170 LAKES AND RIVERS, 



salmon, according to the ancient records of Chester, 

 was worth ten shillings; in those days this was so 

 large a sum that one is tempted to think there must 

 be some error. In this reign it is recorded that, 

 " On the morrow after the day of Palms (we suppose 

 Palm Sunday), a certain William, son of Aldos, and 

 others were brought before the Magistrate and fined 

 for unlawfully fishing below the bridge of Chester, 

 and catching twenty salmon worth . twenty marks 

 (6s. 8d.), and shortly after fished again and caught a 

 salmon worth ten shillings and more. On the same 

 day, others were fined for catching salmon worth one 

 mark or more." Other laws were passed, at different 

 periods, to protect the fishery. 



The office of Sergeancy is claimed by the Duke of 

 Westminster, as still belonging to the Manor of Eaton. 

 The river is so much frequented by salmon and 

 trout anglers, that the inns on the banks of the river 

 can at times scarcely afford accommodation for them. 



The derivation of the name Dee has occasioned 

 much disputation. Some say it comes from Ddu 

 (black), others from Dwy (two), because the river is 

 said to come in its very beginning from two small 

 streamlets; but Pennant, a great authority, denies 

 this, and says Dee is derived from Duw, signifying 

 divine, because to the river was attributed sacred 

 powers, and that it was well known that . the Welsh 

 were fond of giving divine honours to their rivers and 

 fountains. 



Giraldus Cambrensis, who travelled through Wales 

 in 1 1 88, says that, up to his time, prophetic properties 

 were attributed to the Dee : 



