England's great interest, by encouraging the setting up the royal fishery within the British seas With some political observations out of divers authors; treating of the manifold advantages by sea and land, from the fishing trade. As also, an impartial account of the proceedings of the corporation to this time. Published by approbation and allowance of the Company of the Royal Fishery of England. For encouraging the people of these nations, &c. to improve the advantages therof, under the countenance and privilege granted to the Company and their successors, by his late Majesty King Charles II. in letters patents under the Great Seal of England; bearing date 25th day of September, in the 29th year of his said Majesty's reign.

Touching Fishing.

The great Sea-business of Fishing doth imploy near Twenty Thousand Ships and Vessels; and four Hundred Thousand Peo∣ple are employed thereby yearly, upon your Coasts of England, Scotland, and Ireland: with Sixty Ships of War, which may prove dangerous.

The Hollanders only, have about Three Thousand Ships to Fish withal, and Fifty Thousand People are employed yearly by them upon your Majesty's Coasts of England, Scotland, and Ireland. These Three Thousand Fishing Ships and Vessels of the Hollan∣ders, do employ near Nine Thousand other Ships and Vessels; and One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Persons more by Sea and Land, to make Provisions, to Dress and Transport the Fish they take, and return Commodities; whereby they are enabled, and do build yearly a Thousand Ships and Vessels, having not One Timber-tree growing in their own Countrey, nor home-bred Commodities to Lade One Hundred Ships; and yet they have Twenty Thousand Ships and Vessels, and all employed.

King Henry VII. desirous to make his Kingdoms Powerful and Rich, by increase of Ships and Marriners, and Employment of his People, sent unto his Sea-Coast Towns, moving them to set up the Great and Rich Fishing; with promise to give them need∣ful Privileges, and to furnish them with Loanes of Money, if need were, to incourage them; Yet his People were slack.

Now, Since I have traced this business, and made my endea∣vours known to your Majesty, your Noble Men, Able Merchants and others, who have set down under their Hands for more Assu∣rance; and promised to disburse large Sums of Money, for the building up of a Strong, Rich, and Large Sea-City; which will increase more Strength to your Land, give more Comfort, and do more Good to all your Cities and Towns than all the Companies of your Kingdoms, having fit and needful Privileges for the up∣holding and strengthning of so weighty and needful a Business.

For Example, Twenty Busses Built and put into a Sea-Coast Town, (where there is not one Ship before) there must be to carry, re∣carry, Transport, and make Provision for each Buss, three Ships: Likewise, every Ship setting on work Thirty several Trades and Occupations: and Four Thousand Persons by Sea and Land; in so much, as Three Hundred Persons are not able to make One Fleet of Nets in Four Months for the Busses; which is no small employment.

Thus, By Twenty Busses are set on Work Eight Thousand Persons by Sea and Land, and an Increase of above One Thou∣sand Marriners, and a Fleet of Eighty Sail of Ships, to belong to One Town, where none were before, to take the Wealth out of the Sea, and to enrich and strengthen the Land, only by raising Twenty Busses. Then, what good One Thousand or Two Thou∣sand will do, I leave to your Majesties Consideration.

It is worthy to be noted, How necessary Fishermen are to the Common-wealth; and how needful to be Advanced and Che∣rished. Viz.

• 1. For taking God's Blessing out of the Sea to enrich the Realm, which otherwise we lose.
• 2. For setting the People on Work.
• 3. For making Plenty and Cheapness in the Realm.
• 4. For encreasing of Ships to make the Land Powerful.
• 5. For a continual Nursery, for Breeding and Increasing our Marriners.
• 6. For making imployment of all sorts of People; as Blind, Lame, and Others, by Sea and Land; from Ten or Twelve years and upwards.
• 7. For Enriching your Majesties Coffers, for Merchandizes re∣turned from other Countries, for Fish and Herrings.
• 8. For the Encrease and Enabling of Merchants; which now droop, and daily decay.

Furthermore. Some Particulars needful to be Considered of, viz.

The mighty huge Fishing that ever could be heard of in the World, is upon the Coasts of England, Scotland, and Ireland: But the great Fishery is in the Low Countries, and other Petty States, where∣with they serve themselves, and all Christendom, as it shall appear.

In Four Towns in the East Kingdoms, within the Sound (Quins∣borrough, Elbing, Statten, and Dantzick) there are carried and vent∣ed in a Year, between Thirty and Forty thousand Lasts of Her∣rings; which, sold but at Fifteen or Sixteen Pounds the Last, is about Six hundred and twenty thousand pounds; And we none.

Besides, Denmark, Norway, Sweathen, Leafland, Rye, Nevil, the Nerve, and other Port-Towns within the Sound, there is carried and vented above Ten thousand Lasts of Herrings, sold at Fifteen or Sixteen pounds the Last, is One hundred and seaventy thousand pounds more yearly. And, in such request are our Herrings there, that they are often sold for Twenty, Four and twenty, Thirty, and Thirty six pounds the Last; and we send not One Barrel in∣to all those East Countries.

