ITS WORK IN THE LEWIS 59 
managers of the Association that the Dutchmen, totally 
disregarding royal proclamations against them, were fishing 
and trading as usual in the Western Islands, and that in this 
they were being encouraged by the landlords and heritors of 
the district, who were, in addition, hampering very seriously 
the work of the company by demanding exorbitant dues from 
the masters of its ships. In response to these complaints, the 
Privy Council granted Archibald, Lord of Lorne, the Great 
Marquis, and Neil, Bishop of the Isles, a commission to 
enquire into the matter, so that the landlords concerning 
whom the complaint was made might make some working 
agreement with the Association. A meeting was accordingly 
convened at Inveraray on 29th August, 1634, at which the 
various landlords answered to the questions of the commis- 
sioners that it was ‘‘ an ancient custom, and in use to be done 
past memorie of man,” for every one of them “in whois bounds 
the herring fishing fell out,” to exact “satisfactioun for 
ground leave and ankerage.”’ For many years past they had 
taken from every herring boat or ship resorting to their 
coasts a barrel either of meal or of ale as the owner pleased ; 
for every anchor laid on shore six shillings and eightpence was 
charged ; for every last of herring taken they exacted three 
pounds money ; in addition to this they were given the whole 
proceeds of every Saturday’s fishing. This ancient custom 
had been formally ratified by a contract between certain of the 
islands and some east coast burghs, made about the year 
1620. The landlords, however, claimed that their demands 
had been greatly modified in favour of the Association, 
as they now charged only thirty-six shillings Scottish 
money to a ship engaged in the herring fishing, and twenty 
marks to a ship engaged in the “ gray and whyte ”’ fishing. 
When interrogated concerning dealings with foreigners, 
the islanders all declared that they had had no dealings 
with foreigners since the formation of the Association, 
except for a Dutch ship, which came to Lochmadie to the 
