n commanded to stand firm, and
not to strike under pain of death, when he saw the battle begun, said,
like a valiant man: "If we lose, I will die in the battle with my
fellow-citizens; and if we conquer, let him that will, come to us at
Pistoia to exact the penalty"; and he boldly set his troop in motion,
and struck the enemy in flank, and was a great cause of their rout.
And this done, as it pleased God, the Florentines had the victory, and
the Aretines were routed and discomfited, and between horse and foot
more than 1,700 were slain, and more than 2,000 taken, whereof many of
the best were smuggled away, some for friendship, some in return for
ransom; but there came of them bound to Florence more than 740. Among
the dead left on the field were M. Guiglielmino of the Ubertini,
bishop of Arezzo, the which was a great warrior, and M. Guiglielmino
de' Pazzi of Valdarno and his nephews, the which was the best and the
most experienced captain of war that there was in Italy in his time;
and there died there Bonconte, son of Count Guido of Montefeltro, and
three of the Uberti, and one of the Abati, and two of the Griffoni of
Fegghine, and many other Florentine refugees, and Guiderello
d'Alessandro of Orvieto, a renowned captain, who bore the imperial
standard, and many others. On the side of the Florentines was slain no
man of renown save M. Guiglielmo Berardi, bailiff of M. Amerigo da
Nerbona, and M. Bindo del Baschiera de' Tosinghi, and Ticci de'
Visdomini; but many other citizens and foreigners were wounded. The
news of the said victory came to Florence the same day, at the same
hour that it took place, for after their meal, the Priors being gone
to sleep and repose, after the care and wakefulness of the past night,
suddenly there was a knocking on the chamber door, with the cry:
"Arise, for the Aretines are discomfited"; and having risen and opened
the door, they found no one, and their servants without had heard
nothing, wherefore it was held to be a great and notable marvel,
inasmuch as no person came from the host with tidings before the hour
of vespers. And this was the truth, for I heard it and saw it; and all
the Florentines marvelled whence this could be, and awaited the issue
in suspense. But when they arrived which came from the host, and
reported the tidings in Florence, there was great gladness and
rejoicing; and there was good cause, for at the said discomfiture were
slain many captains and valiant men of the