convoy this temptation the Captain had not power to withstand and he found no cause to repent him for that he took in that attempt an incredible booty the major part whereof the Duke who from thence forwards entertained him with the Indearments of a Brother bestowed on him on condition he would accompany him to Naples to which Government the Kings Instructions had ordained him and that he would make a Voyage to Prevence and labour to draw into his Stoice all the able Mariners of his acquaintance upon that Coast The Captain obeys him and returns with a number sufficient to man five large Vessels that appertained immediately to the Vice-Roy of this Squadron he was made Commander in chief with which he Pillaged uncontrouled all the Islands and Coasts of the Levant and finisht his first expedition with a Famous Battle wherein he took and sank a considerable Squadron of Turks Galleys 'T was about that time that the Marquis of Bedamar communicated his purpose to the Duke of Ossuna with full assurance of his readiness to Embark with him The Duke that aspired to the Dominion of those Seas wished nothing with so much ardour as the ruine of the Venetians who were his only powerful Rivals and could dispute their Title with more obstinacy than the Turks He therefore confers with the Captain touching the Affair obviating also the difficulties which the Captain believed were not Invincible and after several days of secret Conference he leaves Naples abruptly and in an Fquipage that betrayed both great haste and fear the Vice-King dispatches People in his pursuit to all Quarters but the way he had taken with Order to take him dead or alive his Wife and Children were from that day taken into Custody and treated with all appearing Cruelty his estate becaâ—e confiscate and the Dukes displeasure thundred with so much fury that the whole City of Naples was surprized notwithstanding their long acquaintance with his violent temper and now the Captain appearing also no less enraged than the Duke gave an easie Argument for the Peoples belief of the Misunderstanding who believed he had practised something against the Spanish Interest or that of the Dukes Designs in particular In the mean time he returns to his first retreat the Duke of Savoy was at that time in a declared War with Spain and was famed for one of the most generous men of that age and albeit he had publisht his displeasure at the Captains leaving his protection for a retreat in Sicily yet that did not discourage his presenting himself at the Dukes feet to whom he made many false reports of Designs of the Vice-King against the Republick of Venice full of imaginary Horror but without any manner of agreement with the true purpose and that believing he could not with honor engage therein he had meditated his and his families escape from Naples But having notice that the Vice-Roy had received Intelligence of his purpose he had been constrained to fly in that miserable Equipage to escape his fury and to abandon all that was dear to him in the world to the disposition of the most cruel man living the Duke of Savoy was touched with pity at the Melancholy recital received him with open arms He told the Corsair that his Interests being straitly twisted with those of the Râ—publick he thought himself accomptable for the Service he had rendred to their common Interest in case the Venetians should be cold in their Acknowledgements He also added that it imported that the Senate should be instructed from his own Mouth of the Designs of the Duke of Ossuna and after having exhorted him in a couragious supporting his affliction having equipt him with all necessaries and made him a noble present dispatcht him towards Venice with his Letters of Credence and Recommendation The Venetians were not less affected than the Duke of Savoy the flight the tears the poverty the despair the abilities the exploits the hopes that he would draw to them that great number of brave men that he had conducted to the Duke of Ossuna's Service but above all the Designs he revealed of that Dukes which he had invented as plausible as was necessary all these circumstances spoke so Eloquently in his favour that they immediately gave him the Command of a Ship Howbeit Contarine the Ambassador at Rome did remonstrate that in consideration of his coming from the Vice-Roy he was by no means to be trusted but fear having wrought in the Spirits of the Venetians the usual effect of Belief stopt their Ears to that prudent Advice 'T was not long er'e the Fleet put out to Sea and the Captain who considered of what Importance it was to signalize himself took so many Prizes upon several Commissions he had received to pursue them that upon his return from that Expedition they added eleven Sayl of Ships to that he had Of these happy successes he gave an Account to the Duke of Ossuna finishing his Discourse in these words If these Pantaleons proved in their easy Faith as they have begun I dare assure your Excellency my Lord that I shall lose no Time in this Country He writ also at the same time to his several Comrades he had left at Naples to draw them to that Service which he found no difficulty to debauch the Vice-King upon his Flight feigning to hold them all in suspicion Treating them now as ill as before he had been kind He made also great complaint of the Republiques protecting the Captain and in Revenge gave Sanctuary to several of the Vscocks that the Venetians had chased from their Habitations