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| Dec. 9. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives. |
179. Giovanni Moro, Venetian Ambassador in France, to the Doge and Senate. |
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In obedience to your letters of the 19th November I will assure the English Ambassador of the goodwill the Republic bears towards that Crown. But unless he speaks about the merchants I shall not. There is no more talk of Don Antonio. He asked for a loan of ten thousand, and had for answer from their Majesties that they had none to oblige him with. |
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9th December 1583. |
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[Italian.] |
| Dec. 9. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives. |
180. Giovanni Moro, Venetian Ambassador in France, to the Doge and Senate. |
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The King of Scotland, on the request of the Duke of Guise, has set a Jesuit at liberty. The Queen of England, through her secretary Walsingham, complained of this, and had for answer that the Jesuit had escaped through carelessness of his jalors. This gives hope that the King is well disposed towards the religion, and will, at an opportune moment, make some declaration. To foster this favourable mood they wished to send with the son of D'Aubigny, as his secretary, some one suited to manage the affair. But the mother and the relations of young D'Aubigny fearing for his safety, would not let anyone go who was not quite well known, as they said his father was so hated in that kingdom, and that the Queen of England was sure to be informed of every move of the youth and of his household, especially just now that suspicion is rife. For it happened that an English gentleman of noble blood who had been arrested, was heard to pray in Latin, and his jalors noticed that he was reading a Roman office. He said his was the true religion; that the Queen was no Queen, as she had lost her rights when she was alienated from the Apostolic Faith; that those who obeyed her committed a deadly sin. The result of these remarks was that his wife, his mother-in-law, and some of his relations were arrested. Because a harquebuss was found on him at the moment of his arrest it was rumoured that he intended to kill the Queen. |
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Some hot words passed between Mons. de Scianualier and the Duke of Epernon, in the park of S. Germains where they were playing pall mall (dove si giocava a Palla maglia). |
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Paris, 9th December 1583. |
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[Italian.] |
| Dec. 13. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives. |
181. Giovanni Francesco Moresini, Venetian Ambassador in Constantinople, to the Doge and Senate. |
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On account of the death, of the Sultana Mother, the French Ambassador has not yet received any answer to his note on the subject
of the English which he presented in person to the Sultan. He went to wait for the Sultan in the public street one of the days when he was returning from visiting his mother in her seraglio and although the Sultan received the note with a favourable countenance and said that he would reply the following day, yet up to this moment no answer has come. But I understand that the answer is not likely to be favorable for the Sultan replied to the Pasha's report on the matter that he did not see how he could expel any who came to the Porte to seek alliance, and that if the French Ambassador choose to go, then he would not prevent him. Nor has the Sultan, as usual, sent back the note to the Pasha, nor has he given any orders to make any answer to the Ambassador, who is much disturbed at this conduct, though he pretends that he does not mind. He says, however that this will cause a rupture of the alliance between Turkey and France, and will create an alliance of Christian Princes against the Turk. This opinion is based on letters from the King of France and from the French Ambassador in Venice, which he showed me. The substance of this letter was that the Ambassador in Venice excused himself for not writing sooner on the score that your Serenity had not sent any courtiers in this direction, and added that he was afraid that in a few days it would be even more difficult to communicate. The French Ambassador here interprets this to mean that the King of France intends to make a league with the King of Spain against the Turk. |
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Dalle Vigne di Pera, 13th December 1583. |
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[Italian; deciphered.] |
| Dec. 23 Original Despatch, Venetian Archives. |
182. Giovanni Moro, Venetian Ambassador in France, to the Doge and Senate. |
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The King of Navarre still refuses to receive his Queen. The King of France has sent to tell him that he. ought to do so, and, as I hear, the message was couched in angry terms. |
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The King of France suspects that the King of Spain is in relations with the rebels, especially with Montmorency. |
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Paris, 23rd December 1583. |
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[Italian; the parts in italics deciphered.] |
| Dec. 23. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives. |
183. Giovanni Moro, Venetian Ambassador in France, to the Doge and Senate. |
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The English prisoner whom I mentioned in my preceding despatch is either mad, or feigns madness with a view to saving his life. He continues to declare that he wishes to kill the Queen, and that he will do so if set free. He will probably be executed as a warning to others. |
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I discharged my commission to the English Ambassador as far as expressing the goodwill of the Republic is concerned. |
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Paris, 23rd December 1583. |
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[Italian.] |
| Dec. 27. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives. |
184. Giovanni Francesco Moresini, Venetian Ambassador in Constantinople, to the Doge and Senate. |
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The French Ambassador has told me in strict confidence that by the last two posts he has had no despatches from the King, but only one from secretary Villeroi, informing him that despatches will no longer arrive, vid Venice, because the King is about to enter into a league with Spain and the Pope against the Turk. He also told me that the Bishop of Piacenza was going to Spain to urge his Catholic Majesty to fair arms against the Queen of England. |
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Dalle Vigne di Pera, 27th December 1583. |
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[Italian; deciphered.] |
| Dec. 27. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives. |
185. Giovanni Francesco Moresini, Venetian Ambassador in Constantinople, to the Doge and Senate. |
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There is nothing new about the affair of the French against the English Ambassador. The Sultan has made no reply to the note presented to him. The Ambassador has handed another note to the Aga of the Janissaries to present to the Sultan, and he hopes in this way to get an answer. The answer, he fears, will be unfavourable, all the more so as to-day or to-morrow an English ship will arrive here laden with goods, and this will persuade the Sultan that the English alliance is of value. |
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Dalle Vigne di Pera, 27th December 1583. |
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[Italian; deciphered.] |
