my native country. And who are
you, my friend, who, alone and a stranger, mourn for the delights
of that paradise of the earth?"
"I am a Lucchese," replied Castruccio; "I am the
cousin of Alderigo, the rich merchant in England."
"The name of an Italian," said the other, "is a
sufficient passport to my poor hospitality; but, as the relation of
my excellent friend, Messer Alderigo, it greatly delights me to
offer you all the little service that I am capable of giving. Come
with me to my house; you will recall perhaps some not unpleasing
associations in the society of an Italian family, who, during a
long absence, have never forgotten the olive groves of Italy, and
never ceased to desire to return to them."
Castruccio accepted this friendly invitation with joy. He found
his host a rich merchant of Ostend, living in the Italian style,
and surrounded by a family, whose language and persons transported
him to the plains of Lombardy, or the vallies of his native
Tuscany.
During the conversation of the evening his host mentioned the
wars that were then carrying on between the French king and the
Flemings, and that Alberto Scoto commanded under the banners of the
former with a troop of Italians. This account struck Castruccio
with a hope, that he should now find some remedy for his
misfortunes. Being obliged to enter on a new career, and his
inclination leading him to war, he thought that this opportunity of
serving under a fellow-countryman was too favourable a circumstance
to be neglected. He made many enquiries concerning this troop and
its illustrious chief. Alberto Scoto had once possessed a wide
dominion in Lombardy; he had expelled the Visconti from Milan, and
had been constituted tyrant or lord of the most flourishing Lombard
states. When by the joint force of revolt and treason he was driven
from his power, he had not lost his reputation as a successful
general, and Philip le Bel, king of France, eagerly accepted his
offered services. In former times he had been considered as
belonging to the Guelph faction; but he had changed before he
quitted Italy; and, now an exile, the distinction of party was
entirely lost to him.
Castruccio had never yet made a campaign; and his eager spirit
led him to regard with disdain the sloth in which he had hitherto
passed his life. From the moment that he had landed in France he
had resolved to commence a military career; and he believed that he
should find no better school than that of Alberto Scoto, where he
would be disciplined in the modes of his own country, and learn
under so experienced a general, the tactics of those armies which
he hoped one day to command.
On the following morning he discoursed concerning these ideas
with his host, who easily entered into his designs, and promised to
provide him with such an introduction to Scoto as would at least
command his attention. His plans were quickly arranged.
The merchant took a kind leave of his young compatriot, and gave
him a well filled purse at parting: "You shall repay me,"
said he smiling, "out of your first spoils: or, if these fall
short of my expectations, Messer Alderigo will not suffer a friend
of his to lose through his kindness to a kinsman."
Castruccio traversed in safety the plains of Flanders, and
arrived at the French camp, which was pitched near Douai. He
penetrated with some difficulty into the tent of Scoto: but that
experienced general soon perceived in the mien of the youthful
stranger a soldier's deportment and air of independence, that
prepossessed him at once in his favour. After having read the
letter of Castruccio's host, he addressed the youth with
kindness. "Our countryman," said he, "informs me
that you are the chief of the noble family of the Antelminelli, a
name so well known in Italy, as to be itself a sufficient
introduction to a native of that country. You desire to serve under
me, and I feel myself honoured by your selection; my troop must be
a gainer by the acquisition of so noble a
you, my friend, who, alone and a stranger, mourn for the delights
of that paradise of the earth?"
"I am a Lucchese," replied Castruccio; "I am the
cousin of Alderigo, the rich merchant in England."
"The name of an Italian," said the other, "is a
sufficient passport to my poor hospitality; but, as the relation of
my excellent friend, Messer Alderigo, it greatly delights me to
offer you all the little service that I am capable of giving. Come
with me to my house; you will recall perhaps some not unpleasing
associations in the society of an Italian family, who, during a
long absence, have never forgotten the olive groves of Italy, and
never ceased to desire to return to them."
Castruccio accepted this friendly invitation with joy. He found
his host a rich merchant of Ostend, living in the Italian style,
and surrounded by a family, whose language and persons transported
him to the plains of Lombardy, or the vallies of his native
Tuscany.
During the conversation of the evening his host mentioned the
wars that were then carrying on between the French king and the
Flemings, and that Alberto Scoto commanded under the banners of the
former with a troop of Italians. This account struck Castruccio
with a hope, that he should now find some remedy for his
misfortunes. Being obliged to enter on a new career, and his
inclination leading him to war, he thought that this opportunity of
serving under a fellow-countryman was too favourable a circumstance
to be neglected. He made many enquiries concerning this troop and
its illustrious chief. Alberto Scoto had once possessed a wide
dominion in Lombardy; he had expelled the Visconti from Milan, and
had been constituted tyrant or lord of the most flourishing Lombard
states. When by the joint force of revolt and treason he was driven
from his power, he had not lost his reputation as a successful
general, and Philip le Bel, king of France, eagerly accepted his
offered services. In former times he had been considered as
belonging to the Guelph faction; but he had changed before he
quitted Italy; and, now an exile, the distinction of party was
entirely lost to him.
Castruccio had never yet made a campaign; and his eager spirit
led him to regard with disdain the sloth in which he had hitherto
passed his life. From the moment that he had landed in France he
had resolved to commence a military career; and he believed that he
should find no better school than that of Alberto Scoto, where he
would be disciplined in the modes of his own country, and learn
under so experienced a general, the tactics of those armies which
he hoped one day to command.
On the following morning he discoursed concerning these ideas
with his host, who easily entered into his designs, and promised to
provide him with such an introduction to Scoto as would at least
command his attention. His plans were quickly arranged.
The merchant took a kind leave of his young compatriot, and gave
him a well filled purse at parting: "You shall repay me,"
said he smiling, "out of your first spoils: or, if these fall
short of my expectations, Messer Alderigo will not suffer a friend
of his to lose through his kindness to a kinsman."
Castruccio traversed in safety the plains of Flanders, and
arrived at the French camp, which was pitched near Douai. He
penetrated with some difficulty into the tent of Scoto: but that
experienced general soon perceived in the mien of the youthful
stranger a soldier's deportment and air of independence, that
prepossessed him at once in his favour. After having read the
letter of Castruccio's host, he addressed the youth with
kindness. "Our countryman," said he, "informs me
that you are the chief of the noble family of the Antelminelli, a
name so well known in Italy, as to be itself a sufficient
introduction to a native of that country. You desire to serve under
me, and I feel myself honoured by your selection; my troop must be
a gainer by the acquisition of so noble a
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