Appendix: Miscellaneous 1363

Calendar of State Papers Relating To English Affairs in the Archives of Venice, Volume 6, 1555-1558. Originally published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1877.

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'Appendix: Miscellaneous 1363', in Calendar of State Papers Relating To English Affairs in the Archives of Venice, Volume 6, 1555-1558, (London, 1877) pp. 1574-1575. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/venice/vol6/pp1574-1575 [accessed 26 April 2024]

Miscellaneous 1363

Nov. 26. Secreti Collegio, p. 114 recto. (fn. 1) Venetian Archives. 1. Motion made and carried in the College, to engage English soldiery for the suppression of a revolt in the island of Candia.
As it would be advantageous to have in our service 300 good Englishmen, be it decreed that Peglio di Vonico and a competent individual from amongst the notaries of the Court of Pleas (Curiœ), do endeavour to obtain for us 300 Englishmen of the best to be got. That Peglio &c. do promise, if able to have them with their horses well furnished in our service for six months, from 12,000 to 15,000 ducats, or under; and if that number cannot be obtained [for that sum], an offer may be made to the amount of 18,000 ducats in all, or under. If so many as 300 cannot be bad, a less number may be received at proportional pay.
[Latin.]
Nov. 26. Secreti Collegio, p. 114 tergo. 2. Motion carried in the College.
That our messengers about to enlist troops and Englishmen be furnished with letters of credence to such Lords as may be necessary in order to obtain passage for them.
The said Englishmen must arrive at Venice by the 1st of next March; then when in the act of departing from hence, they may receive one half of the said money, and the other half at the end of three months; they will not pay any passage money, but will go and return with our ships. They are to understand that they must obey the Captain-General of the territory (terrœ) (fn. 2) and his officials appointed by the Venetian Republic.
At the end of the said term, should we no longer require them for our service, we shall be bound to give them one month's notice, and they to do the like by us.
That the said Englishmen be bound to the other articles of the cavalry code (pactorum equitum) as therein contained. That should our messengers find it advantageous to promise to land the said Englishmen, on the completion of our service, from our ships without any passage money, in the parts of Rhodes or Cyprus, with the consent of the Lords of the said places, we should be content to do so, that they may have more ample cause for coming and for seeking our honour.
[Latin.]
Nov. 28. Secreti Collegio, p. 115 tergo. 3. Motion carried in the College.
That Peglio di Vonico, and our notary Andrea, and this John of England, (fn. 3) do execute what has been carried about the Englishmen; and should Peglio not go, let the other two go, viz., our notary Andrea, and John the Englishman.
Ayes, 10.
Proposed amendment.—Should Peglio not choose to go, let one of our noblemen go, to be elected by scrutiny.
Ayes, 3; noes, 0; neutral, 0.
That Peglio di Vonico, our notary Andrea, and John of England may all together disburse daily for their expenses, three ducats for board, &c.; Peglio to have two servants, with two horses for himself; and John and Andrea to have two horses for their own personal use.
[Latin.]
Dec. 4. Secreti Collegio, p. 117. 4. Motion made and carried in the College.
As by the College it was carried to accept the under-written cavalry (gentes equestres), viz., 300 Englishmen, 100 of the troops of the Count of Gorizia, 100 of the troops of Count Bartolo, with 50 of the Count of Rayfembergh, besides 200 of the troops of the Duke of Austria, which numbers nearly correspond with the licence given by the Council of the Senate; and as it is manifest the Lord Galeotto di Malatesta will not accept the Captainry of the territory (terrœ), except with so large an amount of horse and foot, and such an exorbitant salary, as cannot be conceded him :—
Put to the ballot, that time be not lost in appointing another Captain-General of the territory.
— 5, — 5.
[Latin.]

Footnotes

  • 1. The register from which the following entries are made was not sent back to Venice from Vienna until the year 1868, and therefore they could not be printed in the first volume of the Venetian Calendar, as it had been already published in 1864.
  • 2. Territory of the island of Candia, not either Candia or Canes, its two principal cities. The commission given by Doge Celsi to the Captain-General Luchino del Verme, dated Ducal Palace, Venice, 2nd March 1464, desires him to act “contra Cretenses rebelles,” without mentioning any particular town or city in the island of Candia. (See Ricotti, Storia delle Campaguie di Ventura in Italia, vol. 4, pp. 355–357.)
  • 3. The most famous “John of England” in Italy at the period in question was John Hawkwood, who, although himself in the service of Pisa, may perhaps have come to Venice to offer the services of some of his countrymen to the Republic.
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