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| Oct. 14. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives. |
169. Giovanni Mono, Venetian Ambassador in France, to the Doge and Senate. |
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Monsieur is still at Cambrai. His usual ill-fortune pursues him. He sent Marshal Biron to attack Câteau Cambresis (Sciatheo Cambresy). The Marshal was routed with the loss of three hundred Frenchmen. The Prince of Parma has made himself master of Zutphen. |
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The King of Navarre, after having written to his wife that he would come to meet her, being still dissatisfied with what the King of France had told him about the dismissal of the ladies in waiting, sent orders to his wife not to move, and despatched another messenger to the King of France for further information. The King of France delayed his answer until he met the Queen-Mother at S. Germains. This delay increased the suspicions of the King of Navarre, and furnished an opportunity to all who were desirous of creating a disturbance, and principally to the Prince of Condé, to suggest to the King that all this was done to insult him and to humiliate him before the world. Meanwhile the Queen of Navarre remained disconsolate at Herach, and thence she sent Lodovico Birago, brother of Carlo, to beg the advice and help of the Queen-Mother. Her reply was that the Queen should retire to Cognac and wait there. |
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Paris, 14th October 1583. |
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[Italian: the part in italics deciphered.] |
| Oct. 15. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives. |
170. Matheo Zane, Venetian Ambassador in Spain to the Doge and Senate. |
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Monsignore Sega, Bishop of Piacenza, has been sent here by his Holiness. He has asked for audience, but has not yet had one. I have heard that his mission is the formation of a league against infidels. |
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Madrid, 15th October 1583. |
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[Italian; deciphered.] |
| Oct. 26. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives. |
171. Matheo Zane, Venetian Ambassador in Spain, to the Doge and Senate. |
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His Holiness second proposal is a secret confederation to attack England, to drive out the Queen, and to substitute the King of Scotland, in, whose name the enterprise is planned. The Duke of Guise is named for the command, under the pretext that neither his Majesty nor the King of France should openly declare themselves against the Queen. The Nuncio has made the most urgent representations to the King that he should arrive at some resolution demonstrating that he ought not to lose the opportunity Which now offers itself through understandings which exist, with people in England, through the
revolts in that island, and through the rebellion in Ireland, added to these there are the troops already collected, and, the abundance of money, thanks to the very rich flect just arrived from the Indies, so that it would appear that God himself had arranged all these things so that some great good might accrue to Christianity, such as the restoration of the English people to the true religion (l'altra proposta, di sua Santità è la, secreta confederatione per la impresa de Inghilterra, di cacciarve la Regina, et metter in stato il Re di Scotia, in nome del quale si dissegna l'impresa; et per Generale di essa vien nominato il Duca di Ghisa, sotto pretesto che nè sua Maesta nè il Re di Franza si mostrino alla scoperta contro la Regina; et il Noncio, a nome del Papa, ha fatto instantissimo officio con sua Maestà perchè se ne risolvi adesso, mostrandole che non si doveva perdere la congiontura che hora si offerisce delle intelligenze che sono in Inghilterra, et dalli moti di quell' Isola con la sollevatione di Irlanda. aggiontevi le forze che sua Maestà Catholica si trova haver insieme, et la commodità ancora del denaro rispetto alla flotta richissima gionta de India, onde pareva a punto che Dio benedetto havesse accordato tonte cose insieme perchè ne succedesse un cosi gran bene alla Cristianità, come sarebbe riddare quei populi alla vera religione). His Holiness proposed to contribute to the expenses in the proportion which was assigned to him. in other treaties, or else that his Majesty should accept a subsidy of four hundred thousand crowns, and bear all the expenses, which should not amount to more than the above-mentioned sum; for the troops could all be ready in four months, a net would consist of ten thousand English mercenaries, two thousand Scotch, and four thousand Spanish. His Majesty, being earnestly solicited by the Nuncio, resolved to answer to Rome by express courier, who left on the 24 th of last month as I informed your Serenity. His Majesty informed the Pope that he, too, as a Christian, and on account of the question of Flanders and the navigation of the Ocean, desired to see a successful issue to the English affair, but he pointed out that to place the King of Scotland on the throne would not restore those people to the Catholic Church; for the King had been educated by those who were hostile to the Church, he had always adhered to them and lived with them, and to expect a change was too much, so that on the score of religion he did not see how the desired benefits would be secured. Nor could he find sufficient grounds of confidence, for the relations which his Holiness claimed to have in England were weak, and the designs of the exiles also; he approved the appointment of the Duke of Guise, but he was bound to consider the danger of sending his troops upon an expedition ill planned owing to the lack of arms, munitions, and other necessaries. (La proposta di sua Santità era che essa concorrebbe nelle spese per la portione che le potesse toccare giusta la forma delle altre leghe, se la Sua Maestà voleva far la parte sua, overo che essa accettasse un susidio extraordinario sopra questo clero in Spagna di m/400 scudi, et facesse tutta la spesa la quale si contava non dovesse esser maggior delta. delta summa, perche l' impressa si fornirebbe in 4 mesi, et si
haverebbo ad assoldare m/x Inglesi et doi mille scocesi, li quali con m/4 spagnuoli, che sua Maestà mandasse, dava l' animo al Duca di Ghisa di fornire la impresa. Sua Maestà essendo instantamente sollecitata dal Noncio, convene risolversi rispondere a Roma con un corriero expresso . . . et disse Sua Maestà che essa desiderava non manco di Sua Santità la ruiscita di Inghliterra come Principe Christiano, et particolarmante interessato rispetto li Stati di Fiandra, alla navigatione dell' Oceano et a molti altri proprii interessi, però che ella avvertiva che mettere in Stato il Re di Scotia non era ridure quelli isolani alla Religione Cattolica perche egli è stato allevato da persone che sentono male della fede.) |
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Madrid, 26th October 1583. |
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[Italian; deciphered.] |
| Oct. 28. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives. |
172. Giovanni Moro, Venetian Ambassador in France, to the Doge and Senate. |
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Last week the new Ambassador of England reached Paris. He is a person of great importance in that kingdom, and lord of many Castles (Signore de Castelli). On Sunday he had audience. In conversation with him he expressed the Queen's goodwill towards Venice, and insisted that a right understanding would be useful to both, as the power of the Spaniards was a subject of suspicion to Venice more than to any other Prince. I replied that Venice stood in such friendly relations with the King of Spain as to have no cause for alarm at his greatness. |
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Yesterday the retiring Ambassador repeated the same to me, and added that it would be well if the Republic were to remove all cause of displeasure which had arisen on account of the merchants. He concluded by saying that all this was said on his own personal initiative. I made a suitable reply; but on the question of the merchants I said that I did not know what your Serenity could do further in the matter. He replied that although the Republic would not honour her Majesty with an Ambassador still it might charge one of our gentlemen who was trading in England to deal with the matter. I answered that as far as I knew our gentlemen had ceased to sail their ships (dissi che a questo pare che i nostri; gentil. huomini habbiano desmesso affatto il navieare). He at once said that I might be charged with this office as long as 1 remained here, and on my return I might endeavour to preserve good relations between the Queen and the Republic. I replied that I certainly would do so. |
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I have heard that the Ambassador complained that the Republic has never answered a letter from the Queen. |
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Paris, 28th October 1583. |
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[Italian.] |
