Letter #1586
[Ioannes DANTISCUS] to [Mauritius FERBER]Löbau (Lubawa), 1537-03-10
English register: Dantiscus is replying to two letters from Ferber. He thinks Ferber is rightly worried about the interpretation of the concept of indigenousness at the Diet in Cracow, but he hopes that together they can find a solution to this problem. Dantiscus is considering where to convene the approaching springtime Prussian assembly. He would be willing to hold it in Malbork, as long as Ferber (despite his health problems) takes part in the assembly and undertakes the effort of chairing the sessions. Dantiscus also thinks that the Polish lords (i.e. the commissioners delegated to the Prussian assembly by the king) will travel via Toruń, and that the king’s will should be followed as to the choice of the assembly’s location. Dantiscus thinks it will be sufficient if the gentry and the cities read the king’s letter on the eve of the assembly. The time and place of the assembly, on the other hand, should be announced publicly as soon as possible as well as the issues that are to be discussed which were specified by the king and queen during the Diet in Cracow. Dantiscus has not received a letter from Ioannes Tymmermann. If he does, he will arrive at the time specified. As for the election capitulations, he will act in accordance with Ferber’s advice and his will. Dantiscus cannot send Ferber a copy of the reply given on behalf of the king by the Płock bishop (Jan Chojeński) to the Prussian gentry’s envoys, because the royal court is not in the habit of presenting such replies in writing. Ferber knows its content from Dantiscus’ earlier letters. He explains that the (memorandum) which Ferber received from the Malbork voivode (Jerzy Bażyński) was sent to him through Bażyński by Johann von Werden, in accordance with what had been decided among the Prussian Council’s legation. The news as to the General Council, promised by the papal nuncio, has not arrived yet. Dantiscus fears that the Council will not come about because of the imminent war between the Empire and France. France has forged an alliance with Turkey against the Christians. It is said that a large part of the Turkish army is in Hungary and is due to move towards Germany. Dantiscus is returning to Ferber the horses he borrowed for his journey. He complains about the expenses he had in Cracow, and the pain that the gossip about this matter is causing him. Dantiscus informs Ferber that the Płock bishop (Jan Chojeński) became Grand Chancellor on February 16, while the post of Vice-Chancellor went to Jakub the Gostynin castellan (in fact: Gostynin starosta Paweł Wolski). He encloses a copy of the letter from the voivode of Pomerania (Jerzy Konopacki) concerning the swearing-in. In the postscript: Dantiscus replies to Ferber’s reproach that he complains too much about the expenses and hardships he has suffered in connection with his mission. He writes that he expected nothing more from Ferber than a friendly ear for his confidences, which brought him relief after the distress he suffered. He had been particularly pained at the accusations thrown by his ungrateful compatriots that he had not financed the mission from his own funds. Nevertheless, he thanks Ferber for his fatherly reprimand.
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Text & apparatus & commentaryPlain textText & commentaryText & apparatus
BCz, 244, p. 193Reverendissime in Christo Pater et Domine, Domine et Amice carissime ac plurimum observande.
Post cf.
ms 1 q[ui] paper damaged⌈quims 2 3 4 qui,
ms 1 q[ui] paper damaged⌉ 1537-03-09⌊heri1537-03-09⌋ applicuit,
ex quibus mentem Dominationis Vestrae Reverendissimae, quemadmodum mihi visum est, plane intellexi. Quod in primis scribit se non parum
cf. Adagia 1526 No. 2930 Perplexus ⌊perplexamcf. Adagia 1526 No. 2930 Perplexus ⌋
moleste ferre interpretationem de indigenis nostris
ms 1 fac[it] paper damaged⌈facitms 2 3 4 facit,
ms 1 fac[it] paper damaged⌉ Dominatio vestra Reverendissima, nollem tamen, ut hoc ipsum gravius, quam ms 2 3 4 oportet,
ms 1 oporte[t] paper damaged⌈oportetms 2 3 4 oportet,
ms 1 oporte[t] paper damaged⌉, in animum admitteret, quandoquidem communi ea in re habito consilio, quid responderi expediet et oporteat, Deo intellectum praestantes inveniemus.
