The History and Antiquities of London, Westminster, Southwark, and Parts Adjacent, vol. 2
Allen, Thomas
1828
Fishmongers.
Their are dolphins naiant in pale finined and ducally crowned between pair of lucies in saltier (the sinister surmounting the dexter) , over the nose of each lucy, a ducal crown of the ; on a chief pair of keys, indorsed in saltier, . cubit arms erect, the dexter vested or. the sinister both cufted ar, holding in the hands , a regal crown of the last. . The dexter a merman ; on his head a helmet, the body only covered in armour, in his dexter hand a sabre, all of the . The sinister, a mermaid , crined in her sinister hand a mirror of the last. . . St. Peter. | |
This Company, as it now exists, was formed by the junction of the guilds or brotherhoods of salt-fishmongers and stock-fishmongers, and was incorporated by Henry VIII. by the name of &c. in the year . The salt-fishmongers had been incorporated so early as , the stock-fishmongers not till ; yet long before either of those dates, the fishmongers were united as a brotherhood, and from the great extent of their trade during the prevalence of the catholic religion, they had obtained great sway and affluence. In the reign of Edward I. (anno ,) they were fined for being guilty of forestalling, contrary to the laws and constitutions of the city; and during the following century, so strong a prejudice had been excited against them from charges of fraudulent dealing, that in , the parliament enacted, this prohibition, however, was removed in the following year. About that time, there seems to have been a very strong prejudice existing against these traders, and in the parliament then held, Nicholas Exton, speaker for the fishmongers, particularly This request originated from the various street tumults, wherein the fishmongers were the objects of popular indignation and insult; for a considerable period also, there were continual disputes between this company and the goldsmiths in regard to precedence. | |
The ancient statutes of this company are to be found in the , still kept in ; according to which, no fishmonger was to buy fish beyond the bounds appointed; which were the chapel on London-bridge, Baynard's castle, and Jordan's Key. No fish were to be bought in any boat, unless brought to land. No fishmonger was to buy a fresh fish before mass was ended at the chapel upon the bridge; and was to sell fresh fish only after mass, and salt fish after prime. About the same time, viz. A. D. , the fishmongers, who kept shops upon Fish-wharf, used to sell herrings and other fish brought by land and by water, to the inhabitants, and to hawkers who carried them through the streets; but the other fishmongers having entered into a combination to prevent the sale of fish by retail at that wharf, those belonging to the wharf obtained the king's order to the mayor and sheriffs, to permit them to continue to sell herrings and other fish, either in wholesale or retail, to all who chose to buy. | |
Before the union of the companies we learn from Stow, that the fishmongers had
but after their joint incorporation they agreed to have but , namely, The fabric here mentioned was destroyed by the great fire in , after which the hall (recently pulled down by the side of the Thames,) was erected from the designs of Sir Christopher Wren. | |
Footnotes: [] Granted 1536--confirmed 1575. |
