[Footnote93:Petrarchattackstheseforeigners，thetyrantsof
Rome，inadeclamationorepistle，fullofboldtruthsandabsurd
pedantry，inwhichheappliesthemaxims，andevenprejudices，of
theoldrepublictothestateofthexivthcentury，Memoires，
tom。iii。p。157—169。]
[Footnote94:TheoriginandadventuresoftheJewishfamilyare
noticedbyPagi，Critica，tom。iv。p。435，A。D。1124，No。3，4，
whodrawshisinformationfromtheChronographusMaurigniacensis，
andArnulphusSagiensisdeSchismate，inMuratori，Script。Ital。
tom。iii。P。i。p。423—432。Thefactmustinsomedegreebe
true；yetIcouldwishthatithadbeencoollyrelated，beforeit
wasturnedintoareproachagainsttheantipope。]
[Footnote95:Muratorihasgiventwodissertationsxli。and
xlii。tothenames，surnames，andfamiliesofItaly。Some
nobles，whogloryintheirdomesticfables，maybeoffendedwith
hisfirmandtemperatecriticism；yetsurelysomeouncesofpure
goldareofmorevaluethanmanypoundsofbasemetal。]
[Footnote96:ThecardinalofSt。George，inhispoetical，or
rathermetricalhistoryoftheelectionandcoronationof
BonifaceVIII。，MuratoriScript。Ital。tom。iii。P。i。p。641，
&c。，describesthestateandfamiliesofRomeatthecoronation
ofBonifaceVIII。，A。D。1295。
IntereatitulisredimitisanguineetarmisIllustresqueviri
RomanaastirpetrahentesNomeninemeritostantaevirtutis
honoresInsulerantsesemediosfestumquecolebantAuratafulgente
toga，sociantecaterva。ExipsisdevotadomuspraestantisabUrsa
Ecclesiae，vultumquegerensdemissiusaltumFestaColumnajocis，
necnonSabelliamitis；Stephanidessenior，ComitesAnnibalica
proles，Praefectusqueurbismagnumsineviribusnomen。l。ii。c。5，100，p。647，648。
TheancientstatutesofRomel。iii。c。59，p。174，175
distinguishelevenfamiliesofbarons，whoareobligedtoswear
inconciliocommuni，beforethesenator，thattheywouldnot
harbororprotectanymalefactors，outlaws，&c。—afeeble
security!]
Butamong，perhapsabove，thepeersandprincesofthecity，
IdistinguishtherivalhousesofColonnaandUrsini，whose
privatestoryisanessentialpartoftheannalsofmodernRome。
I。ThenameandarmsofColonna^97havebeenthethemeofmuch
doubtfuletymology；norhavetheoratorsandantiquarians
overlookedeitherTrajan'spillar，orthecolumnsofHercules，or
thepillarofChrist'sflagellation，ortheluminouscolumnthat
guidedtheIsraelitesinthedesert。Theirfirsthistorical
appearanceintheyearelevenhundredandfouratteststhepower
andantiquity，whileitexplainsthesimplemeaning，ofthename。
BytheusurpationofCavae，theColonnaprovokedthearmsof
PaschaltheSecond；buttheylawfullyheldintheCampagnaof
RomethehereditaryfiefsofZagarolaandColonna；andthelatter
ofthesetownswasprobablyadornedwithsomeloftypillar，the
relicofavillaortemple。^98Theylikewisepossessedone
moietyoftheneighboringcityofTusculum，astrongpresumption
oftheirdescentfromthecountsofTusculum，whointhetenth
centurywerethetyrantsoftheapostolicsee。Accordingto
theirownandthepublicopinion，theprimitiveandremotesource
wasderivedfromthebanksoftheRhine；^99andthesovereigns
ofGermanywerenotashamedofarealorfabulousaffinitywitha
noblerace，whichintherevolutionsofsevenhundredyearshas
beenoftenillustratedbymeritandalwaysbyfortune。^100About
theendofthethirteenthcentury，themostpowerfulbranchwas
composedofanuncleandsixbothers，allconspicuousinarms，or
inthehonorsofthechurch。Ofthese，Peterwaselectedsenator
ofRome，introducedtotheCapitolinatriumphalcar，andhailed
insomevainacclamationswiththetitleofCaesar；whileJohn
andStephenweredeclaredmarquisofAnconaandcountofRomagna，
byNicholastheFourth，apatronsopartialtotheirfamily，that
