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
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
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
wynde commued dyll agaynst them and that they determined to go away byland he lent them horses and beasts for their cariages allowing them moreouere victualls and mony to spend by the waye and also sente of the Gothes with them to saufconduyt theÌ„ The seueritie of Totilas tovvard malefactours Thus Totilas vsed gentlenesse toward straungers but among hys own men he kepte so streight order that he suffered no offence to scape vnponished the ponyshmente of stealers quarrellers rauishers of women was death and the forfeityng of all their goodes to the vse of them agaynst whom the dyspleasure was done By meanes wherof wheresoeuer the Gothes encamped or passed in and out through any of the Cityes or countries that were in leage with them there was no harme done to any of them Licencious liberty pernicious to men of vvarre But the case stode farre otherwyse in those daies with the Captaynes of Iustinian For the Captains themselues could not hold their hands from doing wrong and the souldyers through their euell ensample fallen is all kynde of licentiousnesse absteined from nothing that was euyll Neither was there any thyng more myserable in those dayes then the people of Italy that were vnder th empyre beyng wythoute theyr walles spoyled by the enemye and wythin their walles by theyr owne men of warre For the Captayne 's hauyng taken the strong holdes for theyr owne safegard passed not what became of the poore commons Throughe thys iniurious dealyng despayre so encreased daye by daye more and more that the Emperoure was fayne to determyne wyth hymselfe to sende Belisarius thyther agayne For all the other Captaynes were so farre from recoueryng that whych was loste that it was not lyke they shoulde any long tyme be able to kepe that whiche they had The .viij. Chapter ¶ Belisarius beyng sente againe into Italy in hys vvaye doth rescovve Hydrunt besieged by the Cothes the myserable estate of Italy at that tyme Totilas receaueth Tibut and besiegeth Auximum Vitalis is forsaken of hys ovvne souldiers Belisarius sendeth succour to Auximum and repayreth Pysanrum Totilas besiegeth Asculum and Firmum FOr these considerations Belisarius was chosen agayne to take the charge of the warres in Italy Belisarius diligence in chosyng of hys souldiers and yet the warres were scarcely finyshed the whyche all thys meane tyme he had made agaynste the Medes Therefore when he sawe there was no remedye but to muster newe souldiers for he had leste hys olde armye at the ryuer Euphrates he went about al Thrace where throughe hys lyberall spendyng he gathered to the number of foure thousande withoute commission the whiche he embarked speoely and rakyng with hym vitalles the Lieuetennant of Illiricum whiche came newly to hym oute of Italy sayled forwarde hauyng cut ouer the Ionian sea arriued at Salons In the tyme of thys iourney he raysed a siege aboute Hidrunt a Towne of Calabre The rescovvig of Hidrunte novv called Otronto For they that were besieged being compelled therto by the Gothes for want of victualls had compounded to yelde vp the towne by a certayne daye if they were not rescowed in the meane time Wherof Belisarius hauyng knowledge coÌ„maunded Valentine to sayle thyther to cary with hym come other necessaryes and to bryng awaye the souldyers that had bene long besieged there puttyng newe in their romes Thys was an easy matter to bryng to effecte In greatest calme for a storme prouide For the Gothes after the truce taken loked but slyghtly to them not so muche as mistrusting that any body would come to succor them By meanes whereof when 〈…〉 vpon theÌ„ vnlookes for they trembled for feare were fayne to breake vp their siege and get them further of Valentyne enteryng into the towne toke the olde souldiers out of the holde and placed newe in their steades leauyng them dictualls for a whole yeare The which done he returned with those shyppes that he brought with hym vnto the reast of the flete at Salons After hys returne Belisarius sayled to Pole Belisarius arriuall in Italy where hauyng taried a while to practise hys yong souldiours that he had mustered in Thrace at length with hys whole nauye he sayled to Rauenna At hys commyng thi\ther he founde all thyngs in worse case through Italy theÌ„ he thought they had bene For hys enemyes séemed to haue the better end