THE NOBLE DEMOCRACY 255
as not, however, the workings of intuition failed to inspire unanimity. Scenes of
unutterable confusion, pitched battles, and private fights were commonplace. In
1764, when only thirteen electors were killed, it was said that the Election was
unusually quiet. On several occasions - in 1576, 1587, 1697, and 1733 - differ-
ences were not resolved on the Field. In this case, a double election ensued, with
two 'successful' kings-elect both setting out to enforce their claim in the result-
ing civil war. The scene in 1669 at the Election of Michal Korybut Wisniowiecki
was described by Pasek:
Announcements went out from the Primate-Archbishop to the provinces urging the
estates to make a speedy election ... But the provinces refused their assent. Indeed, they
ordered everyone to horse as if for war. They knew the Archbishop's motives ... I, hav-
ing married in the Cracow district, was now serving under the standard of Cracow,
Eustachy Pisarski commanding. We set off for Wysimierzyce, stopping there for more
than a week, and set foot in Warsaw in the first days of July. Then the other provincial
detachments began to arrive, with large armies, magnatial retinues, and companies of
infantry. Boguslaw Radziwill, for one, was accompanied by 8,000 handsomely equipped
men. For the first time in Poland, we heard the so-called Prussian Music, which is played
in front of the professional cavalry regiments on bassoons...
Having sat through a few sessions and listened to the foreign ambassadors ... the can-
didate who appealed to us most was the Prince of Lorraine. He was a soldier and was
young, and his ambassador had said these words at the end of his peroration: 'Quotquot
sunt inimici vestri, cum omnibus in hoc arena certabit.'...
The next day the senators rode out to the Electoral Field, which was covered with
armies. Various opinions were being expressed... when one nobleman from Leczyca
shouted out, 'If you supporters of Conde do not keep still, you'll see bullets flying.' One
of the Senators answered him crudely, and the next minute they began to fire... Some
squadrons of cavalry charged from the sidelines into the soldiers, trampling them under-
foot... Finally, the officers collected their men, while the bishops and senators, half-
dead, crawled out from under the chairs and carriages ...
The next day there was no session. The gentlemen were recovering from their fright,
drinking hyacinth tea. The provincial delegations stayed in their camp...
On 16 June, the provincial envoys sent to the Archbishop,... to open further deliber-
ations. He replied that he would not, being unsure of his safety... Someone from the
throng speaks out: '... Since Our Reverend Father is not fulfilling the functions of his
office, we'll ask the Castellan of Cracow to preside. After all, it's not a Pope we're elect-
ing, and we can dispense with the priest.. .'
As this was going on, the province of Wielkopolska now raises the shout of 'Vivat
Rex.' Several from our delegation dash over to see whom they are cheering for. They
returned with the news it was for Charles of Lorraine. In (the pavilion of) Leczyca and
Kujawy, they were saying, 'We don't need a rich man or anyone related to royalty, for
that's danger to Liberty. We need a strong, warlike man ... As God has taken Czarniecki
from us, let us elect his disciple, Polanowski.'
Meanwhile, I, out of curiosity, rush across to the delegates of Sandomierz. I find they
prefer someone of native blood. Recalling the many merits of the late Prince
Wisniowiecki, they say it would be right to elect his heir, Prince Michal... At this, there's
a roar from the province of Sandomierz, PVivat Piast! Vivat Rex Michael!'... The men
from Kujawy, thinking it's for their Polanowski, started shouting too ... Our Cracovian