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The Animal-Lore of Sliakspeare's Time . 
.Ther is greate difference between these oysters and others which lie 
upon other shores, for this oyster, that in London and ells wher carieth 
the name of Walflete, is a little full oyster with a verie greene fynn. 
And like unto these in quantitie and qualitie are none in this land, 
thowgli farr bigger, and for some mens diettes better.” ( Description 
•of Essex, 1594, p. 11.) 
Tom Coryat, the celebrated pedestrian traveller, relates 
with great gusto, that, during his stay in Venice, he 
tasted some oysters that even exceeded in flavour those 
of Colchester:— 
“ Here did I eate the best oysters that ever I did in all my life. 
They were indeede but little, something lesse then our Wainflete 
oysters about London, but as green as a leeke, and gratissimi saporis 
sued.” (Crudities , vol. ii. p. 18.) 
Coryat, otherwise known as “ the Odcombian leg- 
stretcher,” or “ the Peregrine of Odcorae,” published his 
Crudities in 1611. This book was the result of obser¬ 
vations made in five months’ travel, mostly on foot, from 
his native place of Odcome, in Somersetshire, through a 
great part of Europe. He set out in May, 1608, and 
returned the same year. He was much ridiculed by 
.some of his contemporaries, and commended by others. 
His chief fault is his intense vanity, and his constant 
reference to himself; but his descriptions of the various 
towns he visited are minute, and tell of careful obser¬ 
vation. 
Tarlton, the Court jester of Elizabeth’s time, passed 
an unfavourable opinion upon oysters :— 
“Certaine noblemen and ladies of tlie Court, being eating of oysters, 
•one of them, seeing Tarlton, called him, and asked him if he loved 
oysters. Ho, quoth Tarlton, for they be ungodly meate, unchari¬ 
table meate, and unprofitable meate. Why, quoth the courtiers ? 
They are ungodly, sayes Tarlton, because they are eaten without 
grace; uncharitable, because they leave nought but the shells; and 
unprofitable, because they must swim in wine.” (Shakspeare’s Jest 
Booh, ed. W. C. Hazlitt, vol. ii. p. 192.) 
Pearls, the product of the oyster, have ever been 
