, that by a process of
encroachment this election was in the course of time arrogated to
themselves by the Roman clergy, and was ultimately, by a further process
of similar encroachment, monopolized by the "Sacred College" of
cardinals,--all this is sufficiently well known. It is, however, curious
enough to merit a passing word, that a precisely analogous process of
progressive encroachment may be observed to have taken place in the mode
of appointing the bishops of the Church, not only in the Catholic, but
also in the Protestant branch of it. First freely elected by the body of
the faithful, they were subsequently chosen by the clergy, and lastly by
a small and select body of these in the form of a "chapter." Only in
this case a further step of encroachment being still possible, that step
has been made; and bishops are nominated in the Catholic Church
formally, and in the Anglican really, by the pope and the sovereign
respectively.

It does not seem that in the earliest elections made by the cardinals
the precautions of a "conclave," or a shutting up together of the
cardinals, was adopted. The first conclave seems to have been that which
elected Innocent IV. in 1243, and the motive for the locking up appears
to have been the fear of interference by the emperor Frederick, who was
at the time ravaging all the country around Rome. The first conclave
that was guarded by a Savelli, in whose family the office of marshal of
the Church and guardian of the conclaves became hereditary, was that
which elected Nicholas IV. in 1288. The mode in which this pontiff
merited his elevation is worth telling, apropos of conclaves. The
conclave had lasted over ten months, and been prolonged into the hottest
and most unhealthy season, insomuch that six cardinals died, many more
fell ill, and all ran away save one, the bishop of Palestrina. He,
"keeping large fires continually burning to correct the air," stuck to
it, remained in conclave all alone, and was unanimously elected pope at
the return of the cardinals when the pestilence had ceased. In 1270 we
find a conclave sitting under difficulties of another kind. It was at
Viterbo, and their Eminences sat for two years without making any
election; whereupon, we are told, Raniero Gatti, the captain of the
city, took the step of unroofing the palace in which they were assembled
as a means of hastening their decision. That their Eminences were not
thus to be hurried, however, is proved by their