DOMINIUM MARIS 79 



absolutely forborne than demanded in this matter." The 

 admiral, indeed, was weary of a command where his hands 

 were tied, and where, as he complained, he could " neither 

 do service nor gain credit." " No man," he writes to his 

 friend Sir Thomas Roe, " was ever more desirous of a charge 

 than I am to be quit of mine." l 



The king himself, though still unwilling to adopt measures 

 of force, was much vexed at the situation and was extremely 

 anxious that the real facts of the case should not become 

 public. Hence Secretary Windebank, on August 10th, writes 

 to a certain Captain Fogg telling him exactly what the 

 version of the case for the public is to be. " There has 

 been a report raised that the Hollanders have refused his 

 Majesty's licenses to fish, offered them by Captain Fielding. 

 But it is utterly mistaken. Captain Fielding was sent to 

 the busses to offer them protection, his Majesty having under- 

 stood that the Dunkirkers had prepared a great strength 

 to intercept them on their return, 2 which his Majesty, in 

 love to them, sent Captain Fielding to give them notice of, 

 and to offer them safe conduct. This you are publicly to 

 avow whensoever there shall be occasion, and to cry down 

 the other discourse as derogatory to his Majesty's honour." 3 

 Similar instructions were sent to Northumberland ; the 

 story of the refusal of the licenses was to be cried down, 

 " and the other to be avowed and reported through the whole 

 fleet." 4 Fogg's answer was brief, but showed that he had 

 fully understood the full import of his instructions. In 

 blunt sailor fashion he answered, " Touching the false report 



1 Cal. S.P. Dom. Car. I., vol. 365, No. 28. 



2 Fielding reported having on 21st July, off Buchan Ness, seen one 

 States man-of-war engaging thirteen Dunkirkers. Before he came within 

 shot the States man-of-war sank. The States had twenty-three men- 

 of-war there, " but no more then fifteen stood with the Dunkirkers, the 

 rest kept by the busses " (Cal. S.P. Dom. Car. I., vol. 364, No. 45). 



3 Cal. S.P. Dom. Car. I., vol. 365, No. 51. 

 *Ibid. vol. 365, No. 53. 



