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Letter #2647

Ioannes DANTISCUS to Sigmund von HERBERSTEIN
Cracow (Kraków), 1543-05-23

English register: Having received Herberstein’s “[poetic] monument,” Dantiscus reciprocates by describing his aversion to life, born of the awareness that in such difficult and dangerous times human reason and strength are of no avail. He places his hope in divine mercy. He regrets that illness prevented him from attending the feast held by Samuel Maciejowski, Bishop of Płock, where he could have spoken freely with Herberstein, and that he lacks the strength to visit him. He understands that numerous duties prevent Herberstein from visiting him. He wishes Herberstein a safe journey and asks him to remind King Ferdinand I that Dantiscus remains his loyal servant.


Manuscript sources:
1fair copy in Latin, autograph, address in secretary's hand, ONB, Cod. 13.598, f. 41

Prints:
1CEID 2/1 No. 35, p. 173-174 (in extenso; English register)

 

Text & apparatus & commentary Plain text Text & commentary Text & apparatus Excerpts concerning Dantiscus' travels

 

ONB, Cod. 13.597, f. 41v

Illustri libero baroni, domino Sigmund von Herberstein (*1486 – †1566), diplomat in the service of Emperors Maximilian I and Charles V and of Ferdinand I, King of the Romans; writer and historian; in 1517 sent to Poland to promote the marriage between King Sigismund I Jagiellon and Duchess Bona Sforza d’Aragona, and to Moscow to arrange a truce between the Grand Duchy of Muscovy and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania; from 1515 member of the Imperial Council; 1515–1553 carried out numerous diplomatic missions, including two missions as imperial envoy to the Muscovite court, in 1517 and again in 1526⌊Sigismundo ab HerbersteinSigmund von Herberstein (*1486 – †1566), diplomat in the service of Emperors Maximilian I and Charles V and of Ferdinand I, King of the Romans; writer and historian; in 1517 sent to Poland to promote the marriage between King Sigismund I Jagiellon and Duchess Bona Sforza d’Aragona, and to Moscow to arrange a truce between the Grand Duchy of Muscovy and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania; from 1515 member of the Imperial Council; 1515–1553 carried out numerous diplomatic missions, including two missions as imperial envoy to the Muscovite court, in 1517 and again in 1526⌋ etc. ad manus proprias

ONB, Cod. 13.597, f. 41r

Spectabilis et Magnifice Domine baro, amice observandissime.

