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Copernicus to Bishop John Dantiscus, Frombork, 11 April 1533
Original: lost; facsim. in: Notice respecting Copernicus, "Edinburgh Philosophical Journal", 1821, 5, table III; 19th century copy in: Czartoryski Library, Kraków, manuscript 1596, pp. 357-358, and Library of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Lvov, manuscript III, 546, c. 234-234v.
Nicholas Copernicus (Nicolaus Copernicus) replies to John Dantiscus, Bishop-elect of Chełmno, that he thanks him for his graciousness, and he is happy that he has found such a guardian. He thanks him for the invitation, that on April 20, 1533 he will go to the Bishop [to Lubawa]; however, certain activities and important matters keep him and mister Felix Reich, Canon of Warmia in Frombork. He asks that the Bishop not be angry; he is prepared to fulfill his greetings at another time.
Further reading
- Biskup Marian, Regesta Copernicana, Warszawa 1973.
- Kopernik Mikołaj, Pisma pomniejsze, Warszawa 2007.
Frombork, 11 April 1533
To the Most Reverend Father in Christ, Johannes [Dantiscus], bishop designate of Chełmno, my most honorable patron and protector
Your Lordship, Most Reverend Father in Christ:
I have received your Most Reverend Lordship's letter, from which I quite understand your Most Reverend Lordship's kindliness, graciousness, and good will, toward me. You do not disdain to communicate to me the [esteem] I have gained not only with you but also with other good men of every sort. This is surely attributable, not to my services but rather, in my opinion, to your Most Reverend Lordship's well-known generosity. Would that I might some day chance to be able to be so deserving. I am of course more delighted than it is in my power to say that I have found such a patron and protector.
Your Most Reverend Lordship, however, requests that I join you on the 20th of this month. Although I would do so with the greatest pleasure, since I have no insignificant reason for attending so eminent a friend and patron, yet the misfortune has befallen me that at that very time Canon Felix [Reich] and I are required by certain business and by compelling reasons to remain at our stations. I therefore ask your Most Reverend Lordship to excuse my absence at that time. At any other time I am unreservedly ready, as I should be, to call on your Most Reverend Lordship and do whatever pleases you, to whom I am indebted in very many other ways, provided that your Most Reverend Lordship so indicates to me at some other time. I acknowledge that hereafter I should not so much satisfy your requests as execute your commands.
Frombork, Good Friday [11 April] 1533
Your Most Reverend Lordship's
most faithful
Nicholas Copernicus
Translation by Edward Rosen
Frombork, 11 April 1533
Reuerendissimo in Christo Patri et Domino, Domino Joanni Electo Culmensi, Domino et Fautori suo plurimum Observando
Reuerendissime in Christo Pater et Domine. Percepi litteras Reuerendissimae Dominationis Vestrae, e quibus humanitatem, gratiam et fauorem erga me Reuerendissimae Dominationis Vestrae satis intelligo, quae cum apud ipsam obtinui, etiam apud alios quoscumque bonos viros eadem mihi propagare non dedignatur. Quod certe non meis meritis, sed cognitae Reuerendissimae Dominationis Vestrae bonitati puto tribuendum. Utinam mihi possit aliquando contingere, quibus haec possem promereri. Gaudeo certe plus quam dici potest me talem dominum et fautorem inuenisse. Quod autem petit Reuerendissima Dominatio Vestra, ut ad se 20 huius mensis me conferrem, quod etsi libentissime facerem non leuem causam habens tantum amicum et patronu m visitandi, id tamen mihi incidit infortunium, vt eo tempore dominum Felicem et me negocia quaedam et causae necessariae nos cogant in loco manere. Itaque vti Reuerendissima Dominatio Vestra boni consulat absentiam tunc meam, rogo. Sum alioqui accedere Reuerendissimam Dominationem Vestram, vt par est, paratissimus et, cui plurima alia debeo, facere, quod placuerit, modo id Reuerendissima Dominatio Vestra alio tempore mihi insinuauerit. Cum iam non in petitis gratificari, sed magis iussa capessere me debere fateor. Ex Frauenburg Parasceue Pascae anno 1533.
Eidem Reuerendissimae Dominationis Vestrae deuotissimus
Nicolaus Copernicus
Notice respecting Copernicus, "Edinbourgh Philosophical Journal", 1821, 5, tabl. III. British Library, London.
