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Letter #3896

[Ioannes DANTISCUS] to [Samuel MACIEJOWSKI]
Heilsberg (Lidzbark), 1542-04-23

English register:

[The beginning of the text is damaged and the content is unclear]. Dantiscus has received a letter from one of the bishops [Łukasz Górka]. A royal [messenger] from the king [Sigismund I Jagiellon] has also arrived bearing a letter concerning taxes. Dantiscus handed that letter along with a document of resignation [fragment unclear, text damaged] to the bishop of Kulm (Chełmno) [Tiedemann Giese], asking that he should ensure its delivery to Gdańsk (Danzig). He sent a copy, so there is no need to send a separate letter unless it were to include a mention of the previous one, which pressed the matter of the tax. Should the citizens of Gdańsk refuse payment once again, the other estates will likely follow their example. Therefore, Dantiscus believes it would be advisable to admonish them once more, even if the royal letter were not to be delivered to their envoys until the [Royal Prussian] Diet.

He feels ashamed (and expects the addressee to share similar sentiments), because the more humbly he appealed to the City Council of Gdańsk regarding Hans Holsten, the more persistently the Council hounded him. The Council seeks to make Holsten publicly retract [text damaged], to his dishonour. However, Holsten would rather lose his life and property than suffer such disgrace. This situation clearly demonstrates the ineffectiveness of both the addressee’s and Dantiscus’ intercession.

Those [citizens of Gdańsk] who have so inflamed this matter, though seemingly close to Dantiscus, do not deserve his further assistance, especially since they have become permeated with Lutheranism. To the scandal of many, they publicly consumed meat during Lent. Moreover, when the elections to the City Council were to take place, having gathered as usual in the church, they commanded the priest to refrain from celebrating the customary Mass of the Holy Spirit. In all these things, they imitate their neighbour [Albrecht I von Hohenzollern], with whom they share a close relationship in this matter. Dantiscus deems an intervention by the king to be necessary. He advises that the king send a letter to the [Royal Prussian] Diet regarding these issues, also referring to the interruption of the Corpus Christi procession.

He asks the addressee to maintain discretion and to burn this letter.




Manuscript sources:
1rough draft in Latin, autograph, AAWO, AB, D. 7, f. 10r

 

Text & apparatus & commentary Plain text Text & commentary Text & apparatus

 

messenger of Ioannes DANTISCUS ⌊Nuntio meomessenger of Ioannes DANTISCUS ⌋ XIII-a huius ... Council of Royal Prussia the principal local authority in Royal Prussia. It consisted of two bishops: of Ermland (Warmia), who served as president of the Council, and of Kulm (Chełmno); three voivodes: of Kulm, Marienburg (Malbork), and Pomerania; three castellans: of Kulm, Elbing (Elbląg), and Gdańsk (Danzig); three chamberlains: of Kulm, Marienburg, and Pomerania; and representatives of the three Great Prussian Cities: Gdańsk, Thorn (Toruń), and Elbing (ACHREMCZYK 2016, p. 17-18)⌊dominorum consiliarior[um]Council of Royal Prussia the principal local authority in Royal Prussia. It consisted of two bishops: of Ermland (Warmia), who served as president of the Council, and of Kulm (Chełmno); three voivodes: of Kulm, Marienburg (Malbork), and Pomerania; three castellans: of Kulm, Elbing (Elbląg), and Gdańsk (Danzig); three chamberlains: of Kulm, Marienburg, and Pomerania; and representatives of the three Great Prussian Cities: Gdańsk, Thorn (Toruń), and Elbing (ACHREMCZYK 2016, p. 17-18)⌋ respondent in a ....

