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
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
that worde Totilas dysdaynfully caste a proud loke vpon hym saying commest thou nowe to me Pelagius to make supplication Yea euen nowe ê™ Pelagius sithens it is the wil of God to make thee Lorde Master ouer me And therfore my soueraine Lord haue mercy vpon thy seruaunts Therwithall y â— wrath of Totilas was assuaged insomuche that he made proclamation y â— froÌ„ thenceforth there shold not any person be strickeÌ„ with y e 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 y â— which he caused to be obserued with great seueritie Onely the goodes of the Romaynes he gaue for a pray to hys souldiers gâ—uyng strayght charge that no maÌ„ should be so bolde as to touch their bodyes Then myndyng to pull down the courages of the Gothes puffed vp with pryde for thys victorye he somoned them together the next day made this oration vnto them Is there any of you my companions in armes ê™ he that beholdyng so great alterations as haue chauÌ„ced within these fewe yeres dreadeth not the frayltye of mannes estate And is not able to coniâ—ure 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 syluer It helde in possession all Italye Sicill Corsica Sardinia and Dalmatia Who would haue beleued it had bene possible for 〈◊〉 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 Grâ—kes 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 conâ—eryng 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 Ueron Taruisium woulde any man haue thought that eyer ye shoulde haue taken Rome the head of the worlde the whiche Uitigis was not able to subdue with hys two hundred thousand meÌ„ in a whole yeres besiegement Surely countrymeÌ„ these thynges are very great and not a lyttle to be wondered at How beit if we liste to consider 〈◊〉 thenâ— 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 â—state prospered their matters went forward whatsoeuer they toke in hand had good successe But as sone as they wer once lâ—d awry 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 y â— which they brought themselues to vtter ruine decaye Agayne wheÌ„ these contagious maladies were passed out of you into y â— 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 â—lesse they be maintayned by Iustice pollicie and paynestakinge Yea my companions in armes know ye this beleue it for a certainetie that the grea test 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 â—ymes 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 â—las at that tyme the Gothes dyd greatlye commende the wysedome of theyr Kynge ¶ The. xii Chapter ¶ The 〈◊〉 wordes of Totilas to the 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 of a noble woman accused of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seâ—th Ambassadours with letters to the Emperour at whose returne he defaceth Rome and â—eth it vtterly desolate AFter this he called the Romaines before him and greatlye reproued their vnthankefullnesse misdemeanour 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 theym selues coulde scarce haue wyshed through the whyche they had bene greatly enriched had lyued many â–ª yeres in great tranquillitle ryghte happye yf they coulde haue sene when they were well now in the ende wythout any 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 Uitigis durst neuer she we thâ— hâ—ades in the open field but luâ—king 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 â—ylled 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 clearâ—ly 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 eâ—er 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
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
prowd for those things whych no man is able to assure himself that they shall coÌ„tinue with him vntill night Thus doth an Historye make vs bothe more wyse and more modest in our dooinges And therfore ryght reuerend father I determined to dedicate these Bookes vnto you as well to thentent you might vnderstaÌ„d 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 wyse and wel learned a maÌ„ 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 encounâ—er with Odoacers Captaines IN the tyme that Zeno 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 Ualentinian who as it is well ynough knowen was â—ayne 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 Ualentinian for feare of Attila and afterwardes associated by the Romaynes agaynst the Uandales 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 remaynÌ„ed at that tyme in one Augustnlus who beynge but a verye â—ylde was gâ—uerned 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 â—ewe hym and fourthewyth folowynge theyr Captayne Odoacer camme to Rome and deposed Augustulus 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 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 betwirt them was fought not farre from the Citie of Aquileia vppon the riuer Fontius In the which conflict after a long and sharpe encouÌ„ter the Gothes gate the victorye and putte the 〈◊〉 of Odoacer to flyght ⧠The. ij Chapter ¶ Theodorich kyng of the Gothes besiegeth Odoacer in Rauenna the matter is ended by composition 〈◊〉 of them lyeth in wayre 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 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 bee 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 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 Theodorich and hys Gothes entered into Rauenna neyther was there any parte of all Italy that was not content to receyue hym But thys copertnershyppe in the Empyre lasted not longe For when as the one bare grudge in hys heart preuelye agaynst the other Theodorich preuentyng Odoacer badde hym to a Banquet and there kylled hym and so with hâ—s Gothes â—are all the 〈◊〉 alone in Italy Howe be it to saye the trueth hys gouernement was not verye intollerable albeit he reteyned for hys people y e thyrde part of the lands in suche sort as Odoacer had lately before deuyded them 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 annexed Sicill wyth all the Ilelandes about it vnto hys kyngdome and also subdued Dalmatia Moreouer duryng the sayde tymâ— 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 〈◊〉 and hys name was famous and 〈◊〉 sauynge that in hys latter dayes he was noted of â—rucltye and outrage for puttyng to death of Symmachus and Boetius Senatours of the citie of Rome 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 of iustice the wilfulnesse of the Gothes in the education of theyr kyng the vntimely death
captaines of his horsemen were Ualentine 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 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 sodenlyâ— 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 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 Sicilians bare to the Gothes and the authoritie of the Empyre of Rome together with the presence of Belisarius Whome for as much as he had delyuered Aâ—ricke from the Uandalians they hoped should do the lyke by the Gothes thorough Sicil Italy Moreouer the Go thes 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 Panormus by reason there was a strong garrison of the Gothes in it abode the siege and endured it to the vttermost The which citie beyng very defensible and well fortiâ—ed 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 〈◊〉 hard to the walles of the towne And Belisarius had 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 â—yngers in the topeastles of the shyppes who with arrowes and darts dyd so beate their ene mies vnderneath them on all sydes that the walles were left naked without defendaunts so that theyr companye went without daunger to the foote of the wall 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 recouered Panormus 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 Uandalians And Fortune was so fauourable vnto hym that besydes all hys formâ— 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 howe onâ— Gâ—ppa a noble man of the Gothes recouereth all that Mundus had conquered before IN Dalmatia both partes raysed greate powers and 〈◊〉 towardes the Citie of Salons Nowe when they were comme neare vnto the town and that the warre was whote on bothe partes at length there was a battell fought not prepurposed but by chaunce vpon the sodaine without knowledge before of any of both partes The cause thereof was this The captaine Mundus had a sonne cal led Maurice a goodly yong gentleman and a tall man of his handes Who 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 other there was no tarience but straight to the skirmishe So thei encountred for a tyme very fiersly and many of the stou test of the Gothes were slaine and at the last Maurice also was kylled Both the Campes hearyng of the skirmishe made spede to rescow their com 〈◊〉 Whyles that Mundus was on hi◠〈◊〉 â—dings 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 time was al the hoste of the Gothes come thither and the encounter was with the whole power oâ—â—yther part the battell was very blooâ— and cruell At length the Gothes being discomfited with great slaughter and losse of their people were put to flight But Mundus whiles he vnsaciably followed the slaughter of the Gothes and for angre and sorowe of the losse of his sonne pursued the chace to farre was recountered of his dispersed enemies and slain and so the father through the outragious reuengement of his sonne in thend did seeke 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 filens a thing that many authours haue made mencioÌ„ of They say there were certaine old verses of Sibill in the which it was prophesied 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 peryshe 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 Sâ—ill 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 stronger in those parts For Grippa one of the noble men of the Gothes imediatly thervppon raising a new power recouered Salons all that euer MuÌ„dus had gotteÌ„ before â— those places In so much that the Gothes were farre of greater power then their enemies in those borders And therwithall Theodatus the king taking stoutly vpoÌ„ him thought himself able to match or rather to ouercome themperour in battell ⧠The. v. Chapter ¶ The Emperour sendeth a new Lieutenaunt into Dalmatia named Constantian who recouereth all Dalmatia and Lyburnia WHEN Iustinian heard of the thynges that were done in Dalmatia he made one of his Courtyers named Constantian Lieutenant of the warres there And therewythall wrote to Belisarius that he should withoute further delaye passe into Italy Constantian therefore hauyng repayred hys armye and throughlye furnyshed hys nauye of all thynges after that he hadde taryed a whyle aboute the doynge thereof at DyrrachinÌ„ remoued from thence and sayled to Khagusium There were at Khagusium certayne skowtwatches set there by Gryppa who seing y â— nauy of CoÌ„stantian passing along the
