48 CHARLES I. 
was piit,”+ sent to the Privy Council the charter of the 
association, as consented to by the commissioners. 
By this charter, he ‘‘ erects ane societie of the natives of 
His Majesty’s dominiouns and denizenis dwelling and residing 
in the same, and of others assumed and inrolled in the 
counsell of the said Societie,”’ “‘Secluding all others strangers 
and forraners whatsomever.” In the preamble to the charter, 
he again speaks of the profit to be derived from the associa- 
tion “als well in warre as in peace”’ and of his hope that 
the kingdom may be rid of a great burden by means of this 
association “‘ be accustoming lazie and ydle people to worke, 
and instructing thame in the trade of fishing.” 
The society was to have a council of twelve, nominated 
by the king, of whom the one half were to be Scotsmen, the 
other half English or Irish. It was to be styled “ The 
Counsell and Commountie of the fishing of his Majesty’s 
dominions of Great Britane and Ireland,’ and was to be 
under the direct protection of the king and his heirs. The 
members were to be life members. The society was to be 
empowered to make statutes for the regulation of its work ; 
these statutes were to be approved by the king, and were. 
not to interfere with the laws and liberties of the king. Those 
of the association breaking the rules were to be fined or 
imprisoned. Four judges, two of them Scotch, two of them 
English or Irish, were to be appointed in every province 
and town where the society had stations; these judges 
were to settle all fishing disputes and were to have juris- 
diction over those engaged in fishing.? 
Whenever “ ane navie of fishing shippes mair or lesse of 
what kynde soever ” was at sea, the masters and merchants 
themselves were to elect out of their number four or more 
“most able judges depute,” one half Scotch, the other half 
1 Act. Parl. Scotland, vol. v. p. 244; Reg. Privy Council, Scotland, vol. iv. 
(2nd series) p. 555, 
* Act. Parl. Scotland, vol. v. p. 239. 
