ITS WORK IN THE LEWIS 61 
gave a detailed account of various injuries inflicted upon their 
servants by the islanders.1 They averred that on 19th 
January, 1635, two of their ships were driven ashore at Storno- 
way, the vessels, however, being saved with goods and 
crew. A certain fisherman of Crail, called Thomas Lindsey, 
had then come forward, asserting himself to be deputy of 
Lord Linlithgow, Vice-Admiral of Scotland, and had seized 
the ships and cargoes as wreckage. This man, when re- 
monstrated with by the English seamen, had not only 
vilified their certificates, but had affirmed that King 
Charles had no jurisdiction in the Isle of Lewis, and had 
vowed to be the death of every Englishman in the island. 
Again, while the vessels of the Association had been 
fishing in the lochs, the highlanders had come upon them, 
armed “ with swords, bows and arrows, and other warlike 
weapons,” and had carried away their kettles and other 
necessary articles, pretending that these were seized in 
lieu of the usual duties due to the landlords. Such “ in- 
solences”’ as these had become of too frequent occurrence 
to be patiently endured any longer, and it was therefore to 
be expected that the Association should petition the king 
to order his Council to take measures to punish the daring 
islanders.2 The committee had already resolved to send 
four ‘‘ judges ” to Stornoway to settle all matters in dispute 
regarding the fisheries and the conduct of the fishermen, 
declaring that “in matters of difference touching ground 
leave, erecting of houses, drying of nets, payment of duties, 
or other questions whatsoever concerning the fishing 
business, the parties grieved should repair to the judges 
deputed for redress, and not be compelled to sue or answer 
in any other court.” * 
With reference to this decision, complaint was made 
on June 24th, 1635, at a meeting of the Council of the 
1 Gal. S.P. Dom. Car. I., vol. 291, No. 4. 2 Ibid. vol. 291, No. 4. 
8 Ibid. vol. 291, No. 6. 
