THE HISTORY OF DUTCH SEA FISHERIES. 175 



"placard" against violence to the Scotch was renewed 

 twice in this period of quiet, in satisfaction to British 

 complaints. 



Charles I.'s politics involved the strengthening of Eng- 

 land's navy and the most strenuous measures to uplift 

 her fisheries. The establishment of an Act on herring 

 fishery, on the pattern of the Dutch laws upon the subject, 

 and the chartering of a company for the herring fishery in 

 1632, are decisive instances of this tendency. But as yet 

 the competition of Dutch herring fishermen, whose trade at 

 the time had obtained immense development, was a serious 

 obstacle to its progress in England, and the company 

 founded there had but a short duration, and nothing like 

 success. 



It was not in Charles I.'s character to suffer this state of 

 things for a long time. Selden's work on " Mare clausum," 

 intended as a refutation of Grotius' " Mare liberum," was 

 published in December, 1635, by the king's express order. 

 The work instantly received general attention, the more so 

 because, being dedicated to the king and approved by 

 Council, it bore a semi-official character. Holland, where 

 Selden's work was very soon reprinted, very soon also was 

 visited with its effects. On April 5th, 1636, the king 

 notified to the Dutch Ambassador his intention to subject 

 all fishing in the alleged British seas to his royal license 

 and recognizance in the shape of a special tax ; and not- 

 withstanding the States' immediate protest, a proclamation 

 renewing the one issued by James L, and drawn in high- 

 sounding terms, was issued on May 3Oth, 1636.* The king, 

 indeed, in an audience granted to the Dutch Ambassador 



* This proclamation is printed as an appendix to Mr. Midler's 

 work before-quoted, and translated in Aitzema's Matters of State and 

 ^ ii. p. 306. 



