Calendar of State Papers Relating To English Affairs in the Archives of Venice, Volume 8, 1581-1591. Originally published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1894.
This free content was digitised by double rekeying. All rights reserved.
'Venice: November 1589', in Calendar of State Papers Relating To English Affairs in the Archives of Venice, Volume 8, 1581-1591, (London, 1894) pp. 472-476. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/venice/vol8/pp472-476 [accessed 13 April 2024]
November 1589
| Nov. 11. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives. | 891. Giovanni Moro, Venetian Ambassador in Constantinople, to the Doge and Senate. |
|---|---|
| Giovanni Stefano Ferrari, Agent of the Catholic King, arrived here on the first of this month. He opened negotiations with Orembey the Dragoman, who at once reported to the Grand Vizir who showed great satisfaction. On the 3rd Ferrari was introduced to the Vizir, from whom in the name of his master, he begged for the friendship of the Sultan. Ferrari presented letters, of which a copy is enclosed, from Marigliani only. (fn. 1) The Pasha replied with his usual haughtiness, desiring Ferrari to come the following day to the public divan, where he said a few words. The Vizir did this in order to show publicly to all the world that his Catholic Majesty, however great he might be, had sent to humble himself. The Vizir did not think that Ferrari's visit to his own private residence was enough for this purpose. | |
| Immediately on his arrival here Ferrari sent Orembey to salute me in his name, declaring himself much obliged to your Serenity for the courtesy shown to him on his journey through your dominions, in return for which he would never weary in serving the Republic where he could. I sent to return his visit, and two days after he came to see me in person, and treated me with the fullest confidence. He told me that he had special orders from the King to mention the Republic in these negotiations, as he had done before, and he complained of the brutal manners of the Pasha, so different from those of Siavus Pasha. | |
| The French Ambassador has taken no steps to thwart the negotiations of Ferrari, nor as he himself told me, will he do so. But the English Agent does all he can for this purpose. He went straight to the Sultan's secretary, who three years ago supported the English Ambassador in his opposition to the termination of the negotiations then concluded, and after seeing the secretary he went on to the Grand Vizir for the same purpose. | |
| Ferrari is doing all he can to succeed honourably. I was with the Grand Vizir the other day about the question of the merchants, and his Magnificence asked me if I was aware that Spanish agents were here; and I, not to deny knowledge of what was universally known, said that I had heard that two days ago a Spanish Agent was present at the public divan. The Vizir said that the Agent was here to seek alliance with the Sultan, and a promise that he would not help the Republic of Venice whose States the King intended to occupy; he was charged to say that the King had made peace with the Queen of England who had been obliged to give the King forty ships armed at her charges, that the King proposed that all Venetian territory east of Corfu should belong to the Sultan, and all the rest to himself. The Pasha asked me if the Republic was strong enough to defend herself alone; and I to show that I did not believe him, smiled first and then said that the Republic was in friendly relations with the King of Spain, and that by the grace of God she had forces enough to protect herself from any attack. The Pasha asked if I had heard this report from any other quarter, and I to show that I attended only to Venetian affairs, replied that I only knew about the Spanish Agent's arrival two days after he had been in public divan, to which the Pasha replied, “It is carelessness on your part not to know what is going on in the world.” He added that for his part he wished to know all that was going on in order to determine how to employ the Turkish forces now that peace had been made with Persia. I said that what he desired to know was his own affair, for me it would be vanity to wish to mix myself up in other people's business. The Pasha then said that all he had told me was only a joke, what he really wanted to know from me was what object the King of Spain had in sending an agent here to seek alliance with the Sultan. I replied that as I had only just heard of the agent's arrival it was not likely that I should know his orders. The Pasha then asked me who had been victorious in the war between England and Spain. I said I did not know that there had been any victory on one side or the other as both parties kept their possessions as before, and to break off this conversation I returned to the question of the merchants. | |
| Dalle Vigne di Pera, 11th November 1589. | |
| [Italian; deciphered.] | |
| Nov. 11. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives. | 892. Tomaso Contarini, Venetian Ambassador in Spain, to the Doge and Senate. |
