SR
Chronicon Terrae Prussiae (Chronicle of the Prussian Land)/Book 4 · Tercia pars: De bellis fratrum domus Theutonice contra Pruthenos
Chapter 25ChrP.4.25

De vario defectu fratrum et Cristi ftdelium in Prussia.

Hardship and Harvest Under Siege

The brothers and Christ's faithful in Prussia endured severe deprivation and could only farm at night, reaping their crops at great peril while enemies seized the fruits of their labor.

In the early days, the brothers and other of Christ's faithful in the land of Prussia suffered a severe and incredible shortage of food, drink, clothing, and the other necessities of human life. If at times they wanted to cultivate any fields, this could not be done except at night, and what they themselves had sowed they reaped only with great danger and toil, while others coming in harvested the fruits of their labor.

Grace in Suffering and the Cup of Passion

God's wondrous grace shone among them, and they counted it a delight to suffer for Christ's name, even drinking the cup of salvific passion.

And see — God's wondrous grace was among them. For they counted it as a delight when they suffered such things for the name of Christ — or even when they drank the cup of salvific passion.

Read the original Latin

In primitive fratres et alii cristifideles in terra Prussie multiplicem et incredibilem defectum passi sunt in cibo, potu et vestitu et aliis vite humane necessariis. Si ipsi forte aliquos agros colere volebant, hoc fieri non potuit, nisi noctis tempore, et quoda ipsi seminaverunt cum magno periculo et labore, alii introeuntes labores ipsorum metebant. Et ecce mira gracia deib fuit in eis. Ipsi enim ducebant pro deliciis, cum talia pro Cristi nomine paterentur, aut eciamc si biberent calicem salutifere passionis.

Chronicon Terrae Prussiae (Chronicle of the Prussian Land) companion

Keep reading the sources for yourself

The full 428-chapter chronicle — and 78+ other historic works — readable daily in the free Chosen Portion iOS app

The knights kept fixed daily hours of prayer alongside their campaigns; Chosen Portion keeps the fixed daily reading and drops the campaigning.

  • The complete chronicle in modern English, in portions under 5 minutes
  • Pericope headings that let you navigate 428 chapters by theme
  • A daily reading habit that outlasts the 5-week course
Chosen Portion — Daily Prayer (free iOS app)