therefore sent forthe their wyues and children and all their other people that were vnmeete for the warres Wherof somme abode in Campanie some at Naples and some in Sicill as euery man thought most for hys commoditye and behoofe At Rome Belisarius gaue streyghte commaundemente and looked narrowlye to it Belisarius deuideth corne by the pole that the corne was deuyded by the poll to the entent the no waste nor spoyle should be made of it The same time Belisarius bannished the town Liberius the pope vppon suspicion of secrete conspiratie with the Gothes A pope banished vpō suspition of trcoson And anone after was Vigilius consecrated high bishop and enstalled in his steed Other of the nobilitie of Rome also were bannished vppon lyke presumption of the which number was one Marimus whose great graundfather after the death of Valentinian had vsurped the name and dignitie of the Empyre The .xij. Chapter The ayde that the Emperour sent into Italy commeth to Rome Belisarius after practising his fouldiers in ikyrmishes encountereth vvith the Gothes in a mayne battell and is ouercome vvith great slaughter WHyle these thynges were a doing Nevv succour commeth to Rome Martine Valerian whom Iustinian had sent forth as I shewed before came vnto Rome bringing with them a thousand fixe hundred horsemen the which for the most parte with all Hunnes Belisarius beynge recomforted by the commynge of these Souldyers determined to order hys warres after another sort then he had done before For he was not mynded to stand styl with in the Citye kepynge of the walles Belis practiseth his Souldyers in Skytmisshes but euery daye sent out hys lyght horse men and skirmyshed wyth hys enemyes in open fyelde By meanes whereof it came to passe that bothe partes were wonderfullye enflamed and nothynge was lefte vnatrempted For Belisarius beynge a most expert captaine in fcats of armes taught his horsmen what they should do shewing them how farre they shuld go where and when they should stay One while he sent out his horsmen sodainly at the gates Salaria and Pinciana and disquietted the Gothes that encamped theraboutes Another while he would yssue oute at Aurelius gate and be doyng wyth the Gothes that lay betwen Adrians tumbe the bridge Miluius In these conflictes the fouldiers of Belisarius beganne to preualle Not that they were able to match the whole power of theyr enemyes horsemen but because they seemed to be to good for them being equally matched as many to as many or some what mo in number then they them selues were and to be of more conning and audacitie in their feighting His horsemen being thus by litle and litle practised began to set lyght by the horsemen of theyr enemies And the besieged beganne to take courage and confidence vnto them To be short it came to that point that they would not any more skyrnisshe but feight it out in the playne field wyth hand strokes For the Captaynes and the Souldyers had lyen so sore at Belisarius and had so often and so carnestly entreated hym that he determined to trye some greater encounter A battell betvvene the Gothes and Belisarius And therevpon he disposed his armye in this wyse First he commaunded one band to issue out at the gate of Aurelius and to stand in battell raye before Adrianus tumbe against theyr enemies The charge of this bande he committed to Valentine Lieutenant of the horsemen geuing him besides his horsemen a certayne of the olde expert footemen and of the people of Rome which of their own fre wyll requested the thyng at his hand He wold not haue these footemen stand with the horsemen but willed them to take the hilles which rise ouer the playnes on the left hand of Ianiculum And he gaue Valentine commaundement to make a shewe as though he woulde ener geue an onset vppon the enemye but in anye wyse not to encounter with them vnlesse he were compelled For hys mynde was no moore but to deteyne that parte of the Gothes that encamped in that place styll there to the entent they shoulde not succour theyr felowed al the gate Saiaria where he determined to feyght Then made he two other battels one at the gate Saleria and another at the gate Pinciana And in them both he placed the horsemen in the forewarde and the footemen in the rereward commaundynge eche battell to issue out at theyr seuerall gates and to marche toward theyr enemies Vitigis kynge of the Gothes hauyng intelligence by certayne runnagates that he shoulde haue battell the nexte morowe caused the Gothes to arme them selues by the breake of the daye In orderyng of hys battelles he set hys footemen in the middes and on eche syde of them hys horsemen as it were in wynges In thys order he proceded agaynst Belisarius and gaue hym battell The Souldyers on bothe sydes encountered together very fyercely And the Captayne 's folowynge after them Belisarius on the one syde and Vitigis on the other encouraged their parties At the beginning of the battell the Souldiers of Belisarius were farre to strong for their enemies and many of the Gothes were slaine The battell was foughte harde by their campe by meanes whereof the Gothes abounding in multitude sent euer freshe and freshe in steed of them that were ouerthrowen In this sorte the conflict lasted vntyll it was noone neyther partye gettynge aduantage of other Howbeit the Souldyers of Belisarius foughte more cherefullye The Gothes helde it out onely with sufferaunce In the meane tyme the battell that stood at the Sepulchre of Adrian encountred with theyr enemies For the people of Rome descendynge from the hylles gaue charge vppon the Gothes And Valentine perceyuynge hys people entangled wyth theyr enemyes marched forewarde wyth the Hoste whereof he was Captayne from the rumbe of Adrian and assayled hys enemyes also By 〈◊〉 whereof the Gothes were not able to endure long against them in especiallye foras muche as they were abasthed at the great number that came downe from the hylles so that beyng not able to recouer agayne to theyr Campe they were fayne to flye further of Nowe the Romaynes that came from the hygher groundes fell by and by to ryflynge of theyr enemyes Tentes By meanes whereof neyther they them selues pursued theyr enemyes nor yet the Souldyers It is yll fishing before the nette but suffered them to goe where they woulds For the Souldyers perceyuynge them to fall to ryflynge to the entente they woulde not lose theyr parte of the Praye lefte the pursute of theyr enemyes and retourned to spoyle theyr Tentes also And so the Gothes being let slip when they sawe that no 〈…〉 them stayed in the next mountaynes From thence beholdyng theyr tentes to be pulled downe and earyed away when they perceyued howe theyr enemyes kept neyther any order nor warrelyke discipline they encouraged one another and gaue a newe charge vppon them Whome by reason they were laden and skattered in gatherynge of the spoyle they
monny in the fortresse of Cume had made his brother Captaine of the same fortresse When Narses had vnderstanding therof he sent part of hys armye to besyege Cume and he hymselfe abydynge still at Rome endeuored to repayre the Cytye and to replenyshe it wyth people And to the entente that the Gothes that were beyonde the Ryuer Po shoulde not rescowe Cume or anye other of the places that were besyeged he commaunded Iohn Vitalian and Philimunt wyth theyr bandes to abyde in Hetruria to sette 〈…〉 agaynste the enemys at the fyrste approche and curte them of ere they 〈◊〉 â—â—ye further For Teias when he perceyued that Cume was besyeged determyned fullye to goe and rescowe it Wheroppon sertynge oute of Pauye by longe and ouerthwarre iourneyes he ledde hys hoste by the shore of the vpper sea and so throughe the countryes of the Picentes and Marses into Campanye The whiche when Narses vnderstood he called Iohn wyth hys band oute of Hetruria After whose commynge he marched forwarde into Campanye wyth hys whole power fullye purposing to encounter wyth Teias The mountaine Vesuuius There is a hill in Campanye called Vesuuius oute of the tooppe whereof oftentymes ryseth vppe smoke and flames of fyre But in the foote of the same mountain are springs of swete water the whiche doe make a brooke called Dracon that runneth not farre from the Citye Nuceria thys brooke is not very brode but it is so deepe that neyther horseman nor foteman can passe it Narses Teias encamp together parted with a riuer Aboute thys ryuer bothe armyes encamped Narses on the hyther syde and Teias on the furtherside the riuer ronning in the myddes betwent theÌ„ both There was but one brydge ouer it that had the Gothes taken By meanes wherof it laye in their hande to chose whyther they would fyght or not fyght The armyes abode in thys forte by the space of two monethes so that Narses his meÌ„ which were desyrous to come to hande strokes could not by any meanes come to their enemyes only they came to the riuers syde from both Campes shotte arrowes and threw dartes one at another Also there were fought many coÌ„bates and many chalenges were performed on both sydes duryng the sayd tyme the Gothyshe souldiers passing ouer the brydge dyd fight with the souldiers of Narses hand to hand The sea was well nere at hand the Gothes had their shippes vpoÌ„ the water which alwayes brought corne and victualls set it a land nere vnto them The Gothes lose their shippes by treasoÌ„ froÌ„ whence it was stil conueyed to the Camp But after the time that their nauie through treason was loste and that they coulde haue no more victualls and attillerye brought to theÌ„ by the sea the Gothes were constrayned of necessitye to dyslodge froÌ„ that place Whereupon forsaking the bridge the grounde by the riuers syde they departed to the nexte hylt which the inhabitantes of the couÌ„trye do cal the mylkie hyll Narses pursuyng them forasmuch as he could not assayle them by reason of the stepenesse of the hyll settled hymselfe about the foote of it The Gothes beyng to the same place also as much oppressed with scarcetye as they were before determined to put the matter in tryall by the sworde A cruel battel betwene the Gothes the imperialls And thereupon puttyng themselues in aray vpon the toppe of the hil they descended from about sodaynely assayled their enemyes thynkyng nothyng lesse then of any such matter in somuch that they had not any leysure to order their battells or to encourage their souldiers but were fayne to sette theÌ„selues against the enemie according as euery mannes fortune had appoynted hym And for bicause the Gothes had left their horses fought on foote Narses dyd set hys fotemen also to encounter with them The battell was cruell bloudy in all places For on the one syde the Gothes fought obstinately as men in despayre on the other sydo the souldiers of Narses were ashamed to geue place being so many in number as they were in especially consyderyng that but euen the other daye they had compelled them to forsake their firste campe and had well me besteged them now in the hyll which they had fled to for their refuge Both parties being incensed with these persuasiens foughte very valiantly The notable prowesse courage of Teias king of the Gothes I will not passe ouer with silence the noble Demeanor of Teias Kyng of the Gothes in hys battell For he being endued as it were with an heroical prowesse wolde nedes put himselfe into the forefront of the battel among the formest fyghters He was easye to be knowen from the reast by hys goodly armour hys ryche apparrell In the lyft hand he helde a target in hys ryght hand he brandished a Iauelyng Many that encountered agaynst hym he strake starke dead yet dartes came flying at him froÌ„ all sides Howbeit he being of an incredible courage and strength dyd marnayles in armes At the length when hys shylde stake full of dartes so that he could not handsomely wield it standyng with his face towarde hys enemyes calling to his harnessebearer by name he coÌ„mauÌ„ded hym with a loude voyce to bryng hym another