Venice: May 1616, 1-15 | British History Online

Calendar of State Papers Relating To English Affairs in the Archives of Venice, Volume 14, 1615-1617. Originally published by His Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1908.

'Venice: May 1616, 1-15', in Calendar of State Papers Relating To English Affairs in the Archives of Venice, Volume 14, 1615-1617, (London, 1908) pp. 187-201. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/venice/vol14/pp187-201 [accessed 19 April 2024]

May 1616, 1–15


				pounds.	shillings.

May 2. Consiglio di X. Parti Communi. Venetian Archives.	268. That the Baron Francesso and his brother Trojano Furietti be released from the banishment pronounced against them on 6 February, 1612, if they take a troop of 150 men to serve under the Proveditore General in Terra Firma at their own expense for the space of six months.
	Ayes	8	Second vote,	Ayes	8.
	Noes	0.		Noes	0.
	Neutral	7.		Neutral	7.
	Proposed with some additions that they be not enrolled in service for four months.
	Ayes	12.
	Noes	0.
	Neutral	3.
	[Italian.]
May 5. Senato, Secreta Deliberazioni. Venetian Archives.	269. To the Ambassador at the Imperial Court and to the other Courts.
	The archducal forces have raided Istria and sold the prisoners to the Turks. The General Traumestorf has crossed the Lisonzo and established himself at Lucinis. The Proveditore General has therefore been forced to move and has scoured the country as far as Gradisca, where he attacked the enemy's camp, and captured a quantity of booty. He afterwards drew out in battle array to challenge the archducal forces to a fight, but they made no movement, and therefore the Proveditore withdrew to his original position.
	To England, the Hague and Turin add: You will relate all this in audience to His Majesty (His Highness or the States) as a sign of our continued confidence.
	Ayes	152.
	Noes	0.
	Neutral	3.
	By deliberation of the Senate of the 7th May, the following was added:
	To give greater vigour and more system to our forces we have chosen a Proveditore for our armies in Istria and one for the field.
	To Rome, Constantinople, France, Spain, England, Turin, the States, the Grisons, Zurich, Florence, Naples, Milan, Mantua, the Proveditore beyond the Menzo.
	[Italian.]
May 6. Senato, Secreta. Dispacci, Inghilterra. Venetian Archives.	270. Gregorio Barbarigo, Venetian Ambassador in England, to the Doge and Senate.
	The king returned to London last Saturday and on Monday I had audience of His Majesty to inform him according to the instructions sent to me on the 26th and 28th March about the orders given to the Proveditore General to withdraw the troops from Gradisca. But as I had not been able to execute the preceding instructions and give him the earlier information, when I only spoke to the Secretary Winwood, I thought it right to touch briefly upon those things. I told His Majesty that your Serenity daily recognised more fully the excellent disposition of His Majesty towards you, and had from time to time instructed me to inform him of what was taking place; that besides much which I had told him at other times I had already communicated many things to the Secretary Winwood, and I had to tell him the rest. I went on to say that your Excellencies saw no results from your negotiations at Prague with the Archduke Ferdinand, as they daily made new provisions and inflicted fresh damage, and for your own safety it was necessary that you should turn against those places from which the attack chiefly came. I then informed him of the progress of the siege of Gradisca and of what had happened in Istria and especially of the capture of Bressae behind Moschenazzi in Dalmatia by the Proveditore General. I further told him that while these events were taking place the emperor had written to the Grand Duke of Tuscany and the duke of Mantua to interpose. Those princes had at once sent to your Excellencies to inform you of all this and offer their services, informing you of the friendly exhortations of the pope and of what the governor of Milan had said in particular and had offered, and suggesting that at the conditions proposed your Serenity should raise the siege of Gradisca. I expressed very clearly the particulars which your Serenity gave me of this affair, because the Spanish ambassador does all he can to spread the merits of his own side and goes about publishing grave threats and resolutions of the governor of Milan against your Serenity of preparations he is making to invade your state if you do not withdraw from that siege. In addition to this, seeing that the Spaniards constantly assert, when they are approached about carrying out the treaty of Asti, that owing to the movements of your Serenity they cannot disarm the state of Milan, I thought it well to first mention to His Majesty that in addition to all other respects which had induced you to think fit to