In support of this last provision, a letter was written on the 4th December 1663 by the lords of the privy council, enjoining the magistrates of the western ports to take care that no owners of ships, trading to Newfoundland, suffered any persons to be transported thither, other than such as were of the ship’s company, and _the officers of his Majesty’s customs_ in the several ports therein named directed, and to charge all masters of ships to observe this rule. In the 15th year of Charles II. the parliament made some regulation respecting this trade and fishery. By statute 15 Car. 2, c. 16, penalties are imposed on planters and others, who destroy the fry of fish, or burn or destroy boats left in the harbour, or pull down houses or stages built by the English to live in during the fishing season; and no toll is to be demanded for fish of English catching. [Sidenote: Of appointing a Governor.] In the year 1667, the fishery of Newfoundland underwent a more mature discussion than it seems before to have received. In August of that year several petitions, were presented to the privy council from the merchants, owners of ships, and others, inhabitants of the towns of _Totness_, _Plymouth_, _Dartmouth_, and places adjacent, concerned in the trade to Newfoundland. They stated, that several persons, upon specious purposes, and for sinister ends, were endeavouring to establish a _governor_, which had always been pernicious to the fishery; and because they were unable to attend or bear the charges of solicitation, and sending witnesses to such a distance, they prayed his Majesty to empower such persons of the county of Devon, as his Majesty should think fit, to hear and examine the whole matter, and make report thereof to the council. Upon consideration of these petitions, _Sir Edward Seymour_, _Sir John Northcott_, _Sir William Courtnay_, _Sir Thomas Carew_, _Sir Walter Young_, and other gentlemen of Devonshire, were appointed to enquire into facts concerning the miscarriage of former governors to the damage of the trade; and the petitioners were also required to prepare reasons to make good the allegations of their petitions. In consequence of which, depositions were taken at _Totness_, in which were certified the inconvenience of appointing a governor, and the prejudice that would necessarily thereby ensue to the fishery.