Venice: 1500

Calendar of State Papers Relating To English Affairs in the Archives of Venice, Volume 1, 1202-1509. Originally published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1864.

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'Venice: 1500', in Calendar of State Papers Relating To English Affairs in the Archives of Venice, Volume 1, 1202-1509, (London, 1864) pp. 286-289. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/venice/vol1/pp286-289 [accessed 26 March 2024]

1500

1500. Feb. 29. Sanuto Diaries, v. iii. p. 101. 804. Giovanni de' Medici, afterwards Pope Leo X. in England.
Memorandum by Marin Sanuto:—I note that Piero de' Medici is at Milan, and Julian at Bologna. The Cardinal is at Genoa. The wife of Piero (Alfonsina Orsini) is at Rome, and her son (Lorenzino, father of Katharine de' Medici), who is seven years old, and until now resided [at Venice] with Hieronimo Lippomano, the banker, has been sent to Rome. And the Cardinal had been in France [and] afterwards in England; (fn. 1) and his sister Madonna Lugrecia, the wife of Jacomo Salviati, resides at Florence.
Remarks in conclusion that there was great discord in Florence, that they had declared themselves the friends of the King of France, that they meant to take the Prefect into their pay, and had remitted 50,000 ducats to Lyons, to raise 3,000 Switzers in aid of the King.
[Italian.]
May 8. Sanuto Diaries, v. iii. p. 225. 805. Henry VII. and Lewis XII.
Receipt of letters from the Venetian ambassador in France, to whom Lewis XII. had shown a letter received by him from Henry VII., dated London, 7 April 1500.
Of this letter the ambassador transmits an Italian translation, of the following tenor:—
Styles Lewis his very dear and wellbeloved brother and cousin. Says that in the preceding month of March his officer-at-arms, of Picardy, presented him with letters written by the King of France at Lyons on the 11th of that month, acquainting him with the affairs of Italy, and with his success in those parts over his enemies. Rejoices thereat as much as if the good fortune had befallen himself, desires Lewis to be perfectly convinced that these frequent advices give him great pleasure, knowing them to proceed from the cordial love and good will which the King of France has always borne him, and thanks him accordingly, although before the receipt of the said letters statements at variance with the same were circulated in England, to which he will never give credence, until confirmed by Lewis himself.
Has learnt by these letters that Lewis understood from Venice, Rhodes, Hungary, and other places, that Bajazet II., the enemy of the catholic faith, had fitted out the most powerful armada ever witnessed in Turkey, with the intention of invading Italy in March or April next; and that this expedition must strike the greatest terror into all Christendom, besides causing immense mischief, unless a remedy be applied: wherefore, for the honour of God, of Christendom, and of the catholic faith, Lewis urged him to make some effort for maritime defence. Hears with the deepest regret of the threatened attack, but from the distance at which he is from the scene of action is unable to give assistance as speedily as he could wish. After discussing the matter at great length with the members of his Privy Council, it seems to him and them difficult and wellnigh impossible to send a force with sufficient speed to resist the invasion, as before his ships could be fitted out with hands, guns, victuals, and other supplies, and before arriving at the spot mentioned, even were the wind fair, so long a voyage could not be accomplished until towards Michaelmas, so that the cost would have been incurred in vain. Should it however chance, which God forbid, that Bajazet II. effect the invasion, with the intention of continuing it, King Lewis and all the other sovereigns of Christendom may satisfy themselves, that King Henry knows it is his duty to do his utmost to expel the Turks, so that every one will see that to the best of his power he put his hand to the work, as every good Christian prince ought and is bound to do, for the defence of the catholic faith—bearing always in mind the distance he is from the scene of action. Requests King Lewis to give him notice of the invasion, so that he may make the necessary preparations, in union with the French ships, should they come.
London, 7 April 1500, “before Easter.”
Signed: “Henry, King.”
[Italian, 60 lines.]
May 14. Senato Mar. 806. Decree of the Senate.
Last year the noblemen of Cà da Pesaro and the Tiepoli of London gave earnest money (incaparata) for a great quantity of wine in Candia, to send it westward by certain ships which have been taken by the Signory for the fleet to the loss of these noblemen, who request permission to send their said wines into the west by any foreign vessel they can.
Put to the ballot that by authority of this Council it be pro nunc conceded to those noblemen to convey their wines westward by any foreign ship, except a Ragusan. Provided always that, for the said wines conveyed westward by foreign ships, the bounty of two ducats per butt, as paid to our own ships, be not given.
The Pesari wines are 500 butts.
The Tiepoli wines are 600 butts.
Ayes, 144. Noes, 14. Neutrals, 0.
[Italian, 16 lines.]
June 30. venetian Archives, Library. 807. Berault Stuart, Lord of Obegni, to Nicolò Michiel.
Congratulates him on having been elected procurator of St. Mark's. Requests Michiel to recommend him to all the patrician senators, his good colleagues. Announces his departure from Lyons to assume the government of the Milanese. (fn. 2)
Lyons, 30 June 1500.
[Original, Italian, 9 lines, paper.]
Aug. 29. Sanuto Diaries, v. iii. p. 505. 808. Appearance in the Venetian College of an Englishman, named William Deane, and presentation by him of a letter in his favour from Henry VII. to Doge Agostino Barbarigo, dated Greenwich.
Sues for money due to him from Piero Trevisan and Santo Trono in virtue of a sentence and agreement, decreed by the “Consul for the merchants.”
Order given by the College to the consuls to despatch the business.
[Italian.]
Sept. 14. Sanuto Diaries, v. iii. p. 573. 809. Receipt of Letters from Messina, written by the Venetian envoy, Francesco Floriani, on the 24th August, stating how the Great Captain (Gonsalvo of Cordova) ceased not fitting out the armada [against the Turks] by day and night, and spared not money. Had mustered the troops. Has excellent infantry; no Italians, only Spaniards, English, and Germans. Has 13,000 men.
[Italian.]
Oct, 10. Sanuto Diaries, v. iii. p. 651. 810. Letter from the Venetian Ambassador at Rome dated the 4th. Had been told by the Pope in secret that on the morrow, in consistory, he meant to appoint legates or nominees à latere, namely, to Germany the Cardinal of Gurk, who had experience and was warm about these Turkish affairs; to France the newly elected Cardinal of Salerno, who was afterwards to go to England, Scotland, and Spain; because the French ambassador had shown the Pope letters from the King [of France] requesting the mission of legates to the [European] powers and to himself, though previously the King had not desired this.
[Italian.]
Nov. 6. Sanuto Diaries, v. iii. p. 147. 811. Katharine of Arragon.
Domenego Pisani, Venetian ambassador in Spain, in a letter to the State dated 20th October 1500, near Barcellona, announces the expected departure for England of Katharine of Arragon in December.
[Italian.]

Footnotes

  • 1. Roscoe, in his life of Leo X., writes, on the authority of Ammirato, that Giovanni de' Medici had intended going to England, but that his companions dissuaded him, from alarm at the waves of the Channel. Sanuto, on the contrary, writes as above.
  • 2. In Burke's Extinct Peerages, this renowned military commander is styled “Bernard Stuart, Chevalier d'Aubigny.” In Sanuto's Diaries (vols. i.—v. and vol.viii. p. 14) many notices of him exist, which cannot he calendared, as they do not relate to English affairs.