36 CHARLES I. 
William Alexander, our Secretarie for Scotland.” The king 
ended his letter in a very practical fashion, by showing that 
he would not be content with any mere academic discussion 
of his proposals, but that he wished to commence, as soon 
as possible, the business of the association—“‘ We expect 
that you proceid not onelie to a resolutioun upon suche articles 
as sall be agreed upon, bot yow also endeavoure to put thame 
in executioun.” + 
In the ‘Instructions for Sir William Alexander ” ? were 
embodied the king’s views and his practical proposals with 
regard to the work of the company which he desired to 
form. The king is vexed that the benefits to be derived 
from the fisheries are “‘ reaped onelie by strangers. To the 
great disparagement and prejudice of our loving subjects.” 
He has “ now taken a royall and firme resolutioun to sett up 
a commoun fishing to be a nurserie of seamen and to increasse 
the shipping and trade in all parts of our dominiouns.”’ His 
intention is to make the benefits to be derived from the 
fishing common to the three kingdoms. Sir William is 
instructed to lay the king’s estimate—a very sanguine 
one—of the cost of the fishing and the benefits to be derived 
from it, before the various public bodies of Scotland, in 
order that they may be induced to join in the enterprise 
themselves and encourage others to join in a work of “so 
great hope.” 
Two hundred vessels of between 30 and 40 tons? each 
were to be added to the existing fishing fleet. They were 
to make ‘‘ three returnes everie yeare,” the first fishing to 
last from the Ist of June to the 30th of September, the 
second from Ist October to 3lst January; both of these 
1 Act. Parl. Scotland, vol. v. p. 220. 
2 Ibid. vol. v. pp. 221, 222, 223; Reg. Privy Council, Scot. vol. iv. (2nd 
series) pp. XViii-—xxiii. 
3 A buss of 35 lasts was one of 70 tons. See “ Britain’s Buss,’ English 
Garner, vol. iti. Also see Appendix. 
