ad legatos comitésue attinet si quis corum quem pulsisse siue iniuriam fecisse arguitur lege Iulia de vi publica tenetur as saith a Law of the digests the which extendeth the punishment vnto those that haue outraged the seruants of the Ambassador as if they had done it to his own person And in truth the priuiledge of an Ambassadour were very slender if it did not comprehend the persons of those of his family I say of his familie For there are some that passe many times vnder the fauor and passe porte of the Ambassador which would not be in any great assurance if they were discouered although they were advouched by him especially if they be of another Nation than himselfe or the subiects of that Prince vnto whome hee goeth Besides it ought not to be doubted that the house of an Ambassadour is a sanctuarie and place of retraite to his seruants and followers against all iniuries and violences prouided that they doe nothing against the lawes of the Country where they are and against publike honestie For that which is not permitted to the Maister much lesse is vnto his seruants And yet neuertheles I think not that without the permission of the Ambassador it is lawfull for a Sergeant or other officer of iustice to lay hands on ceaze vpon or to vse any other course of iustice vpon any of those of his house vnlesse that they be tooken in the very act and out of his house For which cause the Ambassador of Spaine had reason to complaine of the officers of Tunis which were come to carry away by force a seruant of his being accused of Sodomitry alleadging that they had no iurisdiction vpon him or any of his and added that that crime was not capitall in all countries for if the Tunisians had taken his seruant they would haue proceeded against him and caused him to be burned quicke according to the lawes of their Country And concerning taxes impositions and other charges and contributions I doubt not but they are exempted from them aswell as their Maister in the Country where he is resident and as long as they are his seruants I meane in respect of their horses apparrell and baggage Preuided they doe not abuse this priuiledge to make Merchandise or to make other mens goods to passe vnder the colour of their priuiledge as Guicciardin saith was done by certaine Deputies of Florence sent to the Emperor Charles the fift being thē at Bologne with the pope who receued therfore both shame and punishment all at once And the law of the Digests willeth that for that which they bring out of their country besides their mouables they shuld pay the impost thereof Neuertheles in this whole priuiledge they must order themselues according to the particular vse and custome of the places For if it were said that none should be exempted of what condition or qualitie soeuer he were certainly neither hee nor his seruants should be more priuiledged than others it being besides sufficiently knowen that Ambassadors and other forraigne personages are more fauourably in treated in one place than in an other Thus much for the country wherin their Maister is resident and onely during the time of his Ambassage and which is generally of the Law of Nations and common vnto all Ambassadours and their seruants But concerning the exemptions immunities priuiledges prerogatiues which an Ambassadour enioyeth in his owne Country by the consent of his Prince or of the chiefe Magistrate the same commeth from the Lawe Ciuill and that of the place it selfe and it is not of one sorte in all places and stretcheth not so sarre as vnto seruants For I think it not reason to grant vnto them letters of Estate as they are termed and of respite against their Creditors and to cause any actions or processe that hath beene commenced against them since their departure and in respect of their absence to cease or be adiourned as vnto their Maister himselfe neither is there like consideration for it No otherwise than the seruant of an officer or one of the Kings house or of the chiefe Prince of the blood who hath his causes committed vnto the masters of the Requests hath no part in the priuiledge of his Maister The like I affirme concerning all other exemptions as taxes and such like charges which are priuileges granted vnto the persion of the Ambassador and not to his seruants and followers who are or ought to be paide and rewarded with their Maisters purse and whome hee may either leaue or change at his pleasure Neuerthelesse reason requireth that I take out of this number those that are adioyned vnto him by the Prince or such other persons of qualitie whom himselfe hath chosen for to accompany him and serue him in the affaires of his Ambassage and without whom hee cannot sufficiently performe the same Vnto them I also adde the Secretary and the Interpreter which are necessary Instruments vnto him and which serue rather the Ambassage then the Ambassador as amongst the Swisers and Grisons where the saide Secretaries and Interpreters are enrowled in the accompt of the pensions of that Nation and receiue the ordinary wages of a crowne by the day But yet to giue assurance of their actuall seruice they shall doe well to take a certificate or attestation of the Ambassador signed with his hand that it may stand them in steade when time and place shall require All this is founded on naturall reason and on the rule of that common equity which euen children know by hart That absence ought not to preiudice him which is imployed out of his Country for the seruice of his Prince or Commonwealth Absens reip causa praesens esse censetur And by the same equitie and to the end also that the Ambassadour might not be withdrawne from his charge and constrained to returne into his Country about his suites of law no man can commence any new action either Reall or Personall against him and a cessation was granted vnlesse the cause had bin before declared against him in which case he appointed an Aduocate to pleade for him Concerning his Horses Mooueables and vtensels they are by the same rule comprehended vnder this priuiledge and I doe not belieue that it is lawfull by reason of any debt or obligation to enter into the Ambassadors house and to make an attachment or sale of his Mooueables and Horses since that I haue before shewed that euen in criminall causes there ought to be vsed herein both respect and discretion The accident which lately befell in Spaine in the French Ambassadors house giueth vs a proofe therof which in a more doubtful time had beene the occasion of a greater trouble And for Ciuil respects it behooueth those which bargaine with them to take good heede thereunto forasmuch as most commonly they are constrained to attend vntill the Ambassage be expired it hapneth vnto them as vnto at others that haue bargained with one that
