increase it, and, in time, be able to perfect it; and may, if the blessing of God give a success to it, encourage divers others of the nation to contribute both their estates and advice for the farther help of it: So as, it is hoped, nothing will be wanting, that may conduce to the completing our desire and design, of undermining the Hollander in the present possession he hath of the said fishing; which, as it is the main and principal scope of this paper, so of the discourse hereunto annexed.

"16. That both the said discourses, and the said proposals, about the pre-emption of salt, have the rather been tendered at this season, in regard of the present treaty which his Majesty is in with Holland. And that, considering how much his Majesty and his subjects have suffered from that nation, it is hoped that nothing, in this conjuncture of affairs, will prove more grateful to the Parliament, or more obliging to the nation itself; and, therefore, that nothing may be more for his Majesty's present service.

"17. That by how much the more plainly and obviously it doth appear, that the promoting of the Fishery is for the necessary good and interest of this nation; and by how much the more highly grateful and obliging it must needs be, to see such a foundation laid, as may, in probability, every way tend to the exceeding greatness of it; by so much the more injurious and distasteful it must justly render the Dutch, to the generality of this nation, if they shall either wrongfully disturb us in it, or if they shall endeavour by violence to force us from it.

"18. This proposal is the rather presented at this season, that upon this occasion the ancient rights of his Majesty, and the known customs of this kingdom, may be farther examined and enquired into, viz. For the granting not only a guard and protection, but express license to all fishers whatsoever, fishing in any part of the seas, from the west of England even unto Scotland; and for the demanding a duty upon all fish so caught in any part of the said seas, towards defraying the charge of the said guard and protection; not only from the subjects belonging unto France, but from the subjects belonging to the Duke of Burgundy and the Dukes of Britany. And that if the said custom of giving license and protection to all fishers be found to be the undoubted right of his Majesty, and of this kingdom, the said custom may receive such farther sanction, assertion, and confirmation from his Majesty, and from the Parliament, as to the wisdom of his Majesty and of the Parliament shall at this juncture of time be judged most convenient.

19. Lastly, This proposal is the rather tendered, because, not

withstanding the extraordinary gain which the Hollander doth continually reap from our own seas by the said fishing, and notwithstanding the many laws which he hath made for the encouraging, regulating, and promoting his own fishing (which are about thirty), and notwithstanding the several affronts that have been offered us, both in Scotland and in our own channel, by their fishers; and notwithstanding that both his Majesty's father and his Majesty's grandfather have been constrained, by their respective proclamations, to vindicate their rights against the insolencies of the said Dutch, both to the said seas and to the said fishing, yet no Parliament of England hath hitherto either made any law purposely or principally for increasing the said fishing; or hath ever raised or appointed any stock towards it; or hath erected any council about it; or hath encouraged the nation itself to undertake it; or hath warranted them their protection in it.'

SECTION IX.

Mr. Andrew Yarranton's Advice towards the Undertaking and Management of the Fishery.

"In the next place, we shall add a few pages of a treatise written by Mr. Andrew Yarranton, entitled, The Second Part of England's Improvement by Sea and Land;' who, upon much travel and observation, amongst other things, thought fit to give his furtherance and advice towards the undertaking and management of the Fishery ; evincing how we may outdo our neighbours therein (which may serve by way of answer to their objection, who would have us believe that we cannot do it to the like advantage, and at lower charge, &c.), which is transcribed in his own words, as followeth, viz.

"So prodigiously rich is the fishing trade, and so plainly the right of the King of England, that with good reason is our negligence taken notice of by all Europe, and our prudence questioned by it, that we keep so little a share of it to ourselves as we do, and let our neighbours grow great and haughty by the peaceable and full enjoy

N

ment of that considerable trade. It was a most unlucky piece of goodness, that some of our former princes ever suffered a foreign buss to visit the English coasts. The tributes and acknowledgments were paid them then in return of that favour; and most unlucky still it was, that the sad calamitous times in the reign of King Charles I. prevented his resolution of correcting the Dutch, and keeping the wealth of the seas to his own people; and that the civil wars, some time after, gave occasion to the Hollanders to fix themselves in that trade; and it is now a difficult matter, by force, to dispossess thei of it.

"This only trade hath been the occasion of their present greatness. This hath given them their mighty numbers of scamen, their vast fleets of ships, and a foundation of all their other trades. But they could not so easily have engrossed the Fishery to themselves (notwithstanding those opportunities they have had of advancing themselves, whilst we have not had leisure to look abroad), if at other times we had used a due prudence to withdraw it from them.

"We have endeavoured with force, and a prodigious expence of treasure and blood, to bring down their hearts and level their trades; and had they dared to meet us in open sea, no doubt we had done their business and our own. But they are too wise to do so, without all the advantage in the world; and therefore have commonly so managed themselves, by standing on the defensive part, by prolonging a war, by retiring within their sands and natural defences of their seas, that we have been hardly able, at any time, to do any thing considerable upon them, never to vindicate the Fishery to ourselves, nor indeed to bring them to their acknowledgment for that privilege.

