of Theudolinda created King of the Lumbards when he had raigned nine years bequeathed the kingdom to Bertanus and Godopertus his Sons The kingdome being divided Bertanus placed his Imperiall seat at Milan and Godopertus at Ticinum after dissention sprang between the two brothers Godopertus sent to Grinidaldus Duke of Beneventa a Legate Garipaldus Captain or Duke of Taureventinus to request speedy aide against his brother in recompence whereof he promised his kinswoman in marriage contrary to which thing the traiterous Legate did perswade Grinidaldusâ—…o possesse the kingdome of Lâ—…mbardie having now apt time therefore the brothers being at warres within themselves Wherupon Grinivalde with a chosen Companie went to Ticinum where being honourablie received because of his marriage as was thought into the Kings Palace did kill Godopertus and enjoyed the kingdom Bertarius which was at Milan hearing thereof for fear fled into Panonia or Hungarie to Cacanus King of the Araries a people of Panonia leaving behind Rodolinda his wife and Camipertus his Son whom Grinivaldus sent to Benevenventa not long after which Domus Gariopaldus the Legate was in the Temple killed by the Servant of Godopertus who feared not to be murdered for the revenge of his Masters injurie Bonsinius li 8. Deca 1. Edgarus King of England by sicknesse losing the Queen his wife Elfreda on whom he had gotten Edward his Sonne at what time Fame had blown abroad that Horgerius Duke of Cornwall had a fair Daughter named Alfreda he sent Ethelwold his familiar companion as his Ambassadour to see the beauty of the Maid and with his words and in his name to demand her in marriage if her beauty did answer the report Ethelwold when he had seen the beautie of the Maid unmindfull of the Kings commandement did earnestly desire to have her for Wife who returning to the King said That she was not such a person as was convenient to be espoused to the King but a little after perceiving by this device that the Kings mind was changed from her love he began with little and little to work with the King to obtain license that hee might take her by his consent the which the King having now despised her beauty did easily grant Afterwards the rumour of the beauty of Alfreda did more and more increase which moved the King desirous to see her to take occasion to visit the Town of Ethelwold as hee went in hunting Ethelwold when hee understood that the King would come thither discovering the whole matter to his wife prayed her for the safetie of them both that she would attyre her selfe more carelesly and shew her selfe lesse beautifull than shee was accustomed to the young and lusty King But the woman forgetting matrimoniall love and the Children born to Ethelwold as richly attyred as she could came forth to meet the King where casting off all shame she gave the occasion of her Husbands destruction for he was after slain and the King shortly married her of whom he begat many Children Than which deed nothing did more blemish the fame of that worthy King Edgar as well for that hee had taken away the Husband as for that he had espoused the unchast Wife Polydor li 6. Ranulphus li 6. cap. 11. Will'mus Malmes li 2. cap. 46. Francis Sabarella the Cardinall whose writings are highly commended and allowed being holden in great authoritie amongst the Civill Lawyers sent Ambassadour by Iohn the 23. Bishop of Rome unto the Councel of Constance to excuse his fact and keep him in the Popedome was author and occasion of the Popes utter overthrow in hope that himselfe afterwards by the consent of the Councell should have supplied the place of Pope Iohn But being prevented by death he at one time did satisfie both his Tyrannicall ambition and unchristian treacherie Garmibertus li. 5. de vitis Pontificum And so with one Historie more delivered in Latine as Guicchardine hath written it I will set end to these trayterous and unfaithfull Ambassadours The which matter I have purposely delivered in Latine as the course of the style leadeth word for word and as the Author writ the same for that not reading the Historie in any other place I could not so fitly set it forth as mee thinks both such a matter and the Authors meaning doth require And yet loth to leave out a thing done in our remembrance I thought best rather so to doe than utterly to defraud your Lordship therof The matter is this Constans fuit multorum opinio Albertum Pium Carpensem Galliae Regis Lodovici duodecimi apud Iulium 2. Papam de controversia inter Pontificem Ferariae Ducem Alfonsum Atestinum salinis Cerine Comactii â—…rta componenda Legatum legationis munere non bona fide functum ut Pontificem Ferariensium Ducem contetaret operam dedisse Ad idque ardentissimo desiderio in quo ad mortem usque permansit impulsum ut Alfonsus Ferariensi principatu spoliaretur Quum Hercules Alfonsi pater ante paucos annos à Gilberto Pio dimidiam Carpensem ditionem accepisset eique Saxuli castellum cum nonnullis aliis oppidis permutationem dedisset Albertus ne tandem ut saepe necesse eum minus potentem potentioris vicini cupiditate cedere ei alteram partem quae ad se spectaret concedere cogeretur metuebat Guicchard li 2. With which Latine Historie concluding and uttering what I have read concerning such unfaithfull Legates who without better government may be drawn into Treason one of the most wicked evills which by their own occasion and folly they may rashly fall into