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| March 2. Deliberazioni Senato (Secreta), v. lv. p. 1, tergo. |
747. The Doge and Senate to Carlo Capello, Venetian Ambassador in England. |
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Have received his letter of the 28th January concerning the action of the royal councillors about the wools, and their reply. |
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Defer answering him until their next despatch; but persuade themselves that by reason of the existing goodwill between his Majesty and the Republic, and for the mutual benefit of the trade, he will not revoke the concession and privileges granted to the Venetian merchants. |
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Have noted what the Duke of Norfolk said to him, showing resentment and indignation, because it had been written from Rome that the Signory had prohibited any Venetian subject from going to Rome, or daring to give his opinion on the divorce; which allegation being contrary to the truth, caused us no little uneasiness. As we had notified to the reverend English ambassador that his Majesty might avail himself for that purpose of any person soever in our territories, even if resident at Venice, excepting two professors, our stipendiaries, who lecture at the University of Padua, because their removal thence would be both embarrassing and ruinous to it and to the students, we are convinced that his Majesty will therefore not have the least doubt of our obsequiousness. |
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Ayes, 194. Noes, 4. Neutral, 1. |
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[Italian.] |
| March 5. Sanuto Diaries, v. lv. p. 432. |
748. Zuan Antonio Venier to the Signory. |
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The English ambassador, the Bishop of Winchester, has departed. He, together with the other ambassador resident at this Court [Sir Francis Bryan ?], urged King Francis to declare himself, in case King Henry determine to make war on the Emperor. King Francis and his ministers cajoled them with fair words, as any war France might wage would be detrimental to the kingdom, by reason of the passage of the English, and from the vicinity of the Flemings and Burgundians. |
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Honfleur, 5th March. Registered by Sanuto 30th March. |
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[Italian.] |
| March 7. Sanuto Diaries, v. lv. pp. 394, 395. |
749. Marco Antonio Venier to the Signory. |
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Yesterday in public Consistory there was a debate on part of the clauses in the divorce case, and although the Imperial ambassadors made great opposition, permission to speak was given to the English agents, who said that their King not having safe access to Italy, nor to Rome, they therefore demanded that a convenient place
(loco abilc) be assigned him on the frontiers of his kingdom, whither he would repair, and the processes might be drawn up there, with the understanding that the cause be subsequently referred to Rome for despatch; which arrangement has the approval of the most Christian King, whose ambassador was present, and greatly favoured it. The Imperial ambassadors, on the contrary, said this ought not to be done, and that the whole should be despatched here; and that the English King, having two ambassadors at Rome [William Benet and Gregory Casal ?], who negotiate greater affairs of state, might trust them—either one or more—to treat this matter of the divorce. Nothing was settled, the business being referred to another Consistory. |
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Was present with the Imperial ambassador, the Magnifico Maij, who told him he had letters from Spain, dated 14th ult., from the Empress, who, together with her children, was in good health, and had been to Tordesillas to see the Emperor's mother, who embraced her, and gave her good greeting. Speaking of the Emperor, the ambassador said, that on coming into Italy he may perhaps stay at Naples, and on his voyage to Spain go to Genoa, where the Pope says he will have a conference with him. The ambassador Borgo has had letters from the King of the Romans, dated the 20th ult., informing him that the Archbishop of Mentz and the Palatine went to bring the chief Lutherans to the Diet, and that they proceeded to the place where the agents of the King of Poland and King John [Zapolski, of Hungary] were to be; and having found no one, they returned. |
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By advices from France, the most Christian King is fitting out vessels at Marseilles, and his ambassador at Rome said that the King asked the Pope for permission to levy the tenths from the clergy. His Holiness replied that for the benefit of Christendom the other sovereigns ought to do the like, and that he should be disposed to satisfy them. The ambassador Maij has heard from Naples that the Grand Master of Rhodes doubts being able to keep Malta, and has written to the Emperor to give him Syracuse in Sicily, and that the Viceroy might reside at Palermo or Messina. |
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Rome, 7th March. Registered by Sanuto 14th March. |
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[Italian.] |
| March 11. Lettere del Collegio (Secreta), File no. II. |
750. The Doge and College to Carlo Capello, Venetian Ambassador in England. |
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Received letters yesterday from their ambassador and vice-bailiff at Constantinople, dated the 30th January. Forward summaries immediately, that he may acquaint the King with them. |
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[Italian.] |
| March 11. Deliberizioni Senato Mar, v. xxii. p. 100. |
751. Motion made in the Senate, concerning the wool trade with England. |
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At this time there are but 200 pokes (poche) in this city; the cause proceeds from the mischievous and unbecoming conduct of our own citizens, who have endeavoured to make an arrangement
with the staplers, and to take the wools from Calais, giving them a certain, quantity and sort of merchandise. |
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Put to the ballot,—That liberty be given to subjects of the State, and aliens, to import Frankish wools (lane Francesche) until the close of next December, by land or sea, in any vessel, native, foreign, or Ragusan, any act to the contrary notwithstanding; they being bound to pay one half of the freight to those entitled thereto by law; and to be exempted during that period from payment of the tenths, or of the two per cent. imposed in lieu thereof. |
