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It comes into view, dearest Zanobi and Luigi, a of more than common quality thing to those who have thought out the field of interest, that all men, or the larger number of them, who have did great acts in the earth, and was very good, the best all others in their day, have had their birth and starting in baseness and away from public view, unnoted; or have been wounded in feelings by Fortune in some cruel, violent, wrong way. They have either been made open to the kind feeling, behavior of being rough animals, or they have had so cruel a ones family line that in shame they have given themselves out to be sons of Jove or of some other the Great Being (of a religion). It would be tiresome to give the story of who these persons may have been because they are well within one's knowledge to everybody, and, as such stories would not be particularly useful to those who read them, they are not put in. I being of the opinion that these lowly start of great men take place because Fortune is desirous of viewing to the everywhere that such men are in debt to much to her and little to wise material, because she begins to make clear to her hand when wise material can really take no part in their living: thus all good outcome must be given to her. Castruccio Castracani of Lucca was one of those men who did great acts, if he is measured by the times in which he lived and the great town in which he was born; but, like many others, he was neither well-off and happily-placed nor noted, great in his birth, as the direction of this history will make clear. It appeared to be desirable to have in mind, get memory of his memory, because I have made out in him such ideas of fearlessness and good chance as should make him a great example to men. I have in mind that also that I rightly would to cry for your attention to his acts, because you of all men I have knowledge of pleasure most in high and good acts.

The family of Castracani was formerly numbered among the high and good families of Lucca, but in the days of which I say it had somewhat fallen in great country property, as so often happens in this earth. To this family was born a son Antonio, who became a servant of church of the order of San Michele of Lucca, and for this reason was given great respect with the sign of position of Messer Antonio. He had an only sister, who had been married to Buonaccorso Cenami, but Buonaccorso coming near to the end she became a woman not married again, and not desiring to marry again went to live with her brother. Messer Antonio had a land planted with berries behind the house where he had lived in, had house in, and as it was limited on all sides by gardens, any person could have way in to it without trouble. one morning, shortly after when the sun comes up, Madonna Dianora, as the sister of Messer Antonio was named, had right time to go into the land planted with berries as general to get together plants used for medical or cooking purposes for putting strong-tasting substances on the chief meal of day, and hearing a small, little sounding like wind on leaves among the leaves of a plant producing berries she turned her eyes in that direction, and heard something being like the cry of a baby. After that she went in the direction of it, and saw the hands and face of a baby who was placed covered in the leaves and who seemed to be crying for its mother. partly questioning and partly fearing, yet full of feeling for one in trouble, she lifted it up and taken it to the house, where she washed it and clothed it with clean linen as is generally done, and showed it to Messer Antonio when he returned house. When he heard what had came about, took place and saw the very young person he was not less surprised or having feeling for one in trouble than his sister. They had a discussion between themselves what should be done, and seeing that he was servant of church and that she had no boys and girls, they finally came to a decision about to take it up. They had a nurse for it, and it was put up (structure) and loved as if it were their own very young person. They put it shortly in religious water, and gave it the name of Castruccio after their father. As the years passed Castruccio grew very good-looking, and gave a sign of bright ideas and quality of acting wisely and learned with a quickness beyond his years those teachings given at one time which Messer Antonio gave to him. Messer Antonio put forward to make a servant of church of him, and in time would have faced him for the first time into his church division and other helpful processes, and all his teaching was given with this purpose; but Antonio discovered that the qualities of Castruccio was quite unable for the body in service of the church. As soon as Castruccio reached the times in existence of fourteen he began to take less note of the punishing of Messer Antonio and Madonna Dianora and no longer to fear them; he left off reading to do with the church books, and turned to playing with arms, giving great pleasure in nothing so much as in learning their uses, and in running, jumping, and fighting with other boys. In all uses he far was very good, the best his company in power of controlling fear and bodily power, and if at any time he did turn to books, only those pleased him which told of wars and the acts of men. Messer Antonio saw all this with being angry and be feeling sad.

There lived in the great town of Lucca a man with delicate feelings, good taste, pleasing behavior of the Guinigi family, named Messer Francesco, whose business was arms and who in good qualities, bodily power and fearlessness was very good, the best all other men in Lucca. He had often fought under the need of the Visconti of Milan, and as a Ghibelline was the valued first of that group in Lucca. This man with delicate feelings, good taste, pleasing behavior had lived in, had house in Lucca and was gotten used to come together with others most mornings and night falls under the seats high up in theatre of the Podesta, which is at the top of the square of San Michele, the finest square in Lucca, and he had often seen Castruccio taking part with other children of the street in those games of which I have said in voice. noting, seeing, taking note of that Castruccio far was very good, the best the other boys, and that he appeared to use a royal authority over them, and that they loved and did as ordered him, Messer Francesco became greatly desirous of learning who he was. being detailed of the circumstances of the coming with up of Castruccio he felt a greater desire to have him near to him. as an outcome of that he called him one day and asked him whether he would more readily live in the house of a man with delicate feelings, good taste, pleasing behavior, where he would learn to go on (transport) horses and use arms, or in the house of a servant of church where he would learn nothing but masses and the services of the Church. Messer Francesco could see that it pleased Castruccio greatly to hear horses and arms said in voice of, even though he stood quiet, without sound, going red as not putting oneself forward; but being gave support to by Messer Francesco to say, he answered that, if his chief were pleasing, nothing would please him more than to give up his religion studies and take up those of a army man. This (give) answer given great pleasure Messer Francesco, and in a very short time he got the give agreement of Messer Antonio, who was driven to give in by his knowledge of the nature of the boy, and the fear that he would not be able to keep him much longer.

Thus Castruccio passed from the house of Messer Antonio the servant of church to the house of Messer Francesco Guinigi the army man, and it was surprising to see that in a very short time he shown clearly all that good quality and direction which we are gotten used to get together with a true man with delicate feelings, good taste, pleasing behavior. In the first place he became an able horseman, and could manage with comfort the most violent army horse and in all on-horse fights and competitions, although still a young person, he was observed beyond all others, and he was very good, the best in all uses of power and know-how. But what gave greater value to so much the attraction of these hard things to be done, was the giving great pleasure self-conciousness which made him able to keep from wrongdoing in either act or word to others, for he was readily giving way to the great men, not putting oneself forward with his equals, and kind to his low persons. These gifts made him loved one, not only by all the Guinigi family, but by all Lucca. When Castruccio had got to his 18 year, the Ghibellines were driven from Pavia by the Guelphs, and Messer Francesco was sent by the Visconti to help the Ghibellines, and with him went Castruccio, in responsibility of his forces. Castruccio gave enough facts in support of his good sense and power of controlling fear in this journey for special purpose, getting greater good name than any other chief, and his name and much talked about were within one's knowledge, not only in Pavia, but throughout all Lombardy.

