The history of the worthies of England who for parts and learning have been eminent in the several counties : together with an historical narrative of the native commodities and rarities in each county / endeavoured by Thomas Fuller.

CHAPTER VIII. Of Souldiers and Seamen, with the necessity to encourage the Trade of Fishing.

SOULDIERS succeed, though it almost affrighteth my Pen to meddle with such Martial Persons. It is reported of the God of the Jews, That he would have no share in the Pantheon at Rome, except he might have (and that justly too) the whole Temple to himself. So lately we have been so sadly sensible of the boisterousness of Souldiers, one may suspect, they will [though unjustly] justle all others out of the Book, to make room for themselves.

But since their violence hath (blessed be God) been seasonably retrenched, we have adventured to select some signal Persons of that Profession, whose Prowesse made eminent impression on Forreign Parts (so purposely to decline all medling with the dolefull and dangerous Distractions of our Times) beginning our List in the Reign of King Edward the 3d. and concluding in the beginning of King Charles.

Seamen.

Surely Divine Providence did not make the vast body of the Sea, for no other use, than for Fishes to disport themselves therein, or, (as some do conceit) only for to quench and qualifie the drought and heat of the Sun with the moysture thereof, but it was for higher intendmens. Chiefly, That by sailing thereon, there may be the continuing of Commerce, the communicating of Learning and Religion (the Last from Palestine the Staple thereof) and the more speedy and convenient portage of Burthens, seeing, a laden Ship doth flie in comparison of the creeping of an empty Waggon.

Now to speak what Envy cannot deny, Our Englishmen, either for Fights, or Discoveries, whether for tame Ships, Merchants Men, or Wild Ships, Men of War carry away the Garland, from all Nations in the Christian World.

Learned Keckerman, * 1.1 who being a German by birth, was unbiased in his judgment, and living in Dantz, (a Port of great trading, whither Seamen repaired from all parts) and writing a Book De re nautica, may be presumed skilful therein, alloweth the English the best Seamen, and next to them the Hollanders. And if the later dare deny the truth hereof, let them remember the late Peace they purchased of the English, and thank God, that they met with so conscientious Chapmen, who set no higher price thereon.

Yea, Let the Dutch know, that they are the Scholars to the English, in some of their Discoveries: For I find the four first Circumnavigators of the World thus qualified for their Nativities,

• 1. Magellanus, a Spaniard.
• 2. Sr. Francis Drake, an Englishman.
• 3. Sr. Thomas Candish, an Englishman.
• 4. Oliver Noort, an Hollander.

But be it known, That the last of these had an Englishman, Captain * 1.2 Mellis by name, Pilot to conduct him.

Yet let not my commending of our English Seamen be misinterpreted, as if I did not refer all successe to the goodnesse of God, the grand Admiral of the World. The praising of Instruments (by way of subordination) is no more detrimental to the honour of the Principal, than the praising of the edge of the Axe is a disparagement to the strength of the Arm which useth it. God I confesse by his Providence ordereth all by Land and by sea; yea, he may be said to be the first Shipwright; for I behold the Arke, as a Bird, wholly hatcht▪ but utterly unfledg, without any feathers of Masts and Tackling, it could only float, and not sail, yet so, that therein was left pattern enough for humane Ingenuity to improve it to Naval perfection.

Yea, God himself hath in Scripture taken signal notice of the dextrous in this nature, on which account we finde the Tyrians, or Men of * 1.3 Hiram, praised, for that they had knowledg of the sea, when sent with the servants of Solomon to Ophir.

We begin our Catalogue of Seamen in the Raign of King Edward the 3d. before which time there were many good seamen in England, but few good English-seamen, our King using Mariners of the Hanse Towns. But it is no good huswifery to hire Chair∣women to do that, which may as well and better be done by her own servants. In the time of Edward the third, England grew famous for Sea-fights with the French, and encreased in credit, especially since the Navy Royal was erected by Q. Elizabeth.

Some conceive it would be a great advancement to the perfecting of English Navigation, if allowance were given, to read a Lecture in London concerning that Subject, in imitation of the late Emperour CHARLES the fifth, who wisely considering the rawness of his Seamen, and the manifold shipwracks which they sustained in passing and repassing between Spain and the West▪Indies, established, not only a Pilote Major, for the examination of such as were to take charge of Ships in that voyage, but also founded a Lecture for the Art of Navigation, which to this day is read in the Contraction House at Sivil: the Readers of which Lecture, have not only carefully taught and instructed the Spanish Mariners by word of mouth, but have also published sundry exact and worthy Treatises, concerning Marine causes, for the direction and encouragement of Posterity.

Here it were to be wish'd, That more care were taken for, and encouragement given to the breeding of Fishermen; whom I may call the spawn, or young Frie of seamen; yea such as hope that Mariners will hold up, if Fishermen be destroyed, may as rationally exspect plenty of hony and wax, though only old stocks of Bees were kept without either Casts or Swarmes.

