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Here Macko kneeled again and having stretched out his arms wasted by war, he spoke with tears: "We defended Wilno; God gave us honest booty; to whom shall I leave it? If the Krzyzak requires punishment, let punishment come; but permit me to suffer it. What do I care for life without Zbyszko! He is young; let him redeem the land and beget children, as God ordered man to do.
The prince immediately sent me to the boundary, to conduct them safely to his castle." "Could they not come without your help!" "Our nation is very angry with the Krzyzaks, because of their great treacherousness; a Krzyzak will hug and kiss you, but he is ready in the same moment to stab you with a knife from behind; and such conduct is odious to us Mazurs.
Zbyszko having forgotten all about the Krzyzak now looked so proud, that Mikolaj of Dlugolas wishing to curb his pride, said: "There are better men than you; therefore do not be so proud of your strength. I did not see it, but my father was a witness of something more difficult which happened at the court of Charles, the Roman emperor.
"He did not capture all of them. Five or six escaped. Such is our lot!" "How did they attack you? From ambush?" "From behind such thick bushes that one could see nothing. I was riding without armor, because the merchants told me that the country was safe, and it was warm." "Who was at the head of the robbers? A Krzyzak?" "Not a friar, but a German.
"He is right!" immediately said some knights. "He is only a lad! Why should the shame be put on us all!" There was a moment of silence, and angry looks were cast at the Krzyzak. In the meanwhile Jamont conducted Zbyszko to the court-yard of the castle and intrusted him to the archers. In his young heart he pitied the prisoner, and this pity was increased by his natural hatred of the Germans.
Suddenly the sister, as if she had just remembered something, said: "I dreamed that some knight wrapped you with a white mantle on the snow. Perhaps it was a Krzyzak! They wear white mantles." "I want neither Krzyzaks nor their mantles," answered the girl.
The knights make different vows; but they often break them, thus setting a bad example to the whole Christian world. But a Krzyzak, especially a comthur, is not obliged to accept a challenge." "Ha! Then only in war can you reach him." "But they say, that there will be no war," said Zbyszko, "because the Knights of the Cross are afraid of our nation."
That scoundrel Krzyzak shall see! That Fryzjan knight, was he not stronger? And how I cut him through the helmet, until the axe stopped! Did I not?" Zbyszko breathed with relief and said: "I will perish with some consolation." They both began to sigh, and the old nobleman spoke with emotion: "You mustn't break down with sorrow. Your bones will not search for one another at the day of judgment.
Having heard this, Jagiello looked at Jasko of Tenczyn, then at Macko. He ordered them to remain, perhaps with the hope that he would be able to take advantage of this opportunity and using his kingly authority, bring the affair to an end. Meanwhile the Krzyzak entered, bowed to the king, and said: "Gracious lord! Here is the written complaint about the insult which I suffered in your kingdom."
Powala of Taczew declared that he would tell the whole truth; but that he would also speak in favor of the young man, because the whole affair was only an instance of childish impetuousness. But notwithstanding all this, everybody could see, and the castellan, Jasko of Tenczyn made it known, that if the Krzyzak was unrelenting, then the severe law must be fulfilled.
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