Archivio Mediceo del Principato, Firenze,
Filza 4192
Account of Mercury Vindicated in a dispatch sent home by the Tuscan agent
Francesco Quaratesi
on 22 [i.e. 12] Jan. 1615. It occupies four pages of a single folded sheet (extract
on pp. 1-2), in a parchment bound collection of letters dating 1 Jan. 1615-22 Dec.
1617. It occupies four pages in a folded sheet of paper. Our passage is on pages 1-2.
Alli 16 del presente, quaí giorno dellí Epifania si fece uní balletto in Palazzo doue fui mandato aí
inuitare dal Gran Chamberlano per parte di Sua Maestaí, et in detto luogo cenai con li Sig
nori Ambasciatori di Spagna, et di Uenezia, i quali a ncora non haueuo uisto, per non mi hauere loro mandato aí uisitare, et tutti due si
offerirno prontissimi per il servitio di Sua Altezza; il Sig
nor Ambasciatore di Spagna fece scusa di non mi hauere mandato a uisitare, per che uoleua uisitarmi in persona, La festa fuí assai bella per se stessa, et per la gran quantitaí di Dame, et gran Sig
nori che ui si trouorono, ma Sua Maestaí mostroí di non pigliarne molto gusto per esserli dispiaciuto che líAmbasciatore di Spagna non uolessi trouarsi doue fussi lí Ambasciatore delli Stati, il quale doueua ritrouarsi ancora lui al d etto balletto, ma piuí presto uolessi partirsi, Ne fuí possibile suolgerlo ancora che
causassino grandissime diligenze, et il Gran Tesoriere, Gran Ciamberlano, et altri
Signori del Consiglio andassino per 3, o, 4 uolte innanzi et indietro mandati dal Reí al detto Ambasciatore; il quale sí era ritirato in una camera aí parte, et in nome di Sua Maestaí lo promettesino di liberarlo da tutto quello lo potessi auuenire di male per questo conto dicendo che non ardiua farí tal cosa in modo nessuno et che se uenissi
aí trouarsi, et riconoscere per Ambasciatore un Ministro di Stati ribelli al suo Reí, et lui stesso ancora ribello, per essere il detto Ambasciatore suddito dellí Arciduca, in Spagna li hauerebbero leuata la testa, et uedendosi
questa risolutione il Reí comandoí che tutti due se ne andassero.
[Ö] Due giorni doppo si rifece il balletto et non fuí inuitato nessuno Ambasciatore.
Translation
On the 16th of the current month, here called the day of Epiphany, a masque was performed
at the palace. I was invited by the
Lord Chamberlain
on his Majesty’s behalf and dined there with the ambassadors of
Spain
and Venice, whom I had not yet seen, because they had not sent to visit me. Both of
them offered your Highness their services willingly. The Spanish ambassador apologised
for not having sent to visit me, as he wanted to visit me in person. The festival
was very beautiful, in itself and because of the number of ladies and great gentlemen
who were present. However, His Majesty didn't seem to take much pleasure in it, because
he was annoyed because the Spanish ambassador refused to be in the same place as the
ambassador of the States, who was also supposed to attend that masque, but [the Spaniard]
decided to leave early. And there was no way of dissuading him, though great efforts
were made: the Treasurer,
Lord Chamberlain
, and other lords of the Council were sent by the king
back and forth three or four times to the Spanish ambassador, who had withdrawn into
a separate room, and promised on behalf of His Majesty to release him from anything
bad which might happen to him on this account. But he said that there was no way in
which he could dare to do such a thing, and that if he was to keep company with, and
recognise as Ambassador, the representative of the States in rebellion against his
king, and a rebel himself what is more -- because this ambassador was a subject of
the Archduke -- he would be beheaded back in
Spain
. So seeing his determination, the king
ordered both of them to leave.
...
Two days later the masque was repeated, and no ambassador was invited.
Bibliography
Orrell (1977-78),
173