The historie of Leonard Aretine concerning the warres betwene the Imperialles and the Gothes for the possession of Italy, a worke very pleasant and profitable. Translated out of Latin into Englishe by Arthur Goldyng.

The iiij. Chapter.

¶Totilas by his pollicie o••rcommeth the Imperials being of greater force and num 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 his army was, in the which vier•• ••ie he sheweth great 〈◊〉〈◊〉.

AFter this the Captaynes of Justi∣••ian (for because their attempt fell out so ylfauoredly and dishonorable at Ueron) began to fall at debate among th••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 ma•• men of warre as he could with all spede possible. In the meane tyme the captaines hauing

passed beyond Pleasans, had entāped themselues by the side of the riuer Po. Totilas albeit he were far ouermat∣••hed, yet he determined to goe against them w^t suche power as he had and to 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 of battell. So when both the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 approched neretogy∣••her, & that thencounter was fully ro∣•• vppon by both parties, Totilas in the ••yghte tyme sent certayne of hys horsemen before, commaundyng th••ym to gette ouer the Ryuer almost twenty furl••ges aboue the campe of their enemies, & as soone as the bat∣tell was ioyned, to re••e and assayle thee nemye 〈◊〉〈◊〉 wythe as 〈◊〉〈◊〉 noyse and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 as they 〈◊〉〈◊〉. He himselfe (when he sawe hys tyme) 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••warde hys ••nemyes. The∣•• captains did y^e like. There 〈4 lines〉〈4 lines〉 〈1 line〉〈1 line〉.

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 spea∣res 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 vpō the speare of the dead mā sticking in the ground through the only force & violence of his owne horse, ranne him∣self vppon the poynct of it, in so muche that it wounded him through his Cu∣ret, of the whyche wounde he dyed within thre dayes after. The two bat∣telles 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^• soul∣dyers of Totilas which•• 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^• thei were sone disper peled. Many were flain by the Gothes in y^• chace, & many escaped by bypathes & vnknowen wayes. But the greatest nūber was of thē y^• were takē prisoners Moreouer (which neuer happened be∣fore) al y^• stādards, bāners & antesiges, of themperours army were taken in y^• battell, & being brought vnto Totilas, made his victory more famous & renou m••d, in y^• 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 gott•• the vpper hand, he vsed the victory very

courteously vexing none of y^e prisoners but sēding diuers away w^t out rāsome. The which his gentlenesse dyd great∣ly augmēt his honour and 〈◊〉〈◊〉. The captaines of Iustiniā y^• escaped, fled first vnto Pleasans, & from thence wēt euery mā a sundry way, busying thēselues as much as might be in ray∣sing a new armye of men.

Notes

• A combate hand to hād▪
• The Imperi∣alls are van∣quished by Totilas.
• The great & dishonorable losse in thys battell.
• The gentle∣nes of Toti∣las after hys victorie,