444 MR. T. SOUTHWELL ON SOME ANCIENT CUSTOMS WITH 
with fatal accidents, was in the year 1748 discontinued, and has not 
since been revived ; the inquest of the liberties going up with a 
few select friends only, in a private manner, and the custom of 
collecting the pence of the fishermen for many years past disused ; 
and the rivers now common and free for any fisherman in a lawful 
manner,” Even this modified ceremony of proclaiming the Cor- 
poration rights has, I believe, been abandoned since the year 1835. 
We now come to the ancient town of King’s Lynn, situated on 
the river Ouse at its entrance to the Wash, and we find that here also 
in times long since no less care "was bestoAved in order to regulate 
their fisheries on what must be considered the most enlightened 
principle. The regulations distinctly refer to the “ Haven and River 
of the said Town ; ” and although doubtless many salt-water fish 
were taken there, they were only such as enter the estuaries of 
tidal rivers. Mackerell (‘History and Antiquities of Kings Lynn’ 
1738) quotes from a “ genuine Roll of parchment, curiously adorned 
with Blue and Gold Figures and Letters : At the End or Bottom 
of the Roll, on a Blue Ground in Letters of Gold is inscribed, 
Vivat Regina Elizabetha,” and states that the roll was then, and 
probably still is, “ among the Lynn evidences.” Statutes dating 
from the 1st, 4th, and 12th of Henry IV. (1399 — 1411), 
Henry VI., Henry VIII, and Elizabeth are referred to. The general 
orders for “ the keeping and preserving the Haven of Lynn and 
the Fish thereof” state that under “Privileges, Liberties, and Grants 
given and made from sundry princes of this Realm by Charters, 
under the great seal of England,” the local authorities had the 
power of keeping and preserving the haven and river and 
“ ordering and correcting the Fishermen ” as to the killing of fishes 
there, and the oversight of their “ nets and engines,” and orders 
that “ six certain persons were to be regularly chosen to inspect 
the same,” six others were to see that “ all annoyances by throAving 
or casting [into the river] any Horse-muck, Sedge, Rushes, StraAv, 
Bushes, Rubbish, Gravel, or any other Coulder Avhatsoever” should 
be avoided, and the Mayor Avas erapoAvered to appoint four other 
persons out of the company of the Fishermen of the said toAvn 
who shall be charged on their Oaths diligently to look to the 
observing and keeping all ordinances which do especially concern 
the company of Fishermen, under a penalty of thirteen shillings 
and fourpence should they refuse to act. 