Castruccio, having returned to Lucca in far higher value that he left it, did not overlook to use all the means in his power to get as many friends as he was able to, not taking care of none of those arts which are necessary for that purpose. About this time Messer Francesco came to an end, letting go a son thirteen years old named Pagolo, and having gave (person) a position as Castruccio to be his son's private teacher and controlling person of his land. Before he died Francesco called Castruccio to him, and made request him to make clear to Pagolo that goodwill which he (Francesco) had always made clear to him, and to form to the son the kind feelings which he had not been able to give back to the father. Upon the death of Francesco, Castruccio became the governor and private teacher of Pagolo, which increased greatly his power and position, and made come into existence a certain amount of desire to have what another has against him in Lucca in place of the former goodwill, for many men had feeling that it is probable him of harboring cruel purposes. Among these the leading man was Giorgio degli Opizi, the head of the Guelph group. This man hoped after the death of Messer Francesco to become the chief man in Lucca, but it seemed to him that Castruccio, with the great ableness which he already viewed, and keeping the position of governor, kept from having him of his chance; therefore he began to get going those seeds which should take Castruccio of his much brain power. Castruccio at first gave attention to this with low opinion but after he grew in fear, having thoughts that Messer Giorgio might be able to take him into loss of good name with the ones representative of King Ruberto of Naples and have him driven out of Lucca.

The Lord of Pisa at that time was Uguccione of the Faggiuola of Arezzo, who being in the first place selected their chief after became their ruler. There had lived in, had house in Paris some sent from his country Ghibellines from Lucca, with whom Castruccio kept make connections with the purpose of effecting their placing back by the help of Uguccione. Castruccio also brought into his plans friends from Lucca who would not put up with the authority of the Opizi. having fixed upon a design to be came after, Castruccio doing carefully made stronger the tall structure of the Onesti, putting in it with supplies and war material of war, in order that it might support a take-over operations for a few days if of need. When the night came which had been agreed upon with Uguccione, who had took up the level stretch of country between the mountains and Pisa with many men, the sign was given, and without being observed Uguccione approached the doorway of San Piero and put fire to the safety bars. Castruccio made a great sound within the great town, cry out for the people to arms and forcing open the doorway from his side. Uguccione entered with his men, came down hard through the town, and put to death Messer Giorgio with all his family and many of his friends and supporters. The governor was driven out, and the government made change of form or size according to the desires of Uguccione, to the damage of the great town, because it was discovered that more than one hundred families were sent from his country at that time. Of those who went running from, part went to Florence and part to Pistoia, which great town was the headquaters of the Guelph group, and for this reason it became most violent to Uguccione and the Lucchese.

As it now appeared to the Florentines and others of the Guelph group that the Ghibellines taken up too much power in Tuscany, they came to a decision about to put back to earlier position the sent from his country Guelphs to Lucca. They came together a wide, of great size army in the Val Di6 Nievole, and got Montecatini; from there they walked to Montecarlo, in order to keep safe the free way thorough into Lucca. Upon this Uguccione came together his Pisan and Lucchese forces, and with a number of german military horsemen which he drew out of Lombardy, he moved against the quarters of the Florentines, who upon the coming out of the person hated took away from Montecarlo, and posted themselves between Montecatini and Pescia. Uguccione now took up a position near to Montecarlo, and within about two miles of the person hated, and small, little on-and-off fights between the horse of both parties were of daily event. Being in debt to the disease, being ill of Uguccione, the Pisans and Lucchese delayed coming to fight with the person hated. Uguccione, discovering himself growing more bad, went to Montecarlo to be made well, and left the order of the army in the hands of Castruccio. This change brought about the serious damage of the Guelphs, who, having thoughts that the violent army having lost its chief had lost its head, grew over self-believing. Castruccio observed this, and let some days to go through in order to give support to this belief; he also showed signs of fear, and did not let any of the war material of the base to be used. On the other side, the Guelphs grew more with no respect the more they saw these facts supporting certain belief of fear, and every day they drew out in the order of fight in front of the army of Castruccio. Presently, being of opinion (of) that the person hated was made fearless enough, and having got control of their art of moving army, ships in fighting, he decided to join fight with them. First he spoke a few words of giving of support to his military men, and pointed out to them the certainty of good outcome if they would but do as ordered his orders. Castruccio had noted, seen, took note of how the person hated had placed all his best troops in the middle of the line of fight, and his less safe, good, that will not let one down men on the wings of the army; and then he did exactly the opposite, sending his most full of respect men on the (back) sides, while those on whom he could not so strongly have belief in he moved to the middle. observing this order of fight, he drew out of his lines and quickly came in view of the violent army, who, as normal, had come in their rough behavior to have no fear of him. He then ordered his middle military unit to walk with measured steps slowly, while he moved rapidly forward those on the wings. in this way, when they came into touch with the person hated, only the wings of the two armies were fighting, while the middle body of men ready to fight remained out of acting, for these two divisions of the line of fight were separated from each other by a long space (times) between and thus unable to get each other. By this use the more full of respect part of Castruccio's men were been, fought against to the more feeble part of the person hated's army, military body, and the most good at producing an effect men of the person hated were not doing anything and thus the Florentines were unable to fight with those who were ordered opposite to them, or to give any help to their own (back) sides. So, without much trouble, Castruccio put the person hated to flight on both (back) sides, and the middle body of men ready to fight took to flight when they found themselves made open to attack, without having a chance of putting on view their fearlessness. The overcome was complete, and the loss in men very weighty, there being more than ten thousand men put to death with many officers and military horsemen of old of the Guelph group in Tuscany, and also many Princes who had come to help them, among whom were Piero, the brother of King Ruberto, and Carlo, his brother's (sister's) son, and Filippo, the ruler of Taranto. On the part of Castruccio the loss did not amount to more than three hundred men, among whom was Francesco, the son of Uguccione, who, being young and without enough thought of danger was put to death in the first attack.

