, BK, 222, No. 64, p. 212
3copy in Latin, 19th-century, AAWO, AK, Dok. Varia 42
4copy in Latin, 18th-century, BCz, 55 (TN), No. 36, p. 197-198
5register with excerpt in Latin, English, 20th-century, CBKUL, R.III, 32, No. 592

Auxiliary sources:
1register in Polish, 20th-century, B. PAU-PAN, 8248 (TK 10), f. 538

Prints:
1NIEMCEWICZ 4 p. 65-66 (Polish translation)
2COPERNICUS 1854 p. 585 (in extenso; Polish translation)
3Kopernikijana No. 8, p. 80 (Polish translation)
4Spicilegium No. 11, p. 199-200 (in extenso)
5Autografi Tav. IV (facsimile)
6PROWE 1884 p. 159-160 (in extenso)
7DE VOCHT 1961 No. DE, 361, p. 296 (in extenso)
8SIKORSKI 1968 No. 391, p. 99 (Polish register)
9Kopernik na Warmii No. 413, p. 491 (Polish register)
10RC No. 369, p. 164 (English register)
11DREWNOWSKI 1978 No. 6, p. 231-232 (in extenso; Polish translation)
12COPERNICUS 1992 Rękopisy No. VIII.13-14, p. 15 (facsimile)
13NCG 6/1 No. 108, p. 213-215 (in extenso; German translation)
14KOESTLER 2002 p. 176 (reference)
15COPERNICUS 2007 p. 186-187 (in extenso)
16COPERNICUS 2007 p. 197-198 (Polish translation)
17WASIUTYŃSKI 2007 p. 383 (Polish translation)

 

Text & apparatus & commentaryPlain textText & commentaryText & apparatus

 

Reverendissime in Christo Pater et Domine, domine clementissime.

