Letter #1770
Ioannes DANTISCUS to Diego GRACIÁN de AldereteLöbau (Lubawa), 1537-11-16
English register: IN LETTER: Dantiscus is replying to Gracián’s letter. He explains that his reply comes late because he was waiting in vain for a reaction to his proposals, presented to a few friends and Isabel (Delgada), concerning the future of his daughter (Juana Dantisca). Dantiscus writes that he presumes Gracián knows about his letter to Isabel on this matter. He accuses Isabel of wanting to sell his own child to him, which is why he considers her to be mentally deranged. He notes that Isabel’s offer can be understood as questioning his fatherhood (“after all, who would buy something they knew was their own?”). Dantiscus writes that he wishes Gracián well, so he will not oppose his marriage (to Juana Dantisca), even though it was agreed upon without asking his consent. He promises that after the sacrament is fulfilled, he will also offer his material support. He reminds Gracián that in view of the bride’s young age he should take care of her upbringing and education. To Gracián’s request that he obtain, from the Polish king, the function of representative of the Kingdom of Poland at the imperial court for him, Dantiscus replies that this function is currently filled by Dantiscus’ aide from the times of his diplomatic service, Fabian (Wojanowski), whom Isabel knows and Gracián surely does too. Dantiscus promises to write to him to contact Gracián on the matter of helping him with his duties. Dantiscus refuses to pay Isabel an annual salary because she did not accept his terms. However, he asks Gracián to pay her 20 ducats that he will reimburse him for when the opportunity arises. He declares that if Isabel were to abandon her current licentious lifestyle, she can expect annual support from him, but he doubts if such a change of nature is possible. Dantiscus states that he has no time to write a longer letter because he is currently arranging to send money to Rome to pay for the confirmation of his election to Warmia bishop. He notes that the Warmia diocese to which he is transferring is three times wealthier than the Chełmno diocese. IN POSTSCRIPT: Dantiscus refuses to pay his daughter a dowry. He argues that he would incur a double loss – her marriage to Gracián means he will be separated forever from his child. Dantiscus claims that if Isabel had agreed to send his daughter to him without demanding money for this, he would have supported her financially so that she wouldn’t be forced to continue to make a living from prostitution, and would have remembered her in his testament as well, and found a worthy husband for his aughter. However, he declares that he will offer as much support as he can to Gracián and Juana once the marriage is consummated. In very bitter words, he supposes that despite the bride’s young age this has probably already happened. He promises that he will soon send his daughter a gift that will serve as a memento of her father.
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Ioannes de Curiis Dantiscus, episcopus Culmensis etc. et ad ecclesiam Varmiensem postulatus etc. Domino Iacobo Graciano salutem.
Quod litteris tuis, quas, si recte meminimus, trinis exemplis accepimus, hucusque non rescripserimus, in causa fuit expectatio responsi ad nostras, quas ad quosdam amicos nostros et ad ipsam Isabellam, matrem sponsae tuae, dederamus, quandoquidem iis mentem nostram de illa et filia declaravimus – quod neque te porro, ut arbitramur, latere potuit – persuadentes nobis litteras manu nostra scriptas et a domino Ehingero matri redditas te legisse. Ad eas ne iota quidem illa rescribi nobis curavit, neque in praesens cum iis, quas cum tuis misit, respondit, non secus atque si numquam recepisset, connivens nimirum supina aure ad ea, quae nos, ut serio sciremus, tum ex nostra, tum etiam ex re illius esse putavimus, quasi vero multam Circeam bibisset mandragoram. Atqui longe fuisset illi utilius commodiusque, si poto elleboro nostris admonitionibus paruisset, verum imprudens mulier id nobis ut alienum venum ire et praesenti pecunia voluit, quod prius nostrum esse confirmabat. Quis autem adeo stupidus et bardus est, ut id, quod suum est, sciens emat? Eoque nobis, qui alias in malum minime suspicaces esse