[Inte]rim vero misit ad me probably Łukasz Górka (Łukasz of Górka) (*1482 – †1542), 1499-1507 Castellan of Spycimierz; 1507-1511 Castellan of Ląd; 1508-1535 General Starost of Wielkopolska; 1511-1535 Castellan of Poznań; 1535-1537 Voivode of Poznań; 1538 Bishop of Włocławek (PSB 8, p. 409-412)⌊reverendissimus dominusprobably Łukasz Górka (Łukasz of Górka) (*1482 – †1542), 1499-1507 Castellan of Spycimierz; 1507-1511 Castellan of Ląd; 1508-1535 General Starost of Wielkopolska; 1511-1535 Castellan of Poznań; 1535-1537 Voivode of Poznań; 1538 Bishop of Włocławek (PSB 8, p. 409-412)⌋[2] ... in quibusdam nostris negotiis ... Sigismund I Jagiellon (Zygmunt I) (*1467 – †1548), King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania (1506-1548); Duke of Głogów (Glogau) (1499-1506), Duke of Opava (1501-1506), Governor of Silesia (1504-1506); son of King Kazimierz IV Jagiellon and Elisabeth of Austria⌊[serenissimae] maiestatis regiaeSigismund I Jagiellon (Zygmunt I) (*1467 – †1548), King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania (1506-1548); Duke of Głogów (Glogau) (1499-1506), Duke of Opava (1501-1506), Governor of Silesia (1504-1506); son of King Kazimierz IV Jagiellon and Elisabeth of Austria⌋ ad me pervenisse ... Council of Royal Prussia the principal local authority in Royal Prussia. It consisted of two bishops: of Ermland (Warmia), who served as president of the Council, and of Kulm (Chełmno); three voivodes: of Kulm, Marienburg (Malbork), and Pomerania; three castellans: of Kulm, Elbing (Elbląg), and Gdańsk (Danzig); three chamberlains: of Kulm, Marienburg, and Pomerania; and representatives of the three Great Prussian Cities: Gdańsk, Thorn (Toruń), and Elbing (ACHREMCZYK 2016, p. 17-18)⌊[dominis] consiliariisCouncil of Royal Prussia the principal local authority in Royal Prussia. It consisted of two bishops: of Ermland (Warmia), who served as president of the Council, and of Kulm (Chełmno); three voivodes: of Kulm, Marienburg (Malbork), and Pomerania; three castellans: of Kulm, Elbing (Elbląg), and Gdańsk (Danzig); three chamberlains: of Kulm, Marienburg, and Pomerania; and representatives of the three Great Prussian Cities: Gdańsk, Thorn (Toruń), and Elbing (ACHREMCZYK 2016, p. 17-18)⌋ ante nostra Provincial Diet of Royal Prussia ⌊comitiaProvincial Diet of Royal Prussia ⌋ impr... licuit, cum igitur eas litteras regias ...perissem Gdańsk City Council ⌊magistratui GdanensiGdańsk City Council ⌋ ratione contributionis ... scriptum esse, misi easdem litteras, ...s, quas nuper ... meus appet[e]rat cum resign[ation]e Tiedemann Giese (Tidemannus Gisius) (*1480 – †1550), ennobled by King Sigismund I in 1519; 1504–1538 Canon of Ermland (Warmia); 1516–1527 and 1533–1537 Judicial Vicar and Vicar General of Ermland; 1523–1538 Custos of Ermland; 1537–1549 Bishop of Kulm (Chełmno); 1549–1550 Bishop of Ermland (BORAWSKA 1984)⌊r[everendissimo domino] [Cu]lmensiTiedemann Giese (Tidemannus Gisius) (*1480 – †1550), ennobled by King Sigismund I in 1519; 1504–1538 Canon of Ermland (Warmia); 1516–1527 and 1533–1537 Judicial Vicar and Vicar General of Ermland; 1523–1538 Custos of Ermland; 1537–1549 Bishop of Kulm (Chełmno); 1549–1550 Bishop of Ermland (BORAWSKA 1984)⌋, ut Gdańsk (Danzig, Dantiscum), city in northern Poland, on the Baltic Sea, at the mouth of the Vistula on the Bay of Gdańsk, the largest and wealthiest of the three Great Prussian Cities, alongside Thorn (Toruń) and Elbing (Elbląg); represented in the Council of Royal Prussia and a member of the Hanseatic League⌊GdanumGdańsk (Danzig, Dantiscum), city in northern Poland, on the Baltic Sea, at the mouth of the Vistula on the Bay of Gdańsk, the largest and wealthiest of the three Great Prussian Cities, alongside Thorn (Toruń) and Elbing (Elbląg); represented in the Council of Royal Prussia and a member of the Hanseatic League⌋ perferri curaret. Opus itaque no[n] erit aliis litteris, quarum misi exemplum, nisi et de prioribus in illis fieret mentio, quo sic tanto vehementius contributio urgeatur. Ad quam si iterum ipsi Citizens of Gdańsk ⌊mei gentilesCitizens of Gdańsk ⌋ non accesserint, et, quemadmodum iam non semel reluctati fuerint, nihil cum aliis statibus et ordinibus hic efficiemus, quae ab illis dependent, ea in re facturi non aliud, quam quod viderint illos facientes. Inconsentaneum ob id non esset, ut denuo admonerentur, etiamsi litterae regiae serius vel in ipso Provincial Diet of Royal Prussia ⌊nostro conventuProvincial Diet of Royal Prussia ⌋ nuntiis eorum redderentur.

