the-prince

availed themselves of this opportunity to demand the liberation
of Castruccio, notwithstanding that Uguccione had
arrived in their city. They first began to speak of it in private
circles, afterwards openly in the squares and streets; then
they raised a tumult, and with arms in their hands went
to Uguccione and demanded that Castruccio should be set
at liberty. Uguccione, fearing that worse might happen, released
him from prison. Whereupon Castruccio gathered
his friends around him, and with the help of the people attacked
Uguccione; who, finding he had no resource but in
flight, rode away with his friends to Lombardy, to the lords
of Scale, where he died in poverty.
But Castruccio from being a prisoner became almost a
prince in Lucca, and he carried himself so discreetly with
his friends and the people that they appointed him captain
of their army for one year. Having obtained this, and wishing
to gain renown in war, he planned the recovery of the
many towns which had rebelled after the departure of Uguccione,
and with the help of the Pisans, with whom he had
concluded a treaty, he marched to Serezzana. To capture
this place he constructed a fort against it, which is called
to-day Zerezzanello; in the course of two months Castruccio
captured the town. With the reputation gained at that
siege, he rapidly seized Massa, Carrara, and Lavenza, and in
a short time had overrun the whole of Lunigiana. In order
to close the pass which leads from Lombardy to Lunigiana,
he besieged Pontremoli and wrested it from the hands of
Messer Anastagio Palavicini, who was the lord of it. After
this victory he returned to Lucca, and was welcomed by the
Free eBooks at Planet eBook.com
169