target When it was brought vnto hym he let slyppe hys old one to haue taken the new in his hand in the which chaunge it was his chouÌ„ce to receaue his deathes wouÌ„de by a dart that was sent at hym By the whyche albeit he lost much bloud yet notwithstandyng lyke a most puyssant champion he neuer gaue foote backe nor neuer tourned hys face but standyng stoutly towarde hys enemyes fought it oute as longe as he was able to stande on hys legges vntyll at length sebled wyth trauell and losse of bloude he fell downe flatte vppon hys face It was almost syre of the clocke when Teias dyed The death of Teias And yet the Gothes were nothyng at all dyscouraged wyth the death of theyr Kyng but helde oute the battell vntyll it was nyghte neuer geuyng one foote backe Fynallye when it was so darke that they coulde not see the battell ceased beyng begonne at the sonne rysyng That nyghte both the armyes watched in theyr harnesse and assoone as the daye pered they fell to fyghtyng a freshe contynuing so styll vnto the sonne goyng downe to the great slaughter of both partes At length the Gothes sente vnto Narses offeryng to departe oute of Italye so he would suffer them wythout impeachemente to carrye suche thynges as they had awaye wyth them But yf he woulde not graunt them thys request they sayd they would neuer leaue fightyng as long as the breathe was in their bodyes When Narses had heard their demaundes by the aduise of hys counsell he condyscended vnto theÌ„ to the entent he would not to the great preiudyce and losse of hys men seeke the aduantage of hys desperate enemye In the meane tyme aboute a thousande horsemen fled oute of the Camp of the Gothes and by greate iourneyes came vnto Pauie and other townes beyonde the ryuer Po. The residue fell to a fynall agreement with Narses promisyng to departe oute of Italye carrying nothyng more then euery man hys owne and neuer after to make warre vpon the Romayne Empyre prouyded alwayes that they themselues shoulde retayne still their freedome and libertye wythout any bondage or subiection to the Empyre The whiche being done according to couenant Narses receaued Cume al other townes that held with the Gothes and so ended the eyghten the yeare of this warre FINIS
to an end hunger wyll so pinch theym that they shal be compelled to yelde themselues to their enemies And therefore what indifferent Iudge doubteth but that most spede oughte to be made thyther where tariance procureth vnreconerable daunger But Iohn ye will saye deserueth not to be succoured because he despised his captaynes commaunde ment and through his owne wilfulnesse cast himselfe into that daunger Admitte that all these things are true the are reported of Iohn What then shall we for the hatred we beare to Iohn willfully suffer the destruction of so noble and worthy a Citie as Arimine is and of the innocent souldiers besieged in the same I beseech the O noble and puissant Captaine Belisarius yf Iohn haue offended thee wylt thou wreke his trespasse vpon themperour who therby should lose both hys towne and his souldiers to the greate preindice of the publike weale againe what shall men thinke or what shall men say of vs and our armies if we sit ring still like a sort of cowards and beholding it with open eyes shall suffer our companions in armes to peryshe and our besyeged Citie to be taken by the enemye in manner harde vnder oure noses My opinion is therefore that wythoute anye further protracting of tyme we lead our armyes to Arimine to succour our men that are in daunger And afterward yf it shall seme expedient to besege * Now called Ozimo Auximū other of our enemis holds To further thopinion of Narses with al that very same time came letters frō Iohn vnto Belisarius aduertising him that the souldiers coustrained by famin had fallen to composition with their enemies to yelde wtin seuen daies onles they were restowed in the meane while Herevpon the opinion of Narses was confirmed by the assent of all the whole counsel When it was ones fullye condiscended that succour shoulde be ministred vnto Iohn with all speede possible The pollitique prouisi◠of belisariu◠for the rescowinge of Arimine Belisarius prouyded for the same in thys wise Fyrst he commaunded Aratus to abyde in the same place where they then were with a thousand horsemen willynge hym in anye wyse not to remoue from thence nor by any meanes to attempte fortune for anye occasyon but onelye to defende hys campe yf the enemye aduentured vppon hym After that he furnyshed hys shyppes and embarked hys souldyers commyttyng the charge of them to Herodian and Vliarius But that rule of the whole flete he wold shuld be at the discretion of Ildiger cōmaunding him forthw t to direct his course toward Arimine Another part of his army he betoke to Martine bidding him coast the shippes and kepe with them as nere as he could by the shore And assone as they approched their enemies so that thei came wtin kenning then of set purpose to kindle manye fires in their Campe to the entent to make the enemy beleue that they were a greater army then they were in dede Whiles these kept by the sea coast he himselfe went a contrary waye by the City Saluia The same was somtime a faire citie but it had bene destroyed and beaten downe to the grounde by the Gothes that came fyrste into Italye vnder Alaricus Saluia so that nothynge remained therof more then the ruines Belisarius therfore passinge by thys towne marched by the mountaynes eschewynge the playner waye that leadeth to Arimine by the fyeldes of the Fauenses and Pisauriens For seynge that hys enemyes had a farre greatter armye aboute Arimine then he had and that he had lefte a stronge garryson of theym behynde at Auximum he thoughte it more for hys behoofe to vse wysedome and policie agaynste the Gothes then to feight wyth theym in open felde Marching therefore the waye before mencioned when he came vnto the hilles that ryse agaynste Arimine as muste nedes be lightly in so great an armye he founde certaine of hs enemies ranging abrode The which beyng either slayne or elles taken prisoners some of them with their faces sore mangled he let goe agayne Who returningt to the Campe of the Gothes brought tidynges that Belisarius was at hand wyth his whole power for the confirmation whereof they shewed their faces newlye wounded It was aboute noone when this newes was brought to the campe And thervpon proclamacion was made to harnesse that euery man shoulde fall in order of battell vnder his antesygne The Captaines hauyng putte their men in araye waited for the commynge of Belisarius lookyng continually toward the mountaines from whence he was reported to come But Belisarius had aboute midday encamped himselfe in the moūtaynes a good way of from Ariminie and came not downe to hys enemyes that day By meanes whereof the Gothes hauyng stood gapyng for them all day to no purpose at length about the Sunne setting brake their aray and retourned into their tentes Howbeit when night came espying a great sorte of fiers on the sea coast cleane contrary to that way that Belisarius was reported to come they were the fiers that Martyne and hys armye made they were in great feare all that night in so muche that there was not anye of them that eyther tooke any slepe or put of hys harnesse As soone as it was daye when they beheld the nauie also ready decked and furnysshed makinge sayle toward Arimine The Gothes breake vp their lege before Arimine for feare least they shoulde be entrapped by two hostes at ones the one from the lande the other from the water they by and by brake vp theyr siege and without any order fled to Rauenna Fyrst of all arriued Ildeger with hys flete at Arimine and goyng on land spoyled the tentes of the Gothes Anone after came Martine and Belisarius wyth theyr armyes When Belisarius beheld Iohn and hys souldyers that had bene beseged howe pale and leane they looked wyth hunger turning him selfe to Iohn as it were to taunte him for hys rashenesse he saide ye are muche beholdynge to Ildiger and worthye to thanke him for his paines Iohn aunswered proudlye and arrogantlye agayne Occasion of discord amōg thimperialles that there was no cause whye he shoulde thanke Ildiger or anye man elles saue onelye Narses As who should saye he desyred to haue it knowen that Belisarius woulde smallye haue regarded hys delyueraunce yf Narses had not compelled hym These wordes troubled Belisarius and they were the begynnynge of discorde For after that tyme Iohn standyng in feare of Belisarius cleaued vnto Narses See what mischiefe flattrye worketh The residue also of his frends styrred vp Narses with euyll counsell against hym Vouching that it was not for his honour being Threasurour of Th empyre and one of the Emperours priuie counsell to be led by thaduise of Belisarius specially seyng that he him selfe had an armye farre passyng tharmye of Belisarius both in number and strength of souldyers and also in pollicie of Captaines and therfore he ought to seeke the glorye of the recouery of Italy from the Gothes to
pollicie ouercommeth the Imperials being of greater force and number then his army vvas in the vvhich victorie he shevveth great clemencie AFter this the Captaynes of Iustinian for because their attempt fell out so ylfaueredly and dishonorable at Veron began to fall at debate among theymselues euerye man putting the fault in other therevpon departyng out of those quarters they passed ouer the riuer Po marched toward Pleasans At that time was Totilas at Pauy who hearing of the comming of his enemies raised as mam men of warre as be could with all spede possible In the meane tyme the captaines hauing passed beyond Pleasans had encaÌ„ped themselues by the side of the riuer Po. Totilas albeit he were far ouermatched yet he determined to goe against them with suche power as he had and to trie thaduenture of battell So when both the campes approched nere togyther that thencounter waws fully resolued vppon by both parties Totilas in the nyghte tyme seut certayne of hys horsemen before commaundyng theym to gette ouer the Ryuer almost twenty furlonges aboue the campe of their enemies as soone as the battell was ioyned to retyre and assayle the enemye behynde wythe as muche noyse and hurlyburlye as they could He himselfe when he sawe hys tyme marched towarde hys enemyes Theemperours captains did the like There was in thoste of Tetilas a Gother called Vlarus mounted on a good courser and rychely armed who aduauncing himself before the battel A combate hand to haÌ„d chaleÌ„ged to seight with any man hand to hand Against this man offered himselfe to the combat Artauades the Armenian of whome mencion was made in the entering into Veron So in the sight of both tharmes they fetched their races ranne one at another with their speares in the rest Artauades thruste the Gothe through the right side with his speare so that he fell downe dead And he himself being driuen by mischaunce vpoÌ„ the speare of the dead maÌ„ sticking in the ground through the only force violence of his owne horse ranne himself vppon the poynet of it in so muche that it wounded him through his Curet of the whyche wounde he dyed within thre dayes after The two battelles in the meane tyme encountred very fierslye eeuery man shewed hys conning what he was able to doe wyth his weapon When the battell was at the whotest that both parts wer most intentife to their feyghtinge victorie as yet enclining to neyther side the souldyers of Totilas whiche had passed the riuer came set vppon Themperours Captaines behind The Imperialls are vanquished by Totilas Whervpon arose a great noyse manye being beaten downe first they brake the araye of the Emperours armye anone after put them to open flight For after the time theyr battelles were once opened their enemies pressed so sore vpon them both before behind the thei were sone disper peled Many were slain by the Gothes in the chace many escaped by bypathes