586 HISTORY OF THE OUTER HEBRIDES. 



that ar colonaris of a coporacione thaire to be prowydeit withe salt for all occa- 

 lones of fisschmge ather in sommer or winter. The winter is better nor the 

 sommer to the residenters thaire beinge prowydit withe salt and wthere 

 nessesans for greatt fisschis as whaills sealls and abondance of all sortts 01 

 hsschis whiche flowes in one sands in greatt stormes and sumtymes cheast in 

 in locghes be whaills wpone drey sands of the bounds of 2 or 7 mylls of 

 lenthethe breid a paire of butts. Ane greatt dealle of riches (is) lost for vantt 

 o salt whiche maye be prewenttit by the meanes of maikinge of salt thaire if it 

 pleas his Ma* to assist that guid worke as he hes royeallie begune the samen 

 and geiwe wentoreris who ar willinge to goe thaire and remaene sum liberties 

 conforme to the ordore of wther plantioners will in short tyme import greatt 

 benifeitt to his Matie and his subiectts, incress of customes schiping 

 JVamgacome and a pieouse ws for the releiweing of mony poore pipell to bej 

 sett in vorke whiche now periesis for want of imployement. 

 Endorsed 



W*. kinds of Fish, where vendible. 



* This hath 

 been attempted : 

 but yeildeth no 

 proffit. They are 

 not whales but 

 Jobarts \v h are 

 less and afford 

 but smale store of 

 oile, and indure 

 not the boats to 

 cu neere them. 



t In the time 

 of K. Teams the 

 5* the Hol- 

 landers having 

 only a verbal 

 licence to fish at 

 28 miles distance, 

 cam neere the 

 shore into the 

 mouth of the furth 

 of Edenborough 

 and ther fished in 



APPENDIX D. 



STORNO WAY'S CHARTER OF INCORPORATION (1629). 

 S.P. Domestic. Chas. I. Vol. 152. No. 63. 



1629, Novemrj 30. Uppon conference w th M r Heye Agent for the Burrc 

 of Scotland, concerning Lewes Hand. 



The Island of Lewis is distant fr5 the continent of Scotland about 

 miles, is above 40 miles in length and in breadth 16 miles, the east low 

 the west and southwest suwhat hillie, but hath much tillage and fee 

 much cattle. It hath divers good harboroughs whereof the principall is 

 Harborough of Stronway. The town lieth about 2 miles fro the mouth of t 

 river w ch is also called Stronway. The river's mouth is but a bow shoote o 

 it so as a fort built on either side may make it defensible against al the wor 

 above the mouth into the land ; the water enlargeth it self in sfi places half a 

 mile in sumea mile and so til it cumeth to the town of convenient breadth and 

 depth for al maner of ships to ride safly of what burden soever and to the 

 nftber of thousands free fr5 al weather. At the town ther is a smale har- 

 borough about a quarter of a mile in compass, w ch lieth drie when the sea 

 ebs : but at a flood hath depth for anie ship to cu in : and then to bee repared, 

 calked or trimed. The town of Sternoway is but a smale village and is not 

 yet a free town ; it hath yet no trafiique. But the town is so situate that it 

 may bee aisily fortified and the water brought about it to drown the ground 

 neere it. About this Hand and the other Hands adiacent there is continual 

 fishing for white fish that is ling and cod and samon, and for herings. And 

 the fishings here are at al times of the yeare when fisher men can brooke the 

 seas. This fishing hath been used by the Scots above 40 years, and by them 

 is esteemed above that of New found Land. Ther is also conveniences for 

 whale fishing wherof thousands are yearly seen about the lies.* This fishing 

 was not haunted or known by anie but Scotsmen before the yeare 1594, when 

 the Hollanders began to fish in those seas uppon p'tence of a patent from King 

 Jeames whereby they were restrained to cu w th in at least 28 miles of the 

 shore, nor w th in the loughs that is the baies w th in the Hands .t Since that 

 year 1594 the Hollanders have cu thither w th al their Fleet of Busyes sutimes 

 3000 saile. 



By the laws of Scotland no stranger may fish w th in their seas uppon paine 



