CHARLES I. : THE NAVY 319 



Still, the peculiar resources of Charles were not exhausted. 

 He might yet, he thought, be able to distribute the licenses 

 among the fishermen when they came to fish off the British 

 coast, without employing his fleet for the purpose, or running 

 the risk of war with the Republic. The third ship-money 

 fleet had assembled in the Downs in April and May; it con- 

 sisted of twenty-eight ships, of which nine were merchant 

 vessels, and the Earl of Northumberland was again appointed 

 Admiral, his instructions, dated 15th April, being identical 

 with those of the previous year. 1 The state of the negotiations 

 with France, and other causes, prevented the king from renew- 

 ing his enterprise against either the French for the honour 

 of the flag or the Dutch in connection with the fishery. The 

 fleet, therefore, to the wonder and discontentment of the 

 officers, was kept for the most part lying at anchor, ships 

 being occasionally detached for special purposes. 



On 3rd July, Windebank wrote to the Earl of Northumber- 

 land telling him of the failure of the secret treaty with the 

 Cardinal Infant, and saying that it was the intention of the 

 Hollanders, who had refused the king's licenses sent to Boswell, 

 to fish in his Majesty's seas as heretofore, many of the busses 

 having already left Holland under strong convoys. By the 

 king's commands he sent him about 200 licenses, " and withal 

 his pleasure is," said Windebank, "that you dispatch immed- 

 iately one of the merchant ships under your charge (being not 

 willing to employ any of his own until it appear what the 

 success will be) toward the north with these licenses, with 

 order to make offer of them to the fishers, and if they accept 

 them to distribute them at the same rates they were taken 

 the last year. And if such as take them," he continued, 

 " desire to be safe-conducted in their return, your Lordship is 

 to assure them his Majesty will take them into his protection, 

 and cause some of his fleet to accompany them homewards 

 for their defence." But if the fishermen refused to take the 

 licenses, then the Earl was to notify the fact to the king, 

 who would "take further resolution." Sir William Boswell, 

 added the Secretary, had been informed of the king's inten- 

 tions, and told to assure the fishermen willing to take the 

 licenses of his Majesty's protection. The Cardinal Infant and 



1 State Papert, Dom., clvii. 151i. 