This good outcome so greatly increased the general opinion of Castruccio that Uguccione got (thought) formed in mind some hatefulness and no belief in of him, because it appeared to Uguccione that this good outcome had given him no increase of power, but rather than became smaller it. being of this mind, he only waited for an chance to give effect to it. This occurred on the death of Pier Agnolo Micheli, a man of great general view and powers in Lucca, the person putting another to death of whom fled to the house of Castruccio for safe place. On the military man with authority over lower men of the chief going to put under police control the person putting another to death, they were driven off by Castruccio, and the person putting another to death been overlooked. This business coming to the knowledge of Uguccione, who was then at Pisa, it appeared to him a right chance to punish Castruccio. He therefore sent for his son Neri, who was the governor of Lucca, and gave work him to take Castruccio prisoner at a public meal and put him to death. Castruccio, fearing no wrongdoing, went to the governor in a friendly way, was entertained at late meal, and then sent down into prison. But Neri, fearing to put him to death so that not the people should be made angry, kept him living, in order to hear further from his father about his purposes. Ugucionne punished the unreadiness and feeling to run from danger of his son, and at once put out from Pisa to Lucca with four hundred horsemen to end the business in his own way; but he had not yet got to the baths when the Pisans taken to arms against and put his ones representative to death and made come into existence Count Gaddo della Gherardesca their ruler. Before Uguccione reached Lucca he heard of the events at Pisa, but it did not come into view as wise to him to turn back, so that not the Lucchese with the example of Pisa before them should close their gates against him. But the Lucchese, having heard of what had came about, took place at Pisa, made use themselves of this chance to request by rights the making free of Castruccio, though that Uguccione had arrived in their great town. They first began to say of it in private circles, after openly in the squares and streets; then they made a trouble, and with arms in their hands went to Uguccione and demanded that Castruccio should be put at condition of being free. Uguccione, fearing that worse might come about, given him from prison. After that Castruccio gathered his friends around him, and with the help of the people attacked Uguccione; who, discovering he had no support but in flight, went on (transport) away with his friends to Lombardy, to the rulers of Scale, where he died in (condition of) being poor.

But Castruccio from being a prisoner became almost a Prince in Lucca, and he carried himself so taking care what one says and does publicly with his friends and the people that they gave (person) a position as him chief of their army for one year. Having got this, and desiring to profit of good (great) name in war, he made system design the getting back of the many towns which had taken to arms against after the starting of Uguccione, and with the help of the Pisans, with whom he had concluded a agreement between nations, he walked to Serezzana. To take this place he made a military building made strong against attack against it, which is named today Zerezzanello; in the order of events of two months Castruccio made prisoner the town. With the general opinion gained at that take-over operations, he rapidly got Massa, Carrara, and Lavenza, and in a short time had be all over (the place) the complete body of Lunigiana. In order to close the way which leads from Lombardy to Lunigiana, he overcome with requests Pontremoli and pulled violently it from the hands of Messer Anastagio Palavicini, who was the ruler of it. After this good outcome he returned to Lucca, and was gave signs of well taken in by the complete body persons in general. And now Castruccio, being of opinion (of) it unwise any longer to put off to a later time making himself a Prince, got himself made come into existence the ruler of Lucca by the help of Pazzino del Poggio, Puccinello dal Portico, Francesco Boccansacchi, and Cecco Guinigi, all of whom he had gone bad; and he was after seriously and purposely selected Prince by the persons in general. At this time Frederick of Bavaria, the King of the Romans, came into Italy to take on the imperial ruler, and Castruccio, in order that he might make friends with him, had a meeting him at the head of five hundred horsemen. Castruccio had left as his ones representative in Lucca, Pagolo Guinigi, who was kept in high rough statement, because of the persons in general's love for the memory of his father. Castruccio was received in great great respect by Frederick, and many privileges were given upon him, and he was gave (person) a position as the great ruler's second in authority in Tuscany. At this time the Pisans were in great fear of Gaddo della Gherardesca, whom they had driven out of Pisa, and they had use of for help to Frederick. Frederick made come into existence Castruccio the ruler of Pisa, and the Pisans, in fear of the Guelph group, and particularly of the Florentines, were kept shut up by force to take in him as their ruler.

Frederick, having gave (person) a position as a governor in Rome to watch his italian business, returned to Germany. All the Tuscan and Lombardian Ghibellines, who came after the imperial lead, had gone to Castruccio for help and give opinion, and all promised him the governorship of his country, if gave power to get back it with his help. Among these persons sent from their country were Matteo Guidi, Nardo Scolari, Lapo Uberti, Gerozzo Nardi, and Piero Buonaccorsi, all sent out from Florentines and Ghibellines. Castruccio had the secret purpose of becoming the rule of all Tuscany by the help of these men and of his own forces; and in order to get greater weight in business, he entered into a organization with Messer Matteo Visconti, the Prince of Milan, and put into order for him the forces of his great town and the country parts. As Lucca had five doorways, he made a division his own country districts into five parts, which he supplied with arms, and put one's name down the men under chiefs and nations' flag, so that he could quickly take into the field twenty thousand military men, without those whom he could request to his help from Pisa. While he put all round himself these forces and groups with common purposes, it happened at Messer Matteo Visconti was attacked by the Guelphs of Piacenza, who had driven out the Ghibellines with the help of a Florentine army and the King Ruberto. Messer Matteo called upon Castruccio to go into the Florentines in their own lands under some government, so that, being attacked at house, they should be forced to give a pull to their army out of Lombardy in order to keep themselves safe. Castruccio gone into the Valdarno, and got Fucecchio and San Miniato, giving (pain) very great damage upon the country. Then the Florentines recalled their army, which had hardly reached Tuscany, when Castruccio was forced by other things necessary to come back to Lucca.

