Petition by the Commons to King Edward III, 1376
The commons petition the King, complaining that where in creeks and havens of the sea there used to be plenteous fishing, to the profit of the
Kingdom, certain fishermen, for several years past have subtily contrived an instrument called the “wondyrechaun” made in the manner of an oyster
dredge, but which is considerably longer, upon which instrument is attached a net so close meshed that no fish, be it ever so small which enters
therein can escape, but must stay and be taken.
And that the great and long iron of the wondyrechaun runs so heavily and hardly over the ground when fishing that it destroys the flowers of the land
below water there, and also the spat of oysters, mussels and other fish upon which the great fish are accustomed to be fed and nourished. By which
instrument in many places, the fishermen take such quantity of small fish that they do not know what to do with them; and that they feed and fat their
pigs with them, to the great damage of the commons of the realm and the destruction of the fisheries, and they pray for a remedy.
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