ABSTRACT
In the last half of the seventeenth century second rank diplomats, particularly envoys, were becoming more important. This is shown by the fact that during this time special ceremonial procedures were being established for them. Gradually, envoys acquired a position which was lower than ambassadors but higher than simple residents. All the types of diplomats discussed so far have had one important characteristic in common: they were all to greater or lesser extent official representatives of their sovereign. In returning to our general discussion of diplomatic secretaries, one special point can be drawn out of the biographical sketch of Matthew Prior: the differences in his role as secretary when he had a superior present and when he himself was the highest ranking English diplomat. In the former case he acted basically as a helper of the ambassador; in the latter case Prior himself bore the representative character.