| The two Presidents of the Council of Flanders, the one resident here and the one sent by the Duke of Parma, have had long audiences with his Majesty at the Escurial. The subjects under discussion were the treaty of peace with England, the assistance to be sent to the Duke of Maine, and the retirement of the Duke of Parma. On this last point his Majesty replied that the Duke should come to Madrid, and there he would receive an answer. | |
| I am informed from a trustworthy source that the Spanish are in relations with David Passi in Constantinople, the same as was in relation with Secretary Salazar. The Viceroy of Naples has written advising his Majesty to confer a regular salary on the Jew. | |
| Madrid, 11th November 1594. | |
| [Italian; deciphered.] | |
| Nov. 11. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives. | 893. Tomaso Contarini, Venetian Ambassador in Spain, to the Doge and Senate. |
| The sea round the Azores is swarming with pirates, navigation is interrupted and may be cut off altogether. The Catholic Armada which last month went to Lisbon, has returned to Corunna, and there are no signs of any preparations for putting out to sea. The English corsairs a short time back captured twenty-two ships laden with sugar on their way from Brazil. From Lisbon we have news that the Earl of Morlan (?) with ten English ships and as many other buccaneers of other nations, has sacked and burned the whole island of Fayre, and, having entered the fortress by treachery, has carried off forty pieces of cannon. To save the churches, which he had already begun to destroy, the natives promised to give him two thousand five hundred crowns, and when these were paid he departed. He burned and ravaged the whole island, a thing he found no difficulty in doing, for he began by assuring the inhabitants that he intended to take nothing but water, and would pay for everything else which he required for his fleet; these promises led the islanders to neglect all steps for their protection, and thus they were deceived and crushed. After leaving Fayre he went to Cape Verd where he seized many vessels on their way to Spain from Brazil. | |
| The gold and silver fleet has not arrived as yet in Seville, and is causing some anxiety, as the fleet from New Spain, laden with merchandise which left Havana later than the gold fleet has arrived safely. A vessel arrived from the Indies announces that near the Azores she fell in with forty Englishmen who robbed her of all her cargo. Letters from Seville announce that eleven ships of the Indian fleet, but not gold ships, have been lost in the channel near Havana. | |
| Madrid, 11th November 1589. | |
| [Italian; the part in italics deciphered.] | |
| Nov. 16. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives. | 894. Tomaso Contarini, Venetian Ambassador in Spain, to the Doge and Senate. |
| There is no news of the gold fleet, but they are in hopes that it has taken a southern route in order to avoid the buccaneers, and that is indeed the only hope they have. The ordinary route is from latitude 43 passing by the Azores to Cape St. Vincent, which lies in latitude 37. God grant that they have taken the southern route, for if that fleet be lost his Majesty will suffer great loss and all the kingdom will be ruined. | |
| Madrid, 16th November 1589. | |
| [Italian; the part in italics deciphered.] | |
| Nov. 17. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives. | 895. Tomaso Contarini, Venetian Ambassador in Spain, to the Doge and Senate. |
| There is a rumour from Seville that of the gold fleet one ship with a million and two hundred thousand crowns on board has been lost; she parted company, and fell into the hands of the enemy. There is universal surprise that the Catholic fleet at such a moment should be lying idle in the port of Ferrol. | |
| Madrid, 17th November 1589. | |
| [Italian; deciphered.] | |
| Nov. 25. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives. | 896. Giovanni Moro, Venetian Ambassador in Constantinople, to the Doge and Senate. |
| Giovanni Stefano Ferrari, who had good hopes of succeeding rapidly in negotiations, owing to the present of a jewel valued at 2,000 ducats which he had given to the Grand Vizir, has now been told to wait till the Captain of the Sea returns, as the Sultan will not come to any resolution without his presence. I believe this to be a device of the English Agent in order to gain time to upset the negotiations. | |
| Dalle Vigne di Pera, 25th November 1589. | |
| [Italian; deciphered.] | |
| Nov. 25. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives. | 897. Tomaso Contarini, Venetian Ambassador in Spain, to the Doge and Senate. |
| There is news that the Indian fleet has taken the southern route, almost as far down as Barbary, in order to sail with safety; but being overtaken by a great storm it was compelled to turn back, and the experts now doubt whether it can reach Spain this year. This will cause a great lack of money; and as almost all payments were to be made when the fleet arrived, his Majesty will now be compelled to raise money elsewhere. | |
| Madrid, 25th November 1589. | |
| [Italian; deciphered.] | |
| Nov. 30. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives. | 898. Tomaso Contarini, Venetian Ambassador in Spain, to the Doge and Senate. |
| The Duke of Medina Sidonia has just sent news that the gold fleet has reached San Lucar. This gives great joy to all. | |
| Madrid, 30th November 1589. | |
| [Italian; deciphered.] | |