420 THE SOVEREIGNTY OF THE SEA 



proclamations of James and Charles relating to unlicensed 

 fishing. It was as follows : " The people and inhabitants of 

 the said United Provinces, of what condition or quality so- 

 ever they be, shall with their busses and other vessels fitted 

 to that purpose, have liberty from time to time, for the term of 

 one and twenty years, next coming, to sail and fish as well for 

 herrings, as all other sort of fish, great and small, upon any 

 of the coasts or seas of Great Britain and Ireland and the 

 rest of the Isles adjacent, where and in such manner as 

 they have been formerly permitted to fish. In considera- 

 tion whereof, the States-General of the United Provinces shall 

 during that term pay into the public treasury of this Common- 

 wealth at the City of London the sum of ... at two 

 equal payments upon every 24 day of June and 24 day of 

 December ; the first payment to begin on the 24 day of June 

 next." When it is remembered that the Dutch in the reign 

 of James, and again in the reign of Charles, were prepared 

 to go to war with England rather than surrender their 

 liberty of fishing, the objectionable nature of this article is 

 apparent. No glimpse is obtained throughout the negotia- 

 tions of the sum that was to be asked for the liberty of 

 fishing, possibly because it was never definitely fixed by the 

 Council. It is, however, stated by Stubbe, who had special 

 sources of information, that it was the intention of the Council 

 to demand 100,000, as well as payment for constant wafters 

 or convoys, 1 a statement which is credible only on the sup- 

 position that it was desired utterly to ruin the Dutch herring 

 fishery. 



Some of the other articles were equally or even more 

 objectionable. That concerning the striking of the flag, 2 

 though not feasible in its original form, was capable of adjust- 

 ment. It provided "that the ships and vessels of the said 

 United Provinces, as well men-of-war as others, be they 

 single ships or in fleets, meeting at sea with any of the ships 

 of war of the State of England, or in their service, and 

 wearing their flag, shall strike their flag and lower their 

 top-sail, until they be passed by, and shall likewise submit 

 themselves to be visited, if thereto required, and perform 

 all other respects due to the said Commonwealth of England, 



1 Stubbe, A Further Justification, 62. 2 Art. xv. 