remove the camp from Gradisca, there was this additional advantage, besides the benefit of the general peace, that this demonstration of goodwill removed the pretext, vain and false as it is, that the Spaniards must remain armed in the state of Milan because of you, and therefore they must of necessity perform what they have promised, and disarm effectively or else show openly that their aims are altogether different from what they protest. The Spanish ambassador has said here, and the same has been said in France, according to the report of His Most Christian Majesty's ambassador here, that the governor of Milan had to arm because of the progress of your Serenity against the archduke Ferdinand, but now that the camp has been withdrawn from Gradisca, and every ground for this pretext has disappeared, it would become the great influence and prudence of His Majesty to refute these hollow arguments and to induce France to insist warmly upon the disarmament of the state of Milan. I concluded that your Serenity by this last exhibition of your goodwill had greatly eased the general situation and you hoped at least to gather the fruit, as if the proposals made were advanced honestly it would be necessary to hasten their effectuation so that there might be no reason for change. It was all the more necessary to make provision and that His Majesty by his own strength and authority should make known how much he had at heart the preservation of the general liberty of all the powers united and engaged with this crown, and the defence of the just cause of your Serenity, as it was too dangerous and contrary to all reason to say nothing of the promises made, to keep on foot and to augment an army in Italy, and further to find an excuse to levy another on the side of Germany, with such consequences as might follow to His Majesty, which are well known especially at the present conjunction with the negotiations for a successor to the Emperor. I enlarged upon all this where I thought fit and where I found that His Majesty listened most readily
	I afterwards thanked His Majesty for the offices performed by the Secretary Winwood for the execution of the treaty of Asti and for the orders sent to France; for the favour shown by the Ambassador Carleton to my secretary at the Hague and for the instructions sent to the Ambassador Wotton to co-operate in the negotiations with the Grisons, about which I had received some notice in the last letters of Sig. Giovanni Antonio Padavino of the opposition of the French and Spaniards in those parts. I thought well to say a word about it to His Majesty, saying that his offices would be the more welcome the greater the opposition on the other side. When the king heard of the opposition of France he smiled in a peculiar manner, expressive of his manifest disgust, which gives me cause to hope that he will assist the offices of the Ambassador Bon in France as your Serenity desires.
	The king replied that he was greatly rejoiced to hear of the complete demonstration of goodwill made by your Serenity, which was so great that if he had had to treat, he would never have ventured to ask it, but which was so much the greater and the more fully expressed your good intentions. Those who did not respond to this would be so much the more in the wrong, and he would not fail to help your Serenity in every possible way. He spoke at length about his goodwill, to which I replied with suitable thanks, saying that His Majesty should act so that these good dispositions might produce good fruit and not rather serve the enemy by permitting them to dispose their affairs better. Nothing would prove more advantageous in every place that the affairs of all the parties should no longer remain irresolute to the common prejudice. The king replied that it was necessary to act so, with various other expressions of his goodwill. He agreed that your Excellencies by acceding to the requests made to you by the governor of Milan, had deprived him of every imaginable pretext for remaining armed and he would not fail to do everything to secure the carrying out of the treaty of Asti, and if what your Serenity has done does not produce the good result which ought to be expected, he will always be ready to justify your just cause and render assistance.
	When I took leave he told me that Lord Dingwall had informed him of his inclination, of which he had spoken to me, of coming to offer his services to your Serenity, His Majesty had been greatly pleased at this, because he was one of his oldest servants, brought up with him from the eighth or ninth year of his age, a man of great worth and merit, from whom your Excellencies would certainly receive the best service.
	London, the 6th May, 1616.
	[Italian.]
May 6. Senato, Secreta. Dispacci, Inghilterra. Venetian Archives.	271. Gregorio Barbarigo, Venetian Ambassador in England, to the Doge and Senate.
