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Letter #109

[Ioannes DANTISCUS] to [Sigismund I Jagiellon]
Heilsberg (Lidzbark), 1541-03-15

English register:

Dantiscus intercedes on behalf of the Gdańsk (Danzig) merchants, who are being burdened with taxes in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in violation of long-established liberties and customs. In this matter, the diet and the council [of Royal Prussia] have already addressed the king on several occasions, but, as Dantiscus has just learned from a letter from the Gdańsk town council, without any effect. He appeals to the king not to allow the Prussian merchants to be oppressed and to order the preservation of their customary freedoms.




Manuscript sources:
1copy in Latin, 16th-century, APG, 300, 53, 268, p. 11

 

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

 

APG, 300, 53, 268, p. 11

Serenissima Regia Maiestas et Domine, domine clementissime.

Humillimam perpetuae meae servitutis commendationem.

Memini in Provincial Diet of Royal Prussia ⌊harum terrarum comitiisProvincial Diet of Royal Prussia ⌋ non semel iam Serenissimae Maiestatis Vestrae 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)⌊consiliariisCouncil 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)⌋ pro communi hic mercatorum consortio a spectabili Gdańsk City Council ⌊magistratu GedanensiGdańsk City Council ⌋ expositum, quomodo ipsi mercatores in Lithuania⌊Magno Ducatu Serenissimae Maiestatis Vestrae LithuaniaeLithuania⌋ insolitis teloneis gravantur. Qua de re aliquotiens ex Provincial Diet of Royal Prussia ⌊conventuProvincial Diet of Royal Prussia ⌋ nostro, ut mercatores in veteri observatione libertatum et consuetudinum, quibus hactenus usi sunt, permanere possint, Serenissimae Maiestati Vestrae supplicatum est.

In praesenti vero nihil moderationis aut levaminis factum esse ad me ab ipso Gdańsk City Council ⌊magistratuGdańsk City Council ⌋ cf. Gdańsk Town Council to Ioannes DANTISCUS Gdańsk (Danzig), 1541-03-08, CIDTC IDL 2399⌊litterascf. Gdańsk Town Council to Ioannes DANTISCUS Gdańsk (Danzig), 1541-03-08, CIDTC IDL 2399⌋ accepi. Gdańsk City Council ⌊CuiusGdańsk City Council ⌋ rogatu atque ex officio has intercessorias ad Serenissimam Maiestatem Vestram humillime dedi et oro, ut, pro sua apud omnes et in omnes laudatissima iustitia, praeter veterem morem 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⌊harum terrarumRoyal Prussia (Prussia Regalis), region, part of Prussia annexed to the Kingdom of Poland in 1466 under the provisions of the Second Peace of Thorn⌋ mercatores gravari et molestari non permittat, verum illos in sua regia gratia et solita libertate conservet conservarique iubeat. Quo omnium hic animos prius sibi devinctos reddet devinctissimos Serenissima Maiestas Vestra.

Cui me supplicissime commendo atque illi a domino Deo aetatem in prospera valetudine diutissime incolumem ac felicissimam intime precor.