Venice: September 1545 | British History Online

Calendar of State Papers Relating To English Affairs in the Archives of Venice, Volume 5, 1534-1554. Originally published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1873.

'Venice: September 1545', in Calendar of State Papers Relating To English Affairs in the Archives of Venice, Volume 5, 1534-1554, (London, 1873) pp. 147-150. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/venice/vol5/pp147-150 [accessed 25 April 2024]

September 1545



Sept. 1. Miscellaneous Letters, Venetian Archives.	356. Bernardo Navagero, Venetian Ambassador with the Emperor, to the Chiefs of the Ten.
	Lodovico da l'Armi arrived in this city yesterday, having ridden post. At the second hour of the night he came to my house, and when alone with me commenced a long and circumstantial account of the two cases on account of which he had incurred the displeasure (essere incorso incontumacia) of your Excellencies, the one, that he had not obeyed your Excellencies' officials, having fought and wounded one of them; the other, the scar inflicted by his order on the son of Count Mercurio Bua, (fn. 1) and the flight of his followers by letting themselves down from the walls of Treviso. In conclusion he stated he had written to the English ambassador at Venice to have the period for his presenting himself postponed until the 10th instant, but that subsequently fresh commands from his King (dil Re suo) compelled him to go to England, where he might possibly find that powerful King, who has always been the Republic's friend, offended by reason of the wrong done to him [Da l'Armi], who was at Venice on his service, and although he had no letters of credence, the utmost credence might have been given him on account of his writings (scritture) and the business negotiated by him at Venice. He said he would use his good offices with the King to augment the good understanding between the Signory and England, and if unsuccessful in this matter would never make mischief, adding, that being unable to tell your Excellencies what he had intended, he would tell your representative. Answered that the Doge in his city enforces nothing more severely than obedience [to the law?] and obedience to the officials in the service of the greatest and most important magistracy of the Republic; that many noblemen of their own blood had been seriously punished for a much slighter cause than the one narrated to him by Da l'Armi; that in the next place the State detests nothing more than the taking revenge, either with or without cause, by thus sending hired ruffians to a place on purpose to effect it, and that the Signory had also to take into consideration the fact of their escape by the walls of Treviso, an outrage well nigh tantamount to violation of that fortress, for which the State has the most jealous care; being of opinion that both these cases were very serious, and had greatly offended the public majesty of Venice; nor would the Doge ever believe that the King of England, when acquainted with the truth, could for this cause swerve in the least from his friendship, but rather increase his love for a Republic whom he saw so intent on the quiet and security of everybody. Da l'Armi rejoined, that the first case of Canaregio, with regard to himself individually, ought not to be deemed important, because having many enemies and very powerful ones, and mistaking the Signory's officials for them, he could not do otherwise than he did; and on hearing that they were public officials, he retreated, nor was it possible to show any greater mark of respect, so that if any disorder occurred, it was owing to the night. With regard to the second offence, he said that a person who had taken money to come and serve the King of England, and then failed to do so, deserved greater punishment than what he had received, and that for this, the Signory ought not to evince resentment, both out of respect for the King, and for the Doge himself, who being a sovereign, should dissemble this case, to prove how much it displeased him that Princes should be wronged by private individuals.
	Navagero answered briefly, that the Signory sought solely to preserve obedience, tranquillity, peace, and security in their dominions; and Da l'Armi then took leave, saying he should depart early on the following morning for England, and requesting Navagero to write the whole of this conversation to the Signory. Da l'Armi is accompanied by a gentleman of the Tresseno family, who introduced himself to Navagero when he quitted his chamber, saying he was the brother of another Tresseno here at the Imperial Court, in the service of the Signor Sforza Palavicino.
	Brussels, 1st September 1545.
	[Italian.]
Sept. 2. Deliberazioni Senato (Secreta), v. lxiv. p. 67.	357. The Doge and Senate to the Venetian Ambassador at Constantinople.
	Advices from England, and by the last letters from France down to the 19th August, state that the two hostile fleets were so near each other on two occasions that all expected a sea fight, but as the weather was calm, each endeavouring to get to windward, the English went into port at Hampton, and the French at Havre-de-Grace, where it will remain some days to ship provisions. An agreement is being negotiated between Scotland and England, it having been proposed to marry the daughter of the Queen of Scotland to the son of the King of England. The adjustment about Boulogne is considered difficult without the Emperor's mediation, as the place is well garrisoned and victualled, the French army being under the walls, and the enemy going out to skirmish with them daily.
	Ayes, 100. Noes, 3. Neutrals, 2.
	[Italian.]
Sept. 17. Senato Terra, v. xxxiv. p. 71, tergo.	358. Importation of English Leather.
	The shoemakers of this city have petitioned the Signory, (as the hides from the slaughter-houses, which are tanned at the “Zudecha,” do not suffice for the numerous population of Venice, and for their trade,) to obtain a sufficient supply of tanned hides for the use of this population; and the Signory having heard this matter debated by the shoemakers and the tanners, and perceiving that in fact, as there is a scarcity of said hides, it is necessary to adopt such measures as may possibly regulate this matter beneficially for the city:
	Put to the ballot, that henceforth tanned hides be imported into this city from abroad, namely, those tanned in England and in Turkey, which are understood to be of the best sort tanned abroad; said tanned hides to pay the usual duties and city dues, and to be sold in the public warehouse at Rialto, where those tanned in Venice are sold, with this condition, that the shoemakers be bound first of all, to take from our slaughterhouses all such hides as are well tanned according to our orders; and so long as there shall be hides of this sort in the warehouse, those tanned abroad may not be purchased, nor any other sort. The English hides are to be sold for one “soldo” less per lb., and the Turkish hides two “soldi” less per lb., than those tanned here.
	Ayes, 114. Noes, 51. Neutrals, 25.
	[Italian.]
Sept. 18. Senato Terra, v. xxxiv. p. 73, tergo.	359. The Doge and Senate to the Venetian Ambassador in France.
	Maritime Rights.
	It is reported here, that certain smacks (scute) and other English vessels, bound lately to Flanders with the goods of various persons, and amongst the rest of Venetian noblemen, citizens, and others, have been captured by the French fleet. This matter being one of much importance to their subjects, charge him, in case he have any information, or if any Venetians be interested in the cargoes of these smacks, to make an application to the most Christian King, to the Admiral, or any other commander or justiciary in his Majesty's service, for recovery of their plundered property; he is not to fail giving them all possible assistance, so that they may recover what may have been taken. Hope that by reason of the good friendship and peace between his most Christian Majesty and the Signory, and because of the respect which they have, and always have had, for all his subjects and affairs in the Venetian territory, there will be no difficulty as to this restitution, which, therefore, the ambassador's diligent and strenuous endeavours, and the many arguments which he can adduce to this purpose, will, they believe, be assuredly effected, and their merchants receive compensation for their losses.
	Ayes, 176. Noes, 0. Neutrals, 3.
	[Italian.]
Sept. 18. Deliberazioni Senato (Secreta), v. lxiv. p. 73, tergo.	360. The Same to the Venetian Ambassador at Constantinople.
	Nothing has taken place between the French and English fleets.
	Ayes, 176. Noes, 14. Neutrals, 13.
	P.S.—After writing as above, received letters from their ambassador in France, dated Amiens the 12th, confirming the news of the death by plague of the Duke of Orleans. The disease seized him on the 4th, and he died on the 9th. To communicate this in like manner to the Magnificoes the Bashaws.
	[Italian.]