CHRONOLOGICAL HISTORY OF THE HERRING-FISHERY. 139 



Eagland, but with foreign states , for it appears by the 

 Yarmouth murrage rolls, that sixty foreign vessels, ten 

 of which were from Lombardy, entered that harbour for 

 the purpose of procuring herrings, within the five days 

 from the 28th September to 30th October 1344.* 



In 1338 Edward III. demanded forty (leths) lasts of 

 herrings from his subjects for the use of his army going 

 to France. t This herring-fishery was about this time, 

 1357, beginning to be of importance, for we find that in 

 the 31 of Edward III. (1357) the ancient statute of her- 

 rings was made, which is worth recording as extremely 

 interesting for its antiquity, and as describing to a certain 

 extent the peculiar manner of selling and buying, and 

 the privileges enjoyed by the resident merchants (hos- 

 tellers), and the restrictions on the native boats' crews 

 (" pykar"), who were not permitted to buy fresh herrings 

 in the haven of Yarmouth between the feasts of St 

 Michael and St Martin, — namely, the 29th September 

 and 11th November. 



The statute of herrings, made anno 31, of Edward III., 

 Stat. 2, A.D. 1357 :— 



" Cap. 1. No herrings to be bought or sold at sea, nor 

 until the cable of the ship be fixed on shore. 



" Cap. 2. The fishers to sell to whom they please at the 

 fair, and the sale to be from sun rise to setting, and no 

 hosteler to pay more than 40s. per last, and no fresh her- 

 rings to be bought by pykars, between the feasts of St 

 Michael and St Martin, in the haven of Yarmouth. 



" Two lasts of fresh shotted herring shall be of the 

 value of one last fresh full herring, and two lasts shotted 

 red shall be one mark dearer than one last full red." 



* Swindon, p. 94. t Bymer, Act. Pub. 



