Gloucestershire.
It was formerly the custom of the city of Gloucester to present to the Sovereign at Christmas a lamprey-pie with a raised crust. The custom is of great antiquity, and as Henry I., of lamprey-loving celebrity, frequently held his Court during Christmas at Gloucester, it may have originated in his time. In 1530 the Prior of Lanthony at Gloucester sent “cheese, carp, and baked lampreys” to Henry VIII. at Windsor, for which the bearer received twenty shillings.—Tighe and Davis, Annals of Windsor, p. 562.
During the Commonwealth it appears from the following entry in the corporation minutes that the pie was sent to the members for the city:—
“Item.—Paid to Thomas Suffield, cook, for lamprey-pies sent to our Parliament men, £08 00s. 00d.”
In 1752 it appears to have been the custom to present a lamprey-pie to the Prince of Wales, as appears by Mr. Jesse’s book, George Selwyn and his Contemporaries (vol. i. p. 153), where is printed the following letter from Mr. Alderman Harris to George Selwyn, then M.P. for Gloucester:—
“Gloucester, 15th January, 1752.
“Sir,—At the request of Mr. Mayor, whose extraordinary hurry of business will not afford him leisure to direct himself, I am desired to acquaint you that by the Gloucester waggon this week is sent the usual present of a lamprey-pie from this Corporation to His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales. It is directed to you; and I am further to request the favour of you to have the same presented with the compliments of this body, as your late worthy father used to do.
“Sir, your most obedient humble servant,
“Gab. Harris.
“P.S.—The waggoner’s inn is the King’s Head, in the Old Change.”[93]—N. & Q. 2nd S. vol. ix. p. 184.
[93] Another correspondent of N. & Q. (2nd S. vol. ix. p. 185) says that it was formerly the custom to send to the King the first lamprey caught in the river at the commencement of the season; it was stewed, that being the best way of cooking this fish.