It pleased his majesty, after his abolishing the bishop of Rome's usurped authority (amongst other embassages to foreign princes), to send the said Bishop of Winchester, and sir Henry Knevet, knight, as joint ambassadors to the emperor, being then at a diet or council at Ratisbon, appointing also sir Henry Barkely, sir William Blunt, knights, and Andrew Bainton, esquire, (their highnesses servants) to give their attendance upon the said sir Henry Knevet, for the more honouring of his embassage. It happened also at that time, that sir Henry Knevet entertained in his service (as steward of his household) one William Wolfe, who had in the same capacity before served sir Thomas Wyatt, knight, the king's former ambassador there, and by that means had good acquaintance in those parts, as well in the emperor's court, as elsewhere. This Wolfe, towards the latter end of the diet or council, happened to walk (as often he did) toward's the emperor's palace to hear some news, where he met with one Ludovico, an Italian merchant, one of his old acquaintance. Who, supposing the said Wolfe to have attended upon the bishop of Winchester, (not knowing of any other joint ambassador) required Wolfe, for old acquaintance, to do him a pleasure; whereunto he willingly granted. Whereupon Ludovico showed him, that the pope's legate, or ambassador to the emperor (which was cardinal Contarene) departing the day before towards Rome, and having no leisure to end his business himself, had put the said Ludovico in trust for the accomplishing of them: and amongst all other things he had especially charged him, that he should repair to the ambassador of England, and require of him an answer to the pope's letters, which the leg••e did of late send unto him, addressed to him from Rome, and that upon the receipt thereof he should send them after with all speed; therefore if his lord ambassador would write by that courier, he prayed Wolfe to tell him that it was time to write, for the courier went away within a day or two. At this tale Wolfe being abashed, and yet partly guessing which ambassador he meant, thought it not meet to tell him whose ⟨p. 6⟩servant he was, but by other soothing talk found that he meant the bishop of Winchester. And to the end that Ludovico should suspect nothing, he answered him, that he being not the ambassador's secretary, could say little therein;
It pleased his majesty, after his abolishing the bishop of Rome's usurped authority (amongst other embassages to foreign princes), to send the said Bishop of Winchester, and sir Henry Knevet, knight, as joint ambassadors to the emperor, being then at a diet or council at Ratisbon, appointing also sir Henry Barkely, sir William Blunt, knights, and Andrew Bainton, esquire, (their highnesses servants) to give their attendance upon the said sir Henry Knevet, for the more honouring of his embassage. It happened also at that time, that sir Henry Knevet entertained in his service (as steward of his houshold) one William Wolfe, who had in the same capacity before served sir Thomas Wyat, knight, the king's former ambassador there, and by that means had good acquaintance in those parts, as well in the emperor's court, as elsewhere. This Wolfe, towards the latter end of the diet or council, happened to walk (as often he did) toward's the emperor's palace to hear some news, where he met with one Ludovico, an Italian merchant, one of his old acquaintance. Who, supposing the said Wolfe to have attended upon the bishop of Winchester, (not knowing of any other joint ambassador) required Wolfe, for old acquaintance, to do him a pleasure; whereunto he willingly granted. Whereupon Ludovico shewed him, that the pope's legate, or ambassador to the emperor (which was cardinal Contarene) departing the day before towards Rome, and having no leisure to end his business himself, had put the said Ludovico in trust for the accomplishing of them: and amongst all other things he had especially charged him, that he should repair to the ambassador of England, and require of him an answer to the pope's letters, which the leg••e did of late send unto him, addressed to him from Rome, and that upon the receipt thereof he should send them after with all speed; therefore if his lord ambassador would write by that courier, he prayed Wolfe to tell him that it was time to write, for the courier went away within a day or two. At this tale Wolfe being abashed, and yet partly guessing which ambassador he meant, thought it not meet to tell him whose ⟨p. 6⟩servant he was, but by other soothing talk found that he meant the bishop of Winchester. And to the end that Ludovico should suspect nothing, he answered him, that he being not the ambassador's secretary, could say little therein;