of the staffe euery wher and to stand in beste hope and possibilitye Contrarywise hys frendes and adhearentes weere euerywhere through all Italy discouraged and broughte in despaire The misery of Italy through misgouernement The cities and people of the country because they were 〈◊〉 molested by the men of warre the men of warre because themperour was behind hand with their wages for a long tyme payed none became stubborne and froward refusing either to be ruled by the captaines or to set onefote out of dores to the warres And to say the truth they were brought to a very smal nuÌ„ber As for the comming of Belisarius it did rather encrease their despaire then any whit coÌ„fort them A Captaine is able to do no thing vvithout men and monye For albeit he were a notable captaine out of all doubt in those daies perelesse yea in dede a very Master of Cheualrie yet notwithstandyng forasmuch as he brought but a slender company with him for he had but foure thousand those were al vnpractised and freshwater souldiers and had no money to deale amongest them when he preached vnto them at Rauenna declaryng the cause of hys commyng and exhortyng them to goe forwarde with the warres neyther the Townesmen nor yet the men of warre were 〈…〉 gaue any token of comfort good hope Insomuche that it repented Belisarius hymselfe that he was come into Italy Totilas receaueth Tibur In the meane tyme there rose a dissention betwene the townesmen and the souldiers of Tibur by meanes whereof Totilas beyng called to the ayd of the one part receaued the whole towne The Citye of Tibur is nere â—â—yghboure vnto Rome Tibur xvi miles from Rome beyng distant from thence no further then syrtene myles The takyng whereof was a great eye sore and noyous to the Romaynes as wherby they were 〈◊〉 of all thynges in Latium He besiegeth Auximum After thus Totilas hauyng perfecte intelligence of the commyng of Belisarius wente with hys armye into the countrye of the Picentes and encamped aboute Auximum The vnfaythfulnesse of the Illirian souldiers tovvarde their captain The very same season had Belisarius sent Vitalis with a conuenient crewe of Illirians into the countrye aboute Bononie After the â—yme he had wonne a 〈…〉 towne thereaboutes 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 the whiche dede they afterward alledged this excuse vnto themperour that whiles they wer scruing him in his warres in Italy the
of Totilas was assuaged insomuche that he made proclamation that froÌ„ thence forth there shold not any person be strickeÌ„ with that sword but that there should be respecte from slaughter bloudshed Moreouer he gaue coÌ„maundement that no gentlewoman were she mayde maryed wife or wydowe should be defyled that which he caused to be obserued with great seueritie Onely the goodes of the Romaynes he gaue for a pray to hys souldiers gcuyng strayght charge that no maÌ„ should be so bolde as to touch their bodyes Then myndyng to pull down the courages of the Gothes putted vp with pryde for thys victorye he somoned them together the next day made this oration vnto them The Oration of totilas to hys men of warre Is there any of you my companions in armes ê™ he that be holdyng so great alterations as haue chauÌ„ced within these fewe yeres dreadeth not the frayltye of mannes estate And is not able to coniecture whereupon and wherefore all these alterations chaunges haue happened I wyll not speake of Rome somtyme the Ladye of the whole worlde whiche now is fallen into your hands For she hath suffered many myschauÌ„ces which were done so longe a goe that they are not nowe to be recounted and thys is not the fyrst ruine that hath happened vnto her Wherefore I had rather put you in remembraunce of our owne affayres What thyng was there of grater power and strength before these warres then the nation of the Gothes through out all Italy It sent into the field two hundred thousande fyghtyng men throughly furnyshed wyth armour weapons artillerye horses victualles golde and fyluer It holde in possession all Italye Sicill Corsica Sardinia and Dalmatia Who would haue beleued it had bene possible for seuen thousande Grekes for there came no mo into Italy at the fyrst to haue subuerted so great a power And what shall we say of the same Grekes when they had in manner brought all in subiection to them and helde all as Lordes and conquerers woulde any man haue thought that you beyng but a fewe and broughte almoste to beggerye shoulde haue recouered Italy