expected him at one gate, the Neri waited at the other, the one receiving Guinigi and the other Castruccio himself with their men into the city.  Not content with thus winning Pistoja, he thought to control the city of Rome also, which he did in the name of the Emperor, the Pope being in Avignon; and this done, he went through the city with two devices embroidered on his coat:  the one before read, “He is as pleaseth God,” and that behind, “And shall be what God will have him.”  Now the Florentines were furious at the cunning breach of their truce by which Castruccio had got himself Pistoja; so, while he was in Rome, they determined to capture the place:  which they did one night by a ruse, destroying all Castruccio’s party.  And when he heard it, Castruccio came north in great anger.  But at first the Florentines were too quick for him:  they got together all of the Guelph league, and before Castruccio was back again, held Val di Nievole.  Seeing their greatness—­for they were 40,000 in number, while he on his return could muster but 12,000 men at most—­he would not meet them in the plain, nor in the Val di Pescia, but resolved to draw that great army into the narrow ways of Serravalle, where he could deal with them.  Now Serravalle is a Rocca not on the road but on the hillside above, and the way down into the valley is rather strait than steep till you come to the place where the waters divide:  so strait that twenty men abreast take up all the way.  That Rocca belonged to a German lord called Manfredi, whose throat Castruccio cheerfully cut.  The Florentines, who were eager not only to hold all Val di Nievole but to carry the war away from Pistoja towards Lucca, knew nothing of Serravalle having fallen to Castruccio, so on they came in haste, and encamped above it, hoping to pass the straits next day.  There Castruccio fell upon them about midnight, putting all to confusion.  Horse and foot fell foul upon one another, and both upon the baggage.  There was no way left for them but to run, which they did helter-skelter in the plain of Pistoja, where each man shifted for himself.  But Castruccio followed them even to Peretola at the gates of Florence, carrying Pistoja and Prato on the way; there he coined money under their walls,[145] while his soldiers insulted over the conquered; and to make his triumph more remarkable, nothing would serve the turn but naked women must run Corsi on horseback under the very walls of the city.  And to deliver their city from Castruccio, the Florentines were compelled to send to the King of Naples, and to pay him annual tribute.

But Castruccio’s business was always spoiled by revolt, and this time it was Pistoja which rose, and later Pisa.  Then the Guelphs raised a great army—­30,000 foot and 10,000 horse it was—­and after a little, while Castruccio was busy with Pisa, they seized Lastra, Signa, Montelupo, Empoli, and laid siege to S. Miniato:  this in May 1328.  Castruccio, in no wise discomposed, thought at last