BOOKS.RESEAU.ORG - English-French Library

- 32 -

Yet this earth being through such meanes conuerted into sand,
enricheth the husbandman equally with that of Pactolus: for after
the sea hath seasoned it with his salt and fructifying moysture, his
waves worke vp to the shore a great part thereof (together with more
of his owne store, grated from the cliffes) and the Tillers, some by
Barges and Boats, others by horses and waines, doe fetch it, &
therewith dresse their grounds.  This sand is of diuers kindes,
colours, and goodnesse: the kinds, some  bigger, some lesser; some
hard, some easie.  The colours are answerable to the next Cliffes.
The goodnesse increaseth as it is taken farther out of the Sea.

Some haue also vsed to carry vp into their grounds the Ose or salt
water mudde, and found good profit thereby, though not equalling the
sand.

To this purpose also serueth Orewood, which is a weed either growing
vpon the rockes vnder high water marke, or broken from the bottome of
the sea by rough weather, and cast vpon the next shore by the wind
and flood.  The first sort is reaped yeerely, and thereby bettereth
in quantity and qualitie: the other must be taken when the first tyde
bringeth it, or else the next [28] change of wind will carry it away.
His vse serueth for barly land.  Some accustomed to burne it on heapes
in pits at the cliffe side, and so conuerted the same to a kind of
wood, but the noysome sauour hath cursed it out of the countrey. This
Floteore is now and then found naturally formed like rufs, combs, and
such like: as if the sea would equall vs in apparel, as it resembleth
the land for all sorts of liuing creatures.

The sea strond is also strowed with sundry fashioned & coloured shels,
of so diuersified and pretty workmanship, as if nature were for her
pastime disposed to shew her skil in trifles.  With these are found,
moreouer, certaine Nuts, somewhat resembling a sheepes kidney, saue
that they are flatter: the outside consisteth of a hard darke
coloured rinde:  the inner part, of a kernell voyd of any taste, but
not so of vertue, especially for women trauayling in childbirth, if
at least, old wiues tales may deserue any credit.  If I become
blame-worthy in speaking of such toyes, Scipio and Lelius shall serue
for my patrons, who helde it no shame to spend time in their
gathering.

But to carie you from these trifles, you shall vnderstand, that
Cornewall is stored with many sorts of shipping, (for that terme is
the genus to them all) namely, they haue Cock-boats for passengers,
Sayn-boats for taking of Pilcherd, Fisher-boates for the coast,
Barges for sand, Lighters for burthen, and Barkes and Ships for
trafficke: of all which seuerally to particularize, were consectari
minutias, and therefore I will omit to discourse of them, or of the
wrackes proceeding from them, to their great dammage, and the finders
petty benefit, to whom, he that inioyeth the Admirals right, by the
common custome alloweth a moytie for his labour.

But though I shunne tediousnesse herein, I feare lest I shal breede
you Nauseam, while I play the fishmonger: and yet, so large a
commoditie may not passe away in silence.  I will therefore, with what
briefnes I can, shew you, what they are, when they come, where they
haunt, with what baite they may be trayned, with what engine taken,
and with what dressing saued.

Herein we will first begin with the Peall, Trowt, and Sammon, because
they partake of both salt and fresh water, breeding in the one, and
liuing in the other.

The Trowte and Peall come from the Sea, betweene March and Midsummer,
and passe vp into the fresh ryuers, to shed their spawne.  They are
mostly taken with a hooke-net, made like the Easterne Weelyes, which
is placed in the stickellest part of the streame (for there the fish
chiefely seeketh passage) and kept abroad with certaine hoopes, hauing
his smaller end fastened against the course of the water, and his
mouth open to receiue the fish, while he fareth vp by night.

- 32 -