Kasza Péter (szerk.): Stephanus Brodericus - Epistulae (Bibliotheca Scriptorum Medii Recentisque Aevorum, Series Nova XIV., Argumentum Kiadó - Magyar Országos Levéltár, Budapest, 2012)

1538

Danubium, bonum tamen esset hoc autumno aliquid facere in recuperatione Ezeek5 et earum, quae per ripam Danubii sunt, ne tot copiae frustra iam essent levatae. Sed ad haec opus esset navalibus viribus. Velit de his Vestra Dominatio regem suum vel nostrum potius urgere, ut aliquid recte fiat.

20 [4.] De commissariis6 nescio, quid dicam. Nisi hi fluctus conquieverant, difficile erit

iudicare. Nam leges, ut ait ille, inter anna silent.7 Contra quos debet agi; illi sunt nobi- scum multum necessarii.

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Ferdinand I to István Brodarics Gmunden, I September 1538

Manuscript used: HHStA, Ung. Akt. Fasc. 37. Konv. A, föl. 9.1

/. He has received reports by Brodarics on the Turkish campaign in Moldova; he asks Brodarics to keep him informed on everything that goes on. — 2. He does everything he can to protect Transylvania and to help King John: already, he has sent 2000 Spanish and 1000 German in fantrymen and a considerable force of light cavalry to Transylvania. He is urging his Hungarian subjects to help.

Reverende Devote, sincere Dilecte.

[1.] Litteras Devotionis Vestrae XVI. et XX. Augusti proxime praeteriti ad nos datas accepimus,1 2 ex quibus ea, quae de Turearum expeditione contra Moldáviám et Transsylvaniám ultra priora latius nobis significavit, diligenter intelleximus, et suam illam s sane in denuntiandis singulis quibusque novis de rebus Turcicis operam studiumque grato a se animo suscipimus et plurimum commendamus. Hortantes eandem, ut imposterum quoque hoc scribendi genus continuare velit.

[2.] Pro certo enim sibi Devotio Vestra persuadere debet, nos firmiter statutum habere, ut serenissimum regem Ioannem, dominum suum omni, quo possumus, auxilio io iuvemus. Namque bis mille Hispanos et mille pedites Germanos, nec non equitum levis armaturae bonum numerum3 ex Owario recta celeriterque Transsylvaniam versus deduci iam nunc ordinavimus, nihilque adeo praetermissuri sumus, quod ad defensionem conservationemque Transsylvaniae facere videbitur. Etiam atque etiam pro virili nostra curaturi, ut regni istius partem haud postremam, quoad per nos fieri queat, 15 minime indefensam relinquamus, neque apud nostros fideles subditos in praefato regno

5 Eszék (today: Osijek, Croatia) was a crossing place of strategic importance.

6 In terms of the Peace of Várad, the two parties delegated commissioners to settle disputes. However, the Turkish military campaign against Transylvania seems to have hindered their work.

7 Inter arma silent leges. Cicero, Pro Milone. IV. 10.

1 Draft.

2 The two referenced letters have not been preserved.

■' Ferdinand sent 500 horsemen to Transylvania, who had stationed near Eperjes earlier. See HHStA, Ung. Akt. Fasc. 37. Konv. A, fol. 2v.

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