AD. THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



1592. 



glut themselves : Even so this hoggish Rimer lightly 

 passeth over the best and most commendable things of 

 our Common wealth, but as for the woorst, and those 

 which have beene committed by none, or by very few, 

 namely, such things as best fit his humour and disposi- 

 tion (that he might indeed shew himselfe to be the 

 same which we have termed him) those things (I say) 

 hath he scraped up together : whereupon hereafter by 

 my consent, for his maners and disposition let him 

 enjoy the name of a swine. 



The fifteenth section. 



The ninth TT 7"Ee will heere rehearse the ninth reproch, which 

 reproch. yy ^^x slanderous hogge hath drawen from the 



maner of living, and specially from the meat and drinke 

 of the Islanders, and that not in one or a few wordes, 

 but in a large invective : namely, that they eate olde 

 and unsavoury meates, and that, without the use of 

 bread. Also, that they eate divers kinds of fishes which 

 are unknowen to strangers : and that they mingle water 

 and whey together for drinke. All which this venemous 

 pasquill, with eloquent railing and wittie slaunder hath 

 set out at the full. 



And albeit we doe scarse vouchsafe to stand longer 

 about answering of him, yet in regard of others, who 

 at this day partly woonder at the matter, and partly 

 object it to our nation, we thought good to adde some 

 few things in this place. 



First therefore we will divide this our nation into 

 two parts : into beggers, and those that susteine both 

 themselves, and, amongst others, beggers also. As 

 touching all kinds of meats wherewith beggers and 

 other poore men satisfie their hunger, it is no easie 

 matter to rehearse and examine them : neither, because 

 extreame necessity hath at some times compelled them 

 to eate this or that, therefore is it meet to prescribe 

 certeine kindes and number of meats to the rest of 

 the nation. For we have also a law among the canons 



186 



