IIEGARD TO THE FRE.SH-WATEU FISHERIES OF NORFOLK. 439 
Night fishing is disallowed, unduly destructive engines, as well as 
the “ destroying of small fishes,” are prohibited, and a close-time 
during the spawning season enacted. The regulation with regard 
to Utter hunting is a very interesting one, and doubtless would be 
considered no hardship. Probably at that time Otters would be 
very numerous and destructive to the fish ; even in the present 
day these animals are far from uncommon in some parts of this 
county, notwithstanding the ceaseless war waged against them. 
The river Yaro, with a fall of only four inches to the mile, is 
utterly unsuited for Salmon, and it is doubtful whether these fish 
over to any extent visited its .sluggish waters, but that they were 
occasionally taken below the mills there is plenty of evidence. In 
the Lo Strange Household Book, on the 21st December, about the 
year 1530, a reward of eightpence is entered as given to the “ felaw 
that brought a Sainon from Lambard, the miller at Swanton Mills.” 
Sir Thomas Browne, in 1003, says that “among the fishes of our 
Norwich river, we scarce reckon Salmon, yet some arc yearly baken,” 
and an order in the Norwich ‘ Court of Mayoralty ' Book, dated 
2nd November, 1GG7, would certainly not have been made were 
there no Salmon to bo iished for. The order is as follows : — 
“It is ordered that the bellman give notice that if any person 
shall take any Salmons from the Nativity of our Lady unto 
St. Martin’s day or destroy any young Salmons by netts or other 
ingens from the midst of April until the Nativity of St. John 
Baptist shall be punished according to law.” Occasional!}’- an 
unseasonable fish strays up the Yare, and is captured by accident, 
but in the present day we can certainly “scarce reckon” them 
among the fishes of our Norwich river; and my only reason for 
mentioning them was to show that even two hundred years 
ago the authorities were careful to guard them against unfair 
fishing. 
Spenser has immortalised one little Norfolk fresh-water fish by 
mentioning it in the ‘Faerie C'ueene’ (book iv. canto xi. verses 
33 and 34). He says in the “ ^Marriage of the Thames and 
Medway : ” — 
“ Xc.vt cometh Tar, soft washing Nonvich walls, 
.\nd with him bringeth to their festival 
Fish, whose like none else can show 
The which men Jtuj/ins call.” 
