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So that of every kind, the new spawn'd numerous fry 

 Seem in me as the sands that on my shore do lie. 

 The barbel, than which fish a braver doth not swim, 

 Nor greater for the ford within my spacious brim, 

 Nor (newly taken) more the curious taste doth please ; 

 The grayling, whose great spawn is big as any pease ; 

 The perch with pricking fins, against the pike prepared, 

 As nature had thereon bestowed this stronger guard, 

 His daintiness to keep (each curious palate's proof ) 

 From his vile ravenous foe : next him I name the ruff, 

 His very near ally, and both for scale and fin, 

 In taste, and for his bait (indeed) his next of kin, 

 The pretty slender dare, of many call'd the dace, 

 Within my liquid glass, when Phoebus looks his face, 

 Oft swiftly as he swims, his silver belly shows, 

 But with such nimble flight, that ere ye can disclose 

 His shape, out of your sight like lightning he is shot ; 

 The trout by nature mark'd with many a crimson spot, 

 As though she curious were in him above the rest, 

 And, of fresh-water fish, did note him for the best ; 

 The roach, whose common kind to every flood doth fall ; 

 The chub (whose neater name which some a chevin call), 

 Food to the tyrant pike (most being in his power), 

 Who for their numerous store he most doth them devour ; 

 The lusty salmon then, from Neptune's wat'ry realm, 

 When as his season serves, stemming my tideful stream, 

 Then being in his kind, in me his pleasure takes, 

 (For whom the fisher then all other game forsakes) 

 Which, bending of himself to th' fashion of a ring, 

 Above the forced wears, himself doth nimbly fling, 

 And often when the net hath dragg'd him safe to land, 

 Is seen by natural force to 'scape his murderer's hand; 

 Whose grain doth rise in flakes, with fatness interlarded, 

 Of many a liquorish lip, that highly is regarded. 

 And Humber, to whose waste I pay my wat'ry store, 

 Me of her sturgeons sends, that I thereby the more 

 Should have my beauties grac'd with something from him 

 sent; 



