an Estate are not fit as well for the iust feare they may conceiue of them that vnder colour of treating they should suffer themselues to bee practised by the other side as for that they haue sometimes interests and reasons which concerne them in their particular to the which they doe willingly accoÌ„modate the affaires of their Master and to his disaduantage Besides there is seldome found so much patience and sufficiency in Men of this condition as is needfull in such Negotiations Neither may they choose men of a base condition as Lewis the Eleuenth did who imployed his Barber least that he with whom we treate or his Deputies doe not finde themselues contemned by this choyce Yet in secret treaties they stand not much vpon the choyce and these last are commonly most proper as those of whom they haue least distrust Vnlesse they hold it more fit to make vse of Embassadors which reside with the Prince with whoÌ„ they meane to treate of some Prisoner takeâ— in the War as the treaty of the League made betwixt Kiâ—g Lewis the twelfth and the Venetians by Andrew Grâ—tty then Prisoner to the King These secret Treaties are vsually made when there is question to make a League one with another They are made for diuers intentions But most commonly to entertaine and deceiue him with whom they treate or to surprize his enemy or to assure himselfe of two enemies which make Warre treating with one secretly and the other openly Pope Alexander the sixt promised King Ferdinand by a breife to assist him for the defence of Naples in case that Ferdinand should promise to doe the like for the Estate of the Church The League which was treated betwixt Lewis the twelfth and the Venetians was so secret as neither Lewis Sforse nor the Pope did euer know what had beene treated vntill the Army was ready to march The treaty of the same French King which Ferdinand King of Spaine was no lesse secret to breake the League betwixt Spaine and England the King of England hauing sent a Herrald to the King of Spaine to summon him to performe their League who arriued at the same time when as the peace betwixt France and Spaine was proclaymed Pope Lee the tenth Hauing made a League with the Emperour and the King of Spaine treated with Lewis the twelfth not by a Publique instrument but by a scedule vnder his owne hand to the end the businesse might bee carried more secretly and that hee might assure himselfe of all sides The same Pope treated afterwards secretly with the King of Spaine for the defence of Italy Yet meaning to entertaine King Francis the first to slacken the preparations continued to treate with him sometimes demanding one thing and sometimes another to the end that the one being denied him hee might haue a Subiect to breake when hee should see his time and to make the French King beleeue that necessity more then his owne free will had induced him to treate with the Spaniard with whom hee had long before made a secret treaty And distrusting that the King would not yeild to that which hee should demand hee made dluers ambiguous and irresolute answers The same Pope made another secret League with the Emperour Charles the fift against King Francis the first and when he was forced to declare himselfe made shew to treate a new with the Embassadour of Spaine It is one of the ordinary policies among Princes and wherewith the best aduised doe sometimes suffer themselues to bee abused to propound a treaty to betray his commpanion Pope Iulio the second to winne time to make his preparations against the Duke of Ferrara he entertained King Lewis the twelfth making shewe that hee would agree The proposition of peace made by Lewis the twelfth vpon the difference for the Du'chie of â—illâ—â— was a meanes to chase the Fâ—â—â—ch out of that Dutchy the generall of Nâ—â—maâ—dy hauing 〈◊〉 vpon that Subiect to make a â—â—uy of Grysons and thinking to spare the Kiâ—gs money lost that Estate The same Pope Iulio the second to the end nee might busie the same King sent his Nuncios to treate a peace with power to conclude it but with certaine limitations which might breed a doubt of his intention And hauing recouered his health hee continued the same treaty and at the same time made another offensiue League with the Venetians and the King of Aragon against the sayd King After these practises the King of Aragon and the King of England kept the French King in doubt of the League made by them to the end they might hinder his preparations The Emperour Maximillian the first to haue meanes to reuenge himselfe of the French King by a fraudulent reconcilliation interrupted the treaty which was made betwixt the sayd King and the Venetians and hindred the preparations of Warre which the sayd King might make making shewe that he would treate a peace with him The Spaniards to interrupt