e ring was given at the noble castle of
the Conti Ginensi, which is now, however, destroyed. And as Guelf
approached the said castle, the Countess Matilda went to meet him with
a great cavalcade, and there was held the festival of the wedding
right joyously. But soon did sadness follow gladness in that the
marriage bond was not consummated, by failure of conception, which is
expressly declared to be the purpose of marriage.

* * * * *

The countess then, in silence, fearing deception and being averse to
the other burdens of matrimony, passed her life in chastity even to
her death, and giving herself to works of piety she built and endowed
many churches and monasteries and hospitals. And once and again she
came with a great army and mightily interposed in service of Holy
Church and succoured her. Once was against the Normans, who had taken
away the duchy of Apulia from the Church by violence, and were laying
waste the confines of Campagna. Them did the Countess Matilda, devout
daughter of S. Peter that she was, together with Godfrey, duke of
Spoleto, drive off as far as to Aquino in the time of Alexander II.,
Pope of Rome. The second time she fought against the Emperor Henry
III. of Bavaria, and overcame him. And yet once again she fought for
the Church in Lombardy against Henry IV., his son, and overcame him,
in the time of Pope Calixtus II. And she made a will and offered up
all her patrimony on the altar of S. Peter, and made the Church of
Rome heir of it all. And not long after she died in God, and she is
buried in the church of Pisa, which she had largely endowed. It was in
the 1115th year of the Nativity that the countess died. We will leave
to speak of the Countess Matilda, and will turn back to follow the
history of the Emperor Henry III. of Bavaria.

[Sidenote: 1080 A.D.]

[Sidenote: 1089 A.D.]

[Sidenote: 1107 A.D.]

Sec. 22.--_Again how Henry III. of Bavaria renewed war against the
Church._ Sec. 23.--_How the said Emperor Henry besieged the city of
Florence._ Sec. 24.--_How in these times was the great crusade over
seas._ Sec. 25.--_How the Florentines began to increase their territory._
Sec. 26.--_How the Florentines conquered and destroyed the fortress of
Prato._ Sec. 27.--_How Henry IV. of Bavaria was elected Emperor, and how
he persecuted the Church._ Sec. 28.--_How at last the said Emperor Henry
IV. returned to obedience to Holy Church._

Sec. 29.--_How the Florentines