it The deathe of thys man was great sorowe bothe to the Captaine and to the souldyers For he was a noble man in hys countrey and of muche power and such a one as wyth his presence might greatly haue furthered the warre that was in hand Mundilas therefore and the reste of his company keepynge on theyr iourney towarde Millaine Millaine and other cities of Lumbardy be come Imperial were receyued into the Citie Therevppon Come Bergome Nouaria wyth the reste of the cities in those borders folowing thensample of Millaine of their owne accorde receyued MunduÌ„as and hys souldyers When Vitigis had knowledge of those thinges that had happened aboute Millaine he sent Vraias hys brothers sonne with a great army into those costs to shentent he should bothe cause such to keepe theyr allegians to the Gothes as had not yet reuolted and also yf he could recouer such as had already yelded Furthermore he wrate to Thewdeberre Kynge of Fraunce wyth whome not long before he had entered in leage desyring hym to mimister ayde vnto Vraias In thys state or rather in this expectation were the matters of Lunthardie Belisarius at such tyme as corns began to ware type setting out of Rome marched wyth hys armye towarde hys enemyes The Gothes that were left in garrison at Tudert and Cluse hearing that Belisarius was makyng towarde theym for as muthe as they thought themselues ouer weake to encounter agaynste hym forthewyth sent messengers vnto hym and yelded vp theyr Townes by composition Whyle these thynges were in doinge Vitigis sent another armye vnto Auximum For he was vtterlye determyned to reteyne and kéepe styll that Citye Wyth thys armye he sent a newe deputye to haue the charge of the Towne and the men of warre named Varinius Who adioining his newe sould yers and the olde crewe togyther purposed to attempt the winnyng of Aucon hys nexte neyghbour citie whych was manned wyth a garryson of Belisarius And therevppon he went wyth all hys whole power agaynste the inhabiters of Auton That Towne in those dayes was walled onelye on that syde that stoode vppon the hyll the lower places situated on the playne grounds albeit they were replenished with buildings yet were they not enclosed with anye wall Therefore at such time as the Gothes approched Conon captain of the towne and souldyers of Aucon fearing least the suburbes and the inhabiters thereof should be wasted and destroyed by thenemye came downe from the vpper part of the towne with all his whole crewe The foole has dinesse of Conon and set hymselfe agaynste hys enemye But in that case Conon was to farre ouermatched For he hauynge scarse a thousand soul diers encountered with his enemies beynge foure thousand And therefore he dyd quickely abye hys foolyshe hardynesse For beynge not able to stand agaynste so manye he was at length vanquisshed and beynge put to flyghte loste the moste parte of hys men and the Citie it selfe was with much a doe hardly saued from taking For when the souldiers retyred full flyght toward the towne the townesmen for doubte leaste their enemyes should enter in amonge the souldyers fearefully closed vppe their gates By meanes whereof there was a greate slaughter made of theym euen harde vnder the wall And the Captayne Conon himselfe was driuen to so narrowe an erigent that he had none other waye to saue hys lyfe but to be drawen vppe the wall by a lyne The Gothes rerynge vppe skalynge Ladders endeuored to wynne the Cytye Othersome settynge fyre on the houses that we spake of before burnte vppe all that was wythoute the walles ¶ The .v. Chapter ¶ Narses an Eunuche the Emperours Chamberlaine commeth into Italy with a new power and meeteth with Belisarius about Aucon where in consultinge what is to be done after diuers opinions of thother captaynes Narses perswadeth to goe and rescow Iohn Vatalian besieged in arimine the whych Belisarius verye pollitiquelye bringeth to passe Through flatterie and euall instigation ryseth emuiation and discorde betwene Narses and Belisarius Belisarius going with Narses to the liege of Vrbine is of him forsakeÌ„ and yet through good fortune winneth the towne NOT longe after that these thinges were done at Aucon The coÌ„minge of Narses into Italy Narses came into Italye wyth a newe hoste of men Thys Narses was an Enuche a man that stoode muche in the Emperours fauour and one that bare greate rule and aucthoritie aboute hym For no man myghte commaund in the Emperours court but he onelye Moreouer he was threasurer of the Empyre whyche is the offyce of greattest honour and truste and one of hys priuye counsell by whome the Emperour was in manner altogether ruled He broughte wyth hym into Italye fyue thousande souldyers The notablest amonge whome was Iustine Captayne of the Illirien souldyers another Narses a Persian borne Also there were in his retinew MM. of Therules of whom were captaines Isandre and Phauotheus The meeting of Belisarius and Naâ—â—â— In the meane tyme Belisarius hearynge in what daunger the men of Aucon stood was come among