THE Trade Fishing OF GREAT-BRITAIN DISPLAYED With a Description of the Islands of ORKNEY and SHOTLAND BY Captain JOHN SMITH LONDON Printed by William Godbid and are to be sold by Nathaniel Webb at the Sign of the Royal-Oake in St. Paul's Church-yard 1661. To His Sacred MAJESTY CHARLES By the Grace of GOD Of Great-Britain France and Ireland KING Defender of the Faith c. May it please Your Most Excellent Majesty ENcouraged by the Proclamation Your Majesty was graciously pleased to put forth some Months since concerning the Fishing-Trade and having gained some little Experience in that Particular during my stay upon the Coasts of Shotland I presume humbly to offer to Your Sacred Majesty the following Discourse being a short Description of That and the Adjoyning Islands the Conveniency of the Place what course the Dutch have continually taken in order to their carrying on that great Business their Infinite Gain thereupon and by what means the Industry of the English may render all their Trade there inconsiderable Beseeching Your Majesty's Gracious Acceptance of this small Endeavour from one of the Meanest yet amongst the Faithfullest of YOUR MAJESTY'S Subjects JOHN SMITH Captain John Smith late of London Merchant his Observations of the Islands of Orkney and Shotland with the manner of the Hollanders Fishing in the North or Narrow Seas on those Coasts and the Coast of England and Scotland Which doth truly and lively set forth the great benefit that the Fishing Employments will produce IN the year 1633. being then an Apprentice to Mr. Matthew Cradock of London Merchant one of the Society for the Fishing-Trade of Great Britain was sent to Sea by the right Honorable the Earl of Pembrook and Montgomery and his Associates for the discovery of the Island of Shotland the manner and way of Trading the Profits and Customs thereof the setling a Staple building of Store-houses the viewing the ground on shore for landing and drying of Nets making and drying of Fish and the building of Block-houses for the security of Trade The manner of the Hollanders fishing for Herring with Busses and other Vessels for Ling and Cod according to the Journal kept thereof is as followeth We set sail from Gravesend the 27th of April 1633. and having Letters from the Earl of Pembrook to Mr. William Dicks of Edinburgh in Scotland we directed our course towards Scotland but by reason of foul weather was forced into Harwich and set sail from thence the 30th Ditto the wind not favouring us we came to an Anchor in Yarmouth-road and there going on shore was informed that the Hollanders Busses did drive at Sea for Herrings on that Coast and that from the Holms before Yarmouth to Bookness in Scotland North North-East is 96 Leagues and from Bookness to the South end of Shotland North and By-East about 53 Leagues The fifth of May we set sail from Yarmouth and by stress of wind was forced into Scarbrough and there going on shore was informed of the Hollanders Busses fishing on that Coast and that from Scarbrough Northward towards Catness in 45 Fathom or thereabouts in that fair way is usually the first Summer Herrings caught From Scarbrough we set sail and came to an Anchor before Leith in Scotland the 13th Ditto where going on shore and from thence to Edinburgh delivered my Letters to Mr. William Dicks who was at that time Governor of the Island of Shotland and did receive the Revenue of those Islands Having received my Instructions and Letters from Mr. William Dicks directed to Mr. James Scot who lived at that time in the North parts of the Islands of Shotland and was Agent or Deputy to the said William Dicks We set sail from Leith and came to an Anchor at Casten in the Islands of Orkney the 22 Ditto And because these Islands are very considerable as to the Fishing Trade I cannot pass them by without a brief description thereof which is as followeth The Islands of Orkney are 31 and lye from the North and North-East Point of Scotland the first and Southermost Island is called Elhey but the greatest and chiefest Island of Orkney is called Maland which lyeth Southermost from the Point of Catness on the North side of this great Island are the Havens where the Ships come to that Trade in those parts and to the Island called Lewis and the Islands thereabouts The Lewis Islands are the Islands on the West of Scotland and those Seas being also very considerable as to the Fishing Trade I make bold to give account thereof as followeth These Islands lying Westward from Scotland and to the Northward of Ireland are in number 34. There are four great Islands that lie near the main Land but the greatest and chiefest Island is called Lewis which lyeth Northward from the foresaid Islands but the Northermost of all the Islands which lyeth towards the Orkanes about sixteen Leagues from Lewis is called Rova betwixt Rova and Orkney lye