the League which was ready to bee made betwixt the Princes of Italy and Pope Clements the seauenth after the battaile of Pauia propounded vnto the sayd Pope to treate an accord The which not onely hindred the League and stayed the preparations of Warre which he might make but also caused him to discharge the troupes which he had drawne vnto him for his safety Hugo de Moncada made other prepositions of an accord to the same Pope to make him the more negligent to thinke of his defence Bourbâ—n leader of the Emperours troupes entertained the Pope with an accord whilst the Army marched towards Rome The Goufalonier of Florence to keepe Pope Clement from attempting any thing openly against the Citty entertained him with hope of some secrâ—t praâ—â—ises The Spaniard who in matter of State make no great difficulty to breake their faith doe more vsually practise this pollicie then any other Nation Alexander the sixt as Guichardin saith to busie his enemies excused those things that he could not deny and deuised those were doubtfull pacifiyng some with promises and good lookes and assuring others by diuers meanes treating with them a part to the end hee might breed a iealousiy among them and disvnite them Gonsalue in the treaty which hee made with the Duke of Calabria sware vpon the holy Host that hee would send him into France to his Father Fredericke But the interest of State preuailed more with him then the opinion of Men or the feare of God so as he sent them into Spaine Hee makes the like reckoning of the faith which hee had giuen to Duke Valentine by his safe conduct Notwithstanding the which hee sent him Prisoner into Spaine But Ferdinand of Aragon his Master sent him backe For hauing sent Phillip Arch-Duke of Austria into France to treate an agreement vpon the difference for the diuision made of the Realme of Naples betwixt him and King Lewis the twelfth in regard of the limits and bounds Notwithstanding that the sayd treaty had beene sworne by the
be such If they make choyse of a Forraigne Prince his manners being different will not be pleasing he will aduance those of his Country in whom he hath greatest confidence If there fall vnto him another Kingdome by Succession where he may commaund more absolutely he will leaue the Electife to some Leiutenant Or if the two Estates be neighbours with the one he will make the other subiect They will alwayes be in distrust that he will aduance his Country-men and depriue them of the right of Election and he on the other side will grow ieaâ—ous of his Subiects if he hath that dessigne and to purchase their good wills and reduce them to what he desires he will giue and ingage vnto them the demeanes and Reuenewes of the Estate as some Emperours and Popes haue done Behold the inconueniences of an Election The aduantages consist more in imagination then in Effect for to say that they choose the better it is a thing which indeed ought to be but cannot be effected by reason of practises Factions and Iealousies and withall I will adde that the peoples ayme which hath followed this mâ—anes of Election hath not bin alwayes to choose the most vertuous and wise But some haue had respected to Nobility only others to age as the Arabians others to the greatnesse of the body as in Aethiopia and the Scythians if we may beleeue Aristotle made choyse of him that dranke best Notwithstanding what defects soeuer may be in an Election yet if it be receiued into an Estate it must be maintayned and they to whom the charge is giuen to make the Election must among other considerations adnise to make choyse of a Successour that is vnlike in nature and disposition to his Predecessour to the end that of two diuers dispositions there may be a well tempered order in the Estate there being no humor how wel compoâ—ed soeuer it be which bends not towards some vicious Extreamity from the which by this meanes they retyre the gouernment of the Estate and withall they grow wearâ— to see continually one manner of proceeding the which is neuer so Exact as all the Subiects can rest satisfied So as by the society of one humor some grow distasted and others are discontented wherby a disorder may grow It is therefore Expedient by this variety to retayne the Estate Yet it is a thing wherof they think least and we vsually see that although the Election be free yet they make choyse of him who naturally should succeed if he be of age capable to Command And this they do to preuent the Enuies and partiallities which the choyse of oâ—e of another house may breed CHAP. 9. Of Succession diuersly practised in Successions THe other meanes to come vnto the Gouernment of an Estate receiued by the Lawes is Succession the which is diuersly practized For the Commaund is referred to men and women indifferently or to men to the exclusion of women