THE ENGLISH FISHING SETTLEMENTS. 309 



and the Privy Council, showed how dear to his heart was 

 his pet fishery scheme. The furthering or hindering of his 

 plans, he declared, would oblige or disoblige him " more 

 than anie one bussines that lies happened in my tyme." 

 In order to arrive at a working agreement, Charles ordered 

 the Estates to delegate representatives, invested with abso- 

 lute powers, to confer and conclude arrangements, with the 

 English Commissioners. 



The reply of the English Commissioners sounded a note 

 of impatience. The hardly veiled opposition to the views 

 of Charles, in respect of Lewis, was received with dis- 

 approval. The Commissioners declined to interfere between 

 the King and the Estates, but plainly hinted that it would 

 be more becoming to fall in heartily with the wishes of 

 Charles than to cavil at them, and that it would be well 

 not to strain the King's prerogative unduly. 



Finally, the Estates, as commanded, delegated Com- 

 missioners, including John Hay for the Royal burghs, 

 invested with full powers, but with definite orders how to 

 act. On 1 3th November, the Convention of burghs gave 

 Hay his instructions. He was strictly charged to exercise 

 due care and diligence, that nothing be done to prejudice 

 the privileges enjoyed by the Scottish nation, either in 

 England or Ireland. He was told to do his utmost to 

 obtain for the burghs a reservation of the fishings claimed 

 by them ; and in order to secure this condition, was allowed 

 to give way to the Englishmen, if they insisted upon taking 

 over the Lewis fishings ; provided they refrained from fish- 

 ing in the reserved waters, and undertook not to establish 

 any other stores or plantations in the Hebrides, or north of 

 Buchan Ness. But Hay was to insist upon the right of 

 the burghs to establish stations in Lewis being recognised, 

 as well as any other privileges to which they held them- 

 selves to be entitled. 



He was also charged to petition the King (i) to remove 

 the Flemings from Lewis, and to approach the Estates of 

 the Low Countries with the view of arranging that their 

 fishermen should keep " ane kenning " from the Scottish 



