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Letter #1538

Diego GRACIÁN de Alderete to Ioannes DANTISCUS
Valladolid, 1536-09-13
            received [1537]-07-16

Manuscript sources:
1fair copy in Latin, autograph, AAWO, AB, D.131, f. 29-30

Auxiliary sources:
1register in Polish, 20th-century, B. PAU-PAN, 8248 (TK 10), f. 311-312
2register in English, 20th-century, CBKUL, R.III, 31, No. 420, 11

Prints:
1Españoles part I, No. 14, p. 84-86 (Spanish translation)

 

Text & apparatus & commentaryPlain textText & commentaryText & apparatus

 

Revrendissimo ac magnifico Domino, domino Ioannes Dantiscus (Johannes von Höfen, Ioannes de Curiis, Jan Dantyszek, Johannes Flachsbinder) (*1485 – †1548), eminent diplomat and humanist in the service of the Jagiellons, neo-Latin poet; 1530-1537 Bishop of Kulm; 1537-1548 Bishop of Ermland⌊Ioanni DantiscoIoannes Dantiscus (Johannes von Höfen, Ioannes de Curiis, Jan Dantyszek, Johannes Flachsbinder) (*1485 – †1548), eminent diplomat and humanist in the service of the Jagiellons, neo-Latin poet; 1530-1537 Bishop of Kulm; 1537-1548 Bishop of Ermland⌋ episcopo Colmensi, serenissimi Sigismund I Jagiellon (Zygmunt I) (*1467 – †1548), King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania (1506-1548); Duke of Głogów (Glogau) (1499-1506), Duke of Opava (1501-1506), Governor of Silesia (1504-1506); son of King Kazimierz IV Jagiellon and Elisabeth of Austria⌊regis PoloniaeSigismund I Jagiellon (Zygmunt I) (*1467 – †1548), King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania (1506-1548); Duke of Głogów (Glogau) (1499-1506), Duke of Opava (1501-1506), Governor of Silesia (1504-1506); son of King Kazimierz IV Jagiellon and Elisabeth of Austria⌋ oratori

Salutem plurimam.

