red; the
Calci, white and green and gold; Calcesana, yellow and black; the
Mattaccini, white, blue, and peach-blossom; the Satiri, red and black.
The southern _squadre_ were called S. Antonio, whose banner was of
flame colour, on which was a pig; S. Martino, with a banner of white,
black, and red; San Marco, with a banner of white and yellow with a
winged lion, and under its feet was the gospel, on which was written
_Pax tibi Marce_; the Leoni, with a banner of black and white; the
Dragoni, with a banner of green and white; the Delfini, with a banner of
blue and yellow. All these banners were of silk, and very large.[70]

Originally the game was played on St. Anthony's day, the 17th of
January; later, this first game came to be a sort of trial match, in
which the players were chosen for the _Battaglia generale_, which took
place on some later date agreed upon by both parties. Thus, I suppose,
if any noble visited Pisa, the _Battaglia generale_ would be fought in
his honour.

The challenge of the side defeated at the last contest having been
received, a council of war was held in both camps, and permission being
given by the authorities, on that evening, the city was illuminated. The
great procession (the _squadre_ in each camp, in the order in which I
have named them) took place on the day of battle, each army keeping to
its own side of Arno. Then the Piazza del Ponte for the northern army,
the Piazza de' Bianchi for the southern, were enclosed with palisades to
form the camps, and the battle began.

In order to save the _soldato_ from hurt, his head was covered with a
_falzata_ of cotton, and guarded by an iron casque with a barred
vizor.[71] The body was also swathed in cotton or a doublet of leather,
over which iron armour was worn. The arms, too, were covered with
quilted leather and the hands in gauntlets, and the legs were protected
with gaiters, while round the neck a quilted collar was tied to save the
collar bone. The only weapon allowed was the _targone_, a shield of wood
curved at the top, and almost but not quite pointed at the foot. At the
back of this were two handles, which were gripped by both hands, and
the blow delivered with the smaller end of the shield. When the press of
the fight was not very great, no doubt this shield was used as a club.
These _targoni_ were decorated with mottoes or a device, as we may see
from these now in the Museo; they were evidently even heirlooms in the
family which ha