198 THE SOVEREIGNTY OF THE SEA 



the equipment of a greater number of men-of-war to guard 

 the herring-busses from molestation. 1 



To all appearance, therefore, the Dutch had now stiffened 

 their backs and were prepared to fight for their liberty to fish 

 on the British coasts, as they had done at Spitzbergen, instead 

 of sending commissioners to London to haggle over it. But 

 their uncompromising attitude was soon modified owing to cer- 

 tain political events, which taught them the need of caution in 

 flouting the wishes of the King of England. In the autumn 

 of 1619, Frederick, the Elector Palatine, who had married 

 Elizabeth, the daughter of James, was offered and accepted 

 the crown of Bohemia under circumstances pregnant with 

 troubles. In consequence of this, Spain, in alliance with the 

 Emperor, attacked and took possession of the Palatinate. The 

 strengthening of the Spanish power in Germany was by itself 

 inimical to the United Provinces, and the sense of danger was 

 intensified when it was found that the occupation of the Lower 

 Palatinate was part of a plan for marching the Catholic troops 

 overland from Lombardy to the Spanish Netherlands. In view 

 of an impending conflict with their hereditary enemies, it be- 

 came a matter of grave anxiety to the States to retain the 

 goodwill of England. Accordingly, after many discussions, the 

 States-General at the end of 1620 appointed another embassy 

 to go to London ; but it was rather with the view of meeting 

 the political dangers with which they were threatened than 

 of dealing effectually with the subjects in dispute. The am- 

 bassadors' official instructions, which were most carefully con- 

 sidered, referred in general terms to the affairs of Germany 

 and the approaching expiry of the truce with Spain, and more 

 particularly to the cloth trade, the coinage, and the East Indies. 

 On the all-important subject of the herring fishery they were 

 mute. In their private instructions the envoys were enjoined 

 to avoid all discussion about it ; if pressed, they were to assure 

 the king that the States would be glad to consider it " later " ; 

 and in any discussion that did arise, they were to bear in mind 

 that they always had been in undisturbed possession of it, 

 and that the profit they derived from it had been greatly ex- 



1 Carleton, Letters, 437, 447, 448, 451. Bosgoed, Bib. Pise., 352. The sum 

 voted in 1620 was 22,000 gulden ; in the following years it varied between 23,000 

 and 36,000 gulden. 



