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Myers Literary Guide:
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The North-East
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AENEAS SILVIUS PICCOLOMINI (1405 - 1464) Piccolomini, the lively and sensual Italian who became Pope Pius II in 1458, was a patron of letters and a voluminous writer himself. He wrote poetry, a play, and a romance Eurialus and Lucretia, as well as the Miseriae Curialium. In 1435, Piccolomini visited Scotland via Norway on a secret diplomatic mission and has left us an account, in his frank and interesting Commentaries, of his eventful and dangerous journey. His description of Scotland is far from complimentary and he blamed the climate for his rheumatism. The women, however, were attractive and more free with their kisses than Italian women were with their hands. Their greatest conversational pleasure, Piccolomini records was to abuse the English. He notes that they dug up sulphurous rocks which they used as fuel. Across the Tweed on his way south (disguised as a merchant), he observed that the men and priests were in terror of the Scots and sought shelter in fortified towers, as the river was low and easily fordable. The women, even the pretty ones, however, showed no fear and stayed behind. They were reluctant, indeed, to let the future pope sleep alone, this being the custom of the country. Piccolomini contrasted Newcastle, 'founded by Caesar', favourably with the lands to the north, clearly regarding it as the frontier of civilisation. He then travelled on southwards, visiting Durham and the tomb of Bede.
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