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 〈◊〉 but feight it out in the playâ—e held wyth hand strokes For the Captaynes and the Souldyers had lyen so sore at Belisarius and had so often and so earnestly entreated hym that he determined to trye some greater encounter 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 commited to Ualentine Lieutenant of the horsemen geuing him besides his horsemen a certayne of the olde expert footemen and of the peoplâ— 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 Ualentine commaundement tâ— make a shewe as though he woulde euer 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 felowes at the gate Salaria 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 Uitigis 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 Captaynes folowynge after them Belisarius on the one syde and Uitigis 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 Ualentine perceyuynge hys people entangled wyth theyr enemyes marched forewarde wyth the Hoste whereof he was Captayne from the 〈◊〉 of Adrian and assayled hys 〈◊〉 also By reason whereof the Gothes were not able to endure long against them in especiallye foras muche as they were abasshed 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 but suffered them to goe where they woulde For the Souldyers perceyuynge them to fall to ryflynge to the â—ntente 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 body folowed after them stayed in the next mountaynes From thence beholdyng theyr tentes to be pulled downe and caryed 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 easly ouercame and so both saued theyr tentes and also recouered theyr pray By that tyme Fortune beganne to chaunge her copie aboute the kinges campe also For the Gothishe footemen resorting in great number out of the nexte campe cast them selues vppon Belisarius horsemen and keueryng them selues wyth theyr shieldes in maner of a vaulte preased so sore vppon the forefront of theyr battell that they compelled them to lose grounde The whyche thynge when theyr horsemen that stoode on the ryght wynge perceyued they also assayled Belisarius horsemen on the syde Who beynge not able to abyde the brunte and force of them any long tyme at length retyred to the mayne battell of theyr footemen The which beyng not of strength sufficient to withstande the violence of the enemye was with great slaughter lykewyse put to flyght Howe be it there were two Peticaptaynes named Principius and Taruunt whose manhode and audacitie was well approued in that place to theyr great com mendation and immortall fame For at suche tyme as all the reste fled they two kepyng theyr standings put them selues against the whole power of the Gothes and kepte them occupyed to thentent that theyr companye mighte haue space to recouer the citie so long vntyll Principius beynge pitifullys mangled all hys body ouer after long feyghtyng fell downe and aboute hym two and fourtye of hys retinewe and Taruuntes being of lyke valiantnes and courage when he had lost much blood at hys woundes and that hys strength beganne to fayle was caried out of y e battel to the Pincian gate by hys brother whether he woulde or no and there fell downe dead After whose departure the Souldyers ranne ful flyght toward the Citie The Romaines standing vppon the walles dyd shut y e gates against them for feare least their enemies should haue entered in with them by meanes whereof agreat forte of the souldyers were shutte out who getting ouer the Uaumure stood with their backes to the wales and their faces toward their enemies hauyng no way to saue their lyues but one which was to be defended by them that stood vppon the walles For the most part of them hauing eyther broken their wapons in the battell or â—lls throwen them a way in the chace had not wher with to defend them selues Howbeit those that were vppon the battelmentes defended them wyth stones Thys battell being begonne at the Campe of the Gothes at the laste ended harde at the gates and walles of the Towne There were sâ—ayne of Belisarius men a great number and those of the valiantest
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 veâ—ye pollitiquelye bringeth to passe Through flatterie and euill instigatioâ—â—yseth emulation and dis corde betwene Narses and Belisarius Belisarius going with Narses to the siege of Vrbine is of him forsakeÌ„ and yet through good fortune winneth the towne NOT longe after that these thinges were done at Aucon Narses came into Italye wâ—th 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 offycâ— of greattest honour and truste and one of hys priuye counsell by wâ—ome the Emperour was in manner altogether ruled He broughte wyth hym into Italye fyue thousande souldyers Tâ—e 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 In y â— 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 Auximum Iohn those that were besyeged wyth hym in Arimine should be left in apparant ieoper die inespecially consydering that foode fayled them Againe yf they should go to Arimine they shoulde leaue behynd them at Auximum a great garrison of the Gothes to the preiâ—dice 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 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 When Narses perceyued that fearing least by y e meanes Iohn should be abandoned whom he loued most entierly he spake hys mynde to thys effect 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 〈◊〉 fewe dayes after we maye attempt the same when we lyste But yf we make anye taryance in 〈◊〉 the souldiers that are at Arimine we cannot afterward helpe theym when we would For ere many dayes to an end hunger wyll so pinch theym that they shalbe compâ—lled to yelde themselues to their enemies And therefore what indifferent Iudge doubteth but that most spede oughte to be made thyther where tariance procureth vnrecouerable 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 y â— 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 〈◊〉 the O noble and puissant Captaine Belisarius yf Iohn haâ—e offended thee wylt thou wrekâ— his trespasse vpon themperour who therby should lose both hys towne and his souldiers to the greate preiudice of the publike weale againe what shall men thinke or what shall men say of vs and our armies if we sitting 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 AurimuÌ„ other of our enemis holds To further thopinion of Narses w e al y e very same time came letters froÌ„ Iohn vnto Belisarius aduertising him y t the souldiers constrained by famin had fallen to composition w t their enemies to yelde w tin seuen daies onles they were rescowed 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 w e all speede possible Belisarius prouyded for the same in thys wise Fyrst he commaunded Araâ—us 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 mâ—anes to attempte fortune for anye occasyon but onelye to defende bys 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 Uliarius But y â— rule of the whole flete he wold shuld be at the discretion of Ildiger coÌ„maun ding him forthw e to direct his course toward Arimine Another part of his army he betoke to Martine bidding him coast the shippes and kepe w e them as â—ere as he could by the shore And assone as they approched their enemies so that thei came w ein kenning then of set purpose to kindle manye fires in their Campe to the entent to make the enemy beleue y e 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 saire citie but it had bene destroyed and beaten downe to the grounde by the Gothes that came fyrste into Italye vnder Alaricus 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
armye they sent before one Arrauades an Armenian w t 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 trai toâ—r set it wyde all open let them into the 〈◊〉 They enterynge in and hauynge also taken the walles aboue the same gaue notyce thereof to the rest of the armye The Gothes perceiâ—ing their enemies wythin the towne 〈◊〉 out at another gate The captains hearinge that their men had taken the towne marched forwarde But ere euer they came there they fell at altercation for the 〈◊〉 by y â— way 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 miles from the â—ifie In y â— meane while the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now there is a castle abo◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of â—eron which hath a very great prospect both into the towne also farre into the countrye The Gothes which were fled into this hold perceiuing few of their enemyes to be within the Citie and the armye to aâ—yde 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 souldyers that were entered by night were partly oppressed partly â—ying to the walles made resistens froÌ„ aboue Anone after the captaines com ming thyther finding the gate shut although y â— souldiers w tin 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 Ar meman their guide The rest were eyther slaine or eâ—s taken prisoners By this meanes through the misgouernement couetousnes of the Captaines striuing amonge theyâ—selues for the praye before they had gotten it when they shuld haue made most spede for y â— winning of the same the matter quailed about Ueroâ— The iiij Chapter ¶ Totilas by his pollicie oâ—rcommeth the Imperials being of greater force and num 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his army was in the which vierâ—â—ie he sheweth great 〈◊〉 AFter this the Captaynes of Justiâ—ian for because their attempt fell out so ylfauoredly and dishonorable at Ueron began to fall at debate among thâ—mselues euerye man putting the fault in other there vpon departyng out of those quarters they passed ouer the riuer Po marched toward Plea sans At that time was Totilas at Pa uy who hearing of the comming of his enemies raised as maâ— men of warre as he could with all spede possible In the meane tyme the captaines hauing passed beyond Pleasans had entaÌ„ped themselues by the side of the riuer Po. Totilas albeit he were far ouermatâ—hed yet he determined to goe against them w t suche power as he had and to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of battell So when both the 〈◊〉 approched neretogyâ—her that thencounter was fully roâ— vppon by both parties Totilas in the â—yghte tyme sent certayne of hys horsemen before commaundyng thâ—ym to gette ouer the Ryuer almost twenty furlâ—ges aboue the campe of their enemies as soone as the battell was ioyned to reâ—e and assayle thee nemye 〈◊〉 wythe as 〈◊〉 noyse and 〈◊〉 as they 〈◊〉 He himselfe when he sawe hys tyme 〈◊〉 â—warde hys â—nemyes Theâ— captains did y e like There Against this man offered himselfe to the combat Artauades the Armenian of whome mencion was made in the entering into Ueron So in the sight of both tharmies 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 poynct 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 euery 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 fe yghtinge victorie as yet enclining to neyther side y â— souldyers of Totilas whichâ— had passed the riuer came set vppon Themperours Captaines behind 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 y â— thei were sone disper peled Many were flain by the Gothes in y â— chace many escaped by bypathes vnknowen wayes But the greatest nuÌ„ber was of theÌ„ y â— were takeÌ„ prisoners Moreouer which neuer happened before al y â— staÌ„dards baÌ„ners antesiges of themperours army were taken in y â— battell being brought vnto Totilas made his victory more famous renou mâ—d in y â— he hauing scars half so many men in his armye as his enemies had wittingly willingly encountred w t a greater power then his own of whom thorough his marciall pollicie he had gotten the victorie Hauing thus gottâ— the vpper hand he vsed the victory very courteously vexing none of y e prisoners but seÌ„ding diuers away w t out raÌ„some The which his gentlenesse dyd greatly augmeÌ„t his honour and 〈◊〉 The captaines of IustiniaÌ„ y â— 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 is be seged within Florens rescowed by thother imperial captaines who in the pursute of their enemies through an vntrue report cast in sodain feare are with great slaughter put to flight Totilas recouereth diuers tow nes in Lombardie raiseth the walls of Bene uent besiegeth Naples A comparison be twene the good gouernement of Totilas and the misgouernaunce of 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 Uliaris There was in Hetruria a captain called Iustine one of those y â— had bene at the foresaid battell Who after the discomfiture had neuer ceased leuing of a new power fortifiyng of the townes neuertheles tharmie of Totilas came sodainly vpon him besieged him w tin y e walls of Florens Iustine feared nothing so much as scarcety of victualles For nothing coulde be conueied in that which was wythin alreadye was lyke to be soone spent Wherevppon he sent to the rest of the Captaynes at Rauenna aduertised theym in what perill his estate stood requesting