shore-side beautifull to beholde bothe for the buylding and number of the shippes by and by retourned vnto Grippa and where as 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
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
made toward the same plates and rering vp ladders comaunded his souldyers to scale y â— towne In the same place happened much trouble muche taryens by reason the ladders being made secretly by ame were not able to reach the toppe of the wall By meanes whereof they were driuen of necessitie to bynde two ladders one at thend of another so to get vp This was done on the northside of the town and at the same instaunt was a sharpe encounter at the other side of y â— towne that is toward the sea For in the same place fought a multitude of Iewes leud desperat persoÌ„s such as hoped for no fauour nor mercy if y â— citie were taken And therefore they stood stoutly at defens geuing no place of entrance to thenemie Another part of the host had set fier on y â— East gate made hast to breake into the citie In the meane season the day began to breake the souldiers y â— had scaled vp by ladders had bro ken open a gate to let in tharmy ther withall thother company russhed in at the East gate y â— was before set on fier Then was there running through the citie and all places were defiled with slaughter and 〈◊〉 But inespecially those souldyers played the Butchers whose brothers or kinsfolke had bene slaine in the former conflictes by the Neapolitans a boute the Citie For they after that y e towne was taken vsed the victorie very cruelly sparing no age yong nor old man nor woman And the Iewes whiche defended that part of the Towne that is toward the sea when all the rest of the towne was taken stode neuer the lese styfly at their defens neyther gaue thei ouer before that the souldiers ronuyng aboute the Citie assayled them behynd Then was enterans made on that parte of the Citie also and euery place was repleneshed with slaughter and sacking But Belisarius himself after the taken of Naples vsed the victorie veri gently For after that weapoÌ„ was ones Layd out of hand he suffered not any Citizen to be eyther slayne or taken prysoner and he restored the women to their husbandes and parentes vnrauished and vndefiled at all Towarde the Gothes also which were there in garrison he shewed no maner of cruelty As for Pastor and Asclepiodotus the Authours and causes of so great mischiefes not Belisarius but the people of the towne themselues did iustice vppon Who the next day after the taking of the citie ranne to theyr houses and finding Asclepiodotus at home kylled hym and drewe hym thorough the citie But they coulde not finde Pastor For he euen in the verye tumult of the taking of the citie either wilfully slew him selfe or ells dyed for despaire and sorow of mynde Yet notwithstaindinge the people bearynge a deadly hatred against him neuer left sekyng him vntill such tyme as they fawe hys dead carcas wyth their eyes Neyther coulde they be satisfied but that they tare hys bodye in pecces euerye member from other And Belisarius did beare with theyr outragious dealynge for the euyll whych they had coÌ„mitted vpoÌ„ whom such cruelty was extended Naples therefore was by this meanes bothe taken and saued ⧠The. vij Chapter ¶ The Gothes kyll Theodatus and set vp Virigis to be theyr Kyng Vitigis maketh an oration to the Senate and people of Rome and leadeth awaye the chiefe of them with him for pledges he marryeth the doughter of Amulusuentha and entereth in league with the Frenche men Belisarius commeth to Rome whiche is yelded to hym by the Citizens he fortifieth and victaileth the citie and getteth certaine townes from the Gothes THE Gothes that dwelte at Rome and other places thereaboutes hearyng of these thinges that were done at Naples were stryken with great feare and mistruste in them selues For they beleued vndoutedly that Belisarius would come against them Wherefore encouraging one another and calling forth the rest that were men of warre of theyr owne nation they encamped themselues betwene the cities of Anaâ—a Taracina There when the chief men of warre of the Gothes were assembled together findyng great faulte with the former misgouernent present to waâ—dnesse of Theodatus finally they made insurrection against him in the campe and set vp Uitigis to be their kynge This Uitigis was not borne of the blood royall but he had alwayes beâ—e knowen for a stout Captain a good man of warre through his valiaunt behauiour he had purchased much honour authoritie Theoda tus when he hard thereof stale priuely away fled toward Rauenna with all the spede he could make But the new king sending of his gard immediatly af fer him ouertooke him by y e way killed him After this Uitigis came to Ro me there making an oration to the Senate the people put theÌ„ in remem brance of the beneâ—its of Theodorich exhorting theÌ„ not to worke any nouelties For he told them that the Gothes had a great power in Italye and that those things which had lately hapened chauÌ„ced not through the imbecillitie weakenes of their nacion but because that the Gothes could not find in their harts to loue obey Theodatus But now considering they agreed all in one will drew all by one lyne cleane contrary effects must nedes followe And therefore no man should be able to attempt any alteration hereafter in Italy but that he shoulde be met with to his cost Al these things he did discourse before Liberius bishop of Rome And for because he was but a newe founde kyng he caused the bishop the people to swere to be trew vnto him For the more assuraunce wherof he chose manye of the Senatours and people of Rome whome he ledde with him as pledges committing the charge of the citic to one of his noble men called Luderis with whome he left foure thousande chosen souldyers to keepe Rome withall He hym selfe with the residue of his army made towarde Rauenna When he came thither to the entent the moore to establishe his estate he tooke in mariage the doughter of Amulusuentha 〈◊〉 vnto the late Theo dorich whome Theodatus had kept in warde lyke a prisoner And so by aliyng him self with the blood royall he aduaunced the honour and dignitie of his crowne This done he ceased not to muster the Gothes through all his realme and to furnysh them throughly with horse and harnesse and vigilantly to prouide for all kynde of munitions and artilerie for the warres But as Uitigis was aboute to assemble the Gothes that were about the riuer Po and the citie Pauie and other places in LuÌ„bardy of which there was great power and an huge number a stoppe was cast in hys way namely the feare of the French nacion For at that tyme they had extended their dominion euen vnto the Alpes and on thys side the Alpes the Gothes possessed al. These two nacions were scarce frends one to another but
rather more then halfe enemies through priuie hartburnyng among them selues Furthermore it was well knowen that themperour had lately sollicited the French men to make warre against the Gothes For the which causes Uitigis sen ding his Ambassadours into Fraunce endeuored to rid himself of that feare the which he at length obteyned by entring in league and frendshippe with them Whyle Uitigis was laying for these things before hand in the meane season Belisarius hauynge refreshed and furnished his armie determined to go to Rome Wherevppon leauing Herodian with a garrison at Naples and another garrison lykewise at Cume he with the residue marched toward Rome His iorney lay by the way that leadeth from Rome into Latium The Romains hearing of Belisarius approche were nothing discontended therewith It chauuced so that one Fidelis of Millaine who in the tyme of Athalericke had bene stewarde of the kings house departing froÌ„ Rome met with Belisarius counsailed him to bring his hoste with all spede nere to y â— citie for he told him that the Romains were not minded to shut their gates against y â— emperours army And in dede by al mens talke it was to be sene that the people were of the same mind with in the citie With the which thinges the Gothes being sore dismayed that were left there in garrison determined fully to go all awaye sauyng the Captayn Luderis who standing vpon his reputation had rather to haue died then to abandon the town coÌ„mitted to his charge The Romains gaue y â— Gothes free passage w tout interruption And so it fortuned that at y â— very same day houre that the Gothes went out of Rome at the gate of Flaminius Be lisarius entered in at y â— gate Celimontana otherwise called Asinaria After y â— Belisariê° had ben receiued into y â— town with great ioye gladnes of all â—ates he made an oration before the Senate and the people afterward vsed great diligence in repairing the walles fortifiyng of the citie For he not onelye mended the walles and buylded bulworks in places conuenient but also cast vp trenches and rampyres aboute them And moreouer conueyghed thither great store of grayne by water the which he caused to be layed vp in common graners The Romaines although they wondered at the wisdome of their captaine yet thei lyked not this his so exquisite diligence in fortifiyng of the citie For so noble a captaine as he was beinge entered into Rome w t the emperours armye ought not to thinke of being besieged but of besieging others Howbeit to say the trueth Belisarius weying with himselfe hys owne weakenes the great power of the Gothes did already in his mynde forese what was lyke to ensue And yet was he not altogether ydle in y â— meane season but by his petie