Also imb-. [At first accented am-, emba·ssage (Sidney, Marlowe, Drayton, Sandys, Quarles, Colvill, Marvell), but e·mbassage in Shakespeare. Of Eng. formation, not found (like passage, message) in Fr. or any Rom. lang., but not formed on a word already in Eng. (like parentage, breakage): see -AGE. May have been formed on Fr. ambasse (:—L. ambaxia, ambactia), or med.L. vb. ambassāre, ambassiāre, or by simple analogy on ambass-iate (cf. vicariate, vicarage), or by taking ambass- as a verb stem (as if ambass·ate, -et, -ed were pa. pple.). The spelling EMBASSAGE is more common.]
† 1. The sending or dispatch of ambassadors; a mission. Obs.
1569. Golding, trans. Heminge’s Postill., 27. The Ambassage of Christ … when he sayth ‘Go and preache.’
1596. Drayton, Leg., i. 785. Who on Ambassage to the Emperor sent.
1598. Hakluyt, Voy., I. 150. One deceased by the way,… and the other remained sick … so that ambassage took none effect.
1640. Yorke, Union of Hon., 39. Knowing his troubles to arise from his Ambassage to the Lady Bona.
2. The message conveyed by an ambassador; the business entrusted to him.
1548. Latimer, Ploughm. (1868), 26. Troubeled wyth Lordelye Iyuynge … burdened with ambassages.
1580. Sidney, Arcad., III. 275. Sent this ambassage in versified music.
c. 1600. Shaks., Sonn., xxvi. To thee I send this written ambassage.
1628. Wither, Brit. Rememb., V. 1490. Let not my person hinder my Ambassage.
1676. Hobbes, Iliad, IX. 167. That our Ambassage may successful be.
1860. Trench, Serm. Westm. Ab., xii. 135. He sends the ambassage of his submission.
3. The position, or tenure of office, of an ambassador; ambassadorship.
1577–87. Holinshed, Chron., III. 1245/2. This man … being yet after his ambassage treasuror.
1622. Bacon, Hen. VII. (1860), 385. Urswick, upon whom the king bestowed this ambassage.
1632. Pory, in Ellis, Orig. Lett., II. 273, III. 273. His lordship had ended his ambassage with the King of Denmark.
1653. Holcroft, Procopius, I. 15. Rufinus is coming in Ambassage.
4. A body of men sent on a mission, or as a deputation, to or from a sovereign, etc.
1605. Play of Stucley (1878), 216. To my royal master Hath honorable ambassage been sent.
1611. Bible, Luke xiv. 32. Hee sendeth an ambassage [Wyclif, a messanger; Tindale, etc., embasseatours; Rhem. a legacie], and desireth conditions of peace.
1612. Bacon, Ess. (Arb.), 473. Yonder Men, are too Many for an Ambassage, and too Few for a Fight.
β. [See more fully under EMBASSAGE.]
1558. Bp. Watson, Seven Sacram., xiv. 85. Vsynge as it were hys embassage to exhort you to be reconciled to him.
1663. Gerbier, Counsel, C iv a. Embassages and Negotiations in the Court of forraign Princes.
1860. Motley, Netherl. (1868), I. vii. 443. Except your embassages have better success.
γ.
1593–1620. R. Hawkins, Voy. S. Sea, 194. Ransoming of prisoners, bringing of presents, and other imbassages.