hehasbeendelineatedinsatiricalportraits，imprisonedasit
wereinahollowpillar。^101Afterhisdeceasetheirhaughty
behaviorprovokedthedispleasureofthemostimplacableof
mankind。Thetwocardinals，theuncleandthenephew，deniedthe
electionofBonifacetheEighth；andtheColonnawereoppressed
foramomentbyhistemporalandspiritualarms。^102He
proclaimedacrusadeagainsthispersonalenemies；theirestates
wereconfiscated；theirfortressesoneithersideoftheTyber
werebesiegedbythetroopsofSt。Peterandthoseoftherival
nobles；andaftertheruinofPalestrinaorPraeneste，their
principalseat，thegroundwasmarkedwithaploughshare，the
emblemofperpetualdesolation。Degraded，banished，proscribed，
thesixbrothers，indisguiseanddanger，wanderedoverEurope
withoutrenouncingthehopeofdeliveranceandrevenge。Inthis
doublehope，theFrenchcourtwastheirsurestasylum；they
promptedanddirectedtheenterpriseofPhilip；andIshould
praisetheirmagnanimity，hadtheyrespectedthemisfortuneand
courageofthecaptivetyrant。Hiscivilactswereannulledby
theRomanpeople，whorestoredthehonorsandpossessionsofthe
Colonna；andsomeestimatemaybeformedoftheirwealthbytheir
losses，oftheirlossesbythedamagesofonehundredthousand
goldflorinswhichweregrantedthemagainsttheaccomplicesand
heirsofthedeceasedpope。Allthespiritualcensuresand
disqualificationswereabolished^103byhisprudentsuccessors；
andthefortuneofthehousewasmorefirmlyestablishedbythis
transienthurricane。TheboldnessofSciarraColonnawas
signalizedinthecaptivityofBoniface，andlongafterwardsin
thecoronationofLewisofBavaria；andbythegratitudeofthe
emperor，thepillarintheirarmswasencircledwitharoyal
crown。Butthefirstofthefamilyinfameandmeritwasthe
elderStephen，whomPetrarchlovedandesteemedasahero
superiortohisowntimes，andnotunworthyofancientRome。
Persecutionandexiledisplayedtothenationshisabilitiesin
peaceandwar；inhisdistresshewasanobject，notofpity，but
ofreverence；theaspectofdangerprovokedhimtoavowhisname
andcountry；andwhenhewasasked，"Whereisnowyourfortress?"
helaidhishandonhisheart，andanswered，"Here。"Hesupported
withthesamevirtuethereturnofprosperity；and，tilltheruin
ofhisdecliningage，theancestors，thecharacter，andthe
childrenofStephenColonna，exaltedhisdignityintheRoman
republic，andatthecourtofAvignon。II。TheUrsinimigrated
fromSpoleto；^104thesonsofUrsus，astheyarestyledinthe
twelfthcentury，fromsomeeminentperson，whoisonlyknownas
thefatheroftheirrace。Buttheyweresoondistinguishedamong
thenoblesofRome，bythenumberandbraveryoftheirkinsmen，
thestrengthoftheirtowers，thehonorsofthesenateandsacred
college，andtheelevationoftwopopes，CelestintheThirdand
NicholastheThird，oftheirnameandlineage。^105Theirriches
maybeaccusedasanearlyabuseofnepotism:theestatesofSt。
PeterwerealienatedintheirfavorbytheliberalCelestin；^106
andNicholaswasambitiousfortheirsaketosolicitthealliance
ofmonarchs；tofoundnewkingdomsinLombardyandTuscany；and
toinvestthemwiththeperpetualofficeofsenatorsofRome。
AllthathasbeenobservedofthegreatnessoftheColonnawill
likewiseredeemedtothegloryoftheUrsini，theirconstantand
equalantagonistsinthelonghereditaryfeud，whichdistracted
abovetwohundredandfiftyyearstheecclesiasticalstate。The
jealouslyofpreeminenceandpowerwasthetruegroundoftheir
quarrel；butasaspeciousbadgeofdistinction，theColonna
embracedthenameofGhibelinesandthepartyoftheempire；the
UrsiniespousedthetitleofGuelphsandthecauseofthechurch。
Theeagleandthekeysweredisplayedintheiradversebanners；
