Calendar of State Papers Relating To English Affairs in the Archives of Venice, Volume 3, 1520-1526. Originally published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1869.
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'Venice: January 1525', in Calendar of State Papers Relating To English Affairs in the Archives of Venice, Volume 3, 1520-1526, (London, 1869) pp. 397-400. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/venice/vol3/pp397-400 [accessed 18 April 2024]
January 1525
| 1525. Jan. Sanuto Diaries, v. xxxvii. p. 364. | 907. Carlo Contarini, Venetian Ambassador at the Court of Ferdinand, Archduke of Austria, to the State. |
|---|---|
| In the duchy of Wurtemberg, belonging to the Archduke, some 8,000 had risen and raised flags, styling themselves “Defensores Scripture Evangelicæ;” they are Lutheran. So the Archduke has been obliged to send for the defence of his own territory the 4,000 foot and 600 horse destined by him for Italy, and he is daily intent on raising money. | |
| Inspruck, —. Registered by Sanuto, 27th January. | |
| [Italian.] | |
| Jan. 2. Original Letter Book, Letter no. 314, St. Mark's Library. | 908. Gasparo Contarini to the Signory. |
| The Emperor is not yet free from his quartan ague, though it has so much diminished, that the paroxysms do not last more than two hours and a half, and he goes frequently to the Pardo into a forest to hunt. | |
| The Queen of Portugal, the bride [Katharine of Austria], is preparing to join her husband, though still at Tordesillas with her mother [Queen Juana]. She will be accompanied by the Duke of Bejar and the Bishop of Siguenza. | |
| Madrid, 2nd January 1525. | |
| [Italian, 1½ page.] | |
| Jan. 7. Misti Consiglio X., v. xlvii. p. 119, tergo. | 909. The Council of Ten and Junta to the Venetian Proveditors General. |
| This morning received letters from their ambassador at Rome, dated the 4th. The Pope had concluded and signed peace with the most Christian King; he was to notify it on that day in consistory, and had already made the announcement to the Duke of Sessa (whom it perplexed and dissastisiied greatly), and to the English ambassador [John Clerk]. His Holiness would write briefs to the Christian Princes and to the Signory, exhorting them to suspend hostilities, and make peace. | |
| Ayes, 20. Noes, 2. Neutrals, 0. | |
| [Italian.] | |
| Jan. 9. Original Letter Book, Letter no. 315, St. Mark's Library. | 910. Gasparo Contarini to the Signory. |
| On the 2nd instant the Queen of Portugal set out from Tordesillas to join her consort. | |
| The Queen [Juana], her mother, although recourse was had to many crafty devices for the sake of tranquillizing her, witnessed the departure from a corridor (uno corrador), where she remained one whole day and a night; after which, of her own accord, she entered her chamber and took to her bed, remaining thus for two days; and no wonder, for this daughter was her solace. At present it seems that she is somewhat pacified. | |
| Madrid, 9th January 1525. | |
| P.S., dated the 10th.—Three caravels have arrived at Seville from the Indies. They bring 20,000 gold pieces for the Emperor, and 200 “marche” of pearls. It is said that many other caravels are expected with a quantity of gold. | |
| [Italian, 1½ page.] | |
| Jan. 9. Original Letter Book, Letter no. 316, St. Mark's Library. | 911. The Same to the Council of Ten. |
| Has been informed by the Florentine ambassador that the Chancellor told him he believed that at any rate the Emperor would conclude his marriage with the Princess Isabella of Portugal, as the Imperialists have heard for certain through several channels that the Princess of England is to marry the King of Scotland. | |
| Madrid, 9th January 1525. | |
| [Italian, ½ page.] | |
| Jan. 10. Deliberazioni Senato Secreta, v. l. p. 110, tergo. | 912. League between Clement VII. and Francis I. |
| Motion made in the Senate, for a reply to be given to the Imperial and Milanese ambassadors. | |
| Heard their recent request made on behalf of the Viceroy, for the junction of the Venetian forces with those of the Emperor. Have lately received letters from the Signory's ambassador at Rome, dated the 5th instant, announcing the peace concluded by the Pope with the most Christian King, reserving a most honorable place for his Imperial Majesty, the most Serene King of England, the most Serene Ferdinand, the Signory, and for the other Christian powers. Will read to their Lordships his Holiness's brief, whereby not only does he exhort the Signory to be at peace, but urges them to exhort their other confederates to do the like. | |