	The king left the day before yesterday for Thetford, 30 miles beyond Newmarket, after having celebrated the feast of St. George, and created the Earl of Rutland knight of the Garter, as well as Sir [George] Villiers, a high favourite of His Majesty. (fn. 1) The same day I received the letters of your Serenity of the 9th and 14th ult. with the commissions and information. I sent my secretary immediately to the Lord Chamberlain to inform him that I had instructions from your Excellencies to pay my respects to His Majesty, and asked the favour of a brief audience, where it would be most convenient for His Majesty, whom I would not fail to follow. After the Chamberlain had spoken to the king, he told my secretary that as His Majesty was going to set out immediately after dinner he would send the Secretary Winwood to see me to hear your Serenity's wishes. Accordingly he came, and I told him about the mission of Sig. Bon as ambassador extraordinary to France to counteract the sinister offices of the French ministers in the Grisons and among the Swiss, believing that this mission would assure Their Majesties of what service it would be to their kingdom and would be a return to the friendship always shown by your Serenity, the question being so just and simply for the sake of defence, informing the king and queen that your Excellencies are acting simply for the general convenience of this province and in nowise contrary to their interests, but that it is rather for the advantage of their crown that the gate should remain open for foreign assistance. I also told him that the ambassador was equally instructed to keep a good understanding with the ministers of the duke of Savoy and to assist the interests of His Highness not only with Their Most Christian Majesties but with the Princes in particular. I enlarged upon all this and begged His Majesty to give instructions to his ministers in the court of France to add the authority of their officers to the instances of your Excellencies.
	The Secretary Winwood replied that everything should be done at once and that instructions should be sent to the Ambassador Edmondes to maintain a good understanding with the ambassador of your Serenity, and, in accordance with what he says and desires, to make strong representations upon all these particulars to Their Majesties and the Princes, as desired by your Excellencies. I will not fail to acquaint the Ambassador Bon with all this, as well as your Serenity.
	Last week the French ambassador said that he had received letters from his wife saying that everything had been settled in France, and that the king within two days of the date of that letter was to go to Paris, but since then he has had no further news, and remains in doubt and expectancy. M. de Boislorée said he had letters from the prince warning him not to believe any news except what comes in his own letters. M. de Courtenay, who came to mass here last Sunday, told me that he had no news from France, but it is certain that so long as the Government remains in the hands of such persons as have exercised it hitherto, there will always be disturbances, but if the princes have authority in the State and by their presence determine the course of the Government, receive letters and send the necessary instructions, the administration will then be in accordance with the proper interests of the kingdom of France and with the benefit of the old friends of that crown. That the ruin of everything hangs in the balance since great questions are decided by two or three heads only, that if they speak to the king he refers everything to these ministers, who, besides doing everything as it pleases their fancy, only report upon what they are inclined to, and only mention such affairs as turn out well. That on this account the Princes are bound to publish everything upon which they treat, because in this way they have to proceed with somewhat more reserve, and it would be a good thing if the others who have matters to negotiate also made their negotiations known to others besides the Chancellor and those ministers to whom affairs are at present confined. He passed from this to express to me the excellent disposition of the prince of Condé towards your Serenity, and his intention to maintain the ancient and fruitful friendships of France.
	From what I have advised in my preceding despatches your Excellencies will have gathered the excellent disposition of the princes of France towards the duke of Savoy. So far as I can see, they not only have the same sentiments towards your Serenity, but they will greatly esteem any office performed by your Serenity with them and would consider it as most advantageous for their reputation. As they have the best intentions towards the duke of Savoy, the offices of your Serenity in this matter will certainly be the better understood, while those of His Majesty here likewise cannot but prove most fruitful; but if the accommodation takes place, they will have numbers of troops to dispose of for the service of others, and they will do this very willingly when they see it will gratify your Serenity and the service of the duke of Savoy; and as they cannot help with their money outside France they may easily, by the offer to send their troops to Piedmont, make a reciprocal request for payment by your Serenity and by the king here. His Majesty is certain to be most keenly interested in the offices, so that it will be well for him to receive as much provocation as possible to follow up this line of conduct, since His Majesty cannot help the duke of Savoy to maintain the treaty of Asti in a better manner than by supplying money to France, as he showed that he ought to do, and he had already began to do so when on a previous occasion he sent money to the duke of Mayenne to send troops to Piedmont.
