RIght Trusty and Well-beloved, We greet you well. Whereas Our Royal Father of Blessed Memory, did in the year 1632. Constitute and Establish a Society of Fishers, and Declared that He was resolved by all good occasions favourably to assist, and graciously accept the forwardness of all those that should express their zeal to His Majesties Service in so general and publick an Undertaking; It being then Resolved and Concluded by His Majesty, that it was very honourable and necessary for this Kingdom. Now that the true managing and most advantageous prosecution thereof, is by experience discovered by Philip late Earl of Pembroke and Montgomery and his Associates, who did cause sundry Fishing Vessels to be provided and built, which imployed many Families in making of Nets and other Provisions (one Vessel imploying Twenty Families in work) besides the breeding of Country Youths to be made service­able Mariners in short time, as by the Book called The Royal Herring Buss Fishings, presented unto Us, doth plainly appear. And whereas We are informed that the Nation doth abound with great numbers of poor Families and Vagrants, who for want of imployment are like to perish, unlesse some speedy care be taken for their Relief: And that the several Wards and Suburbs of this Our City of London and Hamblets adjacent, are burthened with multitudes of poor people, not only which are born in the said places, but such as come out of sundry Countryes to seek Relief: For Redress whereof, We do hereby recommend unto the care of You Our Lord Maior of the said City, to advise with each Alderman, and cause his Ward-moote Inquest to give in a particular of all the poor Inhabitants within his Ward, what their Imploy­ment is, and how many are without Imployment, and present the same to the rest of the Inhabitants in his Ward, with a Copy thereof, and excite them to a free Subscription for raising a Stock to buy Hemp and Clapboards to make Herring Fishing-Nets, and Barrels for the furnishing and fitting out of one Buss or Fishing Vessel to belong to the said Ward, which will give all the Poor and Vagrants Imployment; the said Ward husbanding the same to their best advantage. The which We shall in like manner recommend to all the Counties, Cities, and Towns within our Dominions, whereby to make it a National Imployment for the general good, and will give all fitting assistance to the Undertakers for their encouragement. That so when Provisions shall be made ready and Store-houses built in commodious places about the River of Thames, (where breaches have been made) and the like in the several Ports, Magazines may be fitted with Nets, Caske, Salt and all things in readinesse, the Busses may all go forth to Our Island of Sheteland as their Rendezvouz to keep together in their Fishing, according to certain Orders prescribed in the aforesaid Book. And to take that Priviledge of the Fishing-grounds which belongs to Us before all Nations whatsoever. And so We bid you heartily farewell.

Whereupon His Majesty hath granted a Commission under the great Seal of England, and therein hath nominated and constituted a Councel of the Royal Fishings of Great Britain and Ireland, of which His Majesty will vouchsafe ever to be and be called Protector, and therein hath granted many Priviledges and Immunities as to Persons, Vessels, and Goods, as therein is largely expressed: And having granted Letters Patents for a free Collection, whereof is Printed 20 Thousand Commissions and Briefs, committed to the Care of the High Sheriffs in every County, who having made no return of the Briefs nor Moneys, the Imployment could not go forward, although the Councel of the Royal-Fishings have wrote 52 Letters unto the Sheriffs, but receive no answer: And having lately written 26 Letters to the Bishops, they have made Enquiry, and find that most Parishes in their Diocesse have not received any Briefs at all, and therefore no Collection could be made; So that the Councel for the Royal-Fishings can only give Accompt of the Collections in London and Suburbs, which is particularly here expressed.

The Councell of the Royall Fishings further shew, That in pursuance of His Majesties Commission they have caused their Agent Simon Smith, to provide a fitting Wharfe and ground at Depthford adjoyning to His Majesties Shipyard there, containing five Acres, whereon is four large new Work-houses and Graneries, with Cranes, and Docks, and Sawpits, for building of Busses; and hath erected a Tan-house, with a large Copper, for the Tanning of the Nets, with all other Commodities belonging, to entertain the building of Busses, &c. making of Nets and Cask, &c.

About which is laid out 3256 l. 04. s. 00. d. whereof is paid him by the Collections, but 390 l. The rest of the Moneys the Earl of Pembroke's Agents have gotten, and are to be called to Accompt for the same, according to the Accompts given in the 13. May 1663. as followeth.

If the Earl of Pembroke's Agents had been carefull and faithfull, there might have been Monies enough Collected whereby to have erected Wharfs and Work-houses, and Store-houses in all the Fishing-Towns, for building of Busses and other Vessels, and making of Nets, and all commodities for the Fishing Imployment, as His Majesty hath directed; and by this time the English might have been enabled to take their own Fish, and the Strange [...] should have bought the Fish of them, as heretofore they did.

Wherefore the premises considered, it is desired that the City and Hamblets will begin the Imployment, for incouragement of all others to follow their president, otherwise the obstruction will lye at their dores.