There had lived in, had house in the great town of Lucca the Poggio family, who were so powerful that they could not only make higher Castruccio, but even go forward him to the self-respect of Prince; and it seeming to them they had not received such rewards for their services as they would be right for, they gave support to other families to take to arms against and to make go Castruccio out of Lucca. They found their chance one morning, and arming themselves, they put upon the second in authority whom Castruccio had left to be supporting order and put to death him. They attempted to get lifted up, make higher the people in disgust, but Stefano Di Poggio, a desiring peace old man who had taken no hand in the war against authority came between and forced them by his authority to put down their arms; and he offered to be their go-between with Castruccio to get from him what they desired. as an outcome of that they put down their arms with no greater quick brain than they had taken them up. Castruccio, having heard the news of what had came about, took place at Lucca, at once put Pagolo Guinigi in need of the army, and with a army, military body of military horsemen group out for country. Opposite to his ideas, he discovered the war against authority at an end, yet he posted his men in the most better places throughout the great town. As it appeared to Stefano that Castruccio rightly would to be very much pleased to him, he had a look for him out, and without saying anything on his own name, for he did not take in consciously any need for doing so, he requested Castruccio to not be angry with the other members of his family by reason of their young person, their former friendships, and the obligations which Castruccio was under to their house. To this Castruccio in a pleasing way gave a reaction, and requested Stefano to give comfort himself, saying as without doubt that it gave him more pleasure to see the trouble at an end than it had ever caused him cause for being worked up to hear of its start. He gave support to Stefano to take his family to him, saying that he said one has been kind to God for having given him the chance of viewing his kindly judging and freeness. Upon the word of Stefano and Castruccio they gave up and with Stefano were immediately sent down into prison and put to death. Meanwhile the Florentines had got back San Miniato, (and) then it seemed wise to Castruccio to make peace, as it did not come into view as to him that he was enough safe at Lucca to let go of him. He approached the Florentines with the statement of a stop to fighting which they readily had in mind, for they were tired of the war, and desirous of getting send away of the expenses of it. An agreement between nations was concluded with them for two years, by which both parties agreed to keep those gotten by force they had made. Castruccio thus freed, let go from this trouble, turned his attention to affairs in Lucca, and in order that he should not again be field to the great dangers from which he had just got away, he, under different tricks and reasons, first wiped out all those who by their desire to go far might have in mind to the King’s son lands; not letting free one of them, but kept from having them of country and property, and those whom he had in his hands of living in addition, stating that he had discovered by experience that none of them were to be had belief for. Then for his further safety he got lifted up, made higher a military building made strong against attack in Lucca with the stones of the tall structures of those whom he had put to death or go after out of the nation.

While Castruccio made peace with the Florentines, and made stronger his position in Lucca, he did take care of chance, short of open war, of increasing his importance in another place. It appeared to him that if he could get property of Pistoia, he would have one foot in Florence, which was his great desire. He, as an outcome of that, in different ways made friends with the mountaineers, and worked matters so in Pistoia that both parties gave secrets to him. Pistoia was made a division, as it always had been, into the Bianchi and Neri groups; the head of the Bianchi was Bastiano Di Possente, and of the Neri, Jacopo da Gia. Each of these men kept secret making connections with Castruccio, and each desired to make go the other out of the great town; and, after many suggestions of violent behavior, they came to blows. Jacopo made stronger himself at the Florentine doorway, Bastiano at that of the Lucchese side of the great town; both had belief in more in Castruccio than in the Florentines, because they had belief that Castruccio was far more ready to fight than the Florentines, and they both sent to him for help. He gave promises to the two, saying to Bastiano that he would come in person, and to Jacopo that he would send his learner, Pagolo Guinigi. At the fixed time he sent forward Pagolo by way of Pisa, and went himself straight to Pistoia; at 12 at night both of them had a meeting outside the great town, and both were admitted as friends. Thus the two leaders gone in, came in, and at a sign given by Castruccio, one put to death Jacopo da Gia, and the other Bastiano Di Possente, and both took prisoners or put to death the supporters of either self-interest (political) group. Without further being against Pistoia passed into the hands of Castruccio, who, having forced the Signoria to go of the great building of a ruler, forced the people to give in supporting orders to him, making them many promises and sending away their old debts. The stretch of country came in great numbers to the great town to see the new Prince, and all were made full with hope and quickly (made) certain, fixed down, effected in a great measure by his great facing danger without fear.

About this time great troubles arose in Rome, being in debt to the dearness of living which was caused by the being away of the Church Head at Avignon. The german governor, Enrico, was much made responsible for what happened -- crimes of causing the death of persons and troubles coming after each other daily, without his being able to put an end to them. This caused Enrico much cause for being worked up so that not the Romans should give a name of in Ruberto, the King of Naples, who would make go the Germans out of the great town, and take back the Pope. Having no nearer friend to whom he could put to use for help than Castruccio, he sent to him, requesting him not only to give him help, but also to come in person to Rome. Castruccio thought out that he rightly would not to be unready to form the great ruler this military arm, because he believed that he himself would not be safe if at any time the great ruler stopped to keep Rome. Letting go Pagolo Guinigi in order at Lucca, Castruccio put out for Rome with 6 hundred horsemen, where he was received by Enrico with the greatest of note. In a short time the existence of Castruccio got such respect for the great ruler that, without loss of blood or violent acts, good order was put back to earlier position, chiefly by reason of Castruccio having sent by sea from the country round Pisa greatly sized amounts of a sort of grain, and thus removed the starting point of the trouble. When he had given punishment to some of the Roman chiefs, and protested to others, paymentless supporting orders was gave to Enrico. Castruccio received many great respect, and was made a Roman law maker. This self-respect was taken to be true with the greatest note and respect, Castruccio being clothed in a ornamented Roman dress, which had the coming after words did needlework for ornament on its front: "I am what God wills." while on the back was: "what God desires shall be."