Non potui committere, cum mihi Magnificentia Vestra virtutum suarum monumentum[1] misisset, quin vicissim darem ad Magnificentiam Vestram vitae meae taedium[2], quod nullus non habere potest, quisquis ea, quae se in iis gravissimis atque periculosis temporibus offerunt, exacte dispiciat. Quae neque humana ratio, prudentia vel quicquid in homine virium est, si Dei misericordia non accesserit, avertere seu mutare poterit. Ille nostri misereatur. Ceterum doleo vehementer, quod 1543-05-22⌊heri1543-05-22⌋ in hoc splendido convivio apud Samuel Maciejowski (*1499 – †1550), humanist and diplomat, one of the most trusted advisers of King Sigismund I and later of Sigismund II Augustus; canon of the collegiate chapters of Sandomierz from 1521 and Kielce from 1530; canon of Gniezno from 1531; royal secretary from 1532/1533 to 1537, previously a scribe in the royal chancery; 1537–1539 Grand Secretary; 1539–1547 Vice-Chancellor of the Kingdom of Poland; 1539–1541 Bishop of Chełm; 1541–1545 Bishop of Płock; 1545–1550 Bishop of Cracow; 1547–1550 Chancellor of the Kingdom of Poland; royal envoy to Rome in 1532 and to local diets in 1534 and 1538 (WYCZAŃSKI 1990, p. 257-258; Urzędnicy 10, p. 184; PSB 19 Machowski - Maria Kazimiera, p. 64-69)⌊reverendissimum dominum PlocensemSamuel Maciejowski (*1499 – †1550), humanist and diplomat, one of the most trusted advisers of King Sigismund I and later of Sigismund II Augustus; canon of the collegiate chapters of Sandomierz from 1521 and Kielce from 1530; canon of Gniezno from 1531; royal secretary from 1532/1533 to 1537, previously a scribe in the royal chancery; 1537–1539 Grand Secretary; 1539–1547 Vice-Chancellor of the Kingdom of Poland; 1539–1541 Bishop of Chełm; 1541–1545 Bishop of Płock; 1545–1550 Bishop of Cracow; 1547–1550 Chancellor of the Kingdom of Poland; royal envoy to Rome in 1532 and to local diets in 1534 and 1538 (WYCZAŃSKI 1990, p. 257-258; Urzędnicy 10, p. 184; PSB 19 Machowski - Maria Kazimiera, p. 64-69)⌋, ubi Magnificentiam Vestram alloqui commode potuissem, adesse datum non sit. Decubui enim graviter tota die, hodie meliusculum me sentio[3]. Quod si valetudo mea ferret, oppido quam libentissime Magnificentiam Vestram, priusquam abiret, inviserem. Id cum nequeat fieri, neque etiam Magnificentiae Vestrae in tot suis discedendi occupationibus me adire licebit[4], me illi in veterem mutuae nostrae amicitiae favorem intime commendo atque felicissimum reditum ad communem nostrum dominum Ferdinand I of Habsburg (*1503 – †1564), from 1521 Archduke of Austria; from 1526 King of Bohemia and of Hungary, Croatia, and Slavonia as Ferdinand I; 1531–1558 King of the Romans; from 1558 Holy Roman Emperor; son of Philip I the Handsome and Joanna of Castile, and younger brother of Charles V of Habsburg⌊serenissimum Romanorum etc. regemFerdinand I of Habsburg (*1503 – †1564), from 1521 Archduke of Austria; from 1526 King of Bohemia and of Hungary, Croatia, and Slavonia as Ferdinand I; 1531–1558 King of the Romans; from 1558 Holy Roman Emperor; son of Philip I the Handsome and Joanna of Castile, and younger brother of Charles V of Habsburg⌋ precor ex animo. Nihil mihi unquam Magnificentia Vestra gratius factura, quam si me illius serenissimae maiestati vel tribus verbis per opportunitatem insinuet, me scilicet illius maiestati humillimum integerrimumque esse servitorem. Quod ubicumque modis etiam quibuscumque re ipsa serenissimae maiestati eius inserviendo praestare potuero, nihil adeo arduum onerosumve erit, quod me ab ea propensione retardabit, a qua numquam sum desiturus. Dominus Deus Magnificentiam Vestram salvam et incolumem ad suos reducat, cui omnia opto faustissima et rogo veteris amici aliquando per parvum epistolium non velit oblivisci.

[1] Most likely a reference to the print containing a piece by Johann Ludwig Brassicanus titled Monumentum domini Sigismundi liberi baronis in Herberstain, Neipperg, Guttenhag etc. conciliarii regii (see CEID 2.1, Appendix).

[2] One can infer that in return for the print of Monumentum, Dantiscus sent Herberstein a work of his own. This could have been, for example, the extensive Carmen paraeneticum, iuvenibus huius temporis non inutile, ad ingenuum adulescentem Constantem Alliopagum, published in Cracow in 1539. In it, Dantiscus analyzes his own life for moralizing purposes. In the context of the words vitae meae taedium in the commented letter, the following line attracts attention: Perpessus vitae taedia longa meae ( Dantisci Carmina, No. XLII, 2: Carmen paraeneticum, p. 175, l.162).

[3] Herberstein wrote about Dantiscus’ illness in his report from the marriage and wedding of Elizabeth von Habsburg (OSK, Quart. Germ. 163, p. 132).

[4] Before leaving Cracow (May 25, 1543) for Vienna, less than two days after the date of the mentioned letter, Herberstein accompanied by Niklas II zu Salm visited Dantiscus as he lay ill. This was probably their last meeting (see Herberstein 1855, p. 360; Jagiellonki, I, p. 112; cf. Ioannes DANTISCUS to [Sigmund von HERBERSTEIN] Heilsberg (Lidzbark Warmiński), 1543-08-17, CIDTC IDL 2658⌊CEID 2.1 No. 36cf. Ioannes DANTISCUS to [Sigmund von HERBERSTEIN] Heilsberg (Lidzbark Warmiński), 1543-08-17, CIDTC IDL 2658⌋).