Letter #641
Mark LAURIJN to Ioannes DANTISCUSBruges, 1531-06-12
English register:
Through Livinus, Laurijn has received Dantiscus' letter and the map he requested. Dantiscus' esteem, and his plan to visit Bruges even if the Emperor does not come, is too much honor.
Although Dantiscus reproaches him for paying too many compliments, especially for such a modest request, Laurijn thinks that a more extensive introduction would have been appropriate, were it not that outstanding people prefer brevity. He feels embarrassed by Dantiscus' generous praise for his person and his writing, and by the service rendered to him. As Dantiscus had asked, he conveyed his greetings to the wife of Cornelis De Schepper, and thanked her sister Joanna for the bouquet of flowers. Both recommend themselves to Dantiscus. Lieven [Algoet] has Dantiscus' map now and will return it to Dantiscus. Laurijn apologises that he did not express his gratitude sooner for lending him the map, and that he delayed returning it because he expected that the Emperor would come to Bruges. After that his health did not allow to come to Ghent himself.
When finishing this letter, his sister (i.e. Elisabeth Donche) asked him to answer in her name the Latin letter which she had received from Dantiscus. She offers him her services in return and invites him to visit Bruges and to stay in the house of Beveren ("Hof van Beveren"), where she lives.
| received Ghent (Gandavum), [1531]-06-14 Manuscript sources:
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Text & apparatus & commentaryPlain textText & commentaryText & apparatus
Reverendissimo Domino, Domino Ioanni Dantisco Regni Poloniae oratori etc.Gandavi
Salutem plurimam.
Reddidit mihi Livinus noster tuas cum carta litteras, Praesul colendissime, quae cum verecundiam me deponere iusserunt, nusquam non fecerunt obviam. Statim sub litterarum tuarum initio ex unicis meis receptis litteris tanti me facis, qui Tuam Reverendissimam Paternitatem, etsi ad nos caesar non venerit, Brugas pertrahere possem. Quomodo haec sine verecundia legere me potuisse existimas!
Progrediendo me diffidentiae arguis, quod domini Cornelii dictis parum satis tribuerim. Alioquin in re tam tibi exigua ea non usus fuissem praefatiuncula putabas me, inquis, rem momenti maximi postulaturum. Profecto mihi visa est maxima et alia eguisse praefatiuncula, sed paucis rem volui explicare, quia scio brevitatem eximiis viris esse gratissimam. Numquid hic novo perfudisti me rubore, qui, quod personae prius additum sit laudis, id nunc iterum meis litteris adicis. Quid aliud elicere licet, nisi quod interea, quam cum de domini Cornelii dictis deque mea diffidentia quaelibet coniectas, meam extollis praefatiunculam?
Continuando tanta elegantia, tanta verborum congerie tuos aperis erga me affectus tua opera, etiam in omnibus ultro oblata, idque non tam eandem implorando, quam praescribendo. Ubi haec sum promeritus? Quid hic faciam? Ita duplicibus in me retortis iaculis, laude videlicet primum, dein officio me feriisti, ut, quid ipse referam, ingenue fatear me non habere. Ubi nunc non ubique se protrudit verecundia? At consolatur me, quod ea talis sit, quae venerationis loco magis habeatur temeritatem excludens, quam diffidentiae desperationem inducens, itaque reprehensione vacans ferenda potius, quam damnanda.
Ceterum munus mihi a Tua Reverendissima Paternitate iniunctum exsecutus sum. Tuo nomine domini Cornelii coniugi plurimam salutem dixi, item Ioannae virgini eius sorori de fasciculo florum fragrantissimorum gratias egi. Utraque se tuae dignitati et gratiae commendari ex animo rogavit.
Praeterea, ne ipse mihi desim et partes meas neglegere videar, habet Livinus Panagathus tuam cartam, quam reddet. Ago gratias Tuae Reverendissimae Paternitati, condona, quod prius nec gratias egerim nec remiserim cartam. Exspectabamus caesarem. Ipse Gandavum proficisci statueram, impedivit vero valetudo.
Cum ultimam manum his apponere statueram litteris, miserat soror tuas ad illam Latine scriptas rogans suo nomine responderem, hoc est mutuum officium mutuamque in omnibus operam pollicerer, invitaremque Tuam Dignissimam Paternitatem ad visendas Brugas. Quod si fecerit, non solum se sua fide liberabit, sed faciet nobis omnibus rem longe gratissimam et desideratam maxime. Et non alias aedes eligat praeter illas, quas soror inhabitat, quae sunt domini de Beuers.
Interim bene valeat Tua Reverendissima Paternitas.
Brugis, XII-a Iunii, anno XVC XXXI-o.
Tuae Paternitati Reverendissimae obsequentissimus Marcus Laurinus presbyter.