_Proceedings of the council of Basil against Eugenius—The pontiff transfers the council to Florence, and afterwards to Ferrara—Alfonso of Arragon hostile to Eugenius—Opening of the council of Ferrara—The deputies of the Greek church repair to that city—Reconciliation of the Latin and Greek churches—Beccatelli’s Hermaphroditus solemnly censured—Brief account of Beccatelli—Poggio’s letter of reproof to Beccatelli on the publication of the Hermaphroditus—Eugenius deposed by the council of Basil—Amedeus, duke of Savoy, elected as pope by that synod—Cardinal Julian joins the party of Eugenius—Ambrogio Traversari friendly to Eugenius—Ambrogio’s death and character—Birth of Poggio’s eldest son—Letter of Cincio on that occasion—Curious correspondence between Poggio and the duke of Milan—Continuance of the quarrel between Poggio and Filelfo—Poggio’s dialogue on Nobility—His correspondence with Gregorio Corriario in defence of that dialogue—Death of Lorenzo de’ Medici—Poggio’s funeral eulogium on Lorenzo._ CHAP. VIII. Whilst the pontiff was guarding his interests in Italy, the council of Basil was studiously employed in driving him to extremity. The decrees of that assembly, whereby the payment of annates into the pontifical treasury was prohibited, and the positive restrictions which it had imposed upon the head of the church in the distribution of the temporal powers and honours attached to the holy see, compelled Eugenius to adopt decisive measures. Setting the council at defiance, he continued to levy the taxes upon ecclesiastical promotions, which had been so expressly condemned as simoniacal, and deprived of their benefices all those who, in compliance with its requisitions, refused to pay the sums which he demanded as his due. In the continuance of his nearest relatives in places of power and trust, he evinced a similar contempt of the ordinances of the synod. Irritated by these acts of contumacy, the assembled fathers, on the thirty-first day of July, 1437, formally impeached the pontiff as obstinately impeding the desired reformation of the church—as violating the ecclesiastical constitutions—as guilty of the scandalous offence of selling benefices to the highest bidder, and bestowing them on unworthy candidates, in compliance with the desire of powerful men. After reciting these and various other heads of accusation against him, they summoned Eugenius to appear and answer for himself within the space of sixty days, under pain of incurring such penalties as the council, in case of his refusing to comply with its requisitions, should think fit to impose upon him.[291]