DESPATCHES, REPORTS, CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. 297 



appropriately answered : *' that he was the lord of the land ; but 

 that law alone was Sovereign over the sea." 



In more modern times, the Dutch gave a remarkable proof of 

 their pertinacity to resist the claims of England over the immediate 

 seas bordering on her coast. It is somewhat curious to see how 

 the records of that struggle speaks of the constancy, valour, and 

 energy with which they asserted their right to haunt every part of 

 the ocean, and to fish within the very waters that washed the proud 

 island. I hold in my hand a short extract from a musty book, -ex- 

 hibiting, in a striking light, the genius and temerity of that once 

 great nation. 



I crave the attention of the Senate to its contents. I read from 

 Selden : 



On the 6th day of May, 1609, James I, wishing to put an end to the liberties 

 enjoyed by Holland to fish in the British seas, as they were then called, issued 

 a proclamation wherein, among other things, is what follows: 



" We have resolved first to give notice to all the world that our express 

 pleasure is, that from the beginning of the month of August next coming, no 

 person of what nation or quality soever, being not our natural-born subject, 

 be permitted to fish upon any of our coasts and seas of Great Britain, Ireland, 

 and the rest of the isles adjacent, where most usually heretofore any flshinn 

 had been, until they have orderly demanded and obtained licenses from us, or 

 such of our Commissioners as we have authorized in that behalf; which licences 

 our intention is shall be yearly demanded for so many vessels and ships, and 

 the tonnage thereof, as shall intend to fish for that whole year or any part 

 thereof, upon any of our coasts and seas aforesaid, upon pain of such chastise- 

 ment as shall be fit to be inflicted upon such wilful offenders." 

 176 Notwithstanding this proclamation, the Netherlander proceeded still 



in their way of encroachment upon the British seas and coasts through 

 the whole reign of King James, and were at length so bold as to contest with 

 Jiiin and endeavour io quarrel His Majesty out of his rights, pretending, be- 

 cause of the long connivance of himself and Queen Elizabeth, that they had a 

 right of their own by immemorial possession : which some Commissioners of 

 theirs who were sent to London had the confidence to plead in terminis to the 

 King and his Council. And though the King, out of his tenderness to them, 

 insisted still -niton his otcn right, by his Council to those Commissioners, and by 

 his Embassador to their superiors, yet they made no other use of his indul- 

 gence than to tire out his whole reign and abuse his patience by their artificial 

 delays, pretences, shifts, &c. &c. 



In a letter of Secretary Naunton's to the British Ambassador, dated White- 

 hall, Dcember 21st, 1618, M. Naunton says: 



" The States' Commissioners and Deputies both having attended His Maj- 

 esty at New-Market, and there presented their letters of credence, returned 

 to London on Saturday was a sevennight. and upon Tuesday had audience in 

 the Council Chamber, where, being required to communicate the points of their 

 commission, they delivered their meditated answer at length. The Lords, 

 upon perusal of it, appointed my Lord Bining and me to attend His Majesty 

 for directions, what reply to return to this answer of theirs, which I presented 

 to their Lordships yesterday to this effect : That His Majesty found it strange 

 that they, having been so often required by your Lordship, His Majesty's Em- 

 bassador. &c., to send Commissioners fully authorized to treat and conclude 

 not only of all differences grown between the subjects of both States touching 

 the trade to the East Indies, but withal to take order for a more indifferent 

 course of determining other questions growing between our merchants and 

 them about their draperies and the tare, and more especially to determine His 

 Majesty's right for the sole fishing upon all the coasts of his three kingdoms, 

 into which they had of late times encroached further than of right they could ; 

 and lastly, for the reglement and reducing of their coin, &c. &c., all which 

 they confessed your Lordship had instanced them for in His Majesty's name; 

 that after all this attent on His Majesty's part, and so long deliberation on 

 theirs, they were come at last with a proposition to speak only to the two first 

 jiniiitx. They would decline all debate of the fisheries on His Majesty's coasts. 

 They profess their loathness to call their right in doubt or question, claiming 

 an immemorial possession, SECONDED BY THE LAW OF NATIONS." 



