The history and antiquities of Boston, and the villages of Skirbeck, Fishtoft, Freiston, Butterwick, Benington, Leverton, Leake, and Wrangle; comprising the hundred of Skirbeck, in the county of Lincoln. Including also a history of the East, West, and Wildmore fens, and copious notices of the Holland or Haut-Huntre fen ... sketches of the geology, natural history, botany, and agriculture of the district; a very extensive collection of archaisms and provincial words, local dialect, phrases, proverbs, omens, superstitions, etc. By Pishey Thompson. Illustrated with one hundred engravings.

DUTCH FISHERMEN SETTLED IN BOSTON, 1573. 71
householders, quietly and certainly settle themselves in divers towns and other places
within our realm of England, and hire and inhabit houses, and use their said trade of
fishing. Prepare, pack, and brand the herrings and other fish, which they shall take, after
the manner of the said Low Countries. And the same and other their fish so taken to
utter and sell, at any place upon the coasts of this our realm, and transport the same into
any other realm or country being with us in league or amitie, without contradiction or
impeachment. And that the rest, which are not fishermen, may use all occupations which
the inhabitants of any town or place where the said strangers shall chance to be placed, do
not use. Forasmuch, as we are credibly informed that the said strangers do here live
godlily and orderly, and towards our people do behave themselves quietly, and that sundry
of them do duly apply their fishing to the benefit of this our realm of England, and instruct
our subjects here in their manner of fishing, we, for the help of our borough of Boston, by
placing therein certain fishermen, and other persons of certain occupations, and for the
relief and succour of the said strangers in their afflictions and necessities, do license and
give authority to the Mayor and burgesses of the said borough, to allow forty of the
countries of Flanders, Holland, and Zealand, aliens born, not denizens, being all householders, master fishermen, and other handicrafts, to inhabit within the said borough or
town as follows.
" The Mayor and burgesses to allow and permit the said forty Dutchmen of the said Low
Countries, with their servants and families being such people, to inhabit within the said
borough. License being granted to lease houses for ten years or under, to the said forty
Dutchmen. On the death or removal of any of the forty, the place to be filled with
another Dutch alien. Each one of the forty to occupy only one house, shop, &c., and each
family not to consist of more than ten persons of their own nation. The fishermen to
repair to sea, either in their own boats, or those of other persons, to exercise their trade,
and to carry the fish caught and cured after the manner of their own country, to other
places along the coast for sale, or to other countries in league and amitie with England."
A power was reserved to the Crown to revoke this license at pleasure.'
In 1574 and 1575, when the musters for the army were taken, the town of
Boston was charged to raise 108 armed men. In 1575, the coasts of Lincolnshire were infested by pirates, some of whom being apprehended at Boston, the
following correspondence took place on the subject:" T/efollowing Letter was sent to the Lords of the Counsell by thie JMayor of Boston,
and Alexander Skynner, Custovmer of the Port.
"Our duties unto your Honors most humbly remembered. Whereas certen Robbers,
frequenting the Coastes of Lincolnshyer, do now lye at this presente in the Depes, or
Mouthe of Boston Haven, not onely to the great discouraging of honest marchants, but also
to the utter overthrowe of all trade in these partes; and further, whereas we have apprehended foure of the said companye, and by their examinacons, fynding them to be Pyrates,
have committed them to warde, according to the effect of the Queenes Maties pclamacon
Anno XI. in that behalf provyded; we, according to our bounden duties, have thought
good to certifye thus much to your honors whereby we may receive your Lordshipp's
further directions therein, we being in doubt what order to take with the said prisoners.
And thus we beseech Almythye God to preserve your good Lordshipps in helth. From
Boston this last day of April.
" ANTHONY KYME, Maior,
ALEX. SKYNNER, Collector.
"To the Right Honorable the Lords of the
Queen's most honorable Counsell."
" The Queen's Privy ounsehl in answer to the above Letter.
"After our heartye commendacons, perceiving by your letters of the last of Aprill the
diligence that ye have used for the apprehencon of certen pyrates in the port of Boston;
we comend yr doings in that behalf, and render you our harty thanks for the same, and for
answer what shall be done with the prisoners apprehended by you; it shall be meete for
you to give notice of yr doings to the Lord Clynton, that is Vice Admiral in those parties
and to participate with him, all such Examynacons as have been taken of them by yr order,
that thereupon they may be ordered by his Lordshipp according to Justice, and by such
direccon as by Lawe shall be thought mete unto him. And so much shall you signifye
1 Clharter Book of the Corporation.