of Plinies Naturall Hiftorie. 437 
A_ pofedby that means to keepe ftill cheir own native juice and humiditie, and befides to gain nou- 
riture by the moifture of Lucrinus. Thus much as touching the fubftance and bodie of Oifters : 
it remaineth now to fpeake of thofe parts andtracts where the beft oifters are tobe had ;to the 
end thatfuch coafts may not be defrauded of the honour due and. appertaining untotliem, But 
of this point {peakeI will by the tongue of another, and alledge his {peech who is thought to 
have written hereof with beft judgement of any manin ourtime. Thefe therefore bee the verie 
words of CUutianus, which I will putdowne as followeth: The oifters (quoth he) of Cyzicum 
taken about the ftreights of Callipolis, bee the faireft of all other, and biggerthan thofe which 
are fed or bred in the lake Luctinus, fweerer than thofe of Bricaine, more pleafant in che mouth 
than the Edulian,quicker in taft than thofe of Leptis, fuller than che Lucenfian, drier than thofe 
B_ of Coryphanta, more tender than the Iftrian, and laft of all, whiter than the oifter of Circeij: 
and yet there have not been found any oifters cither more{weet or tender than thefe lat nameds 
_ The hiftoriographers who wrote of C4/exanders voiages and exploits,have leftinwriting, That 
within the Indian fea there be oifters found a foot long every way. Moreover,theré1s amongus a 
certain Nomenclator or Controller belonging to one of our prodigall and waftfull {pendthrifts 
here at Rome, who have given a proper name to certaine oifters; and tearmedthem Tridacna; 
his defire was by that fignificantname,to exprefle thus much, That they were fo big as that they 
would make three good bits or mouths-full apecce, Bi Hovicthb’ 
Now proceed 1 will to their medicinable vercues, and beforeI goe any further, in this verie 
" placefer downe howfarforth they ferve in phyficke, Firft and foremoft, they beetheonely meat 
C tocomfortand refrefh a decaied ftomacke: they recover an appetit that wascleane gone, But {ee 
the practifeof our delicatwantons ! tocoole oifters forfooth,they mutt needs whelme and cover 
them all over with {now ; which isas muchas to bring the tops of mountains and bottom of the 
fea togither, and make a confufed medley of all, This good moréover doe oifters,that they gen- 
. tly loofe the belly;and makea bodie foluble : feeth the fame with honyed wine, they cure the Ti- 
nefme, which is an inordinat and bootleffe defire to the ftoole without doing any thing, efpeci- 
ally if the tiwill (which isthe place affeCted) be nocexulcerat. Oifters likewife fo prepared, clenfe 
and mundifie the ulcers of the bladder: eat them in their fhell with their water, as they came clo- 
fed and fhut from the fea, you {hall find chem wonderous good for any rheums or diftillations, 
The afhes of an oifter fhell calcined,and incorporat with honey, be fingular for the paine of the 
D_ uvula,and affluage the inflammation of the tonfils: femblably,they reprefle the {welling kernels 
. that rife under the ears, affuage the biles and botches called Pani, mortific the hard tumours of - 
womens breafts,and heale the fores or {calls of the head, ifthiey be applied accordingly with wa- 
ter : and in the fame order prepared they rid away wrinkles,and make womens skin to lief{mooth 
andeven. Thefe afhesare a foveraigne powder to be caft upon any place that is raw, by reafon of 
a burne or fcalding:and the fame is commended for an excellent dentifrice to cleanfe and whi- x 
ten the teeth withall: temper the faidathes with vinegre, it killeth the itch, and healeth angrie\. 
wheals; the {mall pocks alfo and meazils. Oifters punned rawand reduced into a cataplafme, 
heale the kings evill andkibed heels, if they be applied accordingly. | 
Moreover, the fhell-fifhes éalled Purples,are verie good againft poifon. : 
E = AsforthereitsKilpe, Tangle,and {uch like fea-weeds, Nécander faith they are as good astrea- 
cle. Sundrie forts there be of thefe reits,going under the name of Alga,as I have alreadie decla- 
red : fome are long leafed, {ome large; others of areddith colour; and fome have curled and jag- 
ged leaves. Fhe beft imply of all others,be they of the Ifland Creta, which gownear the ground 
upon rocks; and natnely for to die wooll and woollen cloth : for they fet fo {urea colour,asnever 
will fhed or be wathed off afterwards. Nécander giveth direQion,to take the {aid treacle in wines 
LN 
_Cuarp, vit. 
2G Medecines againft the fhedding of haire, For tocolour the haire of the heads 
Alfo against the accidents of the ears, teeth, and vifage. 
F by occafion of fome infirmitie the haire be falne off or grow verie thin, the athes ofthe fith 
called the Sea-horfe, mingled with fal-nitre and {wines greace,or applied fimply with vinegre, 
replenith the bare places with new haire,and caufe itto come up thicke againe :and for to ap- 
ply fuch medicines for this purpofe, the powder ofa cuttle-bone prepareth the skin well before 
Pp ij "~~ hands 
