CHARLES I. : THE NAVY 293 



ence to foreign fishermen was a revival of the policy of the 

 "assize-herring" of James. No foreigner was to be allowed 

 to fish in the British seas without obtaining, and paying for, 

 a license from the king. James, as we have seen, demanded 

 his right in a pettifogging way, sending a scarcely-armed and 

 half-dismantled pinnace among the busses, with a lawyer on 

 board, to ask the tribute in fair and gentle words, and if refused 

 "to take out instruments upon the said refusal." Charles 

 sent his Admiral with a powerful fleet, and with instructions 

 to force the fishermen to take the licenses in spite of all 

 opposition. The first step was to issue a formal proclamation 

 like that issued by James in 1609, forbidding unlicensed 

 fishing by foreigners. The opinion of the Lords of the Admir- 

 alty and their legal adviser (to whom appertained the juris- 

 diction of the fisheries) being emphatically in favour of the 

 king's claims, the draft proclamation was drawn up and sub- 

 mitted to them on 3rd May. 1 It was approved, and published 

 to the world on May 10th, four days before Northumberland 

 joined the fleet. 



In this proclamation Charles recited the provisions contained 

 in the earlier one of 1609, "since which time," he said, "neither 

 Our said father nor Our Self have made any considerable 

 execution of the said Proclamation, but have with much 

 patience expected a voluntary conformity of our neighbours 

 and allies to so just and reasonable prohibitions and directions 

 as are contained in the same." But finding by experience 

 that all the inconveniences which occasioned the previous 

 proclamation had rather increased than abated, being " very 

 sensible of the premises, and well knowing how far we are 

 obliged in honour and conscience to maintain the rights of 

 our Crown, especially of so great consequence," he thought it 

 necessary, by the advice of his Privy Council, "to renew the 

 aforesaid restraint of fishing upon our aforesaid coasts and 

 seas, without license first obtained from Us, and by these 

 presents to make public declaration that Our resolution is (at 

 times convenient) to keep such a competent strength of 

 shipping upon Our Seas, as may (by God's blessing) be suf- 

 ficient, both to hinder such further encroachments upon Our 

 regalities, and assist and protect those our good friends and 



1 State Papers, Dom., cccviii. 48 ; cccxx. 14. 



