, and afterwards how
he came towards the city of Florence._

[Sidenote: 1312 A.D.]

In the said month of August, in 1312, the Emperor departed from Todi
and passed through the region of Perugia, destroying and burning, and
his people took by force Castiglione of Chiusi on the lake, and from
there he came to Cortona, and then to Arezzo, and was received by the
Aretines with great honour. And in Arezzo he assembled his army to
come against the city of Florence, and suddenly he departed from
Arezzo and entered into the territory of Florence on the 12th day of
September, and there was straightway surrendered to him the fortress
of Caposelvole upon the Ambra which pertained to the Florentines. And
then he pitched his camp before the fortress of Montevarchi, which was
well furnished with soldiers, both horse and foot, and with victuals;
against it he ordered many assaults, and caused the moats to be
emptied of water, and filled up with earth. They within the city,
seeing that they were so hotly assailed, and that the city had low
walls, and that the horsemen of the Emperor fighting on foot, and
mounting the walls on ladders, did not fear the arrows nor the stones
which were thrown down, were greatly dismayed, and believing that the
Florentines would not succour them, surrendered themselves on the
third day to the Emperor. And when he had taken Montevarchi, without
delay he came with his host to the fortress of Sangiovanni, which in
like manner surrendered itself to him, and he took there seventy
Catalan horsemen, in the service of the Florentines: and thus without
hindrance he came to the village of Fegghine.

Sec. 46.--_How the Florentines were well-nigh discomfited at the fortress
of Ancisa by the army of the Emperor._

[Sidenote: 1312 A.D.]

When the Florentines heard that the Emperor had departed from Arezzo,
immediately the people and horsemen of Florence, without awaiting
other aid, rode to the fortress of Ancisa upon the Arno, and they were
about 1,800 horse and many foot, and at Ancisa they encamped to hold
the pass against the Emperor. And when he heard this, he came with his
army to the plain of Ancisa upon the island of Arno which is called Il
Mezzule, and challenged the Florentines to battle. The Florentines,
knowing themselves to be in number of their horsemen not much superior
to those of the Emperor, and being without a captain, did not desire
to try the fortune of battle, believing that they could hind