92 CHARLES II. 
food and intertainment of the leidges, to the proffite and 
encouragement of many poor families who live by fishing.” 
Exemption could be had only by procuring a special license 
from the Privy Council.1_ This proclamation was again made 
on 12th February, 1663, and on 2nd February, 1664.? 
In accordance with the act establishing them, various 
fishing companies were formed throughout the country, 
but it was soon found that the old difficulties existed. Thus 
in 1661, even before the companies had been established, 
Gideon Murray, a merchant in Edinburgh, who had got 
ready two busses for the fishing at Shetland “for fishing and 
prepareing of whyt and gray fishes,’ complained of the 
“hamburghers and lubickers,’”’ who were accustomed to 
engage all the available fishermen in the islands along with 
their boats. In answer to his request, it was declared that 
he was to be served in preference to the foreigners, in all 
respects, by the Shetlanders, and was to be allowed to 
buy their fish at the ordinary rates until his busses were 
loaded. Similar privileges were granted in the same year to 
the inhabitants of various fishing towns and villages in 
Fifeshire.® 
In 1662, John Boswell, bailie in Kinghorn, and Matthew 
Anderson, bailie in Kirkcaldie, made supplication to the Privy 
1 License to Sir Robert Hepburne of Keith and his family to eat flesh in 
Lent, dated 12th February, 1663. 
‘The Lords of his Majesties Privy Council haveing considered the desire 
of the petition of Sir Robert Hepburne of Keith for haveing a license to eat 
flesh the tyme of Lent, and upon the thrie weekly fish dayes mentioned in 
the late proclamation, by these presents dispenses with and gives license 
to the said Sir Robert and these of his family to eat flesh dureing the said 
prohibite tyme, and upon the saids forbidden dayes, for the space of ane 
year efter the dait hereof, and declaires that the said Sir Robert shall no 
wayes be lyable to any of the paines containit in the said proclamation, 
and discharges all magistrates to proceid against the said Sir Robert as 
contraveiner thereof, for which these presents shall be w warrand.”—Reg. 
Privy Council, Scotland, vol. i. (3rd series) p. 660. 
2 Ibid. pp. 153, 331, 491, 676. 
3 Act. Parl. Scotland, vol. vii. pp. 64, 81. 
