When the prince of Taranto and his son were come to Florence,
Uguccione, with all his forces from Pisa and from Lucca, and those of
the bishop of Arezzo, and of the counts of Santafiore, and of all the
Ghibellines of Tuscany and the exiles of Florence, with aid of the
Lombards, under M. Maffeo Visconti and his sons, to the number of
2,500 and more horse, and a great number of foot, came to besiege the
stronghold of Montecatini. The Florentines, in order to succour it,
assembled a great host, and since they invited all their friends,
there were there Bolognese, Sienese, men of Perugia and of the city of
Castello, of Agobbio, and of Romagna, and of Pistoia, of Volterra, and
of Prato, and of all the other Guelf and friendly cities of Tuscany,
to the number, with the followers of the prince and of M. Piero, of
3,200 horse and a very great number of foot; and they departed from
Florence on the 6th day of August. And when the said host of the
Florentines and of the prince was come to Valdinievole, over against
that of Uguccione, many days they abode face to face with the torrent
of the Nievole between them, and many assaults and skirmishes took
place. The Florentines, with many captains and but little order, held
their enemies for nought; Uguccione and his people held theirs in
great fear, and for this cause they kept strict guard and wise
generalship. Uguccione, receiving tidings that the Guelfs of the
territory six miles around Lucca, at the instigation of the
Florentines, were marching upon Lucca, and had already routed the
escort and taken possession of the road whereby provisions were
brought to his army, took counsel to withdraw from the siege; and by
night he gathered his troops and burned his outworks, and came with
his followers in battle array to the neutral ground on the plain
commanded by both the two hosts, with the intention, if the prince and
his host did not stretch out to intercept him, to march through and
make for Pisa; and if they desired to fight, he would have the
advantage of the field, and would risk the chances of battle. The
prince and the Florentines and their host, perceiving this, when day
broke left the camp, and moved their tents and baggage; and the prince
being ill with ague, they showed but little foresight, nor kept good
order in the troops, by reason of the sudden and unexpected breaking
up of the camp, but they confronted the enemy, thinking to turn them
to flight. Uguccione, perceiving