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.
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.
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.
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_.