Note E55 — 10.
Reading edition
"That flesh might be more plentifull and better cheaper, two daies in the weeke, that is Fryday and Saturday, are specially appointed to fish, and now of late yeares, by the prouidence of our prudent Princesse, Elizabeth, the Wednesday also is in a manner restrained to the same order, not for any religion or holinesse supposed to be in the eating of fish rather than of flesh, but onely for the ciuill policie as I haue said. That as God hath created both for man's use, so both being used or refrained at certaine seasons, might by that entercourse be more abundant. And no doubt, if all daies appointed for that purpose were duly obserued, but that flesh and fish both would be much more plentifull, and beare lesse price than they doe. For accounting the Lent season, and all fasting daies in the yeare together with Wednesday and Friday and Saturday, you shall see that the one halfe of the yeare is ordeined to eate fish in."—Cogan's Haven of Health, ed. 1612, p. 138.
"It is lawfull for euerie man to feed vpon what soeuer he is able to purchase, except it be vpon those daies whereon eating of flesh is especiallie forbidden by the lawes of the realme, which order is taken onelie to the end our numbers of cattell may be the better increased, and that aboundance of fish which the sea yeeldeth, more generallie receiued. Beside this, there is great consideration had in making of this law for the preseruation of the nauie, and maintenance of conuenient numbers of sea faring men, both which would otherwise greatlie decaie, if some meanes were not found whereby they might be increased."—Harrison, Descript. of Eng. part i. p. 144.
The following menu for a fish day is given in the Liber Cure Cocorum, p. 54, ed. Morris:
"For a servise on fysshe day.
Fyrst white pese and porray þou take, Cover þy white heryng for goddys sake; Þen cover red heryng, and set abufe, And mustard on heghe, for goddys lufe; Þen cover salt salmon on hast, Salt ele þer wyth on þis course last. For þe secunde course, so god me glad, Take ryse and fletande fignade, Þan salt fysshe and stok fysshe take þou schalle, For last of þis course, so fayre me falle. For þe iii cours sowpys done fyne, And also lamprouns in galentyne, Bakun turbut and sawmon ibake Alle fresshe, and smalle fysshe þou take Þerwith, als troute, sperlynges, and menwus with al, And loches to horn sawce versance shal."
See also the Babees Book, ed. Furnivall, p. 50.