Pages 245-248
Calendar of State Papers Relating To English Affairs in the Archives of Venice, Volume 33, 1661-1664. Originally published by His Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1932.
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Citation:
May 1663
| May 1. Senato, Secreta. Dispacci, Francia. Venetian Archives. |
319. Alvise Sagredo, Venetian Ambassador in France, to the Doge and Senate. The Spanish ambassador has tried to stop the regiment of 1500 men being transported to Portugal and he has obtained the king's word that only 110 soldiers shall be embarked at Havre to proceed to England and thence to Tanger. It seems that they expect these troops to remain stationed in London in view of the commotion caused by the decrees issued by parliament against the Catholic nationals of all three kingdoms. Paris, the 1st May, 1663. [Italian.] |
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| May 8. Senato, Secreta. Dispacci, Francia. Venetian Archives. |
320. Alvise Sagredo, Venetian Ambassador in France, to the Doge and Senate. Encloses sheet of advices from London, which has been delayed by obstruction of the couriers. (fn. 1) Paris, the 8th May, 1663. [Italian.] |
| May 9. Senato, Secreta. Deliberazioni. Corti. Venetian Archives. |
321. To the Ambassador in France. As we consider it necessary to have the notices of what is happening in London and other parts of the kingdom of England we leave it to your experienced judgment to obtain this in the ways that you consider best, and if you think fit to employ Riccardi for this you may, from time to time, supply him with some suitable but modest recognition, such as you may consider appropriate, but with the name of a present, not of a salary. Ayes, 154. Noes, 1. Neutral, 1. [Italian.] |
| May 10. Senato, Secreta. Dispacci, Francia. Venetian Archives. |
322. Pietro Ricardi Neostad to Alvise Sagredo, Ambassador in France. (fn. 2) At the beginning of last week they celebrated at the palace the wedding of the duke of Monmouth, the king's natural son, (fn. 3) aged thirteen years, and tenderly loved by his Majesty, and the Countess of Boclou, a Scotch lady of the same age and sole heiress of that district which brings in at least 12,000l. sterling nett of yearly revenue. On the following Wednesday his Majesty proceeded with all the Court to Windsor for the celebration of the chapter of the knights of St. George, held with stately ceremonial. The queen also was present and the duke aforesaid was invested and installed in his place, and so was another representative for the prince of Denmark, deputed expressly for the purpose. The knightly decorations of the Palatine Prince Edward and of the duke of Epernon, of the same order, were there handed in, having devolved to his Majesty by their death. (fn. 4) They also reviewed some statutes of the order and gave order upon various special circumstances. Of equal splendour were the banquets which followed, with an extraordinary display of wealth. These being ended, his Majesty returned on Friday evening with the queen to his customary quarters at Westminster. The duke of Monmouth will leave here shortly for France, and will also make a tour through foreign countries until he and his bride are of riper years, and in the mean time she will go to her own estates. For some days past the queen mother has been suffering from a serious catarrh and confined to her bed. It has been aggravated chiefly by the bad weather which has been experienced in these parts for some time. A squadron of twelve ships has sailed from Plymouth, full of troops and of divers provisions for Tanger. Parliament resumed its sittings yesterday, for the revision of his Majesty's revenues and expenses, as well as to decide about the trade and policy of the kingdom. I forward the enclosed from the Venetian gondoliers for a remittance. London 30 April/10 May, 1663. [Italian.] |
| May 12. Senato, Secreta. Deliberazioni. Corti. Venetian Archives. |
323. To the King of England. Acknowledge receipt of his letters recommending Colonel Thomas Anand. The Senate has promptly decided to grant the Colonel permission to return home, although there has been some difficulty owing to the fruitful service which he has rendered for many years in the Venetian army; but he displays an admirable disposition to return again after he has disposed of his affairs, for which the Senate is certain that his Majesty will grant him permission. His Majesty may rely on the republic's disposition to gratify him at all times. Ayes, 156. Noes, 1. Neutral, 1. [Italian.] |
| May 14. Senato, Secreta. Dispacci, Spagna. Venetian Archives. |
324. Giovanni Cornaro, Venetian Ambassador in Spain, to the Doge and Senate. Reports from the Indies themselves confirm fresh injuries inflicted by 17 frigates of England which recently carried off four ships fully laden from the port of Campegi, causing great losses to the traders. (fn. 5) All talk and treaties of peace with England and Portugal are buried in silence, and though with the English there is no rupture or interruption of commerce, yet hostilities are committed by them and here they suffer the travail and injury and experience the peril. Madrid, the 14th May, 1663. [Italian.] |
| May 15. Senato, Secreta. Dispacci, Francia. Venetian Archives. |
325. Alvise Sagredo, Venetian Ambassador in France, to the Doge and Senate. Forwards two sheets of advices from London. By an oversight one of these was forgotten in the preceding week. Paris, the 15th May, 1663. [Italian.] |
| May 29. Senato, Secreta. Dispacci, Francia. Venetian Archives. |
326. Alvise Sagredo, Venetian Ambassador in France, to the Doge and Senate. A courier has reached Marshal Turenne from Lisbon by way of the sea, from Colonel Sciombergh, bringing word that with the arrival of the expected succour from England, which has already started with a powerful fleet, to the number of 4,000 infantry, the fourth part of them French, he had no fear of the Castilian forces. The Catholic has 400,000 crowns lying idle upon the merchants of Flanders in the banks of Antwerp, and this causes some astonishment because such idleness of money is not often seen. This last week 200,000 of them were remitted to London. The object of this employment is not known, but it is true that six months ago, with the example of Dunkirk to show the need of ready money at that Court, the Spaniards were negotiating to buy Tanger, a place which is as necessary to their interests as it is superfluous and costly to the English. It may be that they will renew the negotiations very shortly for reason shows that Tanger is useful to England in two cases, the first in the event of war with Spain because the fleet of the West Indies would be compelled to pass in front of those shores; the second to harass the Spaniards by sea every time they send out naval forces against the Portuguese. On the other hand England experienced considerable discomfort from the necessity of maintaining a garrison so far away, surrounded by enemies on every hand; for at a distance of six leagues they have the fortress of Ceuta and Alcasar, while all about are the African Moors, peculiarly hostile to the English nation, straitening the garrison for forage provisions and wood. Thus everything tends to increase the burden of the defence there, and it would seem that for the sake of building upon hopes so uncertain it is not worth while to pay so great a price when a similar employment of force directed with a sense of proportion would yield better results. Paris, the 29th May, 1663. [Italian.] |
| May 30. Senato, Secreta. Dispacci, Spagna. Venetian Archives. |
327. Giovanni Cornaro, Venetian Ambassador in Spain, to the Doge and Senate. Frigates which have reached Cadiz from the West Indies confirm the injuries which the people out there are suffering in ever increasing measure from the hostility of the English, who are present in those waters with a number of frigates of war. After the capture of San Giacomo and of Campegi in the island of Cuba, where they, carried off most copious booty and took a number of ships, they proceeded to the island of San Domingo, though where they were repulsed by the fortress. The duke of Medina said that the king of England had expressly stated that these incidents had happened without his participation; and in this fashion they continue to suffer injury and to avoid a clash. However, the duke remarked to me that this matter of the Indies needs to be attended to. The nations of the north, attracted by trade and intent on business do not care about the acquisition of states, but only for the wealth of commerce. In his opinion it would be better to permit these nations to trade and for the crown to enjoy its advantages. Madrid, the 30th May, 1663. [Italian; deciphered] |