OF A SALMON. 37 



These contests were put an end to in 1639 by 

 the Lords Chief Justices declaring to the Lords 

 of the Privy Council their opinion, that the 

 authority of the Commission of Sewers did not 

 extend to such ancient mills and causeways as 

 existed prior to the reign of Edward the First. 

 The Mills and Causeway were again attacked in 

 the time of the Commonwealth, (probably because 

 the Gamulls were distinguished Koyalists) ; and 

 an order was made in the year 1645 to demolish 

 the Mills, and build new ones on the Roodee, 

 but it was never acted upon ; nor from that time 

 until very recently, has the question of altering 

 the Causeway ever been mooted. 



We have no mention made of any rights of 

 fishing in the Dee at Chester, either as stalls or 

 otherwise, after the Reformation, with the excep- 

 tion of the Cage, which yet exists, and which 

 passed with the Dee Mills, to the Cottons, in the 

 reign of Edward the 6th ; and has appeared 

 ever since to accompany the demise of that 

 property. It is now leased by Mr. Edward 

 Topham, who re-lets it. 



In 1693 a London Company established a 

 salmon fishery at Eaton, by lease from the 

 Grosvenor family ; but the Eaton Weir is now 

 pulled dovvn, and the Dee (with the exception 

 of the Cage at Chester) is a free river, subject 



