hem by his wisdom and intrepidity, and to take
the helm of the tempest-tossed vessel of state. He was also commissioned
to inform His Holiness of their determination to elect a new king. The
Pope, in reply, conjured them not to be precipitate, and to wait his
arrival before they acted.

There was one feature in the proposed diet to which Gregory
objected--the attempted exclusion of Henry from any participation in it.
This he endeavored to remedy by obtaining a promise from the emperor to
attend the meeting in person. It was partly to avoid the appearance of
partiality, but principally in the hope of reconciling the angry
factions, that the Pope requested the presence of his unscrupulous
antagonist. Henry not only recoiled from his engagement, but, by
blocking up all the avenues to Forchheim, compelled the Pope to remain
at Carpineta, unable either to enter Germany or return to Rome.

Bernard, cardinal deacon, Bernard, Abbe of St. Victor, and the
celebrated Guimond, the Papal legates, announced to the confederates the
desire of His Holiness that they should wait his arrival. But the
assembled nobles dreaded the least delay. Already their cause was
weakened by indecision, and a hostile army was in the field, receiving
daily accessions. Though May had been fixed for the opening of the diet,
so great was the impatience of Rodolph and his barons, that it was
concluded in the middle of March. No sooner had the legates delivered
their instructions, than deliberations were virtually begun. The chiefs
directed all their efforts to induce the legates to sanction the
election of a king, and confirm their choice. Guimond and his
companions, faithful to their instructions, replied: "It were far better
to await the arrival of His Holiness"; but they added, imprudently,
"that they did not wish to oppose their advice to the wisdom of the
princes, who knew much better than they what was most conducive to the
interests of the State." Assuming an implied permission to act from
these words of courtesy, the nobles proceeded at once to cast their
votes. A scene of confusion ensued, created by the jarring of private
interests. These were finally quelled by the interposition of the Papal
legates, and the balloting proceeded without interruption. The vote of
the bishops alone remained to be taken. The Archbishop of Mayence rose,
and exercising his prescriptive title, gave the first voice for Rodolph
of Suabia. Adalbert and the other bishops fo