On the 5th of June, 1349, a servant, whom Petrarch had sent to inquire about some alarming accounts of the travellers that had gone abroad, returned sooner than he was expected, and showed by his face that he brought no pleasant tidings.
Petrarch was writing--the pen fell from his hand.

"What news do you bring ?" "Very bad news! Your two friends, in crossing the Apennines, were attacked by robbers." "O God! what has happened to them ?" The messenger replied, "Mainardo, who was behind his companions, was surrounded and murdered.

Luca, hearing of his fate, came back sword in hand.

He fought alone against ten, and he wounded some of the assailants, but at last he received many wounds, of which he lies almost dead.

The robbers fled with their booty.