some small Islands The Island Lewis lyeth from Shotland South-West or more Westerly about 58 Leagues and from the South end of Lewis to the North-West of Ireland is 27 Leagues In and between these Islands are many very good Sounds and Havens for Ships Lewis with the Islands belonging to it lye South and By-West and South South-west about 29 Leagues I shall farther add to my boldness and give You an account of the Islands of Fero. These Islands lie Northward from the Lewis Islands about â—4 Leagues and from Shotland Westerly about 58 Leagues and are in number 22. The Sounds and Havens are many The Southermost great Island is called Sugdro on the North side of this Island are several good Sounds and Havens but the best and chiefest of all the Havens and where all the Trade and Merchandise is is called Tor-Haven which lyeth on the great Island Strone But these Islands being out of my Road I shall return to my former Discourse on the Coast of Orkney and Shotland The South part of Shotland lyeth about 20 Leagues Northward from the Island called Maland but between the Islands of Orkney and Shotland lie two Islands the one called Fair-hill and the other called Fulo these two Islands lye about 10 Leagues one from the other Fulo lyeth North North-East from Fair-hill The Island Fair-hill lieth from the Noth-East point of Orkney about 9 Leagues and the Southermost point of Shotland lyeth from Fair-hill North and By-East about 8 Leagues and from Fulo East and By-South about four Leagues Being informed of the manner of the Hollanders Fishing for Herring Ling and Cod with Busses and Doger-Boats in those Seas and the Inhabitants of the Islands manner and way of Fishing we set sail from Casten and came to an Anchor by Sunbrough-head being the South part of Shotland the third of June and going a shore spake with the Good-man of Quandale one of the chief of those parts the said Gentleman with other of the Inhabitants did inform me of their manner of Trading with the
Hamburgers and others and of the Hollanders Fishing for Herring on that Coast also of their Doger-boats that fish onely for Ling and Cod. After I had received Information from the Inhabitants of the several Islands and the manner of Fishing and Trading there we set sail from thence and came to an Anchor in Bracey-Sound otherwise called Broad-Sound a very gallant Harbour where many Ships may lie Land-lockt for all Winds Having informed my self by the Inhabitants of those parts of the manner of their Trading and Fishing and the Hollanders fishing for Herrings driving on that Coast we set sail from thence and came to an Anchor in Evey-Sound the Northermost Sound in Shotland on the 12 Ditto and there going on shore I continued about 11 or 12 Months and in that time travelling the greatest part of the Island by Sea and Land did thereby better inform my self concerning the manner of Trading and Fishing by the Inhabitants and the Hollanders at Sea The Land of Shotland lyeth North and By-East and South or South and West about 60 Miles But their many Islands belonging to Shotland which I shall have occasion to mention hereafter That which is most considerable are the Sounds and Harbours On the West side of the Southward Point of Shotland there is a good Harbour and Sound called St. Magnus and on the East side near Sunbrough-head is a fair Sand-Bay where there is good Anchoring in ten or twelve Fathom to the Northward of this last Sound there is another Sound called Hambrough-Haven which is a lade-place for the Hamburgers and Scots About 9 or 10 Leagues from the Southward point of Shotland there is a Chanel that runneth through the Land the South part of the Land divided by the Chanel is called Swanberg the other part so divided or the North part is called Laxford within this Chanel aforesaid are several Sounds or Harbours but the best and chiefest Sound in Shotland is Brace-Sound or Broad-Sound as before mentioned out of this Sound the aforesaid Channel doth run Northward On the North part of Swanberg lieth the high hill of Hanglix from the said Hanglix about 9 Leagues Northward lie some out-Rocks called the Stars to the Northward of the Stars there is a very good Harbour called Bloom Sound to the Northward of this last Sound is another good Haven called Hue-Seund being the Northernmost or North-East Sound or Haven belonging to the Island called Ounst There are other Havens or Sounds which lyeth through the Land between and about that part of Shotland called Laxford and the Island called Jello There are also other Islands and Sounds which for brevitie sake I forbear to mention The Merchants which Trade with the Inhabitants of Shotland are Hamburgers Breamers Luberghers Scots and English The chief Inhabitants of the Islands are Scots the meaner or inferior sort are a mixed people of Danes and Scots The Islands of Shotland as I have