Venice: August 1619 | British History Online

Calendar of State Papers Relating To English Affairs in the Archives of Venice, Volume 15, 1617-1619. Originally published by His Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1909.

'Venice: August 1619', in Calendar of State Papers Relating To English Affairs in the Archives of Venice, Volume 15, 1617-1619, (London, 1909) pp. 582-595. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/venice/vol15/pp582-595 [accessed 25 April 2024]

August 1619



Aug. 2. Senato, Secreta. Deliberazioni. Venetian Archives.	952. To the Secretary in England.
	We send you a copy of the statement made in the Cabinet by the secretary of his Majesty since we received your letters about Donato's property. You will go to his Majesty and present the enclosed letter which you will read to him. You will carefully note his reply and the decision he takes, sending us all particulars. We send this by special courier.
	We have given orders for the payment of the letter of exchange for 150 ducats, of which you will render account.
	That 150 ducats be given to the father of the Secretary Marioni for payment of the letter of exchange sent by his son, advised in the letter of 12 July last.
	That the Secretary Gregorio be summoned to the Cabinet and that the office to be performed with the king be read to him.
	Ayes		88.
	That the following be added:
	We desire you to perform this office with his Majesty while the seals are still fixed and the property in being. If the seals have been removed and the property distributed and passed entirely into Donato's hand, you will not read the letter to his Majesty or perform any offices with him, as the Ambassador Lando will shortly arrive with all necessary instructions.
	Ayes		42.
	Noes		3.
	Neutral		15.
	[Italian.]
Aug. 2. Senato, Secreta. Deliberazioni. Venetian Archives.	953. To the Secretary in England.
	We have seen your efforts to secure Antonio Donato's property and the reply given. The Secretary Gregorio has also been into the Cabinet and made the representations of which we send a copy. This was contrary to our expectation. You will go to his Majesty and say that since our republic has had an ambassador with him we thought that we possessed a house there with the usual ambassadorial privileges. Our friendly relations with his Majesty led us to make the just and reasonable request to secure the property and the documents in that house, when his Majesty ordered an inventory to be taken and all to be placed under seal. But afterwards it seems that they intend to leave the things at the disposal of Antonio Donato unless there is a civil case. You will say that this is utterly unexpected and will urge the affair very strongly although when you receive this Girolamo Lando our ambassador designate should be already on the road. You will tell his Majesty how much we esteem him and urge him to order the seals to remain unbroken and that the house be recognised as belonging to the republic, our secretary dwelling there until Lando's arrival, as Donato has nothing to do with it and ought not to appear at Court [indeed he ought to be handed over to the republic]. In addition to the first crime of embezzling so much public money he has taken possession of the republic's house and accuses himself of having laid hands on public documents, saying he has burned them, a treasonable offence [that is why his person is justly demanded]. The demand for his property is also clear and undoubted, as the goods of ambassadors are not the property of private persons but of the state. The laws of the country have nothing to do with the matter, since in the ambassador's houses the laws of their own princes pertain. The republic would satisfy his Majesty in the slightest request of this nature, and we feel sure that he also will see the force of our arguments and grant our request.
	You will send us his Majesty's reply and decision with all diligence.
	Ayes		88.
	That the parts between brackets be removed.
	Ayes		42.
	Noes		3.
	Neutral		15.
	On the 7th August the Secretary Gregorio was summoned to the Cabinet and the office was read to him. He took note of the particulars to report them.
	[Italian.]
Aug. 2. Collegio, Secreta. Esposizioni Principi. Venetian Archives.	954. The Secretary of England came into the Cabinet and said:
	I have received a letter from Mr. George Colvert, one of the principal Secretaries of State in England. It is written in English, but as I have no acquaintance with the language, I have had it translated by a merchant, an intimate of mine. I will leave it here with the translation.
	After the translation had been read the secretary remarked that the original contained nothing more except something referring to the secretary himself.
	In the absence of the doge, the senior councillor Andrea Minotto said it would be as well to hear the letter and they would consider it, although he could not forbear to say that in so just a cause the republic hoped to receive the requested satisfaction from his Majesty.
	The secretary said nothing further but made his reverence and departed.
