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 1559', in Calendar of State Papers Relating To English Affairs in the Archives of Venice, Volume 7, 1558-1580, (London, 1890) pp. 128-131. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/venice/vol7/pp128-131 [accessed 26 April 2024]
October 1559
| Oct. 4. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives. | 101. Paulo Tiepolo, Venetian Ambassador with King Philip, to the Doge and Senate. |
|---|---|
| Has heard from his brothers that the Doge and Senate, considering the extraordinary cost incurred by him during this Embassy, which might rather be styled a pilgrimage, have deigned to present him with 300 golden ducats. Assures the Doge and Senate that he will always be ready to risk his life and property for their service. | |
| Valladolid, 4th October 1559. | |
| [Italian.] | |
| Oct. 8. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives. | 102. Giovanni Michiel, Venetian Ambassador in France, to the Doge and Senate. |
| The Ambassador from the King Catholic is charged adroitly to let the Queen-mother and the most Christian King know that until the spring -he cannot send for his bride, because he has to postpone this and all other matters, in order to attend to those of the religion, which are in great disorder, and require to be provided for with alacrity and vigour. For this cause many principal personages in Spain are accused and on their trial; amongst them is the Archbishop of Toledo [Bartolome de Caranza]; and also a Dominican friar, reputed the greatest theologian and preacher in Spain, and a man of the most exemplary life, is in confinement. | |
| The King has sent a gentleman of the chamber to the Queen of England to thank her for her condolence on the death of his father, and better to confirm the renewed friendship, as lately established by the treaty of peace. | |
| The Queen's Ambassador told my Secretary that Count Mansfeldt was sent by the Duke of Saxony to see if she would give ear to marry his brother; and Throckmorton says that of all who have spoken and continue speaking to him on the subject, no one seems to him to have had a better reply than the Count of [Helfenstein?] The English Ambassador adds that the Queen Regent has sent one of her gentlemen to tell the most Christian King that the Earl of Arran is so beloved in that kingdom, and has so many adherents, that she very greatly fears, although the French troops have landed, that they will do nothing of importance against him, he being at Stirling with 10,000 men, who seem determined to die in the field, or to insist on the observance of what the Queen Regent had stipulated. | |
| Paris, 8th October 1559. | |
| [Italian.] | |
| Oct. 16. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives. | 103. Giovanni Michiel, Venetian Ambassador in France, to the Doge and Senate. |
| The King of Navarre, who arrived here yesterday, went to-day to his place of La Flèche, in Anjou, to see his wife and take her to the Court, to remain there until the departure of the Queen Catholic, whom he has determined to conduct through Guienne and Gascony, to the confines of Spain, and to do her as much honour as he can. | |
| The same gentleman who was sent from Spain brought word that his Catholic Majesty, besides the Archbishop of Toledo [Bartolome de Caranza] had also caused the arrest of the Archbishop of Saragossa, and moreover of the Count of Nieva, who was going out as Viceroy of the Indies, and had already embarked; all these arrests being on account of religion (tutti per causa della religione). | |
| The Duchess of Savoy will depart hence in two days to take leave of the Court at St. Valery, not wishing to go to Blois. Whilst here she was constantly visited by the King of Navarre, by the Constable, and by the Duchess of Valentinois, who came hither for their private affairs, and then retired each to their own homes. | |
| An express has been sent to Rome to the Cardinal de Guise, with a fresh order, not to hasten the election of a Pope, and to disregard being shut up in conclave till Christmas or Easter, if necessary, and still to persist in favouring either Tournon, or Ferrara, or Mantua. | |
| Paris, 16th October 1559. | |
| [Italian.] | |
| Oct. 10. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives. | 104. Paulo Tiepolo, Venetian Ambassador with King Philip, to the Doge and Senate. |
| I went to visit the Princess Regent, (fn. 1) who received me graciously, and promised on every occasion to favour your affairs with the King, her brother. | |
| I then went to visit the Prince [Don Carlos]. During the whole time of my reception he remained very superciliously leaning against the wall without ever returning the salute which I had made him by doffing my bonnet, although being admonished in my presence by his attendant, he desired me to cover, as I should have done of my own accord even had I not been told to do so. At the commencement his frowning countenance was most forbidding (odiosissimo), but as I narrated your Serenity's affection for his ancestors, and principally for the King, his father, and your love for himself owing to your firm opinion that it would always be well reciprocated, and also expatiated on his natural gifts, he by degrees changed and smoothed his brow, so that he gradually softened, and, detaching himself from the wall, spoke more kindly; but he answered one in very few words, his face being always turned towards the attendant who was near him, and he spoke in so low a tone that I could not hear him. He is fourteen years old, of diminutive stature, and suffers much from quartan ague; and of late he has ceased to fulfil the great expectations conceived about him in childhood. With regard to his mode of receiving me, I can only attribute it to his not having had previous notice of my presentation, and to his governor, Don Garcia de Toledo, not having been present; for had he received due notice, he would have treated me with the same graciousness as is demonstrated to your Serenity's Ambassadors by his father, to whom I never present myself without his reciprocating my obeisances, graciously doffing his bonnet four times, namely on my entry, when I approach him, in the act of withdrawing from him, and on my departure; so I choose to believe that for the future I shall be received differently. | |