captains Constantinâ— and Bessas the same time he recouered Narma Spolet Peruse by composion Also there was a battell fought againste the Gothes not farre froÌ„ the citie of Peruse For Uitigis immediatly vppon intelligence of the reuolting of y â— Perusians sent Uuilas and Pyssa with an army into Thuscane to the entent as well to kepe styll in due obedience such as had not reuol ted as also to subdue againe suche as had forsaken their allegeaunce 〈◊〉 The. viij Chapter ¶ A battell is foughte at Peruse betwene the Gothes and the Imperialles to the losse of the Gothes Vitigis marchynge towarde Rome stayeth at the ryuer Anio where the next day encountryng wyth Belisariâ— he putteth hym to flyghte and so procedeth to the siege of Rome wyth two hundred thousande men THere was at Peruse Constantine one of Belisarius captaines and he had assembled thyther all hys men of warre sauyng a fewe souldiers that he hadde lefte in garrison at Spolet Now at such time as the Gothishe armye approched and was come almoste hard to the walles of Peruse Constantine with his men in order of battel readie to fyght yssued out of the Citie and set vpon the Gothes Great was thencounter with much force and puissans on bothe sydes The Gothes were greatly furthered by their multitude and the souldiers of Constantine by the aduantage of the place thassistens of the Citie at hand After longe fyghtinge the Gothes at length were ouercome put to flight great slaughter was made of them and many were taken prisoners amonge whoÌ„ Uuilas and Pyssa the Captaynes were taken and sent to Rome vnto Belisarius Uitigis therefore hauinge besydes the losse of his townes receiued moreouer this slaughter thoughte it was not to make any further delaye but wyth all the power of the Gothes that he was able to raise set forward to y e warres when he remoued from Rauenna toward Rome he had in his hoste CC. M. fyghting men of which y â— most part were armed in Almain riuetts With this so huge hoste he marched toward Rome in suche terrible maner wyth suche spede that it was to be doubted least that Belisarius would not haue abydden his comming And therefore he made not anye staye eyther at Spolet Peruse or Narma but kept on his waye styll toward Rome Belisarius when he perceyued so great a brunt of warres turned vppon hys necke commaunded Constantine and Bessas to returne to him out of hand wyth such power as they had aboute them Constantine obeyed his commaundement 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 Uitigis way lay hard vnder Narma Whether as sone as y â— Currours were come Bessas yssued out of the city and skirmished w t them he put many of their troopes to flight and slew diuers of theÌ„ Neuertheles by reason of resorte of mo mo stil to y e res â—owe he was coÌ„pelled to withdraw hiÌ„ self again into the citie From whence he made hast to Rome bare tidinges that y e Gothes were at hande within kenning The Gothes passing by Nar ma went through the country of y e Sa bines into the fields of Rome When they came nere the town they staied at the riuer Anio For belisarius had fortt fied the bridge on both sides y â— water w e bulwarks enclosures had set a garrisoÌ„ of souldiers to kepe it By meanes wherof y e Gothes at their first coÌ„ming being not able to get ouer encamped theÌ„selues beyond the riuer Anio But y â— next night folowing they y â— were set to kepe the bridge being dismaied at y e number fercenesse of the barbarous people forsoke the towres bulwarks of the bridge stealing priuely away went into CaÌ„panie for feare least Belisarius should punishe theÌ„ for their labour Belisarius was minded to haue pitched his campe by the riuer Anio directly against y e campe of the Gothes to thentent
to assaulte the same and of their goynge to the assault THey pitched theyr tentes in syxe places about the citie froÌ„ the way of flaminius vnto the waye that leadeth to Preuesie This campe beseged fiue gates of the citie Afterward they embattelled the. vii campe on the further syde of the brydge Miluius This last Campe besâ—iged 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 oneside as on the other of the Tyber they made hauocke of all y â— came in their waye Belisarius on the contrary part prouided in this wise for the defence of the city The gate called Pinciana which was directly againste the greater campe of the Gothes toge ther w t the nextegate vnto it on y â— 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 Flaminius whiche is on the left hande of the Pincian gate he deliuered to CoÌ„stantin and at euerye other of the gates he set a keper The Gothes goyng about the Citye brake all the Conduittes There were of theym in all fourtene made of wonderfull workâ— by the whi ch 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 〈◊〉 For the conduit that ranne downe froÌ„ the toppe of Ianiculum throughe the furtherside of Tiber into the city run ning swiftly downe the stepe hyll dyd driue 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 Against this displeasure Belisa rius prouided this remedie Two ligh ters 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 deuised many engines to strike and put backe thenemy withall On the otherside the Gothes prouided great store of artillerie and engines for the winning of the Citie The engins were these Fyrste fowrâ— 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 ouerwayes foure at the toppe foure at y â— foote so that it standeth as it were a pretye square house The same is câ—uerd aboue with leather to the entent that such as are within it should not be hurte from the walles Aloft is laide a beame ouerthwart at thende whereof hangeth downe another beame as it were to the middell of y â— pillars fastned w t plates of yron y â— 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 walle doe with a certayne wynch wey vp the foresaid beame that lyeth ouerthwart and when it is aloft doe let it fall with all the whole swaye that it hath Then the head of y â— beame being let downe partlye with violence and partly with weight falling vpon y â— 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 innumerable sorte of faggottes of shrubbes and strawe to fyll vp the dyches When all thynges were in sufficient readinesse Uitigis 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 some carrying faggotts some bearing skalyng Ladders and other some dryuyng the engines toward the walles Belisarius stoode vppon the vamure before the gate wyth the tallest men that he coulde chose oute in all hys hoste geuynge all the reste of hys retinewe charge not to styrre oute of theyr places before he gaue theym warnynge The Turrettes which I toolde you that the Gothes had prepared were drawen wyth Oxen and sette before the reste of the other engynes The which thing wheÌ„ Belisarius behelde he laughed at the simplicitie of the Gothes that they should thinke naked Oxen able to drawe an engine against armed enemies And thervpon he commaunded all hys men to dyscharge their arrowes at them the whi ch beynge done and thoren forthwyth â—aine the engine stood still and coulde be remoued no further Such as caried skalinge ladders and faggottes to fill vp the dyches being repulsed with the number of weapons commynge from the vamure coulde neyther fyll the diches nor gette vnto the walles nor yet brynge the battell Rammes nere Neuertheles the battell of the Gothes abode by it and castinge their sheldes ouer their heades sometyme wyth plaine force came harde to their enemyes howbeit they were neuer able to winne the vamure Thencounter was with arrowes dartes Iauelings â—kes and all other kind of artillerie ⧠The. x. Chapter ¶ The maner of the assault the discription of the tumbe of the Emperour Adrian and the dâ—acing of the same the repulse of the Gothes the murmuringe of the Romaines agaynste Belisarius whercpâ—n he aduertiâ—eth themperour of his peril necessity WHyle these things were in doing at the Pincian Salaria gates Rome was assaulted in three other places For Uitigis setting parte of his armie to kepe Belisarius occupied went hymselfe with a number of souldiers to the gate that leadeth to preneste And at the same instant another companie of the Gothes assaulted the gate of Aurelius Another sorte of them endeuored to brust in at the gate that is on y â— tope of Ianiculum Thus was Rome assaulted in foure places at ones at the gates Pinciana and Salaria which Belisarius himself
kepte at the gate prenestine where Bessas stood and at the gates of Aurâ—ius and Ianiculum But the Gothes that assaulted Ianiculum were easlye put â—acke For the place is stepe and vneasie to â—ome vnto insomuch that a man could not well get to the wall though there were no bodye to let hym And therefore must their enterpryse nedes be to none effect the place beyng defended by Paule one of Belisarius cap taines with a puissant band of souldiers At the gate of Aurelius was some what more daunger The waye was vâ—ulted ouer that leadeth to the church of Saynct Peter thappostle The Gothes hydynge themselues in the sayde Porche 〈◊〉 as they espyed tyme for theyr purpose brake sodaynely oute of theyr ambushe and in all haste made toward Adryans Pyle to winne it And they dyd so muche wyth theyr Ladders that at the fyrste brunte they tooke the vttermoste wall whyche encloseth the Pile and was foure square Thys Pyle was the sepulchre of the Emperour Adrian buylded of moste excellent and costly workemanshippe The fyrste circuyt was made fowre-square all of whyte Marble of the Ilande Paros garnyshed throughoute wyth most exquysite workes and portraytures In the inyddes of this square ryseth vppe as it were a tower of a verye great heygâ—th and of such a breadeth that a man were scarse able to throwe a stone directclye from the one syde to the other of the floore that was on the toppe It hathe a brydge leadynge from thcnce ouer the Tyber into the Cytye For the Citye endethe at the Ryuer Tyber and thys is on the furthersyde of the Ryuer Yet notwythstandynge bycause it had a brydge stretchynge harde to the walles of the Cytye and was as it were a certayne Towre or bulwarke Belisarius prouyded before hand to haue it well manned and kept with his owne souldiers committing the charge therof to Constantine Constantine therefore