An English Garner: Ingatherings from Our History and Literature (4 of 8)
History
An English Garner: Ingatherings from Our History and Literature (4 of 8)
English literature
The merchant herring buyer of Yarmouth that hath a stock of his own,
so long as he can make his gains so certain with buying of roope-sick
herrings of the Hollanders, will never lay out his money to build or
set forth Busses; and the fishermen be now so poor, by reason that
they only do bear the whole charge of that costly haven, the merchant
herring buyers being not at any charge thereof: but all that great
cost cometh out of the fishermen's labours for the maintenance of that
wooden haven [_pier_], which amounteth to some five hundred pounds
a year, and some years more. So that though they be willing, yet
their ability will not suffer them to do it; neither can they forbear
[_invest_] their money to adventure their herrings into the East
[_Baltic_] Countries, where the best sales always be.
To the northward of Yarmouth eight leagues, are the towns of Blackney
and Wells, good harbours and fit for Busses: and they have good store
of fishermen. And these towns have some twenty Sail of barks that they
do yearly send unto Iceland. But these towns be greatly decayed, to
that they have been in times past: the which places, if that they had
but twenty Busses belonging to them, would soon grow rich towns in
short time.
Then is there [King's] Lynn, a proper gallant town for seafaring men,
and for men for Iceland. This is a rich town, and they have some twenty
Sail of Iceland ships, that they yearly send for Cod and Ling: and I am
in hope to see them fall to the use of Busses as soon as any men.
To the northward is Boston, a proper town; and like unto Holland's
soil, for low ground and sands coming in: but yet there are but few
fishermen; but it is a most fit place for Busses. If that they had but
once the taste of them, they would soon find good liking.
Next to Boston, some twenty leagues to the northward, is the great
river of Humber, wherein there is Hull, a very proper town of sailors
and shipping: but there be but few fishermen. But it is a most
convenient place for to adventure Busses.
There are also Grimsby, Paul, and Patrington. In all these places
now there is great store of poor and idle people, that know not how
to live; and the most of all these places be decayed, and the best
of them all grow worse and worse: which with the use of Busses would
soon grow rich merchant towns, as is in Holland. For to these places
would be transported of the East lands all manner of commodities for
the use of Busses; and houses and work-yards erected for coopers, and
ropemakers, and great numbers of net-makers. And with the recourse of
the ships that shall bring salt and other commodities, and ships that
shall lade away their herrings and fish, these places shall soon become
populous; and money stirring plentifully in these places returned for
the procedue [_proceeds_] of fish and herrings: which places now be
exceeding poor and beggarly.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account