Anniversary Address. 19 



the key (quay) of this Borough, to go towards the payment 

 of such person or persons as shall be employed and entrusted 

 with the redressing of these injuries." As a result of this it 

 was ordered at a Guild held on the 18th day of July, 1662, 

 " All persons that are concerned in the shipping of salmon 

 the last year, and have not paid their penny a barrel for 

 such salmon as they shipped according to order of Guild 

 made in October 1660, for the keeping of the kipper and 

 young fry of fish in close and kipper time, shall be summoned 

 to appear at the Toll-booth on Tuesday next, by two of the 

 clock in the afternoon, to pay in their penny for every 

 barrel of salmon was so shipt, to Mr Alderman Edmeston, 

 and if any refuse to appear upon the said summons, shall be 

 summoned again to the next Guild, to answer their contempt 

 and to be at the Guild's pleasure for a fine." Again at a 

 Head Guild holden 9th October 1663, this day the former 

 order of Guild, for the collecting one penny for each barrel 

 of salmon, for the payment of those that keep the water in 

 close time, was confirmed. And it is further decreed that 

 Mr Edmeston, Alderman, for the year, may collect the said 

 penny a barrel, and pay to the keeper of the said water, 

 £7 10s. (Mr Edmeston to have power to distrain in case 

 of refusal to pay.) It appears that there must have been a 

 great deal of discontent at this tax of one penny per barrel, 

 for an order was issued from a Head Guild, holden the 29th 

 October 1669, to distrain, for double the duty, on the goods 

 of those who refused to pay. At a Guild holden 6th 

 October 1671, " Whereas this day it appeareth to the Guild 

 that by burgesses receiving and buying of salmon that are 

 taken after Michaelmas day yearly, people are encouraged 

 to take and catch salmon fish, called kipper fish, contrary to 

 the laws of this land, and to the prejudice of the Common- 

 wealth — upon serious and due consideration whereof, had 

 and taken by this Guild, it is thought fit, and so hereby 

 ordered, that no burgess, or other person within this 

 Borough, shall receive or take into their houses or cellars 

 any salmon or gilse, that shall be taken after Michaelmas 

 day at night, u]3on penalty of forty shillings sterling, to be 



