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Sederunt ut die predicto.
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The whilk day the commissioners for the burrowes, compeirand personallie before the lords of privie counsell, gave in the declaratioun underwrittin anent the reserved fishings within Orkney, Zetland and remanent yles and loches therein, and mayne land foregainst the same, of the whilk the tennour followes:
That whereas it hes pleased the lords of his majesteis most honourable privie counsell to desire the commissioners of the free royall burrowes of this realme to declare thair opiniouns what fishings in the loches in the mayne land without the firthes reserved and yles adjacent thairto and loches within the same, remitted to the consideratioun of the commissioners of the free burrowes be the nobilitie and gentrie, ar fittest to be reserved for the benefite of trade, and having maturelie advised thereanent have delyvered thair opinions as after followes:
Inprimis, anent the loches in the mayne land lying betuix the Farayheid in Stranauer and the Mule of Kintyre, they declare that it is necessar to reserve all the loches within the said mayne land lying betuix the said Farayheid and the Kyle, togidder with Lochuryne upon the southside of the said Kyle.
Item, anent the yles, being in nomber abone twa hundreth, and twentie and the loches of the samine, being infinite in nomber, they declare that it is fitt to reserve the Innerside (quhilk is the east side of the yles of the Lewes, Ust, Bara and Muggersland and loches of the samine[)], togidder with the Braid Loche and the Bybleheid upon the northeast part of the Lewes.
Item, in the Yle of the Sky, they declare it is fitt to reserve Lochusherd lying upon the east side of the said yle.
Item, they declare that, for the good of the fishings reserved in the saids yles and mayne land, it is absolutelie necessar that there be no bushe fishing betwix the ylands and the mayne land whilk is frome the Farayheid upon the mayne and the north east point of the Lewes, nor within the course lying betuix the saids twa points and fourteene myles frome the north east most point of the Lewes.
Item, anent Orkney and Zetland, it is necessar to reserve the coasts of the samine and also fitt to reserve fourteene myles frome the saids coasts. Yitt anent the saids fourteene myles, they refer the samine to the declaratioun of his majesteis gratious will and pleasure.
They declare also that the salmond fishings ar whollie to be reserved in these places to the use of the natives.
Item, they declare that all these fishings of the loches of the mayne land and in the yles and loches of the samine desyred to be reserved, and of the saids coasts of Orkney and Zetland, hes beene continuallie fished be the merchants and fishers of this realme, and that they ar able to undertake and fish the samine to the full; and that no stranger hes beene admitted to fishe in these places and that, without reservatioun of the same, trade cannot be mainteaned nor subsist.
And last, for the remanent loches of the mayne land lying betuix the Kyle and Mule of Kintyre (excepting Lochuryne), as also for the backe side of the saids Yles of Lewes, Ust, Bara, Muggersland and Sky, excepting the particular loches before mentiouned, and als the haill remanent yles and loches of the samine, notwithstanding of the necessitie of reservatioun of the same as hes beene formerlie declared in the former instructiouns, they remitt the same to his majesteis royal consideratioun how manie of the same his majestie in his royall judgement sall thinke fitt to communicat.
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Quhilks twa declaratiouns abonementiouned being read, heard and considderit be the saids lords, they ordained the missive letter underwrittin (conteaning thair answere to his majesteis missive letter direct unto thame) to be written to his majestie, of the quhilk the tennor followes:
Most sacred soverane,
We have beene carefull according to your majesteis directioun to informe our selffes of the places for fishing necessar to be reserved frome the generall associatioun for the use of the natives, and having conferred with the burrowes and suche others of the estaits as wer heere for the tyme and considderit the reasouns propouned be thame concerning the same, we thinke that there is ane necessitie of reservatioun of the Firthes of Lothiane, Murrey and Dumbartane and of fourteene myles distance frome the coast interjected betuix the Ridheid and Buchannesse, and that for the sustentatioun of the numerous inhabitants dwelling upon the said coast and preservatioun of the salmound fishing within the same; and as tueching the loches within the other part of the mayne land and yles, how ever the fishings thairof doe appeare greatumlie to import the trade, yitt the burrowes who ar cheefelie interessed thairin hes beene moved for your majesteis satisfactioun to relinquishe the universalitie of thair former exceptioun and to restrict the same to certane particular fishings, without the whiche (as they affirme) the trade of the countrie will be muche impaired, and have humbelie offered the residue of that whiche is not excepted to be disposed of be your majestie, according as your majestie, after hearing of the commissioners (who ar entrusted with all that may concerne this bussines) sall find fitting to resolve, quhairin we ar confidentlie perswadit that your majestie will proceed with that accustomed tender regarde towards the weele of this your native and ancient kingdome, whiche in the whole course of this bussines yow have ever beene pleased favourablie to expresse. And so with our earnest prayers to God for your majesteis long and happie raigne, we rest etc. Perth, 23 Septembris 1631. Subscribitur: Dupline, Stratherne, Sanct Andrewes, Winton, Linlithgow, Wigtoun, Stirline, Gordoun, Areskine, Patrick, bishop of Rosse, John Isles, Tracquair, advocat, justice clerk.