bogus address muttered....

>
>>>>> I have not seen it in a primary source. My memory of the account I
>>>>> did see was that it was a contract in which A was borrowing B's
>>>>> indentured servants, and agreeing not to feed them lobster more
>>>>> than X days a week.
>>>> I've heard a similar story for sturgeon, i.e. loggers signing
>>>> contracts for eating sturgeon only three days a week. Don't recall
>>>> seeing a primary source on this story either...
>>> I'm afraid that this exists as a tale in the Uk, too, with both
>>> salmon and oysters.
>> Here both student and apprentice riots on these issues in the middle
>> ages are fairly well documented.
>
> Show us the documentation, then.
>
> I have read some primary sources on student riots in the Middle Ages
> and I don't believe you.
>

Absent "evidence", the anecdotal accounts of discord among the small
servant class of New England over too much lobster and/or salmon and
similar tales from the UK remain quite credible. A semester or two in the
dormitories of my youth provide all the confirmation of "student reaction"
required.

Why, in 1957, the tuna and noodles in the Wll Rice College Commons had the
students marching on the President's home demanding relief...

The stories are too frequent, too reasonable and so well attuned to
observations of human nature today to have much deniability on the grounds
of "lack of evidence".

I find the tales as credible as my sincere belief that many/most/some of
mine and thine ancestry were adept at picking their noses (although little
documentary or graphic evidence of same is available).

I used to be fascinated by constant references to "pemmican" as a foodstuff
enjoyed by Native Americans. After actually trying some, I better
understood that AmerIndians (along with every one else) ate what was
available and like students, sailors and most others, complained loudly and
often about it. I suspect that boiled lobster gets old after daily doses
for a few weeks. I'd like to try, but will admit to once having tired of
beefsteak after two meals a day for 10 days.

Enough to make me desperately desire a bowl of grits, even without
butter....

.....and I've known merchant mariners, sailors and officers, who would never
eat any seafood of any sort...

TMO