We find the most unlikely candidates, Caraffa and Peretti, attributing their elevation to the direct influence of the Holy Ghost, in the consciousness that they had slipped into S.Peter's Chair by the maladroitness of conflicting factions.

The upshot, however, of these uninfluenced elections generally was to promote a man antagonistic to his predecessor.

The clash of parties and the numerical majority of independent Cardinals excluded the creatures of the last reign, and selected for advancement one who owed his position to the favor of an antecedent Pontiff.

This result was further secured by the natural desire of all concerned in the election to nominate an old man, since it was for the general advantage that a pontificate should, if possible, not exceed five years.
[Footnote 51: This does not mean that the Spanish crown had not a powerful voice in the elections.

See the history of the conclaves which elected Urban VII., Gregory XIV., Innocent IX., Clement VIII., in Ranke, vol.ii.pp.