andthetwofactionsofItalymostfuriouslyragedwhenthe
originandnatureofthedisputewerelongsinceforgotten。^107
AftertheretreatofthepopestoAvignontheydisputedinarms
thevacantrepublic；andthemischiefsofdiscordwere
perpetuatedbythewretchedcompromiseofelectingeachyeartwo
rivalsenators。Bytheirprivatehostilitiesthecityand
countryweredesolated，andthefluctuatingbalanceinclinedwith
theiralternatesuccess。Butnoneofeitherfamilyhadfallenby
thesword，tillthemostrenownedchampionoftheUrsiniwas
surprisedandslainbytheyoungerStephenColonna。^108His
triumphisstainedwiththereproachofviolatingthetruce；
theirdefeatwasbaselyavengedbytheassassination，beforethe
churchdoor，ofaninnocentboyandhistwoservants。Yetthe
victoriousColonna，withanannualcolleague，wasdeclared
senatorofRomeduringthetermoffiveyears。Andthemuseof
Petrarchinspiredawish，ahope，aprediction，thatthegenerous
youth，thesonofhisvenerablehero，wouldrestoreRomeand
Italytotheirpristineglory；thathisjusticewouldextirpate
thewolvesandlions，theserpentsandbears，wholaboredto
subverttheeternalbasisofthemarblecolumn。^109
[Footnote97:ItispitythattheColonnathemselveshavenot
favoredtheworldwithacompleteandcriticalhistoryoftheir
illustrioushouse。IadheretoMuratori，Dissert。xlii。tom。
iii。p。647，648。]
[Footnote98:Pandulph。Pisan。inVit。Paschal。II。inMuratori，
Script。Ital。tom。iii。P。i。p。335。Thefamilyhasstillgreat
possessionsintheCampagnaofRome；buttheyhavealienatedto
theRospigliosithisoriginalfiefofColonna，Eschinard，p。258，
259。]
[Footnote99:TelonginquadedittellusetpascuaRheni，says
Petrarch；and，in1417，adukeofGueldersandJuliers
acknowledgesLenfant，Hist。duConciledeConstance，tom。ii。p。
539hisdescentfromtheancestorsofMartinV。，OthoColonna:
buttheroyalauthoroftheMemoirsofBrandenburgobserves，that
thesceptreinhisarmshasbeenconfoundedwiththecolumn。To
maintaintheRomanoriginoftheColonna，itwasingeniously
supposedDiariodiMonaldeschi，intheScript。Ital。tom。xii。
p。533thatacousinoftheemperorNeroescapedfromthecity，
andfoundedMentzinGermany]
[Footnote100:IcannotoverlooktheRomantriumphofovationon
MarceAntonioColonna，whohadcommandedthepope'sgalleysat
thenavalvictoryofLepanto，Thuan。Hist。l。7，tom。iii。p。
55，56。Muret。Oratiox。Opp。tom。i。p。180—190。]
[Footnote101:Muratori，Annalid'Italia，tom。x。p。216，220。]
[Footnote102:Petrarch'sattachmenttotheColonnahas
authorizedtheabbedeSadetoexpatiateonthestateofthe
familyinthefourteenthcentury，thepersecutionofBoniface
VIII。，thecharacterofStephenandhissons，theirquarrelswith
theUrsini，&c。，MemoiressurPetrarque，tom。i。p。98—110，
146—148，174—176，222—230，275—280。Hiscriticismoften
rectifiesthehearsaystoriesofVillani，andtheerrorsofthe
lessdiligentmoderns。IunderstandthebranchofStephentobe
nowextinct。]
[Footnote103:AlexanderIII。haddeclaredtheColonnawho
adheredtotheemperorFredericI。incapableofholdingany
ecclesiasticalbenefice，Villani，l。v。c。1；andthelast
stainsofannualexcommunicationwerepurifiedbySixtusV。，
VitadiSistoV。tom。iii。p。416。Treason，sacrilege，and
proscriptionareoftenthebesttitlesofancientnobility。]
[Footnote104:—Vallisteproximamisit，
Appenninigenaequapratavirentiasylvae
Spoletanametuntarmentagregesqueprotervi。
Monaldeschitom。xii。Script。Ital。p。533givestheUrsinia
Frenchorigin，whichmayberemotelytrue。]
[Footnote105:InthemetricallifeofCelestineV。bythe
cardinalofSt。GeorgeMuratori，tom。iii。P。i。p。613，&c。，
wefindaluminous，andnotinelegant，passage，l。i。c。3，p。
203&c。:—
—genuitquemnobilisUrsaeUrsi?
