90 THE HERRING IN HISTORY 



destroyed the Spanish Armada, hved largely 

 on dried and smoked fish. 



Herrings were at this time carried as food 

 by travellers and were greatly esteemed. In 

 the " Gods of the North," by Oehlanschloeger, 

 Skerner says to the Ferryman : — 



" If thou It ferry me over the wave, 

 111 give thee oat cakes, and herring beside." 



Thereupon the Ferryman replies : — 



*' Thou talk'st like a lord of wealth and power.'* 



A few years later (1437) Irish herrings and 

 Irish gold were among the principal exports 

 from Ireland to London. 



When the citizens of Norwich made merry at 

 Christmas in 1444 John Gladman was crowned 

 King of Christmas, and in front of him were 

 carried an allegorical figure representing the 

 month of December, and an effigy of Lent clad 

 in white and red herring skins. 



Naogeorgus in the " Popish Kingdome," 

 mentions some burlesque scenes practised for- 

 merly on Ash Wednesday : *' People went 

 about in mid-day with lanterns in their hands, 

 looking after the feast days which they had 

 lost on this the first day of the Lent fast." 

 Some carried herrings on a pole, crying, 

 " Herrings, herrings, stinking herrings ! No 

 more puddings ! " 



Before the year 1463 persons bringing various 

 provisions to London had been ordered to land 

 them at Queenhythe, but in that year certain 



