In the month of July died the count d'Eu. It was a pity: for he was a noble, wise, and good lord, who had ever served the king most loyally, to the utmost of his power. The county of Eu reverted to the crown,--and the king gave it to the constable, to the great disappointment of the count de Nevers, the count d'Eu's brother, who expected to have this county after his brother's decease, with his other lands, as being his legal heir. From the month of July to Christmas, nothing particular happened in France, except that there was frequent intercourse between the ambassadors of the king and those of the duke of Burgundy, to establish a permanent peace. This year, the mortality was very great throughout the kingdom from a severe flux, which carried off numbers of persons of distinction in Paris and elsewhere. The duke of Guienne returned in the course of this year, after he had come back from Picardy to his duchy, discontented with the court. He sent for the count d'Armagnac, who was an exile, and whose estates the king had given to his brother; and on the count d'Armagnac's coming to him, he restored the greater part of them to him, contrary to the will or inclination of the king. The count d'Armagnac, being joined by the count de Foix, made preparations to carry on a war against France. The king, to prevent any damage being done to his realm, dispatched a large body of franc-archers, artillery, and five hundred lances' to the borders of Guienne, where they were posted some time. In the mean time, news arrived that the duke of Guienne was dead at Bordeaux,--but it was unfounded. Divers negotiations now took place respecting the truce which expired on the 4th of May; and on the 1st of that month the lord de Craon, master Pierre d'Oriole, and others, were employed on that business. CHAP. XIII. POPE PAUL II. SHORTENS THE INTERVALS OF THE JUBILEES.--HE DIES.--POPE SIXTUS IV. ELECTED IN HIS STEAD: HE WAS GENERAL OF THE ORDER OF FRANCISCAN MONKS.--A YOUNG GIRL PRETENDS TO HAVE THE WOUNDS OF OUR LORD ON HER HANDS, FEET, AND SIDE. Pope Paul II. a Venetian, and of a very avaricious character, made a change, this year, in the intervals of the jubilees, which had been before celebrated every fifty years: he now appointed them to be held every twenty-five years. His reasons were, that as iniquities were become more abundant than ever, it was necessary that there should be more frequent opportunities offered to the people to pray for and obtain from our Lord the remission and pardon of their sins. Many expressions were said to have been used by this pope which ought not to be repeated,--for God is the sovereign Judge, and the only scrutinizer of hearts. He had begun to build a magnificent palace near the church of St Mark, at Rome, but died, the 21st of July, while he was busied about it, having reigned with papal dignity seven years.