been informed were given to King James of blessed memory by the King of Denmark with Queen Ann. being part of her Dowry The Commodities of Shotland which the Inhabitants do for the most part Trade withal is Ling and Cod which they take with Hooks and Lines in small Boats called Yalls about the bigness of Gravesend Oars the Ling they sell for 3d. a piece being a Ling of the largest size and is called a Gild Ling if smaller then we have two for one or three for two and so proportionable The Cod is sold for 2d the Gild Cod and is measured as the Ling. I bought of Fisher-men the Inhabitants of the Island called Ounst 11655 Gild Ling and 834 Gild Cod at 3d. the Gild Ling and 2d the Gild Cod which Ling and Cod were taken by the said Fishermen at several times in their small Boats and brought to my Booth or place of abode every morning as they were caught the said Ling and Cod being very good and Merchantable were salted aboard the Ship that landed me and within seven weeks after my landing I sent her for London with the said Fish to the Right Honorable the Earl of Pembrook as by my Books of Account delivered into his hands and left with him may appear There is also other small Fish which the Inhabitants do catch with Angles sitting on the Rocks and in their small Boats with Hooks and Lines in the Sounds and between the Islands and these small fish are very considerable for although they cannot spend them by reason of the multitude they take and have not industry to make use of them for Transportation yet the Livers they preserve and with the Livers of the Ling and Cod make Train-Oyle but if it were improved as taking them with Nets the Train Oyle I say would amount to a considerable sum And if this increase of Trade were carried through the whole Islands it would be a great encouragement to all Merchants Trading into those parts There were several other Merchants in the Island where I did inhabit that bought Ling and Cod of the Fishermen so that the quantity which I sent for England was not above the fifth part taken in that Island with which the whole quantity of fish that was bought by other Merchants throughout the whole Islands of Shotland being added together would amount to a very considerable Sum or Quantity to the lading of many Vessels which might be much more improved and encrease Trading thereby furnishing the Inhabitants with Mony and Commodities In the Islands of Shotland there were Beeves and sheep sold at a very reasonable rate I bought for my own use and the Victualing the Ship sent to London three Oxen for 3 l. and at an other time four Oxen for 5 l. which were fat and about the bigness of the small fort of Cattel we have in England There were also fat Sheep sold for 2s and 2s 6d per Sheep there were also other Creatures for food as Conies and Fowl But desiring not to multiply words I forbear to mention them The Fuel or Firing in Shotland is Peat and Turf There may be Salt-Pans set up there and good Salt made to serve all the Fishing Fleet. There are very good Shores for landing and drying of Nets and making and drying Fish There is no Night in the North of Shotland part of two months in the year as June and July In an Island North of Ounst being not inhabited but stockt with wild Cows and Conies I did kill with my Birding-piece ten couple of Conies in one night shooting from a little before Sun-set to Sun-rising and it was as light as a cloudy Winter-day I do not remember any Frost or Snow in Shotland if any it was not of long continuance the coldest weather is by reason of great Winds in the Winter-quarter the wind blowing so violent that no Ship dare look on the North-Coast so that the people of those Islands have little commerce with other Nations in that Quarter I can speak by experience being blown down flat to the
manner of Provisions Hence they made themselves Lords of all the Trade of the Levant comprehending in it Turkey part of Africk and Italy and by multitude of Ships of their own transported the Commodities of those Countries into France England and the Netherlands They made their way also into the Indies and all over Persia by their Caravans and by Egypt and Aleppo returned thence all kind of Silks and Spices and sold them at their own Rates where ever they found the best vent and so they continued to do at excessive Rates though not without extraordinary Gains by reason of the difficulty of conveyance till the Portingals discovered the passage to the Indies by the Cape of good Hope receiving in Exchange for the Commodities so Bartered the Staple Commodities of all the Countries they Traded to Here in England they had for them Cloth Tin Lead c. and with which we our selves by our own Shipping cheaper and with greater gain might have supplyed Italy Turky and the greatest part of Africk Hence also that State at first confined to a sew scattered