34 THE SOVEREIGNTY OF THE SEA 



which they ravaged. In the following year they continued 

 their depredations on the English coast, and held such complete 

 command of the sea that " no victualler, fishing boat, or any 

 other, could pass or return without being taken." 1 In 1379, 

 as the enemy still held the sea and the coast, Parliament, after 

 consultation with the merchants, decreed that certain duties 

 should be levied to provide means to secure the safeguarding 

 of the sea, and among these was one on vessels laden with 

 goods belonging to merchants of Prussia, Norway, or Scania. 

 Selden says this ordinance applied to foreign as well as Eng- 

 lish vessels, which had therefore to pay for passage through 

 the sea "just as one may exact payment for passage over 

 one's field." 2 But there is no evidence that the tax was levied 

 on other than English vessels ; and in any case it is clear from 

 the preamble that it was a voluntary arrangement, and prob- 

 ably made at the request of the merchants themselves, who 

 had been petitioning the king and Parliament for protection. 3 

 It is noteworthy also that the keepers of the northern sea 

 were not to convoy the vessels to or from Flanders and Calais 

 unless they were paid for doing so. 



An incident which occurred early in the next century shows 

 the temper in which the Parliament regarded the sovereignty 

 of the narrow sea, as well as the caution of the king. By that 

 time the English navy had recovered its strength and France 

 lay prostrate at the feet of Henry V., and the Parliament peti- 



1 Rot. Parl., in. 466; Nicolas, op. cit., ii. 260-280; Laughton, Studies in 

 Naval History, 16-22. The Yarmouth herring fishing suffered severely in these 

 years, and the fishermen equipped and armed vessels for their own defence, 

 Chronicon Anglice, ab A.D. 1328 usque ad annum 1388, p. 170, Eolls Series. 



2 Op. cit., lib. ii. c. xv. 



3 Rot. Parl., iii. 636, 391a ; Fcedera, vii. 220. " C'este 1'ordinance et grante 

 par 1'advis des Marchaundz de Londres, et des autres Marchaundz vers la North, 

 par assent de touz Communes de Parlement par devant le Comte de Northumber- 

 land et le Meair de Londres, pur la garde et tuicion du Mier," &c. The specified 

 dues throw some light on the commerce and fisheries of the period : (1) all vessels 

 or crayers navigating the seas within the limits of the admiralty of the north were 

 to pay a duty of sixpence a ton-tight, going and returning, with the exception of 

 those bringing wines and goods from Flanders to London, or carrying wool and 

 skins to Calais ; (2) vessels laden with goods belonging to merchants of Prussia, 

 Norway, or Scone (Scania) were to pay sixpence a last ; (3) vessels carrying coals 

 from Newcastle were to pay sixpence a ton every three months ; (4) sixpence 

 a- week per ton was to be paid by all vessels fishing for herrings within the said 

 admiralty, and sixpence every three weeks per ton by boats fishing for other fish. 



