VALPERGA:
OR, THE
LIFE AND ADVENTURES
OF
CASTRUCCIO,
PRINCE OF LUCCA.
BY THE AUTHOR OF "FRANKENSTEIN."
IN THREE VOLUMES.
VOL. I.
LONDON:
PRINTED FOR G. AND W. B. WHITTAKER,
AVE-MARIA-LANE.
1823.
CONTENTS
Birth of Castruccio.—His family exiled from
Lucca when he is eleven years of age.
Castruccio visits Florence.—Characters of Euthanasia
dei Adimari and her father.—The
father of Castruccio dies.
Francis Guinigi, the military Peasant.—Castruccio
resides with him one Year.
Castruccio in England.
Castruccio in Flanders and France—Alberto
Scoto—Benedetto Pepi.
Castruccio in Italy—Susa—Creed of Benedetto.
Milan.—Court of the Emperor Henry.—Arrigo
Guinigi.—Sack of Cremona.—Benedetto
Pepi.
Death of the Emperor.—Uguccione, tyrant of
Pisa, restores Castruccio at Lucca.—Euthanasia.
Castle of Valperga described—Friendship
and Love.
Euthanasia's Narrative.
Capture of Monte Catini.—Castruccio treacherously
made prisoner by Ranieri, Governor
of Lucca.—Delivered, and proclaimed
Consul.
Peace between Lucca and Florence.—Bindo.
Euthanasia holds a Court.
Euthanasia's Court continued.—Pepi arrives.
PREFACE
The accounts of the Life of Castruccio known in England, are generallytaken from Macchiavelli's romance concerning this chief. The reader mayfind a detail of his real adventures in Sismondi's delightfulpublication, Histoire des Republiques Italiennes de l'Age Moyen. Inaddition to this work, I have consulted Tegrino's Life of Castruccio,and Giovanni Villani's Florentine Annals.
The following is a translation from the article respectinghim in Moreri.
"Castruccio Castracani, one of the most celebrated captains of histime, lived in the fourteenth century. He was of the family of theAntelminelli of Lucca; and, having at a very early age borne arms infavour of the Ghibelines, he was exiled by the G