FISHERMEN AND FISHERIES. 159 



cognate offences under the names of "regrating" and" Fore - 



stallers," 



" ingrossing." Forestallers were defined as persons buying "regrators," 

 beforehand or dissuading traders from bringing merchandise grossers." 

 (fish being specially included) home. Regrators were 

 defined as persons buying in any market and selling within 

 four miles. Ingrossers were defined as persons getting by 

 buying, or getting other than by demise, to sell again. All 

 persons doing such acts were liable to heavy penalties. 

 But these provisions were incompatible with the newly- 

 awakened desire to encourage foreign trade ; and, while 

 their object was to keep down prices, the effect of other Effect oflaws 

 laws prohibiting imports in foreign ships was to enhance salmon trade 

 prices. Consequently, we find the Act of Edward VI. generally - 

 repealed by 13 Eliz. c. 1 1, "for so much of the said sea fish, 

 &c, as any buyer or buyers, upon the sea by way of fore- 

 stalling or regrating shall and do bring and discharge " in 

 any English subject's ships " in any port or haven in this 

 realm." 



After this there are few Acts of Parliament dealing with 

 the "Ring" question and the proceedings of forestallers 

 and regrators till the IO & 1 1 Wm. III. c. 24, which made Renewed 



attempts to 



Billingsgate a " free and open market for all sorts of fish regulate trade 

 whatsoever." The preamble of this Act recites that "divers 

 abuses, evidently destructive " to the fish trade, " have been 

 of late years practised, by raising new impositions and 

 tolls, and by forestalling of the markets and other methods 

 used by the fishmongers, in not permitting the fisherwomen 

 and others to buy fish ... of the . . . fishermen to 

 sell them again in London and elsewhere, by which means 

 the fishermen are obliged to sell their fish to the said fish- 

 mongers at their own rates, to the great discouragement 

 of the said fishermen " ; and that " of late years an evil 

 practice hath been used by the fishmongers in employing 



