The history of the popes, from the close of the middle ages : drawn ...

ATTEMPT TO ELECT MORONE. 27
Borromeo then fell back upon his own wish, of securing the
success of one of his uncle's Cardinals. For this purpose he
had conferences with each of the electors, at first naming
Mula and Boncompagni as his choice,^ but afterwards, out of
consideration for the older Cardinals, who wished to see one
of their own number elected, Morone, Mula, Boncompagni
and Sirleto.2 But Farnese at once gathered twenty-seven
votes against Mula, which meant that he was cut off from any
chance of success.'- On account of his absence Boncompagni
had but little prospect of being elected, while Sirleto was not
very popular. Nothing remained, therefore, but to make
another attempt on behalf of Morone. **
During the night between December 22nd and 23rd they
worked feverishly in the conclave both for and against
Morone.^ Nobody thought of going to bed and rumours and
excitement were rife throughout the enclosure. The Cardinals
forgot to have torches carried before them by their conclavists,
and themselves ran from one to another with candles in their
hands, and only half dressed. An eye-witness, Cornelius
Firmanus, says that the excitement passed belief, and that
such behaviour had never been seen before on the part of any
Cardinal. If, durhig that night, Morone had been taken to
the chapel to receive homage, he would have become Pope,
as his opponents were so taken by surprise and fear that their
faces were white as sheets, and they did not know what to do.
Many, as it were against their will, and on the verge of tears,
went towards the chapel, thinking it impossible to prevent
the election.
As the opportunity was not seized at once, however,
Morone's opponents plucked up courage. Este in particular
^ Delfino in Hilliger, 121 n.
^ Ibid. Pacheco, loc. cit., Corrcsp. dipl., I., 95. Conclavi de'
Pontefici, 170.
* Hilliger, 123.
* Ibid. 124.
^ See in App. n. i, the *report of C. Firmanus, Papal Secret
Archives.