of the people of Rome whiche hunge wholly vppon the onelye hope of that corne In so muche that nowe the Towne was oppressed wyth intolerable famayne And the Gothes therevppon preased the more boldly vpon them There was at the same tyme in Rome a certayne Deacon called Pelagius who in this distresse of famine had shewed very manye notable workes of mercye vppon the people of Rome by laying out hys monye relieuing the want and neâ—nesse of euerye man For the whiche álmose dedes whereas his name was greatly renoumed in times past nowe it was farre more renoumed then before The romains came vnto this maÌ„ humbly besieching him y â— for the saufgard of the people of Rome he would vouchsafe to go of Ambassade to Totilas and entreate him to graunt them a truâ—e 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 Totilas coniecturinge the effecte of hys erranâ— 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 thend he concluded that there was no waye eyther of communication or com position onles they would beat downe their walles and wholly submit them selues al that they had bodies goods to the wil and discretion of the Gothes â—o 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 booted 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 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 w t 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 theÌ„selues for hun ger By meanes whereof the people of Rome suffered and abode such thynges as it is a miserie euen to rehersâ— them The. xi Chapter â–ª ¶ Iohn Vitalian commeth with a newe power from the emperour whervpon aduise is taken for the succouring of Rome according to the whiche Belisarius goeth to Portua by water commaundinge Iohn to mete him there by lande But he through the prospeâ—ous snccesse that he hath agaiÌ„st the Gothes commeth not there at all By meanes whereof Belisarius is faine to deuise another way for the succouring of the Citie the which by his industrie takynge good effect agaiÌ„st thenemy is by the folly of his owne men interrupted to his owne great sorrowe and appairing of his health through rage of anger and sodayne feare and to the vtter preiudice of Rome For Totilas anone after taketh and sacketh it the whyche done he maketh an oratyon to his souldyers IN the meane tyme Iustinian sent Iohn w t an armie vnto Belisarius They were not any great number that he set forth at y â— tyme but he prepared to send a greater power oute of hand For the whiche occasion he had sent his Chamberlaine Narses vnto y e Erulians other barbarous nations inhabiting about the riuer of Danow of the which some were alreadye come into Thrace When tharmies were as sembled to DirrhachiuÌ„ that consulta tion was had as concerning the war it was agréed by one consent first of all to rescow the romains But how that might be done there was diuersitie of opinions Iohn persuaded to march w t all y t whole power togither thorow Ca labre 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 tharmie should be deuided and some should go by sea and 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 y â— 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 w tin 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 y â— the Romaines were in Thys opinion was allowed in the counsell thervpon Belisarius setting forth froÌ„ DirrhachiuÌ„ 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 iournyed by land When Totilas heard that forthwith he putte himselfe his armye in a readinesse to goe méete hym But when be 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 â–ª He chose a place aboute eleueÌ„ miles of from Rome where the Ryuer Tiber is narrowest there he layd ouer long beames from thonesids to thother in maner of a brydge at eche ende whereof he buylded a Towre of Timber drew a long yron chaine by the brydges side at the endes whereof he made two bastiles the whiche thâ— aforesaid towers he manned with soul diers to defend the bridge In y e meane while was Belisarius come to the Ro mayne hauen And hauynge sette hys men a land taryed for Iohn tharmie that was with him The Romaines knowynge of hys comminge endured all their extremityes with better courage vppon hope of
set forth with hys nauie he had lefte hys wyfe and al his householâ— furniture in the sayd towne of Portua and had appoynted as ruler thereof one Isaac a valiant gentleman and a trusty with a conuenient Crew of souldiers commaundyng and hartâ—ly 〈◊〉 him that he would not for any chaunce or occasion depart out of the towne but kepe hymselfe within it and defende it only Now at such tyme as Belisarius had set hys enemyes tower on fyre as we haue declared 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 ioyâ— exaltyng 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 flyght Howbeit anon after hys enemies gatheryng themselues together and encouraging one anâ— other returned eftsones vppon hym hauyng slayne a great sorte of his souldiers to coole hys â—rye madnesse toke hym prysoner Immediatly hereupon certayne horsemen broughte worde to Belisarius that his enemies had taken Isaac prysoner With y â— which tydings Belisarius beyng stryken to the heart demaunded not one worde of y â— messaÌ„ger where or in what sort but misconstruing that hys enemyes had taken Portua and bene Lordes of hys wyfe all that euer he had he was sodaynly strycken with suche an inward sorrow y â— 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 y â— towne while the matter was but newly begonne hys enemyes had yet scarcely settled theÌ„selues or els to die in y â— battell By this meanes y â— victorie which he had as good as gotteÌ„â—ypped out of his handes But wheÌ„ he came to Portua sawe y â— towne â—afe himself deceaued through light credite mistaking of y â— message he toke so great sorrowe for it y â— 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 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 battel For by thys tyme had Totilas quyte chaunged that gentlenesse whiche he had pretended in the begynnyng of hys reigne into statelynesse and crueltie Uerely eyther bycause his prosperous succeste made hym forget hymselfe or ells because hys gentlenesse beyng but â—eined at the begynning could not continue I assure you â—e would speake so bitterly of y e people of Rome y â— 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 crueliye Therfore as long as euer there was any hope of helpe at Belisarius haâ—d the people of Rome beyond their power to say the truth beyond y â— bondes of manhode and nature endured the famyn For to omit other thynges euen the fleshe of horses asses and mules were deyntyâ— 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 y â— night attempted to deceaue the watche of their enemies Many also â—arued 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 foure Isaurien souldiers conspyred to be tray it to the enemye these souldiers warded at the gate Celimontana coÌ„monly called Asinaria 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 promysyng to betraye y â— Citye into his haâ—ds Totilas encouragyng them with promyse of great rewardes sent certayne of 〈◊〉 men with theÌ„ to view the place to conuÌ„der 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 syghte by the â—ame lyne that they flided down And so wheÌ„ the experience of the matter had geueÌ„ sufficient credit Totilas at y â— 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 he 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 â—raytours 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 eneâ—ie 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 y e enemy entered Many also both of the nobilitie and of the commonalty toke sanctuarye in the Churches 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 myddest of the Citye from the one end to the other when he came into the Uaticane vnto the portche of Saint Peters Pelagius of whom we made mention before fearing to approche into presence rauished in y â— apparell accustomed in solemne ceremonyes and holdyng the Testamente of Christ in hys hande kneled humblye downe on hys knees sayd O kyng I besieche thee spare thy humble suppliantes At
besyeged by the gothes in the Pyle of Adrian Totilas endeuoreth by all meanes to repaire and frequent Rome againe and afterward sommonâ—th centmucelles which taketh truce wyth hym to yelde by a certayne day TOtilas hauing set at a stay the affaires of Calabrie and Appulia determined to tourne backe againe and besege Rome It made hym the bolder that Belisarius was gone togither with the prosperous suc cesse of the Gothes in all their doyngs through Italye and the euill fortune of the 〈◊〉 Wherevppon assemblyng a great 〈◊〉 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 Durynge the syege aboute the Citye Uigilius 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 Belisâ—rius agayne into Italy w t an inestimable power to raise the siege before Rome otherwyse they declared that all was lyke to fall to vtter ruine The same thing also requested Goding one that had bene Consull was sent thyther â—rom the people of Rome as an Ambassadour Iustinian made them answere that he wold pro uide wel ynough for thaffairrs of Italy Howbeit through his delaying dri uing of froÌ„ day to day he did nothing in effect At y â— leÌ„gth wheÌ„ he saw theÌ„ ear nestlyin hand w t him froÌ„ time to time y â— hecould 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 whote 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 dâ—layes the tyme passed awaye Rome in the meane whyle was strayghtly besyeged For the Gothes hauynge wonne the Cytye Portua keept 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 releued from anye place they had gotten into theyr haâ—des well nye all thâ— townes aboute it But the foresyght and prouision of the Lieutenaunt and hys souldyers was wonderfull For they foreseynge these thynges a good whyle before had caused all the voyde roomes within the Citie where there stood no buyldinges to be sowed with corne By meanes wherof it came