294 SHAKESPEARE’S [SPICE. 
Ticket: 1 bruised my side e’en now against a form’s edge. 
Rufflit : Parmaceti; Sir, is very good, or the fresh skin of 
a flayed cat. Brome, “The City Wit,” Act. v. 
My dear mummia, my balsamum, my Spermaceti! 
Ben Fonson, “ Pocetaster,” ii. 1. 
Spice. 
Mucus Spice is a thief, so is candle and fire, 
Sweet sauce is as crafty, as ever was friar. 
Tusser, “Five Hundred Points.” Afternoon Works, § 14. 
[Spice is a thief, because it was bought, and not home-grown, 
and also because it increases appetite. ] 
Vv. Cloves, Nutmeg, etc. 
Spider. 
‘ . 
Winter’s Tate, li. I, 39. 
THE venomous Spinner is a little creeping beast with 
many feet, and hath vi. feet or viii., and hath alway feet 
even and not odd; and that is very needful, that his going 
and passing be alway even, as the charge is and burthens. 
In the end of springing-time, and in the beginning of 
summer, and sometime in harvest, and in the beginning of 
winter, Spinners be most grievous, and their biting most 
venomous. And a manner kind of Spinners hunteth a little 
eft, and when they find him, they begin to weave upon 
him, and all about, for to bind strongly his mouth, and 
leap then upon him, and sting him till he dieth. Wonder 
it is, how the matter of threads that come of the womb 
of the Spinner may endure so preat a work, and weaving 
of so great a web. Also in Spinners be tokens of divina- 
tion, and of knowing what weather shali fall,—for oft by 
weathers that shall fall, some spin and weave higher or 
lower. Also multitude of Spinners is token of much rain, 
Also sometime Spinners weave and make webs about 
burgeoning and buds of vines, and also about flowers and 
blossoms of trees, and by such beclipping [embracing] of 
such cobwebs, both trees and vines be lost where they 
