Petrarch Canon at Lombez [pp. 802-812]

iS8i.] PETRAR~K CANOAr AT LoMBEz. 807
preacher, to whom Louis XIV. always listened with fresh plea
sure. He left part of his property to the poor of his dideese, and
was buried at the foot of the episcopal throne with the simple
epitaph: "Of your charity pray God for the soul of C6me
Roger, once bishop of Lombez." It was in his time lived P~re
Ambroise, a Capuchin friar, styled "of Lombez," who sprang
from the ancient family of Lapeyrie, in this region, and was the
author of several remarkable works on the spiritual life-among
others the well-known Paix Jnl6rieure. The last bish~op of Lombez died in exile at London in 1805.
But the most distinguished man, perhaps, who eyer occupied
the see of Lombez was Giacomo di Colonna, the second bishop,
who belonged to the princely family of the Colonnas at Rome,
but was born~in exile in consequence of his father's tak}ng the
lead in the political faction against Pope Benedict VIII. This
was Stefano Colonna, who was reconciled to the church under
Clement V. and took up his residence at Avignon, where he became the patron of Petrarch, who called him "a phoenix risen
from the ashes of the old Romans." It was he who, when his
fortress of Pr~neste was demolished, being asked where now
was his stronghold, grandly replied, "Here," as he laid his hand
on his heart. His son Giacomo was quite young when appointed
bishop of Lombez, but be had won the affection of Pope John
XXII. by a service that endangered his life. The pope had
drawn up a bull of excommunication against Louis of Bavaria
for seizing the patrimony of the church, and young Colonna, who
possessed great boldness and courage, undertook to proclaim it
at Rome, then occupied by the emperor. He entered Rome by
the Porta del Popolo, accompa~nied by three masked cavaliers,
and rode the whole length of the Corso till he came to the Piazza
di San Marcello. Here he proclaimed the emperor a felon under
the ban of the church, and, after the old knightly fashion, offered
to maintain and prove it with his sword against all persons whomsoever. He then fastened the papal bull to the walls of the
church of San Marcello, and, springing on his horse, made his escape to Palestrina in spite of the emperor's endeavors to capture
him. His nomination to the see of Lombez soon followed. The
pope granted him a dispensation on account of his youth and allowed him a year to prepare for holy orders. The young bishop
took a serious view of his obligations, and, as soon as he was consecrated, hastened to visit his see, taking with him a brilliant cort~ge df young Italians, among whom was Petrarch, who had been
his fellow-student at Bologna. The latter says: "Colonna, who