Etsi ex litteris Albrecht Cuon (Kohn) (†after 1559), a German merchant from Nuremberg, and the Welsers' factor in Spain (Oberdeutsche Kaufleute, p. 36, footnote 122)⌊Alberti CuonAlbrecht Cuon (Kohn) (†after 1559), a German merchant from Nuremberg, and the Welsers' factor in Spain (Oberdeutsche Kaufleute, p. 36, footnote 122)⌋ animum consiliumque meum cognoscere possis, vir clarissime, tamen officium meum esse putavi brevem hanc epistolam ad te mittere, ut memoriam mei tibi refricarem, quam tibi prorsus excidisse arbitror. Nec mirum supputo enim annos septem et eo amplius ab eo tempore, quo cum Alfonso de Valdés (Alphonsus Valdesius) (*1500-1504 – †1532), Spanish humanist, friend of Erasmus of Rotterdam, brother of Juan and Diego; from 1520 in the service of the Imperial Chancellor Mercurino Gattinara; 1522 secretary of Emperor Charles V of Habsburg; 1526 Latin secretary (FERNÁNDEZ-SANTAMARÍA, p. 38-48; DE VOCHT 1961, p. 26)⌊ValdesioAlfonso de Valdés (Alphonsus Valdesius) (*1500-1504 – †1532), Spanish humanist, friend of Erasmus of Rotterdam, brother of Juan and Diego; from 1520 in the service of the Imperial Chancellor Mercurino Gattinara; 1522 secretary of Emperor Charles V of Habsburg; 1526 Latin secretary (FERNÁNDEZ-SANTAMARÍA, p. 38-48; DE VOCHT 1961, p. 26)⌋ nostro Charles V of Habsburg (*1500 – †1558), ruler of the Burgundian territories (1506-1555), King of Spain as Charles I (1516-1556), King of Naples and Sicily, King of the Romans (1519-1530), Holy Roman Emperor of the German Nation (elected 1519, crowned 1530, abdicated 1556); son of Philip I the Handsome and Joanna the Mad of Castile⌊caesarisCharles V of Habsburg (*1500 – †1558), ruler of the Burgundian territories (1506-1555), King of Spain as Charles I (1516-1556), King of Naples and Sicily, King of the Romans (1519-1530), Holy Roman Emperor of the German Nation (elected 1519, crowned 1530, abdicated 1556); son of Philip I the Handsome and Joanna the Mad of Castile⌋ secretario mihi tibique amicissimo proxime essemus una, ubi quasi divinans fore mihi aliquando hoc expetendum, honori studioque tuo inserviens, te ob tuam auctoritatem eruditionemque singularem colebam. Quae plurimum apud me valuisse ex hoc maxime negotio potes existimare. Cum primum Isabella of Portugal (*1503 – †1539), Holy Roman Empress, Queen of Aragon and Castile; wife of Emperor Charles V of Habsburg, daughter of Manuel I of Portugal and Maria of Aragon⌊AugustaIsabella of Portugal (*1503 – †1539), Holy Roman Empress, Queen of Aragon and Castile; wife of Emperor Charles V of Habsburg, daughter of Manuel I of Portugal and Maria of Aragon⌋ Valladolid (Vallisoletum, Oleti vallis), city in central Spain, Castile and León, on the Pisuerga river⌊VallisoletumValladolid (Vallisoletum, Oleti vallis), city in central Spain, Castile and León, on the Pisuerga river⌋ venit, id est ad Calendas Iunias, Mercurio quodam dextro seu potius Deo Optimo Maximo, qui semitas hominum dirigit inscius rerum sortitus sum hospitium apud dominam Isabel Delgada (†after 1546-06-15), Dantiscus' paramour during his stay in Spain, mother of his two children, Juana and Juan (Juan died in childhood)⌊IsabellamIsabel Delgada (†after 1546-06-15), Dantiscus' paramour during his stay in Spain, mother of his two children, Juana and Juan (Juan died in childhood)⌋ matrem Juana Dantisca (*1527 – †1601), daughter of Ioannes Dantiscus and Isabel Delgada; wife of Diego Gracián de Alderete (SKOLIMOWSKA 2004, p. 52; LLAMAS 1995; LLAMAS 1999; LLAMAS 2001; LLAMAS, SKOLIMOWSKA; MELGAR, 37, ...)⌊Ioannae DantiscaeJuana Dantisca (*1527 – †1601), daughter of Ioannes Dantiscus and Isabel Delgada; wife of Diego Gracián de Alderete (SKOLIMOWSKA 2004, p. 52; LLAMAS 1995; LLAMAS 1999; LLAMAS 2001; LLAMAS, SKOLIMOWSKA; MELGAR, 37, ...)⌋ tuae filiae, quam puellam quoties video (video autem quotidie) te ipsum intueri videor. Quid multis memoria tui meumque perpetuum de tua singulari virtute et eruditione iudicium ipsaque puella miserabilis derelicta, at proinde amabilis et alia multa amore quodam honesto et sancto animum meum impulere, ut mea interesse putarem uxorem eam ducere, dummodo per gratiam tuam id fiat. Quam profecto ob hoc exspecto, quod mihi reddenda sit ratio vitae meae tum Isabella of Portugal (*1503 – †1539), Holy Roman Empress, Queen of Aragon and Castile; wife of Emperor Charles V of Habsburg, daughter of Manuel I of Portugal and Maria of Aragon⌊AugustaeIsabella of Portugal (*1503 – †1539), Holy Roman Empress, Queen of Aragon and Castile; wife of Emperor Charles V of Habsburg, daughter of Manuel I of Portugal and Maria of Aragon⌋ virisque non parvae auctoritatis in Spain (Hispania)⌊HispaniaSpain (Hispania)⌋, tum matri consanguineisque meis honestissimis