Venice: April 1563 | British History Online

Pages 355-356

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.

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Citation:

April 1563



April 13. Original Letter Book, Venetian Archives.	323. Marc' Antonio Barbaro, Venetian Ambassador in France, to the Signory.
	The Prince of Condé has sent gentlemen to all the fortresses which were occupied, to restore them to the King; but Havre de Grace will not be restored, because the English intend to keep that place.
	The Constable's son, Mons. Damville, has arrived here in Paris, it being said that he will go to England to negotiate the restitution of Havre de Grace; but I am not yet sure that this report is correct, for he would seem to be awaiting the return of one of his gentlemen sent by him to England for a safe conduct. The last conditions demanded by the English for the restitution of Havre de Grace were, that they required the Duke of Orleans and another Prince of the blood, as hostages, to secure the restitution of Calais on the expiration of the term stipulated by the last peace of 1559, which would be seven years from that date.
	At present the French decline these conditions, hoping to recover Havre de Grace by force, and also to remain masters of Calais by virtue of the treaty of 1559, which expresses that if, during the term of the treaty, which was the space of ten years, the English acquired other possessions in this kingdom, they would immediately lose their right to Calais; so the French contend that the English, having occupied Havre de Grace, are deprived of all right to Calais, but should the French continue to put this pretention forward, they will render the English more reluctant to restore Havre.
	I know, by the Legate's despatch to Rome, that the Queen has used her influence with the Pope, to obtain a dispensation for Cardinal de Bourbon to marry; and I hear from the Court, that the chief object of this laying down the Cardinal's habit is to deprive the Prince of Condé of his claim, as first Prince of the blood, to wage war, and to be the Kings vicegerent For this information I do not vouch with the same certainty as I can assert, that an order has been granted for the dispensation.
	Paris, 13th April 1563.
	[Italian; the portion in italics deciphered by Signor Luigi Pasini.]