180 THE SOVEREIGNTY OF THE SEA 



had not done so, and in the meantime he would cause the rolls 

 in London to be searched. 1 



The negotiations with the States-General dragged on through- 

 out the summer without much result, and in August James 

 took the sudden resolution again to demand from the Dutch 

 fishermen the payment of the assize-herrings. This was doubt- 

 less caused by the receipt of a letter from Sir Dudley Carleton, 

 informing him that the herring-fishers had gone that year 

 to the coast of Scotland with extraordinary convoy, the number 

 of their men-of-war having been doubled, and expressing the 

 hope that notwithstanding this the king would send some 

 one to make the usual demand in a peaceable manner ; other- 

 wise, said Carleton, the Hollanders " will think his Majesty 

 has laid aside his pretension." 2 James accordingly wrote 

 hurriedly to the Council at Edinburgh, saying it was necessary 

 to make requisition of his duties from the Hollanders fishing 

 on the coasts of Orkney and Shetland, in order both to 

 keep possession of the fishing and to foil any plea from 

 the States-General that no such duties had been demanded 

 of them. He had intended, he said, to send a ship of war, 

 but those which were ready were otherwise engaged, and 

 there would not be time to equip a vessel in England before 

 the Hollanders returned from the fishing. The Council were 

 therefore instructed to fit out with all expedition either his 

 own pinnace or any other ship which could conveniently 

 be procured, and to send it to the North Isles with such 

 person as the deputy of the Duke of Lennox should choose, 

 who was to be instructed "in fair tearmes and calme and 

 peciable maner to crave oure said dewties, and accept of 

 any suche answer as they sail gif him, without making any 

 f urder questioun or dispute in the mater." 3 Here was another 

 Brown mission over again; but James forgot, if indeed he 

 ever knew, that at that time of year the Dutch herring 



1 The king to Lord Binning, llth June 1618. Fraser, Memorials, ii. 85. Nothing 

 seemed to be known of this treaty. James complained that the States were not 

 explicit. "This pointe" about the treaty, he wrote, "they leave obscure, seeing 

 they neyther expresse which of our predecessouris it was, neyther whether he were 

 our predecessour in Scotlande or Englande. " 



2 Carleton to Naunton, 19th August 1618. 



3 The king to the Privy Council, 29th August 1618. Reg. Privy Counc. Scot., 

 xi. 440. 



