1.9. Of the sundrie kinds of muskles and cockles in Scotland, and of pearles gotten in the same: of the vncouth and strange fish there to be seene, and of the na|ture of the herbe Citisus, com|monlie called Hadder. The ninth Chapter.

Of the sundrie kinds of muskles and cockles in Scotland, and of pearles gotten in the same: of the vncouth and strange fish there to be seene, and of the na|ture of the herbe Citisus, com|monlie called Hadder. The ninth Chapter.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 _HEre it resteth that I shew the nature of muskles and cockles, wherof we haue ma|nie and sundrie kinds among vs: of these also some are small, and yet if they be eaten fresh, are not without a natu|rall delicacie in tast. Others are greater and not vnlike in forme and quantitie to those that haue the purple: and albeit that they are vtterlie void therof, yet is their meat and substance right pleasant in the eating. There are of another sort which are longer and greater than either of these, called Horsse muskles, to be had in Dee and Done, and in these are the pearles ingendered. Certes they loue to be resident in the déepest and clearest waters that are void of mud and filth, and such is their esti|mation among the deintiest kinds of food, that they were not vnwoorthilie called of old time, widowes lustes. Their shelles also is as it were wrought euen from the verie tops, and thereto full of spots, where|in (as in yéeld of gaine) they farre excéed all other. Cardane de|nieth this, lib. 7. de Sub|tilitate. These earlie in the morning, in the gentle, cleare, and calme aire, lift vp their vpper shelles and mouthes a little aboue the water, and there receiue of the fine and pleasant breath or dew of heauen, & afterwards according to the measure and quantitie of this vitall force receiued, they first conceiue, then swell, and fi|nallie product the pearle.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 They are so sensible and quicke of hearing, that although you standing on the braie or banke aboue them, doo speake neuer so softlie, or throw neuer so small a stone into the water, yet they will descrie you, and settle againe to the bottome, without re|turne for that time. Doubtlesse they haue as it were a naturall carefulnesse of their owne commoditie, as not ignorant, how great estimation we mortall men make of the same amongst vs, and therefore so soone as the fishermen doo catch them, they bind their shelles togither, for otherwise they would open and shed their pearles of purpose, for which they know themselues to be pursued. Their maner of apprehen|sion is this, first foure or fiue persons go into the ri|uer togither, vp vnto the shoulders, and there stand in a compasse one by another with poles in their hands whereby they rest more suerlie, sith they fix them in the ground, and staie with one hand vpon them: then casting their eies downe to the bottome of the wa|ter, they espie where they lie by their shining and cléerenesse, and with their toes take them vp (for the deapth of the water will not suffer them to stoope for them) & giue them to such as stand next them.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 The perls that are so gotten in Scotland, are not of small value, they are verie orient & bright, light and round, and sometimes of the quantitie of the naile of ones little finger, as I haue had and séene by mine owne experience. Almost such another mus|kle found on the coast of Spaine, the shels whereof are gathered by such as go in pilgrimage to saint Iames, and brought into Scotland, but they are EEBO page image 16 without pearls, bicause they liue in salt water, which is an enimie to the margarite: but Cardane also denieth it. In all the sea coasts also of Scotland are cockles and muskles of the same forme, but without this commoditie. Many vncouth and strange shapes of fish likewise are seene there, whereof some are ar|med with shels, some with hard skales, and diuers round as a ball skinned like an yrcheon or hedghog, hauing but one cundit both for purgation of their excrements, and reception of their sustenance. To shew euerie kind of fish that is in Scotland, it were but a vaine trauell, sith the same are knowne almost in euerie region.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 In like sort we haue such plentie of fish vpon our seuerall coasts, that although milians and infinite numbers of them be taken on the one daie, yet on the next their losse will be so supplied with new store, that nothing shall be missing by reason of the yester|fang: so bountifull is God in these his benefits vnto vs. Furthermore, there is another gift bestowed vpon vs by the singular prouidence of God. For the greater dearth & penurie of flesh and corne is séene in Scotland, the greater store of fish is taken vpon our shores. In like sort, in the deserts and wild places of this realme, there groweth an hearbe of it selfe called Hadder or Hather verie delicat, as Columel|la lib. 9. cap. 4. saith, for goats & all kind of cattell to Galen. lib. [...]. de Antidotis sai|eth that Citi|sus is no herb but a shrub, and so dooth Plinie lib. 12. cap. 3. lib. 13. cap. 24. lib. 16. chap. 38. And Columella in the end of his 5. booke, where he accompteth it amõg trées. feed vpon, and likewise for diuerse foules, but bées es|peciallie. This herbe in Iune yéeldeth a purple sloure, swéet as honie, whereof the Picts in time past did make a pleasant drinke, and verie wholsome for the bodie: but forsomuch as the maner of making hereof is perished in the hauocke made of the Picts, when the Scots subdued their countrie, it lieth not in me to set downe the order of it, neither shewed they euer the learning hereof to any but to their owne nation. Finallie there is no part of Scotland so barren and vnprofitable, but it produceth either iron or some other kind of mettall, as may be proo|ued easilie throughout all the Iles that are annexed to the same.

1.9. Of the ſundry kindes of Muſkles and Cockles in Scotland, and pearles gotten in the ſame: of the vncouth and ſtrange fiſh there to be ſeene, and of the nature of the herbe Cythiſus commonly called Hadder. Chap. 9.

