After a long progress from Cadiz to Ballecas, a village one league
distant from this Court, and almost as long a parenthesis there--which
the French Court will say was no elegant piece of oratory, nor the
middle at all proportionable to the beginning with me, whatever the
end may prove--upon the 8th instant I arrived happily at my journey's
end howsoever; where, as speedily then as myself could possibly in any
measure be ready for it, namely, upon the 18th, both stilo loci, I
received my public audience of entrada at the King's palace, in the
same form, neither more or less, as my predecessors have ever done;
and only two days having since intervened, as by the account doth
appear, within two or three more from the date of this, the King
removing to-day unto the Buen Retiro, I do expect my first private
audience.
Being thus fixed, after long running, in the centre of my negotiation,
I do presume to beg from your Excellency, and hereby to begin on my
part, a mutual correspondence; first in order to the service of our
Royal master, whereunto we are both obliged in common; secondly, to
that of your Excellency, whereunto myself in particular.
To begin with what concerns my embassy, being so much a fresh man as
your Excellency sees I am in this Court, visible it is by what
proceeds, I can as yet have nothing to descant or touch upon, but
matter of ceremony only from and towards me, divisible into two
considerations; the first, in reference to the past, of which I have
already said the same hath been, as from, and to, other Ambassadors,
in all this and all other ages; the second, in reference to the
present concurring Ambassadors, and other public ministers of this
Court; and now upon this branch I shall, with your Excellency's
patience, if I may presume so much, dilate myself so far as to the
heads only of what hath past, in fact, as followeth.
I need not tell your Excellency, because it differs not from the
custom of all or most Courts, until abuses thereof enforced an
alteration in some, that in this, always heretofore, Ambassadors and
other Foreign Ministers upon the place, did send their families to
accompany new comers to their first public audience, and this went
round. Therefore, accordingly, I was now, in my turn, to expect this
function towards me, as I did. The Master of the Ceremonies thereupon,
who is a man new in his place, advertised me in writing, that this,
since Henry the Eighth's time, was never practised to, nor by,
Ambassadors of England. Finding this matter of fact utterly mistaken,
I replied. Soon after he brought me a message from the King, that I
should not expect this ceremony; but still upon the same misgrounded
supposition, therefore unto this likewise I replied. Finally, his
Majesty, having weighed my last reply, by the Secretary of State for
the North, Don Blasco de Loyola, coming to my house the evening before
my audience, signified to me, that for certain reasons, whatsoever was
heretofore in practice of that kind, it must thenceforward be no more,
from or towards English, or any Ambassador whatsoever in this Court,
the which being his Majesty's own order, in his own kingdom, and
equally indifferent to all, my answer to the Secretary was--That for
the present I saw no further cause of reply, but would and did submit
thereunto.
The like signification was at the same time sent to all other
Ambassadors and Foreign Ministers here that they would not send, the
which, in compliance therewith, they forbear, all but the French, who
upon the very morning, the hour of my audience approaching, sent four
of his gentlemen, with one of his coaches, to accompany me. The
Marquis de Malpica, mayor-domo of the week, and Captain of the German
guard, in behalf of the Marquis of Salinas, proprietor thereof,
happening to be my conductor, with his guard, did a little expostulate
with those gentlemen, why they came contrary to his Majesty's order;
who replied, their Lord did receive no orders but from his own master,
who had sent him very strict ones to perform, I think he said this
office in particular, at least, in general, all offices of amity to
the Ambassador of the King of England, his Christian Majesty's most
dear brother and ally. In fine, accompany me they did, and very
civilly comported themselves, both unto the palace, which was
customary, but now forbid, and home again, which was never done
before, by the family of any Ambassador, to any other whatsoever in
this Court. They did insist that their Ambassador's coach should
precede my second coach, which was not denied them, being a civil
expedient practised in all or most other courts; the ordinary style of
this, and practised, by these individual French themselves towards
public ministers of the lowest rank, as they avowed to me the same
morning, in the presence both of the Marquis and the Master of
Ceremonies, and expressly a majori, that whenever I should send in the
like case to accompany a new comer from France, the same measure would
never be scrupled towards me.
For this obliging piece of gallantry to the King of England's
Ambassador, endeared by the singularity, by the opposition of the
Spanish Court, and by the supererogation of his followers extending it
in part beyond the example of others, when the same was in custom, I
wrote my thanks yesterday unto his Excellency, who answered, that if
he had not had the orders of the King his master to pay me the
respects he did, it would have sufficed for obliging him thereunto, to
know that the King of England's Mother is his Master's Aunt. My Lord,
there are in this Court, who seem of opinion, that this excess of
courtesy from the French Ambassador, is not sound within, looking one
way and rowing another; which, say they, will shortly appear. For my
own part, I am quite of another mind; and hitherto I am sure, in
farther demonstrations of kindness and civility, he followeth suit
with the forwardest, if in that he was the single unfollowed
precedent. I am, my Lord, your Excellency's most faithful, and ever
most obedient Servant, RICHARD FANSHAWE.--Ibid. p. 106.
