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1576.
Vat. Arch.
Arm. xliv. vol.
28. f. 63.
no. 115. |
495. [Ptolemy Galli,] Cardinal of Como to [Gerard a Groesbeck,] Bishop of Liège.
“Having read the petition, sent herewith, which was presented to him in the name of Anne Markenfeld, a noble English virgin, the Pope bade me write to you, that you may take the first opportunity that offers of entering her in some College of Canonesses in your diocese, as it is craved, that she may, as it is meet, be confirmed and aided in her good and pious purpose of abiding in her virginity and the service of God.”
10 March, 1576. Rome. Latin. Copy.
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Vat. Arch.
Nunt. di
Venet. vol.
xiii. f. 496. |
496. The Same to John Baptista [Castagna], Nuncio at Venice.
“As your ordinary letter requires no answer, I will tell you without further ado what I omitted in my late letters as to what you said was being mooted there about receiving English ambassadors; to wit, that the Pope is by no means agreeable that ear should be given to such a proposal by reason of the very untoward consequences that might ensue thereon, as it is very certain that an ambassador coming from those parts would be of like manner of life with her that sent him, and from his secure vantage ground in that city might be the author of most serious evils, as well in matters of religion as in those that concern the interests of the State, by espionage and furnishing reports about all matters there. You will therefore with due modesty advise his Serenity and the Signory to let all this be well considered, the more so that mercantile affairs can be transacted without the appointment of ambassadors resident. And as the Signory are wont to be much influenced by precedents, you may tell them that just of late an ambassador from the same realm was sent to the Catholic King, who dismissed him forthwith, that he might have no excuse for tarrying in that Court.”
10 March, 1576. Rome. Italian. Draft.
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Vat. Arch.
Nunt. di
Venet. vol.
xviii. p. 58. |
497. John Baptista Castagna, Archbishop of Rossano, Nuncio at Venice to [Ptolemy Galli,] Cardinal of Como.
“As the business of England, about which you write me in this your last letter, seems to me important, I have this morning done my office in the Secret College with all the modesty and address of which I am capable, premising that, although it has come to his Holiness' knowledge that there has been talk of this matter here, yet for all that he does not believe that it has come in any wise to commend itself to the prudent judgment of his Serenity and these wise and pious Senators, so far is he from believing that that talk has made any impression. And à propos of this I have dilated on the mischief and embarrassment that would result from having an ambassador in that realm and receiving one thence; and since, as you most sagaciously say, the Signory are much influenced by precedents, I have made use of that with which you furnish me, and of two other precedents which are very much to the purpose, both of which I can attest de visu, having been in a certain sense participant in them, the one having occurred in France, the other in Spain. To which his Serenity replied that he would not deny that some of their gentlemen had gone to England, just for curiosity's sake, to see the world, and had returned after a gracious reception by that Queen; and as to what was said to have been discussed here as to the ambassador he said a few words which halted between affirmation and denial thereof; and added that he takes note of the fact that other Princes have them, as France and Spain, and that it is one thing to have an ambassador and another to suffer him to speak and teach evil doctrine, and that he sees that these methods that are used to avoid intercourse have resulted in the alienation and separation from us of Germany and England and France and Flanders, and now in fine all the world; and the Church seems to him to be deserted by so many that he deems it singular &c.
“At this moment a councillor that was beside him said I know not what to the Prince, who turning to me said: ‘It is even as he says, what outlay and pains have the Popes been at to reclaim these realms to the faith?’ I answered that if they thought that the Supreme Pontiffs had not done their utmost to that end, they were most egregiously mistaken, that I could be witness for at least two, to wit, the last and the present Pope, during the seven successive years that I spent in Spain before, as also since I have been here; and after a cursory and general account of what I know of Pius V, of happy memory, I passed to the present time, and spoke of the great care and diligence which the Pope devotes to all these realms, and especially to Germany, where he has, it may he said, three nuncios, to persuade, convince, caress and flatter the Princes and potentates; to establish colleges and seminaries and employ every meet expedient with such piety and at such expense. I mentioned the aids that he gives to Germany and France; the very notable second German College founded in Rome, the overtures made to that and the other foreign and estranged nations; the example, the welcome, the charity and so many good and excellent seeds that during this holy year have been sown in Rome and scattered throughout Christendom, and all besides that for the moment suggested itself to my rather wounded spirit; to which I added that the Pontiffs must needs do all or many of the like offices secretly for the behoof of the estranged peoples, for so it is meet even according to the dictates of human prudence; which offices, though they may sometimes fail to come to the knowledge of his Serenity, should not on that account be deemed not to have been done, and done daily in the best manner possible.
“This discussion, showing as it did in some degree that his Serenity had been entangled in a question that he did not anticipate, caused me to suspect that this affair of sending to and receiving from England an ambassador had gone further than I had supposed. Wherefore I believe that this office has been much to the purpose and extremely opportune, because, although it was done as of my own accord, they may well suppose that, as I told them that the matter had come to the ears of his Holiness, I may have had some instruction from Rome.”
17 March, 1576. Venice. Italian.
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Vat. Arch.
Nunt. di
Venet. vol.
xiii. f. 500. |
498. [Ptolemy Galli,] Cardinal of Como, to John Baptista Castagna, Archbishop of Rossano, Nuncio at Venice.
“Besides what I wrote you as to preventing the reception of the English ambassador by the Signory the Pope spoke thereof last week to the Ambassador Tiepoli, who affected to be much surprised and sceptical as to the Signory's being serious about it; but by what you write by your letter of the 17th inst. of your experience in regard to it, and the powerful opposition which it has encountered, the office has been done opportunely, though it will also be well, as occasion may serve, to repeat it, answering what was alleged by them as to precedents on the part of other Princes by allowing that they will not err if, following the example of the Catholic King, they have, as he has, an ambassador in England, but no English ambassador resident at their Court, and, if need be, dismiss any such forthwith.”
