the meantime, King Alfonso took possession of Naples, so that the whole
kingdom, except Castelnuova, was in his power. Leaving a strong guard
at Castelnuova René set out and came to Florence, where he was most
honorably received; and having remained a few days, finding he could not
continue the war, he withdrew to Marseilles.

In the meantime, Alfonso took Castelnuova, and the count found himself
assailed in the Marca Inferiore, both by the pope and Niccolo. He
applied to the Venetians and the Florentines for assistance, in men and
money, assuring them that if they did not determine to restrain the pope
and king, during his life, they would soon afterward find their very
existence endangered, for both would join Filippo and divide Italy
among them. The Florentines and Venetians hesitated for a time, both to
consider the propriety of drawing upon themselves the enmity of the pope
and the king, and because they were then engaged in the affairs of the
Bolognese. Annibale Bentivoglio had driven Francesco Piccinino from
Bologna, and for defense against the duke, who favored Francesco, he
demanded and received assistance of the Venetians and Florentines; so
that, being occupied with these matters they could not resolve to assist
the count, but Annibale, having routed Francesco Piccinino, and those
affairs seeming to be settled, they resolved to support him. Designing
however to make sure of the duke, they offered to renew the league with
him, to which he was not averse; for, although he consented that war
should be made against the count, while King René was in arms, yet
finding him now conquered, and deprived of the whole kingdom, he was
not willing that the count should be despoiled of his territories; and
therefore, not only consented that assistance should be given him,
but wrote to Alfonso to be good enough to retire to his kingdom, and
discontinue hostilities against the count; and although reluctantly, yet
in acknowledgment of his obligations to the duke, Alfonso determined to