tâ— passe that by that tyme their old corne was spent new came vp within the walles where through thâ—y endured the syege a long tyme. Yea and by all likelyhood they had saued the Citie had not the treason of a few peruerted theÌ„ For at the gate that leadeth to Ostia as ye goe to the Churche of Saynâ—e Paule there was a warde of Isaurien Souldyers They after longe continuaunce of the syege grudging amonge themâ—lues that they were defrauded of many yeres wages in hope of greate rewardes at Totilas hand stale preuely vnto hym bargainyng to betray hym the gate Where theâ— warded appoyntyng the tyme and the meane how to doe it When the night prefixed was comme Totilas deuised thys cautele He set two Barges vppon the Ryuer Tyber wyth Trumpettours in them commaunding them to rowe vppe the streame and to gette as nere the wall as they coulde and when they came there to blowe theyr trumpettes as terrybly as they could He hymselfe wyth hys arâ—ye wente softlye wythoute noysâ— and stayed a lyttle wayâ— from the gate before menâ—ioned All thyngs happened according to hys desyre For the trumpettours when they had rowed to the place appointed with the terrible and sodayne noyse of their trumpettes strake the Romayns in such a feare that they beleued their enemyes had bene there In so muche that they â—ocked thyther from all partes of the Citie and they that watched in other places left their standinges and came runnynge thyther fearfully Nowe whyles euâ—ry man resorted to that place 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 slaughter as well of the Romaynes as of the souldyers There was not than any carâ— taken howe to make resistens but how to runne awaye They fled by suche gates as were furthest fro the enemye Diogenes the Captayne for as muche as he sawe there was none other remedye yssued oute of Rome wyth parte of hys souldyers and tooke hys waye toward Centmucelles Totilas 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 y e which Diogenes fâ—lling lost a great parte of hys souldiers himself beyng sore wounded had much a doe to escape wyth hys life 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 y â— rest of y e city was takeÌ„ there was hard feyghting still at Adrians tumbe For Paule had CCCC horsemen wyth the whiche â—e valiantlye defended the Tumbe and the brydge adioynynge thereto In so muche that he slew 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 â— 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 vn till to morow Thus hauing called his men froÌ„ the skirmishe and set a strong watch against the tumbe the bridge he coÌ„maunded y â— no man shuld molest or disquiet them y â— were beseged Paul his band of horsmen hauyng 〈◊〉 al that day the nyght folowing w tout meate or drynke the next day beganne to consult what was best to be doone There were y â— gaue counsel to endure the siege w t hors â—eshe But this deuise semed horrible for the lothsomnes of y â— vnaccustomed feding Hope to escapâ— by flyght there was none the Gothes â—tting theÌ„ on all sides round about ready at receipt to cut theÌ„ of So there remained no â—hift but to yeld that sâ— med both perillous and dishonorable And therfore Paule taking vpon hym to speake
shore-side beautifull to beholde bothe for the buylding and number of the shippes by and by retourned vnto Grippa and where as y e thing was great of it self they reported it to be far greater then it was in dede 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 y e sea he was afrayed he should soone be brought to scarcetie of victualls Beyng distressed with these cares at length which is the refuge in such extremities he fell to counsell According to the same he conueyghed all hys hoost a good waye out of Salons and encamped in a place conuenient In the meane tyme Constantian arriued with all his â—ete 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 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 Kauenna by water leauyng vp vtterly to the enemye bothe Dalmatia Lyâ—rnie the which immediatly without any reâ—istence came into the hands of Constantian ⧠The. vj. Chapter ¶ Belisariua arriueth in Italy and after long 〈◊〉 wynneth Naples BElisarius vppon the receipt of the Emperours letters when he shuld passe into Italy leauing garrisons of souldiours at Syracuse and Panormus went with the residuâ— of his armie to Mâ—ssana and there wosted ouer vnto Regium From thence he led his armie 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 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 w tout 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 y â— 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 authoritie in the citie He spake these wordes in effect that Belisarius dyd not well to make war vppon the Neapolitans 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 subâ—ion of other men But yf so be it he myght be so bolde to say hys mynd he dyd vnaduisedlye to lâ—nger there in vayne 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 méeter for him 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 〈◊〉 the world went 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 vtter ly 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 t it This was his saying openly And secretly he persuaded Stephan to 〈◊〉 his Citizens rather to seke themperours good will fauour then his indignation displeasure Thoratours at their reâ—ourne into the citie reported the words of Belisarius And when thei came to consul tation as concerning the same Stephen being demaunded his opinion in the case saide he thought it to daungerous a matter for the â—politanes to tourne the brunt of so great a warre vppon themselues and therefore he wisshed them by some composition or other to prouide for their saufegarde This counsell was furthered also by one Antiochus a Syrian borne 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 opinion the people also the commoÌ„s of the citie were desirous of the same In so much that shoutes were openly heard crying out to haue the gates set open and Belisarius let in There were about eyght hundred Gothes in garrison who albeit that it greeued them to see these things neuerthelcsse for as muche as they durste not withstand the wyll of the people gathered themselues together Pastor and Asclepiodotus citizens of Naples beyng frends of the Gothes and therefore sorye to 〈◊〉 the prescnt estate of the citie altered when they sawe howe the people were bent durste not openly gainsay theyr desyres but wrought by an ouerthwart meanes to breake thagrement And there vppon allowyng and praysing openly all that was determined in the assemblye as though it had lyked them verye well they counselled to knitte vp the matter stronglye with many bandes and couenaunts requirynge an othe for performinge of the same The articles that they had deuised were suche as they thought Belisarius woulde not haue consented vnto in especiallye seynge he shoulde be sworne to the performaunce of them Therefore in as much as they seemed to speake these thynges of good wyll to the people they obteyned to haue the decree made accordynge to theyr owne deuise And therevppon all thynges were penned and fayre wordes engroced Stephan was sent with the Booke from the Citie to Belisarius Who after he hadde perused the same agreed to euery article and offered
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 〈◊〉 ease approche entendynge the nexte daye to haue wonne the Towne by assaulte But Iohn the same nyghte went oute wyth hys souldyers 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 Uitigis was mynded to fyll vp the dythe 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 〈◊〉 and so greate losse of theyr best men of warre that they 〈◊〉 vtterlye in despayre of wynnynge the towne by force determinyng to subdue it by 〈◊〉 ¶ The iiij Chapter 〈◊〉 Belisarius seudeth Mundilas with a poâ— to receiue Millaine who in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at the Citye of Pauie by a misâ— loseth a noble man of hys companye called Fidelis 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 other Cityes of Lombardye yelde vnto Mundilas Vraias the 〈◊〉 of Vitigis goeth into Lumbardye agaynste the Imperialles Be◠〈◊〉 dyuers townes in Italye by composition Vitigis sendeth a 〈◊〉 of souldyers to Auxiuum for the more strengthenynge thereof â–ª the vvhych makyng a rode 〈◊〉 the inhabiters of Aucon throughe the follye of 〈◊〉 Capâ— thereof make a greater slaughter and put the towne in daunger of takynge THe verye selfe same tyme Beâ— graunted an ayde of souldyers to the Ambassadours of Millain that came before vnto Rome He appoynted Mundilas one of hys 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a verye stoute and valiant man to bâ— 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 conuâ—yed to Geane by shippe went from thence to Millaine on foote And to thentent 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 toldâ— 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 skyrmyâ—he 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 Fi delis of Millain slaine For he weÌ„t 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 he ouerthrewe The whiche thyng hys enemyes that stood vppon the Walle perceyuyng rusâ—hed our vppon hyâ— and slew hym before that â–ª 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 companye keepynge on theyr iourney towarde Millaine 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 Mundilas and hys souldyers When Uitigis had knowledge of those thinges that had happened aboute Millaine he sent Uraias hys brothers sonne with a great army into those costs to thentent 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 Thewdeberte Kynge of Fraunce wyth whome not long before he had entered in leage desyring hym to minister ayde vnto Uraias In thys state or rather in this expectation were the matters of Lumbardie Belisarius at such tyme as corne began to waâ— rype 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 muche 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 Uitigis 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 Uacinius Who adioining his newe souldyers and the olde crewe togyther purposed to attempt the win nyng of Aucon hys nexte neyghbour citie whyâ— was manned wyth a garryson of Belisarius And therevppon he went wyth all hys whole power agaynste the inhabiters of Aucon That Towne in those dayes was walled onclye on that syde that stoode vppon the hyll the lower places situated on the playne grounde albeit they were replenished with buil dings yet were they not enclosed with anye wall Therefore at such time as the Gothes approched 〈◊〉 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 and set hymselfe agaynste hys enemye But in that case Conon was to farre ouermatched For he hauynge scarse a thousand souldiers encountered with his enemies beynge foure thousand And therefore he dyd quickely abye hys foolyshe hardynesse For beynge â—t able to stand agayâ—ste so manye he was at length â—quished anâ—â—eynge put to flyghâ— loste the moste partâ— 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
