13 István Brodarics to Sigismund I Rome, 15 January 1523 Manuscript used: BN T. 4. fol. 130r. Published: Acta Tomiciana VI. 225–226. 1. He put forth Sigismund’s request to the Pope again regarding the Płock bishopric, but this time Cardinal de Grassis, who had been away before, also spoke up to the Pope in this matter. – 2. He will learn the Pope’s answer from de Grassis’ letter. The Pope cannot be dissuaded from his earlier intention, so pushing the issue further is senseless. That is, benefices of those who died in the Town are handled differently in Rome. They try to get hold of such benefices themselves. Serenissime Princeps et Domine, Domine Clementissime. Post servitutis meae perpetuae in gratiam Vestrae Maiestatis humillimam commendationem.

[1.] Acceperam rursus litteras a Vestra Maiestate super negotio ecclesiae Plocensis, in quo rursus apud Sanctissimum Dominum Nostrum omni studio, fide et diligentia elaboravi. Contigit autem reverendissimum etiam dominum cardinalem de Grassis, 1 qui per hos superiores dies abfuerat, neque prioribus illis apud pontificem actionibus atque intercessionibus interesse potuerat, praesenti negotio affuisse. Itaque cum ipse prior (ut par erat) apud pontificem diligentissime pro hoc negotio egisset, responsumque non valde a desiderio Vestrae Maiestatis alienum reportasset, ego suam praeterea reverendissimam dominationem subsecutus et re omni rursus ex integro Sanctissimo Domino Nostro declarata commemoratisque incommodis et incendiis, quae ex hoc 1  Achilles de Grassis (or Achille Grassi) (1456–1523), Cardinal. A high priest of Polish origin. He went on diplomatic missions to several European courts from 1508. Sigismund wrote several letters to him concerning the Płock bishopric in the autumn of 1522, and asked for his intervention. (Compare: AT VI. 145–146, 153–154, 207.)

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oriri possent, non potui tamen aliud et magis praesentaneum responsum a Sua Sanctitate impetrare.

[2.] Responsum ipsum, quod uterque nostrum habuit, ex litteris reverendissimi domini cardinalis Maiestas Vestra intelliget, 2 contra quod ego non existimarem, Clementissime Domine, Maiestati Vestrae (quod cum illius gratia dictum sit) iam amplius repugnandum. Nam aut difficillimum certe erit, quantumcunque nitamur, aut prorsus impossibile pontificem ex hac sententia deduci. 3 Et isti latius aliquanto interpretantur et extendunt Sedis Apostolicae iura, eorumque sacerdotia, qui, quacunque de causa in Urbe manserint et vitam finierint, ad suas provisiones spectare contendunt. Quod quidem iurene an iniuria faciant, viderint alii. 4 Ego si quid vel in hoc adhuc, vel in quibuscunque aliis negotiis Vestrae Maiestati servire possum, supplico humillime, dignetur mihi praecipere et iubere, cui nihil gratius, nihil optatius erit, quam Vestrae Maiestatis iussa et imperia impigre capessere et diligentissime obire. Me et meam servitutem perpetuam rursus in gratiam Vestrae Maiestatis humillime commendo. Quam Deus conservet felicem et victoriosam.

Ex Urbe XV. Ianuarii 1523. Eiusdem Maiestatis Vestrae servitor et capellanus humillimus Stephanus Brodericus praepositus Quinqueecclesiensis, orator On the outer side:

Serenissimo principi et domino, domino Sigismundo Dei gratia Poloniae regi ac magno duci Lithvaniae etc. domino semper mihi clementissimo

26 victoriosam correxi ex: victoriosum From Sigismund‘s answer below it seems he had not received de Grassis’ letter. Essentially the Pope refused all of Sigismund’s requests. His candidate for the bishopric of Płock remained Marquis Johann Albrecht, he reduced the period of the kermess to half a year, and wanted to charge his own people with the collection of the Peter’s pence. Naturally, Sigismund protested indignantly. See his letter to Cardinal de Grassis: AT VI. 207. 4  Against this argumentation, the Polish court referred to international law which says that envoys are entitled to immunity and extraterritoriality, so it does not matter that Ciołek died in Rome. Since he was an envoy of the Polish King, it should be regarded as if he had died in Poland. Compare:. Sigismund’s letter to Archbishop of Gniezno Jan Łaski: AT VI. 159–160.