During this time the Florentines, who were much made angry that Castruccio should have got Pistoia during the stop to fighting, thought out how they could give strong desire the great town to take arms against, to do which they thought would not be hard in his being away. Among the ones sent from his country Pistoians in Florence were Baldo Cecchi and Jacopo Baldini, both men of leading and ready to face danger. These men kept up make connections with their friends in Pistoia, and with the help of the Florentines entered the great town by night, and after driving out some of Castruccio's officials and supporters, and putting others to death, they put back to earlier position the great town to being free. The news of this greatly caused violent feelings Castruccio, and taking let go of Enrico, he kept on hard on in great move quickly to Pistoia. When the Florentines heard of his comeback, being certain that he would not keep any time, they decided to put a stop to him with their forces in the Val Di Nievole, under the belief that by doing so they would cut off his road to Pistoia. Getting together a great army of the supporters of the Guelph cause, the Florentines entered the Pistoian lands under some government. On the other hand, Castruccio reached Montecarlo with his army; and having heard where the Florentines' put up, he decided not to fight it in the level, low grass lands of Pistoia, nor to be waiting for it in the level, low grass lands of Pescia, but, as far as he possibly was able to, to attack it well-marked in the Pass of Serravalle. He believed that if he did well in this design, good outcome was said without doubt, although he was detailed that the Florentines had thirty thousand men, while he had only twelve thousand. Although he had every self-belief in his own powers to and the fearlessness of his army, military body, yet he gave signs of being uncertain to attack his person hated in the open for fear that he should be overcame by numbers. Serravalle is a great house made strong from attack between Pescia and Pistoia, placed on a hill which gets in the way the Val Di Nievole, not in the certain, errorless go through, but about a short distance the other side; the go through itself is in places narrow and sloping sharply, while in general it goes up kindly, quietly, not roughly, but is still narrow, especially at the top where the waters made separate, so that twenty men side by side could keep it. The ruler of Serravalle was Manfred, a german, who, before Castruccio became ruler of Pistoia, had been let to keep being in property of the great house made strong from attack, it being common to the Lucchese and the Pistoians, and unrequested by either -- neither of them desiring to move out Manfred as long as he kept his undertake to of balance, and came under obligations to no one. For these reasons, and also because the great house made strong from attack was well made stronger, he had always been able to be supporting his position. It was here that Castruccio had came to a decision about to fall upon his person hated, for here his few men would have the better chance, and there was no fear that, seeing the wide, of great size masses of the violent force before they became took up, they should not get up. As soon as this trouble with Florence got up, Castruccio saw the very great better chance which property of this great house made strong from attack would give him, and having a great friendship with a political representative in a country in the great house made strong from attack, he managed matters so with him that four hundred of his men were to be admitted into the great house made strong from attack the night before the attack on the Florentines, and the castellan put to death.

Castruccio, having got ready everything, had now to give support to the Florentines to keep on in their desire to keep the seat of war away from Pistoia into the Val Di Nievole, therefore he did not move his army from Montecarlo. Thus the Florentines moved quick on until they got to their military place under Serravalle, having ideas to cross the hill on the coming after morning. At the same time, Castruccio had got the great house made strong from attack at night, had also moved his army from Montecarlo, and walking from there at 12 at night in dead quiet, no sound, had got to the foot of Serravalle: thus he and the Florentines started the higher-going of the hill at the same time in the morning. Castruccio sent forward his army on foot by the main road, and a army, military body of four hundred horsemen by a footway on the left in the direction of the great house made strong from attack. The Florentines sent forward four hundred military horsemen ahead of their army which was coming after, never ready to see Castruccio in control of the hill, nor were they having knowledge of his having got the great house made strong from attack. Thus it happened that the Florentine horsemen getting on the hill were completely taken by surprise when they discovered the army on foot of Castruccio, and so close were they upon it they had as if not enough time to pull down their viewing apparatus. It was an example of unready soldiers being attacked by ready, and they were attacked with such power that with trouble they could keep their own, although some few of them got through. When the noise of the fighting got to the Florentine base under, it was made full with orderless minds. The military horsemen and army on foot became unable to get clear mixed: the chiefs were unable to get their men either in the back direction or forward, being in debt to the narrowness of the way, and among all this trouble no one knew what rightly would to be done or what could be done. In a short time the military horsemen who were fighting with the person hated's army on foot were sent in all directions or put to death without having made any good attempt to keep from attack because of their chanceless position, although in complete troubled mind they had offered a strong stopping effect. Go back had been not possible, with the mountains on both (back) sides, while in front were their persons hated against, and in the back part their friends. When Castruccio saw that his men were unable to seems a making the outcome certain blow at the person hated and put them to flight, he sent one thousand army on footmen round by the great house made strong from attack, with orders to join the four hundred horsemen he had previously dispatched there, and ordered the complete body force to fall upon the (back) sides of the person hated. These orders they carried out with such violent feelings that the Florentines could not support the attack, but gave way, and were soon in full going back -- overcame more by their chanceless position than by the fearlessness of their person hated. Those in the back part turned in the direction of Pistoia, and stretched through the level, low grass lands each man having a look for only his own condition of being safe. The overcome was complete and very bloody. Many chiefs were taken prisoners, among whom were Bandini dei Rossi, Francesco Brunelleschi, and Giovanni della Tosa, all Florentine persons of high birth, with many Tuscans and Neapolitans who fought on the Florentine side, having been sent by King Ruberto to help the Guelphs. Straight away the Pistoians heard of this overcome they drove out the friends of the Guelphs, and gave up to Castruccio. He was not happy with taking up Prato and all the great house made strong from attack on the level, low grass lands on both sides of the Arno, but walked as military his army into the level stretch of country of Peretola, about two miles from Florence. Here he remained many days, making separate the goods taken by force and pleasure-making after event his good outcome with public meals and playing activity, keeping horse competition, and foot competition for men and women. He also struck flat bits of metal with design in memory of the defeat of the Florentines. He attempted to make bad some of the citizens of Florence, who were to open the great town gates at night; but the design formed together was made discovery, and the those taking part in it taken and had head taken off, among whom were Tommaso Lupacci and Lambertuccio Frescobaldi. This defeat caused the Florentines great cause for being worked up, and giving up hope of keeping safe their condition of being free, they sent persons sent as representatives to King Ruberto of Naples, offering him the dominion of their great town; and he, being certain of what very great being important the support of the Guelph cause was to him, took it. He agreed with the Florentines to get from them a yearly payment of two hundred thousand florins, and he send his son Carlo to Florence with four thousand horsemen.

