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NICCOLO STROZZI.

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Francesco drew back into the citadel, and dwelled therein unto the day of battle.

785. And he wrote unto the rulers of Florence; and Niccolò Strozzi* said, "Fear not; I will go and pass in the midst of the camp, and I will bring back the city unto you." And it was pleasing in their sight; and they said unto him, "Go to Impolit, and what Francesco Ferugo shall tell thee, thou shalt do: only be strong and of good courage." [1]

786. And Niccolò Strozzi and the five hundred men which followed him, removed in the darkness of the night, and with them they had weapons of war and plenty of gunpowder; and they went their way. And when the watchers of the camp heard it, they shouted with a loud voice; and Niccolò hastened and passed the camp, and went his way. And he passed over the river when the morning dawned. And he met about three thousand men, and two hundred horses, which came against him; and they arrayed a battle there, discharging guns. And their smoke went up towards heaven; and their voice was heard from afar. And the men of Strozzi ascended the mountain; and they met with an ambush, and they fought against them. And many fell slain to

.פירוגן +

.לאימפולי +

.סטרוציאו *

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FERUGO.

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the ground, and two of the captains of his hosts died in that slaughter. And the rest fled, and they pursued them as far as Impoli*, and Ferugot went out against them. And the Spaniards feared and drew back, and they delivered Niccolò from their hands; and he returned to Impoli, and put a garrison in the midst thereof. And the men removed thence and went to Volterrat, and they warred against it, and they surrendered it into his hand; and he fortified it, and put soldiers into it, and he gave them their hire.

787. And Ferugo waxed very great, and the soldiers envied him, and his fame spread over all the country. And all the days which he stood at Impoli, he sent sheep and oxen and provisions into the city of Florence, and he shattered the heads of their enemies and took the cities from their hands with a strong hand.

788. And it came to pass, when the famine was sore, that they went out again from Florence in the morning watch, to war with the soldiers. And the Spaniards went out to meet them; and they arrayed a battle there, and much people died on that day.

789. And the viceroy of the emperor said, "They are idle, they are idle: but now, let us go, I pray,

.וולטירה !

.פירוגו +

.אינפולי

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FRANCESCO CORSO.

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against Impoli and Volterra, and let us make a breach therein for us: let the battle be heavy upon them, so that they may not return any more towards these two cities in which their soul yet trusted*.'

790. And he sent Alessandro Vitellot, and one of the captains of the Spanish host against Impoli; and they warred against it, and took it, and it was spoiled at that time. The men went also to Volterra and broke their walls, and the earth shook at their voice. And Francesco Corso‡ went to help the men of Volterra, and the imperialists went away from Volterra; and Francesco died in that battle. And they went out again from Florence, when their souls fainted within them, because of the want of every thing; and they fell into the camp of the Germans, and they slew of them with the edge of the sword about five thousand men; and Malatesta, the chief of their host, refused to fight in those days; and the lords of Florence feared much.

791. And they sent to call Francesco Ferugo, and he lifted up his feet to go, and about three hundred footmens and one hundred horsemen were with him. And he went the road of Pistoia, saying, "The friends of the city will gather themselves to me,

Comp. Deut. xxxii. 37. Is. xxx. 2. Ps. xvii. 7; lvii. 1.

וויטילו + .קורסו $ .is to be understood מאות probably,וכשלשת איש רגלה 8

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FABRICIO MARATAO.

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and then will we go." And he passed over unto the tower of Bel Marcello, and the mountaineers came not to his help; for the enemies went and put a garrison therein. And they went their way, and the rain poured down upon him and the wing of his army* all that day.

792. And when the prince of Orange heard it, he went out to meet him with nine thousand footmen, and all the horsemen of the host. And he sent also to Fabricio Maratao, saying, "Go thou out also against themt, that their name may be remembered no more." And the lords of Florence heard that the prince came out against them, and said unto Malatesta, "Go thou also against the rest; perhaps the Lord will give them into thy hand;" but he would not hearken unto them.

793. And it came to pass, when they were on the road, that Francesco Ferugo met those who sought his life; and he arrayed a battle against them, and the foremost fell before him slain to the ground. And after a moment, there fell upon them also the prince and the horsemen and the footmen who followed him, and he arrayed a battle against them; and the prince fell slain to the ground in that battle, and the battle ceased. And they wounded also Francesco Ferugo, and he

DISTRESS OF FLORENCE.

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became feeble, and was delivered into the hand of Maratao* at that time. And he commanded, and they cleft him in twain on that day, because he had hanged one of the servants of Marataof, a drummer; which thing ought not to be done. And the men of Ferugo fell by the edge of the sword on that day, and the rest were taken; and the men of Florence grieved much.

And

794. And the men of the emperor also trembled at the death of the captain of the host. they chose Don Ferantos Gonzaga in his stead, and he was head over them. Also in that day when the men of Florence were distressed, they implored Malatesta to go out before them, but he would not hearken; and he was a Satan|| unto them.

795. And it came to pass, one day, that he said to them, “Ye see that the misery is great, now therefore deliver the city into the hands of these princes, that we may live, and not die." But they answered,

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No; for we will go out and fight, and God may do what is pleasing in his sight; or we will send off the men of the host which follow thee, and it shall be a relief for us, and the rest shall live upon that which is left;" but he would not fight, and

.מארטאו * .פיראנטו גונזאגה $

.מראטאו +

Gen. xxxiv. 7.

A hinderer or adversary.

VOL. II.

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