Pages 282-286
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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February 1664
| Feb. 1. Senato, Secreta. Dispacci, Germania. Venetian Archives. |
389. Giovanni Sagredo, Venetian Ambassador in Germany, to the Doge and Senate. General Lesle has arrived here, on his way to Ratisbon. He corresponds in a friendly way with the English ambassador at Constantinople. He showed me a letter about the formidable preparations of the Turks and of the high favour of the Grand Vizier. Linz, the 1st February, 1664. [Italian.] |
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| Feb. 2. Senato, Secreta. Dispacci, Costantinopoli. Venetian Archives. |
390. Giovanni Battista Ballarino, Venetian Resident at the Porte, to the Doge and Senate. By the ship Elizabeth which left Leghorn 1½ months ago Tomaso Gobatto has arrived at Smyrna and will proceed thence by land to Constantinople. In so short a time I have been unable to find out about his sentiments or plans. I will observe his proceedings closely and conduct myself with tact and mildness. The intimation from your Excellencies will be made at a suitable time. I shall try to make him, content and encourage him to return, intimating that his disobedience has not been noticed by your Excellencies. For my own part I am afraid that he will not be leaving Constantinople, in spite of all the protests, before he has put his own interests in good train. Adrianople, the 2nd February, 1663. [M.V.] [Italian; deciphered.] |
| Feb. 2. Inquisitori di Stato. Busta 418. Venetian Archives. |
391. Tomaso Gobato to the Resident Ballarino. Arrived yesterday. Finds things in disorder. On arrival amazed at the charges against him and the imprisonment of his old father. Has informed the English ambassador of the falsity of the reports. Pera di Constantinople, 2nd February, 1664. [Italian.] |
| Feb. 4. Royal Letters, Venice, Vol. 66. Public Record Office. |
392. To the King of Great Britain. (fn. 1) Fresh testimony of their regard for his Majesty is shown by the despatch of Pietro Mocenigo to be ambassador in ordinary at that Court. Beg his Majesty to give credence to what he will represent for the greater confirmation of the old standing regard which the republic professes for his Majesty and as a proof of the confidence they have of his great goodness to correspond with equal sincerity and promptitude in any situation that presents itself. Wishing his Majesty length of days and every success. [Italian.] |
| Feb. 5. Senato, Secreta. Dispacci, Francia. Venetian Archives. |
393. Alvise Sagredo, Venetian Ambassador in France, to the Doge and Senate. There is at present a most disagreeable not to say perilous dispute between the Dutch and the English over the differences which have arisen in North America, called New Belgium because it there borders on New England. Thus while they have seen that the Portuguese, with the support of the English and the English themselves, but under the flag of Braganza have harassed their shipping and plundered many vessels of Holland, so there is good cause for believing that the matter will not be allowed to rest on these sole terms, unless the Dutch make up their minds to give way and yield a great deal there also to the pretensions of the nation and to the benefits of the trade. Braganza for his own part and still more surely from his dependence on King Charles, having come to some sort of composition with the Catholic, will certainly not put up with the disadvantages inflicted on him in Brazil, since that voyage is the most essential foundation on which Portugal rests. Paris, the 5th February, 1663. [M.V.] [Italian.] |
| Feb. 12. Senato, Secreta. Dispacci, Francia. Venetian Archives. |
394. Alvise Sagredo, Venetian Ambassador in France, to the Doge and Senate. Letters from London of the 31st report that the party of the earl of Bristol has strengthened itself in order to withstand the excessive authority which the Chancellor Hyde arrogates to himself increasingly every day, notwithstanding that the earl was disgraced by the king. With the approach of the new session of parliament, to which no one can stop the earl's access, now that he has conformed in religion, the king there desired to arrange a marriage proposal between the son of the chancellor and the earl's daughter, (fn. 2) to bring about peace between two leading men, who through their followers may cause further disturbances to the state of the kingdom. An entire regiment composed of the nobility and gentlemen volunteers has been formed in the county of York, all of them offering to bear arms at their own expense in defence of the royal liberty and to put down the evil designs of so many fresh conspiracies that have been planned. Through the prudent government of the Viceroy in Ireland affairs there are steadily being brought into good train, for the greater security of the king's rule in that island. The ambassador of Portugal has returned to London from France after having secretly conferred and treated for some days in the house of M. de Turena. (fn. 3) It is stated that the affair of the minister of Braganza which they were not able to settle here, is being pressed at that Court also. The departure is confirmed of the second fleet for the Mediterranean against the Barbary corsairs. With this opportunity, and not before, Lord Fanschau, ambassador designate to Madrid, will have embarked for Cadiz. Paris, the 12th February, 1663. [M.V.] [Italian.] |
| Feb. 12. Senato, Secreta. Dispacci, Spagna. Venetian Archives. |
395. Giovanni Cornaro, Venetian Ambassador in Spain, to the Doge and Senate. The English ambassador destined to this Court does not put in an appearance. His departure from London is announced with the fleet destined against the corsairs of Algiers. This fleet should put in at the ports of Spain, and then proceed to Tanger and to fight the pirates. This news will clear up their disposition about an adjustment with Portugal. They write from Cadiz that the English have captured divers ships of the corsairs and carried them off to Tanger. They say the pirates are highly incensed at the losses suffered. It is stated that 45 ships of Algiers have put to sea, the power of the pirates being constantly on the increase. Madrid, the 12th February, 1664. [Italian.] |
