78 CHARLES I. 



Such was Charles' desire for peace, however, that when 

 he learned that many Dutch vessels were fishing without 

 license under the protection of strong convoys, he gave 

 orders to the Earl of Northumberland to send not a 

 war vessel but a merchant ship with the licenses to the 

 Dutch fishing fleet, the king " being not willing to employ 

 any of his own until it appears what the success will be." 

 The Dutch were to be assured of convoy and safe conduct 

 home in the event of their accepting the Hcenses ; if they 

 refused them, the matter was to be referred to the king.^ 

 Upon Northumberland's asking for more expHcit instructions 

 as to the manner of dealing with the Dutch, should they prove 

 obstmate,2 Secretary Windebank, writing on July 6th, 1637, 

 gave him the root of the matter thus : " The truth is, his 

 Majesty is not willing to proceed roundly with them, and 

 therefore holds this way of inviting them to acknowledge 

 his right, without sending his whole fleet, which would be 

 a manifest obHgation in honour to perfect the work notwith- 

 standing any opposition, which might be of dangerous 

 consequence to the present condition of his affairs." ^ On 

 July 10th, therefore, Northumberland despatched Captain 

 Richard Fielding to the north in the Unicorn with 200 hcenses, 

 giving him distinct instructions that he must not become 

 engaged in any dispute with the Dutch. Fielding, coming 

 up with a Dutch fleet of six or seven hundred vessels, foimd 

 the masters of the fishing vessels quite willing to accept 

 the licenses, but had distributed only two when the Dutch 

 admiral hailed him and forbade him to give out any 

 more.* Following his instructions. Fielding returned with- 

 out more ado, and made his report to Northumberland, 

 who, disgusted at the weakness of the king's attitude, very 

 sensibly remarked that " it might much better have been 



1 Cal. S.P. Dom. Car. I., vol. 363, No. 21. 



"-Ibid. vol. 363, No. 28. ^ Ibid. vol. 363, No. 41. 



*Ibid. vol. 364, No. 45. 