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 〈◊〉 nedes be lightly in so great an armye he founde certaine of hâ—s 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 returninge 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 moun taines from whence he was reported to come But Belisarius had aboute midday encamped himselfe in the mouÌ„ taynes 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 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 〈◊〉 Fyrst of all arriued Ildeger with hys 〈◊〉 at Arimine and goyng on land spoyled the tentes of the Gothes Anone after came Martine and Belisarius wyth theyr armyes When 〈◊〉 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 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 ys Narses had not compelled hym These wordes troubled Belisarius and they were the begynnynge of discorde For after that tyme Iohâ— standyng in feare of Belisarius cleaued vnto Narses The residue also of his frends styrred vp Narses with euyll counsell against hym Uouching that it was not for his honour being Threasurour of Thempyre and one of the Emperours priuie counsell to be led by thad uise 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 hym self and not to Belisarius These flatterynge persuasions set Narses in such a pryde that he euer after encamped 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 fiege of Uâ—bine but yet not in one campe For Belisarius laye on the â—ast 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 skâ—rne 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 cou rage â—nally 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 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 fouÌ„taine the townesmen of Urbine haning no mo but that one onely dryâ—d 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 Urbine should become subiectes to the Emperour Iustiâ—an in as free and ample manner as other Italyans that were Imperiall The. vi Chapter ⧠Of the great dearth that was throughe all â—taly and how the Gothes besege Millaine and winne it throâ—gh the discord of Belisarius and Narses Whereof the Emperour beynge aduertised by Belisarius calleth Narses out of Italy Whervpon Belisarius hauing absolute aucthoritie agayâ— procedeth wyth the warres and besegeth Aâ—mum the sytuation and strengthe whâ—reof 〈◊〉 here declared WHen 〈◊〉 was thus yelded vn to hym for as much as it semed not as yet expedient tattempte the â—ege of Auximum Belisarius led his 〈◊〉 against the Urbeuetanes The winning of that towne was somâ— 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 worne 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 the which penurie Urbeuetus also being at length op pressed 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 reÌ„pulsed with manye woundes and loâ— a great sort of hys company In the same assaulte was slayne Phauotheus captayne of the Erules Wherevppon Iohn desisting from Cesena went to Forum Cornelâ— the whiche was yelded vnto hym by composition The same tyme Mundilas and those that were w t him at Millaine began to be wrapped in great distres For Teudebert the French kyng as is before specified being by Uitigis called vpon for ayde by vertue of the leage that was betwene them had sent to Uraias 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 mat ter was not the defence of the citie for the Citizens of Millain wyth one accorâ— knitte themselues togyther in the defence
to be caryed that way Whyle Rauenna was thus straightlye besyeged there came Ambassadours out of Fraunce to Uitigis offering that the Frenchemen should come into Italy and rayse the syege aud doubtlesse to slea Belisarius wyth all hys armye yf so be yt that the Gothes woulde be content to admitte them as coparteners of their Empyre This stout bragge made by the french Ambassadurs dyd set the hearers harts in a pryd For thei promi sed to bryng fyue bundred thousand men of warre whose comyng if he were in hys ryghte wyttes Belisarius woulde neuer abyde For yf he did they threatened to sâ—etch hym and all hys companye wyth theyr holberdes These hyghe wordes dyd partlye puffe vp Uitigis hys Gothes w t pryde partly made them afraid For if the Frenchmen came into Italy it was not to be doubted that they shuld get the vpper hand but it was a difficulte matter to be beleued that they would keepe touche and play the good fellowes in parting of the Empyre And therfore yf the Frenchmen shuld come they mistrusted least they would be as much to their confusion as to the coÌ„fusion of their enemies This doubt of theirs Belisarius helped to increase For he beynge a sage Captayne and pollitique in all affayres as sone as he knewe of the commynge of the Frenche Ambassadours sent his commyssioners also to Rauenna both to offer the Gothes peace and attonement wyth the Emperour and also to wythdrawe theym from societye wyth the Frenchemen by puttynge them in remembrance of their former vnfaythefull dealynge The Gothes when they had hearde the Frenche Ambassadours and Belisarius Commyssioners what coulde be alledged on bothe sides takinge deliberation what was best to be done after longe debating of on preferred thattonement w t the Emperour By thys mea nes the French Ambassade was dismissed w tout the thing that they came for and often treaties were had w t Belisarius concerning the same and dyuers commissioners and messengers went to and fro for conclusion thereof Finallye thys was the ende of the matters debated That the determynation of all controuersies should be referred to the discretion of the Emperour Iustinian Herevppon Ambassadours were sent to hym and a Truce was taken betwene the besyegers and the beseged In the meane while it fortuned that the common store-houses at Rauenna and all the corne in them was burned vp y e mischaunce broughte the Gothes in greate distresse consyderynge theyr owne corne was burnt vp and Belisarius woulde not suffer any more to be brought in the whych he sayde he dyd vpon this consideration to the entent the Gothes shoulde be agreable to more indifferent articles of attonement Howebeit Uitigis was in a mer ueylous mistrust because it could not be learned by what meanes the â—yer â—ame Some thought they were set a fier w t lightnig other supposed it to be done by some malicious persons othersome mistrusted that Belisarius should be the doer of it The Quâ—ne also was suspected for y e matter Who forasmuch as she was forced to marry w t Uitigis against her will was therfore demed to beare hatred and malice towarde hym in her harte This burnyng of the grayne dyd greatly trouble Uitigis 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 w toute corne and withoute all hope of comming by any more because y e Beli sarius after the burninge of the store-houses looked more straitlye to theym that none should be conueyed in ¶ â—he 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 well 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 Emâ—erour the whych the Gothes beyng glad of to further the same proferre their fubmission and obedience vnto him and he accepteth it promising to take his othe at Rauenna for performaunce of their demands whervpon be is receiued royally in to the town dismisseâ—h the most part of the Gothish souldiers â–ª through whose departure hauing made himself strong he vtterly refuseth to vsurpe as long as thempe â—our iustinian liueth The gothes in Pauie create a new king who maketh profer of submissioÌ„ vpon like condition the whych 〈◊〉 vtterly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prisoner to Constantinople with diuers of his noble men and all his Threasures About this tyme many of y e 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 Thaâ—pes 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 be well kept And therefore Theodorich kyng of the Gothes dyd both 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 y e Gotishe 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 Uraias 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 Uraias first formest to lead them thither Wherevppon he tooke his iourney w t 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 Uitalian 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 Uraias When the fathers husbands kinsfolke of them had knowledge thereof they forsooke Uraias campe fled to theyr enemies to the entent to recouer them againe Uraias beyng thus forsaken of hys owne souldyers retourned with a few into Lumbardy neuer set his minde any moÌ„re eyther about musterynge of other souldiers or succouringe such as were besieged So Uitigis 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
to be sworne for the keeping of theÌ„ Stephan returned and brought worde thereof into the citie Wherat the people greatly reioysing began to runne to the gates sayinge that Belisarius should be let in Pastor and Asclepiodotus seyng this when they perceyued that their first crafts tooke no place called together the Gothes and citizens of Naples such as wer of their own faction Declaring vnto them that it was a folly to lose the towne at the 〈◊〉 of the vnskylfull multitude For what man had so lytle witte that could not vnderstand that if Belisarius were in any hope at all of winning the citie he would neuer haue consented to tharticles that were sent vnto him But nowe because he was out of all hope he had grauÌ„ted to those things which he would not stand to to thentent to make them traitours at theyr vttermoste peryll For if he bare them so much good wyll as he pretended he would not haue there taricd to surprise theÌ„ by subteltie but would haue kept on his way to trye the matter by battel against Theodatus and his Gothes By alledgynge these and suche other thyngs they both persuaded the Citizens to make resistence and also encouraged the Gothes to stand to the de fence of the Citie Besids this they armed the Iewes of the which ther was a great multitude in Naples caused them to take their parte By meanes whereof the rest of the citizins were put in feare and all the communicatioÌ„ and couenaunts with Belisarius wer broken Belisarius therefore after that time addressed himselfe to the siege Oftentymes when he attempted to winne it by assaulte he was put to the repulse with great losse and peryll of hys souldiours For the walles of Naples are partly enuironed with the sea and partly do stand vppon high and steepe places so that it is a very harde matter to scale them The conduit pypes by which water ranne into the citie albeit they were all broken by Belisarius yet not withstanding it semed to be no great discommoditie to them that were besieged because they had manye Welles in the towne so that they could want no water But most of all hurted them the hope of helpe to come for as much as thei had sent their Ambassadours to Rome for ayde against their enemies Now as Belisarius was in maner paste hope and thought to haue broken vp his siege Fortune wonderfully opened the way of conquest vnto him There was a wa ter chanel cut deepe into the grouÌ„de by which water was wont to be coÌ„ueyed into the citie This at the beginning of the siege had Belisarius broken as he had done other before A certain souldier of Clandiople by chaunce entering into the same went in it hard to the walles of the citie There was at the place where it went vnder the wall a stone not layed by mannes hand but of nature through the whiche there was a hole bored to let the water into the citie But the hole was not so wyde that a man might enter in at it The which when the souldier had well viewed he perceyued that if the hole in the stone were made wyder they myght haue passage into the Citie And therevppon he made Belisarius priuye to all that he hadde seene The Captaine greatly reioysyng thereat and promisynge great rewardes bade the souldyer choose some of hys fellowes to helpe hym and to open the stone more not by diggynge and heawynge least