A DISCOURSE OF THE FISHERY.  
Briefly laying open, not only the ADVANTAGES, and FACILITY of the Undertaking, but likewise the Absolute NECESSITY of it; in Order to the WELLBEING, both of KING, and PEOPLE.  
ASSERTED, and VINDICATED from all Material OBJECTIONS.  
By R. L' ESTRANGE.  
LONDON, Printed for Henry Brome at the Gun in S. Pauls-Church-yard, at the West End, 1674.   

A DISCOURSE UPON THE FISHERY.  
BEing to treat of the Fishery, and more particularly of the Herring-Fishing though I reckon upon the Cod and Ling-Fishing also in the Gross, I have diligently perused, extracted, and digested whatever I could meet with upon that Subject, and I find that my Discourse will fall under these 3. Propositions.  
I. That it is of Great, and Certain Advantage.  
II. That it lies fairer for the Subjects of his Majesty of Great Britain, then for the Hollanders.  
III. That if it be Encouraged, and Established, it will prove the Foundation of an ample, and lasting Revenue to the Crown, and ofWealth, andProsperity to the Nation.  
Nay, if it should turn to Loss, in stead of Profit, it would still abundantly answer the Expense, in the Consequences; being an undertaking, not only of Common Benefit, but (as the Case stands) of Absolute Necessity, to the Safety, and well-being both of King andPeople;  

§. 1. The Fishery is of Great, and Certain Advantage.  
Touching the Advantages of the Fishery; I presume there will be no dispute, since it is granted on all hands, that the Dutch are beholding to it for the Rise, and Support of their Greatness; for their Reputation abroad, and for their Strength at Home: Insomuch that the Herring, Cod, and Ling taken in his Majesty's Seas, by the Dutch, and other Strangers, are valued Communibus annis, at no less than Ten Millions of Pounds sterling; which Computation has been often Published, and constantly received for current, without contradiction.   

§. 2. The Fishery lies fairer for the Subjects of his Majesty of Great Britain, then for the Hollanders.  
As the Fishery is very Considerable, so it lies much fairer for Us, then for Them, in regard that we have many advantages toward it, which the Dutch want, and that we hardly want any thing which they have; save only Industry, which may be easily Promoted by good Order, and Discipline.  
First, We have the Fish upon our Coasts, (I might have said upon our Shores) where in case of Storm, Unlading, taking in Provisions, or the like; it is seldom above 4 or 5 hours' work (and most commonly not so much) to Recover a Harbour, and without any loss of time, to refitt, and put to Sea again; whereas the Dutch have usually some 200 Leagues to sail before they come to their Fishing; and there they lie at the mercy of the winds, for want of a Port to friend: and in Case of unlading, they have as far back again; which takes up a great deal of time, hinders their business, and endangers the loss of their Markets. It is true, that they have their Yagers many times, to take off their Fish at Sea, and refurnish them with Cask, and other necessaries; but if it happens to be a Rolling sea, they must lie still, and wait for a Calm; whereas with us that are in Harbour, the work of unlading, Repacking, and sending our Fish away to the first Market, goes on in all weathers. So that in respect of the nearness of the Fishing, we have much the Better of them: And no less, in the Commodiousness of our Ports and Crecks to Receive the Busses upon all Occasions.  
As to the Charge of a Fishing Vessel, with her Furniture, Tackle, Salt, Cask and Victuals; there is hardly any thing that belongs to it, except Pitch and Tarr, which We have not of our own Growth, whereas the Dutch have little of the●r own towards it, but Cheese and Butter, which is cheaper with Us too then with Them.  
Now if the Fishery be so Profitable, and lie so open to Us, that we may master it with less Expense, Difficulty, or Hazard then the Dutch, It is our own fault if We do not improve it to the Greatest Temporal Blessing (perchance) that Providence ever bestowed upon any People.  
Some indeed will have it that We want Men; Others, that our men will never take to it.  
