132 HISTORY OF THE OUTER HEBRIDES. 



with the state of the fishery, " and to enquire fully into the 

 abuses and violence committed by the English, especially 

 the merchants of London who carried on a considerable 

 fishery at the time on these coasts, and in the other northern 

 parts of the German Ocean." The Lubeckers conducted at 

 this period, with the help of the English, an illicit trade on 

 the coast of Scotland, " encroaching upon the property of 

 the Scots nation by carrying on their fishing upon their 

 coast, without leave either asked or given " ; and these 

 proceedings, according to our historian, had formed the 

 subject of diplomatic correspondence between the Courts 

 of England and Scotland. This matter may well have 

 engaged the attention of the Scottish King during his 

 famous voyage, and we know that a complete survey of 

 the coasts was made by Alexander Lindsay, a capable 

 pilot employed for the expedition. That the main 

 object was to quell the disorders in the Hebrides there 

 can be no doubt. This was not the first visit of James to 

 the Isles. In 1536, he left the Forth with five ships on a 

 mysterious voyage, the destination of which was generally 

 supposed to be France. The King, however, was out on 

 one of his adventurous pranks. Instead of steering for 

 France, he ordered the ships northwards, and " sailed about 

 Skye and Lewis and the Isles." James V. was a genuine 

 " sailor-king." 



In May, 1540, a fleet of twelve ships, well equipped 

 with artillery, and manned by picked sailors, left Leith 

 under the supreme command of James. Six of the ships 

 were for the " Kyng and hys trayne," three were for the 

 provisions, while the remaining three carried, respectively, 

 Cardinal Beaton, the Earl of Huntly, and the Earl of 

 Arran, a notable absentee being the Earl of Argyll, who 

 was apparently still in disgrace. The Cardinal had with 

 him a force of 500 men from Fife and Angus, and Huntly 

 and Arran had a following of 1,000 men. These numbers 

 were augmented by the members of the Royal suite, 

 besides " many barons and gentlemen " with their servants ; 

 so it is clear that James was well prepared for armed 



