CHARLES I. : FISHERIES AND RESERVED WATERS 221 



over, sacredly preserved for the industry and sustenance of 

 their own people, were to be thrown open to Englishmen 

 and Irish, whereby the nation would suffer greatly. 1 



On 9th August a statement was drawn up by the Con- 

 vention and circulated to all the burghs, in which their 

 opinion was asked as to whether any association with Eng- 

 land in the fishings was expedient ; whether the English 

 should be suffered to "plant" or settle in any part of the 

 Isles; whether, if the burghs undertook the fishing them- 

 selves, they should allow the nobility and gentry to " stock " 

 with them, and if so on what conditions ; and if not, whether 

 the burghs should undertake it themselves by a company 

 or by burgesses, and what sums might be subscribed for 

 an exclusive company. On the following day it was com- 

 plained in the Convention that, though the king had can- 

 celled the patent to the Earl of Seaforth, the "Flemings" 

 still remained in the Lewes ; and the burghs thereupon 

 decided that as the Privy Council had appointed commis- 

 sioners from each of the Estates of Parliament to treat on 

 the king's proposals, their own commissioner, Mr John Hay, 

 should be empowered to deal with the king in order to 

 have the "Flemings" removed and the fishing "devolvit in 

 thair hands " ; to " stay " the proposed association with the 

 English, or the plantation of strangers at any part of the 

 kingdom where fishing was carried on ; and to cause the 

 " Flemings " to forbear from fishing on the Scottish coasts, 

 "or not to cum neirer to the schoire of anie pairt of this 

 kingdome than ane land kenning of the said schoire." 



Meantime a smaller committee which had been appointed 



1 At this time the herring-fishing on the west coast of Scotland, which began 

 on 1st July and continued till Christinas, employed from 800 to 1500 fishing- 

 boa^ of from 5 to 6 tons each, besides about 200 "cooper" boats of about 

 12 tons, which carried casks and salt and brought back cured herrings to the 

 burghs : about 6000 " seamen " were employed in this industry. The herring- 

 fishing on the east coast was for the most |>art carried on at Dunbar as many 

 as 20,000 people sometimes congregating there and in the deep water where the 

 Dutch fished in July, August, and September. There was also an important 

 winter fishing for herrings in the Firth of Forth in November, and at the North 

 Isles from 1st October till Christmas. The "keeling" or cod-fishing at the mouth 

 of the Clyde in February, March, and April employed about 120 of the largest 

 boats ; on the east coast this method of fishing was carried on from 1st April till 

 24th June. 



