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| Aug. 17. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives. |
268. Paulo Tiepolo, Venetian Ambassador in Spain, to the Doge and Senate. |
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Last week the Queen's Maggiordomo and her Master of the Horse had a great dispute about the arrangement of her Majesty's apparel in a coach, each of them pretending that the charge belonged to him; so by the King's command the Master of the Horse was sent to prison. On the morrow, another event occurred of greater importance, for the Master of the Horse having carelessly adjusted the Queen's apparel in the coach, the train of her Majesty's robe became entangled in one of the wheels, so that she was dragged to the ground with very great danger, not only of injuring herself by
the fall, but of being whirled round under the wheel. However the coachman heard the noise, when he stopped the mares instantly; so her Majesty had only a slight fainting fit, and, being immediately blooded, is now well. |
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Yesterday there was another bull-bait and cane game, at which their Majesties were present. |
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Madrid, 17th August 1561. |
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[Italian.] |
| Aug. 23. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives. |
269. Paulo Tiepolo, Venetian Ambassador in Spain, to the Doge and Senate. |
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On the night before last the house of Don John of Austria, the largest and handsomest in Madrid, was burnt to the ground. The flames spread instantaneously in every part of it, with such violence that Don John and the other inmates, who were awakened by passengers in the streets, had scarcely time to escape. Almost the whole property was consumed, including a great quantity of money and jewels., belonging to Don John's governor. |
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Madrid, 23rd August 1561. |
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[Italian.] |
| Aug. 27. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives. |
270. Paulo Tiepolo, Venetian Ambassador in Spain, to the Doge and Senate. |
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The quartan ague of Don Carlos has been increased from the displeasure caused him by the banishment from the Palace of his Chamberlain the Count of Gelves, who used to bring him eatables; and to avoid interference his Highness had a lock made for his chamber, so that no other key than the one which he kept himself could open it; and thus he locked himself up with the Count, which greatly offended his governor Don Garcia de Toledo, who complained so much to his Majesty that Gelves was dismissed as aforesaid. |
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Owing to the destruction by fire of all the property of the governor of Don John of Austria, many persons endeavoured to make him large donations, and amongst the rest, the Duke of Sessa, although much embarrassed and doubtless poorer than Don John's governor, sent him all his plate and household ornaments, worth 20,000 ducats; but neither from the Duke nor from others would the governor accept anything, except the necessaries of life from his great friend Don Juan Manrique. |
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Madrid, 27th August 1561. |
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[Italian; the portion in italics deciphered by Signor Luigi Pasini.] |
