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Letter #6230

Ioannes DANTISCUS to Bona Sforza
Heilsberg (Lidzbark), 1544-04-16

English register:

Dantiscus is thankful to the queen for accepting the fabric which he had sent her. He apologises for the messenger who, without his instructions, provided details about the length and price of the fabric. He assures the queen that he was himself unaware of these details, as he sent the fabric exactly as he had received it. He informs her that Georg Schewecke will send him fabric as soon as he receives it. He thanks the queen for the favour she has shown to Schewecke [concerning his efforts to secure the office of burgrave of Gdańsk (Danzig)].

Dantiscus conveys the latest news. The envoys of the king of Denmark [Christian III: Johan Rantzau, Anders Bentsen Bille, Caspar Fuchs, and Peder Svave] have returned from the [Imperial] Diet in Speyer, however the outcome of their mission remains unknown. They have failed to secure peace, as Denmark remains in a state of military readiness: one in every ten men is conscripted for defence, and the entire sea has become perilous. The king of England [Henry VIII] has prepared a great fleet which he intends to send to France, a matter Dantiscus already mentioned in a previous letter. He does not expect the wars to end soon.

Dantiscus assures the queen that he will promptly relay any further information as instructed, should it come his way.




Manuscript sources:
1copy in Latin, 16th-century, BJ, 6557, f. 398r-v
2copy in Latin, 18th-century, BCz, 61 (TN), No. 36, p. 185-186
3copy in Latin, 18th-century, BCz, 274, No. 254, p. 503-504

Auxiliary sources:
1register in Polish, 20th-century, B. PAU-PAN, 8244 (TK 6), a.1544, f. 9

 

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

 

BJ, 6657, f. 398r

Ioannes Dantiscus (Johannes von Höfen, Ioannes de Curiis, Jan Dantyszek, Hans Flachsbinder) (*1485 – †1548), eminent diplomat and humanist in the service of the Jagiellons, neo-Latin poet; 1530-1537 Bishop of Kulm; 1537-1548 Bishop of Ermland⌊Ioannes Dantiscus Episcopus VarmiensisIoannes Dantiscus (Johannes von Höfen, Ioannes de Curiis, Jan Dantyszek, Hans Flachsbinder) (*1485 – †1548), eminent diplomat and humanist in the service of the Jagiellons, neo-Latin poet; 1530-1537 Bishop of Kulm; 1537-1548 Bishop of Ermland⌋ Bona Sforza (*1494 – †1557), Queen of Poland and Grand Duchess of Lithuania (1518-1557); the second wife of Sigismund I Jagiellon; Duchess of Bari and Rossano; daughter of Gian Galeazzo Sforza of Milan and Isabella of Aragon⌊Bonae Reginae PoloniaeBona Sforza (*1494 – †1557), Queen of Poland and Grand Duchess of Lithuania (1518-1557); the second wife of Sigismund I Jagiellon; Duchess of Bari and Rossano; daughter of Gian Galeazzo Sforza of Milan and Isabella of Aragon⌋

Serenissima Reginalis Maiestas et Domina, domina clementissima.

Humillimam servitiorum et orationum mearum commendationem.

