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| Feb. 2. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives. |
911. Tomaso Contarini, Venetian Ambassador in Spain, to the Doge and Senate. |
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Although news about the English armament continue to arrive,—that it is ready, that many ships are already on the sea, and are bent on attacking the coast of Spain, seeing that the Spanish ships are all lying in port unmanned and unarmed, still, in spite of all this, we are living here in the usual silence and quiet. Some say that the Ministers act thus to show their contempt for the foe, alleging that the forces are quite sufficient; whereas if they made great preparations they would only be increasing the reputation of the enemy. An experienced councillor, who is of a contrary opinion, declared at a sitting of the board that the English would be stronger than they were last year, and more audacious, as they have discovered how little resistance is offered to their plundering. The advice of those who recommend peace and economy will be taken however, and it is quite true that here all their attention is directed to the accumulation of money, which is so scarce that they talk of a fresh loan from the Genoese and Florentines. |
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Madrid, 2nd February 1589 [m.v.]. |
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[Italian; deciphered.] |
| Feb. 3. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives. |
912. Tomaso Contarini, Venetian Ambassador in Spain, to the Doge and Senate. |
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In England a great number of ships are being got ready. Complaints of the Castilian garrisons are coming in from Portugal. The report of the military engineer upon the sites to be fortified along the coast of Portugal has just been sent in. Three places are indicated, of which Peniche, seized by the English last year, is the most important. |
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Madrid, 3rd February 1589 [m.v.]. |
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[Italian; deciphered.] |
| Feb. 13. Original Despatch. Venetian Archives. |
913. Tomaso Contarini, Venetian Ambassador in Spain, to the Doge and Senate. |
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There has been a debate in Council upon the Duke of Parma's petition to be relieved of his command, it being necessary to send back the President Riccardot, who had come from Flanders for various business. |
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Some were for granting the request, others for refusing it. But as news came that those provinces were in great disorder no resolution was taken. |
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Madrid, 13th February 1589 [m.v.]. |
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[Italian; deciphered.] |
| Feb. 14. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives. |
914. Tomaso Contarini, Venetian Ambassador in Spain, to the Doge and Senate. |
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News from Lisbon that many English ships are out. Part will go to the Azores and part to the Straits of Magellan, where they can inflict great damage on the Indies and Brazil, as Drake did some time ago. |
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News from Bilboa confirms the rumour that in England they are preparing a fleet of two hundred sail. Ferrol is in a panic; and they have run a chain across the mouth of the harbour. |
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Madrid, 14th February 1589 [m.v.]. |
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[Italian; deciphered.] |
| Feb. 24. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives. |
915. Alberto Badoer, Venetian Ambassador in Rome, to the Doge and Senate. |
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The Pope concurred in the opinion I expressed that to win Navarre over to the Church would open a wide door for gaining over the Queen of England. |
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Rome, 24th February 1589 [m.v.]. |
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[Italian.] |
