Chronicles (1 of 6): The Description of BritaineHolinshed, Raphael
History
Chronicles (1 of 6): The Description of Britaine
Holinshed, Raphael
Great Britain -- History -- To 1485; Great Britain -- History -- Tudors, 1485-1603
[Sidenote: Salmons.]
What should I speake of the fat and swéet salmons, dailie taken in this
streame, and that in such plentie (after the time of the smelt be past)
as no riuer in Europa is able to excéed it. What store also of barbels,
trouts, cheuins, pearches, smelts, breames, roches, daces, gudgings,
flounders, shrimps, &c: are commonlie to be had therein, I refer me to
them that know by experience better than I, by reason of their dailie
trade of fishing in the same. And albeit it seemeth from time to time,
to be as it were defrauded in sundrie wise of these hir large
commodities, by the insatiable auarice of the fishermen, yet this famous
riuer complaineth commonlie of no want, but the more it looseth at one
time, the more it yéeldeth at another. Onelie in carps it séemeth to be
[Sidenote: Carps a fish late brought into England
and later into the Thames.]
scant, sith it is not long since that kind of fish was brought ouer into
England, and but of late to speake of into this streame, by the violent
rage of sundrie landflouds, that brake open the heads and dams of diuers
gentlemens ponds, by which means it became somewhat partaker also of
this said commoditie, whereof earst it had no portion that I could euer
heare. Oh that this riuer might be spared but euen one yeare from nets,
&c! But alas then should manie a poore man be vndoone. In the meane time
it is lamentable to see, how it is and hath béene choked of late with
sands and shelues, through the penning and wresting of the course of the
water for commodities sake. But as this is an inconuenience easilie
remedied, if good order were taken for the redresse thereof: so now, the
fine or prise set vpon the ballasse sometime freelie giuen to the
merchants by patent, euen vnto the lands end (Iusques au poinct) will be
another cause of harme vnto this noble streame, and all through an
aduantage taken at the want of an (i) in the word ponct: which grew
through an error committed by an English notarie vnskilfull in the
French toong, wherein that patent was granted.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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