THE AMBASSADOR Printed at London by V.S. for Iames Shawe 1603. To the Right Honorable William Earle of Pembrooke Lord Herbert Cardiffe Marmion and Saint Quintin Knight of the most Noble Order of the Garter Noble Lord I humblie present vnto your Lordship the Ambassador which the learned Author Hotman first framed and a Gentleman of qualitie translated for the vse of their priuat friendes which comming to my hands and being a subiect meete for the exercise of Noble spirits and for these times I haue thought good to present to publike viewe and publish vnder your Honourable name for that herein you may beholde the Idea of those vertues which heauen and nature haue planted in you fit for the managing of these and the like high seruices for your prince and country whose eyes and expectations therein are fixed on you And resting in the assurance of your Lordshippes honorable fauour I humblie remaine * ⎠* Your Honors humbly deuoted I. S. To the Reader GEntle Reader the learned Author of this Treatise accounting it a subiect fitte onely for the view of high spirites and such as already were or in time might be called to the great affaires of the common wealth suffered no other copies to be extant then those which he dispersed to his priuate friends as himselfe affirmeth A Gentleman hauing recouered one of them did at the request of some particular friends turne it into English supposing that the scribled copie which through haste and want of leasure was taken as hee read it out of the originall might satisfie his iudicious learned frinds By reason whereof the Printer following the same hath committed some errors through want of the Authors worke and other vsuall assistance which he neuerthelesse hopeth wil be excused with the great desire hee had to please the worthy learned noble Readers to whom as he accounteth the Treatise properly to belong so he hopeth that his readinesse therein will be vnto them most acceptable His Behauiour Charge Priuileges Familie THE AMBASSADOR I Knowe not any of the old Writers that haue purposedlie handled this Argument Polibius indeede hath left some collections de Legationibus but not de Legato The reason in mine opinion is that none were called ordinarily to this charge but men of great honour virtue and experience attained by hauing passed through the goodliest and greatest charges of the Common wealth as I will after shew For as in olde time there was no punishment ordained for Parricides forasmuch as in those ages of innocencie it could not be thought that a wickednesse so monstrous could enter into the heart of any man euen so the learned Politicians of times past beleeued not that Princes and Estates would be so indiscreet as to honor with an Ambassage which commonly importeth the whole estate a person which were not most capable thereof or that he which were not worthy of it should be so ill aduised as to vndertake it To the former punishments were afterwards ordained and the other haue neede of good instructions til when I wil giue them in this Treatise this word of aduise And to beginne I will not stay vpon searching out either the name Ambassador which is strange and vnknowne to vs or the antiquitie and origine of this charge the which it is most likely had his beginning with the establishment of societie amongest men and the assembling of people and estates the one with the other When Princes would not and Common-wealths could not meete together for to treate thereof Neither will I spend time in telling that the name Ambassador is not so general as the Latine word Legatus and is not vnderstood properly but of those who vnder the assurance of the publike faith authorized by the law of nations are employed to negociate with forraine Princes or Commonwealths the affaires of their Masters and with dignitie to represent their persons and greatnesse during their Ambassage They are of two sortes The one which are not but for a little time and for one affaire onely as for renewing some aliance to sweare and ratifie a treatie to congratulate condole or to doe like office in the behalfe of their Masters Those that goe to present obedience to the Pope in the behalfe of Christian Princes are of this number or which goe vpon other affaires not ordinary For which cause they may be named extraordinary Ambassadors who returne assoone as that affaire is dispatched The Romanes and other nations in former ages vsed them in no other maner The other are ordinary Ligiers without hauing any time limited but at the pleasure of the Prince which sendeth them And this is that sorte which is now most in use and which antiquity knew not fearing lest the long residēce of an Ambassador might discouer the secrets of the Estate The Pope hath retained the name of Legate and Nuncio of which it is not my purpose to speake in particular As touching Agents to whom at times is giuen the Title of Ligiers they are in like maner publike persons and being once receiued and admitted they enjoy the law of nations but neither haue place nor oftentimes power so ample as Ambassadors haue Such are most commonly employed about Princes which will not yeeld to that dignitie which those by whom they are sent pretend to haue as those that haue beene about the Emperour of late yeeres for the King and hee that at this present is with the Archduke and the Infanta which is Monsieur de la Boderie who much deserueth the Title of Ambassador sithence he performeth the charge thereof so worthily Those also are named Agents which manage the affaires of Princes not soueraigne and such as are much inferiour to Monarchs and great Common-wealths for as for those which are sent by the Prince into his owne Dominions and towards his subjects they are called Commissioners like as they are named Deputies whom subjects send vnto their Soueraigne who yet doe not enjoy this law of nations and priuiledges of an Ambassador Ius externo non ciui quaesitum est saith Titus Liuius But indeede Heralds doe whose persons are vnuiolable euen in the middest of Armies as well as those of Ambassadors although that properly and most commonly they are but Messagers carying barely some word of mouth or letter without authoritie to treate of any matter as also Drummes Trumpets and such like persons in time of warre who neuerthelesse deserue not this title and dignitie of Ambassador The Romans had also an other forme of Ambassage contrary to the ancient law Ne quis suaerei ergo legatus siet the which was called Libera legatio which was to grace persons of qualitie going towards forraine countries or into some Prouinces of the Empire for their owne affaires and particular businesses to be thereby the more respected and vnder the fauour of the law of nations as likewise those were to whom they would not doe the vttermost disgrace of an Exile and this was called Honesta
