Castruccio, havingpreparedeverything, hadnowtoencouragetheFlorentinestopersistintheirdesiretocarrytheseatofwarawayfromPistoiaintotheValdiNievole, , , Castrucciohadseizedthecastleatnight, hadalsomovedhisarmyfromMontecarlo, andmarchingfromthenceatmidnightindeadsilence, hadreachedthefootofSerravalle: , , neverexpectingtofindCastruccioinpossessionofthehill, , , andtheywereassailedwithsuchvigourthatwithdifficultytheycouldholdtheirown, , : thecaptainswereunabletogettheirmeneitherbackwardorforward, owingtothenarrownessofthepass, 'sinfantrywerescatteredorkilledwithouthavingmadeanyeffectivedefencebecauseoftheirunfortunateposition, , withthemountainsonbothflanks, whilstinfrontweretheirenemies, , hesentonethousandinfantrymenroundbythecastle, withorderstojointhefourhundredhorsemenhehadpreviouslydispatchedthere, , butgaveway, andweresooninfullretreat—, andspreadthroughtheplains, , amongwhomwereBandinideiRossi, FrancescoBrunelleschi, andGiovannidellaTosa, allFlorentinenoblemen, withmanyTuscansandNeapolitanswhofoughtontheFlorentineside, , , butmarchedhisarmyintotheplainofPeretola, , dividingthespoils, andcelebratinghisvictorywithfeastsandgames, holdinghorseraces, , whoweretoopenthecitygatesatnight; buttheconspiracywasdiscovered, andtheparticipatorsinittakenandbeheaded, , anddespairingofpreservingtheirliberty, theysentenvoystoKingRubertoofNaples, offeringhimthedominionoftheircity; andhe, knowingofwhatimmenseimportancethemaintenanceoftheGuelphcausewastohim, , andhesendhissonCarlotoFlorencewithfourthousandhorsemen.
