Letter #3378
Ioannes DANTISCUS to Piotr KMITA SobieńskiHeilsberg (Lidzbark), 1548-06-14
English register:
Dantiscus is troubled by the death of the king [Sigismund I Jagiellon] and the widespread rumours which require no explanation [concerning the marriage of Sigismund Augustus and Barbara Radziwiłłówna]. His health does not allow him to travel to the court to participate in the king’s funeral, neither by carriage nor on horseback. Because he cannot meet with the addressee in person, he sends the letter. He wishes that the addressee might enjoy better health in his advanced age than he does at present.
In his illness, Dantiscus places his trust in Divine Providence. He calmly awaits the fast-approaching end of his life, especially in light of the unfavourable state of public affairs. He points out that some individuals prefer private interest over the common good, something that the addressee can see even more clearly from close proximity.
A variety of news reaches Dantiscus, which he mentions only briefly, as not everything can be safely committed to writing. Numerous guests are arriving at the court of the neighbour [Duke Albrecht I Hohenzollern]. Recent arrivals include Count [Vollrad] von Mansfeld and Count [Georg] von Hohenlohe, as well as Lodovico Monti of Modena, an Italian brought over by a courtier of Margrave Albrecht [Alcibiades]. On his way from Königsberg, he stopped at Dantiscus’ residence, where he stayed for barely an hour. He stated that his intention was to proceed directly from the king [Sigismund Augustus] to the King of the Romans [Ferdinand I of Habsburg], but he never revealed the purpose of his mission. Dantiscus’ men were only able to glean from him that some advantageous arrangements might be reached between the two rulers, to be mediated by Dantiscus. Dantiscus does not know what to make of this but suspects that something sinister might lie behind it.
Hope mingles with fear. News has reached Dantiscus that the agreement concluded by the voivode of Sieradz [Stanisław Łaski] with the emperor [Charles V of Habsburg] might not come into effect as a result of the king’s [Sigismund I’s] death. At the same time, rumours are circulating that an agreement had been reached with the emperor to maintain the status quo in Ducal Prussia until the duke’s death. Subsequently, the [Teutonic] Order would be restored there, and the emperor would provide a dowry for the duke’s daughter [Anna Sophia] if still unmarried in his lifetime. In a situation with no way out, it is impossible to know what to believe.
For the sake of their long-standing goodwill, Dantiscus beseeches the addressee to relay to him any news concerning the information brought by the voivode of Sieradz, as well as any expectations concerning developments relating to Ducal Prussia, about which such convoluted reports are flooding in, both from the Kingdom and from other countries. He reassures him that he will maintain complete secrecy, and requests the same regarding this letter.
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Text & apparatus & commentary Plain text Text & commentary Text & apparatus Excerpts concerning Dantiscus' travels
UUB, H. 155, f. 212vIllustri et Magnifico Domino Petro Kmytha comiti a Wisnicze, palatino et capitaneo generali Cracoviensi ac regni Poloniae supremo marschalco etc., amico carissimo et plurimum honorando
UUB, H. 155, f. 211rIllustris et Magnifice Domine Comes, amice carissime et plurimum honorande. Salutem et omnis felicitates continuos auctus Ill(ustri) or Ill(ustrissimae)⌈Ill(ustri)Ill(ustri) or Ill(ustrissimae)⌉ Magnificentiae Vestrae precor ex animo.