the Picents and so was Narses in likwise The captayns and their armies met both together about the towne There as they were consultinge concernynge the warre that they had in hand and were deuisinge what was moste requisite to be done next of all out of hand there appeared many doubtes and daungers in the matter For yf they should go and besyege Aurimum Iohn those that were besyeged wyth hym in Arimine should be left in apparant icoper die inespecially consydering that foode fayled them Againe yf they should go to Arimine they shoulde leaue behynd them at Aurimum a great garrison of the Gothes to the preiudice of theyr armye and domage of the countrye In geuing of their verdittes manye of theym that were chiefe officers of the campe spake much against the rashenesse of Iohn Opinions of thofficers against Iohn in that he had shutte vp hymselfe in Arimine contrarye to the commaundement of Belisarius and that of a proud an couetous stomacke he had runne vppon hys owne heade without regard of hys Captayne or of hys charge A frend is tried at nede When Narses perceyued that fearing least by the meanes Iohn should be abandoned whom he loued most entierly he spake hys mynde to thys effect Thoration of Narses My Maisters ê™ he when men consult as concernynge the publyke vtilitie in my opinion they ought to haue an especiall eye thereto for it owne selfe and not to hynder it eyther for malice or for loue Certainly all other thynges set a syde when I waye with myselfe the thing wherof we doe coÌ„sult me thinks I spie this difference in the matter If we delay the siege of AuximuÌ„ there is no let but that with in fewe dayes after we maye attempt the same when we lyste But yf we make anye taryance in rescowyng the souldiers that are at Arimine we cannot afterward helpe theym when we would For ere many dayes
wyse and more modest in our dooinges And therfore ryght reuerend father I determined to dedicate these Bookes vnto you as well to th entent you might vnderstād my entier loue and affection to wardes you as also that you myghte be as a Iudge of my worke and trauel the which I shal thinke very well bestowed if so myse and wel learned a mā as you are doe allow them and take them in good worthe Whereuppon I wyll take occasion to goe in hand with the processe of myne Historye Farrewell The fyrst Booke of Leonard Aretine concernyng the warres in Italy against the Gothes ⧠The first Chapter ¶ The dispotition of Agustulus the diuision of the landes through Italy the cause of the commyng of the Gothes thither and of their encounter with Odoacers Captaines IR the tyme that Zene was Emperour of Rome the Gothes vnder the leading of Theodorich determined to inuade Italy lately before soore afflicted with diuers rodes and inuasions of barbarous people and at that tyme oppressed with the tyranny of Odoacer of the which thinges I purpose to entreate repeatyng somewhat deper the state of those tymes to the intent it may be knowen from whence the Gothes first came and what hope moued them to inuade the Empyre After the death of the yonger Valentinian The death of Valentinian who as it is well ynough knowen was slayne at Rome of hys owne Subiectes the Empyre of the West beganne to wauer and to bée as it were without lyfe or soule Nowe there were at the same tyme in Italy great armyes of forreyners raysed latelye before by Valentinian for fears of Attila and afterwardes associated by the Romaynes agaynst the Vandales These forreyners perceyuynge the empoueryshemente and weakenesse of the Empyre and therevppon takynge courage conspired together and demaunded to haue the thyrde parte of the landes through all Italye deuyded amonge them The name of the Empyre remayned at that tyme in one Augustulus who beynge but a verye chylde was goucrned by hys father Orestes a Senatour of Rome Therefore at suche tyme as the menne of warre demaunded a partition of the landes and that Orestes beynge a wyse and sage personne wythstoode theyr request the Souldyours slewe hym and fourthe wyth folowynge theyr Captayne Odoacer camme to Rome and deposed Augustulus Augustulus is deposed and Odoacer vius peth By meanes whereof hauynge nowe the lawe in theyr owne hande they deuyded the thyrde part of the landes among them Odoacer hauynge by thys meanes gotten the Soueraygnytye in hys owne name and in the name of the armye ruled the Cytyes at hys owne luste and pleasure Zeno also Gouernour of the East Empyre lying at Constantynople beganne to dread soore the power of Theodorich The cause of the commvng of the Gothes into Italy For the Gothes that inhabited the vpper coaste of Thracia hadde alreadye begonne to vere and disquiett the Countreys borderynge vppon them And it was none other lyke but that they woulde make some insurrection against the Romain Empyre Whervppon to the entent to delyuer hymself and the countreys there aboutes from feare of the Gothes He persuaded Theodorich to passe into Italy and to delyuer the cities there oute of the hands of the wrongfull