UKGAIU) TO THE FUESH-WATER FISHERIES OF NORFOLK. 443 
fearing to lose their profit, “ practised ” with their water bailiff to 
obtain the (,)ueen’s letters for the grant of the lease of the fisheries for 
tliirty years at an annual rental of thirty pounds as before explained. 
'Iherefore the Pastons beg, in the interest of the poor fishermen, 
tliat this arrangement of the bailiffs of Yarmouth may not be 
allowed to be carried into effect. Finally, after hearing the whole 
matter in chancery, a commission dated 8th June, 1577, sat at 
North Walsham, and made a decree in favour of the bailiffs of 
Yarmouth. 
When speaking of the Norwich Corporation rights on the river 
Yare, I mentioned the annual pilgrimage to Hardley Cross for the 
purpose of reading a proclamation setting forth their claim of 
jurisdiction. A similar custom also prevailed at Yarmouth, and 
appears in Clanship’s time (he died in 1625) to have been a very 
extensive affair. lie states that he had often taken part in the 
lU'ocession, which he thus describes : — “ And to the end that good 
order may be, in and by the same water liberties, the better 
preserved, the llailitfs for the time being, two several days in 
the year, with many of their ancient bretheren and others of 
the society, the Impiest of the Liberties, Clusicians, and 
other officers, on them attending — with banners and ensigns 
displayed, sometimes with sound of trumpets, beating of drums, 
playing of fifes, and otherwhiles sweetly singing, — do pass 
on these waters, carrying scales, or 62 brass measures with them, 
to try if the nets of the fishermen be lawful ; when if they be not, 
they be punished according to the quality of the offence committed. 
Loth Bailiffs taking their course together the first day, till at 
Norwich water-mouth they take leave of each other; the senior 
Bailiff to St. Clave’s, the junior to Hardley Cross, where either 
of them after 0 ! Yes 1 thrice ” reads the proclamation (which we 
need not quote) and then returns to Yarmouth, each Bailiff taking 
his party with him, “ where if any cheer, in their boats, upon the 
waters, Avas wanting at dinner, the same at their houses, be largely 
supplied at supper.” The next day both the bailiffs together go 
to Wey bridge, where like proceedings take place. Swindon, writing 
in 1772, thus refers to the discontinuance of this rather riotous 
mode of asserting their jurisdiction: — “This public parade of 
going up the rivers at last, becoming so expensive (the number of boats 
&c. amounting sometimes to 130 or 140) and attended sometimes 
