Tartarians espials beeing excluded, the Tartars at length were quite
bereaued and vtterly dispossessed of their authoritie which they had
exercised ouer the Russians for many yeres, and could neuer yet recouer it;
albeit they haue giuen sundry attempts. Of his wife Sophia he begate sixe
children, namely, a daughter called Helena, and fiue sonnes, that is to
say, Gabriel, Demetrius, George, Simeon, and Andrew.

The Dukedome of right appertayned vnto Demetrius the sonne of Iohn, which
was the sonne of Vasilowich by his first marriage. Howbeit Sophia preuailed
so with her husband, that neglecting his graund-childe Demetrius, hee
bestowed his Dukedome vpon Gabriel his sonne.

Andrew the younger had a sonne called Vvlodmir, of whom Mary was borne,
which in the yeere of Christ 1573, was maried vnto Magnus the Duke of
Holst.

Gabriel hauing obtained the great dukedome of Russia, changed his name
calling himselfe Basilius, and applied his minde to the atchieuing of high
and great enterprises. For hee reduced a great part of the dukedome of
Moscouie, which Vitoldus the great Duke of Lithuania helde in possession,
vnder his owne iurisdiction, and wonne vpon the riuer of Boristhenes (which
the Russians call Neiper) many cities and especially Smolensco, in the
yeere of our Lord 1514. Hauing diuorced his first wife, hee begate of
Helena daughter vnto Duke Glinskie, Iuan Vasilowich, which now this present
1580. reigneth as great Duke. He was borne in the yeere of our Lorde 1528.
the 25. of August, sixe houres after the rising of the sonne. The great
dukedome of Russia fell vnto the said Iuan Vasilowich in the fifth yeere of
his age, hauing his vncle George for his great protector; being 25. yeeres
of age, and being of a strong body and of a courageous mind he subdued the
Tartars of Cazan and Astracan vpon the riuer of Volgha, carrying their