consideration that she only suffered that misery which she had inflicted on another state without remorse. LADISLAUS OF NAPLES. A. D. 1400. JOANNA of Naples, having no children, had chosen Louis of Anjou, uncle to the King of France, for her heir, a short time before her untimely death. That prince, on hearing of the queen's murder by her nephew, resolved to prosecute his claim to the Neapolitan crown, and wrest it from Durazzo by force of arms. Thus commenced the pretensions of a second line of Anjou to Naples. Louis, however, could obtain no decisive advantage over his rival. The army which he led into Italy wasted away, and he himself died before he could make good his claims. His death was soon followed by that of Charles of Durazzo; and the quarrel was then nominally taken up by their sons, both under ten years of age, but actually carried on by the ambitious mothers of the young princes, and two rival popes. Amidst the general confusion, every crime was committed with impunity. When the two candidates for royalty arrived at : crawling through the streets and parts, devouring the rank weeds sprang from the walls and between Such sufferings might well have constancy; yet no mention of surre among them and it was hard that ↑ endured the worst extremities of famine should at last become the victi To their perpetual shame, the fam bacorti secretly entered into treaty w rentines; and after stipulating for a tages they could think of for themsci. gate to them in the night, and bett.. Immediately the Florentines did ev their power to soften the harshness o the Pisans. They caused abundance to be distributed among the starving. gave strict orders to their soldiers to selves with moderation; but nothing e the vanquished to their fate. The! spair spread its deadening influenc the city; commerce declined; enter dustry no longer existed; the arti pleasure in his pencil; the labourer no at his work. Florence had purchased! conquest at the price of a populous rep piness; and if it were possible for us t satisfaction in her own after fate, it woul consider remorse JOANNA chosen L France menced to Napes CISIVE he led i before be was soon and the their sous carried princes confusion punity. When who had always been jealous of ng bestowed on any but their own ified to the conclave of cardinals, of Gregory the Ninth, 1378, their next pope should be of Roman extening them with severe treatment if oreigner. The cardinals, intimidated of the people, elected an Italian, by rban the Sixth, who soon disgusted violent attempts at reformation of he ingratiated himself with the Favouring those who had been most late tumults. The cardinals, repenthoice, attempted to render it void, a protestation that they had been electing Urban, who therefore posal authority. They then proceeded etion, and bestowed the papal title the Seventh; whereupon a violent between the two pontiffs, which is name of the Great Schism. th of Urban, the dispute was protwo successors, Innocent the Seventh the Twelfth. It was at this period King of Naples, encouraged the ist the authority of Innocent, hoping, hem to drive him from the city, that tain a footing in it himself. The crawling through the streets and along the ramparts, devouring the rank weeds and lichens that sprang from the walls and between the pavement. Such sufferings might well have subdued their constancy; yet no mention of surrender was heard among them and it was hard that those who had│ endured the worst extremities of sickness and famine should at last become the victims of treachery. To their perpetual shame, the family of Gambacorti secretly entered into treaty with the Florentines; and after stipulating for all the advantages they could think of for themselves, opened a gate to them in the night, and betrayed the city. Immediately the Florentines did every thing in their power to soften the harshness of the blow to the Pisans. They caused abundance of provisions to be distributed among the starving citizens, and gave strict orders to their soldiers to conduct themselves with moderation; but nothing could reconcile the vanquished to their fate. The languor of despair spread its deadening influence throughout the city; commerce declined; enterprise and industry no longer existed; the artist found no pleasure in his pencil; the labourer no longer sang at his work. Florence had purchased her splendid conquest at the price of a populous republic's happiness; and if it were possible for us to take any satisfaction in her own after fate, it would be in the consideration that she only suffered that misery which she had inflicted on another state without remorse. LADISLAUS OF NAPLES. A. D. 1400. JOANNA of Naples, having no children, had chosen Louis of Anjou, uncle to the King of France, for her heir, a short time before her untimely death. That prince, on hearing of the queen's murder by her nephew, resolved to prosecute his claim to the Neapolitan crown, and wrest it from Durazzo by force of arms. Thus commenced the pretensions of a second line of Anjou to Naples. Louis, however, could obtain no decisive advantage over his rival. The army which he led into Italy wasted away, and he himself died before he could make good his claims. His death was soon followed by that of Charles of Durazzo; and the quarrel was then nominally taken up by their sons, both under ten years of age, but actually carried on by the ambitious mothers of the young princes, and two rival popes. Amidst the general confusion, every crime was committed with impunity. When the two candidates for royalty arrived at |