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To the supreme Authority the Parliament of the Common-wealth of ENGLAND; The humble Petition of severall that have adventured, and are willing to adventure to Greenland, whose Names are hereunto subscribed:
THat the Fishing of Greenland for making Oyl there (being of great concernment unto this Common-wealth) hath been for many years ingrossed in great measure into the hands of the Greenland Company, who have by force (and sometimes blood-shed) endevoured to suppress all others who have attempted to fish there, under pretence of a property in severall Harbors, by vertue of a Patent, and an Act of Parliament made in the 8. year of Eliz. which Act your Petitioners humbly conceive in no sense can be construed to warrant their actions or pretences.
That several of those Harbors wherein they principally claim an interest and propriety are large bayes and are some of them about 20. or 24. miles in breadth at the going in; and about 14. miles within, and comprise in each of them divers large, convenient, and commodious Harbours, where may be pitched many tents by several adven∣turers, and Coppers erected for boyling places several miles distant each from other, without any an noyance or preju∣dice to one another, and every one have more fishing then their utmost industry can improve (the Hollanders at this time through the means of the Greenland Companies restraint of free. fishing for all Englishmen, imploying annually. 3. or 4. score sail of Ships to fish in Greenland) and yet the Greenland Company strive to hinder all Englishmen, saving those of their own Company from fishing there, which are an inconsiderable handful of, about 30. or 40. persons and yet they do nothing neer send out sufficient shipping to supply this Common-wealth with Oyl or Whalefinn.
That the Greenland Company have lately and strongly endeavoured at the Councel of Trade to prevent all Forrai∣gners from importing fish Oyl and Whalefin, and all Englishmen from fishing freely in Greenland but themselves, where∣by they would have all Fish Oyl and Whalefinn in their own hands to inhance the price at their own wills, and in case their fishing be not succesful any year according to their desires the whole Common-wealth must suffer thereby, pre∣tending it is impossible that other Englishmen, besides themselves should fish there; but by the Sea-men there will be blood shed, although it is wel known that in or about the year 1645. when the Parliament was pleased to grant and make a severe order for keeping the Peace, there was no disturbance.
That in case the said fishing were free for every Englishman (as of right and justice we humbly conceive it ought to be) there would be twice or thrice as many Ships sent every year for Greenland, as a renow by the Greenland Com∣pany (as by the particulars under written may partly appear) whereby that fishing would be reserved from al forraigners, and this Nation supplied with a full quantity of Fish-Oyls at cheap rates, without the help of forraigners; yea, and in a few years be able to transport into forraign Nations for their supply, as now some of them do to us, for ours. And the Navigation for this Common-wealth very much increased, and industry (the support of a Nation) encouraged.
Your Petitioners therefore humbly pray, That it may speedily (for the encouragement of these present yeers fish∣ing) be declared by Parliament, that the fishing in Greenland and making fish-Oyl and Whalefinn there, shall be free for every English-man, and the same Oyls and Whalefinn there made to be freely vended in England, & that the said Greenland Company may make a just satisfaction for that innocent blood that they and their agents have shed there, and a full restitution and satisfaction to all those English men they have any way wronged by taking away their goods, &c. Contrary to Law, and that a severe and exact order may be made for the future keeping of the peace amongst all those Englishmen that shall repair to Greenland to fish; forasmuch as already the chiefest of the Greenland Company give out desperate threats against any English-men that are not of their Company that shall dare to fish in the Greenland Harbours.
And your Petitioners shall pray, &c.
All seven of them Sopemakers, with others of their associates, if the Trade be free, intend and desire (as we understand from some of themselves) to send out shipping to Greenland this year for 700 Tunn of Oyl. All which adventures in the gross, makes up 1600 Tunn, and the whole Greenland Company seldom in one year adventures for above 1000. Tunn of Oyl; so that the advantage the Nation will get by a Free-trade is clear: Free-trade onely being the means to beat the Hollanders out of that Trade.