ENGLISH HERRING FISHERIES. 283 



monarch, with a view to promote the herring trade, 

 became a purchafer of their fifh, and in 1358, fifty 

 lads of herrings were (hipped at Portfmouth for the 

 ufe of his army and fleet in France. This practice 

 was adopted by his fucceffors down to queen Eliza- 

 beth ; who alib enforced the ecclefiaftical laws re- 

 fpecting the keeping of Lent, in favour of the 

 rifheries. 



In 1635, a patent was granted to one Thomas 

 Davis, Efq. for gauging red herrings, at Yarmouth, 

 with a fee of 2 Shillings and 3 pence per laft. His 

 duty was to view/ try, fearch, and gauge all barrels 

 of red herrings ; and with certain feals, marks, or 

 ilamps, to make difti notion of the feveral forts and 

 kinds of herrings contained therein, made up, and 

 packed. And it was ordained in the fame grant, 

 " That none other vefiel or veflels from time to 

 time, (hall be marked, fealed, or (lamped, than 

 fuch, as upon his or their view, trial, fearch, and 

 gauging, fhall be found to be without deceit, found, 

 uncorrupt, and unmixt. " 



In 1671, Charles II. the Duke of York, and feve- 

 ral of the nobility went to Yarmouth, where they 

 were entertained at an expence of loool. The cor- 

 poration alfo prefented his majefty with four golden 

 herrings and a chain of 250!. value. 



The Yarmouth herrings being moft proper for 

 drying, the inhabitants feem to have ftruck into that 

 branch only, in which they have long had the repu- 

 tation of being the bed curers in Europe, infomuch 

 that the Dutch were amongft the number of their 

 foreign cuftomers. 



The Yarmouth people have greatly the advantage 

 over the Dutch, firft, in being nearer the herring 

 fhoals ; and fecondly, in being plentifully fupplied 

 with wood ; whereas the Dutch are obliged to fmoke 

 their herrings with turf or draw. 



The fmacks commence the fifhing about the 2i(l 

 of September, and continue the bufinefs till the 25th 



of 



