= Medival Sourcebook (https://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/Halsall/source/12-13Cbalticcrusade.asp#_Toc378084757)
From: the same, no. 65.
The Guardian of the Minorites (Franciscans) of Thorn and the brothers of the
Franciscan convent in Prussia write to Pope Alexander IV. They defend the
Teutonic Order against the accusations made against it before the Pope: 28 July
1258.
Summary: they state that Brother Gerhard the commander, and the
Brothers of the Teutonic Order are not a little perturbed by the calumnies and
false accusations which have been undeservedly made against them. Since the
Brothers’ tranquillity and peace is without doubt the tranquillity and salvation
of the adjacent provinces, ‘who place themselves like an impregnable wall
against the enemy for the house of Israel’ (i.e. Christendom), the Friars are
writing this letter in the Brothers’ defence without being asked.
The wording is not identical to the previous letter but identical phrases are
used. This letter also talks of the Brothers’ magnificent struggles against the
Prussians with the standard of the holy cross in hand, and the laws they impose
on the new converts which do not deviate from the rite of true Christians. The
friars know this for a fact. They also refer to them spreading the
Christian faith as in the previous letter, and emphasize that the brothers have
left much and great dignities in the world, and say that they expose their
property and bodies. ‘So God forbid that they should violate the statutes of
their profession and would be found acting contrary to their profession.’
Furthermore:
1) How could it be true that they would prohibit the preaching of God’s word? –
since they most earnestly encourage religious and learned ecclesiastics to join
them, especially if they can find any who know the Prussian language for
teaching the people the orthodox faith.
2) They are not slow in carrying out papal commands, since they honour the Holy
Roman Church as lord and master, love its messengers and observe imperial orders
in all their deeds especially those made with Papal approval.
3) It is not true, as it was claimed, that the Brothers prohibit the correction
of incest and adultery and similar things, since they mortify such things in
themselves and hunt them out of others.
4) They never forbid oratories to be built or catholic ministers set up in them,
who administer the Christian sacraments.
5) The Friars deny that the Brothers destroy old churches.
6) The Brothers do not impede the sacraments of burial, confession, baptism,
Eucharist and the rest; this would be irrational since they are faithfully
intent on all the rites of the Church.
7) They do not oppress the new converts by enslaving them, since they give them
the true liberty with which Christ freed us, if they have the chance, even when
they don’t want it and refuse it. And they provide mercifully and paternally for
them in all spiritual and temporal matters.
The Friars end their letter by pleading that the pope will deign to show favour on the Brothers of the Teutonic Order, since the Brothers are the prison and chain of the barbarians, and their role is to lead the barbarians willingly into captivity in the Lord’s flock.