Page "Diego Sarmiento de Acuña, 1st Count of Gondomar" Paragraph 10

Gondomar conceived his embassy as a sortie in enemy country, and took for his maxim aventurar la vida y osar morir — " risk your life and dare to die "; his opening challenge was his refusal to strike the colours of Spain at his warships ' entry to Portsmouth harbour, in which an appeal to the King averted an exchange of cannonfire that would have sunk the ambassador in his vessel.

His handling of the unconditional release of the Catholic agitator Luisa Carvajal y Mendoza further established him in James's eyes as a man of unexpected strengths.

In 1617 Sarmiento was created Count of Gondomar.

The key to Gondomar's success was his relationship with James, whom he brought to admire and like his witty and learned companionship, his candour, within the obvious limits, and his personal integrity.

They called themselves the " two Diegos " and drank from the same bottle ( Carter 1964: 205 ).