	At present the ambassador is preferring requests in this sense. In the audience which he had on Monday after me, His Majesty told him that he meant the treaty of Asti to be carried out at all costs, otherwise he would declare war on the king of Spain. But the greatest difficulty which His Majesty will encounter in all important decisions will be the scarcity of money, which there seems no sufficient means of obtaining without summoning a parliament.
	It is generally considered as certain here that the places will be restored to the Dutch and that this will take place fairly soon. If this happen the money may be of some importance, especially as some part is reserved to be paid after a time, and if His Majesty place the ready money at the disposition of a third party it might possibly not prove difficult to persuade the States to hasten on the instalments if they knew that the money would be employed in the service of the general liberty and to prevent the overweening greatness of Spain.
	At the same time rumour is rife about the marriage of the prince here with Spain, which is much discussed. At his court and in the queen's circle they talk about it more than ever. However, it is thought that it will be more easy to negotiate than to conclude anything, and that the king is not sorry that credence is given to it, because the announcement that His Majesty will receive a large sum of money from the Catholic king with his daughter, for her dower, and large assignments for the maintenance of the bride, may be a stimulus to the realm, which generally abhors this union, to make provision for the current needs and for the expense which it will be necessary to incur in setting up the prince's household (sono tuttavia grandi le voce et i discorsi del matrimonio di questo prencipe con Spagna, et nella sua corte, et in quella della regina se ne parla piú che mai; tuttavia si giudica essere piú facile il trattare che il concludere alcuna cosa, et che non dispiaccia al re, il farlo credere, perche publicandosi, che Sua Maestá deva con la figliuola ricevere grossa quantitá di oro dal Re Cattolico, per la dotte et grandi assegnamenti per sustenamento della sposa, dia eccitamento al Regno, che generalmente abhorisce questo parentato, di fare cosi la provisione per i bisogni correnti, come per la spesa che doverá farsi nel levare la casa al Prencipe).
	My secretary has returned from the Hague. I need not add anything about his operations, as he will have informed your Serenity.
	London, the 6th May, 1616.
	[Italian.]
May 6. Senato, Secreta. Dispacci, Inghilterra. Venetian Archives.	272. Gregorio Barbarigo, Venetian Ambassador in England, to the Doge and Senate.
	With regard to the provision of powder by way of Holland, I encounter every day greater difficulties in the way of doing it at a reasonable price, below the value of 20 soldi the lira commanded by your Serenity. But besides what I have gathered and what my secretary has learned at Amsterdam, I am expecting the return of a leading merchant of this mart, who has been to Holland upon other affairs of his own. When I see him I shall be able to take the most advantageous decision possible. Here the scarcity becomes daily greater and the price higher; nevertheless, I will spare no efforts to obtain some quantity, and will send word of what I have been able to do.
	Lord Dingwall, of whom I have already written to your Serenity that he thought of coming to Venice to offer his services, and of whom the king said to me what I reported in my last, said that he had decided to leave next week. After speaking with His Majesty and seeing the satisfaction with which he received the proposal, his intentions had been further spurred, as when he addressed the king with the familiarity which His Majesty's graciousness permits, saying that if he would grant him leave he wished to go and find another master, the king, aware of what was in his mind, told him that he was not allowing him to depart from his own service, because if he wished to go and serve your Serenity it would please him more than anything else which he could do, and other words of a like nature. He told me that he intended to make the journey with all diligence, as he thought that his services would be the more useful the sooner he could offer them, and it would be more easy to settle matters when he was there, and it would be easier to arrange for his work, the journey and the levying of the men in accordance with the wishes of your Serenity. If you decide to employ him he will return with the same diligence and fulfil your commands, and if the occasion for his services has passed, he will be no less glad to have shown his good intentions.
	London, the 6th May, 1616.
	[Italian.]
May 7. Senato, Secreta. Dispacci, Francia. Venetian Archives.	273. Dominico Dominici, Venetian Resident in Florence, to the Doge and Senate.
