Know ye that We out of Our Princely Care, tending as well to the Publike Weal of Our Kingdoms, as the private Commodity of Our Subjects, have diligently looked into and observed the great plenty of Fish, wherewith the Seas, Estuaries or Inlets, Creeks, Arms of the Sea, publike Rivers, Nooks and Lakes of Our Dominions, and the Isles thereunto belonging, by the blessing of Almighty God doth abound, and how great profits unto Our Subjects, and increase of strength unto Our Sea Forces, as well in times of War as Peace, may from thence arise; what an ease it will be to Our Kingdoms, to have Lazie and Idle people set on Work, and Trained up in the Trade of Fishing, whereby they may be able to relieve themselves, and how much Merchandize and Traffick may by their industry be improved; And ha­ving also with the Advice of the Council of Our Kingdom, weighed as well the publike as private Commodity, and all other consequences thereof, if Our Subjects shall diligently, seriously, and effectually employ their care and pains to the use and improvement of Fishing; And for other urgent Reasons and Causes Vs thereunto moving, Have nominated and constituted, and by these presents, We do make, constitute, ordain and ap­point, Our dearest and most entirely beloved Brother, James Duke of York, and our right Trusty and right welbeloved Cousins and Counsellors, Edward Earl of Clarendon Our high Chancellor of England, Thomas Earl of Southampton Our high Treasurer of England, and likewise Our right trusty and right welbeloved Councellor John Lord Roberts Lord Privy Seal, and also Our right trusty and right welbeloved Cousin Charles Duke of Richmond and Lenox, and Our right trusty and right welbeloved Cousins and Councellors George Duke of Albemarle Lord General of all Our Forces, Iames Duke of Ormond Lord Steward of Our Houshold, Henry Marquis Dorchester, Mountague Earl of Lyndsey Lord great Chamberlain of England, and also Our right trusty and right welbeloved Cousin and Counsellor Edward Earl of Manchester Lord Chamberlain of Our Houshold, and also Our right trusty and welbe­loved Cousin Awbrey Earl of Oxford, and Our right trusty and right welbeloved Cousin and Counsellor Algernon Earl of Northumberland, and also Our trusty and right wel­beloved Cousins, William Earl of Bedford, Philip Earl of Pembroke and Montgomery, Theophilus Earl of Lincoln, and also Our right trusty and right welbeloved Cousin and Councellor Robert Earl of Leicester, and also Our trusty and right welbeloved Cousins Iames Earl of Suffolke, Iames Earl of Marleborough, Ierome Earl of Portland, and also Our right trusty and right welbeloved Cousins and Councellors George Earl of Norwich, Edward Earle of Sandwich, Arthur Earl of Anglesey, and also Our trusty and right welbeloved George Lord Berkley of Berkley, Francis Lord Willoughby of Parham, William Lord Craven, Iohn Lord Berkley of Straiton, and also Our right trusty and right welbeloved Councellor Denzill Lord Hollis, Frederick Lord Cornewallis Treasurer of Our Houshold, and also Our trusty and right welbeloved Horace Lord Townesend, and also Our right trusty and welbeloved Councellors Anthony Lord Ashley, Sir Charles Berkley Knight, Comptroller of Our Houshold, Sir George Carteret Knight, Vice-Chamberlain of Our Houshold, Sir Edward Nicholas Knight, one of Our principal Se­cretaries of State, Sir VVilliam Morice Knight, another of Our principal Secretaries of State, and likewise Our right trusty and welbeloved Sir Ieoffry Palmer Knight and Baronet Our Atturney General, and Sir Heneage Finch Knight and Baronet Our Sollicitor General, to be the Councel of the Royal-Fishing of Great Brittain and Ireland, of which We Our Heirs and Successors will vouchsafe ever to be and be called Protectors; And we Grant Licence and Liberty that the Council and their Successors for the time being, as oft as to them or any Four of them, it shall seem expedient, may and shall from time to time in such places, meet and make Assemblies, Elect, Constitute, and Depute Officers and Ministers, such as shall be necessary for their service, and consuit and debate of the business and affairs of the said Fishing, and make, appoint, ordain and publish Laws, Ordinances and Sta­tutes whatsoever concerning their Ministers, Servants, Fishermen, Mariners, Masters, Factors, and others imployed about the business of the Fishing, and the same as oft as it shall seem necessary to them, Change, Revoke, Correct and Substitute other Ordinances in their stead, and enjoyn pecuniary mulctes or pains of imprisonment to be inflicted ac­cording to the quality of the offence on such as contemn or violate the same, and to new evils arising (wanting amendment) to apply a new remedy fit and agreeable to reason, when and as often as it shall seem expedient to them, yet so as those Laws, Ordinances and Statutes be by Vs and Our Heirs ratified and approved before they take force; And also they shall and may in like like manner put the said Statutes in due execution, and punish (according to the said Statutes, Laws, and Ordinances, and the tenors of the same) such as contemn and do contrary to them, which Laws, Ordinances and Statutes, We will to be observed in all things, and duely put in execution, yet so as the said Statutes, Laws, Ordinances or Decrees be not derogatory to the Statutes, Laws, Liberties, or Arts of Parliament of Our Kingdoms.