which are for a seuerall discourse I wil only say that if an Ambassador will reape honour of his charge it is meete that he doe honour vnto the same and that he be iealous of the degree and place which is due vnto his Maister without yeelding any iote thereof vnto an other Princes and soueraigne estates doe hold many times more deare the conseruation of their degree and dignitie than of their lands and possessions So Arcases did put his Ambassador to death for hauing surrendered his place vnto Sylla as Plutarke saith It is true that alwayes such questions doe not arise because almost euery one throughout all places knoweth the degree and place that is due vnto him In the Court of Rome for these 50. or 60. yeares the Ambassador of Spaine hath made question of precedencie with those of France There was a great alteration therein at the Councell of Trent At Venice it hath beene adiudged to him of France The late Aduocate Pithou affirmeth that in all the prouincials of all the Cathedrall Churches of Christendome that haue beene imprinted at Rome euen to this present the King of France is put the first of all other Kings being seconded by the King of England and then by him of Spaine Bodin sayeth that in the ceremonie of the Order of England the place of the King of France is at the right hand of the chiefe of the Order and so it was decreed at a Chapter helde on the eue of Saint George patron of that Order in the yeare 1555 by the knights of the Garter albeit that the King of Spaine had maried Mary the elder sister of the late Queene of England I beleeue that there would be no lesse honour done vnto him in Scotland Denmarke of many princes and potentates of Germany and Italy But the Emperor being neere kins-man of the same name and armes that the King of Spaine is giueth the precedencie to his Ambassador and the last Emperor was content that it should goe by turnes as anciently that of the Roman Consulls was and at present that of the Burghemaisters and Auoyers in some Cantons of Swisserland is to the end not to displease th' one nor the other Neuerthelesse the King sent word vnto Monsieur de la Forrest his Ambassador that he should not alter any thing in this matter without his expresse commandement The Senate of Polonia to a like question ordayned tha the first come should be the first heard At an other time at the Councell of Constance the Ambassador of England debated it with him of France whose strongest argument was the title which his Maister then tooke of King of England and France And he possessed Aquitania and pretended vnto Normandie I haue heard reported that an Ambassadour of the Kings in Swisserland being in company with the Ambassador of Spaine at the assembly of Baden and seeing that the spaniard alwaies stroue for the way made as if hee would buy something at a Marchantes shoppe where both of them staying together the French stepped out first and took the aduantage The best is in such occasions neuer to meet together vnlesse that the seruice of his maister doe require it At least he can excuse himselfe for publike places and ceremonies as hath bin practised at Rome for these certaine yeares And if so be our Ambassador chance to be present at such like altercation of other Ambassadors he must take heed not to inuest himselfe in the one side or the other or any way to interpose himselfe therein without his masters commandement It is not so for al other differences that many fal out in the countrie where he is especially if hee perceiue his Maister to haue any interest therein as when there hapneth any discord amongst the Swissers or the Grisons all which haue almost as many common-wealthes as they haue Citties and Corporations And it is very hard that in that great body so diuersly compounded with difference of customes languages and religion in one only Canton of the Grisons there are three different languages spoken there growe not amongest them as wise as they all are some occasion of disputation wherein the wise Ambassadour may make the dexteritie of his spirit to preuaile by setting them at accord imploying the affection of his Maister towardes the one side and the other to oblige them both vnto him The which thing the Sieur de Liuerdis last Ambassador for the King amongst the Grisons knewe how to handle both wisely and profitably when he sawe they were on termes of disagreeing and I can speak for a certainty that his memory is yet helde deare amongest them The Interest of the King in these two estates is that during their diuisions hee can leuie no forces nor be succoured with their people to any purpose if hee shoulde stand in neede of them About the yeere 1602. the Sieur de Dase by his wise Meditation accorded to twoo Kings of Denmarke Swethen being ready to enter into warre and both of them made choice of him for Arbitrator of their differences His Priuiledges IT followeth now to speake of the priuileges immunities of an Ambassador not only for the respect of his owne person but also of those of his family of all that appertaineth vnto him for concerning his person euery man knoweth that by the lawes of God man euen amongst barbarous nations and in the middest of the armes and armies of enemies the person of an Ambassador hath in all ages beene adudged holy sacred and inuiolable for if besides the perill and inconueniences of a long voyage to which they expose themselues they should not be in safetie in the place whereunto they goe there would neuer be any which would vndertake the hazard thereof and consequently there would neuer any longer be made any truce peace or establishment of commerce finally we should fall againe into that first Chaos and confusion of all things And likewise the punishments of those that haue done violence vnto them haue in all times beene very rigorous this lawe being growne into a prouerbe Legatus neque coeditur neque violatur And when men haue not taken punishment for the same it hath beene obserued from age to age that God hath not suffiered this offence vnpunished witnesse the subuersion of Carthage of Sirus of Thebes and of so many other Citties yea Prouinces and whole Kingdomes Dauid fought against discomfited and brought into bondage the Ammonites for this cause The histories both sacred and prophane doe afforde vs enough and too many examples hereof King Frances the first denounced warre against the Emperour Charles for the murther of Amion and Fregose his Ambassadours Yea euen a rough and haughtie word a scorne or contempt done vnto some Ambassadors hath beene oftentimes cause of the beginning of warre as that of Dalmatia whereof Nasica was Generall and a long time after that of Simon King of Bulgarie against Alexander Emperour of Constantinople By a much stronger reason
