a proclamation, prohibiting the exportation of victual furth of this kingdom. scotland. privy council. approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page image. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). b wing s estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. b ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a proclamation, prohibiting the exportation of victual furth of this kingdom. scotland. privy council. scotland. sovereign ( - : william ii) sheet ([ ] p.) printed by the heirs and successors of andrew anderson, printer to the kings most excellent majesty, edinburgh : anno dom. . caption title. initial letter. intentional blank spaces in text. dated: given under our signet at edinburgh the tenth day of may, and of our reign the tenth year . signed: gilb. eliot. cls. sti. concilii. reproduction of the original in the national library of scotland. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng food law and legislation -- scotland -- early works to . export controls -- scotland -- early works to . broadsides -- scotland -- th century. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - mona logarbo sampled and proofread - mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a proclamation , prohibiting the exportation of victual furth of this kingdom . william by the grace of god , king of great-britain , france , and ireland , defender of the faith ; to macers of our privy council , messengers at arms , our sheriffs in that part , conjunctly and severally , specially constitute , greeting : forasmuchas , the present cold and backward season , doth threaten the scarcity of victual , so that it appears necessary that there be a restraint and prohibition of the export of victual , at least of meal , oats , pease , barley and bear , whereby the foresaid threatned scarcity may be the better prevented . therefore we with advice of the lords of our privy council , have thought fit to prohibite , and do hereby strictly prohibite and discharge the exporting forth of this kingdom , either by land or by sea , any of the foresaids kinds or grains of victual , viz. meal , oats , pease , barley or bear after the day and date hereof , under all highest pains , to be inflicted upon the contraveeners , either merchants , skippers , or others whatsomever : and farder , we hereby require and charge all sheriffs , stewarts , baillies and their deputs , magistrats of burghs , justices of peace , and other officers of the law , as also of our customers ; that they take all lawful and effectual means and methods to restrain and hinder the said export , as they will be answerable , and these presents to be but prejudice of the former order and restraint issued out by the lords of our privy council , of the date the twenty sixth day of april last . our will is herefore , and we charge you strictly and command , that incontinent these our letters seen , ye pass to the mercat-cross of edinburgh , and to t●e mercat-crosses of the remanent hea 〈…〉 burghs of the several shires and stewartries within this kingdom , and to the 〈…〉 aill sea ports of this kingdom , and there in our name and authority , make publication hereof , that none pretend ignorance , and ordains these presents to be printed . given under our signet at edinburgh the tenth day of may , and of our reign the tenth year . per actum dominorum secreti concilii gilb . eliot . cls. sti. concilii . god save the king. edinburgh , printed by the heirs and successors of andrew anderson printer to the kings most excellent majesty , anno dom. . by the king a proclamation for the prices of victuals within the verge of the court. england and wales. sovereign ( - : charles i) approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc estc s ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) by the king a proclamation for the prices of victuals within the verge of the court. england and wales. sovereign ( - : charles i) charles i, king of england, - . leaves. by bonham norton and iohn bill, printers to the kings most excellent maiestie, imprinted at london : anno dom. m.dc.xxv [ ] caption title. imprint from colophon. arms without "c r" at top. "giuen at our court of whitehall, the fourteenth day of may in the first yeere of our reigne of great britaine, france and ireland." reproduction of original in: henry e. huntington library and art gallery. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng food prices -- england -- london -- early works to . great britain -- history -- charles i, - . great britain -- court and courtiers -- food -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - mona logarbo sampled and proofread - mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion honi soit qvi mal y pense royal blazon or coat of arms ¶ by the king. ❧ a proclamation for the prices of victuals within the verge of the court. whereas wee vnderstand by the records of our counting-house , that our most noble progenitors & predecessors , kings and queenes of this realm , haue alwaies had an especiall care to restraine the excessiue rates and prices of uictuals , horse-meate , and lodging ; and that , notwithstanding the extraordinary care thereof , taken by our most deare and royall father , king iames of blessed memory , yet there were within the uerge of the court , alwayes some , who out of their greedy desire of vnlawfull gaine , would neuer bee kept within any bounds of equall and reasonable prices , but , by the accesse of the court , and the increase of the concourse of people thither , would take an occasion to enhaunce their rates , and exact vnconscionable extreame prices , at their owne willes and pleasures : wee , taking the same into our princely consideration , and being desirous that all our louing subiects in generall , should in all places of their trauaile bee well vsed , and especially within the uerge of our court , where our nobility , seruants & traine , dayly attending vpon our person , are lodged & placed by our harbingers , & other suitors haue dayly occasion to resort , haue giuen order to the clerke of the market of our houshold , within the uerge of our court , foorthwith to cause a rate and ualuation to bee set by indifferent iurors , of all corne , uictuals , lodgings , horse-meate , and other necessaries of that kinde , according to the reasonable and equall rates and prices of the market , and to renewe such rates and ualuations from time to time , as occasion shall require , by oath and presentments of iurors ; and haue commanded , that schedules of the inquisitions and presentments of the iuries , to bee thereupon taken , shall , not onely be certified by our sayd clerke of the market , or his deputie , into our counting-house , to remaine there with the officers of our houshold ; but shall also be fixed , and set vpon the gates of our court , and other places within the uerge , aswell within liberties as without , whereby publique notice may bee taken of the same ; our will and pleasure being , and we do by this our proclamation straitly charge & command , that no baker , brewer , inholder , butcher , or other uictualler , or any other person or persons , of what estate or degree soeuer hee or they be , doe in any wise demand , aske , or receiue more for corne , uictuals , horsemeate , lodging , or any other thing to bee specified in the sayd schedule or inquisition , then according to the rates and prices therein mentioned , vpon paine of imprisonment , and such further punishment , as by the lawes of this realme , or by our prerogatiue royall , may bee inflicted vpon them , as opressors of the common-wealth , and contemners of this our royall commandement . and moreouer , wee doe straitly charge and command , that no manner of person or persons , now vsing , or which shall hereafter vse , to serue any citie , borough , towne , or other place , in , or neere the place of our residence or abode , or elsewhere within the uerge of our court , either within liberties or without , of , or with any kinde of corne or uictuals , or other necessaries , either vpon the market dayes , or at any other time , shall be any thing the more remisse , or slacke , for making of prouision for the same , then they or any of them heretofore haue been , nor shall vse any colour of craft , to deceiue the buyers of , or in the said prouisions , or to withdraw , conceale , hide , or lay aside their corne , uictuals , horse-meate , or other necessaries , to lessen or diminish the market , whereby our traine , or attendants of our court , within any citie , borough , or towne within the uerge , or the inhabitants of the same , or any other our louing subiects thereunto resorting , shall not be as well , and as plenteously furnished in euery respect , as the markets were before , in defrauding of this our ordinance . and furthermore , we straitly charge , and expresly command , aswell all our officers of our greenecloth , and our clerke of the market , and his deputie or deputies , as also all maiors , bayliffes , sheriffes , constables , and all other our officers and ministers of all and euery the cities , boroughs , townes , hundreds , and other places within the uerge of our court , aswel within liberties as without , that they and euery of them from time to time , when , and as often as any complaint shall bee made vnto them by any partie or parties , iustly grieued or wronged , contrary to the tenour of this our proclamation , within their authorities respectiuely , forthwith to endeauour themselues to see speedy reformation thereof and due punishment of the person or persons that shall offend therein , according to the seuerest iustice of our lawes in that behalfe . giuen at our court at white-hall , the fourteenth day of may , in the first yeere of our reigne of great britaine , france and ireland . god saue the king. ¶ imprinted at london by bonham norton , and iohn bill , printers to the kings most excellent maiestie . anno dom. m. dc . xxv . act anent the vintners and baxters edinburgh (scotland). town council. approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page image. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). b wing e ch estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. b ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) act anent the vintners and baxters edinburgh (scotland). town council. sheet ([ ] p.) printed by the heir of andrew anderson ..., edinburgh, : . caption title. imperfect: sheet creased with some loss of text. reproduction of original in: national library of scotland. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng food prices -- law and legislation -- scotland -- edinburgh -- early works to . vintners -- law and legislation -- scotland -- edinburgh -- early works to . bakers and bakeries -- law and legislation -- scotland -- edinburgh -- early works to . broadsides -- scotland -- th century. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - john pas sampled and proofread - john pas text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion act anent the vintners and baxters . these are ordaining all vintners within this city , or suburbs , to sell the pint of their mum-beer for ten shillings scots the pint , after saturday next , being this ninth of may instant ; and whosoever shall contraveen or take any more , shall be lyable in an fine of twenty rex-dollars toties quoties . as also , that all bread sold by baxters , and vintners , be conform to the standard , both as to the vveight and fineness ; under the like penalty . extracted by me jo. richardson . edinburgh , printed by the heir of andrew anderson , printer to his most sacred majesty , city and colledge , anno dom. . act of the commissioners of supply of the sheriffdom of edinburgh, anent the settlement of the prices of victual within the said shire, to the first day of september next. edinburgh, apil . . commissioners of supply for edinburgh (edinburgh, scotland) approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page image. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). b wing e cb estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. b ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) act of the commissioners of supply of the sheriffdom of edinburgh, anent the settlement of the prices of victual within the said shire, to the first day of september next. edinburgh, apil . . commissioners of supply for edinburgh (edinburgh, scotland) sheet ([ ] p.) printed by james watson in craig's closs ..., edinburgh, : . caption title. signed at end: ro. thomson their clerk. reproduction of original in: national library of scotland. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng food prices -- law and legislation -- scotland -- edinburgh -- early works to . broadsides -- scotland -- th century. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - paul schaffner sampled and proofread - paul schaffner text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion act of the commissioners of supply of the sheriffdom of edinburgh , anent the settlement of the prices of victual within the said shire , to the first day of september next . edinburgh , april . . the commissioners of supply of the sheriffdom of edinburgh , appointed by act of his majesties most honourable privy council , of the date the last day of march last by past , for stating and settling the prices of victual within the said shire , having several times conveened at edinburgh and dalkeith ; and last of all being met and conveened this day ; and having taken true and exact tryal of the prices of victual , for five weeks space preceeding the date of the said act , and duly considered the saids prices : the saids commissioners , by vertue of the power given and committed to them by the foresaid act of council , have stated and settled , and hereby states and settles the highest prices of the best victual and meal to be as follows , to wit the best wheat seventeen pounds scots per boll . the best oats twelve pounds per boll . the best barley bear thirteen pounds six shilling eight pennies per boll . the best pease thirteen pounds per boll . the best oat meal , by weight , being eight stone , at sixteen shilling six pennies , per half stone , for the peck . the best bear meal , at eight pounds per boll , being ten shilling per peck . the best pease meal , nine pounds twelve shilling scots money per boll , being twelve shilling per peck . and the foresaid prices so settled , are appointed by the said act of privy council , to be the feer and settled prices until the first day of september next : and none are to presume to sell at higher rates , either in mercats , girnels , or otherwise , within the said sheriffdom , under the certification of being pursued as usurers and occurers , as the act bears . and to the end the above written prices may be published , the saids commissioners ordained , and ordains thir presents to be printed , and their clerk to send through copies to all the paroch kirks of the shire , to be read the next lords day after divine service ; as also , doubles to be sent to the baillies of burghs within the shire , to be by them proclaimed at their mercat crosses : and this present settlement of the prices of the said victual and meal to be binding , and take effect after the publication and intimation hereof . and ordains thir presents to be recorded in the sederunt books of the saids commissiomers . sic subscribitur john clerk , i. p. c. extracted forth of the sederunt books of the saids commissioners , by ro. thomson their clerk. edinburgh , printed by james watson in craig's closs on the north side of the cross , . commission for examining witnesses anent the importation of irish victual. edinburgh, the th day of february, . scotland. privy council. approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page image. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). b wing s estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. b ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) commission for examining witnesses anent the importation of irish victual. edinburgh, the th day of february, . scotland. privy council. sheet ([ ] p.) printed by the heirs and successors of andrew anderson, printer to his most excellent majesty, edinburgh : anno dom. . caption title. initial letter. signed: giln. eliot. cls. sti. concilii. reproduction of the original in the national library of scotland. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng craufurd, david, - . food law and legislation -- scotland -- early works to . foreign trade regulation -- early works to . broadsides -- scotland -- th century. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - scott lepisto sampled and proofread - scott lepisto text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion commission for examining witnesses anent the importation of irish victual . edinbvrgh , the th day of february , . the lords of his majesties privy council considering , that they by their former commissions granted by them to david crawfurd of drumsuie , and to his deputs and servants , and others to be appointed by him , for whom ( by the tenor of the saids commissions ) he is to be answerable , they have given full power , authority and commission to seize and apprehend all irish victual imported into this kingdom , within the bounds specified in the saids commissions , and to stave , sink and destroy the victual , and to take the boats , barks and other vessels wherein the same shall be imported , and dispose thereupon at their pleasure . and the saids lords being informed , that the said david crawfurd of drumsuie , and his deputs , servants and others imployed by him , and for whom ( conform to the tenor of the commissions ) he is answerable as said is , have been remiss and negligent in exercising the power committed to them by the saids commissions , and that he or his saids deputs and servants , has ( contrair to the tenor of the saids commissions , and bonds given by him and his cautioners at the granting thereof , ) suffered and permitted divers and sundry persons to import irish victual into this kingdom , at least have connived at the importation thereof ; therefore , and to the effect the truth of this matter may the better appear and be knowen , they hereby give full power and commission to the persons afternamed , and ilk ane of them , for their respective places and bounds after-specified , viz. to the magistrats of glasgow for the town of glasgow and suburbs thereof . to the magistrats of renfrew for the town and paroch of renfrew . to the magistrats of dumbartoun for the town and paroch of dumbartoun . to the baillie of the regality of lenox , _____ noble of ferme , and claud hamilton of barns for the paroches of cardross and kirkpatrick . to sir john campbell of carick for the isle of rosneath . to john m●carter of milntoun for the paroch of dinnoon . to the sheriff-deput of the shire of argile , and magistrats of the burgh of inverrary for the town of inverrary and places adjacent thereto . to john campbell of kildalin and the baillies of loch-head for the town and adjacent bounds of kintyre . to sir james stuart sheriff of b●te , _____ bannatine of kaims and the magistrats of rothesay for the isle of bute . to the duke of hamilton's baillie of arran for the isle of arran . to the baillie of the regality of glasgow for the town and paroch of govan . to the laird of houstoun younger and the town of glasgows baillie at new-port glasgow for the town of newark and paroch of kilmacomb . to the lairds of greenock and crawfurdsburn for the paroch of greenock . to the laird of blackhall , the laird of kellie younger , and william cunninghame brother to gilbertfield for the paroch of innerkip . to the lairds of kelburn , bishoptoun younger , hunterstoun , kellie elder , and auchinnames for the paroches of largs and cumrayer . to the lairds of hunterstoun , aslimyard , and john park of littledub for the bounds from the largs to kilwinning . to the magistrats of irwine sir william cunninghame of cunninghame-head , and the baillie of cunninghame for the towns and paroches of irwine and kilwinning . to the lairds of corsbie , adamtoun younger , and william baillie of muncktoun for the bounds from irwine to air. to the magistrats of air william cunnnghame of brounhill , and william mctaggart merchants there for the town and paroch of air. to james ross of garvan , and john muir late provost of air , for the bounds from air to the town of girvan . to james agnew younger of lochnam and mr. william fullertoun from the bounds from the mule of galloway to ballantree . to the magistrats of strenrawer for the town of strenrawer ; to call before them and examine , and take the declarations of all such persons living within the respective bounds foresaids , as they shall think fit , and to interrogat them upon the interrogators following , viz. primo , if it consists with their knowledge , that drumsuie or his deputs did grant any licences for importing victual from ireland , and if they did , that they declare what composition or good deed he or his deputs ●… take for the granting of the saids licences . secundo , if drumsuie or his deputs did connive at , and know of the importing of victual from ireland , and if th●● did not transact and agree with the persons who did import the same . tertio , if they did not exact sums of money from the boat-men , and owners of t●● boats , in which the irish victual was imported , and did deliver back the saids boats , and if they did not make transactions of this nature for the same boat ●●…ner than once . quarto , if drumsuie and his deputs , or any of them did know where the victual imported was , and did not make seasure thereof . quinto , t●… they declare in general what they know concerning the exactions imposed by drumsuie or his deputs upon merchants or others who did import the said irish v●…ual . sexto , that they be special as to the precise time , that is , that they condescend upon the month and year , persons and sums , and the witnesses who will prove the matter of fact condescended upon . and lastly , upon such other interrogators as the saids