withholders of them Induced with these persuation Theordorich remouyng out of Thrace and leadyng with him the Gothes with their wyues and children and al that euer they had through Syrmium and Illyricum went toward Italy where at hys fyrst entraunce the Captaines of Odoacer camme against him with their armies The first battell betwixt them was fought not farre from the Citie of Aquileia vppon the riuer Fontius In the which conflict after a long and sharpe encoūter the Gothes gate the victorye and putte the Captaynes of Odoacer to flyght ⧠The .ij. Chapter ¶ Theodorich kyng of the Gothes besiegeth Odoacer in Rauenna the matter is ended by composition ech of them lyeth in wayte to destroye other Theodorich preuenting Odoacer kylleth hym at a banquet by meanes whereof he obteyneth the soueraignitie of Italy of the actes of Theodorich and of hys death AFter this when the Gothes had wonne the cities there aboutes Odoacer is besseged and vanquysshed the power of their enemyes in other places also at length they besieged Odoacer in the Citie of Rauenna The siege held the Gothes tack lenger then thei thought it woulde haue done at the firste and that happened by reason of the situation of the place For neyther can Rauenna bée easlye besieged vppon that syde that is towarde the sea because it standeth hard vppon the shore neither vppon that syde that is towarde the land because it hath a diche cut from the riuer Po and is enuyroned wyth certaine standyng waters and marisses By meanes whereof the Gothes laye well nye full thrée yeres at the siege thereof and could not wynne it But yet in the meane season thei won all the townes nere aboute sauynge Cesena the which also was kept with a stronge garrison of Odoacers At the last as well the Assaylaunts as the Defendauntes beinge weryed Composition betwene Odoacer and Theodorich the matter was decided by composition that Theodorich and Odoacer should be Comperes and Felowes in Empyre After that thynges were thus set at a staye Throdorich and hys Gothes entered into Raucuna neyther was there any parte of all Italy that was not content to receyue hym But thys copertuershyppe in the Empyre lasted not longe For when as the one bare grudge in hys heart prenelye agaynst the other Theodorich preuentyng Odoacer badde hym to a Banquet and there kylled hym The death of Odoacer and so with hys Gothes bare all the swaye alone in Italy Howe 〈◊〉 it to saye the trueth hys gouernement was not verye intollerable albeit he reteyned for hys people the thyrde part of the lands in suche sort as Odoacer had lately before deuyded them The raygne and actes of Theodorich For he suffered the cities to bée gouerned by their own lawes and by theyr owne citizins Appoyntyng Rauenna to bée the Sea of hys kyngdome where he also planted hym selfe Thyrtye and seuen yeres raygned Theodorich in Italye neyther sate he styll Idellye lyke a cowarde all the whyle For he bothe anticred Sicill wyth all the Ilclandes about it vnto hys kyngdome and also subdued Dalmatia Moreouer duryng the sayde tyme of hys raygne he led an huge hoste ouer the Alpes and the ryuer Rhone into Fraunce agaynste the Frenche men Thus dyd thys Kynge manye noble actes and hys name was famous and renowmed sauynge that in hys latter dayes he was noted of crucirye and outrage for puttyng to death of Symmachus and Boetius Senatours of the citie of Rome Symmachus Boetins with certain other noble men onely vppon suspition that they sought to set the citie at libertic ⧠The .iij. Chapter ¶ Amulusuentha the doughter of Theodorich with her sonne Athalaricke succede in the kingdome the seueritie of the Quene in executing
Mundus to inuade Dalmatia with another power to the entent that the Gothes beyng assayled on all sides at once might the easlyer be oppressed MuÌ„dus entering into Dalmatia won Salons set al the countrey on an vprore Belisarius hauing rigged hys shippes embarked hys Souldyours Belisarins viage into Sicill and of his doing there sayled toward Sicill He had of footemen a sufficient number all tall men and pyked Souldiours and his Horsemen were conueyed wyth him by water also Captaines of his footemen were Constantine Bessas and Herodian captaines of his horsemen were Valentine Innocent and Magnus and lieutenaunt generall and soueraigne of them all was Belisarius Who folowyng the commaundment of the emperour hys maister whereas he pretended to sayle towarde Cartharge ariued by the way in Sicill A politique Captine and there goyng a land as it had bene to refreshe hym selfe and hys souldyours when he espied tyme and occasion for hys purpose sodenlye he assayled the citie Catina and wonne it Then shewyng hym self with hys army abrode and disclosing hys prepensed purpose within few dayes after he receyued * Now called Saragoza Syracuse by composition After this it is a wonder to sée how victory ranne on hys syde and how the Cities of theyr owne accord yelded and called him to them The cause herof was the hatred that the Siciliands bare to the Gothes and