C R  〈◇〉 〈◇〉 〈◇〉 〈◇〉 〈◇〉 〈◇〉  royal blazon surmounted by a crown  
A PROCLAMATION, Anent the COMPANY for FISHING.  
CHARLES, By the Grace of GOD, King of Great Britain, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith; To Our Lovits, 〈…〉 Messengers, Our Sheriffs in that part, conjunctly and severally specially constitute, Greeting.  
Forasmuch as We, by the thirty ninth Act of Our first Parliament, holden in the year, one thousand six hundred and sixty one, entitled, Act for the Fishing, and erecting of Companies for promoving of the same; Have, upon consideration of the best and readiest means for improveing the benefit and advantages which may redound by the Fishes which are or may be taken within the Seas, Channels, Firths and Lochs adjacent to, and surrounding this Our ancient Kingdom: Especially, that the said Trade will not only be a nursery for Sea-fairing men, a speedy occasion for building of Ships for Our and Our Subjects use both in Peace and War; But likewise, will set many poor and idle people a work, and furnish the materials of a great native export, for the continual enriching of Our said Kingdom, by a sure foundation of Trade and Commerce. For promoving and advancing of the which Trade of Fishing, We, with consent of Our Estates of Parliament, did creat and erect particular Companies of Our own free-born naturalised Inhabitants in this Kingdom, and of all others who should be taken and enrolled in any of the same Companies and Societies, and admitted to the privileges thereof within any Shire or Burgh within Our said Kingdom, betwixt and a certain day thereafter: And did constitute and creat such persons who should so enter themselves, and their Successors, in a Body politic, to exerce the Trade after-specified; and did give and grant to them the privileges, Liberties, Freedoms and Immunities underwritten, particularly and at length specified in the said Act of Parliament; which Act hath lain over and taken no effect now these nine years by-gone. And We, being very desirous that the good and profit of this Our ancient Kingdom, designed by the said Act, should not be altogether frustrate, have been graciously pleased, for advancing of the said Trade, to proffer a considerable sum to be payed out of Our Thesaury, and to enter into the said Society and Company; after whose Royal example, divers Noblemen, Gentlemen, Merchants and others, have since entred, and are content to enter into a Contract of co-partnery for making up of the said Society and Company, and have engaged to pay several sums of money, each of them for their own parts, for advancing of the said Fishing Trade, at the terms and in manner specified in the said Contract. And We being most willing to give all due encouragement to the said Society and Company, whereby they and their Successors may be constitute in a free Society and Company of Trade for the said Fishing; and withall considering, and being sufficiently informed, how prejudicial it will be to the said Trade to be erected in several Companies, by reason of the many discouragements and impediments which will daily arise and occur, through the competition and interfearing of several Companies driving one and the same Trade. Therefore We, by Our Letters Patent under Our Great Seal, dated at Whitehall, the fourth day of June instant, Have made, constitute and created all the saids persons, who have already or shall hereafter subscribe the foresaid Contract, and shall enter, or shall be admitted to enter into the said Society and Company, and their Successors in all time coming, in the sole and only Body and Incorporation politic, to exe●ce the Trade of Fishing within and about all Our Seas, Channels, Firths and Lochs of Our said Kingdom: And have given and granted to the said Company, all the privileges, Freedoms and Immunities mentioned in the said thirty ninth Act of Our first Parliament; And have given and granted to them a special jurisdiction, both by Sea and Land, over all the Members of the Company, and others employed by them during the time of the Fishing; Power of nomination of Judges, Clerks and all other Members of Court, and their Sentences to have the full force as in any other Judicatory, and have ratified the foresaid Contract of co-partnery, in all the heads agreed to by the said Society; And with power to them to elect a Council, Directors, Cash-keepers, and others; and with power to them only to Trade to Muscovia, Freezland, Izland, Greenland, and such other Northern Islands and Continents, for the space of three nineteen years next to come: And have provided, that the Return from foreign places upon the Stock of the said Company, may be sold in free Burghs without previous offer to the Burgh; That no Herring nor White-fishes taken by Scots men, be sold to any but to Natives and other Inhabitants within the Kingdom, except by the said Company and Society; That no Stranger unnaturalized, shall have liberty to make or prepare Herring or White-fish upon Land, or to make or hire Booths or Store-houses for that effect, under the pain of confiscation, and the double to be exacted off the Seller, except the Company above-written. And farther, We have Ordained, that Salt, Cordage, Hemp, Cork, Pitch, Tar, Clapbord, Knapple, Skew-hoops, Holland-Nets, and other materials to be imported by the Company for the said Fishing, shall be free of Custom or other Impositions whatsoever, and that the Herring and White-fishes to be made and prepared therewith, shall be free of all manner of Custom, Excise or other