MEDITERRANEAN REMORA. 203 



cc The current of the sea is great, the tide much, 

 the winds vehement and forcible, and more than 

 that, ores and sailes withall to help forward the 

 rest, are mightie and powerfull : and yet there is 

 one little sillie fish, named Echeneis, that checketh, 

 scorneth, and arresteth them all : let the winds 

 blow as much as they will, rage the storms and 

 tempests what they can, yet this little fish com- 

 maundeth their furie^ restraineth their puissance, 

 and maugre all their force as great as it is, 

 compelleth ships to stand still : a thing which no 

 cables be they never so big and able as they 

 will, can performe. She bridleth the violence and 

 tameth the greatest rage of this universal! world, 

 and that without any paine that she putteth herselfe 

 unto, without any holding and putting backe, or 

 any other meanes save only by cleaving and sticking 

 fast to a vessell : in such a sort as this one small 

 and poore fish is sufficient to resist and withstand 

 so great a power both of sea and navie, yea and to 

 stop the passage of a ship, doe they all what they 

 can possible to the contrarie. What should our fleets 

 and armadoes at sea, make such turrets in their 

 decks, and forecastles? what should they fortifie 

 their ships in warlike manner, to fight from them 

 upon the Sea, as it were from mure and rampier on 

 firme land ? See the vanitie of man ! alas, how 

 foolish are we to make all this adoe ? When one 

 little fish, not above half a foot long, is able to 

 arrest and stay perforce, yea and hold as prisoners 

 our goodly tall and proud ships, so well armed 

 jn the beake-head with yron pikes and brazen 