The Commaund which is referred inclusiuely to men and Women hath for its Foundation the Law of Successions and the Equallity which is betwixt man and Woman yet this is also diuersly practized For eyther the Commaund is deferr'd to Women according to the order and degrees of Proximity obserued in ordinary Successions Or only in defect of Males aswell in the direct as the Colaterall Line vnto the fourth degree inclusiuely As it was resolued by the Cardinals for the Realme of Naples as it appeares in the Inuestiture of Alphonso of Aragon in the Yeare 1345. and of Ferdinand in the Yeare 1458 And although that this Succession of women to the gouernment of Estates be receiued in a manner by all the Estates of Christendome Yet some haue reiected it there being no question of the possession of an inheritance but to commaund a Nation the which seemes to be against the stayednes and modesty which ought to be in that Sex agaynst the Lawes of nature which hath giuen force and prudence to men and against the Law of GOD which hath made the Woman subiect to man They adde hereunto Inconstancy Fragillity and loosnesse vices much to be feared in this Sex and of great consequence in an Estate their weaknes exposed to the force of Strangers and to the contempt of Subiects who will not sayle to calumniate the Princâ—ssâ—â—f â—he 〈◊〉 marry And if she marries the which is neceâ—â—ary to haue an assured Successoâ— it must be eyther to one of the Country or to a Stranger She will vnwillingly â—arry to one of her Subiects as well for that she will thinke she â—aâ—h dishonoured her selfe as for fâ—aâ—e least her other Subiects eyther Equall or greater then he with whom she hath married would grow into some iealousie the which would breed contempt and afterwards disorder If she marries a Stranger he shal be enuied of his neighbours and suspected by his Subiects nâ—ither can he hold his life assured to commaund in a strange Country vnlesse he hath Forces Forts whereof he is the master He will likewise commaund the Estate and the better to assure himselfe he will aduance his owne and keep backet those of the Couâ—try An insupportable thing to all Nations of the World These are partly the Reasons for the which they Exclude Women from the Gouernment in some Estates There are also some diuersities in Estates where as the succession of men to the gouernment is only receiued aswell for the diuision as for the order of succeeding For the diuision some haue allowed it and in the first aâ—d second Race of the Kings of France it was practized But the diuision which grew thereby taught the French that the Commaund ought to be in one alone and that it could not be diuided without ruine of the Estate The same is at this day obserued in England Scotland Spaine and Hungary For the order of Succession some haue receiued none but those that were legitimate others for want of lawfull iâ—sue haue admitted Bastards in the direct line to the exclusion of Colaterals And for the order of Succession amongst the Legitimate they haue also found diâ—â—â—â—s opinions aswell in the direct â—ine to know if the sâ—nne of thâ— Eâ—dest should succeed his Grand-father to the Exclusion of his Vncle as in a Colaterall Line that is to say whether in the Succession of a Colaterall very remote he which is descended from the Eldest branch ought to be preferred to others which are much neerer in degree The which Baldus decided long since for the Succession of this Realme in fauour of the Bourboâ—s who represented the Eldest branch thaâ— of Vallois failing God hath confirmd it in blessing the Armes of K. Henry the 4. with a miraculous prosperity to attaine to this estate CHAP. 10. Of vsurpation or an vnlawfull Command AN vnlawfull Commaund is called Vsurpation the which is eyther made by onealone or by few men or by the Faction of a multitude That which is done by one alone is eyther practized
French King on the one side and the sayd Arch-Duke on the other as procurator for the Kings of Spaine And that they themselues had likewise sworne vpon the holy Euangelist and the Crucifix to confirme whatsoeuer he should doe yet vnder diuers precepts forbare to ratifie it to the end that the longer the French King should remaine in this su pence the longer hee would stay to make his preparations to succour his Men who for want of releife hauing bin forced to abandon the countrey the said Kings of Spaine Notwithstanding their solemne Oath would heare no more speech of ratifying the treaty made by his Sonne in law From all these examples we may gather that during a treaty wee must watch more carefully and make our selues the stronger not onely to frustrate our Enemies of all hope to surprize vs but to the end that the consideration of our forces may make vs obtaine conditions of more aduantage And wee