Islands on which by degrees they built their City whither before they onely fled for security came to encrease and grow to that heighth in which now it is nay greater in all probability for by the decaying of Trade their Power and Dominion hath sensibly decayed By the greatness of their Trade they enlarged their Jurisdiction both upon the Levant Seas and very high into the Main Land in Lombardy Graecia on the Dukedom of Milan conquered and purchased many considerable Islands in the Mediterranean as Candy Zant Cyprus and other places which lay convenient both for strength and security of the Trade and Navigation of that Republick It would be tedious for me to recount how many Colonies they have dispersed over the world and that fear and jealousie other Kings and Emperors have had of its growing strength how that City was thought to have a design upon the Soveraignty of Italy and the many combinations to prevent And all this to have compassed from so small a beginning onely by the extent of its Trade as its neighbour Rome enjoyed it by strength of Arms. After the Venetians and Genoese the Easterlings or Hance-Towns were Master of the Trade and Commodities transported from Moscovy Poland Germany Sweden Prussia Denmark c. and with them by their abundance of Shipping served England France Spain and the Low-Countries And that in regard of that continual need we had of the Commodities of those parts or people as Hemp all manner of Cordage Sope-Ashes Flax Pitch Tar Masts Corn c. They received in return from us our Staple Commodities which by their own Ships at their own Rates they conveyed all over Europe when we for want of Shipping could not but did see their excessive gains and yet were forced to be content Even here in England they had very great privileges mighty indulgencies and out of that necessity we thought we had of them finding by them the speediest vent for our Commodities we embraced them into our bosom so that by degrees they began to be very potent upon the Northern Seas and upon every occasion were ready to turn our enemies the most dangerous because as it were within our own bowels Hence taking advantage in their Shipping the Saxons Danes and Normans invaded England and the Hance-Towns were grown formidable both to Italy and France But as their Trading decayed so did also their Strength and their Shipping being wasted they have undergone the same necessity that others once famous Cities of Mart have done and have utterly lost all their power and strength by Sea The Portingals discovering the way to the Indies by the Cape of good Hope quickly became Engrossers of the whole Trade thither and by the same stratagem and device undermined at once the the Venetian and all the Hance-Towns whereupon encreasing with the strength of Spain they made themselves the terror of all round about them and a very rich Nation and People within it self This was the first rise of the Portingals who lying so commodiously for Navigation and a no less industrious than a very cautelous people in the management of their affairs proceeded so far that Queen Elizabeth of blessed memory jealous of them fearing lest Spain should joyn with them and of their future greatness continually encreasing by reason of its Traffick into the East and West-Indies for the security of her self and safety of all her good Subjects endeavoured to make her self equal in strength and counterpoise them if possible by the enlargement of the Trade of Great-Britain and this she prosecuted with so much vigour and so successfully that in a little space England had as great a Trade and Power by Sea as either the King of Spain or any Principality of Europe But before her time in the Reign of King Edward the 6th our own Merchants discovered the Trade into Moscovy by the way of St. Nicholas ever since which time in our own Shipping we have thence transported home all the Commodities of that large and vast Country formerly brought in by the Hancâ—-Towns their Agents and Merchants And whereas a great part of those same Commodities as Cavear Tallow Hydes c. are not vendible in England and being Bought must be again Sold or Exchanged Need and Use hath found a better Vent for them in Italy and other parts of the Levant whereupon first began our Trade there a Trade which though it at first appeared very small and inconsiderable increased in a few years to that heighth of Improvement that within 90 or 100 years we have worn the Venetians out of all that mighty Trade they carried from those parts or in Turky and all over Christendom So that by this you easily see how Trade hath flourished and decayed in Genoa Venice the Hance-Towns and Portingal the whole being now fallen betwixt Us and the Hollander either striving who shall use means most effectual for advancing the general Trade of its Country and though the Hollanders hath by