Fishing from the earliest times - Blog

THE BOKE OF ST. ALBANS—TUE CELTS 57or Scotland. A passage in Bede (probably used by Henry ofHuntingdon), which has, I think, escaped the many-eyed netof our fishing authors, testifies to its absence in the former.St. Wilfrid (born 634) on his return from Friesland, wherefishing 3delded the staple of food, met with such success in hismission to the South Saxons that he not only converted them," with all the priests of the Idols," but also — " which was agreat rehef unto them "—taught them the craft of fishing, ofwhich, save eeling, they wotted naught. Collecting under theSaint's order eel-nets where they could, the first adventurersmentis suipatrisDivina largitate adjuti enmeshed ^three hundredfishes, which they equally divided between the poor, the netowners,and themselves.The Celtae, with some exceptions such as the scombercatchingCeltiberi, eschewed fish, probably from religiousprejudices, which owing to their adoration of the springs,rivers,and waters prevented the eating of their denizens.Whatever the cause, Dion Cassius expressly comments onthe abstinence of the Caledonians, although their seas andrivers abounded with food. 2 In time the example of theclergy and the ordinance of fast days gradually overcame—save in the case of Eels, which still remain to the Highlanderan abomination—their obstinate antipathy. Across St. George'sChannel the Irish two centuries ago " had little skill incatching fish." 3But when the Western Highlanders did go a-fishing, theirprayers and promises—prompted by the same principle ofgratitude being a sense of favours to come—echo the prayersand promises, Dis mutatis, of the Anthologia Palatina.The seas differ, but the gods precated are the same. If inthe following verses you substitute for " Christ, King of theElements" Poseidon, King of the Waters, for "brave Peter"ruseful Hermes, and for " Mary fair " Aphrodite, you have thetutelary deities of fishing. The spirit of the prayer and promiseof the firstling remain unchanged.* In Bede, " Et divina se innante gratia."^ 76, 12. Twv yap IxBvwv, aireipwv Kal anKerwu uvtoiv, oh -ytvovTai.* James Logan, The Scottish Gael (Inverness, 1876), vol. ii. p. 130 f.