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| Nov. 8. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives. |
1117. Tomaso Contariní, Venetian Ambassador in Spain, to the Doge and Senate. |
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The West Indian fleet, after the loss it suffered in a storm, effected a junction with the Royal fleet sent out to meet it. Both were again attacked by a fierce storm in which some vessels of each fleet went to the bottom. The loss is serious, for the flagship is among those that foundered, and she was very rich. |
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The fleet has reached Lisbon, part of it, and part of it Seville. Although it is forbidden, under severe penalties, to talk of the loss yet I hear that thirty-one merchantmen and three men-of-war are missing; add to these the nine which the English have captured from time to time, and the total reaches the sum of forty-three. |
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The reason why this journey, which used to be quite safe and easy, is now so difficult is because the fleets set sail too late. |
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The people of Seville, in order to secure the fleet from the attacks of the English, have offered to his Majesty four hundred thousand crowns to allow him to fit out enough galleons to obtain that end; and they promise an annual contribution besides. But they will not allow the money to be handled by the servants of the Grown who are wont to convert it to their own use without any regard for the public service. |
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The English who were cruising off the Azores have gone home. The squadron which was cruising near Havana is thought to be waiting for the gold and silver. |
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Madrid, 8th November 1591. |
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[Italian; the part in italics deciphered.] |
| Nov. 8. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives. |
1118. Tomaso Contarini, Venetian Ambassador in Spain, to the Doge and Senate. |
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The King is continually in want of money to meet the many and great expenses which he has. The delay and uncertainty in the arrival of the ships which ought to bring the silver from the Indies makes it difficult to raise this money. The expedients which they adopt are, first, to borrow money from private persons, and, secondly, to do all they can to exact the eight millions which were voted by the Cortes. |
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Madrid, 8th November 1591. |
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[Italian; deciphered.] |
| Nov. 13. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives. |
1119. Tomaso Contarini, Venetian Ambassador in Spain, to the Doge and Senate. |
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I have received your orders to make representations in favour of the ship “Nana,” which is to go to England to fetch grain to Venice. I shall not fail to seize the first favourable opportunity, but as grain is included in the general patent under which Venetians trade there should be no difficulty. |
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Madrid, 13th November 1591. |
| Nov. 16. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives. |
1120. Lorenzo Bernardo, Venetian Ambassador in Constantinople, to the Doge and Senate. |
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The letters for Navarre and the Queen of England have not been sent off yet, and they now begin to say that it will all end in words and promises. If the letters are sent I will take care to procure a copy, which I will forward. |
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Dalle Vigne di Pera, 16th November 1591. |
| Nov. 16. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives. |
1121. Giovanni Mocenigo, Venetian Ambassador in France, to the Doge and Senate. |
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The King has returned to Normandy. Caudebec has fallen to the Marshal de Biron, who has been continually reinforced from England and Holland. |
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Chartres (Sciartres), 16th November 1591. |
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[Italian; deciphered.] |
| Nov. 18. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives. |
1122. Tomaso Contarini, Venetian Ambassador in Spain, to the Doge and Senate. |
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I have received your Serenity's despatches of the 28th September, with orders to obtain from his Majesty and his Ministers immunity for the grain ships. |
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Madrid, 18th November 1591. |
| Nov. 18. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives. |
1123. Giovanni Mocenigo, Venetian Ambassador in France, to the Doge and Senate. |
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His Majesty set out for Noyon, but no sooner had he left than the German troops mutinied. The King resolved to surround them in their camp, and if they refused to listen to reason, he intended to cut them to bits. The hopes of the King's party are based partly on France but more on England, and on the promises of Count Maurice to prevent the Duke of Parma from coming into France. The Queen of England is quite aware that Villars, who holds Havre-de-Grace as well as Rouen, is in the pay of Spain; and this makes her anxious lest the King of Spain may some day use them as the basis of operations against England. |
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Chartres (Sciartres), 18th November 1591. |
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[Italian; deciphered.] |
| Nov. 19. Copy of Original Despatch, Venetian Archives. |
1124. Giovanni Dolfin, Venetian Ambassador in Germany, to the Doge and Senate. |
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From the first of this month the Count of Nassau has been in Nymegen to summons a meeting of the States. The citizens have agreed to pay one hundred thousand florins, and to exhume the body of Martin Schenck, of Bleibach, from the place where it was ignominiously buried some years ago, when he was drowned at the siege of the city, and to bury it again with pomp and honour; and as a punishment for their errors they were obliged to follow the body of that famous captain bare-footed and bare-headed. |
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Prague, 19th November 1591. |
| Nov. 20. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives. |
1125. Giovanni Mocenigo, Venetian Ambassador in France, to the Doge and Senate. |
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His Majesty has moved his whole army to the attack on Rouen. He intends to open upon the town with forty pieces of artillery. It is thought that the King has some understanding with the besieged, principally with the Governor de Villars. It is quite certain that his Majesty is moved more by the assistance of the Queen of England than by his own wishes. |
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Chartres (Sciartres), 20th November 1591. |
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[Italian; deciphered.] |
| Nov. 30. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives. |
1126. Giovanni Moro, Venetian Ambassador in Rome, to the Doge and Senate. |
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The Pope declared that Navarre could not possibly be admitted, for there was danger of his repudiating his wife in order to have children; and even if he had none there was always the young Condè, whom many thought to be his son. For the wife of the elder Condè was held by her husband to be an adultress, and he only abstained from putting her to death because she was pregnant. She discovered this, and anticipated her husband by poisoning him. In this way the little Prince of Condè who is brought up by Navarre as his heir, would succeed him, and France would go the way of England. |
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Rome, 30th November 1591. |
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[Italian.] |
| Nov. 30. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives. |
1127. Lorenzo Bernardo, Venetian Ambassador in Constantinople, to the Doge and Senate. |
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The English Ambassador has presented a petition begging for the support of the Turkish fleet on behalf of Navarre. Your Serenity will see the nature of its contents from the enclosed. But its effect will be small, for the Sultan will only give promises and the Grand Vizir will not support it owing to his personal hatred for the English Ambassador, who by the help of the Queen has succeeded in settling the Bogdonians aaainst the Pasha's wishes,
The letters to the Queen of England are not sent out yet. When they are I will secure a copy. |
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Dalle Vigne di Pera, 30th November 1591. |
