De bello civitatis Insule sancte Marie, et destructione ejus infra secundam.
The Name of Apostasy
The chapter opens by naming the place called Apostasy, setting a tone of spiritual rebellion against the faith.
Apostasy.
Blood-Guilt and the Cry of the Martyrs
The Prussians, insatiable for Christian blood, arm themselves anew, invoking upon themselves the guilt of all righteous blood shed in Prussia.
The Prussians, not yet sated with Christian blood, once again took up arms to kill, scourge, and crucify believers in Christ—so that upon them might come all the righteous blood that has been poured out across the land of Prussia in defense of the Christian faith.✦
The Ambush and the Massacre of the Faithful
The Prussians advance on the city of the Island of Holy Mary with a hidden ambush; the brothers and citizens pursue them into the field, only to be surrounded and slaughtered by the concealed Prussian force.
Having gathered, therefore, with an abundant multitude of warriors within the second Apostasy, they advanced against the city of the Island of Holy Mary; and with ambushes arranged at a suitable place, only a few appeared. The brother and citizens pursued them with their armed men across the field between the city and the mill, attacking fiercely—killing many and mortally wounding others. Just when they hoped to destroy them completely, the Prussians who had been lying in ambush broke forth and killed all the brothers and citizens, except for a few who had fled to the city.
The Storming of the City
The Prussians storm the city in a brief assault, capturing some, slaughtering others, while the remnant flee to the fortress and are saved.
Those whom they were pursuing hostilely, after a brief assault they stormed the city; and with some captured and others slaughtered, the rest fled to the fortress and were saved.
Fire, Plunder, and Withdrawal
The city is utterly destroyed by fire, and the Prussians withdraw with great plunder.
Having utterly destroyed the city by fire, they withdrew with enormous plunder.
Read the original Latin
apostasiam. Prutheni necdum saciati sanguine cristiario iterum parant arma ad occidendum et flagellandum et crucifigendum cristifideles, ut sic veniret super eos omnis sanguis justus, qui effusus est in terra Prussie pro defensione fidei cristiane. Congregati ergo cum multitudine copiosa bellatorum infra secundam apostasiam processerunt contra civitatem Insule sancte Marie et ordinatis insidiis ad locum competentem, pauci comparuerunt. Quos fratres et cives cum armigeris suis sequentes in campo, qui est inter civitatem et molendinum, hostiliter invaserunt, plures occidentes et letaliter vulnerantes, et cum jam sperarent eos delere usque ad internecionem, Prutheni, qui ad insidias locati fuerant, eruperunt, et omnes fratres et cives interfecerunt, preter paucos, qui confugerant ad civitatem. Quos hostiliter sequebantur, et post modicam impugnacionem, civitatem expugnaverunt, et partim captis, aliis trucidatis, reliqui ad castrum fugerunt et salvati sunt. Destructa igitur civitate funditus incendio cum preda maxima recesserunt.
Scripture echoes
- ↩Matt.23.35 — so that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Barachiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar.
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