or at the masque?

_Wh._ I shall expect that which belongs to me as Ambassador from the
Commonwealth of England, Scotland, and Ireland; and I know no other
ambassador now in this Court besides myself, except the Ambassador of the
King of Denmark, who, I suppose, hath no thoughts of precedence before
the English Ambassador, who is resolved not to give it him if he should
expect it.

_Mast. Cer._ Perhaps it may be insisted on, that he of Denmark is an
ambassador of an anointed king, and you are only ambassador to the
Protector--a new name, and not _sacre_.

_Wh._ Whosoever shall insist on that distinction will be mistaken, and I
understand no difference of power between king and protector, or anointed
or not anointed; and ambassadors are the same public ministers to a
protector or commonwealth as to a prince or sultan.

_Mast. Cer._ There hath always been a difference observed between the
public ministers of kings and of commonwealths, or princes of inferior
titles.

_Wh._ The title of Protector, as to a sovereign title, hath not yet been
determined in the world as to superiority or inferiority to other titles;
but I am sure that the nation of England hath ever been determined
superior to that of Denmark. I represent the nations of England,
Scotland, and Ireland, and the Protector, who is chief of them; and the
honour of these nations ought to be in the same consideration now as it
hath been formerly, and I must not suffer any diminution of that honour
by my person to please any whatsoever.

_Mast. Cer._ I shall propose an expedient to you, that you may take your
places as you come: he who comes first, the first place, and he who comes
last, the lower place.

_Wh._ I shall hardly take a place below the Danish Ambassador, though I
come into the room after him.

_Mast. Cer._ But when you come into the room and find the Danish
Ambassador set, you cannot help it, though he have the upper place.

_Wh._ I shall endeavour to help it, rather than sit below the Danish
Ambassador.

_Mast. Cer._ I presume you will not use force in the Queen's presence.

_Wh._ Master, it is impossible for me, if it were in the presence of all
the queens and kings in Christendom, to forbear to use any means to
hinder the dishonour of my nation in my person.

_Mast. Cer._ I believe the Danish Ambassador would not be so high as you
are.

_Wh._ There is no reason why he should: he knows his nation never
pretended to have the precedence o