himselfe. Since which time the Russians were tributary to the Tartars, and
were gouerned by such dukes as they pleased to set ouer them. Howbeit the
Tartars so greatly abused that authoritie, that when they sent their
ambassadours vnto the prince of Moscouie, he was constrained to goe forth
and meete with them, and (as Herbortus Fulstinius in his Polonian historie
reporteth) to offer them a bason full of mares milke, and if they had spilt
any whit thereof vpon their horses maines, to licke it off with his toung,
and hauing conducted them into his princely court, to stand bareheaded
before them while they sate downe, and with all reuerence to giue eare and
attendance vnto them. But by what meanes they shooke off at the length this
yoake of seruitude, I will forthwith declare.

About the same time almost all Polonia, and the dukedome of Silesia were
ouerrun by the Tartars with fire and sword. Who hauing burnt Presla the
chiefe citie of Silesia, and being come before the citie of Legnitz, they
fought there a most cruel and bloody field, wherin was slain Duke Henrie
himselfe being sonne vnto the most holy and deuout lady Heduice, with many
others, whose monuments and graues be as yet extant in sundry places, and
with an infinite multitude of common souldiers, insomuch that the Tartars
filled nine great sackes with the eares of them which they had slaine. The
Tartars to the end they might obtaine the victorie, presented vnto the view
of our souldiers the portrature of a mans head placed by arte magique vpon
a banner, wherein the letter X. was painted, which being shaken and mooued
vp and downe breathed foorth a most loathsome stench, and strooke such a
terrour into the hearts of our men, that being as it were astonished with
the snaky visage of Medusa, they were vtterly daunted and dismayed.

From thence Bathy and his company with the same bloodthirstie intent
marched into Hungarie, and had almost slaine king Bela the fourth, who
together with his sonne escaping by flight did scarcely ridde themselues