I will finish up the enlarging of this proposition concerning trayterous Ambassadours with their manner of treacherie And take upon me briefly in like order with like manner of examples to treat of one other mischiefe that followeth such Ambassadours For as there is no Body but hath its shadow no Corn but hath its chaffe no Wine but hath its lees nor any man that at all times in all places in all matters and to all persons doth shew himselfe alike perfect wise So since these Legates hereafter may as before time they have by words by writings by deeds by gestures shew some folly in them though otherwise perhaps not to bee discommended I will now discourse of foolish Ambassadours to give light to others and to save them out of such condemned actions CHAP. 11. Of the foolish sayings and doings of Ambassadours NOtwithstanding that it often happeneth to be counted a point of wisdome to dissemble and to utter great folly yet in a Legate in a matter of gravitie in the benefit of a Countrie in the cause of a King to shew either folly in the tongue rashnesse in the hand lightness in the gesture clownishness in action or want of good government in ordering himselfe is not simply a fault in the Agent which yet is not to bee allowed but also it stretcheth further and ministreth occasion to condemn the Master or Prince
his Musick to draw trees stones mountaines and wilde beasts after him for that by his sweet words he reduced the savage people to civility the want of which utterance gave Moses occasion to excuse himselfe before God that he was unapt by reason of his stammering which he got his mouth being burnt by eating hot coals when he was brought up in Pharaohs house where being then but a boy hee threw down the Crown from Pharaohs head whereby the Divines prophesied that hee should destroy the King of Egypt to bee Gods Ambassadour to the Egyptians for the deliverie of the people of Israel Wherefore to him God chose Aaron as his Assistant by his Eloquence to supply Moses his default and to utter whatsoever Moses should give him in command Such an eloquent person was also Carneades Cyramus whose eloquence was so great that hee could easily in any matter by the strength of his speech draw any man to his opinion And therefore he Prince of the Academians with Diogenes the Stoick and Critolaus the Peripatetick being sent Ambassadours to Rome from the Athenians brought his Legatship in doubt amongst the Romans Marcus Cato saying in the Senate that they should beware of that man who by his eloquence and skill of utterance could obtain whatsoever he would desire Volater Lib. 4. Cap. 2. Anthropo of whom in like sort Quintilian doth report that in the hearing of Cato the Censor at Rome he did with no lesse force the day following argue against Justice than hee had the day before defended it His singular eloquence being also remembred by Gellius and Crinitus Not unlike to whom was Cyneas Thessalus the hearer of Demosthenes and Legate of Pirrhus who when he was sent to any City to require Surrender thereof would use this saying of Euripides That neat and sweet words could doe as much as threatning swords of whom Pirrhus was wont to say that hee had subdued more Cities by the Orations of Cyneas than by the hands of his Army whom as Plutarch saith the King had in great estimation using his help in his chiefest affaires With no less commendation did Scopelianus the Sophist obtain the request of his Embassie for whereas Domitian the Emperour had made Proclamation that no Vines should be growing in Asia because the plenty thereof by drunkennesse might seem to move Sedition Scopelianus being sent to Rome did by his eloquence not only bring so to passe that they might lawfully plant Vines but also further obtained that he should be Fyned that would abstain from the setting and planting of the same In which number of Eloquent Ambassadours may take his place Eustaâ—…hius Capadox the Successor of Aedesius in his Country who was of such profound Eloquence being the Disciple of Iambions the Chaldean as being sent to Supinus King of Persia did there so inchaunt the King by his speeches that casting away his Tyara which was a kind of Crown or Imperiall Cap foulded with linnen the King would have changed his garment for the cloke of Eustachius which the Courtiers did forbid saying that he was a Magician and wrote by a course of Witcherie as teacheth Eunapius And so concluding this matter your Lordship may easily gather hereby how requisite it is for an Ambassadour to be eloquent in Speech in delivering his Message But to what use shall all this serve if he have not joyned with these estimation and credit and that he be of good account in his Countrie before he be sent For if he be not both he and his Embassie shall be despised and neglected As well appeareth in this one Historie done in our time And because I will not in this point be tedious unto â—…our Honour I will only â—…hew you here omitting â—…hich I could cite conâ—…erning the same one Hiâ—…torie thereof for a small â—…hing can give light to a â—…ise man and your Lordâ—…hip by this one example â—…hall learne that others â—…ave told in many Which History is thus When in the year of our Lord as telleth Paulus â—…ovius Charles the fifth â—…he Emperour by Confeâ—…eracie made with Cleâ—…ent the seventh Bishop ofâ—…ome against the Florenâ—…ines attempting to reduce â—…hose of the house of Medices into their Countrie