By Virtue of his Protection they began a Trade of Privateering took a great Vessel bound from Corfu to Venice and sold their Booty publickly under his Standard He violated the freedom of Ports and made very considerable Reprizals upon very slender Motives and disputed the Orders he received from Spain for Restitution of what he had Seized and publisht a Manifest to justify his Disobedience He sent also a great Fleet to Cruize in the Adriatique and caused to enter in Triumph into Naples the Prizes that were made upon the Venetians In brief he ruined their Commerce at the cost of the Neapolitans themselves who were interessed and the Farmers of the Revenue of that Kingdom offering to make complaint thereof he forbade them on pain of Death There being no declared War between Spain and the Republique the Venetians became justly astonished at a proceeding so irregular the Major part imputed it only to the bare extravagance of the Duke of Ossuna but the Wiser sort who knew there was nothing of so important Use as the dexterous and politick management of such People had deeper conjectures and that the Spaniard served himself of the Capricio's of the Duke in order to such proceedings as they would neither avow or maintain His Familiar discourses were Surprizing of the Ports in Istria belonging to the Republique Pillaging their Islands and also if it
the Vscocks and being avowed Friends to the Spaniard made use of this occasion to revenge them on the Venetians The Emperor Matthias moved by the just instances of the Republick composed this difference at Vienna in February Anno Dom. 1612. but the Accomodation was so ill observed on the part of the Arch-Duke that they came at length to an open War wherein he was not so clear a Gainer as the Spaniards had proposed to themselves The Venetians by their good conduct easily repaired the slight Damages they sustained in some little Encounters and being at that time secure against the least apprehension of the Turks they were better able to support the War than the Arch-Duke That Prince was at length pressed by the Emperor to make a Peace in contemplation of the Grand Seignor's menacing of Hungary himself also became engaged in a very considerable expence in favour of his Election to the Kingdom of Bohemia which happened soon after The Spaniard would gladly have contributed towards the continuation of this War had not that also in which they were then engaged with Charls Emmanuel Duke of Savoy forbid the separation of their Forces and that Duke being supplied with large Sums from the Republick could by no means be wrought to violate his Amity with them The Spanish Council laid deeply to heart the exceeding prosperity of the Affairs of Venice and the soft peaceable Temper of King Philip and that of his Favourite the Duke of Lerma suggested little or no prospect of a redress But a Minister of theirs resident at that time in Italy not guilty of the same Moderation undertook the business and this was Don Alphonso de la Cueva Marquis of Bedamar Ordinary Ambassador at Venice a Man of the most exalted Understanding and dangerous Spirit that Spain has ever produced his own Writings that are yet extant speak him qualified with all the requisits that Historians ancient and modern have set down to compose an extraordinary Man he compared past Transactions with the Occurrences of his own time he observed exactly the differences and resemblances of Affairs and how much those which seem to be alike are changed by what is different he was able to give his judgment of the Issue from the first draught project of any Enterprize If he found he had prophesied amiss he would trace his Error back to the source and learn the true cause of his mistake by this study he became throughly acquainted with the surest Mothods the truest Means and the most material Circumstances that presage success to any great Adventure and render them for the most part prosperous his practice of perpetual reading meditation and observance of Transactions of the world had raised him to that high pitch of Wisdom that his conjectures as to the result of any Affair were esteemed in the Court of Spain as so many Prophesies To this profound Learning in the nature of great Affairs was joyned a singular Dexterity in the conductive part a Facility in speaking and writing with a most charming elegance a marvelous Felicity in the knowledg of men a Behaviour ever gay and open wherein one read more heat than gravity so remote from Dissimulation as to look like Simplicity a Humour free and complisant and so much the more impenetrable by how much every body thought they understood him of Manners soft insinuating and indearing whereby he serewed himself into the most dark and difficult Secrets always preserving a perfect calm and serenity of Countenance amidst the most violent and cruel agitatations of Spirit The Spanish Ministers had at that time a great ascendent on the Governments wherein they resided and the Marquis of Bedamar was chosen for Venice in the year 1607. as to the most difficult of all Forreign Employments wherein he could hope no affistance from either Women Priest or Favorite the Council of Spain was so well pleased with his Ministery that how needful soever his service was to them at home yet in the space of six years they could not resolve to recal him So long a Residence gave him leisure to study the principles of that Government to penetrate their most retired Cabinets to discover