"We have endeavoured otherwise also to raise our Fishery and depress theirs; as, by raising joint stocks for the buying busses and nets, and all other necessaries for so great an affair, and by making companies, and gathering large sums of money to be employed in the same manner. But all these industrious attempts have had ill success, and have ended in nought but a visible loss to the undertakers and reproach to the nation.

"How there should be these miscarriages it may seem wonderful to most men, when the fish are on our own coasts, when we have had good harbours, and the whole nation praying for the prosperity of the undertaking; and if you read all the books that have been wrote on this subject of the Fishery, you shall not find one give the reason of our failures.

"You shall find them plentiful in setting forth the great riches attending thereon, the mighty increase of seamen, the constant employ

of the poor, and the enlargement of their several trades; not one word of the grounds of our ill success, or of the reasons of the prosperity of the Dutch, or of the remedies to be made use of by us to recover our loss and credit. Alas! without these last inquiries, what signify the first, but to raise our grief and torment, when we know the advantages of the Fishery, but cannot attain to them? Methinks, if they had not been very ingenious and prudent men which had passed by these inquiries, I could presently be satisfied that I could give a resolution to them; nor do I despair that I can, nevertheless: for the things are so evident to myself, that I cannot doubt but they will be so to all others also.

What, then, is the reason why our English Fishery is unprosperous, and the Dutch successful?

"It is, in short, that we fish intolerably dear, and they exceeding cheap.

"What also, if this inconveniency of ours might be removed, by being taught to fish cheaper than the Dutch possibly can? For it is not to be doubted but, as cheapness is one of the most essential parts of trade, and as he that can sell a commodity cheapest shall certainly have the trade of that commodity, so, because the Dutch fish cheaper than we now, and therefore can sell cheaper, they therefore, consequently, have the trade of the Fishery; and, by the same reason, when we are able to fish cheaper than they, we shall carry away the fishing trade from them also; for the trade must necessarily be there, where it is carried on cheapest. No other reason can there possibly be why the Dutch should get the Fishery to themselves.

"If you say, the regularity of their trade or their industry may effect this, and deny that they fish cheaper, you may easily be answered as to the two first parts of your assertion; for they are both resolved into cheapness. Industry promotes cheapness, and so does regularity; both of them are but promoters of that which I have told you is the supporter of the Dutch trade; and, as to the latter part of the assertion, you must be convinced by fact.

"I will shew you, first, How the Dutch manage their Fishery to the best advantage.

Secondly, In what chargeable ways the English proceed in the Fishery.

"And then, at last, thirdly, I will endeavour to shew you how the defects of our English Fishery may be removed, and it be made cheaper than it is with the Dutch.

"As to the Management of the Fishery to the best Advantage by the Hollanders.

"The great trade of building busses, making nets, and doing all other things which are convenient for the fishing trade, is at Enecusen, upon the South Sea, and at several other places adjoining; so that, all the conveniencies of that trade lying near together, it is carried on with the greatest expeditness and cheapness. It is not in the power of any man to run the prices of things high, where there is a mighty number of the same profession about him, who all of them work with the greatest diligence that can be, that they may not be undersold by another.

"In other places, where two or three only of the same trade reside, they very often presume upon a necessity of the neighbouring countries dealing with them, and, therefore, live profusely, and demand intolerable prices for their commodities, which (according to their way of living), they cannot afford cheaper. Here is no ground for such an extravagancy. You must live moderately, and sell cheap, or you cannot drive a trade in these parts.

"What promotes especially the building their busses as cheap as they do, but their good husbandry, in always being provided with timber fitted to all dimensions? so that they can no sooner resolve on building a buss, but the timber is instantly laid out for its foundation and bones, and with mighty expedition the buss is raised.

"And, now the buss is raised, what can they do less than take care to preserve it from all storms and bruises whilst it lies at home in harbour? and, therefore, they have cut rivers and channels for its quiet repose, which requires not the charge either of cable or anchor, or of any person to look to it, when not employed in fishing. These are great advantages; but see what mighty ones follow. The busses and nets, and the tackling belonging thereunto, are always to the owners sufficient credit to take up ready monies, either to be employed in the voyage, or to buy salt or victuals, or for any other necessary occasions; and the title to the buss never so much as questionable, she being always under a register-a thing of no small importance to all persons therein concerned, were it well considered. For thereby all men whatsoever are made capable, with swiftness, to run their money into the fishing trade, and buying, a part of or the whole buss. And since there is such security, what! should the money lie rusting in the bags? No, it is not so; it tumbles out into trade immediately: the owner either willingly running the hazard himself, or letting it at