must not hold a treaty firme and concluded vnlesse it be ratified by the Prince with whom we treate especially if the treaty be made with a Prince whom they detayne Prisoner For the force by the which he hath beene constrayned to promise will alwayes dispence him to re-aduise himselfe Pope Clement the Seuenth refused to ratifie the Conditions which the Duke of Ferrara when the sayd Pope was a Prisoner saying that it was an vnworthy thing that a man in life should approue of that which had beene done in his Name whilest he was dead And King Francis the first excused himselfe to accomplish the treaty of Madrid vppon the inhumanity which Charles the fift vsed towards him to extort from him the Cessions which he made All which tooke not place although the King had giuen his Children in hostage As in the parlies of Princes the place where the enter-view is to be made is very considerable So is it in treaties of peace which are made by Deputies If it be to choose a League there must be a conuenient place not too farre from the confederates to the end they may haue a more speedier answere of the difficulties that may happen When as the Kings of France and England were to treate a League with the Princes of Italy they resolued to treate in France to be the nearer to England Pope Iulio the second meaning to treate with the Emperour and the French King desired that the Embassadours should come to Rome to the end hee might gaine the Emperours Minister by kinde vsage promises and benefits to perswade his Maister to dis-vnite himselfe from the French King The which he of Francâ— refused to doe being neyther reasonable nor honorable to treate a peace in the house of his Enemy how great soeuer he were So as the vsuall course is to choose a neuter place But the question is if an Embassadour hauing agreed to goe vnto the Prince with whom he is to treate whether the Prince be bound to treate with the Embassadour himselfe Or depute some of his Councell for that effect This last manner of proceeding is the most vsuall as wel to preserue the dignity of the Prince which cannot bee maintayned amidst the contestations which happen in conferences as for that Princes are vsually little practised in such negotiations And the example of the Bishop of Gurgia is not therein to be followed who going to Pope Iulio the second vpon his request to treate with him and the sayd Pope hauing deputed three Cardinals to that effect he deputed three Gentlemen to conferre with them excusing himselfe vpon other affaires For therein the sayd Bishop carryed himselfe not as a simple Embassadour but as Lieutenant to the Emperour to the which quality he had beene receiued at Rome by the Pope The Deputies being assembled their seats are considerable they hauing no power to quit any thing of the ranke which their Maisters ought to hold The first place is at the head or end of the Table if there be one The second is the first on the righthand and the third is the first on the left hand of him that is at the end And if there be many Deputies to one Prince they vsually sit all on one side to haue the more facility to conferre together if it be needfull The seates being resolued the Deputies are to see the Commissions of eyther side and to consider of them For that from thence doth grow the assurance which they may haue of the proceeding of the treaty there being Commissions so generall and so ambiguous as thereby they may easily iudge that he which hath giuen such to his Deputies hath no will to conclude any thing for that vnder these ambiguous and generall termes he hath a desire afterwards to ground a new breach Some desiring to deferre the conclusion of a treaty whereof the motion seemed reasonable on eyther side they haue concluded in requiring the Prince of the contrary paâ—ty to consent vnto them before they ratifie it The which Pope Iuliâ— the second did seeing himselfe prest by the Cardinals to make a peace with Lewis the twelfth who propounded certaine Articles of an Accord vnto him whereupon the gaue Commission to the Cardinall of Final and to the Bishop of Tiuolly to transport themselues to the French Court and there to treate promising to ratifie the sayd Articles which had beene propounded vnto him if the King consented But he neyther gaue them Commission nor power to conclude them hauing no will but to gaine time and to frustrate the instance which the Consistory made vnto him for this pacification As for the clauses of treaties there can be nothing certaine prescribed this depending of the differences for the which the treaties are made the which are infinite be it for peace or truce for the restitution of that which they pretend to haue beene vniustly taken from them or for the Cession of rights or else for limits and bounds the which if they cannot regulate