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BOOK REVIEWS John Barratt. Cromwell’s Wars at Sea. Barratt instructs us to “See p ??” (p. 193). Barnsley, South Yorkshire, UK: Pen and Or, endnote 12 in chapter five in which the Sword Books Ltd., www.pen-and- curious reader is referred only to sword.co.uk, 2006. 208 pp., illustrations, “Mercurius Politicus.” (p. 197) Where said maps, glossary, references, index. UK reference exists, we shall never know for ₤19.99, cloth: ISBN 1-84415-459-9. this work is not even cited in his bibliography. Most pre-twentieth-century naval historians Barratt has done no original focus upon either the sixteenth-century navy research, but instead has relied upon the of Francis Drake or the late-eighteenth- works of other more reputable scholars, century navy of Horatio Nelson. Few such as Bernard Capp and N.A.M. Rodger. scholars concern themselves with the When he quotes original sources, which he seventeenth-century navy of Robert Blake, does with annoying regularity, Barratt one of Cromwell’s most successful Generals acknowledges that this primary material at Sea. John Barratt attempts to shed light originally appeared in another author’s upon this often under-represented, but secondary work. In many instances, Barratt important period of British naval history in relies upon the work of only one author to his new work. write certain chapters. When writing about Barratt begins his study by the social history of Cromwell’s navy, for providing an overview of the political situation in England in the mid-seventeenth example, Barratt depends on (and century. His second chapter examines the summarizes) Capp’s work, Cromwell’s social history of Cromwell’s navy. He uses Navy: The Fleet and the English the remaining six chapters of his work to Revolution, 1648- 1660. While Capp’s discuss various wars waged upon the sea, work is good, Barratt could have utilized namely, the conflict between the other studies or potentially consulted the Commonwealth navy and the remaining archives to expand and improve this Royalist squadron (1649-1650), the first and chapter. second Anglo-Dutch wars (1652-1654 and Barratt is not a naval historian and 1665-1667) and the short-lived Spanish war this weakness shows throughout the book. (1657-1658). Barratt summarizes the He continually confuses naval terminology. battles in each conflict and provides a In several instances he refers to various narrative account of the reasons each war commanders having “the advantage of the was waged. wind gauge” (p. 114). Most likely, Barratt While the book provides a passable did not mean “the wind gauge.” which was summary of the naval conflicts during sailor-speak for anemometer, but “the Cromwell’s reign, and serves as an weather gauge.” According to Admiral overview, the work lacks in many respects. W.H. Smyth’s, The Sailor’s Word-Book, “a Barratt’s references are atrocious. The vessel has the weather-gage of another endnotes are sparse and hard to follow. when she is to windward of her.” (p. 724) Barratt even seems to have confused Although minor, this mistake and several himself in many instances. Take, for other terminology errors chafe at those example, endnote 5 in chapter two in which familiar with naval history. The Northern Mariner/Le marin du nord, XVII No. 3, (July 2007), 73-88 74 The Northern Mariner/Le marin du nord Despite the numerous errors and export in the Western Hemisphere for the omissions in content, the book itself is British Empire. (Stephen J. Hornsby, beautifully presented. Hand-drawn maps British Atlantic, American Frontier accompany each description of the fleet (2005), Figure 2.1.) Religious norms and actions fought. A useful chronology and faith-based dietary restrictions played glossary appear in the front of the work, historically important roles in generating providing the reader with an easily enormous demand for fish, and they have accessible and handy reference. Although helped to make commercial fishing the notes and the bibliography are lacking, enterprises very lucrative. On a personal the book provides a thorough index. note, Lenten fish fries were always John Barratt has authored eight popular in the Catholic church my family books on the English Civil War, Cromwell’s attended. Yet, historians have largely army and the major battles in which both sides were involved. His talents, most overlooked the ties between these cultural likely, rest on land and not at sea. The values and this maritime business. Brian English navy changed both in character and Fagan’s Fish on Friday is the first in structure during Cromwell’s reign. These systematic effort to bring together changes have been overlooked or ignored fisheries and religious histories covering by many modern naval historians. More ancient Rome to the English settlement of scholarship is needed around this critical North America. Those interested in period in the history of the Royal Navy. maritime history in general, and