44 WHALE-FISHEEY. 



the proceeding in a liglit so equivocal, at the same 

 time that the claim of the memorialists relative to 

 their right to participate in the fishery, was so 

 equitahle, and their arguments of the unhounded 

 and natural freedom of the seas, so appropriate, 

 that the States-General of Friesland were induced 

 to giant a charter to a company formed in that 

 province, which endowed them for twenty years with 

 similar privileges, as those of the other companies of 

 Hollaud* 



When, on the strength of this charter, the Fries- 

 landers, in the year 1634, had prepared tliree ships 

 for the fishery,, to prevent disturbance, and to secure 

 themselves against future litigation, they perceived 

 a necessity for procuring the sanction of the Zealand 

 and Amsterdam Companies, to their right to parti- 

 cipation. The States-General of Holland having, at 

 their request, given a verbal acknowledgment to their 

 charter, the tvv'o ancient companies gave instructions 

 to the commanders of their ships to respect it also. 

 To prevent also, as far as practicable, the possibility 

 of unpleasant consequences, arising from the inter- 



* This period of time, it seems, was reduced to eight yecirs, on 

 the union of the Frieslanders with the other fishing companies 

 of Holland ; so that the freedom of the fishery, for every one, 

 was declared at their expiration in 1 641,-2. Beschryvinjj 

 •ler Walvisvangst, vol. i. p. 10,-12. 