the authoritie of the Empyre or Rome together with the presence of Belisarius Whome for as much as he had delyuered Affricke from the Vandalians they hoped should do the lyke by the Gothes thorough Sicil Italy Moreouer the Gothes had made no preparation in Sicil because they looked not for any warre there By meanes whereof it came to passe that as many of the Gothes as were in Sicill beyng amazed at the sodain inuasion of Belisarius and the hasty reuoltyng of the cities thought more of runnyng awaye then of makyng resistence Only the citie of * Now called Palerno The siege of Panormus the vvynnyng thereof Panormus by reason there was a strong garrison of the Gothes in it abode the fiege and endured it to the vttermost The which citie beyng very defensible and well fortified toward the land and therevppon settyng lyght by any thing that thenemie could worke agaynst it at the last by a nauye sent into the hauen was wonne by the sea For the hauen extended hard to the walles of the towne And Belisariushad marked howe that in diuers places the toppes of the mastes reached a great hight aboue the walles of the citie Wherefore he set Archers and slyngers in the topcastles of the shyppes who with arrowes and darts dyd so beate their enemies vnderneath them on all sydes that the walles were left naked without defendaunts so that theyr companey went without daunger to the foote of the wall The good successe of Belisarius and brake it downe Thorough which distresse theyr enemyes beynge discomforted yelded vp the towne This was the last Citie of all Sicill that came in subiection When Belisarius had recoueredPanormus he retourned to Syracuse and there makyng sumptuous and royall pageants threwe Golde and Syluer amonge the poople For it was the laste daye of hys Consulshyppe the whyche was geuen hym in honour of the victorye that he gate of the Vandalians And Fortune was so fauourable vnto hy that besydes all hys former victories euen the verye laste daye of hys Consulshyppe she closed vp wyth the recouerye of all Sicill Thus went the world in Sicill ⧠The .iiij. Chapter ¶ Of the doynges of Mundus in Dalmatia agaynst the Gothes of the death of the sayde Mundus and hys sonne Maurice and hovve one Grippa a noble man of the Gothes recouereth all that Mundus had conquered before IN Dalmatia both partes raysed greate powers and made towardes the Citie of Saions The doinges of Mundus in Dalmatia Nowe when they were comme neare vnto the town and that the wâ—â—rd was whote on bothe varries it longth there was a battell sought not prepurposed but by chaunce vpon these daine without knowledge before of any of both partes The rause theÌ„reof was this The captaine Mundus had a sonne called Maurice a goodly yong gentleman and a tall man of his handes Whe hauyng the leadyng of a troope of Horsemen rode to view the Campe of the Gothes Now by chaunce the Gothish horsemen met with him and assoone as the one parte had espied the othere there was no tarience but straight to the skirmishe So thei encountred for a tyme very stersly and many of the stoutest of the Gothes were slaine and at the last Maurice also was kylled Both the Campes heavyng of the skirmishe made soede to rescow their companies Sodaine battell betvvene the Gothes the Imperialls Whyles that Mundus was on his way tidings was brought him of the losse of his sonne Then the man beyng of nature fierce warlyke ran in a rage lyke a mad man vppon his enemies By that 〈◊〉 was at the hosts of the Gothes come thither and the encounter was with the whole power of eyther part the battell was very bloody and cruell At length the Gothes being discomfited with meat slaughter and losse of their people were put to flight But Mundus whiles he vnsaciably followed the slughter of the Gothes Se th ende of ourragious furye and for angre and sorowe of the losse of his sonne pursued the chace to farre was recountered of his dispersed enemies and slaintand so the fatheer through the outragious reuengement of his sonne in th end did séeke his own confusion After this battell both armies departed a sundre For the Gothes being vanquished durst not abide in those quarters and the Emperours souldiours being dismayed with the losse of theyr Captain left Salons and retyred backe agayne I thinke it not good to suppress with silens a thing that many authours haue made mencioÌ„ of They say there were certaine old verses of Sibill in the which it was prophesied A prophesie of Sybill that when Affricke should be recouered by the Romains then shuld Mundus which word as it is here a mans name so also it signifieth the worlde and hys yssue shoulde neryshe This prophesie of Sybill made many men affrayed doutyng least heauen and earthe with all mankynd shoulde vtterly haue decayed But after the time that Affrick in the former warres was recouered by the pussauÌ„ce of Belisarius then it appeared howe that Sibill prophesied of the destruction of this Captaine and his sonne So depely are all prophesies wrapped in doutfull circumstaunces After the death of this Captaine and the departure of his army the Gothes beganne to growe the monger in those parts For Grippa one of the noble men of the Gothes The Gothes recouer all that Mundus had coÌ„quered imediatly thervppon raising a new power recouered Salons all that euer MÌ„udus had gotteÌ„ before iÌ„ those places In so much that the Gothes were farre of greater power
