CHRONOLOGICAL HISTORY OF THE HERRING-FISHERY. 185 



strictly prohibits and discharges all other companies, 

 societies, or persons, to assume or use the mark of any 

 company, society, or person so registrate, certifying such 

 as do in the contrary they shall be liable to the com- 

 pany, society, or person, to whom the mark belongeth, 

 in the sum of five hundred merks toties quoties. And 

 it is hereby declared, that it shall be lawful to the 

 sheriffs, bailies of regalities, and magistrates of burghs, 

 or any having commission from them, not only to visit, 

 on all occasions, the curing and packing of herrings or 

 white fish in their respective bounds, and also to pitch 

 upon any barrel after it is made up and marked up, and 

 cause break open the same, and raise the herrings, if 

 they think fit, from the very bottom, and in case they 

 be not cured or packed as above ordained, or that they 

 be broken, bruised, spilt, or not gutted herring or fish 

 .among them, the said sherifi's, bailies, magistrates, or 

 others commissioned by them, after the same is clearly 

 proven by experienced and famous witnesses, are hereby 

 ordained to secure the whole casks where the said insufii- 

 cient herring or white fish shall be found ; the persons to 

 whom they belong shall pay for each last one hundred 

 merks Scots, the half to be given to the discoverer, and 

 the rest to the poor of the parish, and proportion- 

 ally for smaller quantities of such insufficient herrings 

 or white fish, and the said insufficient herring or fish 

 shall be discharged to be exported at any time there- 

 after. And her Majesty, out of her royal bounty, hath 

 allowed, and hereby allows, to the exporter of each 

 last of white fish and herring taken any manner of way, 

 and exported out of this kingdom, a reward of ten 

 pounds four shillings Scots money, in the term of the 

 former Acts of Parliament — and for each last of herrings 



