Letter #122
Ioannes DANTISCUS to Sigmund von HERBERSTEIN[Augsburg], [1516-10-21 — 1516-10-28]
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Generoso domino
Generose Domine, commendationem plurimam.
Concepi summam de Generositate Vestra fiduciam pro eximia humanitate ac benevolentia sua erga me. Proinde audentior factus decrevi res meas providentiae Generositatis Vestrae committere. Non licet mihi non vocato ad
[1 ] In the early days of his correspondence with Herberstein (CEID 2/1, letters No. 1, 2, 4-6) Dantiscus uses this syncopated form of his name. In Dantiscus’ subsequent letters, the forms “Herberstain” and sometimes “Erberstain” appear. Herberstein himself usually signed his name as “Herberstain”.
[2 ] We don’t know if the order for Dantiscus to remain in Augsburg was given to Herberstein orally, or if it was contained in a letter unknown to us
[3 ] From the end of February 1516 to December 1517, Sigismund I was residing temporarily in
[4 ] The decision to entrust Herberstein with the mission to Sigismund I and Grand Duke of Muscovy Vasily III had already been made. Dantiscus worked hard to speed up the departure of the legation, the main aims of the mission being to mediate in the peace between the ruler of Poland and Lithuania and the ruler of the Grand Duchy of Muscovy, negotiating the relations between Poland and the Teutonic Order, and bringing about the Polish king’s new marriage to duchess Bona Sforza (see cf. Ioannes Dantiscus' correspondence with Sigmund von Herberstein, ed. by Marek A. Janicki, Tomasz Ososiński, Warsaw-Cracow, 2008, series: Corpus Epistularum Ioannis Dantisci 2, Amicorum sermones mutui 1, series ed.(s): Jerzy Axer, Anna Skolimowska ⌊CEID 2.1cf. Ioannes Dantiscus' correspondence with Sigmund von Herberstein, ed. by Marek A. Janicki, Tomasz Ososiński, Warsaw-Cracow, 2008, series: Corpus Epistularum Ioannis Dantisci 2, Amicorum sermones mutui 1, series ed.(s): Jerzy Axer, Anna Skolimowska ⌋, No. 11, footnote 7-8). In his letter from Augsburg dated November 19, 1516 he informed Warmia Bishop Fabian Luzjański that the imperial envoys prope diem hinc ad serenissimum dominum nostrum in re Moscica ac etiam nostra Prutena ituri sunt. However, Herberstein did not set off for Poland until early 1517 (BCz, 1594, p. 323, cf. Herberstein 1855, p. 104-109; Herberstein 1560, f. B3v, and CEID 2.1, Introduction, p. 23-24, and No. 8, footnote 4)
[5 ] In fact, at an audience in Vilnius in early March 1517, Herberstein did tell Sigismund I about Dantiscus’ services to the emperor and his request to leave the Polish envoy in service, and Sigismund I was happy to oblige (see CEID 2.1, Introduction, p. 24, and No. 8, footnote 47)
[6 ] For more about Dantiscus’ financial difficulties at the time, cf. CEID 2.1, No. 2 and 4-6
[7 ] For more about the services rendered to the emperor by Dantiscus as an envoy of the Polish king, see CEID 2.1, Introduction, p. 15-27