68 FISHES OF FANCY. 



of that fish in the Lowther ; and the Glynns a salmon- 

 spear, from the fishery at Glynn-Ford, on the Fowey. 



As other instances of "privilege" (personal) may be 

 noted the Lostwithiel crest of fish, the Earls of Cornwall 

 having feudal rights of fishery in the Fowey, and the horn 

 of tenure of the Hungerford burgesses ; while among other 

 English crests typical of the franchise of rivers are eel- 

 baskets, oyster-dredges, fish-weirs, nets, and fish-hooks. 

 The cognizance of the " Stern Falconbridge " " the thrice 

 victorious Lord of Falconbridge, Knight of the noble Order 

 of St. George, Worthy Saint Michael, and the Golden 

 Fleece, great Mareschal to Henry VI., of all the wars 

 within the realm of France"* was "the fysshe hoke." 

 In Germany, this heraldic indication of rights in waters 

 is very frequent, the fishing-spear, or " pheon," t recurring 

 abundantly in family escutcheons. 



Analogous to this, of course, is the representation on the 

 civic seals of fishing towns, of the particular fish that was 

 most important. Thus Kingston-on-Thames bears the 

 salmon, in reference to "the privilege of fishery" long 

 enjoyed by the town. " By charter of Philip and Mary, 

 a fishing-weir is held by the Corporation of Kingston in 

 consideration of repairing the bridge, which was formerly 

 of wood, but has been lately rebuilt with stone, and the 

 emblems of their privilege, three salmon, are sculptured 

 over the centre arch." For the same reason the burghs 

 of Peebles, Lanark, and Helmsdale, show the same fish 

 on their seals the salmon fishery at Helmsdale (in 

 Sutherlandshire) being one of the ancient privileges of 



* The fishing- spear, or "pheon," better known now as the broad- 

 arrow, has been the royal mark of possession from the days of Coeur- 

 de-Lion. 



t Henry VI.,' Part I., act iv., scene 7. 



