arles, and then of his people, and how through failure of his great
host, which was in Lombardy, they had passed onward, was much angered.
Immediately he gave all his care to defend the passes of the Kingdom,
and at the pass at the bridge at Cepperano he placed the Count
Giordano and the count of Caserta, the which were of the house of da
Quona, with many followers, both foot and horse; and in San Germano he
placed a great part of his German and Apulian barons, and all the
Saracens of Nocera with bows and crossbows, and great store of arrows,
trusting more in this defence than in any other, by reason of the
strong place and the position, which has on the one side high
mountains, and on the other marshes and stagnant waters, and was
furnished with victuals and with all things necessary for more than
two years. King Manfred having fortified the passes, as we have said,
sent his ambassadors to King Charles to treat with him concerning a
truce or peace; and their embassage being delivered, it was King
Charles's will to make answer with his own mouth; and he said in his
language, in French: "Allez, et ditez pour moi au sultan de Nocere,
aujourdhui je mettrai lui en enfer, ou il mettra moi en paradis;"
which was as much as to say: I will have nothing but battle, and in
that battle, either he shall slay me, or I him; and this done without
delay he set out on his road. It chanced that King Charles having
arrived with his host at Fresolone in Campagna, as he was descending
towards Cepperano, the said Count Giordano, which was defending that
pass, seeing the king's followers coming to pass through, desired to
defend the pass; the count of Caserta said that it was better to let
some of them pass first so that they might seize them on the other
side of the pass without stroke of sword. Count Giordano, when he saw
the people increase, again desired to assail them in battle; then the
count of Caserta, who was in the plot, said that the battle would be a
great risk, seeing that too many of them had passed. Then Count
Giordano, seeing the king's followers to be so powerful, abandoned the
place and bridge, some say from fear, but more say on account of the
pact made by the king with the count of Caserta, inasmuch as he loved
not Manfred, who, of his inordinate lust, had forcibly ravished the
count of Caserta's wife. Wherefore he held himself to be greatly
shamed by him, and sought to avenge himself by this treachery. And to
this we give