Venice: May 1590 | British History Online

Calendar of State Papers Relating To English Affairs in the Archives of Venice, Volume 8, 1581-1591. Originally published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1894.

Citation:

'Venice: May 1590', in Calendar of State Papers Relating To English Affairs in the Archives of Venice, Volume 8, 1581-1591, ed. Horatio F Brown( London, 1894), British History Online https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/venice/vol8/pp487-491 [accessed 29 November 2024].

May 1590



May 5. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives.	928. Alberto Badoer, Venetian Ambassador in Rome, to the Doge and Senate.
	I asked his Holiness if it was true that an Agent had come from the Queen of England. He replied that there was such a man here, but not the chief Agent, who had remained behind. His Holiness had not spoken to the one here, but had entrusted the affair to the Cardinals, Santa Severina and Santi Quattro. The Agent here declared that his chief had been sent by the Queen to treat in all openness with his Beatitude. The Agent declared that whereas the Queen had at first adoped the style of Caput Ecclesiæ Anglicanæ or Pontifex, she now refused to use those titles any more in any act public or private.
	It seems that this Agent is a Catholic, and during Holy Week he confessed. This causes some hopes that the Queen will return to the Church, but many think that he is only here to prepare the way for his chief, who is coming to negotiate upon the subject of a peace between England and Spain.
	Shortly we shall know all.
	Rome, 5th May 1590.
	[Italian.]
May 9. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives.	929. Tomaso Contarini, Venetian Ambassador in Spain, to the Doge and Senate.
	Letters from Lisbon of the 28th April announce that a Portuguese, a spy of Don Antonio, has been arrested in that city. He had come from England to Barbary, where he had been received in audience by the King of Fez; thence he bad passed to Portugal, and was engaged in exploring the preparations for the defence, and the temper of the people. According to him the Queen of England has about four hundred ships, of which two hundred were all ready to put to sea. Rumour says that these were destined for the coast of France first, then for Portugal and the Azores, where the inhabitants, owing to the bad treatment which they receive from the soldiery, were ready to rise in revolt. But from the report of others who have come from England it does not appear that the Queen will place any reliance on Don Antonio. He is in receipt of no pension from her, and lives in London not merely without any magnificence, but in poverty and dejection, as some sailors, who say that they saw him, affirm. (Non pare che quella Regina sia per fare alcun fundamento sopra la persona di Don Antonio; il quale da lei non ha alcun trattenimento di danari, et vive in Londra non solo senza alcun splendore, ma con povertà et deiettione, per quanto refferiscono alcuni maranari che affermano d' haverlo veduto).
	It is quite true that a considerable number of English ships have gone to the West Indies to Havana, where it is possible that they may not merely succeed in making some booty, but may even be able to raise a revolt, for the population, is thoroughly discontented on account of the rapacity of the soldiery and the injustice of the Governors. Furthermore, they say that the fortress of Havana, although it is the most powerful in those parts on account of the importance of the position, is badly built and weak. It seems that it was left weak on purpose, for fear that it might be seized and held by the Governors, and because it would have been difficult, at that distance from Spain, to expel them from a strong fortress should they at any time rise in rebellion.
	Here they think of nothing else except raising money. Among other methods they propose to sell the title of Hidalgo. The price would be from four to five thousand crowns, and as the purchasers would number a great many, a very large sum of money would thus be secured.
	Madrid, 9th May 1590.
	[Italian; the part in italics deciphered.]
May 10. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives.	930. Tomaso Contarini, Venetian Ambassador in Spain, to the Doge and Senate.
	By the help of God I have obtained the release of the ship “Reniera,” with all the English on board her. The matter was a very difficult and delicate one, and it has been carried to a successful issue not without the surprise of many, who declare that the enemies of the faith and of this Crown should not be set free in this manner. And when the order was taken to the Adelentado of Castile for execution he flew into a rage, and with angry words declared that the King had granted a favour which was far too great; that he never thought to have to carry out such an order, and that another time he would find it difficult to obey.
	Madrid, 10th May 1590.
	[Italian.]
