DOMINIUM MARIS 71 



which had been expounded with such pertinacity, twenty 

 years before, by his father. Charles, however, less pusil- 

 lanimous in temperament than his father, was now deter- 

 mined to make some attempt to carry his views to their 

 logical conclusion. 



He was the more eager to take active measures against 

 the Dutch from his fear that, if he did not quickly succeed 

 in diminishing the competition from foreigners upon the 

 coasts of Britain, the Association for the Fishing would soon 

 cease to exist. He was thoroughly acquainted with the 

 state of its finances, knew that the enterprise was not 

 nourishing, and that it was difficult to find fresh adven- 

 turers. In 1636, when Charles reviewed the situation, the 

 subscriptions promised to the Association were 22,682 10s., 

 but of this sum only 9,914 10s. had been received. 

 3,550 7s. 5d. had been borrowed, thus making a total 

 capital of 13,464 17s 5d. The stock consisted of six busses 

 a strange contrast to the mighty fleet of the Dutch ; these, 

 fully equipped and provisioned, were valued at 6,000. 

 Salt and fish in hand were valued at 6,120, while the amount 

 to be set down to damage sustained from Dunkirkers was 

 fixed at 1,166 14s. 10d., making the total value of stock, 

 13,286 14s. lOd. 1 



Charles, in 1635, had sent a fleet of 26 ships to the North 

 Sea to make, as it were, a demonstration in force, announcing 

 that his intention was to preserve the peace on these waters 

 and that he would protect all fishers, even though he should 

 defend the Hollanders from the men of Flanders, their 

 enemies. 2 On February 4th, 1636, the king consulted 

 the Lords of the Admiralty as to his ability to enforce his 

 demands ; they answered that the strength of his fleet 

 justified him in choosing this time for asserting his hereditary 



1 Cal S.P. Dom. Car. I., vol. 313, No. 16. 



2 Cal. S.P. Dom. Car. II., vol. 339, Nos. 409, 413 (" A Collection of Divers 

 Particulars touching the King's Dominion and Sovereignty in ye Fishing "). 



