Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1907-04-12
Instances Taken From Spanish
and English Records.
RICHELlEU'S RECEPTION
Grandees Who Could Stand Uncoy-
cred Before the kfng-Trouble in
Damping Kings Fire Said TO
Have Caused Philip Ills Death
Carried 10 Extremes in Spain.

In all that affected the royal pre-
rogative, or her own personal SOW
ereignty, Queen Elizabeth was most
scrupulous and exacting. and yet the
etiquette of the English court was
regarded as elemency itself COM
pared with that of the court of
Spain. OF all its ceremonial observ-
ances none is more generally known
than the right claimed by the. grand
ees of Spain 10 appear covered before
the King.
This punctilio was characterized
by many nice gradations, which had
a particular meaning for those who
were TO the manner born. For there
grandees who covered their heads be-
fore addressing the King: while
those OF another grade only put on
their hats after they had spoken. and
while waiting for the Kings answer.
Again. there were others whose
privilege only permitted them to COW
er when they had made their last
bow, and again mingled with the
naively suggested by an English wri-
ter that this form of etiquette was
intended TO show that the grandees
were not so much subjected TO the
King as to the rest of the nation" an
explanation which would certainly
be secuted by all true Spaniards OF
whatever rank.
Although the etiquette of the
Spanish court was often misunder-
stood and misrepresented by other
countries it was universally regarded
as code of the most fastidious and
eSaoting kind, says the London
Globe, Pepys says of the Spanish
King that he do nothing but under
some ridiculous form or other" but
he omits to tell us how the iniiffer-
ence shown by Charles III. to the
regulated formalities of court eu
Quette." gave the Spanish Ambassa-
dor many advantages. All such for
malitieS have presented features nat
urally seized upon by the satirist.
II is related that Philip III. died Of
a fever caused by chill. taken after
being overheated by large wood
fire in the palace. As to the fact there
is perhaps little reasonable doubt:
but when we come to the embroid-
cries with which it is set forth as an
..anecdote," we have TO receive them
with the usual grain of salt. For &C
eording TO this version, although the
King was almost suffocated by the
heat, his grandeur" would not per-
nit him TO leave his chair,
1t was against the etiquette for
any servant to enter the apartment,
and when the King ordered one of
the grandees present TO damp down
the fire, the courtier was compelled
to decline, because he was forbidden
by the etiquette TO perform such
function. The duke upon whom this
duty devolved was unfortunately ah-
sent, and so the poor King had to
endure his sufferings rather than
derogate his dignity" by removing
himself from the cause.
Formidable as was the etiquette of
courts. its extreme expression seems
to have been reserved for Ambassa-
dors and ENJOYS in foreign countries.
Jealous for the dignity of their sew
eral masters, these high functionaries
were in continual conflict as TO some
fancied privilege or knotty point of
precedence, The teaacity with which
such matters were argued and in-
sisted on generally appears 10 have
been in inverse proportion to the
value of the subject in dispute.
An amusing instance of this kind
is recorded in our own archives. In
1924 Lords Holland and Carlisle ar
rived In Paris as special Ambassa-
doris to treat for the marriage Of
Charles /. with Henrietta Maria But
before any negotiations could be
opened our Ambassadors were al
ready rufied by doubts as to the
manner in which Cardinal Richelieu
would receive them. 1t transpired
that he could not give them the
right hand in his own house" because
he did not show that honor to the
Ambassador of the King of Spain.
But In reconducting his English visi-
tors out of his room his Eminence
consented TO walk further with them
than he was accustomed to do.
This was gracious, but insufficient
Then the happy thought occurred to
them that II the Cardinal would but
"feign himself sick the difficulty
might be overcome. Whereupon
Richelieu at once went TO bed" the
Ambassadors were admitted 10 his
chamber and the bramble in the
tborny hedge OF etiquette being thus
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