Shortly after this the Florentines were comforted in some degree of the force of Castruccio's army, being in debt to his being forced to go his positions before Florence and walk with measured steps on Pisa, in order to put out of the way a common work against authority that had been got lifted up, made higher against him by Benedetto Lanfranchi, one of the first men in Pisa, who could not put up with that his fatherland should be under the dominion of the Lucchese. He had formed this common work against authority, having ideas to get the strong army building, put to death the supporters of Castruccio, and make go out the military station in town. As, however, in a common work against authority smallness of numbers is most important to secrecy, so for its wrongdoer put to death a few are not enough, and in having a look for more supporters to his common work against authority Lanfranchi had a fight a person who let be seen the design to Castruccio. This turning cannot be passed by without serious angry words to Bonifacio Cerchi and Giovanni Guidi, two Florentine persons sent from their country who were in pain or trouble their sending from Pisa. Then Castruccio got Benedetto and put him to death, and had head off many other of high birth persons having rights in the nation, and drove their families into sent from his country. It now appeared to Castruccio that both Pisa and Pistoia were completely against the authority; he used much thought and energy upon getting his position there, and this gave the Florentines their chance to reorder their army, and to be waiting for the coming of Carlo, the son of the King of Naples. When Carlo arrived they decided to not keep no more time, and came together a great army of more than thirty thousand army on foot and ten thousand military horsemen -- having called to their help every Guelph there was in Italy. They got the opinion of (persons, books) whether they should attack Pistoia or Pisa first, and decided that it would be better to walk with measured steps on the latter -- a order of events, being in debt to the nearby common work against authority, more likely to come after, take the place of, and of more better chance to them, because they had belief that the give up of Pistoia would come after the getting of Pisa.

In the early part of May 1328, the Florentines put in motion this army and quickly took up Lastra, Signa, Montelupo, and Empoli, going past, through from there on to San Miniato. When Castruccio heard of the great army which the Florentines were sending against him, he was in no degree in fear, having belief in that the time had now arrived when good chance would hand over the empire of Tuscany into his hands, for he had no reason to have in mind that that his person hated would make a better fight, or had better prospects of good outcome, than at Pisa or Serravalle. He came together twenty thousand foot soldiers and four thousand horsemen, and with this army went to Fucecchio, while he sent Pagolo Guinigi to Pisa with five thousand army on foot. Fucecchio has a stronger position than any other town in the Pisan part of the country, being in debt to its place, position between the rivers Arno and Gusciana and its small, little getting-higher above the all round, nearby level stretch of country. In addition, the person hated could not make slow its being supplied unless they made a division their forces, nor could they way in it either from the direction of Lucca or Pisa, nor could they get through to Pisa, or attack Castruccio's forces except at a unhelpful. In one example they would see themselves placed between his two armies, the one under his own orders and the other under Pagolo, and in the other example they would have to special trouble the Arno to get to close quarters with the person hated, an undertaking of great chance. In order to give strong desire the Florentines to take this latter order of events, Castruccio took away his men from the banks of the river and placed them under the walls of Fucecchio, going away a wide part of land between them and the river.

The Florentines, having took up San Miniato, kept a body of persons to give opinion of war to come to a decision whether they should attack Pisa or the army of Castruccio, and, having weighted the difficulties of both directions, they decided upon the second (of two). The river Arno was at that time low enough to be crossable, yet the water reached to the top of the army on footmen and to the seats of the horsemen. On the morning of 10 June 1328, the Florentines started the fight by ordering forward a number of military horsemen and ten thousand army on foot. Castruccio, whose design of acting was fixed, and who well knew what to do, at once attacked the Florentines with five thousand army on foot and three thousand horsemen, not letting them to give out from the river before he attacked them; he also sent one thousand light army on foot up the river bank, and the same number down the Arno. The army on foot of the Florentines were so much got in the way by their arms and the water that they were not able to get on the banks of the river, while the military horsemen had made the way through of the river more hard for the others, by reason of the few who had crossed having broken up the bed of the river, and this being deep with wet dust or earth, many of the horses rolled over with their horsemen and many of them had stuck so tightly that they could not move. When the Florentine chiefs saw the difficulties their men were meeting, they took away them and moved higher up the river, hoping to see the river bed less false and the banks more made adjustment for landing. These men were had a meeting at the bank by the forces which Castruccio had already sent forward, who, being light armed with small, round safety instruments and sharp points on long rods in their hands, let fly with very great cries into the faces and bodies of the military horsemen. The horses, in fear by the noise and the wounds, would not move forward, and stamped on each other in great orderless mind. The fight between the men of Castruccio and those of the person hated who did well in crossing was sharp and causing great fear; both sides fought with the best troubled mind and neither would give in. The soldiers of Castruccio fought to make go the others back into the river, while the Florentines made an attempt to get a safe position on land in order to make room for the others going quickly forward, who if they could but get out of the water would be able to fight, and in this fixed mind-view fighting they were urged on by their chiefs. Castruccio shouted to his men that these were the same persons hated against whom they had before overcame at Serravalle, while the Florentines said angry words each other that the many should be overcome by the small number. At end to end Castruccio, seeing how long the fight had lasted, and that both his men and the person hated were completely made tired, and that both sides had many put to death and wounded, pushed forward another body of army on foot to take up a position at the back part of those who were fighting; he then ordered these latter to open their ranks as if they put forward to give way, and one part of them to turn to the right and another to the left. This cleared a space of which the Florentines at once took better chance, and thus gained control of a part given of the place of fight. But when these tired soldiers discovered themselves at close quarters with Castruccio's reserves they could not be upright against them and at once fell back into the river. The military horsemen of either side had not as yet gained any outcome-forming better chance over the other, because Castruccio, being certain his being of poor quality in this arm, had ordered his leaders only to support on attack-stopping against the attacks of their persons fighting against one, as he hoped that when he had overcome the army on foot he would be able to make short work of the military horsemen. This fell out as he had hoped, for when he saw the Florentine army driven back across the river he ordered the left-over of his army on foot to attack the military horsemen of the person hated. This they did with long pointed 2-edged knife and sharp point on long rod, and, joined by their own military horsemen, fell upon the person hated with the greatest violent feelings and soon put him to flight. The Florentine chiefs, having seen the trouble their military horsemen had met with in crossing the river, had attempted to make their army on foot cross lower down the river, in order to attack the (back) sides of Castruccio's army. But here, in addition, the banks were sloping sharply and already lined by the men of Castruccio, and this moving was quite of no use. Thus the Florentines were so completely overcame at all points that as if not enough a third of them got away, and Castruccio was again covered with great happiness. Many chiefs were taken prisoners, and Carlo, the son of King Ruberto, with Michelagnolo Falconi and Taddeo degli Albizzi, the Florentine high government officers, fled to Empoli. If the goods taken by force were great, the killing was without limit greater, as might be was looking on as to come in such a fight. Of the Florentines there fell twenty thousand two hundred and 31 men, while Castruccio lost one thousand five hundred and 70 men.

