Europe - The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques And Discoveries Of The English Nation - Volume 4 - Collected By Richard Hakluyt
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He Was Sent For To Court, And
Was Accompanied Thither With About Forty Gentlemen Honorably Mounted, And
Sumptuously Arayed, And
In his passage from his lodging to the court, were
set in a ward fiue or sixe thousand shot, that
Were of the Emperors gard.
At the entry into the court there met him four noble men apparelled in
cloth of gold and rich furres, their caps embroidred with pearle and stone,
who conducted him towards the Emperor; till he was met with foure others of
greater degree then they, who guided him yet further towards the Emperor,
in which passage there stood along the walles, and sate vpon benches and
formes in row, seuen or eight hundred persons, said to be noblemen and
gentlemen, all apparelled in garments of coloured satins and cloth of
golde.
These foure noblemen accompanied him to the Emperors chamber doore, where
met him the Emperors herald, whose office is there held great: and with him
all the great officers of the Emperors chamber, who all conducted him to
the place where the Emperor safe in his state, hauing three crownes
standing by him, viz. of Moscouia, Cazan and Astrakan, and also by him 4
yoong noblemen of about twenty yeres of age, of ech side, twaine, costly
apparelled in white, holding vpon their shoulders ech of them a brode axe,
much like to a Galloglas axe of Ireland, thin and very sharpe, the steale
or handle not past halfe a yard long, and there sate about the chamber vpon
benches and other low seats, aboue an hundred noblemen richly apparrelled
in cloth of golde.
The ambassador being thus brought to the Emperor to kisse his hand, after
some complements and inquirie of her Maiesties health, he willed him goe
sit downe in a place prouided for that purpose, nigh ten pases distant from
him, from whence he would haue had him to haue sent him her Maiesties
letters and present, which the ambassadour thinking not reasonable stept
forward towards the Emperor: in which passage the chancellor came to meet
him, and would haue taken his letters: to whom the ambassador sayd, that
her Maiesty had directed no letters to him, and so went on, and deliuered
them himselfe to the Emperors owne hands.
And after hauing thus deliuered her Maiesties letters and what he had els
to say at that time, he was conducted to the Councell chamber, where hauing
had conference with the councell of matters of his ambassage, he was soone
after sent for againe to the Emperour, where he dined in his presence at a
side table, nere vnto him, and all his company at another boord, where also
dined at other tables in the same place, all the chiefe noble men that were
about the Court, to the number of an hundred. And in the time of this
dinner, the Emperor vsed many fauors to the ambassadour and about the midst
of dinner (standing vp) dranke a great carouse to the health of the Queene
his good sister, and sent him a great bowle full of Rhenish wine and sugar
to pledge him.
The ambassadour after this, was often called to Court, where he had
conference both with the Emperour and his councell of the matters in
question, touching both ambassages, which diuers times raised many iarres:
and in the end, after sundry meetings, the Emperour finding himself not
satisfied to his liking, for that the ambassadour had not power by his
commission to yeeld to euery thing that he thought fit, as a man whose will
was seldom wonted to be gainsayd, let loose his passion, and with a sterne
and angry countenance tolde him that he did not reckon the Queene of
England to be his fellow: for there are (quoth he) that are her betters.
The ambassadour greatly misliking these speeches, and being very vnwilling
(how dangerous soeuer it might prooue to his owne person) to giue way to
the Emperor, to derogate ought from the honour and greatness of her
Maiesty: and finding also that to subiect himselfe to the angrie humour and
disposition of the Emperour was not the means to winne ought at his hands,
with like courage and countenance to answere his, tolde him that the Queene
his Mistresse was as great a prince as any was in Christendome, equall to
him that thought himselfe the greatest, well able to defend herselfe
against his malice, whosoeuer, and wanted no means to offend any that
either shee had or should haue cause to be enemy vnto. Yea (quoth he) How
sayest thou to the French king, and the king of Spaine? Mary (quoth the
ambassadour) I holde the Queene my Mistresse as great as any of them both.
Then what sayest thou (quoth hee) to the Emperour of Germany?
Such is the greatnesse of the Queene my Mistresse (quoth the Ambassadour)
as the King, her father had (not long since) the Emperor in his pay, in his
warres against France.
This answer misliked the Emperor yet so much more, as that he tolde the
Ambassadour, that were he not an ambassador, he would throw him out of the
doores. Whereunto he answered that he might doe his will, for he was now
fast within his countrey: but he had a Mistresse who (he doubted not) would
be reuenged of any iniury that should be done vnto him. Whereupon the
Emperour in great sudden bade him get him home. And he with no more
reuerence then such vsage required, saluted the Emperor and went his way.
All this notwithstanding, the ambassadour was not much sooner out of the
chamber, and the Emperours cholar somewhat setled, but he deliuered to his
councell that stood about him many commendations in the fauor of the
Ambassador, for that he would not indure one ill word to be spoken against
his mistresse, and there withall wished himselfe to haue such a seruant.
The Ambassadour had not beene much more then one houre in his lodgings, but
the Emperour imagining (as it seemed) by the extraordinary behauiour of the
ambassador (for he wanted not wit to iudge) that he had found what was the
Emperors case, sent his principall secretary vnto him, to tell him, that
notwithstanding what had past, yet for the great loue that he bare to the
Queene his sister, he should very shortly be called againe to Court, and
haue a resolution of all the matters in question:
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