EARLY HISTORY OF WHALING 105 



In 1616 the Muscovy Company sent to Green- 

 land eight large ships and two pinasses under the 

 command of Thomas Edge. " This yeare it 

 pleased God to blesse them by their labours, and 

 they full laded all their ships with oyle, and left an 

 over-plus in the countrey, which their ships could 

 not take in." By the middle of August they had 

 from twelve to thirteen hundred tons of oil, and 

 all the ships arrived safely in the Thames in 

 September. The Dutch had four ships which made 

 a poor voyage. 



Encouraged by this success the Muscovy 

 Company sent out in 1617 fourteen ships and two 

 pinasses to the whale fishing. At this time the Com- 

 pany was showing signs of financial weakness and in 

 January, 1617, it was resolved to send books to the 

 freemen for subscription of a new stock, to be paid 

 up during the ensuing four years, those who failed to 

 take up stock to be excluded during that time. 



Moreover, King James himself infringed on the 

 privileges of the Company. On May 24th he granted, 

 by letters patent under the great seal of Scotland, to 

 Sir James Cunningham, his heirs and associates con- 

 stituting the Scottish East India Company, the right 

 to trade to the East Indies, the Levant, Greenland, 

 Muscovy and all other countries and islands in 

 north, north-west, and north-eastern seas. 1 



The Muscovy Company was chiefly concerned 

 since it was intended in the first instance to take up 

 whaling. 



1 State Papers, East Indies, i., 65. 



