THE PROPOSITIONS Of their Excellencies THE ambassadors OF The High and Mighty state's general of the united Provinces, in the NETHERLANDS.  
Delivered by them, by word of mouth, in both Houses of the Parliament of England, the 22/12. of July, 1644  
The Translation in English, delivered to both Houses, was subscribed.  
W. Borell. John reed de Renswoude. Alb. joachimi.  
LONDON, Printed by T. Badger, 1644.   

RIGHT honourable LORDS, AND COMMONS.  
FRom the very beginning of the restauration of the Liberty of the republic of the united Provinces of the Netherlands, The High and Mighty Lords, our Lords, the state's general, their chiefest wishes and desires have ever been to see, that the Kings of great Britain, and these kingdoms might be perpetually maintained, and preserved in a good concord, Peace and union, by which nothing could befall them but all safety, and advantage, and that for three principal reasons.  
First, that these kingdoms, being the greatest & the strongest Body, which having received and maintained the Profession of the true Christian Protestant Religion, and concerving itself so well, it might also contribute much, yea by Fame and reputation itself, to the conservation of States, Confederates and Friends, and of all the other Protestant Churches, established and spread through whole Europe.  
Secondly, that these kingdoms, by their situation, commodities, traffic, and Navigation, and their republic, being so nearly combined by their common Interest of State, and Religion, our Lords might rest assured, that the Interest of the King, and these kingdoms, being so mightily advanced, and conserved by the same means, those of the Netherlands could not be but well conserved.  
And thirdly, that this intestive Peace, union and Concord, (which Prosperity and weal ordinarily accompanieth) continuing here, that not only the Kings and kingdoms should be able to maintain, and preserve themselves; but that the States Confederate, and Friends, or the good Cause of the Protestant Religion, in other parts unjustly suffering; (as formerly it hath been, and yet this day is too much perceived) they might ever find their refuge & asylum, their Succours & their aid against all those, who on the contrary part of other States and Churches, should undertake to undermine the true Foundation of the happiness of these flourishing kingdoms.  
For your situation being well considered, you are in yourselves as a World a part, separated from many inconveniences of the other.  
You have your Commodities at home, not only which are necessary, and for your pleasure and delight, but also in such plenty that you are able to communicate them to other Nations your Neighbours.  
The Sea doth serve you for a ditch and bulwark, and your Power by Sea is able to maintain you in your felicity, and to exempt and free you from all foreign injuries.  
So that the good of your own conservation, and the cause of your evil and ruin, could not be suscitated, nor found elsewhere but at home, and within yourselves.  
And certainly the Kings and Queens formerly have done notable asistances for the maintenance and conservation of the true Religion, and of many States which had need thereof, amongst which Our LORDS do profess themselves as much obliged and bound, as any other.  
And the King and these kingdoms shall yet in time be able to do the like assistance, as well for the present, (now there is so great a necessity) as for the future, provided you conserve yourselves in that Concord and union, which heretofore hath made, and shall ever make you mighty and redoubted.  
From hence it is, that the common Enemies of the Peace of Christendom, and their Agents, who (long since) have framed and forged the design of an universal Monarchy of whole Europe, yea of the whole World, seeing and perceiving with an envious and malicious eye your former happiness, your flourishing State, and your power, and that there was nothing so contrary and dreadful to their vast conceptions, as your oppositions.  
To hurt and weaken, yea to ruin you, if they had been able, they have heretofore used all violence, and the strength of great Fleets and Armies, but in vain and without success.  
They have at last not been able to act a better play, then that which is most familiar to them, and which often hath helped them, to the ruin of many great States, which have not been so circumspect and prudent as you are:  
Right Honourable,  
It is so, that quitting violence in a profound peace, which they have with you, and during the time of the same, they have sown amongst you the seeds and weeds of Discord and dissension, as well in politic as Church businesses, and shall ever foment them: whence they could assure themselves of a certain profit, what end soever the said dissensions might take.  
And by these means and their accustomed craft, they have proposed to obtain by intestine troubles, you should weaken yourselves, and making you less mighty, and less dreadful, and no ways considerable, you might serve at last, (which God avert) to the inglutting of their insatiable ambition, to the destruction of the true Religion, and of all that which may be dear and recommendable to you.  