did with continuall Siege oppresse the City of Florence such was the obstinacie of the Citizens favouring the popular government that great cruelty was shewed to them who did freely and truly say that Peace was to bee embraced But at the length by Philip Meliores an honest young man in the Common-wealth preaching often to the Senate and perswading to embrace Peace the Fathers decreed that Ambassadours should be dispatched to the Pope yet such was the malignity of the hinderers that not they whom the waightiness â—…f the cause did require â—…ut men otherwise of small â—…redit and common Citizens were sent forth Of whom one Aloysius Sodeâ—…inus who had not done aâ—…y thing worthy any grave â—…ffaires in ordering any matter other than that hee was called a good house-keeper was one and anoâ—…her was Anderolus Niâ—…olinus rather a continuall and diligent Merchant than a Senator and the third was Robertus Bonâ—…ius whom by reason of his late neer allyance with Thomas Soderyne who still laboured against this Peace made the Embassiâ—… to be the more suspected These men when they were arrived at Bononia the Pope for that they were not of sufficient honour and for that sufficiencie of industrie sinceritie of mind and faith was not found in them did so contemn them that hee greatly laughed to see that in place of worthy Senators they had out of Florence sent Merchants and those not of the best sort And that which did most sound in derogation of their Legation was for that the Ministers of the Customes in Bononia had found in their Coffers for Merchandize sake great store of gold thred to make and weave cloth-of-gold the which they then brought to avoyd further charge of carriage for the same which foolish subtilty in so grave a matter wrapped about with the filthinesse of gain was the more to be jested at Because when they had delivered their Message they had brought no further authoritie to confirm the Peace Wherefore Clement and Caesar also scorning them and stomacking the covetousnesse and unskill of the Merchants did so upbraid them that their pertinacie seemed next unto madnesse and they with open shame rejected were sent home c. Thus far Iovius translated in English In which is to be seen that the basenesse foolishnesse Covetousnesse and want of experience was the cause that these Ambassadours were not only disdained and their Petition rejected but that the poor Florentines were stil oppressed with the said warre And thus much hitherto that an Ambassadour should be learned eloquent and of good calling Now for the other matters as that they must be wise and expert c. you shall find plentifull examples thereof under the title of Ambassadours praised for the wise dispatch and worthy doing
death But because my intent is not in any of these matters fully to say my mind and to utter what reasons I can produce to confirme any such thing depending on the shoulders of Legates but only to warrantize my assertion with authoritie of examples Therefore leaving all other ordinarie proofes I will descend to my former course and only will with one example or two for that I mean not to be tedious and intend but to give your Lordship a taste that many other examples might be vouched thereon display sufficient authoritie in that point In which Ambassadours have been evilly rewarded at their return into their Countrie as followeth Amasis the Legate being sent of King Apris to those people that were revolted afterwards became King of the Revolters upon the which there was another Legate called Paterbenus sent to Amasis who returning without doing any good in the matter was cruelly handled of King Apris Theatrum Vol. 18. li. 4. Alexander the Son of Amyntas King of Macedonia was of Mordonius whom Xerxes had left in Greece to subdue it sent Ambassadour to the Athenians to conclude a Peace between them but he departed without bringing any thing to success whereupon he was afterwards forbidden to come to Athens and so banished the Town Herodot. li 8. In both which examples what cause was there why either Paterbenus of Apris or Alexander of the Athenians should bee so cruelly handled doing what in them lay for when the obstinacie of the other party with whom they must conferre is so much that neither reason can move eloquence perswade gentle usage make willing or threatnings fear to yield unto their Ambassie what shall the poor Legates doe and if they bring not their message to effect they shall be sharply punished at their return as either faithlesse to their Masters or partiall to the enemie For mee thinks I hear some Sycophant flattering the Prince and maligning the Ambassadour either before his going for some private grudge or after his departure for his open honour in that he is advanced to his place of Legation and yet setting his own commoditie thereby doth say that if the matter come not to effect it is by the negligence of the partie Ambassadour who if hee carry not sufficient authoritie to conclude or answer all things done on the adverse part may send home for a larger Commission the which if hee doe not if thereby hee might have brought it to conclusion is to be deemed as a trayterous person to his Prince and Countrie and therefore at his return to be punished The which thing if he doe as I would not excuse it where open and not surmised negligence is found in the cause I say he is worthy therefore of double revenge at his home comming and to