on; and this done, he went through the city with two devices
embroidered on his coat: the one before read, "He is as pleaseth God,"
and that behind, "And shall be what God will have him." Now the
Florentines were furious at the cunning breach of their truce by which
Castruccio had got himself Pistoja; so, while he was in Rome, they
determined to capture the place: which they did one night by a ruse,
destroying all Castruccio's party. And when he heard it, Castruccio came
north in great anger. But at first the Florentines were too quick for
him: they got together all of the Guelph league, and before Castruccio
was back again, held Val di Nievole. Seeing their greatness--for they
were 40,000 in number, while he on his return could muster but 12,000
men at most--he would not meet them in the plain, nor in the Val di
Pescia, but resolved to draw that great army into the narrow ways of
Serravalle, where he could deal with them. Now Serravalle is a Rocca not
on the road but on the hillside above, and the way down into the valley
is rather strait than steep till you come to the place where the waters
divide: so strait that twenty men abreast take up all the way. That
Rocca belonged to a German lord called Manfredi, whose throat Castruccio
cheerfully cut. The Florentines, who were eager not only to hold all Val
di Nievole but to carry the war away from Pistoja towards Lucca, knew
nothing of Serravalle having fallen to Castruccio, so on they came in
haste, and encamped above it, hoping to pass the straits next day. There
Castruccio fell upon them about midnight, putting all to confusion.
Horse and foot fell foul upon one another, and both upon the baggage.
There was no way left for them but to run, which they did helter-skelter
in the plain of Pistoja, where each man shifted for himself. But
Castruccio followed them even to Peretola at the gates of Florence,
carrying Pistoja and Prato on the way; there he coined money under their
walls,[145] while his soldiers insulted over the conquered; and to make
his triumph more remarkable, nothing would serve the turn but naked
women must run Corsi on horseback under the very walls of the city. And
to deliver their city from Castruccio, the Florentines were compelled to
send to the King of Naples, and to pay him annual tribute.

But Castruccio's business was always spoiled by revolt, and this time it
was Pistoja which rose, and later Pisa. Then the Guelphs raised a great
army--30,000 foot a