114 THE SOVEREIGNTY OF THE SEA 



mented, hath been rather impaired than increased," and the 

 price of fish had been greatly raised, to the general prejudice 

 of the people. After this very thorough condemnation of its 

 previous Act, 1 Parliament declared that as strangers and sub- 

 jects were at liberty to export English-caught fish and herrings, 

 it was only right to allow subjects as well as foreigners to 

 bring in fish to provision their own country, and the previous 

 Act was wholly repealed. Thus the condition reverted to what 

 it had been before this course of legislation began. 



It is equally doubtful whether the compulsory fish-days or 

 political lent had much influence in fostering the fisheries. At 

 first, if a return from the Trinity House can be trusted, the 

 number of fishing-boats increased. They reported in January 

 1581 that since the previous Parliament there had been an 

 increase along the coast from Newcastle to Portsmouth of 114 

 sail of fishing-boats, of between fifteen and forty tons, which was 

 equal to the maintenance of a thousand additional seamen for 

 the navy. 2 It is not improbable that an increase of the her- 

 ring-boats occurred on the east coast at this time, but it was 

 temporary, and more likely due to other provisions of the Act 

 of 1563. Cecil's Wednesday, for which he had fought so hard, 

 was abolished in 1584, while certain penalties for eating flesh 

 in Lent, on Fridays, Saturdays, or other fish-days, were at the 

 same time augmented; 3 but in 1593 all the penalties were 

 greatly reduced. 4 



The policy of the political lent did not fail from want of 

 efforts to enforce it. In London especially precautions were 

 taken to have the law carried out, and the fishmongers were 

 naturally active in their own interests. Taverns and inns 

 were often raided ; those who had flesh in their houses during 

 Lent were often put in the pillory, and those who partook of 

 it' in the stocks ; and butchers were frequently prosecuted for 

 selling flesh on forbidden days. Those who were licensed to 

 provide flesh in Lent for the sick were put under bond, and 

 had to keep an account of every joint they sold ; watchmen 

 guarded the city gates lest any beef should be smuggled in. 



1 A commission of eleven peers, three bishops, and two law-officers had been 

 appointed in 1593 for the repeal of the Act respecting the importation of salted 

 fish and herrings. Ibid., ccxliv. 84. 



2 Ibid., cxlvii. 21, 22. 3 27 Eliz., c. 11. 4 35 Eliz., c. 7. 



