1302. His Progenitors 61
Their Banishment from Florence 61
1305. Petrarch and his Mother return from Banishment 62
1312. They remove to Pisa 62
They proceed to Avignon 62
1315. They quit this for Carpentras, where Petrarch becomes
acquainted with Settimo 63
1319. He enters the University of Montpelier 63
His Father destines him for the Law 63
His Aversion to it 64
1323. He goes to Bologna 64
His Recal to France, on the Death of his Father; he
abandons the Law 64
He resides with his Brother at Avignon; he becomes a
Favourite with the Nobles 65
His Person 65
His Friendship for John of Florence 65
Giacomo Colonna; his illustrious Descent 66
His Friendship for Petrarch 67
Character of Petrarch 68
1327. (April 6th.) His Acquaintance with Laura 68
His Devotion to her 70
His poetic Life commences 71
His Patriotism 72
1330. Giacomo Colonna made Bishop of Lombes; Petrarch
accompanies him to his Bishoprick 72
His Friendship for Lello and Louis 72
1331. He makes the Tour of France, Flanders, and Brabant 73
He meets with a Disappointment at Lyons 75
His Arrival at Rome 76
(August 6th.) He returns to Avignon 76
His Excursion to Mont Ventoux 76
His Letter to Father Dionisio Robertis 77
His Retirement to the Valley of Vaucluse 78
A Description of it 78
Version of one of Petrarch's Canzoni, by Lady Dacre 80
Criticisms on Petrarch's Italian Poetry 81
Philip de Cabassoles, Bishop of Cavaillon, becomes the Intimate
of Petrarch 83
Letter of Petrarch to Giacomo Colonna 84
1340. Petrarch receives Letters from Rome and Paris, inviting him
to accept the Crown of Poetry; he accepts the former 85
1341. His Reception at the Court of King Robert of Naples 86
(April 17th.) His Coronation 86
He leaves Rome and arrives at Parma 87
He meets Azzo Correggio 87
Death of Giacomo Colonna 87
Early Death of Thomas of Messina 87
Petrarch's Grief for the Loss of these Friends 88
He and Rienzi sent on an Embassy to Rome, on the Accession
of Pope Clement VI. 89
He meets Laura at Avignon 89
His Confidants 90
1343. Death of Robert, King of Naples 91
He is succeeded by his Daughter Giovanna 91
Mission of Petrarch to Queen Giovanna 92
1345. Nicola di Rienzi seizes upon the Government of Rome, and
assumes the Name of Tribune 92
Change produced by him in the State of the Country 92
Petrarch offered a Bishoprick, which he refuses 93
1347. He leaves Avignon, and repairs to Parma 94
Downfal of Rienzi 94
1348. The Plague in Italy 94
(January 25th.) An Earthquake 94
(April 6th.) Death of Laura 94
Petrarch's Account of it 94
1350. He visits Rome on Occasion of the Jubilee 98
Assassination of Giacomo da Carrara, Lord of Padua 98
1351. Restitution of Petrarch's paternal Property 99
Arrival of Petrarch at Avignon 100
His Letter to Pope Clement VI. on the Choice of a Physician 100
He revisits Vaucluse 100
1352. Death of Pope Clement VI. 100
Petrarch visits the Carthusian Convent 101
His Treatise "On Solitary Life" 101
1353. He crosses the Alps, and visits Milan 101
1354. Is invited by Charles, Emperor of Germany, to visit Mantua 102
He exhorts Charles to deliver Italy 102
1355. Petrarch at Milan 103
He is sent on two Missions--one to Venice, the other to Prague 103
1360. Invasion of France by the English 103
Petrarch sent to congratulate King John on his Return from
Imprisonment 103
He returns to Italy 104
His Letter to Settimo 104
1361. Italy again visited by the Plague 105
Death of Petrarch's Son 105
Marriage of Francesco, Daughter of Petrarch 106
The Poetry of Dante and Petrarch compared 106
"The Triumph of Death" 107
Petrarch's Description of Laura's Death 107
1363. Boccaccio, his Attachment for Petrarch 110
Leonzio Pilato's Death 110
1367. Petrarch's Letter to Pope Urban V. 110
His Reply 110
1369. Petrarch suffers from Fever 110
1372. (January.) His Letter to a Friend who had asked him, "how
he was" 112
1374. His Opinion of the Decameron of Boccaccio 113
His Death 114
His Will 114