78 CHARLES I. 
Such was Charles’ desire for peace, however, that when 
he learned that many Dutch vessels were fishing without 
license under the protection of strong convoys, he gave 
orders to the Earl of Northumberland to send not a 
war vessel but a merchant ship with the licenses to the 
Dutch fishing fleet, the king “ being not willing to employ 
any of his own until it appears what the success will be.” 
The Dutch were to be assured of convoy and safe conduct 
home in the event of their accepting the licenses; if they 
refused them, the matter was to be referred to the king.1 
Upon Northumberland’s asking for more explicit instructions 
as to the manner of dealing with the Dutch, should they prove 
obstinate,? Secretary Windebank, writing on July 6th, 1637, 
gave him the root of the matter thus: “ The truth is, his 
Majesty is not willing to proceed roundly with them, and 
therefore holds this way of inviting them to acknowledge 
his right, without sending his whole fleet, which would be 
a manifest obligation in honour to perfect the work notwith- 
standing any opposition, which might be of dangerous 
consequence to the present condition of his affairs.’ ? On 
July 10th, therefore, Northumberland despatched Captain 
Richard Fielding to the north in the Unicorn with 200 licenses, 
giving him distinct instructions that he must not become 
engaged in any dispute with the Dutch. Fielding, coming 
up with a Dutch fleet of six or seven hundred vessels, found 
the masters of the fishing vessels quite willing to accept 
the licenses, but had distributed only two when the Dutch 
admiral hailed him and forbade him to give out any 
more.* Following his instructions, Fielding returned with- 
out more ado, and made his report to Northumberland, 
who, disgusted at the weakness of the king’s attitude, very 
sensibly remarked that “it might much better have been 
1Cal. S.P. Dom. Car. I., vol. 363, No. 21. 
2 Ibid. vol. 363, No. 28. 3 Ibid. vol. 363, No. 41. 
4 Ibid. vol. 364, No, 45. 
