De laudabili vita quorundam fratrum in Castro Kunigsbergk.
The Virtuous Brothers of Königsberg
The brothers dwelling in Königsberg castle are praised for their martial valor, monastic discipline, and exemplary humility, with Brother Albert singled out as a man of singular devotion.
From the time of its founding in the castle of Königsberg, virtuous men dwelt there as brothers, and valiant soldiers in arms. In the virtue of abstinence, of prayers, of vigils, and of genuflections, they surpassed others. Among whom at this time was Brother Albert of Meißen, commander of the said castle, a man devoted to God and praiseworthy in all his life. Wonderful deeds could be written about them.
Albert's Temptation and Heavenly Remedy
Brother Albert endured fierce carnal temptation in his youth, but after persistent prayer received a divine voice prescribing a daily prayer of love and purity, which extinguished the tinder of sin within him.
It is reported — and should undoubtedly be believed — that this same Brother Albert, when he was established in his youth, was given a mule of the flesh, an angel of Satan, who struck him with his fists.✦1 On account of this, when he had asked the Lord not only three times but on many occasions that it be taken away from him, he heard a voice from heaven speaking to him: "Albert, if you wish to escape grave temptations, you ought devoutly each day to say this prayer: O highest love, give me an upright and sincere desire for you, and for purity of life, and purify my conscience, and free me from pollutions."✦2345 This prayer is found in the Theulonicus. When he had continued it for some time, reading with devotion, the tinder of sin was as though extinguished in him, so that no vehement temptation ever bit his mind again from that point on.678
Read the original Latin
A tempore fundacionis suie in Castro Kunigsbergk viri virtuosi fratres, et in armis strenui milites habitabant. In virtute abstinencie, oracionum, vigiliarum et genuflexionum alios excedebant. Inter quos hoc tempore fuit frater Albertus de Misna commendator dicti castri, vir deo devotus, et in omni vita sua laudabilis. Mira facta possent de illor scribi. Refertur et indubitanter debet credi, quod ipse frater Albertus, dum esset in juventute constitutus, datus ei fuit Sti mulus carnis, angelus Satane, qui ipsum colaphizavit. Propter quod dum non solum ter, sed pluribus vicibus, dominum rogasset, ut aufferetur ab eo, audivit vocem celitus raissam dicentem sibi: Alberte, si vis evadere graves tentaciones, debes devoteg singulis diebus dicere haue oracionem: 0 summa caritas, da mihi rectum et sincerum desiderium pro te, et pro puritate vite, et purifica conscienciam meam, et libera me a pollucionibus. Quod dicitur in Theulonico: cionem dum per tempus aliquod continuasset, legendo cum devocione, quasi extinctus fuit in eo fomes peccati, quod nulla vehemens temptacio momordit de cetero mentem ejus.
Scripture echoes
- ↩2Cor.12.7 — And because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, so that I would not be exalted beyond measure, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to harass me, so that I would not be exalted beyond measure.
- ↩2Cor.12.8 — Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it would depart from me.
Notes
- 1 ↩"Mule of the flesh" (mulus carnis) is a medieval monastic expression for persistent carnal temptation — a stubborn, burdensome impulse of concupiscence. The "angel of Satan" echoes the Pauline tradition (cf. 2 Cor 12:7, "a messenger of Satan to torment me"), here personifying the source of that temptation.
- 2 ↩The word raissam is uncertain — possibly dialectal or a scribal corruption. It appears to modify vocem ("voice") and may intend something like "resounding" or "speaking," but its meaning is unclear. Left untranslated.
- 3 ↩The form devoteg is uncertain — possibly a corrupted or abbreviated form of devote ("devoutly"). Rendered as "devoutly" based on context.
- 4 ↩The form haue is uncertain — possibly a corrupted interjection or vocative particle. Left untranslated as it appears to be a liturgical or devotional exclamation introducing the prayer.
- 5 ↩The prayer that follows is a direct address to God under the title "O highest love" (summa caritas), invoking charity as a divine attribute and petitioning for interior purification.
- 6 ↩Theulonicus is an uncertain toponym or text name — possibly referring to a liturgical book or regional source. Left untranslated.
- 7 ↩The form cionem is uncertain — possibly a corrupted or abbreviated form. Context suggests it refers to the prayer (oracionem) mentioned in the previous sentence.
- 8 ↩"Tinder of sin" (fomes peccati) is a traditional monastic and theological expression for the lingering disposition toward sin that remains even after baptism — the combustible material that temptation ignites.
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