Copernicus to the Varmia Chapter

Melsac, October 22, 1518

Original: lost (until 1945 in Diözesanarchiv, Frauenburg, sign. Rep. 128); photocopy: Archiwum Archidiecezji Warmińskiej, Olsztyn, Rep. 128.

Nicholas Copernicus (N. Coppernic) informed the Chapter of Warmia that yesterday he learned from the Bishop of Warmia, Fabian Luzjański of what the Chapter has written to the Bishop in connection with the reception being prepared for the Pope's legate, Nicholas von Schonberg. The letter of Philip Greussing induced Copernicus to leave Olsztyn (Allenstein) as quickly as possible together with the burgrave of the castle, Christopher Drauschwitz, who received a more complete piece of information in Lidzbark Warmiński (Heilsberg), so that Greussing could not complain that he was refused justice. The Bishop also instructed Copernicus to induce the Chapter that in its reply to Albrecht, the Grand Master, it add the following c1ause "so as not to impede the holy justice" what would make this perfidious and evasive explanation more difficult. The Bishop also received the news about the conclusion of perpetual peace by Wasyl III, the Duke of Moscow, with the Polish King Sigismund I, and thus the hopes of their neighbours [i.e. the Teutonic Knights] were blighted. Copernicus will try to leave the place as quickly as possible.

Further reading

1. Biskup M., Regesta Copernicana (Wrocław, 1973).
2. Nicholas Copernicus Minor Works (Warsaw-Cracow, 1985).