eisdemque ditissimis. Ceterum, quod scire fortasse averes de condic{t}ione vitae meae, sum etiam nunc apud serenissimam Isabella of Portugal (*1503 – †1539), Holy Roman Empress, Queen of Aragon and Castile; wife of Emperor Charles V of Habsburg, daughter of Manuel I of Portugal and Maria of Aragon⌊AugustamIsabella of Portugal (*1503 – †1539), Holy Roman Empress, Queen of Aragon and Castile; wife of Emperor Charles V of Habsburg, daughter of Manuel I of Portugal and Maria of Aragon⌋ eodem munere fungens, quo Alfonso de Valdés (Alphonsus Valdesius) (*1500-1504 – †1532), Spanish humanist, friend of Erasmus of Rotterdam, brother of Juan and Diego; from 1520 in the service of the Imperial Chancellor Mercurino Gattinara; 1522 secretary of Emperor Charles V of Habsburg; 1526 Latin secretary (FERNÁNDEZ-SANTAMARÍA, p. 38-48; DE VOCHT 1961, p. 26)⌊ValdesiusAlfonso de Valdés (Alphonsus Valdesius) (*1500-1504 – †1532), Spanish humanist, friend of Erasmus of Rotterdam, brother of Juan and Diego; from 1520 in the service of the Imperial Chancellor Mercurino Gattinara; 1522 secretary of Emperor Charles V of Habsburg; 1526 Latin secretary (FERNÁNDEZ-SANTAMARÍA, p. 38-48; DE VOCHT 1961, p. 26)⌋ noster apud Charles V of Habsburg (*1500 – †1558), ruler of the Burgundian territories (1506-1555), King of Spain as Charles I (1516-1556), King of Naples and Sicily, King of the Romans (1519-1530), Holy Roman Emperor of the German Nation (elected 1519, crowned 1530, abdicated 1556); son of Philip I the Handsome and Joanna the Mad of Castile⌊caesaremCharles V of Habsburg (*1500 – †1558), ruler of the Burgundian territories (1506-1555), King of Spain as Charles I (1516-1556), King of Naples and Sicily, King of the Romans (1519-1530), Holy Roman Emperor of the German Nation (elected 1519, crowned 1530, abdicated 1556); son of Philip I the Handsome and Joanna the Mad of Castile⌋ olim fungebatur, sane honorifico sed laborioso. Nam praeter multa, quae mihi in dies negotia facessunt, in linquis barbaris non mediocrem operam praesto, nempe vertendis litteris Gallicis, Italicis et Latinis. Ab his muniis obeundis quidquid otii datur fere in studiis litterarum consumo Graecis praecipue et Latinis. Nec umquam adeo sum occupatus, quin exercitii gratia duas lectiones fere singulis diebus uni aut alteri amico interpreter, alteram Latinam ex orationibus Cicero (Marcus Tullius Cicero) (*106 BC – †43 BC), Roman orator, writer and philosopher⌊CiceronisCicero (Marcus Tullius Cicero) (*106 BC – †43 BC), Roman orator, writer and philosopher⌋, alteram graecam ex orationibus Isocrates (*436 BC – †338 BC), ancient Greek (Attic) rhetorician⌊IsocratisIsocrates (*436 BC – †338 BC), ancient Greek (Attic) rhetorician⌋ aut Demosthenes (*384 BC – †322 BC), Greek statesman and orator⌊DemosthenisDemosthenes (*384 BC – †322 BC), Greek statesman and orator⌋. Reverendissimo domino Juan Pardo de Tavera (*1472 – †1545), 1514-1523 Bishop of Ciudad Rodrigo, 1523-1524 Bishop of Osma, 8 June 1524-1534 Archbishop of Santiago de Compostela, 22 February 1531 cardinal, 27 April 1534-1545 Archbishop of Toledo, 1539-1545 Grand Inquisitor of Spain⌊cardinali ToletanoJuan Pardo de Tavera (*1472 – †1545), 1514-1523 Bishop of Ciudad Rodrigo, 1523-1524 Bishop of Osma, 8 June 1524-1534 Archbishop of Santiago de Compostela, 22 February 1531 cardinal, 27 April 1534-1545 Archbishop of Toledo, 1539-1545 Grand Inquisitor of Spain⌋ sum familiarissimus, siquidem quotidie noctu apud eundem duas horas insumo, cum propter negotia publica quae mihi pleraque cum eo sunt conferenda, tum etiam propter litterulas meas, quibus ille vir gravissimus ad solatium et levamen olestorum negotiorum libenter utitur. Itaque auctorem aliquem probatum una legentes materiam colloquendi Latine arripimus, quo in genere non nihil mihi tribuit, delectatur enim maxime sermone Latino fortasse praesagiens iam nunc se ad pontificatus apicem venturum. Interdum iussu illius vel prosa, vel carmine aliqua condo, ne ille me existimet mercurium tantummodo in lingua habere. Hoc genus est oratio funebris a me tumultuarie eodem die, quo princeps Taurinorum obiit edita et pronuntiata, quam propterea ad te misi, ut si velis ex hac apo tov onychon ton leonta gignoskein, ut proverbio dicitur, eruditiunculae meae periculum facies. Reliqua de me ab ipso Albrecht Cuon (Kohn) (†after 1559), a German merchant from Nuremberg, and the Welsers' factor in Spain (Oberdeutsche Kaufleute, p. 36, footnote 122)⌊CuonAlbrecht Cuon (Kohn) (†after 1559), a German merchant from Nuremberg, and the Welsers' factor in Spain (Oberdeutsche Kaufleute, p. 36, footnote 122)⌋ et aliis accipies, quae fide mea spondeo futurum, ut omnia longe ampliora quam ab ipsis de me predicantur invenis.Vale.

