e Germans were
evilly entreated and much beaten down, and well-nigh turned to flight.
King Manfred, who with his troop of Apulians remained ready to succour
the host, beholding his followers not able to abide the conflict,
exhorted the people of his troop that they should follow him into the
battle, but they gave little heed to his word, for the greater part of
the barons of Apulia and of the Kingdom, among others the Count
Chamberlain, and him of Acerra and him of Caserta, and others, either
through cowardice of heart, or seeing that they were coming by the
worse, and there are those who say through treachery, as faithless
folk, and desirous of a new lord, failed Manfred, abandoning him and
fleeing, some towards Abruzzi and some towards the city of Benivento.
Manfred, being left with few followers, did as a valiant lord, who
would rather die in battle as king than flee with shame; and whilst he
was putting on his helmet, a silver eagle which he wore as crest fell
down before him on his saddle bow; and he seeing this, was much
dismayed, and said to the barons, which were beside him, in Latin:
"_Hoc est signum Dei_, for I fastened this crest with my own hand
after such a fashion that it should not have been possible for it to
fall"; yet for all this he did not give up, but as a valiant lord he
took heart, and immediately entered into the battle, without the royal
insignia, so as not to be recognised as king, but like any other
noble, striking bravely into the thickest of the fight; nevertheless,
his followers endured but a little while, for they were already
turning; and straightway they were routed and King Manfred slain in
the midst of his enemies, it was said by a French esquire, but it was
not known for certain. In that battle there was great mortality both
on the one side and on the other, but much more among the followers of
Manfred; and whilst they were fleeing from the field towards
Benivento, they were pursued by the army of King Charles, which
followed them as far as the city (for night was already falling), and
took the city of Benivento and those who were fleeing. Many chief
barons of King Manfred were taken; among the others were taken Count
Giordano, and Messer Piero Asino degli Uberti; which two King Charles
sent captive to Provence, and there he caused them to die a cruel
death in prison. The other Apulian and German barons he kept in prison
in divers places in the Kingdom; and a few days after, the wife o