di, which came to him
afterwards; and as they came through the region of Perugia, they were
assailed by the Perugians, and defended themselves against them, and
passed on with loss and shame to the Perugians. And the Emperor came
thither so suddenly that the most part of the Florentines could not
believe that he was there in person; and they were so dismayed and
fearful about their horsemen which were left at Ancisa well-nigh
discomfited, that if the Emperor and his followers, upon their sudden
coming had advanced to the gates, they would have found them open and
ill-guarded; and it is thought by most that the city would have been
taken. The Florentines, however, beholding the burning of the houses
along the way, called the people to arms by sound of bell, and with
the standards of their companies they came to the piazza of the
Priors, and the bishop of Florence armed himself, with the horses
belonging to the clergy, and hastened to defend the Porta Santo
Ambrogio and the moats; and all the people on foot were with him; and
they barred the gates, and ordered the standard-bearers and their
people, at their posts along the moats, to guard the city by day and
by night. And within the city on that side they pitched a camp with
pavilions, tents, and booths, to the intent the guard might be
stronger, and made palisades along the moats of all kinds of wood,
with portcullises, in a very short time. And thus abode the
Florentines in great fear for two days, for their horsemen and their
army were returning from Ancisa by divers ways by the vale of
Robbiano, and from Santa Maria in Pianeta a Montebuoni [Impruneta] in
the night season. When they came to Florence, the city was reassured;
and the Lucchese sent thither in aid and defence of the city 600 horse
and 3,000 foot, and the Sienese 600 horse and 2,000 foot, and they of
Pistoia 100 horse and 500 foot, and they of Prato 50 horse and 400
foot, and they of Volterra 100 horse and 300 foot, and Colle and
Sangimignagno and Samminiato each 50 horse and 200 foot, the Bolognese
400 horse and 1,000 foot; from Romagna there came, what with Rimini
and Ravenna and Faenza and Cesena and the other Guelf cities, 300
horse and 1,500 foot, and from Agobbio 100 horse, and from the city of
Castello 50 horse. From Perugia there came no aid, by reason of the
war which they had with Todi and Spoleto. And thus within eight days
of the siege being declared by the Emperor, the Florentines with their
al