Venice: May 1546 | British History Online

Calendar of State Papers Relating To English Affairs in the Archives of Venice, Volume 5, 1534-1554. Originally published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1873.

Citation:

'Venice: May 1546', in Calendar of State Papers Relating To English Affairs in the Archives of Venice, Volume 5, 1534-1554, ed. Rawdon Brown( London, 1873), British History Online https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/venice/vol5/pp163-167 [accessed 29 November 2024].

May 1546



May 1. Mantuan Archives.	385. Cardinal Ercole Gonzaga, Regent of Mantua, to Monsignor Sigismondo Fanz (sic).
	Will have heard of the arrival of Lodovico da l'Armi, who wrote from Castel-goffredo of the order given him to come to Mantua. The answer purported that if he had any statement to make there was no occasion for him to come in person. Wishing to know the Emperor's opinion, wrote to Camillo Capilupo, and received an answer as by enclosed copies. It may he hoped that the stir of this Da l'Armi will end in smoke; the Emperor has no hand in it, so it seems well to convince the French agents of this. Therefore sends Dominico dalla Concordia to Turin, to speak to the Prince and to Monsignor Hermes, as he (Fanz) will perceive by the instruction which he is to show to his Excellency. On the arrival of Dominico at Casale, is to give him the instruction, together with the letter of Lodovico da l'Armi, as the Cardinal thinks it advisable to send the packet by the post to Casale, where Dominieo will receive it, instead of taking it with him [from Mantua?].
	Mantua, 1st May 1546.
	[Original draft. Italian.]
May? MS. St. Mark's Library. Cod. xxiv. Cl. x. No date of time. Printed in vol. 4. pp. 30–32. “Epistolarum Reginaldi Poli.” No date of time.	386. Cardinal Pole, in his own name, and that of his fellow-Legates [Cardinal del Monte, and Cardinal Cervino], to King Francis I.
	Expressing their gratitude, and that of the whole Council, for the letters, both public and private, received from his Majesty. All Christendom acknowledges the King's piety, perceiving his efforts to convert remote nations to Christianity (dum longe a nobis disjectas nationes, ac pene toto orbe separatas, Christiana Religione instituendas curat).
	Trent, May? 1546.
	[Latin, 38 lines.]
May 4. Mantuan Archives.	387. Camillo Capilupo, Mantuan Envoy with the Emperor, to Ercole Gonzaga, Cardinal Regent of Mantua.
	The Emperor is urging Duke William of Bavaria to come to Ratisbon.
	The Spaniards are causing the Emperor to suspect that the Prince Don Fernando, (fn. 1) is endeavouring to make himself Duke of Milan, with the assistance of Mantua, Montferrat, Ferrara, and other kinsfolk.
	The messenger of the General Luigi [Gonzaga] has had the following reply from Mons. de Granvelle about taking service with England, that he is to do as he pleases, but that no potentate whatever is making an expedition for the Emperor in Piedmont. Does not know whether England is his [Savoy's?] friend, but is not sorry that he [the Duke of Savoy?] should be assisted. Touching the other matters, such as stipend and agreements, he was told that at present that they cannot be attended to, but that when possible the Emperor will show him that his obsequiousness is held in account.
	Ratisbon, 4th May, at noon.
	[Ciphered letter with contemporary decipher. Italian.]
May 6. Mantuan Archives.	388. Monsignor Thomaso Sandrino to Ercole Gonzaga, Cardinal Regent of Mantua.
	Yesterday morning arrived from Ferrara. The Cardinal of Ferrara [Ippolito d'Este] was informed that the Bolognese, Lodovico da l'Armi, and the General Luigi [Gonzaga] of Castelgoffredo, were raising troops for England at Castelgoffredo, the General Luigi, the master of that place (priore di esso luogo), being Captain General (Capo Generate) of this expedition. This intelligence disturbed the Cardinal of Ferrara. By preventing these proceedings, the Cardinal of Mantua will not only retain the good opinion of the King of France (which he has always sought), but conciliate him greatly. Should the news be true, the Cardinal of Ferrara is of opinion that the Cardinal of Mantua ought not to fail doing everything to prevent this undertaking, both because he did the like heretofore, and also to persevere