[1661/1/246]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
Our sovereign lord and estates of parliament, taking to their consideration a petition presented to them by the bailies of Musselburgh, for themselves and in name and behalf of the council and community thereof, showing that they are informed that his majesty has been pleased to erect a company for the trade of fishing within this realm and to indulge several favours and immunities to the undertakers thereof and adventurers therein and they, being of purpose to equip some bushes and boats for fishing in and about the coast and isles of this kingdom for this ensuing year, and being desirous to partake of his majesty's favour and benign goodness indulged to others in that kind; therefore, craving liberty and warrant to them to go to the said fishing with their boats and bushes for this ensuing year, and to grant and indulge to them all the favours, immunities and privileges granted to others in the like case and condition. And having considered the report of the commissioners of parliament appointed for bills thereupon, to whom the said matter was referred, and finding the foresaid desire reasonable, therefore his majesty, with advice and consent of the said estates of parliament, have given and granted and hereby give and grant full liberty, power and warrant to the said supplicants, for themselves and in name and behalf foresaid, and to their servants, fishers, boatmen and others whom they shall equip to the effect above-written, to fish with their boats and bushes in and about the coasts and isles of this kingdom until 1 January next to come 1662, and ordains them to be preferred to strangers with boats and fishermen at all such places of the country where they shall come, and to the buying of the countrymen's fishes at the ordinary rate until such time as their bushes are loaded, and hereby grant and give to them all further privilege and immunities contained in the general act made anent the said trade of fishing, and recommends to the sheriff, justices of peace and others whom it concerns to see the act and ordinance above-written put in effectual execution, conforming to the tenor hereof and the former acts made thereupon, and the like favour granted to others in the like case.