erse in brief, as long as it shall be God's pleasure; in hope
of which, rather than in my own poor learning, I undertook, by his
grace, the said enterprise; and thus in the year 1300, having returned
from Rome, I began to compile this book, in reverence to God and the
blessed John, and in commendation of our city of Florence.

[Sidenote: 1300 A.D.]

Sec. 37.--_How Count Guido of Flanders and two sons of his surrendered to
the king of France, and how they were deceived and cast into prison._

Sec. 38.--_How the parties of the Blacks and Whites first began in the
city of Pistoia._

[Sidenote: 1300 A.D.]

In these times the city of Pistoia being in happy and great and good
estate, among the other citizens there was one family very noble and
puissant, not however of very ancient lineage, which was called the
Cancellieri, born of one Ser Cancelliere, which was a merchant, and
gained much wealth, and by his two wives had many sons, which by
reason of their riches all became knights, and men of worth and
substance, and from them were born many sons and grandsons, so that at
this time they numbered more than 100 men in arms, rich and puissant
and of many affairs, so that not only were they the leading citizens
of Pistoia, but they were among the most puissant families of Tuscany.
There arose among them through their exceeding prosperity, and through
the suggestion of the devil, contempt and enmity, between them which
were born of one wife against them which were born of the other; and
the one part took the name of the Black Cancellieri, and the other of
the Whites, and this grew until they fought together, but it was not
any very great affair. And one of those on the side of the White
Cancellieri having been wounded, they on the side of the Black
Cancellieri, to the end they might be at peace and concord with them,
sent him which had done the injury and handed him over to the mercy of
them which had received it, that they should take amends and vengeance
for it at their will; they on the side of the White Cancellieri,
ungrateful and proud, having neither pity nor love, cut off the hand
of him which had been commended to their mercy on a horse manger. By
which sinful beginning, not only was the house of the Cancellieri
divided, but many violent deaths arose therefrom, and all the city of
Pistoia was divided, for some held with one part and some with the
other, and they called themselves the Whites and the Blacks,
forge