ITS WORK IN THE LEWIS 63 
troupes and companeis out of the yles where they dwell to 
the yles and loches where the fishes ar tane.” They 
had acted like so many pirates, despoiling the fishers of 
their catch, and sometimes of their provisions, and causing 
them to be in fear of their lives. Henceforward they must 
come “with good and lawfull warrand in writt from their 
maisters and landslords”’; they must be provided with all’ 
things necessary for fishing, and must act ‘“‘ modestlie and 
in good order” “ under the pane of most severe and exemplarie 
punishment to be inflicted upon them.” Any who did 
come without. such written warrants were to have their 
boats and vessels arrested, their sails taken, and permission 
to go to sea withheld. The Council, to render this proclama- 
tion more effective, warned landlords that they would be held 
responsible for the good conduct of their servants and tenants.! 
Charles, however, had come to realise that the best 
means of ensuring the compliance of the islanders with 
these proclamations, and of keeping the landlords and 
heritors of the Lewis and the adjoining parts from interfering 
with the work of the Association, was to win over the most 
powerful of them, the Earl of Seaforth, who had felt himself 
injured ever since Charles, upon the founding of the Society 
for the Fishing, had seized upon the island of Lewis as his 
own peculiar property. Entering into negotiations with 
Seaforth, therefore, the king in 1636 concluded an agree- 
ment with him, and on 13th March, 1637, granted him a 
charter of the Lewis, reserving to the crown, however, the 
town of Stornoway, with its castle, haven, and port, and 
as much of the adjoining lands and territories as would 
be necessary for the use of the Fishing Association, the 
land reserved for the houses and yards of the Association and 
its servants being the land nearest the town. Stornoway 
was to be erected by the king “in ane free burghe royall 
for reduceing of the inhabitants of the said Ile of Lewis to 
1 Reg. Privy Council, Scotland, vol. vi. (2nd series) p. 96. 