vnknowen wayes But the greatest nuÌ„ber was of theÌ„ the were takeÌ„ prisoners Moreouer which neuer happened before al that staÌ„dards baÌ„ners antesiges The great dishonorable losse in thys battell of themperours army were taken in the battell being brought vnto Totilas made his victory more famous renoumed in the he hauing scars half so many men in his armye as his enemies had wittingly willingly encountred with a greater power then his own of whom thorough his marciall pollitie he had gotten the victorie Hauing thus gotteÌ„ the vppeer hand he vsed the victory very courteously vexing none of the prisoners but seÌ„ding diuers away wtout raÌ„some The which his gentlenesse dyd gractly augmeÌ„t his honour and renoume The gentlenes of Totilas after hys victorie The captaines of IustiniaÌ„ the escaped fled first vnto Pleasans from thence weÌ„t euery maÌ„ a sundry way busying theÌ„selues as much as might be in raysing a new armye of men The .v. Chapter ¶ Iustine one of themperours captaines in be seged vvithin Florens rescovved by thother imperial captaines vvho in the pursute of their enemies through an vntrue report cast in sodain feare are vvith great flaughter put to flight Totilas recouereth diuers tovvnes in Lombardie raiseth the vvalls of Beneuent besiegeth Naples A comparison be tvvene the good gouernement of Totilas and the misgouernaunceof the Imperiall Captaines WIthin a while after this victorie Totilas now conceuing greater things in his mind sent an army to Hetruria wherof he made captayns thre of the worthiest men of al the Gothes Beldas Rodericke Vliaris There was in Hetruria a captain called Iustine one of those that had bene at the foresaid battell Who after the discomfiture had neuer ceased leuing of a new power The beseging of Florens the raising of the same fortifiyng of the townes neuer theles th armie of Totilas came sodainly vpon him besieged him wtin the walls of Florens Iustine feared nothing so much as scarcety of victualles For nothing couled be conueied in that which was wythin alreadye was lyke to be soâ—â—e spent Wherevppon be sent to the rest of the Captaynes at Rauenna aduertised theym in what perill his estate shood requesting them of succour Being moued with this message Bessas Ciprian Iohn Vitalian came into Hetruria with their armies when the Gothes had vnderstanding of their approch by by they brake vp their slege dislodged their campe not staying anye where vntill they came to a place called Muciall whythe is a dayes ioumey from Florens As sone as tharmy of conseverats was entered into Florens the Captaynes thought it good to leaue a fewe behynd theym for defence of the towne they themselues with all the rest of th armie to marthe against thenemie Whyle they were on their way it semed good the some one of the Captaines should goe quickely before to assasse thenemy to staye him from going awaye the rest with all spede should follow after When lottes were cast the charge of goynge before fell vnto Iohn who with his men in good order of battell made haste towarde the enemys Nowe the enemies being afrayed at the coÌ„ming of the hoste forsake the place where they had emcamped themselues fyrst and gate them to a hyll thereby bothe stepe and hard to clyurbe vnto Yet for all that Iohn made no curtesye at the matter when he came to place but directed hys battell agaynst the hyll and wyth a noble courage endeuored to get vp by playne force Hys enemyes stood carnestly at defence as they that might cassye make resistens from the higher ground In thys place whyles Iohn stroue to get vp feightinge valiantly amonge the formest one of hys companions was strikeÌ„ through wyth a pycke and flayne hard by hys syde An vntrue report cause of a shamefull discomfiture Wherevpon forthwith rose an vntrue rumour which was lyghtly beleued that Iohn was slayne and therwithall his men began to
then their enemies in those borders And therwithall Theodatus the king taking stoutly vpoÌ„ him thought himself able to match or rather to ouercome themperour in battell ⧠The .v. Chapter ¶ The Emperour sendeth a nevv Lieutenaunt into Dalmatia named Constantian vvho recouereth all Dalmatia and Lyburnia WHEN Iustinian heard of the thynges that were done in Dalmatia he made one of his Courtyers named Constantian Lieutenant of the warres there Constantian made lieutenant of Dalmatia And therewythall wrote to Belisarius that he should withoute further delaye passe into Italy Constantian therefore hauyng repayred hys armye and throughlye furnyshed hys nauye of all thynges after that he hadde taryed a whyle aboute the doynge thereof at DyrrachinÌ„ remoued from thence and sayled to Rhagusium There were at Rhagusium certayne skowtwatches set there by Gryppa who seing the nauy of CoÌ„stantian passing along the shore-side beautifull to beholde bothe for the buylding and number of the shippes by and by retourned vnto Grippa and where as the thing was great of it self they reported it to be far greater then it was in dede The solaine feare of Grippa at the arriuall of Constnatian At the which tidinges Grippa was at his witts end and wist not in the worlde what to do For he thought it both perilous and also great folly to encounter against so great a power and to enclose him self within Salons he durst not because he had the Citizins more then half in a gelousie of treason the walles of the town were in diuers places decayed fallen downe for lacke of reparation Moreouer considering that his enemies were to strong for him on the sea he was afrayed he should soone be brought to scarcetie of bietualls Beyng distressed with these cares Counsell the refuge of cares at length which is the refuge in such extremities he fell to counsell According to the same he conueryghed all hys hoost a good waye out of Salons and encamped in a place conuenient In the meane tyme Constantian arriued with 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 at Lysne there hauyng intelligence what was done he sayled to the next shore and there setting his men a land sent CCCCC of them before to take the streight narrowe passages in the night season which are within a lytle way of Salons The which thing being executed he him self the next mornyng brought all his army to the citie Constantian getteth Dalmatia and Lyburnia and without any trouble recouered the same When Grippa had vnderstanding therof he taried not past two or thre dayes there but that he determined to depart thence and so he retourned to Rauenna by water leauyng vp vtterly to the enemye bothe Dalmatia Lyburnie Dalmatia Lyburnia Illy ricuÌ„ are novve called all by one name of Sclauony the which immediatly without any resistence came into the hands of Constantian ⧠The .vj. Chapter ¶ Belisarius arriueth in Italy and after long siege vvynneth Naples BElisarius vppon the receipt of the Emperours ietters The arriuall of Belisarius in Italy when he shuld passe into Italy leauing garrisons of souldiours at Syracuse and Panormus went with the residue of his armie to Messana and there wasted ouer vnto Regium From thence he led his arune by lande through the Brutians and Lucanes commaunding his nauie to coast him by the shore of the neither sea as nere the land as might be As he went forwarde the inhabitants of those couÌ„treys reuolted to him thick and threfold When he had after thys sort certaine dayes continued his iourney Belisarius coÌ„meth to Naples at length he stayed about Naples the which citie was kept with a great and strong garrison of the Gothes There he commaunded his shippes to lye at anchour in the hauen but yet wtout the shot of artillery he himselfe in the meane tyme bringing his army nere vnto the towne viewed the situation of the citie the nature of the place vpon the land It was not long after but that he tooke by composition a stroÌ„g bulwarke standyng in the Suburbes Therevppon as he was about to plant hys siege the Neapolitans sent theyr Oratours vnto him among whome was one Stephan a man of much wisdome and authorittie in the citie He spake these wordes in effect that Belisarius dyd not well to make war vppon the Neapolitans The vvords of the Neapolitan ambassadour to Belis whiche neuer had done hym any wronge in all his lyfe They inhabited a citie kept by the garrisons of Theodatus and the Gothes by meanes whereof he could not hope for any thyng at theyr hands beyng vnder the iurisdiction and subiection of other men But yf so be it he myght be so bolde to say hys mynd he dyd vnaduisedlye to lenger there in dayne For hadde he once gotten Rome he shoulde strayghte wayes obteyne Naples But yf he were sette besyde Rome he were not able to keepe Naples though he had it Wherefore it had bene 〈◊〉 for hint to haue gone firste of all to Rome against the Gothes that wer there and not to haue stayed at Naples the which should fall as an ouerplus to the lot of the Conquerour which way so euer the world went The answere of Belisarius to them bassadour Belisarius replied therevnto that whether he did aduisedly or vnaduisedly in tariyng aboute Naples was no part of their charge to determine for he asked not their counsell therein but rather to take thought for those things that perteined to them selues namely whether it were better for them to procure their owne saufegarde and libertie by receyuynge the Emperours armye or by continuyng in bondage vnder the barbarous Gothes worthely to be besieged and vtterly destroyed For he was fully purposed not to depart thence vntyll he had the citie at his pleasure his desier was to obteyne the towne rather withoute their destruction then w e it This was his saying openly And secretly he persuaded suaded Stephan to exhort his Citizens rather to seke them pâ—â—â—urs good will fauour Good counsel if it had bene taken then his indignation displeasure Thoratours at their retourne into the citie reported the 〈◊〉 of Belisarius And when thâ—â— came to consultation as concerning the same Srephen being demaunded his opinion in the case saide he thought it is â—â—â—ngerous a matter for the â—â—â—pâ—â—â—ranes to tourne the brunt of so great a warre vppon themselues and therefore he wisshed them by some composition or 〈…〉 This counsell was furthered also by one â—nnochus a Syrian dorne who had continued longe tyme at Naples as in the waye of traffique marchandise a man of great wealth of much credit among the Neapolitanes he by persuading the lyke that Stephan had done had moued many to be of hys opiniont the people also the commoÌ„s of the citie were deuÌ„rous of the same In so much that shoutes were openly heard trying â—ut to haue the gates set open and Belisarius let 〈◊〉 There were 〈…〉 Gothes in garrison who albeit
