CHRONOLOGICAL HISTORY OF THE HERRING-FISHERY. 147 

 MEASURES OF FISHE SHUD BE MARKED. 



" Item, It is statute and ordained that ane binde and 

 measure be maid for salmounde, herring, and kieling ; 

 and that the saimin be kept through all the realme, 

 and that the said measures be conforme to the Actes 

 of Parliamente, and to that effect that ilk cowper have 

 ane burning irone of his marke, to marke ilk barrel, 

 and sic like the town to have ane searchour quhilk 

 sail have the townes marke in keeping to burn ilk barrel 

 swa that our Soveraine Lordis custome thereof be not de- 

 frauded. And gif ony fische, salmounde, herring, or 

 keiling, beis founden in sic barrels unmarked, the samin 

 to be escheit, and sic like the tume trees that are, halfe 

 to our Soveraine Lorde, and the uther to the towne." * 



But the most injurious Act appears to be one passed in 

 1573, which ordains that all the herrings and white fish 

 are to be first brought on shore, and sold in burghs only, 

 namely: — 



HERRINGS AND QUHITE FISCHE, SULD BE BROCHT TO FREE 

 PORTES WITHIN THE REALME. 



" Itein, Forasmeikle as it is heavily complened how that 

 the haill slayer of all kinds of fisches within this realme, not 

 regarding the Actes maid be our Soveraine's -Lordis dearest 

 predecessours of before quhilk is, that quhen herring and 

 quhite fische is slayne, they audit to bring the samin to the 

 neixt adjacent burrowes and townes quhair the persones 

 slayers thereof dwellis, to the effect that our Soveraine 

 Lordis lieges may be first served, and gif abundance oc- 

 curred, that they might be salted and transported be free 

 burgesses : Throw none doing of the quhilk our Soveraine 



* 7tli Pari., James V., 14tli March 1540, sect. 109. 



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