De desolacione castri Spittenbergk in secunda apostosia.
The Desolation of Spittenbergk
The Teutonic brothers dwelling in the castle of Spittenbergk in Pomesania are driven out by relentless Prussian attacks during the second apostasy, burning the fortress before withdrawing, leaving it desolate.
In the land of Pomesania there was a certain castle called Spittenbergk, in which brothers dwelt. But when, during the second apostasy, they were so often harassed by the Prussians and could not effectively resist them because of a lack of necessities, they withdrew with their men-at-arms after burning the castle, and so it remains desolate to this day.
Bishop Hedenricus and the Letter of the Virgin
Brother Hedenricus, Dominican bishop of Kulm during the second apostasy, receives through a poor man a letter from the blessed Virgin Mary describing his life and foretelling continued tribulations for Christians in Prussia.
Concerning the war in the land of Kulm during the second apostasy, 152 — and first, concerning brother Hedenricus, bishop of Kulm. Brother Hedenricus, of the Order of Preachers, was bishop of Kulm during the second apostasy. Concerning him it is reliably reported that the blessed Virgin Mary appeared to a certain poor man, giving him a letter to be delivered to the aforementioned bishop. When the bishop read the letter, he found his whole life described in it, and added to it was that Christians in the land of Prussia ought still to be harassed by the Prussians with many tribulations and hardships.✦
Read the original Latin
In terra Pomesanief fuit quoddam castrum dictum Spittenbergk, in quo fratres habitabant. Sed cum in secunda apostasia tociens a Pruthenis vexarentur, nec possent eis a modo resistere propter defectum necessariorum, combusto Castro, cum suis armigeris recesserunt, et sic adhuc remanet desolatum. De bello terre Colmensis in secunda apostasia, 152 (>-w et primo de fratre Hedenrico* Colmensi episcopo. Frater Hedenricus ordinis Predicatorum fuit infra secundam apostasiam episcopus Colmensis. De quo refertur indubitanter, quod beata virgo Maria cuidam pauperi viro apparuit, dans ei literam dicto episcopo deferendam, quam literam dum episcopus legeret, invenit totam vitam suam in ea descriptam et additum, quod Cristiani in terra Prussie deberent a Pruthenis vexari adhuc multis tribulacionibus et pressuris.
Scripture echoes
- ↩Acts.14.22;Rom.8.35 — strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to remain in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God. Rom.8.35 — Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?
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