The firste [laste] volume of the chronicles of England, Scotlande, and Irelande conteyning the description and chronicles of England, from the first inhabiting vnto the conquest : the description and chronicles of Scotland, from the first original of the Scottes nation till the yeare of our Lorde 1571 : the description and chronicles of Yrelande, likewise from the first originall of that nation untill the yeare 1571 / faithfully gathered and set forth by Raphaell Holinshed.

Of the sundry kindes of Muskles and Cockles in [ 50] Scotland, and pearles gotten in the same: of the vncouth and strange fish there to be seene, and of the nature of the herbe Cythisus commonly called Hadder. Chap. 9.

HEre it resteth that I shewe the nature of Muskles & Cockles, wherof we haue many & sundry kindes amongst vs: of these also so•…•…e are small, and yet if they be eaten fresh, are not without a naturall delicacy in tast. Others are greater & not vnlike in forme & quātitie to those that haue the purple: & albeit that they are vt∣terly voyde thereof, yet is their meate and sub∣stance right pleasant in the eating. There are of an other sorte whiche are longer & greater, than either of these, called horse Muskles, to be had in the Dee & the Done, & in these are the pearles in∣gendred. Certes they loue to be resident in the deepest and cleerest waters that are voyde of mudde & filth, & such is their estimation among the deintiest kindes of foode, that they were not vnworthely called of old time, widowes lustes. Their shelles also are as it were wrought euen from the very toppes, and thereto ful of spottes▪ wherein (as in yeld of gaine) they farre exceede al other. These early in the morning, in the gē∣tle, cleere, & calme ayre, lift vp their vpper shel•…•…s & mouthes, a litle aboue the water, and there re∣ceiue of the fine & pleasant breath or dew of hea∣uen, & afterwardes according to the measure & quantitie of this vitall force receyued, they firste conceyue▪ then swell, and finally product the pearle. They are so sensible & quicke of hearing, y^t although you standing on the bray or banke aboue them, do speake neuer so softly, or throw neuer so small a stone into the water, yet they wil descrie yo•…•…, and settle againe to the botome, without returne for that time. Doubtlesse they haue as it were a naturall carefulnesse of their owne commodity, as not ignorant, how great estimation wee mortall men make of the same amongst vs, and therefore so soone as the fisher men do catche them, they binde their shelles to∣gither, for otherwise they would open, and shea•…•… theyr pearles of purpose, for whiche they know themselues to be taken and pursued. Their ma∣ner of apprehension is this, first foure or fiue per∣sons go into the riuer togither, vp vnto the shoulders, and there stand in a compasse one by another with poles in their handes, wherby they rest more surely, sith they fixe thē in the ground, & stay with one hand vpon them: Then casting their eyes downe to the botome of the water, they espie where they lie by their shinyng and cleerenesse, and with their toes take them vp (for the deapth of the water will not suffer them to stoupe for them (& giue thē to such as stand next them. The perles that are so gotten in Scotlād, are not of small value, they are very orient and bright, light & round, & somtimes of the quanti∣tie of y^e nayle of ones litle finger, as I haue had & seene by mine own experiēce. Almost such an∣other muskle found on the coast of Spaine, the shels whereof are gathered by such as go in pil∣grimage to S. Iames; & brought into Scot∣lād, but they are w^tout perles, bicause thei liue in salt water, which is an enimy to y^e Margarite:

but Cardane also denieth it. In all the sea coastes also of Scotlād are Cockles & M•…•…skles of the same forme, but without this commo∣dity. Many vncouth and strange shapes of fish likewise are seene there, whereof some are ar∣med with shelles, some with harde skales, and diuers round as a ball skinned like an Ircheon or Hedgehogge, hauing but one conduct bothe for purgation of their excrements, and reception of their sustenaūce. To shew euery kinde of fish [ 10] that is in Scotlād, it were but a vaine, trauaile, sith the same are knowē almost in euery region. In like sorte we haue such plenty of fishe vpon our seuerall coastes, that although Millions & infinite numbers of them be taken on the one day, yet on the next their losse wil so be supplied with new store, that nothing shal be missing by reason of the yesterfang: so bountifull is God in these his benefites vnto vs. Furthermore, there is another gift bestowed vpon vs by the singu∣lar [ 20] prouidence of God. For the greater dearth and penury of flesh and corne is seene in Scot∣land, the greater store of fishe is taken vpon our shores. In like sorte in the desertes and wilde places of this realme, there groweth an hearbe of it self called Hadder or Hather very delicate, as Columella lib. 9. cap. 4. sayth, for Goates and all kinde of cattell to feede vpon, and likewise for diuers Foules, but Bees especially. This herbe in Iune yeeldeth a purple floure, sweete [ 30] as bony, whereof the Pictes in time paste did make a pleasaunt drinke, and very wholesome for the body: but for asmuche as the maner of making hereof is perished in the hauocke made of the Pictes, when the Scottes subdued their countrey, it lieth not in me to set downe the or∣der of it, neyther shewed they euer the learning hereof to any but to their owne nation. Final∣ly there is no parte of Scotland so barren and vnprofitable, but it produceth eyther yron or [ 40] some other kinde of mettall, as may be proued easely thorow out all the Iles that are annexed to the same.

Notes

• Cardane de∣nieth this, lib. 7. de Sub∣tilitate.
• Galen lib. 1. de An•…•… lo•…•…is saith that Cytisus is no hearbe but a shrubbe, and so dothe Pliny lib. 12. cap 3 lib. 13. cap 24 lib 16. cap: 38: And Columella in the end of his 5. boke, where he accompteth it amōg trees.