Maggiore, at the foot of the towers of Cicino, and in Torcicoda, and
at the entrance of the way which goes towards the Stinche, and at the
way of San Brocolo, with strong barricades, and with much folk, his
kinsmen and friends, in arms and with crossbows, enclosed within the
barricade, and at his service. The people began to attack the said
barricades in divers places, and M. Corso and his friends to defend
them boldly; and the battle endured the greater part of the day, and
was so strong that, with all the power of the people, if the
reinforcements of Uguccione's followers and the other friends from the
country invited by M. Corso had joined him in time, the people of
Florence would have had enough to do that day; because, albeit they
were many, yet were they ill-ordered and not well agreed, forasmuch as
to part of them the attack was not pleasing. But when Uguccione's
followers heard how M. Corso was attacked by the people, they turned
back, and the citizens which were within the barricade began to
depart, so that he remained very scant of followers, and certain of
the people broke down the wall of the orchard over against the
Stinche, and entered in with a great company of men in arms. When M.
Corso and his followers saw this, and that the aid of Uguccione and of
his other friends was belated and had failed them, he abandoned the
houses, and fled out of the city, the which houses were straightway
plundered and destroyed by the people, and M. Corso and his followers
were pursued by certain citizens on horse and by certain Catalans,
sent expressly to take him. And Gherardo Bordoni was overtaken by
Boccaccio Cavicciuli, at the Affrico, and slain, and his hand was cut
off and taken to the street of the Adimari, and nailed to the door of
M. Tedici degli Adimari, his associate, by reason of enmity between
them. M. Corso, departing quite alone, was overtaken and captured near
Rovezzano by certain Catalans on horse, and as they were taking him
prisoner to Florence, when they were hard by San Salvi, he prayed them
to let him go free, promising them much money if they would let him
escape, but they held to their purpose of taking him to Florence, as
had been commanded them by their lords; then M. Corso, in fear of
coming into the hands of his enemies, and of being brought to justice
by the people, being much afflicted with gout in his hands and feet,
let himself fall from his horse. The said Catalans seeing him on the
ground,