FISH STEWS. IOI 
of beef at Martinmas, the greatest part of which 
they pickled in brine, the rest being dried and 
smoked by being hung in the chimney. Hogs 
were slaughtered after Christmas, the flesh being 
principally converted into bacon ; and this, with 
the dried beef and dried mutton, afforded a 
change of salt meat in the spring. The fresh 
provisions of winter consisted of eggs, poultry, 
geese, and ill-fed veal, calves being conveyed to 
market when only a fortnight old. 
These things constituted the food of the upper 
middle-class of the country districts, and it was 
only those still higher who could draw upon the 
“‘Culver-house” and the Fish-stew. To them 
fresh fish and plump pigeons were always at hand 
to furnish a pleasant change from the hard salted 
meat. At this time the old British pastime of 
falconry had not yet gone out, and duck, heron, 
and moorfowl were often found at table. In the 
wilder parts of the north, red-deer, fallow, or roe 
still held the older woods of the hills, and venison 
in season was always welcome. Every religious 
house had its fish stew, as had the old halls, and 
both monks and barons kept their “noble and 
deynteous fyssche” for fast days, feasts, and 
general use. 
Full many a fair partrich hadde they in mewe, 
And many a breme and many a luce in stewe. 
