STATUTE OF HERRINGS 79 



between September 29th and November 11th, 

 or to enter the harbour at the time of the fair, 

 of which the barons of the Cinque Ports were 

 the governors. The lodging-house keepers 

 were allowed to make a charge of 3^. 4d. upon 

 every last of herrings sold to any other lodging- 

 house keeper, in return for which they were to 

 insure full payment to the fishermen. The 

 people of Yarmouth were prohibited from 

 selling herrings for more than 6s. Sd, per last 

 above the price paid for them at the fair, and 

 the people of London were not to increase the 

 price by more than 13^. 4d. Shotten herring 

 were to be sold at half the price of full ones when 

 fresh, and when made red at 6s. Sd. per last 

 below the rate for full red herring. The pykers 

 were allowed to buy herring from the fisher- 

 men of " Kyrlky " (near Lowestoft), but the 

 fishermen could only discharge as many herring 

 there as would be sufficient for loading the 

 vessels. The rest of the fish had to be carried 

 to Yarmouth, no other sale being permitted 

 within seven leagues of the town except of 

 herrings of a man's own demesne fishing. The 

 statute also applied to any town in England 

 where herring were caught. 



There is no doubt that the statute was passed 

 because the Commons complained to the King 

 that the people of Great Yarmouth " meddled " 

 with the sale of herrings, giving the fishermen 

 as low a price as they thought fit for the fish 

 by means of some tariff agreed upon among 