vnderstood not the middle and disliked the Conclusion These are very neerely the sciences which I iudge the most requisite and which are in mine opinion the easiest and the which or the greater parte of them hee may learne in the places of his charge if he be resident there for some yeares all the other will not bee vnprofitable for him But hee must haue besides these other vertues and qualities as wel gotten by practise as borne with him for better performing his Ambassage and which are so much the more necessarie for him in that hee representeth the greatnes of his prince in a forraine Countrie and in the view of the worlde and for that the faultes which he committeth are many times cause of the contempt of his Maister or of some worser consequence For first al men agree in this that he ought to be endewed with a good naturall vnderstanding ioyned with a long experience of the affaires of the worlde which makes that a yong man is not so capable of this charge as one of old or middle age For which cause Philip de Comines said it was very hard for a man to be wise that had not bin deceiued Neuerthelesse sometimes a good spirit disgraceth the age experience of many others witnesse Monsieur de Beaumont Harlay who doth the King so good seruice in this charge of Ambassador in England Neuertheles an olde man is ordinarily melancholie and diseased and a young man too humorous light and indiscreete As one that was sent to certaine Alies of this Crowne who walked abroade in the euening and part of the night through the streetes with others of his owne age and in his doublet and hose playing on a Bandore although otherwise he was a man of a good spirit Touching the wisedome of our Ambassador it wil be discerned first of all if he bring with him these requisite qualities whereof I haue spoken and such things as are necessary for the occasions of his charge vnlesse that the Prince haue made him to vndertake it on a so daine and by expresse commandement without giuing him leasure to aduise himself as many times it falleth out For if hee haue not the goods of fortune or hath not otherwise prouided to cause a good allowance to be made him hee will be accounted indiscreete to haue embarked himselfe in a charge of so great expence And for the gifts of nature if he be bleare-eyed crookebackt lame or otherwise mishaped it is certaine that he will not be so acceptable One of the old writers saith that in those ill proportioned and vitious bodies the soule is ill lodged And the Romanes hauing on a time sent two Ambassadors to one of their Prouinces of which one had vpon his head the skars of many wounds and the other was lame of his feete it was said in a mockery Mittit populus R. legationem quae nec caput nec pedes habet An Ambassage that hath neither head nor feete Likewise if it be possible let him not be much inferiour in meanes or qualitie to him whom he succeedeth lest he finde at his doore O antique domus Alas poore house that hast made a change of maisters as it hapned to my knowledge vnto one that succeeded in the house and place of an Ambassador that had beene very liberall and bountifull for there was nothing so cold as his Kitchin nor so bare as his stable Farther that he knew how to make good choise of his traine and houshold seruants wherevnto hee ought especially to take heede that he fall not into the inconuenience that some haue done who hauing sorted themselues with indiscreete and vnciuil seruants haue themselues payed for their folly An aduice which Monsieur de Bellieure who hauing bin oft times honoured with this charge in which he made his first practize among the Grisons hath at length attained by the steppes of honour and desert to the dignitie of Chancellor of France giueth vnto Ambassadors going vppon their charges according to that which Cicero said vnto his brother then Gouernour of Asia in like case Horum non modo facta sed dicta etiam omnia tibi praestanda sunt Thou must be the warrant both of their actions yea and of the very words also And a little after Si innocentes existimari volumus non sclum nos abstinentes verumeriam nostris comites praestare debemus To make our vprightnesse appeare it is not enough that we be discreete but euen our followers must be so also And to say trueth for that which is in the choyce of a man hee can not impute it to any other but must lay the blame on himselfe if he haue not done it wel It fell out ill in this poynt with the Lord of Camcy sent on the behalfe of the King to the Duke of Burgundie in the yeare 1417. through too much confidence in his Secretary who either of indiscretion or corruption had made manie copies of his masters instructions to be seene abroad and discouered the secrets of his commission for which cause the master was blamed by the Kings counsaile and sent to take vp his lodging in the Bastile Amongest the Officers of his house the most necessary and in choyce of whom hee ought to be most carefull are the Secretaries and the Steward of the house The one for to assist and ease him in the businesses of his charge to dispatch causes that concerne the same and to hold a good register therof to keepe faithfully the scroles cyphers and other papers of importance which neuerthelesse would be better vnder the maisters locke the other for the expenses of the house which ought to be well ordered and neuerthelesse honorable in euery part therof chiefly at the table and kitchin whereuppon strangers and especially those of the Northerne countries looke more then vpon all other expences besides In Spaine and Italie the table is more frugale But there it must appeare in horses coaches apparrell and traine of followers And I will say this by the way sithence that the most proper and most essentiall vertue of a Prince is to be liberall hee that representeth his greatnesse amongst strangers dooth him iniury and getteth himselfe an euill name if hee be sparing and wretched it seeming incredible to most men that a great King or other Soueraigne would appoint him to that place without allowing him meanes sufficient and are mooued to thinke that he keepeth vp and turneth to his owne vses the monies of his allowance There haue beene some in our time who by their sparing and basenesse seemed rather to goe to profite themselues and make a gaine whereas this charge consisteth wholy on honour and was in times past giuen to honor those which had done good seruice to the Commonwealth so that it ought not to be purchased by bribes nor too much sought after whereby to auoyde the suspition of couetousnesse Neuerthelesse in this his liberall expence he must vse his discretion in not exceeding
