[1] AS our foules haue their ſeaſons, ſo lyke|wiſe haue all ſorts of fiſh, wherby it co|meth to paſſe that none, or at the leaſtwyſe very few of them are to be had at all tymes. For my part I am greatly acquainted ney|ther with the ſeaſons nor yet with the fiſh it ſelfe, and therefore yf I ſhoulde take vppon me to deſcribe or ſpeak of either of them ab|ſolutely, I ſhould enterpriſe more then I am able to performe, & go in hande with a grea|ter matter then I can well bring about. It ſhall ſuffice therefore to declare what ſortes of fiſhes I haue moſt often ſéene, to the ende I may not altogither paſſe ouer this chapter without ye rehearſall of ſome thing, although the whole ſomme of that which I haue to ſay be nothing in déede, yf the full diſcourſe hereof be any thing duly conſidered.
[1] [2] Of fiſhes therfore as I finde fiue ſorts, the flat, the roũd, the long, the legged & ſhelled, ſo the flat are deuided into the ſmoothe, ſcaled & tailed. Of the firſt are the Plaice, the Butte, the Turbut, Dorrey, Dabbe, &c. Of the ſe|conde, the Soles, &c. Of the thirde, oure Chaites, Maidens, Kingſones, Flathe and Thornebacke, whereof the greater be for the moſt parte eyther dryed and caryed into o|ther countries, or ſoddẽ, ſowſed, & eaten here at home, whyleſt the leſſer be fryed or butte|red, ſone after they be takẽ, as prouiſion not to be kept long for feare of putrefaction. Vn|der the round kindes are commonly compre|hended Lumpes an vgly fiſh to ſighte, and yet very delicate in eating, yf it be kindlye dreſſed. The Whighting, (an olde waiter or ſeruitor in the Court) the Rochet, Gurnard, Hadocke, Codde, Herring, Pilchard, Sprat, & ſuch like. And theſe are they wherof I haue beſt knowledge and be commonly to be had in their tymes vppon our coaſtes. Vnder this kinde alſo are all the great fiſhe contai|ned as the Seale, the Dolphin, the Porpaſſe, the Thirlepole, Whale, and whatſoeuer is round of body, be it neuer ſo great and huge. Of the long ſort are Cungres, Eles, Gare|fiſhe and ſuche other of that forme. Fi|nallye of the legged kinde we haue not ma|nye, neyther haue I ſéene any more of thys ſort then the Polipus, called in Engliſhe the Lobſtar, the Craifiſh, and ye Crabbe. As for the little Craifiſhes, they are not taken in the ſea, but plentyfully in our freſhe ryuers in banckes and vnder ſtones where they kepe themſelues in moſt ſecret maner, and oft by lykeneſſe of coulour with the ſtones among which they lye, they deceiue euen the ſkilful takers of them, except they vſe great dili|gence. I might here ſpeake of ſundrie other fiſhes nowe and then taken alſo vppon our coaſtes, but ſi [...]h my minde is onely to touche eyther all ſuch as are vſually gotten, or ſo many of them onely as I can well rehearſe vpon certayne knowledge, I thincke it good at thys tyme to forbeare the further intrea|tye of them. As touching the ſhelly ſorte we haue plentie of Oyſters, Muſcles and Co|cles. We haue in lyke ſort no ſmall ſtore of great Whelkes, and Perewincles, & eache of them brought farre into the land from the ſea coaſt in their ſeuerall ſeaſons. And albe|it our Oyſters are generally forborne in the foure hote monethes of the yeare, that is to ſay, May, Iune, Iuly, & Auguſt. Yet in ſome places they be continallye eaten, where they be kept in pittes as I haue knowen by experience. And thus much of our ſea fiſhe, as a man in maner vtterlye vnacquainted with their diuerſitie of kindes: yet ſo much haue I yéelded to do, hoping hereafter to ſay ſomewhat more, and more orderly of them, if it ſhall pleaſe God that I may liue and haue leaſure once againe to peruſe this treatize, & ſo make vp a perfit péece of work of yt, which as you now ſée is very ſlenderly begunne.