A resident ambassador in the late sixteenth century faced many challenges, among which were: gathering, evaluating, and relaying useful information; performing negotiations on behalf of his principal; and calming troubled waters at the foreign court. The way in which he .faced these challenges determined the extent of the ambassador's success. Jon Jiego Guzman de Silva, Spanish ambassador in Zngland .from 1564-1568, faced these challenges and others because he was a staunch Catholic at a Protestant court. Although he was able to maintain his position at court for four years, he was not totally successful. He forwarded much useful and correct information to Philip II, King of Spain, and helped maintain good relations between the English and Spanish courts. Yet he was unable to accomplish anything significant while negotiating to stop p iracy or to restore trade between England and t' Low Countries,