Quod Serenissima Maiestas Vestra telam nuper missam clementi animo susceperit, fuit mihi gratissimum. Porro, quod messenger of Ioannes DANTISCUS ⌊tabellariusmessenger of Ioannes DANTISCUS ⌋ is meus dixerit, quot ulnas quodlibet stamen continuerit, et quanti quaevis ulna venierit, celare insipientiam suam non potuit. In adagio est: mitte sapientem et nihil dic; iam experior, si bardus mittatur nihilque dicatur, quod etiam de nihilo illi imponendum sit silentium. BJ, 6657, f. 398v Qui scire cf. Pl. Per. 702 vaniloquidorus ⌊vaniloquidoruscf. Pl. Per. 702 vaniloquidorus ⌋ quivit de mensura et pretio, cum ego, qui illi compactam sarcinulam tradidi, quomodo haec habeant, ignorabam, verum ut ad me perlata fuit, sic eam baiulus ferendam asportavit. Ne itaque gravius praeposteram illius loquentiam, tamquam a me eam habuisset, accipiat, suppliciter oro. Mittet item dominus Georg Schewecke (Georg Scheffke) (*1491 – †1547), 1522 Gdańsk alderman; 1525 town councillor; 1528 judge; 1531 mayor; 1536–1537, 1540, 1542–1545 burgrave; 1534 Gdańsk envoy to the convention in Lüneburg on maritime affairs and conflicts with Lübeck (AT 15, p. 501, 510; AT 16/1, p. 42, 44; ZDRENKA 2, p. 275)⌊Georgius SchefkeGeorg Schewecke (Georg Scheffke) (*1491 – †1547), 1522 Gdańsk alderman; 1525 town councillor; 1528 judge; 1531 mayor; 1536–1537, 1540, 1542–1545 burgrave; 1534 Gdańsk envoy to the convention in Lüneburg on maritime affairs and conflicts with Lübeck (AT 15, p. 501, 510; AT 16/1, p. 42, 44; ZDRENKA 2, p. 275)⌋ ad me mappas, quam primum eas nactus fuerit. Pro Georg Schewecke (Georg Scheffke) (*1491 – †1547), 1522 Gdańsk alderman; 1525 town councillor; 1528 judge; 1531 mayor; 1536–1537, 1540, 1542–1545 burgrave; 1534 Gdańsk envoy to the convention in Lüneburg on maritime affairs and conflicts with Lübeck (AT 15, p. 501, 510; AT 16/1, p. 42, 44; ZDRENKA 2, p. 275)⌊quoGeorg Schewecke (Georg Scheffke) (*1491 – †1547), 1522 Gdańsk alderman; 1525 town councillor; 1528 judge; 1531 mayor; 1536–1537, 1540, 1542–1545 burgrave; 1534 Gdańsk envoy to the convention in Lüneburg on maritime affairs and conflicts with Lübeck (AT 15, p. 501, 510; AT 16/1, p. 42, 44; ZDRENKA 2, p. 275)⌋, quod Serenissima Maiestas Vestra clementer benignitatem suam impenderit, gratiam habeo quam maximam.

De novis ad praesens huc ex Denmark (Dania), the kingdom⌊DaniaDenmark (Dania), the kingdom⌋ allatum est, quod Christian III of Oldenburg (*1503 – †1559), 1534–1559 King of Denmark and Norway; 1523–1559 Duke of Holstein and Schleswig; son of Frederick I of Oldenburg, King of Denmark, and his first consort, Anna of Brandenburg⌊regisChristian III of Oldenburg (*1503 – †1559), 1534–1559 King of Denmark and Norway; 1523–1559 Duke of Holstein and Schleswig; son of Frederick I of Oldenburg, King of Denmark, and his first consort, Anna of Brandenburg⌋ illius Johan Rantzau (*1492 – †1565)

Anders Bille (*1477 – †1555)

Caspar Fuchs (†not before 1571)

Peder Svave (*1496 – †1552)⌊nuntiiJohan Rantzau (*1492 – †1565)

Anders Bille (*1477 – †1555)

Caspar Fuchs (†not before 1571)

Peder Svave (*1496 – †1552)⌋ ex Imperial Diet (Reichstag) ⌊Spirensibus comitiisImperial Diet (Reichstag) ⌋ redierint, clam tamen adhuc esse, quid attulerint. Pacem eos non attulisse ex eo liquet, quod tota Denmark (Dania), the kingdom⌊DaniaDenmark (Dania), the kingdom⌋ in armis esse fertur, et quod decimus quisque inibi ad defensionem conscribitur Baltic Sea⌊marequeBaltic Sea⌋ omni ex parte infestum reddatur. Ferunt etiam Henry VIII Tudor (*1491 – †1547), 1509–1547 King of England; son of Henry VII Tudor and Elizabeth of York⌊regem AngliaeHenry VIII Tudor (*1491 – †1547), 1509–1547 King of England; son of Henry VII Tudor and Elizabeth of York⌋ ingentem parasse classem traiecturumque, ut novissime scripsi, in France (Gallia, Francia), the kingdom⌊GalliasFrance (Gallia, Francia), the kingdom⌋. Quid subsequetur, eventus docebit. Non video, quod haec bellorum tempestas infeliciter orta fieri possit mitior. Quam nisi brevi Deus pacaverit, non procul postrema illa tempora tremenda abesse erit putandum.

Si quid postea se obtulerit, ut iussis Serenissimae Maiestatis Vestrae satisfiat, non cunctabor. Cui me demississime commendo atque a Domino Deo omnia corpori et animae saluberrima precor ex animo.