To the First, I answer (under favour) that we have Men enough, but they are idle, and live upon the Public (to the shame of the Government) without any Return of Labour and Industry for their Bread; let but these People be set at work upon the Fishery, and We shall have hands to spare.  
The Second Exception is a Contemplation at large, viz. That the Genius of this Nation will never endure the hardships of that Employment▪  
To which I Reply, That the English do daily run greater hazards, and suffer greater hardships in other Voyages, than they do in This; And that they are, in very many Cases, enured to harder Labour: For certainly the working of a Mine is incomparably beyond that of a Buss. But to come to the very Point itself, so far are the English from an Aversion to the Fishery, that they do apply themselves to it; as Yarmouth, and Scarborough, and indeed the whole Coast will bear me Witness; For so soon as ever harvest is over (where the Herring-season comes on) the Boys, and Country Fellows presently flock to the Coast, to be hired into the Fishing, and upon trial, find it so much to their liking, that after the second Voyage there is not one of Twenty of them but takes up at Sea for good and all, without ever returning to his former Condition.  
To make it yet Clearer, it will not be amiss to take this General Objection to pieces, and distinctly to Examine the several difficultyes that occur under the notion of hardships. For to say that the English will never do any thing but where they may lie warm, and dry; fill their Bellies, and take their Ease; and that the Hollanders will endure. Hardships better than the English, will never Carry the Question: but I would fain know what sort of hardship it is (conducing to this affair) wherein the Dutch go beyond Us.  
Are they hardy to encounter the Dangers of the Seas?  
In this point, we may appeal to every days Experience, and leave the whole world to judge betwixt us.  
Is it the Hardship of Lying exposed to Cold Blasts, and Storms?  
Herein lies a Mistake, which I must confess has gained some Credit, and it is worth the while to set it Right. Be it known then, that the Herring-sishing in his Majesty's Seas, begins in June, and goes out in November: and that for the first 4. Months, (which is the best time both for Profit and▪ Fair Wether) we never so much as look after it, but fall in upon the Winter Fishing, from September, to the end of November, which is the most Tempestuous season of the whole year. And then in January, we fit out for the North-Seas, and spend the remainder of the Winter in all extremities of cold and hardship. This is enough to satisfy any man, that Our skins are as good proof against wind and weather as Theirs.  
But I will put it yet further, by supposing that the Winter-Fishing would be too hard for us; What excuse have we now for not making our best of the Summer-Fishing, which is far the more gainful of the two?  
And truly the Hardship of Course-Feeding, does not amount to much neither, though I know great stress is laid upon it, how pitifully their People Fare; and that an English Body will never be able to live upon a Dutch Diet.  
If so it were, that an English Diet could not be had, and that a Dutch one would not serve the turn; it were something; but that is not Our Case; for here, he that cannot feed upon the One, may have the Other: and I am persuaded, that the work will go on with Pease and Bacon, every jot as well as with Roots and Cabbage; Not but that the English can bring their stomaches down too upon any Honourable Occasion, to the Grossest Food Imaginable; as has been often seen among the Besieged in our late Troubles: but they are too generous, to mortify their Carcases, purely to save their Purses; which in this particular, is the only ground of Exception; It will augment the Charge that is to say, whereas a Holland-Buss, after their way of Victualling, clears about a 1000. a year, an English Buss will not clear above 990l. according to Ours: which 10l. difference I do only admit for quiet sake, and to shorten the dispute; as being the most that any man can pretend to; and more too, in plain terms, than the matter will bear. For the Dutch-Victualling is the same with ours, so far as to Beer, Biscuyte, Butter and Cheese; all which We can lay in much cheaper than They: so that 'tis but adding the Charge of Pease and Bacon, which (to take it at the worst) comes but to some 15 or 16l. more, and then discounting for the other victuals which it saves; for the difference of Prizes; and for the Brandy, which their People drink more than ours, and there's the Account.  
