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Sept. 7.
Senato,
Secreta.
Dispacci,
Francia.
Venetian
Archives. |
326. Michiel Morosini, Venetian Ambassador in France,
to the Doge and Senate.
Encloses the sheet of events of London.
Paris, the 7th September, 1649.
[Italian.] |
| Enclosure. |
327. Advices from London, the 2nd September, 1649.
The Council of State and parliament are devoting their
attention to Ireland, as the most important question for the
moment. To hasten its reduction under the auspices of good
fortune orders were send to Cromuell to embark with all speed
for that country with all the forces there are, but to try to placate
O'Neale by gentleness rather than by force, and the people
by permitting liberty of conscience and every other satisfaction,
provided they will recognise the government of England as
supreme and abandon the royal side.
Cromuell's wife left London last week to embark for Ireland,
as in that country she will enjoy with her husband the title and
command of Vicereine, if the plan succeeds. It is already stated
that they have landed at Dublin with a large force, and have
engaged Ormond vigorously, who with the Scots and other troops
is estimated to have possibly 20,000 combatants, and authentic
news is anxiously awaited.
Last week the city of Exeter rejected orders expressly sent by
parliament, tearing up and trampling upon the letters, merely
answering that they did not recognise the parliament as anything,
so that it is contemplated bringing that place to do what is
desired by force.
[Italian.] |
Sept. 10.
Senato,
Secreta.
Dispacci,
Zante.
Venetian
Archives. |
328. Ambrosio Bembo, Venetian Proveditore at Zante, to
the Doge and Senate.
The Christian ships, Flemish and English, have already been
dismissed, and I learn that they sailed some time since for their
own countries. The enemy's forces are therefore weakened and
unequal to coping with those of your Serenity.
Zante, the 31st August, 1649, old style.
[Italian.] |
Sept. 11.
Senato,
Secreta.
Dispacci,
Germania.
Venetian
Archives. |
329. Niccolo Sagredo, Venetian Ambassador in Germany,
to the Doge and Senate.
Three foreign ministers have arrived this week, I may say
unexpectedly. One is a gentleman sent by the king of England, (fn. 1)
who gives himself the title of ambassador, although as a matter
of fact he is not recognised as such by the Court. The others
are an ambassador from the duke of Bavaria and a cavalier of
the house of Gonzaga in the name of the archduke of Innsbruch.
I believe that the first is charged with compliments and recommendations
in the name of the king of England. For my own
part, in view of the state of affairs in that country and the
measures and decisions of the parliament, which are so intimately
concerned with the interests of your Serenity, I have thought it
best to avoid any sort of communication.
Cimerin, the 11th September, 1649.
[Italian.] |
Sept. 14.
Senato,
Secreta.
Dispacci,
Francia.
Venetian
Archives. |
330. Michiel Morosini, Venetian Ambassador in France,
to the Doge and Senate.
The English are beginning to issue decrees of reprisal against
the French, because the time limit of forty days has expired
which they set for the release and restitution of all the goods in
the ship Apollo.
Paris, the 14th September, 1649.
[Italian.] |
Sept. 20.
Senato,
Secreta.
Deliberazioni.
Costantinopoli.
Venetian
Archives. |
331. To the Bailo at Constantinople.
We note the silence of the English ambassador about your
release, which is a clear indication, that he is conscious of his
mistake although he tries to cover it over with other pretexts.
Nevertheless it will be helpful under present circumstances to
use dissimulation and to encourage moderately confidential
relations with him, the more so because, from what we are able
to learn, his ships have served as transports for the Turks ; but
they do not seem to have any intention of performing other acts
of hostility against us. We think it likely, moreover, that the
ambassador himself, from a sense of shame and consideration of
the disapproval of his countrymen and the world at large, will
refrain from granting them on other similar occasions. When
you have an opportunity you will remind him of the glory he
acquired on that other occasion by his refusal, and this will
serve to encourage him to stand fast.
We enclose an extract from a letter of the Ambassador Contarini
about an agreement made by Salvetti in England with the Levant
Company. By this their ships will be allowed to enter the
Castelli two or three at a time, and others will be allowed in if
the first ones come out again. We shall issue orders to this
effect and you will take action in accordance.
Ayes, 124. Noes, 2. Neutral, 12.
[Italian.] |
Sept. 21.
Senato,
Secreta.
Dispacci,
Francia.
Venetian
Archives. |
332. Michiel Morosini, Venetian Ambassador in France,
to the Doge and Senate.
Encloses sheet of events of London.
Paris, the 21st September, 1649.
[Italian.] |
| Enclosure. |
333. Advices from London, of the 13th September, 1649.
Letters from Dublin report that Cromuell has come to terms
with the Catholic general in Ireland, but when they wished to
attack Ormond together, they received a serious check. (fn. 2) This
seems to be confirmed by Cromuell's demands for men and money,
on which account orders have been issued for the immediate
levy of 6,000 men.
It is said that the Scots have taken 6 parliament ships which
were going to join their General Harperton in Ireland, laden with
provisions of food and munitions of war.
The Levellers seem inclined to make a fresh disturbance, and
there is considerable apprehension if affairs go worse for parliament
in Ireland.
[Italian.] |
Sept. 24.
Senato,
Secreta.
Dispacci,
Munster.
Venetian
Archives. |
334. Alvise Contarini, Venetian Ambassador to the
Congress of Munster, to the Doge and Senate.