May 12. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives.	931. Giovanni Moro, Venetian Ambassador in Constantinople, to the Doge and Senate.
	The French Ambassador has recently complained to the Grand Vizir of the letters written by the Sultan to the King of Navarre, as King of France. The Ambassador declared that the King of Navarre had not yet ascended the throne. His Magnificence replied that he had received the information not merely from the King of Navarre himself but also from the Queen of England, the Ragusans, and your Serenity.
	Dalle Vigne di Pera, 12th May 1590.
	[Italian; deciphered.]
May 12. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives.	932. Giovanni Mocenigo, Venetian Ambassador in France, to the Doge and Senate.
	As there is no English Ambassador in this country I have not been able to be of any assistance to the son of the Admiral in his business. If I am summoned to the King it is possible that I may find a way to help him by sending letters to Mons. de Stafford, who was Ambassador at this Court, and who courteously undertook to protect other Venetian subjects who had suffered in the operations against England.
	Tours, 12th May 1590.
	[Italian.]
May 13. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives.	933. Giovanni Mocenigo, Venetian Ambassador in France, to the Doge and Senate.
	The King of Spain supports the Scotch Catholics against their King. They have chosen the Earl of (Ones) as their leader.
	The Queen of England favours the King, who will marry the daughter of Denmark in order to gain that support against his rebellious subjects, who are supplied with money from the King of Spain, who intends to attack England through Scotland.
	Tours, 13th May 1590.
	[Italian.]
May 26. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives.	934. Tomaso Contarini, Venetian Ambassador in Spain, to the Doge and Senate.
	From Lisbon they write that the English fleet is expected to sail in a few days. As it is believed that the English intend to harry all those who are outside the walls, some with their families have crossed the river, others have withdrawn inside the walls for safety. They say, however, that the ships of his Majesty's Armada are being got ready in Ferrol to the number of sixty perhaps, as well as at Santander, and from thence they are to be distributed to Lisbon and to the Azores. All the same, both in the West Indies and in the waters of Portugal the English do not cease to inflict many and great losses on the Spanish.
	The ships which had been laden and prepared for the West Indies left Lisbon on the 8th of this month. The weather has been bad, and they fear that the voyage will prove long and difficult on this account. God bring them safe to harbour.
	At the moment that I was closing this despatch I was informed that Don Francesco Bondiglia, an officer of great experience, had left by post for Corunna. He is sent there by his Majesty for fear that the English fleet may do some damage in those parts. His orders are to hasten the manning of the fleet, as rumour says that one hundred and fifteen sail of English have been sighted in those waters.
	Madrid, 26th May 1590.
	[Italian; the part in italics deciphered.]
May 26. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives.	935. Tomaso Contarini, Venetian Ambassador in Spain, to the Doge and Senate.
	The Engineer Spanocchi, who, as I informed your Serenity, was sent to Portugal and Galicia to examine the sites to be fortified, has returned without doing anything of moment. He himself in conversation with me, told me that he has merely ordered the construction of one or two forts. In the harbour of Lisbon they are building a fort upon a rock which is submerged at high tide; this renders the operation difficult, but a Servite friar, an Italian in his Majesty's pay, professes to know how this can be safely carried out, and promises to do so.
	Twelve Spanish galleys, on their way from Gibraltar to Cartagena to conduct the Duke of Sessa on his way to his legation in Rome, fell in with three Englishmen. One of these, by keeping to wind of the Spanish, escaped; the other two courageously attacked the Spaniards, and slew many troops on board the galleys; but at last the larger of the two was boarded by the Spanish in great numbers; then one of the English set fire to the powder magazine, and blew himself, the ship, and every soul on board her to destruction.
	Eleven other English ships are reported as cruising near the Straits; and here they suspect that the Turkish fleet also may make its appearance in these waters.
	I hear that the King in discussing with his Ministers the question of money, for lack of which the troops in Flanders are in revolt, complained bitterly, declaring that the Grand Turk was better served than Christian Princes, for his commander-in-chief, on his return from the Persian war, had brought back to his master a million of gold, the pay for troops which had been slain.
	Madrid, 26th May 1590.
	[Italian; the part in italics deciphered.]