tentes The Gothes break vp their siege before Rome and with all the whole power of the Gothes dislodged In his retyring he suffered great losse For when the one halfe of hys armye was passed the bridge Belisarius commaunded hys men to et vppon them that were behinde amonge whome he made suche a slaughter that a greate number of theym that escaped hys handes for haste in gettynge ouer the bridge were throwen downe on both sides and drowned This siege of the citie of Rome endured a whole yere and nyne dayes taking his beginning about the .xiiij. or .xv. daye of March Nowe I wyll pursue the actes of eyther partes and what prouision was made on both sides after the breaking vp of the siege The .iii. Chapter ¶ Vitigis besieginge Arimine is by the diligence and industrie of Iohn disapoynted of an assault that he determined to haue geuen to the tovvne and repulsed vvith great losse VItigis albeit he made seede toward Rauenna yet not withstqanding he coueted to kepe the cities of Hetruria and of other Prouinces in theyr accustomed obedience And therfore he placed at Clasium a thousande horsemen as manye at Vrbiuetus fyue hundred at Tudert foure thousande at Auxiuum at Vrsine .ij. thousande fyue hundred at Cesena and as many at Mountferrat Vitigis goeth to besege Arimine And he hymselfe with the rest of his armie went to besiege Arimine Belisarius after the departure of the Gothes commaunded Martine and Ildiger with a thousande horsemen to make hast to Arimine to bryng Iohn his horsemen that were with him from thence placing fotemen there in their steds The whiche thinge he did to the entent he woulde not haue that bande wherein were the best horsemen of the hoste besieged by the enemie For if so be it that Arimine were manned with fote men he thoughte that the Gothes would not bestowe theyr labour in besieging of it And if they shoulde besiege it he thought the footemen shuld be better able to endure out the siege then horsemen for as muche as it is a difficulte matter to keepe horses in a siege and footemen might easly be conueyed to Arimine at all tymes by water from Aucon whiche newly before had yelded it selfe vnto him Herevppon Ildiger and martine forstowing no time dyd fetche a wyndlasse farre from theyr enemyes and came vnto ARimine For the Gothes by reason of the huge multitude of their armye were compelled to take more leysure in their iourney whereas the other beynge lyght harnessed out went theym a greate waye When they were come to Arimine and had declared the mynde and commaundement of Belisarius The vvvlfulnesse of Iohn Vitalian Iohn would neyther obey hymselfe nor yet suffer hys cosyn Damian wyth hys horsemen whyche were aboute foure hundred to be ruled by them And therefore Ildiger and Martine departynge from Arimine ledde awaye wyth theym all the horsemen that Belisarius had delyuered vnto Iohn at hys settynge forthe leauynge behynde theym none but the footemen and those horsemen that Iohn and Damian had of their owne Immediatlye herevppon Vitigis came and besyeged the Towne At hys fyrste commynge thyther he framed a towre of lyke heyghth wyth the walles the whyche was not drawen wyth Oxen as the other was before at Rome but dryuen by souldyers that were wythin the engyne The Gothes therefore sette the same agaynste that parte of the wall where they myghte wyth moste ease approache entendynge the nexte daye to haue wonne the Towne by assaulte But Iohn the same nyghte went oute wyth hys souldyers The diligence and industrie of Iohn in preuentyng the purpose of his enemies and caused theym to cutte a broode and a deepe Dyche on that syde castyng vppe all the earthe that came oute of it on that browe of the Dyche that was nexte the wall And so one nyghtes worke disappoynted the longe prepensed labour of the enemye cuttynge of all possibilitye of bryngynge the engyne to the wall Yet for all that Vititgis was mynded to fyll vp the dyche commaundyng all hys armye to prepare Fagotts and strawe wyth suche other baggage for the same purpose And to the entent the towre shoulde not the night followyng be set on fyer by the enemie he determined to drawe it backe agayne to the Campe. As the Gothes were aboute it Iohn issued out with hys souldyers and set vppon them beyng busye about the worke There was a great and cruell combate aboute the Turret and manye of the Gothes were slayne Howe be it after longe feyghtyng they drewe it backe agayne oute of daunger but wyth suche a staughter and so greate losse of theyr best men of warre that they were vtterlye in despayre of wynnynge the towne by force determinyng to subdue it by famine ⧠The iiij Chapter ¶ Belisarius endeth Mundilas vvith a povver to receiue Millaine vvho in his vvaye at the Citye of Pauie by a mischaunce loseth a noble man of hys companye called Fidelis Millane and certayne other Cityes of Lombardye yelde vnto Mundilas Vraias the Nephevv of Virigis goeth into Lumbardye agaynste the imperialles Belisarius receyueth dyuers tovvnes in Italye by composition Vitigis sendeth a crevve of souldyers to Auxioum for the more strengthenynge thereof the vvhych makyng a rode agaynste the inhabiters of Aucon throughe the follye of Conon Captayne thereof make a greater slaughter and put the tovvne in daunger of takynge THe verye selfe same tyme Belisarius graunted an ayde of souldyers to the Ambassadours of Millain that came before vnto Rome He appoynted Mundilas one of hys familiar frendes a verye stoute and valiant man to be chieftaine of the said armie In the same band was also Fidelis of Millaine whome we declared to haue bene Stewarde of the kynges house All these being conueyed to Geane by shippe went from thence to Millaine on foote And to th entent they woulde not be hyndered of theyr passage ouer Po they caryed Bots with them in Wagons to ferrie ouer the ryuer withall Marching therefore in this sort as I haue tolde when they had passed ouer the ryuer Po and were come to the Citie Ticiuum which is nowe called Pauie the Gothes issued out of the towne and set vppon them For by reason that towne had a strong castle in it the Gothes had bestowed manye and precious thynges in the same and had manned it wyth a great garrison The skyrmyshe was no sooner foughte but that the Gothes were dryuen into the Cytye And so Mundilas passed wyth hys armye ouer the bridge that was harde by the town In the same place was Fidelis of Millain staine For he wēt into a certaine church to make his prayers and the residue of hys company beyng all gone last of all he came out alone as he wold haue taken hys horseback be ouerethrewe The whiche thyng hys enemyes that stood vppen the Walle perceyuyng russhed out vppon hym and slew hym The death of Fidelis of Millaine before that Mundilas and the souldyers wyste of
it The deathe of thys man was great sorowe bothe to the Captaine and to the souldyers For he was a noble man in hys countrey and of muche power and such a one as wyth his presence might greatly haue furthered the warre that was in hand Mundilas therefore and the reste of his company keepynge on theyr iourney towarde Millaine Millaine and other cities of Lumbardy be come Imperial were receyued into the Citie Therevppon Come Bergome Nouaria wyth the reste of the cities in those borders folowing thensample of Millaine of their owne accorde receyued MunduÌ„as and hys souldyers When Vitigis had knowledge of those thinges that had happened aboute Millaine he sent Vraias hys brothers sonne with a great army into those costs to shentent he should bothe cause such to keepe theyr allegians to the Gothes as had not yet reuolted and also yf he could recouer such as had already yelded Furthermore he wrate to Thewdeberre Kynge of Fraunce wyth whome not long before he had entered in leage desyring hym to mimister ayde vnto Vraias In thys state or rather in this expectation were the matters of Lunthardie Belisarius at such tyme as corns began to ware type setting out of Rome marched wyth hys armye towarde hys enemyes The Gothes that were left in garrison at Tudert and Cluse hearing that Belisarius was makyng towarde theym for as muthe as they thought themselues ouer weake to encounter agaynste hym forthewyth sent messengers vnto hym and yelded vp theyr Townes by composition Whyle these thynges were in doinge Vitigis sent another armye vnto Auximum For he was vtterlye determyned to reteyne and kéepe styll that Citye Wyth thys armye he sent a newe deputye to haue the charge of the Towne and the men of warre named Varinius Who adioining his newe sould yers and the olde crewe togyther purposed to attempt the winnyng of Aucon hys nexte neyghbour citie whych was manned wyth a garryson of Belisarius And therevppon he went wyth all hys whole power agaynste the inhabiters of Auton That Towne in those dayes was walled onelye on that syde that stoode vppon the hyll the lower places situated on the playne grounds albeit they were replenished with buildings yet were they not enclosed with anye wall Therefore at such time as the Gothes approched Conon captain of the towne and souldyers of Aucon fearing least the suburbes and the inhabiters thereof should be wasted and destroyed by thenemye came downe from the vpper part of the towne with all his whole crewe The foole has dinesse of Conon and set hymselfe agaynste hys enemye But in that case Conon was to farre ouermatched For he hauynge scarse a thousand soul diers encountered with his enemies beynge foure thousand And therefore he dyd quickely abye hys foolyshe hardynesse For beynge not able to stand agaynste so manye he was at length vanquisshed and beynge put to flyghte loste the moste parte of hys men and the Citie it selfe was with much a doe hardly saued from taking For when the souldiers retyred full flyght toward the towne the townesmen for doubte leaste their enemyes should enter in amonge the souldyers fearefully closed vppe their gates By meanes whereof there was a greate slaughter made of theym euen harde vnder the wall And the Captayne Conon himselfe was driuen to so narrowe an erigent that he had none other waye to saue hys lyfe but to be drawen vppe the wall by a lyne The Gothes rerynge vppe skalynge Ladders endeuored to wynne the Cytye Othersome settynge fyre on the houses that we spake of before burnte vppe all that was wythoute the walles ¶ The .v. Chapter ¶ Narses an Eunuche the Emperours Chamberlaine commeth into Italy with a new power and meeteth with Belisarius about Aucon where in consultinge what is to be done after diuers opinions of thother captaynes Narses perswadeth to goe and rescow Iohn Vatalian besieged in arimine the whych Belisarius verye pollitiquelye bringeth to passe Through flatterie and euall instigation ryseth emuiation and discorde betwene Narses and Belisarius Belisarius going with Narses to the liege of Vrbine is of him forsakeÌ„ and yet through good fortune winneth the towne NOT longe after that these thinges were done at Aucon The coÌ„minge of Narses into Italy Narses came into Italye wyth a newe hoste of men Thys Narses was an Enuche a man that stoode muche in the Emperours fauour and one that bare greate rule and aucthoritie aboute hym For no man myghte commaund in the Emperours court but he onelye Moreouer he was threasurer of the Empyre whyche is the offyce of greattest honour and truste and one of hys priuye counsell by whome the Emperour was in manner altogether ruled He broughte wyth hym into Italye fyue thousande souldyers The notablest amonge whome was Iustine Captayne of the Illirien souldyers another Narses a Persian borne Also there were in his retinew MM. of Therules of whom were captaines Isandre and Phauotheus The meeting of Belisarius and Naâ—â—â— In the meane tyme Belisarius hearynge in what daunger the men of Aucon stood was come among the Picents and so was Narses in likwise The captayns and their armies met both together about the towne There as they were consultinge concernynge the warre that they had in hand and were deuisinge what was moste requisite to be done next of all out of hand there appeared many doubtes and daungers in the matter For yf they should go and besyege Aurimum Iohn those that were besyeged wyth hym in Arimine should be left in apparant icoper die inespecially consydering that foode fayled them Againe yf they should go to Arimine they shoulde leaue behynd them at Aurimum a great garrison of the Gothes to the preiudice of theyr armye and domage of the countrye In geuing of their verdittes manye of theym that were chiefe officers of the campe spake much against the rashenesse of Iohn Opinions of thofficers against Iohn in that he had shutte vp hymselfe in Arimine contrarye to the commaundement of Belisarius and that of a proud an couetous stomacke he had runne vppon hys owne heade without regard of hys Captayne or of hys charge A frend is tried at nede When Narses perceyued that fearing least by the meanes Iohn should be abandoned whom he loued most entierly he spake hys mynde to thys effect Thoration of Narses My Maisters ê™ he when men consult as concernynge the publyke vtilitie in my opinion they ought to haue an especiall eye thereto for it owne selfe and not to hynder it eyther for malice or for loue Certainly all other thynges set a syde when I waye with myselfe the thing wherof we doe coÌ„sult me thinks I spie this difference in the matter If we delay the siege of AuximuÌ„ there is no let but that with in fewe dayes after we maye attempt the same when we lyste But yf we make anye taryance in rescowyng the souldiers that are at Arimine we cannot afterward helpe theym when we would For ere many dayes
