THE HISTORY OF DUTCH SEA FISHERIES. 167 



world by their declaration of independence of the 

 Spanish dominion (1581), but entered upon a career of 

 matchless prosperity, in spite at first of the most disastrous 

 circumstances. Even while involved in the long and 

 destructive war, which long before its end brought about the 

 avowal and consecration of their independence by their 

 late sovereign, their unfettered energies, spurred by self- 

 given freedom, were strenuously directed towards economi- 

 cal progress, and their fisheries began to increase rapidly. 

 A new State had sprung up in Europe, and \vas at once 

 counted with and envied. Such rivalry as had from times 

 immemorial existed between the British and Dutch fisher- 

 men, grew with the young Republic, and from the very 

 beginning of its existence took the shape of an animosity 

 between it and the British Empire, which centred in long- 

 rankling disputes about the freedom or dominion of the 

 North Sea. 



Robert Hitchcock's extremely curious plan for the 

 organization of British fisheries, which appeared in 1580,* 

 is the first document in which this rivalry is tacitly avowed. 

 The author proposes British herring-boats to be rigged on 

 the pattern of " Flemishe Busses " and the fish caught by 

 them to be cured in the Flemish manner (Beukelstfs). 

 The competition of the Dutch herring fleet, then evaluated 

 by Selden at four or five hundred sails, was considered by 



: A Pollitique Platt for the honour of the Prince, the great Profit of the 

 Publique State, relief of the poore, preservation of the riche, reformation 

 of the Roges and Idle persones, and the wealthe of thousandes that 

 knowes not how to live. Written for a New Yeres gifte to Englande 

 and the inhabitantes thereof.'' It appears that there is now but one 

 copy extant of this pamphlet, preserved in the British Museum. The 

 author of these pages quotes it from Mr. Muller, who in his above- 

 quoted work, ' Mare Clausum] quotes it from extracts transmitted by 

 a friend. 



