Venice: December 1618, 11-15 | British History Online

Calendar of State Papers Relating To English Affairs in the Archives of Venice, Volume 15, 1617-1619. Originally published by His Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1909.

Citation:

'Venice: December 1618, 11-15', in Calendar of State Papers Relating To English Affairs in the Archives of Venice, Volume 15, 1617-1619, ed. Allen B Hinds( London, 1909), British History Online https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/venice/vol15/pp380-384 [accessed 25 November 2024].

December 1618



Dec. 11. Senato, Secreta. Dispacci, Napoli. Venetian Archives.	644. GASPARO SPINELLI, Venetian Secretary at Naples, to the DOGE and SENATE.
	The eighteen galleys are said to be going to Spain, to Sardinia, to Barbary and to the Levant. It is all fiction. They were proceeding towards the Gulf, but, on hearing that the Venetian galleys were at the mouth, they stopped in Sicily. They now say that they wish to engage the pirates. But the ships of the pirate Sanson remain in the neighbourhood and continue to inflict great damage, so their intention clearly is to enter the Gulf if they can.
	Naples, the 11th December, 1618.
	[Italian.]
Dec. 11. Senato, Secreta. Dispacci, Napoli. Venetian Archives.	645. GASPARO SPINELLI, Venetian Secretary at Naples, to the DOGE and SENATE.
	His Excellency has sent Jerome Rason, a Fleming, to Sicily to hire large ships. He has also sent Henry Dich, who was going to Flanders, to bring arquebuses and other munitions from those parts.
	Henry Gardiner has at last brought an English ship here, the Susannah of 200 tons burthen. It comes from the whale fisheries of Greenland. It is a fine ship and they do not know what his Excellency will do with it. The master says that he wants to go to Apulia to lade oil for England.
	Other English ships from London are said to have orders not to touch at this port, and therefore three of them have unladed at Genoa merchandise consigned here.
	Naples, the 11th December, 1618.
	[Italian.]
Dec. 14. Senato, Secreta. Dispacci, Inghilterra. Venetian Archives.	646. ANTONIO DONATO, Venetian Ambassador in England, to the DOGE and SENATE.
	The agent of Spain, although a friar, is an earnest and zealous minister. He has already completed the purchase of ordnance and has, moreover, embarked the greater part of it upon three ships which are under sail and will leave at the first opportunity. He has set himself to enlist sailors, and hopes to obtain a good number to take his king's wages. In this he is assisted by the admiral of this kingdom, with whom he is most intimate and by his ready supply of money which is all-powerful among such people. However, in order to withdraw a large number of sailors from this island his Majesty's permission is necessary or that of the Council and the agent hopes to obtain it; meanwhile, he is sending some. Although it seems incompatible that the Spaniards should trust the English, and that to enlist a large number of them might have its disadvantages, yet your Serenity must know that there are many of them serving upon Spanish ships, and Dutchmen also, so the ambassador of the States has assured me, and he says his masters have banished some under severe penalties. The important point is that the Spaniards employ these men this side the Strait, and have their own subjects in places of more danger and importance, and there is no race in the world that does not serve them as well on land as at sea.
	I do not hear of any movement for buying or hiring ships for the Spaniards. With regard to the one bought for M. de Manti, the matter has gone no further. I have not been able to see the person I wrote about, and he has not come to tell me anything more. However, the Frenchmen remain on here and there are more than two, including those who were shipwrecked at the Texel, and they have in hand the money of MM. Franchi, who are merchants of great consideration upon this mart. I shall possibly be able to throw further light upon this matter in other letters. I am assured that they are not confining themselves solely to the purchase of the ship, but are considering other and more serious matters, as I wrote in my letters of the 7th, of which I enclose duplicates.
	The commissioners from Holland arrived the day before yesterday and they are lodged very honourably. They have come accompanied by a numerous train. They are waiting for the king, who will not return before Christmas, it is said, according to the custom of the kingdom, and then they will begin their negotiations. They have not received visits from the public ministers, observing the rigour of ambassadors, but I sent my secretary to visit them and I will employ all the friendly offices I know in order to advance the service of your Serenity in the friendship of the nation in the present state of affairs. Some of their gentlemen have called upon me in their name telling me that these commissioners have orders from the assembly to communicate their affairs to me and to ask for my favour and help whenever they need them, which goes to show that the States value the union and confidence of your Serenity.
	On the affairs of France and the composition between the two crowns there is nothing beyond what I have written. But his Majesty has caused the crimes of Sir Walter Raleigh to be printed and he has not passed over the negotiations held with the French and the indecency of them. They are waiting to see what Savoy will do as well as to hear the conditions of the marriage, for which there does not seem to be any enthusiasm here, either because they hoped to keep the prospect of that alliance green for themselves or because the Duke of Savoy might have shown more respect for the king by informing him previously of the negotiations and responding to what the king has done for his Highness, with great friendship but with small results. However this may be, his Majesty's agent at Turin is returning and will be here in two days. The true cause is not known.
