Venice: March 1652 | British History Online

Calendar of State Papers Relating To English Affairs in the Archives of Venice, Volume 28, 1647-1652. Originally published by His Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1927.

'Venice: March 1652', in Calendar of State Papers Relating To English Affairs in the Archives of Venice, Volume 28, 1647-1652, (London, 1927) pp. 215-219. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/venice/vol28/pp215-219 [accessed 25 April 2024]

March 1652



March 3. Senato, Secreta. Dispacci, Francia. Venetian Archives.	561. Michiel Morosini, Venetian Ambassador in France, to the Doge and Senate. Encloses advices of London. Paris, the 3rd March, 1652. [Italian.]
Enclosure.	562. Advices from London, the 15th February, 1652. The committee for the establishment of new laws met three times last week and had begun to introduce order into the irregularities of justice. Parliament directed Gen. Cromuel to cause all the officers whose regiments are in Scotland to return to their companies. In the same week they gave a sumptuous funeral to Lord Ireton, whose body was carried in great pomp to Westminster Abbey, followed by the whole parliament, the Council of State and very many other persons of rank, preceded by regiments of citizens and by horse and foot soldiers. The Swedish resident Spiring has died in London, (fn. 1) and the commissioners of parliament have conferred with the Dutch ambassadors a third time. In Scotland the parliament commissioners, now at Dalkeith, have issued a declaration entirely abolishing all jurisdictions established in that country and deriving from any authority other than that of parliament. The Marquis of Argyle and Lord Balcarris are starting fresh insurrections in the Highlands and expect very soon to make themselves masters of the whole of that district. From Ireland they report that Col. Venables, who had gone to Dundalk, had made various raids on the Irish, compelling them to retire to the woods and abandon the counties of Cavan and Leitrim. The chief Irishmen are meeting frequently to propose an accommodation with the English, but so far without result. [Italian.]
March 7. Senato, Secreta. Deliberazioni. Rettori. Venetian Archives.	563. The Senate has learned with grave concern of the refuge and asylum that numbers of evil livers and banished men find in the houses of the foreign ministers resident in this city, notably in that of England, and that he gives them security, with a truly scandalous licence, to the detriment of justice and disturbing the comfort and quiet living of the people. That the resolution of the Council of Ten of the 4th inst. be referred back to the Capi of the same to decide what they think proper to be done about the convicts who find an asylum at the house of the English resident, who continues in the same course although he has already been seriously admonished by this Council. They shall exercise their authority to the full, without any other consideration, so that these evil livers may be rooted out and that the example may serve as a warning to other ministers to abstam from such improper and scandalous action. Ayes, 127. Noes, 2. Neutral, 10. [Italian.]
March 12. Senato, Secreta. Dispacci, Francia. Venetian Archives.	564. Michiel Morosini, Venetian Ambassador in France, to the Doge and Senate. Encloses advices of London. Paris, the 12th March, 1652. [Italian.]
Enclosure.	565. Advices from London, the 22nd February, 1652. Parliament has recently paid off large numbers of men engaged for naval work in the Mediterranean, to relieve the state of an expense which is considered superfluous. At the request of their ministers they have also passed several acts for the propagation of their gospel. The city has heard of the safe arrival of the fleet at Barbadoes, and of the capture of various ships, English royalist and Dutch, who were trading there contrary to the orders of parliament. They report from Berwick great difficulties among the Scots, especially the people of Edinburgh, about receiving the oath, which the parliament commissioners persist in imposing upon them. Thus in the consistory of Stirling the disputes waxed so hot that one body forming the general synod, called "St. Andrew's," split into two, and one issued contradictory orders, against obeying the deputies, who have been obliged to appeal to parliament to appease this revolt and induce them to quiet down. The procedure of the military commanders has also caused a considerable commotion in that country, Col. Walley having forbidden the people of Edinburgh or Leith to lodge any one of Scottish nationality without informing the captain of the guards, under severe penalties, and the Scots from having any arms in their houses. This seemed unbearable and considerable disturbances are expected. The English commissioners in Ireland, sent to Connaught, were to return to London, after establishing order there, and they are back in Dublin. It is stated that the Irish Tories have caused great disorders in those quarters, but Col. Hewson, the governor, has chased them so effectually that they have not dared to approach for a long while. They have been roughly handled by the parliamentarians in many other places, particularly in the county of Fingal, which they invaded to ravage and destroy. The parliamentarians have taken by assault the castle of Ballybane, where 100 Irish were put to the sword. [Italian.]