Art and Industry better improved his Interest yet that wherein his Interest most liâ—s may obviously appear and wherein in that very particular we may if we please go before them I shall thus endeavour to demonstrate The Hollanders have not at present neither ever had any other means to rise to this greatness of Wealth and Trade but by betaking themselves to Fishing being a People of constant Labour and unwearied Industry a multitude in a Spot of Land which doth not afford them any Commodities sufficient to be the ground even of a mean Trade They first began and all along have drove this Trade of Fishing being their Original of all Trade upon our Coast and the Coast of Scotland on which they employ thousands of poor people besides others of a better Rank making some Mariners and Fisher-men others they keep at work about the making and mending of N ets others they employ as Merchants
about the Transportation or Exchanging of their Fish for other Commodities So that in all Holland you shall scarce see one Beggar there being so many thousand things or particular Trades or Imployments belonging to the Fishing-Trade out of which they may find a Livelyhood They employ also hereby great store of Ships and in the industrious management hereof make us in England at what rate they please buy our own Fish The great quantity of Herring every year they take they transport to Dantzick Melvin Quinbrough Leghorn and other parts and with the Returns they make of them buy Corn Hemp Flax Pitch Tar Clap-boards and other Commodities and in Holland store them up into a Magazin whence they again disperse them into Italy France Spain yea England and all over Europe Fish and the Fishing-Trade being the onely Stock upon which they continually live and spend putting off most there where they find the best Rates and this hath encreased their Shipping and Wealth that now they have lengthned their power all over the World and in most Countries have a considerable Stock And this growing and encreasing of theirs hath been within the space of 70 or 80 years and yet they are not come to their heighth for every day they glory in some new addition to their Sway. And if care be not taken of this their growth they will within few years not onely be Master of our Seas but of our Trades too His Majesty hath been graciously pleased to take this into his Princely consideration and if it be seconded with the prudent management of those Commissioners he hath already imployed in the carrying it on I dare be bold to say the Hollanders are at their Meridian For first of all England is not inferior to the Netherlands nay we are before them in all the Advantages both of Art and Nature The scituation of our Country is such that for the convenience of all kind of Marts the world hath not the like and being seated between the North and South so that it is fix'd as it were by Art and Nature the fittest Staple for both Northern and Southern Commodities Secondly our Ports and Harbours are fairer and safer having good Anchoring and more in number throughout the three Kingdoms than any Country in Christendom can boast of And then thirdly which exceedeth we have valuable Commodities as to the quantity and quality of them such as are the inriching of all those that trade with them So that if we are not our own Enemies and will but be a little industrious one quarter of that will serve and be enough in England which is but necessary and scarce sufficient in Holland adding thereto providence for the employing our own Shipping and not any Forreigners we shall within few years have the greatest power at Sea and make our selves Master of all Trades and the Hollanders a servant to that Wealth and Power of which at present he is the sole Master But for the quicker advancement of so great and noble a work there is necessary to be a Protection and Favour of his Majesty to all manner of Trades so that they be not carried on by Strangers and acted by them as at present it is in and about the City of London there being thousands of them up and down the Suburbs French and Dutch and others who live as it were upon the ruines of the poor free-born Citizens vending any unmerchantable ware and at lower Rates than any other honest Tradesman can And this I humbly conceive is the reason why Trading hath been so bad and dead in this great City for these late years But the prudence of his Majesty is such and under his prosperous Reign all things so readily begin to run in their old Chanel that we doubt not but in a little time Trading and Merchandize will do so too and not be any longer the burden of the Land for the lack of it but of the Sea in bringing it hither After men comes mony and without this sure Foundation we shall never be able to make any Superstructure to stand There must be a Stock of Shipping Mony and Commodities for Commodities in