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Chronicon Terrae Prussiae (Chronicle of the Prussian Land)/Book 4 · Tercia pars: De bellis fratrum domus Theutonice contra Pruthenos
Chapter 8ChrP.4.8

De victoria Cristianorum., ubi quinque milia Pruthenorum sunt occisa.

The Winter Campaign Begins

Brother Hermann and the crusading brothers advance into Prussian territory in winter, striking terror into the enemy and pushing forward to the river Sirgune.

Once this was done, Brother Hermann, the master, and the other brothers, in winter time when everything had been hardened by the most intense frost, took on the aforementioned pilgrims — whose desire had been kindled to put down the boldness of the Prussians — and advanced into the territory of Reysend; and after killing and capturing very many men there, they pushed on to the river Sirgune, where they experienced what they had long desired.

The Enemy Assembles

A great armed Prussian army is found gathered and ready for battle.

They found, in fact, a great army of the Prussians gathered in arms and now ready for battle.

Rout and Encirclement

The brothers engage manfully, the Prussians flee, but the duke of Pomerania and Samborius block all escape routes with their armored men.

As the brothers manfully engaged them, the Prussians were put to flight. But the duke of Pomerania and his brother Samborius, being more experienced in Prussian warfare, occupied the roads and surrounding snares with their armored men, so that no one could escape, and from then on they struck down the sinners in their fury.

The Great Slaughter

The sword of Christian knighthood devours the faithless, and more than five thousand Prussians fall, while the survivors praise the mercy of the Savior.

There the sword of Christian knighthood, brandished, devoured the flesh of the faithless; here the lance was not carried through with a wasted stroke, because the Prussians could dodge neither this way nor that from the face of the one pursuing them, and a great slaughter was made among the Prussian people, because that day more than five thousand fell, and the rest, returning, praised the mercy of the Savior.

Read the original Latin

Quo facto frater Hermannus magister et alii fratres tempore hyemali, cum omnia essent gelu intensissimo indurata, assumptis peregrinis predictis, quorum desiderium accensum fuit ad reprimendam audaciam Pruthenorum, accesserunt ad territorium Reysend et occisis ibi et captise plurimis hominibus processerunt ad fluvium Sirgune, ubi hoc, quod diu optaverantf, sunt experti. Invenerunt enim Pruthenorum magnum exercitum congregatum in armis et paratum jam ad prelium. Quos dum viriliter aggrederentur, conversi sunt in fugam. Sed dux Pomeranie et Samborius frater ejus, magis experti in bello Pru thenorum, vias circa indagines cum suis armigeris occupaverunt, ne quis'posset evadere, et extunc percusserunt peccatores in ira sua. Ibi gladius milicie Cristiane vibratus carnes infidelium devoravit, hic lancea non casso perlata est vulnere, quia Prutheni nec huc nec illuc poterant declinare a facie persequentis, et facta fuit magna strages in populo Pruthenorum, quia ceciderunt illo die ultra sunt reversi, laudantes clemenciam salvatoris.

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