[58.] Sweet bread mentioned before, viz. chap. 18.
[59.] Scarus, taken for the scar or char, lolligo calamary, or sleeve-fish, locustus lobster, polypus pourcountrel.
[60.] Pelorides.) This was a sort of shell fish, so called from Pelorus, a promontory in Sicily, supposed by some to be cockles.
[61.] Soft water, &c.) The reading in Linden is Aqua, omnia tenera, tepida, &c. but it is not probable our author would have expressed himself so loosely as to say aqua, without any epithet. By making a small change in the order of the words, we find this properly opposed to aqua dura, said in chap. XXX. to bind the belly; I have therefore read with Constantine, Cæsar, Stephens, and several others, Aqua tenera, omnia tepida, dulcia.
[62.] Torminalia.) These, says Pliny, are the fourth species of the service fruit, and probably called so from being used as a remedy; that is, for the dysentery, as appears by the name. Lib. xv. c. 21.
[63.] Sordid wool, Lana succida, by Dioscorides called εἰρίον οἰσυπηρὸν. The more oily sordes it contained, it was reckoned so much the better and more emollient, upon account of its œsypum, the preparation of which will be mentioned in its proper place. The wool about the neck and inside of the thighs was most esteemed. Dioscorid. lib. ii. cap. 720.
[64.] Cimolian chalk.) This had its name from Cimolus an island in the Cretan sea. There are two kinds of it, one white, and the other inclining to purple. The first by Dale, is thought to resemble tobacco-pipe-clay; and the second fullers earth. Vide Plin. lib. xxxv. cap. 17. et Dioscorid. lib. v. cap. 950.
[65.] Tarras, gypsum, is a-kin to lime; for it is procured by burning a stone, which ought to resemble the alabaster, or marble. The best kind is made from lapis specularis. Plin. lib. xxxvi. cap. 24. Amongst the moderns some take this to be the calx of alabaster, others of Muscovy glass, others of the selenites.
[66.] Oil of quinces.) Oleum vel unguentum melinum, according to Dioscorides, was prepared by infusing and boiling some aromatics in oil, and afterwards macerating quinces in it, and thus letting them stand till the oil had imbibed the strength of the quinces. Others made it with quinces alone. Dioscorid. lib. i. cap. 56.