	Although they do not say much here, out of respect for the archduchess, the feeling is largely in favour of your Serenity as against the archduke Ferdinand. They think the Spaniards are glad to see the republic harassed by the Uscochi, because Venice is the sole obstacle to their ambitions in Italy, and they think the expenses will exhaust your resources. I am also told that the Spaniards think nothing of the troops which your Excellencies have hitherto employed, but they fear that you may have troops from France and England, and they suspect an understanding between the kings of England and France and the duke of Savoy.
	Florence, the 7th May, 1616.
	[Italian; deciphered.]
May 10. Senato, Secreta. Dispacci, Spagna. Venetian Archives.	274. Pietro Vico, Venetian Secretary in Spain, to the Doge and Senate.
	The ministers here have complained to the secretary of England that the duke of Savoy has begun to arm again, without any cause, and contrary to the treaty, and consequently his master ought to cease protecting him, seeing how little inclined he is to peace. The secretary replied that the duke complained that Don Pedro of Toledo was increasing his army with the purpose of taking the field, and he suspected some fresh attempt against his state, as they will not restore the places which the Spaniards hold, and he was placing himself in a posture of defence so as not to be taken by surprise. Seeing that the secretary was already prejudiced they have written to Don Diego Sermento in England, to make similar complaints to the king.
	Madrid, the 10th May, 1616.
	[Italian; deciphered.]
May 10. Senato, Secreta. Dispacci, Savoia. Venetian Archives.	275. Antonio Donato, Venetian Ambassador in Savoy, to the Doge and Senate.
	The duke has shown me a long letter of his ambassador in London of the 18th ult. Although your Excellencies may have heard about it before, there are two particulars which I think it right to transmit. One is that Winwood, the king's minister, says that the republic has acted ill advisedly at this time and will have some difficulty in emerging with honour from her troubles. The other is that His Majesty was greatly offended at the recent refusal of his proposal for a league with him, and that a time may come when it will be necessary to beg for one. Winwood advises the duke to settle with Spain, though subsequently he offers means to make war on the state of Milan. In fine, the ambassador shows that they have only words, that there is great coldness and they cannot rely with any certainty upon anything in that quarter.
	Turin, the 10th May, 1616.
	[Italian.]
May 13. Senato, Secreta. Deliberazioni. Venetian Archives.	276. To the Ambassador Barbarigo in England.
	We received your letters of the 19th, 20th and 22nd ult. on the 3rd and 10th inst. With regard to the proposal of the Secretary Winwood to negotiate a league, that is a lengthy matter and involves difficulties. Therefore in order not to commit ourselves and not to offend His Majesty by an open negative you will say that our deliberations are taken cautiously; in the matter of the duke of Savoy the republic has already shown its disposition to help him, as at the levy of 4,000 French we granted that he might keep 2,000 of them in his State for a certain time and use them for his needs, we having supplied him with the money to levy them, just as we find their pay, while we are ready to do whatever else may be required. By such proceedings we have entered an alliance of hearts and interests, which will constitute a firm basis and produce good results. Similarly in the case of Mantua, without any settled alliance, we offered great support, as everyone knows. His Majesty has already shown his disposition to protect the duke of Savoy and we are sure that he will continue to do so, especially with regard to the execution of the treaty of Asti. We are most grateful for the friendship which His Majesty has so frequently shown towards the republic. We should like to maintain this good understanding and union of hearts. You will go on to say that the present events demand speed, and his declarations will be of the greatest advantage to our interests, especially if laid before the court of Spain and elsewhere with such representations as befit his great authority.
	The withdrawal of our troops from Gradisca was not by reason of the truce but to show our disposition to facilitate peace. This was not reciprocated by the archduke, who increased his activity. You will inform His Majesty of these particulars, informing him also of the negotiations of the Secretary Lionello at the Hague. You will thank the ambassador of the States for the goodwill displayed by his masters and especially for their proposals. You will express to the Secretary Lionello our satisfaction with the manner in which he has conducted these negotiations.
	We send you a copy of the proposals of the Marshal Manriquez for your information.
	You write that you understand from our letters that there is a truce for two months. This is not so. We wish to know whence this misconception has arisen.
	Ayes	147.
	Noes	4.
	Neutral	7.
	[Italian.]