	The letter:
	As you are now resident in the absence of an ambassador, I am commanded to acquaint you with some extraordinary events which have taken place within the last two or three days. They concern the republic with which his Majesty is so friendly. Last Friday, the 25th inst. old style, Antonio Donato arrived in London, recently ambassador to his Majesty, but now a miserable fugitive in great apprehension, owing to the charge of malversation of the treasure of the republic entrusted to him when ambassador in Savoy. He presented himself to his Majesty, representing his ill fortune and asking for protection, which neither his Majesty nor the laws of the country could refuse him. Towards evening of the same day the secretary of Venice came to see his Majesty at Greenwich (Grims), four miles from London, told him of the position in which Donato stood, all his goods being confiscated, and asked for the sequestration of all his property. His Majesty being anxious to afford every reasonable satisfaction, issued orders for this immediately and very early on the following morning a minister of the Council carried them out, and showed an inventory of the goods to the secretary. Poor Donato, finding himself thus deprived of the use of his goods without which he could not pay his debts or maintain himself, humbly represented his case to his Majesty. The king thereupon ordered his council to meet and to summon the Venetian secretary before them. He said the same to them as to the king, demanding the sequestration of the goods. After his memorial had been read they told him that his Majesty was most ready to show his friendship and had given immediate orders for the sequestration, supposing that the goods were the property of the republic, of which the ambassador only had the use. But this was not the case, the secretary only demanded the goods by virtue of the general confiscation, and the property is of small value, such as beds, furniture and other household effects; his Majesty wishes to leave him the use of his effects, to save him from perishing of want. This is a humane privilege which the laws of the land do not deny to the king's own subjects after even greater crimes except treason, when all goods are confiscated. Nevertheless his Majesty leaves him open to any civil action which the republic may bring against him in his kingdom. They decided to make this reply to the secretary, but he was not satisfied, as he was ordered to make the demand which he preferred. However, his Majesty feels assured that if these considerations are laid before the republic, they will not interpret this liberty which he has given to Donato as a sign of ill feeling, but simply as an act of justice required of a Christian prince. You will give an account of the affair with such diligence as you can and send us word at once in what spirit the republic has received it.
	[Italian.]
	GEORGE COLVERT.
Aug. 2. Senato, Secreta. Dispacci, Inghilterra. Venetian Archives.	955. PIER ANTONIO MARIONI, Venetian Secretary in England, to the DOGE and SENATE.
	The king gave Donato audience last Friday evening and heard his defence, already made to Naunton and Canterbury. The king welcomed him warmly and favoured him greatly, being moved by his own inclination and by the intercession of Buckingham and some other lords. I heard this from Donato's partisans. They also say that his Majesty promised to do everything to put him right with his country, saying that if he punished his subjects like your Serenity for appropriating money to themselves, he would have none left (con dire che s'ella volesse per colpa di provecchiarsi denaro castigar come fa la Serenità Vestra, non havrebbe sudditi). The first is true, the other I have not verified. I must say, however, that Donato is very well received and much pitied in his misfortunes. He publishes everywhere and has told his Majesty that he took no more than 17,000 ducats in Piedmont, given him by merchants, being one per cent. on the payments to the duke from your Serenity. He would give himself up as a prisoner to his Majesty and receive any punishment, if he had done more. If any one speaks to me I say that they can read the printed condemnation, and such a sentence was not given without cause. Very few things now remain to Donato to sell, I am told that he has not realised more than some 7,000 crowns by his sales.
	The news of your Serenity's choice of Girolamo Lando as ambassador has been very well received here, especially by those who knew him when he came with the extraordinary embassy. I also beg to thank you for the provision assigned to me. Though it will not nearly cover all the outgoings at this most expensive Court, it will serve as some relief.
	London, the 2nd August, 1619.
	[Italian.]
Aug. 2. Senato, Secreta. Dispacci, Inghilterra. Venetian Archives.	956. PIER ANTONIO MARIONI, Venetian Secretary in England, to the DOGE and SENATE.
	The master of the posts of this city has been to ask for the payment of the accounts of the Ambassador Donato through Antwerp from the 1st January until his departure hence, and through London for two months until the same day. I said that if Donato had sent and received the letters, he ought to pay and I had not to pay his debts. But he could get nothing out of Donato except that your Serenity paid for despatches. The amount due is over 800 crowns and the master of the posts has come back to me as the actual representative of the republic and says that if I do not pay all future letters may be detained at Antwerp. I made a suitable reply, but I ask for instructions from your Serenity. I have sent to Antwerp, in order that the letters may not be stopped.
