 Born in 1474 to a burgher family in Kraków, Ciołek graduated from the Kraków Academy with the Master's in 1491.He is not to be confused with Erazm Ciołek from the same family, who received his Master's in 1512.In 1494 Erazm Ciołek (future Bishop of Płock) became the secretary of Polish king Alexander Jagiellon and one of his favorite courtiers.