176 THE HISTORY OF DUTCH SEA FISHERIES. 



on the 27th of July, represented the measure as being of a 

 peaceful nature and intended to benefit the Dutch fisher- 

 men by the protection of England against their enemies, 

 the Dunkirk privateers. But at the same time twelve 

 British ships of war sailed from the Downs to the Dutch 

 herring fleet's fishing grounds ; and though most of the 

 fleet had already left, the rest were made to take the 

 license and pay the recognition demanded of them, which 

 indeed amounted to but two shillings per last for the year, 

 and was paid by the fishermen without hesitation. The 

 British Admiral, the Earl of Northumberland, nevertheless 

 took the commander of a Dutch convoying vessel prisoner, 

 and the Dutch Ambassador Joachimi, sent in haste to 

 England in order to obtain redress, was met with a more 

 than ever decided assertion of the king's right to exact last- 

 money from any who should fish in the alleged British seas. 

 The Dutch fishermen's readiness to pay the amount 

 demanded of them had, as Joachimi observed to the States, 

 greatly compromised matters. 



Dutch fishermen complained loudly to the States of the 

 proceedings in which some of them had acquiesced readily 

 enough ; and in August, 1636, a fleet of fifty-seven Dutch 

 ships of war sailed under admiral van Dorp, with instructions 

 to give the herring busses efficient protection, " against the 

 Spaniards and all others inclined to molest them" Van 

 Dorp was late at his rendezvous, where he found a British 

 squadron had already arrived, and levied the tax from 

 most of the Dutch fishing vessels ; and having no orders 

 how to act in such a case, his presence was useless, and 

 his position awkward. The admirals of both nations, having 

 met in presence of the Dutch herring fleet, reciprocally 

 asked each other why they were there ? and each answered, 

 " to protect the fishermen." Both squadrons soon after- 