Opportunitas nuntii Reverendissimae Dominationis Vestrae mihi oblata admonuit me, ut etiam mearum aliquid litterarum ad Reverendissimam Dominationem Vestram darem. Accepi his diebus ex Wrocław (Breslau, Vratislavia), city in southwestern Poland, on the Oder river, historical capital of Silesia, from 1526 ruled by the Habsburgs⌊VratislaviaWrocław (Breslau, Vratislavia), city in southwestern Poland, on the Oder river, historical capital of Silesia, from 1526 ruled by the Habsburgs⌋ novitates, quas mitto Reverendissimae Dominationi Vestrae, etsi verear iam antiquas esse apud eandem Dominationem Vestram, eo quod litterae datae fuerint XXVII Iunii. Privatim vero scribitur mihi litteras venisse ex curia regiae maiestatis Ferdinand I of Habsburg (*1503 – †1564), from 1521 Archduke of Austria, from 1526 King of Bohemia and Hungary, Croatia and Slavonia as Ferdinand I, 1531-1558 King of the Romans, 1558-1564 Holy Roman Emperor; son of Philip I the Handsome and Joanna the Mad of Castile, a younger brother of Charles V of Habsburg⌊FerdinandiFerdinand I of Habsburg (*1503 – †1564), from 1521 Archduke of Austria, from 1526 King of Bohemia and Hungary, Croatia and Slavonia as Ferdinand I, 1531-1558 King of the Romans, 1558-1564 Holy Roman Emperor; son of Philip I the Handsome and Joanna the Mad of Castile, a younger brother of Charles V of Habsburg⌋ haec continentes, „quod Tahmāsp I Safavid (Sophi) (*1514 – †1576), 1524-1576 Shah of Persia, 2nd. Shah of the Safavid dynasty, ruled 1524 - 1576. Son and successor of Ismail I Safavid ⌊rex PersarumTahmāsp I Safavid (Sophi) (*1514 – †1576), 1524-1576 Shah of Persia, 2nd. Shah of the Safavid dynasty, ruled 1524 - 1576. Son and successor of Ismail I Safavid ⌋ instinctu Charles V of Habsburg (*1500 – †1558), ruler of the Burgundian territories (1506-1555), King of Spain as Charles I (1516-1556), King of Naples and Sicily, King of the Romans (1519-1530), Holy Roman Emperor of the German Nation (elected 1519, crowned 1530, abdicated 1556); son of Philip I the Handsome and Joanna the Mad of Castile⌊caesarisCharles V of Habsburg (*1500 – †1558), ruler of the Burgundian territories (1506-1555), King of Spain as Charles I (1516-1556), King of Naples and Sicily, King of the Romans (1519-1530), Holy Roman Emperor of the German Nation (elected 1519, crowned 1530, abdicated 1556); son of Philip I the Handsome and Joanna the Mad of Castile⌋, Paul III (Alessandro Farnese) (*1468 – †1549), 1493 elevated to cardinal; 1524 Cardinal-Bishop of Ostia; 1534-1549 Pope⌊papaePaul III (Alessandro Farnese) (*1468 – †1549), 1493 elevated to cardinal; 1524 Cardinal-Bishop of Ostia; 1534-1549 Pope⌋ et John III of Portugal (John the Pious, João III Aviz) (*1502 – †1557), 1521-1557 King of Portugal; son of Manuel I, King of Portugal, and Maria of Aragon⌊regis LusitaniaeJohn III of Portugal (John the Pious, João III Aviz) (*1502 – †1557), 1521-1557 King of Portugal; son of Manuel I, King of Portugal, and Maria of Aragon⌋ magnis auxiliis Suleiman the Magnificent (*1494 – †1566), 1520-1566 Sultan of the Ottoman Empire⌊TurkamSuleiman the Magnificent (*1494 – †1566), 1520-1566 Sultan of the Ottoman Empire⌋ infestat, ut relicta Italy (Italia)⌊ItaliaItaly (Italia)⌋ cum expeditione retrocedere cogatur. Inter Francis I of Valois (*1494 – †1547), 1515-1547 King of France; son of Charles, Count of Angoulême, and Louise of Savoy⌊regem GalliaeFrancis I of Valois (*1494 – †1547), 1515-1547 King of France; son of Charles, Count of Angoulême, and Louise of Savoy⌋ et Charles V of Habsburg (*1500 – †1558), ruler of the Burgundian territories (1506-1555), King of Spain as Charles I (1516-1556), King of Naples and Sicily, King of the Romans (1519-1530), Holy Roman Emperor of the German Nation (elected 1519, crowned 1530, abdicated 1556); son of Philip I the Handsome and Joanna the Mad of Castile⌊caesaremCharles V of Habsburg (*1500 – †1558), ruler of the Burgundian territories (1506-1555), King of Spain as Charles I (1516-1556), King of Naples and Sicily, King of the Romans (1519-1530), Holy Roman Emperor of the German Nation (elected 1519, crowned 1530, abdicated 1556); son of Philip I the Handsome and Joanna the Mad of Castile⌋ pacem firmatam aiunt data Christina of Denmark (Christina von Oldenburg) (*1521 – †1590), daughter of Christian II of Denmark and Isabella of Austria, niece of Emperor Charles V, wife of Francesco II Sforza (1534-1535) and François I de Lorraine (1541-1545)⌊relictaChristina of Denmark (Christina von Oldenburg) (*1521 – †1590), daughter of Christian II of Denmark and Isabella of Austria, niece of Emperor Charles V, wife of Francesco II Sforza (1534-1535) and François I de Lorraine (1541-1545)⌋ Francesco II Sforza (*1495 – †1535), 1521-1535 the last Duke of Milan from the Sforza family; son of Ludovico Sforza and Beatrice d'Este⌊ducis MediolaniFrancesco II Sforza (*1495 – †1535), 1521-1535 the last Duke of Milan from the Sforza family; son of Ludovico Sforza and Beatrice d'Este⌋ cum ipso Milan (Mediolanum, Milano), duchy in northern Italy⌊ducatuMilan (Mediolanum, Milano), duchy in northern Italy⌋ filio Francis I of Valois (*1494 – †1547), 1515-1547 King of France; son of Charles, Count of Angoulême, and Louise of Savoy⌊regis GallorumFrancis I of Valois (*1494 – †1547), 1515-1547 King of France; son of Charles, Count of Angoulême, and Louise of Savoy⌋. Nostri, id est Ferdinand I of Habsburg (*1503 – †1564), from 1521 Archduke of Austria, from 1526 King of Bohemia and Hungary, Croatia and Slavonia as Ferdinand I, 1531-1558 King of the Romans, 1558-1564 Holy Roman Emperor; son of Philip I the Handsome and Joanna the Mad of Castile, a younger brother of Charles V of Habsburg⌊regis FerdinandiFerdinand I of Habsburg (*1503 – †1564), from 1521 Archduke of Austria, from 1526 King of Bohemia and Hungary, Croatia and Slavonia as Ferdinand I, 1531-1558 King of the Romans, 1558-1564 Holy Roman Emperor; son of Philip I the Handsome and Joanna the Mad of Castile, a younger brother of Charles V of Habsburg⌋, apud Košice (Cassovia, Kassa), town in Kingdom of Hungary, Upper Hungary, today in Slovakia⌊CassoviamKošice (Cassovia, Kassa), town in Kingdom of Hungary, Upper Hungary, today in Slovakia⌋ rem bene gerunt eo capto, qui per proditionem Cassoviam ceperat, multis ex hostibus trucidatis capta etiam arce munitissima, unde omnis Cassoviae calamitas orta est. Citizens of Bohemia ⌊BoemiCitizens of Bohemia ⌋ et Citizens of Moravia ⌊MoraviCitizens of Moravia ⌋ iam sunt in itinere, similiter The Silesians ⌊SlesitaeThe Silesians ⌋ passim vadunt in Hungary (Kingdom of Hungary)⌊UngariamHungary (Kingdom of Hungary)⌋, qui forsan dante Deo Košice (Cassovia, Kassa), town in Kingdom of Hungary, Upper Hungary, today in Slovakia⌊CassoviamKošice (Cassovia, Kassa), town in Kingdom of Hungary, Upper Hungary, today in Slovakia⌋ et alia recuperabunt. Dicunt etiam apud nos, quod John Zápolya (János Szapolyai) (*1487 – †1540), 1526-1540 King of Hungary; son of István Szapolyai and Jadwiga of Cieszyn in 1540 married Isabella, dauther of of King Sigismund Jagiellon of Poland. He fought against Ferdinand of Habsburg for the right to the title of King of Hungary⌊WeydaJohn Zápolya (János Szapolyai) (*1487 – †1540), 1526-1540 King of Hungary; son of István Szapolyai and Jadwiga of Cieszyn in 1540 married Isabella, dauther of of King Sigismund Jagiellon of Poland. He fought against Ferdinand of Habsburg for the right to the title of King of Hungary⌋ petit concordiam certis condicionibus propositis, quae an acceptabuntur, ignoramus adhuc”. Et haec in litteris, quae, sicut accepi, trado Reverendissimae Dominationi Vestrae, cui servitia mea ac me ipsum devoveo.

Eidem Reverendissimae Dominationi Vestrae devotissimus Nicolaus Copernicus (Mikołaj Kopernik) (*1473 – †1543), humanist, physician and astronomer, doctor of canon law; nephew of Łukasz Watzenrode, Bishop of Ermland; 1497-1543 Canon of Ermland (Warmia); 1511-1513, 1520, 1524-1525, 1529 Chancellor of the Ermland Chapter; 1523 General Administrator of the bishopric after the death of Fabian von Lusian (Luzjański) (KOPICZKO 2, p. 161; SBKW, p. 123-124)⌊Nicolaus CopernicusNicolaus Copernicus (Mikołaj Kopernik) (*1473 – †1543), humanist, physician and astronomer, doctor of canon law; nephew of Łukasz Watzenrode, Bishop of Ermland; 1497-1543 Canon of Ermland (Warmia); 1511-1513, 1520, 1524-1525, 1529 Chancellor of the Ermland Chapter; 1523 General Administrator of the bishopric after the death of Fabian von Lusian (Luzjański) (KOPICZKO 2, p. 161; SBKW, p. 123-124)⌋