the noyse of the strykynge should be wray them but by fyling and scrapyng and that very softly Loke as the Captayne commaunded so the souldyer dyd To be short through the continuall and diligent paynestakyng of the souldyer it was brought to that poynt that a man in harnesse wyth hys sworde and hys target in his hand myght easâ—y go through When the matter stood in thys case Belisarius perceyuyngc he shoulde bee mayster of the Citie when he lyst hyinselfe and lothe that hys souldyers shoulde sacke it called out Stephan vnto him againe and putte hym in remembraunce of the miserable chaunces that are wonte to happen vnto Cities that are taken perforce as the slaughter of men the rauyshyng of women at euery Uarlettes pleasure the burnyng of houses the sackyng and reuing of all places and all other kyndes of mischiefes Wherefore he willed the Neapolitans to haue respect vnto them selues and not to abyde the vttermost at their peryll for as yet they had tyme to repent them of their folly Stephan hearynge these thinges at his retourne declared the same to his citizens with sighes and teares But they despising his wordes had hym in derison for his labour Belisarius therefore executynge hys prepensed purpose when he had fully determined to take the citie prouided for the same in this maner Assoone as euer it beganne to be darke he chose out foure hundred souldiours commaundynge euery one of them to put on hys harnesse and to take his swordâ— and hys target in his hande and being so armed in a readinesse to kepe themselues close without noyse vntyll they had knowledge what they should doe He appoynted leaders of them Magnus and Emias stout men in whose puissaunce he dyd putte muche confidence When it was now past mydnyght he disclosed the matter to the leaders and shewyng them the place commaundeth them to lead che souldiers through the channell by torchelyght And assoone as they were gotten into the citie he taught them what they should doe wyllyng them to take some part of the walle and to geue token thereof by the sound of a trumpet He him selfe had prepared before hand a great sort of ladders to scale the wals with commaundyng all his armye to be ready in their harnes wherof he had the nymblest and best practised aboute his owne persone Whyles he was thus aboute his matters many of the souldiers that were with Magnus retyred backe for feare of the daunger and could not be made to go forwarde neyther by fayre meanes nor by foule Whome Belisarius sent away wyth great rebuke supplying their roomes with two hundred of them â–ª that he had about him Uppon the which reproche euen they that before refused to go folowed The souldiers went a long and a blynde way in the chanell For it ended not at the wall but led further into the citie being vaulted ouer aloft with Bâ—cke In so much that y â— souldiers wist not where they were vntyll they espyed the skye at the ende of the vault Then they perceyued themselues to be in the middes of the citie out of the which place it was a hard matter for them to escape because they had ylfauoured clymbing vp vpon the high walles wherew t it was enclosed round about Neuerthelesse at length when one had helpeâ— vp another all were come owt they went to the walles there hauing slayne the watchemen toke two towres from thens gaue asigne by sownding atrumpet and making a greate shoute By and by Belisarius
mo and mo in the same vesselles He douted nothing so muche as that the watchmen that warded on that side should escrie hym and bewray his deuise For the auoyding of which dout he corrupted the two Romaines for a piece of money to further thys attempt To whome he delyuered a sleping pouder willing them to geue it the watchmen with wine to thentent that when they had dronke the same they might fall into a dead slepe After these conueances were thus deuised agreed vppon the one of them beyng stryken with repentance disclosed the whole matter to Belisarius and there vppon the other beynge taken with the slepie medicine aboute hym that the Kynge hadde geuen hym was put to the torture and compelled to vtter all the order of the matter The whiche done Belisarius caused his nose and eares to be cut of and settyng hym vppon an Asse sent hym out at the Pincian gate to the Gothish Campe to the entent that Uitigis might perceiue how that his close workyng was detected and his secret practises browght to lyght ⧠The. ij Chapter ¶ Vpon the discouerrie of the treason the truce ceâ—th â–ª Iohn Vitalian vvynneth diâ— tovvnes from the Gothes and amongest other Arminine vppon the takinge wherof they breake vp their siâ—ge before â—ome WHen Belisarius had so openly discouered these their craftie packinges he thought it not mete to obserue the truce any lenger w t them Whervppon he wrate to John that he shoulde execute his commission He with his two thousand horsemen scouring the couÌ„trey of y e Picents through tooke the wyues and children of the Gothes prisoners and forraged spoyled all the whole countrey from the one ende to the other Moreouer encounteryng with Uglitheus vncle of Uitigis by the fathers syde coÌ„ming against him with an armye of the Gothes 〈◊〉 vanquished him and slew the captaine himself w t a great part of his hoste so lyke a coÌ„queror ranged ouer al y â— whole countrey When he had wonne many townes that he was about to besâ—ege AuxiuuÌ„ it was not vnknowen vnto him what a slender garrison was with in the town but yet the place was of it self very strong defensible And therefore thinkyng it folly to spend the tyme in vayne aboute the besieging thereof he kept on hys iourney forwarde The same opinion also had he of the bâ—sieging of Urbine For the citie being wel fortified strong of it self semed of necessitie to aske a long time in y e sâ—ge therof he had put al his hope in spedie celeritie He tooke Fauum PisauruÌ„ and then brought his army against Arimine in hope to get it because he had heard saye that the men of Arimine could not well agree with the Gothes When he had ones brought his hoste to this towne he cast such a terrour vp pon the Gothes thereby that thei durst not abyde thereaboutes but remoued vnto Rauenna and the townesmen set open their gates to let him in By this meanes John toke Arimine leauing behinde two stronge cities manned by the Gothes namely Auximum and Urbinc All the which doinges were cleane contrarys to Belisarius commaundements Howbeit he thought it better to be sure of Arimine then to spende hys tyme vaynly in lying styll aboute Auximum and Urbine Wherevnto he was the rather persuaded because that Arimine a towné so nere neyghbour vnto Rauenna being taken it was not lykelye that the Gothes would tary any long tyme after at the siege of Rome but rather make hast to come away to the defence of Raueâ—na and the places thereaboutes The which thing came so to passe in dede For as soone as the Gothes vnderstood that Ariminc was taken they determined to breake vp their siege before Rome and to depart thence Uitigis therefore within a few dayes after set fier on his tentes 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 set vppon them that were behynde 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 towne and repulsed with great losse VItigis albeit he made speede toward Rauenna yet not withstanding 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 Urbiuetus fyue hundred at Tudert foure thousande at Auxiuum at Urbine ij thousande fyue hundred at Cesena and as many at Mountferrat 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 John 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 〈◊〉 and martine forslowing no time dyd 〈◊〉 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 wheras 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 〈◊〉 John would ney ther obey hymselfe nor yet suffer hys cosyn Damian wyth hys horsemen whyche were aboute foure hundred to be ruled by theym And therefore 〈◊〉 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 Uitigis came and besyeged the Towne At hys fyrste commynge thyther he framed a towre of lyke heyghth wyth the walles the 〈◊〉 was not drawen wyth Oxen as
all the Gothes and all the Italians that fauored the Gothyshe parte should at a daye appoynted meete all togyther readye furnished with armour at Pauye His armye at y e beginning was verye slen der but it coÌ„tinually encreased euery daye was in better hope and comforte then other The couetousnesse and wrongful dealing of their aduersaries dyd not a lytle helpe the Gothish part For the collectours of Iustinian vnder the colour of forfeytures and arrerages began to vexe the people of Italy maruelous bytterlye and to compell theym to the payment of summes that were neuer due For by calling an accounpt of all thyngs that the Italians had taken charge of in the tyme of Theoderich fyrste kynge of the Gothes or of anye other of the Kynges that succeded hym togyther wyth the accompte of all suche offices as anye Italyan had borne durynge the sayde tyme and moreouer by makyng inquisition for the money lately promysed by the Cytyes to the Gothes the whyche they chalenged to the Emperour as due by the name of forfeyture they broughte euerye man priuatelye and all the Cytyes generallye in suche a despayre that they wyshed y e Gothes to be lordes of all againe therevppon many of their owne frée will reuolted to Ildouade helpinge to augment the number strength of his armie The lyke grudge was also in themperours armie For loke with what greadines the money that was neuer due was exacted of the Italians with like pinching were the souldiers restrayned of theyr due deserued wages There was no regarde had of any thyng but one which was to satisfye the Emperours vnsatiable coustousnes by gathering of money and spendinge none againe And therfore as well the souldyers as the Italyans beyng constrained with so great wronges sought to bryng the Empyre to decaye By mea nes whereof Ildouade daylys growynge stronge brought vnder hys obeysance all the Cyâ—es beyonde the â—uer Po and all the Cytyes perteyâ—ynge to the estate of Uenicâ— and â—armye was fullye furnished with number both of Italians and Gothes Through the whyche within a whyle he was so encouraged that he was not a â—ayde to leade hys armye into open â—ld to try the fortune of battel This 〈◊〉 was fought not farre fâ—oÌ„ Taruisium against Uitalis one of the Emperours Captaines In the which Ildoâ—ade gerting â—hupper hand made 〈◊〉 a slaughter of Uitalis army y â— whiles the captaâ—e himself w t a few sted away all the rest were â—ither slain or taken prisoners by the Gothes Through this â—ictorie being so great so notable it is a wonder to see how the gothes were encouraged how much the power of their aduâ—rsaries was abaâ—d In so much y â— not only beyonde the Ryuâ—r Po and vnder the dominion of Uenice but also all suche as on thys syde the Po helde of the Gothy she part were throughly strengthened and the name of Ildouade grewe famous euen in the Emperour Iuâ— Court and amonge foreine nations also It was not long after but that he pursued to y â— death Uraias a man of much aucthoritie and estimation among the Gothes vpon presumption y â— he should conspâ—re with his enemies This cause was pretended Howbeit somme were of opinion that he tooke prytch agaynst Uraias bycause that latly before there had bene altercation betwen his wife and the Quéene But surely I cannot thiâ—ke 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 Uraias I beleue rather that the cause why Ildouade dyd putte him to death was