receive torment in place of liberalitie reproach for credit losse of life for advancement and dis-inheritance in recompence of his deserved reward And here since now I am fallen into the mention of treacherous Ambassadours it shall not be unfitting in this place to shew what persons to the shame of them and of their posteritie are registred in the everlasting Records of Trayterous Ambassadors towards their Prince and Province CHAP. 10. Trayterous Ambassadours towards their Masters and Princes AS all injuries which tend to the subversion of a Common-wealth are to bee punished because not one Citie but a Province not a part of the body but the whole body not the King alone but the subject is grieved thereby so the same wrong being injustice is not only to be avoyded by all good men as chiefe enemy to vertue but also they are to be hated and sharply punished which contrary to naturall dutie to the Prince to equity to his Countrie to good disposition towards himselfe to vertue to good men and contrary to Justice to all men in matter of trust wherin all truth is to be used do falsly and injuriously betray their Children their Parents their Friends their King their Countrie And as in all men such treason is to be abhorred so especially in Ambassadours who are the doors and gates of the Common-wealth by which Peace or Warre quiet or dissention profit or discōmoditie are brought into the same This vilde fault is most abhorred and worthy to be rewarded with death a thing which in all ages amongst all men in all places and in all matters hath been misliked hated condemned and revenged Because no greater injurie can any wayes be offered than that hee who is in credit with the life with the commoditie with the honour with the state of his Prince or Countrie with the benefit of his friend or familiar should under the colour of assured dutie and friendship overthrow such State or person as giveth such fidelity unto him But what spend I many words to confirm a thing so manifestly known to be evil I will not doe it but by example set out such wicked persons as have wrought against their own head in such a villanous sort as the blott thereof will never be wiped away which examples for he is happy that can beware by the harm of others I have set down as condemning that evill fact in them and as a warning for others to beware which may fall into the like inconveniencie if fear of God discourse of reason duty to the Prince love to his Countrie and fidelity to his friends and Allies do not restrain the evill mind of mens naturall inclination alwayes of it selfe by disposition bent to the worst and ready to yield to his basest part The examples be these Labienus the Legate of Caesar in France having performed great exploits under Caesar at the length in the Civill warres traiterously fled from Caesar to Pompey of whom doth Lucan write Dux fortis in armis Caesareis Labienus erat nunc transfuga vilis The which Historie is more to be seen at large in Volater li 16. Urban can Amasis as you heard before being the Legate of King Apris who sent him to the Egyptians revolted from him became most traiterously King of the Revolters Ibancus falling from the part of Abexius Angelus Emperour of Constantinople did defend and make strong with Castles the places adjoyning to Mount Hemo for the reconciliation of which Ibancus to become again subject the Emperour did send an Ambassadour Eunuch very familiar unto him which should revoke and renew Conditions and Covenants between them willing him also to put him in mind of the Marriage of his Neece but this wicked gelding comming to Ibancus did not only not doe any thing belonging to his Message but with his presence did rather confirme him in the continuance of his attempt when he had rashly spewed out unto him that the Greeks out of hand would invade him And therefore counselling him that leaving the champion plains he should for his and the peoples better strength and safetie commit himselfe to the mountains Nicelius li. 3. de Imperio Alex. Ariepertus the Brother
for want of judgement that either hee had not people out of whom or else had not in him to discern to whom he might have better committed such a waighty charge a thing not to be imagined of the head and Governour of the Common-wealth and kingdome Wherefore as you have before on the one side wise Ambassadours honoured and commended for their singular and quick wits in answering for their worthy and prudent dispatch of their Embassie in action So on the other side you shall now see That they who doe not advisedly consider the place wherein the person to whom the matter whereof they are to use their speech doe not only fall into many grosse errors which hurt themselves injurie their Countries and shame their Princes But that they also thereby become a note and blot of Ignominie to be left behind them in their utter condemnation and the heavy reproch of their posteritie as is proved by these persons following vouched for that intent whose children although they might be condemned as discended from Ambassadours yet it is reprochfull to have the folly and evill of their Ancestors to be spightfully objected unto them And so to the matter The people of Florence sent an Orator or Ambassadour to Iane Queen of Naples of life incontinent and such a person as hanged her Husband a gallant young Prince out of her Chamber window for that he could not the night before content