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Letter #98

[Ioannes DANTISCUS] to [Sigismund I Jagiellon]
Heilsberg (Lidzbark), 1546-02-28

English register:

The city council of Gdańsk (Danzig) has submitted a request to Dantiscus. He is well aware, as are others, of the damage suffered by the city in previous years as a result of flooding by the Vistula and the destruction of the embankments. He is aware of the expenditure that the city has had to incur, and continues to incur, to ensure that the embankments are repaired. The council has asked him to intercede with the king so that the latter might grant the city some funds from the tax and excise duty in order to alleviate those hardships and to facilitate the continuation of the works. Dantiscus was unable to refuse this request, as in his view it would be of benefit both to Royal Prussia and to the Kingdom of Poland.

He therefore asks the king to give due consideration to his intercession and to heed the petitions of the envoys of the city council of Gdańsk.




Manuscript sources:
1copy in Latin, 16th-century, APG, 300, 53, 269, p. 89

 

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

 

Serenissime etc.

Rogavit me spectabilis Gdańsk City Council ⌊magistratus GedanensisGdańsk City Council ⌋, cum mihi aeque atque aliis constaret de maximis ipsorum damnis, quae ex inundationibus fluvii Vistula (Wisła), river in Poland⌊VistulaeVistula (Wisła), river in Poland⌋ ac aggerum ruptionibus paucis praeteritis annis perceperunt expensisque quas in reparandis iis facere hucusque coacti sunt et necdum exponere cessant, ut Serenissimae Maiestati Vestrae eorum nomine supplicarem, quo aliquid illis de contributione et accisa collecta, unde relevamen perpensorum damnorum et onerum sentirent atque in incepto opere eo facilius progredi possent, attribueretur. Qua in re illis minime meam operam denegandam esse duxi, praesertim cum viderem ipsos non sua tantum causa hoc oneris subire, ut tantas impensas in sustinendis et reparandis aggeribus faciant, sed hanc eorum diligentiam multum etiam commodi reliquis nobis omnibus in Royal Prussia (Prussia Regalis), region, part of Prussia annexed to the Kingdom of Poland in 1466 under the provisions of the Second Peace of Thorn⌊his terrisRoyal Prussia (Prussia Regalis), region, part of Prussia annexed to the Kingdom of Poland in 1466 under the provisions of the Second Peace of Thorn⌋ morantibus ac ipso inclito Poland (Kingdom of Poland, Polonia), the kingdom⌊Regno PoloniaePoland (Kingdom of Poland, Polonia), the kingdom⌋ afferre.

Quare humillime oro, Serenissima Maiestas Vestra velit clementer dicti spectabilis Council of Royal Prussia the principal local authority in Royal Prussia. It consisted of two bishops: of Ermland (Warmia), who served as president of the Council, and of Kulm (Chełmno); three voivodes: of Kulm, Marienburg (Malbork), and Pomerania; three castellans: of Kulm, Elbing (Elbląg), and Gdańsk (Danzig); three chamberlains: of Kulm, Marienburg, and Pomerania; and representatives of the three Great Prussian Cities: Gdańsk, Thorn (Toruń), and Elbing (ACHREMCZYK 2016, p. 17-18)⌊senatusCouncil of Royal Prussia the principal local authority in Royal Prussia. It consisted of two bishops: of Ermland (Warmia), who served as president of the Council, and of Kulm (Chełmno); three voivodes: of Kulm, Marienburg (Malbork), and Pomerania; three castellans: of Kulm, Elbing (Elbląg), and Gdańsk (Danzig); three chamberlains: of Kulm, Marienburg, and Pomerania; and representatives of the three Great Prussian Cities: Gdańsk, Thorn (Toruń), and Elbing (ACHREMCZYK 2016, p. 17-18)⌋ nuntios in ea causa on the margin⌈in ea causain ea causa on the margin⌉ audire atque huic meae pro iis intercessioni et precibus eorum locum dare, ut tantum aliquod adminiculum Serenissimae Maiestatis Vestrae de collecta contributione, quo illis subveniretur, habere possint. Quod si clementer eis Serenissima Maiestas Vestra concesserit, non tantum illis, sed reliquis etiam subditis multum est profutura Serenissima Maiestas Vestra.

Cui me supplicissime commendo atque ex animo precor, ut eandem dominus Deus diuturnissimo tempore incolumem et prosperrime valentem conservare velit.