FISHINGS OFF THE COAST OF BRITAIN 33 



were of opinion " that the borrowis are licklie to obteyne the 

 said fishing devolved into their hands." A meeting of 

 commissioners from the burghs to discuss the matter had 

 been arranged for 23rd July, 1630, at Edinburgh, when all 

 their hopes were destroyed. By a letter to the Scotch 

 Privy Council, dated 12th July, 1630, the king announced his 

 intention of establishing an Association for the Fishing, 

 which should be common to the three kingdoms. 1 It was 

 natural, under the circumstances, that the burghs should 

 receive the news without enthusiasm. All the energy of 

 the royal promoter of the Association did no more than 

 gain an almost sullen acquiescence in his project from the 

 Scots, whom the king would have done well to win over 

 before proceeding further with the carrying out of his plans. 

 Charles, ignorant as ever of the Scotch character, sought 

 to drive where he ought to have used diplomacy and tact. 

 The result was ultimately disastrous to the success of the 

 company, for the burghs, if they never actively hindered 

 its work, certainly did nothing to help, and were glad to 

 leave as many obstacles as possible in the path of its pro- 

 gress. To their attitude may be attributed, in great measure, 

 the ultimate failure of the enterprise to which Charles now 

 applied himself with such zeal. 



. If the burghs had been devoting their attention to the 

 fishings off the island of Lewis, those who were advising 

 the king to establish the Association for the Fishing were 

 also of opinion that these fishings admitted of much develop- 

 ment and had some very definite proposals to make with 

 regard to the island itself. They proposed to call in " those 

 Letters Patents whereby this Island is alienated from the 

 Crown, to grant a new Patent of Privilege to His Majesty's 

 own subjects of both kingdoms to make plantations and 

 erect towns, and to appoint a Governor to reside there only 

 for three years, with power over all the islands, in every 



1 Act. Parl. Scotland, vol. v. p. 220 et sequitur. 

 C 



