Plinies Naturall Hiftori^^ 



A 



Chap, xxxvii. 

 p§j Hci^njanj forts there he of Purples, 



PVrpIcs have another namejand be called PelagisGjas one would fay^Fifnes of the deepe fcsi 

 But in truth there be many forts of ihera^Si thole differing either in place where they keepCj 

 or in food whereof they live. Thefirft Luten{e,/.muddie,becaufe it is nourifhed of the cor- 

 rupt and rotten mud : a fecond Algenle(the worft of all)feeding upon reites or fea weeds named 

 Alga .-the third^Tienicnfej (better than the former twain e) for that it is gathered and taken up 

 about the brimmes and borders of the fea5called for the rcfemblance of fillets or lifts in a clorhjs 

 B Taeniae. And yet this kind yeeldeth but a light coloutjahd nothing deepe.There be of them alfo 

 which they tearme Calculofse, of the fea gravell, which is wonderous good for all thefe kind of 

 wilkes and (hell fifties. Andlaftof all^which fimply bee thd very beft^the Purples Dialerse, that 

 is to fayjwandering too and frojchaunging their pafture,and feeding in fundrie foiles of the fea, 

 £the muddiejthe weediCjand the gravelly.JNow thefe Purples are taken with fmall nets^and thin 

 wroughtjcaft into the deepe. Within which/or a bait to bite at, there muft becertaine winckles 

 and cocklesjihat will fhut and open^and be readie to fnap,fuch as we fee thefe limpins be, called 

 Mituli.Halfedead they fhould be ficft^that being new put into the lea againCjand defirous to re- 

 vive and livcjthey might gape for water : and then the Purples make at them with their pointed 

 tongue, which theythruft out to annoy them: but the other feeling themfelvcs pricked there- 

 C withjprefently fhut their ihels together^and bite hard*Thus the Purples for their greedineffe are 

 caught and taken upjhanging by their tongues* 



Chap, xxxviir, 

 ^ The filing time for Purples ^ 



THc beft time to take Purplcs^is after the dog ftar is rifen,and before the Spring. For^hen 

 they have made that vifcousmufcilage in manner of waxe, their juice and humor for co^ 

 lour is overliquid,thin,and waterifh. And yet the purple diers know not fomuch,nor take 

 heed thereof, whereas indeed theskilltlisreofisafpeciail pointof their art, and wherein licth 

 ^ all in all.Welljwhen they are caught, as isabovefaidstheytake forth that veine before mentio- 

 ned : andthey lay it in faltjOr elfe they doc not well : with this proportion ordinarily^ namely, to 

 every hundred weight of thePurpleliquour, aSeftieror pint and halfe of fait. Full three daies 

 and no more it mull thus lie foking in powder*^^ For the freLher that the colour is , fo much is it 

 counted richer and bccter.This done,they fceih it inleads,and toevery Amphore5(/.which con- 

 taineth about eight wine gallons) they put one hundred pound and a halfe juft^of the colour ib 

 prepared. Boile it ought with a foft and gentle firCjand therefore the tunnell or mouth of the fur- 

 nace muft be a good way off from the lead and chav«dron. During which time, the workemen 

 that tend the lead,muft efcfoones skim orfandclcanfe away theflelhiefubftance, which cannot 

 chufcbut fticke to the veines which containeth the juice or liquor ofpurple beforefaid.And thus 

 E they continueten daies^by which time ordiiiarily the leador veftell will il^ew the iiquour cleere, 

 as if it were fufficiently boiled. And to make a triall thereof5they dip inro it a fleece of wool! well 

 renfed and wallit out of one water into another ; and untill fuch time, that tl ley fee it give a per- 

 fect die,they ftill plie the fire,and give it a higher feediin g.That which ftaineth red is nothing fOr 

 rich as that which giveth the deepe and fad blackilTi colour. VVhen it is come to the perfedion, 

 they let the woolllic to take theliquor five houres : then they haveitforthitoufejand card it, and 

 putitin againe,untill it hath drunke up all ihecolour^as muchasitwill. Now this istobeobfer- 

 ved,that the feacornct Buccinwm maketb no good colour of it felfe : for their die vvill flied and 

 loofe the luftre. And therfore ufually they joine to it the fea Purple Pelagium>hich maketh too 

 deepe and browne a colour :unto which it giveth a ftefli and lively teinture,asit were in graine, 

 F and fo maketh that fad purple which they defircThus by mixing and medling the force of both 

 togcther^they mendone anotherjwhile the lightneflc or fadnefle of the one doth quicken and 

 ra3ie,or elfc dorr and take downe the colour of the other.To the dying of a pound ofwooll,thcy 

 nJfethisproport^ion of two hundred Buccin^pr fe^Cornets^ joined with ahundred and eleven 

 Pdagian Purple§, And fo eommeth that rich Amethyft or piyrple violet coloiirjfo highly com- 

 . uj,. . , - - mended 