too farre his ordinary exhibition and especially that thereby he belie not falsly the occasion of his Ambassage For I haue seene those which haue failed in both and it hath bin told them that they named themselues the Ambassadors of misery for they came to craue succours of men and mony and yet were in their expences as if their master had possessed the Indies And here it is that an argument from the lesse to the great may be made how shall he performe a charge of importance that knoweth not howe to guide his house and order his expence Furthermore he shall manifest his wisedome in this if when hee hath receiued order to departe he take instructions sufficiently ratified for whatsoeuer he hath to say or negotiate that he may not be disallowed for any thing that he shall haue said treated or concluded as it hath befalne vnto some that haue after repented it whereof I will speake a word hereafter He must also instruct himselfe by the mouth of him that was next before him in this charge vnlesse that his predecessor do install him himselfe and at his induction doe communicate vnto him all such treaties remembrances and papers as are necessary and do sufficiently enforme him of all And because Secretaries of Estate giue not so often intelligences to the Ambassador nor alwayes send him aduice of that which passeth at Court and in the Estate so often as he gladly would and that it should many times be expedient to haue aduertizement thereof because of the false rumors which are ordinarily spread by the enemies of an Estate especially in time of warre and that it is a shame to an Ambassadour that strangers should know the newes of his countrie before him hee shall doe very well to haue some friend in court which may aduertize him often of that which is done yea euen to the least particularities by which many times he may iudge of matters of importance The griefe wherein I haue seene Monsieur de Sillary Brulart in Swisserland and in England Monsieur de Beaunoir la Nocle and many others elsewhere Indeed it was in the hottest of the troubles maketh mee to giue this aduice to those that goe on Ambassage and that they ought not to spare two or three hundred crownes a yeere this way if neede require Furthermore that man is vndiscreet that through rashnesse throweth himselfe into the danger of his enemy Neither will I counsaile any to goe on ambassage towards that Prince whom he hath offended in word or deede for Princes doe seldome forget an iniury and are patient to awaite a fit time to reuenge themselues At the least it is very likely that hee shall neuer performe his Maisters businesses so well with such a one Besides it is not meete to commit this charge to him that hath beene spotted with any crime or publike reproach Nor vnto him that is the subiect of that Prince to whom he is sent for in this behalfe it be fell out ill with the Esquire Merueilles as Millan of whom Guicciardine and du Bellay make mention at least Duke Sforza gaue his excuse in paiment as I will shew anon It being both more commodious and more conuenient for the greatnesse of the master that he which is sent bee his naturall subiect not a stranger considering that naturally he will vse therein more care and more fidelitie and it is a shame to make our want to bee knowne in this behalfe of men able capable of such a charge Not but that sometimes it hath well sorted when strangers haue beene employed Aboue all it is a thing odious and vnsauory to send vnto a neighbor Prince a subiect of his for Ambassador to whom he will euer doe honor discontentedly remembring what power and authoritie a Prince hath ouer his subiects True it is that out of this rule prisoners of warre may be excepted either to negociate the deliuerance of themselues and their companions or to treat of some good meanes for a peace truce or other good occasion as hath beene seene in the warres betweene the Romans and the Carthaginians and in those of France and England An other poynt of wisedome is to arriue in season and to take occasion commodiously which I obserue because there are some who through the hardnesse of the season or for the difficultie and dangers of the wayes or for some other light hinderance do deferre the departure or stay by the way so that at their arriuall they finde matters altered and come as a Phisitian when one is dead And to this purpose Suetonius recounteth how those of Troy sent the Deputies to Tiberius to condole the death of his sonnes seuen or eight moneths after that it happened And I saide he am very sory for the losse which sometime you had of fstanders by to laugh for countriman Hector and so made all the standers by to laugh for Hector died many hundred yeeres before He must also present himselfe in due time and place that there be no suspicion conceiued vpon the cause of his comming as Titus Liuius declareth of the Mirian Ambassadors Who kept themselues secret a while at Rome waiting peraduenture for some newe instructions from their Maister which was a cause to make them to bee stayed as spies Whereof they had somewhat to doe to purge themselues mentitur legationem qui nomen legationis non praefert suo tempore as a Lawyer saith and an Ambassage is held suspected which is not done in due time and place Seruius saith that in olde time amongst the Romans this order was kept in receiuing strange Ambassadors Legati si quando incogniti venire nunciarentur primo quid vellent ab exploratoribus requirebatur postea ad eos egrediebantur maiestratus minores tunc demum Senatus si ita visum fuisset admittebantur But concerning this point of departing in time in former times the Deputies of the Rhodians were accused for not departing at the prefixed day towards Athens about a matter of importance whereof grewe some inconuenience They defended and excused themselues throgh the Treasurers default who had not giuen them the money appoynted vnto them for their voyage but their replie and reproach was that for a matter of such importance they ought themselues to haue disbursed the mony rather than to loose an occasion which might preiudice the Estate at least that in due time they ought to haue made their diligence appeare and to haue protested against the Treasurer It is not enough to ariue time He must as before I said present himselfe and deliuer his Ambassage if it be of any importance for the lingering of some hath giuen opportunitie to Spies to discouer their secrets and the occasion of well effecting it is so lost Alcibiades vsed like subtilitie to the Ambassadors of Lacedemon who were made a iest of thereby and many like examples haue to my knowledge chanced vnlesse that there be a lawfull cause why audience should not