May 13. Senato, Secreta. Dispacci, Inghilterra Venetian Archives.	277. Gregorio Barbarigo, Venetian Ambassador in England, to the Doge and Senate.
	I have received your Serenity's letters of the 15th ult. with the decision upon the matter of the bandits and those of the 16th with information about levying the 4,000 infantry of M. de Châtillon.
	From the letters of the Secretary Lionello your Excellencies will have understood how thoroughly he has executed with the States the instructions received from me in letters of the 26th February, with which I sent him, and those of the 23rd March, which I gave him before he set out for the Hague, after which he returned here and received the letters of your Serenity of the 22nd ult. with the information about current affairs with the archduke, to give them information upon some of the points, so that I have been able to give him the information before his departure. I had communicated the other things to M. Caron as a testimony of continued confidence, and I did not think it well to tell him more about these things of which I have received this last notice.
	With regard to persons of ability and a captain of experience in war, besides the information which I got my secretary to take in Holland, I also gave instructions to another confidential person to take similar information in Flanders, where I hope to find some one who may wish to serve your Serenity.
	Yesterday morning I went to the Secretary Winwood to learn if His Majesty had written to his ambassador in France in conformity with the wishes of your Serenity, and to take the opportunity of asking that it might be done, if he had not, or at any rate to apply such a spur as I thought opportune in present affairs. He told me that they had written to the ambassador to assist the Most Excellent Bon in all his affairs, and that the same ambassador had received instructions long since to use all his efforts to procure the carrying out of the treaty of Asti. I did not fail to discourse upon the advisability of not losing the opportunity of the present accommodation, as the kingdom of France will enjoy greater reputation and authority now the armies gathered together during the disputes are still in being and the princes newly reconciled, the good disposition they have shown will give them greater authority, and time should not be given to allow fresh difficulties to obscure the present opportunity. He told me that everything had been done, and the ambassador had the fullest instructions, but he did not descend to further particulars, simply expressing the hope that everything would be happily settled.
	I hear that Sir [Henry] Wotton has passed Heidelberg, so that he should now be near Piedmont and your Serenity will be the better able to discover the inclinations of His Majesty from the form of his negotiations in Italy, as it seems here they went minutely into everything not only before his departure, but according to a conversation which I had with the Secretary Winwood, whom I asked if they had heard anything of what he had done at Heidelberg and if Wotton had chanced to meet the Ambassador Gussoni. He told me that letters had not yet reached the king about his negotiations with the Elector Palatine, and that very soon Schomberg would be here, who is sent by that elector.
	I must not omit to say that the princes of Germany will not look with satisfaction on the levying of the army in Germany such as the Spaniards have in the state of Milan, not only to oppose the just pretensions of your Serenity, but to be turned with ease to wherever it may be required. If Schomberg comes, his advent cannot fail to have an excellent effect, as he is a young man of experience and spirit, and from my knowledge of him at the court of the Palatine, more inclined to business than is usual in Germany. I will not lose an opportunity of engaging myself with him wherein I may hope for some advantage for the interests of your Serenity.
	London, the 13th May, 1616.
	[Italian.]
May 13. Senato, Secreta. Dispacci, Inghilterra. Venetian Archives.	278. Gregorio Barbarigo, Venetian Ambassador in England, to the Doge and Senate.
	The day before yesterday a courier arrived for the ambassador of France, who said that he had brought word of the complete settlement of the accommodation in France. As soon as he had received this, the ambassador sent to call upon the ambassador of Spain; the latter was just leaving his house and went to visit the French ambassador, who told him the news, saying that he wished to impart this information to him before anyone else. He left yesterday morning to go and see His Majesty, and I think he will find him at Newmarket, to acquaint him with these advices, of which, however, M. de Courtenay has not as yet received any notice.