in the affection demonstrated by him for the King of France ever since the time of the late Duke of Ferrara, and moreover to prevent his whole family and adherents from giving such great offence, not only to the most Christian King, but to the Pope likewise, on account of so unimportant a stir (un movimento di si poco momento), made by a private individual, and the more as peace is expected shortly, so that the undertaking cannot succeed. Should there be no remedy, the Cardinal of Ferrara requests the Cardinal of Mantua to give him notice in self-justification, and on the other hand, should he have acted as hoped, the Cardinal of Ferrara will have the great satisfaction of thanking him for a most signal service, his sole motive for speaking being his regard for the Cardinal of Mantua, to whom he recommends himself, &c. &c.
	Milan, 6th May 1546.
	[Original. Italian.]
May 6. Mantuan Archives.	389. Francesco, Duke of Mantua, to Henry VIII.
	Was very much pleased to learn by his Majesty's most gracious letter, that he bears him and his family the same goodwill as that for which his ancestors were so grateful, nor can he but do his best to imitate them.
	Is extremely glad that the King remembered this, and returns him hearty thanks for it, as also for having acknowledged him for his humble servant, and for having so benignly offered him his favour, than which nothing can be more dear to him, as was distinctly stated to the bearer of the King's commands. Having in a long discourse manifested his extreme observance, it is unnecessary to write more on the subject, and it only remains for him to beseech of his goodness that he will show him the same favour as to his other servants.
	Recommends himself humbly to the King, praying the Almighty long to keep his Majesty safe and prosperous.
	Mantua, 6 May 1546.
	Humilis et Devotiss. Servitor.
	[Latin. Original draft.]
May 6. Mantuan Archives.	390. Reply of the Duchess of Mantua, [Margherita Paleologa, daughter and heir of William, Marquis of Montferrat,] to the demand made in virtue of the Credentials of Lodovico da l'Armi.
	Madam the Duchess having seen what the Duke her son caused to be written to the most serene King, and what the ambassador Signor Lodovico da l'Armi requests in virtue of the letter of credence, her council replied—
	That she thanks his Majesty as humbly as she can for his recollection of the devotion (servitù) towards him of the Duke, her son, and of the Gonzaga family, and for the loving office of the visit (et dell' amorevol ufficio delta visita), as also for the courteous offers, which she accepts with the intention of availing herself of them according to opportunities.
	With regard to the demand made of the Duke, in virtue of the letter of credence, the Duchess does not purpose (non metta conto) drawing on herself the enmity of any of the Christian Powers, but must have respect and reverence for each of them as for her father. (fn. 2) On this account, proclamations were issued of late years forbidding any of her subjects to enter the service of others, which proclamations are from time to time renewed and enforced, as will be done for the future, especially as the times are so troublous that she cannot tell whether they may not be required for the defence of her son's territories.
	With this exception, and with that of the respect due from her to his Holiness and the Apostolic See, she together with the Duke will not fail, so far as possible, to continue that devotion (servitu) which the Gonzaga family professes and always has professed.
	[Original draft. No date. Italian.]
May 6. Deliberazioni Senato (Secreta), v. lxv. p. 14.	391. The Doge and Senate to the Venetian Ambassador with the Emperor.