they put them in sequestration or suspence or they make some Act which may interrupt the prescription of him that holds them or else for a passage with consignation of hostages or of Forts for the assurance Or else for an offensiue or defensiuâ— league or for neutrality whereof I will treate hereafter But the principall considerations we must haue are not to vse nor to speake for a person which is odious to them with whom we treate not to yeeld to the first demaunds though iust but to resist them stoutly And yet if the danger be emment wee must not study so much to Negotiate with aduantage as to prouide for safety And especially to haue a care that the clauses may not be Equiuocall and of a double vnderstanding or so generall and indefinit as they may breed a doubt in the interpretation of the treaty The Spaniards are Masters in such practises Isabelle of Castille and Ferdinand of Aragon circumuented Charles the eight when hee restored vnto them
necessity of his Neighbour the which being wisely examiâ—â—d may serue to iudge of the time when a League is to be made Foâ— the time of its continuance the League betwixt the Florentins and Luquois against the Pisans was limited by the treaty at three yeares And the first Leagues which were treated among the Suizes were also limited to a certayne time Others haue no other limitation but the â—nd of the Enterprize for the which it was made But the question is if the Enemy taking the Countrey for the defence whereof the League was made whether the Confederates be bound by the League to assist him who hath lost it in the recouery Some haue held that the defensiue did not extend so farre Notwithstanding if there were no treaty which had coâ—cerned this conquest yet it would seeme more reasonable to comprehend the recouery in the defensiue if it be generall For as it hath for its end to preserue the Allie in his Estate and that to attaine vnto it the forces must not onely remaine in the Countrey of the Allie to attend the Enemy but after denuntiation of the Waâ— and other acts of hostility done by the Enemy they must enter into his Country to the end to preuent him or to diuert him from attempting any thing against the Ally the offensiue being iudged by the agression and not by that which followes By a stronger reason they ought to enter into the Country conquered from the Ally for the recouery thereof So most commonly these excuses are not pretended but by such as eyther fayle in their faith courage or meanes to make the recouery Contribution is one of the points of a League most diffiâ—ult to regulate It is made eyther in men or money The men are entertayned by all or by him onely that hath need The defensiue League betwixt the Kings of France and England against the Emperour contayned a reciprocall Succours of ten thousand men if the Warre were made by Land and of sixe thousand if it were made by Sea And in all other occasions the French King was bound to assist the Kiâ—g of England with twelue thousand Launces and the King of England him of France with ten thousand Foot at his charge that had the need In the League which was made betwixt the Emperour Charles the fist Pope Clement the seauenth with the other Princes of Italy except the Venetians for the defence of Italy against the French King the Emperour was to contribute monethly thirty thousand Duckets the Pope with the Florentins twenty thousand the Duke of â—illan fifty thousand Ferrara ten thousand Genoua sixe thousand Sienna two thousand and Luques a thousand And it was concluded that besides this there should be a stocke of the like summe which might not be imployed vntill they saw the preparatiues made to inuade Italy In the League of the Citties of Greece against the Persians the coÌ„tribution whereof Aristides made the taxe mounted to eight hundred thousand Tallents In the league which some Citties of Greece made with the Lacedemonians against Athenians the contribution came yearely to a thousand Tallents And the order for the lâ—uy of souldiers was that two lightly Armed should passe for a Man Armed at all peeces and foure Men Armed at all peâ—ces for a Horse-man The contribution concluded in money there are difficulties sometimes found for the place of keeping it The Citties of Greece thought that the custody of their contributions was safe in the Temple of Dele But the consideration of Religion could not preuent it but that vnder the pretext that Dele was not strong enough the Athenian found meanes to carry it away and to imploy it to the particular vse of the Citty That which may be spoken herevppon is not to deliuer the money into the hands of the strongest for feare they shall not be able to call him to accompt nor to lay it in so weake a place as it may bee exposed to the force and violence of the strongest or to