hym self and not to Belisarius These flatterynge persuasions set Narses in such a pryde that he euer after enramped by him self and would not folow Belisarins aduise in nothyng But consulted by hym selfe as touchynge these warres and all other affayres that were in hande Neuerthelesse they went bothe together to the siege of Vrbine but yet not in one campe For Belisarius saye on the raw syde of the towne and Narses on the West At suche tyme as Belisarius was purposed to haue assaulted the towne and had prepared engines for the same Narses laughyng hym to skorne for his labour within a daye or twayne after he came thither brake vp his siege and retourned with hys armye to Arimine leauyng Belisarius his company in worse case then yf he had not come there at all For the enemye perceiuinge parte of the armye to dislodge beganne to take a stout courage smally regarding that part that remained still behynd Neuerthelesse Belisarius beganne to rere vppe ordinaunce toward that gate of the towne where the ground was most leuell The good for tune of Belisarius to geue the aduenture to wynne it by assault Whiles he was putting these things in a readynesse by a meruelous good fortune it happened that the foutaine the townesmen of Vrbine hauing no mo but that one onely dryed vp of the owne accord Wherthrough it came to passe that the town for feare was yelded vppon condition that the Gothes and the Citizens of Vrbine should become subiectes to the Emperour Iustinian in as frée and ample manner as other Italyans that were Imperiall The .vi. Chapter ⧠Of the great dearth that was throughe all Italy and how the Gothes befoge Millaine and winne it through the discord of Belisarius and Narses Whereof the Emperour beynge aduertised by Belisarius calleth Narses out of Italy Whervpon Belisarius hauing absolute aucthoritie agayne procedeth wyth the warres and besegeth Auximum the sytuation and strengthe whereof is here declared WHen Vrbine was thus yelded vnto hym for as much as it semed not as yet expedient tattempte the fiege of Auximum Belisarius led his hoste against the Vrbeuetanes The winning of that towne was some what difficult because it stood vppon a rocke so stepe on all sydes that men coulde not well come to assault it The onely hope was to wynne it by famin For Italy was as it were so wome to the hard bones with continuall warre and troden vnderfoote with many armyes that there was not one citie in all the countrey but it suffered scarsitie and penurie Great darth through out all Italy the which penurie Vrbeuetus also being at length oppressed came in subiection to Belisarius Narses lyinge at Arimine sent Iohn with an armye of men to wynne Cesena At the which towne as he was scalyng of the walles he was repulsed with manye woundes and loft a great sort of hys company In the same assaulte was slayne Phauotheus captayne of the Exules Wherevppon John desisting from Cesena went to Forum Cornelij the whiche was yelded vnto hym by composition The same â—yme Mundilas and those that were with him at Millaine began to be wrapped in great distres For Teudebert the French kyng as is before specified being by Vitigis called vpon for ayde by vertue of the leage that was betwene them Millane besieged by the Gothes had sent to Vraias ten thousand Burgonians vpoÌ„ confidence of the which multitude he encamped himself not far from Millain suffering neither corne nor any other kinde of sustenance to be conueyed thither Mundilas had of necessitie bene driuen before to disperse his soldiers into Come Bergome Nouaria so that he had no great number of horsemen aboute hym Howe be it the hardest of the matter was not the defence of the citie for the Citizens of Millain wyth one accord knitte themselues togyther in the defence thereof But the feare was leaste victualle should fayle in so populous a Cytye yf so be it the barbarous Gothes shoulde be suffered to continue longe in those borders Belisarius therefore hauynge intelligence thereof sent Martine Vliarius thither with a great power to th entent that Mundilas they ioynyng together might remoue the Gothes further of When they came at the ryuer Po which is froÌ„ Millain but one days iourney they durst not passe ouer for feare of their enemies but lyngered many dayes in the same place frustrating day by day the hope of Mundilas them that were besieged with him For where as they made promise to haue passed the riuer come vnto Millaine thei performed no part thereof Dayly both hope sustenance failed those that were besiged At the last after long lyngering Martine Vliarius confessing the truth aduertised Belisarius the they alone were not able to passe ouer the riuer against so great a power of their enemies onles they woulde wylfully runne in open danger of their liues Wherefore if he thought it good he shuld cause Iohn Iustine which wer with theyr armies not farre froÌ„ Bonome to ioyne with them Belisarius herevpon imediatly wrate vnto Iohn Iustine commaundinge them to ioyne wyth Martyne and to make all the spede they coulde to relieue theyr fellowes beinge besieged and in vtter peryll of their lyues They sent hym worde againe that they woulde nothing do without the coÌ„mauÌ„dement of Narses Therevppon Belisarius wrate again vnto Narses Who albeit he gaue his consent that the armye shoulde go thyther yet not withstanding for as much as it was a thing done by Belisarius he went about it verye slowly and negligently as men are wont to do in other mens businesses By this meanes the matter was so longe delayed that at last they were vtterly deceyued In the meane tyme Millaine was euery daye sorer afflicted then other intollerable hungre welnye pyned them away and the citie wauing betwene hope feare abode such miseries anguish as almost no menwere able to abide again Millane is loss through the discorde of Narses and Belisarius At yâ— length being brought to vtter extremitie MuÌ„dilas his souldiers fell to coÌ„position to abandon vp the towne so they might escape with theyr lyues After whose departure the Gothes enteryng into the citie spared neither yong nor old For they slew in euery place not only such as were able to beare armour but also thold men yong boyes The women were geuen in seruitude to the Burgonions A notable crueltie the citie rased to the ground Reparatus a citizen of Rome beyng taken in the towne by the Gothes was hewen in smale gobbetts throwen to dogges Thus was one of the goodlyest most populous cities of all Italy through the discord of Narses Belisarius put to vtter destructioÌ„ In this ruine ouer throw of the citie were slain of the Millainers about .xxx. M. When Belisarius had tidings of it he tooke great sorow forthe same wrate vnto themperour Iustinian the beginning and proceding of all the whole matter Iustinian
being certruce or the trueth was much offended thereat but yet punisshed not any man for it Only he called home Narses out of Italy Narses is called out of Italy coÌ„mitting the whole charge authoritie of the warre vnto Belisarius Herevpon Narses with part of his armie retourned into Grece Belisarius with all the rest abode still in Italy Who now hauing no man to ouerthwart him in his determinatioÌ„s concerning the warre Although that his chief care rested vppon Vitigis Rauenna yet he minded is take two townes mo from she Gothes before he proceded with hys armie against Vitigis Rauenna The towns that he desired were Auximum and Fesules both of them very strongly situate both of them throughly manned by the Gothishe garrisons For neyther woulde he leaue at hys backe AuximuÌ„ hauing in it thre thousand of chosen souldiers whiche were able to do muche displeasure hinderance to his adherents nor yet Fesules because that as long as yâ— Gothes held that citie he thought othing shuld be in rest through Hetruria Herevpon he deuided his army into thre parts of the which he toke one with him to besiege Auximum another he sent by Iustine Cyprian against Fesules the third he betoke to Martine Iohn Vitalian coÌ„maunding them to encampe abouts the riuer Po to deteyne Vraias with his hoste as long as they could in those borders to th entent thei shoulde narcome to raise any of the siges among the Thuskans Picents And if thei were not able to kepe him still there then to solow him in the taile Martiue Iohn therfore setting forth into Lumbardye with that part of the armye that we spake of before wanne the citie Dert one situate by the ciuer Po and from thence did their endeuour to trouble Vraias that Gothes Cyprian Iustin with another armye going vnto Fesules albeit the besteging of that citie were very difficil for the nature roughnes of the place yet not withstandyng they brought theyr campe as nere as they could besieged it from a higher ground where the way lay more plaine to the towne Belisarius himself with the puyssantest company of all Belis besiegeth AuximuÌ„ beset Auximum Vitigis had placed in Auximum the best that he couldpyke out among the Gothes was very circumspent in fortifiyng of that towne Coniecturing that which was most true namely that Belisarius would neuer procede to the befieging of Rauenna onles he had first subdued Auximum When Belisarius had well viewed the situation nature of the place he was past all hopeof winning Auximum by force For the citie standeth vpon somwhat a high grounde besides that there were within to defende it a puyssant band of chosen men of warre able to gene battell euen in thopen field So he had none other hope but only to tame them by famin for asmuch as there was a great number enclosed wtin the citie And therefore Belisarius omitting assault pitched his campe round about the hill on euery side narrowly watching that nothing shoulde be conueyed in to them But lyke as that large compasse of his campe was good to proibit the portage of things in so was it vnprofitable against sodain inuasions of the enemie For they that were wtin might at their pleasure make sodaine assaults vpon what part of the Campe they lysted out of the towne aboue And the souldyes of Belisarius lay so farre one from another that they coulde not readily helpe at need By this meanes it came to passe that the enemye continually infested the campe and diuers skyrmysshes were therevppon fought Moreouer there was a certain moyst ground not farre from the citie where there grew muche grasse This field was as it were the place of theyr dayly exercises when eyther the besiegers or the besieged resorted thyther for forage and sometyme theyr courages were so kyndeled on bothe sydes that almoste all the whole Campe ranne thyther to feyght In these encounters the Souldyers of Belisarius preuayled in multitude and the Gothes by the situation of the place bothe partes beynge equall in manhod and prowesse The lyke conflictes were also at Fesules for there were manye sodayne alarmes geuen and welnye daylye skyrmysshes betwene the bestegers and the besieged The besiegers had none other hope of atteynynge theyr desyre then by keepynge the besieged from sustenaunce and famisshinge them for want of foode For there was no hope to wynne so stronge Cities as those were by force And therefore by takynge vp standynges in places conuenient about the townes they cutte of all carryages and conueyaunce of thynges in ¶ The .vii. Chapter ¶ Of tovvnes that vvere besieged by the Imperialles hovv the French men comming into Italy after that they had put tvvo armies to flight the one of the Gothes to other of the Imperials bothe in one day retourned home agayne and hovv Fesules vvas yelded to the Imperialles