As we see already brought to pass in Ireland where the cruelties, murders, horrible and unheard of slaughters have been perpetrated, with effusion of so much innocent blood, to the total destruction of the true Protestant religion there, and to the great danger of the State itself.  
Our Lords seeing these misunderstandings, troubles, and miseries here already grown to so great an extremity: and being so highly interessed in your well being, have esteemed fit and timely to send us their Ambassadors to this kingdom, to offer to the King and to his Parliament Our Service and mediation.  
To help (if acceptale) to remove and take away the jealousies which are and might be, and to compose the dissensions by the mild ways for an amiable Conference.  
And our said Lords declare, that they have not been moved hereunto by any presumption, or to intrude themselves in the business of a great King, and of these mighty kingdoms: But only to acquit themselves of the Office and Duty of a good friend, and also to acknowledge in this occasion the great obligation which the King, and these kingdoms have upon our republic.  
Our Lords further do persuade themselves that no other State in the world, but theirs shall be found more fit and acceptable, (in than opinion) to interpose itself in the meditation of an accommodation, and reunion between his Majesty and his Parliament, and to whose interposition more credit might be given without all susption: For the honour, greatness and prosperity of the King and these kingdoms, is by reflection the same for our republic; and on the contrary your evil is to us a very great affliction, and a most sensible evil.  
From thence may be taken this firm assurance, that the aim of our mediation shall not be to recommend an accommodation, and reconciliation feigned and painted without, not prejudicial, and not assured within. But to procure a true reunion, sincere and perfect, founded upon the Basis of the true Religion and justice, which shall re-establish respectively the good correspondence, confidence, love, and the respects between the King and his Parliament, and between all the good subjects of these great kingdoms.  
The King hath so much approved of the reasons and proffers of our said Lords, that his Majesty hath accepted on his part Our Interposition, and hath consented to a Conference between Commissioners to be sent from both parties, (if you find it good) and that you shall choose the place, the time, and the number of the persons who shall be employed in this action.  
Right Honourable,  
Now we come unto you by command of Our superiors to make the same proffer of mediation, and to understand whether also it may be agreeable and acceptable unto you.  
We have always observed that your good inclinations have been carried to peace, if you receive satisfaction to your just and reasonable demands.  
Your wisdoms also may well judge, that the ways of arms are no always the surest, their successes being very uncertain, and which changeth face in a moment.  
The good Cause which is proposed, doth not always promise an assured and certain success, for we are all men, and God sometimes permits the good Cause to suffer for our sins.  
All war is an affliction and punishment of God, in which we are not to take del●ght, when we can be freed of it, upon honest and sure terms and conditions, that the wrath of God be not longer provoked against us.  
It is to be considered also, if no reasonable accommodation be found that the decision of your differences by arms is not to be expected so soon; but rather on the contrary, that it shall be the cause of perpetuating the wars in these kingdoms, because the King shall ever live in his royal Posterity, and the Parliament never dies to suscitate always the former evil successes by new wars, which at length shall cause the total ruin and destruction of State and Religion, only to the great advantage of the common enemy of our Faith.  
Right Honourable,  
If it please you to make use of our intercession, unto which the King consented at our first Proposition and offer, we promise you to proceed and labour in it with all sincerity and fidelity, as Ambassadors sent by your best friends and allies, making profession of one and the same Religion.  
And we shall spare no endeavour, travail, nor pain (by the good will which his Majesty hath declared to us, and by your good intention) to make the affections of our Lords succeed to such perfection, that the King and his Parliament, and all good and loyal Subjects of the King, and lovers of their Country, shall find their desired contentment and tranquillity with all assurance.  
Right Honourable,  
We must yet add these few words, that your troubles and wars, trouble and endanger us also: for many Merchants and Masters of Ships daily present themselves to Our Lords the state's general, and to us here, with their complaints, that your men and ships of war trouble their course of trading and traffic, and take their ships and goods without any just cause, and without reason, and any right at all, as may be seen by a Memorandum hereunto anneed, which you are desired to take notice of, and to give order for restitution and reparation of the damages sustained for the present, and to take such course that in the future the like excesses may be prevented.  
And if any doubts be found in the said Memorandum, that it may please you to appoint us some Commissioners to settle the points of which we are complaining, as shall be found to agree with reason.  
FINIS.