le, who refused to retire. After about an
hour's strife, the Bishop of Marseilles, by threats, by persuasion, or
by entreaty, had expelled all but about forty wild men, armed to the
teeth. These ruffians rudely and insolently searched the whole building;
they looked under the beds, they examined the places of retreat. They
would satisfy themselves whether any armed men were concealed, whether
there was any hole, or even drain through which the cardinals could
escape. All the time they shouted: "A Roman pope! we will have a Roman
pope!" Those without echoed back the savage yell. Before long appeared
two ecclesiastics, announcing themselves as delegated by the commonalty
of Rome; they demanded to speak with the cardinals. The cardinals dared
not refuse. The Romans represented, in firm but not disrespectful
language, that for seventy years the holy Roman people had been without
their pastor, the supreme head of Christendom. In Rome were many noble
and wise ecclesiastics equal to govern the Church: if not in Rome, there
were such men in Italy.

They intimated that so great were the fury and determination of the
people that, if the conclave should resist, there might be a general
massacre, in which probably they themselves, assuredly the cardinals,
would perish. The cardinals might hear from every quarter around them
the cry: "A Roman pope! if not a Roman, an Italian!" The cardinals
replied, that such aged and reverend men must know the rules of the
conclave; that no election could be by requisition, favor, fear, or
tumult, but by the interposition of the Holy Ghost. To reiterated
persuasions and menaces they only said: "We are in your power; you may
kill us, but we must act according to God's ordinance. To-morrow we
celebrate the mass for the descent of the Holy Ghost; as the Holy Ghost
directs, so shall we do." Some of the French uttered words which sounded
like defiance. The populace cried: "If ye persist to do despite to
Christ, if we have not a Roman pope, we will hew these cardinals and
Frenchmen in pieces."

At length the Bishop of Marseilles was able to entirely clear the hall.
The cardinals sat down to a plentiful repast; the doors were finally
closed. But all the night through they heard in the streets the
unceasing clamor: "A Roman pope, a Roman pope!" Toward the morning the
tumult became more fierce and dense. Strange men had burst into the
belfry of St. Peter's; the clanging bells tolled as if all Rome was on