centuries later, the Romans left some magnificent {162}
architectural monuments of their occupation of this neighborhood.
Somewhat more than a thousand years passed, and St. Francis breathed
his profound spirit of love for nature in all its forms into the world
almost within sight of its walls, and with him the Renaissance began.
The great Umbrian school of painters in the Renaissance period came
from this district, and they include such names as Raphael and his
great master Perugino, who received his name from his birthplace.
Before John XXII. did so much to make it a center of culture and
education for this portion of Italy, it had been noted in the early
part of the thirteenth century for possessing a library of Canon and
Civil Law to which scholars often traveled from great distances for
consultation purposes. The Pope, then, though in distant Avignon, was
greatly helping on that movement which was to culminate and mean so
much for Umbria, that great center of culture and influence in the
Renaissance time.

In erecting the University of Cahors, Pope John took occasion to say
that he did so because the city promised to provide facilities and
proper conditions for the university and he believed that the
existence of such an institution would in very many ways be of benefit
to the commonwealth. He wished, therefore, that in Cahors, "a copious,
refreshing fountain of science should spring up and continue to flow,
from whose abundance all the citizens might drink, and where those
desirous of education might become imbued with knowledge so that the
cultivators of wisdom might sow seed with success and all the student
body become learned and eloquent and in every way distinguished,
bearing abundant fruit which the Lord in His own good time would give
them if they applied themselves with good will." He wished that {163}
the erection of the university should be considered as a special
reward for their devotion to the Holy See and should always stand as a
memorial of that.

The thought may possibly occur to some that Pope John, after having
issued these noteworthy documents in the cause of education in the
early years of his pontificate, might subsequently have changed his
mind and considered with advancing years that the repression of the
enthusiasm for learning would be better for his people from a
spiritual standpoint. There is, however, no sign of this to be found
in the important documents of his pontificate, nor woul