36 CHARLES I. 



William Alexander, our Secretarie for Scotland." The king 

 ended his letter in a very practical fashion, by showing that 

 he would not be content with any mere academic discussion 

 of his proposals, but that he wished to commence, as soon 

 as possible, the business of the association — " We expect 

 that you proceid not onelie to a resolutioun upon suche articles 

 as sail be agreed upon, bot yow also endeavoure to put thame 

 in executioun." ^ 



In the " Instructions for Sir WiUiam Alexander " - were 

 embodied the king's views and his practical proposals with 

 regard to the work of the company which he desired to 

 form. The king is vexed that the benefits to be derived 

 from the fisheries are " reaped oneHe by strangers. To the 

 great disparagement and prejudice of our loving subjects." 

 He has " now taken a royall and firme resolutioun to sett up 

 a commoun fishing to be a nurserie of seamen and to increasse 

 the shipping and trade in all parts of our dominiouns." His 

 intention is to make the benefits to be derived from the 

 fishing common to the three kingdoms. Sir William is 

 instructed to lay the king's estimate — a very sanguine 

 one — of the cost of the fishing and the benefits to be derived 

 from it, before the various public bodies of Scotland, in 

 order that they may be induced to jom in the enterprise 

 themselves and encourage others to join in a work of "so 

 great hope." 



Two hundred vessels of between 30 and 40 tons ^ each 

 were to be added to the existing fishing fleet. They were 

 to make " three returnes everie yeare," the first fishing to 

 last from the 1st of June to the 30th of September, the 

 second from 1st October to 31st January ; both of these 



1 Act. Pari. Scotland, vol. v. p. 220. 



'^ Ibid. vol. V. pp. 221, 222, 223; Reg. Privy Council, Scot. vol. iv. (2nd 

 series) pp. xviii-xxiii. 



3 A buss of 35 lasts was one of 70 tons. See " Britain's Buss," English 

 Garner, vol. iii. Also see Appendix. 