| His Majesty departed hence on the 9th, immediately after the “Auto da fe” and sent me word that he should remain hunting for a month before he went to Toledo, and that in the meanwhile I might suit my convenience; but I have sent to prepare my lodgings at Toledo, to await his Majesty's arrival. | |
| Valladolid, 16th October 1559. | |
| [Italian; the portion in italics deciphered by Signor Luigi Pasini.] | |
| Oct. 24. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives. | 105. Giovanni Michiel, Venetian Ambassador in France, to the Doge and Senate. |
| The French Ambassador in Spain writes that the King Catholic wishes his bride to commence her journey, so that in the course of next month she may be at Bayonne, where she will be received by the Cardinal of Burgos and the Duke dell' Infantazgo. This has greatly pleased the whole Court, and especially the Queen-mother, who regretted the delay; so they have sent to urge the King of Navarre to prepare for his departure, as he intends to accompany the Queen Catholic to Bayonne, which town is under his jurisdiction; and I am told that by this time he has already arrived at the Court. The Cardinal of Lorraine told my Secretary that the King with the Queen-mother will accompany his sister from Blois to Châtellerault, eight leagues from Poitiers, and five or six days' journey beyond Blois, where he intends to be on All Saint's eve, and to pass all the rest of the winter there. | |
| The Ambassador of the King Catholic [Thomas Perrenot, Seigneur de Champagney (fn. 2) ] told my Secretary that he is at the Court to urge the most Christian King to give effect to what yet remains of the treaty of peace with regard to two matters of some importance; the one, to fix the boundaries in the parts of Burgundy near Toul and Verdun, where there are many places to which both sides lay claim; the other, to make all the parliaments of the kingdom, that of Paris included, swear to the treaty of peace; which has not yet been done, notwithstanding the great assiduity used by the Ambassador, who also told the Secretary that he had let the Cardinal of Lorraine know freely his belief that the restitution of St. Quentin and the other remaining fortresses will not be made until these two affairs were settled, seeing them so long delayed. | |
| A report circulates at the Court that the Queen-mother has determined to go in person in the spring to see her daughter and the King Catholic in Spain; and discussing this topic also with the Secretary, the Ambassador said to him that it is scarcely credible with how much affection and extraordinary favour she despatches all matters concerning the satisfaction and advantage of his Catholic Majesty; declaring that as long as she lives she will by all possible means not only preserve, but greatly increase, the friendship between these two crowns. | |
| The brother of the Duke de Guise, Marquis d'Elbœuf, is here, to solicit his departure, he having been appointed general in Scotland, where greater reinforcements are required than those already sent, as by the last advices, although they are kept secret, it is heard that since the arrival of M. de la Brosse, with the Bishop of Amiens [Nicole de Pellève], after consulting with the Queen Regent, and three barons, the only ones in the whole kingdom who adhere to her, and are therefore proclaimed by the others to be traitors to their country, they had fortified the harbour called Little [North?] Leith (il Porto chiamato Petiglit), half a league from Edinburgh, to make sure of receiving and of landing in safety such reinforcements as may be sent hence; one of those three barons left to defend it, with the few French troops which arrived lately, with a reinforcement of Scots. The Queen Regent, with the Bishop [Pellève], la Brosse, and the others, had retired into Dunbar Castle from fear of the Scots, who had threatened to attack Leith; and she writes continually to the most Christian King for assistance. It has been determined to send with the Marquis a reinforcement of 2,000 infantry under the command of M. de Martigues, who has been made colonel, for which purpose they are beating the drums, but they raise recruits with great difficulty, as no one will undertake that service, and I hear they have sent to Germany for 20 companies; and should these troops be of no avail, they will send M. de Aumale thither in the spring as general with a much larger force. | |
| Paris, 24th October 1559. | |
| [Italian.] | |
| Oct. 27. Parti Comuni, Consiglio X., filza No. 76. | 106. Petition of Sir Henry Paget, Knight, to the Chiefs of the Council of Ten, Venice. |
| Setting forth that he is the son of Lord William [Paget], K.G., and has come to this famous city (Venice) for recreation (solazzo), and to acquire the language; and that he is desirous to bear arms suitable to his degree of Knight, together with three servants. Wherefore he prays their Excellencies to grant him and them the grace and favour to bear arms both in this city and in all the territories and places of this Signory, as their Excellencies had done to others of the like degree; promising to retain perpetual memory of such favour. | |
| Oct. 27. Parti Comuni, Consiglio X., filza No. 76. | 107. [Motion made in the Council of Ten.] |
| That licence to bear arms be given to Sir Henry Paget and three servants, he giving a note of their names. | |
| [Ayes,] 14. [Noes,] 0. [Neutral,] 0. | |