To MR. SECRETARY BENNET.
[See MEMOIRS, p. 171 and p. 175.]
Madrid, Wednesday, the 15th June, 1664, English Style.
"I write this, being just now returned from my first private audience
of his Catholic Majesty, which was given me in the Buen Retiro, and
therein did deliver myself in the sense of my instructions and
directions; not in many words, because the King's weak state of body
will not allow it; but with much plainness and humble freedom,
concerning the languishing and desperate condition in which the peace
and commerce between the Crowns and nations have long lain gasping,
and expecting an utter dissolution, by frequent violations of articles
in several manners."--Ibid, p. 113.
Madrid, Wednesday, 25th June, 1664.
In the first place, having procured his Catholic Majesty to be
prepared to expect it, I delivered myself in English, and in the
express words of my instructions, only changing the person, as
followeth, viz.
'The most Serene King of Great Britain, my Master, hath charged me,
after kissing your Majesty's feet with due reverence, to represent
unto your Catholic Majesty, that some unhappy accidents intervening,
have occasioned his not performing this part towards your Majesty
sooner, in return of those congratulatory embassies which your most
Serene Majesty sent unto him immediately upon his late happy
restoration to his kingdoms. His most Serene Majesty commanded me to
add farther, that neither those accidents, nor any other, of what
nature soever, have been, or can be able, to lessen his esteem of your
royal person and friendship, or the obligations he had to your most
Serene Majesty in the time of his adversity; and that therefore your
Majesty may assure yourself, that his Majesty will be ready in all
times to make proportionable returns.'
With this, and the delivering to his Catholic Majesty, first my Latin
credential, then the respects of the whole Royal Family of England, in
general words, and particularly a letter from his Royal Highness;
also, his Majesty's leave first asked, presenting my comrades one
after another to do their obeisance, I made my retreat in the
accustomed manner.
The like respectively, immediately after, in the Queen's side, to her
Majesty, unto whom I presented his Majesty's letter, and afterwards
two others from their Royal Highnesses; then a compliment to the
Empress, so treated as to title, but ranked as to place, because not
yet espoused beneath the Queen her mother, and would have been also,
(had his Highness been there present, as was intended, but that it
proved either his sleeping or eating hour,) beneath her brother the
Prince; all which seemed very graciously accepted; and here no English
at all was spoken. Lastly, a dumb show of salute, as you know the
custom to be, after the Queen and Empress, to every particular dame;
and in the close of this ceremony, as well towards their Majesties as
the ladies, my comrades had all of them leave to follow me.
The evening, and near that time it was before we had gotten home and
eaten our breakfast, was wholly spent by me in expected visits to the
Duke of Medina de las Torres, and the rest of the Council, the
President of Castile (quatenus such) only excepted by me, as likewise
by all other Ambassadors of the first class used to be. This is the
reason why, for haste, having only a piece of the night for my own
before the post departs, I write to you bare matter of fact in this
misshapen way hitherto; and in another point, perhaps of more import
in the consequence than all the rest, I must be forced, for the same
reason, to go yet less, only touching thereupon very briefly for the
present.
You well know a custom of this Court, and I believe of most others
likewise, till abuses thereof enforced an alteration in some, that
Ambassadors and other Foreign Ministers upon the place, send their
families to accompany any new comers to their first public audience;
and this went round, Accordingly, I was now to expect this function
towards me, as I did.
[Sir Richard then repeats precisely what he stated in his Letter to
Lord Holles.--See pages 254, 255]
So that hitherto, as to this action, they can have nothing to boast
of, but an excess of civility towards the crown of England, or the
person of our Royal Master. In return whereunto, his Majesty, in my
humble opinion, will think fit to command me, or whosoever shall
succeed me, to perform the same office towards the successor of this
French Ambassador. As to both points, which make it worthy of peculiar
estimation, that is to say, with an exception in this one particular
only, though his Catholic Majesty should continue his present general
rule to the contrary; and although also, even whilst his compliment
was generally practised, it was not by any extended so far as to
accompany any Ambassador back to his house; and this the rather, if it
shall be found that the French Ambassador, conforming hereafter to the
general rule, as to all others, shall have made the English Ambassador
his single exception in the case. The experiment will now soon be
made, a new Venetian Ambassador being daily expected here; though
possibly he may not have his audience so very soon after, but that, in
the interim, I may, upon this clear, though brief, stating of all
actions and circumstances to me, as yet appear above ground in this
matter, receive his Majesty's particular directions and cautions how
to carry myself in all events, the which I am exceedingly desirous of;
and, in default thereof, will, with all fidelity, proceed and work
according to the best of my understanding.
If it be not already clear enough from the premises, you may be
pleased to take notice, that no one stranger went with me but those
French in the Ambassador's coach, which, without any least dispute
whatsoever, did give place to my principal coach, as mine did to that
which brought the Marquis, being the King's proper coach, a thing not
formerly usual upon these occasions.--Ibid. p. 117.