A DECLARATION AND NARRATIVE Of the Proceed of the Parliament of ENGLAND, touching the Message and Letters of Credence, sent from the Estates General of the United Provinces; and presented to the Parliament by the Lord Ambassador Cats; With his Lordship's Speech delivered at the same time; And a translate of the State's Message into English; presented to Mr. Speaker by the Lord Ambassador Schaep; and read in the House: With the Parliaments Answer, Declaration, Votes, and Order, concerning the same.  
Published by Authority.   Anglo-Irish blazon or coat of arms 
Imprinted at London, for G. Horton, 1651.   

A DECLARATION AND NARRATIVE Of the Proceed of the Parliament of ENGLAND, touching the Letters of Credence, sent from the Estates General of the United Provinces; And delivered to the Parliament by the Lord Ambassador CATS.  
THe Parliament of England having received advertisements from Mr. Speaker, touching his receipt of a Letter from the Lords Ambassadors Extraordinary of the State's General of the United Provinces of the Low Countries, with a Copy of their Letters of Credence therein enclosed, which were both on the 18 of this Month read in the House; and after some debate thereupon, it was ordered, that they should have audience the next day: And that Sir Oliver Fleming Knight, Master of the Ceremonies, should attend them with the Vote of the Parliament touching the time of giving their Lordship's audience; And that the Sergeant at Arms attending the Parliament, shall take care for providing necessaries for fitting the House for giving audience to them.  
The next day, being the 19 instant, the House being informed by the Sergeant at Arms, That the Lords Ambassadors from the high and mighty Lords, the Lords, the Estates General of the United Provinces, were ready, and did attend to present themselves to the Parliament; It was further ordered, That the Sergeant, with the Mace, should attend them to the House; who coming forth, and presenting himself before them, with a salute, said;  
MY LORDS,  
I Have acquainted the Parliament with your present and immediate residence; and by them have received Order and command, to attend you personally to the House.  
And according he attended them with the Golden Mace on his shoulder, who no sooner were entered the House, but they uncovered themselves; and when they were come as far as the Bar, Mr. Speaker, and the Members uncovered their heads, and stood up; the Master of the Ceremonies, and the Sergeant attended the Lords Ambassadors, the one on the right hand, and the other on the left, until they came to the Chairs appointed for them, which were placed in the North side of the House upon a Turkey Carpet.  

The Ambassadors names were,  
James Catz Knight, Lord of Walpen, Keeper of the Great Seal, and Lieutenant of the Fees of the Lords, the States of Holland, and West-Friezland.  
Gerard Schaep Esquire, Councillor and late Alderman of the City of Amsterdam, and from the aforesaid Lords, the States of Holland and West-Frieziand, etc. And Paulus Vand Peire, counsellor of the city of Middelburgh.   
The Lord Ambassadors being sat (the L. Cats in the middle chair, the Lord Schaep on his right hand, and the Lord Paulus on the left) and having by the hands of the Master of the ceremonies, presented unto Mr. Speaker their Letters of credence: the Lord Cats did in an eloquent Oration (in the Latin tongue) declare, That it was the ardent affection and desire of the high and mighty Lords, the Estates General of the United Provinces, to continue a right understanding, and firm league of Amity and Union with the commonwealth of England; and likewise to assist each other, both in an offensive and defensive War, against any common Enemy whatsoever; to the end, That peace and prosperity may crown the future Endeavours of both Estates, and a blessing attend them in their present Designs and consultations. The Lord Cats having ended his Speech, the Lord Emb. Schaep presented unto Mr. Speaker a paper, containing (in writing) what was spoken by the Lord Ambassador Cats; to which Mr. Speaker returned this Answer,  
MY LORDS,  
I Shall according to the course of the Parliament of England, make reports unto Them of what your Lordships have now delivered.  
And thereupon the Ambassadors, after several interchanges of ceremonies, withdrew; Sir Oliver Fleming (Master of the ceremonies) and the Sergeant of Arms, attended them to the court of Wards; And being withdrawn, the letters of credence were read in the House; wherein many passages, tending to Peace, Unity, and preservation of free traffic and commerce, were debated; but the further result thereof was referred till Wednesday the 24 instant: At which time, Mr. Speaker (according to Order) made a report of the whole Embassy to the House; who insisted upon certain branches, tending to peace and unity, and mutual correspondency, etc. And after some time spent in debate thereof, declared a great willingness for a firm league and union, so far as it may extend to the honour and happiness of the commonwealth of England; but withal, an account and satisfaction is to be given for sundry great and unparallelled wrongs done to the English; I shall only instance one; to wit, that of Amboyna, where divers English Merchants, and others; were most barbarously murdered by the Dutchmen (by the subtle Engine of a pretended plot) who protested their innocency to the last hour and minute.  
The Swedish Ambassador hath likewise had audience, and his letters read, which tend to a general and lasting peace: This was well rescented, and the House declared a free condescension thereunto.  
FINIS.