Letter #102
[Ioannes DANTISCUS] to [Sigismund I Jagiellon]Heilsberg (Lidzbark), 1546-02-10
English register:
The king presumably recalls Dantiscus’ earlier petitions, both on behalf of the councillors [of Royal Prussia] and on his own behalf, concerning the council and inhabitants of Gdańsk (Danzig), asking the sovereign to graciously leave them in possession of the estate of Putzig (Puck), the loss of which would cause them great harm. Dantiscus asks the king to take into account in this matter the long-standing meritorious service of the inhabitants of Gdańsk to the Kingdom, as well as to the king himself and his ancestors.
When the king resolved to increase his revenues by recovering the estate, he appointed a commission composed of Dantiscus and other councillors [Jan Sokołowski, Johann von Baysen (Jan Bażyński), Paweł Płotowski], whose task was to examine the documents underpinning the city’s title to Putzig, and to establish the amount of debt secured against these estates. The matter of redeeming that debt was then referred for resolution to the king himself and now depends entirely upon his decision.
Although Dantiscus was merely carrying out a task entrusted to him along with the others, he is now being held responsible for the way in which the matter was handled. He has therefore now assumed the role of advocate for the city’s interests before the king to disprove the suspicions and to serve his homeland.
Now that the matter has returned for consideration after a year’s suspension, he asks the king to show clemency towards his fellow countrymen, and to leave them in possession of the estate on reasonable terms. Doing otherwise will hurt maritime trade, which is of importance to the king and brings benefit and renown to the Kingdom and to all of the king’s dominions. Just as he was an obedient commissioner of the king, so is he now a humble advocate of his homeland’s cause, which is by its very nature dear to his heart.
Manuscript sources:
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Text & apparatus & commentary Plain text Text & commentary Text & apparatus
APG, 300, 53, 269, p. 91Litterae ad Serenissimam Maiestatem Regiam in causa Pucensi
Serenissime etc.
Serenissimam Maiestatem Vestram clementer meminisse arbitror, quoties diligentissime et dominorum hic consiliariorum, et meo seorsum nomine pro conterraneis meis, magistratu et incolis civitatis Serenissimae Maiestatis Vestrae Gedanensis suppliciter adductis non vanis rationibus supplicaverim, ut eos in districtu Pucensi mari adiacenti ob propinquam coniunctionem et usum, quo(?) illo sine gravi detrimento carere non possunt, pro bene meritis et fidelibus servitiis, quae superioribus annis Regno et Serenissimae Maiestatis Vestrae maioribus multa auri et sanguinis profusione impenderunt, ne ex eo districtu redimerentur, per singularem suam regiam clementiam conservaret, quod quidem non parvo tempore successit.
Cum visum tandem esset Serenissimae Maiestati Vestrae, ut pro suis augendis emolumentis eundem districtum ad se resumeret, constituit me tum cum aliis designatis consiliariis diserte praescripta facultate cognitorem, ut quanta illis deberetur summa inscripta, perlectis diplomatis et litteris, quas super eo districtu ordines civitatis illius haberent, ex thesauro Serenissimae Maiestatis Vestrae persolveretur, unde demum tota haec exemptionis causa ad Serenissimam Maiestatem Vestram devoluta apud eandem in sola gratia regia de adscribed⌈dede adscribed⌉pendet.
Defunctus itaque hoc officio a Serenissima Maiestate Vestra mihi eo tempore cum aliis iniuncto, in quo id, quod Serenissima Maiestas Vestra voluit, diligenter praestiti, licet non sine mala quorundam suspicione, quasi ego auctor fuerim, quo Serenissima Maiestas Vestra inducta hoc ipsum negotium ad eum modum transigi commiserit, deprecatoris iam ad Serenissimam Maiestatem Vestram personam, et ut ea me suspicione exonerem, et ne patriae meae defuisse videar, non gravate suscepi atque indui.
Demisse proinde rogo Serenissima Maiestas Vestra post decursum iam anni, quo huius rei tractatio suspensa iterum venit retractanda, dignetur se clementer patriae meae eiusque incolis exhibere ac pro innata sua benignitate districtum hunc modo et condicione aliqua tolerabili et quantum fieri posset relevante ipsis meis gentilibus relinquere, sine quo eorum res publica, quam semper Serenissima Maiestas Vestra singulari clementia est prosecuta, se commode sustinere nequit, sine quo etiam commercia maritima, ex quibus Regno et dominiis Serenissimae Maiestatis Vestrae utilitatis plurimum accedit, cum profectu exerceri non possunt. Ex quibus, inquam, commerciis, quae in remotissimas se regiones extendunt, Serenissimae Maiestatis Vestrae et Regni apud exteras rationes, nomen atque existimatio redditur celeberrima. Cumque me usa est Serenissima Maiestas Vestra in hac Pucensi causa obsequentissimo commissario, ut me in praesens etiam supplicissimo deprecatore intercedente, patriae meae, (quod omnibus commune est) vi quadam naturali mihi carae, clementem se 
APG, 300, 53, 269, p. 92 praestare velit, precibus quibus possum omnibus a Serenissima Maiestate Vestra summopere precor.
Cui me cum eadem patria mea supplicissime commendo a domino Deo intime orans, ut eandem Serenissimam Maiestatem Vestram nobis diutissime incolumem felicissimamque conservet.
Dat(ae) or Dat(um)⌈Dat(ae)Dat(ae) or Dat(um)⌉ Heilsberg, X Februarii MDXLVI.