Imposition whatsoever in the exportation thereof: That all Strangers Fishers, who shall repair to this Kingdom, shall be naturalised and entered Burgess of any City where they shall desire to reside gratis, and be free of all Taxations for the space of seven years after their arrival. And We have discharged, in favours of the said Company, the Teind-herring and Teind-fish of all such as shall be taken in all time hereafter; and have discharged the Excise-herring due to Us( except the Herring of Dumbar) for the space of three nineteen years; And have declared, That all Ale, Beer, Strong-waters and other Provisions for out-reeking of Vessels for the said Company, shall be free of all manner of Excise and other Impositions whatsoever; and have discharged the Lords or Masters of the ground from exacting any more from the Fishers or Merchants of the said Company, but only twelve shillings Scots for every Last, and that in satisfaction of the Saturdayes fishing, or any manner of deuce whatsoever: And have Ordained, that the Ships, Boats and other Vessels with their furniture in exercise of the said Trade, shall no ways be arrestable by any Creditor, nor those who shall serve therein shall be pressed to any public Service, without Our particular warrant; And that the Fishers, Masters and their Servants during the time of Fishing, shall not be conveenable before any Judge for any civil cause, but the Judges to be appointed by the said Company, and that they, their materials and instruments shall be free of Captions, Acts of Warding. Arrestments or Attachments the time they are actually serving in the said Fishing: That none of the said Company shall be liable to Assessments, Stents, Taxations or other Impositions or Burdens, for what Stock they have entered or shall enter in the said Society, or the profit and benefit thereof; And have ordained all Vessels employed in the said Trade, Persons and Materials of the said Fishing, to be free of all Shoar-dues, Customs, Excises, Cocket-money, mark on the Tun Anchoradge, Admiral-dues, Beaconage, Lights of the Isle of May, Flag-money, Gold-pennies, and others of that nature. And farther, We have prohibit and discharged all other Persons or Societies, who shall not join and enter themselves with the said Company for Fishing, and engage for payment of such Sums as they will stock, not being under one hundred pounds Sterling each person, to be payed in manner and at the terms contained in the said Contract of Society, betwixt and the first day of August next to come, from exporting of Herring or White-fishes after the last day of April, one thousand six hundred and seventy one years, under the pain of confiscation thereof for the use of the said whole Company; and for that effect, We have discharged all Collectors, Farmers and Tacks-men of Our Customs and Excise, and Clerks to Our Cockets, from receiving Enteresses or granting Cockets for any Herrings or White-fishes to be exported forth of Our said Kingdom by any person, except the Company aforesaid, under the pain of deprivation and losing of their Places: And generally, have granted to the said Society all other Freedoms, privileges, Immunities and Emoluments which any the like free Society or Company hath or enjoyeth within any other of Our Dominions. And whereas, We no ways intend to prejudge or exclude any of the Subjects of this Our Kingdom, of the benefit and privilege of the said Fishings and exportation thereof, provided they enter in the said Company, and do not by several Companies prejudge the said Trade, by interfearing and underselling one another; and provided they advance and pay in with the said sole Company any Sum, not being within one hundred pounds Sterling, which is the least Sum stocked by any of the said Company: But upon the contrair, are willing and ready to admit any into the said Society, betwixt and the said first day of August, with als much privilege, liberty and advantage, as is granted to, or competent to those who did first adventure in the said undertaking. And being desirous that all Our Subjects may have timous notice of this Our Royal Will and Pleasure, We, with advice of the Lords of Our Privy Council, Ordain these Our Letters to be direct. Our Will is herefore, and We charge you straitly and commands, that incontinent these Our Letters seen, ye pass to the Mercat-cross of Edinburgh, and remanent head Burghs of this Our Kingdom, and thereat, in Our Name and Authority, make open Proclamation and Publication of Our Will and Pleasure, contained in Our Letters Patent above-written: And farther, that ye in Our Name and Authority foresaid, inhibit and discharge all Persons or Societies, who betwixt and the first day of August next to come, shall not join and enter themselves with the said sole Company for Fishing, and engage for payment of such Sums as they will stock, not being under one hundred pounds Sterling each person, to be payed in manner foresaid, and at the terms contained in the said Contract of Society; to export forth of this Kingdom any Herring or White-fishes after the last day of April, one thousand six hundred and seventy one years, under the pain of confiscation thereof for the use of the said whole Company. And Ordains these presents to be printed, that none pretend ignorance.  
Given at Edinburgh, the sixteenth day of June, and of Our Reign the twenty two year, one thousand six hundred and seventy. Al. Gibson, Cl. Sti Concilii.   

EDINBURGH, Printed by Evan tiler, Printer to the King's most Excellent Majesty, 1670.