The English Mercenary Companies in Italy ‘The Italianized Englishman is a devil incarnate,’ said Italians of the Renaissance, remembering the blood-thirsty exploits of English mercenary soldiers. E.R. Chamberlin | Published in History Today Volume 6 Issue 5 May 1956 Sir John Hawkwood, detail from a fresco in the Duomo, Florence by Paolo Uccello. To continue reading this article you will need to purchase access to the online archive. Buy Online Access Buy Print & Archive Subscription If you have already purchased access, or are a print & archive subscriber, please ensure you are logged in. Please email digital@historytoday.com if you have any problems.