UNDER THE TUDORS 93 



provisions to restrain foreign importation of fish, to encourage 

 the export of English-caught fish by subjects, and to remove 

 the complaints as to the action of purveyors and burdensome 

 impositions points on which the fishmongers had laid some 

 stress. Herrings and other sea fish taken by Englishmen in 

 English ships were to be freely exported without paying 

 custom ; no tax, toll, or restraint was to be imposed on fish 

 taken and landed by subjects ; it was made illegal to buy from 

 strangers any herrings unless they were " sufficiently salted, 

 packed, and casked " ; only English vessels were to be allowed 

 to carry coastwise any fish, victuals, or other goods; the 

 cultivation of flax for fishing -nets was to be encouraged; 

 and on the plea that there was " much deceitful packing " 

 of cod and ling brought into the realm by aliens, the import- 

 ation of these fish was forbidden, except only "loose, in bulk 

 and by tale." Most of these provisions and prohibitions would 

 operate against the Dutch, who had not only a large part 

 of the trade in herrings with England, but practically the 

 monopoly in supplying barrelled cod and ling. 1 



From this time forward the policy of protecting the native 

 fisheries by checking the competition of foreigners went hand 

 in hand with the encouragement of the consumption of fish 

 by the compulsory observance of fish-days. Interfering as it 

 did with established practice and conflicting trade interests, 

 the Act aroused opposition in various quarters, especially on 

 the part of those who were interested in the important com- 

 merce in cured cod-fish. In the year after it passed, the Queen's 

 purveyors were unable to obtain in England sufficient supplies 

 of fish for the navy and the royal service, and they were 

 licensed to import cod-fish, lings, and green -cod, in barrels 

 or casks, notwithstanding the prohibition in the Act, 2 a 

 privilege which had to be extended to all English subjects 



of sundry kinds, either fresh or salt," were served and eaten "without fraud or 

 covin." Another clause explained that the object was " meant politically for the 

 increase of fishermen and mariners, and repairing of port towns and navigation, and 

 not for any superstition " regarding choice of meats " ; any one stating the contrary 

 was to be punished. 



1 Among the imports of fish from the Low Countries at this time were " cods- 

 heads, cod-fish, eels, 'gull-fish,' haddocks, herrings, ling, salmon, salt-fish, sturgeon, 

 and 'staple-fish.' " Hall, A History of the Customs Revenue in England, ii. 237. 



2 State Papers, Dom., Eliz.. xxxv. 36. 



