CHAP. V.] THE FOURTH DAT. 133 



an hour in water, and then put them into fennel, for sudden 

 use ; but if you have time, and purpose to keep them long, 

 then they be best preserved in an earthen pot, with good 

 store of moss, which is to be fresh every three or four days 

 in summer, and every week or eight days in winter, or, at 

 least, the moss taken from them, and clean washed, and 

 wrung betwixt your hands till it be dry, and then put it to 

 them again. And when your worms, especially the brandling, 

 begins to be sick and 'lose of his bigness, then you may 

 recover him, by putting a little milk or cream, about a 

 spoonful in a day, into them, by drops on the moss ; and if 

 there be added to the cream an egg beaten and boiled in it, 

 then it will both fatten and preserve them long. 1 And note, 

 that when the knot, which is near to the middle of the 

 brandling, begins to swell, then he is sick ; and, if he be not 

 well looked to, is near dying. And for moss, you are to note, 

 that there be divers kinds of it, 2 which I could name to you ; 

 but will only tell you, that that which is likest a buck's horn 

 is the best, except it be soft white moss, which grows on 

 some heaths, and is hard to be found. And note, that, in a 

 very dry time, when you are put to an extremity for worms, 

 walnut-tree leaves squeezed into water, or salt in water, to 

 make it bitter, or salt, and then that water poured on the 

 ground where, you shall see, worms are used to rise in the 

 night, will make them to appear above ground presently. 3 



1 The following is also an excellent way. Take a piece of hopsack, 

 or other very coarse cloth, wash it clean, and let it dry ; then wet it in 

 the liquor wherein beef has been boiled, (but be careful that the beef is 

 fresh, for salt will kill the worms) and wring it, but not quite dry ; put 

 the worms into this cloth, and lay them in an earthen pot, and let them 

 stand from morning till night, then take the worms from the cloth and 

 wash it, and wet it again in some of the liquor ; do thus once a day, and 

 you may keep worms in perfect health, and fit for use, for near a month. 

 Observe that the lob-worm, marsh-worm, and red-worm, will bear more 

 scouring than any others, and are better for long keeping. H. 



2 Naturalists reckon above two hundred. ED. 



3 This practice was one of the common sports of school-boys, at the time 

 Erasmus wrote his "Colloquies." In that entitled " Venatio," or " Hunt- 

 ing," a company of them go abroad into the fields, and one named Laurence 

 proposes fishing ; but having no worms, Bartholus objects the want of them, 

 till Laurence tells him how he may get some. The dialogue is very natural 

 and descriptive, and being but short, is here given " Lau. I should like 

 to go a-fishing ; I have a neat hook. Bartk. But where will you get baits ? 



