Venice: October 1593 | British History Online

Calendar of State Papers Relating To English Affairs in the Archives of Venice, Volume 9, 1592-1603. Originally published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1897.

Citation:

'Venice: October 1593', in Calendar of State Papers Relating To English Affairs in the Archives of Venice, Volume 9, 1592-1603, ed. Horatio F Brown( London, 1897), British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/venice/vol9/pp107-111 [accessed 27 July 2024].

October 1593



Oct. 2. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives.	220. Polo Paruta, Venetian Ambassador in Rome, to the Doge and Senate.
	M. de Lancome, a person known to your Serenity, has presented a memorial to his Holiness on the subject of sending an Ambassador to the King of Persia. He offers to go in person if ordered by the Pope. He pretends that this is a most secret affair, and yet he himself has talked about, it to everyone who has any interest in the matter.
	Rome, 2nd October 1593.
	[Italian.]
Oct. 2. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives.	221. Matheo Zane, Venetian Ambassador at Constantinople, to the Doge and Senate.
	It is well known that Sinan Pasha sends no news that is not acceptable to the Sultan. In this he is following the custom of Grand Vizirs to give no news to his Majesty except such as is pleasant or to alter the unfavourable in such a way that it shall serve merely to secure reinforcements. It is quite certain that the head of a common soldier has been shown to his Majesty as the head of the general who defeated Hassan Pasha.
	Sinan Pasha insists that the fleet should be got ready. The French Ambassador leaves no opportunity unused in order to secure the despatch of the fleet. He urges that this is necessary in order to concentrate the attention of the King of Spain on his own affairs. He is of opinion that the mere rumour that a Turkish fleet would put to sea must be of great help to his master.
	The English Ambassador is not paying much attention to this question of the fleet. He is entirely occupied in maintaining his position over the question of Bogdania. His position indeed would be quite gone already were it not for the fact that the ship bringing the presents from England has reached Constantinople.
	The Sultan from his kiosk enjoyed the spectacle of the ship's arrival. It was dressed with scarlet cloth around the quarter deck and bulwarks, and with flags and pennants. It came on with fanfares of trumpets and salvoes of harquebusses and artillery, arranged in the hold, which produces an effect different from the ordinary salvo. His Majesty liked it so much that he wished for a repetition of the show two days later when the ship was being towed to the customs house. The Ambassador has not been to kiss hands yet, but he will not put it off longer now. One result of the arrival of these presents is that the Ambassador has been released from a difficulty by the liberation of his barber, who was imprisoned on the false suspicion that he had had a hand in the escape of the slaves from the Tower of the Black Sea. (Et il Ré ha havuto gusto stando nel chiosco a veder la entrata di essa nave ben adobata intorno al cassaro et al ballaor de panni scarlati et de bandiere et fiamole, accompagnate da suoni de trombe et di salve di archibuseria et artellaria accommodate in buon parte solto la coperta, che fa effetto differente dalle altre salve. Et la sua Maestà se ne compiacque tanto che doi giorni dopo ne volse veder un' altra nel remurchiar la nave alla doana. L'Ambasciatore non è ancora stato a basciar la mano al Ré, ma non deverà tardare; et la occasione del dono gionto con la nave lo solleva anco da questo impaccio che ha liberato il suo Barbiero impriggionato per falsa sospitione che havessa parte nella fugga de i schiavi dalla Torre nel Mar Negro.)
	In consequence of this event many have been arrested and questioned under torture as to the names of those likely to receive fugitive slaves; among those mentioned was that of a friar, a native of Spalato, your Serenity's consul at Gallipoli. I was in dread lest he should be arrested as rumour declared, but, thanks be to God, nothing has happened except that the Consul asks to be relieved from his service which he has discharged close upon ten years now. He has frequently made a similar request, but it has always been rejected owing to the difficulty of finding anyone to fill his place. I do not offer any opposition to his demand as I think it is for the good of the public service that he should retire; there is a chapel at Gallipoli, which is used only by sailors; if a chaplain be required, I will fill the post at the ordinary stipend allowed by your Serenity, namely fifty ducats a year. As to the post of Consul, which does not yield more than the fees and a solatium of fifty ducats every three years, it will not be easy to find anyone to take it.
	Dalle Vigne di Pera, 2nd October 1598.
	[Italian; deciphered.]
Oct. 2. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives.	222. Matheo Zane, Venetian Ambassador in Constantinople, to the Doge and Senate.
	Between the Embassy of Venice and the French Embassy there is a piece of waste ground, about which no one took any trouble, until now that houses are growing so fast, the inhabitants of the quarter desire to take possession of and to occupy it. They have accordingly closed a door which gave access to it from this house and another which gave access from the French Embassy.
	Matteca, who is owner of this house, told me that when my successor comes he intends to double the rent, which at present is one hundred sequins a year and the up-keep.
	Dalle Vigne di Pera, 2nd October 1593.
	[Italian.]
Oct. 3. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives.	223. Matheo Zane, Venetian Ambassador in Constantinople, to the Doge and Senate.
	Messer Antonio Vecchietti who is here on the matter of the free trade concessions to Florence, announces that he is about to leave. Perhaps he is afraid of the commission of inquiry into the flight of the slaves; or perhaps he thinks the situation unfavourable.
	The Ambassador of France has been solemnly to church to render thanks for the conversion of his master to the Catholic Apostolic Faith.
	Dalle Vigne di Pera, 3rd October 1593.
	[Italian; deciphered.]
Oct. 15. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives.	224. Matheo Zane, Venetian Ambassador in Constantinople, to the Doge and Senate.
