latviski
LETTER IV.
Of the Famous Marian-Teutonick Order, and particularly of the Great Master thereof, Hermannus a Saltza.
SIR,
IF it was permitted to exceed the bounds a Letter, how easily could I swell this, with representing those famous Trophies which that once Renowned Marian Teutonick Order did erect in these Parts: I find, though Lawrels may be planted here, yet the Severity of the Climate will not suffer them to flourish long.
'Twas a hard Fate for those Conquerors, that there lived not in their Days a Livy or Qu. Curtius to convey down to us the Actions and Victories of those Men whose Histories are so neglected, that we scarce know their Names. And I believe the Exploits of those great Heroes may still 44 be unregarded, especially in this Age, wherein the Bravery of our English Nation under the Conduct of our Wise and Valiant Monarch, exhausts all our Admiration and Praises: However, I shall give such a view, as appears from remote Objects through a Perspective Glass; which though true, yet by reason of Distance and Defect of the Artist may be thought imperfect and obscure.
Anno. Ch. 1099.
Some Years after that Christian Prince Godfrey of Bouillon had taken Jerusalem, where he was for his Valour proclaimed King by the whole Army; yet he would not suffer them to set a Golden Crown on his Head, saying, How should he dare to put on a Crown of Gold, where his Saviour wore one of Thorns? Nevertheless accepted one made of Boughs. Several Nations took up their Abode in that City; among others an honest pious German, who took particular Care and Compassion of his Countrey-men, that resorted thither in Pilgrimage by supplying their Wants, and assisting them in their Sickness. He therefore built an House for their Reception, which was called an Hospital, from his Hospitality, as also a Chappel, Dedicated to the Blessed Virgin; Several 45 of those Pilgrims settled there, out of a Christian Zeal to serve God in the Chappel, and the Sick and Strangers in the Hospital.
As all great things we see in this World have had slender beginnings; so the noble Design of this small Company attracted by degrees, some more considerable Persons of Birth into their Society; whereby increasing, they resolved not only to serve in that Hospital, but also, in cases of necessity, to fight against the Saracens and Enemies of the Christian Faith, which they performed to a Miracle: For their Valour in Battels they were called Equites; For their Devotion to the Blessed Virgin, Mariani: For their great Charity and Hospitality, in Jerusalem chiefly, Hospitalers, or Fratres Hospitii Hierosolymitani: And for their extraction from Germany, Teutonici. They continued their Acts of Prayers, Charity and Bravery, but were not much taken notice of till about the Years 1190 and 1191, when Guido Lusignanus, King of Jerusalem lay before Ptolemais or Accona, which he re-took after two Years Siege from the Saracens, by the help and personal assistance of the two Kings, Richard of England, and Philip of France, 46 and many other Princes, chiefly those of Germany; whose Names most deservedly ought to be mentioned, as the great Heroes in those Holy Wars. Namely, Fridericus, Duke of Suabia, Son to the Emperor Frederic Barbarossa, who was unfortunately drowned leading an Army to this Expedition. Henry, Duke of Brabant; Philip, Count of Flanders; Henry Count Palatine, a Duke of Brunswick; Fredric, Duke of Austria, a Prince of Saxony; a Landgrave of Thuringia. Albertus, Marquis of Brandenburg; a Marquis of Landsperg; a Marquis of Misnia; a Duke of Bavaria: The following Counts. William, Count of Holland; Otto, Count of Gueldre; Count of Cleves, Juliacum, Bergen; a Count of Nassau; Count of Henneberg; Count Spanheim, and many more; besides several Archbishops and Bishops.
These Princes seeing that many Christians were assisted and relieved during this tedious Seige, by those Pious German Brethren, consulted how so useful a Company might be continued and established, and since so good a Work had begun of it self in the Hospital of Jerusalem; therefore Duke Frederick of Suabia, as General of the German Army, by the consent and desire of the other 47 Kings and Princes, sent immediately an Ambassador to the Emperor Henry VI. and to Pope Celestinus III. intreating them, that this Charitable Fraternity might be incorporated into a particular Order of Knighthood, which the Pope granted and confirmed Anno 1191. Those Rules they had made among themselves, were approved, and some new ones added.