that he feared his power aucthoritie For it is manifest that the Gothes in generall are of nature very mistrustfull and scarce sufficientlye faithfull toward their kinges Many of the Gothes dissalâ—wed the death of Uraias and openly detested it as a 〈◊〉 and wicked acte By meanes wherof it came to passe that Ildonade himself was â—ayne by one of his owne 〈◊〉 whiles he sate at his meate In his stead was Ataricus created King but he raigned not long For w tin fiue monethes after his election he was slain by his owne subiectes for his euil behauiour misgouernement Thus hauing killed two of their kinges w tin two yeres space they offered the kingdome with one consent vnto Totilas This man before he was made kynge had borne great aucthority at Tarui siner which is a citie of the Uenetians and hys father was brother to 〈◊〉 late Kynge The. iii. Chapter ⧠A larger declaration of the election and â—ation of Totilas mencioned brieflye in the Chapter before The Emperours Câ—ptaines through their insaciable grediâ— of pray stryuing for the bootie before they had gotten it lose the Citiâ— Veron â—hiche was deliuered into their handes and betâ—ay their â—wne companie AFter that Ildonade as I shewed before was sâ—aine Totilas dreading to be in daun ger bycause 〈◊〉 was so nere of his kinne sent priuely to Kauenna made compact with themperours captaines to turne vnto them with such as he had rule of to yeld vp y â— town of Taruisium into their haÌ„ds A day was limited for performans of y â— matter But ere euer y â— day came the Gothes repentiâ—g y â— they had 〈◊〉 in y â— death of Ildouade that they had made 〈◊〉 their king a 〈◊〉 nether of wisdome nor courage able to defend y â— Gothes against so great strength of their enemies began to encline to To tilas the nere kiâ—sman of â—douade to wishe that he were their king In coÌ„ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of the way made Toâ—ilas king in dede 〈◊〉 hauing intelligence of these things y â— had â—appened in Italy found great 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—oward nes of his captaiâ—s y â— in al the 〈◊〉 y â— their eâ—mies were 〈◊〉 at 〈◊〉 among themselues among so many alterations chaunges they hauing so great oportunity for y e speÌ„ding of their matters had done nothing at al. The captaines moued w t this dishonorable rebuke asseÌ„bled togither at Raueâ— There when it came to â—onsul as concerning the war it was thought best first formest to send an armye against y â— citie Ueron For they had 〈◊〉 secretly put in hope of 〈◊〉 of y â— towne The captaines were in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of whoÌ„ the thieâ—e were 〈◊〉 AleraÌ„der lately sent thither 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perour for the collection of his money Therfore setting forth wyth a greate armye when they approâ—hed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ueron they determyned to putte in tryall the hope that was lately geuen theym For there was one Martine a noble man of that Countrie that had a Castle not farre from â—eron 〈◊〉 for as much as in his â—rt he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 had allured the keâ—r of one of the gates to let in y â— emperoâ—s army â–ª The matter being in this wyse closely agreed vpon when the captaines came thither with their
of Tibur is a nere neyghboure vnto Rome beyng distant from thence no further then syxtene myles The takyng whereof was a great eyâ— sore and noyous to the Romaynes as wherby they were dysappoynted of all thynges in Latium After thys Totilas hauyng perfecte intelligence of the commyng of Belâ—arius wente with hys armye into the countrye of the Picentes and encamped aboute Auximum The very same season had Belisarius sent Uitalis with a Illirians erewe of Illirians into the countrye aboute Bononie After the â—yme he had wonne a certain towne thereaboutâ—s and had beene receaued into Bononie the Illirians without any cause why or wherfore for soke hym and assemblyng themselues together went their wayes home For y â— whiche dede they afterward alledged this excuse vnto themperour that whiles they wer seruing him in his warres in Italy the Collectors of his tributes did sel their lyuelond in their Countrie and caste their wiues and children out of house and home by meanes whereof they were compelled to returne thither to defend their owne When Totilas heard of thys sodayne departure of the Illirians he sente out an armye of Gothes in hope to haue takeÌ„ Uitales and the reast of hys companye tardie But they preuentyng hym had recouered vnto Rauenna Belisarius knowyng that they which were besiâ—ged at 〈◊〉 were sore oppressed sent to their ayde a thousand horsemen ouer whom he made three Captaynes Teremunt Ricilas and Sabinian whoe entering into the towne priuely by nyghte the next daye following made a skyrmyshe with the Gothes by whoÌ„ Ricilas one of the Captaines was slaine The reast within a fewe dayes after determined to departe For they sawe that by theyr tarying there they dyd but helpe to spend their frendes victualls and necessaryes and coulde do their enemyes no harme Hereuppon stealyng out of the towne by nyghte when they had gone aboute three myles on their waye they fell into an ambushe of their enemyes by whom being be set on all sydes and so put to flyght they loste two hundred of their companye together with their apparell armour and all other stuffe the beastes that caryed them The residue after long and weary trauell recouered vnto Arimin Fanum Pysantum are Cityes standyng vppon the coaste of thadriatike sea and are situate beetwene Auximum and Arimine These townes at y e begynnyng of these warres had Uitigis set on fyre beaten down the walles of them mydway to the grounde Of these two Belisarius determyned to repayre Pysaurum and to place a Thrope of horsemen in the same for the accomplishment wherof he sent workemen thyther secretly to take iuste measure of the gates the whiche he caused to be framed at Rauenna with lockes henges barres and all other yron worke belongyng vnto them and caused them to be conueyed by water to Pysaurum writyng to the Captaynes and horsemen of Arimine that they should sodaynly take y e towne and hange vp the gates and mende vp the walles of rough worke and clensâ— the dyches As for all kynde of dyand he prouided that it was sent them by Sea The horsemen of Arimine therefore when they had taken Pisaurum did all thynges accordyng to Belisarius commaundement Totilas perceauyng that went thither with a great power to interrupte them of their worke But the souldiers had so busilye 〈◊〉 them in scowring the dyches in castyng of the trenches in makyng of Rampyres in fortefiyng the towne and in repayring the walles the bulwarkes that the kyng wondered to see so many thynges so wyttely deuised and pollitiquely brought to passe in so fewe daies And therfore wheÌ„ he had taried a while there aboutes forasmuch as he saw he could do no good he returned into hys campe before AurimuÌ„ neuer y e neerer of hys purpose Howbeit Totilas the Gothes perceauyng that Belisarius shewed not hymselfe abroade in the open fieldes with themperours armye in no parte of Italy but only kept himself within the walled townes and deâ—ended them they determined not to syt altogether aboute Auximum onely but to make warre agaynst other Cityes also Hereuppon Totilas went with an armye and besieged Asculum and Firmum among the Picentes Belisarius being not able to 〈◊〉 such as were besieged that called vpon hym dayly for helpe for he had not sâ— great a power that he durst venture abronde agaynst y e Gothes was in great perpleritie and toke it very greuously that hys name should be so dishonored At the length he sent Iohn Uitalian to Themperour to enforme hym of the state of Italy by whoÌ„ he addressed his letters also the tenor wherof contained thys in effecte The. ix Chahter ¶ The Copie of Belisarius letters to themperour the good successe of Totilas the valiaunt Demeanor of Sisifride the 〈◊〉 murtheryng of 〈◊〉 and the manlinesse of hys souldiers MOste noble and puyssant Emperour your Maiestie hath sent me into Italy slenderly furnyshed of men horses and monye the which thing I declared vnto you before my departure beseching your highnesse to haue redressed the matter In the which 〈◊〉 albeit I could not preuaile yet notwithstandyng it was my dutyâ— to be obedient to your coÌ„maundement Whereby I was constrayned to come forth with a fewe Thracians and Illirians the same being fresh water souldiers and altogether vnskilfull of the warres not knowing so much as howe to holde their weapons in their hands And as for the olde souldiers that I found in Italy by reason they had 〈◊〉 â—anguished in diuerse battells beefore by the Gothes they are so afrayed of them that they dare scarce once loke vppon them Besydes thys forasmuch as they haue bene long â—ime defrauded of their wages they ar not able to furnyshe themselues agayne with horse and armour loste and broken in the former warres neyther will they consent to goe forth with them And yet to saye the truth there is not so greate a number of them that they can encounter against the power of the enemye without their owne manyfeste perrill and daunger For the greater part of them that were wonte to fyghte vnder your hyghnesse banner in Italy prouoked by the aforesayd dyspleasures haue of their owne accorde reuolted to yoâ—r 〈◊〉 Furthermore you may not accompte hereafter that you are lyke to haue any reuenewes here toward the payment of your souldiers considering that the enemy hath recouered y â— greater parte of Italy that which remayneth is so empouerished and afflicted by y â— warres that it is not by any meanes able to yelde you tributes Wherefore if the presence of Belisarius be sufficient to recouer Italy you haue done asmuch as may be done in that behalfe for I am here in Italy But if you purpose to ouercome your enemies in dede your Maiestye must make other prouision For a Captayne be he neuer so valiante pollitique and fortunate is able to dooe nothyng if he haue not wherwyth to accomplyshe hys deuisâ—s And therefore it is requisite that you send me
