[Footnote3:ThefirstepistlesinetituloofPetrarchexposesthedangerofthebark，andtheincapacityofthepilot。Haecinter，vinomadidus，aevegravis，acsoporiferororeperfusus，jamjamnutitat，dormitat，jamsomnopraeceps，atqueutinamsolusruit……Heuquantofeliciuspatrioterramsulcassetaratro，quamscalmumpiscatoriumascendisset!ThissatireengageshisbiographertoweighthevirtuesandvicesofBenedictXII。whichhavebeenexaggeratedbyGuelphsandGhibelines，byPapistsandProtestants，seeMemoiressurlaViedePetrarque，tom。i。p。259，ii。not。xv。p。13—16。Hegaveoccasiontothesaying，Bibamuspapaliter。]
AfterthedeceaseofAndronicus，whiletheGreeksweredistractedbyintestinewar，theycouldnotpresumetoagitateageneralunionoftheChristians。ButassoonasCantacuzenehadsubduedandpardonedhisenemies，hewasanxioustojustify，oratleasttoextenuate，theintroductionoftheTurksintoEurope，andthenuptialsofhisdaughterwithaMussulmanprince。Twoofficersofstate，withaLatininterpreter，weresentinhisnametotheRomancourt，whichwastransplantedtoAvignon，onthebanksoftheRhone，duringaperiodofseventyyears:theyrepresentedthehardnecessitywhichhadurgedhimtoembracetheallianceofthemiscreants，andpronouncedbyhiscommandthespeciousandedifyingsoundsofunionandcrusade。PopeClementtheSixth，^4thesuccessorofBenedict，receivedthemwithhospitalityandhonor，acknowledgedtheinnocenceoftheirsovereign，excusedhisdistress，applaudedhismagnanimity，anddisplayedaclearknowledgeofthestateandrevolutionsoftheGreekempire，whichhehadimbibedfromthehonestaccountsofaSavoyardlady，anattendantoftheempressAnne。^5IfClementwasillendowedwiththevirtuesofapriest，hepossessed，however，thespiritandmagnificenceofaprince，whoseliberalhanddistributedbeneficesandkingdomswithequalfacility。
UnderhisreignAvignonwastheseatofpompandpleasure:inhisyouthhehadsurpassedthelicentiousnessofabaron；andthepalace，nay，thebed—chamberofthepope，wasadorned，orpolluted，bythevisitsofhisfemalefavorites。ThewarsofFranceandEnglandwereadversetotheholyenterprise；buthisvanitywasamusedbythesplendididea；andtheGreekambassadorsreturnedwithtwoLatinbishops，theministersofthepontiff。
OntheirarrivalatConstantinople，theemperorandthenunciosadmiredeachother\'spietyandeloquence；andtheirfrequentconferenceswerefilledwithmutualpraisesandpromises，bywhichbothpartieswereamused，andneithercouldbedeceived。
\"Iamdelighted，\"saidthedevoutCantacuzene，\"withtheprojectofourholywar，whichmustredoundtomypersonalglory，aswellastothepublicbenefitofChristendom。MydominionswillgiveafreepassagetothearmiesofFrance:mytroops，mygalleys，mytreasures，shallbeconsecratedtothecommoncause；andhappywouldbemyfate，couldIdeserveandobtainthecrownofmartyrdom。WordsareinsufficienttoexpresstheardorwithwhichIsighforthereunionofthescatteredmembersofChrist。