Dantiscus thanks the addressee for the bundle of his letters delivered the previous day by his messenger, in which he shares what has been written to him.

At the forthcoming diet of Royal Prussia, they must as councillors efficiently address the matter of the mission to the diet of the Kingdom of Poland, for the young king [Sigismund II Augustus] is to participate in it.

Obviously, the addressee has the right to act according to his own will regarding his summons by the church dignitaries of the Kingdom of Poland to the provincial synod. Without a doubt, he will send envoys to relieve himself of this burden. It is doubtful that the bishops of Kulm (Chełmno) have ever interfered in the ecclesiastical affairs of the kingdom or submitted to the Polish church hierarchy despite being summoned. Any such concession could lead to many problems in the future.

Dantiscus is agitated by the letter from a certain imprudent youth forwarded to him by the addressee. He believes that the youth in question would not have dared to take such an audacious step without incitement, though he does not know who might be behind it. The addressee suspects certain influential local figures [members of the Council of Royal Prussia]. If he makes an indication to Dantiscus whom he suspects, Dantiscus will be able to dissuade them from such conduct. His recommendation is that the aforementioned letter should be sent to the vice-chancellor [Mikołaj Grabia] along with an account of the insult suffered. Should the addressee wish for Dantiscus to write on this matter as well, he shall do so.

Dantiscus likewise has reasons to complain. Certain persons in Royal Prussia are seeking the exclusive favour of their neighbour [Albrecht von Hohenzollern] at the expense of others. Consequently, they report to the duke everything that occurs there which, in their view, might work to his disadvantage. Dantiscus reminds the addressee of a conversation held within a small circle, not even including the secretaries, at Dietrichswalde (Gietrzwałd) [during the diet of Royal Prussia], in which they both participated. As often happens in council discussions, Dantiscus discussed at that time too freely his fears that, given that financial subsidies had been sent from Prussia to the enemies of the emperor [Charles V] and shelter had been granted to them there, the emperor’s success might bring trouble upon the country. He did not say that to incite ill will towards the duke, as if the latter were to bring war to Prussia, but rather to prepare in advance for a possible course of events. Dantiscus’ words were reported to the duke in great detail, and he himself has met with grievances as a result. He comments with irony on the breach of confidentiality among the council members, noting that if matters are to proceed in such a fashion, it would be better to remain as silent as the people of Amyclae [a Greek city which famously failed to prepare a defence against a foreign invasion because warnings had been banned after repeated false alarms].

Dantiscus has described this situation so that the addressee might know that he, too, is troubled, and so that they may support each other against their persecutors. He reassures him, as he has done on many occasions, that the addressee can rely on his assistance.

In a postscript, Dantiscus reassures the addressee that there is no need to fear passing through the estates of Ostrowitzki or to refrain from participating in the diet of Royal Prussia in Graudenz (Grudziądz) for that reason. Nevertheless, he may send his nobles to Ostrowitzki to sound out his disposition. Dantiscus believes that the addressee has already done so, having received a letter from Ostrowitzki’s son.

While writing the letter, it escaped Dantiscus’ notice to mention that the king’s [Sigismund I’s] reply regarding the meeting in Dietrichswalde had arrived. He has enclosed a copy of it. Regarding the two letters from the councillors of Royal Prussia sent to the king from the diet of Royal Prussia in Malbork (Marienburg), no reply has been received, nor has any mention of them appeared. This is a testament to the low esteem in which their letters are held.