When peace was concluded with the archduke, the king resolved to visit Picardy, which he did at divers times, accompanied by some of the princes of the blood, his lords, and valiant captains. He made a public entry into several towns wherein he was most honourably received and grandly feasted,--for they were delighted to see their king. Although every town tried to surpass the other, yet the entertainments at Amiens were the most sumptuous and magnificent. The barons, and common people, of Picardy were exceedingly pleased that the king had come to visit them, and were more ardent than before in their affections to so benign a prince. On the morrow of Corpus-Christi-day, to the great scandal of all Paris, a priest called master John L'Anglois, while in the chapel of St Crispin and St Crispinian in the church of Nôtre Dame, moved and instigated by the devil, approached the priest saying mass,--and after the consecration of the host, this wicked priest tore it furiously from the hands of him who had just consecrated it, and threw it on the ground with contempt, thinking to trample it with his feet. He was instantly seized and carried to prison, wherein he was some time detained for examination. When this took place, he persevered in his iniquity and refused to adjure his errors; for which he was publicly degraded from his priesthood in the church of Nôtre Dame, and delivered over into the hands of master Pierre de la Porte, then lieutenant criminel for the provost of Paris. De la Porte sentenced him to be drawn on a hurdle to the pig-market, there to have his tongue cut out, and his body burnt until consumed to ashes,--which sentence was executed. About this time, pope Innocent died at Rome. He had peacefully governed the church during his papacy, and was full of mercy, for he absolved the Venetians from the censure which had been fulminated against them by his predecessor Sixtus. Roderigo Borgia was elected pope in his stead, and took the name of Alexander VI. The new pope was a Spaniard by birth, and of a robust and courageous disposition: he had been vice-chancellor to Innocent, and was full of enterprise and revenge against his enemies. During the reign of this pope, king Charles made a most victorious expedition into Italy, as shall be more fully related hereafter. CHAP. XL. OF THE EXPEDITION WHICH KING CHARLES UNDERTAKES TO RECOVER HIS KINGDOM OF NAPLES, AND THE REASONS THAT MOVED HIM THERETO. When king Charles had, by his prudence, subjugated or reduced to peace all the countries that were immediately on his frontiers, so that he had not any disturbances to apprehend from those quarters, like a magnanimous prince, and full of prowess, he turned his thoughts to regain the kingdoms of Naples and of Sicily, which legally and justly belonged to him. Although he was small in body, he had a great mind,--and from the time he had determined on his project, nothing could dissuade him from it.