being certruce or the trueth was much offended thereat but yet punisshed not any man for it Only he called home Narses out of Italy Narses is called out of Italy coÌ„mitting the whole charge authoritie of the warre vnto Belisarius Herevpon Narses with part of his armie retourned into Grece Belisarius with all the rest abode still in Italy Who now hauing no man to ouerthwart him in his determinatioÌ„s concerning the warre Although that his chief care rested vppon Vitigis Rauenna yet he minded is take two townes mo from she Gothes before he proceded with hys armie against Vitigis Rauenna The towns that he desired were Auximum and Fesules both of them very strongly situate both of them throughly manned by the Gothishe garrisons For neyther woulde he leaue at hys backe AuximuÌ„ hauing in it thre thousand of chosen souldiers whiche were able to do muche displeasure hinderance to his adherents nor yet Fesules because that as long as yâ— Gothes held that citie he thought othing shuld be in rest through Hetruria Herevpon he deuided his army into thre parts of the which he toke one with him to besiege Auximum another he sent by Iustine Cyprian against Fesules the third he betoke to Martine Iohn Vitalian coÌ„maunding them to encampe abouts the riuer Po to deteyne Vraias with his hoste as long as they could in those borders to th entent thei shoulde narcome to raise any of the siges among the Thuskans Picents And if thei were not able to kepe him still there then to solow him in the taile Martiue Iohn therfore setting forth into Lumbardye with that part of the armye that we spake of before wanne the citie Dert one situate by the ciuer Po and from thence did their endeuour to trouble Vraias that Gothes Cyprian Iustin with another armye going vnto Fesules albeit the besteging of that citie were very difficil for the nature roughnes of the place yet not withstandyng they brought theyr campe as nere as they could besieged it from a higher ground where the way lay more plaine to the towne Belisarius himself with the puyssantest company of all Belis besiegeth AuximuÌ„ beset Auximum Vitigis had placed in Auximum the best that he couldpyke out among the Gothes was very circumspent in fortifiyng of that towne Coniecturing that which was most true namely that Belisarius would neuer procede to the befieging of Rauenna onles he had first subdued Auximum When Belisarius had well viewed the situation nature of the place he was past all hopeof winning Auximum by force For the citie standeth vpon somwhat a high grounde besides that there were within to defende it a puyssant band of chosen men of warre able to gene battell euen in thopen field So he had none other hope but only to tame them by famin for asmuch as there was a great number enclosed wtin the citie And therefore Belisarius omitting assault pitched his campe round about the hill on euery side narrowly watching that nothing shoulde be conueyed in to them But lyke as that large compasse of his campe was good to proibit the portage of things in so was it vnprofitable against sodain inuasions of the enemie For they that were wtin might at their pleasure make sodaine assaults vpon what part of the Campe they lysted out of the towne aboue And the souldyes of Belisarius lay so farre one from another that they coulde not readily helpe at need By this meanes it came to passe that the enemye continually infested the campe and diuers skyrmysshes were therevppon fought Moreouer there was a certain moyst ground not farre from the citie where there grew muche grasse This field was as it were the place of theyr dayly exercises when eyther the besiegers or the besieged resorted thyther for forage and sometyme theyr courages were so kyndeled on bothe sydes that almoste all the whole Campe ranne thyther to feyght In these encounters the Souldyers of Belisarius preuayled in multitude and the Gothes by the situation of the place bothe partes beynge equall in manhod and prowesse The lyke conflictes were also at Fesules for there were manye sodayne alarmes geuen and welnye daylye skyrmysshes betwene the bestegers and the besieged The besiegers had none other hope of atteynynge theyr desyre then by keepynge the besieged from sustenaunce and famisshinge them for want of foode For there was no hope to wynne so stronge Cities as those were by force And therefore by takynge vp standynges in places conuenient about the townes they cutte of all carryages and conueyaunce of thynges in ¶ The .vii. Chapter ¶ Of tovvnes that vvere besieged by the Imperialles hovv the French men comming into Italy after that they had put tvvo