their strengths and weaknesses their advantages and defects He foreseeing that the Arch-Duke would be necessitated to make a Peace and that it would reflect shamefully upon them the Injury being wholly on their part he resolveth to embarque in some Design that might prevent it he considered that the present state of Affairs in Venice did not render the Design of mastering it impracticable by the Intelligence he had acquired the Forces he was able to provide Their Armies had dreined their Magazines of Arms and had in a greater measure diminished their People capable of bearing them and as their Navy had never been in a more flourishing condition so their Senate had never been considered so formidable or held a better opinion of their own Security howbeit this invincible Fleet was obliged to be still hovering upon the Coast of Istria the then seat of the War the Army too was as remote so that in Venice there was scarce any thing that could suggest a reason against the descent of the Spanish Naval Army To render this descent more secure the Marquis of Bedamar resolved to possess himself of two principal posts and those were the place of St. Mark the Arsenal but he considered the difficulty would be great without some accident to disturb the repose the City at present enjoyed he proposed therefore the applying fire in several places the most combustible and the mostneedful of relief about the City He was not over-hasty in rendring an account hereof to his Master knowing how tender most Princes are of explaining themselves upon Affairs of this nature until they are ripened to a degree of affording nothing more to execute but an assurance of possession in case it take effect he contented himself barely to remark to the Duke of Vseda principal Secretary of State that upon considering the dishonour the House of Austria had sustained by the insolent behaviour of the Venetians during the War of Friol and that all the means that had been proposed for an accord both at Vienna and elsewhere resulted in Ignominie and Contempt he considered himself in a Station wherein Nature as well as Policy did oblige a faithful Subject to have recourse to all imaginable Arts to preserve his Prince and Country from an Infamy otherwise inevitable and that Care became especially incumbent on him in regard of the Employment he exercised wherein having continually before his eyes the very Sources and Spring-heads of those evils so important of Redress no man was a better Judg than himself what sort of Remedy to apply and that he would attempt to acquit himself of that Duty in such manner as should be worthy the Zeal he profest for the Glory of his Master The Duke of Vseda who was throughly acquainted with his Worth soon comprehended that
were Practicable to make a descant even upon the City of Veniceâ—â— the Design whereof he discoursed among his Courtiers he caused exact Draughts to be made of the Works about it also the Building of several Barks Brigantines and other small Vessels proper for all sorts of Channels variety of Experiments were also made to discover what weight each depth of Water could sustain he invented every day new Engines to diminish the weight and facilitate the motion The Venetian Resident at Naples punctually accounted hereof to the great despair of the Marquess of Bedamar who began to repent him of having joyned himself with so weak a Man But the issue undeceived him The Vice-Roy proceeding with all this Pomp and Noise gave the Venetians cause to consider him in ridicule even their Wisest Senators could by no means imagine that any solid secret could be masked under the disguize of so much Appearance and Publicity The Duke continued his preparations with the same Vigor whilst no body took the least notice or suspicion and the same Indiscretion that was held ruinous to the Enterprize did more advance it than all the caution and circumspection of the Marquis of Bedamar Howbeit the Marquis judged it necessary to hasten the Execution either from a reason of not giving the Venetians leisure to make Reflections or from the hazard to which his person was daily exposed The Venetian Fleet having upon an Expedition offered Battle to the Spaniards which refusing they plundered the Coast of Apulia this success begat so insolent a Joy among the baser people That but for the Protection of the Guards that were sent in his favour they had assassined the Ambassador with his whole Family About the same time he received News from the Camp before Gradisque which Relieved him upon that accident Renault advising him that he found their Spirits so happily disposed that the Negotiation was speedily effected The Ambassador had ordered him to visit Milan before his return where Don Pedro received him with all the Caresses great Men practise for the amusement of such as Sacrifice themselves in their Service They concluded together That it would much Import them to take possession of some Town in the Continent at the same time they should surprize Venice which should be a Bridle on the other Towns serve as a place of Arms to the Spanish Army that should March against them and be a checque to that of the Venetians in Case they should appear for their Relief Renault Travelled through their Towns of chief importance and sojourned some time at Crema in Order to the forming a Faction in that Garrison which he effected and by means of a French Lieutenant named Jean Berard an Italian Captain and an Ensign that was a