CTIAP. vi. THE FOURTH DAY. 99 



pasture ; and again return to a finer wool, being fed in the fine- 

 wool ground.. Which I tell you, that you may the better believe 

 that I am certain, if I catch a trout in one meadow he shall be 

 white and faint, and very like to be lousy ; and as certainly, if I 

 catch a trout in the next meadow, he shall be strong, and red, 

 and lusty, and much better meat. Trust me, scholar, I have 

 caught many a trout in a particular meadow, that the very shape 

 and the enamelled colour of him hath been such as have joyed 

 me to look on him ; and I have then with much pleasure con- 

 cluded with Solomon, " Everything is beautiful in his season." 



I should by promise speak next of the salmon ; but I will by 

 your favour say a little of the umber or grayling, which is so 

 like a trout for his shape and feeding, that I desire I may 

 exercise your patience with a short discourse of him, and then 

 the next shall be of the salmon. 



CHAPTER VI. 



OBSERVATIONS OF THE UMBER OR GRAYLING, AND DIREC- 

 TIONS HOW TO FISH FOR HIM. 



PiSC. The umber and grayling are thought by some to differ, 

 as the herring and pilchard do. But though they may do so in 

 other nations, I think those in England differ in nothing but 

 their names. Aldrovandus says they be of a trout kind ; and 

 Gesner says, that in his country, which is in Switzerland, he is 

 accounted the choicest of all fish. And in Italy, he is in the 

 month of May so highly valued, that he is sold at a much 

 higher rate than any other fish. The French, which call the 

 chub un vilain, call the umber of the lake Leman un timble 

 chevalier; and they value the umber or grayling so highly, that 

 they say he feeds on gold, and say that many have been 

 caught out of their famous river Loire, and of whose bellies 

 grains of gold have been often taken. And some think that he 

 feeds on water-thyme, and smells of it at his first taking out of 