	London, the 2nd August, 1619.
	[Italian.]
Aug. 5. Senato, Secreta. Dispacci, Savoia. Venetian Archives.	957. ZUANE PESARO, Venetian Ambassador in Savoy, to the DOGE and SENATE.
	They report here as certain that, at the instance of the Prince of Piedmont, the Most Christian king has decided to send an ambassador to Germany with instructions to seize upon every opportunity of assisting the Duke of Savoy. But they fear that he will only make useless representations in conjunction with the English ambassador, more with the idea of obtaining peace than of opposing Ferdinand.
	Turin, the 5th August, 1619.
	[Italian.]
Aug. 6. Senato, Secreta. Dispacci, Signori Stati. Venetian Archives.	958. CHRISTOFFORO SURIAN, Venetian Secretary in the Netherlands, to the DOGE and SENATE.
	The States are perplexed by the turn of affairs in Bohemia. The Bohemians need a leader. They will obtain the promised assistance from this quarter, but the commissioners of the States, who went to arrange about the India trade, have obtained nothing but fine phrases from the King of England. I asked one of the commissioners what the king would do. He replied: Nothing. He added that the king loved peace and would do everything for it. He could not move in any other way now because both the Catholic king and the prince asked him to interpose. When he sees the affair is desperate he may help with men or money.
	They have news here that his Majesty's ambassador is at Monaco in Bavaria awaiting King Ferdinand, who should pass through on his way to Frankfort. But they hear that Ferdinand has stopped his journey owing to a warning from the Duke of Saxony.
	The Hague, the 6th August, 1619.
	[Italian.]
Aug. 6. Senato, Secreta. Capitano General da Mai. Venetian Archives.	959. LORENZO VENIER, Captain General at Sea, to the DOGE and SENATE.
	A portion of the troops has become tired of remaining shut up in the ships. Accordingly Peyton in the enclosed paper and the Dutch captains verbally have asked that their men may have winter quarters on land. I replied in general terms, but I beg your Excellencies to send me instructions immediately, so that I may be able to appease them. I also desire a decision about keeping or dismissing the English ships. They keep importuning me, as the end of their term is approaching.
	[Italian.]
Enclosed in the preceding despatch.	960. To the Captain General at Sea from Colonel Peyton.
	Our small troop of English has diminished owing to our sufferings at sea, where we have been for the last eighteen months, without any rest on land, so that only about 360 remain out of 500. The Senate promised to put them in garrison last winter, but this was not done. I therefore beg you to execute that promise for this winter, so that the men may be fit for future work.
	I had commission from the Ambassador Contarini for 1,000 foot, of whom these 500 were levied. The doge confirmed this and added more if the republic needed them. I therefore ask leave for five months to return to England to execute this commission, as I feel I could give better service there than here.
	[Italian.]
Aug. 9. Senato, Secreta. Dispacci, Inghilterra. Venetian Archives.	961. PIER ANTONIO MARIONI, Venetian Secretary in England, to the DOGE and SENATE.
	A courier has reached the Spanish agent here this week with letters thanking the king for sending the embassy extraordinary to Germany and with many friendly expressions for his Majesty, including the remark that the Catholic king would like him to be the arbiter of a peace between Ferdinand and the Bohemians. The agent went to present these letters to the king, who rejoiced exceedingly and passed the whole day in the utmost content. At the same time he heard from Lord Hay, his ambassador, that Ferdinand had welcomed him warmly and received him with remarkable honour, but he had not been able to obtain a reply of any kind to his representations.
	His Majesty is sending Lord Digby to Spain as extraordinary ambassador, and he will leave very soon. He has already been there twice before. He goes accompanied by the ordinary ambassador Sir [Walter] Aston. Here they are expecting Sarmiento and many assert that he is coming to arrange a marriage immediately between the prince and the infanta of Spain. The commissioners of the States before leaving for Holland told me that they did not believe a word of this, and that seems to be the opinion of all who know.
	The Ambassador Wotton has arrived here, but remains incognito. He does not wish to be seen by any one before he has been to kiss the king's hands. So he told the messenger I sent to welcome him and to appoint a time when I might visit him.
