De refbrmacione pacis inter Swantepolcum et fratres.
The Lion Becomes a Lamb
Swantepolcus, once a raging lion seeking to destroy the brothers and the Christian faith, now humbly begs for mercy like a gentle lamb.
Since the land of Pomerania had been laid waste by the just judgment of God, Swantepolcus, the duke who before had ranged like a roaring lion, neck raised high, seeking how he might destroy the brothers and the new faith planted in the land of Prussia with great and much shedding of Christian blood — now, like a gentle lamb, with downcast face and bowed head, he humbly begged the brothers that they might deign to receive him back into their accustomed grace and kindness.✦
The Brothers' Wary Discernment
The brothers distrust Swantepolcus, recognizing his repeated deceit beneath a lamb's guise and his three prior violations of sworn peace.
The brothers, observing that he, when placed in distress, always bore a fox's heart full of every deceit and cunning beneath a simple and lamb's skin — as the outcome of the matter had already proved, since now for the third time he had broken the peace treaties confirmed under his own oath — feared they would be cheated by him once again.✦
Peace Renewed Through the Good Shepherd's Will
Moved by Christ the Good Shepherd's will, the brothers renew the former peace with Swantepolcus through counsel with the crusaders.
But because the good shepherd, who is Christ Jesus, wills it, after various negotiations they were renewing the former peace held between themselves and the said duke, according to the original form, with the counsel of the crusaders.✦
Read the original Latin
Cum sic terra Pomeranie justo dei judicio esset depopulata, Swantepolcus dux, qui ante tanquam leo rugiens, erecta cervice circuit, querens quomodo fra tres et novellam fidem cum magna etc multa Cristiani sanguinis effusione plantatam in terra Prussie destrueret, nunc quasi agnus mansuetus, demisso vullu, inclinato capite, humiliter supplicavit fratribus, ut eum ad solite benignitatis sue graciam recipere dignarentur. Fratres attendentes, quod ipse in angustia positus semper sub simplici et agnina pelle cor vulpinum omni dolo et astucia plenum gereret, quod rei exitus approbavit, quiad jam tercia vice sub sacramento suo firmata federa pacis rupit, timebant ab eo iterum defraudari. Sed quia boamator, qui est Cristus Jesus, idcirco post varios tractatus veterem inter se et dictum ducem habitam pacem secundum formam pristinam cum crucesignatorum consilio reformabant.
Scripture echoes
- ↩Isa.11.6;Rev.5.6 — The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat; the calf, the fattened steer, and the lion shall be together, and a little child shall lead them. Rev.5.6 — And I saw in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, a Lamb standing as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.
- ↩Matt.7.15 — Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.
- ↩John.10.11 — I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
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