Pudet me, Reverendissime mi Domine, quod quidem et Dominationi Vestrae Reverendissimae usu venire existimo, me toties adeo demisse, nedum diligenter, Gdańsk City Council ⌊magistratum GdanensemGdańsk City Council ⌋ pro Hans Holsten (†after 1548)⌊Ioanne HolstenHans Holsten (†after 1548)⌋ nequicquam cf. Ioannes DANTISCUS to Gdańsk Town Council Heilsberg (Lidzbark Warmiński), 1542-02-24, CIDTC IDL 4397;
Ioannes DANTISCUS to Gdańsk Town Council Heilsberg (Lidzbark Warmiński), 1542-03-31, CIDTC IDL 4401⌊interpellassecf. Ioannes DANTISCUS to Gdańsk Town Council Heilsberg (Lidzbark Warmiński), 1542-02-24, CIDTC IDL 4397;
Ioannes DANTISCUS to Gdańsk Town Council Heilsberg (Lidzbark Warmiński), 1542-03-31, CIDTC IDL 4401⌋, eo illum quidam longe gravius quam prius implacabili odio persequuntur afflictumque adigere volunt, ut honoris et existimationis quae coram omni populo apertis in sessio[nibus] ... [s]alutem iacturam ...tio, per quam pub[lica]m revocationem faciat, qui mallet citius et bonis, et vita cedere, antequam in perpetuam illiusmodi ignominiam incidat, [qua]m boni viri in ma[gist]ratu, quibus rigor [vald]e displicet, et [in] scripto mihi [de]clararunt. Quam auctoritatem et pondus Dominationis Vestrae Reverendissimae perinde atque meae pro Hans Holsten (†after 1548)⌊illoHans Holsten (†after 1548)⌋ commendationes habuerint, satis est luculentum.

Isti, qui hoc negotium adeo exasperarunt (suntque de nostris, qui plurimum nobis intimi videri volunt), nullius nostrum se opera aliquando indigere putant. Indigni vicissim, quibus a Dominatione Vestra Reverendissima quacumque etiam in re in posterum gratificetur, me certe multum a se abalienarunt, cum in hac causa, tum quia toti madent Luteranismo, Quadragesima enim transacta usu carnium cum multorum offendiculo publice sunt abusi. Praeterea, cum nuper electio Gdańsk City Council ⌊magistratusGdańsk City Council ⌋ fieri deberet et ob id ad ecclesiam ex more convenissent sacerdosque ad solitam canendam missam de Spiritu Sancto altari se applicasset, iussus fuit re divina infecta sacrum relinquere. Nihilo secius omnia apud illos aguntur, quam apud Albrecht I von Hohenzollern-Ansbach (Albrecht von Brandenburg) (*1490 – †1568), 1511-1525 Grand Master of the Teutonic Order; from 1525 until his death Duke in Prussia as a vassal of the Polish king; son of Frederick V of Brandenburg-Ansbach the Elder and Sophia Jagiellon, daughter of Casimir IV Jagiellon; nephew of Sigismund I, King of Poland; founder of the University of Königsberg, 1544⌊vicinumAlbrecht I von Hohenzollern-Ansbach (Albrecht von Brandenburg) (*1490 – †1568), 1511-1525 Grand Master of the Teutonic Order; from 1525 until his death Duke in Prussia as a vassal of the Polish king; son of Frederick V of Brandenburg-Ansbach the Elder and Sophia Jagiellon, daughter of Casimir IV Jagiellon; nephew of Sigismund I, King of Poland; founder of the University of Königsberg, 1544⌋ meum, ad cuius exemplum pro consuetudine, quae illis cum eo est coniunctissima, se totos componunt. Si Sigismund I Jagiellon (Zygmunt I) (*1467 – †1548), King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania (1506-1548); Duke of Głogów (Glogau) (1499-1506), Duke of Opava (1501-1506), Governor of Silesia (1504-1506); son of King Kazimierz IV Jagiellon and Elisabeth of Austria⌊serenissima maiestas regiaSigismund I Jagiellon (Zygmunt I) (*1467 – †1548), King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania (1506-1548); Duke of Głogów (Glogau) (1499-1506), Duke of Opava (1501-1506), Governor of Silesia (1504-1506); son of King Kazimierz IV Jagiellon and Elisabeth of Austria⌋ diutius connivebit, ne quid gravius, immo periculosius quam prius umquam consequatur, maxime est verendum. Non abs re foret, si serio in iis, tum ob processionem Corporis Christi Sanctissimi intermissam[3] ad Provincial Diet of Royal Prussia ⌊conventumProvincial Diet of Royal Prussia ⌋ futurum a serenissima Sigismund I Jagiellon (Zygmunt I) (*1467 – †1548), King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania (1506-1548); Duke of Głogów (Glogau) (1499-1506), Duke of Opava (1501-1506), Governor of Silesia (1504-1506); son of King Kazimierz IV Jagiellon and Elisabeth of Austria⌊maiestate regiaSigismund I Jagiellon (Zygmunt I) (*1467 – †1548), King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania (1506-1548); Duke of Głogów (Glogau) (1499-1506), Duke of Opava (1501-1506), Governor of Silesia (1504-1506); son of King Kazimierz IV Jagiellon and Elisabeth of Austria⌋ scriberetur.

Haec, quemadmodum alia omnia, in aurem scripseram manu mea, sed vix ipse hoc caliginoso tempore meas notas agnovi. Vulcan an ancient Roman god of destructive fire, identified with Hephaestus⌊VulcanoVulcan an ancient Roman god of destructive fire, identified with Hephaestus⌋ dentur, oro.

Meque Dominationi Vestrae Reverendissimae intime et studiosissime commendo.