THE SECOND DUTCH WAR 



461 



of the United Provinces. The citizens of Bruges, in Flanders, 

 where the king had received friendly treatment when in exile, 

 petitioned him to allow all the sworn burgers and citizens 

 of that city to fish " freely and frankly " at all times, to the 

 number of fifty busses or other vessels fit for fishing, on the 

 seas and coasts of his kingdoms; to enter the ports and 

 rivers to buy necessaries, for shelter, and to dry their nets, 

 and to depart without molestation, on giving security not 

 to sell fish to his enemies. 1 Charles granted them a charter 

 under the great seals of England and Scotland, giving them 

 liberty to fish with fifty vessels at a time for herrings or any 

 kind of fish in the British seas, up to the coasts or shores, 

 with the privilege of drying their nets on land, and using 

 English or Scottish ports in security. The Duke of Lennox 

 and Richmond, the High Admiral of Scotland, and others 

 concerned were commanded to treat the vessels of Bruges 

 with friendship, "in whatever part of the sea, whether near 

 the shores, in rivers, or ports " they might be. 2 The fishermen 

 of Bruges continued to fish near our shores, in terms of this 

 charter, and even from our harbours, until 1850, and the 

 charter was regarded by the English authorities as spurious. 3 

 By granting this charter, it is not unlikely that Charles 

 also hoped to strike a blow at the fisheries of the Dutch 

 Republic. While refusing to allow their subjects to accept 

 any compromising English license or concession for fishing, 

 the States-General tried to bring about a mutual and equit- 

 able arrangement. Early in 1665 they issued instructions 

 that English fishermen should not be attacked till further 

 orders; and in October of the same year that is, when, in 

 peaceful times, Dutch fishermen would have been taking 

 part in the profitable fishing at Yarmouth one of their 



1 S. P., Dom. Collection, Chas. II., vol. 339, p. 591. It is a copy in English. 

 The petition was from the " Burgomasters, Eschevins, Counsellors, and the rest of 

 the body of Citizens." 



2 ' ' Warrant to ye Lord Chancellor for affixing ye great seale to an instrument 

 containing a grant of fishinge in these seas for a certain number of boates belong- 

 ing to ye City of Bruges, yearely," July 17, 1666. State Papers, Warrant Book, 23, 

 p. 27. " Patent in favour of the Citie of Bruges in fflanders for a libertie of fishing 

 in the British Seas with 50 saill of ships," 29th August 1666. Advoc. MSS., 25. 3. 4. 

 The draft or copy of the Royal Letter which followed upon the Warrant is given 

 in Appendix N. 



3 See p. 617. 



