of July, 1318, and
was honourably received by the citizens as their lord, and heartened
the city, which could scarce hold out for lack of victuals.
Immediately when the king was come to Genoa, the exiles broke up the
camp which they had in Bisagno, and withdrew to the mountains of San
Bernardo and of Peraldo, and to the suburbs of Prea towards the west.

Sec. 94.--_How the Genoese gave the lordship of Genoa to King Robert._

[Sidenote: 1318 A.D.]

In the said year, on the 27th day of July, the captains of Genoa and
the Abao of the people, and the Podesta, in full parliament, renounced
their jurisdiction and lordship, and with the consent of the people
gave the lordship and care of the city and of the Riviera to Pope John
and to King Robert for ten years, according to the constitutions of
Genoa; and King Robert took it for the Pope and for himself, as one
who had long desired it, thinking when he should have got the lordship
of Genoa quietly in his hands, to be able to recover the island of
Sicily, and overcome all his enemies; and it was for this purpose
that, long ere this, he had stirred up revolution in the city, so as
to drive thence the Spinoli and the d'Oria, forasmuch as ofttimes
whilst they were lords of Genoa, they had opposed King Robert and King
Charles, his father, and had helped them of Aragon which held the
island of Sicily, as before we have made mention.

Sec. 95.--_Of the active war which the exiles of Genoa with the Lombards
made against King Robert._

[Sidenote: 1318 A.D.]

[Sidenote: Cf. Purg. xiii. 152.]

The host without Genoa was not weakened by reason of King Robert's
coming, but was largely increased by the aid of the lords of Lombardy,
which held with the Imperial party; and they renewed their league with
the emperor of Constantinople, and with King Frederick of Sicily, and
with the marquis of Monferrat, and with Castruccio, lord of Lucca, and
also secretly with the Pisans. And whilst they were at the siege, they
were continually making strong and fierce assaults upon the city,
hurling things against it from many engines, and attacking it in many
places by day and by night--being men of great vigour--in such wise
that King Robert with all his forces could gain nothing against them
in any part. Rather by digging underground they undermined a great
piece of the wall of Porta Santa Agnesa, and caused it to fall, and
some of them entered by force into the city. Wherefore the king in
pe