commissioners , or any of them shall think fit , to propose to the persons who shall appear before them anent drumsuie and his deputs , servants and others imployed by him , their malversation in suffering the importation of irish or other forraign victual into this kingdom by collusion , or otherways , and what exactions of money by way of composition or otherways they have made upon any of his majesties liedges , upon pretence of their having right to the boats , barks or vessels imployed in importing the said victual , or as fines for the causes foresaids , or transactions upon that account : with power to the saids commissioners to issue furth precepts for citing of the persons foresaids within their respective bounds above-set down , to appear before them upon such days as they shall appoint betwixt and the fifteenth day of march next to come ; with certification to the persons cited , that if they failȝie to appear before the saids commissioners , or compearing shall refuse to give information , and declare what they know in the matters foresaids , that they shall be called and conveened before the lords of his majesties privy council , and be punished as controveeners of the laws and acts of parliament made against the importing of irish or other forraign victual ; with power to the commissioners foresaids within their respective bounds above-set-down , to put the refusers under sufficient caution to appear before the saids lords of privy council , upon the first tuesday of the month of april next ; with power likeways to the saids commissioners to elect and choi●e their own clerk within their respective bounds , for whom they shall be answerable : and appoints the saids commissioners their clerk , to draw up the examinations and declarations of the persons foresaids , within their respective bounds authentickly in write , and cause the parties subscribe the same , and transmit the same subscrived also by the commissioners , and their clerk in their respective bounds to the saids lords of privy council , betwixt and the first tuesday of april next to come . and the saids lords of privy council do hereby declare , that the examinations or declarations to be emitted by the persons foresaids , shall no ways militat , nor be made use of against the saids persons themselves at any time coming : and allows thir presents to be printed , and appoints his majesties sollicitor to send printed copies thereof to the several commissioners therein-contained . extracted by me gilb . eliot . cls. sti. concilii . god save the king. edinbvrgh , printed by the heirs and successors of andrew anderson , printer to his most excellent majesty , anno dom. . the curse of corne-horders with the blessing of seasonable selling. in three sermons, on pro. ii. . begun at the general sessions for the county of cornwall, held at bodmyn, and continued at fowy. by charles fitz-geffrie. fitz-geffry, charles, ?- . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc estc s this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the curse of corne-horders with the blessing of seasonable selling. in three sermons, on pro. ii. . begun at the general sessions for the county of cornwall, held at bodmyn, and continued at fowy. by charles fitz-geffrie. fitz-geffry, charles, ?- . [ ], p. by i[ohn] b[eale] for edward dight dwelling in excester, printed at london : . a variant of the edition with m. sparke in the imprint. reproduction of the original in the british library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng food supply -- great britain -- sermons -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - elspeth healey sampled and proofread - elspeth healey text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the curse of corne-horders : with the blessing of seasonable selling. in three sermons , on pro. . . begun at the general sessions for the county of cornwall , held at bodmyn , and continued at fowy . by charles fitz-geffrie . d. cyprianus ad demetrian . §. . miraris in poenas generis humani iram dei crescere , cum crescat quotidiè quod puniatur . — de sterilitate aut fame quereris , quasi famem maiorem siccitas quàm rapacitas faciat , quasi non de captatis annonarum incrementis & pretiorum cumulis flagrantior inopiae ardor excrescat . quereris cludi imbribus coelum , cum sic horrea cludantur in terris . printed at london by i. b. for edward dight dwelling in excester . . to the truly ennobled and rightly honored , sir reginald mohvne , knight and baronet : grace , mercy , and peace be multiplied . sir , the end of gods punishments is to bring sinful man vnto repentance . in afflicting vs he intends not our affliction , but our reformation . hee who delights not in the death of sinners , takes no pleasure in their sufferings , but in compassion causeth sometimes temporall suffering to preuent eternall aking ; according to that of the apostle , we are chastened of the lord , that we may not be condemned with the world . if he attaine not this end by one rod , he vseth another . if the pestilence preuaile not , he sends the sword ; if that workes not , he inflicteth famine , and like a good physitian , by diuers medicines he tendeth to the same cure . if the same crosse haue not effected the end for which it was sent , he sends it the second time , as a man doth his seruant who hath not fully done his errand at first . thus doth he with particular persons , thus doth hee with whole nations , whose good he intendeth . he visited our sinnes with the pestilence , this wrought not a sound