Venice: December 1648 | British History Online

Calendar of State Papers Relating To English Affairs in the Archives of Venice, Volume 28, 1647-1652. Originally published by His Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1927.

Citation:

'Venice: December 1648', in Calendar of State Papers Relating To English Affairs in the Archives of Venice, Volume 28, 1647-1652, ed. Allen B Hinds( London, 1927), British History Online https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/venice/vol28/pp81-83 [accessed 28 November 2024].

December 1648



Dec. 1. Senato, Secreta. Dispacci, Munster. Venetian Archives.	215. Alvise Contarini, Venetian Ambassador to the Congress of Munster, to Michiel Morosini, his colleague in France. The fleet of the Prince of Wales is steadily breaking up, while that of the parliament, commanded by the earl of Warwick, increases. The former, under the command of the Palatine Prince Rupert has withdrawn inside the river of Elvede, building earthworks at its mouth with two batteries to prevent the other from pursuing them. The Dutch are not pleased to see outsiders raising earthworks in their homeland, but as yet they have taken no steps to stop it. Munster, the 1st December, 1648. [Italian ; copy.]
Dec. 8. Senato, Secreta. Dispacci, Munster. Venetian Archives.	216. Alvise Contarini, Venetian Ambassador at the Congress of Munster, to Michiel Morosini, his colleague in France. The parliament fleet commanded by the earl of Warwick has sailed away from the coasts of Holland and returned to England. The fleet of the Prince of Wales, however, still remains where last reported. Munster, the 8th December, 1648. [Italian ; copy.]
Dec. 8. Senato, Secreta. Dispacci, Francia. Venetian Archives.	217. Michiel Morosini, Venetian Ambassador in France, to the Doge and Senate. Encloses the usual sheet of London. Paris, the 8th December, 1648. [Italian.]
Enclosure.	218. Advices from London, of the 2nd December, 1648. At the end of last month parliament received a letter from the king asking, as the treaty was practically settled, to be allowed to return to London, or some place near, with honour and liberty, so as to resolve anything contentious in the treaty. The House of Commons accordingly gave orders for him to be transferred with security to Winchester until a more convenient place was prepared where they could carry out what has been so far arranged. The Prince of Wales, after a long convalescence, proposed to withdraw to the island of Gersei with his ships, three of which have gone over to the Earl of Warwick. Meanwhile Gen. Cromuell is trying not only to throw difficulties in the way of the treaty, but having made himself a power in the party of the Independents, to make himself master of the king and parliament too. Although there is no doubt about his pretensions yet his hopes will doubtless prove vain. [Italian.]
Dec. 15. Senato, Secreta. Dispacci, Francia. Venetian Archives.	219. Michiel Morosini, Venetian Ambassador in France, to the Doge and Senate. Encloses the usual sheet of London. Paris, the 15th December, 1648. [Italian.]
Enclosure.	220. Advices from London. The king's last reply to parliament granting them authority for 20 years to dispose of the first offices and ministries, has been received with complete satisfaction and makes it likely that the treaty will soon be concluded and all difficulties which prevent its being carried out removed. Parliament has received letters from the Earl of Warwick reporting that five ships of the Prince of Wales have surrendered to him and he hoped soon to see the others under his command. The governor of Scarborough castle (fn. 1) has begun to parley in spite of the news that the prince of Wales is going to succour him with 2,000 men, embarked on six vessels and three frigates lent him by the Prince of Orange. [Italian.]
Dec. 29. Senato, Secreta. Dispacci, Francia. Venetian Archives.	221. Michiel Morosini, Venetian Ambassador in France, to the Doge and Senate. Encloses the usual sheet of London. Paris, the 29th December, 1648. [Italian.]
Enclosure.	222. Advices from London. The deputies who negotiated with the king having returned and made a full report parliament has announced that the agreement is greatly to their satisfaction, giving rise to hopes of the conclusion of peace soon. But Gen. Fairfax, greatly fearing this result, after intimating to the Commons that if they do not satisfy the army by giving them 80,000l. which is owed to them, he will approach London to make them feel the wrath of the army, to which little attention was paid, has actually carried out his sinister ideas, making himself master of the city of London and putting in prison 34 members of parliament, causing such disorder among the rest that far from thinking of meeting to deliberate they only contemplate saving themselves by flight. Fairfax has also had the king taken with great violence from the Isle of Wight to Hurst castle. [Italian.]
Dec. 29. Senato, Secreta. Dispacci, Munster. Venetian Archives.	223. Alvise Contarini, Venetian Ambassador at Munster, to Michiel Morosini, his colleague in France. The Duke of York is leaving the Hague, and his brother the Prince of Wales may follow him to France and thence to Ireland or elsewhere, to help the king, their father, whose condition grows steadily worse. The letters from England state that he is again a prisoner and may possibly fare badly. Munster, the 29th December, 1648. [Italian ; copy.]