صفحة 284 من 310

In the early part of May 1328, the Florentines put in motion this

army and quickly occupied Lastra, Signa, Montelupo, and Empoli,

passing from thence on to San Miniato. When Castruccio heard of

the enormous army which the Florentines were sending against him,

he was in no degree alarmed, believing that the time had now

arrived when Fortune would deliver the empire of Tuscany into his

hands, for he had no reason to think that his enemy would make a

better fight, or had better prospects of success, than at Pisa or

Serravalle. He assembled twenty thousand foot soldiers and four

thousand horsemen, and with this army went to Fucecchio, whilst

he sent Pagolo Guinigi to Pisa with five thousand infantry.

Fucecchio has a stronger position than any other town in the

Pisan district, owing to its situation between the rivers Arno

and Gusciana and its slight elevation above the surrounding

plain.