him that shall first take Armes The contribution being setled by the confederates they must name a head of the League if they will not assaile the enemy but of one side If of diuers they must name many And herein they doe many times find themselues troubled for that the most powerfull of the confederates desires commonly to haue it referred to him or to some one of his who gouerns the conduct of the Warre according to his Maisters affaires and not those of the other Allies The other head of the League of the Princes of Italy with King Francis the first would not assaile Millan after the taking of Pauia for feare that Millan being taken with the Duke and the Venetians assured from the Imperialists they should retire from the League or contribute more negâ—igently And therefore he tooke a pretext to goe and free the Pope who was a Prisoner Antonio De Leua in the League which was made by all the Princes of Italy except the Venetians with Charles the fift against the French was made generall with charge to stay in the Dutchy of Millan which depended of the Emperour A League concluded by the Deputies of the confederates there sometimes falls out a difficulty who shall ratifie and declare himselfe first In the League which was made betwixt King Francis the first the Pope and the Princes of Italy the King refused to ratifie vntill the Pope and the Venetians had ratified before him and wrought so that he droue the Colleagues to declare themselues and to begin the Warre whilest that hee treated secretly for himselfe to the end he might make his conditions with more aduantage And for feare lest his Colleagues on their side should shew him the like prancke he preuented them That kind of League which is made for an enterprize succeeds seldome according to the hope of the Allies if the enterprize be long For besides that the preparations be long the opinions diuers in the pursuit the resolutions inconstant the interests of Princes or Estates in League may change with time or by the practises of him against whoÌ„ they are in League in withdrawing some one of theÌ„ or making him to suffer more losse then the rest For seeing himselfe ill defended by his confederates as hee did hope and that he was in more danger to loose then his companions he studies to retire himselfe and to make his accord apart As the Venetians did with the Turke after the losse of Cypres The most ordinary causes of the rupture of Leagues are distrust and iealousie as if one of â—he confederates had had conference with the enemy without the consent of the rest If that which serueth for the safety of one diminisheth the safety of another If they find inconstancy variety or cowardize in any one of the confederates If one of the confederates increaseth and makes some vsurpation without the consent of the rest if he treates with the â—nemy not
may acknowledge his good will Especially if there bee neede of succours hee shall shew himselfe ready yet without giuing cause of Iealousie to others in making them knowe the Iustice of these succours and of his intention raysing those whom hee succours from the shame the which doth vsually accompany him that demands This is the first precept to make them haue confidence in vs. The second to breed confidence is not to enter into any resentment of iniuries against those whom wee desire to make confident of vs vnlesse it bee a matter of great importance And wee must suffer courage to sleepe and awake prudence But if our honour constraines vs to make some demonstration of an iniury receiued wee must lay the fault vpon the Minister and complaine of him so as they may not thinke we hold our selues wronged by the Master For by the very opinion which a neighbour Prince might haue to haue wronged vs he would enter into distrust of vs from distrust into hatred and hatred it may be would draw after it another wrong and an alliance with our Enemies not onely to assure himselfe but to anâ—oy vs The remembrance of an iniury being many times stronger in him that doth it then in him that receiues it especially betwixt Princes whose spirits are very vncapable to take confidence one of another Aboue all wee must bee wary how wee enter into threats For although our Neighbour be weaker then we are and that his timerousnesse might giue vs cause to hope for some aduantage by our threats Yet it might so fall out that from feare he might passe to despaire the which doth vsually guide timerous spirits as well into desperate resolutions as inconsiderations doth the rash But Misfortune carrying vs to a rupture and hauing the Embassadours of our Enemies neare vs who then may be suspect vnto vs wee must consider of the meanes to dismisse them Some haue therein proceeded mildly and others â—orâ— roughly Some to discharge an Enemies Embassadour haue giuen leaue