d Greeks, who were scattered by this conquest,
found their way into the West, bringing with them their knowledge and
many Greek manuscripts; and such scholars were gladly welcomed by Pope
Nicolas and others. Not only were their books bought up, but the pope
sent persons to search for manuscripts all over Greece, in order to
rescue as much as possible from destruction by the barbarians. Nicolas
founded the famous Vatican library in the papal palace at Rome, and
presented a vast number of manuscripts to it. For it was not until this
very time that printing was invented, and formerly all books were
written by hand, which is a slow and costly kind of work, as compared
with printing. For in writing out books, the whole labour has to be done
for every single copy; but when a printer has once set up his types, he
can print any number of copies without any other trouble than that of
inking the types and pressing them on the paper, by means of a machine,
for each copy that is wanted. The art of printing was brought from
Germany to Rome under Nicolas V., and he encouraged it, like everything
else which was connected with learning.

Nicolas also had a plan for rebuilding Rome in a very grand style, and
began with the Church of St. Peter; which he intended to surround with
palaces, gardens, terraces, libraries, and smaller churches. But he did
not live to carry this work far.

One effect of the new encouragement of learning was, that scholars began
to inquire into the truth of some things which had long been allowed to
pass without question. And thus in no long time the story of
Constantine's donation and the false Decretals[91] were shown to be
forged and worthless.

[91] See page 192.

The shock of the loss of Constantinople was felt all through
Christendom, and Nicholas attempted to get up a crusade, but died before
much came of it. When, however, the Turks, in the pride of victory,
advanced further into Europe, and laid siege to Belgrade on the Danube,
they were driven back with great loss by the skill of John Huniades, a
general, and by the courage which John of Capistrano, a Franciscan
friar, was able by his exhortations and his prayers to rouse in the
hearts of the besieged.

Nicolas died in 1455, and his successor, Calixtus III., in 1458. The
next pope, AEneas Sylvius Piccolomini, who took the name of Pius II., was
a very remarkable man. He had taken a strong part against Pope Eugenius
at Basel, and had even been secr