18 



such practice in future, and has this important 

 proviso : 



" Provided always, that it shall be lawful for 

 the possessors of such trinks or nets, if they 

 be of assize, to fish with them at all seasonable 

 times, drawing and pulling them by hand as 

 other fishers do, with other nets, and not 

 fastening or tacking the said nets to posts, 

 boats, and ancres, continually to stand as 

 aforesaid." 



" Saving always to every the King's Liege Peo- 

 ple, their Right, Title, and Inheritance in their 

 jishings in the said Waters.'* 



This is certainly a most important statute ; 

 for it not only confirms the Common Law right 

 of the public, to fish in the River Thames 

 (whatever may be the right as to other naviga- 

 ble rivers,) but it prohibits (if not in the strict 

 letter, at all events in spirit) that disgraceful 

 practice but too frequently resorted to, by 

 those who call themselves proprietors of fishe- 

 ries, in dragging the river with nets in the 

 manner now pursued : A practice at once dis- 

 graceful to gentlemen and sportsmen, and 

 seldom or ever resorted to even by the profes- 



