144 



THE SOVEREIGNTY OF THE SEA 



some events occurred which favoured the plans, if not of 

 the London merchants, at least of those who were preaching 

 hostility to the Dutch. A chorus of complaints came from 

 Scotland and England as to the encroachments of the Hol- 

 landers near the shore on the east coast, not only interfering 

 with the operations of the native fishermen, but breaking up 

 and scattering the shoals of herrings. Whereas they had been 

 prescribed " in ancient times " in Scotland from fishing nearer 

 the land than they might see the shore from the main-tops of 

 their vessels, they now came as near as they pleased, and 

 would not suffer any others, whether subjects or strangers, to 

 fish within the bounds of their fleet, which, it was said, extended 

 over a space " at least forty Scottish miles in length and twenty 

 broad," thus "breaking and killing" the shoals before they 

 could reach the mainland. They were also accused of drawing 

 "the great fish" (by which was meant cod, saithe, &c.) from 

 the grounds along the shore, by casting into the sea the guts 

 of the herrings they cured on board their busses. By reason 

 of all this the Scottish fishermen, who used to get abundant 

 supplies at "yair awn dooris" to supply the whole country, 

 were now scarcely able, with great pains, to supply their own 

 families, and there was in consequence a general clamour in 

 the country, the people affirming that " the Hollanderis fishes 

 the meait out of thir mouthis." The evil was felt all the more 

 by the Scottish fishermen because they paid three "assizes" 

 every year for their several fishings, each consisting of 1000 

 herrings, while the Hollanders paid nothing. 1 



Early in 1609 the fishermen of the Cinque Ports, who fre- 

 quented the Yarmouth fishing in large numbers, sent a petition 

 to the king, in which they recited their grievances. They 

 alleged that the laws prohibiting the purchase from foreigners 

 of fish unless sufficiently salted and casked (laws which, they 

 pointed out, had done great good in the past, and had increased 

 shipping and mariners) were not properly enforced. This com- 

 plaint was aimed against the Dutch, who sold large quantities 

 of fresh herrings at Yarmouth, and supplied London and other 

 towns with fresh cod. They also complained that fishermen 

 from the Low Countries, with a few from France, came before 

 the fishing season and " preoccupied and environed " the best 

 1 State Papers, Dom., xxxii. 31. 



