Quomodo terra Lyvonie devenit ad fratres domus Theutonice.
The Long Negotiation for Union
Brother Volquinus, master of the Livonian knights of Christ, had for six years sent envoys to the Teutonic master general seeking incorporation, and together with his envoy Brother John of Medeborgk, Brother Hermann brought the matter before the pope.
At this time Brother Volquinus, second master of the order of the knights of Christ in the land of Livonia, had already spent six years working through formal envoys directed at Brother Hermann of Salcza, master general of the Teutonic order, to have his order incorporated into that order. To advance this matter, Brother Hermann, the aforementioned master, together with Brother John of Medeborgk, envoy of the said Brother Volquinus, approached the lord pope.
News of Devastation and Papal Resolution
Brother Gerlacus Rufus arrived with the grim tidings that Master Volquinus and many brothers had fallen in battle, whereupon the pope invested the brothers into the Teutonic order with remission of sins and dispatched Brother Hermann Balke with reinforcements to Livonia.
In the meantime Brother Gerlacus Rufus arrived from Livonia, announcing that Master Volquinus, together with the brothers and the defenders, the pilgrims, and the people of God, had fallen in battle — many killed. When this had been heard, the lord pope concluded the said matter and invested Brother Gerlacus and the aforementioned Brother John into the order of the hospital of Saint Mary of the house of the Teutonic order, giving them a white cloak with a black cross, and enjoining upon them and the other brothers of the same order — the knights of Christ then existing in Livonia — the remission of all sins; and so Brother Mannus, master general, sent Brother Hermann called Balke, master of the land of Prussia, with forty brothers and many armored men to the land of Livonia, where, as was said above, the said Brother Hermann Balke had been in charge for almost six years; and returning to Germany, he rested in peace.
Read the original Latin
Hoc tempore frater Volquinus magister secundus de ordine militum Cristi in terra Lyvonie jam sex annis per solemnes nuncios laboravit circa fratrem Hermannum de Salcza magistrum generalem domus Theutonice, ut ordo suus ordini ipsius incorporaretur. Pro quo negocio frater Hermannus magister predictus cum fratre Joanne de Medeborgk nuncio dicti fratris Volquini accessit ad dominum papam. Medio tempore supervenit frater Gerlacus Rufus de Lyvonia nuncians, quod magister Volquinus cum fratribus et def peregrinis et populo dei plures cecidissent in prelio interfectiG. Quo audito dominus papa dictum negocium'terminavit, et fratrem Gerlacum et fratrem Johannem predictos ad ordinem hospitalis sancte Marie domus Theutonicorum investivit, dans eis album pallium cum nigra cruce, injungens eis et aliis fratribus ejusdem s ordinis mili tum Cristi in Lyvonia existentibus in remissionem omnium peccatorum, ut or mannus magister generalis misit fratrem Hermannum dictum Balke magistrum terre Prussie cum xl fratribus et pluribus armigeris ad terram Lyvonie, ubi, ut dictum est superius, cum dictus frater Hermannus Balke prefuisset fere sex annis, rediens in Alemaniam in pace quievit.
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