The Essays Chapter 13

(1, p. 15-15v).Michel de MontaigneC113 Cerimonie de l’entreveue des RoysMontaigne - Essais, Éd de Bordeaux, 1.djvuMontaigne - Essais, Éd de Bordeaux, 1.djvu/115-15v

Ceremonie de l’Entreveuë des Roys.
Chap. XIII.

IL n’est subject si vain, qui ne merite un rang en cette rapsodie. A nos regles communes, ce seroit une notable discourtoisie, et à l’endroit d’un pareil et plus à l’endroict d’un grand, de faillir à vous trouver chez vous, quand il vous auroit adverty d’y devoir venir. Voire, adjoustoit la Royne de
Naverre Marguerite à ce propos, que c’estoit incivilité à un
Gentil-homme de partir de sa maison, comme il se faict le plus souvent,
pour aller au devant de celuy qui le vient trouver, pour grand qu’il
soit : et qu’il est plus respectueux et civil de l’attendre, pour le
recevoir, ne fust que de peur de faillir sa route ; et qu’il suffit de
l’accompagner à son partement.

C’est aussi une reigle commune en toutes assemblées, qu’il touche aux
moindres de se trouver les premiers à l’assignation, d’autant qu’il
est mieux deu aux plus apparans de se faire attendre. Toutes-fois à
l’entreveue qui se dressa du Pape Clement et du Roy François à
Marseille, le Roy y ayant ordonné les apprets necessaires,
s’esloigna de la ville, et donna loisir au Pape de deux ou trois jours
pour son entrée et refreschissement, avant qu’il le vint trouver.
Et
de mesmes à l’entrée aussi du Pape et de l’Empereur à Bouloigne,
l’Empereur donna moyen au Pape d’y estre le premier, et y survint
apres luy. C’est, disent-ils, une ceremonie ordinaire aux abouchemens
de tels Princes, que le plus grand soit avant les autres au lieu
assigné, voyre avant celuy chez qui se faict l’assemblée ; et le
prennent de ce biais, que c’est, affin que cette apparence tesmoigne,
que c’est le plus grand que les moindres vont trouver, et le
recherchent, non pas luy eux.

Chapter XIII. The ceremony of the interview of princes.

There is no subject so frivolous that does not merit a place in this

rhapsody. According to our common rule of civility, it would be a

notable affront to an equal, and much more to a superior, to fail being

at home when he has given you notice he will come to visit you. Nay,

Queen Margaret of Navarre-- --further adds, that it would be a rudeness in a gentleman

to go out, as we so often do, to meet any that is coming to see him, let

him be of what high condition soever; and that it is more respectful and

more civil to stay at home to receive him, if only upon the account of

missing him by the way, and that it is enough to receive him at the door,

and to wait upon him. For my part, who as much as I can endeavour to

reduce the ceremonies of my house, I very often forget both the one and

the other of these vain offices. If, peradventure, some one may take

offence at this, I can't help it; it is much better to offend him once

than myself every day, for it would be a perpetual slavery. To what end

do we avoid the servile attendance of courts, if we bring the same

trouble home to our own private houses? It is also a common rule in all

assemblies, that those of less quality are to be first upon the place, by

reason that it is more due to the better sort to make others wait and

expect them.

Nevertheless, at the interview betwixt Pope Clement and King Francis at

Marseilles,-- --the King, after he had taken order for the

necessary preparations for his reception and entertainment, withdrew out

of the town, and gave the Pope two or three days' respite for his entry,

and to repose and refresh himself, before he came to him. And in like

manner, at the assignation of the Pope and the Emperor,-- at Bologna, the Emperor gave the Pope opportunity to come thither

first, and came himself after; for which the reason given was this, that

at all the interviews of such princes, the greater ought to be first at

the appointed place, especially before the other in whose territories the

interview is appointed to be, intimating thereby a kind of deference to

the other, it appearing proper for the less to seek out and to apply

themselves to the greater, and not the greater to them.

Not every country only, but every city and every society has its

particular forms of civility. There was care enough to this taken in my

education, and I have lived in good company enough to know the

formalities of our own nation, and am able to give lessons in it. I love

to follow them, but not to be so servilely tied to their observation that

my whole life should be enslaved to ceremonies, of which there are some

so troublesome that, provided a man omits them out of discretion, and not

for want of breeding, it will be every whit as handsome. I have seen

some people rude, by being overcivil and troublesome in their courtesy.

Still, these excesses excepted, the knowledge of courtesy and good

manners is a very necessary study. It is, like grace and beauty, that

which begets liking and an inclination to love one another at the first

sight, and in the very beginning of acquaintance; and, consequently, that

which first opens the door and intromits us to instruct ourselves by the

example of others, and to give examples ourselves, if we have any worth

taking notice of and communicating.