WHyle the warre was in this state and that Auximum among the Picentes Fesules among the Hetrurians were narowly besieged The cause of the sodaine commyng of the frenchmeÌ„ into Italy there happened a straunge chaunce about the riuer Po. For the frenchmen with their Captaine Thewdebert hauing passed ouer the Alpes came in great number into Lumbardye The cause of their comming as afterward was knowen was thys Because that when they peerceyued how warre was made in Lumbardy they being a warlike people in maner sauage were offended that suche a countrey beyng their next neighbour should fall as a reward to them that could get the vpper hand and that thei themselues sytting still lyke cowards the meane whyle should accepte such to be their neyghbours whom the fortune of victorie appoynted to them This was the occasion why they passed the Alpes The same tyme Vraias beyng often writteÌ„ to by Vitigis had passed the Ryuer Po and was marchinge wyth hys armye toward Rauenna Martin and Iohn likewise newlye sent thyther by Belisarius preuentinge Vraias had encamped themselues not farre from the same place to the entent if they could to haue stopped hym of hys passage Their campe was distant froÌ„ the campe of Vraias about 〈◊〉 myles In the meane season the Frenchmen sodainly came into those quarters Vraias the Gothes by reason of the leage that was lately taken betwixte them supposed they had come to their ayde lyke as they had dooâ—e before in the warres about Miliaine These frenchmen the passed ouer the Alpes at that time with Thendebert The number armour of the frchchmeÌ„ were to the number of foure score thousand wherof very fewe were horsemen those atten\ded alwaies vpon the kings person all the residue being footemen Their armour was not in pikes nor in bowes but to keuer their bodies with they bare a tergat a skull and to strike the enemye wtall a sword a byll In the battell they vsed moste commonlye their billes the which strake with such force the neither head
it could not be learned by what meanes the fyer came Some thought they were set a sterw t lightnig other supposed it to be done by some malicious persons othersome mistrusted that Belisarius should be the doer of it The Quéene also was suspected for that matter Who forasmuch as she was forced to marry with Vitigis against her will was therfore demed to beare hatred and malice towarde hym in her harte This burnyng of the grayne dyd greatly trouble Vitigis and the Gothes brought them in maner to vtter dispayre For if the fyre came by lyghtninge they mighte thinke that God and the heauens were agaynste theym Or yf it were done of a set purpose they wist not whom they might truste So were they lyke wythin a whyle to be quyte wtoute corne and withoute all hope of comming by any more because the Belisarius after the burninge of the store-houses looked more straitlye to theyut that none should be conueyed in ¶ The .ix. Chapter ⧠Dyuers of the Gothes become Imperiall The Emperour sendeth hys Ambassadours wyth articlles of peace to Rauenna the whiche of the Gothes are twell lyked and ioyfullye receyued But Belisarius perceyuing that more aduantage is to be gotten otherwise wilnot subscribe vnto them by meanes whereof riseth a suspition that Belisarius wyll make hymselfe Emperour the whych the Gothes beyng glad of to further the same proferre their submission and obedience vnto him and he accepteth it promising to take his othe at Rauenua for performaunce of their demands whervpon he is receiued royally in to the town dismissern the most part of the Gothish souldiers through whose departure hauing made himself strong hovâ—â—â—â—â— refuseth to vsurpe as long as themperour instinian liueth The gothes in Pauie create a new king who maketh profer of submissioÌ„ vpon like condition the whych Belisarius vtterly reiecteth caâ—ieth vitigis prisoner to Constantinople with diuers of his noble men and all his Threasures The reuolting of certaine Gothes to Belisarius About this tyme many of that Gothes that inhabited the Alpes sent word to Belisarius that they woulde yelde theymselues vnto him There are vppon the Alpes many castles the which in old tyme were kept by the Gothes placed there to dwell For Thalpes do disseuer Italy from Fraunce rysing of a wonderful hight very hard to clymb vnto or to passe ouer the which passages it was expedient to the well kept And therefore Theodorich kyng of the Gothes dyd hoth place a puyssaunt company of his countrey men with their wyues and children in those wast grounds and also buylded them casteles holds Sisigis one of the Gotish nobilitie who had certain Castles in Thalpes was the first of all that of his frewyll receyued the souldyers sent into those coasts by Belisarius persuading other Castles to do the lyke The same tyme Vraias was in Lumbardy musteryng of souldyers to carye wyth hym to Rauenna He had already raised an army of foure thousand men Of the which the most part were inhabiters of Thalpes Who hearyng that Sisigis was reuolted to their enemies that the Castles wherein they had their wyues children were assayled they compelled Vraias first formest to lead them thither Wherevppon he tooke his iourney with al the power that he had raised into Thalpes and there besieged Sisigis and the souldyers of Belisarius When newes of this gere came to Iohn Vitalian and Martine who the same tyme had theyr campe in Lumbardye they also without further tariance marched toward Thalpes toke certain Castles in theyr waye In the same were taken many of the wyues and chyldren of them that serued vnder Vraias When the fathers husbands kinsfolke of them had knowledge thereof they forsooke Vraias campe fled to theyr enemies to the entent to recouer them againe Vraias beyng thus forsaken of hys owne souldyers retourned with a few into Lumbardy neuer set his minde any more eyther about musterynge of other souldiers or succouringe such as were besieged So Vitigis the Gothes that were at Rauenna beyng for saken of their owne people destitute of all hope of comforte were still beseiged and suffered euerye day more distresse then other Whyle the Gothes stoode in this estate thambassadours returned froÌ„ themperour Dominicus Marimus both of the Senate The answere of the Emperour to the demaunds of the Gothes They brought Iustinians aunswere to those demaunds that Vitigis the Gothes had made as concerning the concord agréement The suÌ„me of the Emperours decrée was this That Vitigis should hold styll all that he had beyond the ryuer Po surrender all that he had on thyssyde That he should delyuer to the Emperour th one half of his threasure kepe the other half for him selfe that all the Gothes inhabityng on the hyther syde of the Ryuer Po should become subiectes to th empyre of Rome When the Ambassadours had first conferred with Belisarius they entered into Rauenna and declared their commission the which things both Vitigis and the noble men of the Gothes were glad to here and consented thereto with all their hartes A crafty sut tell kynde of dealing But Belisarius was very sory to see it For it spyted him to the hart that when he might fully haue had the victorie of the Gothes it shoulde be taken out of his hand And therefore anone after when the commissioners retourned and requested him to subscribe the articles he would not put to his hand The which thing brought the Gothes in a merueylous maze fearing to be deceyued vnder a counterfet pretense of peace In so muche that they beganne to saye openly they woulde d ee nothyng as concernyng the peace without the consent of Belisarius Thambassadours themselues and suche as were chiefe officers in the Campe were greatly displeased with Belisarius doing and thought he dyd not well in disobeyng themperours coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t And therevppon bred a suspicion as though Belisarius went aboute tomake him self emperour were vtterly minded to wtdrawe his obediens froÌ„ Iustinian This suspicion was almost in euery mans head at that time with the which opinioÌ„ the Gothes being induced sent princly vnto him exhorting him to take that west Empyre vpon him himselfe and not to acquire it to another For if he woulde so do they sayde that the Gothes woulde be contented to become his subiectes to obey him with all theyr harts that he shoulde inyntly enioy the kingdome of the Italians the Gothes together wtâ—u incomparable puissaâ—s These thinges were wrought priuely by the Gotishe nobilitie Vitigis perceyuinge that suche profers were made sent his messengers also vnto Belisarius encouraging hym vnto the same Belisarius ponderyng these thynges wyth hymselfe and consideryng they myght be greatlye for hys behoofe yf they were handeled wisely sent awaye into sundrie places with theyr bandes Iohn Vitalian Bessas Aratus men of much authoritie in hys campe but in no wyse his frendes pretendynge an excuse
battel A battell betvvene ildouade and the imperialles This encounter was fought not farre froÌ„ * Novv called Trenizo Taruisium against Vitalis one of the Emperours Captaines In the which Ildouade getting thupper hand made such aslaughter of Vitalis army the whiles the captanie himself with a few sled away all the rest were either slain or taken prisoners by the Gothes Through this victorie being so great so notable it is a wonder to see how the gothes were entouraged how much the power of their aduersaries was abated In so much the not only beyonde the Ryuer Po and vnder the dominion of Venice but also all suche as on thys syde the Po helde of the Gothyshe part were throughly strengthened and the name of Ildouade grewe famous euen in the Emperour Iustinians Court and amonge forreine nations also It was not long after but that he pursued to that death Vraias a man of much aucthoritie and estimation among the Gothes vpon presumption the he should conspire with his enemies This cause was pretended The death of Vraias Howbeit somme were of opinion that he tooke prytch agaynst Vraias by cause that latly before there had bene alterration betwen his wife and the Quéene But surely I cannot thinke that Ildouade being a graue wyse man would be so farre ouersene as to be induced with brablinge matters of women to kill suche a man as was Vraias I beleue rather that the cause why Ildouade dyd putte him to death was that he feared his power aucthoritie For it is mamifest that the Gothes in generall are of nature very mistrustfull and scarce sufficientlye fasthfull toward their kinges Many of the Gothes dissalowed the death of Vraias and openly detested it as a heynous and wicked acte By meanes wherof it came to passe that Ildouade himself was stayne by one of his owne gard whiles he sate at his meate The death of Ildouade In his stead was Ataricus created King but he raigned not long For with in fiue monethes after his election he was slain by his owne subiectes for his euil behauiour misgouernement The death of Ataricus Thus hauing killed two of their kinges wtin two yeres space they offered the kingdome with one consent vnto Totilas Totilas created king This man before he was made kynge had borne great aucthority at * Novv called Treuizo Tarui fiuer which is a citie of the Venetians and hys father was brother to Ildouade late Kynge The .iii. Chapter ⧠A larger declaration of the election and creation of Totilas mencioned brieflye in the Chapter before The Emperours Captaines through their insaciable gredines of pray stryuing for the bootie before they had gotten it lose the Citis Veron vvhiche vvas deliuered into their handes and betray their ovvne companie AFter that Ildouade as I shewed before was slaine Totilas dreading to be in daunger bycause he waws so nere of his kinne sent priuely to Rauenna made compact with themperours captaines to turne vnto them with such as he had rule of to yeld vp the town of Taruisium into their haÌ„ds A day was limited for performans of the matter But ere euer the day came