Page:Zawis and Kunigunde (1895).djvu/88

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84
PARTIES AND CONSPIRACIES

services. His country still entertained fierce animosity against Bohemia, and the king now determined to wreak full vengeance, especially as his neighbors of Poland had undertaken Otakar’s quarrel, and had formed the most numerous contingent that fought for Bohemia at the Marchfield. Accordingly Ladislaus had studiously enveloped his movements since the battle in mystery. In fact his troops controlled the field and the surrounding country. His camp had become an enormous receptacle for plunder, and not only property of all kinds had been indiscriminately heaped together, but the means of transportation were chiefly procured by open spoliation from Moravia itself. All this Rudolph may well have known, but he maintained absolute silence and apparent indifference on the subject.

The king on his arrival presented Rudolph with a rich Hungarian saddle, with housings and bridle complete; two splendid chargers; a robe of Astrakan fur, and two illuminated manuscripts, one being the old Bohemian liturgy in Slavonian and Greek, a remnant of the community of Sassawa during their sojourn in Poland and Hungary, and the other a Russian version of the new testament, of the preceding century.

“On taking leave of your imperial highness,” said Ladislaus, “I may express the satisfaction of Hungary at finding her frontier again disencumbered of a dangerous and restless ambition. Henceforward it shall be the interest of our nation to cultivate the most friendly intercourse with the empire,”—Ladis-