ITALIAN GARDENS OF THE RENAISSANCE 



of Melfi, which Niccol6's eldest son, Lorenzo, then 

 scarcely more than a boy, defended valiantly during a 

 long siege. But the victor's triumph was destined to 

 prove of short duration, and in a few months, alarmed 

 by an outbreak of plague at Naples, he returned home, 

 leaving a German governor to rule the province. 



Meanwhile, Niccol6 having successfully pleaded 

 Louis and Joanna's cause at Avignon, and collected a 

 fleet at his own expense, landed at Naples with the 

 king and queen, who entered the city in the month 

 of August 1348. They found the unhappy kingdom 

 a prey to the ravages of Hungarians and free com- 

 panies, but by degrees the efforts of Niccol6, now 

 Grand Seneschal of the realm, met with success, and 

 at length, on the 27th of May 1352, Louis of Taranto 

 was crowned at Naples with great solemnity. 



It was on this occasion that Petrarch who, 

 although not personally acquainted with Niccol6, had 

 been seized with admiration for his great qualities, 

 and saw in him the deliverer of Naples addressed 

 his famous letter to the Grand Seneschal, congratu- 

 lating him on the triumph of his arms, and giving 

 him admirable advice for the guidance of his royal 

 pupil in all things necessary to his own welfare and 

 public good. 



" At length, you have conquered, O Signor," he 

 begins ; " at length the battle ceases, treachery yields 

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