Progenies，Romanadomus，veterataquemagnis
Fascibusinclero，pompasqueexpertasenatus，
Bellorumquemanugrandistipataparentum
Cardineosapicesnecnonfastigiadudum
Papatusiteratatenens。
MuratoriDissert。xlii。tom。iii。observes，thatthefirst
UrsinipontificateofCelestineIII。wasunknown:heisinclined
toreadUrsiprogenies。]
[Footnote106:FiliiUrsi，quondamCoelestinipapaenepotes，de
bonisecclesiaeRomanaeditati，Vit。Innocent。III。inMuratori，
Script。tom。iii。P。i。ThepartialprodigalityofNicholasIII。
ismoreconspicuousinVillaniandMuratori。YettheUrsini
woulddisdainthenephewsofamodernpope。]
[Footnote107:Inhisfifty—firstDissertationontheItalian
Antiquities，MuratoriexplainsthefactionsoftheGuelphsand
Ghibelines。]
[Footnote108:Petrarchtom。i。p。222—230hascelebrated
thisvictoryaccordingtotheColonna；buttwocontemporaries，a
FlorentineGiovanniVillani，l。x。c。220andaRoman，
LudovicoMonaldeschi，p。532—534，arelessfavorabletotheir
arms。]
[Footnote109:TheabbedeSadetom。i。Notes，p。61—66has
appliedthevithCanzoneofPetrarch，SpirtoGentil，&c。，to
StephenColonnatheyounger:
Orsi，lupi，leoni，aquileeserpi
Alunagranmarmoreacolonna
Fannonojasoventeeasedanno]
ChapterLXX:FinalSettlementOfTheEcclesiasticalState。
PartI。
CharacterAndCoronationOfPetrarch。—RestorationOfTheFreedomAndGovernmentOfRomeByTheTribuneRienzi。—HisVirtuesAndVices，HisExpulsionAndDeath。—ReturnOfThePopesFromAvignon。—GreatSchismOfTheWest。—ReunionOfTheLatinChurch。—LastStrugglesOfRomanLiberty。—StatutesOfRome。—
FinalSettlementOfTheEcclesiasticalState。
Intheapprehensionofmoderntimes，Petrarch^1istheItaliansongsterofLauraandlove。IntheharmonyofhisTuscanrhymes，Italyapplauds，orratheradores，thefatherofherlyricpoetry；andhisverse，oratleasthisname，isrepeatedbytheenthusiasm，oraffectation，ofamoroussensibility。Whatevermaybetheprivatetasteofastranger，hisslightandsuperficialknowledgeshouldhumblyacquiesceinthejudgmentofalearnednation；yetImayhopeorpresume，thattheItaliansdonotcomparethetediousuniformityofsonnetsandelegieswiththesublimecompositionsoftheirepicmuse，theoriginalwildnessofDante，theregularbeautiesofTasso，andtheboundlessvarietyoftheincomparableAriosto。ThemeritsoftheloverIamstilllessqualifiedtoappreciate:noramIdeeplyinterestedinametaphysicalpassionforanymphsoshadowy，thatherexistencehasbeenquestioned；^2foramatronsoprolific，^3thatshewasdeliveredofelevenlegitimatechildren，^4whileheramorousswainsighedandsungatthefountainofVaucluse。^5ButintheeyesofPetrarch，andthoseofhisgravercontemporaries，hislovewasasin，andItalianverseafrivolousamusement。HisLatinworksofphilosophy，poetry，andeloquence，establishedhisseriousreputation，whichwassoondiffusedfromAvignonoverFranceandItaly:hisfriendsanddisciplesweremultipliedineverycity；andiftheponderousvolumeofhiswritings^6benowabandonedtoalongrepose，ourgratitudemustapplaudtheman，whobypreceptandexamplerevivedthespiritandstudyoftheAugustanage。Fromhisearliestyouth，Petrarchaspiredtothepoeticcrown。Theacademicalhonorsofthethreefacultieshadintroducedaroyaldegreeofmasterordoctorintheartofpoetry；^7andthetitleofpoet—laureate，whichcustom，ratherthanvanity，perpetuatesintheEnglishcourt，^8wasfirstinventedbytheCaesarsofGermany。Inthemusicalgamesofantiquity，aprizewasbestowedonthevictor:^9thebeliefthatVirgilandHoracehadbeencrownedintheCapitolinflamedtheemulationofaLatinbard；^10andthelaurel^11wasendearedtotheloverbyaverbalresemblancewiththenameofhismistress。