when as a lytle before he sawe hys enemies passinge ouer the Riuer Tiber in botes to assault that part of the Citie which is be twene the fielde of Mars and the gate of Aurelius fâ—aring the lownesse of y â— watles for they were not very strong and defensible theraboutes nere vnto the Riuer ranne thyther from Adrians pyle with a band of souldiers leauing but a fewe behind him for the defence of the pyle The Gothes herevpon as we said before hauinge by meanes of thabsence of the Captaine gotteÌ„ the outer ciâ—cuit endeuored also to winne the pyle it selfe The souldiers that were abouâ— to thentent the more to endomage repulse their enemies committed an euill acte There were in the toppe of the pyle on euerye syde vpon the battlementes great ymages of men horses and chariottes conning â—y deuised and â—cellentlye wroughte Some of these the souldyers tumb led downe wâ—ole vppon their enemies other some thei brake in pieces to throw at theÌ„ And so whether it were through the rudenes or through the lewdnes of the souldiers within few howers were destroied the excellent inuentions of y e conningest workmen in all the world whiche cost so many yeres in making and which were the greatest ornamen tes and the very beautie of the tumbe Constantyne hauynge in the meane while repulsed the enemy from the ryuer hearing in what 〈◊〉 the pile was rescowed it by the bridge and assailed his enemies from beneth wherwith his owne souldiers were greatly recomforted and encouraged By thys meanes the Pyle at length was sauâ—d and the enemy repulsed At the gate to ward prenâ—e also where Uitigis and the Gothes that he brought with hym gaue the assault was great daunger For not farre from the said gate was a place called UiuariuÌ„ The same was double walled wyth a good space betwen the two walles The ground be twene theÌ„ was very plaine and leuell and the walles somewhat weake Uitigis therfore and the Gothes geuing assaulte to the â—ttermoste wall albeit that there was valeant and manful de fence made agaynste theym yet they wanne it by fine force Then Bessas to whose charge that part was coÌ„mitted mistrustinge that he was not able to continue long aâ—ainst so greate power of his enemyes sent worde in all haste to Belisarus in what perill he stood desyring him to come to his rescow w t al the â—pede he could make Belisarius somwhat moued with the mat ter Left sufficient defence behind him at the gate Salaria and hymselfe with a band of hys best souldyers ranne tho rowe the Citye to the same place At hys comminge thyther thencounter was renewed a freshe and the soulâ—iers beganne to take harte at the presence of theyr Captayne The Gothes had vndermined the wall and a great companye of them enteryng in at the breaâ—h stood betwene the two walles By meanes whereof the feyghte was verye sharpe and cruell in the same place In fyne thassaulte came to this ende that the Gothes were coÌ„strained to retyre out at the same gappe where they â—ame in with greate slaughtâ—r and losse of their people As sone as they were gotten oute theyr enemies pursewynge hard vppon them chaced theym away and set all theyr engines on fyre The lyke chaunce happened vnto theym at the Gate Salaria For the souldyers breakynge oute vppon theym burnt vppe all theyr Turrets and other engynes Thus was Rome in one daye bothe earnestlye assâ—lted in manye places at ones and valeantlye defended There were slayn at these assaultes aboute three thou sand Gothâ— but yet the syege endured styll The Romaines albeit they had Belisarius in great admiracion for his prowesse yet they murmured against him in that against so great a puissans of y â— Gothes he had with so small a handful in coÌ„parison styrred vp so great warres cast the Citiâ— of Rome into such extreme perill and imminent daunger The which thinge Belisarius perceyuing for it was not done in huther mu ther althoughe he had diuers other times before aduertised y â— Emperour Iustinian therof Yetnotwithstanding being as then greatly moued with the matter he wrote more earnestly vnto him declaring the beseigement of the Citie of Rome with the huge multitude of his enemies and the litle handfull of his owne men For he saide he had bene faine to diminishe his â—rmye that he brought forth with him by leauing garrisons of souldiers at Panormus and Syracuse in Sicill and by manninge of Naples Cume other places in Italye as nedâ— required for their defence and saufgard so that he had no mo then v. thousand remaining about him and yet he was beseged w t an host of CC. M. The Romains vnacquainted with such perills wold not endure the hasard of y â— siege As for his owne part he had once vowed to spend his life in the Emperour Iustinians seruice thende whereof he passed not greatly whether it came sone or late Howbeit he said there was respecte to be had how much the same should redound to the honour or dishonour of
the Empire of Rome ¶ The. xi Chapter ¶ Themperour sendeth new succours in to Italy Asinarius and Vligisalus Captaines of the Gothes besege Salons in Dalmatia Vitigiâ— winneth Portua and causeth all the Romaines to be put to death whom he helde at Rauenna as hostagâ—s Bâ—lisarius putteth all vnable folke for the wars oute of the citie for consuming of victalls and banisheth the pope vpon suspicion of treason THe Emperour Iustinian was be rye sore moued at the receipte of these letters and therâ—vpon commaunded that certayne souldyers whi ch had bene put in a readynesse before 〈◊〉 immediatly sayle into Italy en tending with all spede to leuie a greater power Ualerian and MartiaÌ„ were appoynted Captaynes of thâ—se souldyers whyche he had alreadye prepared and whyche had wyntered all the dead tyme of that yere in Aâ—toly and Aâ—arname The newes hereof beynge broughte to Rome put the Romains in good comforte lokynge for theyr arriuall as sone as the tyme of the yere wold serue While these thyngs were a dooynge at Rome Asinarius and Uligisalus Captaynes of the Gothes whom Uitigis had sent wyth an host of men into Dalmatia appoyntynge to theym moreouer for theyr more strengthe a nauye of shyppes beâ— Salons bothe by sea and lande For Constantian 〈◊〉 hym selfe to weake to matche so huge a power as hys enemies had fortifyed the Citie throughly before hand and abode the syege Durynge the which sometyme yssewinge oute of the towne he dyd greate harme to the Goâ—es both â—y sea and by lande In thys meane time Rome bâ—ganne to be more hardly distressed by the seyge For Uitigis after the time that he had taken so dishonorable repulse at the foresayde assaulte beynge therewith somewhat quickned ceased not to sâ—ke serche all meanes possible to be deuysed whereby he myghte anoye hys beseeged enemyes There was a hauen by the Sea syde standinge on the ryght hand of the Ryuer Tyber and adioyning to the same a Cytye enâ—yroned wyth a stronge wall In the whyche place were woâ—te to be sette a lande all suche thynges as were broughte 〈◊〉 water and from thence agayâ— eyther by landâ— or by water were conueyed to Rome Uitigis therfore sending thither sodain ly a great number of his souldiers assailed the said citie of Portua vnwares and wonne it ere the townsmen could put themselues in a readines to make resystens aganst so greate a power of the Gothes By taking of this towne strayt wayes â—nsued great distresse at Rome when their vent of fetching in of corne and victiualls was ones stopped For the Gothes leauing a garison of souldiers there dyd kepe both the towne and the mouth of Tiber suffering nothing to be conueyed in It was not longe after but that Uitigis sent commaundement to Rauenna that al the Citizens of Rome which as is declared he led from thens and kept for hoâ—tages should be put to death Many of them were of the nobility and many of the commanaltie surely worthy per sonages all the which tasted of one cup sauyng a few who hauinge incling of the matter before escaped by flighte Amonge the which number were Cer Ceruentinus Reparatus the brother of Uigilius that was afterward pope For they hauing warning therof fled into Fraunce and saued their lyues the rest were all put to death In the tyme that the Romaines moorned and lamâ—nted for the slaughter of theyr citizens at Rauenna there came another sorrow in the necke of it For Be lisarius fearinge least graine shoulde faile and waxe scarce made proclamacion that the citizens should send away their wiues and children wyth al thother multitude that was vnmete and vnable for the warres compelling hys men of warre also to doe the lyke whych had eyther Lemans or lackeys with in the towne There were as yet two wayes left them to passe out at One leading to Ostia by the left syde of the ryuer Tiber and another through the fields cleane coÌ„trary from those places that were beseged by theâ—my For the Gothes as we haue sayd dyd not enui ron the whole Citie with their syege but onely from the gate of Aurelius to the gate that goeth to Preneste Beyond those boundes they durst not be bold to be ouer busye or to stray ouer farre For yf they adueÌ„tured ouer farre from theyr Campe they lightly ranne in daunger of commynge short home they could not stirre any great way onlesse they went in greate companyes By meanes whereof it came to passe that men myght at all tymes goe and come saufely by the waye of Appius and the way of Ostia The Romaines thâ—refore sent forthe their wyues and children and all their other people that were vnmâ—ete for the warres Wherof somme abode in Campanie some at Naples and some in Stâ—ill as eue ry man thought most for hys commoditye and behoofe At Rome Belisarius gaue streyghte commaundemente and looked narrowlye to it that the corne was deuyded by the poll to the entent y â— no waste nor spoyle should be made of it The same time Belisarius bannished the town Liberius the pope vppon suspicion of secrete conspiratie with the Gothes And anone after was Uigilius consecrated high bishop and enstalled in his steed Other of the nobilitie of Rome also were bannished vppon lyke presumption of the which number was one Maximus whose great graundfather after the death of Ualentinian had vsurped the name and dignitie of the Empyre The. xij Chapter The ayde that the Emperour sent into Italâ— commeth to Rome Belisarius after practising his souldiers in skyrmishes encountereth with the Gothes in a mayne battâ—ll and is ouercome with great slaughter WHyle these thynges were a doing Martine Ualerian whom Iustinian had sent forth as I shewed before came vnto Rome bringing with them a thousand sixe hundred horsemen the which for the most parte with all Hunnes Belisarius beynge recomforted by the commynge of these Souldyers determined to order hys warres after another sort then he had done before For he was not mynded to stand styl with in the Citye kepynge of the walles but euery daye sent out hys lyght horse men and skirmyshed wyth hys enemyes in open fyelde By meanes whereof it came to passe that bothe partes were wonderfullye enflamed and nothynge was lefte vnattempted For Belisarius beynge a most expert captaine in feats of armes taught his horsmen what they should do shewing them how farre they shuld go where and when they should stay One while he sent out his horsmen sodainly at the gates Salaria and Pinciana and disquietted the Gothes that encamped theraboutes Another while he would yssue oute at Aurelius gate and be doyng wyth the Gothes that lay betwen Adrians tumbe the bridge Miluius In these conflictes the souldiers of Be lisarius beganne to preualle Not that they were able to match the whole power of theyr enemyes horsemen but because they seemed to be to good for them being equally matched as
