50 FISH AND FISHING. 



field for the employment of scholastic refinements, and 

 casuistical subtilty. 



The posteriori arguments for the purity of fish, are 

 mainly derived from the connection of this branch of 

 animal life with the Gospel history ; with the miracles of 

 our Saviour with them, and particularly with the broad 

 fact that several of the Apostles were especially called 

 from the profession of fishermen, to be the heralds of 

 happiness and good-will to mankind. 6 



The peculiar satisfying nature of fish for food was 

 often treated of by visionaries of the middle ages, by their 

 making reference to the miracles of the "Loaves and 

 Fishes," iti the New Testament. In the lives of St, 

 John the Almoner, St. Colombanus, St. Apollo, St. Elias 

 the Abbot, St. Hellon, St. Druon, St. Clara, of Assise, 

 St. Eichard the Bishop, and St. Francis, many remarks 

 of this kind will be found. 7 



The Greek word for fish being Ictis, containing initials 

 emblematical of Christ, fish became a favourite symbol 

 of the early Christians : fish and the Fesica Piscis, a rough 

 outline of a fish, was made to enclose the holy symbol. 

 This image was sculptured upon tombs and sepulchral 

 urns, as well as upon seals and rings. The Virgin in a 

 Canopy, or Fesica Piscis round the four Evangelists, is 

 very common in old churches. 



The legend of St Patrick belongs to this class. The 



6 Des Questions Curieuses du Moyen Age. Folio, Paris, 1602. 



7 See Legends Pieuses du Moyen Age. 2 vols. Lyons, 1787. 