	The proposed recovery of the cautionary towns by the States has been completely settled, and they are to be restored on the last day of May, reckoning by the calendar here. By that time the States are to pay a sum of 150,000l. sterling, equivalent to about 600,000 crowns, and the remainder of the debt is to be paid within a year and a half in three instalments, one every six months. The greater part of the first payment will be swallowed up by the various debts of His Majesty and in giving rewards and favours to many who are expecting them, so that I think it hardly likely that the ambassador of Savoy can hope to obtain any assignment for the needs of His Highness, and I think it more probable that he will direct his effort to asking that something of the instalments to come may be put at the disposal of His Highness, as a request that presents less difficulties. Of the first money His Majesty has appointed various donations for Viscount Lisle, who was governor of Flushing, and for others who have served in those towns. To guard these towns and satisfy certain individuals the States have decided to levy another regiment of English of 1,000 foot, of which the son of this same Viscount Lisle is to be colonel. (fn. 2)
	Lord Hay [Hais] continues his preparations for the embassy of France, with an extraordinarily sumptuous train, so that many look unfavourably upon his mission owing to his pressing request for money from His Majesty.
	Lord Roos is destined for Spain, and he is almost certain to go there. I understand that he is very gratified at receiving this charge, although he cannot hide from himself that it will be entirely at his own expense.
	Lord Dingwall (Inquel) leaves to-morrow to go and pay his respects to your Serenity and offer his services. He has just been to see me and asked me to write to your Excellencies that he is bringing letters from His Majesty to serve as a testimony and a surety that he will faithfully fulfil his promises, having so great a guarantee behind him as His Majesty; for the rest, he desires no other road to the favour of your Serenity than his own services and merit.
	London, the 13th May, 1616.
	[Italian.]
May 13. Senato, Secreta. Dispacci, Inghilterra. Venetian Archives.	279. Gregorio Barbarigo, Venetian Ambassador in England, to the Doge and Senate.
	In accordance with the commands of your Serenity I send the account of the expenses of the mission of my secretary to Holland, and of other expenses for carrying letters.
	London, the 13th May, 1616.
	[Italian.]
Enclosed in the preceding Despatch.	280. The Account.
		By sending the packet back to the courier, one crown		7
	9 March.	Made good to M. Guazzo for expenses in going to Newmarket for audience		31	12
	”	Made good to Francesco di Negri for expenses in coming post to Newmarket with a packet of letters		92	16
		To the post for letters from France			18
		By letters from the Hague		2	2
		By sending the packet back, the courier, a crown		7
		By letters from the Hague		2	16
	18 April.	To the servant of the Secretary of State for letters from the Hague, a gold crown		8	14
	19 ”.	By cash to Giovanni Battista Tassio, courier upon account of his return to Venice, 200 ducats		1240	—
	1 May.	By cash to M. Matthew de Questar, master of the post in London, for letters from Antwerp and elsewhere, 49 crowns, 1 lira, 8 soldi		344	8
		To the same for a courier sent to the Hague, 20 crowns		140
		To the bearers of various letters		14
		By letters from the Hague		1	8
		By a messenger sent with letters from the Cavalier Loener, half a crown		3	10
		Made good to Sig. Giovanni Battista Lionello, my secretary, for expenses on the journey to Holland, as by his account enclosed, 198 ducats, 1 lira, 4 soldi		1228	16
		By letters from France		1	8
		Total		3126	8
	281. Account of expenses of Giovanni Battista Lionello in going to Holland and returning.
				shillings	pence.
