ANNALS OF SCOTLAND. 53 



JAMES III. The reign of James III. though that 



-ince proved lefs active than his father, was diftin- 



lifhed by the vigour of the parliament, particularly 



. regulating foreign commerce, promoting inland 



avigation, and the rifheries. The nation had.fecn 



ic Flemings, Dutch, Hamburghers, Dantzick- 



ers, and other fons of induilry, acquire power and 



riches by fifhing upon the Scottifh coaft. It was, 



therefore, enacted, cc That the lords (that is, the 



parliament) think fit, for the common good of the 



realm, and the great entres of riches, which will 



be brought into it from other countries, that certain 



lords, fpiritual and temporal, and burgelTes, caufe 



make great ihips, buiTes, pink boats, with nets, 



and all other neceiTarics for fifhing. " 



The honour of the nation came next under con- 

 fideration -, coopers and merchants, who packed 

 falmon in barrels under the fize of the old Ham- 

 burgh meafure, forfeited the fame, befides a fine 

 to the king. The parliament, alfo, regulated the 

 trade with Flanders, Holland, Zealand, and France, 

 permitting none but burgefTes, and men of cha- 

 racter, to fail to thefe countries, on commercial 

 affairs, and all tradefmen who commenced mer- 

 chants were required to forego their former crafts. 

 The parliament of the year 1487 firft permitted 

 the boroughs to fend yearly reprefentatives to In- 

 verkeithing, there to treat upon whatever might 

 benefit commerce,, conduce to their good govern- 

 ment and intereft, and remove the injuries they 

 might fuflain. Thefe boroughs, by permifllon, 

 fent an embafTy from their own body to the empe- 

 ror, requefting that monarch to defiil from ifTuing 

 letters of marque againft the Scottifh navigators. 

 From thefe, and a variety of other evidences, it 

 appears that the commerce of Scotland, at this 

 time, was in a very reputable condition all over 

 Europe. 



So great was the fpirit for trade under thofe 

 D 3 worthy 



