Venice: May 1566

Calendar of State Papers Relating To English Affairs in the Archives of Venice, Volume 7, 1558-1580. Originally published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1890.

This free content was digitised by double rekeying. All rights reserved.

'Venice: May 1566', in Calendar of State Papers Relating To English Affairs in the Archives of Venice, Volume 7, 1558-1580, (London, 1890) pp. 380-381. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/venice/vol7/pp380-381 [accessed 26 April 2024]

May 1566

May 2. Original Letter Book, Venetian Archives. 366. Marc' Antonio Barbaro, Venetian Ambassador in France, to the Signory.
From Marshal Bourdillon I hear that in Flanders the difficulties about religion continue, and are caused by the Inquisition, which the Catholic King has introduced there ; and that a brother of the Prince of Orange, and one of the Brederode family, which is very noble, and has many followers, have headed the malcontents, who have presented a petition to the Duchess of Parma, the Governess of those provinces, of the same tenor as the one presented by the French to the most Christian King; and there is very great danger that if the Inquisition be not removed, some serious disorder may ensue, for the insurgents are many in number, and are favoured by important personages, and they have already commenced giving signs of their temerity, by breaking the images in Holland, and in the Duchy of Namur. But even were the aforesaid Inquisition withdrawn, it cannot be hoped to quench this great fire; besides, were the King Catholic to suppress it he would lose his repute and authority, as he would thus submit to laws dictated by his subjects, and it is much more difficult to remove opinions taken by the Flemings than by the French, the former having always been more headstrong and more unyielding than the latter.
Paris, 2nd May 1566.
[Italian.]
May 11. Original Letter Book, Venetian Archives. 367. Marc' Antonio Barbaro Venetian Ambassador in France, to the Signory.
I have heard from the English Ambassador resident at this Court that the Duke of Norfolk, with other Peers of the Realm, seeing that their Queen does not resolve to marry, and has told them many times she will not marry anyone of the kingdom, have prayed Lord Robert, but with a certain sort of prayer mingled with threats, that he must desist from his enterprise, and no longer perform the very assiduous service hitherto rendered by him to the Queen, in order that her Majesty may by marriage obtain what the whole kingdom desires, which is, to have a legitimate successor; and that Lord Robert, with that passion which the deprivation of the sight of so great a Princess, and so much beloved by him, excited, withdrew; but he had scarcely remained absent a fortnight, when the Queen recalled him; and the said lords, seeing him return, made again a very strong remonstrance, which induced him once more to absent himself; and having again been away a month and more, it seemed, when he returned, that on the part of the Queen and also on his own matters were much cooled down; but many believe that this was solely for appearance sake.
Paris, 11th May 1566.
[Italian.]
PreviousTable of contentsNext