| Feb. 17. Inquisitori di Stato. Busta, 418. Venetian Archives. |
396. Giovanni Battista Ballarino, Venetian Resident at Constantinople, to the Inquisitors of State. After three days in Constantinople Gobato writes me the enclosed letter. I have not answered it and have intimated that I cannot correspond with him, though I wish him well. The English ambassador who protects him, without committing himself by letters to me, has sent for the Provincial of San Francesco and Dr. Massellini, charging them to write to me about the assurance touching the dishonour done to the body of the Ambassador Capello. Gobato offered excuses expressing great obligations to me for the excellent account of the matter I gave to the Senate, promising to write to his king most favourably of me personally, and more to the same effect which was all a sham since I know for certain that the uproar which arose over that assurance and the rest originated solely from the letter from Venice. His Excellency seeing now that it is very difficult to do me the injury that he would have liked, and which he has tried by crooked ways to bring about in order to make himself master of the state affairs is changing in appearance his manner of dealing and makes himself out to be friendly. I dissimulate everything and affect to believe him, expressing all respect and regard for his Excellency. On the other hand I keep my eyes very wide open, as is very necessary, since his Excellency's moods are not so consistent that he may not change from one day to another. He made two requests of me by the persons named, and this is the object of his apparent confidence, one that I fix a term for the departure of Gobato, the other that his Excellency may assist his interests and have him in protection. I have replied this is not a small matter, but concerns the most serene republic, and it is not for me to meddle but only to obey, though for the rest I am ready to do all I can for the advantage of Gobato. Adrianople, 17 February, 1663. [M.V.] [Italian; deciphered.] |
| Feb. 19. Senato, Secreta. Dispacci, Francia. Venetian Archives. |
397. Alvise Sagredo, Venetian Ambassador in France, to the Doge and Senate. The English ambassador still delays making his public entry, having received fresh orders from the king not to give way to the princes of the blood, quoting a more recent example of 1629. The king declared that so far as he was concerned there was no need to alter the style practised with the other ministers, so that when M. Holles should be urged to introduce himself into the embassy in this form he said that he could not refuse; seeing that he had already left the decision in the matter in the hands of Madame, and she had committed him by referring the matter to his Majesty, with the best intentions. For the rest if the request was made to-day for the first time it had been protested that he would either make the entry according to precedent or return to London, without ever consenting to such innovations. King Charles was proposing to create four dukes, the principal object being to free the lord chancellor from the persecution of the earl of Bristol, raising him to such a rank because the municipal laws of the country do not permit dukes to be charged with other crimes than high treason, and* it is well known that the charges which have been made by the earl against the chancellor have been declared to be of another character since judgment was devolved by the two Houses, Upper and Lower, to the lower tribunals. In the port of Hull which was under suspicion of infection brought by a Dutch ship, all misgivings have ceased. For the rest all affairs are summed up in the approaching session of parliament, which is to meet on the 26th of next month. Paris, the 19th February, 1663. [M.V.] [Italian.] |
| Feb. 24. Senato, Secreta. Dispacci, Spagna. Venetian Archives. |
398. Giovanni Cornaro, Venetian Ambassador in Spain, to the Doge and Senate. From England we have no other news except the departure of a powerful squadron of ships against the pirates who dominate the sea. The negotiations with the Portuguese are reserved until the arrival of the English ambassador. Madrid, the 24th February, 1664. [Italian.] |
| Feb. 27. Senato, Secreta. Dispacci, Spagna. Venetian Archives. |
399. Giovanni Cornaro, venetian Ambassador in Spain, to the Doge and Senate. It is impossible to write of any affairs before the arrival of the English ambassador. Already news has come not only of his departure from London but of his arrival at Tanger, and the ministers are full of satisfaction about his appearance. This is a result of the negotiation introduced by me when the Resident Giavarina wrote from London of the sentiment of the king of England for correspondence with this quarter, and although no further progress was made because no minister of your Excellencies happened to be at that Court, and owing to the public sentiments expressed in several letters, yet the impulse did not drop without producing fruit, and the expulsion (?) of that Irishman of whom I wrote has been able to bring the ambassador to this Court, and when ministers are present negotiations may easily be introduced and lead to an adjustment. I have never met the duke of Medina without having frequent discussions on this subject, and encouraging right sentiments, increasing by suitable observations his desire for an adjustment. So if the minister of your Excellencies has lost through not having a colleague in England the honour of this intercourse has not done any harm to confidence. Madrid, 27th February, 1664. [Italian.] |