[A1630/7/85]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
The whilk day the missive letter underwrittin, signed be the king's majestie, concerning the fishing in the places craved to be reserved for the use of the natives wes presented to the lords of secreit counsell and read in thair audience, of the whilk the tennour followe:
Charles R[ex], right trustie and right weilbelovit cousine and counsellour, right trustie and weilbelovit cousines and counsellours, right trustie and weilbelovit counsellours and trustie and weilbelovit counsellours, we greit yow weill. Having considerit that letter whiche yow wrote unto ws concerning the places for fishing in these seas whiche yow thinke necessarie to be reserved for the sole use of the natives of that our kingdome, we cannot conceave what necessitie can be for reserving of so manie severall places and lykewayes of fyftene myles within the sea distant frome everie shoare, where it would seeme expedient that these of the associatioun for this generall fishing, as they have libertie to land in anie place, paying the ordinarie dewteis, sould lykewayes be free to fishe where ever they ar to passe. And as we ar willing to reserve for the natives all suche fishings without whiche they cannot weill subsist and whiche they of thameselfes have and doe fullie fishe, so we will not reserve anie thing to thame which may be a hinderance to this generall worke whiche may so muche import the good of all our kingdomes. And thairfoir we require yow, as yow affect our service, to contribute your best helpes, all and everie ane of yow, in everie thing that may conduce to the accomplishement of this worke, and that yow certifie ws backe by our trustie and weilbelovit counsellour Sir Williame Alexander, knight, our secretarie, the bearer heirof, of your opinion heerin and what yow thinke fitt for ws to doe as in a mater whiche we highlie value. So we bid yow farewell. From our court at Greenewiche, the fourth day of July 1631.