out of the handes of them beyng twentye thousand men consideryng that at that tyme ye were not able to make aboue foure thousand horsemen and had not a towne lefte you in all Italy more then Pauye Veron * Now called Treuizo Taruisium woulde any man haue thought that euer ye shoulde haue taken Rome the head of the worlde the whiche Vitigis was not able to subdue with hys two hundred thousand me in a whole yeres besiegement Surely countrymeÌ„ these thynges are very great and not a lyttle to be wondered at Howbeit if we liste to consider marke them the causes of these alterations are most manifest apparant For as long as the Gothes executed Iustice vsed equitye so long their power florished their estate prospered their matters went forward whatsoeuer they toke in hand had good successe But as sone as they wer once led away through couetousnesse then bred there preuye grudge among them theÌ„ rose there inwarde debate then one soughte to cut anothers throte then sprang vp secret treason through that which they brought themselues to vtter ruine decaye Agayne wheÌ„ these contagious maladies were passed out of you into that captaines of Iustinian through your amendement you easily ouercame theÌ„ Wherfore yf you wey consider these thyngs wel ye haue no cause at al to be proude of thys victorie but rather oughte to dread God to feare the mutabilitie of fortune For ye must vnderstand that all Empire power is easily forgone onlesse they be maintayned by Iustice pollicie and paynestakinge Yea my companions in armes know ye this beleue it for a certainetie that the greatest parte of your labour is yet behind For it is a harder matter to kepe thinges gotten then to gette them For as muche as in gettinge often tymes the cowardnes of the possessour furthereth a man more then his owne prowesse But to kepe thynges gotten no man is able without his own prowesse and pollicie Thus muche spake Totilas at that tyme the Gothes dyd greatlye commende the wyfedome of theyr Kynge ¶ The .xii. Chapter ¶ The bytter wordes of Totilas to the Romaines and thacquital of a noble woman accused of treason Totilas fendeth Ambassadours with letters to the Emperour at whose returne he defaceth Rome and leaueth it vtterly desolate AFter this he called the Romaines before him and greatlye reproued their vnthankefullnesse misdemeanour The talke of Totilas to the Romaynes In as much as they being in subiection vnder Odoacer delyuered from his tiranny by meanes of Theoderich the Gothes at whose handes they had receiued so great benefites as they theyin selues coulde scarce haue wyshed through the whyche they had bene greatly enriched had lyued many yeares in great tranquillitle ryghte happys yf they coulde haue sene when they were well now in the ende wythout arm wronge or displeasure offered to them had contrarye to their othe allegeans reuolted to the Grekes men of all other most vaine withoute eyther manhood or prowesse Who immediatly vpon their arriuall being besieged by Vitigis durst neuer shewe their heades in the open field but lurking within walls and there staruing themselues for hunger aboode all the dishonour that might be Who after the tyme they were made lordes of the Cities not through their owne man hoode but through treason deceyte fylled all places wyth tollgatherers Pollers and Promooters who wyth maruelous crueltye compelled the Cityes people of Italye to the payment of those tributes whiche had bene forgeuen them clearely released manye yeres before by Theoderich thother Kynges of the Gothes Who to satisfie the insatiable couetousnesse of the Emperour their Master called as well the people as the magistrates to a straight accompt of sUch thynges as they had taken charge of vnder the said kings Tell me therfore ye Romaines ê™ he whether ye euer suffered anye harme by the Gothishe Kinges And tell me againe if euer these Greklings dyd you anye good And not rather more displeasure to you beynge theyr frends then to vs their enemies A vicious wicked kinde of people able to serue to no purpose but to forginge of leasinges whereas on the contrarye part the Gothes were borne brought vp amonge you in Italye and yet you haue set more by straungers aliens then by your owne countryemen acquaintance so much are ye degenerated out of kind hating whom ye ought to loue desyring new thyngs lothing your owne quietnesse like restie iades which through ouer long standinge in to much pampering become coltishe full of euil touches Wherfore seing you haue done these thinges both contrarye to your dutye allegeance and contrarye to your owne profyte looke as you haue hytherto bene worthelye punnished so shall you also be hereafter Wyth these wordes he dismissed the Romaynes voyde of
