590 HISTORY OF THE OUTER HEBRIDES. 



9. The Patent being cancelled, let Articles be drawen betwixt the King 

 and the said Earle conteyning the substance of the whole bargaine, wherein 

 he is to deliver vpp as well the Fyshings as Lands. And the Exemplificacon 

 of the whole to be remitted into Scotland and perfected there. 



10. A Threasurer to be chosen, and a stocke of money to be put into his 

 handes for managing of the Fyshings, with Commission to him to proceed 

 according to the directions of the maior part of the Company. 



11. In this course 30 or 40 ii may be gayned in the C.tt for one fyshing. 

 And three Retournes being made out of the three Fyshings within the 

 yeare, may drawe vpp ninety in the C th benefitt at the yeares end. And 

 noe trouble nor charge, nor adventure of Shipps extraordinary in the nature 

 of Busses nor fishing Boates. 



12. Besides this benefitt of Retourne by the Fyshings, the Island is to 

 pay rent to the Purchasers, which in fyfteene yeares tyme will redeeme the 

 purchase thereof. 



Yo r Honors Humble Servant, 



JHON MASON. 



State Papers. Domestic. Charles I. Vol. 229. No. 95 



Captaine Masons oppinion how the Stocke to be raised by the Associates of 

 the Right Honorable the Lo : highe Threr of England for the Intended 

 fishings in the Isle of Lewes ought to be Imployed 



1. The Associats ought to be naturalized Scottishmen and made Burgesses 

 of a free Burrough to be created at Sternoway in Lewis, according to an Act 

 of Parliament of King James 6th that they may be capeable of any trafficqe 

 to those parts as well as fishinge. 



2. That the King purchase the Isle of Lewis from the Earle of Seafort 

 in whole or in part. In lewe whereof his Ma tie may give other Lands of 

 the Crowne of Scottland according to the vallewe as I shall shew his Ma tie , 

 which lye more convenient for the Erie. And soe the Kinge to have the 

 whole benefitt of the Towles or petty Customes of the fishings of that Island, 

 or otherwise his Ma tie to sett downe a rate reasonable for all Adventurers 

 to pay for the vse of the Harbors and grownd Leave for packhouses and 

 drying netts. 



3. The Harbors and Loughs on the maine Land oposite to the Lewes 

 must be free for our fishings with ground Leave alsoe as in the Lewes to 

 which end the Kings Letter must be obtayned to the propriettors of those 

 places and the Threr to make Composition with them. The fishings of the 

 Isles of Orknay and Shettland are free being the King's land. 



4. The King to bestowe 10 pieces iron ordnance with powder and shott 

 sufficyent from tyme to tyme for maintenance of a Fort vpon the Island in 

 Sternoway. The Captaine and Souldiers shall be paid at the charge of the 

 generall fishers and Inhabitants. 



5. Every Adventurer may increase his Adventure yearlye as he pleaseth 

 but not withdrawe it out of the Stocke without consent of the maior part of 

 the Associats of his Company. 



6. All Codd and Linge to be brought to sale in this Kingdom for a tyme 

 and Herrings likewise except the Sommer Herrings which are only fitt for 

 the marketts in Muscovia Poland and other places. 



7. All fishers imployed in our Shipping or boats shall goe for shares. 

 And their shares shall bee bought at a rate by the Threr to the vse and benifitt 

 of the Associats and his Ma ties subiects cheifly or all together to be sett on 

 worke. 



8. All such fishers as will sell fish to be delivered fresh at the packhouses 

 in the Lewes whether they be Inhabitants of the Island or others shall have 

 a reasonable rate for it, for which cause part of the Stocke in mony and 

 victualls and some other comodityes in a Magazin must be there. 



