Letter #91
[Ioannes DANTISCUS] to [Sigismund I Jagiellon]Heilsberg (Lidzbark), 1543-02-27
English register:
The members of the Royal Prussian Council received the king’s letter dated 31 January concerning the two indicted mayors of Gdańsk (Danzig) [Barthel Brand and Tiedemann Giese Jr]. This letter was a response to one they had recently sent from the [Royal Prussian] Diet in Marienburg (Malbork), in which they pleaded on behalf of the defendants. After reviewing its contents, the bishop of Kulm (Chełmno) [Tiedemann Giese], the voivodes of Pomerania [Jerzy Konopacki (Georg von Konopat)] and Marienburg (Malbork) [Georg von Baysen (Jerzy Bażyński)], and the castellans of Kulm (Chełmno) [Mikołaj Działyński (Nikolaus von Dzialin)], Elbing (Elbląg) [Jan Sokołowski], and Gdańsk [Achatius von Zehmen (Cema)], who are not allowed to hold meetings outside of [Royal Prussian] diets, turned to Dantyszek by virtue of his office to present their will to the king.
They are interceding with the king on behalf of the indicted mayors, asking that he forgive their failure to appear before the royal court on the appointed date. Although a new date has been set for March 25, it was never specified (either the first time or now) that they were expected to appear in person, and given that they are unable to travel such a long distance in so short a time, they have sent their legal representative instead.
They are interceding with the king on behalf of the indicted mayors, asking that he forgive their failure to appear before the royal court on the appointed date. Although a new date has been set for March 25, it was never specified (either the first time or now) that they were expected to appear in person, and given that they are unable to travel such a long distance in so short a time, they have sent their legal representative instead.
If, however, the king does not agree and wishes the defendant mayors to appear in person, they ask that the deadline be extended until May.
Dantiscus relays the opinion of the members of the council as requested, in accordance with his office.
Manuscript sources:
| ||||
Text & apparatus & commentary Plain text Text & commentary Text & apparatus
APG, 300, 53, 268, p127Serenissime etc.
Acceperunt hic Serenissimae Maiestatis Vestrae consiliarii litteras, quas ultima Ianuarii ad eos in negotio duorum praeconsulum ex Gedano citatorum dari iussit, quibus respondit iis, quas nuper ex Marienburgensi conventu ad Serenissimam Maiestatem Vestram pro duobus illis praeconsulibus dederunt. Lectis itaque eisdem potior pars dominorum consiliariorum, reverendissimus utpote dominus episcopus Culmensis, magnifici domini Pomeraniae et Marienburgensis palatini generosique Culmensis, Elbingensis atque Gedanensis castellani, cum ipsis convenire nisi in comitiis liceat, hoc quod Serenissimae Maiestati Vestrae respondendum sunt arbitrati, ad me ratione officii perscripserunt orantes, ut ego de eorum votis ac desideriis Serenissimae Maiestati Vestrae significationem facerem, quod cum ex debito negare non potui, Serenissimae Maiestati Vestrae humillime supplico ea a me cum gratia accipiat.
Agunt in primis una mecum Serenissimae Maiestati Vestrae, quantum possunt demissius, domini consiliarii immensas gratias pro ea benignitate, quam ad eorum diligentem commendationem duobus istis citatis praeconsulibus in remissione noxae, quod ad dictum eis diem per se non comparuerunt, clementer praestiterit. Ceterum, cum illis alium terminum pro feria secunda post dominicam Laetare instantem ad comparendum designaverit ipsisque neque in priore citatione neque in hac novissima, ut se personaliter tribunali Serenissimae Maiestatis Vestrae statuant, mandatum sit, procuratoremque suum igitur cum plena facultate missum in curia Serenissimae Maiestatis Vestrae habeant per seque in tam angusto ad tribunal Serenissimae Maiestatis Vestrae tempore accedere commode non potuerint.
Rogant ipsi domini consiliarii Serenissimam Maiestatem Vestram quam humillime, ne quid gravius in secundo praefixo termino, eo quod se adeo celeriter Serenissimae Maiestati Vestrae statuere nequiverint, contra eos praesente eorum procuratore decerni permittere velit, quin potius hanc causam in has terras pro futuris comitiis discutiendam vel certis hic commissariis, quos cum iis terris deligendos putaverit, committere dignetur. Qui haud dubie pro fide et observantia sua erga Serenissimam Maiestatem Vestram causam hanc sine ullo voluntatis auctoritatisque Serenissimae Maiestatis Vestrae offendiculo tractabunt et transigent.
Quod si (ut non sperant) hoc ipsum a Serenissima Maiestate Vestra impetrare non valeant illaque omnino sic habere velit, ut se hi duo praeconsules in personis propriis Serenissimae Maiestati Vestrae offerant, ipsi domini consiliarii Serenissimae Maiestati Vestrae humillime supplicant, ut illis citatis usque ad aliquem diem mensis Maii proximum termini eiusmodi prorogatione gratiose concedat. Qua in re gratissimam hanc illis fieri gratiam humillime a Serenissima Maiestate Vestra petunt ad haec tempora pro quiete tranquillitateque publica conservanda, convenientissimam atque plurimum accommodam.
Haec, quemadmodum a me postulatum est, in notitiam Serenissimae Maiestatis Vestrae diligenter suppliciterque pro debito officii mei deducenda existimavi, utque ea aequi bonique Serenissima Maiestas Vestra clementer consulat, oro humillimeque me illi commendo.
Quam ut dominus Deus diutissime sospitet prosperetque in omnibus, precor ex animo.
Dat(ae) or Dat(um)⌈Dat(ae)Dat(ae) or Dat(um)⌉ Heilsberg, XXVII Februarii MDXLIII.