3i 6 HISTORY OF THE OUTER HEBRIDES. 



every last (12 barrels) of fish caught; and the benefit of 

 every Saturday's fishing. About 1620, however, Macleod 

 of Harris, Macdonald of Sleat, and Clanranald entered 

 into a contract with certain East Coast burghs, providing 

 for the payment of thirty-six shillings Scots only, for every 

 boat engaged in the herring fishing, and twenty merks for 

 every one employed in the grey and white fishing. 



These dues were apparently considered excessive by the 

 English settlers, for we find that in 1634, on their initiative, 

 the heritors of the islands where the Englishmen fished, 

 were called before the Privy Council of Scotland to give 

 an account of their imposts. Among those who appeared 

 before the Council, and gave evidence relative to the 

 history and incidence of the dues, were Macdonald of 

 Sleat, Macleod of Harris, Clanranald, and Macneill of 

 Barra. 



In the same year, the King wrote the Privy Council with 

 reference to the accommodation to be provided in Lewis, 

 for the use of the Fishing Associations. In pursuance of 

 his determination to resume possession of lands in 

 Scotland alienated from the Crown by his predecessors, 

 Charles claimed the ownership of Lewis perhaps the only 

 instance in which he gave effect to his resolution. He 

 was credibly informed, said his Majesty, that he had an 

 undoubted right to Lewis ; that a great many bygone feu- 

 duties remained unpaid ; and that from every point of 

 view, he had a better title to the island than Seaforth. 

 Unwilling, however, to be too hard upon the brother of 

 his late favourite, the King announced that he would be 

 content with so much of the island as might be required 

 for the use of the Associations, provided that the Earl 

 took a new grant of the remainder of the property, paying 

 the old feu-duty. The Council were ordered to settle the 

 matter accordingly for the good of the new enterprise.* 



The deep interest taken by Charles in the scheme is 



* Collect, de Reb. Alb., p. 106. Charles does not seem to have troubled 

 his head about the omission to pay the duties, until the fishing question 

 brought Lewis prominently to the front. 



