Selections from the writings of Petrarch, Dante, Machiavelli, Paracelsus, Luther, and other figures of the periods traditionally known as the Renaissance and the Reformation, present a clear view of the intellectual and material shifts characterizing this time of change. Covering a broad span of time and reflecting the major themes and issues of the period from the 14th through the 16th centuries, this collection documents one of the most exciting and fruitful periods in human history.