320 The Animal-Lore of Shahspeare's Time . 
Thomas Fuller not only urges the necessity of con¬ 
tinuing fast-days for the maintenance of fishermen, but 
he points out the appropriateness of the days originally 
selected :— 
u Our English fishermen, in Kent, Sussex, Hantshire, &c. set forth 
on Monday and catch their fish, which on Tuesday they send up to 
London, where on Wednesday it is sold and eaten. Such therefore, 
who have lately propounded to antidate fish-eating, and to remove it 
from Wednesday to Tuesday, must thereby occasion the encroaching 
the Lord’s day to furnish the markets with that commodity.” 
( Worthies of England, vol. i. p. 24.) 
Harrison, in his description of England, gives a toler¬ 
ably complete list of the fresh and salt water fish used as 
articles of commerce in his time :— 
“ Besides the salmon therefore, we have the trout, barbell, grade, 
powt, chevin, pike, goodgeon, smelt, perch, menan, shrimpes, creveses, 
lampreies, and such like, whose preservation is provided for by verie 
sharpe lawes, not onelie in our rivers, hut also in plashes or lakes, and 
ponds, which otherwise would bring small profit to the owners. In 
December and Januarie we commonlie abound in herring and red fish, 
as rochet and gurnard. In Februarie and March we feed on plaice, 
trowts, turbut, muskles, &c. In Aprill and Maie, with makrell, and 
cockles. In June and Julie, with conger. In August and September, 
with haddocke and herring : and the two moneths insuing with the 
same, as also thornbacke and reigh of all sorts ; all which are the most 
usuall, and wherewith our common sort are best of all refreshed. Of 
fishes therefore as I find five sorts, the flat, the round, the long, the 
legged, and shelled: so the flat are divided into the smooth, scaled, and 
tailed. Of the first are the plaice, the but, the turbut, birt, floke or 
sea flounder, dorreie, dab, &c. Of the second the soles, &c. Of the 
third are chaits, maidens, kingsons, flath and thornebacke, whereof the 
greater be for the most part either dried and carried into other coun¬ 
tries, or sodden, sowsed, and eaten here at home, whilest the lesser be 
fried or buttered. Under the round kinds are commonlie compre¬ 
hended lumps, an ugly fish to sight, and yet verie delicat in eating, if 
.it be kindlie dressed: the whiting, an old waiter or servitor in the 
Court, the rochet, sea breame, pirle, hake, sea trowt, gurnard, had¬ 
docke, cod, herring, pilchard, sprat, and such like. And these are they 
whereof I have best knowledge, and be commonlie to be had in their 
times upon our coasts. Under this kind also are all the great fish con- 