But good outcome growing desire for what another has of the great happiness of Castruccio took away his living just at the time when she should have kept safe (good) it, and thus caused serious damage all those plans which for so long a time he had worked to keep into effect, and in the good side going against of which nothing but death could have stopped him. Castruccio was in the thick of the fight the complete body of the day; and when the end of it came, although tired and overheated-body, he stood at the doorway of Fucecchio to well taken in his men on their come back from good outcome and personally say one has been kind to them. He was also on the watch for any attempt of the person hated to get back the good outcome of the day; he being of the opinion that it was the right thing to do of a good general to be the first man in the troubles and the last out of it. Here Castruccio stood made open to a wind which often gets up at middle of the day on the banks of the Arno, and which is often very unhealthy; from this he took a cold, of which he thought nothing, as he was gotten used to such troubles; but it was the cause of his death. On the coming after night he was attacked with high overheated-body, which increased so rapidly that the medical experts saw it must make certain death. Castruccio, as an outcome of that, called Pagolo Guinigi to him, and talked to him as comes after:

"If I could have had belief that Fortune would have cut me off in the middle of the living which was leading to that great happiness which all my good outcomes hoped, I should have worked less, and I should have left you, if a smaller nation, at least with fewer persons hated against and great dangers, because I should have been happy with the governorships of Lucca and Pisa. I should neither have controlled the Pistoians, nor angry the Florentines with so many wounds. But I would have made both these groups of persons my friends, and I should have lived, if no longer, at least more peacefully, and have left you a state without a doubt smaller, but one more safe and made certain on a more certain base. But Fortune, who insists upon having the act of making decisions of mankind business, did not give power to me with enough decision to take in consciously this from the first, nor the time to get over it. You hast heard, for many have told you, and I have never kept secret it, how I entered the house of you father while yet a boy -- a stranger to all those desires which every kind seat of feeling should sense -- and how I was brought up by him, and loved as though I had been born of his blood; how under his ruling I learned to be without fear and able of making use myself of all that good chance event, of which you hast been come forward. When you good father came to come to an end, he made you responsible and all his property to my care, and I have brought you up with that love, and increased you land with that care, which I was joined to make clear to. And in order that you should not only have as owner the land which you father left, but also that which my great amount of money and powers to have got, I have never married, so that the love of children should never turn my mind from that kind feelings which I owed to the children of you father. Thus I let go to you a sizeable great country property, of which I am well amount in (content), but I am deeply troubled about, inasmuch as I let go it you unfixed and not safe. You hast the great town of Lucca on your hands, which will never rest made happy under they government. You have also Pisa, where the men are of nature changeable and uncertain, who, although they may be sometimes held in authority-led, yet they will ever take no interest in to work for under a Lucchese. Pistoia is also untrue to you, she being taken as food up with self-interest (political) groups and deeply made angry against you family by reason of the wrongs recently gave (pain) upon them. You hast for persons living near the wounded (feeling) Florentines, damaged by us in a thousand ways, but not completely made waste to, who will give good day to the news of my death with more great pleasure than they would the getting of all Tuscany. In the great ruler and in the Princes of Milan you can place no dependence, for they are far away, slow, and their help is very long in coming. As an outcome of that, you have no hope in anything but in your own powers to, and in the memory of my fearlessness, and in the respect of others which this latest good outcome has came with you; which, as you have knowledge of how to use it with good sense, will help you to come to terms with the Florentines, who, as they are pain or trouble under this great overcome, should be had a tendency to give attention to you. And in view of the fact that I have made attempt to make them my persons hated against, because I had belief that war with them would produce to my power and great happiness, you hast every offer to make friends of them, because their agreement will take you better chances and safety. It is of the greatest important in this earth that a man should have knowledge himself, and the measure of his own power and way; and he who knows that he has not a powerful mind for fighting must learn how to rule by the arts of peace. And it will be well for you to rule they acts, behavior by my give opinion, and to learn in this way to get pleasure out of what my life-work and dangers have got; and in this you feeble easily do well when you hast learned to have belief in that what I have told you is true. And you feeble be two times in the debt of to me, in that I have left you this field of knowledge and have taught you how to keep it."

After this there came to Castruccio those citizens of Pisa, Pistoia, and Lucca, who had been fighting at his side, and while suggesting Pagolo to them, and making them say one certainly will (do) supporting orders to him as his person coming after, he came to an end. He left a happy memory to those who had experienced him, and no Prince of those times was ever loved with such belief as he was. His placing in last resting place were noted with every sign of time of being sad for a loss, and he was put under earth in San Francesco at Lucca. Fortune was not so friendly to Pagolo Guinigi as she had been to Castruccio, for he had not the ableness. Not long after the death of Castruccio, Pagolo lost Pisa, and then Pistoia, and only with trouble gripped on to Lucca. This latter great town continued in the family of Guinigi until the time of the offspring 3 times removed of Pagolo.

