ntines could
avail themselves of Piero Giampagolo, and whether the pope intended to
join the League with all the earnestness he had promised. Not many
days after these resolutions were adopted, it was ascertained that the
Malatesti had made the agreement more from fear than any ill-will toward
the League; that Piero Giampagolo had proceeded with his force toward
Tuscany, and that the pope was more disposed than ever to assist
them. This favorable intelligence dissipated the count's fears, and he
consented to remain in Lombardy, and that Neri Capponi should return
to Florence with a thousand of his own horse, and five hundred from the
other parties. It was further agreed, that if the affairs of Tuscany
should require the count's presence, Neri should write to him, and he
would proceed thither to the exclusion of every other consideration.
Neri arrived at Florence with his forces in April, and Giampagolo joined
them the same day.

In the meantime, Niccolo Piccinino, the affairs of Romagna being
settled, purposed making a descent into Tuscany, and designing to go by
the mountain passes of San Benedetto and the valley of Montone, found
them so well guarded by the contrivance of Niccolo da Pisa, that his
utmost exertions would be useless in that direction. As the Florentines,
upon this sudden attack, were unprovided with troops and officers, they
had sent into the defiles of these hills many of their citizens,
with infantry raised upon the emergency to guard them, among whom was
Bartolomeo Orlandini, a cavaliere, to whom was intrusted the defense
of the castle of Marradi and the adjacent passes. Niccolo Piccinino,
finding the route by San Benedetto impracticable, on account of the
bravery of its commander, thought the cowardice of the officer who
defended that of Marradi would render the passage easy. Marradi is a
castle situated at the foot of the mountains which separate Tuscany from
Romagna; and, though destitute of walls, the river, the mountains, and
the inhabitants, make it a place of great strength; for the peasantry
are warlike and faithful, and the rapid current undermining the banks
has left them of such tremendous height that it is impossible to
approach it from the valley if a small bridge over the stream be
defended; while on the mountain side the precipices are so steep and
perpendicular as to render it almost impregnable. In spite of these
advantages, the pusillanimity of Bartolomeo Orlandini rendered the men