קו CESARE DI NAPOLI. 267 nothing at all but our bodies*; it was well with them who were slain by the swords; why should we die in thy presence of hunger?" And they revolted against him, and set a head over themselves, and went out from the camp. And behold, they were about two thousand men, all valiant men§; and they went unto Valenza||, and abode there about a month of days. And he sent to speak kindly unto them, rising up early and sending¶. And he gave them their hire**; and they returned into the camp on the fifth day of the month of August; and the French drew back. 958. And Cesare di Napoli, the chief captain of the emperor's host, went to Turin in the darkness of the night in those days, when deep sleep falleth on mentt; he went to Turin, and about one thousand five hundred men with him. And they climbed up the outer wall, like robbers by night, and slew the watchmen; but into the city they came not, for their voice was heard. And the watchmen of the city arose, and discharged guns upon them, and drave them away§§, and they returned back with shame. * Gen. xlvii. 18; Num. xi. 6. Gen. xlvii. 15, 19. .וואלינצה || ** Jonah i. 3. ‡‡ Obad. 5. + Lam. iv. 9. § Comp. Num. xiii. 3. ¶ Jer. xxv. 4. †† Job. iv. 13. §§ Exod. ii. 17. 268 DORIA DEFEATS THE TURKS. קו ; 959. And there came fifteen galleys bearing* Turks from the east country, in the same month, which is the fifth month. And it was told unto Andrea Doria, and he pursued them in the night with thirty-eight galleys, and they saw him not, for they had removed the lights. And he overtook them in the seas of Corfu. And he commanded his men to remain in their place until their spirit should come again unto them†; for they fainted. And they arose from thence, and behold the Turks came against them, and Andrea Doria knew them but they knew not him, for they walked in darkness§. And it came to pass, at the end of the third watch, that they sounded the trumpets, and gave the signal for war. And they called with a loud voice, and put fire to the rams; and their smoke went up unto heaven. And the Turks said, "Let us die with them; and the Lord will do what is good in his sight¶, for the battle is the Lord's**;" and they joined battle there; and most of them fell by the edge of the sword, for they were a people that jeoparded their life unto death††. Also of the uncircumcised, there fell a great multitude by the edge of the sword in that slaughter. And Andrea Doria took the best of the ships, and קו THE FRENCH REPULSED FROM BOSCO. 269 those which were not meet for any work* he cast into the bottom as a stonet. And he turned aside and passed over, and returned unto Messina to heal the wounded, for they were many in that war. 960. In those days when the Marquess del Guasto, the chief captain of the emperor's host, was at Asti, the French went unto Boscot, and besieged it, and in the midst thereof were about fifty men, men of war. And they warred against it, but they could not prevail against it, and many fell to the ground, and they returned back with shame. And when the chief of the king's host heard it, he turned himself, and passed over, and went unto Albas, a city in the uttermost part of Montferrat ; and he took it, and put a garrison in the midst thereof. 961. And Filippo Strozzi, and his men, whom they had expelled from Florence, who were with him, gathered themselves in Mirandola, about three thousand men, because they longed for their country; and at Bologna there gathered themselves unto them about one thousand men, all of them fit to draw the sword. And the men of Mirandola lingered to go, for the Lord rained upon * Ezek. xv. 4. + Exod. xv. 5. p, a small town of Piedmont. אלבה $ 270 MONTEMURLO-COSIMO I. קז them* all that day and all that night; the way had shut them int. And Filippo hastened to go with them who were found with him at Bologna before they came, for he longed after his house§. And about two hundred men of them went up unto Montemurlo||, unto the field of the possession of Bartolomeo Valori¶, one of the captains who were with him; for Bartolomeo was great in the sight of the men of the country. And there came many of the men of Florence to search for him among those who were present in the field of their possession, and also some of the people of that land joined themselves to them** ; and the inhabitants of Florence feared much. And when the Duke Cosimo heard that they were but few in number, he said, "Let us go against them, and we shall see what will become of their dreams††." And he commanded, and Alessandro Vitello went out, and the horses which followed him‡‡ against them, and four thousand Spaniards and Italians with him. And when Peter, the son of Filippo Strozzi heard it, he also came against Montemurlo, and eight hundred footmen and forty horsemen with him; and they encamped there. And when קז ROBERTO AND FILIPPO STROZZI. 271 Alessandro Vitello drew nigh*, he fell upon them suddenly; but he was smitten before the men of Strozzi, and returned back. And it came to pass, on the morrow, which was the first day of the month of August, that Alessandro Vitello returned, and divided the people into three bands†. And he fell upon them suddenly, and the men of Strozzi were smitten before them, and they fled in seven ways‡, every one turned to his own ways, for the Lord did drive them. And many were gathered unto Montemurlo; and they fortified themselves in the fort, for Montemurlo is an open city; and they trembled much. And Alessandro approached the fort, and burned its gates with fire; and he took it with a mighty hand; and when Filippo Strozzi saw that evil was determined against him, and that they who came to help him went off from him, that he surrendered into the hand of Alessandro Vitello, who sware unto him to save his life from destruction; [p] and he brought him into Florence, and also the rest of the men who were there with him. And it came to pass, that suddenly the men came, who were gathered at Mirandola, and Roberto, *Exod. xiv. 10. Jer. xlvi. 15. + Gen. xxxii. 7. |