Pages 490-492
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:
August 1573
| Aug. 9. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives. | 554. Sigismondo di Cavalli and Giovanni Francesco Morosini, Venetian Ambassadors in France, to the Signory. |
|---|---|
| The King and the Queen Mother and the King of Poland have arrived in Paris, whither they have brought the Duke of Alençon, who has been suffering from fever. Our audience has been delayed until the Duke shall have recovered from his attack. | |
| The Queen of England continues to keep open the negotiation for the visit of the Duke of Alençon to England, and she has lately announced that she would grant him a safe conduct in the terms demanded, and if there should be any disagreement with regard to any particulars of the negotiation, it would seem easy to come to a settlement; and also that by the middle of September she intended to be at Southampton, not far from the Straits of Calais, as she desired to visit that part of her dominions, and thus the Duke, if he came to England, would not have to make a long voyage. | |
| The Queen Mother still hopes for the success of this negotiation. | |
| Paris, 9th August 1573. | |
| [Italian.] | |
| Aug. 15. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives. | 555. Sigismondo di Cavalli, Venetian Ambassador in France, to the Signory. |
| Announces the departure of Giovanni Francesco Morosini, the Ambassador Extraordinary. | |
| Paris, 15th August 1573. | |
| [Italian.] | |
| Aug. 24. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives. | 556. Sigismondo di Cavalli, Venetian Ambassador in France, to the Signory. |
| The Queen of England having arrived at the Straits of Calais according to her promise, these Majesties have sent to excuse the Duke of Alençon for not having gone to meet her by reason of his illness, and the Queen immediately replied that she greatly regretted the Duke's indisposition, and requested that their Majesties would be pleased to accredit some personage of importance to her, with power to negotiate; so it has been decided to send the Marshal de Retz, who, will depart the day after to-morrow. | |
| The request which has been made by the Queen for the presence of this personage, so far as I am told by well informed persons, is not so much from any passion to marry, but to make the Spaniards jealous by such negotiations, and perhaps to lead to some agreement with the French for common defence, the Queen suspecting that if affairs in Flanders come to the end which they are likely to have, the King of Spain might meditate some undertaking against her on account of the many injuries which she has inflicted upon him; or possibly the Queen, whilst not abandoning the assistance of the Prince of Orange, may have some new expedition in view; but anything is credible. | |
| Paris, 24th August 1573. | |
| [Italian; partly in cipher.] | |
| Aug. 29. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives. | 557. Sigismondo di Cavalli, Venetian Ambassador in France, to the Signory. |
| The Marshal de Retz has left for England, and I know for certain that the Treasurer of that kingdom, (fn. 1) a personage of great authority with the Queen, has written hither in very positive terms that the marriage will take place, insomuch that their Majesties of France greatly wonder what reasons have induced her Majesty of England so speedily to change from her former professions; but their Majesties doubt whether after the Queen has seen the Duke she may not send him back without any conclusion being come to, and in order that she may regain the credit which she believes she has lost owing to the King of Poland having refused her. However, it remains to be seen what answer the Marshal will bring back, as he is expected to return in a fortnight, but the example of his brother has greatly excited the Duke to become a king himself, and he desires under any circumstances to proceed to England. | |
| A person has been sent here from Count Louis of Nassau and the Prince of Orange to negotiate with their Majesties, and he has departed without the object of his mission being known; but I have heard that he informed their Majesties that his masters still occupied seven or eight places of importance in Holland, exclusive of other places in Zealand; and although they had suffered reverses and had lately lost three ships sent to them from England, laden with men and ammunition, they still did not lack sufficient forces for resistance, as some seemed to think was the case. | |
| Paris, 29th August 1573. | |
| [Italian.] | |
| Aug. 31. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives. | 558. Sigismondo di Cavalli, Venetian Ambassador in France, to the Signory. |
| I am now able to give you the reasons for the hope which their Majesties entertain that the marriage which is now being negotiated with England will be arranged and concluded. Two personages of supreme authority are in attendance upon the Queen, and they rule her. One of these is the “Treasurer General,” otherwise called “Secretary Cecil” (Cicino); this individual is of ignoble origin and wealthy, and is endured by the Lords of the kingdom against their will, and he knows that if the Queen were to die he would lose both his life and property. The other of these personages is Lord Robert, Earl of Leicester (Lincestre), who, although he is of noble blood, has yet given offence to many persons, and is generally detested. Nevertheless, both these personages have advised the Queen to marry a foreigner, in order to obtain a king who would defend her. All are now agreed upon the Duke of Alençon, and the Queen appears to acquiesce, but I know not what the end will be. | |
| Paris, 31st August 1573. | |
| [Italian.] | |