March 16. Senato, Secreta. Dispacci, Firenze. Venetian Archives.	566. Thadio Vico, Venetian Resident at Florence, to the Doge and Senate. I enclose a paper handed to me by Sig. Gondi containing a declaration of the English parliament upon the behaviour of Captain Hal at Leghorn. Florence, the 16th March, 1652. [Italian.]
Enclosure.	567. With regard to the paper presented on the 3rd June by the Resident Salvetti touching Captain Edward Hall, commander of a squadron of parliament ships, (fn. 2) the captain has been examined by the Admiralty and the information elicited differs in many respects from the account given in the paper. But as parliament wishes to preserve friendly relations with the Grand Duke it thinks it better to pass the matter over and merely to say in reply to the paper that parliament expects from the Grand Duke that when their ships arrive in his ports they shall be saluted by the men of his castles with the same honours as are accorded to any other state or prince. Parliament will give orders to their commanders and captains in the Levant to do nothing to the prejudice of the amenities of the Grand Duke's ports and to behave themselves peaceably. Henry Scobell, Secretary to Parliament. [Italian.]
March 18. Senato, Secreta. Dispacci, Francia. Venetian Archives.	568. Michiel Morosini, Venetian Ambassador in France, to the Doge and Senate. The Dutch have signed a truce for six months with England but the constant maritime aggressions that take place in the island of Serse make it likely that this will only serve to give time for a thorough preparation of their forces, to be followed by an open declaration of war later on. I do not think that France will be sorry to hear of this mischief making progress as they have been in no slight apprehension that in their present troubles the English might make up their minds to side with the party of the princes or to make a landing in Normandy. [Advices of London enclosed.] Paris, the 18th March, 1652. [Italian.]
Enclosure.	569. Advices from London, the 7th March, 1652. Parliament has granted freedom of trade to the Count of Oldenburg, because he recognised the republic. They are devoting their attention to the establishment of religion and the observance of the rites. Maj. Gen. Lambert, the governor designate of Ireland, has appeared in London. Soon after they read the letters of credence of the deputy of the Hanse Towns, Hamburg, Lubeck and Bremen. (fn. 3) They hear from Barbary that the new Basha Mahomed has express orders from the Sultan and Divan to prevent any wrong being done to English merchants, and that the capitulations made with them must be punctually observed. We hear from Berwick that Gen. Lambert passed that way and took post for London, Gen. Monk following the day after. Also that Col. Overton has reduced all the Orkney Islands ; that the deputies of various places there had gone to Dalkeith which gave hopes of success for the Scottish commissioners, although Sir James Stuart, lately Provost of Edinburgh, had demanded that those who presented petitions to these commissioners should be declared infamous. There is no important news from Chester, only that the Irish Col. Filk having retired from the bogs of Moncale with 80 horse, two parliament Colonels had taken his castle there, sacked it and slain 100 Irish musketeers, making a rich booty of food, cattle and horses. [Italian.]
March 26. Senato, Secreta. Dispacci, Francia. Venetian Archives.	570. Michiel Morosini, Venetian Ambassador in France, to the Doge and Senate. Your Serenity's ducali of the 24th ult. direct me to send the Secretary Paulucci to England. He is ready to face the discomforts of the journey and I will supply him with the necessary instructions. He will start at once and I will provide him with what he requires. Advices of London enclosed. Moreta, the 26th March, 1652. [Italian.]
Enclosure.	571. Advices from London, the 14th March, 1652. The Committee appointed to give audience to Mr. Artema, (fn. 4) deputy of the Hanse Towns, having informed parliament of the contents of his letters of credence, it was resolved that the Council of State should treat with him. Gen. Blake has been continued for 9 months as commander of the fleet. Sig. Milius, Councillor and Deputy of the Count of Oldenburg (fn. 5) has taken leave of the Council of State, taking to his master expressions of the parliament's utmost good will. He is preparing to leave soon, after obtaining all he could desire. Lieut. Gen. Monk arrived recently in London from Scotland. They report from Berwick that the Scots in favour of the Church and ministers are meeting at Edinburgh to form a third party, who clamour against the declarations of the English parliament and its commissioners about the union of Scotland to England. Admiral Weler reached the Orkneys with the fleet and 800 men, and made such good use of his force in conjunction with Col. Overton, that they soon made themselves masters of the whole of those islands. They write from Chester that 80 natives of Galloway made a secret raid on the parliament quarters, capturing rich booty in cattle, but this was not only recovered, but they slew 60 of the inhabitants of the town, which is said not to be well provided with necessary things. [Italian.]