liver his message, and he would undertake for the secresy of all
who were present. Upon this he delivered his message and letters to
his Majesty in Italian; which when the King had graciously received,
after a little pause, Mr. Wotton stept up to the table, and whispered
to the King in his own language that he was an Englishman, requesting
a more private conference with his Majesty, and that he might be
concealed during his stay in that nation, which was promised, and
really performed by the King, all the time he remained at the Scotch
court; he then returned to the Duke with a satisfactory account of his
employment.

When King James succeeded to the Throne of England, he found among
others of Queen Elizabeth's officers, Sir Edward Wotton, afterwards
lord Wotton, Comptroller of the Houshold, whom he asked one day,
'whether he knew one Henry Wotton, who had spent much time in foreign
travel?' Sir Edward replied, that he knew him well, and that he was
his brother. The King then asked, where he was, and upon Sir Edward's
answering that he believed he would soon be at Paris, send for him
says his Majesty, and when he comes to England, bid him repair
privately to me. Sir Edward, after a little wonder, asked his Majesty,
whether he knew him? to which the King answered, you must rest
unsatisfied of that 'till you bring the gentleman to me. Not many
months after this discourse, Sir Edward brought his brother to attend
the king, who took him in his arms, and bid him welcome under the mine
of Octavio Baldi, saying, that he was the most honest, and therefore
the best, dissembler he ever met with; and seeing I know, added the
King, you want neither learning, travel, nor experience, and that I
have had so real a testimony of your faithfulness and abilities to
manage an embassage, I have sent for you to declare my purposes,
which is to make use of you in that kind hereafter[1]. But before he
dismissed Octavio Baldi from his present attendance, he restored him
to his old name of Henry Wotton, by Which he then knighted him.

Not long after this, King James having resolved according to his motto
of beati pacifici, to have a friendship with his neighbouring kingdoms
of France and Spain, and also to enter into an alliance with the State
of Venice, and for that purpose to send ambassadors to those several
States, offered to Sir Henry his choice of which ever of these
employments best suited his inclination; who from the consideration
of