Letter #3237
[Ioannes DANTISCUS] to Samuel MACIEJOWSKIHeilsberg (Lidzbark), 1547-10-25
English register:
Peter Schissenteuber, a burgher from Elbing (Elbląg), has obtained a lawsuit summons for the city council of Elbing to appear before a royal court. In Dantiscus’ opinion, the matter must have been misrepresented, for otherwise the addressee would have easily dismissed it. Last year at the diet of Royal Prussia in Graudenz (Grudziądz), the Prussian councillors examined the case and delivered a verdict in favour of the city council of Elbing. Schissenteuber agreed to accept the case as being duly adjudicated and expressed no desire to appeal, despite being advised of such a possibility. Reportedly, it was only later, in the presence of a notary and witnesses, that he appealed to the king. He notified neither the councillors nor the opposing party in the lawsuit of the appeal. Nevertheless, under the pretext of this appeal, he obtained the said royal summons.
To avoid being judged in absentia, the city council has sent a secretary to the royal court. Furthermore, they have requested that Dantiscus, who is familiar with the course of the case, send this letter, so that the addressee, being better informed, might support them in their efforts to be released from the legal proceedings by the king.
He requests, therefore, that the addressee obtain the king’s consent that such appeals as are contrary to royal statutes and brought outside the regular procedure in order to avoid the due fees, should not be permitted. Appeals lodged solely before a notary and witnesses should only be admissible if councillors prevent an appeal from being filed. Otherwise, this undermines the dignity of the judiciary and exposes the parties to costs in matters which have already been adjudicated.
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Text & apparatus & commentary Plain text Text & commentary Text & apparatus
Domino episcopo Cracoviensi
Reverendissime in Christo etc.
Obtinuit contra spectabilem magistratum civitatis Elbingensis Petrus Schissenteuber, concivis eorum, citationem regiam, quam sub mala facta relatione causae impetratam esse non dubito, nam nisi hoc ita factum fuisset, Reverendissima Dominatio Vestra eum facile repulisset. Acta fuit
AAWO, AB, D. 70, f. 317v et decisa haec caus haec causa coram dominis harum terrarum consiliariis superiori anno in comitiis Graudentinis et ibidem etiam per sententiam ms. diffinitivam reg. definitivam⌈diffinitivamms. diffinitivam reg. definitivam⌉ decis pro D magistratu Elbingensi latam, decisa. A qua dictus Schissenteuber etiam superinscribed in place of crossed-out per me⌈per me etiam etiam superinscribed in place of crossed-out per me⌉ admonitus, appellare noluit, sed dominorum consiliariorum decretum in rem iudicatam transire permisit. Postmodum vero, non metu nec quavis alia causa in iure expressa prohibitus, coram notario et testibus appellasse ad serenissimam maiestatem regiam di paper damaged⌈[i]i paper damaged⌉citur. Quam ta appellationem nec dominis consiliariis, nec parti adversae magistratu<i> Elbingensi umquam insinuavit et tamen superinscribed⌈tamentamen superinscribed⌉ sub eius praetextu dictam superinscribed⌈dictamdictam superinscribed⌉ citationem contra magistratum Elbingensem on the margin⌈contra magistratum superinscribed⌈magistratummagistratum superinscribed⌉ Elbingensemcontra magistratum Elbingensem on the margin⌉ impetravit.
Ne itaque contumaces reputarentur Magistratus Ged Elbingensis Qui ne contumaces reputarentur, secretarium eorum praesentium latorem in ea causa ad Serenissimam Maiestatem tribunal serenissimae maiestatis regiae allegarunt et a me, cum superinscribed in place of crossed-out Quumque⌈Quumque et a me, cum et a me, cum superinscribed in place of crossed-out Quumque⌉ mihi de processu eius causae superinscribed in place of crossed-out huius causae and then crossed-out⌈huius causae eius causae eius causae superinscribed in place of crossed-out huius causae and then crossed-out⌉ constaret, has ad Reverendissimam Dominationem Vestram pro illis commendatitias a me rogarunt, quo illa per me melius superinscribed⌈meliusmelius superinscribed⌉ informata iustitiae eorum non deesset iustitiae eorum non deesset sed ut, sed tandem adminiculo Reverendissimae Dominationis Vestrae a diuturnis litibus et illius superinscribed⌈illiusillius superinscribed⌉ importuni hominis molesta[1] et nullis suffulta do written over u⌈uoo written over u⌉cumentis sen et superinscribed in place of crossed-out et and then crossed-out⌈et sen et sen et superinscribed in place of crossed-out et and then crossed-out⌉ probationibus impetitione auctoritate regia abs liberarentur. Rem igitur superinscribed in place of crossed-out itaque⌈itaque igitur igitur superinscribed in place of crossed-out itaque⌉ ita, et non quemadmodum exposuit, et non aliter actam esse Reverendissima Dominatio Vestra sibi persuadeat.
Nunc hoc est inventum. Et cum hoc novum sit invent inventum eorum hominum, qui contra constitutiones regias a S his terris concessa written over i⌈iaa written over i⌉s ut sportulas, ne sportulas de iudicio deponere appellationum written over is⌈isumum written over is⌉ iudiciis deponere sint obligati, talia re effugia confingunt, plurimum rogo Reverendissimam Dominationem Vestram, velit id efficere, ne quo huiusmodi extraordinariae appellationes, quae frivole et nullis ex ca causis per partes coram notario et testibus, cum tamen coram ordinariis appellare non sint prohibitae, fiunt in a, in aula serenissimae maiestatis regiae non recipiantur, nisi prius ostensum fuerit appellationem a dominis consiliariis illis de superinscribed⌈dede superinscribed⌉negatam fuisse. Multum hac novitate constitutionibus regiis superinscribed⌈constitutionibus regiisconstitutionibus regiis superinscribed⌉, iudiciis hic nostris et auctoritati eorum detrahitur et lites iam semel superinscribed⌈semelsemel superinscribed⌉ compositae et sopitae renovant ms. revonant(!) ⌈renovantrenovant ms. revonant(!) ⌉ur hidden by binding⌈[ur]ur hidden by binding⌉, partes item superinscribed in place of crossed-out etiam⌈etiam item item superinscribed in place of crossed-out etiam⌉ maxi i written over a⌈aii written over a⌉n faciendis ex expensis plurimum aggravantur hidden by binding⌈[r]r hidden by binding⌉. Quod si per Reverendissimam Dominationem Vestram effectum fuerit Rem itaque omnibus hic gratam est factura Reverendissima Dominatio Vestra, si hoc a serenissima maiestate regia impetrare poterit.
Cui me una cum dicto magistratu Elbingensi intime commendo atque ut eandem Reverendissimam Dominationem Vestram Deus Omnipotens diu felicem superinscribed in place of crossed-out feliciter⌈feliciter felicem felicem superinscribed in place of crossed-out feliciter⌉ sospitet written over m⌈mtt written over m⌉ et conservet, precor ex animo.
Dat(ae) or Dat(um)⌈Dat(ae)Dat(ae) or Dat(um)⌉ Heilsberg, XXV Octobris MDXLVII.
[1 ] molesta one extra stick deleted at the beginning