THE HISTORY OF DUTCH SEA FISHERIES. 415 



The repeated wars of course took some effect upon the 

 Greenland trade's prosperity ; and it appears that about 

 this time whaling ships were sometimes sold to foreigners, 

 or freighted to sail under their flags. The prohibition 

 against this proceeding issued in 1633, for the Arctic 

 Company's benefit had of course become void upon that 

 body's dissolution ; and a fresh prohibition against letting 

 Dutch vessels go into foreign whaling service was therefore 

 enacted on March roth, 1661, and renewed on De- 

 cember 1 4th, 1663.* Both this edict and the penalties 

 against Dutchmen taking whaling sen-ice abroad were 

 strictly maintained. In 1662, the magistrates of Emden 

 interceded in favour of one Klaas Dirks Meunsz of Edam, 

 who had served as commander in a whaling vessel from 

 Emden ; but instead of acceding to their wish, Holland 

 ordered the prosecution against the culprit to be main- 

 tained without any consideration, and on March 2oth of 

 the next year re-enacted the placard, adding expressly 

 that Emden should be considered as a foreign town.f 



The war against England in 1665 brought a fresh 

 prohibition over the whaling business,! when as a conse- 

 quence " certain gain-seeking persons " once more sold 

 their vessels abroad, to the effect that the laws against 

 such sales, and against exporting whaling implements, 

 were re-enacted in the course of the spring of the said 

 year. Still the danger to the trade did not appear to be 

 very imminent, as the English naval force was at this 

 period required on other service than that of pursuing 

 whalers to Greenland. Several Dutch shipowners there- 



* Gr. PI. B. ii. pp. 2639, 



f Res. HolL 1662, p. 523 ; 1663, p. 114. 



% Placard dated Jan. 24th, 1665 ; Gr. PL B. iii. p. 291. 



Gr. PL B. iii. 292-293. 



