16 THE DUTCH GRAND FISHERY 



them " men, victuals, barrels, more salt and nets," and 

 took away the cured herring, selling them at the various 

 towns in Russia, Sweden, Denmark, Poland, Prussia and 

 France. 



Gentleman remarks on the Dutch fishing laws which 

 forbade the bringing of herring into Holland unless fit to 

 be barrelled. Fish not fit to be barrelled were sold to 

 Yarmouth merchants, for immediate consumption, the best 

 fish were given the best brand, and barrelled for use in Lent ; 

 these were sent to all the towns in France, where they 

 commanded a high price.^ 



He mentions also the fact that there were other Dutch 

 fishermen who fished all the year round for cod, and ling. 

 These used " Pincks " and "Well-boats," of from thirty 

 to forty tons. In addition, the Hollanders had " Fly 

 Boats," which rode at anchor aU the season on the fishing 

 grounds, off the North East of Shetland, and which had 

 cobles with them from which the fishermen fished with 

 lines and hooks, " whereby they do take great store of 

 Lings, the which they do not barrel, but split them, and salt 

 them in the ship's bulk ; and these they seU commonly 

 for four and five pounds the hundred, and these go by the 

 name of Holland lings, but they are taken out of his Majesty's 

 seas, and were Shetland lings before they took them there, 

 and for these lings they do carry away abundance of 

 England's best money daily." Gentleman's pamphlet con- 

 cludes with a lament that the Enghsh will not bestir them- 

 selves and take part in this harvest of the sea : " Not one 

 of his Majesty's subjects is there to be seen, all the whole 

 summer, to fish, or to take in herring, but only the North 

 Sea boats of the sea coast towns, that go to take cods ; 

 they do take so many as they need to bait their hooks and 

 no more." 



^ See for various regulations regarding Branding of Herring Barrels, 

 Beaujon's Essay, p. 39 onwards. 



