3 Sept.

AN AUDIENCE OF THE EMPEROR, 1584

travel,court_patronage,household_family,angelic_spiritual

Monday, mane. Prag<E. Note: Satan's cunning and vicious stratagem. There was great disquietness in E.K. being come home from our host's house, where he had lyen all night upon a form: by reason he had been (which he never was the like afore, as he said) with wine overcome suddenly: yet intending with himself to take heed of being overshot in drinking of wine: being requested by the hostess to give her a quart of wine upon the good bargain he had in a cloak he bought of her for 5 ducats. In this company of drinking was Alexander, the Lord Laski his servant, who came with us to Prague: unto whom E.K. (when the drink on the sudden had overcome him) said he would cut off his head, and with his walking staff did touch him fair, and softly on the neck, sitting before him. This Alexander, being half-drunken himself, by and by took those words in great snuff, and meant to defend himself, and so took his weapon to him, and thereupon they by caused Alexander to go down. It was supper time, and I that night refrained to sup; and so tarrying at my lodging, and looking out, saw Alexander sitting on the great stone against our lodging. I called to him, and told him that they were at supper: and he came over to me, and he had wept much. He complained of E.K. his former words, and the touch of the staff, how it was against his credit to take that in good part, and spake many soldiers' terms of stout words, not worthy the recording. I thereupon went to our host's house, and would understand the very truth, and there I found E.K. fast on sleep on a form, most soundly, for which I was right sorry: and yet better pleased to perceive the words of E.K. which so moved Alexander (being half-drunken) to have been spoken by E.K. when wine, and not wit, bare rule: and so pleaded long time with Alexander, that of words spoken so as they were, no such exact account was to be given to him, &c.: and after two hours' persuasion caused Alexander to go to bed in our lodging, where he used to lie, for he would have gone out to our former inn, in those raging half-drunken pangs he was in: which I thought not good. This Monday morning E.K. coming home, and seeing Alexander as he came in, he said: 'They tell I should have spoken words which greatly offended thee yesternight, and that I touched thee with my staff, &c. I