	The English Ambassador will kiss hands the day after tomorrow. He will make a rich gift of royal cloth, cloth of gold, and silk, also various silver goblets and other presents. He has drawn up a memorial in which he mentions Don Antonio of Portugal and a son of his who was at Fez; and he asks for an armament next year against the King of Spain.
	Dalle Vigne di Pera, 15th October 1593.
	[Italian; deciphered.]
Oct. 16. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives.	225. Matheo Zane, Venetian Ambassador in Constantinople, to the Doge and Senate.
	All the papers of the Imperial Ambassador have been seized once more, though he had to pay six hundred thalers to recover them before.
	The French Ambassador has been ordered by his Sovereign to co-operate with the Venetian Ambassador in urging the Sultan not to declare war on the Republic; pointing out to him that this would produce an alliance between Venice and Spain to the strengthening of the League in France.
	Dalle Vigne di Pera, 16th October 1593.
	[Italian; deciphered.]
Oct. 20. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives.	226. Francesco Vendramin, Venetian Ambassador in Spain, to the Doge and Senate.
	The Archduke Ernest has announced his intention of going immediately to Flanders; but he begs the King's permission to return to Austria should the Turks invade his own or his brother's territory. The Archduke is instructed to settle the affairs with the States and with the Queen of England in order to liberate all those troops against Navarre. The States and the Queen are quite alive to this, and their common interests have led them to render vain all efforts towards a peace.
	Madrid, 20th October 1593.
	[Italian: deciphered.]
Oct. 26. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives.	227. Matheo Zane, Venetian Ambassador in Constantinople, to the Doge and Senate.
	The Sultan's Secretary told me that the French Ambassador had refused to visit the Grand Vizir any more on account of the Vizir's violent language, and the English Ambassador does the same because the Grand Vizir had placed him under arrest, as I reported. The Secretary has undertaken to pacify them. The English A mbassador when he kissed hands last Sunday presented a memorial in which he set forth the merits of his Sovereign, who had for so long a time borne the brunt of war against the common foe and all unsupported. She now asked for the assistance of the Turkish fleet. Probably the Ambassador used language suited to the inclination of the Turks and the position of affairs, rather than expressly ordered by the Queen. He is dependent on the English merchants who pay his salary and employ him in the interests of their trade.
	The Ambassador of France endeavours to convince the Turks that the conversion of his Master does not mean a pacification with the Pope or with Spain.
	The fact of this conversion has caused the English Ambassador to enjoy a larger amount of favour than he would otherwise have received. The proof is that at his audience to kiss hands he received those few robes which are only presented to retiring Ambassadors, and also received some dinners. His stipend from the Porte, which amounts to about four thalers a day and is now in arrears for many months, is to be paid to him. This sum the Porte is in the habit of paying to Ambassadors after they have kissed hands. The Ambassador had hardly time to say ten words when they asked him for the memorial which he had ready. It contained four requests, if not more; the chief request is that the fleet should be sent out under the circumstances which I have already reported; another point is Don Antonio and his son who was in the hands of the King of Fez, and was set free on the representations of the Porte. The other points are a renewal of the capitulations and questions of commerce and free trade. All this I learn from third parties. The Ambassador himself has told me nothing, though he was here three days ago on a simple visit, (L'Ambasciatore d'Inghilterra in congiunture del sospetto che hanno qui preso del Re di Franza, parendo a questi che la conformità di religion habbia gran forza di riunir gli animi, et oblighi ad haver per inimici quei di setta contraria,—ha havuto più accetto et più favore nel suo appresentarsi ultimamente a baciar della mano come Ambasciatore che per altro non lo havererebbe ricevuto, et tutt' I favore consiste in essere egli stato donato in divano d'alcune poche veste solite darsi solamente alli Ambasoiatori che partono et è anco stato presentato d'alcuni viveri et se è ordinato che se li paghi li avanzi decor si di molti mesi delta provisions di circa 4 toleri al giomo che la porta suol dare in contanti ad Ambasciatore dopo it basciar la mano.
	Appena hebbe lui commodità di esponere alla Maestà sua died parole che li fu dimandato l'arz, che teneva pronto, che consisteva di quattro dimande, se non piu. La principale era, mandar fuori armada colle particolarità che ho gia dinotato alla Serenità Vostra, et che accennai collo spazo passato; un altro toccava a Don Antonio di Portogallo ed ad un figlio che era in potere di Re di Fez et fu liberato di pregionia mediante il favor di questa Porta; et le altre dimande aspettano a rinovatione di capitulation et interessi di mercanti et del libero traffico, per quanto mi è stato riferito da terze persone; non havendo l'Ambasciatore communicato alcune di queste particolarità, et pur fu egli terzo giorno qui in casa per occasione di pura visita.)
	Dalle Vigne di Pera, 26th October 1593.
	[Italian; deciphered.]
Oct. 31. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives.	228. Matheo Zane, Venetian Ambassador at Constantinople, to the Doge and Senate.
	Sinan Pasha, Commander-in-Chief, has left the Imperial Ambassador a prisoner in Buda.
	At the moment when they were consulting about sending a Giamberluch and a sword, in the Sultan's name, to the Beglierbey of Greece for his capture of the fortress Sziszek (Cisco), news was brought that the Beglierbey had been surprised and defeated by a band of Hungarians, and that Sinan Pasha had retreated two days' march. The Pasha of Buda, son of Mehmet Pasha, is held responsible for this defeat and will be recalled. The Ministers of the Porte blame Sinan for bad judgment and rashness, in having at this season taken up his ground among the marshes which are favourable to his enemies.
	Signor Carlo Cicala told me that in letters recently sent to his brother the Capudan, was a letter from Sinan exhorting the Capudan to send out a strong fleet.
	Dalle Vigne di Pera, the last day of October 1593.
	[Italian; deciphered.]