	I have received your Serenity's letters of the 10th and 15th ult. I will inform the king as soon as I see him of what is passing among the Swiss and will draw his attention to the importance of their movements. I will use the rest as I am able.
	London, the 14th December, 1618.
	[Italian.]
Dec. 14. Cinque Savii alla Mercanzia. Venetian Archives.	647. With regard to the memorial presented by the English ambassador about salt fish, and in reply to the Senate's orders of 24 November last, we find that by decree of the Senate of 27 September, 1567, it was decreed that all who bring shellfish and sardines to this city have leave to take one half abroad and to sell the other half to the chief of the salt fishmongers. This provision was extended by a decree of the Senate of 28 November, 1595, to all others kinds of salted fish; as it occasionally happens that the owner of the salted fish cannot agree with the chief aforesaid or with others of the arts upon the price, the magistrate of your Serenity, is allowed by ancient custom to sell that part to whomsoever he pleases in the proper places in the city, and as this magistrate superintends this affair, he may be able to give your Serenity fuller information.
	Andrea Paruta.
	Zuanne Basadonna.
	Michiel Foscarini.
	[Italian.]
Dec. 15. Senata, Secreta. Deliberazioni. Venetian Archives.	648. To the Ambassador at the Imperial Court and the like to the other Courts.
	Letters from Naples state that the Viceroy has sent orders to Apulia that all ships carrying oil shall be sent to Naples. They say that Ossuna's plans are against Barbary, but also against a part of our state. We hear he is expecting large ships to increase his fleet. The Walloons have arrived in the Abruzzi, and they say Ossuna's galleons are to go to Brindisi.
	Our Captain General at sea has taken the fleet to Corfu, where he lies sick, but we hope he will soon recover. They have stopped three Flemish ships, which refused the due obedience. We have, however, ordered our Captain General to release two of them and the third also if he is sure that it is a merchant and not a war ship.
	Ayes	104.
	Noes	1.
	Neutral	2.
	[Italian.]
Dec. 15. Senato, Secreta. Deliberazioni. Venetian Archives.	649. To the Ambassador at Rome.
	With regard to the memorial presented by Cardinal Farnese in favour of the Englishman Geoffrey Pole, we highly value the Cardinal's recommendation, and we appreciate the birth and willing disposition of Pole to serve us, but at present we have no charge worthy of his acceptance. There are many distinguished people whom we cannot satisfy for the same cause, but we will gratefully remember his offer.
	You will reply to the above effect, but for your information, and you must not speak of this to any one, we have to say that some days ago the English ambassador came into the Cabinet and said that he was expecting an English gentleman, claiming high nobility, bringing letters of recommendation, but not to him, and he did not know what he was coming for. He seemed to suspect that it was something displeasing to his king which he had to do with us. He did not condescend to mention his name, but he beat about it so as to clearly show he meant Pole. The latter has now arrived in this town. He has not visited the English ambassador, nor has he appeared to offer himself, but has conveyed his desire to us by another. Perhaps he is aware that his case requires mature consideration.
	That if Pole make any request to be taken into service, reply be given as above.
	Ayes	104.
	Noes	0.
	Neutral	2.
	[Italian.]
Dec. 15. Senato, Secreta. Dispacci, Francia. Venetian Archives.	650. SIMONE CONTARINI and ANZOLO CONTARINI, Venetian Ambassadors in France, to the DOGE and SENATE.
	Pietro Contarini passed this way from England this week, on his journey to his embassy in Spain. He stopped one day and then went on, travelling with his customary splendour.
	Paris, the 15th December, 1618.
	[Italian.]
Dec. 15. Senato, Secreta. Dispacci, Signori Stati. Venetian Archives.	651. CHRISTOFFORO SURIAN, Venetian Secretary in the Netherlands, to the DOGE and SENATE.
	The ambassadors of France here and Frenchmen now say that a marriage has been arranged between France and Savoy, and that it is now clear his Majesty simply wishes to counterbalance the great ambitions of the Catholic king. M. de Châtillon told me that his king would not be far from procuring the duchy of Milan for the Prince of Piedmont, and he went so far as to say that if the King of England had wished, these provinces, united with France and the most serene republic could wrest from the Spaniards the remaining provinces now subject to the archduke.
	Here they think of nothing so much as the successes of the Bohemians, and they are delighted at the confirmation of the news of the defeat of the imperialists. They have not yet made any declaration as to whether they will assist the Bohemians or no. They are awaiting ambassadors from chose parts, but they are more anxious to know what the King of Great Britain will do, and having heard that the Count of Mansfeld is going to your Serenity on behalf of the Bohemians they are curious to hear what you will decide to do.
	The Hague, the 15th December, 1618.
	[Italian.]