The ninth Booke of 



that exccfTe and prodigalitie we arc novvgrownejand our wanton roiot (the mother of all inor- G 

 dinate and waftfull expencc)hath made them well neere as dcere as Pearles. 



Chap, xxxvi* 

 ^ 7 he nature of purfkfi^es^indthtMurex w Burnt, 



PVrpks live ordinarily fevcnyeares. They lie hidden for thirtie daies fpaceaboUt the dog 

 daiesjlikc as the Murices or Burrets doc.They meet together by troupes in the fpring, and 

 with rubbing one againft anotherjthcy gather and yeeld a cettaine clammie fubftance and 

 moifturc in manner of waxe.The Murices doc the likcBut that beautifull colour/o much in re- 

 qiieftfordyingof fineclothjthe Purples have in the midft of their neck and jawes. And nothing H 

 dfeitisjbutalittlc thin liquor within a white veine : and that is it which maketh that rieh/rcllij 

 and bright colour of deepcrcd purple rofes. As for allthereftof thisfiili, it yeeldeth nothing* 

 Fifhers ftrive to take them alivcj for when they die, they caft up and fbed that precious teintuie 

 and juicCjtogether with their lifc.Now the Tyrians, when they light upon any great Purples^jthey 

 take the flefh out of their fhels/or to get the bloud out of the fa id vein : but the leiTer^they prefle 

 and grind incertainc millcs, andfo gather that rich humour which iffuethfrora them. The beft 

 purple colour in Afia is this^thus gotten at Tyros.But in Affricke^within the Ifland Meninx^and 

 the coaft of the Ocean by Getulia. A nd in Europe^that of Laconica.This is that glorious coiourj 

 fo full of ftate and majeftiCjthat the Roman Lidors with their rods^halberds^and axesimakc way 

 for : this is it that graceth and fetteth out the children of princes and noblemen : this maketh i 

 the diftindionbetweene a knight and confellorofftate: this is called for and put on when they 

 offer facrifice to pacific the gods : this givcth a luftre to all forts of garments rand toconcludcj. 

 our great Generals of the field^andvidoriouscaptaines in their triumphs weare this purple in 

 their mantelsjCnterlaccd and cmbrodered with gold among. No marvcll therefore if Purples be 

 fo much fought for : and men arc to be held excufed,if they runne a madding after Purples.Buc 

 how fhould the other fhell- fiihes called Conchyliajbe fo deere and high priled, confidering the 

 tcindure of them carrieth fo ftrong and ftinking a favor/o fullen and melancholic a colourjCn- 

 clining to a blew or Watchet, and tcTembling^rather the angrie and raging feain a tempcll ? But 

 to come unto the particular defcription. The Purple hath a tongue ot a finger longjpointed in 

 thcend fo fharpe, and fb hard withall, that it is able to bore an hole and pierce into other fhcU- K 

 fifhes,and thereby fhe feeds and gets her living.Infrefh water they will die all, or if they be plun- 

 ged and throwne in any river : otherwife^after they be taken, they will continue alive fif tie daies, 

 even with that vifcous and flimic humor of their owncAIlihell-fifh in generall grow apace in a 

 vecyiipall time : but Purples fooncfiof all others -.for in one yeare they will come to their full 

 bigoefTc. Now, if I fhould lay a ftraw here, and proceed no further in this difcourle of Purples 

 and ftich likcjfurcjy our luxurious and roiotous fpendthrifts would thinke they had great wrong, 

 and were defrauded of their right: they might I fay complaine of me,and condcmne me of idle- 

 ncflc.and ncgligence.Thcrfore I care not much to put my head within the diers fhops and work- 

 houfcs :-that like as every man for the neccilitie of this life, knoweth how the price of corne go- ^ 

 eth;evcnfo our fine folke and brave dainties,who take fuch pleafureand delighiin theft colours, 

 may bee pcrfe(a what is the teafon of c his their onely lifc.In the firfl placc,thefe fbell-fifhes that 

 jfcrve cither for purple colours, or other lighter dies of the Conchylia,are all one in matter : the 

 diflference onely is in temperature more or lefle.Andindccdjrcduccd they may all bee into two. 

 principall forts. Fpr the lefle fhell called Biiccinum, fafhioned like unto that horne or cornet, 

 wherewith they ufc to wind and found, whereupon it tooke tharname,hath a round backcjand is 

 cutlikc a law in the edges. The other \s named Purpura^fhooteih put a long becke like a guttur ^ 

 and within the one fide it doth writh and turne hQllowinformeof a:pipe,ourof which thefifh 

 puttcth forth a tpngqe.Moreov€r^this Purple is befludded(as it wcre)even as far as to the fharpe 

 top or turbant thereqf round about with fharpe knobs pbinted,Iightly fevcn in number : which 

 thcfea-cornctBbccinum hath not.But this is common to boihj thatiooke how many roun- M 

 dies they have like tendrils clafping about thcm,fb many yeares old they bee.A.s forthe Cornet 

 Buecinumjit ftickcth alwaies to gre^t ftoncs and rockes, and thereforeis ever found and gathe* 

 red about them. 



hn/i .fn5/!?lotr 



' - lU .:. Chap, 



