Edible Qualities of the Pike. 329 



six centuries ago the pike was, according to Yarrell, 

 double the price of salmon, and ten times the price 

 of either turbot or cod. Though this may have 

 been a purely factitious value, arising from its rarity 

 on its first importation into this country, there is 

 no doubt that in Edward III.'s time the pike was 

 regarded as a high-class fish, and was carefully 

 kept and liberally fed. It was no common dish 

 for common folk. Chaucer, to impress us with the 

 easy circumstances of the Frankeleyn, would give 

 us to understand that 



" Full man) 7 a fat partrich hadde he in mewe, 

 And many a brem and many a luce in stewe." 



It continued to be held in high esteem for many 

 generations, and "the rich pike smoked on the 

 board" at many a princely civic banquet. The 

 fact that it has now lost favour with many, if not 

 with most, connoisseurs, is not necessarily a proof 

 of growing refinement in taste : it may be only a 

 change of fickle fashion. But if, in the case of 

 any, abstinence from pike is the result of a vivid 

 recollection of its flavour, I would hint to such 

 that possibly their dislike to the entire genus is 

 based upon their experience of the character of a 

 single specimen, and that an unfavourable one. For 

 it is with pike as it is with people innate graces 

 aside, the character depends a good deal on the 