The Hollanders send into Rushia near Fifteen hundred Lasts of Herrings, sold for about Thirty Shillings the Barrel, which amounts to Twenty seaven thousand Pounds; and we but about Twenty or Thirty Lasts.

To Stoad, Hamborrough, Bremen, Embden upon the River of Elve, Weaser and Emby, are carried and vented of Fish and Herrings, about Six thousand Lasts, sold about Fifteen or Sixteen Pounds the Last, which is about One hundred thousand Pounds; and we none.

Cleaveland, Gulickland, up the River of Rhine to Cullen, Frank∣ford or the Mayne, and so over all Germany is carried and vented Fish and Herrings near Two and twenty thousand Lasts, sold at Twenty Pounds the Last, which is Four hundred and forty thou∣sand Pounds; and we none.

Up the River of Maze, Leigh, Mastrich, Dendlow, Sutphin, Diventer, Camben, Swoole, and all over Lakeland, is carried and vented Seaven thousand Lasts of Herrings, sold at Twenty Pounds the Last, which comes to One hundred and forty thousand Pounds; and we none.

To Gilderland, Artois, Henault, Brabant, Flanders, up the River of Antwerp, all over the Arch-Duke's Countrey, are carried and vented between Eight and Nine thousand Lasts, sold at Eighteen Pounds the Last, which is One hundred sixty two thousand Pounds; and we none.

The Hollanders and Others, carryed of all sorts of Herrings to Roan only, in one year, besides all other parts of France, Fifty thousand Lasts of Herrings, sold at Twenty Pounds the Last, which is One million of Pounds; and we not One hundred Lasts

thither. They are sold oftentimes for Twenty four, and Thirty Pounds the Last.

Between Christmas and Lent, the Duties for Fish and Herrings came to Fifteen thousand Crowns, at Roan only. That year the late Queen Deceased; Sir Thomas Parry was Agent then there; and S. Savors his Man knows it to be true, who handled the busi∣ness, for pulling down the Impositions. Then, what great sums of Money came to all in the Port-Towns, to enrich the French King's Coffers, and to all the Kings and States throughout Christendom, to enrich their Coffers.

Besides, The great quantity vented to the Streights, and the multitude spent in the Low Countries, which there is likewise sold for many a Hundred thousand Pounds more yearly, is neces∣sary to be remembred; and the Stream to be turned to the good of this Kingdom; to whose Sea-Coasts God only hath sent and given these great Blessings, and multitude of Riches for us to take, howsoever it hath been neglected to the hurt of this Kingdom; that any Nation should carry away out of this Kingdom yearly great Masses of Money for Fish taken in our Seas, and sold again by them to us; which must needs be a great Dishonour to our Nation, and hinderance to this Realm.

In a word, The main Bulk and Mass of Herrings, from whence they raise so many Millions yearly, that enrich other Kingdoms, Kings and States Coffers, and likewise their own People; proceed∣eth from our Seas and Lands: And the return of the Commodi∣ties and Coyn they bring home in Exchange of Fish and other Commodities are so huge, as would require a large Discourse apart. And all the amends they make us, is, they beat us out of Trade in all Parts, with our own Commodities.

III. It is also thought meet here to Publish an Extract out of a Book Printed in Holland, Anno 1669. Put out by the late Pensionary John De Witt, entituled, A Representation of the wholsome Political Grounds and Maxims of the Republick of Holland, and West Fries∣land. Wherein

He makes an estimate of the Number of Souls Subjects of the States General, and concludes they are in Number.

2,400,000.

And says, these Persons maintain themselves as followeth. Viz.

By Fishing at Sea, and to set them out as Fishers with Ships, Rigging, Casks, Salt and other Mate∣rials or Instruments, and the Traffick that depends thereon.	450,000.
By Land Husbandry, In-land Fishing, Mowers of Downs, and Turff-makers, with those that are to furnish those Trades, with all sorts of Materials, as they are Husbandmen.	200,000.
By making all manner of Manufactories, Ships, Mechanick, or Handycraft-works, which are con∣sumed in Foreign Parts; as also, Traders relaing to the said Manufactures.	650,000.
By Navigation, or Sailing for Freight and Trade only, whereby I mean Freight or Carriage into Fo∣reign Parts, to Sell and to Buy: As also, to carry from and to Holland, all such Wares and Merchan∣dizes, which pertain not to Fishing and Manufactures, nor depend thereon: And Lastly, I include herein all Inhabitants that are serviceable to such Traders and Owners of Ships let out to Freight, amounting in all to	250,000.
By all these Inhabitants, as they are Men, Women, and Children, to provide with and work about all that is spent in this Land: as Meat, Drink, Cloathing, Housing; Arts necessary for Ease, Pleasure, or Or∣nament; Houshold Goods to sell or make.	650,000.
By the Labour and Care of all the above-menti∣oned Persons, Idle Gentry without Callings, Rulers and Officers in Politie, Usurers, Soldiers, Hospital-men, Beggars, &c.	200,000.
In all	2,400,000.