Provencal one that Don Pedro had already gained These three engaged to receive 500 Spaniards into the Town and without giving the least Jealousy to the Governour who was a Venetian and to conceal them for the space of eight days Renault on serious debate upon the place concluded That with that number of Men the Design was infallible there being nothing to do but to cut the Throats of a miserable Garrison that had been drawn out of the Country-Militia all the Regular Troops of the Republique being either in the Towns in Fryol or upon Service in their Armies The Duke of Ossuna had made the Marquess de Bedamar of Opinion That it would be necessary also to make themselves Masters of some Venetian Port upon the Gulph whereby to render the Vscocks and the Arch-Duke more Serviceable and to be a retreat to the Spanish-Fleet in Case any adverse accident should necessitate them to seek a Port in those Seas after they should be engaged To this purpose they made choice of Maran a strong Town upon an Island confining upon Istria and that had a Port capable to receive a great Fleet. An Italian by name Mazza that had be 〈◊〉 Serjeant-Major there for the space of 40 years and had authority almost equal to the Governors promised the Dukes Emissary in Consideration of a considerable sum of mony and the Command of the Place to kill the Governor upon his first Order and make himself Master of the Place for the Service of the Spaniards This Design was as feasible as to engage in it The Governor who was the Commissary Lorenzo Theophilo lived with him in great familiarity and whereas the charge of Commissary gave him much business upon that Frontier in time of War he confided intirely on the Serjeant-Major touching whatsoever had relation to matters within the Garrison as being the most experienced and able Officer upon the place Affairs being ripened to this Pitch the Ambassador thought it now high time to fall upon finishing his peice not but that more time might give him leisure to add still maturer degrees to the measures he had taken but he also knew That there was nothing so fatal as delay in Affairs of that nature 'T is impossible that all the different means that conspire to the prosperity of an Enterprize should be ascendent in one and the same moment some change their Positions whilst others are preparing and whosoever is once so happy as to be able to unite a sufficient number it is a most capital error not to improve the critical minute of so precious a conjuncture It highly concerned the honour of the Crown of Spain that the Ambassador might not be convicted of having had the least hand in the Enterprize in case it should miscarry in contemplation whereof he resolved to discover himself to none of the Conspirators but Renault and the Captain Nor had these two any Knowledg of each other they never waited on the Ambassador but by his own Order and he was always careful to appoint their Attendance so as to avoid encountering by which had they chanced to be detected it would have been much to his advantage that they had no understanding together Upon this Consideration he could have been well content that they should manage their business apart without the least cognizance each of other as they had hitherto proceeded but upon more deliberate thoughts he became convinced that it was impossible and despairing utterly of success in his Enterprize but by a perfect Union and Friendship between them he resolved to overcome that difficulty how hard soever it appeared Albeit they were both men of Courage and Discretion Renault valued himself principally upon the Conductive part and to have so methodized his business that the Execution was most practicable and the success Infallible The Captain on the other hand being a person of more Youth and Vigour studied especially to appear a Man of great Execution and capable of acquitting him of the highest Resolutions To him the Marquess revealed the several Negotiations of Renault his Experience that furnisht him with Expedients against all accidents his Eloquence and Address in Order to the acquiring new Partizans his skill in Corresp ondence so
at the French Ambassadors and from some accidental Discourses had been between them Renault discovered him to be no less an able Man than fame had rendred him and the Marquis who was glad to purchase a friend of his Character near the Ambassador of France had contracted a strait Intimacy with Renault who though a man extreamly indigent yet preferred Vertue to Riches howbeit could sacrifice his Vertue to his Ambition and whensoever innocent methods should fail him in the pursuit of Glory there were none too ill for his purpose he had learnt out of ancient Authors that most excellent Indifference relating to life and death which is the sure Foundation of an extraordinary Design and ever regretting those celebrated times wherein the merâ— of particular men composed the destiny of States and where such as were possessors thereof never wanted occasions to make out their Title The Marquis of Bedamar that had thoroughly studied him and that was in great want of a Man on whom intirely to confide in the conduct of his Enterprize reveals it at length to him declaring withal he had his eye fixt on him from the very beginning Renault held himself obliged more by that Assurance than from all the praises he could have heaped upon him his years wherein he was advanced kept him steedy to his Engagements the less Time he had to live