FISHINGS OFF THE COAST OF BRITAIN 
were of opinion ‘“ that the borrowis are licklie to obteyn: 
said fishing devolved into their hands.” A meetin 
commissioners from the burghs to discuss the matter 
been arranged for 23rd July, 1630, at Edinburgh, whe 
their hopes were destroyed. By a letter to the & 
Privy Council, dated 12th July, 1630, the king announce 
intention of establishing an Association for the Fis 
which should be common to the three kingdoms.' It 
natural, under the circumstances, that the burghs sl 
receive the news without enthusiasm. All the eners 
the royal promoter of the Association did no more 
gain an almost sullen acquiescence in his project fron 
Scots, whom the king would have done well to win 
before proceeding further with the carrying out of his ¢ 
Charles, ignorant as ever of the Scotch character, sc 
to drive where he ought to have used diplomacy and 
The result was ultimately disastrous to the success 0 
company, for the burghs, if they never, actively hin: 
its work, certainly did nothing to help, and were gl: 
leave as many obstacles as possible in the path of its 
gress. To their attitude may be attributed, in great mez 
the ultimate failure of the enterprise to which Charles 
applied himself with such zeal. 
If the burghs had been devoting their attention ti 
fishings off the island of Lewis, those who were adv 
the king to establish the Association for the Fishing 
also of opinion that these fishings admitted of much dev 
ment and had some very definite proposals to make 
regard to the island itself. They proposed to call in “ 
Letters Patents whereby this Island is alienated fron 
Crown, to grant a new Patent of Privilege to His Maj 
own subjects of both kingdoms to make plantations 
erect towns, and to appoint a Governor to reside there 
for three years, with power over all the islands, in « 
1 Act. Parl. Scotland, vol. v. p. 220 et sequitur. 
Cc 
