FISH STEWS. 101 



of beef at Martinmas, the greatest part of which 

 they pickled in brine, the rest being dried and 

 smoked by being hung in the chimney. Hogs 

 were slaughtered after Christmas, the flesh being 

 principally converted into bacon ; and this, with 

 the dried beef and dried mutton, afforded a 

 change of salt meat in the spring. The fresh 

 provisions of winter consisted of eggs, poultry, 

 geese, and ill-fed veal, calves being conveyed to 

 market when only a fortnight old. 



These things constituted the food of the upper 

 middle-class of the country districts, and it was 

 only those still higher who could draw upon the 

 " Culver-house " and the Fish-stew. To them 

 fresh fish and plump pigeons were always at hand 

 to furnish a pleasant change from the hard salted 

 meat. At this time the old British pastime of 

 falconry had not yet gone out, and duck, heron, 

 and moorfowl were often found at table. In the 

 wilder parts of the north, red-deer, fallow, or roe 

 still held the older woods of the hills, and venison 

 in season was always welcome. Every religious 

 house had its fish stew, as had the old halls, and 

 both monks and barons kept their " noble and 

 deynteous fyssche " for fast days, feasts, and 

 general use. 



Full many a fair partrich hadde they in mewe, 

 And many a breme and many a luce in stewe. 



