MEMOIR OF PLINY. 59 



purples. The best time to fish purples is after the 

 dog -star is risen, and before the spring ; for when 

 they haue made that viscous mucilage in manner of 

 wax (which they doe by rubbing one against an- 

 other), there iuice or humor for colour is ouer liquid, 

 thin, and waterish. And yet the purple-diera know 

 not so much, nor take heed thereof ; whereas indeed 

 the skill thereof is a speciall point of their art, and 

 wherein lieth all in all. Well, when they are caught, 

 as is abouesaid, they take forth that veine before 

 mentioned, and they lay it in salt, or else they do 

 not well ; with this proportion ordinarily, viz. to euery 

 hundred weight of the purple liquor, a sestier, or pint 

 and halfe of salt. Full three daies and no more it 

 must thus lie soking in powder; for the fresher that 

 the colour is, so much is it counted richer and better. 

 This don, they seethe it in leads, and to euery am- 

 phore (which containeth about eight wine- gallons) 

 they put one hundred pounds and a halfe just of the 

 coloure so prepared. Boile it ought with a soft and 

 gentle fire ; and therefore the tunnel or mouth of 

 the furnace must be a good way off the lead or 

 chawdron ; during which time the workemen that tend 

 the lead must eftsoones skim off and dense away 

 the fleshie substance which cannot chuse but stick 

 to the veines which containeth the iuice of purple 

 beforesaid. And thus they continue ten days ; by 

 which time ordinarily the lead or vessell will shew 

 the liquor cleene, as if it were sufficiently boiled. 

 And to make a triall thereof, they dip into it a fleece 