	By boat to Gravesend				8
	By hostelry at Gravesend			9	6
	Boneman			1
	By four horses to Rochester			6
	To the postillion			1	2
	By four horses to Sittingbourne (Schintimber)			10
	To the postillion			1
	By four horses to Canterbury			12
	To the postillion			1
	By the hostelry at Canterbury			9
	At the church at Canterbury			2
	Boneman			1
	By four horses to Dover			12
	By hostelry of three meals at Dover			29	6
	By passport			4
	By other official things			3
	By porters			1	6
	By a boat to go to the ship			1	6
	By boarding the ship			1	6
	By the ship			34
	By a boat at Calais			2
	By porters			1	6
	By hostelry of 2 meals at Calais			14
	By Boneman			1
	By Guards of French at Calais			4
	By four horses to Dunkirk			24
	To the postillion			2
	By the inn at Dunkirk			11
	By four horses to Ghent, two days			72
	By inn on the journey			3	6
	By inn at Nieuport			12
	By Boneman			1
	By crossing a stream			1
	By inn at Bruges			13	8
	By Boneman			1
	By inn at Ghent			14	6
	By Boneman			1
	To the postillion			4	9
	By coach to Brussels			23	6
	By inn at Alost (Ost)			9
	By inn at Brussels			9
	By Boneman			1
	By porters			2
	By boat and customs at Antwerp			9
	By food that day			2
	By changing boats five times that day			1
	By porters			1	6
	By inn at Antwerp, 21 meals			25
	By Boneman			2
	By coach to Zevenbergen (Cinemberg)			20
	By crossing a stream			2
	The inn of two meals at Zevenbergen			17
	By Boneman			1
	By boat at Dort			8
	By porters			1
	By inn at Dort			13
	By Boneman			1	8
	By crossing two rivers in a sailing boat			3
	By carriage of goods at different times that day			2	8
	By coach to Rotterdam			7
	By inn at Rotterdam			8
	By Boneman			1
By boat at Delft			4
By coach to the Hague			4	1
By 16 Jacobus spent in certain places of Flanders at, 14 pence			18	8
Repaid for petty expenses			8
Repaid to the aforesaid for petty expenses			4
By cost of paper, wax, ink, string and iron filings			5	6
By sending letters to Antwerp			4
By letters from England			6
By sending letters to Antwerp			4	6
By coach to Leyden			7
By boat to Amsterdam			6
By food in the boat			2
By inn of four meals at Amsterdam			43
By Boneman			2
By coach to Haarlem			4
At Haarlem			3
By coach to the Hague			16
By passing a stream			1
By sending letters to Antwerp			4
By gifts to certain servants of the States			11
Expenses for Antonio at the Hague while he was sick			46
To the daughter of the host at the Hague			22
To the servants of the inn, cook and chambermaid			17
From the Hague to Rotterdam			5
By inn at Rotterdam			9
By Boneman			1
By porters			8
By wine			20
By boat to Dort			5
By porters			1	6
By messenger post with letters to Antwerp			16
By inn, four meals, at Dort			42
By Boneman			2
By provision of food in the boat to Zeeland			9
By boat to Zeeland			8
By porters to Veere (Var)			1
By coach to Middelburg			2
By coach to Flushing			2
By inn for four days at Flushing			62
By provision of food for the sea			10
By going to the ship			2
By boat and porters returning to the inn because of the sea			2	6
By two meals at the same inn			12
By Boneman			3
By returning to the ship			2
By hire of the ship			24
Boneman to boatmen			2
By boat to London				6
Grand Total			971	6
225 ducats 8 grossi.
[Italian.]
May 14. Senato, Secreta. Dispacci, Candia, Proveditore. Venetian Archives.	282. Piero Bondumier, Proveditore General of Candia, to the Doge and Senate.
	Pirate vessels continue to make themselves felt, not only in the seas of Alexandria and the Archipelago, but they even take refuge in the ports and on the coasts of this kingdom. Three of them, armed at Malta were here a few days ago, and two of them got wrecked on the coast. A part of the crews was recovered by the third, which went to Syria, where it landed fifty-one men. They have been sent here by the rector of Syria and I have decided to send forty-seven of them to the armed galleys, and the other four I have sent to the galley of Sig. Lorenzo Moresini.
	Candia, the 16th May, 1616.
	[Italian.]
Enclosed in the preceding Despatch.	283. Examination of Antonio Pin, a Sicilian, mariner of a small Maltese tartana on May 1st, which arrived at Sacro yesterday morning.
	We left Malta with two other ships to go cruising in the Levant towards Famiata. At Caluslimiones we stopped for water. We left the same evening, and perceiving a sail we gave chase. In doing so the two larger vessels ran on shore near the salt pits of Famiata. A part of their crews of 200 was rescued by the tartana. The captain of the tartana landed 51 of the crews of their vessels because he could not maintain so many. The captain of all the vessels was called Pierre Nicolas de la Bottognera, a Frenchman, the two large vessels were commanded by Frenchmen. The two large vessels carried about 100 persons each, while the tartana had 60 on board. They were mostly French, with Sicilians, Maltese, Flemings, English and other nations.
	[Italian.]