many times his Maisters messengers to giue attendaunce fifteene or twentie dayes for his pleasure He shall therefore so accommodate himselfe vnto the manners of the country where he is that hee neither force his naturall disposition neither be perceiued to doe it purposedly for the one is ridiculous and the other suspected and odious An other effect of his temperance shal be not to receiue any gifts and presents neither of the Prince to whome hee is sent nor of any of his for any cause whatsoeuer vnlesse at such time as hauing taken his leaue he is ready to take horse and departe The Ambassadour of England sir Amias Pawlet would not receiue the chaine of golde which the king sent vnto him according to the custome vntill he was halfe a league out of Paris Giftes doe oblige and those that receiue them become slaues to those that giue them much more if they take a pension or other benefite in which case there wil be either a staine of auarice or suspition of treason and that is capitall in many places But there is nothing more hurtfull to his reputation then vndiscreete speaking for there are some seene who at the table and at euery word meddle not onely with particular persons but with the Princes also to whom they are sent finde fault with the forme of a popular gouernment laugh openly at the manners of the nation where they are This indiscretion cannot be endured from a priuate man but it is altogether intolerable from the mouth of an Ambassador who in doing therof doeth not any longer remember wherefore he is in that charge since that the principall and most apparant end thereof is to confirme as I haue said and to entertaine the amitie of the Prince or people to whom he is sent and I should neede a resme of paper to reckon vp the inconueniences that haue befalne throgh such indiscretion the danger that those haue incurred which could not commaund their tongues I will onely say with an ancient Writer He that knoweth how to speake well knoweth also when hee must hold his peace Whereas besides the tediousnesse of much speaking the same hindereth him from hearing of others and gathering by that meanes the truth of such matters as hoe ought to know in his charge The Lord Cecill high Treasurer of England had this dexteritie that he left not one at his table whom he did not reason with and heare speake at their turnes And concerning those which speake not the language the same may and ought to be doone by an interpreter who is present for that effect especially in popular Estates where the least will be respected as well as the greatest Neither can I forbeare to speake of those who spare not euen their maister and their owne nation these defaults wherof they discouer by their talke and by the same meanes confirme that opinion which strangers haue thereof Our country is our mother we ought not to reueale the shame thereof and we ought to be as iealous thereof as of our owne honour for it is ill befitting to a seruant to touch the honour of his maister to publish the secrets of his Court to controle his pleasures and blame his actions especially hee must take heede that he speake not in publike what hee iudgeth touching the right of his pretences towards any Estate for either hee must maintaine them to be iust or must altogether hold his peace and discreetly turne his talke to other matter These are Arcana imperij whereof Tacitus speaketh Courage also and resolution are very necessary for him by reason of the hazards intricate affaires oppositions and vexations which are euermore ordinary with those that serue Princes and Commonwealths And euen so the Romanes wel considering the perill which accompanieth Ambassages honoured the memory of those that died in that charge with a statue for which cause an Ambassador of Athens answered so freely King Philip of Macedon who threatned him that he would cause his head to be cut off If thou takest this head from me my Country will giue mee another that shall be immortall Statuam pro capite pro morte immortalitatem Neuerthelesse euery one would not like of such a change and some would rather keepe their owne and if the Ambassadors escaped the danger and had well serued the Commonwealth there were recompenses answerable to the desertes appointed vnto them The English Ambassador Sir Edward Stafford on the day or the next day after the Barricadoes of Paris when a Lorde of the faction of the Duke of Guise that dead is woulde haue him take a pas-port or safe-gard from the said duke made him answer I am vnder the safegard of the law of nations and in the protection of the King to whom you are but subiects and seruantes This proceeded from a generous resolution euen in the furies of a popular commotion when the most mutinous could do all and good men feared all The Lord of Mortfontaine that dead is going Ambassadour into Swisserland about fiue yeeres past and being to passe through the County of Burgundie which at that time was full of Spanish and Italian Souldiers going into Flaunders spake very freely vnto those of the parliament of Dole which would haue put him in feare to the end that hee might not arriue in due time at the assembly of Baden wherein they had some practise against the Kings seruice That he was vnder the assurance of the Law of nations and of the Newtrality and in the protection of the Lords of the Cantons and that they should readily determine to make his passage safe and this furthered him albeit that which he aledged of the Law of nations was very disputable as I told him as soone as wee were out of danger I will speake a worde agayne theereof in his due place Furthermore these are too common and childish precepts to admonish him to be patient and staied if he see any to breake out through impatience as they doe most commonly who thinke they haue right and reason on their sides Especially the Swissers and Germans who are cholerike The sence being distempered choketh reason and choller is an enimy to counsaile breeding hatred and contempt and is ill-befitting to euery man much more to a man that manageth the chiefe affaires of an Estate which many times hee hurteth through his hastinesse coller and impatience The Frenchman who hath his bloud hote and his spirit more stirring hath consequently certaine quicke dispositions which other Nations doe not allow of at least they woulde bee more tolerable in martiall men yea in any other man than in an Ambassador and Counsellor of Estate I wish neuerthelesse that he would moderate his grauitie so as it be not hautie as that of the Spaniards oftentimes is in their speach countenance traine and gate One that hath beene Ambassador in England since in France for the last King of Spaine was wont to say Dios es poderoso en el ciel y
