JAMES I. : DISPUTES WITH THE DUTCH 175 



wrathf ully " received by James, who scolded and rebuked him 

 severely for the enormity of his offence, and then dismissed 

 him without further punishment. 1 Thus ended an incident 

 in the claims to mare clausum which almost led to a rupture 

 between the two countries. 



It would appear that James, though thus foiled in his 

 attempt to levy the assize-herrings from the Hollander fisher- 

 men in 1617, did not intend to let the matter rest in the 

 following season, and circumstances occurred which brought up 

 the question of the " land-kenning " in another quarter. Early 

 in 1618 the King of Denmark complained to him that Scottish 

 fishermen were in the habit of fishing " within the waters of 

 Faerb'e," which was part of the dominions of Denmark, and that 

 the native fishermen had been so much injured by their en- 

 croachments that they were unable to pay their dues and 

 taxes. Here was a complaint against Scottish fishermen like 

 that which they so commonly made against the Dutch. The 

 complaint was brought before the Privy Council of Scotland, who 

 summoned the burghs concerned 2 to appear and explain their 

 conduct. They admitted that for some years they had gone to 

 the Faerb'e Isles to fish, but they said that they had been " driven 

 thereto upon necessity, and by the violence and oppression of 

 the Hollanders, who came yearly with two thousand sail and 

 above within his Majesty's waters, and within a mile of the 

 'continent' of Orkney and Shetland, and not contented with 

 the benefit that the liberty of their fishing within the said 

 bounds affords yearly unto them, they do very heavily oppress his 

 Majesty's poor subjects and fishers." They said that the Hol- 

 landers " stoppis thame, houndis and chaisis thame frome thair 

 fischeing, cuttis thair nettis, threatnis thair ly veis, and thairby 

 compellis thame, who ar a nomber of poore people haveing no 

 other trade quhairby to manteene thair families, to seeke thair 

 fischeing elsquhair and far frome thair awne coist, with grite 

 tormoyll, travell, trouble, and chargeis." 3 The Lords of the 

 Council, however, held that the oppression committed by the 

 Hollanders on them was no warrant for their oppressing the 



1 Carleton, Letters, 219-263. Muller, op. cit., 113. 



2 Crail, Anstruther, and Pittenweem, in Fife, and Musselburgh and Fisherrow, 

 on the opposite side of the Firth of Forth. 



3 12th March 1618. Reg. Privy Counc. Scot., xi. 329. 



