Venice: October 1571

Calendar of State Papers Relating To English Affairs in the Archives of Venice, Volume 7, 1558-1580. Originally published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1890.

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'Venice: October 1571', in Calendar of State Papers Relating To English Affairs in the Archives of Venice, Volume 7, 1558-1580, (London, 1890) pp. 476-478. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/venice/vol7/pp476-478 [accessed 18 April 2024]

October 1571

Oct. 5. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives. 524. Alvise Contarini, Venetian Ambassador in France, to the Signory.
The principal and most important negotiation at this Court now concerns the marriage of Madame, the sister of the King, with the Prince of Navarre. This marriage is greatly desired by these Majesties for the purpose of uniting the contending parties, and thus establishing and assuring tranquillity in the kingdom. But the Nuncio of the Pope is opposing the project vigorously and with some effect; and yesterday at a lengthy audience which he held with the King, at which the Queen-Mother and the Duke of Anjou were both present, the Nuncio exerted himself greatly to prove to their Majesties that they could not consent to this marriage, for as Christians, which they and their ancestors had always professed to be, they could not ally themselves to a heretic, nor could they, as princes, give their sister as wife to one who was a rebel, who held their own fortresses, and who had done his utmost to deprive them of the Crown. The Nuncio added that his Majesty for the welfare of his sister should beware lest, instead of giving her for a wife, he should give her for a concubine, because a marriage between persons of different religions could not be lawful, and there might come a time when children born of such a marriage would be precluded from succeeding to the Royal States and inheritance as being bastards.
These reasons, and especially the last, appear to have given cause for consideration to these Majesties; nevertheless they persisted in entreating the Nuncio to do his best with the Pope, in order that his Holiness might grant a dispensation for a marriage so important for the welfare of this kingdom, and with the hope also that by this means the Prince of Navarre might be restored to the Catholic religion. These Majesties have also told the Nuncio that they would be satisfied if his Holiness would keep the grant of this dispensation secret, or in petto of the most Christian King or of the Queen-Mother; and thus, under the persuasion of the Nuncio, their Majesties, partly to gain time, and partly to refer the negotiation to Pome, where the matter could be more conveniently treated by the Pope, have, together with the Duke of Anjou, sent a letter by special messenger to his Holiness. It is true that the Duke of Anjou during the whole of this controversy has never said a word, a fact which has been very much remarked; but the Queen-Mother, in urging the Nuncio to do his best with his Holiness, has told him plainly that she perceived the King to be so bent upon accomplishing the marriage, by reason of his belief that it would be the salvation of the kingdom, that she thought the King would, even if the Pope refused the dispensation, and in spite of disobedience, accomplish it at any risk. The persons who belong to the new religion, who are about the Court, support this view as much as possible, for they desire nothing more than to induce the King, not so much perhaps to accomplish the marriage as to show disobedience to the Church; and to this latter result they attach the greatest importance, having regard to the consequences which might ensue, for their memories recall a striking example which occurred not many years ago, when, on account of a dispensation of marriage, the King of England renounced his obedience to the Church. It is, however, to be hoped that the goodness of God and the prudence of the Pope will find a way out of this difficult situation.
Blois, 5th October 1571.
[Italian.]
Oct. 25. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives. 525. Sigismondo di Cavalli, Venetian Ambassador in France, to the Signory.
Announces the arrival of the courier bringing the news of the battle of Lepanto.
Lyons, 25th October 1571.
[Italian.]
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