many to as many or some what mo in number then they them selues were and to be of more conning and audacitie in their feighting His horsemen being thus by litle and litle practised began to set lyght by the horsemen of theyr enemies And the besieged beganne to take courage and confidence vnto them To be short it came to that point that they would not any more 〈◊〉 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
anye graine to be caried to theyr â—ampe The same thing did thei in like wise y â— were sent to Alba. By meanes whereof w tin very short space it came to passe y t the Gothes which were y e besyegers were put to as much distresse as they that were besyeged And besides the scarcetye of corne the pestilence also had sprede it selfe into the campe of the Gothes ¶ The. xiiii Chapter ¶ A new suppliment of souldiers commeth from thempâ—ur for the saufe conuey wherof vnto Rome Belisarius pollitique ly prouideth to the great slaughter of the Gothes who thervpon enter in communication of peace so that a truce is taken whiles Ambassadours may go and come from themperour to whom the determi natioÌ„ of all their coÌ„trouersies is referred WHile these things were in doing IustiniaÌ„ sent another hoste of meÌ„ into Italy They were of Thracian horâ—en eight hundred of whom Iohn the sonne of his brother Uitalian had the leadinge and a thousand and three hundred mustered in other places vnder the conducte of Alexander Marcent and Zeno. Moreouer three thousand footemen which came by wa ter ledde by Paule and Conon Also there were at Naples fyue hundred footenien prepared by Procopius of Cesarea All these bandes assemblyng themselues together determyned to goe to Rome they brought with them great plenty and store of viâ—uals The horsmen marched by the sea coast and the footemen were conueyed by water In the same flete was broughte great abundaunce of corne and much corne was also caryed by land in wagons Belisarius hauâ—g knowledge of theyr commynge for feare leaste the Gothes should meete wyth them and interrupt them inuented this polliâ— He commaunded the gate of Flaminius whyche he had dammed vp from the begynnyng of the syege to be opened in the nyght tyme and the bagage taken away wherewythall it was stop ped The whych beyng done he sent certayne of hys souldyers thyther the nexte mornynge by the breake of the daye ready harnessed and well appointed byddyng them putte themselues in araye and so kepe them close wythoute noyse Then he sent Traiane and Diogenes wyth a thousand horsemen oute at the Pincian gate commaundynge theym to runne to the campe of theyr enemies with as much noyse as they coulde and when their enemyes were yssued out vpon them to retyre backe agayne and not to staye before they came to the Gate where they went forthe These thinbeynge in all poynâ—es thus accomplished whyles they were feyghtynge at the Pincian Gate Belisarius â—odainly issuyng out at the gate of Fla minius with the reste of hys armye made strayght to the campe of the Gothes where he founde all thynges vnprouided and in maner emptye on that syde as they that mistrusted no harme at all from the gate of Flaminius because that it had bene longe closed vp So that it wanted lytle but that 〈◊〉 had wonne their Campe Then tourning hym selfe towarde the Pincian gate there gettyng his enemyes in the middes betwene his two hoosts he by assayling them on the backes and those that were fledde by retournyng fiersly vppon them before strake them with an incredible slaughter And vppon thys Battell there fell suche a terrible feare amonge them that they doubled theyr watche in their Campe and tooke care for nothynge so much as howe to defende themselues from the pollicies of Belisarius The enemye beynge by this meanes troubled and putte in feare the Emperours armye without anye let came vnto Ostia The Gothes therefore beynge weryed and vexed with many displeasures and besydes that vnderstandynge howe a freshe crewe of Souldyers were come to the â—yde of Belisarius began to consulte of breaking vp theyr siege For by that tyme a great part of theyr campe was dimished eyther by the plage or elles by the sworde and many had bene fayne to forsake the Campe eyther for theyr woundes or elles for that they were sicke Uitigis therefore sendyng Commissioners vnto Rome after that many thynges had bene alledged and aunswered on bothe sydes to and fro as concernynge the equityâ— of theyr case at length agreed to referre the determination of theyr controuersyes to the Emperour Iustinian and he to decide the matter as â—e should thinke good Herevppon Ambassadours were sent to hym and a truce taken for thre monethes vntyll they myghte returne againe and for the better obseruynge of the truce and performaunce of couenauntes pledges were geuen and taken one both sydes When thinges were thus seta at staye the army and victualls that were meâ— at Ostia came to Rome bothe by lande and by water ¶ Thus endeth the fyrst Booke The second booke of Lenard Aretine concernyng the warres in Italy against the Gothes ⧠The first Chapter ¶ There riseth occasion of gâ—udge betwene the Gothes and the Imperialls which groweth to altercation so that in the end the truce is broken Datius Bishop of Millaine enformeth Belisarius of the good wills of the Millainers towards the Emperour and is remised with great thankes Belisarius is put in daunger of his lyfe by one of his Peâ—captaines whom he wouldâ— haue punnished for his misbehauiour the Gothes going about to steale the Citie and to winne it by treason are twise detected WHyles thynges stoode thus at a staie and that the warres ceased by reason of the truce that was takeÌ„ Belisarius yet neuertheles in the meane time kepinge Rome and the Gothes their Campe and bastiles sodaynly there fortuned complaints and altercation for breakynge of the truce contrarie to promise vpon thys occasion There was as I told you before a garrison of Gothes at the Citie Portua Now the souldyers of the said garrison when victualls fayled them forsoke the towne They were not so sone gonne out of it but y â— Paâ—le Captaine of the Isauriens remayning with the nauyâ— at 〈◊〉 entered into it And wythin a whyle after the souldyers of Belisarius receyued another Cyty in Tuskye nere vnto the sea syde called Centumcelles beynge lykewyse lefte vppe by the Gothes Moreouer the Gothes abandoned vppe the Citye Alba amonge the marses after the same sorte and the souldyers of Belisarius tooke it When Uitigis knewe that hys enemyes had taken those Cities he sent commissioners to Rome to complayne of violatyng the Truce contrarye to the articles of agreement â–ª In that Portua Centumcelles and Alba townes of the Gothes contrarye to all equitye and conscience were taken from them for the Gothes had not geuen theym vppe but suche as were there in garryson were comme to hym at hys commaundement and should haue shortlye retourned into the same agayn that whych they did they thought they myghte the freelyer haue done it by reason of the Truce And therefore of reason restitution oughte to be madâ— Belisarius made aunswere to the commissioners in this wyse Returne ê™ he to the Kynge your Mastâ—r and tell hym that as for those thin ges that he alledgeth as concernynge the callynge of hys garrysons from
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
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
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
