er the
Emperor by reason of the difficult pass, so that he could not get
through to Florence. The Emperor seeing that the Florentines were not
willing to fight, by counsel of the wise men of war, refugees from
Florence, took the way of the hill above Ancisa, and by narrow and
difficult ways passed the fortress and came out on the side towards
Florence. The host of the Florentines perceiving his movements, and
fearing lest he should come to the city of Florence, some part of them
with the king's marshal and his troops departed from Ancisa, to be
before him in the way. The count of Savoy, and M. Henry of Flanders,
which were come before to take the pass, vigorously attacked them
which were at the frontier under Montelfi, and with the advantage
which they had of the hill, they put them to flight and discomfiture,
and some pursued them as far as the village of Ancisa. The rout of the
Florentines was more through the dismay caused by the sudden assault,
than by loss of men; for among them all there were not twenty-five
horsemen slain, and less than one hundred footmen; and well-nigh all
the foreigners which came in pursuit of them as far as the village
were slain. Nevertheless, the followers of the Emperor remained
victorious in the combat, and the Florentines were filled with fear;
and the Emperor spent that night two miles this side of Ancisa on the
way to Florence. The Florentines remained in the fortress of Ancisa,
as it were besieged and with but little provision of victuals, so
that, if the Emperor had been constant to the siege, the Florentines
which were at Ancisa would have been well-nigh all slain or taken. But
as it pleased God, the Emperor resolved that night to go direct to the
city of Florence, believing that he should take it without opposition;
and he left the host of the Florentines behind at Ancisa, seeing that
they were in a state of siege, and in much fear, and in great
disorder.

Sec. 47.--_How the Emperor Henry encamped with his host before the city
of Florence._

[Sidenote: 1312 A.D.]

[Sidenote: Purg. vi. 111.]

And thus the day following, the 19th day of September, 1312, the
Emperor came with his host to the city of Florence, his followers
setting fire to everything they came across; and thus he crossed the
river Arno, over against where the Mensola enters it, and abode at the
monastery of Santo Salvi, with perhaps 1,000 horsemen. The rest of his
followers remained in Valdarno, and part at To