THE HISTORY OF DUTCH SEA FISHERIES. 137 



all the North Sea, was perhaps the one most exposed to 

 every naval foe, orders for ships to convoy the " Doggers ' : 

 are numerous throughout the Republic's history. There is, 

 however, another circumstance to account for the extra- 

 ordinary liberality with which they had convoy doled out 

 to them, viz. the fact that fishery on the Dogger bank took 

 place at a season when both herring and whale fishery stood 

 still ; whence it was possible for Holland, on Jan. 3Oth, 1597, 

 to order the Admiralty Board of Rotterdam to send out 

 the whole oi their available vessels for the " Doggervaarders ' : 

 convoy. 



In spite of Government protection, cod-fishery seems to 

 have been subject to severe losses by war, for a contract 

 for their mutual insurance against damage by sea or foemen 

 was passed in 1622 between the shipowners of the towns 

 on the Maas concerned in the business, and ratified by the 

 States of Holland in 1623, under their charter or " octroy." 

 I have not found any positive information as to the contents 

 of this document, which appears somehow to have been 

 prejudicial to the steersmen's real or presumed private 

 interest. The latter in the autumn of 1623 twice interfered 

 with the publication of the Octroy (which took place, as 

 usual, by cry, and by the posting of handbills), and got up 

 a serious riot at Maassluis, whither soldiers had to be sent 

 in order to maintain the peace. The matter was even of 

 sufficient importance for a deputation from the Court of 

 Holland to be sent to Maassluis with instructions to pacify 

 the mutinous seamen, and the men of the law effected this 

 object by putting a new interpretation upon the charter, in 

 virtue of which "the pennies of the second word were to be 

 left among the steersmen to the end of the fishing season, 

 and then to be restored to the partners, if no damage had 



E. 8. L 



