Analogia honorum, or, A treatise of honour and nobility, according to the laws and customes of England collected out of the most authentick authors, both ancient and modern : in two parts : the first containing honour military, and relateth to war, the second, honour civil, and relateth

Knights of the Tutonick Order of Prusia.

THE first Institutor of this Order was a wealthy Gentleman of Germany, who dwelt at Ieru∣salem after it was taken by the Christians, together with divers other men of his Country; and being exceed∣ing rich, kept an hospitable House, relieving all Passengers and Pilgrims that travelled to Ierusalem, insomuch that his House became (as it were) an Hospital: At length he built near unto his House a fair Church, which he dedicated to our Lady; and many Christians resorting thither, as well out of Devotion, as to visit the Sick, they resolved to erect a Fr••ternity; and having chosen a Great Ma∣ster for their Governor (which was about the Year of our Lord 1190.) they imitated the Knights Templars in their Military Employ∣ments, and the Knights Hospitallers in their Acts of Piety and Charity; and instituted several Orders to be observed amongst them, being much the same with those of the Knights Hospitallers and Templars, which were afterwards confirmed by Pope Celestine the Third: But their Habit was a white Man∣tle, and on the Breast thereof for their En∣sign they wore a black Cross voided with a Cross Potence.

The Holy Land being retaken from the Christians by the Sarazens, these Knights returned into Germany, where they had not continued long, ere they went to the Em∣peror Frederick the Second, and acquainted him that the people of Prusia (who were barbarous Idolaters) used Incursions upon the Confines of Saxony, and besought the Emperor's leave to make War upon them at their own Charges, but with this Con∣dition, that whatsoever they took should be theirs for the maintenance of the said Or∣der;

which request being so reasonable was immediately granted them, and con••irmed under his Scal: And being thus encoura∣ged, forthwith took up Arms, in which they were so fortunate, that in a short time they not only subdued all that Province, but also passed the River Vistula, and con∣quered other people, who became their Tributaries, and received the Christian Faith.

These Knights thus increasing in Riches and Territories, they built divers Churches and Cathedral Temples, where resided Bishops, who were enjoyned to wear the Habit of the Order. And near unto the River Vistula was a great Oak, where (in Anno 1340.) they built the first Cas•••••• and Town, which afterwards took the Name of Mareenburgh, or Burgo 〈◊〉〈◊〉 St. Maria; where is now the chief Ch••rch belonging to this Order, to which belong∣eth so great Riches, that these Knights, for Men and Money, might compare with di∣vers Princes: But about the Year 1525. Albertus Brandenburgh being Great Ma∣ster, he renounced this Order, and became feudatory to Sigismond the First, King of Poland, who raised Prusia into a Duke∣dom, and this Albert was made first Duke thereof. But some of the Knights did af∣terwards elect a new Great Master, and settled in Germany; but the Order is now of small lustre.