Archivio di Stato di Venezia ,
XIII Inghilterra 1614, Antonio Foscarini Amb., Senato III Secreta F(a)
Diplomatic disputes at
Mercury Vindicated
, described in a dispatch from the Venetian ambassador
Antonio Foscarini, on 23 [i.e. 13] Jan.
1615. It is number 89 in a parchment bound collection of letters written
between 8 March 1614-27 Feb. 1615 (some water-damage), pp. 401-404.
Scritte l' ultime mie, fui inuitato per nome del Re' al baletto, che la sera
seguente si danzo' nella gran sala. andato alla camera del Consiglio, ui ritrouai
l'
ambassadorr di Spagna, et poco dopo', uno de Maestri delle cerimonie
disse, che se n' andaua ad auisare Sua Maesta', ch'erimo presenti.
ritornato, fece saper al medesimo Ambasciatore che quello
dei Stati s'attrouaua a' palazzo, et desideraua la Maesta' Sua, che fosse
unitamentete con noi a' uedere la festa; et cosi' se ne torno' al Re'
con la risposta dell' Ambasciatore. in quel punto erimo leuati dalla
tauola, et accostatici, uiddi lo ambasciator molto commosso,
che mi conferi' tutto cio' , et disse hauer mandato a' chieder licenza
al Re' di andarsene, rissoluto di non uoler uedere alla
presenza sua quello di Olanda. io stimando ufficio degno di
rappresentante le Eccellenze Vostre, et di Christiano il
por quiete, entrai a' dirli, che douesse Sua Sig
no ria Illustrissi ma auertir bene (nel senso di
considerare. Controllato Battaglia), perche in altri tempi Don
Alonso di Velasco suo, et l' Illustrissi mo Corraro mio
precessore, si eran ritrouati con l' Ambasciato r di Olanda in loco
pubbli co, che al uero ui fu' qualche distanza di piazza(spazio,
posto, funzione), percio' dopo qualche contesa, entrarono in uno stesso tempo li
ambasciatori di Spagna et di Venetia in due palchetti, uno alla
destra, l' altro alla sinistra delle Maesta' loro, et alquanto dopo',
Olanda in quello di Venetia. Mi ascolto' atentamen
te, mostrando far stima et inclinare al mio consiglio.Io uedendo
tutta la aula piena , et ch'ogn'uno ci staua osseruando, dissi che sarebbe stato bene
ritirarsi in altro luogo, come facessimo. posti a sedere, molto sospeso mi prego'
a'
consigliarlo; et io li dissi; che doueua far saper al Re' che non era per dar legge
in
sua Casa, che si trouaua pronto per dare ogni gusto alla
Maesta' Sua, che percio' uenisse l' ambasciatore de i Stati, che fosse
il ben curato, ma dopo', com' altre uolte, et in luogo un poco inferiore. Mi dimando',
s' io lo consigliauo cosi', se stimauo cosi' conuenirsi, pondero' tener
ordin e dal suo Re' di non trouarsi con esso Ambasciato
re. io affermai, che stimauo cosi' douesse fare, che ui era il caso seguito; et
comparendo l' ambasciato r di Olanda dopo', sedendo in luogo alquanto
inferiore, sarebbe il tutto passato con sua intiera dignità, et vi aggiunsi molt'
altre
parole di simil contenuto, et l' hebbero forza di moverlo, et persuaderlo a dirmi,
c'
harrebbe cosi' fatto. in questo mentre , il Thisorier, il Ciamberlano, et il Conte
di
Uster uennero, mandati dal Re'. mi dimando' l' Ambasciato re, cio' che
bisognaua fare; io dissi, uscire dalla stanza e incontrarli con quel termine, che
insegna la cortesia chesso si fece, il Thisorier prostato alquanto l'
ambasciato r di Spagna , fece l' ambascia ta, ond'io
hauendo ueduto, et osseruato quanto mi persuase a' lasciar fare ad' altri, cosi' feci.
fermarono il quan to di un' hora nella stanza c ho' detto senz'alcun
frutto. partiti, l' ambasciato r mi fece di nouo pregare, che fossimo
insieme, et di nouo mi prego' di consiglio; et io li repplicai concetti della stessa
natura de primi. Mostro' disposition e di seguir il mio parere, et
desiderio, ch' io impiegassi la mia opera, et cosi' lo lasciai. ritornarono li stessi
una, e due volte , che poi uenuti a me, mi ⎡accompagnarono⎤ [ It has been
superimposed by the same hand]tutti con termini di molto honore per alcune stanze
piene
di Signo ri, e Dame, dicendo, che
l' Ambasciatore di Spagna non si trouaua bene, et che se n' era andato. quasi
imm ediatamen te uennero le loro
Maesta', et il Prencipe, et entrassimo al baletto, al quale fui solo,
perche non u' interuennero quello di Spagna ne' di Olanda.dimandato dalla Reg
n a, alla qual sedei uicino, le diedi conto particolar e.
