JAMES I.; MARE LIBERUM 19 



so carried away. Disregarding any ancient understanding 

 on the subject, the Hollanders now came close inshore 

 " where befor they approached not the coasts nearer then 

 fourty myles." " This near approaching of theirs the 

 shoar," the author maintains, " has not only impoverished 

 that haill trade of fishing and all that were benefited thereby, 

 qlk is noe small loss, being rightly ponderat, but Ukewise 

 far prejudges his maties Customes." 



" Before those Hollanders approached so near the Coasts 

 The Schools of fishes came hard to the shoare, that, without 

 great expense, the poorest fisher would have Inriched him- 

 self. But their near approaching breaks now the schools 

 of fishes,^ that noe fishes are gotten but with great expense 

 and trubell, so that the poor, who are not able to make 

 great charges, are all together frustrate of any benefite. . . . 

 Certain of these Hollanders being forced either be Storme 

 of weather or lack of fresh watters they are not content to 

 wrang his Maties subjects by fishing hard by the shoar 

 where they were accustomed to fish, but comeing within 

 lands, they will fish hard by Gentlemen's Doors, Whilk 

 pairts has been appropriat to the owners of the Land nearest 

 adjacent for their fishing there the tyme of Stormes, for 

 the Entertaining of their houses when they may not goe 

 to sea. This wrong of theirs has oft brought contraversie 

 and sometymes blood." 



Certain payments in kind are mentioned which would 

 imply that the Hollanders felt, to some extent at least, that 

 their being allowed to fish in these waters near the Orkneys 

 and Shetland Isles was in the nature of a privilege. " Those 

 Hollanders, at the least ye greatest number, gave to Captain 

 Thomas Knightsone, who then carried charge under the late 

 Earle of Orknay, ane Barrele of Salt for his oversight for 

 ilk Ship. Thereafter they offered to the late Earle of 



1 See also Cal. S.P. Dom. Car. II., vol. 339, p. 161. " MS. discourse 

 about ye fishing in Mr. Sam Coke's hand," where this same charge is made. 