Of the ſundry kindes of Muſkles and Cockles in Scotland, and pearles gotten in the ſame: of the vncouth and ſtrange fiſh there to be ſeene, and of the nature of the herbe Cythiſus commonly called Hadder. Chap. 9.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 2 3 4 HEre it reſteth that I ſhewe the nature of Muſkles & Cockles, wherof we haue many & ſundry kindes amongſt vs: of theſe alſo ſo [...]e are ſmall, and yet if they be eaten freſh, are not without a naturall delicacy in taſt. Others are greater & not vnlike in forme & quãtitie to thoſe that haue the purple: & albeit that they are vt|terly voyde thereof, yet is their meate and ſub|ſtance right pleaſant in the eating. There are of an other ſorte whiche are longer & greater, than either of theſe, called horſe Muſkles, to be had in the Dee & the Done, & in theſe are the pearles in|gendred. Certes they loue to be reſident in the deepeſt and cleereſt waters that are voyde of mudde & filth, & ſuch is their eſtimation among the deintieſt kindes of foode, that they were not vnworthely called of old time, widowes luſtes. Their ſhelles alſo are as it were wrought euen from the very toppes, and thereto ful of ſpottes wherein (as in yeld of gaine) they farre exceede al other. Theſe early in the morning, Cardane de|nieth this, lib. 7. de Sub|tilitate. in the gẽ|tle, cleere, & calme ayre, lift vp their vpper ſhel [...]s & mouthes, a litle aboue the water, and there re|ceiue of the fine & pleaſant breath or dew of hea|uen, & afterwardes according to the meaſure & quantitie of this vitall force receyued, they firſte conceyue then ſwell, and finally product the pearle. They are ſo ſenſible & quicke of hearing, y^t although you ſtanding on the bray or banke aboue them, do ſpeake neuer ſo ſoftly, or throw neuer ſo ſmall a ſtone into the water, yet they wil deſcrie yo [...], and ſettle againe to the botome, without returne for that time. Doubtleſſe they haue as it were a naturall carefulneſſe of their owne commodity, as not ignorant, how great eſtimation wee mortall men make of the ſame amongſt vs, and therefore ſo ſoone as the fiſher men do catche them, they binde their ſhelles to|gither, for otherwiſe they would open, and ſhea [...] theyr pearles of purpoſe, for whiche they know themſelues to be taken and purſued. Their ma|ner of apprehenſion is this, firſt foure or fiue per|ſons go into the riuer togither, vp vnto the ſhoulders, and there ſtand in a compaſſe one by another with poles in their handes, wherby they reſt more ſurely, ſith they fixe thẽ in the ground, & ſtay with one hand vpon them: Then caſting their eyes downe to the botome of the water, they eſpie where they lie by their ſhinyng and cleereneſſe, and with their toes take them vp (for the deapth of the water will not ſuffer them to ſtoupe for them (& giue thẽ to ſuch as ſtand next them. The perles that are ſo gotten in Scotlãd, are not of ſmall value, they are very orient and bright, light & round, & ſomtimes of the quanti|tie of y^e nayle of ones litle finger, as I haue had & ſeene by mine own experiẽce. Almoſt ſuch an|other muſkle found on the coaſt of Spaine, the ſhels whereof are gathered by ſuch as go in pil|grimage to S. Iames; & brought into Scot|lãd, but they are w^tout perles, bicauſe thei liue in ſalt water, which is an enimy to y^e Margarite: EEBO page image 12 but Cardane alſo denieth it. In all the ſea coaſtes alſo of Scotlãd are Cockles & M [...]ſkles of the ſame forme, but without this commo|dity. Many vncouth and ſtrange ſhapes of fiſh likewiſe are ſeene there, whereof ſome are ar|med with ſhelles, ſome with harde ſkales, and diuers round as a ball ſkinned like an Ircheon or Hedgehogge, hauing but one conduct bothe for purgation of their excrements, and reception of their ſuſtenaũce. To ſhew euery kinde of fiſh that is in Scotlãd, it were but a vaine, trauaile, ſith the ſame are knowẽ almoſt in euery region. In like ſorte we haue ſuch plenty of fiſhe vpon our ſeuerall coaſtes, that although Millions & infinite numbers of them be taken on the one day, yet on the next their loſſe wil ſo be ſupplied with new ſtore, that nothing ſhal be miſſing by reaſon of the yeſterfang: ſo bountifull is God in theſe his benefites vnto vs. Furthermore, there is another gift beſtowed vpon vs by the ſingu|lar prouidence of God. For the greater dearth and penury of fleſh and corne is ſeene in Scot|land, the greater ſtore of fiſhe is taken vpon our ſhores. In like ſorte in the deſertes and wilde places of this realme, there groweth an hearbe of it ſelf called Hadder or Hather very delicate, Galen lib. 1. de An [...] lo [...]is ſaith that Cytiſus is no hearbe but a ſhrubbe, and ſo dothe Pliny lib. 12. cap 3 lib. 13. cap 24 lib 16. cap: 38: And Columella in the end of his 5. boke, where he accompteth it amõg trees. as Columella lib. 9. cap. 4. ſayth, for Goates and all kinde of cattell to feede vpon, and likewiſe for diuers Foules, but Bees eſpecially. This herbe in Iune yeeldeth a purple floure, ſweete as bony, whereof the Pictes in time paſte did make a pleaſaunt drinke, and very wholeſome for the body: but for aſmuche as the maner of making hereof is periſhed in the hauocke made of the Pictes, when the Scottes ſubdued their countrey, it lieth not in me to ſet downe the or|der of it, neyther ſhewed they euer the learning hereof to any but to their owne nation. Final|ly there is no parte of Scotland ſo barren and vnprofitable, but it produceth eyther yron or ſome other kinde of mettall, as may be proued eaſely thorow out all the Iles that are annexed to the ſame.