Besides that the very supposal of passing from a good Diet to a bad, is a great Error, for the Countrymen that put themselves into the Fishing, fare Incomparably better at Sea, than ever they did at Land; for beside the Ordinary Provision which they carry to Sea, they feed upon the Fish they Catch; which for variety and Delicacy, (being fresh taken) is a Treat, beyond what is to be had at any Nobleman's Table ashore: and improves them at such a Rate, that of Pitiful weaklings at Land, they come in a voyage or two to be hearty, stout, and healthful persons.  
There is another Objection raised from the strictness of the State's Government; (where People must either work, or starve) which says, that the hardshipps of the Fishery are so great, that if it were not barely to keep life and soul together, no body would meddle with it, and that their Fishery is merely Supplied cut of such a sort of People.  
My Answer is, First, that the Foundation is a mistake, for it is already made plain, that there are no such terrible hardshipps. Secondly, for Argument sake, I will take all for Granted, as well the hardshipps themselves, as the necessiryes that make people undergo them; let it but be agreed, that by the force of those necessities, the thing is done at last. For then, by a stronger reason it may be done by Us, who have Ten men for their One, that have nothing to live upon but their Labour: Persons that are ready to starve for want of work, when the Nation is almost undone for want of People.  
There are yet two Lions more in the way; 1st. Our Herrings are in no esteem abroad, because we have not the right way of Curing them. 2ly, we shall never make any thing on't, for the Dutch will under-sell us, by freighting cheaper; and consequently beat us on't of the Trade, for want of Vent. To which in Order.  
1st. There are two ways of Cutting Herring; The One, at Sea; where they are Gipped, Immediately upon the taking, and so Barreled up: The Other, at Land, where they are Gipped, and Packed, some days after they are Taken, These we call shore-made Herrings and we know before hand, that one Barrel of the Other, (for Goodness) is worth a hundred of These; and that they will never take their Pickle kindly, unless their Throats be cut as soon as they are Caught. So that it is a great Error, to take a shore-made Herring for a trial of our Skill of Curing. But for those we make at Sea, they are as good, and as well esteemed abroad, as any Dutch Herrings whatsoever: and this very year, above 200 Barrels were sold into the East-country out of one small vessel of ours at near 4l. a Barrel. I wish we were not more to blame for not taking them, then for not Curing them. But what if Really we could not Cure them? Is it Impossible to Learn?  
2ly The other suggestion, that the Dutch will beat us out of our Trade, is either of no force at all against the Fishery, or it is much more forcible against the Merchant, and the Collier; for this Trade lies under our Noses, and more in our Power then any other: And to discourage our Fishing upon this Consideration, is all one, as to bid us quit all Navigation whatsoever, and leave ourselves at the Hollanders Mercy; or in Effect, for a Prey to all Comers. And then to fear the want of Vent, is to Imagine that people will leave Eating: for a great part of the Trading World lies yet unserved: neither can any man show me that ever our Herring lay upon our Hands, for want of a Market.  
Enough is said 1st. to show the Advantages of the Fishery. And 2ly. that we may easily Master it, if we please. It remains now that we take possession of it, and apply the Profit to ourselves.   

§. 3. If the Fishery be Encouraged, and Established, it will prove the Foundation of an ample, and lasting Revenue to the Crown, and of Wealth and Prosperity to the Nation.  
Nay, if it should turn to Loss, instead of Profit, it would still abundantly answer the Expense, in the Consequences; being an undertaking, not only of Common Benefit, but (as the Case stands) of Absolute Necessity, to the Safety, and well-being both of King and People;  
It is but reason, that Public works should receive Public Encouragement; and that where both Prince and People are to partake of the Benefit; they should likewise join in the furtherance of the thing. Of such a Quality is this work. No sickly Project upon a Ramble we know not whither, to hunt for we know not what; but a sober and simple Plot upon a Treasure that lies at our very Feet: a Treasure, of more Value to Us then both the Indies, and yet we will not so much as stoop to take it up.  
The Encouragement here intended, is the raising of a Sum of money for a Fond, as a necessary Preparatory toward the perfecting of the work: which may be done either by Lone, Contribution, or Tax.  
