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| Dec. 9. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives. |
899. Tomaso Contarini, Venetian Ambassador in Spain, to the Doge and Senate. |
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On the coast of Biscay eleven galleons on the English model are being built; they have keels fifteen paces long; and in Portugal other nine of Portuguese build; but it is thought that all this will be too late, as the English will have time to carry out their designs. Ferroi is being fortified against the English. |
| Dec. 10. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives. |
900. Alberto Badoer and Leonard Donato, Venetian Ambassadors in Rome, to the Doge and Senate. |
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His Holiness complained that the Republic of Venice was bestowing great honours on Marc' Antonio Bragadin, called Mammon Bragadin, an apostate friar, who, after being unfrocked, had fled to Geneva and England. The Pope threatens to order all the churches to be shut in his face. |
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Rome, 10th December 1589. |
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[Italian.] |
| Dec. 18. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives. |
901. Tomaso Contarini, Venetian Ambassador in Spain, to the Doge and Senate. |
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The ship “Segura,” from Crete with wine, entered the port of Cadiz, and has been seized owing to the number of errors committed by those who had charge of her. For first of all she lay off the port without entering, and then when suspicion had been roused she sailed in. Then the supercargo who was arrested, declared that they were bound for Lisbon, and showed his bill of lading; but afterwards, for no reason at all, he blabbed about the. other secret bill of lading for England. Although there was considerable danger of a penalty for this fraud, yet she is to be allowed to sail to Lisbon on depositing a caution. |
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I should like to secure her unconditional liberty; and I think I could do so were it not for these rumours of preparation for war. All the same I will do everything which the condition of the case permits, for it is very likely that just at this juncture a general embargo on all shipping may be issued. |
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Madrid, 18th December 1589. |
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[Italian; the part in italics deciphered.] |
| Dec. 18. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives. |
902. Tomaso Contarint, Venetian Ambassador in Spain, to the Doge and Senate. |
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We hear that the Queen of England, whose illness is no longer mentioned, is preparing a vast armament, though here nothing is moving. This news, and the report of great preparations at Constantinople, cause anxiety here. |
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Madrid, 18th December 1589. |
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[Italian; deciphered.] |
| Dec. 19. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives. |
903. Giovanni Mocenigo, Venetian Ambassador in France, to the Doge and Senate. |
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The English have behaved with much license and cruelty in the captured cities, dishonouring the women, and slaying indiscriminately, and driving the French soldiers out of the best quarters, and up till this moment they have been patiently endured. The King, for the maintenance of discipline, and for his own honour, has summoned the Colonel and Captains, and told them he would dismiss the English unless they behaved properly. |
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Tours, 19th December 1589. |
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[Italian; deciphered.] |
| Dec. 23. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives. |
904. Tomaso Contarini, Venetian Ambassador in Spain, to the Doge and Senate. |
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While rumour persists that in England vast preparations are going on, here they have done nothing except pass an order in Council, to despatch some money to Lisbon, Corunna, Santander, and Cadiz. |
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Two reasons hinder efficacious preparations in Spain; one is that the Queen of England by her negotiations for peace has lulled the Spanish to sleep; the other, that there is a divergence of opinion among the King's advisers. For those who are experienced in war, such as Don Ernando and Don Alonzo de Vargas, when they see that the opinion of Idiaquez and de Mora, one of whom has never been out of Spain, the other never in a campaign, is constantly preferred to their own, abandon this Council, and declare that things must go ill when all decisions are taken by the inexperienced. It is true that, in their uncertainty as to the Queen's operations, they are going to send a spy to England to report. But in the meantime the inhabitants of Lisbon are all panic stricken by the dread of a sudden and unexpected attack from England; and the richest are leaving the city with all their wealth. |
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News from Flanders that the Duke of Parma has had a serious relapse. |
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Madrid, 23rd December 1589. |
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[Italian; the part in italics deciphered.] |