the Gothes repenting the they had reioyced in that death of Ildouade that they had made Ataxicus their king a maÌ„ nether of wisdome nor courage able to defend the Gothes against so great strength of their enemies began to encline to To tilas the nere kinsman of Ildouade to wishe that he were their king In coÌ„ clustoÌ„ they dispatched Ataricus out of the way made Totilas king in ded Iustinian hauing intelligence of these things the had happened in Italy found great fault with thunskilfulnes cowardnes of his captaines that in al the tyme the their enemies were so at dissention among themselues among so many alterations chaunges they hauing so great oportunity for the speÌ„ding of their matters had done nothing at all The captaines moued w e this dishonorable rebuke asseÌ„bled togither at Rauenna There when it came to consultation as concerning the war it was thought best first formest to send an armye against the citie Veron For they had ben secretly put in hope of thobteining of the towne The captaines were in nuÌ„ber xi of whoÌ„ the chiefe were Constantian AlexaÌ„der lately sent thither by them perour for the collection ofhis money Therfore setting forth wyth a greate armye when they approched neere to Veron they determyned to putte in tryall the hope that was lately genen theym For there was one Martine a noble man of that Countrie that had a Castle not farre from Veron who for as much as in his hart he was unperiall had allured the keper of one of the gates to let in that emperours army The matter being in this wyse closely agréed vpon when the captaines came thither with their armye they sent before one Artauades an Armenian with a number of pycked souldiers to take the gate there to awaite the coÌ„ming of the rest of the hoste No parte of promyse was lefte vnperformed in that place For in the dead of the night wheÌ„ the souldyers came to the gate the traitour set it wyde all open let them into the Cytye They enterynge in and hauynge also taken the walles aboue the same gaue notyce thereof to the rest of the armye The Gothes perceiuing their enemies wythin the towne fled out at another gate Note the couetousnes of thimperialles and vvhat came of it The captains hearinge that their men had taken the towne marched forwarde But ere euer they came there they fell at altercation for the spoyle by the way staied fiue miles from the Citie In the meane while the daye brake Now there is a castle aboue the citie of Veron which hath a very great prospect both into the towne also farre into the countrye The Gothes which were fled into this hold perceliâ—â—g few of their enemyes to be within the Citie and the armye to abyde still without makinge no approch toward the walles sodainely yssued out of the Castle aduenturyng through the citie recouered to the gate where their enemies came in shut it The souldygers that were entered by night were partly oppressed partly flying to the walles made resistens froÌ„ aboue Anone after the captaines comming thyther finding the gate shut although the souldiers wtin called to theÌ„ for help desiring them not to abandon them in that sorte yet notwithstanding they retired backe againe out of hand Some of the souldiers leaped downe the walles saued themselues among which number was Artauades the Armenian their guide The rest were eyther slaine or ells taken prisoners By this meanes through the misgouernement couetousnes of the Captaines striuing amonge theymselues for the praâ—e before they had gotten it when they shuld haue made most spede for the winning of the same the matter quailed about Veron The iiij Chapter ¶ f Totilas by his
his name was greatly renoumed in times past nowe it was farre more renoumed then before The romains came vnto this mā humbly besieching him the for the saufgard of the people of Rome he would vouchsafe to go of Ambassade to Totilas and entreate him to graunt them a truce for a fewe daies within the whiche onlesse rescowe came the Cytye should be geuen vppe vnto hym Pelagius forasmuch as he sawe there was none other remedye obeyed the peoples request and wyth hys instructions went to Totilas into his campe Prosperitie maketh men forget themselues Totilas coniecturinge the effecte of hys errand for he had learned by the rennegates the vtter necessitie and distresse that the besieged were brought vnto entertayned Pelagius verye honorably at hys commynge Howbeit before he had begonne to declare hys message he hymselfe preuentyng him wyth a longe and bytter oration inueihed against the Romaynes casting them in the teth wyth the benefites of Theoderich and the Gothes towardes them and reprouynge theym of theyr vntrouthe towarde the Gothes In th end he concluded that there was no waye eyther of communication or composition onles they would beat downe their walles and wholly submit them selues al that they had bodles goods to the wil and discretion of the Gothes to be dealte withall in suche wyse as should please the conquierours Pelagius hearing him talke so bytterly and disdaynefully and thynkinge in hymselfe that it botted not to stand in contention wyth hym sayde thus vnto him Forasmuch as thou Totilas hast not vouchesaued to here an Ambassadour tell hys message but by preuen tynge hym haste abridged hym of the lybertie of speaking God the refuge in extremities we will flye vnto God who of hys Iustice is wont to abate the courages of men when they grow ouer proude and stately When he had sayde those wordes he returned by and by into the Cytye The Romaynes seynge hym come agayne wythoute speding of hys purpose were in suche an agonie that they wyst not what to doe nor whyche way to turne them For on the oneside they were afflicted with intolerable famine and on thotherside stood before their eyes the outrageous cruelty of Totilas of the gothes whose most cruel hands rather then they would fall into they fullye determined to starue thēselues for hunger By meanes whereof the people of Rome suffered and abode such thynges as it is a miserie euen to reherse them The .xi. Chapter ¶ Iohn Vitalian commeth vvith a nevve povver from the emperour vvhervpon aduise is taken for the succouring of Rome according to the vvhiche Belisarius goeth to Portua by vvater commaundinge Iohn to mete him there by lande But he through the prosperousa snccesse that he hath agaīst the Gothes commeth not there at all By meanes vvhereof Belisarius is faine to deuise another vvay for the succouring of the Citie the vvhich by his industrie takynge good effect agaīst thenemy is by the folly of his ovvne men interrupted to his ovvne great sorrovve and appairing of his health through rage of anger and sodayne feare and to the vtter preiud ice of Rome For Totilas anone after taketh and sacketh it the vvhyche done he maketh an oratyon to his souldyers IN the meane tyme Iustinian sent Iohn with an armie vnto Belisarius The returne of iohn vvith ansvver from themperour They were not any great number that he set forth at the tyme but he prepared to send a greater power oute of hand For the whiche occasion he had sent his Chamberlaine Narses vnto the Erulians other barbarous nations inhabiting about the riuer of Danow of the which some were alreadye come into Thrace Debating in counsell for the rescovving of rome When tharmies were assembled to Dirrhachisi that consultation was had as concerning the war it was agréed by one confent first of all to rescow the romains But how that might be done there was diuersitie of opinions Iohn persuaded to march with all the whole power togither thorow Calabre appulia so to go to Rome For if they went all in one companye they might be the better able to get the vpper hand wheras if th armie should be deuided and some should go by fea anbd some by lande none of bothe partes should be able to matche the enemye Belisarius said he could wel alow the same opinion if the people of Rome stood not at such an exigent But now considering their estate it was nedeful to make all spede the might be It was a long iourney to go through Calabre and Appulia if their enemies should mete them they might cast many letts in their way whereas by the sea yf the wind serued their nauie myghte wtin fiue dayes arriue in the Romaine hauen by theyr beinge so nere at hand putte the Romaines in certaine hope comfort For he had heard of thunfortunate mischaunce of his captaines knew of the losse of the corne that was sent out of Sicill wherevpon he consydered in his minde the despaire disstresse the the Romaines were in Thys opinion was allowed in the counsell thervpon Belisarius setting forth frō Dirrhachiū arriued at Hidrunt The Gothes which were besieging of that towne being striken with feare at the presence of Belisarius brake vp their siege and flying from his sight retired to Brunduse the which is aboute two dayes iourney from Hidrunt By and by they sent vnto Totilas aduertising him of Belisarius comming beleuing that he would haue iourneyed by land When Totilas heard that forthwith he putte himselfe his armye in a readinesse to goe méete hym But when he vnderstoode that Belisarius went by sea he addressed hymselfe whollye to withstande hym aboute the Citie of Rome inespecially makynge prouision that nothing mighte be conueyed into the Citie to theym that were besieged by the Ryuer Tiber. For the accomplishement whereof he deuised this practise He chose a place aboute eleuē miles of from Rome where the Ryuer Tiber is narrowest there he layd ouer long beames from thoneside to thother in maner of a brydge at eche ende whereof he buylded a Towre of Timber drew a long pron chaine by the brydges side at the endes whereof he made two bastiles the whiche the aforesaid towers he manned with soul diers to defend the bridge Belisarius cōmeth to Pottua for the rescovving of Rome In the meane while was Belisarius come to the Romayne hauen And hauynge sette hys men a land taryed for Iohn th armie that was with him The Rmaines knowynge of hys comminge endured all their extremityes with better courage vppon hope of rescowe Iohn after the departure of Belisarius hauing cut ouer the narowe seas had inuaded the Gothes looking for nothing lesse and hauynge putte theym to flyghte The good successe of Iohn against the Gothes wyth greate slaughter pursewed them at the first assault wonne Brunduse Then hauinge reconciled the people of Calabre broughte them again to fauour themperour