armies to flight the one of the Gothes to other of the Imperials bothe in one day retourned home agayne and hovv Fesules vvas yelded to the Imperialles WHyle the warre was in this state and that Auximum among the Picentes Fesules among the Hetrurians were narowly besieged The cause of the sodaine commyng of the frenchmeÌ„ into Italy there happened a straunge chaunce about the riuer Po. For the frenchmen with their Captaine Thewdebert hauing passed ouer the Alpes came in great number into Lumbardye The cause of their comming as afterward was knowen was thys Because that when they peerceyued how warre was made in Lumbardy they being a warlike people in maner sauage were offended that suche a countrey beyng their next neighbour should fall as a reward to them that could get the vpper hand and that thei themselues sytting still lyke cowards the meane whyle should accepte such to be their neyghbours whom the fortune of victorie appoynted to them This was the occasion why they passed the Alpes The same tyme Vraias beyng often writteÌ„ to by Vitigis had passed the Ryuer Po and was marchinge wyth hys armye toward Rauenna Martin and Iohn likewise newlye sent thyther by Belisarius preuentinge Vraias had encamped themselues not farre from the same place to the entent if they could to haue stopped hym of hys passage Their campe was distant froÌ„ the campe of Vraias about 〈◊〉 myles In the meane season the Frenchmen sodainly came into those quarters Vraias the Gothes by reason of the leage that was lately taken betwixte them supposed they had come to their ayde lyke as they had dooâ—e before in the warres about Miliaine These frenchmen the passed ouer the Alpes at that time with Thendebert The number armour of the frchchmeÌ„ were to the number of foure score thousand wherof very fewe were horsemen those atten\ded alwaies vpon the kings person all the residue being footemen Their armour was not in pikes nor in bowes but to keuer their bodies with they bare a tergat a skull and to strike the enemye wtall a sword a byll In the battell they vsed moste commonlye their billes the which strake with such force the neither head
not to be discontented though Ildouade the Gothes that remayned endeuoured to prouide for the saufgard of theyr weale publique Thys was the summe of theyr ambassade Belisarius answered openly therevnto An example of a faithfull subiect and of an inuincible mynde that as long as the Emperour Iustinian lyued he would neuer take vppon him to be kynge Wyth thys answere the Ambassadours retourned to Ildouade vnto Pauie And Belisarius hauynge decked hys Nauie sayled towarde Constantinople wyth Vitigis and dyuers other noble men of the Gothes and all the kynges Threasure the fyfth yere after the warre was begonne in Italy * The thyrde booke of Lenard Aretine concernyng the warres in Italy against the Gothes ⧠The first Chapter ¶ Thentertainement that Belisarius and his prisoners had at Constantinople A commendation of Belisarius good gouernement by comparison betvvene hym and the Captaines that succeeded hym WHen Belisarius was come to Constantinople the Emperour Iustinian welcomed hym with great ioy and hauing hym in great reputation and honour put out of mynd all mistrust that he had co ceyued of his doinges before The Gothes whom he had brought with him were entertayned very gently and courteously and men wondered to beholde theym the whych mighte seme to haue chaunced not without good cause For there was Vitigis king of the Gothes that of late had besyeged Rome wyth such a multitude What they vvere vvhome Belisarius brought prisoners to Constantinople and his wyfe Amulusuentha thenece of Theoderich somtime king of the Gothes who first brought them into Italy and there gaue them possessiōs Furthermore there were the two sonnes of Ildouade then Kynge of the Gothes whem Belisarius fynding in the Courte of Vitigis at Rauenna wold not suffer to depart but brought them away with hym into Grecs There were other noble men of the Gothes also whom al men beheld wondering at the puissans of Belisarius that had atcheued so great exploytes and extolling him wyth prayses to the skye in that he had lately before subdued Aphrycke and now Italy vnder the dominion of Iustinian And thus went the worlde in Grece In Italye after the departure of Belisarius the order of thynges by the commaundement of the Emperour was committed to the discretion of Iohn of Bessas of Vitalis Constantian also was come out of Dalmatia was added to the nūber of the Gouernours It was soone seene what difference there was betwene the gouernment of these men of Belisa The prayse of belisarius For to omitte his skilfulnesse in feats of warre cheularie wherin he far surmounted al the Captaines of his time there was in him a singuler humamtie gentlenes through the which he exhibited himself aswell to the poore as to the rich There was no maner of person but might haue easie fre accesse to is presens besides that he was wonderous bountifull liberall Vnto his souldiers