CHRONOLOGICAL HISTORY OF THE HERRING-FISHERY. 151 



In the following year, however, it appears that this 

 last mentioned Act had been found injurious, and was 

 objected to, as to the restriction to certain burghs where 

 only the herrings could he graithed or handled, for another 

 Act was passed permitting the fish to be brought to any 

 of the free burrowes : — 



FISH SLAIN ON UTHER SIDE OF THE WATER OF FORTH MAY 

 BE BROCHT TO ONY FREE BURGH. 



" Forasmeikle as in the Act of Parliament lately maid 

 anent the packing and peiling of herring, and quhite fish, 



universallie throw this realme, sail be of the gage and measure foresaid '■> 

 and that ilk burgh sail receive aue patrone and measure of the gage fore- 

 said, and sail cause the cooperes within their boundes make their trees 

 conforme to the said measure, and the same to be burnt be the town iron, 

 and couppers iron, on baith ends, and upon the steppe beside the bung. 

 And in case ony salmond, herring, or quhite fish be packed in utheris trees, 

 nor of the just gage foresaid, burnt and marked as said is, the samin sail 

 be escheit to our Soveraine Lord. And ordainis the principal staple of 

 salmond fra Dee north, to be at the burghes of Aberdeen and Elgine, and 

 the principal staple of herring and quhite fish, slaine be the inhabitants 

 within the water of Forth, to lie in Leith, within the priviledge and free- 

 dom of the city of Edinburgh, and within the port and haven of Carail. 

 And the staple of salmond, herring, and quhite fish, slayne be north Fifis- 

 ness, to the water of Dee, to be at Dundee, or Perth. And that the saidis 

 Provest, and Baillies of Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Carail, Elgine, Perth, and 

 Dundee, sail appoynte ane discreet man to be visitour, wracker, and gager, 

 and burner of the saidis trees, and appoynte to him ane reasonable duty of 

 ilke last thereof for his labours. That all unfreemen, fischers, and slayers 

 of herring and quhite fish, dwelland within the boundes of the water of 

 Forth, on baith the sides to the water mouth of Tay, bring the herring and 

 quhite fish to be slayne by them in time cumming to the portes of Leith, 

 or Carail, and at west side to Aire and Dumbartane, dividand the boundes 

 betwixt, at the Clockstane, there to be gaged and marked, and sauld to the 

 free burgesses of this realme. And that na fischers, or others unfreemen, 

 sell their said herring and quhite fish to ony strangers, and unfreemen, or 

 Carrie the samin forth of this realme, to ony uther cuntries, to be sauld be 

 themselves, under the paine of escheiting of all their moveable gudes : the 

 ane half to our Soveraine Lordis use, and the uther half to the burrowes 

 qua sail convict them be vertue of their commissiones." (King James 

 VL, 8th Pari., May 22d, 1584, sect. 141.) 