And We also Will, and by these presents for Vs, Our Heirs and Successors, do grant to the Councel aforesaid and their Successors, that the Fishermen, Mariners, Masters and Servants being in their Fishing business, and to every of them which now are or hereafter shall be attending or imployed in the taking or preserving of Fish, be from time to time hereafter free from all Pleas or Plaints in any the Courts or Seats of Iustice, of Vs our Heirs or Successors wheresoever, for any thing concerning the Fishing business while they are attending the taking or preservation of Fish, so as none of them shall or may answer before any Iustices or Stewards, Bailiffs, or Iudges of the Courts and Seats of Iustice, of Vs or Our Heirs or Successors, for any Trespass, or Contracts touching the Fishing business, but before the Councel aforesaid, nor shall give over Fishing or their Fishing works upon the summons of any of the Ministers of Vs, Our Heirs or Successors, but only upon the summons of some Officers or Ministers of the said Councel, or of the Iudges to be Delegated by the said Councel; and for the better Government, and to avoid expences, and other charge arising about any the differences that may arise among the Fishermen, Mariners, Masters and Servants belonging to the Fishery, for the sp [...]dyer Administration of Iustice, because it may often happen that controversies may arise at Sea between the Fishing Masters, Factors, Mariners and their Servants, to rem [...] which without delay, the Office of Iudge is necessarily requisite, We for Vs, Our Heirs and Successors, do Constitute and Or­dain, that in every Province of Our said Kingdom [...]nd Cities in this behalf convenient (to be designed or appointed by the Councel) there be Delegated Iudges under the said Councel; And We also Will that the same Iudges [...]side and keep Courts in this Burroughs and Cities most convenient for business of Fishing, to whom we grant full power to make, establish, and publish Laws, Ordinances and Statutes, temporary, and duly to put them in execution, so as the same Statutes and Laws do not repugne nor contradict the Laws, Acts of Parliament, or Statutes of Our Kingdoms, or the Laws or Statutes to be constituted or published by the Councel aforesaid.

We Will also, and by these presents for Vs, Our Heirs and Successors do grant unto the Councel and their Successors (as well present as to come) that none of their Fisher­men, Ministers nor Servants, neither their Boats, Sloops, Barkes, or Ships, little or great, or of whatsoever Bulk or Burthen they be, nor their Instruments or furniture, de­signed or prepared for taking of Fish or Carriage of the same, whether they be in Sea, or in Port, or elsewhere, be Arrested or Impressed for the Service or Imployment of Vs Our Heirs or Successors, or compelled to go in Our Service or Affairs, without the consent of their Owners: And We Will that none of the Fishermen, or any imployed in the tak­ing or preserving of Fish, to be put in Assizes, Iuries, Attaints, Recognizances, or any Inquisition, although they concern Vs, Our Heirs or Successors, or any others; nor that any of them be against his will made Collector of Tenths, Fifteenths, Taxes, Tallages, or any other Charges or Impositions whatsoever, any may granted to Vs, Our Heirs or Successors, nor to be compelled to be Contable or Tything-man against his will.

And for the better encouragement for the enabling of all men of Ingenuity to Build Busses, or Fishing Vessels to carry on this Fishing Trade, it is requisite that there should be erected Wharfs, Docks, Storehouses and Granaries about the River of Thames, and all the Ports of Our Kingdoms, where the conveniency will be most advantagious for the Work, for the accommodations of all those that shall set out the said Vessels to the Fishing Ground, to receive their Provisions of Salt, Clapboard, Hemp, and Vessels, their Rigging and Provisions, and the Nets (which the poor set on Work, shall make) there to be Tanned and fitted up accordingly, which to effect will require many thousand pounds, and cannot be procured but by way of Lottery, and by Letters Patents for a Collection in all Parishes within Our Dominions: We do by these presents, Give, Grant and Licence unto the Councel aforesaid, for he setting up of a Lottery within Our Kingdom of England for the space of three years, as King Iames of blessed memory did grant for the Plan­tation of Virginia in the year 1612. And also Letters Patents for a free Collection in the Churches, giving it in charge to the Ministers to evidence the goodness of the Work, as the Council shall direct, unto whom it is referred; and what Monies shall be so raised shall be paid unto Our right trusty and welbeloved Cousin Philip Earl of Pembroke, and by him to be issued out for the erectings of Wharfs, Docks, Store-houses and Granaries aforesaid, with the consent of the aforesaid Councel or any four of them.

And also We do hereby grant, that for the space of seven years, from the first entrance into the Trade of Fishing, all the Returns made for the sale of the Fish, either in the Bal­tick Seas, Denmark, Norway and France, shall pay no Customes inwards nor outwards, and shall freely vend their Fish in Foreign Parts, and make the returns thereof in the Com­modities of the place, without and interruption, by Power or Vertue of any Charter whatsoever to the contrary; And all Victuallers, Inns, Alehouses, Taverns, Coffee-houses and the like, shall take 1, 2, 3, 4. or mere Barrels of Herrings yearly, at the price of Thirty shillings per Barrel, untill Foreign vent be attained to perfection, according as the Councel shall order the same; And all Barrels of Pickled Herrings and Codfish, that shall be brought into Our Kingdom by the Flemings or others, shall pay two shillings six pence per Barrel to the Stock of that place or Port where they shall vend the same, which shall be also ordered by the Councel aforesaid.

And further by these presents, We do Order that all Pickled Herrings and Barrel Codd taken by the Fishing Busses and Vessels of Our Nation, when it is to be exported to Foreign Parts, shall give a Bill of Entry of the quantity, and quality, and place whether it is to be exported, unto the Officers that shall be appointed thereunto by Councel, their Commissioners or Agents appointed, and also the returns made, whereby a due account may be kept yearly to be exhibited to Our Lord Treasurer for the time being.

And whereas in case of breach of Peace with any Foreign Nation (which God forbid) We are graciously pleased, and do hereby promise and grant, that the said Fishers shall he pro­tected in their Fishing Grounds, and shall have Convoys for their exportation; And all other Priviledges and Immunities shall be granted unto them in future, as experience shall discover, for the better carrying on this business of Our Royal Fishing. In witness whereof We have caused these Our Letters to be made Patents,

Witness Our Self at VVestminster the Two and Twenty day of August, in the Thirteenth year of Our Raign.