	London, the 9th August, 1619.
	[Italian.]
Aug. 10. Senato, Secreta. Dispacci, Firenze. Venetian Archives.	962. GIOVANNI FRANCESCO TREVISAN, Venetian Secretary at Florence, to the DOGE and SENATE.
	Although the grand duke is fearful of the issue of the Bohemian affairs, owing to the interests of King Ferdinand, yet the latter seems sure of election to the empire. The grand duke has also received confirmation of the good disposition of England, since the ambassador of that king has assured Ferdinand that he does not intend to favour or foment rebels against their lord.
	Florence, the 10th August, 1619.
	[Italian.]
Aug. 12. Senato, Secreta. Dispacci, Savoia. Venetian Archives.	963. ZUANE PESARO, Venetian Ambassador in Savoy, to the DOGE and SENATE.
	I gave the duke the reply about the cavalry. He approved, admitting the present unsatisfactory state of affairs. He said he would inform the resident of England of the reasons of your Serenity, so that the Palatine and the Bohemians might rest assured of the good disposition of the republic. He said he would give the reply with caution in order to avoid the risk of written rejoinders and malicious comment. I also communicated the matter to the Resident Wake, assuring him of the friendly disposition of your Serenity towards those states. He admitted the justice and necessity of the decision, thanked me and promised to write to the Palatine. He said that while those princes and states ought to be well satisfied with the decrees of the republic, so Italy ought to rejoice at the decisions taken by other princes. I answered that the world is governed by prudence and by reasons of state. Your Serenity aimed at your own and universal liberty. By keeping the republic armed both by land and sea you created a diversion for the Bohemians.
	Turin, the 12th August, 1619.
	[Italian.]
Aug. 13. Senato, Secreta. Dispacci, Signori Stati. Venetian Archives.	964. CHRISTOFFORO SURIAN, Venetian Secretary in the Netherlands, to the DOGE and SENATE.
	The King of England is bound to furnish the States with twenty ships of war of from 300 to 600 tons, well armed and provided, and with 6,000 foot and 400 horse, for so long a time as they need them, all at his Majesty's expense. The States are bound to provide the king with a like number of ships of equal size and quality and with 4,000 foot and 300 horse.
	The Hague, the 13th August, 1619.
	[Italian; deciphered.]
Aug. 13. Senato, Secreta. Dispacci, Signori Stati. Venetian Archives.	965. CHRISTOFFORO SURIAN, Venetian Secretary in the Netherlands, to the DOGE and SENATE.
	The English ambassador is at Anhalt, a short distance from Frankfort in some tribulation of spirit. The Prince of Orange told me that he had sent a special messenger to the Bohemians and they had sent him back because he did not bring credentials from the king, and they would not put themselves in the hands of anyone without seeing his title. Neither has Ferdinand wished him to interpose with the Bohemians. The prince thinks that the King of England will have good cause of offence against his Catholic Majesty. The ambassador has sent post to his king to ask for instructions. Meanwhile he remains where he is, without being able to do anything for which he was sent.
	The commissioners returned from England made their report in the Assembly of the States on Saturday. It was received with the more satisfaction owing to the anxiety caused by the disputes in the East Indies. Other matters about fisheries, etc., have been referred to a more favourable time, about three years hence.
	They said they had great discussions and encountered many difficulties, Spanish dubloons being freely employed, but their patience and the king's prudence won the day. They found that his Majesty had gone very far in his negotiations for a marriage alliance with Spain, but he had assured them that he was not altogether desirous of it (non havervi la total inclinatione). He told them he would do nothing without first informing the States. They had found the prince very averse from an alliance with a Spaniard.
	The commissioners have been welcomed here for what they have done, but it does not please the French, because the Dutch and English together will shut out the French from their trade in the East Indies.
	The Hague, the 13th August, 1619.
	[Italian.]
Aug. 14. Senato, Secreta. Dispacci, Inghilterra. Venetian Archives.	966. PIER ANTONIO MARIONI, Venetian Secretary in England, to the DOGE and SENATE.
	A courier has just reached me from your Serenity. I have read the instructions and will leave in a few minutes to go to the king, who is more than a hundred miles away. (fn. 1)
	London, the 14th August, 1619.
	[Italian.]
