Of fishe taken vpon our Coastes. Cap. 10.
AS our foules haue their seasons, so lyke∣wise haue all sorts of fish, wherby it co∣meth to passe that none, or at the leastwyse very few of them are to be had at all tymes. For my part I am greatly acquainted ney∣ther with the seasons nor yet with the fish it selfe, and therefore yf I shoulde take vppon me to describe or speak of either of them ab∣solutely, I should enterprise more then I am able to performe, & go in hande with a grea∣ter matter then I can well bring about. It shall suffice therefore to declare what sortes of fishes I haue most often séene, to the ende I may not altogither passe ouer this chapter without ye rehearsall of some thing, although the whole somme of that which I haue to say be nothing in déede, yf the full discourse hereof be any thing duly considered.
Of fishes therfore as I finde fiue sorts, the flat, the roūd, the long, the legged & shelled, so the flat are deuided into the smoothe, scaled & tailed. Of the first are the Plaice, the Butte, the Turbut, Dorrey, Dabbe, &c. Of the se∣conde, the Soles, &c. Of the thirde, oure Chaites, Maidens, Kingsones, Flathe and Thornebacke, whereof the greater be for the most parte eyther dryed and caryed into o∣ther countries, or soddē, sowsed, & eaten here at home, whylest the lesser be fryed or butte∣red, sone after they be takē, as prouision not to be kept long for feare of putrefaction. Vn∣der the round kindes are commonly compre∣hended Lumpes an vgly fish to sighte, and yet very delicate in eating, yf it be kindlye dressed. The Whighting, (an olde waiter or seruitor in the Court) the Rochet, Gurnard, Hadocke, Codde, Herring, Pilchard, Sprat, & such like. And these are they wherof I haue▪ best knowledge and be commonly to be had in their tymes vppon our coastes. Vnder this kinde also are all the great fishe contai∣ned as the Seale, the Dolphin, the Porpasse, the Thirlepole, Whale, and whatsoeuer is round of body, be it neuer so great and huge. Of the long sort are Cungres, Eles, Gare∣fishe and suche other of that forme. Fi∣nallye of the legged kinde we haue not ma∣nye, neyther haue I séene any more of thys sort then the Polipus, called in Englishe the Lobstar, the Craifish, and ye Crabbe. As for the little Craifishes, they are not taken in the sea, but plentyfully in our freshe ryuers in banckes and vnder stones where they kepe themselues in most secret maner, and oft by lykenesse of coulour with the stones among which they lye, they deceiue euen the skilful takers of them, except they vse great dili∣gence. I might here speake of sundrie other fishes nowe and then taken also vppon our coastes, but si•…•…h my minde is onely to touche eyther all such as are vsually gotten, or so many of them onely as I can well rehearse vpon certayne knowledge, I thincke it good at thys tyme to forbeare the further intrea∣tye of them. As touching the shelly sorte we haue plentie of Oysters, Muscles and Co∣cles. We haue in lyke sort no small store of great Whelkes, and Perewincles, & eache of them brought farre into the land from the sea coast in their seuerall seasons. And albe∣it our Oysters are generally forborne in the foure hote monethes of the yeare, that is to say, May, Iune, Iuly, & August. Yet in some places they be continallye eaten, where they be kept in pittes as I haue knowen by experience. And thus much of our sea fishe, as a man in maner vtterlye vnacquainted with their diuersitie of kindes: yet so much haue I yéelded to do, hoping hereafter to say somewhat more, and more orderly of them, if it shall please God that I may liue and haue leasure once againe to peruse this treatize, & so make vp a perfit péece of work of yt, which as you now sée is very slenderly begunne.