94 THE SOVEREIGNTY OF THE SEA 



a few years later with respect to fish caught in their own 

 vessels " with cross-sails." l On the other hand, it was claimed 

 that the Act had done good. The coast people of Norfolk and 

 Suffolk informed the Council in 1568 that it had increased the 

 trade in fish in these counties ; and as the Act had been passed 

 for four years only and continued at the Queen's pleasure, they 

 petitioned that it should be renewed, and that provision should 

 be made to put a stop to the importation by strangers of cod 

 and ling in bulk, which were dried and sold under the name of 

 Iceland fish, to the detriment of those engaged in the Iceland 

 fishery, and also to ensure that fish-days should be better 

 observed. 2 In the same year the Council instructed the 

 magistrates of London, Hull, and Southampton, and the 

 justices of various shires, to commit to jail any persons 

 fraudulently dealing with foreign imported cod and ling as 

 Iceland fish ; 3 and three years later another Act was passed, 

 giving effect to the wishes of the fishermen, and continuing the 

 former Act for other six years. 4 It contained a new provision 

 showing that complaints had been made about the vessels, some 

 of them foreign, which came " pretending " to buy fresh herrings 

 on the coast of Norfolk. To avoid " lewd outrages " by these 

 " catches, mongers, and Picardes," in cutting and damaging the 

 drift-nets of the fishermen, they were prohibited from anchor- 

 ing between sunset and sunrise during the fishing season 

 in the places where the boats were accustomed to fish. 



Up to about this time no complaint seems to have been 

 made against the foreign fishermen either by English fishermen 

 or by statesmen or writers. The men from the Low Countries 

 appear to have pursued their occupation in peace side by side 

 with the Englishmen. But in 1570 the first note was heard of 

 what became later almost a continuous lamentation. A petition 

 was presented to the Privy Council asking that "letters" 

 should be sent to Zealand and Holland, or ships of war de- 

 spatched to protect the English fishermen from the evil doings 

 of the Low Countrymen. "Otherwise," the petitioners said, 

 "" both wee and all others that entend fysshing in all partes of 



1 13 Eliz., c. 11. 2 State Papers, Dom., Eliz., xlviii. 83. 



3 Hatfield MSS., i. 1177, 27th June 1568. 



4 13 Eliz., c. 11. In the preamble it is said the former Act " is a very good Act, 

 And greatly increased the navy and fishermen. " 



