ON THE PRICE OF fISH. 419 



high, in 1628, in 1638, in 1640, in 1644-6 inclusive, and in 

 1653. From 1652 to 1683 inclusive, with the exception of 

 the year just referred to, haberdens are uniformly at 83 s. ^d. 

 In 1684 they are j6s. 6d.> and then for four years again at 

 83^-. 4*/. Then in 1689 they rise to 95^. icd. y and for eight 

 years, i.e. during the war with France, are at iocs. During 

 the last five years they drop to 83^. ^d. again. I think it 

 clear that the prices of 1653, and those of the eight years just 

 referred to, were due to the wars with the Dutch in Cromwell's 

 time and with the French in William's. It is likely that 

 there was a fairly steady and recognised price at which this 

 produce was sold in time of peace, that variations in size 

 were less marked than in other kinds, and that high and 

 low prices, except during years of naval war, are to be assigned 

 to a bad fishing season, or storms. 



But the case is different with ling, sometimes called organ 

 or great ling. These fail me for twelve years, and of the 

 1 08 years in which I have evidence, nineteen are of Oxford 

 salsamenta. I do not infer that these salsamenta were the 

 largest fish, for the price is generally lower than that of the 

 Cambridge great ling. Both however were bought at Stour- 

 bridge fair or in London, and therefore must be considered 

 apart from the cost of carriage, this being constantly a separate 

 item in the accounts. 



The price of ling rises in the same manner as that of haber- 

 dens does, but in not so marked a degree. In the second 

 decade it is higher than any except the seventh and the last, 

 while haberdens are cheapest in the second, though they are 

 dear in the seventh. Again, the lowest price of ling is in the 

 sixth decade. But here the information is scanty and in- 

 sufficient, and probably is not of the largest kind. It may be 

 that during the troubles the far deep-sea fishing was not very 

 vigorously practised. Towards the end of the period, indeed 

 for thirty years, the price is stationary, the evidence being 

 almost exclusively from King's College, Cambridge. In the 

 last decade however the price is considerably exalted, 



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