commaunded Constantine and Bessas to returne to him out of hand wyth such power as they had aboute them Constantine obyed his commaundeinent and came wyth hys armye forthwyth out of Thuscane to Rome But it was somewhat later ere that Bessas did set out of Narma in so much that he was entangled with the firste foreriders of the Gothes For Vitigis way lay hard vnder Narma Whether as sone as the Currours were come Bessas yssued out of the city and skirmished with them he put many of their troopes to flight and slew diuers of thē Neuertheles by reason of resorte of mo mo stil to the res cowe he was cōpelled to withdraw hīself again into the citie From whence he made hast to Rome bare ridinges that the Gothes were at hande within kenning The Gothes passing by Narma went through the country of the Sabines into the fields of Rome When they came nere the town they staied at the riuere Anio For beisarius had fortified the bridge on both sides the water with bulwarks enclosures had set a garrisō of souldiers to kepe it By meanes wherof the Gothes at their first cōming being not able to get ouer The shameful flight of the souldiers of Belisarius encamped thēselues beyond the riuer Anio But the next night folowing they the were set to kepe the bridge being dismaied at the number fercenesse of the barbarous people forsoke the towres bulwarks of the 〈…〉 away went into Cāpanie for fea rt least Belisarius should punishe thē for their labour Belisarius was minded to haue pitched his campe by the riuer Anio directly against y◠campe of the Gothes to th entent to haue detained them the longer in the same place And therfore that next day he went thither with a M. horsemen to view the costery the Deameanour of his enemies also to chose a meete grounde to encampe in An encounter vnloked for As he was going thether when he came almost at the 〈◊〉 contrary to his expestation he met with the Gothyshe horse men For the Gothes but euen a lytrie while before pereceiuing the bulwarkes of the brydge to be abandoned had broken open the gates and the barryers and had passed euer the Ryuer in greate number Whose sodayne approche vppon Belisarius other wyse then he looked for conūrayned hym whether he would or no to put hymselfe in the encounter At the beginning Belisarius 〈◊〉 nothing but thoffice of a Captaine encouraging and commaunding his soul diers and shewinge what euerye man should doe But when he saw his men ouerlayed like to go by the 〈…〉 of the staffe then was he 〈…〉 compelled to leaue the office the Captaine and to playe the stout souldiour For he was fayne to put himself into the forefront of the battell and there to laye his hands about him stoutlye and valiātly as other of his souldiers The which days surely he was in great danger vpon such occasion He had a goodly horse vpon which he was commāly wont to ryde of colour bay with a white lyste from his foreheade downe to the nostrelles as he fought vpon the same horse among the formest in the battell certain runnagats knowing him cried out to strike the Vale. For so doe the Gothes terme a bay horse in their language there was none other noise ouer all the fyeld but to strike the Vale By meanes whereon it came to passe that all the brunt of the battel was turned vpon Belisarius Daunger the vvhetstone of courage And vndoutedly if a puisant band of his verye sanulier frendes had not clustered aboute hym and styked notably to him yea and with their owne bodies and their owne armour kept of a then saud strokes and a thousande weapons bothe from the horse and from BElisarius himself also it had neuer bene possible for hym to haue escaped But as at the time he was valiantlye defended both by hys own prowesse fighting most expertly commingly and also by the helpe of his frends and familiars who with incredible loue clynged fast aboute hym In thys place manye of Belisarius verye frends were flain and inespecially one Maxentius a man of singular actiuity who fyghting about Belisarius after that he had shewed many proses of his manhood and prowesse and slaine many of the Gothes at the last being very sore wounded fell downe dead At the length such as were about Belisarius making prease vpō their enemies put thē to open flight pursued