52 CHARLES I. 
less dependent upon the royal favour, and still afraid of pos- 
sible encroachment upon their trading privileges by the 
members of the Association for the Fishing, were by no 
means satisfied, and now asked the Council to request the 
king that he should extend his declaration concerning 
the places reserved for the natives “ to the seas lying betuix 
Buchanesse and Ridhead, at the least foure or fyve myles 
aff the coast lying betwix the saids points, as alsua to the 
loches of Lochtarbet, Lochstornoway, Lochmade, Loch- 
ponte, and upon the mayne of Lochbrome.”! To this, 
however, the Council gave a blunt refusal, alleging as their 
chief reason for declining to ask Charles to reconsider his 
decision that the commissioners who had been engaged 
in settling the conditions under which the work of the 
Association for the Fishing was to be pursued “could not 
assist ane petitioune for recalling their awne doings.” ? 
Recognising, apparently, that any further protest would 
be in vain, and that it was the better part to accept the in- 
evitable with a good grace, the burghs now proceeded to 
show to what extent they would be able to co-operate with 
the Association for the Fishery, and thus render the enter- 
prise in reality a national one. After giving a list of the 
places which, in their opinion, would if properly equipped 
‘prove suitable fishing stations, they stated that, from the 
towns on the north and south coast, they could “ reik out 
for the bushe fishing” some sixty vessels, of twenty tons 
each and upwards, a number, however, “‘ farre inferiour to 
that whilk in preceeding yeeres went out of these bounds ; ” 
the west country, they said, could provide “aucht great 
shippes and fifty-two boats attending the shippes.’’ ? 
All being now definitely arranged, the Privy Council, 
on the 20th October, 1632, made proclamation of the found- 
ing of the Society for the Fishing, the places reserved for the 
1 Reg. Privy Council, Scotland, vol. iv. (2nd series) p. 551. 
Pp 
2 Ibid. 3 Ibid. p. 552. 