Hitchcock computes upon 80000. l. to be furnished by 40. persons out of every County, at 50. l. a man, reckoning South-Wales for one County, & North-Wales for another, (which is no great matter.) And many other contrivances there are; but this point may be cut short: for, upon good security there will be no difficulty of Procuring Mony.  
Contribution would be an easy way; & certainly do a great deal in the business; if the People might but be secured from the fate of their Last Benevolence in this kind, which never came to any thing, and there is a good part of it remaining in the Collectors hands to this very day, unaccounted for. Many ways might be found out for their satisfaction, but none perhaps more agreeable than Depositing of the stock in the Chamber of London.  
A General Tax would do the Deed at a blow; Nay a Particular Imposition, to Introduce it by degrees; (as in case of the Algiers Duty for the redemption of slaves; the Cole-Tax, for the Rebuilding of Churches) would sufficiently answer my purpose.  
Monies being raised and deposited toward a Stock, we come now to consider where, and how to Employ them.  
The first thing to be done may be the Resolving upon so many staples; and then to fall to work upon Creeks, Wharves, Docks, Storehouses, Tan-houses, Work-houses, Granaryes, Brew-houses, and other Conveniences for the service: And at the same time, the Poor may be set to work upon Spinning, making of Nets, and Ropes, and the Like; that the Fishing Tew, and the other Provisions, may go on hand in hand together.  
By this Method, the design may be very fairly advanced with a matter of Forty or Fifty Thousand pounds, leaving the Charge of the Vessels to come after, when there shall be Accommodations fit to Entertain and receive them, The reasons of my proposing it thus by halves, are these; 1st. There is no need of buying Vessels till we know how to dispose of them, (though an eye may be had in the Interim, to the saving, and setting apart for this use, of such Ships as may possibly fall in by the By,) 2ly. The Expense will be lighter, and so more easily Compassed. And Lastly, (which is the main point of all) It will be a great Encouragement to a Further supply toward the Charge of the Vessels themselves (which is next to be Considered) when the people shall see that we are in Earnest, and half through the work already.  
The Charge of a Herring-Busse, of 80. Tun, new from the Stocks, and furnished at all points for the Fishery; together with Victuals, & Wages for one whole Year; may be rated at 900l. which being divided into 2 parts. I make account that the Vessel herself with her Cockboat, Masts, Sail, Yards, Cables, Anchors, and other Trim to fit her for the Sea, will make about one Moiety: So that 200 New Busses, rigged and fitted as aforesaid, will come to about 90000l. (or at second hand perhaps, 30000l. Cheaper;) which Expense, with ordinary success, will be Cleared the first year; and money toward a stock over and above. It were better if there were more, but rather than fail, I would content myself for a Beginning, even with a fourth part of these: But be they more, or sewer, I would have all the Vessels advanced upon the King's Account; and have the Remaining Charge of Nets, Rope, Line, Cask, Salt, Victuals (and in short, of all Fishing-Tew, and Provisions) to be born upon Adventure, according to common Practice in those cases, for the Ease of his Majesty and the Encouragement of the People. This will be better understood by a word or two concerning the Methodes in the menage of the Fishery.  
The Profit of a Herring-Busse is divided into so many shares, whereof there go about 2 Thirds to the Adventures, and the rest to the Vessel. The Nets, and Fishing-Geare; the Master, and his Mate, with the Sailors, Fishermen, and the vessel itself, are in upon the Adventure of No Purchase, no Pay. The Ships Provisions of victual, Salt and Cask, are furnished upon Adventure too, with the advantage it may be, of 12 per Cent for their Comoditieses in peace, and twice as much in times of war, above the price of the Market, but with this difference, that this last adventure is to be paid off upon the Return, before the dividend: without pretending to any other Intereit in the profit of the voyage. So that his Majesty shall not need to be one penny more out of Purse, then for the Vessel; as aforesaid: save only the Ships part toward the wages of 6 or 7 Land-men; which is so inconsiderable, that after two Voyages, they themselves will deal no longer for wages, but serve upon Adventure.  