The Habit of the Order was a Black Coat and a White Cloak mark'd with a Black Cross over it; their Weapons was a great Sword, plain, without Ornament of Gold or Silver; they slept upon Beds of Straw; they were allowed at the entry into the Order, only Bread and Water for their Food, all manner of Luxury being banished, and whilst they kept to this Institution, they prospered wonderfully.
Their Coat of Arms was at the beginning very plain, i. e. Argent a Cross Sable. Afterwards John de Bregna, King of Jerusalem allowed them another Cross Or, to be charged on the Sable, the middle of which the Emperor Frederic II. surcharged with the Imperial Eagle. Afterwards Lewis IX. of France, called Le Saint, added to the corners of their Cross Sable, the Lilies of France, when he returned from 48 his Expedition into Palestina, Anno 1250, the 20th of August, in regard to those many Services and great Deeds they had performed. None under Fourteen Years of Age were taken into that Order, nor any that were not of a strong and healthy Constitution, as unfit to endure Hardships.
He that stood Candidate for a Member of the Order, was to take an Oath that he was a German, born in Wedlock of a Noble Family, without Reproach; That he never was Married, and would continue always a Single and Chaste Life; That he would submit to all the Laws and Rules of the Order; He was to Renounce Subjection to Father and Mother, and all Relations, and only promise entire Dependence to the Master of the Order; as also chiefly to serve God, and then the Sick and the Poor; and to fight for the Holy Land against the Enemies of the Cross: He had no property of any thing, &c. After this he was Knighted being upon his Knees, arm'd Cap a pied by the great Master of the Order with several Ceremonies; and being led before the Altar, the Priest gave him the White Cloak, with the Cross of the Order, saying these words; Ecce! Crucem 49 istam damus Tibi pro omnibus peccatis tuis, & si servas ea quæ promisisti, sacimus Te Securum vitæ æternæ. There! Take this Cross from us for the Remission of all thy Sins; and if thou dost faithfully keep thy Promise, we warrant thee eternal Life.
As soon as this was confirmed by the Pope and the Emperor, Forty Noble Germans entered the Order and were Knighted; the first by the King of Jerusalem, the second by Duke Frederick of Suabia, and the rest by the several Princes then in the Army. The first Master of this new Order, was one Henry Walpott, of a Noble Family upon the Rhines, Elected by the rest of his Brethren, and by the Unanimous consent of Princes: Although these Knights were, and are still called Knights of Jerusalem; yet could they never get Possession again in that Holy City, ever fince the Year 1287. the 28th of September, when Saladine of Egypt took it from1191 the Christians; but as soon as Ptolemais was taken by the above-named Princes, Walpott built there another Hospital and Church, which was afterwards their chief Residence in those Parts, he made many good Laws for his Order, and after he, with the other Knights, had 50 perform'd several brave Exploits in Wars against the Saracens, and made himself famous for his Charity; he died and was interred at Accona or Ptolemais; as were also his two Successors.
1211 The Fourth Master was Hermannus de Saltza, Whose Vertues, says John Caspar Venator, can only be admired, not sufficiently described. He went in the Expedition 1212 with the Kings of Hungary and Jerusalem against the Saracens, where he justly gain'd Esteem for several great Actions. He alfo affifted at the taking of the Fortress Damiata.1220
Never did any Company increase in Glory, Riches and Honour, as that Order did under this their Master, he got great Possessions in Apulia, Romania, Armenia, Hungary and Germany: 'Twas he that first gain'd Prussia from the Infidels, and Livonia, when the Livonian Knights called Ensiferi combined and entirely united with his Order in the Pope's Presence, as I mentioned in my former Letter. He was endowed with so much Piety, Prudence, Humility, Charity, and so eminent in Martial Deeds, that the greatest Monarchs had a very high esteem for him; whereof this may be one Example: That whereas notable differences being risen between the Pope 51 Honorius II. and the Emperor Frederick the Second, after several Fruitless endeavours by many Princes and States to compose them, they both readily referred themselves to his Mediation and Decision, therefore he may well be called Super-Arbiter, when the two Arbiters of the World fubmitted to his Umpire.
