CHRONOLOGICAL HISTORY OF THE HERRING-FISHERY. 145 



In 1532, a disagreement having taken place between 

 Scotland and the Netherlands, the Scotch proceeded to 

 interrupt the Dutch in their herring-fishery, and Kobert 

 Fogo, of Leith, with several ships of war under his com- 

 mand, cruised on the coasts of Holland, and took many 

 of their herring busses, upon which all the property of the 

 Scotch merchants in the Netherlands was seized, and 

 Mary Queen Dowager of Hungary, then Governess of the 

 Netherlands, wrote to James V. proposing a peace ; but 

 King James insisted on excluding the Dutch entirely from 

 fishing off the Scottish coasts, and after much depreda- 

 tion was committed on both sides, a treaty was ultimately 

 concluded between Charles V. and King James, in 1541.* 



Notwithstanding the protection and encouragement 

 given by the Scottish sovereigns, it does not appear that 

 herrings were as yet caught in superabundance, because 

 the quantity exported prevented, or lessened, the supply 

 required by the inhabitants, to such an extent, that an 

 Act was passed in 1540, limiting the manner of sale so as 

 the inhabitants might first be supplied. This Act is as 

 follows : — 



THE TIME OF SELLING OF FISH IN THE MERCAT ; ANENT THE 

 WAY CARRYING OF FISH ; OF THE PRICE OF FISH. 



" Alsua it is statute and ordained that na maner of 

 person to burgh nor to lande, bye ony maner of fische in 

 mercat nor other places, to packe or peile, quhil elleven 

 houres of the day, and fra elleven houres to twa houres 

 afternoon, it sail be leasum to bye fish, and pack or peile 

 the samin, as they think maist expedient. And not the 

 lesse that all our Soveraine Lordis lieges, cadgers, and 

 others within that time of the day be served for their 



* Yair's " Hist, of Scottish Trade in the Netherlands," \>. 103. 



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