Calendar of State Papers Relating To English Affairs in the Archives of Venice, Volume 4, 1527-1533. Originally published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1871.
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'Venice: November 1527', in Calendar of State Papers Relating To English Affairs in the Archives of Venice, Volume 4, 1527-1533, (London, 1871) pp. 106-110. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/venice/vol4/pp106-110 [accessed 26 April 2024]
November 1527
| Nov. 1. Sanuto Diaries, v. xlvi. p. 250. | 201. Marco Antonio Venier to the Doge and Signory. |
|---|---|
| On that day the King, accompanied by the French ambassadors, by him (Venier), and by the Duke of Milan's ambassador, went in great state to St. Paul's, where the church was very richly decorated. Cardinal Wolsey celebrated the mass (celebrò la messa); after which the perpetual peace was proclaimed between France and England, and at the high altar the King swore to its articles, which are several in number, and signed them. The aforesaid ambassadors then dined with his Majesty, who assured him (Venier) of his good intention with regard to the freedom of Italy and of the State of Venice, adding that he greatly desired the Pope's release, and that the Italian potentates should have quiet possession of their territories, and that as the Emperor would not accept fair terms by peaceful means, they should wage war on him in order to liberate the sons of the most Christian King. | |
| London, 1st November. Registered by Sanuto, 26th November. | |
| [Italian.] | |
| Nov. 2 Sanuto Diaries, v. xlvi. p. 201. | 202. Audience in the Venetian College Hall. |
| The English ambassador, the Apostolic Prothonotary Casal, came into the College and thanked the Signory for the possession given him of the abbacy of the Holy Trinity at Verona. He declared himself most ready to do at all times whatever could benefit the State, and then discussed current events. | |
| [Italian.] | |
| Nov. 5. Sanuto Diaries, v. xlvi. p. 217. | 203. The Procurator Pesaro to the Doge and Signory. |
| Mons de Lautrec is to depart tomorrow for Fiorenzuola and will then proceed to Parma. They (Pesaro and Lautrec) wrote a joint letter to Count Peter of Navarre, to repair to them with the infantry and to cross the Po. They had also written to the Venetian governor, that the enemy having garrisoned Monza, he was ill off and in danger at Cassano. | |
| An Englishman passed through Piacenza on his way to Rome, incognito. (fn. 1) He spoke to Lautrec, and said he was going to tell the Pope to be firm, and not to depart. Today two other Englishmen arrived. They enquired about their countryman who preceded them, and hearing that he had been there and was gone on, they followed him. | |
| Piacenza, 5th November. Registered by Sanuto, 9th November. | |
| [Italian.] | |
| Nov. 7–17. Sanuto Diaries, v. xlvi. p. 264. | 204. Sebastian Giustinian to the Doge and Signory. |
| The English ambassadors presented to the King the Order of St. George, that is to say, they girt his leg with a garter and invested him with a robe of purple velvet lined with cloth of silver, and the insignia. | |
| —(blank in MS.) 7th and 17th [November]. Registered by Sanuto, 5th December. | |
| [Italian.] | |
| Nov. 8. Sanuto Diaries, v. xlvi. p. 264. | 205. Marco Antonio Venier to the Doge and Signory. |
| Great honours were still being rendered to the French ambassadors. Cardinal Wolsey lately entertained the Lord Steward for three days hunting at Hampton Court, the palace being sumptuously decorated. He is still there, to see at his leisure the Cardinal's sideboards of gold plate, (fn. 2) estimated in England at 300,000 golden ducats. The vessels (peri) are in truth very numerous, large, and of gold; videlicet, ewers (vasi), basins, pots (poti), and other similar utensils. Then the King invited the Lord Steward to hunt in a park, where he gave him a grand dinner in the country, under certain buildings surrounded for the occasion with evergreens (verdure). | |
| Tomorrow the Lord Steward will present the most Christian King's order of knighthood to his Majesty, and depart on Tuesday. The Bishop of Bayonne remains as ambassador [in ordinary]. | |
| Owing to the scarcity of grain (formenti), they have written to France for permission to export corn (formenti) from thence, wheat (formento) being worth 10 livres per bushel in England. | |
| London, 8th November. Registered by Sanuto, 5th December. | |
| [Italian.] | |
| Nov. 9. Sanuto Diaries, v. xlvi. p. 217. | 206. Audience in the Venetian College Hall. |
| The English ambassador, Prothonotary Casal, was sent for by the Signory, to know about the Englishmen who lately passed through Venice. The ambassador said he knew of the one who came first, but not of those who came secondly. | |
| [Italian.] | |
| Nov. 10. Sanuto Diaries, v. xlvi. p. 218. | 207. Audience in the Venetian College Hall. |
| The English ambassador [Prothonotary Casal] had audience. Note by Sanuto, that he believes the business concerned letters received by the Prothonotary from his brother Sir Gregory, who is at Ferrara on a mission from the King of England. | |
| [Italian.] | |
| Nov. 11. Sanuto Diaries, v. xlvi. p. 264. | 208. Marco Antonio Venier to the Doge and Signory. |
