Venice: September 1667 | British History Online

Calendar of State Papers Relating To English Affairs in the Archives of Venice, Volume 35, 1666-1668. Originally published by His Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1935.

Citation:

'Venice: September 1667', in Calendar of State Papers Relating To English Affairs in the Archives of Venice, Volume 35, 1666-1668, ed. Allen B Hinds( London, 1935), British History Online https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/venice/vol35/pp182-185 [accessed 25 November 2024].

September 1667



1667 Sept. 3. Senato, Secreta. Dispacci, Spagna. Venetian Archives.	224. Tomaso Rudio, Venetian Secretary in Spain, to the Doge and Senate. The ambassador of England, without any business, passes his time in perambulating about Madrid, and causes a report to circulate that he will be leaving immediately so soon as the despatches arrive from London with the ratification of what he was working at recently. Madrid, the 3rd September, 1667. [Italian.]
Sept. 6. Senato, Secreta. Dispacci, Francia. Venetian Archives.	225. Marc Antonio Giustinian, Venetian Ambassador in France, to the Doge and Senate. On the 14th inst. the reconciliation of this kingdom with England will be solemnized in both countries with demonstrations of rejoicing. Heaven grant that it may be sincere and lasting. The jealousy of the Dutch about the progress of their forces here is constantly increasing and from this side, by secret ways, they study to interpose obstacles to every move of the Hollanders. Rovigni, who left for England last week without quality or character, has commissions of the utmost importance. Remittances will be promptly sent to London for 200,000 livres, to be at his disposition. He has informed those in his confidence that he is going with that money in order to make levies of troops or at the very least to thwart those which the Spaniards are in process of making. There is a notion that he takes wider commissions for an offensive alliance if the Dutch contribute powerful succours to the Spaniards, the division of the provinces conquered by the allied forces, and the most profuse offers of money. In their secret heart of hearts here the Dutch do not occupy a good place; to them are attributed the negotiations of the princes of Germany to offer opposition to conquests by this crown. Paris, the 6th September, 1667. [Italian.]
Sept. 10. Senato, Secreta. Dispacci, Spagna. Venetian Archives.	226. Tomaso Rudio, Venetian Secretary in Spain, to the Doge and Senate. At, last, after so many intimations from the pope, the ministers here have decided to treat for peace with Portugal again and to deal as between king and king. To this end the ambassador of England, who while standing idle here was proposing to amuse himself by visiting the neighbouring towns and seeing bull fights, which are being arranged in the surrounding parts, has received orders from the queen to suspend his journey and to resume the customary juntas. From this circumstance some favourable issue is confidently anticipated and a minister of importance has let it be understood that peace will be concluded in the course of this winter, but that it will be conducted with complete secrecy for reasons which are well known to your Excellencies. Madrid, the 10th September, 1667. [Italian.]
Sept. 13. Senato, Secreta. Dispacci, Francia. Venetian Archives.	227. Marc Antonio Giustinian, Venetian Ambassador in France, to the Doge and Senate. They are expecting at Dunkirk the regiment of Duglas, a Scot, who has served in this country in former times. (fn. 1) Other levies of troops are also expected from those parts. If a considerable body of troops comes to join his Majesty's army before the weather turns cold it may prove an additional stimulus to Marshal Turenne not to leave them altogether idle. Paris, the 13th September, 1667. [Italian.]
Sept. 13. Senato, Secreta. Dispacci, Francia. Venetian Archives.	228. Marc Antonio Giustinian, Venetian Ambassador in France, to the Doge and Senate. The disgrace and exile of the Chancellor Hyde which has happened in England may cause some disarrangement in the measures taken with England for which Rovigni was despatched these last weeks. Here the news has been received with regret because many transactions favourable to this side were to be supported by him. The parliamentarians, when they meet, will be rendered more vigorous in his absence and the party of Spain stronger. There is yet another point which causes anxiety and misgiving from the fear that a person with so great a following cannot suffer disgrace without producing great trouble and confusion. Paris, the 13th September, 1667. [Italian.]
