Here is an excerpt from a letter of archbishop Adelgot of Magdeburg written in 1108 and urging a crusade against the Polabian Slavs who were rebelling yet again at that time in Havelburg and Brandenburg. This was a propaganda piece designed to stir up the Franks and co. to attack the Slavs so much of the reporting is likely simply made up but the name of a Slavic (?) Deity that comes up appears genuine.
The fragment’s English translation is from Giles Constable’s “Crusaders and Crusading in the Twelfth Century” (though that itself seems to have come from Vita religiosa im Mittelalter by Kaspar Elm, Franz J. Felten and Nikolas Jaspert). The full letter then follows in Latin. The first time this seems to have been published was in the Frenchmen’s Edmund Martène’s and Ursin Durand’s Veterum Scriptorum Monumentorum Amplissima Collectio, vol 1 (pages 625-627). The 12th century manuscript itself apparently comes from the former Benedictine abbey Grafschaft in Westphalia (a fact which was known already to Brueckner) and via the Grossherzoglisch Hessische Hofbliothek ended up at Darmstadt as HS 749.
Note that Pripegala has no known Slavic etymology/explanation (przypiekala – as in “toasted” seems ridiculous) although Brueckner thinks the name actually is Pribyhvali – merely an epithet of some other God – yet that is based solely on Miklosich and there is no reason to think that the former is really the latter. Frankly, the name sounds Baltic rather than Slavic which, again, should be something to think about. (Even the name of the Pripet river may be Baltic). Compare for example Ppegala with the Prussian Peckols who was mentioned in the Sudovian Book (pieklo meaning a place where burning takes place, that is, in the Christian sense, hell). Perhaps the northern Slavs were more Baltic than we think. Or, maybe, this is really not about Slavs after all? They are not, for example, mentioned as Slavs in the letter – rather, the bishop talks of pagans. The references to the Franks as Galls are also interesting. Note too that the dramatics of Adelgot rather than applying to specific events are merely citations to various religious texts (like the Psalms) as was typical of the writing then.
“…The most cruel heathens, men without mercy, have risen up against us and have prevailed, and glorying in the evil of their inhumanity they have profaned the churches of Christ with idolatry; they have destroyed the altars; and they do not hesitate to perpetrate upon us things that the human mind shrinks from hearing. They very often rage against our region and, sparing no one, they seize, kill, vanquish, and afflict with exquisite torments. Some they behead and sacrifice their heads to their evil gods. Of others, after their entrails have been removed, they bind together the cut-off hands and feet, and mocking our Christ they say: ‘Where is their God?’ Some who have been raised on a gibbet, in order to increase their suffering, they allow to prolong a life that is more miserable than any dearth, since while still alive they perceive their own suffering as each limb is cut off, and they are finally miserably eviscerated after the stomach is cut open. They skin many men alive, and disguised by the skin cut off from the head (!) they invade the borders of the Christians, and falsely presenting themselves as Christians they carry away plunder with impunity. Their priests, moreover, whenever they giveth themselves to revealing on the appointed days, say: ‘Our Pripegala demands heads. It is fitting to make sacrifices of this sort. Pripegala, as they say, is Priapus and the shameless Belphegor. Then, when the Christians have been beheaded before the altars of their desecration, they hold basins full of human blood and say, yelling with horrible voices: ‘Let us keep the day of joy. Christ is vanquished; our most victorious Pripegala has triumphed.’ In this way, we ceaselessly either suffer or fear afflictions, since we grieve that they always advance and have good success in all things… and in place of the horrible sound of the heathens before Pripegala a song of joy may be sung there, and in place of the sacrifice from the spilling o Christian blood…”
Adelgo[t]us dei gratia Magadaburgensis archiepiscopus, Albuinus Merseburgensis, Walera[m]us Nuenburgensis, Herewigus Misnensis, Hecil Havelbergensis, Harthrath Brandeburgensis [episcopi], Otto comes, Ludovicus et universi Orientalis Saxonie majores et minores Reginhardo venerabili episcopo Halberstetensi, Erkamberto Corbeiensi abbati, Heinrico Paderbrunnensi, N. Mindensi [episcopis], Friderico archiepiscopo Coloniensi, N. Aquensi, 0[tberto] Leodiensi [episcopo], G[odefrido] Lutaringorum duci, Ruotberto gloriosissimo Flandringensium comiti, Lamberto archidiacono, Buricholdo circumspectissimo preposito et Tanchrado insigni philosopho et omnibus Christi fidelibus, episcopis, abbatibus, monachis, eremitis, reclusis, prepositis, canonicis, clericis, principibus, militibus, ministerialibus, clientibus