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A Resolution given to the Commander of the English Republique Fleet lying upon our Streams: Letter E.
WHereas we understand by a Letter written from the Com∣mander of the English Esquadron, delivered us the 23. of Sept. late at night, that he was sent hither by the Councel of State of the Republique of England, with 18 Ships of War to convey all the English Ships that now have layn here a long time, and there∣fore desireth to know if he might have liberty to come up with his Fleet to fetch them, or that an Order might pass for their safe∣guarding down to his Fleet; whereunto our gracious Resolution is, That as it was altogether unexpected of us that such a mighty Fleet without warning, much less permission, or Letter unto us from their Principals, should come into our Streams in sight of our Castles; so have we neither let nor given occasion that the English Ships now lying in the Haven should retire hither; but they them∣selves by supplication to our Stateholder have sought it, and them∣selves hitherto in safety preserved, since which a Fleet of the States General Ships are come hither to watch for those and other Ships, desiring to have taken them, if they had not here had their retreat; and seeing they could not complain of any thing further to have happened to them all the while they have been kept here, so had we much less expected that we upon such a gracious protection should be desired to do that which might infest our Streams, and occasion to our Highness the greatest despect, and in our own Land the greatest unsafety and danger, we had well expected that the English and Hollanders Fleets, as long as we gave them no cause, should not against our Highness upon our Streams oversee them∣selves; but if so many Ships came to be disputed for between them as now lieth here, it is to be feared we our selves should be blamed for giving them cause to lose that respect, and to keep our Fleet here upon the Streams would give us cause to do that which would be pleasing to none of our Friends: wherefore to avoyd such mis∣chief as might follow, we thought it not good those Ships lying here in our Haven secured, should be put out to become matter for