one surmount himselfe And to returne to our matter the same Guicciardine saieth that when a Prince would deceiue his companion he first deceiueth his Ambassador to the intent that his reasons may be the more effectuall and his perswasions may carry weight for there is lesse affection vsed in that which is dissembled But whether must he lie vppon his owne knowledge for his Masters seruice as I said before Some excuse it vpon the Maisters commandement saying that he is sufficieÌ„tly discharged in hauing done or said that which was enioyned him no more nor no lesse then the subiect which beareth armes for his Prince and asketh not whether the warre be just or no. But indeede this seemeth hard vnto a good man that doeth not willingly wound his conscience to get the Title of a sufficient man this is also hard vnto a man of a generous and open spirite who in lying doth violence to his naturall disposition for lying dissimulation are assured marks of an ignoble hart and of a man basely borne So the Satire would no longer conuerse with the man after he had seene him blowe hot and cold out of one mouth Considering also that a good man ought alwayes to set before his eyes Honour and Conscience although there were profit in doing euill His charge in Generall LEt vs now speake of the matter of his charge but generally forasmuch as the diuersitie of Estates and affaires require also a diuersitie of instructions for otherwise is he to beare himselfe in a popular estate then with a Soueraigne Prince Solemne speeches and declamations are yet in some vse amongst popular Estates and common-wealths and these they must after deliuer vnto them in writing because they will not be mistooken and will haue time to make answer There are more formalities and complements obserued in one place than in another In Swisserland there must be more mony than arte more good cheere than faire words For which cause some of them prayed me to tell the King that they had more need of a Treasurer with mony than of an Ambassador with wordes In some other Estates Honour swayeth most together with Complements and streames of Rhetorike The very respect of Religion hath had more force with some Princes than monie hereof in our time wee haue hadde experience Some instructions are limited and some at the discretion of him that is sent as in affairs of secrecie and such as whereof no certainty or knowledge can be had but in the place if selfe being then represented to the sight Some also are for a time and for one matter othersome for a long time and diuers businesses and by reason to the difference of affaires the same is infinite as I haue before saide Yet a man may giue it this one generall rule That as much as possibly hee can hee employ the words termes reasons and conclusions that are comprehended in his instructions to be alwaies aiming the will of his Maister Demosthenes saide Wee giue them not forces or shippes of warre to manage but words daies houres and moments and they also are to giue an account euen to sillables and minutes if they doe any thing to the preiudice of the Common-wealth Plato in his Commonwealth would that those that had done or saide one thing for another should be punished with death Mandatum iâ—sdem verbis quoad eius fieri potuit perfici debet as the Lawe sayeth Yea and an Ambassador ought to desire that his commission be giuen him in writing when the affaire whereabout he goieth to treat is of great consequence or that the effect thereof is odious And in this case hee shall be rightly counsailed to giue vp his speech in writing as those did whom the Senate sent to Anthonie for feare of displeasing him And as of late an Ambassador of Paris did to a neighbour Princesse to whome he caried a message with threatning hir if she did not forbeare to giue succours vnto her confederates and he did well for it was resolued to detaine him if he had not shewed his instructions sufficiently ratified Yea and although the affaires for the which hee was sent hath not sorted to good effect yet shall hee be excused for hauing followed his instructions And withall in a limited authoritie one is not alwayes admitted to say I haue done better than it was enioyned me for that is to seeme to be wiser than his Maister and his counsell An example whereof in a case of warre in Posthumius Manlius and other Romanes which caused their owne sons to be put to death for hauing fought with the ennemy without leaue although with prosperous successe An example also in him who hauing receiued coÌ„mandemeÌ„t to cause a great mast of a ship to be brought Did chuse one somwhat lesser which he said was fitter for the purpose and said truth neuerthelesse was blamed for it And in our fathers time The Mareschall de Thermes being General in Scotland of the Kings army gaue a rewarde to a Souldier that had first mounted vpon the bulwarke of a fort which he besieged wherupon insued the gaining of the fort and an howre after caused him to be hanged for hauing beene so hardy as to goe thither without commaundement But not to depart from our present argument Metrodorus being sent in the behalfe of his maister Mithridates to King Tigranes to request him to ioyne his forces with him in the warre which he entended against the Romans was punished for hauing made this double answere to Tigranes who asked his aduice therein As being an Ambassador I counsell you vnto it but as being Metrodorus I am not of that opinion and he said well for his Master would gladly haue beene ridde of so dangerous an enterprise It is therefore better to faile in obeying than to incurre the hazard of being disallowed in well doing especially in these limited authorities But Princes sometimes are ill warrants for such things as they haue commanded how much more for those things that they haue not commaunded The Athenians caused the Ambassadors which they sent into Arcadia to bee put to death for hauing tooken an other way than was commanded them And it is not very long since that a Secretarie of Estate wrote vnto an Ambassador the which had of his owne head and yet not without good cause hazarded certain monies of the kings through a dangerous way His Maiestie thinks well of it since that the matter hath falne out well And it doth not often happen that the Ambassador hath so little time that he cannot both giue and aske aduice of his master concerning the same Which is alwayes the meetest and surest way to make apparant vnto him both his respectiuenesse and diligence Another point is de libero mandato and of instructions not signed nor limited or else of those to which the Athenians added Legati praeterea quicquid boni possunt agunto In this case they had full libertie to threate doe and conclude that