Dici nequit, quam dolenter cum multis hic duplici sim affectus maerore, cum ob sancti regis nostri obitum, tum ex rumore huc paulo ante ad nos perlatum, qui cum publice ubique evulgatus est, non eget descriptione. Non potui mihi itaque temperare, postquam ad eum modum a domino Deo clementius quam merui castigor, quod neque curru, neque equo vehi valeam facultasque ad aulam proficiscendi pro exsolvendis regiis iustis ac Ill(ustrem) or Ill(ustrissimam)⌈Ill(ustrem)Ill(ustrem) or Ill(ustrissimam)⌉ Magnificentiam Vestram videndi mihi prorsus sit adempta, quin, quod ipse coram praestare nequeo, litteris saltem Ill(ustrem) or Ill(ustrissimam)⌈Ill(ustrem)Ill(ustrem) or Ill(ustrissimam)⌉ Magnificentiam Vestram inviserem, quam pro veteri illa mea in eandem observantia salubriorem ac viribus esse firmiorem, quam ego sim, ex animo cupidissime opto, ne cum accessu aetatis ea, quae mihi accesserunt, umquam experiatur.
In hac afflictione me totum divinae voluntati subdidi, cuius dispositionem minime diuturnioris vitae avidus patienter exspectabo, cum videam multa agi praepostere et mundum in maligno versari atque plerosque his rebus adminiculari, quibus se ponere deberent obicem, qui privatis commodis pro se et suis intenti omnem de re publica curam abiecerunt, non considerantes, cum hoc negligunt, quod commune habent cum omnibus, sibi ipsis paulo post detrimentum illaturos. Sed de iis ad Ill(ustrem) or Ill(ustrissimam)⌈Ill(ustrem)Ill(ustrem) or Ill(ustrissimam)⌉ Magnificentiam Vestram, quae haec singula propius perspicit, confidenter hactenus.
Nos hic etiam varia, quae circumferuntur, perturbant, de quibus pauca attingam, eo quod non satis tutum sit omnia credere calamo. Huc ad vicinum meum plerique hospites confluunt, nuper appulerunt comites de Mansfelt et Hohenloe, fuit etiam novissime apud illum per aulicum adductus marchionis Alberti, Cazimiri filii ms. um(!) ⌈ii ms. um(!) ⌉, Italus quidam Ludovicus Montius Mutinensis, qui ex Monteregio versus Cracoviam proficiscens, huc ad me diverterat et vix per horae spatium apud me immoratus coeptum suum iter continuavit. Ille dicebat se a maiestate regia recta ad regem Romanorum iturum, de negotiis porro suis nihil emittebat, nisi cum a meis deduceretur, illis dixerat, quod per me inter illos principes multa bona fieri possent, et inde statim conticuit nihil addens. Quid sibi ista velint, non satis intelligo, monstri aliquid ali existimo.
Nos inter spem et metum volvimur. Perfertur ad nos compromisso per dominum palatinum Siradiensem a caesare obtento fidendum non esse post sancti regis e vivis excessum. Subinde rumusculi sparguntur conventum esse cum caesare, ut status Prussiae sic quietus maneat, ut nunc est, usque ad mortem vicini principis. Post eam ordo debeat hic restitui et filia, si vivente patre nuptui non tradetur, a caesare dotari. Sicque inter sacrum et saxum, quid credendum sit, nescitur.
Ab Illustri igitur Magnificentia Vestra impense oro pro veteri in me illa sua benevolentia me celare non velit, si quid in iis certi habuerit, et hoc potissimum, quicquid hoc sit, quod dominus palatinus Siradiensis reportaverit, et quid nobis sit sperandum in iis, quae adeo perplexe, tum ex regno, tum etiam ex aliis regionibus ad nos perducuntur. Obstringo Ill(ustri) or Ill(ustrissimae)⌈Ill(ustri)Ill(ustri) or Ill(ustrissimae)⌉ Magnificentiae Vestrae fidem meam, quaecumque de iis confidenter perscripserit, secretissimum me habiturum. Quam oro, ut item et hanc meam scriptionem contineat.
Cui cupio esse commendatissimus atque omnia exopto faustissima.
Dat(ae) or Dat(um)⌈Dat(ae)Dat(ae) or Dat(um)⌉ Heilsberg, XIIII Iunii M D XLVIII.
Magnificentiae Vestrae observantissimus Ioannes episcopus Varmiensis subscripsit