| Yesterday the French ambassadors went to Greenwich, where they gave the King the order of St. Michael, having first been to mass; on returning from which, his Majesty took off his gown, remaining in his doublet, whereupon the Lord Steward [Montmorency] robed him in the dress of the order, namely a gown of cloth of silver, like a mantle, the two sides being looped up over the shoulders, the front and back remaining pendent. The gown is single, striped with cloth of gold, and round the insignia are scallop-shells, with a link between each. They next placed round his neck a collar worth 3,000 crowns, of the same pattern as the border of the mantle, viz., round gold scallop shells, connected by links of six chains (e uno legame de sie filli); and from the collar there hung a small St. Michael in armour, trampling under foot the devil; such being the insignia of this order of knighthood. | |
| The King's gown, of which he divested himself, was of cloth of silver, lined with most beautiful sables, and worth a thousand ducats; this he gave to a Frenchman, the Provost of the order of St. Michael, similar perquisites belonging to him by the statutes of the order; he giving his own, worth 100 ducats, to the King's grooms of the chamber (camerieri), and wearing that of his Majesty. The King then swore to the statutes of the order, after which they went to dinner, and then there was dancing, and some [theatrical] representations. Next came the supper; the King dancing, as also the Lord Steward [Montmorency] with the Princess of England; the whole night being spent thus. | |
| The honours and civilities lavished on these ambassadors were great and manifold, evincing a strong bias towards the kingdom of France, because they hope to derive benefit thence in the present scarcity, that of grain (biave) being now what they chiefly suffer from in England; for one half of the flour now eaten here is bean flour, on which they are compelled to subsist. Has spoken to the merchants, who declared that of this they had been eye-witnesses at the mills. It was therefore proposed, if unable to obtain wheat (formenti), to endeavour at least to get beans; but perceiving the state of the public mind, they dare not make the demand, lest it exasperate the populace. | |
| London, 11th November. Registered by Sanuto, 5th December. | |
| [Italian.] | |
| Nov. 21. Sanuto Diaries, v. xlvi. p. 245. | 209. Persons named in the Articles stipulated with the Duke of Ferrara. (fn. 3) |
| Dom. Mathio Casela, of Faenza, LL.D.; Dom. Jacomo Alvaroto, of Padua, LL.D.; Dom. Alphonso di Troti, Factor General; Dom. Opizo dal Remo, Privy Councillor; Dom. Bonaventura Pistophilo, secretary—all nominees of the Duke of Ferrara; Dom. Giovanni Gioachino, Seigneur de Vaux, Royal Councillor of M. Odet de Lautrec; Sir Gregory da Casal, ambassador from the King of England, Protector of the League, and from the Cardinal of York; Dom. Gaspar Contarini, ambassador from the Signory; Count Maximilian Stampa, ambassador from the Duke of Milan; Dom. Antonio Francesco di Albizi, ambassador from the Signory of Florence. | |
| [Italian.] | |
| Nov. 27. Sanuto Diaries, v. xlvi. p. 313. | 210. Marco Antonio Venter to the Doge and Signory. |
| Nothing of importance, save that there is great scarcity of everything in England, most especially of bread; supplies cannot be procured for some months, owing to the frozen seas; the Easterling Islands also being in the same plight (che a pur le inside di Orzenlig). Nor is the season good; the cold in England is greater than last year, and the falls of snow have been very heavy. | |
| The English ambassadors are expected here on their return from France, the bad weather detaining them at the sea-side, where Master Poyntz (fn. 4) is also waiting, he having gone as English ambassador to Spain when the Bishop of Tarbes went thither. The Privy Councillors meet daily. Owing to the cabinet councils, the Florentine ambassador, who arrived a week ago, has had his audience of the King deferred. When the Lord Steward departed, he took with him the pecuniary subsidy for two months which the King [of England] contributes for Italy; the English Government urging him strongly to exhort the most Christian King to leave his sons in Spain, and wage active war; whence it would result that the Emperor, being no longer pressed to release the French Princes, and perceiving war to be made in earnest, will easily consent to peace, which is much desired by all parties, as they are no longer able to find money. | |
| London, 27th November. Registered by Sanuto, 24th December. | |
| [Italian.] | |
| Nov. 27, 28. Sanuto Diaries, v. xlvi. p. 270. | 211. Sebastian Giustinian to the Doge and Signory. |
| Had spoken to the King about the agreement which is being negotiated with the Emperor, requesting the King to take heed for the Signory. He swore he would do nothing without the Signory, for whom he would always have regard; and said that he and the King of England had sent a protest to the Emperor declaring war against him, and that the Signory should do the like. | |
| Paris, 27th and 28th November. Registered by Sanuto, 7th December. | |
| [Italian.] | |
| Nov. 29. Sanuto Diaries, v. xlvi. p. 313. | 212. Marco Antonio Venier to the Doge and Signory. |
| The English ambassadors have arrived from France. The scarcity in England is very great. | |
| London, 29th November. Registered by Sanuto, 24th December. | |
| [Italian.] | |