305 
HERRINGS AND HERRING-FISHING. 
herring is the mouse, and the English nation the lion. The 
herring fisheries have manned our navies, extended our com- 
merce, and prevented the emigration of a population which, 
without them, could not have existed. The mouse has played 
its part; let not the lion forget the debt of gratitude which he 
unquestionably owes. 
“ Revenons a nos moutons ; ” we may say of the herring 
that its early history is involved in obscurity, a fate which it 
shares with many another benefactor to humanity. Mr. 
Mitchell,* relying on the authority of Anderson, supposes that 
herring* fishing was in existence among the inhabitants of 
Scotland as early as the year 836. But inasmuch, as in the 
quotation from Anderson the term fish alone is employed, we 
are not warranted in assuming that herrings were the class of 
fish alluded to. Indeed, the earliest definite record which we 
find, warrants us in supposing that Yarmouth was the locality 
which historically had the precedence as a herring-station. 
Swinden,f in quoting from “ Jeake's Charters of the Cinque 
Ports,” observes : — 
“ And now by pregnant probabilities, it is my opinion very clear, that 
from the landing of Cerdick in anno 495 — now 1124 years past — this sand, 
by defluxion of tides, did by little and little lift its head above the waters ; 
and so in short time after, sundry fishermen, as well of this kingdom, viz., 
of the Five Ports (being then the principal fishermen of England), as also of 
France, Flanders, and the Low Countries, yearly about the feast of S. Michael 
the Archangel, resorted thither, where they continued in tents made for the 
purpose, by the space of forty days, about the killing, trimming, salting, and 
selling of herrings,” &c. 
Hence, we perceive that Yarmouth's reputation as a fishing- 
station is one which has existed for centuries, although we 
cannot with any approach to accuracy say when the world 
first became acquainted with the “ Yarmouth bloater.” About 
the periods of the eleventh and twelfth centuries we find 
frequent mention made of herrings, and Dr, Badhamj informs 
us, that, “in 1290, part of the dried fish shipped at Yarmouth, 
in the victualling of a vessel to bring the infant Queen of 
Scotland from her Norwegian sire, were herrings, and these 
of course were cured.” For a further history of the progress 
made by, and the obtacles opposed to, the herring-fishery, 
from the thirteenth century downwards, we must refer the 
* “ The Herring : its Natural History.” By John Mitchell, F.K.S.S.A., 
Ac. 1864. Pp. 130-31. 
t “The History and Antiquities of the Ancient Burgh of Great Yar- 
mouth.” By Henry Swinden. 1772. P. 15. 
I “ Ancient and Modern Fish Tattle.” By the Kev. C. D. Badham, M.D. 
1854. Pp. 319-20. 