Fresh quarrels have already begun between France and the
parliament of England. The latter has prohibited the importation
of French wines into that kingdom, in retaliation for a similar
prohibition by the French of all the manufactures of England. (fn. 3)
If these decrees are carried into effect they will inflict great
injury on the people of both countries, for it is all but impossible
for England to do without French wine, or France without
English manufactures. It is further stated that the insurgents
of Bordeaux receive some secret assistance from England. I do
not think I was far wrong when I wrote that the English and the
Dutch are the hidden canker (remori occulti) of the peace between
the two crowns. It is quite certain that these considerations
are much more weighty than the points in dispute between the
crowns.
Brussels, the 24th September, 1649.
[Italian.] |
Sept. 25.
Senato,
Secreta.
Dispacci,
Germania.
Venetian
Archives. |
335. Niccolo Sagredo, Venetian Ambassador in Germany,
to the Doge and Senate.
The English gentleman who is here in the capacity of ambassador
for his king sent to visit me. I pleaded sickness and to avoid
further trouble I got the son of Count Montecucoli, his friend, to
represent to him the delicate state of the republic's affairs and the
need for me to be cautious, and that he would do better to avoid
the visit. The count's son told me afterwards that this office
was well received. The gentleman said that he had instructions
and a great desire to serve me, but he would forego the pleasure
in view of the considerations advanced.
The gentleman will remain some weeks at the Court. Another
has arrived, a Scottish cavalier named Enderson, in the king's
name, with orders to ask for assistance with arms and some other
help. To effect this Enderson offers to hand over a particular
credit of 40,000 florins which he has with the chamber here.
Cimmerin, the 25th September, 1649.
[Italian.] |
Sept. 25.
Senato,
Secreta.
Deliberazioni.
Corti.
Venetian
Acrhives. |
336. To the Ambassador at the Imperial Court.
To follow the example of the other ambassadors in his dealings
with the Sieur di Pentenau, the ambassador of Bavaria. With
the ambassador of the king of England it behoves him to avoid all
communication, using discretion, owing to considerations which
are well known and appreciated by him.
Ayes, 125. Noes, 1. Neutral, 0.
[Italian.] |
Sept. 28.
Senato,
Secreta.
Dispacci,
Francia.
Venetian
Archives. |
337. Michiel Morosini, Venetian Ambassador in France, to
the Doge and Senate.
The King of England, after making some of the leading
gentlemen of his party knights of the garter, has left St. Germain
and gone to Gersey, to await some opportunity that fortune may
send him. He took with him the Duke of York, more to annoy
his mother, with whom there is little love lost, than because
prudence required it, since all his enterprises may be considered
hazardous in the present state of affairs, and there is always
danger to the posterity of the house when the two princes run
risks together. During his stay in France, although incognito,
one has observed traits of true royal generosity. Among these I
have noted the refusal, destitute as he was of everything, of 50,000
reals offered him by the owners of some ships now serving the
Turk against your Serenity for pardon for the fault and restoration
to his grace and favour. While swearing eternal fury against
these the king expressed the most tender affection for your
Serenity and said that the greatest distress he suffered was being
powerless at a time when your Serenity's need was so great, as
he knew with what sincerity you had always loved his house.
He has directed Sir Henry Hyde, his consul in the Levant, to go
and express his sentiments and the part he would wish to take in
the present situation, and he had also charged him to make strong
representations at the Porte in support of the Bailo with whom he
wishes the consul to act always in concert. He has been to
see me to-day expressing his reverence and devotion to your
Serenity.
To inform divers princes of Italy of the fate of his father the
king is sending Mr. Thomas Chilegreu, who will go first to Madame
of Savoy, because of the family connection. Thence I believe
he will go to Florence for the same purpose and finally reach
your Serenity, where he is directed to remain as resident. On
hearing of this I intimated to his Majesty that I should be glad
to have the honour of assuring him of the disposition of your
Excellencies and that you would have co-operated for his great
interests if you had not been entirely preoccupied with matters
of the highest importance. He made a complimentary reply,
adding that as his Majesty was in the midst of a few familiars
he did not wish to make himself visible to foreign ministers, and
had intimated as much to all without distinction.
The step taken by this young but very talented king has
reference certainly to his own interests, but in some sense he has
been moved by a peculiar aversion for the French nation. Although
he might hope for the recovery of his dominions from them
rather than from anyone else soever yet he fears that they mean
to deceive, to divert the wrath of parliament which they seem
quite disposed to recognise openly when the opportunity presents
itself. For these reasons I find that he would not abandon
his brother, preferring to have him as the companion of his
miseries rather than leave him exposed to the caprice of those
who would think nothing of sacrificing him for the most trifling
advantage.
News sheet of London enclosed.
Paris, the 28th September, 1649.
[Italian.] |
| Enclosure. |
338. Advices from London, the 20th September, 1649.
Last week in parliament five royal crowns were broken up and
then sent to the Tower, and so all the other things belonging to
the king are being destroyed, and they are even taking down the
royal arms and eulogies from the churches and other places,
putting up other inscriptions to please parliament. Last Sunday
a minister preaching in St. Peters church, London, said something
against parliament, when he was pulled out of the pulpit by
soldiers and taken to prison, although the people tried to stop it. (fn. 4)
On the following day guards were set at the city gates to prevent
a rising and he was taken to a room of the royal palace for greater
security.
The struggle in Ireland affords an opening for the Levellers and
it is rumoured that they have taken Oxford with a quantity of
food and munitions of war.
[Italian.] |