In July 1597, the Privy Council instructed Henry Billingsley, Lord Mayor of London, to arrange housing for a Polish diplomat, who would negotiate the terms of the Baltic trade. To ensure Elizabeth would not find fault with the preparations, the Lord Mayor was to report the arrangements made. On July 23, Paweł Działyński (recorded as Paul Dzialynski or Paul De Jaline in English historiography) arrived in London and was accommodated at the house of Sir John Spencer. On July 25, Działyński was granted an audience at the palace in Greenwich. Brought to the reception hall, he found Elizabeth under the canopy of state with many of her nobles and councillors in attendance. As described by Robert Cecil, 1st Earl of Salisbury, the ambassador out of Poland at first seemed to be "a gentleman of excellent fashion, wit, discourse, language, and person...dressed in a long black velvet robe, well-jewelled and buttoned." He presented his credentials, and kissed the Queen's hand extended to him―a gesture of royal favour, then strode to the centre of the chamber and, as outlined by Cecil, "began his oration aloud in Latin, with such a gallant countenance as in my life I never beheld."