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Ayes, 157. Noes, 28. Neutrals, 22. |
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The kinsfolk of the masters of the Flanders galleys and their partners withdrew. |
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[Italian.] |
| March 13. Sanuto Diaries, v. lvi. p. 15. |
752. Carlo Capello to the Signory. |
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On the 1st instant the Duke of Norfolk went to Dover to meet the Bishop of Winchester, who returned from France with one of the lords of the bedchamber (secreti camerieri) of the most Christian King. On the 4th, this lord of the bedchamber had audience of his Majesty, and returned to France. |
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With regard to the divorce, and the marriage of the Princess, matters do not proceed as wished; and the King complains both of his most Christian Majesty and of the Pope; and the Bishop of Winchester stated in Parliament that the Pope can do nothing farther; so they are indignant with his Holiness, and the King is determined at any rate to see the end of the divorce case. The period expires on Palm-Sunday, and they have resolved to prolong it. The Bishop of Winchester was accompanied by 14 Frenchmen, who had been plundered by certain English vessels, nor have they yet obtained redress. |
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London, 13th March. Registered by Sanuto 6th April. |
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[Italian.] |
| March 20. Sanuto Diaries, v. lvi. p. 15. |
753. Carlo Capello to the Signory. |
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Had received the Ducal missives of the 28th February and 2nd March, but not those of the 20th February. |
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Went to the Court yesterday, to acquit the Signory of the charge concerning the Paduan doctors; and being unable to speak to the King, addressed himself to the Duke of Norfolk, and other members of the Privy Council. On hearing the Signory's apology, they said it was requisite that the lecturers, and not the others, should go to Rome. Replied that it would suffice to receive their opinions; and that were the lecturers to leave, it would be the ruin of the University of Padua. The Earl of Wiltshire seemed convinced, but the Duke of Norfolk said the King did not expect this from our Signory. |
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Parliament is to meet on the 15th April; and they have determined not to send the Pope any more annats for bishoprics or any other church benefices; but although this resolve proceeds from the King's will, his Majesty has not yet ratified it; and they have written to the Pope. Should this be carried into effect, it will
double the King's revenue; and by translating a bishop from one see to another, and filling up the vacancy, when one see falls in he will obtain the annats of many. His Majesty would fain also be declared heir to one third of all property held by feudal tenure; the greater part of the island being thus possessed. This resolve is understood to have passed “la Camera del Conseio secreto dil Re,” but as yet the rest of the Parliament will not admit it. |
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The captain of the Flanders galleys has written to Calais about certain reprisals, in order to obtain letters from the Emperor to his governors and ministers, and the King wrote a letter of recommendation to that effect. In the meanwhile the captain would wish the Signory to procure through the Emperor a suspension of the reprisals, and as the galleys will not depart until the end of April, there will be time to receive it. |
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London, 20th March. Registered, by Sanuto 6th April. |
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[Italian.] |
| March 21. Sanuto Diaries, v. lvi. p. 30. |
754. Carlo Capello to the Council of Ten. |
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By his letters of the 10th February they will have understood what he wrote about a league in course of negotiation between France, the King of England, the Lutherans, and King John [Zapolski], against the Emperor and the King of the Romans. When Andrea Corsim (sic) the envoy of King John, came hither, as he announced that the Emperor wished to make a marriage between his sister Maria, the Queen widow of Hungary, and King John, the English Privy Council proposed giving him the Princess of England in order to have him on their side. The Duke of Saxony has sent a great baron to the Turk [Sultan Solyman]. Requests this may be kept secret. Is unable any longer to obtain news from the person who gave him this information, as he will not associate with him by reason of the complaints [against the Signory ?]. The English Government (questi) will not tolerate the Emperor's supremacy. |
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On the 15th instant the Parliament met to discuss the affair of the divorce, and the Archbishop of Canterbury spoke against the King much to the indignation of his Majesty, who used foul language to him, saying that were it not for his age, he would make him repent of having said what he did against his Majesty. |
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London, 21st March. Registered by Sanuto 13th April. |
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[Italian.] |
| March 26. Parti Comuni, Consiglio X., v. vii. (54). p. 5, tergo, |
755. Motion made in the Council of Ten and Junta. |
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The nobleman Giovanni Benetto Lippomano has been appointed to assume tomorrow the post of Proveditor of the London Factory. He being a member of the Criminal Court of the Forty, and having heard the cause of Nicolò Barbaro and balloted upon it, it is fitting that he should continue to do so, and pass his judgment (thereon), as observed in other similar cases. |
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Put to the ballot,—That by authority of this Council, the aforesaid Giovanni Benetto Lippomano, elected Proveditor for the London
Factory, do continue to sit in the Court of the Forty, until the despatch of the aforesaid cause of Nicolò Barbaro. |
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Ayes, 22. Noes, 2. Neutrals, 2. |
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(Copy sent to the Court of the Forty). |
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[Italian.] |
