[Asaforeignercannotbesaidtosupplyustheplaceofaman。\"——
Pliny，Nat。Hist。vii。I]
Andhowmuchlesssociableisfalsespeakingthansilence？
KingFrancisI。vauntedthathehadbythismeansnonplussedFrancescoTaverna，ambassadorofFrancescoSforza，DukeofMilan，amanveryfamousforhisscienceintalkinginthosedays。ThisgentlemanhadbeensenttoexcusehismastertohisMajestyaboutathingofverygreatconsequence，whichwasthis:theKing，stilltomaintainsomeintelligencewithItaly，outofwhichhehadlatelybeendriven，andparticularlywiththeduchyofMilan，hadthoughtitconvenienttohaveagentlemanonhisbehalftobewiththatDuke:anambassadorineffect，butinoutwardappearanceaprivatepersonwhopretendedtoresidethereuponhisownparticularaffairs;fortheDuke，muchmoredependingupontheEmperor，especiallyatatimewhenhewasinatreatyofmarriagewithhisniece，daughtertotheKingofDenmark，whoisnowdowagerofLorraine，couldnotmanifestanypracticeandconferencewithuswithouthisgreatinterest。ForthiscommissiononeMerveille，aMilanesegentleman，andanequerrytotheKing，beingthoughtveryfit，wasaccordinglydespatchedthitherwithprivatecredentials，andinstructionsasambassador，andwithotherlettersofrecommendationtotheDukeabouthisownprivateconcerns，thebettertomaskandcolourthebusiness;andwassolonginthatcourt，thattheEmperoratlasthadsomeinklingofhisrealemploymentthere;whichwastheoccasionofwhatfollowedafter，aswesuppose;whichwas，thatunderpretenceofsomemurder，histrialwasintwodaysdespatched，andhisheadinthenightstruckoffinprison。MessireFrancescobeingcome，andpreparedwithalongcounterfeithistoryoftheaffair（fortheKinghadappliedhimselftoalltheprincesofChristendom，aswellastotheDukehimself，todemandsatisfaction），hadhisaudienceatthemorningcouncil;where，afterhehadforthesupportofhiscauselaidopenseveralplausiblejustificationsofthefact，thathismasterhadneverlookeduponthisMerveilleforotherthanaprivategentlemanandhisownsubject，whowasthereonlyinordertohisownbusiness，neitherhadheeverlivedunderanyotheraspect;absolutelydisowningthathehadeverheardhewasoneoftheKing’shouseholdorthathisMajestysomuchasknewhim，sofarwashefromtakinghimforanambassador:theKing，inhisturn，pressinghimwithseveralobjectionsanddemands，andchallenginghimonallsides，trippedhimupatlastbyasking，why，then，theexecutionwasperformedbynight，andasitwerebystealth？Atwhichthepoorconfoundedambassador，themorehandsomelytodisengagehimself，madeanswer，thattheDukewouldhavebeenveryloth，outofrespecttohisMajesty，thatsuchanexecutionshouldhavebeenperformedbyday。Anyonemayguessifhewasnotwellratedwhenhecamehome，forhavingsogrosslytrippedinthepresenceofaprinceofsodelicateanostrilasKingFrancis。
PopeJuliusII。havingsentanambassadortotheKingofEnglandtoanimatehimagainstKingFrancis，theambassadorhavinghadhisaudience，andtheKing，beforehewouldgiveananswer，insistinguponthedifficultiesheshouldfindinsettingonfootsogreatapreparationaswouldbenecessarytoattacksopotentaKing，andurgingsomereasonstothateffect，theambassadorveryunseasonablyrepliedthathehadalsohimselfconsideredthesamedifficulties，andhadrepresentedthemtothePope。Fromwhichsayingofhis，sodirectlyoppositetothethingpropoundedandthebusinesshecameabout，whichwasimmediatelytoincitehimtowar，theKingofEnglandfirstderivedtheargument（whichheafterwardfoundtobetrue），thatthisambassador，inhisownmind，wasonthesideoftheFrench;ofwhichhavingadvertisedhismaster，hisestateathisreturnhomewasconfiscated，andhehimselfverynarrowlyescapedthelosingofhishead。——[ErasmiOp。（1703），iv。col。684。]