thereof But the feare was leaste victualle should fayle in so populous a Cytye yf so be it the barbarous Gothes shoulde be suffered to continue longe in those borders Belisarius therefore hauynge intelligence thereof sent Martine Uliarius thither with a great power to thentent that Mundilas they ioynyng together might remoue the Gothes further of When they came at the ryuer Po which is froÌ„ Millain but one days iourney they durst not passe ouer for feare of their enemies but lyngered many dayes in the same place frustrating day by day the hope of Mundilas them that were besieged w t him For where as they made promise to haue passed the riuer come vnto Millaine thei performed no part thereof Dayly both hope sustenance failed those that were besiged At y â— last after long lyngering Martine Uliarius confessing the truth aduertised Belisarius y â— they alone were not able to passe ouer y â— riuer against so great a power of their enemies onles they woulde wylfully runne in open danger of their liues Wherefore if he thought it good he shuld cause Iohn Iustine which wer w t theyr armies not farre froÌ„ Bononie to ioyne w t them Belisarius herevpon imediatly wrate vnto Iohn Iustine commaundinge them to ioyne wyth Martyne and to make all the spede they coulde to relieue theyr fellowes beinge besieged and in vtter peryll of their lyues They sent hym worde againe that they woulde nothing do without the coÌ„mauÌ„dement of Narses Therevppon Belisarius wrate again vnto Narses Who albeit he gaue his consent that the armye shoulde go thyther yet not withstanding for as much as it was a thing done by Belisarius he went about it verye slowly and negligently as men are wont to do in other mens businesses By this meanes the matter was so longe delayed that at last they were vtterly deceyued In the meane tyme Millaine was euery daye sorer afflicted then other intollerable hungre welnye pyned them away and the citie wauing betwene hope feare abode such miseries anguish as almost no menwere able to abide again At y â— length being brought to vtter extremitie MuÌ„dilas his souldiers fell to coÌ„position to abandon vp the towne so they might escape with theyr lyues After whose departure the Gothes enteryng into the citie spared neither yong nor old For they flew in euery place not only such as were able to beare armour but also thold men yong boyes The women were geuen in seruitude to the Burgonions the citie rased to the ground Reparatus a citizen of Rome beyng taken in the towne by the Gothes was hewen in smale gobbetts throwen to dogges Thus was one of the goodlyest most populous cities of all Italy through the discord of Narses Belisarius put to vtter destructioÌ„ In this ruine ouer throw of y e citie were slain of y â— Millainers about xxx M. When Belisarius had tidings of it he tooke great sorow for the same wrate vnto themperour Iustinian the beginning and proceding of all the whole matter Iustinian being certified of the trueth was much offended thereat but yet pu nisshed not any man for it Only he cal led home Narses out of Italy coÌ„mitting the whole charge authoritie of the warre vnto Belisarius Herevpon Narses w t 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 Uitigis Rauenna yet he minded to take two townes mo from the Gothes before he proceded with hys arinie against Uitigis Rauenna The towns that he desired were Auximum and 〈◊〉 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 thouâ—sand of chosen souldiers whiche were able to do muche displeasure hinderance to his adherents nor yet Fesules because that as long as y e Gothes held that citie he thought nothing 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 Uitalian coÌ„maunding them to encampe abouts the riuer Po to deteyne Uraias with his hoste as long as they could in those borders to thentent thei shoulde not come to raise any of the siges among y e Thuskans Picents And if thei were not able to kepe him still there then to folow him in the taile Martine Iohn therfore setting forth into Lubardye w t that part of the armye that we spake of before wanne the citie Dertone situate by the riuer Po and from thence did their endeuour to trouble Uraias y e Gothes Cyprian Iustin w t another armye going vnto Fesules albeit the besieging of that citie were very difficil for y e nature roughnes of the place yet not withstandyng they brought theyr campe as nere as they could be sieged it from a higher ground where the way lay more plaine to the towne Belisarius himself with the puyssantest company of all beset Auximum Uitigis had placed in Auximum the best that he could pyke out among the Gothes was very circumspect in fortifiyng of that towne Coniecturing that which was most true namely that Belisarius would neuer procede to the besieging of Rauenna onles he had first subdued Auximum When Belifarius had well viewed the situation nature of the place he was past all hope of winning Auximum by force For the citie standeth vpon somwhat a high grounde besides that there were within to defende it apuyssant band of chosen men of warre able to geue 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 w tin 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 prohibit the portage of things in so was it vnprofitable against sodain inuasions of the enemie For they that were w tin 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
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
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
said in this wise My fellows companions in armes which way so euer we turne vs ye see we are driuen to an vtter exigent For there is no waye to escape by flyght the enemies â—roning vs round about with their armye and taking so good hede to vs. And to yeld our selues to them besides the disshonor cowardnes of the facté we are like to be horribly tormented rent i pieces For y â— cruelty of these bar barous people is not wont to be coÌ„ten ted w t any simple kind of death As to a bide the siege to â—de vpon horse flesh let theÌ„ doe it that loke to be rescowed I cannot see what reason ought to per suade vs vnto so great sufferance which are vtterly destitut of any such hope onlesse that like a sort of faintharted boies for feare of death we had rather pine ourselues w t sorow than haue our fleshe cut w t a sword And I assure you eyther to yeld to thenemie or to starue for hunger I count it the propertie of them that haue neither hart nor blood in theÌ„ But vnto vs which are men of our handes acquainted w t feighting an honorable death is rather to be em braced then a shamefull lyfe And therefore let vs in such wyse dye that we may bath our selues in y e blood of our enemies not die vnreuenged Let not our enemye laugh at our destruction but wepe Neyther let vs hold vp our throtes to be cut by them but lette vs with our weapons cut theirs For what can the respit of a few yeres profit vs sythens that if we should escape aliue nowe yet are we sure we shall die ere it be longe after Glorye may lengthen mens liues but nature cannot Aduaunce your selues forth w t me therefore to an honorable death the whyche oure enemyes aswell as our countrymen maye wonder at and extoll wyth eternall prayses to the sky The horsemen encoraged wyth these wordes vowed thèm selues to deathe And therevppon embracyng and kyssyng one another they prepared themselues to the battell full beent and determyned to spend theyr lyues manfully Their purpose was to runne vppon the Gothes that warded next vnto them and to bestow e theyr lyues in the slaughter of theyr enemyes When Totilas sawe them thus bent to trye the vtter most for feare least the desperate endeuour of them should doe the Gothes more displeasure then otherwyse so small a number were able to doe he sent an herault to them offeryng theym choyce whether they would departe wyth theyr lyues leauyng theyr Horse and armour behynd them or elles retaynyng all styll serue hym in hys warres in lyke estate with other of hys Souldyers When the horsemen heard that they were verye glad and at the firste chose to leaue all that euer they had to goe to Constan tinople But afterward considering y â— long iourney and the daungers that might happen by the wayâ— they returned their myndes chose to abyde all w t Totilas sauyng their Captayne Paule Mundus an Isaurien These two for as much as they had wife and childreÌ„ at home desired to depart And Totilas helping them liberally wyth vâ—and other necessaries sent them again to Constantinople Furthermore he commaunded y â— no man should be so hardy as to offer any wrong to ani of thother souldiers in garrison that had taken sanctuarie in y â— church Toward the Citie of Rome he neither extended any crueltie nor went aboute to make it desolate as he had done before But made a serch for the Citizens therof in the townes of Campanie in other pla ces reduced them home again Furthermore he made in Rome tourneies and iustes such other princelye pastimes as are wont to be done in fortunate quiet Cities with great cost and solemnitie to the entent the Citizens should conceiue good hope haue a desire to the Citie The houses also which had bene ouerthrowen or consumed w t fire in the former desolation of the towne he went about to reedifie and repayre Finally he shewed nowe as great a desyre of replenishinge Rome as he had doone before of wasting and leauyng it desolate Thys so great mu tabilitie and alteration of hys mynde somme beleued to haue rysen vppon a vow that he had made to the Apostles Peter Paule whose teÌ„ples he myght seme to haue destroied wheÌ„ he destroied y â— citie Othersome imputed it altogither to the profyte and commoditie of the warres And dyuers doe reporte that when Totilas latelye before desyred the Frenche Kynges daughter in mariage aunswere was made hym that he was not Kynge of Italye when he had subuerted the Cytye of Rome The whych Taunt men saye altered hys mynde to the repayrynge of the Cytye But what so euer was the cause of it he endeuored to repayre and buylde agayne the Cytye of Rome After thys he prepared to make a vyage into Sicill For the furniture whereof he builded him a great flete of Galleyes made a greate number of hoyes and hulkes while he was making preparation for y â— same he determined to besiege both by water and by lande Centmucelles whiche one Citye was not yet comme vnder hys subiection Captayne of that piece was Diogenes who as is before mencioned escaped lately from Rome He had gathered to hym a good stronge companie of men of warre Therefore at suche tyme as the Gothyshe armie came thither and had encamped theÌ„selues nere vnto the walls of the towne Totilas sendyng an officer of Armes to hym sommoned hym eyther to come feyght it out w t his po wer against y e gothes or els to yeld vp y â— town vnto hiÌ„ For it was not for him to loke for any help at Justinians hand considering he neuer releued Rome al the while it was besieged onles perchance he thought themperour did set more by Centmucells then by Rome Diogenes replied therunto saying that as for to fyghte with hym he was not mynded at that time and as for to yeld vp the towne sauing his honour and fidelitie he coulde not before he had sente to knowe the Emperours pleasure and to desyre helpe Whereuppon forasmuche as he seemed to speake that which was honest and reasonable they fel to composition that onlesse the Emperour after warnyng geuen dyd rescowe the towne by himself or by his reputie Diogenes should surrender it at a certayne daye And Totilas shoulde not in the meane season by any meanes moleste or dysquiet hym For the assurance of these Articles Hostages were deliuered and vppon thys agreement Totilas brake vp his siege The. 〈◊〉 Chapter 〈◊〉 Totilas makyng warre in Sicill beâ—iegeth Siracuse a new Lieuetennaunt is sent from â—he Emperour into Italy WHen all thynges were nowe in a readinesse that were to be prepared Totilas turned hymselfe to the warres in Sicill commaundyng that his shyppes shuld be ready at hand in the narrowe seas of Sicill He