Traffick will bring in more Mony and Mony commands all Commodities and to attempt this without both or at least one of these two is like a Soldier going to Battel without his Offensive and Defensive Weapons with the one we offend all our Enemies the Engrossers of our Trade and with the other we defend our selves against their most powerful assaults In antient times Merchants and Tradesmen were very careful to provide and lay up a Stock of Mony for the building of Ships and buying of Commodities to Trade with But in these latter years as within 40 or 50 years they have disbursed much mony in purchasing Land and building stately Houses minding pleasure more then profit and have neglected Trade to the undoing of many of them and that great cause of the decaying of Trade Therefore to preserve and uphold Trade I humbly offer unto his Majesty's consideration and His Honorable Council that all Merchants and Tradesmen within the Three Kingdoms may be restrained from purchasing Land above the yearly value in Rent of pounds This being effected and the Fishing-Trade carried on will within few years make the greatest Bank of Mony and the greatest Trade in the three Kingdoms to be equal if not greater than any Trade or Bank of Mony in the world For hereby great and vast sums of mony which are now consumed in continual Purchases will be expended onely in and about Trade and Traffick in general and the best security for this Mony will be a setled Bank which all will of necessity use Having not read any of those Books which are in Print concerning the Fishing-Trade but referring to several Books that I heard of and not knowing the number of Busses allotted or appointed to be bought or built neither how they shall be disposed of as to their Ports or Harbours therefore I make bold to offer my judgment That a certain number of Busses be bought or built as also Dogger-Boats the number of Busses to consist of 1000 or 1500 or thereabouts for that some years 15000 may as soon catch their Lading as 500 and therefore more considerable as to the charges of the three Kingdoms for a small number of Busses will not do the work The Dogger-Boats which Fish onely for Ling and Cod would consist of 400 or thereabouts These Busses and Dogger-Boats being fitted for Sea to proceed in their Fishing that then they be sent or appointed to several Ports or Harbours of the three Kingdoms that lie most convenient for the Fishing And that the Counties or Shires that these Ports do belong to be enjoyned to keep the same number of Busses and Boats perpetually well Rigged and Furnished to Sea for the Fishing as was delivered to them And if by reason that those Counties which have the most and best Harbours and that lie most convenient for the Fishing Trade will bear the greatest burden by reason the greatest number of Busses will be sent to these Ports Then thirdly I humbly offer that the Undertakers of the said Counties have allowance out of the main Stock or Bank of Mony proportionable to their Charges And I do further humbly offer unto consideration that there be a Corporation made of all the Adventurers for the Fishing-Trade and that Merchants and Tradesmen be admitted into this Corporation And that tâ—is Corporation be armed with large Privileges and ample Immunities for the Transportation of the said Fish I might have also told you of the Pilcher-Fishing and for Ling and Cod on the Wâ—st and North-West of England and that great Pilcher-Fishing and Fishing for Cod on the West Coast of Ireland frequented by those of Biscay Galicia and Portugal but they are so well known that I forbear to mention them The Islands that belong to Scotland and lie on the North North-West and West of Scotland which are useful for the Fishing-Trade are in number 94. And whereas it is credibly reported thâ—t above 220 Fisher-Towns are decayed and reduced to extream poverty for want of favour succour and protection On the contrary by diligent endeavouring to make use of so great a blessing as is offered unto us by the Seas we might in a short time repair those decayed Towns and add both Honor Strength and Riches to our King and Country The Premises being taken into serious consideration it maketh much to the ignominy and shame of our Nation that God and Nature offering us so great a Treasure even at our own doors we do notwithstanding neglect the benefit thereof THE CONCLUSION AND to conclude such is the clear and indubitable right of our Soveraign Lord the King to the Superiority of the British Seas that no man can produce clearer evidence for any part of his Estate And as those Seas under God are the principal means of our Wealth and Safety so it doth much concern all his true Subjects who are bound by the Law of Crace and Nature with heart and hand to preserve and maintain the same with the hazard of their Lives Goods and Fortunes FINIS