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Chronicon Terrae Prussiae (Chronicle of the Prussian Land)/Book 4 · Tercia pars: De bellis fratrum domus Theutonice contra Pruthenos
Chapter 201ChrP.4.201

De vastacione intolerabili terre Polonie et nece et captivitate multorum.

A Pentecost Massacre

On Pentecost, Lithuanian raiders slaughtered four hundred Christians in a church, desecrated the sacraments, and led thousands into captivity.

Thousands of Christians. On the 6th of June in that same year, Vithenus, son of the king of Lithuania, entered the land of Poland with eight hundred men. On the day of Pentecost, while the canons, altar ministers, and other clerics were processing through the church of Lunczensia in solemn vestments, he fell upon them in hostility. Inside the church he slaughtered four hundred Christian men. The clerics and prelates he wanted as captives he carried off with him; all the vestments, chalices, and other church vessels he seized for profane use in contempt of God. He burned the church, along with the sacraments, to ashes. After laying waste to the surrounding land and inflicting the greatest slaughter among the people of God, he led away so vast a multitude of captives that in the division twenty Christian men fell to each Lithuanian.

A Vain Pursuit

Duke Casimir of Poland pursued the Lithuanian raiders with a thousand and eighty men, as did Duke Bonislaus of Masovia.

When this had been done, as the Lithuanians were withdrawing, Casimir, duke of Poland, grieving over the destruction of his own people, set out after them with a thousand and eighty men of his nation. When Bonislaus, duke of Masovia, perceived this — Chronicle of the Land of Prussia.

Broken Faith and Total Destruction

After a truce was arranged between Christians and Lithuanians, the raiders broke the treaty and destroyed Duke Casimir and all his people except a single survivor.

Part Three. I do not know by what spirit he was led, but he arranged truces between Christians and the unfaithful for a set term. During that time, while the Poles, fearing nothing, went about their various duties, the Lithuanians — having broken the truce agreement — fell upon them and destroyed Casimir the duke and the entire people, except for one soldier, who escaped alone so that he might report these things to others.

Read the original Latin

milium Cristianorum. 6 Juni Eodem anno Vithenus filius regis Lethowie cum octingentis viris intravit terram Polonie, et in die pentecostes, dum in ecclesia Lunczensia canonici et ministri altaris et alii clerici cum solempni ornatu essent in processione, irruit hostiliter in eos, et in ecclesia cccc homines Cristianos trucidavit, clericos et prelatos, quos voluit, captivos secum duxit, omnem ornatum, calices et alia vasa ecclesie ad illicitum usum pertrahebat in contemptum dei, ecclesiam cum sacramentis redegit in favillam, depopulataque terra circum acljacenteb factaque maxima strage in populo dei, tantam multitudinem deduxit captivam, quod cuilibet Lethowino in divisione cesserunt xx homines cristiani. Quo facto dum recederent, Casimirus dux Polonie dolens de suorum interitu, cum mille et octin gentis viris sequutus est eos. Quod dum perciperet Bonislaus dux Masovic CRONICA TERRE PRUSS1E. PARS III. nescio quo ductus spiritu, treugas inter Cristianos et infideles ad certum terrninum ordinavit, infra quas dum Poloni nihil timentes diversis officiis vacarent, Lethowini rupto treugarum federe, irruerunt in eos, et Casimirum ducem et to tuni populum peremerunt, preter unum militem, qui evasit solus, ut hec aliis nunciaret.

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