This is the very Track of the Affayr, and by this method is Retrenched almost the one half of the Present Charge of the Fishery; the work made easy, and Profitable, in common, both to King, and People.  
The Proportion of Sailors, and Fishers, for 200 Busses will be 1800, or 2000 men, which will be supplied from our Coasts without any difficulty: and these 200 Busses will train up yearly, at least 1200 Landmen for Sea ●ervice.  
And then for Money, certainly it will never be wanting; when so small a matter may advance so great a work.  
What were it for the Clergy to make his Majesty, a Present of 50. Busses in kind; and delivered without any further Trouble, into his own Ports? which undoubtedly they would never stick at.  
A Matter of 50 or 100 of those Noble Persons, upon Whom his Majesty hath showered down his Graces, and Bounties; what were it for them to furnish as many more (which in pure Honour, and Gratitude, they would never Refuse?  
The City of London would undoubtedly come in for their Quota too; not only in Acknowledgement of the Honours, and Privileges they have received from the Crown, but in pursuance of their wont munificence in favour of all Public undertake.  
So that there remains but 50 Busses more to be furnished from the whole Nation beside, to make up the Number; which comes to little more, than a Vessel a Country, one County with another.  
This way would carry the business through, and leave no Objection behind, of any Possibility of ill-husbanding, or misapplying the Monies; when, the Respective Contributers themselves shall have the manage, and ordering of their own Proportions.  
This may suffice for an Encouragement to the Fishery; and there wants little now toward the Establishment of it, but the settling, and setting apart, by Act of Parliament, of a certain Revenue for the Repairing of Creeks, Wharves, Houses, and Vessels, belonging thereunto; to be vested in the King, and his Heirs for ever; to the ends and purposes aforesaid.  
In persuance of my Assertion, I am now to make good, that the Fishery being duly Encouraged, and Established, will prove the Foundation of an Ample, and Lasting Revenue to the Crown, and of Wealth, and Prosperity to the Nation.  
Upon the Kings providing Busses, and the settling of a matter of 20000l. a year for Reparations, and Supplies, in manner as is heretofore expressed; there will accrue to his Majesty a Third part of the Profits of the Fishery, in the Right of the Vessels; which, upon a very Reasonable and hopeful Improvement, will amount to a Million and a half, yearly; and remain to the Cr●wn for ever. This is it which I call the Foundation of an Ample, and Lasting Revenue; and which I look upon as a Treasury, that will much more than Answer all His Majesty's Naval Expenses whatsoever. To say nothing of what will be advanced in his Customs, by Commedities. Imported for our Fish, in Return.  
And I may very well reckon upon it also, as a Foundation of Wealth, and Prosperity to the Nation; for I cannot Cast my Eye upon any sort or Condition of People, that is not the better for it, and the Community most of all.  
1st. It will bring all other Commodities in upon the Truck; which we now pay ready money for; to an Inestimable value.  
2ly. It will ease this Kingdom at least 300000l. a year, in the very Tax to the Poor, by Employing all sorts of People, and turning the Great Burden of this Land, into an equal Benefit: which will be in some measure a repeopling of us too, by adding so many lost hands to the service of the Public.  
3ly. A full Fishery, in this one year; would have saved the City of London, and the Dependencyes upon the River of Thames, near half a Million perchance, in the price of Cole; for there would never have wanted seamen, to carry on the War, and the Colliery together.  
It would be endless to run through all the Particulars; How it begets Commerce; Fills His Majesty's Coffers; Peoples his Dominions; and consequently raises the price of Land; Enriches the Merchant, both by Expertation, and Importation; and the Tradesman, by setting all hands to work: for it is remarkable, that 10000l. adventure in the Fishery, Employs more people, than 50000l. in any other Trade whatsoever, Clothing Excepted. It Excites Industry, and Clears us of Loiterers, and Beggars. Insomuch, that Ordinary Servants make themselves fortunes, by working of Nets, at spare hours, and adventuring them in the Fishery.  
