153 



For when it hath been offered once, 't is brought to him againe, 

 That twise or thrise he selles the same, vngodlinesse such gaine 

 Both still bring in, and plentiously the kitchen doth maintaine. 

 Whence comes this same religion newe ? What kind of God 



is this ? 

 Some Huldyche here, that so desires and so delightes in fishe."* 



Tlie sumptuary enactments of Edward YI. and 

 Elizabeth were as stringent as in" :thc days of Papal 

 ascendency. The statutes of Edward (cap. 6) aim 

 at maintaining with great rigour the better observ- 

 ance of Eridays and Saturdays, and other days of 

 accustomed abstinence ; and likewise for other two 

 purposes : that fishermen may be set to work, and 

 that much flesh may be savedj and increased. In 

 addition to Eridays and Saturdays, Elizabeth added 

 Wednesdays, allowing, however, on this day, one 

 dish of flesh, providing there were consumed at the 

 same meal three dishes of sea-fish. At certain seasons 

 this indulgence did not extend to leef or real. 



The sumptuary laws of Erance ordained (1294) 

 that a meagre-dinner should consist of two herring- 

 pottages, and only one sort -of fish. Louis XII., 

 who was a great epicure, appointed six fishmongers 

 to supply his table with fresh- water fish ; Francis I. 

 had twenty-two, and Henry the Great twenty-four. 

 In the reign of Louis XIY., there was quite a mania 

 about fish, chiefly from the circumstance that one of 

 the royal cooks to the monarch had acquired the 

 marvellous talent of cooking all kinds of fish so as to 

 taste like the most delicate game. And we have a 



* The Popish Kingdome, foL 55. 



