Venice: January 1570 | British History Online

Calendar of State Papers Relating To English Affairs in the Archives of Venice, Volume 7, 1558-1580. Originally published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1890.

Citation:

'Venice: January 1570', in Calendar of State Papers Relating To English Affairs in the Archives of Venice, Volume 7, 1558-1580, ed. Rawdon Brown, G Cavendish Bentinck( London, 1890), British History Online https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/venice/vol7/pp439-442 [accessed 29 November 2024].

January 1570



1570. Jan. 1. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives.	464. Alvise Contarini, Venetian Ambassador in France, to the Doge and Signory.
	News has arrived that the Government had discovered a plot for the seizure of the city of Bourges, and that a bridge thrown over the Garonne by the Admiral to effect a junction with Montgomery and the Visconti had been carried away by a flood. In addition to these fortunate successes, particulars of the insurrection in England have been brought hither by the Secretary of his Majesty's Ambassador resident there, who states that about twelve thousand men had taken the field, and these, having raised the crucifix for their banner, and heard mass, named the Duke of Northumberland for their chief, whereat the Queen of England was greatly troubled; and their Majesties of France, to aid the Queen of Scotland, had now sent 20,000 crowns to Scotland to pay the garrison of Dumbarton, which is the only place which during these wars had remained faithful to the Queen, and had resisted the Bastard. Their Majesties have also sent to England Monsieur de Montluc, who is a great favourite with the King, and who has been instructed to approach the Queen of England in order to assist the interests of the King's relative, the Queen of Scotland, against her enemy the Bastard, who, contrary to right and reason, had usurped the Government of Scotland, and expelled the Queen, the true and legitimate sovereign of the Kingdom; and to acquaint the Queen of England that their Majesties would consider any favour shown to the Queen of Scotland as a favour to themselves, seeing that they love the Queen of Scotland as a sister, and cannot forbear rendering her all possible assistance. A Secretary of the Queen of Scotland has departed this day, and the events now passing in Scotland and England anxiously occupy the thoughts and attention of this Court.
	St. Goard près Colonges, 1st January 1570.
	[Italian.]
Jan. 13. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives.	465. Alvise Contarini, Venetian Ambassador in France, to the Doge and Signory.
	Hitherto there is no news of any foreign assistance having been promised to the rebels here.
	As it is hoped that there will be no assistance from Germany, so it is considered certain that none will come from England, because the Queen of that country has her hands full, for the insurgents against her authority increase in number daily, and have taken a seaport town on the east coast of England, not far from the frontiers of Scotland [Hartlepool]. A document has been signed by many of the principal lords of the kingdom to the effect, that although they are faithful subjects and vassals of their Queen, yet seeing her deceived by some of her councillors, who, in order to maintain themselves in grandeur, and to enjoy the property which had been robbed from the churches, have persuaded the Queen that she is the head of the Church of England, and to abandon the religion and the faith which her predecessors followed, and whereby they obtained the title of “Defender of the Faith,” therefore they (the signatories) have taken up arms to maintain the honour of God and the liberties of their country, doubting lest some foreign nation should endeavour to obtain by force that which they themselves would obtain by her Majesty's favour. Hitherto no news has been received whether the Queen has sufficient power to defeat her enemies.
	Angers, 13th January 1570.
	[Italian.]
Jan. 17. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives.	466. Alvise Contarini, Venetian Ambassador in France, to the Doge and Signory.
	On the 24th of last month the Queen of England acquainted the Ambassador of France resident with her, and also her Ambassador resident at this Court, for the information of their Majesties, that she had completely defeated and overcome the insurgents who had risen against her, and had taken prisoners the principal chiefs, and had granted pardon to the populace. But, nevertheless, letters of the 27th December have been received at this Court from some of the insurgent leaders, whereby no mention is made of this defeat, but reporting that the insurgents were marching in the direction of the town of Berwick, which they hoped to enter without difficulty, and that they had determined to make their principal base for operations there during the winter; and seeing that every day their forces continued to augment, they expected to be stronger by the commencement of the spring. Enclosed I forward a copy of the proclamation which they have issued. (fn. 1)
	Angers, 17th January 1570.
	[Italian.]
Jan. 25. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives.	467. Alvise Contarini, Venetian Ambassador in France, to the Doge and Signory.
	I have had a conversation with the deputies who have come from La Rochelle to treat for peace, with reference to the seizure of two Venetian vessels by the French Huguenots, and it appears almost exactly as I had heard, that two Venetian vessels, of which the names are not known, were captured on the 29th of last month by nineteen French Huguenot ships. The larger of the two vessels captured is of 1,200 tons burden, and was bound for England, laden with wine, cloth of silk, sugar and raisins. The other, the smaller vessel, was outward bound from England, and was laden with salt, under which were concealed 70 pieces of brass artillery. French Huguenot soldiers were placed on board these vessels, and they have been declared good and lawful prizes, on the ground the Signory of Venice had advanced money to the King in order to make war to prejudice of the Huguenots. I have also heard from the Cardinal of Lorraine that he was advised that the Queen of England had sent a person of influence to the Queen of Navarre to obtain the restoration of these ships, because the interests of England were considered to be no less prejudiced by this seizure than those of Venice; the Queen well knowing that if similar proceedings were permitted to take place, the commerce with Venice, which was so useful and advantageous to England, would be interrupted; and, indeed, that if intelligence were received at Venice that these vessels had not been restored, no other vessels would be put upon this voyage from Venice to England, and therefore that there would be no hope of receiving any merchandise from Venice during the current year. And although the hope of obtaining the restoration depends principally upon England, as foreign affairs in this country are in a state of great confusion, and the Spanish Ambassador, from whom I hoped to receive some assistance, not having arrived, I judged it best to wait upon their Majesties, but they being both indisposed, I went to Mons. d'Anjou, his Majesty's brother, who replied that as for the time being their Majesties received no obedience whatever from La Rochelle, he could say nothing beyond what had been told him by the King and the Queen, his mother. I have therefore written to the Venetian Consul in England to do what he possibly can in this matter, and also to write me all details.
	Angers, 25th January 1570.
	[Italian.]
Jan. 31. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives.	468. Alvise Contarini, Venetian Ambassador in France, to the Doge and Signory.
	I have ascertained from the deputies lately come from La Rochelle that they do not know the name of the captured vessel which was outward bound from England and laden with kerseys, cloth, and tin, but that the other vessel which was bound for England was named the Giustiniana, and that her master was a young man of tall stature and ruddy complexion; and also that both these vessels were seized at a short distance from England and on the verge of its territorial waters, and that both vessels surrendered without fighting to four French vessels upon the terms that the lives of the crew were to be spared, and their effects restored, or otherwise that a thousand crowns was to be paid for each vessel. The secretary of the deputies says that the captains of these French vessels had made a great mistake in taking these Venetian vessels, because he might lately have captured five Spanish vessels, which were laden with cargoes of far greater value. He also says that the cargoes of these Venetian vessels had been discharged, one part being assigned to the captors, another for religious purposes, and a third to the vice-admiral of these seas, and that the captors had sent to sell the goods wherever they could do so, and that the captured sailors were treating to buy the smaller of the two vessels in order to return to England, where they believe they would obtain its full value. I have not received any advices from our Consul in England, though I frequently receive letters from him, but these always arrive open, as is the case with all letters which come from that kingdom to this. The Ambassador from Spain resident here tells me that he has had to make great complaints concerning several vessels belonging to subjects of his Catholic Majesty which had been seized, but that he has no hope of obtaining any restitution until peace be concluded.
	Angers, 31st January 1570.
	[Italian.]