Aug. 14. Senato, Secreta. Dispacci, Milano. Venetian Archives.	967. GIACOMO VENDRAMIN, Venetian Secretary at Mila., to the DOGE and SENATE.
	His Highness sent another courier to France recently, they say about the negotiations of the Marquis of Coure. The news did not seem to please his Excellency, who showed open resentment at the extraordinary mission of the Count Villa to England from Savoy, expressing a fear that it might be about the affairs of Germany and the King of the Romans.
	Milan, the 14th August, 1619.
	[Italian.]
Aug. 19. Senato, Secreta. Dispacci, Savoia. Venetian Archives.	968. ZUANE PESARO, Venetian Ambassador in Savoy, to the DOGE and SENATE.
	Wake, the resident of Great Britain, was summoned to audience so that when he wrote to Anhalt he might confirm the good hopes about the affairs of Naples. So far he has not done so.
	Turin, the 19th August, 1619.
	[Italian.]
Aug. 23. Senato, Secreta. Deliberazioni. Venetian Archives.	969. To the Secretary in England.
	As it does not suit our interests that Gatti, who served as chaplain to Antonio Donato, should remain any longer at that Court, we direct you to order him to come home without delay, upon pain of public disgrace in case of disobedience. We believe that since you heard of the condemnation of Donato you will have ceased to keep Gatti in your house or to have any relations with him.
	Ayes		115.
	Noes		10.
	Neutral		12.
	[Italian.]
Aug. 23. Senato, Secreta. Deliberazioni. Venetian Archives.	970. To the Captain General at Sea.
	We have received the accounts from the Commissioner Moresini. You will keep sending them from time to time, and also an abstract of all the expenses of the fleet each month. We find that various things have been paid out to the ship Anadem, recently dismissed from the service, from the public funds, which ought to be paid for. There is no account of this in the stamped book, although the master does not deny it. It appears in some notes kept separately by Pietro Marcello. We are much incensed at the carelessness of our ministers. We desire you to make an account of all the properties and send it to us without delay.
	The proveditori of the fleet have engaged twenty-three gunners, found by an Englishman who was sent to Venice by you for the purpose. We are sending them on with a roll and a note of the payments and money disbursed on their account.
	Ayes	32.	Second vote
	Noes	26.	Ayes	22.
	Neutral	94.	Noes	22.
			Neutral	102.
	On the 24th the same proposal was brought forward.
	Ayes		135.
	Noes		0.
	Neutral		2.
	[Italian.]
Aug. 23. Senato, Secreta. Dispacci, Inghilterra. Venetian Archives.	971. PIER ANTONIO MARIONI, Venetian Secretary in England, to the DOGE and SENATE.
	After writing my short note on the 14th I set out for the king that same evening, hoping to give him the letter, although Donato's goods have been unsealed and sold, especially as the letter contained matter which does not admit of delay. I reached the court in three days, at the forest of Rufford, 110 miles from here. I had the courier with me and hoped to send him off at once. His Majesty gave me audience on the fourth day, after dinner in the garden, walking up and down, after having made me pass the whole morning in hunting, and providing me with a meal in his own dwelling. I told him I had received a reply by express courier to the letter I had written about my request to secure Donato's property, as the matter was important, directing me to read their letter to him, and so I had made the journey. I read the letter, which his Majesty looked over, following with his eye. He asked: What papers has Donato burned ? I replied: Public ones, as he himself confessed on the day the inventory of his property was made. He asked: What does the republic want ? I said: To obtain their house in London and also Donato's person. The king began to writhe with merriment and burst out laughing immoderately (comincia a torcersi facendo un riso stravagante), going four or six paces away from me. He said he was surprised at such a request, and did not know such a one had ever been made to a king before. If Donato had committed an act of rebellion he would have surrendered him very willingly. I said if no such request had been made it was possibly because no such case had arisen. It was nevertheless quite just, being a case of high treason, as great princes only ask for guilty persons from other princes in case of rebellion. Here the king remarked: Has Donato burned any special paper ? I must know the truth of this. Who paid the rent of the house ? I said he had confessed to burning public papers the night after his return to England. He paid the rent, but the republic claimed the house for the reasons given in the letter. The king said: This requires consideration. Put the demands of the republic on paper and return to London, where the Secretary Naunton will give you a final answer. I said I would readily obey his Majesty, but the matter was so clear that it required no consideration. The king said: I must have advice. Make your memorial and leave it with me, you shall have a reply in London, and so he dismissed me, going to some gentlemen who stood a little way off. He made no answer to the other points contained in the letter.
