In the picture of his times, Stefano makes a noble and commanding figure.  If the reader, however, happens to search into that period of Italian history, he will find many facts to cool the romance of his imagination respecting all the Colonna family.  They were, in plain truth, an oppressive aristocratic family.  The portion of Italy which they and their tyrannical rivals possessed was infamously governed.  The highways were rendered impassable by banditti, who were in the pay of contesting feudal lords; and life and property were everywhere insecure.

Stefano, nevertheless, seems to have been a man formed for better times.  He improved in the school of misfortune—­the serenity of his temper remained unclouded by adversity, and his faculties unimpaired by age.

Among the illustrious strangers who came to Avignon at this time was our countryman, Richard de Bury, then accounted the most learned man of England.  He arrived at Avignon in 1331, having been sent to the Pope by Edward III.  De Sade conceives that the object of his embassy was to justify his sovereign before the Pontiff for having confined the Queen-mother in the castle of Risings, and for having caused her favourite, Roger de Mortimer, to be hanged.  It was a matter of course that so illustrious a stranger as Richard de Bury should be received with distinction by Cardinal Colonna.  Petrarch eagerly seized the opportunity of forming his acquaintance, confident that De Bury could give him valuable information on many points of geography and history.  They had several conversations.  Petrarch tells us that he entreated the learned Englishman to make him acquainted with the true situation of the isle of Thule, of which the ancients speak with much uncertainty, but which their best geographers place at the distance of some days’ navigation from the north of England.  De Bury was, in all probability, puzzled with the question, though he did not like to confess his ignorance.  He excused himself by promising to inquire into the subject as soon as he should get back to his books in England, and to write to him the best information he could afford.  It does not appear, however, that he performed his promise.

De Bury’s stay at the court of Avignon was very short.  King Edward, it is true, sent him a second time to the Pope, two years afterwards, on important business.  The seeds of discord between France and England began to germinate strongly, and that circumstance probably occasioned De Bury’s second mission.  Unfortunately, however, Petrarch could not avail himself of his return so as to have further interviews with the English scholar.  Petrarch wrote repeatedly to De Bury for his promised explanations respecting Thule; but, whether our countryman had found nothing in his library to satisfy his inquiries, or was prevented by his public occupations, there is no appearance of his having ever answered Petrarch’s letters.