THE HISTORY OF DUTCH SEA FISHERIES. 59 



Holland dated December 2Oth, 1625*, which indeed 

 constitutes the College a supreme court of justice in 

 fishery matters, with very extensive attributions. All mis- 

 demeanours of the seamen and officers in the convoying 

 vessels, who it will be remembered were in the country's 

 service and under oath to the States, were by this Act 

 attributed to the College of the Fisheries' Deputies and 

 expressly withdrawn from the ordinary military courts for 

 naval matters, i.e., the Admiralty Boards. Proceedings 

 against convoying commanders guilty of "shameful 

 running away out of the sea," and " omitting all devoir 

 against the enemy," as well as common breach of discipline 

 cases, were at the time now treated of committed to the 

 college's jurisdiction. Their sentences were decisive and 

 without appeal. Like all other fishing laws, the statute in 

 question was enacted upon the college's own presentation, 

 or rather was enacted by them and ratified by the States 

 of Holland. 



" Devoir ' was indeed required from both convoying 

 men-of-war and fishing vessels at the time when the college 

 was thus qualified to enforce it ; for in no period of the 

 republic's naval history did the Dunkirkers cause as much 

 prejudice to the fishing interest. In 1625 the town of 

 Enkhuizen alone is reported to have lost a hundred busses 

 to them.t Naval battles in forma were fought between 

 them and the herring fleet and conveyers ; and numerous 

 instances of busses being taken by ten together, and 

 convoying ships overcome by "the enemy," are balanced 

 by accounts of the latter having lost both ships and men.| 



* Res. Holland, 1625, p. 604. Recueilv. d. Lely, p. 8. 

 f Gevers Deynoot de magno sive halecum piscatu Belgico, p. 41. 

 \ Res. Holland, 1627, pp. 240, 248, 252, and many others in the next 

 years. 



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