Translation / modern text
Your Excellency!
As I finish this correspondence, I have no further news; I am absorbed in [...] the pleasure of being able to embrace you soon. In the moment remaining I add a few more words. [The passage concerning the starosta of Krasnystaw, suspension of further proceedings and clarification by letter has not been read in full.] The starosta of Halych seeks the admission of two Wallachian companies to the authorised army establishment. [The following sentences about increasing a company’s establishment, the office of regimentarz and the spring remain unclear; not all persons involved or details have been identified.] I remain your most humble servant, Dalton.
[Postscript:]
After writing to Your Excellency I received a letter [...] from Radgoski [?], through Jacell [?], Your Excellency’s painter. It contains news of the conclusion of [...] and also that the Sapiehas intercepted an instruction which the king had sent against them to Mr Ogiński. The resident representative of the king, or rather of the Voivode of Malbork, named Lybiński [?], received a royal letter instructing him to tell Your Excellency that, despite the promise made to the cardinal that the starosta of Krasnystaw would be treated leniently, the king insists that he be tried in a criminal case.
Reports also come from several places that the tsar of Muscovy was killed during a popular revolt because he had put to death princes [?] who had previously rebelled.
Original wording — transcription
Monseigneur.
Już in exitu teraźnieyszey Correspondencyi moiey y nowin nie staie, estant occupé du [...] plaisir de vous embrasser bientost. Ile mi iednak momentu zostaie, ile przyrzucam. Że [...] onegday [...] P. Star. Krasnostaw: [...] z suspensą [...] dalszey prosecucyi y decre[...] aż ad elucidationem przez list [...] samego [...]. Dwie [...] tu [...] myśli, ieden W[... ] Star. Halicki o przyięcie do Computu [...] dwu Chorągwi wołoskich, drugi przesłał [...] ze [...], o przyczynienie do Chorągwi [...] computu y o [...] Regimentarstwa, albo [...] na Wiosnę. [...] Sprawił cz[...] Wm Panu z fantazem bardzo pięknym do czasu y [...] łaski, a ia [...] iest WMM Pana y Dobrodzieia nayniższy sługa Dalton.
[Dopisek na s. 3:]
Apres que ie escrit la Lettre a V.E. Monseigneur vien de receuoir la lettre [...] Radgoski [?] par Jacell [?] le peintre de V.E. ou il ia sur la Conclusion du [...] et outre cela encor que Messieurs le Sapieha ont intercepté un instruction que le Roy auoit enuoié a Mr Oginski contre eux. Le Resident du Roy ou plustost du Palatin de Marienbourg qui s'appelle Lybinski [?] vient de receuoir la lettre du Roy dans la quelle il commande de dire a Monseigneur que non obstant qu'il a donné la parole au Cardinal d'auoir indulgence au Starosta Krasnostawski il veut absolument qu'il soit iugé criminellement.
On mande aussi de plusieurs endroits que le Czar de Moscouie est tué par la reuolte du peuple a cause qu'il auoit fait perir les princes [?] qui s'estont reuolté.
Reading notes
The year 1698 comes solely from the cover. Page 3 is treated as a postscript to the letter, not as a separate dated letter. The report that the tsar was killed is a quoted rumour: the letter does not establish its truth. The interception of the instruction and the royal order are likewise reports by the correspondent. The tsar, cardinal and officials have not been assigned first names without evidence. The Polish passage is highly abbreviated and has been read fragmentarily; no decision admitting the companies has been supplied. Radgoski, Jacell and Lybinski require checking. The signature reads Dalton; the initial K. comes from the cover description. This unit must not be confused with de Baluze’s correspondence. The final French term is provisionally read as princes [?]; the earlier reading prisonniers was rejected after a further comparison with the scan. The people referred to have not been identified.