In cf.
ms 1 maxim[o]pere paper damaged⌈maximoperems 2 3 4 maximopere,
ms 1 maxim[o]pere paper damaged⌉
ms 1 fer[re] paper damaged⌈ferrems 2 3 4 ferre,
ms 1 fer[re] paper damaged⌉ – solus, inquam, sine Dominatione Vestra Reverendissima, cum multa eaque ms 2 3 4 ardua,
ms 1 a[r]dua paper damaged⌈arduams 2 3 4 ardua,
ms 1 a[r]dua paper damaged⌉ in rebus nostris publicis se offerent. Neque opinor dominos Polonos ad nos venturos[3]
De litteris a
ms 1 praemittendi[s] paper damaged,
ms 2 3 permittendis⌈praemittendisms 4 praemittendis,
ms 1 praemittendi[s] paper damaged,
ms 2 3 permittendis⌉, etiam si uno die, priusquam
ms 1 nobili[ta]ti paper damaged⌈nobilitatims 2 3 4 nobilitati,
ms 1 nobili[ta]ti paper damaged⌉ et civibus reddantur, satisfactum putabo, cum prius sciant tempus
ms 1 locu[s] paper damaged⌈locusms 2 3 4 locus,
ms 1 locu[s] paper damaged⌉ sciatur, necessarium esse arbitror. Ego me ms 2 3 4 velim,
ms 1 veli[m] paper damaged⌈velimms 2 3 4 velim,
ms 1 veli[m] paper damaged⌉ et a tempore et loco esse liberum, cum in nullum magis quam in me unum ... illegible⌈...... illegible⌉, si superinscribed⌈sisi superinscribed⌉ sine Dominatione Vestra Reverendissima praesum, omne odium et malorum hominum iniqua calumnia on the margin⌈omne odium et malorum hominum iniqua calumniaomne odium et malorum hominum iniqua calumnia on the margin⌉ conici soleat. Unde et me velim aegritudine ms 2 3 4 quapiam,
ms 1 quapia[m] paper damaged⌈quapiamms 2 3 4 quapiam,
ms 1 quapia[m] paper damaged⌉ praepediri, ut sine iis turbis ms 2 3 4 quoquomodo,
ms 1 quoquomo[do] paper damaged⌈quoquomodoms 2 3 4 quoquomodo,
ms 1 quoquomo[do] paper damaged⌉, quod vitae reliquum est mihi, transigere superinscribed in place of crossed-out vivere⌈viveretransigeretransigere superinscribed in place of crossed-out vivere⌉ liceret, utpote ms 2 3 4 non,
ms 1 n[on] paper damaged⌈nonms 2 3 4 non,
ms 1 n[on] paper damaged⌉ admodum vitae, cuius me saepe cepit taedium, avido ... illegible⌈...... illegible⌉ etc.
A domino
ms 1 t[empus] paper damaged⌈tempusms 2 3 4 tempus,
ms 1 t[empus] paper damaged⌉, quo adiri debeam, a me postulaverint, non ms 2 3 4 gravate,
ms 1 grava[te] paper damaged⌈gravatems 2 3 4 gravate,
ms 1 grava[te] paper damaged⌉ praestabo. In articulis sic me geram, ut Dominatio Vestra Reverendissima consuluit superinscribed in place of crossed-out erit⌈erititit superinscribed in place of crossed-out erit⌉ atque voluit written over erit⌈erititit written over erit⌉.[4]
cf.
ms 1 script[o] paper damaged⌈scriptoms 2 3 4 scripto,
ms 1 script[o] paper damaged⌉ non fuit prolatum, sed
De
Equos Reverendissimae Dominationis Vestrae
ms 1 [Do](mi)nus⌈Dominusms 2 3 4 Dominus,
ms 1 [Do](mi)nus⌉ providebitDominus providebit on the margin⌉ etc.[11]
Sigillum maius datum est feria sexta ante Invocavit[12]
ms 1 adiunctam⌈adiunctasms 2 3 4 adiunctas,
ms 1 adiunctam⌉ mitto. Quod reliquum est, me paterno Dominationis Vestrae Reverendissimae amori ex corde commendo Deumque precor, ut illam quam
diutissime sospitet prosperetque in omnibus.
Postscript:
BCz, 244, p. 194
Reverendissime mi Domine. In scheda prioribus litteris, quas nuper nuntius meus attulit, inclusa ms. inclusis(!)
⌈inclusainclusa ms. inclusis(!)
⌉ scribit me lamentari et in cunctis meis litteris conqueri de impensis et molestia. Quae lamenta, si imprudens emisi, et querelae ne Dominationis Vestrae Reverendissimae animum offendant, oro. Non parum in rebus duris ferre solet leniminis, ubi tuto in sinus amici id, quod grave et onerosum est, effundere licet, etiam si ab amico nil speretur levaminis. Quantum
patriae debeam, non me praeterit, ad cuius commodum et honorem si quas feci graviores, quam forte oportebat, expensas, non ducor paenitudine, verum nostratium ingratitudine moveor, quod id honoris mihi non tribuant, quod de meis impenderim, sed, quasi ab aliis stipendio conductus, tam splendide et honeste cum principibus viris in aula regia convixerim. Neque me secus atque
cf. Ov. Tr. 3. (7) 42 Irus et est subito, qui modo Croesus erat; Prop. 3. 5. 17 Lydus Dulichio non distat Croesus ab Iro; Mart. 5. 39. 8-9 Croeso divitior licet fuissem, / Iro pauperior forem; Adagia 1526 No. 574, 576 ⌊cf.