recouery ; he lanced vs with the sword , there yet remained many peccant humours , those hee sought to cure by famine , as the ancient physitians vsed to cure all diseases by abstinence . we seemed to be on the mending hand , but we relapsed , and god was faine to go to work with vs again ; as we renewed our old sins , so did he his old iudgements . he sent the plague the second time , threatned it the third . about seuen yeeres sithence the creature suffered and we by it , for our abuse of it , and for our vnthankefulnesse to the creator . the same punishment hee hath inflicted this yeere on sundry places of the land . thus is god enforced to re-assume his rods , when we renew our sins ; and as wee vse to take from our children their bread when they doe wanton with it ; so by want he correcteth our former wantonnesse , taking from vs that which wee abuse , thereby teaching vs to vse it better when wee haue it , that by want we may know how to vse abundance . these two yeeres of dearth ( in some distance ) called from mee these three sermons . that which in the first was summarily deliuered in one , vnto the eares of that bench on which you haue sate sundry yeeres as chiefe , is vpon this yeeres occasion enlarged into three , and now sent abroad into publike , for the benefit of many , is first presented vnto your eies . in this dedication i craue not patronage , but onely acceptance . the kings command , my calling , the necessity of the times are sufficient to patronize it . neither haue i cause to doubt of your acceptance ; your care for your countries good , and your endeuour in this particular doe assure me that you will approue his labours , who , according to his calling , addeth the best aduancement hee may vnto yours ▪ whereunto hee will not cease to adioyne his continued prayers to the fountaine of grace , for all gracious blessings on your person , on your publike imployments , on your noble family ; who is , and will be ( while he is ) your worships in all christian dutie and seruice most ready , charles fitz-geffry . a briefe view of the ensuing sermons . concio prima . the occasion of the choyce of this text. page the diuision thereof into two parts . in the former part are considered , . the sinne , . the sequel . p. ma. me . the sinne , with-holding corne. ibid. all conseruation of corne , not vnlawfull . what is vnlawfull herein . ibid. vnder the word corne , euery publike commodity comprehended . p. doct. . it is a grieuous siune to procure or further famine , by seeking to raise the price of corn. ibid. reasons . . it is odious vnto god. the detaining of other commodities not so necessary for the life of man , as corne , forbidden by god. much more of this , without which , the life of man can hardly , yea , not at all be sustained . the necessity of bread vnto mans life . p. , . it is opposite to nature , vnto which corne-horders are traytors . for , . that which nature most desireth , they doe most detest , that is , plenty . p. , . and that which nature most detesteth , they most desire , namely , dearth and scarcity . ibid. . condemned by the lawes of nations . p. application . three sorts of people guilty herein . p. the greedy farmer , who sometimes with-holdeth corne , euen in selling it . ibid. the couetous merchant . p. the hucksters , or badgers of corne. p. concio secunda . secunda primae , the sequell ; the curses of the people . p. a common sinne drawes on a common curse . p. doct. . the peoples curse , iustly procured , is a fearfull iudgement . p. the peoples curse twofold , . causelesse or vniust ; this not to be feared nor regarded . ibid. exhortation to magistrates and officers to doe their duties , though the people doe causelesly curse them . for such curses god will blesse them . ibid. the iustly caused curse of the poore and oppressed , this curse very fearefull . p. vse . terror to all kinde of oppressors . p. especially to corne-horders . p. that these curses are not effectlesse in this life , shewed by examples . a story out of matthew paris of walter grey , archbishop of yorke , a couetous corne-horder , anno dom. . p. another of a german bishop deuoured by rats , an. . p. the effect of these curses , in latter times , wherein some of these nabals haue hanged themselues , when the price of corne hath fallen . ibid. the greatest curse of all at the day of iudgement . p. obiections answered . . may i not doe with mine owne what i list ? p. answer . christ onely may both say and doe so : man cannot ( without limitation ) who can cast nothing his owne properly , but his sinne . ibid. men may not vse their owne , to the hurt of others . ibid. it is damnable to with-hold our owne , when our brethren are ready to perish for want of that which we may well spare . p. two other obiections , ioseph and gedeon , their examples answered . p. , famine , a grieuous punishment . p. it is proper to god alone to punish a sinfull nation with famine , or any other iudgement . p. we haue deserued to be thus scourged . but this famine is not inflicted immediately by the hand of god , but enforced by the cruell couetousnesse of men . p. an inuectiue against couetousnesse . p. these corne-horders worse than vsurers . ibid. the pittifull estate of poore labouring-men in these times , deplored . p. concio tertia : the second part of the text , wherein is considered ; . the duty to be performed ; selling . p. . the recompence , blessing . p. doct. . there is a charity sometimes in selling , as well as in giuing . ibid. vse . to teach vs to acknowledge gods