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: March 1529', in Calendar of State Papers Relating To English Affairs in the Archives of Venice, Volume 4, 1527-1533, (London, 1871) pp. 201-205. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/venice/vol4/pp201-205 [accessed 23 April 2024]
March 1529
| March 2. Sanuto Diaries, v. 1. pp. 40, 41. | 426. Sebastian Giustinian to the Signory. | |
|---|---|---|
| The most Christian King has advices from Spain and Biscay that the Emperor is coming into Italy, and on the 2nd March was to quit Toledo for Barcelona, proceeding thence to Ruses (fn. 1) for embarkation. He leaves the regency of the kingdom of Spain to the Empress, and will take with him the eldest sons of all the grandees of Castile. | ||
| For this reason his most Christian Majesty chooses to attack Spain. He said he was sending the brother of the Bishop of Bayonne to England because Cardinal Wolsey has a fancy for the Popedom (ha fantasia al Papato), and that he (Wolsey) sent the Bishop himself to his Majesty to obtain his assistance to be made Pope, which his Majesty promised him, and the Bishop is going to Rome. | ||
| Through Cardinal Wolsey his Majesty will endeavour to obtain from the King of England pecuniary assistance wherewith to pay the 14,000 Lansquenets which he purposes employing for this expedition. | ||
| Paris, 2nd March. Registered by Sanuto, 14th March, | ||
| [Italian.] | ||
| March 4. Original Letter Book, Letter no. 133, St. Mark's Library. | 427. Gasparo Contarini to the Signory. | |
| The Imperial ambassador here has received letters from the Prince of Orange, announcing the capture of La Matrice, on the 25th ult. The Imperialists committed great slaughter, sparing neither women nor children, although the Prince did his utmost to prevent them, so that a few women were saved notwithstanding. (fn. 2) | ||
| Rome, 4th March 1529. | ||
| [Italian, 2 pages.] | ||
| March 7. Original Letter Book, Letter no. 137, St. Mark's Library. | 428. The Same to the Same. | |
| The Secretary Sanga, on behalf of the Pope, is sending Count Giovanni Tomaso della Mirandola to attend the Diet which is being held at Spires for the Lutheran affairs. Requests the Governors of Verona and other Venetian agents not to impede Count Tomaso, as the Diet must have already commenced. | ||
| Rome, 7th March 1529. | ||
| [Italian, 2¼ pages.] | ||
| March 9. Sanuto Diaries, v. 1. pp. 33, 34. | 429. Zuam Ferro, Vice “Podestà” and Cristofal Capello, Captain of Brescia, to the Signory. | |
| King Ferdinand attended the Diet of Inspruck, which determined to give him 120,000 Rhenish guilders, to be expended against the Turks; but they will not give him money [for hostilities] against Italy. | ||
| King Ferdinand is gone to Constance to hold another Diet. In Germany there has sprung up another sect, whose followers baptize themselves twice; and sixteen Lutherans were beheaded by order of King Ferdinand. Considers it most certain that for this year not a single German will come into Italy. | ||
| Brescia, 9th March. Registered by Sanuto, 11th March. | ||
| [Italian.] | ||
| March 11. Original Letter Book, Letter no. 138, St. Mark's Library. | 430. Gasparo Contarini to the Signory. | |
| A few days ago the Abbot of Farfà (fn. 3) captured at Palo two barges bound to Rome with 250 “rugi” of corn, which the Cardinals resent greatly, and having sent for the French ambassador to appear before the “Congregation,” they complained loudly, threatening to call the Colonna faction and the Imperialists for their aid and defence; so after discussing the matter with the Imperial ambassador (sic) [query, French ambassador], Sir Gregory Casal, and myself, we wrote a suitable letter to the Abbot, and spoke to his agent Giovanni Battista, who resides here at the court. The French ambassador tells me he will write to Mons. de S. Pol, to send for the Abbot into Lombardy, as his proceedings here are really scandalous and unprofitable, and may produce some mischievous result. To oblige them both [the French ambassador and Casal] I was obliged to sign the letter, Sir Gregory doing the like. | ||
| The Bishop of Verona [Gianmatteo Giberti] has requested me to beseech your Highness, in his name, to give licence to one Master Jacob Mantino, a Jewish physician, and a very eminent man (et homo molto excellente), to wear the black cap, so that during his stay at Venice he may live at ease, and free from any insult. His Lordship tells me they have been friends for several years, and that he employed him to translate certain Hebrew works into Latin. I promised him to perform the office, assuring him that your Serenity wishes to do him pleasure. | ||
| Borne, 11th March 1529. | ||
| [Italian, 4¼ pages.] | ||
| March 13. Sanuto Diaries, v. 1. p. 158. | 431. Lodovico Falier to the Signory. | |
| The King answered the French ambassadors that he will send an ambassador with his reply, but will try and make a general peace; the Pope to stipulate a peace and excommunicate those who reject it. | ||
| His Majesty has given Mons. de Langes, the French ambassador, (fn. 4) a silver-gilt basin and ewer, two large jars (vasi), four silver cups, and a cover, (fn. 5) said to be worth 500 crowns. | ||