hyther an armye of myne own practised souldiers together wyth a greate multitude of the Hunnes and other Barbarous people Moreouer you must of necessitye prouyde that we may haue alwayes stoore of monyâ— for wythout that there is no good to be done in warres Thus much dyd Belisarius write to themperoure at that tyme. Iohn going to Iustinian with these instructions and hauyng taryed there a certayne tyme had a very slowe could sute for he could bring nothing to effecte In the meane while forasmuche as no man rescowed Asculum 〈◊〉 y â— were besieged by Totilas he toke theÌ„ by composition From thence he departed out of the Picentes into â—mbria and besieged Asessum and Spolet Captayne of Spolet was Herodian and Captayne of Asessum was 〈◊〉 Herodian although hys piece were stronge and defensible yet notwithstandyng he toke truce for a fewe daies whitin the which because no rescue came yeldyng the towne and the holde at the day appointed he himself with hys souldiers reuolted to Totilas But Sisifride behaued hymselfe more valiantlye for albeit hys piece were nothyng so strong as the others yet couldâ— he neuer abyde to here any worde of composition but lyke a stoute warrior issued oute valiantly diuerse tymes vppon the Gothes and foughte sundrye skyrmishes wyth them to hys great prayse and commendation How â–ª beit at the length fighting manfully he was slayne by his enemyes The Citiâ—ens of Assisis beeing destitute of the helpe of that worthy Captayne within fewe dayes after yelded themselues their towne vnto Totilas FroÌ„ thence Totilas led his armye against Perusium Captayne therof was Ciprian of whom mention is made before among the Captaynes of Iustinian Totilas perceauyng y â— he could not wynne him neyther by faire meanes nor by foulecorrupted one of his esquires called Uliarus for a piece of mony by whose falsehod and treacherie he kylled him Neuerthelesse after the death of Cipri an the souldiers punished the treason vpon Uliarus head and manfully defended the Citie still ¶ The. x. Chapter ¶ Totilas besegeth Rome and Belisarius pre pareth to 〈◊〉 the same The misfortune of thimperialls at Portua Pelagius a Decon of Rome goeth to Totilas to entreate for his Citizens cannot be heard TOtilas therefore minding not to linger about it any lenger brake vp his siege there made toward Rome When he came thyther he planted hys siege aboute the same in places conuenient but yet he troubled not the husbandmen For all the tyme of thys warres he neuer suffered anye of the Tylmen and husbandmen to be hurte or hyndred by hys men of 〈◊〉 There was in garrison at Rome Bessas one of the Emperours Captaynes Conon whiche not long Sithens had bene Captayne of Naples Also Belâ—sarius had sent thyther Artasyras a Persian and Barbation a Thracian with a conuenient number of souldyers to looke to the saufe kepinge of the Citie with the other Captaynes The Gothes beinge thus settled aboute Rome Artasyras Barbation yssued oute wyth theyr retinew and foughte wyth them At the fyrste they putte theym to flyghte but thorowe followynge the chace to farre they were at length intrapped by their enemyes and wyth the losse of the more parte of theyr men hardlye and narrowlye escaped themselues into the Cyâ—ye From that tyme forward hope daylye decayinge fyrste came derth and afterwarde famyne amonge theym For nothynge coulde be conueyed into theym by lande by reason the Gothes had besette theym rounde aboute nor yet by water forasmuche as the nauye that Totilas had of late buyided at Naples and then sente abroade so scoured the Seas that no shyppe of burden coulde passe for theym Besydes thys the verye same tyme arose wythin the Cytye of Rome greate presumptions of treason For the whyche Cethegus â—hyefe President of the Senate of Rome beynge bannisshed the Cytye fledde to Centmucelles While these thynges were a dooynge at Rome another armye of the Gothes by the commaundemente of Totilas besyeged Pleasans The same is a greate Cytye by the Ryuer Po and all onelye of the Cytyes of that Countrye contynued in faythefull obedyence to the Empyre When Belisarius behelde these thynges he was verye sorrowefull and full of care for the peryll of the Cytye of Rome in as muche as he was not able to remedy it from Rauenna where he was because that wyth that small and slender companye whiche he had aboute hym it was not for him to depart from thence consydring hys enemyes held all the Countries betwene hym and Rome so that he could not goe thither by land wherevppon he deuised to succour them another waye For the performance whereof leauynge Iustine with a band of souldyers at Rauenna he hymselfe wente to * Dirrachium in Dalmatia entendynge there to awayte the commynge of a new armie from the Emperour In the meane tyme Rome was strayghtly besyeged in suche sorte that all thynges were worse and worse and lyke to fall to vtter decaye and ruine Ualentine and Phocas beynge sent before by Belisarius helde the Towne of Portua and from thence dyd greatlye moleste and endomage the enemye wyth continuall rodes almoste daye by daye After they had doone thus a certayne space wyth good successe and by meanes thereof greatlye reliued them that were besyeged at length fallinge into an ambushe and beynge enuiraned of their enemyes they were slayne and but a verye fewe of theyr souldyers escaped the whyche had muche a doe to recouer the towne of Portua Thys slaughter of the Captaynes and the souldyers drewe wyth it a greater discommoditie for it was the losse of a greate deale of corne by suche a meanes Uigilius the Byshoppe of Rome lyuinge at that tyme in Sicill hearynge that the people of Rome were sore afflicted wyth famyne had shypped a greate deale of Corne and sent it towarde Rome The Gothes hauynge knowledge thereof when the shyppes approched conueyed themselues before into the hauen and hiding them behynde the Towres and buyldynges laye readye for theym in Amâ—ushe The souldyers that were with in the towne for as muche as lately be fore they had loste theyr Captaynes and their companyons for the moste parte were slayne they beynge so â—ewe lefte durste not aduenture out againste their enemyes but as well as they coulde from the walles and â—warkes wyth shakinge theyr garmentes wyth wagginge their handes and wyth crying oute a loude to them made tokens to the shyppemen that there was treason in the hauen warnynge theym to beware and not to arriue there But the shyppemen as they that had not heard anye thynge of the vnfortunate battell and the losse of the Captaynes tooke thâ—se sygnes and tokens that were made as signes and tookens of gladnesse and encouragement to come with more spede Wher vppon making the more haste wyth a freshe gale of winde thei entered into the hauen Where they were all taken hy the Gothes breakynge oute of the ambushe to the greate discomforte and dispayre
a couragious and laudable enterpryse He determyned to take vppon the sodayne and to fortifye the Cytye of Rome lyinge at that tyme waste and desolate Whervppon kepyng thys purpose secrete to hymself he lefte a fewe Souldyers at Portua for defencâ— of the towne wyth al the power he could make besyde no man eyther of hys owne or of hys enemies mistrustinge whereaboutes he went tooke the Cytye of Rome and wyth a wonderfull 〈◊〉 wente in hand wyth repayringe and fortifyinge it agayne And bycause the walles in diuers places were beaten downe to the hard grounde he fylled vppe parte of theym wyth roughe worke and cut deepe â—yches before the walles and caste vppe a Rampyre the whyche he fensed wyth Trunkes of trées fastened in the ground by the rootes wound one wyth in another wyth the sharpâ— endes vpwarde And for the morâ— strengthe of the wall newelye repayred he buylded towers and bulwaâ— of timber The whych things through the earnest labour and willyngnes oâ— hys souldyers he furnyshed it in thrâ— and twentye dayes And shyppes came contynuallye from Portua loden with corne and other 〈◊〉 The Citizens of Rome whereof there stayed a greate number in the townes nere aboutes hearynge that their Citye was repayred were wonderfull desyrous to retourne into theyr natiue Countrye and that inespeciallye bycause there was plentye of corne there wyth scarcetie whereof they were pinched in other places As sone as Totilas had worde of thys forthwyth all other matters sette a parte he made haste towarde Rome Belisarius was not able to hange vppe the gates of the Citye before hys enemyes were come For he had not so good store of Carpenters to repaire them in so short tyme. The Gothes the fyrste daye of theyr commynge encamped themselues not farre from the Citye agaynste the gate Salaria The nexte mornyng by the rysing of the sunne wyth great noyse and hurly burlye they marched to the assaulte Belisarius placed all hys tallest and hardyest men at y â— gate the rest he set vpon the walles in the bulwarkes commaundynge them to beate theyr enemyes downe The encounter was vehement and whote on bothe partes For the Gothes came thyther of sette purpose to haue wonne the Towne at the fyrste pushe But when they sawe better defence made then they looked for they were in such a furye and suche a rage that they ranne desperatly vppon theyr enemies lyke madde men and stryuinge vnaduisedlye to gette vppe were beaten downe and kylled wythoute mercye It was wonder to see howe earnestlye and desperatlye it was foughte on bothe sydes that daye For the assault beganne in the mornynge and ended not vntyll nyghte After that it waxed darcke the Gothes retyred into theyr Tentes But the souldyers of Belisarius partelye kepte theyr standynge vppon the walles and bulwarkes as they had beene placed by hym and partelye warded at the Gates And to the entent the enemye should not sodaynely comme vppon theym in the night and take theym vnwares he caused a greate sorte of Busshes and Brambles to be layde before the Gates The nexte daye the Gothes approched to the Cytye in lyke sorte as they had doone before and Belisarius and hys men made lyke resistens But when the assaulte waxed to longe the souldyers that kepte theyr standynge at the Gate yssued oute boldelye and encounteryng wyth the Gothes hand to hand at length putte theym to flyghte on that syde and wyth manye woundes draue theym farre from the Gate And so was that assaulte ended Afterwarde when they hadde bestowed manye dayes in healinge theyr woundes and repayrynge theyr armour the Gothes aduaunced agayne to the assaulte of the Cytye Belisarius hauyng before well harted and encouraged hys souldiers leauing neuerthelesse a coÌ„uenient number vppon the walles and in the Towers led theÌ„ out at the gate There was a whot and an eager battell fought hard at the gate in the which when as Totilas his standerdbearer was strickeÌ„ starke dead from hys horse with a speare and the standerd ouerthroweÌ„ there was much preasyng aboute it froÌ„ both sydes The Gothes striuyng to saue their standerd lâ—aste they shoulde be dyshonored and y â— souldiers of Belisarius endeuoring to obtayne the honour of wynnyng the same At laste the skyrmishe grewe to thys issue that the Gothes recouered their standard the souldiers of Belisarius had the bodye of the standard-bearer sauyng his lyft hand which the Gothes dyd cut of for spyght that their enemyes shoulde not haue it bycause there was a ring of golde vpon it This done Totilas perceauyng that his attempt was in vayne blewe to y â— retreit and the nerte daye after wente hys waye vnto Tybur For as I tolde you before he helde that Citye and hauing maruelouâ—y fortiâ—d the castle thereof vsed it as a Camp agaynste the Romaynes The Romaynes to the entent they woulde not bee molested by their sodayne inuations from that syde brake all the brydges on the ryuer Anio Thys ryuer Anio spryngeth amonge the Heruices and ronnyng downe from the hylles cutteth the playne betwene Tybur and Rome It hath verye stepe bankes and the chanell is so deepe of water that it cannot be passed And therefore there were brydges made vppon it from all the pryncipall wayes as from the gates Salaria Nomentana and Tiburtyne These brydges beyng at that tyme cut of there coulde no rodes be made a gaynst the Citie of Rome on that syde The ii Chapte◠¶ After the depâ—e of the Gothes from Rome Totilas in the nexte spring goeth to the syege of Peruse duryng whpâ— beyng there Iohn 〈◊〉 attempteth many thin ges in CaÌ„pane to the great pâ—eiudice of the Gothes wherewith â—las being displeased goeth with suche speede agaynst hym that he ouercame hym before he heard of hys commyng The Emperour sendeth another â—ande of men into Italye at whoâ— commyng Belisarius sayling towarde Tarent is driuen by tempeste to land at Croton where for wante of forage compelled to sende hys horsemen into the Countrye through the negligence of the Capâ—nes looseth them By meanes whereof he is fayneto sayle aâ—aye into Sicill during the which his absence Totilas besiegeth Ruscie AFTER the departure of the Gothes Belisarius caused the gates and the yron worke of them to be framed quietly and when he had done as thoughe he had conquered the Citye agayne by force he 〈◊〉 the keyes of it into Grece to the Emperoure Iustinian And thus ended the twelueth yeare of thys warre The nexte yeare following assone as the spryng came Totilas set out of Tibur marched towarde Peâ—use The same Towne was euen then alreadye besieged by another companye of the Gothes And when corne beganne to waxe scarce other victualles to fayle Totilas went thyther to the entent to kepe the towne strayghter to take awaye al hope of succour from the besieged Whyle Totilas was occupyed about the siege of Peruse Iohn takyng a vantage of hys beyng therâ— perceauyng that the Senators