	I made the memorial at once and enclose a copy. I expected to take it to his Majesty, but the Earl of Arundel came to take it, saying that the king was occupied and I could return to London when I pleased. Accordingly I left Rufford and went to a place ten miles from the coast, intending to continue my journey by coach as I had come. But on hearing that a courier had arrived that night from the Court with letters for the Secretary Naunton, I decided to leave my coach and servants behind and travel post to London, following the royal missive. Early in the morning after my arrival I went to see Naunton. At his apartments they told me he had retired and shortly afterwards they said he was engaged, so I had to return home. About the dinner hour a footman came to tell me in the name of the Council that they had decided that the secretary of the Council, Donato and I should confer in this house two hours after mid-day. Perhaps they thought Donato was still here and did not know that I was in possession, having taken it for the Ambassador Lando after Donato left. I told the footman that I had nothing to do with Donato nor he with this house, but if the secretary came I would welcome him and hear what he had to say. Accordingly the secretary came at the appointed hour and said it was necessary to hear Donato's statement about the burned papers and that is why they spoke of a conference. I said I was exceedingly sorry at this fashion of acting as it only served to drag things out and to give Donato a chance of escaping from danger, as it was superfluous to enquire into a matter which he had confessed. The secretary said: His Majesty and the Council have ordered a conference with him. He then left to see Donato, promising to send me his answer at once, although it did not come. So on the following morning, namely, yesterday, I went to Naunton again. But he sent word that he was going to the Council and I might state there what I had to say to him. I agreed, owing to my desire for a reply. I was introduced to the Council, consisting of only four persons, and asked for a decision satisfactory to the republic, the wavering about the orders to keep Donato's goods under seal being entirely contrary to our expectation. They said a great deal to me in defence of Donato while I advanced your Serenity's arguments. They insisted particularly that the papers were his and he might burn them, since the originals were at Venice. I said that whether originals or copies they were your Serenity's secret papers. Every ambassador at his departure was bound to consign them to his successor, who had to consign them to Venice. They said they had not yet spoken with Donato as they must, and send his reply and mine to his Majesty, so that they might decide what answer to send to the republic. They would say no more for all the arguments I adduced.
	After leaving the Council I waited upon the Secretary Naunton in his apartments to tell him the things contained in my instructions of the 26th July. He was quite satisfied and said that the reply to Monti would be entirely to his Majesty's taste. He had already heard the same from Monti himself and would immediately impart everything to the king, who would answer this when he sent the reply about Donato. The latter went to the Council immediately after my departure and told them that he had burned the papers by express command of your Serenity given during the first days of his embassy. I said this excuse was worth nothing. It was true he had instructions to burn useless papers, but he had no other licence to burn documents. The secretary said perhaps he had followed the precedent. I said the precedent went for nothing. The crime was inexcusable. He promised to inform his Majesty and we parted, quite two hours after mid-day. I am now awaiting his Majesty's reply which will come, they tell me, in two days. I have spent 90 crowns upon my journey to court, the despatch and commissions. I beg your Serenity to repay me this sum as my ordinary expenses are excessive.
	London, the 23rd August, 1619.
	[Italian.]
Enclosed in the preceding despatch.	972. Memorial to the king.
	I have instructions from the republic to read to your Majesty the letter sent to me about the property of the late Ambassador Donato, so that he may not enter the house of the republic or appear at court, and ask that he may be handed over to the republic. In addition to his original crime of embezzling public money, he has taken possession of the house of the republic and confesses to having burned public papers, a treasonable offence.
	[Italian.]
Aug. 23. Senato, Secreta. Capitano General da Mar. Venetian Archives.	973. LORENZO VENIER, Captain General at Sea, to the DOGE and SENATE.
	Encloses copy of the request made by the captain of the English ship Abigail, to depart.
	The galley at le Merlere, the 23rd August, 1619.
	[Italian.]
Enclosed in the preceding dispatch.	974. Captain Samuel Each, of the ship Abigail, to the Captain General at Sea.
