40 CHARLES I. 



objections, so that all obstacles to his scheme might be 

 removed as speedily as possible, replied that the king did 

 not wish to infringe upon the rights of any of his subjects, 

 and merely desired members of the association to partici- 

 pate in the common fishing at all places where this "is or 

 may be used by anie of his people." The king hoped and 

 desired that the Scots for their own advantage would 

 help on the scheme with enthusiasm, yet he would not 

 press them above their own measure. The satisfactory 

 settlement of the question of naturalization would, the 

 king thought, present no difficulty whatever. 1 



At this time Charles, finding that his scheme was not 

 meeting with such a reception as he had hoped for, wrote 

 two letters, one to the Estates, the other to the Privy Council, 

 in both of which he showed how much he had this matter 

 at heart. He assured the Estates that he had no intention 

 of doing anything which might interfere with the privileges 

 held by any of the Scots, and asked them to send, as the 

 best possible reply to his letter, commissioners with absolute 

 powers to conclude the matter. He added a significant post- 

 script : " This is a worke of so great good to both my king- 

 domes that I have thought good by these few lynes of my owne 

 hand seriouslie to recommend it unto you. The furthering or 

 hindering of whiche will ather oblige me or disoblige me more 

 than anie one business that hes happened in my tyme." 2 



Similarly to the Privy Council he wrote, " Among other 

 good services done be you for the publict good of that our 

 ancient kingdome we will accompt this one of the greatest." 

 Of the Privy Council he begged also that commissioners 

 might be sent " with ane absolute power to conclude, for 

 avoyding of all delays, becaus the work for diverse con- 

 siderations requireth haste." 3 On llth November the Scots 

 decided to send a new body of commissioners to treat with 



1 Act. Parl. Scotland, vol. v. pp. 229-230. 



2 Ibid. vol. v. p. 229. 3 Ibid. vol. v. p. 229. 



