THE FISHERIES. Mf 



I.) of late, out of his princely care for the good of 

 his loving fubjects, for the renown of his kingdoms, 

 and defire of the unity and equal benefit of his two 

 realms of England and Scotland, took more than an 

 ordinary care how to effect it, well becoming Ib 

 benign and blefled a prince." 



I have been favoured with a manufcript copy of a 

 commiflion of that monarch, relative to a committee 

 for the fifheries, which begins thus ; " Our Sovereign 

 Lord ordains a commiflion to :>ede under 



his majelty's great feal of the kingdom of Scot- 

 land, making mention, thit whereas his majefty by 

 his two feveral charters, under the great feal of his 

 king f Scotland and England, refpectively, 



hath ordained an aflbciation to be of both the 

 kingdoms, comprehending Ireland under the faiU 

 land, for a general fifhing within the 



leas and coaftsofhis majefty's kingdoms, except 

 inch as are referved in the faid feveral charters ; and 

 for the government of the faid aflbciation, hath or- 

 dained, that there fliould be a ftanding committee 

 chofen and nominated by his majefty, and his fuccef- 

 fors from time to time, of equal number of both the 



kingdoms, comprehending Ireland under the- 



lorn of England as laid is, whereof the one half 



(hall be Scotfmen, and the other to be Englifh and 



Irifli. And his majefty being perfectly inform- 



the ftability and good affection of his majefty's fub- 



jefts of either of the faid kingdoms after Ipecified, 



ro undergo the charge of the faid general committee 



Ihing ; therefore his majefty hath given, and 



cnts gives full power and commiflion to 



the faid perfons after following, &c." Signed, 



Thomas Hope. 



: funs of diftinftion embarked in the 

 fign, which the king honoured wit itronage, 



encouraged by his bounty. He alfo 

 ' to be more ftriftly obfcrved ; prohibited the 



station of fifii taken by foreigners ; and agreed 

 L 3 to 