her immoderate and insatiable leacherie called Francis a certain Lawyer by profession but better learned in wearing the apparell of a Civillian than deeply seen in the judgement of Iustinian And yet more unlearned indeed then he appeared in shew This man being called into the Queens presence to performe his charge when he had uttered with some good care the effects of his Legation was the next day commanded to return to the Court to hear his answer In the mean time having intelligence that the Queen loved proper men not disdaining such persons as were of excellent beauty but when according to commandement he was returned to Court there after many things spoken this way and that way about his Embassie unto the Queen at length more impudent than wise more glorious than seemly brake with the Queen and said that he had farre more secret matters to impart unto her Whereupon the gentle Queen desirous to satisfie his Legation in all convenient order and deeming the matters of great importance should be revealed unto her self courteously called him into a more secret place where the fool besides all order and civilitie much flattering himselfe in the excellencie of his beautie demanded of her societie in the act of Venus At which the wise Queen nothing abashed nor altered into any sudden passion beholding the countenance of the man did only smiling ask whether the Florentines had given him the same in commission also and telling him that he were best to have authority therefore without further anger willed him to depart home Poggius in facetiis Ariston the Tyrant of Athens besieged and subdued by L. Sylla and being in great povertie and want of all things did send two Legates or Messengers into the Camp to Sylla but they with the minds of Tyrants and not with an humble or gentle stile applied to the present fortune beginning with the praise of Theseus and Eumolisuenta together with the memorie of things done against the Medes and other Nations by the Athenians did gloriously and foolishly execute their Legation by which they did not only not mitigate the mind of the enemy but made him far more offended than hee was before saying that they were a people most happy and therefore meete to carry back such praises again for hee was sent to Athens by the City of Rome not to be instructed in learning but utterly to overthrow the taken City of Athens which he did after performe Sab. li 9. en 6. ex Plut. Sylla The Perusines sending Orators to Urbaim Bishop of Rome afflicted with sicknesse one of them without respect of the griefe of the Pope used a long and tedious Oration The other who grieved at the folly of the first Speaker then being to mend all fell into a far more offence to move anger in the Bishop saying That it was given them in charge that except they were answered forthwith they should repeat the same Oration again At whose folly the Bishop smiling cōmanded them to be quickly dispatched Poggius in facetiis Franciscus Codelmerius a Cardinall being with a Navy sent Legate against the Turks subduing Hellespont by his folly and ignorance suffered the Turks to passe out of that streight and gave no warning to the Christians wherein he might and did seem to be author by his stupiditie of that memorable and lamentable slaughter of the Christians at Varua Garimbertus li. 6. De vitis Pontificum In the wars which were kept between Pope Gregorie the Eleventh and the Florentines a Legate of the Racavatenses being sent to Florence gave them thanks for the liberties restored inveighing with many despightfull words against the Bishop and the Princes of the City the Ministers of the Bishop having no respect to Radolphus Lord of the Camerines who was then Potimansis or chiefe Governour of Florence for the Bishop Whereupon Radolphus demanded of the Ambassadour of what facultie or Art he was to whom he answered a Doctor of the Civill Law then he asked how long he had applied that studie the Legate said more than ten years O replyed Radolphus very glad would I have been that you had bestowed a yeare thereof to learn discretion and wisdome judgeing him a simple foole that in his presence being one of the number would so lavishly bluster out such heavie words against the Princes and Rulers Poggius The Venetians dispatched two young Legates ◅o Frederick the third Emperour who being highly offended with their young yeares forbade them to approach his presence yet at the length ◅hey obtained this favour ◅hat they were privatly and without the order of the Custome of Ambassadours which openly should deliver their Message brought to the Emperour at what time beyond all humanitie or wisdome out of the matter propounded they said that if all wisdome and learning rested in a beard and in white haires the Senate of Venice had in place of them to send to the Emperour two faire Barbara Goates with which proud answer they confirmed the suspition this Emperour conceived of their folly Aegidius Cororetus de dictis factis memor And here winding up the Clue of my raw thred spun and woven to make the mournfull garment for unfit Ambassadours to wear that is to cloth them with reproch to posteritie for that they were foolish Traytors proud disdainfull unfit for so honourable a place I will only now adde to this matter one title more being a badge of their office and so set end to this unorderly discourse of matters belonging to Ambassadours for both shortnesse of time and