68 THE SOVEREIGNTY OF THE SEA 



without requiring letters of safe -conduct. Henry, therefore, 

 issued a mandate to his admirals and other officers concerned, 

 enjoining that during the current herring season the fishermen 

 of both countries should freely fish for herrings and all other 

 fish, from Gravelines and the Isle of Thanet down to the mouth 

 of the Seine and Southampton, without hindrance or molestation, 

 and that if they were chased by pirates or met with contrary 

 winds they were to be allowed to take refuge in the ports within 

 the area defined, and were to be well treated. 1 As the king's 

 missive is dated 26th October, it appears that there was then, as 

 there is now, a considerable winter herring fishing in the Chan- 

 nel. Three years later, on 5th October 1406, Henry took all the 

 fishermen of France, Flanders, and Brittany, with their ships 

 and boats, under his protection until 2nd February in the 

 following year, that is to say, during the winter herring 

 fishery, for which time they were to be allowed to fish freely 

 and without molestation, and to carry away their fish, provided 

 they did nothing to prejudice him or his kingdom. 2 Consider- 

 ing the weak condition of the English navy at the time the 

 security of the sea had been committed to the merchants on 

 the east coast, a system which in this month of October was 

 known to have failed and the prevalence of pirates, it is 

 unlikely that the protection of the king was of much avail. 

 In November of the same year, with reference to his treaty 

 with France, Henry published another proclamation stating that, 

 on the supplication of the burgesses and people of Flanders, 

 it had been agreed that the fishermen of England and Flanders, 

 and generally of all the realm of France, should, during the 

 continuance of the treaty, go in safety to fish in the sea. To 

 the end that the fishermen who travelled on the sea at great 

 peril to gain their living might fish in greater security, and 

 obtain sea fish for the sustenance of the people, it was ordained 

 that for a year from the publication of the proclamation all 

 the fishermen of England, of Calais, and of other towns and 

 places belonging to the King of England, as well as the fisher- 



1 Fcedera, viii. 306, 336. " Q'en ceste presente harenguison les pescheurs de 1'une 

 part et d'autre puissent pescher plus seurement en la mer la harenk et toutz autres 

 poissons, depuis hable de Grauelinguez et 1'isle de Tanent, jusques a 1'entree de la 

 riviere de Saine, et au hable de Hautoune." 



2 Ibid., viii. 451. 



