MEMOIR OF PLINY. 
59 
purples. The best time to fish purples is after the 
dog -star is risen, and before the spring ; for when 
they haue made that viscous mucilage in manner of 
wax (which they doc* by rubbing one against an- 
other), there iuice or humor for colour is ouei- liquid, 
thin, and waterish. And yet the purple-diers know 
not so much, nor take heed thereof ; whereas indeed 
tlie skill thereof is a speciall point of their art, and 
wherein lieth all in all. Well, when they are caught, 
as is abouesaid, they take forth that veine before 
mentioned, and they lay it in salt, or else they do 
not well ; with this proportion ordinarily, viz. to euery 
hundred w'eight of the purple liquor, a sestier, or pint 
and halfe of salt. Full three dales and no more it 
must thus lie soking in powder; for the fresher that 
the colour is, so much is it counted richer and better. 
This don, they seethe it in leads, and to euery am- 
phore (which containeth about eight wine-gallons) 
they put one hundred pounds and a halfe just of the 
coloure so prepared. Boile it ought with a soft and 
gentle fire ; and therefore the tunnel or mouth of 
the furnace must be a good way off the lead or 
chawdron ; during which time the workemen that tend 
the lead must eftsoones skim off and dense away 
the fleshie substance whicli cannot chuse but stick 
to the veines which containeth the iuice of purple 
beforesaid. And thus they continue ten days ; by 
which time ordinarily the lead or vessell will shew 
the liquor cleene, as if it were sufficiently boiled. 
And to make a triall thereof, they dip into it a fleece 
