46 CHARLES I. 



The Burghs had desired very extensive reservation of 

 the fishings in the lochs on the mainland and in the islands, 

 reserving for the most part all inland fishings. With regard 

 to Orkney and Shetland they had said it was necessary to 

 reserve all the coasts and fourteen miles off the islands, 

 although they were willing to submit in this matter to the 

 king's pleasure. 



The Council thus reported to the king that the Burghs 

 were willing to " relinquish the universalitie of thair former 

 exceptiain and to restrict the same to certane particular 

 fishings without the whiche (as they affirme) the trade of 

 the countrie will be muche impaired." x 



That the Scots were by no means reconciled to the idea 

 of a joint fishery is evident from the following " Reasons 

 why the English and Scots cannot join in ye fishing on ye 

 sea coast, Isles and loches etc.," from a contemporary MSS. 2 

 The writer tabulates his reasons thus : " Inprimis, because 

 we are natives of the Island, and ye sole liberties and privi- 

 ledges of ye sd fishings belong to us within lochs and lands 

 and along the coast, and no stranger ought to be admitted 

 to ye liberties of ye samen to participate with us of ye com- 

 moditie thereof. 



" 2ndly, In respect the Lord God hath given to us the 

 fishing of ye Lochs, Isles and Seas of this land to be the 

 wealth and ritches of ye land, therefore no oyr stranger 

 ought to have ye benefite of the same bot ye natives only. 



" 3rd, Where it is alledged that the fishing is so great that 

 the natives are not able to undertake it, It is answered 

 concerning the fishings on the Lochs and Isles and upon the 

 coast that ye natives are abell to provide for slaying and 

 takeing of those fish within those bounds. 



" 4thly, Albeit bushes be required for fishing upon ye main 

 sea, yet bushes are not needful nor required for fishing 



1 Act. Parl. Scotland, vol. v. pp. 238, 239. 



2 MSS. 32.1.16., Advocates' Library, Edinburgh. 



