aste the
country round about the city up to the suburbs, and destroyed the
towers of Montefiore which were very strong; and the fortress of
Carmignano surrendered to the commonwealth of Florence. And note that
upon the rock of Carmignano there was a tower seventy cubits high,
and thereupon two arms in marble, whereof the hands were 'making the
figs' at Florence; wherefore the artificers of Florence, to express
contempt for money or ought else offered to them, were wont to say: "I
can't see it, for the fortress of Carmignano is in the way." And the
Pistoians hereupon agreed to whatever terms the Florentines might
devise, and caused the said fortress of Carmignano to be destroyed.

[Sidenote: 1229 A.D.]

[Sidenote: 1232 A.D.]

[Sidenote: 1233 A.D.]

[Sidenote: 1234 A.D.]

[Sidenote: 1235 A.D.]

Sec. 6.--_How the Sienese renewed the war with the Florentines on account
of Montepulciano._ Sec. 7.--_Of a great miracle that came to pass in S.
Ambrogio in Florence, concerning the body of Christ._ Sec. 8.--_Yet again
of the war of the Florentines with the Sienese._ Sec. 9.--_Of the
conflagration in Florence._ Sec. 10.--_Yet again of the war with Siena._
Sec. 11.--_The same._ Sec. 12.--_Of the conflagration in Florence._ Sec.
13.--_How peace was made between the Florentines and the Sienese._

Sec. 14.--_How the Emperor Frederick came to enmity with the Church._

[Sidenote: 1220 A.D.]

[Sidenote: 1226 A.D.]

[Sidenote: Cf. De Vulg. El. i. 10: 50, 63. i. 11: 20. i. 13: 31. Par.
xi. 53.]

[Sidenote: 1230 A.D.]

After that Frederick II. was crowned by Pope Honorius, as we have
aforesaid, in the beginning he was the friend of the Church, but a
little time after, through his pride and avarice, he began to usurp
the rights of the Church throughout all his Empire, and in the realm
of Sicily and Apulia, appointing bishops and archbishops and other
prelates, and driving away those sent by the Pope, and raising imposts
and taxes from the clergy, doing shame to Holy Church; for the which
thing by the said Pope Honorius, which had crowned him, he was cited,
and admonished that he should leave to Holy Church her rights, and
render the dues. But the Emperor perceived himself to be great in
power and estate, alike through the force of the Germans and through
that of the realm of Sicily, and that he was lord over sea and land,
and was feared by all the rulers of Christendom, and also by the
Saracens, and was buttressed around