370 THE HISTORY OF DUTCH SEA FISHERIES. 



re-open the fisheries was not made in the States of Holland, 

 till July 1st, 1667, some days after de Ruyter's splendid 

 success up the Thames ; and when peace had been con- 

 cluded at Breda on July ult, and the herring fleet could 

 sail in safety, the best part of the herring season, being 

 the third during the war, was over and lost. 



There is no evidence to show on what scale and with what 

 success herring fishery was exercised in the years 1667-1672. 

 But even admitting these years to have been favourable, the 

 trade can scarcely have had time to repair the immense losses 

 undergone during the foregoing war, from ships taken or 

 kept inactive during the sailing prohibition, and able sailors 

 turned out of the business and killed in the country's service. 

 The only indication of the altered state of the business is a 

 debate which occurred in the States of Holland * in March, 

 1669, on the expediency of re-enacting the penalties against 

 selling fishing-vessels and gear to foreigners, and taking 

 service on foreign herring vessels ; which debate, however, 

 does not appear to have led to any definite result. The 

 formidable war of 1672, which eventually brought the 

 Republic to the verge of destruction, occasioned a fresh 

 prohibition from sailing on mercantile or fishing expeditions, 

 which again preceded the war's actual outbreak by some 

 days, being first proclaimed on March iQth, 1672. It was 

 indeed repealed on September I5th of the same year, but 

 re-enacted in the next, towards the opening of the fishing 

 season ; and it lasted even after peace had been concluded 

 with England in February, 1674, as the continuation of war 

 with France still left little chance of fishing in safety. 

 Mutual grants of free fishing were indeed conceded by 

 France and the States on September i5th, 1675, and June 

 22nd, 1677, but on both occasions repealed soon after- 

 * Res. Holl. 1669, pp. 63, 102. 



