The Pope made him no reply, but imprisoned him in a high tower, in which he was chained by the leg to the floor of his apartment.

In other respects he was treated mildly, allowed books to read, and supplied with dishes from the Pope's kitchen.
Rienzo begged to be allowed an advocate to defend him; his request was refused.

This refusal enraged Petrarch, who wrote, according to De Sade and others, on this occasion, that mysterious letter, which is found in his "Epistles without a title." It is an appeal to the Romans in behalf of their Tribune.

I must confess that even the authority of De Sade does not entirely eradicate from my mind a suspicion as to the spuriousness of this inflammatory letter, from the consequences of which Petrarch could hardly have escaped with impunity.
One of the circumstances that detained Petrarch at Avignon was the illness of the Pope, which retarded his decision on several important affairs.

Clement VI.