it and defendest only Now at such tyme as Belisarius had set hys enemyes tower on fyre as we haue delcared before by by ranne certayne to the towne of Portua and whereas the victorie was notable of it selfe they reported it farre greater then it was in dede At the which tydinges Isaac leapyng for ioye eraltyng hymselfe in hys owne conceite lyke a mad bedlem quite forgettyng what Belisarius had sayd vnto hym commaunded hys men to arme themselues in thys sodayne heate extasye wafting ouer hys men to inuade hys enemyes that kept their standyng on the other syde of the riuer ranne vpon them not farre from the towne of Ostia Through his sodayne assaulte at the fyrst encounter he put them to styght Howbeit anon after hys enemies gatheryng themselues together and encouraging one another returned estsones vppon hym hauyng slayne a great sorte of his souldiers to coole hys firye madnesse toke hym prysoner Immeviatly hereupon certayne horsemen broughte worde to Belisarius that his enemies had taken Isaat praysoner With the which tydings Belisarius beyng stryken to the heart demaunded not one worde of the messaÌ„ger where or in what sort but misconstruing that hys enemyes had taken Portua and bene Lordes of hys wyfe all that euer be had he was sodaynly strycken with suche an inward sorrow the he was not able to speake And thereupon turnyng backe agayne he retyred with hys nauye hys souldiers in all haste that myghte be vtterly determynyng eyther to recouer the towne while the matter was but newly begonne hys enemyes had yet scarcely settled theÌ„selues or els to die in the battell By this meanes the victorie which he had as good as gotteÌ„ stypped out of his handes But wheÌ„ he came to Portua sawe the towne safe himselfe deceaued through light credite mistaking of the message he toke so great sorrowe for it the he fell sicke and was fayne to keepe hys bed and besydes that he was taken with a sore and daungerous feuer which held hym long tyme ere he coulde be ryd of it The vvorthie revvarde of vvilful rashenesse Isaac the author of all this mischiefe was by the commaundement of Totilas put to death in prison in reuengement of the death of Rodericke Captayne of the garryson whiche had dyed of a wound taken in the foresaid batsel For by thys tyme had Totilas quyte chaunged that gentlenesse whiche he had pretended in the begynnyng of hys reigne into statelynesse and crueltie Verely eyther bycause his prosperous succeste made hym forget hymselfe or ells because hys gentlenesse beyng but feined at the begynning could not continne I assure you he would speake so bitterly of the people of Rome that the very terror therof was an occasion that they endured the famyne more obstinately then they would haue done because euery man was afrayed of hys outrageous cruelty The miserable estate of Rome Therfore as long as euer there was any hope of helpe at Belisarius hand the people of Rome beyond their power to say the truth beyond the bondes of manhode and nature endured the famyn For to omit other thynges euen the fleshe of horses asses and mules were deyntye delicates at that tyme in Rome they thoughte they had sped well that coulde get either dogges or myce or such other vncleane beastes to fede on Othersome wer glad to eate all kynde of herbes euen suche as the brute beastes would not haue touched and diuerse lyued by rootes and barkes of trees But when they sawe there was no hope of helpe then turnyng to teares and lamentation some fordyd themselues and some stealyng out in that night attempted to deceaue the watche of their enemies Many also starued for hunger and want of foode within their own houses neuer came out of their dores While the Citye stoode in thys lamentable and piteous estate Rome is betrayed foure Isaurien souldiers conspyred to betray it to the enemye these souldiers warded at the gate Celimontana coÌ„monly called Asmaria whoe after the tyme they were fully resolued vpoÌ„ the matter did let theÌ„ selues downe the wall by a lyne went strayght vnto Totilas promyfyng to betraye that Citye into his hands Totilas encouragyng them with promyse of great rewardes sent certayne of hys men with theÌ„ to view the place to consider whyther the thyng they had promysed were possible to be done or no. The Isaurians leadyng theÌ„ to the walles went vp agayne in their fyghte by the same lyne that they flided down And so wheÌ„ the experience of the matter had geueÌ„ sufficient credit Totilas at that nyght appoynted to the accoÌ„plyshment of the myschiefe coÌ„maunded hys hoste to be readie in armour about him by one of the clocke after mydnyghte The whiche beyng done he sent certayne of his men before to get vp by the lyne and hy hymselfe followyng closely after with the reast of hys armye stayed a lyttle from the gate They that were sente by Totilas were according to couenante beetwene hym and the traytours drawen vp the walles from whence they proceeded forthwith to the gate and with axes cut it open Totilas hauyng by thys meanes entered into Rome kept hys armye still about hym at the gate not sufferyng any of hys men to ronne into the Citye but kept them together wyth hym vntyll it was daye Sodaynly there sprang a noyse aboute that parte of the towne that the enemie was gotten within the walles thereupon ensued a wonderfull feare euery maÌ„ begynnyng to flye Suche as fled wente out at those gates that were farthest froÌ„ the place where the enemy entered Many also both of the nobilitie and of the commonalty toke sanctuarye in the Churches The sackyng of Rome Assone as it was daye the enemyes ranne through all the Citie and wythout any respect slewe as many as came in their waye Totilas marching froÌ„ Lateran where he had stode al nyght went through the Citye to Saint Peters as it had bene to performe hys vowe accompanied with traynes of most cruell and bloudy butchers which with their naked swordes bathed in bloud slewe all that euer came in their way without regarde of any person Hauyng in this sorte swept through the mydoest of the Citye from the one end to the other when he came into the Vaticane vnto the portche of Saint Peters Pelagius maketh supplication for hys Citizens Pelagius of whom we reade mention before fearing to approche into prefence rauished in that apparell accustomed in solemne ceremonyes and boldyng the Testamente of Christ in hys hande kneled humblye downe on hys knées sayd O kyng I besicche thee spare thy humble suppliantes At that worde Totilas dysdaynfully caste a proud loke vpon hym saying commest thou nowe to me Pelagius to make supplication Yea euen nowe ê™ Pelagius sithens it is the wil of God to make thee Lorde Master ouer me And therfore my soueraine Lord haue mercy vpon thy seruaunts Therwithall that wrath
armes Anon after his departing that Gothes toke by assault Peruse which they had so long tyme beseged ⧠The .iiii. Chapter ¶ Totilas besegeth Rome nowe the thvâ—de tiâ—â—e great sute is made to them perour for rescowing the Iame Diogenes captayne therof prouideth pollitiquelly and circum spectly for the saufty of it neuertheles it is betraied taken Diogenes flyeth to cent mucels Paule another of themperours captaines saueth him selfe and his vallantlye being beâ—â—eged by the gothes in the Pyle of Aâ—â—ian Totilâ—â—â—â—â—â—â—oreth by all 〈◊〉 to repaire and frequent Rome againe and afterward sommentth centmucelles which taketh truce wyth hym to yelde by a certayne day TOtilas hauting set at a slay the affaires of Câ—â—â—brie and Appulia totilas besegeth Rome the thyrde tyme. determined to tourne batke againe and besege Rome It made hym the bolder that Belisarius was gone together with the prosperous suscesse of the Gothes in all their doyngs through Italye and the euill fortune of the Gréekes Wherevppon assemblyng a great power from all partes when al things were in a readinesse he came to Rome and besyeged it There were in garryson in the Towne three thousand chosen Souldyers wyth theyr Captayne Diogenes a man of singular actiuitie who by watchyng workyng and preuentynge in places conuenient defended the Citie stoutly In so much that the syege was prolonged and the Gothes had none other hope to winne it but by famyshement Sute made to the emperour for rescowig the eâ—â—ye of Rome Durynge the syege aboute the Citye Vigilius the Byshoppe of Rome beyng as then at Constantinople and wyth hym many worthy men of Italy made earnest sute to Iustinian that he woulde send Belisarius agayne into Italy w e an inestimable power to raise the siege before Rome otherwyse they deciared that all was lyke to fall to vtter ruine The same thing also requested Goding one that had bene Confull wâ—â— sent thyther from the people of Rome as an Ambassadour Iustinian made them answere that he wold prouide wel ynough for thaffairrs of Italy Howbeit through his delaying driuing of froÌ„ day to day he did nothing in effect At that leÌ„gth wheÌ„ he saw theÌ„ earnestlyin hand w e him froÌ„ time to time the he could not be rid of theÌ„ he denouÌ„ced Liberius one of the nobilitie of Rome Captayne generall of the warres in Italy at the begynnyng was verye whate in the furniture thereof But within a while when other cares came in his head he beganne to waxe colde againe And so with vayne hope some tyme makinge preparation and sometyme making delayes the tyme passed awaye Rome in the meane whyle was strayghtly besyeged For the Gothes hanynge wonne the Eytye Portua kéept them so shorte that nothyng coulde be conueyed in by the Tyber vnto them that were besyeged And to the entent Rome shoulde not be relened from anye place they had gotten into theyr handes well nye all the townes aboute it the foresight and prouisioÌ„ of Diogenes for the sauig of Rome But the foresyght and prouisiou of the Lieutenaunt and hys fouldyers was woulderfull For they foreseyage these thynges a good whyle before had caused all the dayde â—â—ames withaâ— the Citie where thâ—â—e stood no buyldinge 〈◊〉 be sowed with come By â—â—â—anes 〈◊〉 herof it canâ—â— to pusse that by that tyme their old coâ—ne was spent new came vp within the walles where through they endured the fyege a long tyme. Rome is betrayed Yea and by all likely hood they had faued the Citie had not the treason of 〈◊〉 peruerted theÌ„ 〈◊〉 the gate that â—â—adeth to Ostia 〈◊〉 ye gâ—â— to 〈◊〉 Churche of Sayncte Paule there was a warde of Isaâ—rien 〈…〉 They after longe 〈◊〉 of the â—â—â—ge grudging 〈◊〉 themselues that they were 〈◊〉 of many yeres wages in â—â—ps of greate towâ—des at Totilas hand 〈…〉 hym bargainyng to 〈◊〉 hym the ga e. Where they warded appoyntyng the tyme and the meane how to doe it When the night prefired was comme Totilas deuised thys cautele He set two Barges vppon the Kyuer Tyber wyth Trumpeâ—â—oâ—es at them commaunding them to towe vppe the streame and to gette as neâ—â— the wall as they coulde and when they came there to blowe theyr trumpettes as terrybly as they could He hymselfe wyth hys armye 〈◊〉 softlye wythoute noyse and stayed a lytele Raye from the gate before 〈…〉 All thyngs happened according to lâ—yâ— desyre For the 〈…〉 when they had rowed to the place apponited with the teerible and foâ—ayne noyse of their trumpeites stralie the Romayns in such a feare that they beleued their enemyes had bene there In so muche that they flocked thythes from all partes of the Citie and they that watched in other places left their standinges and came runnynge thyther fearfully Nowe whyles euery man resorted to that place Rome is taken and tooke no héede to the rest the traytours beyng lefte alone brake open theyr gate and let Totilas wyth hys armye into the Cytye whervppon immediatly ensewed flaughter as well of the Romaynes as of the fouldyers There was not than any care taken howe to make resistens but how to runne awaye They fled by suche gates as werr furthest fro the enemye Diogenes the Captayne for as muche as be sawe there was 〈◊〉 other remedye yffued oute of Rome wyth parte of hys souldyers and tooke hys waye toward Centmucelles Totiles presupposinge as muche before for all the rest of the townes were lost there was no mo left them to fly vnto but onely that laide an ambushe for him by the way into the which Diogenes falling lost a great parte of hys souldiers himself beyng sore wounded had much a doe to escape wyth hys life The valeant doinges of captain Paule There was at Rome amoÌ„g other Captaines one Paule of Silicia captaine of a trope of horsmen He in this most troublesome nyght after he had skirmished with his enemis in diuers places of the Citie in the takyng therof at length recouered hymselfe with his horsemen vnto Adrians Tumbe Assone as it was day light the Gothes swarming aboute the Citie at what tyme that the Capitoll Esquilie al the rest of the city was takeÌ„ there was hard feyghting still at Adrians tumbe For Paule had CCCC horsemen wyth the whiche he valiantlye defended the Tumbe and the brydge adioynynge thereto In so muche that he stew manye of the Gothes in the skyrmishe vppon the brydge draue the rest a good way of The whych Totilas beholding caused his men to retyre I wylnot ê™ he bye the destructioÌ„ of these meÌ„ with the bloodshed of any of my people I will dispatch theÌ„ sitting still neuer trouble my self for the matter considering that neither they nor their horses haue wherw t to sustaine their liues vntill to morow Thus hauing called his men froÌ„ the skirmishe and set a strong watch against the tumbe the bridge he coÌ„maunded the no man shuld molest ordisquiet them that were