	Have heard lately from their ambassador in France and from the secretary [Giacomo Zambon] in England, that their nobleman Francesco Bernardo (nephew of Ser Maphio Bernardo), who was in England on mercantile business, had been sent to the Court of France to negotiate a certain agreement between the two Crowns, of the particulars of which the Signory's ministers have heard nothing more than what was publicly reported at the respective Courts. But the secretary Zambon writes besides that the Imperial ambassadors in England have said that this negotiation was being treated by Bernardo through the medium of the Signory's ambassador in France: and although the secretary did not fail to tell them the truth, namely, that Bernardo quitted England both the first and second time without communicating anything whatever to him, and that the Venetian ambassador in France did not interfere in this matter in any way, assuring them that neither the Signory nor their ministers had any share in it, so that the Imperial ambassadors remained satisfied; the Doge and Senate have nevertheless chosen to write the whole account to him [the ambassador with the Emperor], and desire that he do notify it to his Majesty, assuring him in their name that they knew nothing of this journey of Bernardo's, nor was any communication whatever made to them about the treaty, the like having happened to their ministers, who since the fact, heard what was reported and wrote to them as aforesaid. To assure his Majesty that they acquaint him with all sincerity and truth with what has occurred in this matter, as becoming their good friendship and the reverence they bear him. To perform the like office with Mons. de Granvelle, and with such other personages as may seem fit to him.
	Ayes, 183. Noes, 4. Neutrals, 3.
	[Italian.]
May 11. Deliberazioni Senato (Secreta), v. lxv. p. 14, tergo.	392. Motion made in the Senate.
	That the summary from Constantinople be sent to the Signory's ambassadors, and to the Secretary [Zambon] in England, and that it be communicated here to the reverend Imperial ambassador, to the Magnifico the ambassadors from England [Sigismund Harvel] and from Florence, and to the secretary from France, as usual.
	Ayes, 167. Noes, 9. Neutral, 1.
	Summary in the file.
	[Italian.]
May 22. Deliberazioni Senato (Secreta), v. lxv. p. 14, tergo.	393. The Doge and Senate to the “Bailo” at Constantinople.
	By letters of the 30th ult. from their ambassador in France, and from the secretary in England, dated the 20th and 27th, understand that a negotiation is being treated between King Henry and King Francis, and that the Admiral of the King of England [Dudley Lord Lisle], together with the secretary, Paget, were staying in Calais, where the French Admiral and ambassadors are to confer with them, and negotiate the aforesaid agreement; notwithstanding which, both one side and the other continue to re-enforce their fleets and armies, the English having taken 4,000 Germans into their service, in order that should the adjustment not take place, they may be able to continue their undertakings; and both sides in sundry recent engagements and skirmishes, suffered loss reciprocally, but not of much importance.
	Ayes, 170. Noes, 11. Neutrals, 5.
	[Italian.]
May 27. Parti Secrete, Consiglio X., File no. 6.	394. Motion made in the Council of Ten and Junta.
	That the statement made to-day by the English Secretary [Balthasar Alterius, see Turnbull's Calendar, Edward VI, pp. 25, 26], in our College, in the presence of the chiefs of this Council, be communicated to the Senate for such reply to be made as shall be thought fit.
	—3.
	[Italian.]
May 28. Parti Secrete, Consiglio X., File no. 6.	395. Motion made in the Council of Ten and Junta.
	The Doge to answer the English Secretary in such words as shall seem fit to his wisdom, that the Signory listens willingly (gratamente), to such as enter their presence; and that with regard to the statement made by him to them they have nothing farther to say, leaving him at liberty to do as he pleases.
	Ayes, 14.
	[Italian]
May 28. Parti Secrete, Consiglio X., File no. 6.	396. Motion made in the Council of Ten and Junta.
	The Doge to answer the English Secretary [Balthasar Alterius?] that the Signory most highly values the friendship of those Princes, but that as the affairs of the world are in the disturbed state manifest to everyone, the Republic is compelled to have some consideration respecting this matter, apologizing in such form as the Doge, of his wisdom, shall think fit, and requesting the secretary to assure the said Princes that the State is excellently disposed towards their most excellent Lordships, and bears them extreme affection, to which effect he is to make every attestation, and perform every good office, as they are sure he will do.
	Ayes, 10. Noes, 0. Neutrals, 0.
	[Italian]