Let it not be Imagined that I speak all this without book, for I have my Calculation of the profit of it, and other advantages, from Sir Walter Raleigh, Sr. John Burrowes, and many other learned, and Experienced Authors, who computed the yearly value, at above ten millions, when the Dutch had not half the number of Busses which now they have.  
By'r be the profit more or less, rather than differ upon that point, we'll cast all our Millions into the Sea again, and yet set up the Fishery, though we should trade to Loss: for it seems to me, of so absolute a Necessity to this Nation, that (humanely speaking) we cannot well, or long subsist without it.  
If we let our Navigation fall, we are Lost; and how to support, and supply it, without the Fishery, I do not Comprehend; The Man of War, and Merchantman, consume▪ Seamen, and I●reed. none. The Collier brings up, now and then an: Apprentice, but still spends more than he makes. The only (and the Common) Nursery of Seamen is the Fishery; where every Buss brings up (it may be) 6. 8. or. 10. new men every Year; so that our Fishery is just as Necessary to our Navigation, as our Navigation. is to our safety, and well-being. And it is well enough observed, that All Princes and States, are stronger or Weaker, at Sea, according to the Measures of their Fishery.  
Nor is it only for the Number of Seamen that we are indebted to the Fishery, but for the value of them also, for there never were braver Officers in the world, than those that have been Trained up in That School, as any man that desires to be better informed, may easily satisfy himself.  
Nay, if they were only to be Employed as Pilots, their services would more than Countervail the Charge: for their business lies where our Dangenlyes: They know all the Rocks and shelves; and there's no Coasting without them. How many brave ships have we stranded, for want of a pitiful Fisherman aboard, to forewarn us of the Danger? yes, and I have heard it. Confidently said, that even since this last War with the Dutch, a great part of His Majesty's Fleet Royal had like to have perished upon the same score. Neither can we pretend so much as to Pilot a great ship out of the River, without a Fisherman.  
As we can do nothing at Sea without the Fishery, so I am afraid we shall make as ill shift at Land, For we have a bold Coast, and for want of people upon it, to defend it, we lie open to a thousand Mischiefs. The Fishery will relieve us in This too; by planting a Trade there, which will draw on Commerce, and Consequently repeople and strengthen us. If it be asked me, how we have done for Seamen all this while? I answer, that we have done for Seamen, as some people do for money; that have but a Thousand Pound in the world, and play away five Hundred of it in a Night: we spend upon the Main stock, and it will never hold out. It has been our Fishery (even poor as it is) that has supported us all this while, and when That dies, a man may foretell without the help of an Oracle, that the Glory of England will not long outlive it.  
When I speak of the Fishery, I desire to be understood of the Fishery in General, and of God, and Ling, as well as Herring; which is Esteemed to be well nigh as Gainful too as the other. There is not any subject perhaps that has been more Laboured, and to less purpose than this, and the Reason possibly may be, that we have only taken a prospect of the Pecuniary advantages of it, which we may live without, and given no heed at all to that Consideration of State, which makes it of Absolute Necessity to our Preservation.  
To Contract all in a word; If any man shall say, that I have overrated the Fishery, and the Influence it would have upon the prosperity of this Kingdom, let them reply upon Sir Walter Raleigh, Sir John Burrowes, and other persons of Note, who have studied the point and made a particular deduction of the Value of it.  
Or If I have not sufficiently proved, that it lies fairer for Us, then for the Dutch; or not fully answered all Material Objections to the Contrary, I shall be Glad to be better Instructed.  
Or (the Profit apart) If we can ever be either Happy, or safe, without Navigation: Or Maintain that Navigation without a Fishery; and manage it without Pilots. If this may be done, I say, All's well: But if not; I may then conclude that the Fishery is of an Absolute, and Undispensable Necessity, to the well-being, both of King, and People.  
FINIS.