.
xiv. 43-45.]

In the year of Christ 1213, there died the Count Guido Vecchio, which
left behind him five sons; but one died, leaving those who had Poppi
as the heirs of his portion, forasmuch as he left no children; and
from the other four sons were descended all the Counts Guidi. As to
this Count Guido, it is said that in ancient times his forbears were
great barons in Germany, which came over with the Emperor Otho I., who
gave them the territory of Modigliana in Romagna, and there they
remained; and afterwards their descendants, by reason of their power,
were lords over almost all Romagna, and made their headquarters in
Ravenna, but because of the outrages they wrought on the citizens
concerning their wives, and other tyrannies, in a popular tumult they
were driven out of Ravenna, pursued, and slain in one day, so that
none escaped either small or great, save one young child which was
named Guido, the which was at Modigliana at nurse, which was surnamed
Guido Besangue [drink-blood], through the disaster of his family, as
in the story of the Emperor Otho we before made mention. This Guido
was the father of the said Count Guido Vecchio, whence all the Counts
Guidi are descended. This Count Guido Vecchio took to wife the
daughter of M. Bellincione Berti of the Rovignani, which was the
greatest and the most honoured knight in Florence, and his houses
which were at Porta San Piero above the Old Gate descended by heritage
to the Counts. This lady was named Gualdrada, and he took her for her
beauty and her fair speech, beholding her in S. Reparata, with the
other ladies and maidens of Florence. For when the Emperor Otho IV.
came to Florence, and saw the fair ladies of the city assembled in
Santa Reparata, in his honour, this maiden most pleased the Emperor;
and her father saying to the Emperor that he had it in his power to
bid her kiss him, the maiden made answer that there was no man living
which should kiss her, save he were her husband, for the which speech,
the Emperor much commended her; and the said Count Guido being taken
with love of her by reason of her graciousness, and by the counsel of
the said Otho, the Emperor, took her to wife, not regarding that she
was of less noble lineage than he, nor regarding her dowry; whence all
the Counts Guidi are born from the said Count and the said lady after
this fashion; for, as aforesaid, there were left four sons which were
the heirs: the first was named William, from whom