He modestly at first excused himself, but at last by their Intreaties was prevailed upon, and managed that nice and weighty Affair so wisely and so effectually, that both Parties were content, gave him thanks and honoured him highly: For the Pope and Emperor conferred the Dignity of a Prince of the Empire upon him and his Successors; the Pope presented him besides with a Ring of value, to be worn by him, and this Ring was afterwards by all Elections delivered to the new Master as a Badge of that memorable Action. The Emperor added to the Arms of the Order the Imperial Eagle, which they wore ever since in their Shields, Habits and Arms. The Emperor also gave him a piece of the Holy Cross, which he got after having humbled and vanquished the Venetians, which was in those Days preferred to all other 52 Treasures in the World. This Saltza continued to make up the Divisions not only in Pope Honorius the Second, but his Successors Gregory the Ninth's time, with the Emperor.
Prosperity did not exalt him, though he acquired great Dominions, and was made Sovereign Lord of all Prussia, by 1226. 1226the Donative of Frederick the Second, 1238and of Livonia by the Union of the two Orders, and was possessed of vast Estates in Bohemia, Italy, Germany, and other parts; yet did he decline the Title of Distinction of Magister Generalis, in German, Hoe-Meister, i. e. High or great Master, which they urged him to, and we never find he took any other Title but Frater Hermannus de Saltza, Dominus Hospitalis S. Mariæ Teutonicorum Hierosol, Magister; Like the rest of that Company, who were called Fratres Ordinis Teutonici; and his Successor Henry Count of Hohenlo, Sign'd a Privilege; which is to be seen in these Terms: Ordinis Teutonici Minister Humilis.
The Two Orders being now One, Saltza sent the Land-Master of Prussia, Herman Falcke, into Livonia, with the1239 Title of Heer Meister, i. e. Supremus Belli Dux, or General of the Army of the Teutonick Order. He was a renowned 53 Martial Man, and in great esteem, having performed many brave Actions in the Wars of Prussia.
The King of Denmark at the same time made great instances at Rome, in the Empire, and to Saltza, that according to agreement, the Provinces of Esthia and other Towns might be restored him, which the Order and the Bishop had taken from him, and could not be prevailed to restore, till the Pope Gregory, and Emperor Frederick, sent their Ambassadors into Livonia; by whose earnest Intreaty and Mediation, the Town of Revel, with the Provinces of Harrien, Wyhrland and Allentacken, were surrendred to the King of Denmark; who again on his part renounced for ever all his Pretentions to Esthia, and obliged himself to assist the Order with a powerful Army against the Russians.
The Authors disagree concerning the Time when this Saltza died: Simon Grunau says, 'twas Anno 1221. Caspar Schutz, Anno 1240. Petrus a Dusbourg says, that he lived Anno 1243. the Chronicles of that Order Anno 1246. which is affirmed by Waisselius. We are no ways indebted to the Ancients for an exact Chronology, for in this 54 they have shewed a mighty carelessness, so that through their negligence or ignorance, we are oftentimes left in the dark. The great Admirers of venerable Antiquity compare the Knowledge of the Ancients to a Giant, and the Modern to a Dwarf or a Child, if you allow this, those Ancients seem to have been of the Race of one Ey'd Polyphemus, who could discern but by halves, what relates to their Historical Accounts, and the ranging of their Annals. I have shortened my Letter to avoid seeming tedious to you, and to make some diversity, I have here sent you the Effigies of that once famous Master Saltza, with the Verses under it, perhaps worthy your reading.
Transivi intrepidus per mille pericula Victor Non acies ferri, non Vastis Moenia fossis (?) Conatus tenuere meos, domat omnia Virtus.
[Fearless, I passed through a thousand dangers, victorious; neither the edge of the sword nor walls with vast trenches held back my efforts; valor conquers all.]
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