ON THE PRICE OF FISH. 539 



in the same year twelve cost a little over a shilling each. The 

 word then is plainly used to denote a fish of exceptional 

 size, quality, and rarity. To this then must belong the twelve 

 * lampreys ' bought by the Duke of Bucks in 1444 at 6s. $\d. 

 each. 



In 1404 eighty cost is. ivd.\ in 1431 Sir John Fastolfe buys 

 twenty-two at 5^. each ; in 1445, SIX cost Is * each at Norwich ; 

 in 1487, they are $d. each at Cambridge. In 1530 five dozen 

 cost the Durham monks only is., and fourteen dozen as little 

 as is. 4d. In 1531 the latter quantity is bought at the same 

 place for the same price. In 1532 six cost is. In 1533 four 

 dozen cost $d. a dozen. It is impossible to explain such 

 prices. 



In the subjoined tables the first column of the first table 

 is that of red herrings by the cade; the second that of white 

 by the barrel ; the third that of sprats by the cade ; the fourth 

 that of salmon by the barrel ; the fifth that of ling, orgays or salt 

 fish, by the hundred ; the sixth that of cod by the hundred ; the 

 seventh that of salt fish by the warp ; the eighth that of stock-fish 

 by the hundred. The second table contains decennial averages 

 of these articles. 