hymself went by land vnto Rhegium purposyng to haue wonne the towne by force Captaynes of the towne were Teremund and Imere placed there by Belisarius not longe before Who diuerse sundry tymes repulsed the Gothes to their great losse attemptyng to wynne y â— towne by assault By meanes wherof Totilas despayring to get it by violence determined with long continuance of hys siege to subdue them by famyshment And therefore leauyng a number of the Gothes about it he conueyed all the reast of hys armye by water to wynne Tarent the whichâ— he easily obteyned From thence wafting ouer into Sicil after y â— he had eyther by force of Armes or ells by composition gotten into his hand certayne of y â— lesser townes at length he besieged Siracuse both by sea by land By that tyme the Gothes which as ye heard before wer sent among the Picentes against Iohn Ualerian hauyng associated greate ayde vnto them and gotten the vpper hand in diuerse conflyctes toke the Citye Arimine And in another encounter not farre from 〈◊〉 they slâ— Uere Captayne of the Elurians wyth all hys hoâ— Moreouer 〈◊〉 Imere whiche were beâ—ged in the towne of Rhegium for want of victualls were fayne to yâ—e themselues the towne to the Gothes All these thynges being declared to the Emperour at one instant namely the takyng of Rhegium Tarent and Arimine and the passyng of Totilas into Sicill made hym vtterly astonyed to heare of so many misfortunes at once And ther vpoÌ„ he denounced one GermaÌ„ his cousin Germine by y â— fathers side captaine of y â— warres in Italy agaynst y â— Gothes commaunding great preparation to be made for y â— same WheÌ„ y â— fame hereof was blowen into Italy it greatly abas shed y â— enemye recoÌ„forted hys frends For thys GennaÌ„ was a man of a hault courage and of no leâ—e wysedome and pollicye wonderfull lyberall and verye welbeloued both wyth the people and wyth the souldyers Besydes thys he had after the death of Uitigis taken to wyfe Mathasuta the nece of Kyng Theoderych the whiche thyng wonne hym the hartes of the Gothes and therefore as the fame of hym was great so was he greatly loked longed for in Italy The. vi Chapter ¶ Diogenes dalayeth with Totilas in deliueâ—yng vp of Centmucelles accordyng to coÌ„position The newe Lieuetennant of Italy dyeth in hys waye whose sonnes are commaunded to prosecute theyr fatherâ— charge WHen German was nowe in Illiricke the nation of the Sclauines hauing passed y â— riuer of Danow â—aded the prouinces of the Empyre of Rome A kynde of people cruell and outragius beyonde all measure whoe turnyng themselues toward Macedonie and Thrace put Iustinian in suche a feare that he commaunded German to stay his iourney into Italy Through this taryans the Gothes had leysure 〈◊〉 do what they lyste in Italy and Sicill In the meane season came the daye appointed that Diogenes should haue deliâ—ered Centmucellcs wherupon Totilas sâ—ndyng vnto hym required hym to performe hys promyse Diogenes alledged that Germane was newly created Captayne of the warres in Italye By reason whereof he sayd the state of thynges was wholly altered so that it laye not in his power to yelde y â— towne seing y â— Lorde proper owner of it was on hys iourney would with in two or three daies be in Italy Totilas was be sieging Siracuse in Sicill and the Gothishe men of warre skowring through the whole countrie made 〈◊〉 of al thynges In Italy Rauenna Auchon Hydrunt and Centmucelles wyth certayne other townes remained styll imperiall The Gothes helde all the reast One only hope stayed them namely the commyng of German the whyche also fayled them For wheras he was sore longed for in Italye he was taken with a disease and to the great sorrowe of all y â— were belonging to hym dyed in Illiricke German had two sonnes whom he led with hym into Italy Them dyd the Emperour coÌ„maunde to procede with their fathers enterprise ioynly together with theyr kynseman Iohn Uitalian the Captain so well knowen in Italy For Iohn had maryed the daughter of German Iohn therfore the sonnes of GermaÌ„ taking the charge of the army vpoÌ„ them came vnto Salons And forasmuche as wynter was at hand they determyned to abyde that season there in the begynning of the nerte spring to passe ouer to Rauenna About the same tyme well nye Liberius being sente from themperour wyth a nauye entered into Siracuse mawgre the Gothes that kepte their station in the hauen to proâ—yte their arriuall Howbeit for doubt of scarcety of victualls whyche so greate a number was soone lyke to cause in a Citye besieged he purposed to goe his way agayne and therfore wyth in a 〈◊〉 dayes after hys commyng he tooke shippyng agayne and departyng from Syracuse arryued at Panorme The vi Chapter ¶ Narses is sente agayne Lieuetennant into Italye wyth a greate power and greate treasure Totilas sendeth a nauye into Grece to infeste those countryes and besyegeth Aucon in Italye The Captaynes of Totilas are ouercome on the sea by the â—mperialls and Aucon is rescowed The Gothes receaue another ouerthrow vpoÌ„ the land after the whichcertain Gothishe Captaynes become imperiall Narses marcheth with an inestimable pow er to Rauenna and from thence towarde Rome in the whiche iourney he â—sheth a Captayne of the Gothes and killeth hym at Arimine He encountereth with Totilas who in the same conflicte is slayne and Teias created kyng of Gothes in hys â—eade IN the meane whyle the Emperour alteryng hys purpose made hys Eunuch Narses Lieuetennant general of the warres in Italy makyng hym large promyses of men and mony Also he wrote to Iohn that he shoulde not passe into Italy but tary stil at Salons there abyde the commyng of Narses Narses therfore taking the charge couragiously vpon him endeuored to leuie a great power from all places To the performance whereof greatly auayled hys fauour authoritye For he was one of the Emperours preuis Counsel and ruled hym in manner as he lyste he had greate frendship and Aliance with the Kinges and the great Princes of the Barbarous nations When hys furniture was in a full readinesse and that he had commaunded hys men of warre to mete hym all in Illiricke as he was outward on hys iourney was come to Philippople in Thrace he was of necessitye constrayned to staie and abyde a tyme in the same place For the Hunnes enteryng with a great armye into Macedonie Thrace made spoyle of all thyngs had closed hys way that he could not passe At the length when one parte of the Hunnes was gone to Thessalonicke the other to Constantinople Narses went from thence and kept on his iourney By this time Totilas hearyng of the great preparature of his enemies was returned into Italy Leauing for Lieuetennantes of the warres in Sicil foure of his captaines he
hymself made prouisioÌ„ in Italy for all thynges that semed nedeful requisite And to the entent to vaunt hys power to the Grekes as whoe shoulde say he was as well able to inuade them as they had bene to haue inuaded hi he sent a great flete into Grece coÌ„maundyng them to make as muche hauocke spoyle of all thynges as they could accordyng to the same commaundement thys nauye spoyled fyrst Corsyra the Iles adioynyng therunto afterward aduenturyng vppon the mayne land wasted and spoyled with fyre sworde all the coast of Cypous Acarnauia and Aetolia And so keping still the seas did cut of many Greke shippes by y â— waye as they were sayling toward Italy and Illirium in somuch y â— no shippe coulde styrre abrode for them Whyle these thynges were a doyng in Grece Totilas sendyng a freshe crewe of souldiers into the Countrye of the Picentes coÌ„maunded that Aucon shoulde be besieged both by sea land He made three Captaynes of thys enterprise Scipuar Udilas Gothidil to whom he gaue a flete of seuen and fortye Galleyes WheÌ„ Aucon was thus besyeged there were so whote assaultes geuen both by sea and by land that it stoode in greate perrill Wherefore Ualerian who had the rule of Rauenna forasmuche as 〈◊〉 thought hymselfe to weake to rescowe them that were besyeged he wrote to Iohn UitaliaÌ„ lying at Salons requessting hym to ioyne wyth hym and so to rescowe them together Iohn Albeit the Emperoure had geuen hym commaundemente that he shoulde not passe into Italye before the commyng of Narses yet notwythstandyng forasmuche as he thought it agaynste hys honoure to lye styll and looke on while hys companions were in suche ieoperdye he chose oute the beste men in all hys hoste and embarkyng them in eyghtene shyppes set out of Salons and sayled towarde Rauenna As he was in hys waye Ualerian met him wyth twelue galleyes well decked and furnished to fight When y â— Captaines had commoned betwene themselues and by the aduise of such as were about them had determined as semed beste they sayled with their whole nauye together agaynst their enemyes And wheÌ„ they came nere vnto Aucon they drewe to the shore at a place which the inhabiters do call Duasse The whiche thyng assone as the Gothyshe Captaynes perceaued they also addressyng themselues to the encounter furnished their nauie with the beste souldiers y â— they coulde chose when they had put themselues in a readinesse launched forth set themselues in good order agaynst their enemyes The Gothyshe shyppes wer in number seuen fortie the Grekes were thirtyâ— Captaynes whereof were Iohn and Ualerian and Captaines of the Gothishe nauie were Udilas Gothidill for Scipuar abode with the reast of the armye to keepe the Camp Therefore after that the Captaynes of eyther parte had encouraged their men and with warlyke orations inflamed theyr myndes wyth hope of victorie with eager stomackes they ioyned battell At the very fyrst beginning the encounter was 〈◊〉 meting with stemme to 〈◊〉 eche endeuoryng to ouermatche other and the matter was handled with greate courage on both partes For there was not any one in all that great companie whiche had not hys handes full Insomuch that the matter was tryed wyth dartes Iauelyngs pykes and swordes as if it had bene a battell vpon the land Howbeit