of Plinies Natural Hiftorie. 417 
A of the fpirit as yeeld moft grace'and contentment,we ufe in Latine to call Salis, All the mirth of 
the heart,the greateft cheerfulneffe of a lightfome mind, and the whole repofe and contentment 
that aman findeth in his foule, byno other word can bee better fhewed. Moreover, this tearme 
in Latine of Sal,is taken up and ufed in warre, yea,and divers honors and dignities beftowed up- 
on brave men for fome worthie fervice,goe under this name, and bee called Salaries. And how 
highly our aunceftours accounted thereof,it may appeare by the name of that great pott-way or 
ftreet Salarix, fo called, becaufe all che falt that went into the Sabines countrey, paffed that way, 
Moreover, it is faid, That 4 acue Martius king of Rome,was the firft that erected the falthou- 
fes, and gave unto the people acongiarie or largefle of 6000 Modij of falt. And-arro writeth, 
That our aunceftours in times paft ufed fale ordinarily in ftead of an houfhold gruell : for they 
were wontto eat fale with their bread and cheefe,as may appeare by the common proverbe that 
* reftifieth fo much. But moft ofall we may gather in what requeft and account fale was in facrifices 
and oblations to the gods, by this, that none are performed & celebrated without a cake of meale 
and fale.Furthermore,where falt is truly made without any fophiftication, it rendereth a certaine 
fine and pure fubftance(as it were)the moft fubtile cindres of afhes:which asit is lighteft,fo none 
is fowhite as it. There is that alfo which iscalled the Floure of fale, alcogether different from 
fale, as beeing akind of deaw, of amoifter nature; refembling Saffron in yellowcolour, or elfe 
enclining rather to a fad: red or ruffet colour, and isasa man would fay the ruft of fale: the flrong 
and unpleafant{mell likewife, which commeth neare unto that of the pickle Garum, bewraieth 
that itis a diftinG ching from falt,as well as from the froth thereof. This Floure of fale came firft 
from ZEgypt,and it feemeth as though it floted upon the river Nilus,and were caried downe the 
ftreame thereof, And yet therebee fome fountaines which doe beare and put up the fame,upon 
which it {wimmeth aloft. Of this kind,the beft is that which yeeldeth acertaine fattie and unéte- 
ous oile:For this you areto thinke that fale is not without a kind of fattinefle wonderfull though 
it be. This flour of falt is fophifticated and commonly coloured with red ocre, or els many umes 
with porfhards reduced into pouder : but this deceit may be quickly knowne and tound by waters 
for if itbe a falfe and artificial] colour,water will wath it off: wheras the true floure of falt indeed, , 
will refolve by nothing but by oile, and verely the Apothecaries and confectioners of {weet oiles 
and ointments,ufe it moft ofall for the colour fake, when they would give a freth & lively hue to 
their compofitions.Being put up in any veflell,itfeemeth white and hoarie aloft: but the middle 
D part within,is as 1 have faidmore moift ordinarily. As touching the properties of this Floure of 
fale; by nature it is biting hot,and hurtfull to the ftomacke; it moveth {weat,and looieth the belly 
taken inwine and water;good alfo it is for to enter into thofe ointments which are devifed for laf- 
fitude and wearineffe:and by reafon of the abfterfive facultie that it hath, fic for {ope and {couring 
balls. Nothing fo effeftuall tocaufe the haire to fall from the eye-lids. As for the refidence or 
grounds thereof,fetling in the bottome of the pot where this floure is kept; they ufe to fhog and 
fhake the fame together,to bring it againe unto the colour of Saffron.Over and befides,there is 
in falt-houfes another fubftance like brine,which in Latine is called Salfugo or Salfilago,altoge-_ 
ther liquid; falter in taftthan fea-water, butin ftrength farre fhort of it and different. And yet 
is there one kind more of an exquifitand daintie liquor in manner of a dripping, called Garum, 
proceeding from the garbage of fifhes, and {uch other offall as commonly the cooke ufeth to 
caft away as it lieth foaking in falt: fo as if aman would {peake properly, itis no other but the hu- 
mor that commeth from them as they do lie and putrifie.In old time this fauce was made of that 
fifh which the Greekes called Garon. Where by the way this commeth to my mind, that ifawo- 
man fit over the perfume or fuffumigation of the head of this fith whiles it burneth,it is of power. 
. to fetch away the afterbirth that ftaieth behind when the child is borne. 
Cuap. virt. 
oe Of the fifhes called* Scombri. Of filh pickle: andthe fifhfaucesnamed . *Commonly 
inold time Alex, ae Ma- — 
Owadaies the moft daintie and exquifit Garum is made of the fith called Scomber: and 
that in new Carthage,where there eae {uch ftore of Spart or Spanith broome; and 
namely,in the ftewes and ponds by the fea fide where fithes are kept falted. In times patt, 
gnd yet,itbeareth thenameof The “Allies fauce, or their Garum :fo coftly and fo much in A * Garam [erin | 
a 
