STOCKFISH.] NATURAL HISTORY. 297 



Sprat. 



ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL, iii. 6, 112. 



GREAT lords sometimes 



For change leave calver'd salmon, and eat Sprats. 



Massinger, u Guardian," iv. 2 



ALL-SAINTS do lay for pork and souse 

 For Sprats and spur lings for their house. 



Tusser, "The Farmer's Daily Diet." 



[Sprats were caught at the mouth of the Thames, but young 

 herrings were frequently substituted for them. The peck of 

 Sprats or young herrings were sometimes sold at Billingsgate 

 for two-pence. The best Sprats came from Orfordness, and 

 Dunwich-bay. From "England's Way to Win Wealth " (1614)]. 



BROILED red Sprat. 



Middleton, "Blurt, Master Constable," iii. 3, 205. 



Stag. V. Hart. 

 Stockfish. 



TEMPEST, iii. 2, 79. 



ABOUT the Isle Ebusus, the Stock-fish is much called for; 

 whereas in other places it is counted but a base, muddy 

 and filthy fish. Hollands Pliny, bk. ix. ch. xviii. 



[From this it is clear that the Stockfish was a distinct 

 species, but the word usually means dried fish as distinct from 

 fresh.] 



THE Stock -fish -mongers [are seated] in Thames Street; 

 wet -fish -mongers in Knightriders Street and Bridge Street. 

 Stock-fishes, so called for dried fishes of all sorts, as lings, 

 haberdines, and other. Stows "Survey." 



[Stephano, in the passage quoted from the " Tempest," 

 means that he will beat Trinculo ; so Middleton, "Blurt, 

 Master Constable," iii. 3, 17 : "I do not love to handle these 

 dried Stockfishes, that ask so much tawing"; and Webster, 

 ; ' Westward Ho!" v. 4: "Have you Stockfish in hand that 

 you beat so hard ?" and Beaumont and Fletcher, " The Captain," 

 iii. 3 : " Beat him soft like Stockfish/'] 