them hard to the bridge But the footemen the stod at the bridge recountred Belisarius his men easly put them backe The horsemen seyng the turned again assailed thē behind by meanes wherof they were of necessity compelled to wtdraw themselues for their own saufgard vnto a higher ground Belisarius is compelled to tlye There also then coūter of horsmen being renued the nūber of the enemies still encreasing after the many had berie slaine on both partes at length they were forced to sty toward Rome vppon the spurre They tonne dewarde the gate that is commonlye called Pm̄cian The Gothes chaced Belisarius hard to the gate inso much the some were striken from the wall There was also muche a doe in the same place For the Romains that kept the walles for feare of their enemies so nere at hand durste not open the gate Neither was Belisarius him selfe knowen albeit he called alowd vnto them bicause the Sunne was then down he fore dissiguret 〈…〉 swette Belisarius putteth the Gothes to flight Therefore when they had cast themselues in a ring before the gate could not be let in that menemy was hardat their backs Belisarius encouraging his men gaue a new charge vp on his enemies putting thērs night draue them far frō the gate So when he had dispersed his enemyes he was then perfectly knowen led his souldiers into the citye The feyght of this day was very sore and 〈◊〉 For it beganne anene after the sonne rising it ended not vntil it was darke night Belisarius by the iudgement of al mē was demed the best warriour that day that was on his syde And amonge the Gothes Vssidius When Belisarius was returned into the Citie he commaunded as well his owne souldyers as the Towne semen to keepe warche on the walles that nyghte Distriburinge the gaces to his Captaines euery one one to kepe Geuyng them charge that if any alarme were geuen no man should styree out of the place where be was appoynted A larmes geven to the Citie of Rome in the nyght The same night many Alarmes were geuē and diuers of theym false For it was cried through the Citie that thenemye was entred in at the gate of Ianiculū and therevpon weapon was fearefully taken in hand And the noyse could not be stynted vntill such time as messengers comming from thence brought word that all was quiet and no enemy sene or heard of there At the
gate Salaria was another Alarme that not wythoute some cause For the Gothes comming to the gate in the night called to the Romaines that stoode vpon the walls there one of them named Bachius a maÌ„ well knowen in Rome whom Vitigis had sent thether for the same purpose The vvordes of Bachius to the Romanes spake vnto them saying How is it with you ye Ramaines are ye not ashamed of your follye to commit your seiues to the ruicion of a few Grekyshe men mariners and plaiers of enteriudes good for nothing els despising the power of the Gothes whiche euen at their very fyrste comming haue put them to flighte and beseiged them Surely the Gothes haue not de serued that ye shoulde worke so greate trcason against them But repent and amend for this is thonely way for you to escape yf you wyll open the gate for the Gothes to enter in not against you but against those Grekes But if ye be so mad to persist in your folly loke assuredlye for such warre at the Gothes hands as wil be to whote for you to abyde Thys oure kynge Vitigis commaunded to be told vnto you The Romaines made none aunswere at all to his wordes But as sone as it was reported that the Gothes were there there was ronning thether from all parts of the citie The Gothes hauing taryed a lyttle whyle returned to their kinges tent which was betwene the citye and the riuer And thus paued ouer the 〈◊〉 night The next day the Gothes seyng no body come for the guiue them batter in the field adressed themselues to the siege Th order wherof was this The .ix. Chapter ¶ Th order of the seige of Rome the pollitique proision of Belisarius for the defence of the same what engines the Gothes made for to assaulte the same and of their goynge to the assault THey pitched theyr denter in 〈◊〉 places about the citie The siege of Rome froÌ„ the way of fiaminius vnto the ways that leadeth to Preuesie This campe beseged fiue gates of the citie Afterward they unbattelled the .vii. campe on the further fyde of the brydge Militius This last Campe besoiged the gate of Aurelius and cutte of the wayes that leade ouer the Ryuer Tyber They fortified theyr campes with diches and trenches and turrettes of timber