lies were more than 4,000 horse, and foot without number. The
Emperor had 1,800 horsemen, whereof 800 were foreigners and 1,000
Italians, from Rome, from the March, from the Duchy, from Arezzo, and
from Romagna, and from the Counts Guidi, and them of Santafiore, and
the Florentine refugees; and much people on foot, forasmuch as the
country people of the region which he was occupying, all followed his
camp. And that year was the most fertile and fruitful in all food
which had been for thirty years past. The Emperor abode at the siege
until the last day of the month of October, laying the whole country
waste towards the eastern side, and did great hurt to the Florentines
without any attack upon the city, being in hopes of gaining it by
agreement; and even if he had attacked it, it was so well furnished
with horsemen, that there would have been two or more defending the
city for every one without, and of foot four to one; and the
Florentines were in such good heart that the most part went about
unarmed, and they kept all the other gates open, save the one on that
side; and the merchandise came in and went out as if there had been no
war. As to the Florentines sallying forth to battle, either by reason
of cowardice or of prudence in war, or because they had no leader,
they would in no wise trust to the fortune of the combat, albeit they
had greatly the advantage, had they but had a good captain, and been
more united among themselves. Certainly they rode out to Cerretello,
whither the Pisans had marched with their army, and they forced them
to withdraw from it again, as though defeated, in the month of
October. The Emperor lay sick many days at San Salvi, and perceiving
that he could not gain the city by agreement, and that the Florentines
would not give battle, he departed, not yet recovered. [And whilst he
was still at San Salvi, the count of Savoy was discoursing with the
abbot and certain monks of that place, concerning the Emperor, how he
had heard from his astrologers or by some other revelation, that he
was to conquer as far as to the world's end; then said the abbot
smiling: "The prophecy is fulfilled, for hard by where you are
dwelling, there is a road which has no exit, which is called the
World's End"; wherefore the count and the other barons which heard
this were confounded in their vain hope: and for this reason, wise men
ought not to put faith in any prophecy or sayings of astrologers, for
they are lies and have