[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, yt 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 ye 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 wtout perles, bicauſe thei liue in ſalt water, which is an enimy to ye Margarite: [page 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.