CHARLES I. I FISHERIES AND RESERVED WATERS 233 



that these of the association for this generall fishing, as they 

 have libertie to land in any place, paying the ordinarie dewteis, 

 sould lykewayes be free to fish where ever they ar to passe." 

 He plainly told the Council that while he was willing to reserve 

 for the natives all such fishings without which they could not 

 well subsist, and which they of themselves " have and doe f ullie 

 fishe," he would not allow anything to be reserved which might 

 hinder the general work which was so important for all the 

 kingdoms ; and he enjoined them to give their best attention to 

 everything that would conduce to the accomplishment of his 

 desire. In a later letter to the President of the Council, Charles 

 expressed his fears that if the places proposed were reserved 

 the great business of the fishing would be put in hazard. 1 On 

 receipt of the king's letter, the Council, on 28th July, summoned 

 before them the representatives of the burghs, who on being 

 asked if they were yet resolved on their answer, said they were 

 not ; they were thereupon requested to consider the matter and 

 to report at the meeting on 21st September. 



The resolute attitude of the king was not without its effect. 

 The burghs now modified their demands, but they still declared 

 that it was necessary to reserve the " Firth of Lothian " within 

 a line between St Abb's Head and Red Head ; the Moray Firth 

 within a line between Buchan Ness and Duncansby Head ; the 

 Firth of Clyde between the Mulls of Galloway and Cantyre, 

 and also the waters within fourteen miles along the coast 

 between Red Head and Buchan Ness. They further desired 

 that a space of fourteen miles outside the boundary lines of the 

 Firths should be reserved, but on this point they stated their 

 willingness to submit themselves to the king. 2 



The modified proposals of the burghs were submitted to the 

 Privy Council on 22nd September by certain noblemen, gentry, 

 and commissioners of the burghs, and an additional reason for 

 reserving the fourteen miles along the coast between Red Head 

 and Buchan Ness was now brought forward. If this space were 

 opened to buss-fishing, it would, they said, ruin the salmon-fish- 



1 Stirling Letters, ii. 538, 544. Acta Part. Scot., v. 236. Charles, it will be 

 observed, mentions 15 miles. The miles stated in the Scottish documents were 

 Scots miles of 5929'5 imperial feet, 10 Scots miles being equal to nearly 11J 

 imperial miles ; the extent of the reserved waters was therefore very nearly 15f 

 imperial miles (1572). 



2 Sec. Conv. Roy. Burghs, iv. 534. 



