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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 Episcopus Varmiensis Bonae Reginae Poloniae

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 tabellarius 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 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 Georgius Schefke ad me mappas, quam primum eas nactus fuerit. Pro quo, quod Serenissima Maiestas Vestra clementer benignitatem suam impenderit, gratiam habeo quam maximam.

De novis ad praesens huc ex Dania allatum est, quod regis illius nuntii ex Spirensibus comitiis redierint, clam tamen adhuc esse, quid attulerint. Pacem eos non attulisse ex eo liquet, quod tota Dania in armis esse fertur, et quod decimus quisque inibi ad defensionem conscribitur mareque omni ex parte infestum reddatur. Ferunt etiam regem Angliae ingentem parasse classem traiecturumque, ut novissime scripsi, in Gallias. 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.

Dat(ae) or Dat(um)⌈Dat(ae)Dat(ae) or Dat(um)⌉ Heilsberg, XVI Aprilis MDXLIIII.