goodnesse in accepting any seruice done at his command , though for our owne aduantage . p. god sometimes accepteth selling , where there is ability of giuing . ibid. vse . to incite those who are of ability , to this duty of selling . p. foure things required in charitable selling . p. to sell that which is good for quality , conuenient graine , ibid. to sell for conuenient gaine , at a reasonable price . ibid. to sell in conuenient season . p. with measure conuenient . p. da. de . the recompence , blessing . ibid. obseruat . the reward more emphatically layd downe , than the iudgement threatned . p doct. . god will blesse him who selleth charitably in time of extremity , though men bee vnthankfull . ibid. two sinnes of the poore : murmuring , vnthankfulnesse . ibid. neither of these should discourage vs from charitable actions , for though men be vngratefull , yet god is not forgetfull . p. application . . vnto magistrates , exhorting them to doe their duties in this behalfe , according to his maiesties orders . ibid. and to draw on others by their examples . p. dehortation from with-holding iustice , and from selling it . p. . to ministers , to be carefull and and faithfull in distributing spirituall corne for the bread of life , especially in these dangerous dayes . ibid. . to the poore . here is no warrant for them to reuenge their wrongs with cursings , as commonly they doe . p. but rather to accuse their owne sinnes , the causes of all their calamities . p. . encouragement and comfort to charitable sellers . p. god shall crowne them with blessings , externall , internall , eternall . p. , . the cvrse of corn-horders . the first sermon . prov . . . hee that with-holdeth corne , the people shall curse him : but blessing shall be vpon the head of him who selleth it . the extremity of the times do euen extort from me this text , together with the explication and application thereof , as god shall enable me . our gracious soueraigne , like a prouident ioseph , hath endeuoured to preuent the famine , or to pro●ide remedies against it . to this end he hath sent ●orth his proclamations , and hath authorized his hands in these remote places , the iustices of peace , to draw forth the poore imprisoned graine out of priuate barnes , and to afford it the freedome of the markets . the iustices haue done their endeuours , and the best of them doe continue so doing . but couetousnesse careth for no lawes , being like the lawlesse iudge , a who neither feared god , nor regarded man. hence it is that lawes are eluded , the kings edicts not regarded , the magistrates endeuours frustrated , and the hopes of the poore disappointed . the deafe adder will not bee charmed ; the greedy farmer will not enfranchize his corne , though the country doe curse him , and those curses be ratified in heauen . but let not vs cease to doe our duties though others doe not theirs . let aaren and hur support the hands of moses ; let ministers ( as his maiesty commandeth ) ioyne their forces with the magistrates against this monster , auarice . the good effect which the one cannot produce alone , may ( by gods blessing ) ensue vpon the religious endeuours of both together . i come therefore to publish a proclamation from the king of heauen , penned by the wisest king on earth , against all ingrossers of the fruits of the earth , the terour whereof is this , hee that with-holdeth corne , the people shall curse him , but blessing shall be on the head of him who selleth it . most of salomons prouerbs are a commentary vpon that one sentence of his father dauid , a is●hew euill , and doe good ; and commonly they are bipartite , one part disswading from some euill , the other exhorting to the contrary vertue . his arguments are those which are most powerfull , punishment , and reward ; dehorting from some sinn by punishment threatned , exhorting to vertue by some reward proposed : such is this sentence , resembling the two hils , b the one of curses , the other of blessings : hee that with-holdeth corne , the people shall curse him ; there is ebal , the mountaine of cursing : but blessing shall be on the head of him that selleth it ; there is gerizin , the mountaine of blessing . in the former wee are to consider , . the sinne , . the sequel . the sinne , hiding or with-holding corne ; the sequel , the curses of the people . in the latter , we haue , . the duty , . the benefit or reward : the duty , selling ; the benefit , blessing : but blessing shall be on the head of him that selleth it . of these ( god willing ) in their order ; and first of the first part , and first branch thereof ; namely , the sinne condemned , which is , with-holding of corne. he that with-holdeth corne. all conseruation or keeping vp of corne , is not alwaies vnlawfull . ioseph , in the seuen yeers of plenty , gathered and kept corne against the seuen yeeres of scarcity . sundry cities haue their magazins , wherein they prouidently doe store vp corne and other prouision , the better to endure the extremity of an assiege or famine . * nature hath taught the silley ant this lesson of husbanding her prouision , a and she by her example readeth the same lecture vnto man , by the mouth of salomon . b but then to with-hold corne when publike necessity doth call for the venting it , vpon hope to enhance the price , thereby to make a prey of the poore , who haue then most need to bee releeued , this is a crying sinne , causing the people with bitter cries to complaine to god against such detestable couetousnesse , and to pursue the same with bitter