In which respect it
is to be wished, that none Ambassadour speake his principall commandements
but in his own language or in another as naturall to him as his owne, and
so it is vsed in all places of the world sauing in England. The Princes
and their commissioners fearing least otherwise they might vtter any thing
to their disaduantage, or els to their disgrace: and I my selfe hauing
seene the Courts of Fraunce, Spaine, Italie, and that of the Empire, with
many inferior Courts, could neuer perceiue that the most noble personages,
though they knew very well how to speake many forraine languages, would at
any times that they had bene spoken vnto, answere but in their owne, the
Frenchman in French, the Spaniard in Spanish, the Italian in Italian, and
the very Dutch Prince in the Dutch language: whether it were more for
pride, or for feare of any lapse, I cannot tell. And _Henrie_ Earle of
Arundel being an old Courtier and a very princely man in all his actions,
kept that rule alwaies. For on a time passing from England towards Italie
by her maiesties licence, he was very honorably enterteined at the Court
of Brussels, by the Lady Duches of Parma, Regent there: and sitting at a
banquet with her, where also was the Prince of Orange, with all the
greatest Princes of the state, the Earle, though he could reasonably well
speake French, would not speake one French word, but all English, whether
he asked any question, or answered it, but all was done by Truchemen.
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