season addressed hymselfe to hys Iourney he had suche an armye of men as scarce all the Captaynes beynge putte all togyther broughte wyth them into Italye durynge the whole tyme of thys warre For the Emperour gaue hym so large allowaunce of monnye and he hymselfe was so bountefull and lyberall in bestowing distributing of the same y â— he leuied a greate power not onely in Thrace Grece but also out of diuers other places For he had entertained a boue fiue M. Lombardes notable meÌ„ of war by y â— consent of Albuine theyr Kinge and MMM of the Erulians Furthermore there came vnto hym a great number of the Hâ—nnes Also there was one Cumades a Persian that had bene trayned vppe in the Romaine warres who with a valiant band of Persians resorted vnto hym Moreouer there came to hym a warlyke yong gentleman called Assuades wyth fyue hundred feyghtynge men of the Sepides and Iohn surnâ—ed Phagas wyth an hoste of the Gréekes and Thracians Besydes this Iohn Uitalian and the sonnes of Germaine serued hym wyth theyr armyes Narses therefore hauyng thys so great an hoste as soone as the sprynge tyme approched passed oute of Illiricum throughe Dalmatia and Liburnia and so coastynge aboute the elbowe of the Sea came by lande into Italye not stayinge anye where vntyll he was amonge the Uenetians There were twoo wayes by the whyche he myghte handsomelye passe from the Uenetians The one by the Adriaticke Sea the other throughe the mayne Lande bothe whyche séemed to haue manye lettes For by the Seas syde the Ryuer Athesis maketh greate Lakes whyche fall into the Sea in manye Chanelles and the riuer Po beynge deuyded into manye streames dothe in dyuers places interrupte the Iourney wyth manye quamyers and mooryshe groundes so that an Armye can not well be led that waye wythoute greate trouble Agayne in the waye by the mayne Lande one of the Gothes called Teâ—as placed at Uerâ—n wyth an Armye by Totilas had intercepted hys passage ouer the Ryuers of Athesis and Po. These twoo streames runnynge downe from the Alpes whych deuyde Italy from Fraunce and Germanye dooe fall into the Adriatycke sea And therefore they that wyll passe from Uenice muste needes passe ouer them eyther by the Seas syde where as be Lakes and meres fallynge by dyuers Chanelles into the Sea and where the mowthes of Po doe ouerthwart them betwene Rauenna Clodius diches or ells they must passe the same riuers in the mayne land where they be great vndeuided and where they may easly be stopped of their passage if there be any body to withstand them Wherfore seing y e Teias was at Ueron the which is a citie standing vpon the Riuer Athesis had a power sufficient to let him of his passage Narses left the way through the maine land chose to go by the coast of the Adriaticke sea both bicause it was w eout im peachment of enemyes besides that was nearer way then thother And so marchig by Clodius diches the felds of Adria and passing ouer the Riuers whersoeuer they crossed his way some where with brydges somewhere w e botes at length he came with al his ar mie vnto Rauenna There Captaine Ualerian and Captaine Iustine wyth their bandes ioyned themselues with Narses There were in Italye a great number of old souldiers who by reasoÌ„ the Emperour was behind hand with their wages for a longe tymâ— togyther were offended in theyr hartes and woulde not go forthe to the warres Narses payed theym all theyr wages whereby he healed theyr griefes and gaue theym courage agayne â–ª Hauynge spent nyne daies in dooinge these thynges and in refreshing hys armye at Rauenna he remoued from thens marchâ—d toward Rome The same time was one 〈◊〉 captayne of Arimine as notable a warriour as was among al y e gothes Who 〈◊〉 as the â—oward of Narses hoâ—te was come into the felds of 〈◊〉 went about to stoppe them of their passage The Ryuer that runneth by Arimine was ryseâ— wyth rayne vppon the whyche was a brydge so harde vnder neath the Towne that it was an easye matter to stoppe the passage 〈◊〉 therefore yssuynge out of Arimine before that anye number of hys enemyes had passed the 〈◊〉 sette hymselfe at defence on the furthersyde and encountered wyth hys enemyes euen harde vnder the walls of the towne In the whych conflycte a certayne man of Arines of the Erulians feyghtyng wyth 〈◊〉 hande to hand slewe hym and hys souldiers discouraged wyth the deathe of theyr Captayne retyred fearefully into the Townâ— The head of Usorilas was broughte vnto Narses at the whyche Narses 〈◊〉 and takynge it for a tooken of good lucke that the chyefe of hys enemyes was 〈◊〉 by hys men at the fyrsts conflyâ—te kepte on hys waye full of good hope and comfort For albeit he had a good furtheraunce to the takynge of Ariminâ— at the same instant yet notw tstanding he wold not tary about it to the entent so great an army shuld not be letâ—ed about the sege of one towne therefore â—e passed by Arimine continued on his iourny Totilas hauing intelligns of those things y â— were done amonge y â— Uenitians vnderstanding of the passage of Narses and of his comming to RaueÌ„na although almost al his whole power were at that time w t Teias yet notwithstanding he determined to en counter w t Narses the which he did in the battell was slayn for his labour â–ª As many of the Gothes as escaped froÌ„ the field fled ouer the riuer Po asseÌ„bled togither at Pauie there abouts In the whiche place as they consulted of making a newe gouernour of theyr people Teias was preferred by the iudgement of all men chosen king of the Gothes After that he was thus in stalled in the siege roial by by he toke to his vse the threasures that Totilas had laid vp at Pauie diligently going in hand to repaire his power to raise a new army to geue distribute horse armour to doâ— all other things vigilantlye and moreouer to send to the Frenchmen to allurâ— them to take his part in the warres ⧠The. viii Chapter ¶ Narses continuinge his iourney receiueth Narma and Peruse and winneth Rome by assaulte wherevppon the gothes extend a maruelous crueltye against the Romaine prysonners NARSES hearynge therof commaunded Ualerian to lye as it were in garrison wyth hys band about the Ryuer Po to the entent the Gothes shoulde not straye to farre abroade at theyr pleasure wythoute feare and he hymselfe wyth the rest of hys armye marched to Rome In hys waye Narma was yelded vppe to him and he graunted the men of Spolet certayne of hys souldiers for theyr defence vntyll they myght repayre theyr walles whyche Totilas had beaten downe Also he sent to Peruse to sommon that Towne there were in Peruse two Captaynes Melegidius and Ulithus Who beynge at variance betwene theymselues
not very brode but it is so deepe that neyther horseman nor foteman can passe it Aboute thys ryuer bothe armyes encamped Narses on the hyther syde and Teias on the furtherside the riuer ronning in the myddes betwene 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 sorte 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 â—ight 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 froÌ„ whence it was â—il conueyed to the Camp But after the time that their nauie through treason was loste and that they coulde haue no more â—ualls and artilleryâ— 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 â—yll 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 in the same place also as much oppressed with 〈◊〉 as they were before determined to put the matter in tryall by the sworde And thereupon puttyng themselues in aray vpon the toppe of the hil they descended from aboue sodaynely assayled their enemyes thynkyng nothing 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 horfes fought on foote Narses dyd set hys fotemen also to encounter with them The battell was cruell bloudy in all places For â—n the one syde the Gothes fought obstinately as men in despayre on the other syde the souldiers of Narses were 〈◊〉 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 weâ— nie beuÌ„eged them now in the hyll which they had fled to for their refuge Both parties being incensed with these persuasions foughte very valiantly â–ª I will not passe ouer with 〈◊〉 the noble Demeanor of Teias Kyng of the Gothes in hys hattel 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 maruayles 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 chaiÌ„â— to receaue his deathe swouÌ„de by a â—art that was sent at hym By the whyche 〈◊〉 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 â—ebled wyth trauell and losse of blouds he fell downe flatte vppon hys face It was almost â—yre of the clocke when Teias dyed 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 Fiynallye 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 assoons as the daye peredâ— they fell to fyghtyng a freshe contynuing so styll vnto the sonne goyng downe to the great â—aughter of both partes At length the Gothes sente vnto Narses offeryng to departe oute of Italye so he would suffer them wythout impeacheâ—e 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 demauâ—des by the aduise of hys counsell he condysâ—nded vnto theÌ„ to the entent he would not to the great preiudyâ—e and losse of hyâ— men seeke the aduantage of hys desperate enemye In the meane tyme aboute a thousande horsemen â—ed oute of the Camp of the Gothes and by greate iourneyes came vnto Pauâ—e and other townes beyonde the ryâ— Poâ— The residue fell to a fynall agreement with Narses promisyng to departe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Italye carrying nothyng more then euery man hys owne and neuer after to make warre vpon the Romaynâ— Empyre prouyded alwayes that they themselues shoulde retayne â—till 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 eyghtenthe yeare of this warre FINIS * Now called 〈◊〉 maiore * Now called Tartarie The dâ—th of Valentinian Augustulus 〈◊〉 deposed and Odoacer 〈◊〉 peth The cause of the commyâ— of the Gothes into Italy Odoacer is besieged Composition betwene Odo acer and Theodorich The death of Odoacer The raygne and actes of Theodorich Symmachus â—tius An example of the good education of a Prince Iustice and clemencie in a woman Iustice without parcialitiâ— Licentious liberty corruption of youth Euill counsell the confusion of counsellers The death of Athalarickâ— Theodotus is made kyng An example of excedyng ingratitudo The cause of the warres be twene the Emperour the Gothes The effect of themperours ambassade vn to Theodatus Belisarius is appovnted in to Italy and 〈◊〉 into Dalâ— Beli◠〈◊〉 into 〈◊〉 and of his do ing there A politique Captine * Now called Saragoza * Now called Palerno The siege of Panormus the â—ynnyng thereof The good suc cesse of Belisariuâ— The doingâ— of Mundus 〈◊〉 Dalmatia Sodaine battell betwene the â—thes