| To another [envoy?] (fn. 6), on his way to Scotland, he gave a basin and jug (ramina), four bowls, and a cover, all of ungilt silver; to the third [ambassador] who came with the ambassador, 200 crowns; to the fourth, who adjusted the litter, 50 crowns; and they (the envoys) have returned to France. (fn. 7) | ||
| London, 13th March. Registered by Sanuto, 27th April. | ||
| [Italian.] | ||
| March 14. Original Letter Book, Letter no. 141, St. Mark's Library. | 432. Gasparo Contarini to the Signory. | |
| On the 12th, at the dinner-hour, the Pope's house steward informed me that if I wished to pay my respects to his Holiness, though not to transact any business, nor as ambassador, but as a private gentleman, I might go to him, as he would be glad to see me. I went to the palace at the appointed hour, when the Pope sent for me immediately into his chamber, where I found him in bed, looking so well as not to display the slightest sign of having had so serious an illness. Having had a stool placed for me at his bedside, we discussed various matters. We spoke much about his illness, and about the Emperor's coming into Italy, and he said he did not think it would take place this year, although his Majesty very much desired it, asking my opinion on the subject. I answered that to me also it seemed very difficult for him to quit Spain and come into Italy at present, as he could not do so without bringing a great quantity of money and a large army; and also that as Spain was apprehensive lest France with the assistance of England make war in the direction of Navarre, I did not know how the Spaniards would approve of the departure of their Sovereign, and of his draining the country of much treasure and many good troops. | ||
| Rome, 14th March 1529. | ||
| [Italian, 5¼ pages.] | ||
| March 15. Sanuto Diaries, v. 1. p. 143. | 433. Lodovico Falier to the Signory. | |
| The King and Cardinal are out of London. Letters have been received from the two English ambassadors in Spain [Ghinucci and Lee], dated Toledo, 25th February. They state that the coming of the Emperor into Italy has cooled (è raffredata), and the biscuit which had been prepared [for the sea voyage] is being sold. | ||
| London, 15th March. Registered by Sanuto, 20th April. | ||
| [Italian.] | ||
| March 17. Parti Comuni, Consiglio X., v. lii. p. 9. | 434. Petition from the English Ambassador. | |
| Earnest suit having been made by the Rev. Legate, resident here [Averoldi, Bishop of Pola?] (in conformity with a letter from our ambassador at Rome); by the French ambassador, the Bishop of Avranches; and by the ambassador from the King of England, Prothonotary Casal, to prolong the concession made to Master Jacob, the Jewish physician, to wear the black cap, we deem it fitting to admit the intercession of such worthy personages, especially in these very troublesome times, when it is not advisable to disoblige them in similar matters, by reason of our Signory's present need, especially as we are assured that the said Jew is learned in the theory and practice of medicine, and has effected some very successful cures (de belissime cure). | ||
| Put to the ballot, that Master Jacob, the Jewish physician, be allowed freely to wear the black cap throughout the City of Venice, he residing in Jewry where the other Hebrews dwell; and this concession to be available and to last for four months, to commence after the next Easter holidays. (fn. 8) | ||
| Ayes | 10—10 | |
| Noes | 7—7 | |
| Neutrals | 0—0 | |
| Lecta fuit lex in Rubeo ad Ca (at page) 105. | ||
| [Italian.] | ||
| March 18. Original Letter Book, Letter no. 143, St. Mark's Library. | 435. Gasparo Contarini to the Signory. | |
| Last evening the Pope gave audience to the Cardinal of Mantua, and on the day before yesterday to the Cardinal Triultio. As yet he has not admitted any other cardinals. The French ambassador likewise had audience previously. The English ambassadors had audience on the day before yesterday. | ||
| Rome, 18th March 1529. | ||
| [Italian, 3 pages.] | ||
| March 20. Original Letter Book, Letter no. 144, St. Mark's Library. | 436. The Same to the Same. | |
| The English ambassadors [Gregory Casal, Brian, Vannes, and Gardyner] at their audience of the Pope did not negotiate either about the marriage or any other matter relating to their King, but merely spoke about the general peace, and to conclude it more easily, exhorted his Holiness and D. Jacomo Salviati first of all to make a truce, as if to demand the galleys for the Pope's voyage to Spain. | ||
| Rome, 20th March 1529. | ||
| [Italian, 3½ pages.] | ||
| March 31. Sanuto Diaries, v. 1. p. 157. | 437. Lodovico Falier to the Signory. | |
| An ambassador from the most Christian King has arrived in London, demanding of King Henry pecuniary assistance, troops, and a fleet against the Emperor. King Henry is quite disposed to annul his marriage with the Queen, saying, “If the Pope will not annul it, I will annul it myself.” | ||
| The King of Scotland had been negotiating a marriage with the Queen Widow of Hungary [Maria], the Emperor's sister, and the most Christian King sent to remonstrate with him against this, his English Majesty likewise being averse to it. | ||
| King Henry says, “I have a weight on my conscience; the Pope who gave me a dispensation to take my brother's wife who had consummated the marriage, was not authorised to do so.” | ||
| London, 31st March. Registered by Sanuto, 27th April. | ||
| [Italian.] | ||