s, minstrels or jesters he never took delight; his arms
were those of France, that is an azure field charged with the golden
lily, barred with vermilion above; so far they were diverse from the
arms of France. This Charles, when he passed into Italy, was forty-six
years of age, and he reigned nineteen years in Sicily and Apulia, as
we shall make mention hereafter. He had by his wife two sons and
several daughters; the first was named Charles II., and was somewhat
crippled, and was prince of Capua; and after the first Charles, his
father, he became king of Sicily and of Apulia, as we shall make
mention hereafter. The second was Philip, who was prince of the Morea
in his wife's right; but he died young and without issue, for he
ruptured himself in straining a crossbow. We will now leave for a
while to speak of the progeny of the good King Charles, and will
continue our story of his passing into Italy, and of other things
which followed thereupon.

Sec. 2.--_How the Guelf refugees from Florence took the arms of Pope
Clement, and how they joined the French army of Count Charles._

[Sidenote: 1265 A.D.]

In those times the Guelf refugees from Florence and from the other
cities of Tuscany, who were much advantaged by the booty they had made
of the cities of Modena and Reggio, whereof we before made mention,
hearing that Count Charles was preparing to pass into Italy, gathered
all their strength in arms and in horses, each one doing all in his
power; and they numbered more than 400 good horsemen of gentle lineage
and proved in arms, and they sent their ambassadors to Pope Clement,
to the end he might recommend them to Count Charles, King elect of
Sicily, and to proffer themselves for the service of Holy Church;
which were graciously received by the said Pope, and provided with
money and other benefactions; and the said Pope required that for love
of him the Guelf party from Florence should always bear his proper
arms on their standard and seal, which was, and is, a white field with
a vermilion eagle above a green serpent, which they bore and kept
henceforward, and down to our present times, though it is true that
the Guelfs added afterwards a small vermilion lily above the head of
the eagle; and with this banner they departed from Lombardy in company
with the French horsemen of Count Charles when they journeyed to Rome,
as we shall make mention hereafter; and they were among the best
warriors and the most skilled in arms,