CHAP. LXXV.
THE DEATH OF THE KING OF ARRAGON.—HIS BASTARD FERNANDO SUCCEEDS TO THE THRONE OF NAPLES.—OF POPE PIUS, AND THE EVENTS THAT HAPPENED ABOUT THAT TIME; SUCH AS THE DEATH OF THE DUKE OF BRITTANY, AND THE EMBASSY FROM ENGLAND TO THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY.
About St John Baptist's day, in this year, Alphonso king of Arragon, Naples and Sicily, departed this life in the city of Naples. He had been in his time very powerful, redoubted, and rich, as was apparent after his death; for it was commonly reported that he had left to his bastard son Fernando, besides the kingdoms of Naples and Sicily, six millions of florins in coin, and his chapel, which was marvellously rich, together with all his jewels, estimated at more than a million of gold. He had formed the largest ship that had ever been seen at sea, which returned to the port of Naples the very day of his decease. It happened that in so doing she struck on a bank of gravel with such force that she was dismasted, and the mainmast falling on the deck split it into a thousand pieces, and the vessel sunk. The mast was so thick that five men could not encircle it with their united arms,—and the noise of its fall was horrible to hear.
Eight days after his death, a very richly gilt and painted tabernacle, that was placed over the seat he usually sat on in his hall, fell down just at the same hour that the king deceased.
King Alphonso had been brother in arms to the duke of Burgundy; and although they had never seen each other, they were so strongly attached that they wore their different orders.
Pope Calixtus, then on the papal throne, hearing that the kingdom of Naples had escheated to him from the late king's dying without legal heirs, claimed that kingdom from Fernando the bastard, and, because he would not give it up, excommunicated him and all his adherents. However, on the death of Calixtus, which happened soon after, his successor, pope Pius, restored the kingdom to Fernando. It was currently said, that Fernando had given to Pius a very large sum of money for his absolution, and to remain peaceably king of Naples.
When pope Calixtus had held the papacy about four years, he departed this life: the cardinal of Sienna, called Æneas[238], was elected in his room. He had been secretary to the emperor Frederic, was an eloquent man, and took the name of Pius II.
The summer of this year was so dry that it scarcely rained at all from the month of April to the middle of October,—and never, in the memory of man, was seen so dry a season. The wines of this year were very good, and corn at a low price; yet, notwithstanding this, a fatal pestilence reigned in many places, such as Paris, Abbeville, and in other great towns.
About Martinmas of this year, an embassy from England to the duke of Burgundy came to him at Mons in Hainault. It was reported, that the object was to propose a treaty of alliance by a marriage, and that the duke had replied, he could not agree to it, according to the articles of the treaty of Arras, without the knowledge and consent of the king of France, who was equally debarred from making any treaty with England without the consent of the duke. After this answer, they went to the king of France.