From what has been related here it will be seen that Castruccio was a man of very good powers to, not only measured by men of his own time, but also by those of an earlier day. In how tall a person is he was above the normal, common, uninteresting level and errorless sized. He was of a having pleasing way existence, and he gave signs of well taken in men with such polished ways that those who spoke with him uncommonly left him displeased. His hair had a tendency to be red, and he wore it cut short above the ears, and, whether it rained or snowed, he always went without a hat. He was giving great pleasure among friends, but causing great fear to his persons hated against; just to his persons; ready to play false with the untrue, and ready to overcome by false act or trick those whom he desired to control, because he was used to say that it was the good outcome that brought the great happiness, not the methods of doing it. No one was more fearless in facing danger, none more taking care, wise in getting clear himself. He was gotten used to say that men rightly would to attempt everything and fear nothing; that God is a lover of strong men, because one always sees that the not so strong are given punishment by the strong. He was also surprisingly good sharp or biting though kind in his answers; and as he did not look for any giving way to desires in this way of saying from others, so he was not caused violent feelings with others did not make clear to it to him. It has often happened that he has heard quietly when others have said in voice sharply to him, as one the coming after times. He had caused a gold money unit to be given for a small grey bird, and was taken to work for doing so by a friend, to whom Castruccio had said: "You would not have given more than a small bit of metal money." "That is true," answered the friend. Then said Castruccio to him: "A gold money unit is much less to me." Having about him a person saying over-kind things on whom he had put out mouth liquid to make clear to that he made clear a low opinion of him, the persons saying over-kind things said to him: "fisherman are ready to let the waters of the sea overfill them in order that they make take a few little fishes, and I let myself to be wetted by mouth liquid that I may get an air breathing sea animal"; and this was not only heard by Castruccio with power of waiting but rewarded. When told by a servant of church that it was bad for him to live so highly-ornamentedly, Castruccio said: "If that be a bad tendency than you should not get on so great, beautiful, much ornamented way at the public meals of our persons much respected after death." Going through a street he saw a young man as he came out of a house of ill being talked about become red at being seen by Castruccio, and said to him: "You should not be feeling of shame when you come out, but when you go into such places." A friend gave him a very strangely tied knot to undo and was said: "Foolish person, do you have in mind that that I desire to undo a thing which gave so much trouble to make." Castruccio said to one who put about to be teaching reasoning: "You are like the dogs who always run after those who will give them the best to take as food," and was answered: "we are rather like the medical experts who go to the houses of those who have the greatest need of them." Going by water from Pisa to Leghorn, Castruccio was much troubled by a dangerous bad conditions that sprang up, and was said angry words for keeping out of danger by one of those with him, who said that he did not fear anything. Castruccio answered that he did not interest at that, since every man valued his ever-living part of being for what is was value. Being asked by one what he rightly would to do to get rough statement, he said: "When you go to a public meal take care that you do not seat one part of wood upon another." To a person who was taking credit for that he had read many things, Castruccio said: "He knows better than to talk about what one is able to do of having or keeping in mind many things." Someone talked well of self that he could drink much without becoming drunk. Castruccio answered: "An cow used for transport does the same." Castruccio was knowledgeable with a girl with whom he had sex relations, and being made responsible by a friend who told him that it was low for him to be taken in by a woman, he said: "she has not taken me in, I have taken her." Being also made responsible for taking of food very delicate and pleasing foods, he answered: "you do not make payments of as much as I do?" and being told that it was true, he gone on: "Then you are more overpowered by love of money than I am given to taking over-much food." Being made request to come to by Taddeo Bernardi, a very good quality and greatly to be respected person having rights in the nation of Luca, to late meal, he went to the house and was made clear by Taddeo into a room hung with silk and covered with in very small grains stones representing flowers and leaves of the most beautiful coloring. Castruccio gathered some liquid in the mouth in his mouth and put out mouth liquid upon Taddeo, and seeing him much troubled by this, said to him: "I knew not where to put out in order to wound (feeling) you less." Being asked how Caesar died he said: "God ready to I will come to an end as he did." Being one night in the house of one of his men of good birth, position, education where many ladies were came together, he was not given approval by one of his friends for dancing and giving amusement himself with them more than was general in one of his station, so he said: "He who is thought out wise by day will not be thought out a foolish person at night." A person came to request a kind act of Castruccio, and having thoughts he was not hearing to his request threw himself on his knees to the land, and being sharply not gave approval by Castruccio, said: "you art the reason of my acting thus for you hast you ears in your feet," And then he got twice the kind act he had made a request. Castruccio used to say that the way to place of punishment after death was an simple, not hard one, seeing that it was in a down direction and you journeyed eyes-covered. Being asked a kind act by one who used many unnecessary words, he said to him: "When you have another request to make, send someone else to make it." Having been tired by a like man with a long public talk, statement who wound up by saying: "possibly I have tired you by wordusing so long," Castruccio said: "You have not, because I have not gave attention to a word you said." He used to say of one who had been a beautiful very young person and who after became a high-quality man, that he was dangerous, because he first took the married men from the married women and now he took the married women from their married men. To an in desire for what another has man who laughed, he said: "Do you laugh because you are good or because another is chanceless?" While he was still in the responsibility of Messer Francesco Guinigi, one of his company said to him: "what shall I give you if you will let me give you a blow on the nose?" Castruccio answered: "A head-cover to keep safe." Having put to death a person having rights in the nation of Lucca who had been to do with in getting lifted up, higher him to power, and being told that he had done wrong to put to death one of his old friends, he answered that people tricked themselves; he had only put to death a new person hated. Castruccio praised greatly those men who put forward take a married woman and then did not do so, saying that they were like men who said they would go to sea, and then refused when the time came. He said that it always struck him with surprise that while men in giving money for an earth-like material or glass vessel, flower-glass would sound it first to learn if it were good, yet in selecting a married woman they were happy with only looking at her. He was once asked in what way he would desire to be put under earth when he came to an end, and answered: "With the face turned down, for I have knowledge when I am gone this country will be turned upside down." On being asked if it had ever occurred to him to become a man of religion in order to keep from destruction his ever-living part of being, he answered that it had not, because it appeared strange to him that Fra Lazerone should go to Paradise and Uguccione della Faggiuola to the inferno. He was once asked when should a man take as food to keep safe his condition of body, and answered: "If the man be full of money let him take as food when he is in need of food; if he be poor, then when he be able to." Seeing on of his men of good birth, position, education make a part of his family make tight by pulling him up, he said to him: "I make request God that you will let him get food to you in addition." Seeing that someone had written upon his house in Latin the words: "May God keep safe this house from the bad," he said, "The owner must never go in." Going through one of the streets he saw a small house with a very wide, of great size door, and said: "That house will fly through the door." He was having a discussion with the nation's representative in another country of the King of Naples about the property of some sent from country persons of high birth, when a not in agreement arose between them, and the nation's representative in another country asked him if he had no fear of the king. "Is this king of yours a bad man or a good one?" asked Castruccio, and was said that he was a good one, then he said, "Why should you suggest that I should be in fear of a good man?"

I could give detailed accounts of many other stories of his sayings both bright and having great weight, but I have in mind that that the above will be enough statements to his high qualities. He lived 44 years, and was in every way a Prince. And as he was put all round by many facts supporting certain belief of his good chance event, so he also desired to have near him some things in memory of his bad chance event; therefore the hand-keeping instruments with which he was chained in prison are to be seen to this day fixed up in the tall structure of his house, where they were placed by him to state for ever to his days of bad times. As in his living he was of rougher quality neither to Philip of Macedon, the father of Alexander, nor to Scipio of Rome, so he died in the same year of his times in existence as they did, and he would doubtless have done better than both of them had Fortune ordered that he should be born, not in Lucca, but in Macedonia or Rome.