152 THE SOVEREIGNTY OF THE SEA 



Caron learned the welcome intelligence from the French am- 

 bassador in London, that a promise had been made to him that 

 the project would proceed no further until after mutual negoti- 

 ations, which would occupy the whole of that year. 1 Sir Ralph 

 Win wood, who was appointed English ambassador at The Hague 

 in August 1609, also had conferences about the proclamation 

 with Barnevelt, whose authority in Holland was then supreme. 

 He was told that the States would send special ambassadors 

 to the king, "to acknowledge those many royal favours they 

 had received from him," and to treat of the liberty of fishing. 

 Meantime their ambassador in London had been instructed to 

 beseech the king to have patience with their people " trading " 

 on his coasts, and that " without impeachment they might use 

 their accustomed liberty and ancient privileges." 2 



Sir Noel Caron had also discussions in London with respect 

 to the legality of imposing any tax on Dutch fishermen, the 

 principle of which he could not well understand. As previously 

 mentioned, one of the precedents upon which James founded 

 his claim to impose tribute was the payment by Scottish fisher- 

 men of the so-called " assize-herrings." This was an ancient 



o 



tax or custom of a thousand herrings levied from each fishing- 

 boat employed at the herring fishery, and they belonged to the 

 king as part of the crown revenues. 3 From the extent of the 



1 Caron to the States-General, || July 1609. Brit. Mus. Add. MSS., 17,677. 



2 Win wood to Salisbury, 6th September 1609. Memorials, iii. 64. 



3 The assize-herring was thus described by Skeue, in De Verborum Significatione, 

 annexed to the laws of Scotland, printed in 1597. " Assisa Halecum. The assise 

 herring signifies ane certain measure and quantity of herring, quilk perteinis to the 

 king as ane part of his custumes and annexed propriety, Jac. 6, p. 15, c. 237, for 

 it is manifest that Hee shuld have of everie Boat that passis to the drave, and 

 slayis herring, ane thousand herring of ilk tak that halds, viz. of Lambmes tak, 

 of the Winter tak, and the Lentrone tak " that is, of the summer, winter, and 

 spring fishings. The assize-herrings appear to have been originally a contribution 

 to the king's kitchen. In 1526 James V. granted assize-herrings to Stuart of 

 Ardgowane (Origines Parochiales Scotice, ii. 83). In 1593, in an Act of the 

 Parliament of Scotland, entitled " Annexatioun of the Propertie of the Croun that 

 wes nocht annext of befoir," the assize-herrings were included (Jac. VI., 1593, c. 32. 

 Acta, iv. 28), and an Act of 1597, entitled " Assysis hering may nocht be disponit," 

 ordained that no infeftment or alienation in few ferm or otherwise, and all rentals 

 and dispositions whatsoever, past or to come, were to be null and void, because 

 they pertained to the king as part of his customs and annexed property (Acta, 

 iv. 131). Later the assize-herring was commuted into a money payment. An 

 Act of Charles I. in 1641 (cap. 117), entitled "Act anent the Excise of Herring," 



