6 The Fishery Qitestion. 



great profit from the sale of their herring to 

 neighbors whose calendar contained so many 

 fast days. '7 



Elliot and Ashenhurst, merchants of Bris- 

 tol, received letters patent for colonizing 

 Newfoundland from Henry VII. in 1502. 

 There seems to be no further information in 

 regard to their venture. The Fishery was 

 free, by act of Edward VI., and thither as 

 many as pleased could resort. Henry VIII. 

 aided Thorne, of Bristol, in an attempt to dis- 

 cover the North-west passage. One of the 

 vessels sailing in 1527 coasted Newfound- 

 land, Cape Breton and Nova Scotia. Hoare 

 attempted a colony on the island in 1536. 

 His company, after many distresses, seized a 

 French ship, in Newfoundland waters, and 

 sailed for home. The English Government 

 made restitution for their lawlessness. Every 

 spring English fishermen sailed for the banks, 

 returning late in the autumn with the catch 

 dried and cured on the island. The profits 

 were already so manifest, that a monopoly 

 was eagerly desired. Merchants had begun 

 to quarrel among themselves for the advan- 

 tage of convenient shore stations. Soon 

 after the accession of Elizabeth to the 



