46 CHARLES I. 
The Burghs had desired very extensive reservation of 
the fishings in the lochs on the mainland and in the islands, 
reserving for the most part all inland fishings. With regard 
to Orkney and Shetland they had said it was necessary to 
reserve all the coasts and fourteen miles off the islands, 
although they were willing to submit in this matter to the 
king’s pleasure. 
The Council thus reported to the king that the Burghs 
were willing to “relinquish the universalitie of thair former 
exceptiain and to restrict the same to certane particular 
fishings without the whiche (as they affirme) the trade of 
the countrie will be muche impaired.” ! 
That the Scots were by no means reconciled to the idea 
of a joint fishery is evident from the following “ Reasons 
why the English and Scots cannot join in ye fishing on ye 
sea coast, Isles and loches etc.,” from a contemporary MSS.? 
The writer tabulates his reasons thus: ‘“ Inprimis, because 
we are natives of the Island, and ye sole liberties and privi- 
ledges of ye sd fishings belong to us within lochs and lands 
and along the coast, and no stranger ought to be admitted 
to ye liberties of ye samen to participate with us of ye com- 
moditie thereof. 
“ 2ndly, In respect the Lord God hath given to us the 
fishing of ye Lochs, Isles and Seas of this land to be the 
wealth and ritches of ye land, therefore no oyr stranger 
ought to have ye benefite of the same bot ye natives only. 
“ 3rd, Where it is alledged that the fishing is so great that 
the natives are not able to undertake it, It is answered 
concerning the fishings on the Lochs and Isles and upon the 
coast that ye natives are abell to provide for slaying and 
takeing of those fish within those bounds. 
“‘4thly, Albeit bushes be required for fishing upon ye main 
sea, yet bushes are not needful nor required for fishing 
1 Act, Parl. Scotland, vol. v. pp. 238, 239. 
2 MSS, 32.1.16., Advocates’ Library, Edinburgh. 
