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| March 5. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives. |
702. Hieronimo Lippomano, Venetian Ambassador in France, to the Signory. |
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The Queen of England continues to arm more actively than ever ; she has fitted out twenty-five good ships, and it is believed that she will accept the proposal of the States of Flanders, who offer her three fortresses with their harbours, namely, Gravelines, Dunkirk, and Nieuport, on condition that she declares herself in their favour, and affords them all assistance, especially by advancing three hundred thousand crowns, with which proposal the Ambassador who went to Flanders has returned to his Queen for her final desision. |
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The Ambassador from the King Catholic, Don Bernardino de Mendoza, appointed to England, has arrived here. He is to do his utmost to induce the Queen not to give any assistance to these rebels, but it is feared that his journey will have been undertaken in vain. |
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The Queen has sent an Englishman of rank to Scotland to gain, by promises and great presents, the governors of the Scottish King, who has now entered his thirteenth year, so that he may be sent to her; and if she be unable to obtain him by negotiation and donations she is determined to obtain him forthwith by force of arms, and it is feared that if she have him in her hands, as she has his mother, she may one day put them both to death. It is said that she is the more inclined to this purpose because she knows that the Prince of Scotland is dealt with clandestinely by Spain and France to become their ally. |
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Paris, 5th March 1578. |
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[Italian.] |
| March 9. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives. |
703. Alberto Badoer, Venetian Ambassador in Spain, to the Signory. |
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The most certain news is that his Majesty desires peace, and is waiting the return of Mons. de Selles. |
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Madrid, 9th March 1578. |
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[Italian.] |
| March 16. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives. |
704. Hieronimo Lippomano, Venetian Ambassador in France, to the Signory. |
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In returning from a chase of deer and stags in the forest of Vincennes, which has been held by order of the King, his Majesty, amongst other familiar and confidential communications, told me that notwithstanding many evil representations which had lately been made by persons to Monsieur, his Highness had written his Majesty a most loving letter, which he prayed him to preserve as a witness of his Highness's goodwill not to take any action against the Crown. His Majesty also said that the Queen of England was one of those who desired to take advantage of this opportunity, and, after her manner, had immediately sent to offer all her aid and power to Monsieur, but that one day God would punish her for all her evil deeds, since she was injuring the whole
of Christendom at one and the same time. His Majesty further said : “The Queen is now negotiating to obtain possession of several flemish ports and fortresses, and is also representing to the King of Spain that by such means she would recover those places from his rebels, but if she succeeded she would in that case obtain a foothold in the Low Countries, and I may add in my country likewise, since Calais is only four miles distant from Gravelines; and as the three ports which have been offered to her admit only vessels of light draught, she has demanded at the same time the fortress of Flushing, where there is a large harbour, but this question is being delayed because the Prince of Orange has refused his consent.” His Majesty also related to me the mode in which the Queen keeps prisoner the unfortunate Queen of Scotland, who is now confined much more closely than hitherto, without women or men servants, and with miserable food and apparel, a matter for great compassion and commiseration; and that the Queen is also endeavouring to obtain possession of the Prince of Scotland, in order to put him to death with his mother, but she will only obtain him by agreement, for the apprehensions which she has both at home and abroad forbid her to think of a recourse to arms. |
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Paris, 16th March 1578. |
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[Italian.] |
| March 24. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives. |
705. Alberto Badoer, Venetian Ambassador in Spain, to the Signory. |
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It is reported that Mons. de Selles has been detained by the States, and the hope for peace having from this cause cooled down, it has been decided to give sixty reals to each soldier who is willing to go to Flanders to serve his Highness, and up to the present time about two thousand infantry have been sent forward. |
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Madrid, 24th March 1578. |
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[Italian.] |