in continuance the Gothyshe nauie beganne to go by the worse For albeit they were good men of their handes stowtâ— warryours yet forasmuche as they wanted 〈◊〉 in sea matters they troubled themselues For in some places they clustered so together that one had not rome to 〈◊〉 by another and other some agayne to eschewe that fault disseuered themselues so far froÌ„ the helpe of their companye that their enemyes had them alwayes at aduantage Wheras on the contrary part 〈◊〉 Grekes wer greatly furthered through their connyng the good order of their Sea men there was no araye broken A man could not haue sene among them any throngyng nor scatteryng but y â— they were â—uer nere at hand to helpe their companye to be helped of them And therefore as reason was at length they gatte the vpper hand Some of the Gothyshe shyppes were sunke w t their men of warre marriners al. Many be ing wonne by fyne force were with incredible slaughter taken The whiche wheÌ„ the Gothes beheld by and by they toke them to flight There were no mo but ten of their shippes that escaped to land vnperished The reast were either taken or ells drowned there was made a great slaughter of the men in the battell and in the chace They that escaped to land dyd forthwith set their shippes on fyre to the entent their enemyes shoulde not obtayne them returned into their Camp Where they were stricken with such a feare that they determined to breake vp their 〈◊〉 Whereupon in all haste they forsooke their Campe and fled vnto Auximum John and Ualerian enteryng into the hauen of AucoÌ„ with their victorious nauye to the great comfort and incredible reioycement of the 〈◊〉 made hast to ryfflyng of the enemyes Camp The which they findyng forsaken caused all the virtualls artillery that they founde there to be conueyed into the citye They theÌ„selues within fewe daies after departed Ualerian vnto Rauenna and John vnto Salons Thys battell dyd sore discourage the hartes of y â— Gothes was as it were a preparatiue of a greater ruine y â— was toward them For Totilas being not a little disquietted w t this losse pulled backe a greate part of his army out of Siâ—ill By meanes whereof Artauanes the Eâ—perours Captayne subrogated in y â— rome of Liberius hauyng receaued hys nauye of hym beganne to growe y â— stronger in Sicill Insomuche that he not onely deliuered his confederates from y â— besiegemente but also besieged the Gothes in diuerse places in their own townes Moreouer ere it was long after an other nauie of Grekes commyng vnloked for to the rescowe of the Crotoniens longe tyme besieged by the Gothes raysed y â— siege discomfited their enemyes with great bloudshed slaughter The Gothes be ing dispersed fled some to Tarent and some withdrewe themselues into the next mountayne called Scyllaum the which ouerthrowe together with y e former slaughter dyd muche more discourage the hartes of the Gothes In especially forasmuch as there went a great brute through out all Italy of Narses coÌ„myng of his preparatioÌ„ for y â— wars what great furniture he brought with him that ther began already to spring vp certain rebellions against Totilas For one Reguaris a noble maÌ„ among the Gothes Captaine of Tarent and Morras captayne of Acheruse reuolted to the Emperour with theyr townes and souldiers wherof they had charge Furthermore tydinges was brought of another insurrection agaynste the Gothes in Sardinia Whyle thynges were in thys estate in Italy Narses assemblynge hys power in the wynter
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
and best practised ¶ The. xiii Chapter ⧠Of dyuers skyrmishes duringe the continuaunce of the syege the Gothes enuiron the Citye wyth another Campe wherevppon groweth scarcetye and anone after enseweth the plague Belisarius by hys pollicye caused scarcetye in the Gothyshe campe likewyse into the whiche the plague spredeth it selfe also AFter this battell Belisarius absteyned certayne dayes from feyghtyng and was content to defend the walles onely At the length when he had well hartened hys souldiers he beganne to lead them forth againe But he durst not any more encounter with his whole power Only he perseuered to make lighte skyrmisshes as he had benn wont to do before Of the which some were very notable specially suche as were agaynst those Gothes that encamped on the hyther syde of the bridge Miluius ouer against the gate of Aurelius For in the same place is a plaine grounde very fytte for horsemen to skyrmisshe in and in the same playne standeth a theatre buylded in olde tyme for maisters of fence to playe at weapons in Aboute the same theatre were many whote skyrmisshes Because that eyther the souldiers of Belisarius dyd take and vse it for a campe or elles the Gothes prenentynge them layed ambusshes in the same Moreouer both at the gate Salaria and the gate Pinciana daye by daye was skyrmishyng almost euerye daye The Gothes therefore consideryng howe the siege was lyke to continew longe thoughte there was no hope of wynnyng of the Citie anye other waye then by famin For albeit that the taking awai of y e hauen might seeme to haue bene a great anoyance yet not withstandyng as mans witte is imaginatiue specially in extremitie the hoyes and such other shippes of bur then as were wont to arriue at Portna arriued at Autium and there vnloding their corne and other necessaries sent them from thence to Rome by land The Gothes therefore desyrous to cutte of this commoditie from the Romains also pytched the eyght Campe aboute the Citie betwene the waye that leadeth into Latium and the waye of Appius For there are in the same place two conduytes the 〈◊〉 crossyng eche other doe stretch as it were into two armes and leauyng a certayne space betwixte them do mete a gayne a good waye of They are from the Citie aboute fyue myles The grounde betwene the sayde armes the Gothes tooke and enclosed with a Wall of stone layed with lome And so by that meanes they hadde a strong and well fortified campe wherin they placed seuen thousande horsemen who infestyng bothe the vpper coast and the neather coast stopped vp the way into Latium the waye of Appius and the waye to Ostia cuttynge of all libertie of conueying in of corne Through this they that were besieged stood in worse case then euer they dyd and it was none other lyke but that Rome shoulde be famished Yet not wythstandynge as longe as there was corne in the fieldes the Souldyers woulde steale out of the towne in the night tyme and fetch in corne the which they solde very dere to the Citizens and so relieued the necessitie for a whyle But when that this shift once fayled then all thyngs laye in vtter despayre Nowe was the Sunne at the highest and the dayes at the longest and the plage beganne to raigne in the towne so that diuers dyed not only of the common people but also of Belisaris Souldiers They were brought to a great diâ—resse and to a sorâ— afterdeale and therefore the Romaines resortyng to Belisarius bewayled theyr heauie misfortune in that they had brought them selues to such extremitie by 〈◊〉 theyr fayth and allegeans 〈◊〉 the Emperoure vppon hys promisâ— For theyr Citizens had bene miserablye murdered at Rauenna by their enemie their citie dishâ— norably 〈◊〉 by y â— Gothes all thinges without y â— walls wasted spoiled within the walls oppressed with intollerable famin penurie of all things Wherefore they besoughte hym to leade them forth against theyr enemy for it were better for them to dye lyke men witâ— their weapons in their haÌ„ds then to pine away for hunger and to abyde so great and so dishonorable calamities When Belisarius heard them make their mone in this sorte he gaue them scarce so gentle aunswere as the case required He saide they were missaduised and ledde by rasshenes accordyng to the nature of common people whyche are wonte to be ledde by rage rather then ruled by reasoÌ„ They knewe well ynough that he was wont to be alwayes ruled by Counsell and to doe hys matters by discretion and not by wylfullnes He looked for an armye of men from the Emperour the whyche beynge ones come yf they were then so willynge to feyghte as they made themselues to be he might be able to warrant them victory wyth oute fayle The sayd armie did bring wyth theym an infinite deale of corne and therefore he wylled theym to departe and to lette theym alone wyth the order of the warres The Romaines with these words eyther recomforted or rather put in feare he beganne to imagin and deuise with himselfe by what meanes he myghte bring scarcenesse of corne amonge the Gothes For the performance wherof he practised this pollicie He sent Constantin and Traiane with a thousand horsmen vnto Taracine and Martine and Seuthis with â—yue hundred vnto Tibur and he placed another bande at Alba. Unto all these he gaue commauÌ„dement that to the vttermoste of their power they shuld stoppe all victuallers from the Gothishe Campe and helpe to 〈◊〉 them that were willing to goe to Rome And to thentent that the Campe which laye at the Conduyt should not anoy them he caused a bulwarke to be fortified at the church of s. Paule and appointed a troope of horse men toward in the same place to thentent to defend the wayes as farre as they could from thinuasions of y â— Gothes The church of S. Paule is w tout the gatâ— toward Ostia quite cleane another way from the church of S. Pâ— ter both of theym standyng wythout the towne and eche of them hauinge a porch from the gate of the Citie to the Church These two temples of the Apostles The Gothes in all the tyme of their â—ge did neuer violate The priestes contynuinge in them dyd their deuine seruice fréely wythoute interruption or trouble as they had bene accustomed to doe in foretymes Constantine and Traiane therfore goyng to Taracine when they had broughte Antonia the wyfe of Belisarius at Naples and there lefte her retourned backe agayne and spoyled all the townes in those quarters whyche ministred relyâ—e and succour to the Gothes and wythin shorts space they broughte to passe that nothing at al was conueyed to the Gothes out of those places Martine and Senthis also goyng to Tibur when they had 〈◊〉 paired the walles of that towne which were decayed dyd dayly molest and disquiet the Gothes out of that place By some meanes or other wold not suffer