And as wel on the onesive as on the other of the Tybeer they made hauocke of all the came in their waye Belisarius o the coutrary part pprouided in this wise for the defence of the city The gate called Pinciana which was directly againste the greater campe of the Gothes together with the nextegate vnto it on the right haÌ„d called Salaria whatsoeuer was on that part of the walles therabouts Belisarius toke vnto himselfe tokepe The gate towarde Preueste he committed to Bessas The gate of Flamiuius whiche is on the left hande of the Pincian gate he deliuered to CoÌ„stanâ—â—nand at euerye other of the gates he set a keper The Gothes goyng about the Citye brake all the Conduittes The conduius aboute the Citye There were of theym in all fourtene made of wonderfull worke by the which water was conueyed into the Citie By the breakynge of these the Romaynes were not so greatelye afflycted wyth scarcetye of water as wyth want of cornemylles For the conduit that ranne downe no the toppe of Ianiculum throughe the furth erside of Tiber into the city running swiftly downe the stepe hyll dyd virue many mylles The lyke commodity of grinding was also ministred by other of the conduits in diuers places The which being then brokeÌ„ brought great distresse vpon them that were be seiged A prouision for grinding of corne Against this displeasure Belisarius prouided this remedie Two lighters with a space betwene theym for a whele to goe in were fastned together with strong rafters of timber vpon the which the milles were set and so driueÌ„ with the swiftnes and violence of the streame and the lighters were stayed with Cables streyned hard and made fast on both sydes of the Ryuer These lyghters he placed harde by the firsie brydge that leadeth ouer Tiber. After those he set other lyghters on a rowe And least the enemye might hurte the lighters by casting downe fyre or other stuffe from alofte there were cheynes of yron draweÌ„ by the brydge to receiue all such gere and men set on both sides to take the same cary it away Thus was good prouison made to supply the want of milles for those lighters suffyced to grynd as much as they would As for the want of water that dyd the ryuer Tiber supplye Belisarius had on diuers places of the walles deuises many engines to strike and put backe thenemy withall Engines for to assault the tovvne The battell Ram. On the otherside the Gothes prouided great store of artillerie and engines for the winning of the Citie The angins were these FyruÌ„e fowre battell Rammes whiche were made after this fashion Foure postes of timber of lyke hygh equallye distant are sette square one ageinste another These pyllers are fastened with eyght ouer wayes foure at the toppe foure at the foote so that it standeth as it were a pretye square house The same is couerd aboue with leather to the entent that such as are within it should not be hurte from the walles Aloft is laid a beame 〈◊〉 at 〈◊〉 whereof hangeth downe another beame as it were to the middell of the pillars fastned with plates of yron the which hath a great square head of stelelike vnto an anuild The whole engine is driuen vpoÌ„ foure wheles fastened in the feete of pillars When it is remoued froÌ„ place to place there are not fewer then L. souldyers within it to driue it forward Who after the time they haue brought it nere vnto the walles doe with a cewrtayne wynch wey vp the foresaid beame that lyeth ouerthwart The great force of the battell Ram. and when it is aloft doe let it fall with all the whole swaye that it hath Then the head of the beame being let downe partlye with violence and partly with weight falling vpon the wall dothe batter and breake in peces al that euer it lighteth vpon Moreouer the Gothes made Turretes of Tymber of lyke heigh with the walles the whiche went vppon fyue wheles a pece Also they prepared a great number of skaling ladders together with an immumerable sorte of faggottes of shrubbes and strawe to fyll vp the dyches When all thynges were in sufficient readinesse Vitigis commaunded all hys men to be in armour by the breake of the next daye whom he deuided into companyes appoyntynge what he would haue euery man to doe The Gothes were verye glad of it and wonderfull desyrous of thassault Thassault of Rome some carrying faggotts some bearing skalyng Ladders and other some dryuyng the engines toward the walles Belisarius stood vppon the vamure before the gate wyth the tallest men that he coulde chose oute in all hys