He was wholly unlike his portly predecessor John in figure and address, being small in stature, pale in complexion, and weak in voice.

He expressed his own astonishment at the honour conferred on him, saying that they had elected an ass.

If we may believe Petrarch, he did himself no injustice in likening himself to that quadruped; but our poet was somewhat harsh in his judgment of this Pontiff.

He took the name of Benedict XII.
Shortly after his exaltation, Benedict received ambassadors from Rome, earnestly imploring him to bring back the sacred seat to their city; and Petrarch thought he could not serve the embassy better than by publishing a poem in Latin verse, exhibiting Rome in the character of a desolate matron imploring her husband to return to her.

Benedict applauded the author of the epistle, but declined complying with its prayer.