Letter #47
Ioannes DANTISCUS to Mikołaj GRABIAHeilsberg (Lidzbark), 1540-12-17
English register:
Dantiscus writes not only in response to the recipient’s latest letter, delivered by the castellan of Gdańsk (Danzig) [Achatius von Zehmen (Cema)], but also to share with him the distress caused by secret slanderers.
Before the castellan of Gdańsk departed for the royal court, a rumour reached Dantiscus that he had once again been accused before the queen [Bona Sforza] of plotting a rebellion and secret conspiracy, allegedly in concert with certain members of the [Royal Prussian] council, especially the City Council of Gdańsk. He could not believe that such an absurd charge had been made, and thus did not raise the matter in his conversation with the castellan nor did he consider it necessary to communicate anything about it to the court, neither in writing nor verbally.
Having read the queen’s letter the previous day, Dantiscus realised that the rumour had been true. The queen encouraged him to perform his duties faithfully as a senator, and she acted in a manner which seemed to imply a belief that he might cease fulfilling his responsibilities the next day, or that he may have already been somehow negligent in carrying them out. From this, he drew the clear conclusion that the same slanderers had once again levelled before the queen the very same accusation as several years earlier, when the addressee came to visit him in Löbau (Lubawa) over the matter.
He defends his innocence in the letter to the queen. He asks the addressee to intercede with her on his behalf, or at least to find out who the informers are. If Dantiscus can learn their names, he will be able to prove his innocence before the royal court, so that the queen will no longer have to rebuke him so often any more.
Manuscript sources:
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Text & apparatus & commentary Plain text Text & commentary Text & apparatus
Ioannes Dantiscus episcopus Culmensis Nicolao Grabia succamerario Siradiensi
Generose Domine, amice unice carissime.
Salutem et omnem felicitatem.
Has tumultuario ad Dominationem Vestram calamo perscripsi non solum, ut novissimis, quas per generosum dominum castellanum Gdanensem ad me plenas veteris benevolentiae dedit, responderem, verum etiam, ut illi afflictionem meam, quae iterum in me per clandestinos quosdam quadruplatores congeritur, in sinum Dominationis Vestrae profunderem.
Priusquam dominus castellanus ad aulam proficisceretur, rumore quodam ad me fuit perlatum, quod iterum apud serenissimam maiestatem reginalem traductus essem, quasi cum certis hic dominis consiliariis, praecipue vero cum magistratu Gdanensi, defectionem pararem et conspirationem ad hoc facinus fecerim. Quod, ut crederem, induci non potui confictumque esse existimabam, quo factum est, quod ne verbo quidem huius delationis, quam commentitiam esse putabam, mentionem cum domino castellano habuerim, et ob id ea de re nihil vel significandum, vel scribendum ad aulam duxerim.
Lectis porro serenissimae reginalis maiestatis ad me litteris, quas ille mihi reddidit, idem quod vanum esse rebar, plusquam verum expertus sum. Ad eum enim modum serenissima reginalis maiestas mecum expostulat meque cohortatur, ut officio debitoque senatorio, quemadmodum ad bonum ac fidelem consiliarium pertinet, omnia hic gerere, consulere atque agere debeam, perinde ac si cras sim defecturus vel hucusque officio debitoque meo infideliter usus fuerim. Hinc clare mihi liquet, quod iterum eiusmodi contra me a fraudulentis impostoribus serenissimae reginali maiestati insimulatio prolata sit, qualis fuit illa, cuius ratione Dominatio Vestra ad me superioribus annis Lubaviam venit, subvereorque, ne ex ea sit farina, qua prior.
Proinde, quantum potui, humilius et modestius serenissimae reginali maiestati scribens, innocentiam meam defendo. Quod ipsum ut similiter Dominatio Vestra faciat, quae non vulgaris integritatis meae testis esse potest, plurimum rogo, vel saltem hoc a reginali maiestate, domina mea clementissima, obtineat, ut sciam, qui sint illi, qui adeo perverse et malitiose me deferunt. Quos si sciero, apud tribunal regium, ad quod illos non segniter prosequar, candorem ac fidei meae integerrimam observantiam serenissima reginalis maiestas agnoscet, sicque agnoscet, ut in posterum necessarium non erit me toties cohortari. Hanc ut amico operam Dominatio Vestra citra serenissimae reginalis maiestatis gratiae offensam impendat, maiorem in modum oro. Vicissim me Domintio Vestra ad omnia et desideria sua propensissimum habitura.
Quam diutissime feliciter valere ex animo cupio.
Ex Heilsberg, XVII Decembris MDXL.