ITS WORK IN THE LEWIS 63 



troupes and companeis out of the yles where they dwell to 

 the yles and loches where the fishes ar tane." They 

 had acted like so many pirates, despoiling the fishers of 

 their catch, and sometimes of their provisions, and causing 

 them to be in fear of their lives. Henceforward they must 

 come " with good and lawfull warrand in writt from their 

 maisters and landslords" ; they must be provided with all 

 things necessary for fishing, and must act " modestlie and 

 in good order" " under the pane of most severe and exemplarie 

 punishment to be inflicted upon them." Any who did 

 come without such written warrants were to have their 

 boats and vessels arrested, their sails taken, and permission 

 to go to sea withheld. The Council, to render this proclama- 

 tion more effective, warned landlords that they would be held 

 responsible for the good conduct of their servants and tenants. 1 

 Charles, however, had come to realise that the best 

 means of ensuring the compliance of the islanders with 

 these proclamations, and of keeping the landlords and 

 heritors of the Lewis and the adjoining parts from interfering 

 with the work of the Association, was to win over the most 

 powerful of them, the Earl of Seaforth, who had felt himself 

 injured ever since Charles, upon the founding of the Society 

 for the Fishing, had seized upon the island of Lewis as his 

 own peculiar property. Entering into negotiations with 

 Seaforth, therefore, the king in 1636 concluded an agree- 

 ment with him, and on 13th March, 1637, granted him a 

 charter of the Lewis, reserving to the crown, however, the 

 town of Stornoway, with its castle, haven, and port, and 

 as much of the adjoining lands and territories as would 

 be necessary for the use of the Fishing Association, the 

 land reserved for the houses and yards of the Association and 

 its servants being the land nearest the town. Stornoway 

 was to be erected by the king " in ane free burghe royall 

 for reduceing of the inhabitants of the said He of Lewis to 



1 Reg. Privy Council, Scotland, vol. vi. (2nd series) p. 96. 



