He is, at any rate, a gentleman, a man of honour and of counsel. You had
no right to treat him thus. If I had accepted the title which you wished
to give me, by the living God, I would not have suffered you so to treat
me.

"But you are so badly advised that when there is a man of worth who
discovers your tricks you wish him ill, and make an outcry against him;
and yet some of you, in order to save your money, and others in the hope
of bribes, have been favouring the Spaniard, and doing very wicked work.
No, believe me that God will punish those who for so great a benefit wish
to return me so much evil. Believe, boldly too, that the King of Spain
will never trust men who have abandoned the party to which they belonged,
and from which they have received so many benefits, and will never
believe a word of what they promise him. Yet, in order to cover up their
filth, they spread the story that the Queen of England is thinking of
treating for peace without their knowledge. No, I would rather be dead
than that any one should have occasion to say that I had not kept my
promise. But princes must listen to both sides, and that can be done
without breach of faith. For they transact business in a certain way,
and with a princely intelligence, such as private persons cannot imitate.

"You are States, to be sure, but private individuals in regard to
princes. Certainly, I would never choose to do anything without your
knowledge, and I would never allow the authority which you have among
yourselves, nor your privileges, nor your statutes, to be infringed.
Nor will I allow you to be perturbed in your consciences. What then
would you more of me? You have issued a proclamation in your country
that no one is to talk of peace. Very well, very good. But permit
princes likewise to do as they shall think best for the security of their
state, provided it does you no injury. Among us princes we are not wont