a.d. THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



c. 1380-90. 



ing stones that are cast out as it were sparkles or cinders 

 at the fierie mouth of the hill, and when they are most 

 enflamed, cast water upon them, whereby they are 

 dissolved and become excellent white lime and so tough 

 that being contrived in building it lasteth for ever. 

 And the very sparkles after the fire is out of them doe 

 serve in stead of stones to make walles and vautes : for 

 being once colde they wil never dissolve or breake, 

 except they be cut with some iron toole, and the vautes 

 that are made of them are so light that they need no 

 sustentaccle or prop to holde them up, and they will 

 endure continually very faire and whole. By reason of 

 these great commodities, the Fryers have made there so 

 many buildings and walles that it is a wonder to see. 

 The coverts or roofes of their houses for the most part 

 are made in maner following : first they rayse up the wall 

 up to his full height, then they make it enclining or 

 bowing in by little and litle in fourme of a vaut. But they 

 are not greatly troubled with raine in those partes, because 

 the climate (as I have saide) is extreme colde : for the first 

 Winter ofg. snow being fallen, it thaweth no more for the space of 

 nine moneths, for so long dureth their winter. They 

 feede of the flesh of wilde foule and of fish : for wheras 

 the warme water falleth into the sea, there is a large 

 and wide haven, which by reason of the heate of the 

 water, doeth never freeze all the winter, by meanes 

 whereof there is such concourse and flocks of sea foule 

 and such aboundance of fish, that they take thereof infinite 

 multitudes, wherby they maintaine a great number of 

 people round about, which they kepe in continuall 

 worke, both in building and taking of foules and fish, 

 and in a thousand other necessarie affaires and busines 

 about the Monasterie. 



Their houses are built about the hill on every side, 

 in forme round, and 25 foote broad, and in mounting 

 upwards they goe narower and narower, leaving at the 

 top a litle hole, whereat the aire commeth in to give 

 light to the house, and the flore of the house is so hot, 



45 2 



vioneths. 



