BARNACLE GEESEGOOSE BARNACLES. 299 



writings of others, and also from the mouthes of people of those parts, 

 which may very well accord with truth. 



But what our eies haue scene, and hands haue touched we shall 

 declare. There is a small Island in Lancashire, called the Pile of 

 Foulders, wherein are found the broken pieces of old and bruised ships 

 some whereof haue beene cast thither by shipwracke, and also the 

 trunks and bodies with the branches of old and rotten trees, cast vp 

 there likewise ; whereon is found a certaine spume or froth that in 

 time breedeth vnto certaine shells, in shape like those of the Muskle, 

 but sharper pointed, and of a whitish colour ; wherein is contained a 

 thing in forme like a lace of silke finely wouen as it were together, of a 

 whitish colour, one end whereof is fastened vnto the inside of the shell, 

 euen as the fish of Oisters and Muskles are : the other end is made 

 fast vnto the belly of a rude masse or lumpe, which in time commeth to 

 the shape and forme of a Bird : when it is perfectly formed the shell 

 gapeth open, and the first thing that appeareth is the foresaid lace or 

 string ; next come the legs of the bird hanging out, and as it groweth 

 greater it openeth the shell by degrees, til at length it is all come 

 forth, and hangeth onely by the bill : in short space after it commeth 

 to full maturitie, and falleth into the sea, where it gathereth feathers, 

 and groweth to a fowle bigger than a Mallard, and lesser than a 

 Goose, hauing blacke legs and bill or beake, and feathers blacke and 

 white, spotted in such manner as is our Magpie, called in some places 

 a Pie-Annet, which the people of Lancashire call by no other name 

 than a tree Goose : which place aforesaid, and all those parts adjoyn- 

 ing do so much abound therewith, that one of the best is bought for 

 three pence. For the truth hereof, if any doubt, may it please them to 

 repaire vnto me, and I shall satisfie them by the testimonie of good 

 witnesses. 



Moreover, it should seeme that there is another sort hereof; the 

 History of which is true, and of mine owne knowledge ; for trauelling 

 vpon the shore of our English coast betweene Douer and Rumney, I 

 found the trunke of an old rotten tree, which (with some helpe that I 

 procured by Fishermen's wiues that were there attending their 

 husbands' returne from the sea) we drew out of the water vpon dry 

 land ; vpon this rotten tree I found growing many thousands of long 

 crimson bladders, in shape like vnto puddings newly filled, before they 

 be sodden, which were very cleere and shining ; at the nether end 

 whereof did grow a shell fish, fashioned somewhat like a small Muskle, 

 but much whiter, resembling a shell fish that groweth vpon the rockes 

 about Garnsey and Garsey, called a Lympit : many of these shells I 