solemus, quiddam gravioris opinionis, et fortassis non incertae , non sine pungente scrupulo iniecit. Quam quidem opinionem per tuas litteras initumque coniugium, quod tibi et novae nuptae felix faustumque esse optamus, adimi nobis non gravate sustinemus, utpote pro tuis virtutibus eruditioneque non vulgari atque pro veteri nostra in te propensione tibi volentes optime, hancque amicam in te nostram cogitationem et voluntatem consum{m}ato modis legitimis matrimonio non obscure agnosces, reque ipsa experieris. Tu modo, quod facis interim, cura, ut tibi honestis moribus pro paterno tuoque decore coniunx in ea qua est aetate educetur ac instituatur. Ceterum, quod hinc petis stipendium pro negotiis nostris in aula vestra obeundis, non tibi deesset opera adminiculumque nostrum, verum hoc tempore nobilis quidam ex nostratibus Fabianus, qui nobis, cum oratorio fungeremur munere in Hispaniis, aliquot annis inservivit, Isabellae non incognitus et tibi fortasse notus, hanc gerit provinciam. Illi scribemus, ut tecum super iis conferat tecumque dispiciat, quod ex tuo negociorumque tractandorum usu esse possit. De annua pensione non est quod Isabellae debemus, cum oblatam toties condicionem non susceperit. Si nostris obsecuta non iniquis monitis pactum, quod inire cum illa voluimus, admisisset, iam quod quereretur et de quo sera ducitur paenitudine, non haberet. Nihilo secius , licet spes non sit, ut licentioris institutum vitae turpi consuetudine, cuius maxima est vis, conflatum relinquere possit, poteris tamen illi nostro nomine viginti numerare aureos, quos tibi per oportunitatem reddi faciemus, quibus si intra pelliculam rediens hones tati iniciari ceperit, quottannis subsidii aliquid a nobis tuto expectabit. At veremur , quemadmodum vulpes quod pilos quidem accedente aetate sit mutatura, sarta tecta atque integra manente natura. Non est aliud, quod conquisite in praesentia ad te scribamus occupati auro ad urbem mittendo, quo confirmationem postulationis seu translationis hinc nostrae ad ecclesiam Varmiensem, quae pinguioris in triplo fortunae, quam haec nostra est, emere cogimur. Bene vale, et amicis, qui te suis litteris nobis commendarunt plurima nostro nomine salute impartire.
Ex castro nostro Lubaviensi, XVI Novembris anno Domini MDXXXVII.
Postscript:
Non abs re et hoc, mi Graciane, in tuam notitiam deducendum existimavi, ne de me in posterum quoquo modo conqueri possis, quod ratione dotis, quam tibi fortassis amplam , nihil debebo, matris potissimum causa , quae puellam bonis et commodis invitata condicionibus ad me mittere semper est reluctata, nisi prius ducentos praesenti pecunia a me haberet ducatos. Hanc cum illa exercere mercaturam indignissimum iudicavi, eaque animum meum longe a se et filia abdicavit. Si illa minime fucato candori meo, quem olim sine omni labe cognovit et integrum, credidisset, iampridem vel per dominum Albertum Kuon, aut per compatrem meum dominum Ulricum Ehinger ad me dedisset filiam, contemplatione cuius matris non fuissem oblitus, curassemque vita mea durante et hinc ex testamento, si Deo inservire voluisset, ad quod servitium atque ad honestatem amplectendam hortatus sum eam semper, quod illi omnia ad victum sine corporis questu, quo abusa est turpiter, suffecissent necessaria. Neque sponsae tuae hic sponsus defuisset. Atqui , cum tanto a me intervallo dissideat, neque spes est videndi eam umquam, non secus atque si in vivis non esset mihi venit existimanda. Quicquid ex ea voluptatis paternae mihi debebatur, tu praeripuisti, et, cum sic superis visum est, iam me non invito tibi eam habe. Quod si adhuc dos esset mittenda, duplici afficerer damno, et tu commodo duplici. Satis sit igitur tibi in uno, cum mihi ex illa cedit nullum. Nihilo tamen secius, postquam consumaveris matrimonium, quod fortassis, ut estis ad libidinem procliviores supra aetatem, iam factum est , non deerit tibi et illi, ubi possum, beneficentia mea , adeoque et per oportunitatem munificentia. Haec ideo liberius et apertius tecum ago, ne suspicari de me aliud atque aliud causari possis, rebus et fortunis tuis alias libenter commodaturus. Iterum bene vale inque Dei timore et amore sponsa tua, quam meo nomine salutabis, fruere. Mittam illi paulo post, quo se et oblectare, meique memoriam habere possit. Datum ut in litteris.