JAMES I; MARE LIBERUM 11 



since they thought that a crisis was at hand. Meanwhile 

 the complaints against the Dutch had become so numerous 

 that the States issued a proclamation commanding the 

 Dutch seamen to refrain from violence, on pain of being 

 " punished in the body as pirates and men of violence." ^ 



Weary of these constant complaints and anxious to come 

 to some understanding which might set an industry involving 

 their national existence on a satisfactory basis so far as 

 fishing rights were concerned, the Dutch, in 1619, sent an 

 embassy to London. To these ambassadors, on January 

 30th, 1620, James made a formal declaration concerning 

 his demands, urging upon them the importance of speedily 

 coming to a definite settlement : " The said ambassadors 

 vnll remember how often his Mat^ hath summoned their 

 Superiours to accomplish their Promise they have made him 

 to come to a Treaty about the Point of general Fishing upon 

 ye coast of Great Brittaine and Ireland, in w*^^ their Subjects 

 have encroached for many yeares together upon his Mat-"^^^ 

 Rights, who neverthelesse, in regard of ye State of their 

 affaires, hath been content to leave it hitherto in suspense. 

 But now they may lett their Superiours know his Mat^ doth 

 expect that, so soon as conveniently it may be, they send 

 hither some Persons authorized to treate and finally cleare 

 this difference." - 



In spite of this declaration, however, little was done to 



1 Cal. S.P. Dom. Car. II., vol. 339, No. 107. Placaert of 5th June, 1618. 

 " Defendons par cette bien expressement a touts Pilotes, pecheurs d'hareng 

 et pecheurs capitaines, matelots, at autres destines au Convoy d'cieux 

 navires d'Hareng et generalement a ceux qui se meslent de lad' Pescherie 

 en ces Pais, qu'ils auront a prendre garde de conimettre et farre aulcune 

 force et tort aux susd' Habitants et sujets de S. M. soit par armes ou 

 autrement et de ne faire aux susd' sujets aulcun empeschment ou molesta- 

 tion en quelque endroit de la Mer, oil ils seront exergants leur traficq et 

 pescherie d'harengs, mais de leur en laisser pleine et entiere liberte a leur 

 contentement sur aulcune place ou quartiers que ce pourront estre, mesmes 

 devant & sur les costes de ces Pais, sur peine d'estre punis au Corps comme 

 Pirates et malfaiteurs." 



"^Cal. S.P. Dom. Car. II., vol. 339, No. 381. 



