To return to our principal matter: you have already been informed how the Count di Cajazzo, and the other ambassadors, took their leave of the king at Paris; how several secret negotiations were carried on in Italy; and how the heart of our king (though he was very young) was strangely bent upon this expedition; which, however, he discovered to none but the two persons[258] above-mentioned. His request to the Venetians was that they would give him their assistance and counsel in his expedition; and they returned this answer: That he should be very welcome in Italy, but that they were wholly incapable of assisting him, upon account of their continual apprehensions of the Turk[259] (though at that time they were at peace with him); and to undertake to advise so wise a king, who had so grave a council, would savour of too much presumption on their part; but they would rather assist than disturb him in his designs. This they believed a very discreet answer, and truly so it was; and I am of opinion that their affairs are managed with more prudence and discretion at this day, than the affairs of any other princes or states in the world: but God will still have us know, that the wisdom and policy of man is of no avail where He pleases to interpose; for He orders things many times quite otherwise than were expected. The Venetians did not imagine that the king would come in person, and (whatever they pretended) they had no apprehension of the Turk; for the Turk who then reigned was a man of no courage nor activity. But their design was to be revenged upon the House of Arragon, both father and son, for whom they had a mortal hatred, because (as they said) it was at their instigation that the Turk fell upon them at Scutari.[260] I mean the father of this present Turk, called Mahomet Ottoman, who conquered Constantinople, and did abundance of mischief besides to the Venetians. They had several complaints also against Alphonso, Duke of Calabria, and, among the rest, they said that he had been the occasion of the war which the Duke of Ferrara had made upon them, which was very expensive, and had like to have proved their ruin. They complained also that he had sent a man to Venice, expressly to poison their cisterns, at least such as he could come at; for some are kept under lock and key. In that city they use no other water (for they are wholly surrounded by the sea); but that water is very good, and I drank of it eight months together, in my first embassy thither (for I have been there once since). But these were not the true reasons of their animosity to the House of Arragon; the real occasion was, because the father and son restrained them, and kept them from extending their conquests both in Italy and Greece; for their eyes were upon them on every side, and yet, without any title or pretence, they had lately subdued the kingdom of Cyprus.[261] Upon these considerations the Venetians thought it would be highly for their advantage if a war should