Sept. 17. Senato, Secreta. Dispacci, Spagna. Venetian Archives.	229. Tomaso Rudio, Venetian Secretary in Spain, to the Doge and Senate. The postponement of the short tour projected by the English ambassador has not proved fruitless. When notified of the decision of the government to treat for an adjustment with Portugal as between king and king and to refer the settlement once again to his Britannic Majesty, in accordance with the countless proposals made on previous occasions, he replied that he would refer everything to London, and at the same time held out hopes of a happy issue. The alliance of this crown with that monarch is also understood to be in good train, but not so near a conclusion unless some declaration of the Dutch is seen. It is hoped this will come soon, since there is a most powerful army on the confines of their own dominions, and the tenuous party of the Spaniards will be improved by such means. Madrid, the 17th September, 1667. [Italian.]
Sept. 20. Senato, Secreta. Dispacci, Francia. Venetian Archives.	230. Marc Antonio Giustinian, Venetian Ambassador in France, to the Doge and Senate. The letters which were sent some weeks ago by the ministers here king's forces with considerations and recommendations for securing advantages from England and Holland, tell, as I reported, into the hands of the Spaniards, who made use of them to strip bare secret matters and to make confidential affairs public property. In Holland the Ambassador Gamarra had them shown to the assembly of the States and in London a copy of them was consigned to Baron Isola, so that he might make suitable representations thereupon. He did not lose the opportunity to strike at the greatest persons who kept up a correspondence with this country and put them in the bad books of parliament. Among these the chief was the chancellor, who was accused of receiving great pensions from this side; that Rovigni had gone over thither with a large supply of cash in order to bind him more closely to their side; that he was to arrange with the chancellor the means for increasing the royal authority and abasing that of the two Chambers. Many other particulars of consequence are intimated, and all of these being insinuated by Isola to the parliamentarians have moved them to apply to the king for the deposition and disgrace of the chancellor. His Majesty, from fear of being compelled to do it by force and exposed to grave dangers if he should make objection, promptly agreed to his ruin. Accordingly they require that his delinquencies shall be brought to light in a process, and that by heaping up serious faults they may condemn him lawfully to death. He will have to render account of all the money collected in the course of the present war; and they go further back still, causing an inquiry to be made into the reasons for the sale of Dunkirk, and what the money was used for. The shame and loss inflicted on England by the penetration of the Dutch fleet right into the River Thames are attributed to him, since he delayed the armaments which had been voted by parliament. Those divisions which it was attempted to make in that kingdom by one way, will obtain their entry into it by another. In the mean time his Britannic Majesty has written to the king here that the levy granted of 6000 infantry will prove difficult of fulfilment, since the partisans of Spain profit not a little from the troubles reported. Paris, the 20th September, 1667. [Italian.]
Sept. 24. Senato, Secreta. Dispacci, Spagna. Venetian Archives.	231. Caterin Belegno, Venetian Ambassador in Spain, to the Doge and Senate. A Venetian ship with a very rich cargo belonging to traders of that mart, happened to fall in with four English frigates off the bay of Cadiz. It was flying the French flag, taken in Provence and was attacked and captured. All the cargo was given up and the ship was taken to Tangier. The consul at Cadiz was not able to do anything as everything was taken out and sold in a great hurry, and besides this it is very difficult to get a race that is as greedy as it is brutal to listen to reason. Madrid, the 24th September, 1667. [Italian.]
Sept. 27. Senato, Secreta. Dispacci, Francia. Venetian Archives.	232. Marc Antonio Giustinian, Venetian Ambassador in France, to the Doge and Senate. It would seem that the Dutch have some idea of performing offices with England also so that, by their acting in concert, the progress of this monarch in the Low Countries may not be allowed to continue; and if they cannot bring them to this point, at least they will try to keep them firm in a steadfast neutrality. There was subsequently some talk of the States being inclined to send thither some one expressly for this purpose. It would seem that the chancellor of that country is reconciling himself to suffer his deposition. During the first days there was some indication that his fall would involve the country in great disturbances. He has consented to lay down his charge without a struggle, his office being entrusted to a president of the justice of London. (fn. 2) From this there are some who deduce that his faults may have been common with the king, both being interested in the advantages of France and having profited not a little in the handling of the money (ambi interessati nell' avantaggi della Francia et profittasi non poco nel maneggiare il denaro). They think that the chancellor, to save his Majesty, has consented to be sacrificed. When parliament meets more light will be thrown on affairs and the negotiations with foreign powers will be on a more solid and secure basis. Paris, the 27th September, 1667. [Italian.]