there is no river of .its extent in the kingdom which 

 contains a greater variety of the fish which are sought 

 after by the angler. The salmon sometimes enters 

 the Lea; and there are taken in it trout, pike, perch, 

 barbel, carp, tench, roach, dace, chub, bream, bleak, 

 minnows, loach, gudgeons, flounders, and eels. 

 Though the fish mostly caught are not of the first 

 quality of such, gudgeons being the best yet the 

 quantity is considerable. Seeing how assiduously 

 this river is fished, without intermission all the year 

 through, it is a matter of surprise that the fish 

 should continue so numerous. It is, however, 

 likely that a great number of them are not bred 

 in the Lea, but enter it from the Thames. 



To the indefatigable gudgeon and roach fishers of 

 the Lea, we beg to commend the following stanza 

 of an old ballad : 



"You that fish for dace and roaches, 

 Carps or tenches, bonus noches, 

 Thou wast borne betweene two dishes, 

 When the Friday signe was Fishes. 

 Anglers' yeares are made and spent 

 All in Ember weekes and Lent. 

 Breake thy rod about thy noddle, 

 Throw thy wormes and flies by the pottle, 

 Keepe thy corke to stop thy bottle; 

 Make straight thy hooke, and be not afeard 



To shave his beard; 

 That, in case of started stitches, 

 Hooke and line may mend thy breeches."* 



* Lie well yu's Men Miracles, 1656. 



