De destructione pontis, quem Prutheni fecerant in flumine Prigore.
The Prussian Bridge at the Prigore
The Prussians, failing in their earlier attempts, resolve to build a bridge over the Prigore with fortified outworks to cut off all boat access to Königsberg.
Although the Prussians were not succeeding in this way, they gathered again and, after devising various schemes by which they might carry out the evil plan they had begun, it was finally agreed by everyone's judgment that a bridge should be built over the waters of the Prigore, and at each end of the bridge a single fortified outwork, solid as a tower, so that every means of reaching the castle of Königsberg by boat would be cut off.
The Assault on the Bridge
A Prussian naval force approaches the bridge, driven by a providential wind, only to find it heavily defended by armed men in the bulwarks.
When they had miserably perished in war rather than by famine — the text here is corrupt — they came by boat with an armed force, and as they approached the bridge, a strong wind came up after they had dropped their anchors, driving them violently toward the bridge, which happened by God's providence; upon climbing the bridge they found many armed men on it and in the bulwarks over their heads — the men on the bridge and those in the bulwarks bravely resisting — the remaining text is broken and unclear.
God Sends Heavenly Aid
By God's providence the brothers, facing overwhelming numbers, are granted heavenly assistance and succeed in destroying the bridge and its bulwarks.
At last God sent them help and assistance from heaven, so that it is undoubtedly believed — since it was almost impossible for human strength to resist so great a multitude — that with the enemies put to flight, the brothers were able to completely destroy and demolish the bridge and the bulwarks.
The Wonder of Brother Gevehardus
Brother Gevehardus of Saxony strikes off a fleeing Prussian's head in a single blow, and the headless body walks a short distance before falling, astonishing all who witnessed it.
In this battle a certain brother named Gevehardus, born in Saxony, followed some Prussians who were fleeing, and with a single sword stroke he cut off the head of one of them; though wounded by that same blow, he did not immediately fall to the ground, but headless he walked a short distance along the path he had been taking, together with the others, and then he fell. Because of this, the brothers and the others who had seen it were amazed beyond measure, declaring that they had never seen the like.
Read the original Latin
Cum autem Prutheni per hunc modum non proficerent, convenerunt ite— rum, et excogitatis variis modis, quibus inceptam maliciam perficerent, tandema omnium sentencia convenit in hoc, quod fieret pons super aquam Prigore, et in quolibet fine pontis unum propugnaculum firmum ad modum turris, et sic tolleretur omnis materia veniendi navigio ad castrum Kunigsbergk. Quod cum cius mori in bello, quam fame sic miserabiliter interire b, venerunt armata manu navigio, et dum appropinquarent ponti, fixis anchoris, venit ventus validus, et duxit eosc violenter ad pontem, quod factum fuit dei providencia, et ascendentes pontem invenerunt multos viros armatos in ipso et in propugnaculis super capita ipsorum; isti in ponte, illi in propugnaculisd eis viriliter resistentes; or— culo inter paucos bellatores. Tandem misit eis deus opem et auxilium de celis, ut indubitanter creditur, quia humane virtuti quasi impossibile fuit eis (tante multitudini) resistere, ut fugatis hostibus pontem et propugnacula fratres funditus destruerent et delerent. In hac pugna quidam frater Gevehardus, natus de Saxonia, quosdam Pruthenos fugientes secutus, cuidam ex eis uno ictu caput amputavit cum gladio, de qua plaga idem vulneratus statim non cecidit ad terram, sed sine capite via, qua ceperat, cum aliis per spacium modicum ambulavit et cecidit. De qua re fratres et alii qui viderant, ammirati fuerunt ultra modum, asserentes nunquam talia se vidisse.
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