, whose name was Æneas Sylvius Piccolomini, was born in 1405, at Corsignano
, whose name was Æneas Sylvius Piccolomini,
was born in 1405, at Corsignano in Sienna,
where his father lived in exile. He was educated at the
grammar-school of that place; but his parents being in low
circumstances, he was obliged, in his early years, to submit to many servile employments. In 1423, by the assistance of his friends, he was enabled to go to the university
of Sienna, where he applied himself to his studies with
great success, and in a short time published several pieces
in the Latin and Tuscan languages. In 1431 he attended
cardinal Dominic Capranica to the council of Basil as his
secretary. He was likewise in the same capacity with cardinal Albergoti, who sent him to Scotland to mediate a
peace betwixt the English and Scots; and he was in that
country when king James I. was murdered. Upon his return from Scotland, he was made secretary to the council
of Basil, which he defended against the authority of the
popes, both by his speeches and writings, particularly in
a dialogue and epistles which he wrote to the rector and
university of Cologn. He was likewise made by that
council clerk of the ceremonies, abbreviator, and one of
the duodecemviri, or twelve men, an office of great importance. He was employed in several embassies; once
to Trent, another time to Frankfort, twice to Constance,
and as often to Savoy, and thrice to Strasburg, where he
had an intrigue with a lady, by whom he had a son: he
has given an account of this affair in a letter to his father,
in which he endeavours to vindicate himself with much indecent buffoonery. In 1439 he was employed in the service of pope Felix; and being soon after sent ambassador
to the emperor Frederic, he was crowned by him with the
poetic laurel, and ranked amongst his friends. In 1442
he was sent for from Basil by the emperor, who appointed
him secretary to the empire, and raised him to the senatorial order. He could not at first be prevailed on to condemn the council of Basil, nor to go over absolutely to
Eugenius’s party, but remained neuter. However, when
the emperor Frederic began to favour Eugenius, Æneas
likewise changed his opinion gradually. He afterwards
represented the emperor in the diet of Nuremberg, when
they were consulting about methods to put an end to the
schism, and was sent ambassador to Eugenius: at the persuasion of Thomas Sarzanus, the apostolical legate in
Germany, he submitted to Eugenius entirely, and made
the following speech to his holiness, as related by John Gobelin, in his Commentaries of the life of Pius II. “Most
holy father (said he), before I declare the emperor’s commission, give me leave to say one word concerning myself.
I do not question but you have heard a great many things
which are not to my advantage. They ought not to have
been mentioned to you; but I must confess, that my accusers have reported nothing but what is true. I own I
have said, and done, and written, at Basil, many things
against your interests; it is impossible to deny it: yet all
this has been done not with a design to injure you, but to
serve the church. I have been in an error, without question; but I have been in just the same circumstances with
many great men, as particularly with Julian cardinal of St.
Angelo, with Nicholas archbishop of Palermo, with Lewis
du Pont (Pontanus) the secretary of the holy see; men
who are esteemed the greatest luminaries in the law, and
doctors of the truth; to omit mentioning the universities
and colleges which are generally against you. Who would
not have erred with persons of their character and merit?
It is true, that when I discovered the error of those at
Basil, I did not at first go over to you, as the greatest
part did; but being afraid of falling from one error to
another, and by avoiding Charybdis, as the proverb expresses it, to run upon Scylla, I joined myself, after a
long deliberation and conflict within myself, to those who
thought proper to continue in a state of neutrality. I lived
three years in the emperor’s court in this situation of mind,
where having an opportunity of hearing constantly the
disputes between those of Basil and your legates, I was
convinced that the truth was on your side: it was upon this
motive that, when the emperor thought fit to send me to
your clemency, I accepted the opportunity with the utmost
satisfaction, in hopes that I should be so happy as to gain
your favour again: I throw myself therefore at your feet;
and since I sinned out of ignorance, I entreat you to grant
me your pardon. After which I shall open to you the emperor’s intentions.
” This was the prelude to the famous
retraction which Æneas Sylvius made afterwards. The
pope pardoned every thing that was past; and in a short
time made him his secretary, without obliging him to quit
the post which he had with the emperor.