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| Sept. 4. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives. |
401. Giovanni Michiel, Venetian Ambassador with the Emperor, to the Doge and Senate. |
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The negotiation with the English Ambassador for the marriage of the Archduke continues to make progress, and the hope of a good conclusion increases daily. The Ambassador has been two other times with his Majesty in lengthy conference, and the day before yesterday he was solemnly banqueted by the chamberlains by order of his Majesty. He is extremely desirous, or rather anxious, to see the Archduke, as he does not entirely trust either the portraits or the report which is made to him. But although the Emperor informed him at the beginning of last week (as he himself told me when he came to visit me) that a courier had been despatched to the Archduke soliciting him to come, nevertheless all the servants of his Highness here and the Emperor's maggiordomo have consistently said that he will not do so. Couriers go to and fro every day, and yesterday the Master of the Horse of his Highness went by post with letters from his Majesty. It may therefore be believed that even should he be summoned he will not come, as is reasonable, until he is certain of the conclusion. |
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The Ambassador has letters from London with advices that the Queen of Scotland, being shut up and guarded in the place where she is, was grievously ill. It is thought that by this means of secret disease (per questa via di malattía occulta) her death will be procured and accelerated, so as to avoid the necessity of performing it (farla) in public, because of her connivance and participation in the death of her husband. |
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Vienna, 4th September 1567. |
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[Italian.] |
| Sept. 4. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives. |
402. Giovanni Correr, Venetian Ambassador in France, to the Doge and Senate. |
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A report has been current during the last few days by the letters of merchants that the Catholic King is not likely to arrive; this report has been strengthened and confirmed by private persons, and a wonderful change is suddenly visible in the minds of these people; the Catholics are greatly distressed, while, on the other hand, the Huguenots have already begun to raise their heads, which they had lowered, when they considered the arrival of his Majesty to be certain; and there is no doubt that the presence of his Majesty would alone be of the greatest possible advantage to this kingdom. |
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Compiegne, 4th September 1567. |
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[Italian.] |
| Sept. 11. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives. |
403. Giovanni Michiel, Venetian Ambassador with the Emperor, to the Doge and Senate. |
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The Emperor has been so seriously unwell that he has had to keep his chamber and his bed, and orders were sent to Archduke Charles to come here as soon as possible; but as on the following
day his Majesty's health showed great improvement, the Archduke was immediately written to not to move himself on this account. It is thought that in three or four days his Majesty will resume affairs as usual. |
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The negotiation for the English marriage, owing to his Majesty's indisposition, remains in the same state, without any change one way or the other. Many persons of authority believe it will have no result, and allege that they know this from a good quarter, and they will take 50 to pay 500 if it succeed. Others, and especially the principal courtiers, say the contrary. The Ambassador and all his attendants continue to have the most ardent desire to see the Archduke, and cannot doubt that he will come, at least for the purpose of visiting the Emperor. The Ambassador does not think that he will have a speedy determination upon the matters which have been treated, because he is almost sure (come sicuro) that the matrimonial articles brought and proposed by him have been sent to Spain, neither the Emperor nor his brother [the Archduke] wishing, as is probable, to proceed in such an affair to a conclusion without the participation and counsel, and perhaps without the assistance (opera) of the King Catholic, on account of the authority which they know him to have with the Queen [Elizabeth]. |
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An Imperial Diet is now being held in Erfurt (Erfordia), a town of the Empire, touching many particulars which remained undecided in the last Diet of Ratisbon, held last April; and especially touching the contributions to be made towards the expenses of the late war of Gotha (Gotta). In the same Diet his Imperial Majesty and the King of Spain have caused a denial (scusa) to be made of certain false articles published throughout Germany of a pretended (falsa) confederation of their Majesties with the Pope for the extirpation of heretics and of all the sects which are not Catholic. That publication was made purposely and craftily in order to put his Majesty in distrust (diffidentia) with the whole of Germany. |
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Vienna, 11th September 1567. |
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[Italian.] |
| Sept. 11. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives. |
404. Giovanni Michiel, Venetian Ambassador with the Emperor, to the Doge and Senate. |
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The negotiation of the English marriage remains suspended, as I wrote, until the first advices arrive from Spain. |
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Vienna, 11th September 1567. |
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[Italian.] |
| Sept. 18. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives. |
405. Giovanni Corker, Venetian Ambassador in France, to the Doge and Senate. |
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Lignerolles (Lignarola) has returned from Scotland without having been able to speak with the Queen, who is said to be shut up between four walls, without any aperture except a small window through which food is supplied to her, and to have but one maidservant to attend upon her. It is true, as I wrote, that the Prince
was crowned on the 22nd of the last month, and six persons appointed in his government; since then the bastard brother of the Queen [the Earl of Murray] has been appointed Regent with supreme authority, and he forthwith published a proclamation that no one was to practise our Catholic religion. These Majesties have despatched thither a knight of the Order of St. Michael, by name Pachie (sic), and have commissioned him to request the Earl of Arran to come to France; this nobleman, who stands nearer to the crown of Scotland than any one else, is in Dieppe, where he is awaiting the orders of his most Christian Majesty. |
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Compiegne, 18th September 1567. |
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[Italian.] |
