Reliquiae Wottonianae, or, A collection of lives, letters, poems with characters of sundry personages : and other incomparable pieces of language and art : also additional letters to several persons, not before printed / by the curious pencil of the ever memorable Sir Henry Wottan ...

1620.

Instructions to Our trusty and well-beloved Servant Hen∣ry Wotton Knight, at his imployment about the Af∣fairs of Germany, to the Emperour Ferdinand to Our Dear Son-in-Law * 1.1 Fred•…•…ick the Prince Elector, and Count Palatine of Rhene, &c. to the Princes of the Union in Body, or to their Sub-director in place of Our said Son-in-Law; And to other Princes and States, as the Duke of Saxony, Bavaria; and up∣on occasion, as his particular Letters of Credence shall direct him.

YOu are to know, that this your imployment is, for the present, meerly exploratory and pro∣visional, to give Us a clear and distinct Accompt of

the present Affairs, both how they stand at your arrival there, (being every day changeable) and how they incline in the future; and particularly, to sound the affections, and the matter, how far they be capable of any reasonable measure of agree∣ment; that from thence We may take judgement, whether it shall be fit for Us to adde any others un∣to you in a main Treaty, with safety of Our Ho∣nour, and benefit of the Cause; or to send others in your room, and to release you from that busi∣ness, to your ordinary Residence at Venice. Wherein We are contented to defer thus much to your discretion; that if you shall find things de∣sperate, and the Emperours Party absolutely vi∣ctorious, you may then, after a Currier dispatch∣ed unto Us with advertisement of all circumstances, take your way to Venice: If, otherwise, you shall find the Forces on both sides to stand within such terms of equality, as the event is like in probability to continue dubious, and uncertain, you shall then attend the issue, till the blow shall be strucken; and upon all important variations of occurrences, you shall signifie the same unto Us.

2. According to this scope of your imployment; you shall hold with all those Pri•…•…s, from the highest to the meanest, and from those that are most remote in respect, to those that are nearest unto Us in nature and Alliance, the same language; assuring them all, that We constantly continue in Our own Principles, that is, in first desiring the quiet of Christendome, and particularly of those parts, by all possible means, wherein We have formerly expressed by a noble Ambassage of one of Our nearest Servants, before Our Brother the French King did enter into it, and before Our

Selves shall be drawn to any other resolution; which We thought meet to make publickly known, both by Our said former Ambassador the Vicount Doncaster, and now by you; leaving the rest to God and time.

3. Touching your address, first or second, to one part or other, We leave it to your discretion upon the place, when you have consulted with the Princes of the Union in general, or with their Sub∣director for the time, whither you may best direct your self; whom you shall pray in Our Name to assist you therein with their best advice: as like∣wise in all things else concerning the present Af∣fairs: That after this exploration of the business, being much altered since our first Ambassage, We may know what it shall be fit for Us further to direct.

4. Whereas We are informed, that the Ambassa∣dors of Our Brother the French King, have Instru∣ctions to propound two things, 1. A Surceasance of Arms, 2. An Imperial Diet; you shall signifie, that in the first of these motions We mainly con∣cur with Him; and in the other, so far as by the directions of Our Dear Son-in-Law you shall find convenient for the publick good, and His own.

5. Touching the Dukes of Saxony and Bavaria, and any other Prince not comprised within the Union, you shall desire them heartily in Our Name to joyn with Us for the common tranquillity, that things may not pass to a further irritation of those Princes and States, and particularly of Our Selves, which otherwise profess Pacifical and Chri∣stian ends: fortifying your exhortation therein with the best reasons that you can collect out of the present Affairs, as they shall appear unto you.

6. To all Princes whom it may any way con∣cern, you shall make it known, that in the Electi∣on of Our Son-in-Law to the Crown of Bohemia, We had no part by any precedent Counsel or pra∣ctice; which We affirm in the faith and truth of a Christian Prince: And are likewise informed of his own clearness therein, by vehement affirmati∣ons, and by most probable Circumstances.

Notes

• * 1.1

  JAME'S.