Archivio di Stato, Venezia,
XXIV Inghilterra, 1623, Senato III Secreta
Postponement of the masque, reported in a dispatch sent
home by the Venetian ambassador
Alvise Valaresso, on 19 [i.e.
9] Jan. 1624. It is numbered 90 and occupies pp. 259-65 (extract on
p. 264). The message is ciphered after ‘Francese ha’ (deciphering on p. 260).
Il Balletto si prolunga. hebbi parola dal sciamberlano d' esser inuitato con chi si
fosse degl' Ambasciatori , portando io, che la mia
esclusio ne cogli Ambasciatori Spagnoli saria in certo modo una sentenza a loro fauore nelle nostre differenze di titoli.
S'
hauea quasi risoluto secondo l'alternatiua solita, d'inuitar quest' anno lo
Spagnolo, ma' l' Ambasciato r Francese ha' protestato
di uoler il suo luogo, altrimenti non hauera' la franza amica, in che ogni cosa è
rimasta in sospeso, ne si sa' quello sara'.
Translation
The masque has been deferred. I had word from the Chamberlain that I would be
invited with whichever of the ambassadors would be in the company, as I pointed out
that
my exclusion would be a judgement in the Spanish ambassador’s favour, as far as precedence
is concerned. They had almost
resolved to invite the Spaniard this year, according to the usual rotation, but the
French ambassador protested that he wanted
his place, otherwise France would not be
friendly. Everything has been suspended and nobody knows what is going to happen.
Bibliography
CSPV 1623-1625, 196-7
Bentley (1941-68),
4.660-1