Postscript:

Paene praeterieram, quod maxime scriptum oprtuit, hoc est Juana Dantisca (*1527 – †1601), daughter of Ioannes Dantiscus and Isabel Delgada; wife of Diego Gracián de Alderete (SKOLIMOWSKA 2004, p. 52; LLAMAS 1995; LLAMAS 1999; LLAMAS 2001; LLAMAS, SKOLIMOWSKA; MELGAR, 37, ...)⌊fili[am]Juana Dantisca (*1527 – †1601), daughter of Ioannes Dantiscus and Isabel Delgada; wife of Diego Gracián de Alderete (SKOLIMOWSKA 2004, p. 52; LLAMAS 1995; LLAMAS 1999; LLAMAS 2001; LLAMAS, SKOLIMOWSKA; MELGAR, 37, ...)⌋ et Isabel Delgada (†after 1546-06-15), Dantiscus' paramour during his stay in Spain, mother of his two children, Juana and Juan (Juan died in childhood)⌊matremIsabel Delgada (†after 1546-06-15), Dantiscus' paramour during his stay in Spain, mother of his two children, Juana and Juan (Juan died in childhood)⌋ ignaras huius consilii a nobis initi. Et hoc amplius quam primum a te prospici oportere Juana Dantisca (*1527 – †1601), daughter of Ioannes Dantiscus and Isabel Delgada; wife of Diego Gracián de Alderete (SKOLIMOWSKA 2004, p. 52; LLAMAS 1995; LLAMAS 1999; LLAMAS 2001; LLAMAS, SKOLIMOWSKA; MELGAR, 37, ...)⌊puellaeJuana Dantisca (*1527 – †1601), daughter of Ioannes Dantiscus and Isabel Delgada; wife of Diego Gracián de Alderete (SKOLIMOWSKA 2004, p. 52; LLAMAS 1995; LLAMAS 1999; LLAMAS 2001; LLAMAS, SKOLIMOWSKA; MELGAR, 37, ...)⌋ nimirum annum iam decimum ingressae, ne pudicitia eius apud Isabel Delgada (†after 1546-06-15), Dantiscus' paramour during his stay in Spain, mother of his two children, Juana and Juan (Juan died in childhood)⌊matremIsabel Delgada (†after 1546-06-15), Dantiscus' paramour during his stay in Spain, mother of his two children, Juana and Juan (Juan died in childhood)⌋ non satis spectatis moribus, et cui nihil praeter praetium dulce est, periclitetur. Nam interim, hoc est tantisper, dum hic curia agit sanctissime et honestissime educatur apud Isabella de Hermosilla ⌊matrem meamIsabella de Hermosilla ⌋, quae in praesentiarum apud me agit, agetque aliquamdiu in curia Charles V of Habsburg (*1500 – †1558), ruler of the Burgundian territories (1506-1555), King of Spain as Charles I (1516-1556), King of Naples and Sicily, King of the Romans (1519-1530), Holy Roman Emperor of the German Nation (elected 1519, crowned 1530, abdicated 1556); son of Philip I the Handsome and Joanna the Mad of Castile⌊caesarisCharles V of Habsburg (*1500 – †1558), ruler of the Burgundian territories (1506-1555), King of Spain as Charles I (1516-1556), King of Naples and Sicily, King of the Romans (1519-1530), Holy Roman Emperor of the German Nation (elected 1519, crowned 1530, abdicated 1556); son of Philip I the Handsome and Joanna the Mad of Castile⌋ rationes muneris administrati a marito defuncto reddens, qui dum viveret praefectus tormentorum bellicorum caesaris erat. Itaque praetextu hospitalitatis et amicitiae nostrae observatur a nobis observabiturque quam diu hic erimus. Iterum vale et Bernhard von Höfen (Bernhard Flachsbinder) (†after 1548), Ioannes Dantiscus' brother, stayed with Dantiscus in Spain, as a member of his mission's retinue, and was used as a trusted courier to Poland at least from 1526; after 1530 Starost of Löbau⌊Bernardum DantiscumBernhard von Höfen (Bernhard Flachsbinder) (†after 1548), Ioannes Dantiscus' brother, stayed with Dantiscus in Spain, as a member of his mission's retinue, and was used as a trusted courier to Poland at least from 1526; after 1530 Starost of Löbau⌋ fratrem olim laborum meorum socium meo nomine saluta.