The true discripcion of this marveilous straunge
Fishe, whiche was taken on thursday was sennight, the .xvi. day of June, this
present month, in the yeare of our Lord God. M.DLX.ix.
A declaration of the taking of this straunge Fishe, with the length & bredth. etc.
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DOoing you to un-
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derstande, that on thursdaye
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the .xvi. daye of this present
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month of June, in the yeare of
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our Lord God .MD.LX.ix.
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This straunge fishe (whych
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you see here picttured) was
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taken betweene Callis, and
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Dover, by sertayne English
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Fisshermen, whych were a
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fyshynge for mackrell. And
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this straunge & merveylous
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Fyshe, folowynge after the
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scooles of Mackrell, came rushinge into the fishermens Netts,
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and brake and tore their nettes marveilouslie, in such sorte, that at
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the fyrst they weare muche amased therat: and marveiled what it
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should bee, that kept suche a sturr with their Netts, for they were
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verie much harmed by it, with breking and spoyling their Netts.
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And then they seing, and perceivyng that the Netts wold not serve
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by reason of the greatnes of this straung Fishe, then they with such
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instruements, ingins, & thinges that they had: made such shift that
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they tooke this straung Fishe. And uppon fridaye the morowe after
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brought it upp to Billynges gate in London, whyche was the .xvii.
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daye of June, and ther it was seene and vewid of manie which mar-
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veiled much at the straungnes of it. For here hath never the lyke of
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it ben seene: and on saterdaye, being the .xviii. daye, sertayne fishe
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mongers in new Fishstreat, agreeid with them that caught it, for,
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and in consideracion of the harme, whych they received by spoylinge
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of ther Netts, and for their paines, to have this straunge fishe. And
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havinge it, did open it and flaied of the skinn, and saved it hole. And
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adjudging the meat of it to be good, broyled a peece and tasted of hit,
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and it looked whit like Veale when it was broiled, and was good &
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saverie, (though sumwhat straung) in the eating, and then they sold
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of it that same saterdaye, to suche as would buy of the same, and they
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themselves did bake of it, and eate it for daintie: and for the more
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serteintaintie and opening of the truth, the good men of the Castle
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and the Kinges head in new Fishstreat, did bui a great deale & bakte
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of it, and this is moste true.
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THis straunge Fishe is in length .xvii. foote, and .iii.
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foote broad, and in compas about the bodie .vi. foote.
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and proporcioned as you see here by this picture, and
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is round snowted, short headdid as you see, having .iii.
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ranckes of teeth on eyther jawe, marvaylous sharpe
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and very short .ii. eyes growing neare his snout, & as
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big as a horses eyes, and his hart as big as an Oxes hart, & likewyse
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his liver and lightes bige as an Oxes, but all the garbidge that was in
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hys bellie besides, would have gone into a felt hat. Also .ix. finns, &
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.ii. of the formost bee .iii. quarters of a yeard longe from the body: &
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a verie big one on the foreparte of his backe, as you see here by this
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picture, blackish on the backe & a litle whitishe on the belly, a slender
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tayle, and had but one bone & that was a great rydge bone runninge
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alonge his backe, from the head unto the tayle, and had great force
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in his tayle when he was in the water. Also it hath .v. gills of eache
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side of the head, shoing white as you see. Ther is no proper name
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for it that I knowe but that sertayne men of Captayne Haukinses,
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doth call it a Sharke. And it is to bee seene in London, at the
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red Lyon, in Fletestreete.
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