Mostro' ella intender largamen te a' fauore di Spagna, et proferi'
qualche concetto a suantag
g
io dei Stati. Dopo' il baletto, et la
colation e, seruij le Maesta' loro sino alle lor
stanze, entro' la Reg
n a prima nella sua, et io nel licentiarmi dal Re, et ringratiarlo del
fauore, dissi a Sua Measta' c'haueuo trauagliato con l' Ambasciatore di
Spagna, et sarei stato pronto fare anco di piu'. Mi ringratio' ; disse
che lo Ambasciator non uoleua riconoscer i Stati per
liberi. Domenica poi, c'hebbi audienza in lungo
ragionamento resto' il Re esattamente informato,
conclu<se> che la mattina seguente harrebbe ueduto l'
Amb<asciatore> di Spagna ; pondero', che piu' di una uolta si era
trouato il suo precessore con l' Ambasciatoagpr dei Stati et hauer a me
grado dell' affetto e, et del ufficio.
Translation
After I had written my last letter,the King
invited me to the masque, which was danced in the great hall on the following evening.
I went to the council
chamber where I found the Spanish
ambassador. Soon after, one of the Masters of Ceremonies said he would go and
inform the King
we were present. When he returned he let the [Spanish] ambassador know that the ambassador
of the States was
at the palace and that the King
wished us to go to see the feast together with him, and so returned to the King
with the ambassador's reply. At that very moment, we had risen from the table. We
came closer, and I saw the ambassador was greatly moved. He told me everything, and
said
he had asked the King
’s leave to depart as he was determined not to have the ambassador of
Holland
in his company. Since, as a representative of Your Excellency and a Christian, I thought
it was a worthy act to soothe him, I started
telling him that His Excellency should carefully consider what to do. Some time ago,
Don Alonso de Velasco
and
Marco Antonio Correr
, his and my predecessors respectively, had been in public with the Dutch
ambassador. There was, to tell the truth, some distance between them, and so after
disputing a while, the Venetian and Spanish ambassadors simultaneously entered two
different boxes, one on the left, the other on the right of their Majesties, and a
little later,
Holland
entered the Venetian box.
He listened to me attentively and seemed to
appreciate my advice and to be inclined to follow it. Seeing that the hall was full
and
everybody was looking at us, I told him it would be advisable to go elsewhere, which
we
did. When we sat down, he was doubtful what to do and asked me to give him my advice.
I
told him that he should let the King
know he did not intend to lay down rules in his house. He was willing to give His
Majesty every satisfaction, and therefore
he was happy for the ambassador of the States to come and be well treated, but he
should
come at a lower place. He asked me if I advised him so and if I thought it was fitting.
He told me to consider that he had received orders from his King not to find himself
in the company of this ambassador. I said
I thought he should behave as I had told him, as there was a precedent; if the Dutch
ambassador would appear after him and sit in an inferior place, his dignity would
be
forfeit. I added some other similar words and they persuaded him to do as I
advised.
Meanwhile the Treasurer, the Chamberlain, and the
Earl of Worcester
came from the King
: he asked me what he should do, and I said he should leave the room and meet them
with such terms as courtesy dictated. So he did. The Treasurer, having made a slight
acknowledgement to the Spanish
ambassador, fulfilled his embassy, and I did the same after having seen enough
to convince me to let others deal with it. They stayed a quarter of an hour in the
room
of which I spoke without any agreement. When they left, the ambassador begged me again
for my advice. I repeated my former opinions. He seemed inclined to follow my advice
and
for me to speak in his favour, and so I left him. The same people came back several
times and then they accompanied me with marks of honour through rooms crowded with
lords
and ladies. They said to me that the Spanish ambassador was unwell and had left.Their
Majesties and
the Prince
came almost immediately and we went in to see the masque. I was the only
ambassador, as the Spanish and the Dutch were not present. I sat by the queen
, and when she questioned me about the matter, I reported everything accurately.
She seemed to be strongly in favour of
Spain
and uttered some remarks to the States' disadvantage.
After the masque and the
banquet, I accompanied Their Majesties to
their apartments.The
Queen
entered hers first. While taKing the King
’s leave and thanKing him for the invitation, I told him that I had exerted myself
with the Spanish ambassador and was
ready to do more. He thanked me and said that the ambassador did not want to acknowledge
the States' independence. I had an audience on the following Sunday. After a long
conversation,the King
was completely informed and decided to see the Spanish ambassador the following morning.
He pointed out that his
predecessor had been in the same company with the States' ambassadors more than once,
and was grateful to me for my affection and offices.
Bibliography
CSPV 1613-1615, 317-8
H&S, 10.557