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| March 5. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives. |
72. Matheo Zane, Venetian Ambassador in Spain, to the Doge and Senate. |
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The preparations for the war which are being made in Spain, appear to be far greater than would be required for an expedition to the Azores, and so people say that his Majesty intends to attack England, and adduce various reasons for his doing so. But the undertaking is more difficult than is generally supposed, and therefore many people believe that his Majesty's intentions are directed to the defence of Flanders, and the suppression of the French if they attempt to support Don Antonio. |
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Madrid, 5th March 1582. |
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[Italian; deciphered]. |
| March 7. Copy of Original Despatch, Venetian Archives. |
73. Alberto Badoer, Venetian Ambassador in Germany, to the Doge and Senate. |
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News from Constantinople that the French are urging the Sultan to attack Spain; pointing out how weak his Majesty is in Flanders, that England is an open foe, Portugal disturbed, the Azores sure to hold for Don Antonio. The Pasha is said to have promised to make the Turkish fleet take the sea in force this year. |
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Vienna, 7th March 1582. |
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[Italian.] |
| March 8. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives. |
74. Lorenzo Priuli, Venetian Ambassador in France, to the Doge and Senate. |
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The news of Monsieur's arrival in Antwerp on the 20th are true. He has been sworn Duke of Brabant and Marquis of the Holy Empire. The Catholics are allowed three churches in Antwerp. Before Monsieur took the oath the Queen of England publicly
declared that he had gone to Flanders on her word that the conditions offered to him would be faithfully observed, and therefore they must consider well before making any promises which they might afterwards wish to retract, for Monsieur was so closely united to her that she would consider an offence to him as an offence to herself (perche Monsignore era tanto unito seco, che riputeria Voffesa fatta a se medesima). But if they acted loyally by his Highness they might count on disposing of the forces of her kingdom for their services. |
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Paris, 8th March 1582. |
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[Italian.] |
| March 16. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives. |
75. Lorenzo Priuli, Venetian Ambassador in France, to the Doge and Senate. |
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The Abbé del Bene tells me that both Monsieur alone, and, later, in conjunction with the Queen of England, had urged the States of Flanders to come to terms with the King of Spain; but they had replied that they would sooner give themselves to the Turk. That Monsieur seeing them so firm, felt obliged to accept their offer of themselves to him. |
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Paris, 16th March 1582. |
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[Italian; deciphered.] |
| March 19. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives. |
76. Matheo Zane, Venetian Ambassador in Spain, to the Doge and Senate. |
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Some well armed English and Breton galleys are infesting the coast of Portugal. Quite recently a galley which put out from Lisbon to help a vessel beating up against a head wind, and seeming to wish to make the port, came close up to her and was roughly handled for she was heavily armed, another got into port with her deck loaded with graio, but in her hold many weapons of offence. This gave rise to the imprisonment of an Englishman and a Frenchman who were in Lisbon as merchants; they are held to be spies in the service of Don Antonio. His Majesty has ordered some galleys of the home fleet into Lisbon to check these evils. |
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Madrid, 19th March 1582. |
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[Italian.] |
| March 26. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives. |
77. Matheo Zane, Venetian Ambassador in Spain, to the Doge and Senate. |
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They are afraid that Don Antonio's forces, supposed to be destined for the defence of the Azores, may be diverted to a landing in Portugal. The King has sent the Prior Don Eermando, natural son of Alva, to the district between the Douro and the Miño, where lies Oporto, the port most exposed to a landing. |
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Madrid, 26th March 1582. |
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[Italian; deciphered.] |
