244 THE SOVEREIGNTY OF THE SEA 



Charles's domestic troubles thickened and his power on the sea 

 began to wane, Pembroke and his associates became more and 

 more importunate for help. Petitions were conveyed to him, 

 and then " remonstrances." He was pointedly reminded that he 

 was the originator and " Protector " of the Society ; unless he 

 " really " helped them the work must stop. But Charles was 

 then unable either to compel the restitution of the captured 

 busses or to induce his subjects to subscribe to the Society's 

 funds. He did what he could. Pennington and the Warden of 

 the Cinque Ports were ordered to seize Dunkirk ships to be sold 

 for the benefit of the Society ; he granted them a standing lot- 

 tery, and issued a proclamation enjoining the strict observance 

 of Lent, which might possibly help them by increasing the con- 

 sumption of fish, and could at least do them no harm. Almost 

 his last act in connection with the fishery association was to 

 issue an Order in Council in which, somewhat irritably, he 

 blamed the Dutch for the failure, and remitted to an influential 

 committee to consider some means by which the fishery in the 

 north seas might be " advanced and settled," and particularly 

 whether the Dutch should not be deprived of English lampreys 

 for bait, which were necessary for their cod-fishing. 1 It was 

 a great fall for Charles as Lord of the Seas, with a policy as 

 sketched at the beginning of this chapter, to use the lampreys 

 of the Thames as a weapon against the Dutch rather than a 



1 State Papers, Dom., ccccxxix. 48. Order of the King in Council, 29th September 

 1639. " Taking into consideration of what great importance it is and may be to the 

 good of this kingdom to plant, increase and cherish the fishery in the North seas, 

 and understanding that the Dutch, who reap an annual great benefit thereby, have 

 and do not only privately underhand, but too manifestly also oppose the endeavours 

 of his Majesty's good subjects, who have of late years employed their industry that 

 way," it was ordered that the Lord Treasurer, the Earl Marshal, the Lord Admiral, 

 the' Lord Chamberlain, the Earl of Dorset, and one of the Secretaries of State, 

 calling to their aid Sir Henry Marten (Judge of the Court of Admiralty), should 

 forthwith ' ' consult and advise what fitting course may be taken to advance and 

 settle the said fishery, and particularly to consider whether it may not be fit to 

 debar the exportation of lampreys, without which the Dutch cannot well, as is 

 informed, continue their fishing for cod and ling, until his Majesty's subjects be 

 quietly settled in the herring fishing." The Dutch obtained their lampreys for 

 bait almost exclusively from England, and chiefly from the Thames. The above 

 account of the proceedings of the Fishery Society is summarised (for the most 

 part) from numerous State Papers. It was stated by Simon Smith, who was 

 latterly Secretary to Pembroke's association, that 10,000 was lost through the 

 Dunkirkers. 