Nor can Fishermen be kept up, except the publick eating of Fish at set times be countenanced, yea enjoyned by the State. Some suspect, as if there were a Pope in the belly of every Fish, and some bones of superstition in them, which would choak a conscientious person, especially if fasting dayes be observed. But know that such Customes grew from a treble root, of Popery, Piety, and Policy; and though the first of these be pluck'd up, the other must be watered, and maintained; and Statesmen may be mortified and wise without being superstitious: Otherwise the not keeping of Fasting-dayes will make us keep Fasting-Dayes, I mean, The not forbearing of Flesh, for the feeding on Fish, for the good of the STATE, will in processe of time prove the ruine of Fishermen, they of Seamen, both of Englishmen.

We are sadly sensible of the truth hereof in part, (God forbid, in whole) by the decay of so many Towns on our North-east Sea, Hartlepool, Whitebay, Bridlington, Scarborough, Wells, Cromer, Lestof•…•…, Alborough, Orford, and generally all from New castle to Harewitch, which formerly set out yearly (as I am informed) Two Hundred Ships, and upwards, inployed in the Fisherie, but chiefly for the taking of Ling, that Noble Fish, corrival in his Joule with the surloin of Beef, at the Tables of Gentlemen.

These Fishermen, set forth formerly, with all their male Family, sea-men, sea-youths, I had almost said, sea-children too, (seeing some learn'd the Language of lar-board, and star-board, with Bread, and Butter,) Graduates in Navigation, and indeed the Fishery did breed, the natural and best elemented seamen.

But since our late Civil Wars not three ships are imployed yearly for that purpos•…•…, Fishermen preferring rather to let their Vesse•…•… lye, and rot in their Havens, than to undergo much pain and peril; for, that would not at their return quit cost in any proportion.

So that it is suspicious, That in processe of time we shall lose, (the Masters being few and aged) the Mystery of Ling-catching, and perchance the Art of taking and handling some other kinde of sound and good Fish▪ no Nation (without flattery to our selves be it spoken) using more care and skill in ordering of that Commodity.

Yea, which is a greater mischief, it is to be feared, that the seminary of sea-men will decay. For (under correction be it spoken) it is not the long voyages to the East∣Indies &c. which do make, but marr sea-men▪ they are not the Womb, but rather the Grave of good Mariners, it is the Fishery which hath been the Nursery of them, though now much disheartened, because their Fish turn to no account, they are brought to so bad Markets. Nor is there any hope of redressing this, but by keeping up Fasting-Dayes, which our Ancestors so solemnly observed. I say, Our Ancestors, who were not so weak in making, as we are willfull in breaking them, and who consulting the situation of this Island, with the conveniencies appendant thereunto, suited their Lawes and accommodated their Customes to the best benefit thereof.

Nor was it without good cause why Wednesdayes and Fridayes were by them appointed for Fish-dayes: I confesse some Forreigners render this Reason, (and father it upon Clemens Alexandrinus) that, Because those dayes were dedicated by the Heathen, the one to Mercury the God of cheating, the other to Venus the Goddesse of lust, therefore the Christians should macerate themselves on that day with Fasting, in sorrowful remembrance of their Pronity to the vices aforenamed: But waving such fancies our English Fish, or Fasting-Dayes are founded on a more serious consideration.

For our English Fishermen, in Kent, Sussex, Hants•…•…re, &c. set forth on Monday, and catch their Fish, which on Tuesday they send up to London, where on Wednesday it is sold and eaten. Such therefore, who lately have propounded to antidate Fish-eating, and to remove it from Wednesday to Tuesday, must thereby occasion the encroaching on the Lords-Day, to furnish the Markets with that Commodity. Again, such Fishermen as returned on Tuesday, set forth afresh on Wednesday, to take Fish, which on Thursday they send up to London, to supply the remainder of the Week; It being observable, that so great is the goodnesse of God to our Nation, that there is not one week in the year wherein some wholesome Fish, caught on our own Coast, is not in the prime Season thereof.

As for Staple or Salt-Fish, there are those that are acquainted in the Criticismes thereof, and have exactly stated, and cast up the proportions, who will maintain, that it will do the deed, and set up the Fishery as high as ever it was, if every one in England able to dispend a Hundred Pounds per annum, were enjoyned to lay out Twenty Shillings a Year, in staple-fish, a Summ so inconsiderable in the Particulars, that it will hurt none, and so considerble in the total, it will help all of our Nation. If any censure this for a tedious Digression, let it be imputed to my Zeal for the good of the Common-wealth.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Hoc certum est, omnibus bodie gentibus navigandi industria, & peritia, superiores esse Anglos, & post Anglos Hollandos.
• * 1.2

  Purchase, his Pilgrims, lib. 2. Page 17.
• * 1.3

  1 Kings, 9. 27.