a person deputed to negotiate some affair with any foreign prince or state. Those sent from the courts of Britain, France, Spain, &c., to any petty prince or state, such as the princes of Germany, the republics of Venice, Genoa, &c., go in quality of envoys, not ambassadors; and such a character only do those persons bear, who go from any of the principal courts of Europe to another, when the affair they go upon is not very solemn or important. There are envoys ordinary and extraordinary, as well as ambassadors; they are equally under the protection of the law of nations, and enjoy all the privileges of ambassadors; only differing from them in this, that the same ceremonies are not performed to them.