omnibusque maioribus et minoribus, dilectionem, orationem et in id ipsum salutem. Multimodis paganorum oppressionibus et calamitatibus diutissime oppressi, ad vestram suspiramus misericordiam, quatenus ecclesie matris vestre nobiscum sublevetis ruinam. Insurrexerunt in nos et prevaluerunt crudelissimi gentiles, viri absque misericordia et de inhumanitatis sue gloriantes malitia ecclesias Christi idolatría prophanaverunt, altaría demoliti sunt, et quod humana mens refugit audire, ipsi non abhorrent in nos perpetrare. In nostram regionem sepissime efferantur nullique parcentes rapiunt, cedunt, fundunt et exquisitis tormentis affligunt, quosdam decollant et capita demoniis suis immolant; de quibusdam visceribus extractis manus abscissas et pedes alligant; ubi est, inquiunt, deus eorum? Quosdam in patibulo sublatos permittunt ad maiores cruciatus omni morte miserabiliorem vitam p[ro]trahere, cum vivi aspiciant se per abscissionem singulorum membrorum mortificari et ad ultimum ceso ventro miserabiliter eviscerari; quam plures vivos excoriant, et cute capitis abstracta, hoc modo larvati in christianorum fines erumpunt et se christianos mentientes predas impune abigunt. Phanatici autem illorum, quotiens commessationibus vacare libet, ferus in dictis capita, inquiunt, vult noster P[ri]pegala; huiusmodi fieri oportet sacrificia. Pripegala, ut aiunt, Priapus est et Beelphegor impudicus. Tunc decollatis ante prophanationis sue aras christianis et horrendis vocibus ululantes, agamus, inquiunt, dies letitie! victus est Christus, vicit P[ri]pegala victoriosissimus. Huiusmodi afflictiones sine intermissione vel toleramus vel formidamus, quoniam eos semper progredi et in omnibus ingemiscimus bene prosperari. Itaque, fratres charissimi, totius Saxonie, Francie, Lutaringie, Flandrie episcopi, clerici et monachi, de bonis sumite exemplum et Gallorum imitatores in hoc etiam estote, clamate hoc in ecclesiis, sanctificate ieiunium, vocate coetum, congregate populum, annunciate hoc et auditum facite in omnibus terminis prelationis vestre! Sanctificate bellum, suscítate robustos! Surgite, principes, contra inimicos Christi, arripite clipeos, accingimini filii potentes et venite omnes viri bellatores! Infirmus dicat, quia fortis sum ego, quoniam dominus fortitudo plebis sue et protector salvationum Christi sui est. Erumpite et venite omnes amatores Christi et ecclesie et sicut Galli ad liberationem Ierusalem vos preparate! Hierusalem nostra, ab initio libera, gentilium crudelitate facta est ancilla. Huius muri propter peccata nostra corruerunt. Sed ruina hec sub manu vestra, quatenus lapides pretiosi omnes muri eius et turres Ierusalem gemmis edificentur, platee eius sternantur auro mundo, et pr[о] horrendo sonitu gentilium in conspectu P[ri]pegale cantetur in ea canticum letitie et pro immolatione de christiani sanguinis effusione carnem et sanguinem edant pauperes et saturentur, ut laudetis dominum, qui requiritis eum, vivantque in seculum seculi corda vestra, ut non deficiat de ore vestro alleluia, alleluia! Ad hoc bellum devotas offert manus cum populo suo rex Dacorum et alii principes per circuitum. Ipse etiam rex noster, huius belli auctor, cum omnibus, quos poterit adducere, promptissimus erit adiutor. Sabbato in hebdomada rogationum erit conventos noster Merseburch et ubicumque in Orientali Saxonia opportuna habemus loca. Sanctissimi patres monachi, eremite atque reclusi, optimam partem cum Maria elegistis; sed quia nunc tempus ita exigit, de contemplationis quiete cum Martha surgendum est vobis, quoniam fratribus vestris plurimum turbatis cum Martha admodum necessaria est Maria; vobis loquimur, imo in nobis Christus loquitur vobis: Surge, propera, amica, columba mea, et veni! Flores bone operationis apparuerunt in terra principum nostrorum, tempus putationis advenit idololatrie; vox turturis audita est, quoniam casta mater ecclesia ingemiscit de idololatrie spurcitiis. Nemo accendit lucernam et ponit sub modio, sed super candelabrum, ut, qui ingrediuntur, lumen videant; luceat lux vestra coram hominibus, ut videant opera vestra bona. Surge itaque, sponsa Christi, et veni! Sonet vox tua in auribus Christi fidelium, quatinus omnes ad Christi festinent bellum, Christi militibus veniant in adiutorium! Gentiles isti pessimi sunt; sed terra eorum optima carne, melle,….. farina, avibus et, si excolatur, omnium de terre ubertate proventuum [referta], ita ut nulla ei possit comparari. Sic aiunt illi, quibus nota est. Quapropter, o Saxones, Franci, Lutharingi, Flandrigene famosissimi et domitores mundi, hic poteritis et animas vestras salvifacere et, si ita placet, optimam terram ad inhabitandum acquirere. Qui Gallos ab extremo occidente progressos in brachio virtutis sue contra inimicos suos in remotissimo triumphavit oriente, ipse tribuat vobis voluntatem et potentiam hos affines et inhumanissimos gentiles subiugare et omnibus bene prosperari!
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