THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 211 



physicians allow him to be eaten by wounded men, 

 or by men in fevers, or by women in childbed. 



He spawns but once a year, and is by physi- 

 cians held very nutritive ; yet by many, to be hard 

 of digestion. They abound more in the river Po 

 and in England, says Rondeletius, than other parts, 

 and have in their brain a stone, which is in for- 

 eign parts sold by apothecaries, being there noted 

 to be very medicinable against the stone in the 

 reins. These be a part of the commendations 

 which some philosophical brains have bestowed 

 upon the fresh-water perch ; yet they commend 

 the sea-perch, which is known by having but one 

 fin on his back, of which they say we English see 

 but a few, to be a much better fish. 



The perch grows slowly, yet will grow, as I 

 have been credibly informed, to be almost two 

 feet long ; for an honest informer told me, such a 

 one was not long since taken by Sir Abraham 

 Williams, a gentleman of worth, and a brother of 

 the angle, that yet lives, and I wish he may. This 

 was a deep-bodied fish, and doubtless durst have 

 devoured a pike of half his own length ; for I have 

 told you he is a bold fish, such a one as but for 

 extreme hunger the pike will not devour ; for to 

 affright the pike and save himself, the perch will 

 set up his fins, much like as a turkey-cock will 

 sometimes set up his tail. 



But, my scholar, the perch is not only valiant 

 to defend himself, but he is, as I said, a bold-bit- 

 ing fish ; yet he will not bite at all seasons of the 