	Your Excellency knows that the time to release the English ships is approaching. They have strict orders from the owners to go to the appointed places, and I am told to ask for leave so that my ship may be at Venice at the end of this month, and that the merchandise awaiting me may not be taken by another ship. I therefore ask leave to do this.
	As soon as I reach England I wish to put my ship in order, with the king's permission, with thirty pieces of ordnance and about a hundred sailors, to return again to this service, by May at the latest, and for this I will give security either in Venice or England.
	The 21st August, 1619, at le Merlere.
	[Italian.]
Aug. 24. Senato, Secreta. Dispacci, Roma. Venetian Archives.	975. GIROLAMO SORANZO, Venetian Ambassador in Rome, to the DOGE and SENATE.
	The union between England and the States upon the traffic in the Indies is by no means well received by the ministers here or by the dependants of Spain. They perceive that the Catholic king will be obliged to look well after the safety of his fleets, and to provide, if possible, against the progress of these two powers. They think that the galleys of Naples will be required in Spain, where they have the greatest need of them for numerous reasons, although the majority of them are expected to prove unseaworthy.
	Rome, the 24th August, 1619.
	[Italian.]
Aug. 26. Senato, Secreta. Comunicazioni dal Consiglio de' X. Venetian Archives.	976. PIER ANTONIO MARIONI, Venetian Secretary in England, to the heads of the COUNCIL of TEN.
	It has recently come to my knowledge that when the late Ambassador Donato, after his return to England, went to visit the Archbishop of Canterbury, head of the Council, to speak for himself in his misfortunes and to defend himself against what Monti, the agent of this crown at Venice, wrote, and which I reported on the 26th ult. he asked the archbishop how the agent could know such particulars. The archbishop replied: We know quite well all the things that are said about us at Venice. To prove this see whether you wrote this about the Archbishop of Spalato, and he showed him an unsigned paper. Donato admitted this. Canterbury added: This paper comes out of the secret archives of Venice.
	Whatever this information may be, I think it right to inform your Excellencies. In my own poor opinion it really comes from Venice, but it was sent to Spalato and not to Canterbury. I know that Spalato is frequently advised from Venice of important matters, although I cannot discover his informant.
	London, the 26th August, 1619.
	[Italian.]
Aug. 30. Senato, Secreta. Dispacci, Inghilterra. Venetian Archives.	977. PIER ANTONIO MARIONI, Venetian Secretary in England, to the DOGE and SENATE.
	After I had been anxiously awaiting the king's reply upon Donato's affairs all these days, and going every day to Naunton's apartments to see whether it had come, he at last sent late yesterday evening to tell me of it, as he had promised. As I did not fully understand the gentleman whom he sent I told him that I should like to hear the same from the secretary himself, and so I called upon him this morning. Naunton read me the letter, written by the Secretary Colvert at the king's direction. They say that his Majesty has well considered what I told him and my request, together with Donato's recent reply to the Council. They decided that by the laws of the realm the house occupied by Donato belonged to him as he paid the rent, and not to the republic, which was not mentioned in the agreement. The burning of the papers was not a crime, as Donato asserted that he did it for the public good and in conformity with his instructions, following the precedent of all his predecessors. They were only copies, of which the originals were preserved at Venice. His Majesty thought it strange they should ask for Donato for such things, and by the jus gentium and for his own honour's sake he was bound to protect him. He was ready to give every satisfaction to your Serenity if it appeared that Donato had been involved in any conspiracy, had sought to kill the doge or any leading official, but not for such trifling reasons as those alleged. He asked that he might not be troubled any more by such requests. He had taken Donato into his protection by the laws of his own religion.
	I could only reply that I must most sadly report this to your Serenity, to whom it would come most unexpectedly. You would regret this last reply more than anything. I would not venture to add more.
	I am exceedingly sorry and I have been unlucky from the very beginning owing to the great favour Donato enjoys in this kingdom, where he gains ground every day by various means. Among them he makes presents, which he is enabled to do by the arrival of four chests of goods in the week when I went to the Court, in a ship which left Venice for England at the end of last January. These goods were glass ware, wax, soap and Piacentine cheese.
	The courier came with all speed and received 150 crowns, which I beg your Serenity to make good.
	London, the 30th August, 1619.
	Postscript: I hear that the plague has made its appearance here this year. A hundred persons died of it last week, and it still continues its destructive work.
	[Italian.]