Translation / modern text
Warsaw, 22 May 1698 [day probable; final year digit less clear].
Sir,
Your Excellency does me too much honour by allowing me to hope for your letters. I could respond to your favours no more precisely than by blindly obeying your commands. You ask whether I shall come to Ruthenia. Fifteen days ago I thought so, but as doubts arise about His Majesty’s journey, I no longer know what to say.
The Turks and Tatars do everything possible to awaken your ancient valour at last. Tell me whether you will break a sleep that has shamed your nation for fourteen years. Will you finally recognize that beyond the Danube, as far as the banks of the Volga, there are your trophies, falling into ruin unless someone goes to restore them quickly? [The image is preserved without identifying particular victories.]
Here all differences have been settled, and the cardinal will come to court at four in the afternoon. All that remains is to find money to set the troops marching; they are said to number over thirty thousand soldiers.
I shall gladly take the opportunity presented by the death of the abbot of [name uncertain] to serve Mr Bieliński[?], since in serving him I obey Your Excellency. With the greatest eagerness I remain your most humble and obedient servant.
J.A., archbishop of Rimini.
[Address:] To His Excellency Count Jabłonowski, voivode and general of the Ruthenian lands, in Lviv.
Original wording — transcription
Vars. le22e May1698 [dzień prawdopodobny; ostatnia cyfra roku mniej ostra].
Monsieur,
V.E. me fait trop d'honneur en me faisant esperer celuy de ses lettres, et je ne sçaurois repondre à ses graces avec plus d'exactitude qu'en obeissant aveuglement à ses ordres. Elle veut sçavoir si je viendray en Russie; je le croyois il y a15 jours, mais comme on commence de douter du voyage de S.Mté, je ne sçay plus qu'en dire.
Les Turcs et les Tartares font tout leur possible pour eveiller une fois vostre ancienne valeur; dites moy si vous romprez un sommeil qui fait la honte de vostre Nation depuis
[s.3] quattorze ans. Eh trouver[e]z vous une fois qu'au dela du Danube et jusques sur les bords du Volga il y a de vos trophées qui tombent en ruine, si on ne va les remettre au plus tost. Icy on a terminé tous les differends, et Monsr le Cardl viendra à4 heures apres midy à la Cour; il ne reste plus que de trouver de l'argent pour faire marcher les troupes, qui à ce qu'on dit seront fortes de plus de30m soldats.
J'embrasseray avec plaisir l'occasion qui se presente de la mort de Mr l'Abbé de [nazwa niepewna]
[s.4] pour rendre mes services à Mr Bielinski[?], puis qu'en le servant j'obeis à V.E., de qui je suis avec le dernier empressement,
Monsieur,
de Vostre Excellence tres-humble et tres-obeissant serviteur,
J.A. Archevêque d'Rimino.
[s.5, adres:] A Son Excellence Monseigneur le C[omte] Jablonowski, Palatin et General des terres de Russie, à Leopol.
Reading notes
Pages 1–5 examined: cover and one letter on pp. 2–4, address on p. 5. Dateline read as 22 May1698: May is clear, day probable, final year digit less sharp. This conflicts with the cover’s starting date6VIII1698; the cover date was not substituted for the letter’s date. The reading was independently checked. Davia’s name comes from the cover; the signature gives initials and Rimini archbishopric. Bieliński and the abbey’s name are uncertain. Army size is a reported forecast, the cardinal’s arrival and sender’s travel are plans; fulfilment has not been verified. Trophies and sleep are the author’s rhetorical judgments.