fisheries Unfortunately, Barratt’s work fails to fulfill history in particular, will find much food this gap in the literature. for thought in this book. Kelly K. Chaves For the most part, Fish on Friday is Fredericton, New Brunswick a synthesis of secondary literature. Fagan combines scholarship on religious norms and histories that have focused on the role commercial fishing operations played in Brian Fagan. Fish on Friday: Feasting, Europe’s westward expansion across the Fasting, and the Discovery of the New Atlantic Ocean. Fagan argues that World. New York, NY: Perseus Press, Christianity created an insatiable need for www.basicbooks.com, 2007. xxv + 338 fish in the Old World, which in turn pp., illustrations, maps, recipes, timeline, prompted Atlantic exploration and New notes, index. US $16.95, CDN $20.50, World settlement. He writes, “Abstinence, paper; ISBN 13: 978-0-465-02285-4. atonement, fasting, and penance lay at the core of Christian belief; [and] from the The various oceanic fisheries around the earliest times fish had a special association globe produced ninety-five million tons of with such practices.” (p. xiii) In particular, fish for sale in 2004. This fish has been Catholic meatless holy days of obligation valued at US$ 84.9 billion. (Food and took up much of the year. Until the Agriculture Organization of the United eleventh century, the demand for fish to Nations, “The State of World Fisheries and meet these fast days was primarily met with Aquaculture,” 2006) http://www.fao.org freshwater fish. The nautical technology /docrep/009/A0699e/A0699E04.htm#4.1.2)I and preservation techniques were not yet n the early modern period, dried salted sufficient for large-scale, deep-sea cod represented the fourth most valuable commercial fishing operations. Instead, fish Book Reviews 75 ponds came into vogue around the ninth operate in rough seas, and stay offshore for century. Medieval monasteries fished local long periods of time.” (p. 120) Fishing on rivers and streams. And men fished along the North Sea also inspired the creation of coastlines while women processed catches. the dogger. In Fagan’s words, doggers Herring was the first saltwater fish to be “were built for one purpose – to fish for cod commercially distributed. It was sold and other species far offshore.” (p. 167) commercially between the tenth and Even the famous Portuguese caravels were eleventh centuries. (pp. 94, 103) It required, designed, at least in part, for deep-sea and stimulated the development of, bulk fishing in severe weather on the Atlantic carriers. (p.95) Cod followed shortly Ocean. (pp. 207-208) Without the thereafter in the twelfth century. (p.64) By religiously inspired and insatiable European the fifteenth century, Christians consumed demands for fish, there would have been more cod than herring. Fagan explains that less pressure on shipbuilders to design new “cod, dried and salted, was easier to vessels. Without these vessels, Europeans preserve and was a more reliable catch.” (p. would have been slower to explore and 164) The fact that the flesh of cod is less expand westward across the globe. oily than herring made the former more Fish On Friday is a cross-over susceptible to hard salt cures, which book in addition to being a synthesis. There preserved catches for longer durations. is not an extensive, historiographically- Such preservation, combined with high inclined introduction. The endnotes are by levels of protein, made cod “one of the no means exhaustive. Chapters include world’s great food fish,” and the ideal long- Fagan’s first-hand accounts of his various distance commodity in an age without experiences with the sea and fish. And refrigeration. (p.61) The demand for cod there are recipes for fish and sauces spurred English fishers to search for new throughout the book. Such characteristics cod fisheries in the Atlantic, which led them make the book a quick and easy read, and to Iceland and Newfoundland in the there are academics who will be turned-off fifteenth century. The search for new by this. Fagan, however, has succeeded in Atlantic fishing grounds culminated in the demonstrating the importance of cod to the late-sixteenth, early seventeenth century formation and integration of an Atlantic English attempts to settle New England. In World. He ably relates the historical this manner, cod, commercial fishing, and connections between fishing and ship Christian-inspired dietary restrictions design. And he achieves all this in an played an important role in the exploration engaging fashion that will please most and settlement of North America. readers. The crusade for more fish to feed Christian mouths further stimulated Christopher P. Magra nautical innovation. Before the Northridge, California aforementioned bulk carriers designed to transport herring, which included the Hanse cog, medieval shipbuilders developed lapstrake hulls, which encouraged exploration and fishing in North Sea and Baltic waters.