and castell, not farre from Placentia, very ryche and strong∣ly fensed. Thither went Hannibal with his horsemen, and su∣che as were lyght harneysed, thynkyng to wynne it by assa•••• in the nyght. But the watchemen perceyuing his intent, rei∣sed suche a crye, that it was hearde to Placentia. Than the consull in the next morning, with his horsemen before, and his legions in good order folowyng after, came thither, and gaue them battayle, in the whiche Anniball was wounded: Wher∣by the Carthaginenses were in suche feare, that they gaue backe, and the peace lasted whyles Anniballes wounde was in healynge. And ere he was fully cured, he went to a place called Vicunuias. That place was surely kepte by the Ro∣manes, who being a great numbre, what of the garrison, what of the townes mē, also by reason of the assemble of the peo∣ple of the countrey, who beyng afrayde of the Numidians, whiche roued abrode: fledde thither for succour: these peo∣ple (I say) being many in numbre, hering of the noble defen∣dyng of the castell, adioynynge to Placentia, thynkyng to do a great feate, with a great route of people, without any or∣der, ranne to armour, and came forth to encounter with An∣niball. But bycause they were an vnruly company, without a capytayne or good order, the other, being but a fewe in nū∣ber, and good men of warre, hauynge a good capytayn, vnto whom they myght truste, dyd discom••te of them .xxxv. thou∣sande, and the nexte daye toke the towne, and made suche a slaughter and destruction amonge theym, as was not hearde of a great season before. These were Anniballes vyctories durynge the wynterseason, after whyche they rested the deepe of the wynter: And as soone as sprynge tyme of the yere came, Sempronius the consull, who was than returned from Rome, prepared to gyue battayle to the Caathaginen∣ses, & the first day that they met, the Romans had so good for tune, that they not only wonne the victory in playn fielde, but also draue them to their tentes, and indeuored them selfes to wynne their campe. But Anniball, setting certayn of his fote¦men to defend their gates or entrees of their campe, and cau∣sing the rest, as well fotemen as horsemen to recule, dyd sette them in aray within the campe, to the intent to be in a redines to rushe out vpon their enemies, so sone as he made to them a signe. The Romans seing they coulde not wynne the campe,