be demanded as if hee found the Court in mourning warre proclaimed or some other accident of importance falne out in the meane time which was not before thought of Tacitus saith Vt initia sunt spem in extera fore It is the principall point to begin well a thing is halfe done that is well begunne For which cause our Ambassador from his first arriuall is to giue of himselfe so good an expectation as that by his grauitie curtesie affabilitie requisite expences first audience and establishment in his charge he make al men hope of good to come by his Ambassage In like sort is it in warre and other affaires of the world that men iudge of the end by the beginning he is held wise that can discreetely raise a good opinion of himselfe from the first entrance into his charge The which hee shall doe not onely in respect of those of the Country but also towardes his Maister by his first letters of aduice of the stile whereof we will speake a word heere-after And he shall doe most wisely in establishing foorthwith his intelligences from all partes following the order of his predecessor adding therevnto the correspondencie which hee can haue with his friends euen to the remotest countries there being no charge whatsoeuer in the Estate which hath more neede to know the occurrents of the worlde as I haue heard the most sufficient Ambassadors to holde Considering that this is done with little charge and oftentimes with much fruite He will make himselfe held a fitte man if he can make choice of some one to assist secōd him in his charge if it be such that he haue need therof as indeed it is hard to be without one especially in a Country and a charge wherein he had not bin before as great and able a man as Scipio was yet tooke he with him the learned Panaetius others says Laelius True it is hee ought to take good heede to whom he trusts himself for some from Companions will become Maisters and Corriualls and hauing gotten knowledge in the businesses and secrets of the charge do not often handle the same discreetly And so bring him more hurt than good and more discontentment than comfort But it is much more grieuous vnto him whenas for to helpe his insufficiencie or to haue an eye ouer his doing there is an assistant ioyned with him for in this case he looseth the whole grace and often times the fruite of his Ambassage The which as I haue saide hath no other end than Honour He ought likewise to take heed that he receiue not into his family and amongst his houshold seruants those of the country where he is resident it being very certaine that they are so many spies except those of whose fidelitie he hath had good proofe whereof some such are found but very seldome Cicero in the same Epistle giueth this selfe same aduice saying that no man ought to communicate himselfe much vnto them nor discouer the affaires of his charge vnto them whatsoeuer apparance of affection they vse for there hath befallen therby very great inconueniences the Ambassador being otherwise sufficiently lookt into his demenor sifted likewise is he in a place so eminent that his actions cannot be hidden what industy soeuer hee vse therein Much lesse ought his house to serue for a retraite vnto the offenders of that estate wherein he is or to person that are suspected and odious I haue seene some that haue bin maligned and ill intreated for this occasion and it is a very ticklish poynt especially if they be subiects of that estate where hee beareth his charge considering that in making intercession for them he putteth himselfe in hazard of receiuing a deniall from whence a greater mischiefe may arise I speake not this without cause and the example thereof is fresh And to return to those of his house our Ambassador not being alwayes able to haue an eye ouer them as wel by reason of his dignitie as for the affaires of his charge It shal be the best way if he can to bring his wife with him whose eie wil stoppe infinite abuses amongst his people and disorders in his house vnlesse hee can trust therewith some one of his owne followers that may carry an eye and charge ouer the rest But if himselfe be not temperate and stayed hee presently openeth by his example a doore vnto the disorders of his familie who will sooner doe euill by seeing him to do euill then they will doe well by immitating of him besides that hee hath his mouth stopt if hee would reprehend or punish them Nimium est negotij continere eos quibus praesis nisi te ipse contineas It is a hard labour to make those that are vnder thee to be wise if thou be not so thy selfe saieth the same author in the same place And Tacitus in the life of Agricola saith Domum suam coercere plaerisque hand minus arduum est quam prouinciam regere And concerning this poynt of temperancie it is requisite that a man placed in such a charge doe moderate himselfe in his pleasures not only in respect of women but also for his mouth and for play whereby there hath growen many times both scandale and reproch There was one such who being met by night by the watch of the Citie receiued the shame to be ledde away prisoner and when hee alleadged his qualitie it was tolde him very stowtly by one that fained he knew him not The Ambassador of France is too wise to go so by night without company or torch-light A while after a forraine Ambassador being then at Paris going by night to visite a woman attended onely with a lackey was stayed and put vnder safe-keeping till the morning that the king that last died was aduertised thereof who sent for him and turned all the matter into a ieast Aboue all he ought not to touch the honour of women of good name for husbands and fathers are impatient of such attempts for which euen kings haue beene driuen from their estates or slaine by their owne subiects Concerning Drunkennesse which Seneca caleth a voluntary foly I maintaine that in Germanie Swisserland Polonia Denmarke and other Countries of the North he must in some sorte accommodate himselfe to drinke with them it being very certaine that one is more acceptable vnto them therby But yet he must withal remember the Emperour Bonosus who ordinarily made forraine Ambassadors drunken for to learne their secrets Others haue beene slaine amongest wine and banqueting Herodotus and Iosephus recite the stories thereof And in truth wine and secrecie are incompatible thinges and this fault is ill befitting the dignity of him that representes such a maiesty Legatus enim ipsam reipub faciem suam attulisse videtur As a certaine Author hath learnedly saide vppon this Argument As for play I haue seene an other that was so earnest vnto it that thereby hee forgate the businesses of his charge making