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| April 7. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives. |
920. Alberto Badoer, Venetian Ambassador in Rome, to the Doge and Senate. |
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The Pope told me that he was expecting an agent from the Queen of England; this man had been in Venice incognito, and had then passed to Chioggia, where he gave out that he was on his way to Genoa, perhaps with a view to travelling more safely.
The Pope expressed his pleasure at the hope that the Queen of England, too, might become Catholic. |
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Rome, 7th April 1590. |
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[Italian.] |
| April 11. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives. |
921. Tomaso Contarini, Venetian Ambassador in Spain, to the Doge and Senate. |
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There is confirmation of my last news from England. Sixty ships have been manned, and they encounter obstacles in the way of arming more. A master mariner who has just come from England declares that they are preparing a great quantity of biscuits, and omitting nothing necessary for a great armament. It is said that the sixty ships above mentioned are destined for French waters, as the English fear lest the Catholic Armada should take that direction in virtue of secret understandings which they have in Brittany. But seeing that the Catholic Armada cannot be very numerous this year, it remains uncertain what route will be adopted. Our information is based rather on rumour than on certainty; and I will only add that Tornabuoni, a Florentine gentlemen who is here for the Duke of Mercure, is urging that assistance should be sent to his master, both in men and money, in order to support Brittany against the King of Navarre. He points out that Brittany sent supplies to Portugal, and that this source of provision and of commerce would be destroyed if Navarre succeeded in reducing that province to his authority; but as yet Tornabuoni has received no answer to his demands. The Agent of the Duke of Maine has arrived here on board the Italian galleys. It is easy to guess his business, in furtherance of which large quantities of money have already been sent into France. |
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The ship “Salvagna,” which was detained at Muros, with the English pilots on board, has been set free, without any caution money. But no sooner was the “Salvagna” set at liberty than I received news from Gibraltar that the galleon “Tizzona” and the ship “Reniera,” on their way from England with several English sailors on board, have been detained at that port. |
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Madrid, 11th April 1590. |
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[Italian; the part in italics deciphered.] |
| April 12. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives. |
922. Tomaso Contarini, Venetian Ambassador in Spain, to the Doge and Senate. |
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News of the utter defeat of the Duke of Maine by the King of Navarre has just reached Court; and as most of the Ministers and of those about Court are partisans of the league it has thrown them into a great commotion. They tried first to conceal and then to minimise the event. But letters from Paris, which I have read, reveal the whole truth. This news has caused the President Riccardot to delay his departure in order to convey fresh instructions to the Duke of Parma. There is no more talk now of the request of Parma to be relieved of his command. |
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News reaches us by way of Naples that the negotiations for a trace which Ferrari was conducting in Constantinople, have been impeded chiefly by the action of the English Ambassador; though by means of presents he still hopes to reach his object; and just the other day I was told that his Majesty had been informed that Ferrari had succeeded in concluding a truce for three years; and if this be true it will have removed a great obstacle to his Majesty's designs, and freed this country from a, serious alarm. For the troops which are in these kingdoms are so badly paid that they may turn their arms to sacking the whole country, and some of their officers have threatened to take service with Navarre. |
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Madrid, 12th April 1590. |
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[Italian; deciphered.] |
| April 11. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives. |
923. Alberto Badoer, Venetian Ambassador in Rome, to the Doge and Senate. |
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The Pope said that the Agent of the Queen of England was already in Rome, but still kept incognito. His Holiness showed great satisfaction at his arrival. |
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Rome, 14th April 1590. |
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[Italian.] |
| April 21. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives. |
924. Alberto Badoer, Venetian Ambassador in Rome, to the Doge and Senate. |
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The English Agent has been sought for everywhere, but cannot be found. |
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Rome, 21st April 1590. |
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[Italian.] |
| April 26. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives. |
925. Tomaso Contarini, Venetian Ambassador in Spain, to the Doge and Senate. |
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Sailors who reach Lisbon, from England confirm all the rumours of great preparations. They say that the Queen has, perhaps, as many as four hundred ships distributed throughout the ports of the island; and on the coast are numbers of volunteers who offer to sail in the fleet without any pay. It is also announced that part of the English fleet has already sailed, and is at Havana in the Indies, where it is doing much mischief. |
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Here, on the other hand, are no signs of preparation, no activity beyond the ordinary. And there are not wanting those who declare that negotiations are on foot for a truce or a suspension of arms between England and Spain. As far as I can gather the President, Riccardot, dealt with this matter when he was here, and he has gone back with his Majesty's orders as to the line to be adopted throughout the negotiations. |
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The matter of the forty ships for which the King contracted with Alonzo Gutierrez, is causing some difficulty, for the sum promised, namely, fifty thousand crowns, turns out to be far inferior to the amount really required. Experts declare that the mere hulls alone cannot cost less than six thousand crowns apiece, and that
even if they were all fitted and ready there would not be merchandise sufficient to lade them simultaneously, whereas, if they sailed in squadrons they would be seized and sacked by the English, who are always cruising in those waters. |
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The method for raising the eight millions voted by the Cortes is now resolved upon. That sum is to be paid up in half-yearly rates covering six years. Each city and district is to choose its own date when the rates shall fall clue. But experts doubt whether the sum will ever be really paid, for they say that this subsidy, added to the other burdens of this kingdom, will prove in excess of the power to pay. |
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Madrid, 26th April 1590. |
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[Italian; deciphered.] |
| April 27. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives. |
926. Tomaso Contarini, Venetian Ambassador in Spain, to the Doge and Senate. |
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The ship “Reniera,” which was detained at Gibraltar, has been released, but with orders that some English sailors who were on board of her should be arrested. Accordingly, in order to secure the complete liberation of the entire crew, without which the ships could not sail, I have presented a fresh memorial. |
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Madrid, 27th April 1590. |
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[Italian.] |
| April 28. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives. |
927. Giovanni Moro, Venetian Ambassador at Constantinople, to the Doge and Senate. |
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At the request of the French Ambassador the English Agent has informed the Grand Vizir that the present King of France wishes to send an Ambassador to the Porte to maintain the friendly relations between the two kingdoms, and begs for letters from the Sultan to the King on the subject. |
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Dalle Vigne di Pera, 28th April 1590. |
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[Italian; deciphered.] |
