The 14th or 15th of August, of this year 1464, pope Pius II. departed this life, as is noted by Monstrelet. He was elected pope in the year 1458; and his name was Æneas Silvius, of the city of Sienna,[69] an eloquent man, a great orator, and poet laureat. He had been ambassador and secretary to the great emperor Sigismond, and has written a notable treatise in the support of the authority of the council of Basil, with several other fine books, of good doctrine. He canonised St Catherine of Sienna, of the order of Franciscans, in the year 1461, and wrote several elegant latin epistles to many of the Christian princes, to urge them to a croisade against the infidels, as may now be seen in his book of letters. He was, in consequence, surrounded by princes and lords from divers countries, having with them large armies of men at arms, and galleys and other vessels to transport them; so, when thus assembled, they advanced with the pope as far as Ancona, where he was met by the king of Hungary and a great army. But in the midst of these grand and salutary preparations, the good pope Pius died at Ancona, the day and year above mentioned. In the same year, Paul II. was elected his successor. Paul was a Venetian, and gave his instant approbation for the celebration of the feast of the said glorious virgin St Catherine of Sienna. He loved justice, and was desirous of amassing wealth. He commenced the building of a grand palace beside the church of St Mark at Rome. FOOTNOTES: [Footnote 67: Nogent le Roi,--a town in Beauce, near Maintenon.] [Footnote 68: Lord de Trainel. Juvenel des Ursins.] [Footnote 69: City of Sienna. Æneas Silvius Piccalomini was born 1405, at Corfini, in the Siennois, which name he changed to Pienza. When he came to the pontificate, he changed the opinions he had published in defence of the supreme authority of councils, and desired that Æneas Silvius should be condemned, and the doctrines of pope Pius II. followed. 'Honores mutant mores.' There are many editions of his epistles and works. The oldest copy of the first, in my library, is a beautiful folio, printed by Zarothus, Milan, the 31st May, 1481.] CHAP. LX. THE KING OF FRANCE ENTERS THE BOURBONNOIS, AND TAKES MANY TOWNS AND CASTLES.--EVENTS AT PARIS AND ELSEWHERE.--THE KING BESIEGES RIOMS, IN AUVERGNE.--OTHER INCIDENTS UP TO THE PERIOD OF THE WAR OF MONTLEHERY, OMITTED BY MONSTRELET. The king of France now hastened to march into the Bourbonnois,--and about Ascension-day, in the year 1405, the town of St Amand[70] was taken by storm; and shortly after, the town and castle of Montluçon surrendered on terms, in which were James de Bourbon and thirty-five lances, who marched away in safety, with their baggage, having sworn never more to bear arms against the king.