The Companies of Adventure 13 



The Visconti and Delia Scalas had sent for many to Germany, 

 believing that these men — who did not understand' the language of 

 the country, who were bound to it by no affection, and who were 

 accessible to no political passion — would be their best defenders. 

 They proved ready to execute the most barbarous orders, and for 

 their recompense demanded only the enjoyments of an intemperate 

 sensuality. 



But the Lombard tyrants were deceived in believing the German 

 soldier would never covet power for himself, and would continue 

 to abuse the right of the stronger for the advantage of others only. 

 These adventurers soon discovered that it would be better to make 

 war and pillage the people for their own profit, without dividing the 

 spoil with a master. Some men of high rank, who had served in 

 Italy as condottieri (hired captains), proposed to their soldiers to 

 follow them, make war on the whole world, and divide the booty 

 among themselves. The first company, formed by an Italian noble 

 at the moment that the Visconti dismissed their soldiers, having 

 made peace with their adversaries, made an attack suddenly on Milan, 

 in the hope of plundering that great city ; but was almost annihi- 

 lated in a battle, fought at Parabiago, on the 20th of February, 1339. 

 A German duke, known only by his Christian name of Werner, and 

 the inscription he wore on his breast of 'enemy of God, of pity, 

 and of mercy,' formed, in 1343, another association, which main- 

 tained itself for a long time, under the name of 'the great com- 

 pany.' It in turns entered the service of princes ; and, when they 

 made peace, carried on its ravages and plunderings for its own profit. 

 The duke Werner and his successors — the count Lando, a German ; 

 and the friar Moriale, knight of St. John — devastated Italy from 

 Montferrat to the extremity of the kingdom of Naples. They raised 

 contributions by threatening to burn houses and harvests, or by put- 

 ting the prisoners whom they took to the most horrible tortures. The 

 provinces of Apulia were, above all, abandoned to their devastations; 

 and the king and queen of Naples made not a single effort to protect 

 their people. 



There now remained no more than six independent princes in Lom- 

 bardy. The Visconti, lords of Milan, had usurped all the central part 

 of that province; the western part was held by [the Counts of 

 Savoy and''] the Marquis [es] of Montferrat, and the eastern 

 by the Delia Scala, lords of Verona, Carrara of Padua, Este of 

 Ferrara, and Gonzaga of Mantua. These weaker princes felt them- 

 selves in danger, and made a league against the Visconti, taking into 

 their service the great company ; but, deceived and pillaged by it, they 

 suffered greater evils than they inflicted on their enemies. 



* So Sismondi, Fr., 8. 27. 



