Pope Alexander the sixth was asking Jerome donatus, Ambassador of Venice, of whom the Venetians held those Rights and Customs of the Sea, the Ambassadour answer’d him presently, Let your Holiness shew me the Character of St. Peter’s Patrimony, and you shall find on the back thereof, a Grant made to the Venetians of the Adriatick Sea.
136
Le Pape Alexandre VI. demandoit à Jerome Donat, Ambassadeur de Venise, de qui les Venitiens tenoient les Droits, & les Coutumes de la Mer? A quoi l’Ambassadeur repondit sur le champ: Que vôtre sainteté me montre les Titres du Patrimonie de S. Pierre, & vous trouverez au dos, une donation faite aux Venitiens de la Mer Adriatique.
137
It was the saying of a merry conceited Fellow, that in Christendom there were neither Schollars enough, Gentlemen enough, nor Jews enough: And when answer was made, that of all these there were rather too great a Plenty than any scarcety, he replied, that if there were Scholars enough, so many ignorant Dunces would not be beneficed; if Gentlemen enough, so many Plebeians would not be rank’d amongst the Gentry; and if Jews enough, so many Christians would not profess Usury.
137
Un Plaisant avoit accoutumé de dire que dans la Chretienté il n’y avoit n’y assez de gens scavans, ni assez de Gentilhommes, ni assez de Juiss: Et comme on lui répondit que bien loin qu’il en manquât il n’y en avoit qu’un trop grand nombre, il repliqua, que s’il y avoit assez de scavans, il n’y auroit pas tant d’ignorans beneficiez; Si assez de Gentilhommes, il n’y auroit pas tant de Roturiers faits nobles; & si assez de Juiss, tant de Chrêtiens ne se feroient pas Usuriers.
138
In Queen Elizabeth’s time, when the Wars were hot betwixt England and Spain, a negotiation was resolv’d upon to treat of Peace between these two Crowns, in order to which Commissioners were appointed on both sides. They met at a Town of the French King’s. And first it was debated in what Tongue the Negotion should be handled. A Spaniard thinking to give the English Commissioners a shrewd gird, propos’d the French Tongue as most fit, it being a Language the Spaniards were well Skill’d in, and for the Gentlemen of England, I suppose, says he, that they cannot be ignorant of the Language of their Fellow Subjects, since their Queen is Queen of France as well as of England. Nay, in Faith, my Masters, replied Dr. Dale one of the English Commissioners, the French Tongue is too vulgar for a business of this Secrecy and importance, especially in a French Town; Let us therefore rather treat in Hebrew, the Language of Jerusalem, whereof your Master is King; and I suppose you are therein as well skill’d as we in the French.
138