cember 17, 1663, there were present the
Earl of Sandwich, William Coventry, Sir Nicholas Crispe, Henry Slingsby,
Christopher Boone, John Lord Berkeley, Sir Sackville Crowe, Thomas
Povey, John Jolliffe, and George Toriano. Acting on a special order
from the King, they debated how best the fishing trade might be
gained and promoted, and how encouraged and advanced when gained.
They considered the respective merits of a commission and a corporation,
and whether, if a corporation should be agreed upon, it ought to be
universal or exclusive, perpetual or limited, a joint stock or a divided
stock, and what immunities and powers should be granted, the character
of the persons to be admitted and the number. Taking up each point in
turn, the members of the Council first considered "How to gain the Trade
of Fishery" and laid down seven methods: 1, 2, by raising money either
through voluntary contributions or through lotteries; 3, 4, by restraint
of foreign importation or by impositions upon all foreign importation;
5, by letters to all countries urging them to contribute such especial
commodities as cordage, lumber, boards, and the like, in exchange for
fish; 6, by declaring a war against the Dutch, and at the same time,
7, by naturalizing or indenizing all Hollanders who would come into
the English fishery. For the support of the trade when gained the
Council proposed: 1, to impose a proportion of fish upon every vintner,
innkeeper, alehouse-keeper, victualler, and coffee house in England;
2, to refuse all licenses for fish, which were to be paid for to the
corporation; 3, to take the stock of the poor of every parish and
provide for the impotent and aged only out of the product, and employ
such as were able to work in the fishery--the impotent in the making
of nets, etc.; 4, to require the gentlemen of all maritime counties
to raise a stock of money in their counties to be employed toward the
advance of the fishery; 5, to raise busses, _i. e._, Dutch herring
boats, and to set them forth to their own use and to receive the profits
in fish or in the product of it; 6, to employ the imposition laid upon
fish by the last Parliament for the purpose of advancing the trade; to
accept the offer of fishmongers to raise busses and money; 8, to require
the master and wardens of the company, and, 9, to encourage private
persons to do the same; 10, to bring over Dutchmen to teach the English
the art of curing, salting, and marking fish, and of