Report to the Right honourable the master of the rolls upon the documents in the archives and public libraries of Venice / by Thomas Duffus Hardy.
- Thomas Duffus Hardy
- Date:
- 1866
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Report to the Right honourable the master of the rolls upon the documents in the archives and public libraries of Venice / by Thomas Duffus Hardy. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University.
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![him, at least as a loan for some years, as they are enjoying a most pros- perous peace. As for the rest I will write nothing more about the favour which the King shows me by invitations to his suppers, it is now a matter of course, and I can say without vanity that if they do not see me at the Court, they seek me in every direction. On the two penultimate evenings the ambassadress Trono [born Chiara Grimani] was likewise present always in the last place below the other ladies. I observed with regret that her manners were unsuited to her station and to the habitation in which she found herself, and I said to myself either that the Venetian ambassadors at the Court of England must come without their wives, or that these last must be women who comprehend their position, and who will not easily cede that ground to which they are entitled and which they are bound to maintain. I am very sure that your Excellency will keep this paragraph secret as usual. The ambassador [Trono] never appears at Court, save to pay his respects to the King on Sunday mornings, and after making his bow departs immediately. He shuns every opportunity of conversing with the minis- ters ; but I see him intent upon collecting news ; for every post day he goes abroad and returns home very late, I do not know whether with his despatch written or to write, but I do know that he has sometimes de- spatched an estafette to overtake the courier who had already departed. For the moment there is certainly nothing to excite much curiosity, although the House of Commons has impeached Bolingbroke and Oxford but the bill has not yet been carried up to the Lords. On Monday his Majesty reviewed the Foot Guards, and an immense- crowd greeted him with incredible acclamations, the like of which are said never to have been heard, the people kissing both his hands and feet. Not only from this, but also from many other proofs, the King himself infers that the people of London are very good hearted, but that the preachers,* who are corrupt and disturbers of the public quiet, are no less opposed to him. It is asserted that their sermons caused the late rising in Yorkshire, on which occasion the Pretender was proclaimed, his health being drunk, and all persons of the contrary party forcibly expelled, so that the Lord Lieutenant demanded troops which will be sent to him. As I flatter myself that his Serenity [Doge Giovanni Cornaro] will see my public letters, I will not trouble him with private advices, but beseech your Excellency when paying him your respects to present likewise rny most humble service. I do not send the tribunal any news, but transmit a number of articles concerning which, as their Excellencies are not authorized to decide, they must communicate them to the Senate. Should the party of the Ambas- sador Trono thwart the resolves, as I anticipate, my stay here will be useless and most burdensome to me, and private interests will prevent un- serving the country; so unless the King cross over to Germany where my hands would be more free, and where I should not injure any one, I must endeavour .... Having heard that the Dutch are about to disband a whole corps of veterans, I commenced negotiations to see whether they (the Dutch l would cede them to the Republic ; for the present, I write nothing about this to the Tribunal, but hope to do so by the next post. I dined yesterday with M. de Bothmar ; I found him the same affection- ate friend that he was of yore, and the good servant of your Excellency, to whom he recommended himself heartily, and drank to your precious health. After binding me to the strictest secrecy that the King may know nothing about it, this minister besought me to propose for the Republic's service the General his brother; I know him well, he has the same manners as the minister; he served with distinction throughout the war in Flanders, and the Duke of Marlborough will at any time give him the highest testimonials. He is, in fact, oniy major-general, but would * Ma ]o haiuio altrettanto perverso i prerUcanti, seduttori e perturbatori dclla publics .(iiiete. Si vuole clie eia un efl'etto delle loro precliche la sollcvaaione scandatosa nella contea di Yorok, &c. &c.](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21021284_0109.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
