De quadam tradicione facta contra fratres.
The Treacherous Invitation
Sarecka the Scalowita, unable to attack the brothers by force, devises a deceitful ruse, sending messengers to lure the commander of Memelburgk under the pretense of escorting a pagan household to baptism.
There was a certain powerful man, whose name was Sarecka the Scalowita, castellan in the castle of Sarecka—named after himself—from that part of Scalowie which borders the land of Lethowie. He, having no — Not having a force of armed men sufficient to attack the brothers, he devised a certain treacherous fraud and wanted to deceive them under the false appearance of good. For he sent his own messengers to the commander at Memelburgk, asking him humbly and devoutly to come with his armed men and to lead away by force the one who, together with his whole household and family, wished to abandon idolatry and receive the grace of baptism—since he could escape the hands of the infidels only by a show of superior strength.
The Commander's Hopeful Response
The commander at Memelburgk, though uncertain of the truth of the message, rejoices and resolves to undertake the perilous venture in hope of gaining souls for God.
The commander, having heard this message, rejoiced with great joy; and although he could not have full certainty about the matter, he nevertheless wished, in hope of gaining so many souls, to undertake a dangerous and uncertain venture for God's sake.
Warning and Counterstrike
On the road, a warning reveals Sarecka's ambush; the commander turns the trap against him, surrounding and capturing Sarecka and eight of his chief men.
Having therefore taken certain brothers and armed men to him, he set out, and on the way a certain man met him and warned him of this treachery, declaring that the said Sarecka was lying in wait on the road with many armed men, intending to kill him and the brothers. Having heard this, the commander—unwilling that the same Sarecka should profit from such wickedness—surrounded him, suddenly rushed upon him, and with the others fleeing in terror, seized him together with eight of his chief men and led them away.
The Captive's Violent Escape and Death
During the first night, the bound Sarecka breaks free, kills a brother and three armed men, maims another, and is himself slain in the ensuing fight.
But on the first night, while the brothers were resting in their tents, the same Sarecka—because he was strong in body—freed himself from the bonds with which he had been tied to a tree, and seizing a sword killed one brother and three armed men, and cut off the arm of another; and in that fight he himself was also killed.
Read the original Latin
Fuit quidam vir potens, cui nomen Sarecka Scalowita, castellanus in Castro Sarecka a nomine suo sic dicto, de illa parte Scalowie, que tangit ter ram Lethowie. Qui non habens. virtutem armatorum, que posset fratres offendere, excogitata quadam fraude tradicionis, voluit sub simulata specie boni eos decipere. Misit enim nuncios suos ad commendatorem de Memelburgk, petens ab eo humiliter et devote, ut cum armigeris suis veniret, et eum, qui cum tota domo et familia vcllet relicta ydololatria baptismi graciam percipere, deduceret violenter, quia nonnisi in manu potenti evadere infidelium manus posset. Commendator audita hac legacione gavisus est gaudio magno valde, et licet non pos set habere plenam certitudinem hujus facti, voluit tarnen sub spe lucri tot animarum aggredi rem periculosam et dubiam propter deum. Assumptis ergo sibi fratribus quibusdam et armigeris processit, et in via occurrit ei quidam vir, qui ipsura de tradicione hujusmodi premunivit, asserens, quod dictus Sarecka cum multis armatis, ut eum et fratres occideret, in itinere expectaret. Hoc audito commendator non volens, quod idem Sarecka de tanta iniquitate commodum reportaret, circumveniens eum, improvise irruit in ipsum, et aliis pre timore in fugam conversis, ipsum cum octo pocioribus de parte ipsius capiens deduxit. In prima vero nocte dum fratres quiescerent in tentoriis suis, idem Sarecka, quia fortis erat robore, solvit se a vinculis, quibus ligatus stetit ad arborem, et arrepto gladio unum fratrem et tres armigeros interfecit, et alteri brachium amputavit, in qua pugna et ipse eciam est occisus.
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