Copernicus to Bishop Dantiscus - translation
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