Thevalueofeitherobjectwasenhancedbythedifficultiesofthepursuit；andifthevirtueorprudenceofLaurawasinexorable，^12heenjoyed，andmightboastofenjoying，thenymphofpoetry。Hisvanitywasnotofthemostdelicatekind，sinceheapplaudsthesuccessofhisownlabors；hisnamewaspopular；hisfriendswereactive；theopenorsecretoppositionofenvyandprejudicewassurmountedbythedexterityofpatientmerit。Inthethirty—sixthyearofhisage，hewassolicitedtoaccepttheobjectofhiswishes；andonthesameday，inthesolitudeofVaucluse，hereceivedasimilarandsolemninvitationfromthesenateofRomeandtheuniversityofParis。Thelearningofatheologicalschool，andtheignoranceofalawlesscity，werealikeunqualifiedtobestowtheidealthoughimmortalwreathwhichgeniusmayobtainfromthefreeapplauseofthepublicandofposterity:butthecandidatedismissedthistroublesomereflection；andaftersomemomentsofcomplacencyandsuspense，preferredthesummonsofthemetropolisoftheworld。
[Footnote1:TheMemoiressurlaViedeFrancoisPetrarque，Amsterdam，1764，1767，3vols。in4to。，formacopious，original，andentertainingwork，alaboroflove，composedfromtheaccuratestudyofPetrarchandhiscontemporaries；buttheheroistoooftenlostinthegeneralhistoryoftheage，andtheauthortoooftenlanguishesintheaffectationofpolitenessandgallantry。Intheprefacetohisfirstvolume，heenumeratesandweighstwentyItalianbiographers，whohaveprofessedlytreatedofthesamesubject。]
[Footnote2:Theallegoricalinterpretationprevailedinthexvthcentury；butthewisecommentatorswerenotagreedwhethertheyshouldunderstandbyLaura，religion，orvirtue，ortheblessedvirgin，or—seetheprefacestothefirstandsecondvolume。]
[Footnote3:LauredeNoves，bornabouttheyear1307，wasmarriedinJanuary1325，toHuguesdeSade，anoblecitizenofAvignon，whosejealousywasnottheeffectoflove，sincehemarriedasecondwifewithinsevenmonthsofherdeath，whichhappenedthe6thofApril，1348，preciselyone—and—twentyyearsafterPetrarchhadseenandlovedher。]
[Footnote4:Corpuscrebrispartubusexhaustum:fromoneoftheseisissued，inthetenthdegree，theabbedeSade，thefondandgratefulbiographerofPetrarch；andthisdomesticmotivemostprobablysuggestedtheideaofhiswork，andurgedhimtoinquireintoeverycircumstancethatcouldaffectthehistoryandcharacterofhisgrandmother，seeparticularlytom。i。p。122—
133，notes，p。7—58，tom。ii。p。455—495not。p。76—82。]
[Footnote5:Vaucluse，sofamiliartoourEnglishtravellers，isdescribedfromthewritingsofPetrarch，andthelocalknowledgeofhisbiographer，Memoires，tom。i。p。340—359。Itwas，intruth，theretreatofahermit；andthemodernsaremuchmistaken，iftheyplaceLauraandahappyloverinthegrotto。]
[Footnote6:Of1250pages，inacloseprint，atBasilinthexvithcentury，butwithoutthedateoftheyear。TheabbedeSadecallsaloudforaneweditionofPetrarch'sLatinworks；butImuchdoubtwhetheritwouldredoundtotheprofitofthebookseller，ortheamusementofthepublic。]
[Footnote7:ConsultSelden'sTitlesofHonor，inhisworks，vol。iii。p。457—466。AhundredyearsbeforePetrarch，St。
Francisreceivedthevisitofapoet，quiabimperatorefueratcoronatusetexinderexversuumdictus。]
[Footnote8:FromAugustustoLouis，themusehastoooftenbeenfalseandvenal:butImuchdoubtwhetheranyageorcourtcanproduceasimilarestablishmentofastipendiarypoet，whoineveryreign，andatallevents，isboundtofurnishtwiceayearameasureofpraiseandverse，suchasmaybesunginthechapel，and，Ibelieve，inthepresence，ofthesovereign。Ispeakthemorefreely，asthebesttimeforabolishingthisridiculouscustomiswhiletheprinceisamanofvirtueandthepoetamanofgenius。]