| Ayes, 156. Noes, 8. Neutrals, 0. | |
| [Italian, 70 lines.] | |
| Jan. 15. Sanuto Diaries, v. xxxvii. p. 232. | 913. News from Crema. |
| On the evening of the 12th there arrived the merchant Ambrosio Tercino. On 31st December he quitted Lyons, where it was said that a marriage had been made between the daughter of the King of England and the son of the King of France, on which account Mons. d'Alençon was going to England. | |
| [Italian.] | |
| Jan. 17. Original Letter Book, Letter no. 317, St. Mark's Library. | 914. Gasparo Contarini to the Signory. |
| The Emperor chose to hunt so indefatigably, curing himself thus in his own fashion, that the quartan ague has become double; a casualty ill suited to current events. | |
| Madrid, 17th January 1525. | |
| [Italian, 1 page.] | |
| Jan. 23. Original Letter Book, Letter no. 318, St. Mark's Library. | 915. The Same to the Same. |
| The Emperor's ordinary quartan ague has subsided, that of the extra day remaining; but as he now takes more care of himself, the physicians hope he will recover in the spring. | |
| Madrid, 23rd January 1525. | |
| [Italian, ½ page.] | |
| Jan. 26. Original Letter Book, Letter no. 321, St. Mark's Library. | 916. The Same to the Council of Ten. |
| I have read a letter written from Rome by the Datary Giberti to the Archbishop of Capua, and shown to me by the Florentine ambassador [Corsi]. Amongst the reasons assigned by him for the peace made by the Pope with France is the following:— | |
| In England Cardinal Wolsey despatched Mons. de Beaurain with a single word, namely, that his King would not give any assistance for the affairs of Italy, nor did he care even should the Emperor lose Lombardy. Giberti also wrote that the 50,000 ducats deposited by the King of England at Viterbo had all been remitted back by bills of exchange. | |
| Still more to justify his policy, Giberti asserts that had the Pope chosen to act from interested motives, and not for the sake of laying the foundation of a general peace, he should rather have declared for the Emperor, as the Viceroy [Lannoy] made him very great offers, viz., to place the investiture of Milan in his hands, and on the conclusion of the war against the French to give him Ferrara; and as wife for Ippolito de' Medici, son of the late Juliano, he promised the Pope the Emperor's [natural] daughter, born at Valladolid 18 months ago, creating him Duke of Ferrara; whilst to the son of the late Lorenzino he promised the duchy of Bari. As security he pledged himself to place Gaeta and Taranto in the hands of the Pope. (fn. 1) Madrid, 26th January 1525. | |
| [Italian, 1 page.] | |
| Jan. 28. Original Letter Book, Letter no. 322, St. Mark's Library. | 917. Gasparo Contarini to the Council of Ten. |
| I was told yesterday by the Florentine ambassador, that having justified the Pope's proceedings to the Emperor, in conformity with the instructions received by him from Rome in date of the 6th instant, the Emperor replied to him:— | |
| “Ambassador! I can but take in good part what the Pope does, but at the same time, in humble language, I cannot but express the feelings of my heart. | |
| “The Pope is well aware how, being a youth, and scarcely knowing what I was about, I entered on this war for him alone. I do not say for Pope Leo, but for him, for he ruled Pope Leo; nor were the mutual injuries between the King of France and myself of such a nature as to preclude adjustment. But at his instigation [i.e., of Cardinal Giulio de' Medici, prime minister of Leo X.,] I waged the war, and he [the present Pope] has had very good proof how far one and the other of us may be trusted. | |
| “By this war I have lost vast treasure, much soldiery, and my friends; and, what distresses me more, great part of my honour, greatly to the peril of my soul; though never could I have believed that the Pope would act thus, and detach himself from me. | |
| “Notwithstanding this, however, I do not despair; (fn. 2) I do not purpose yielding to my enemy; nay, should the necessity arise, I would peril all my realms, and I trust in God that he will assist me, as he has done hitherto; nor ought I to distrust Fortune, who has hitherto favoured me. I also hope that, doing as I shall do, the Pope will again espouse my cause.” (fn. 3) | |
| The Florentine ambassador also told me that there was a report at the Court of disputing the Pope's election, on the score of illegitimate birth. | |
| Madrid, 28th January 1525. | |
| [Italian, 2 pages.] | |