PICCOLOMINI, James, whose proper name was Ammanati, took that of Piccolomini in honour of his patron Pius II. He was born in a village near Lucca in 1422. He became bishop of Massa, afterwards of Frescati; a cardinal in 1461, under the name of Cardinal de Pavie; and died in 1479, at the age of 57, of an indigestion of figs. He left 8000 pistoles in the bankers hands, which Pope Sixtus IV. claimed; and of which he gave a part to the Hospital of the Holy Ghost. His works, which consist of some Letters, and a history of his own time, were printed at Milan, in 1521, in folio. His history, entitled Commentaries, commences the 18th of June 1464, and ends the 6th of December 1469. They may very properly be considered as a Sequel of Pope Pius II.'s Commentaries, which end with the year 1463.