that had lost theyr horses weapons and armour so it were not cowardly forthwith he gaue new agayne Of the husbandmen he had so great regarde that in leading of hys armie he would not suffer any of them to be hurte or endomaged Hys souldiers durste not be so bolde as to touche the Apples hangyng on the trees Through this his straightnesse in obserning the lawe of armes he obtryned that his campe was more plentifully serued then the marketts in any citie So free and without peryll was the conueyance of all things that were to be solde His vprightnesse towarde suche Cytyes as were in societie and leage wyth hym no man is able to reporte as it deserued Men myghte heare of the great good tournes that he dyd for them but not that he vexed or molested any of them But as for them that succeded hym they were nothynge lyke hym neythey in humanitie neyther in prowesse neyther yet in vyryght dealynge For bothe they them selues were Pyllers and Pollers and also they suffered theyr Souldyers to fall into all kynd of licentiousnesse disorder beynge proude to theyr partakers and easye inough to be entreated toward their enemies by meanes wherof within short space matters began to goe cleane backeward and to slyde into open and manifest ruine as I shall sheweyou hereafter The .ij. Chapter ¶ The diligence of Ildouade kinge of the Gothes the greate misgouernaunce of the Imperiall Captaines by meanes vvhereof then be brought lovve and the Gothes incresed ion strength and courage The death of Vraias the death of Ildouade the electtion and death of Ataticus and the election of Totilas ILdouade beyng newly created kyng of the Gothes as I declared before after the departure of Belisarius went in hand wyth hys matters very diligently For he gaue commaundement that all the Gothes and all the Italians that fauored the Gothyshe parte should at a daye appoynted meete all rogyther readye furnished with armour at Pauye His armye at that beginning was verye stender but it cōtinually encreased euery daye was in better hope and comforte then other The iniursous dealing of the Empeperours Collectours causeth great alteration 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 accompt 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 succeeded 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 promyfed by the Cytyes to the Gothes the whyche they chalenged to the Emperour as due by the name of forfeyture they broughte euery man priuatelye and all the Cytyes generallye in suche adespayre that they wyshed the Gothes to be loroes of all againe therevppon many of their owne free will reuolted to Ildouade helpinge to augarent the number strength of his armie The loke grudge was also in themperours armie For loke with what greadines the money that was neuer due was tracted of the Italians with like pinching were the souldiers restrayned of theyr due deserued wages Ther 's was no regarde had of any thyng but one which was to satisfye the Emperours vnsatiable couetousnes 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 meanes whereof Ildouade daylye growynge stronge brought vnder hys obeysance all the Cytyes beyonde the Ryuer Po and all the Cytyes perteynynge to the estate of Venice and hys armpe 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 frayde to leade hys armye into open feld to try the fortune of
battel A battell betvvene ildouade and the imperialles This encounter was fought not farre froÌ„ * Novv called Trenizo Taruisium against Vitalis one of the Emperours Captaines In the which Ildouade getting thupper hand made such aslaughter of Vitalis army the whiles the captanie himself with a few sled away all the rest were either slain or taken prisoners by the Gothes Through this victorie being so great so notable it is a wonder to see how the gothes were entouraged how much the power of their aduersaries was abated In so much the not only beyonde the Ryuer Po and vnder the dominion of Venice but also all suche as on thys syde the Po helde of the Gothyshe part were throughly strengthened and the name of Ildouade grewe famous euen in the Emperour Iustinians Court and amonge forreine nations also It was not long after but that he pursued to that death Vraias a man of much aucthoritie and estimation among the Gothes vpon presumption the he should conspire with his enemies This cause was pretended The death of Vraias Howbeit somme were of opinion that he tooke prytch agaynst Vraias by cause that latly before there had bene alterration betwen his wife and the Quéene But surely I cannot thinke that Ildouade being a graue wyse man would be so farre ouersene as to be induced with brablinge matters of women to kill suche a man as was Vraias I beleue rather that the cause why Ildouade dyd putte him to death was that he feared his power aucthoritie For it is mamifest that the Gothes in generall are of nature very mistrustfull and scarce sufficientlye fasthfull toward their kinges Many of the Gothes dissalowed the death of Vraias and openly detested