to all other Embassadours which did reside with him and then calling backe those of his friends suffered his enemies Embassadour to depart The Emperour Charles the fift aduertised of the League which was made against him would not dismisse the Embassadours of France England and Venice vntill his owne were in safety But hee set Guards vpon them of France Venice and Florence causing them to bee conducted thirty Miles from his Court with a prohibition not to speake vnto them nor for them to Write To him of Millan as his Subiect hee was enioyned not to part from Court And as for him of England there was no alteration Let vs come to the third point It is a great aduantage to pierce into the designes of his Neighbours and to haue gained some confidence with them For the entire is seldome found But not able to preuaile by this meanes he must doe it by Discourse by Wisedome and by the Knowledge a Prince ought to haue of the quality of their Estates of the defects and aduantages which are in them of the humours designe and inclination of the pâ—ople of great Men and of the Prince and principally of this last whose principall motions and manner of liuing hee must seeke to discouer to iudge of his wisedome and courage then the discontentments diuisions and the heads of parties which are in the Estate their pretexts credit of whom they depend and how farre it may extend the Councell Treasure Iustice how it is mannaged and with what satisfaction of the people or great Men Moreouer what the forces be and the number of Souldiers and Captaines with the sufficiency of the cheife among them The strong Townes and Fortresses and to know the defects there are to defend them and the aduantages to assaile them The Munitions of Warre and Victualls wherein the commerce and traffique doth consist and how it may be incommodated The commodity or discommodity of the Entries of the Countrey The Fertillity Barronnesse extents or â—malnesse of the Estate and of other Neighbours his allianâ—es and dependances with other Princes as well neere as remote Their actions and deportments past as well towards vs as others Their present Estate and whereunto they seeme most to incline In which search we must vse diligence wisedome and secrecie least we giue them cause to distrust vs. All this may be learned from friends which the Prince may haue in the Estates of his Neighbours or by spyes whose intelligences he must duly examine before hee beleiue them And by reason interest or apparance sound if they be true But for that all these courses are full of suspition among Princes and are dangerous for such as imploy themselues to giue these intelligences euery Prince hauing the like interest to know what is done with his Neighbour and desiring to shew the confidence he hath in him Princes haue agreed to receiue Embassadours or Agents who in effect vnder pretext to entertaine the good intelligence betwixt their Maisters serue many times to discouer the ground of Estates and the designes of Princes Wherefore seeing that by this meanes Prinentertaine one another it is fitting to know the quality the charge and the priuiledges of an Embassadour or Agent the which we will set downe here as they haue beene gathered by some of this Age. CHAP. 57. Of the charge of an Embassadour or Agent AN Embassadour and Agent is the same thing if we consider onely the function of their Charges But they differ for the honour and respect they beare more to an Embassadour then to an Agent An Agent hath charge to represent the affaires onely But an Embassadour ought to represent the greatnesse of his Maister and his affaires Wherefore for sufficiency the Aâ—â—nt ought to haue as much as the Embassadour But for wealth and that which concernes shew it is not so necessary for him as for the other Neyther the one nor the other for that which concernes the Body ought if it may be to haue any imperfection as to haue one eye to be pore-blind squint-ey'd lame crooked-backe or extreamely foule and deformed But contrariwise hee must be of a pleasing Encounter and not counterfeit left hee be ridiculous or contemned He must not likewise be sickely nor dainty lest the discommodity of the wayes or the change of the Ayre make him vnprofitable for his Maisters affaires His Countenance must be graue and serious yet mingled with mildnesse and a pleasing aspect For his Age he must neither be too young nor too old as well for the force and disposition of the body as for that of the mind For the conditions of Fortune he ought to be chosen of an honest condition and Noble if it may be Princes holding themselues contemned when they send Men of little worth vnto them as Lewis the Eleuenth did who imployed his Barber to execute this charge As for the profession whereon he ought to be chosen that depends of the quality