Middlemen in English Business 209 



ities tried to repress or prohibit him.^ In London the first fish market 

 was founded in 1283, "Stocks Market."- There were fish stalls here, 

 and at Woolchurchhaw and other markets in the fourteenth century.^ 

 Ordinances during this century prohibited forestalling, and forbade 

 the fishmongers from being partners of the fishermen. The dealers 

 dared not buy until the nobler citizens and the populace had their 

 needs supplied. The prices were fixed by assizes.* In the time of 

 Edward I the chief fishmongers came to an agreement with the mayor 

 to hold two hallmotes annually. This was continued for centuries. 

 One form of forestalling that was particularized was that of going on 

 board Vessels in the Poole and buying the cargo. This was prohibited 

 in London, and practically all river ports and seaports.'' The regula- 

 tions in proi-incial parts were to the same tenor as at the metropolis. 

 " Beyond the memory of man," it was the custom at Poole in Dorset- 

 shire that all fish be exposed for sale on the public market before 

 being carried elsewhere for sale; this assured the public consumption 

 against the monopoly and extortion of dealers in fish.^ Beverley 

 required the "basketmen," i.e. fishermen, to serve the citizens first 

 before they carried fish out of the town fcr sale; the place of sale was 

 the pubhc market and not their private houses.^ In addition to 

 regulations like all the above Southampton pro\ided against a sort 

 of speculation in fish wrought by fishers offering their cargoes by par- 

 cels and thus maintaining a price.* 



In 1552 it was provided by Edward VI, "That it shall be lawful to 

 all . . . the King's . . . Subjects now dwelling or inhabit- 

 ing . . . within one Mile of the main Sea, to buy all manner of 

 Fish, fresh or salted (not forestalling the same) and to sell the same 

 again at reasonable Prices."^ That is, the offense of regrating was 

 not applicable to coast dealers in fish. BiUingsgate early became the 

 leading London fish-market. In 1699 it was made "a free and open 

 Market for all Sorts of Fish" wherein it was "lawful for any Person 

 to buv or sell any Sort of Fish without Disturbance."'" New markets 



' Cf. Mrs. Green, Towti Life, II, 36. 

 ^ Lib. Cus. I, CIV. 

 'Lib. Alb. I,LXXIV-\. 



^Lib. Cus. II, pt. I. 117-120; Lib. Alb. I, ,vSO 1. 



■"■Lib. Alb. I, 377; T, LXXVIII, 373-376, 289; (iardner, Hist. Dunwich. 120: 

 V. C. H., Suff. II, 290. 



" V. C. H., Dorset, II. 355. 



' Selden, XIV, p. 58. 



« V. C. H., Hants, V, 467. 



9 5-6 Ed. VI, Cap. 14-15. 



'« 10-11 Wrti. III. Cap.; Maitland, II, 791. 



