88 THE SOVEREIGNTY OF THE SEA 



foreign fishermen. They were rather directed, on the one hand, 

 to increase the consumption of fish by restoring the strict ob- 

 servance of Lent and fish-days, and, on the other hand, to 

 check the importation of fish caught by foreigners. In this 

 way it was hoped that the native fisheries would be stimulated 

 to supply at least the home markets. As early as 1541 a year 

 or two after the suppression of the monasteries an Act was 

 passed which apparently indicates that the decline in the 

 fisheries had already set in, and that it was customary for the 

 English people to purchase fish from foreigners rather than 

 catch them for themselves. Heavy penalties were imposed on 

 any person who should bring into the realm for sale fresh fish 

 (except sturgeon, porpoise, and seal, which were then included 

 in the term) which they had purchased from strangers in 

 Flanders, Zealand, Picardy, France, or elsewhere beyond the 

 sea, " or upon the sea between shore and shore " ; but the buy- 

 ing of fish at Iceland, Scotland, Orkney, Shetland, Ireland, or 

 Newfoundland to all which places English vessels went was 

 not prohibited. 1 This statute was re-enacted four years later, 

 and again by Edward VI. and Queen Mary. 2 In the reign of 

 Elizabeth a number of similar statutes were made, with the 

 object of favouring the native fishermen in their competition 

 with foreigners. 



About the same time as the first Act of Henry was passed 

 we begin to get evidence of laxity in the observance of Lent 

 and of measures taken to deal with it. Many persons, includ- 

 ing noblemen, were brought before the Privy Council charged 

 with having eaten flesh in Lent, and were committed to the 

 Fleet. The mayor and aldermen of London were commanded 

 to make inquisition throughout all the wards of the city as to 

 the households in which flesh was used in Lent, and the 

 butchers were required to furnish information as to the quan- 

 tity of flesh sold by them, and to whom, in the same period. 3 

 This activity of the Privy Council foreshadowed the new policy 

 of the " political lent " which was inaugurated a few years later 

 in the reign of Edward VI., and with which the name of Cecil 



1 33 Hen. VIII., c. 2. 



2 37 Hen. VIII., c. 23 ; 5 & 6 Edw. VI., c. 17 ; 7 Edw. VI., c. 11 ; 1 Mary, 

 st. 2, c. 13. 



3 Acts of the Privy Council of England, i. 103, 104, 106, 112, 114, an. 1543. 