24 March, 1576. Rome. Italian. Draft.
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Vat. Arch.
Nunt. di
Spagna,
vol. x. f. 83. |
499. Nicholas [Ormanetto,] Bishop of Padua, Nuncio in Spain to [Ptolemy Galli,] Cardinal of Como.
“I discussed the business of the English expedition with his Majesty, touching on all the points that have to be settled, and furnishing all the information that seemed to me necessary and conducive to a favourable and speedy answer; and likewise I deemed it well to give him two of the writings sent to me, to wit, the Latin one and that which contains the questions put by you to those Englishmen and their answers, which remove many difficulties that might arise in the minds of his Majesty and his ministers. I found him, as I have ever found him, well disposed towards the enterprise; and he has entrusted the conclusion of this important business to the Inquisitor Major, who had charge of it from the first; bidding me inform him and discuss with him, to whom he would send the said writings.
“This holy cause could not fall into better hands than that minister's, in regard alike of secrecy, for it is shared with none other, and despatch, and, what is more important, success, for I know that this gentleman is most favourably disposed towards the enterprise, and approves it, indeed he has ever spoken of it to me with great ardour, and does so now more than ever.
“On quitting his Majesty's presence, not to lose a moment of time, I went to him and acquainted him with his Majesty's order, and what is required for the expedition, and I insisted above all things on the need of despatch, and had from him an answer that was in every respect to my satisfaction. I have since done my office urgently with Secretary Perez for the speedy discharge of all that is incumbent upon him; and he also affords me great satisfaction; and the business is making good way, being in the hands of these two ministers, who act thoroughly in concert. I shall push it forward to the best of my ability, nay importunity, for so it behoves me to do in the interest of the business. …
“In regard to the English enterprise, I remind you, as I have already several times done, that it is necessary to deprive Elizabeth of the realm of Ireland, because the deprivation made by Pope Pius V comprises only the realm of England….
“I must not omit to say, seeing that we are upon French affairs, that, from some words dropped by the English ambassador here, it is manifestly the design of the Huguenots of France and other heretics, chief among whom must be accounted the English woman, to extinguish the name and title of King, and divide the realm, and reduce it to provinces after the manner of the Cantons of the Swiss, and to carry out this idea and perverse intention they must needs contemplate the death of the Most Christian King—and who knows but of Alençon also?—to extinguish the succession. Of this I have warned the ambassador here, that he may do his office ever more urgently with his King, that he make no peace with the heretics, since no faith is to be placed in them, besides the many other reasons that require this of a Most Christian King.”
29 March, 1576. [Madrid.] Decipher. Italian.
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Vat. Arch.
Nunt.
d'Inghilt.
vol. i. f. 61. |
500. William Stucley to [Ptolemy Galli,] Cardinal of Como.
Dilating on the favours received by his father and himself from the Cardinal and his desire worthily to requite them as far as he may by loyal service in conjunction with his father.
30 March, 1576. Alcalá de Henares. Spanish.
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Vat. Arch.
Nunt. di
Spagna,
vol. x. f. 88. |
501. [Nicholas Ormanetto,] Bishop of Padua, Nuncio in Spain to [Ptolemy Galli,] Cardinal of Como.
“The Inquisitor Major has done all that belongs to his office in the English cause, and to-day or to-morrow he goes to his church. I understand that the King desires more than 5,000 foot, and that this force should be accompanied by artillery. I will see what answer his Majesty will give me, that I may speed the answer and the return of the courier.”
31 March, 1576. [Madrid.] Decipher. Italian.
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Vat. Lib.
Urb. Lat.
1045. f. 74. |
502. News Letter.
“We learn from England that in this last Parliament the Proponent [Speaker] said as usual that it was lawful to speak in that place of whatever concerned the honour and weal of the realm, but neither of religion nor of the succession; whereupon up rose Sir (sic) Peter Wantford [Wentworth], saying that it was pitiful and shameful that in that place, where they talked of the chase and fashions of dress and other matters trifling in the eyes of all other Princes in the world, the way should be closed to those who for the public weal were minded to speak of religion or the succession to the present Queen, whereon depend the salvation of souls and the peace of the realm, dilating much on this matter with great eloquence; and by way of reply he was, at the close of the Parliament, put in the Tower, whence few come forth alive; Mr. [Christopher] Hatton; the Queen's chief favourite, having said that whoever should dare in future to speak in that place of such or other matters against the Queen's mind would be her especial enemy, and she would make him repent it.”
31 March, 1576. Venice. Italian. Copy.
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Vat. Arch.
Nunt.
d'Inghilt.
vol. i. f. 62. |
503. Nicholas Sander to [Ptolemy Galli,] Cardinal of Como.
Soliciting the Cardinal's interest on behalf of two English exiles now in Rome, to wit, Dominus Franciscus [Sir Francis Englefield ?], a man of long and noble descent, rare virtue and singular judgment and authority, and Dr. William Allen, whose distinction alike of birth, mind, learning, piety, prudence and authority is such that alone among his comrades in exile he has by the grandeur of his undertakings completely triumphed over envy—witness the hospice which, while himself an exile, he founded and maintained till at length it provided sustenance and liberal culture for nearly eighty exiles who had sacrificed their all for the faith. Both men are deemed, not merely by the writer but by others whom he represents, meet for every honour that can be conferred upon them, and entitled to precedence before all other English exiles.
31 March, 1576. Mantuae Carpentanae. [Madrid.] Latin.
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