it as a heynous and wicked acte By meanes wherof it came to passe that Ildouade himself was stayne by one of his owne gard whiles he sate at his meate The death of Ildouade In his stead was Ataricus created King but he raigned not long For with in fiue monethes after his election he was slain by his owne subiectes for his euil behauiour misgouernement The death of Ataricus Thus hauing killed two of their kinges wtin two yeres space they offered the kingdome with one consent vnto Totilas Totilas created king This man before he was made kynge had borne great aucthority at * Novv called Treuizo Tarui fiuer which is a citie of the Venetians and hys father was brother to Ildouade late Kynge The .iii. Chapter ⧠A larger declaration of the election and creation of Totilas mencioned brieflye in the Chapter before The Emperours Captaines through their insaciable gredines of pray stryuing for the bootie before they had gotten it lose the Citis Veron vvhiche vvas deliuered into their handes and betray their ovvne companie AFter that Ildouade as I shewed before was slaine Totilas dreading to be in daunger bycause he waws so nere of his kinne sent priuely to Rauenna made compact with themperours captaines to turne vnto them with such as he had rule of to yeld vp the town of Taruisium into their haÌ„ds A day was limited for performans of the matter But ere euer the day came the Gothes repenting the they had reioyced in that death of Ildouade that they had made Ataxicus their king a maÌ„ nether of wisdome nor courage able to defend the Gothes against so great strength of their enemies began to encline to To tilas the nere kinsman of Ildouade to wishe that he were their king In coÌ„ clustoÌ„ they dispatched Ataricus out of the way made Totilas king in ded Iustinian hauing intelligence of these things the had happened in Italy found great fault with thunskilfulnes cowardnes of his captaines that in al the tyme the their enemies were so at dissention among themselues among so many alterations chaunges they hauing so great oportunity for the speÌ„ding of their matters had done nothing at all The captaines moued w e this dishonorable rebuke asseÌ„bled togither at Rauenna There when it came to consultation as concerning the war it was thought best first formest to send an armye against the citie Veron For they had ben secretly put in hope of thobteining of the towne The captaines were in nuÌ„ber xi of whoÌ„ the chiefe were Constantian AlexaÌ„der lately sent thither by them perour for the collection ofhis money Therfore setting forth wyth a greate armye when they approched neere to Veron they determyned to putte in tryall the hope that was lately genen theym For there was one Martine a noble man of that Countrie that had a Castle not farre from Veron who for as much as in his hart he was unperiall had allured the keper of one of the gates to let in that emperours army The matter being in this wyse closely agréed vpon when the captaines came thither with their armye they sent before one Artauades an Armenian with a number of pycked souldiers to take the gate there to awaite the coÌ„ming of the rest of the hoste No parte of promyse was lefte vnperformed in that place For in the dead of the night wheÌ„ the souldyers came to the gate the traitour set it wyde all open let them into the Cytye They enterynge in and hauynge also taken the walles aboue the same gaue notyce thereof to the rest of the armye The Gothes perceiuing their enemies wythin the towne fled out at another gate Note the couetousnes of thimperialles and vvhat came of it The captains hearinge that their men had taken the towne marched forwarde But ere euer they came there they fell at altercation for the spoyle by the way staied fiue miles from the Citie In the meane while the daye brake Now there is a castle aboue the citie of Veron which hath a very great prospect both into the towne also farre into the countrye The Gothes which were fled into this hold perceliâ—â—g few of their enemyes to be within the Citie and the armye to abyde still without makinge no approch toward the walles sodainely yssued out of the Castle aduenturyng through the citie recouered to the gate where their enemies came in shut it The souldygers that were entered by night were partly oppressed partly flying to the walles made resistens froÌ„ aboue Anone after the captaines comming thyther finding the gate shut although the souldiers wtin called to theÌ„ for help desiring them not to abandon them in that sorte yet notwithstanding they retired backe againe out of hand Some of the souldiers leaped downe the walles saued themselues among which number was Artauades the Armenian their guide The rest were eyther slaine or ells taken prisoners By this meanes through the misgouernement couetousnes of the Captaines striuing amonge theymselues for the praâ—e before they had gotten it when they shuld haue made most spede for the winning of the same the matter quailed about Veron The iiij Chapter ¶ f Totilas by his