New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-03-20
USE OF HERRING IN MIDDLE AGES AND MODERN TIMES
ENORMOUS CONSUMPTION INLENT FORlfERLY COM,
CURIOUS CUSTOMS IN WHICH FISH FTcrrPE

The history OF the herring fishery IN the Middle
Ages IS replete with Interesting illustrations
temporary customs. Abstinence from flesh food at
certain seasons Of the year was then considered an
article OF faith the breach Of which unpardon-
aba. When Cardinal Wolsey lay dying at Leicester
Abbey. after he had eaten a 'culIacs made Of
chicken a spoonful two. at the last quoth he.
Whereof was the cuace nader Forsooth SIR,
Of chicken why quoth he u Is fasting day
(being St Andrews Eve). What though Il Der
quoth his confessor. ye be excused by reason OF
your sickness Yea quoth he what though. I
will eat more Then was he IN confession By
the space Of an hour
As may be ina gined, the consumption OF fish, and
herrfngs IN particular, during Lent was enormous.
In The Northumberland Family Book Compiled
IN l5l2) find the breakfast OF tbs earl and
countess during four days OF a week IN Lent con-
slstiug. among other ''mOrtihcation'' dishes, OF
''bacones" herrings and white herrings The poor
were not forgotten. and that they might observe
tho Jenten customs many requests were made by
the piousIy inclined. Thus: John Thake. os Claver-
ing. Essex directed By his last VIII. IN 1851, one
barrel OF white behring's and cade Chalf barreD
OF red herrings be given annually 70 the poor OF
Claverlng on Friday. the last week IN Lent Wiil-
fam Daily, hshmonger, Of London. who died IN
1894. gave certain barrels OF herrings to Be dis
tributed IN the beginning OF Lent 70 the poor OF
Tottenhsm. 1t Felstead, IN Essex. the church
wardens distributed. the gift Of Lord Rich.
seven barrels Of white behring's and three barrels
and a half OF red behring's each Ash Wednesday
and the SIX following Sundays 20 ninety-two poor
hcusehoIdsrs OF tho parish.
In France until tho close Of ths seventeenth
century fish diet was s-rupuIousIy observed
fast days. Charemasne. IN 7ss decreed the punish
rnent OF death 20 those who infrfnsed these rules
without a sufficient reason Thibaut ". Count de
BIols gavo annually (by charter. 12f5 $40 behring's
20 the hospital OF BeaUgeuCy. Among the ex-
tensive charities OF St. Louis 70 monasterfes and
hospitals were s. no herrings. IN olden times the
soldiers engaged IN warfare observed their Lent
Thus history relates tina. while the English were
besieglng Orleans. IN 1f-s, one of the convoy OF
provisions destined FOR their camp attacked -
the Duke 90 Bourbon. y consisted chiefly ot
saIted hearings which gave rise 20 tho conflict be-
ing called tho Battle Of the TTsrrings."
Tusser. who farIned IN Norfolk, IN his Five
Hundred Points o: Good IIusbandry'' C5SO. recon-
rnends that houseksepers should IN the fishing
s1 =. Ga &C. r.- fl2g Tent :, % Sr5 "a:
90. i-4sry S-- Int s-ay tie money 1is5u-ssi
ma longer Va tlrry. flr profit the worse.
Abou, the middle q the sixteenth century her
rings roasted or boiled. and served with onions.
apples vinegar and Oh, v,ers esteemed great DELI
cacy and Nashs C559. IN his "Lenten Stuff. eX-
claims: ITO thlrk red herring. such not
stirring meat Il Is - enough 90 make the cravenest
bastard proclaim fire and sword against SPAIN
Fuller ruoraIziug on red herriuEs, describes them
as IN his day mostly eaten in England Tor
sauce 20 quicken the appetite and Ia Holland and
elsewhere FOR food % satisfy hunger p-t logan.
IN his Haven OF Health" 1880. written perhaps
7thor for persons of oUIlity. observes chat AS
for salt ha~riu-s well vater,t or stepped IN milk,
they taste rot NJ after they gre t-oied. yet they
give none or bad u1urishmert. saving 20 rlouGhnen
or sailors soldiers or IabornG persons In England
the herring fishery IS an ancient occupation IL IS
found hourshIug I'm tho twelfth century Tor IN
1reJ according 70 historians, the town OF DuH"lcA
in suffolk. was Obliged TO furnish tho King with
cie10 herrings Mention IS also made Of the her
ring fishery IN chronicle 81 Che monastery or
l.,esbar7. In 7oa. The herring fair IN Yarmouth
v,-z regulated IN the reign of Edward III BY The
Statute OF Mornings. on tho old arms OF ire town
v-ere figured what are provcrul1Iy known rs Var
mouth capous az. three behring's, arg The latter
have however been dccapitated. as they were. by
uerrlls7ion Of Edward III. impaled with the royal
arms glles three derni-uous. There IS no inci-
dent connected with the Yarmouth fish fair more
r-,rs than that recorded nv Gibbo1, IN his sixty
fourth charter when he says that In the year l-5S
the inhabitants OF Sweden were prevented by fears
OF the Tartars from sending usual. their ships
IN the herring fishery on the English coast AS
there were consequently exports forty or fifty OK
the fsh were sold for shilling 1t IL whimsical
enough" he adds. that the orders OF Mosul Khan,
who refgucd on the borders OF China, should have
thus lowered the price OF behring's IN the English
market"
Grants OF FISH were occasionally made IN per
netuftv thus in 1852 grant OF last Of red herring
10 10 delivered yearly on ST. Andrews Day was
made to the 'coTegiaus Of St Georges Chapel.
Windsor. that the college might take donors into