258 THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB.
theory may agree with me, that this plucky man probably only existed in people's
imagination. Is it not a fact that the lower animals are more discriminating than
average man as to what is and what is not wholesome to eat, and is it not more
than likely that man inherited his taste for oysters from that type of being from
which he was evolved ? It is, at any rate, certain that oyster shells may be found
amongst the kitchen refuse near the ancient British camp, the Roman villa, or
the modern house There is not only no doubt that from earliest times the oyster
has been esteemed a luxury by men, but also that the special qualities of Colchester
oysters were fully appreciated, for in the remains of ancient Rome itself the shells
of undoubted Colchester Natives are to be found.
The first documentary evidence of the Colchester Native is in the charter
passed by Richard the First, A.D. 1189, to the borough of Colchester. This charter
was a confirmation of previous rights, and gives to the freemen of the borough
the sole right to fish from North Bridge to Westness But the fishery was much
neglected by the Corporation until recent times. Whilst carefully maintaining
the exclusive rights, shown by litigation from the time of King Edward III.
almost to the present date, they have in other respects left the fishery very much
to take care of itself.
In 1683 the fishery was leased to William Garland for £50 per annum. In
1727, in an action Waldegrave versus the Corporation, its value was judged at
£100 per year ; evidently our forefathers of that date were not such good judges
in gastronomic matters as the ancient Roman or as the modern Briton, though of
course £100 then represented greater value than it would in modern times. In
the year just ended the Corporation received £1,817 8s. 3d. from these fisheries
as their share in the profits. Last year the amount received was over £2,000.
Morant states that in 1748 a pack of oysters is rarely obtained for less than
4s. Recently the prices have been as high as £12 and £14 per bushel.
The first documentary evidence of a body of dredgermen, known as the
"Colne Company," appears in the deeds in the Corporation archives (in the
earlier part of the eighteenth century) granting to various lessees fishery rights
for dredging in the Colne ; and one, in 1718, authorising the lessees to grant
licences at 10s. per dredge to the dredgers of eight parishes, and to the town of
Colchester only.
Owing to disputes which arose in connection with these leases a special Act of
Parliament was obtained in 1870. In this Act the parishes named are those
bordering upon the fishery, and the control and ordering of the fishery is put
into the hands of a Board, formed of six members elected by the dredgermen
forming the company, and six members elected by the Corporation. The com-
pany consists of all persons to whom the Corporation granted licences in 1867-8,
and subsequent members are those who shall have been legally bound by inden-
ture of apprenticeship to a member of the company for a period of seven years.
1 he company pays a fixed rent of £500 per annum to the Corporation and
one-fourth of the net income derived from the fishery when the income exceeds
£1,500 per annum. Also one half of the net income derived from floating fish.
Quite recently the Corporation has become alive to the necessity of taking
vigorous steps to improve and develop this fishery which was quickly deterior-
ating, and the alterations made will result in great benefit to the members of
the company and also to the Corporation of Colchester.
The young oyster is known in its minute stage as "Spat," and when further
advanced as "Brood" ; "Ware" and "Half Ware" are terms used to describe
oysters still nearer the mature size.
About June the mature oyster is said to be "sick," and a magnifier will show
apparently a quantity of dark sand (gritty to the touch) to be attached to the gills.
These grains are the infant oysters, and are familiar to the microscopist, forming
one of his most popular "objects." The number deposited by the parents is enor-
mous ; but only a small proportion survive to form mature oysters. The young
oyster is furnished with a large number of cilia by means of which it survives
free for a period, until a favourable spot is found for attachment. When this is
accomplished the little creature never moves again until disturbed by outside agency.
In due time the brood is dredged up, and the young oysters carefully