† amˈbassiate Obs.
Also 5 ambacyat, -assite, -assat(e, -asset, 5–6 -axat, -assiat; also embassiate, embasset, imbasset.
[ad. med.L. ambassiata, also -asciata, -asiata, -asseata, -axiata, -assata, -axata, for *ambactiāta: see ambassade, a doublet of this word through Sp. and Fr., with which the later forms of this were at length blended; also ambassy from the cognate Fr. form.]
1. The business or message of an ambassador.
| a 1400 Cov. Myst. 77 Now myn imbasset I have seyd to yow thus. 1417 Hen. V in Ellis Orig. Lett. iii. 26 I. 61 Thambassiatours of oure Brothir the Duc of Baire have been here with us and doon theire Ambassiat. 1419 Assheton ibid. ii. 22 I. 73 When that he comes on his Ambassate. 1430 Lydg. Chron. Troy ii. xvi, Of one assent to make ambassyat. c 1430 ― Bochas v. xv. (1554) 133 a, In this Ambasset..had none audience. 1440 Shirley Dethe K. James (1818) 23 Beyng in Scotteland, upon his ambassite. 1447 O. Bokenham Lyvys of Seyntys 52 b, Whan the aungel thus his ambacyat Had brefly doon. 1461 Wyndesore in Paston Lett. 416 II. 52 Goyng uppon an ambassate to the Frenshe Kyng. 1513 Douglas æneis viii. iii. 108 Nowthir by ambassiat, message, nor writingis. 1548 Hall Chron. 847 Ambassiates, excuses, allegacions. |
2. A body of men sent on a message by a sovereign or other authority; an embassy.
| 1461 Paston Lett. 416 II. 52 We shall have a gret ambassate out of Scotland. 1513 Douglas æneis xi. lvi. 27 The ambassiat that was returnit agane. 1529 Rastell Pastyme (1811) 101 They sende an embasset to Aecias. 1535 Stewart Cron. Scotl. II. 221 Ane greit ambaxat suddantlie he send. 1580 North Plutarch (1676) 140 Twenty persons of this Ambassiate. |
3. A single envoy or ambassador. [Fr. ambassade (masc.), Pr. ambaissat. Cf. -ade3.]
| 1470 Harding Chron. lxxxi, He..sent his letters with his Ambassatis. c 1520 State Let. in Burnet Hist. Ref. II. 95 The French king hath sent hither an Ambassiate, Monsieur de Langes. 1535 Stewart Cron. Scotl. I. 55 The ambaxat tuke leve and passit hame. |