the less was his Adventure he conceived he could not better employ the few uneasy years he had yet to pass than to hazard them to the making his name Immortal The Marquis of Bedamar gave him Credentials and Bills of Exchange necessary to negotiate with the Hollands Officers and charged him by no means to communicate the Design to them and only to intimate that Affairs being embittered to that degree between the Republick and the House of Austria and the Spanish Ambassador resident at Venice foreseeing a conjuncture that might expose his Person to the rage of the People of that City to secure himself against which he endeavoured to provide himself of a considerable number of trusty resolute Friends This pâ—â—text was thin enough but the least disguize in Affairs of this nature is of great use it imported but little though People suspected Mystery provided the Truth remained still in the dark by this means he hoped to debauch the Flower of the Venetian Land-Army and for the remainder it would be so infeebled that it would be a very easy task for Don Pedro to defeat them in their March in case they should advance in opposition to his design Their Naval Army was indeed what gave greater reason of apprehension they were at all times flesht with the opinion of Conquerors and were easily transported the greatest part of the Soldiery natural Subjects of the State and it was to not be doubted but that upon the first rumor of the Conspiracy they would fly with swiftest diligence towards Venice To expect their defeat from the Spanish Navy was a doubtful point and it had not been Prudent to put to the hazard of a Battel the success of an Enterprize that was otherwise so full of danger It was therefore judged most to the purpose to contrive how to render their fleet uncapable of Service The Ambassador who was not so great a Master in Maritine Affairs as the Vice-King of Naples who at that time commanded the Spanish Armada found it therefore needful to consult him upon that Subject The Viâ—â—-King who was to be a principal Actor in this Tragedy of the Ambassador's was that Duke of Ossuna so famous for his Gallantries a man as enterprizing as either Don Pedro or the Marquis of Bedamar this Conformity of mind had begotten a very strait Intelligence between these three Ministers but neither Don Pedro nor the Duke were the ablest Counsellors the Duke would be sometimes guilty of excursions approaching to extravagance howbeit the high opinion they held of the Marquis de Bedamar contained them within stricter bounds of Prudence than they profest The profits accrewing to those that follow the Trade of Piracy under some fort of powerful Protection had drawn to the Court of the Vice-King of Naples all the renowned Pyrats of the Mediterranean This Vice-King that was fruitful in extraordinary Adventures and in his practice rather profuse than covetous did not protect them so much with regard to the advantages he shared in their Booty as to retain always about him a considerable number of People fit for any Enterprize and not content barely to receive them but whensoever he found a man above the common Level would covet and cherish him by such favours and presents as bound him fast to himself he had treated after this sort a certain Captain by 〈◊〉 Norman and named Jacques Pierre and so excellent in his profession that all others held it their Glory to proceed by his Rules and Example a man whose manners had taken no impression from the barbarity of that course of life who having purchased wherewithal to subsist had resolved to quit it albeit in the Flower of his age and had made choice of the Duke of Savoy's Territory for his retreat who being a Prince taken with every extraordinary Talent and so much an abler Judge from what himself possest of Natures bounty knowing this Corsair to have the repate of one of the bravest Men living vouchsaft him leave to settle himself in Nisa All sorts of Maritine People from Soldiers and Officers to the Seamen that frequented that Coast made their ordinary Court to the Captain his Counsils were their Oracles and he was Sovereign Arbiter of all their Differences and was yet agreater Subject of their Wonder that he could be able to relinquish a profession wherein he was so great a Master and which of all others was so hard to quit of this number was one Vincent Robert de Marseilles who happened to touch in Sicily where the Duke of Ossuna Governed as Vice-Roy was by the kind treatment he received induced to put himself into his Service The Duke having heard that this Robert had been a Comrade of the said Captains would familiarly complain to him that his Friend should prefer the Country of the Duke of Savoy to his Government for his retreat to his complaint he added the highest testimonies of his esteem of the Courage and Experience of that Captain in Sea-matters and finisht his discourse with assurance to spare nothing that in him lay to invite to his Court a Person of so singular merit Robert with great Joy embarkt in this Affair which being managed with so generous advances on the Dukes part the Captain was in the end vanquisht and transported himself with his Wife and Family into Sicily where living constantly entertained with a prospect of the Sea he became daily less Master of his Inclinations to that Element The Vice-Roy had newly built several beautiful Gallions and it happened that a party of Turkish Vessels of great Value being on their Voyage with a very slender