The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1883-03-03 00:00:00

FISH IN LENT.

Under the above heading the Evening Standard has
an article, from which we make the following

extracts :

In days of old when abstinence from meat on
certain days and at stated seasons was strictly pre-
scribed by the Church, the demand for fish as an
article of diet was very great ; and hence a stimulus
was given to the fishing trade, whereby our sea-faring
community were largely benefited. Indeed, So
much importance was attached to the eating
of fish in Lent, that any infringement of this
religious injunction seems to have been regarded
as a grave offence. Apart, too, from the sacred
obligations which were so rigidly, enforced, it
was deemed necessary in the year 1548 to pass a
statute not only enjoining "abstinence from flesh" on
fast days, but imposing heavy penalties on all those
who might be found guilty of breaking this law. In
the reign, too, of Elizabeth, butchers were strictly
forbidden to sell flesh-meat throughout Lent, not so
much with i religious view, it would seem, as for the
purpose of diminishing its consumption during this
period, and so making it more plentiful at other
seasons of the year. There is extant a letter from the
Lords of the Council to the Sheriffs, dated Feb. 10,
1586, and directing that, "As the last year by
Her Majesty's special command, there were very
good orders devised and set down to the several
counties for the better observing of the restraint
of killing and of eating of flesh in the time of
Lent, and other prohibited days, so her Majesty, con-
tinuing her princely care for the public wealth of all
her subjects, bath given us express commandment to
recommend unto you for this year the due observance
of their aforesaid orders." The reason alleged is "the
great mortality of the sheep and other kind of great
cattle generally, almost throughout the realm," besides
dearth of other kinds of victuals. Thus Strype re-
cords, in his "Memorials," the case of a man who did
penance at St. Paul's Cross, in the year 1555, for at-
tempting to sell two pigs ready dressed during the
fast. . .

There can be no "doubt that it was not an easy task
to keep our forefathers faithftl to fish diet in spite of
the laws specially enacted for the purpose. In a pam-
phlet written by John Erswicke, in the year 1593, on
"the
benefits that grew to this realm by the observance
of fish-days," the author states the nou•keeping of the
fast-day regulations has injured the fish trade very
much, and also that her Majesty's navy is scffering
from the want of a growing body of fishermen to
supply sailors. The dispensations, also, which were
granted for eating meat on fish‘days, appear to have been
largely patronised—an office for giving licences having
been opened in St. Paul's Churchyard. Saying
grace, eating privately, and a small donation for the
poor, were the compensations demanded for this
privilege. Many persons, however, we are informed,
refused to avail themselves of this dispensation al-
though illness and failing health required their Ling
so. . . As fish, therefore, was se extensively eaten
on fast days in bygone times, it was only natural
that numerous treatises should be written as to
the best and most profitable way of cooking it.
Hence, the " Servicium de Piscibus" (1381), gives
33 formulee for dishes applicable for fish days; and
in the "Forme of Cory," compiled about the year
1390, by the chief ma ter cooks of our second Richard,
whose merit as the "best and ryallest vyand " of all
Christian kings, is duly set forth, there are no less
than 25 receipts for dressing fish. The " Cuisinier des
Cuisiniers " has also nearly a hundred receipts for fish.
In addition, moreover, to the many dainty ways of
cooking fish, great attention was formerly paid to the
selection of this article of fare itself. Thus the herring
was a favourite fast-day dish, being eaten at nearly
every meal. It was dressed in various ways, being
roasted in bundles, or cooked in pie, when it was
considered a delicacy even by Royalty. The town
of Yarmouth, by ancient charter' was bound to send
a hundred herrings, baked in 24 pies or pasties,
annually to the King; and we further read how Bus-
taco de Corson, Thomas de Berkedich, and Robert de
Withen, in the reign of Idward 1., held 8() acres of
land by tenure of supplying 24 pasties of fresh her-
rings for the King's use, on their first coming into
season. Lampreys were also, in request being eaten
in large quantities. Indeed, Parker, in his "Domestic
Architeeture in England," tells us that so great was
the demand for this fish in the reign of King John, as
to have induced that monarch to issue a Royal licence
to one Sampson, to go to Nantes, to purchase lampreys
for the use of the Countess of Blois. In the reign of
Edward 111. they Were stlmetimes sold for tenpence
apiece; and in the year 1341, Walter Dastyn, Sheriff
of Gloucester, received as much as £l2 ss. Bd. for
fcrty-four lampreys supplied for the King's use.
Eels, again, were considered a great delicacy, and
in the household expenses of Bishop Swinfield con-
stant reference is made to the use of this fish as fast-
day food. In the fourteenth century, we are further
told how large prices were paid for portions of the
whale, the porpoise, and the sea wolf—these animals
having been considered as fish, were considered to be
an allowable food in Lent. The flesh of the porpoise
was cooked in various ways, one of the Harleian
manunripts containing a receipt for making " pud-
dynge of porpoise." Among the rules regulating the
sale of fish for fast day, was one directing that the
purveyors of the Court should be supplied before any
of the Sovereign's subjects. . . . Hence that our great
English families might have their proper supply, it was
customary at the close of autumn for them to order as
much as they thought necessary—this being dried and
stored away for winter use. Froissart further tells
us that there were, formerly, in Lent days, de-
livered to the Germans in the army "ten tons of
herrings and 800 carp, without counting different
sorts ot fish." Again, when fish was so very
widely used for fasting purpoees, in order that
there might be some check on the fish vendore, who
would naturally strive to reap as much benefit
as they possibly could from the demand for their
commodity, a fixed market-price for fish was pre-
arranged by law. Some of the prices are curious when
compared with those of the present day ; as, for
example, the following :—Turbot, 6d each; oysters,
2d. per gallon; soles, 12 for 3d.; eels 4d. per 100 ;
mackerel, id. It appears, too, that 'Edward 111.
made a still more stringent law, by which it was
enacted that no fishmonger should receive more profit
than a penny in the shilling, ,