An extract from the notebooks of
Sir John
Finet
, assistant to
Sir Lewis Lewkenor
, Master of Ceremonies at the court of
James I.
[p. 133]
A Maske being prepared by
the Prince
(with the Duke of
Buckingham
, and others &c.) for Twelfnight a message was sent from his Majesty to the French
Ambassador (by whom carried I could not learne) to this
purpose. That whereas there was a Maske towards, and that his Majesty was desirous
that the Marquess de la Inojosa, who had not
seene any in this Kingdome, should be at it, he intended to visit him also (the
[p. 134]
French Ambassador, and in the first place,
but would take it, as a respect to his satisfaction, if (to avoid the incounter, and
question about their Precedence) he might before hand know, that he would be absent,
framing some such excuse, as he should think fittest. To this the Ambassador returning
at that instant no satisfieing answer, he soone after intreated the Earle of March
to
present one from him to his Majesty in these
words. That about two yeares since upon the like occasion, he had received the like
message, but knowing how strongly his Majesty
stood then affected to the Allience with Spaine, he would give him no distast, but
with
excuse of his indisposition kept himselfe absent, that if he should now againe do
the
like, he should in the sight of the world put a scorne upon himselfe, and do an
unanswerable wrong to the King
his Master, between whom, and the King
of Spaine his Majesty knew (if he would
be pleased to declare his knowledge) that there was no question to be made of the
right
of Precedence; that in this regard, he humbly beseecht his Majesty to proceed plainely,
and fairely without useing any
more colourable, or alternative Invitations (as he had done,) which might imply a
Parity, in no sort to be yeelded to by the King
his Master, in whom was the absolute right of Priority. That if his Majesty intended
to invite him, he hoped
he would intend also to entertain him with fitting respects, for come he would, if
he
should be invited, and if he should not, and the other should, he would protest against
it, and immediatly returne home to the King
his Master with the account of his Treatment. That further his Majesty would be pleased
to consider, that whereas he was at
that instant sending a Person of quality to the
King
his Master, he might with reason expect, that whatsoever want, or omission he (the
French Ambassador) should meet with
here, it would be returned in
France
in the same measure. This message (the substance whereof he repeated to me two or
three dayes after) was brought little sooner to the King
, then it was made known to the Marquess de la Inojosa, who instantly sent for the
Master of the
[p. 135]
Ceremonies, and in a storming manner gave him a message (repeating it twice or
thrice) to be delivered to his Majesty by him
in this sence; that he knew what respect had been formerly given the King
of Spaines (his Masters Ministers) especially those that had been here
Extraordinary, and what alternative course of invitation had been used with them,
and
the French; that he looked for no less honour to
be done to him then to his Predecessors, and that since it was both his right and
his
turne to be now invited, he would expect it, beseeching his Majesty not underhand
to invite the French Ambassadors (as he knew (he said) he was intended) but to
invite him directly, and openly first, and only, that so if (he Inojoso) must be made
a
Subject for gazers abroad, it might be to some purpose, and that he might have a just,
and an apparent cause to write to his Master of the wrong done him here in his Minister,
with other words in an high Spanish Stile to that purpose, which when the Master of
the
Ceremonies had twice or thrice requested him to temper, to take time to think better
of
them, and to communicate his intended message with his Collegue (
Don Carlos
) he only yeelded to satisfie him in this last of communicating his intention (as
he did that night with that much more temperate and considerate Gentleman) from whom
wresting (as
Don Carlos
himself after acknowledged) a consent for the carriage of that message to the King
by Sir Lewes Lewkner, the Maske was thereupon respited
&c.
Bibliography
H&S,
10.659-60
M. Sullivan (1913),
247-8
Finet, Finetti philoxenis (1656), 133-5