curses . the ancient latine reading doth well expresse the meaning ; captans pretia frumenti , ( so c saint ambrose alleageth the place . ) hee that catcheth at all aduantages by the price of corne , and endeuours to raise it higher , being more greedy of his priuate gaine , than affected with the publike good , euery one that doth so , commeth within the compasse of this curse . so that not onely hiding or hording , but selling and buying too , in some cases , are here forbidden ; when they are so done in priuate , as that the price is thereby enhanced in publike : whereof we shall haue occasion to say more ( god willing ) in prosecution of this text. d i doubt not but that vnder this one word , corne , is comprehended any other commodity , vsefull for the countrey ; but the times doe confine my intendements to that particular which my text doth here assigne ; namely , against all auaritious horders or hucksters , who pinch the guts of the poore , to fill and extend their owne purses ; taking aduantage by the dearth of corne , to make it more deare : on which ground i may safely lay downe this doctrinall position . it is a grieuous sinne to procure a dearth , or further a famine , by seeking to raise the price of corne. when publike necessity doth require , and our owne ability doth permit vs to send abroad our corne by reasonable and seasonable selling , then to with-hold it in hope of greater dearth , this is a great sinne : for it is odious vnto god , opposite vnto nature , iniurious vnto mankinde , and therefore condemned by the lawes of grace , of nature , and of nations . first , it is odious vnto god , as being directly a breach of his law , a rebellion against his ordinance . otherwise hee would neuer haue inueighed against these corne-horders so bitterly as he doth , by his prophet amos , saying , e heare ye this , ô yee that swallow the poore , and make the needy of the land to faile , saying , when will the new moone be gone , that we may sell corne ; and the sabbath , that wee may set forth wheat ; and make the epha small , and the shekel great ; and buy the poore for siluer , and the needy for shoes , and sell the refuse of the wheat ? if any doe except and say , what is this against horders ? this is rather against sellers of corne : i intimated at first , that there may be as great a sinne , in some kinde of selling , as in keeping : and those iewes who sold at last , they did hord vp corne at first , to this purpose : that when the time serued their turne , they might sell it at their owne pleasure and price : f and now the time is come , they must sell it in all haste , lest the price should fall againe : they were now so eager after selling , that they thought the dayes of gods seruice too tedious till they were at it . they kept it in while it was good , and sold it when it was worse , they abated the measure and augmented the price ; they made the people pay for the best , when they sold but the refuse ; and so instead of selling to the poore , they enforced the poore to sell themselues at a vile rate for necessary sustenance , and so to become their slaues . g the lord threatneth a fearefull iudgement on the whole nation , for this inhumane cruelty of some particular persons towards their poore brethren . lesser sinnes than this in comparison , the ingrossing of commodities not so necessary for the life of man as corne is , are threatned with heauy iudgements in the word of god. the imprisoning of coyne in coffers , when it should bee dispersed abroad vnto pious and charitable vses , is condemned by the holy ghost , who saith by saint iames h , that the very rust thereof shall be a witnesse against the keepers , and that the canker of their siluer shall eat vp their flesh as fire . the like iudgement is denounced in the same place against those who keep their garments close in their ward-robes to clothe the moaths , rather than they will produce them to clothe christ his naked members . what then shall become of them who are kinder to rats and mice , than to their christian brethren , being contented that vile vermine shall deuoure that for nothing , which poore christians cannot get of them for money . i bread is called in scripture the k stay and staffe of life , because life is thereby sustained as by a staffe : and when god doth threaten one of his heauiest punishments on a land for sinne , hee doth threaten to breake the staffe of bread ; so necessary it is for this life , that all necessaries are comprized vnder this one , giue vs , this day , our daily bread . christ calleth himselfe the bread which came downe from heauen : his word is called the bread of life . all which doe shew how necessary bread is for the vse of man : so necessary , that neither body nor soule can well bee fed without it ; not the body without common bread , nor the soule ( in those of discretion ) without sacramentall bread : so necessary , that although a man haue diuers varieties of meats , and doe want bread , the best is failing , because the binder of all the rest is wanting : other meats , without bread , are but beesomes without a band , they cannot sweepe away hunger from nature ; but if a man haue onely bread and water , sufficient for quantity , and conuenient for quality , hee may liue and doe well : so that to with-hold corne , and thereby to breake the staffe of bread , is not onely sinfull , but sauage ; not onely against the law of god and grace , but against the law of nature . nature teacheth men to seeke good and shunne euill , to pray and striue to auert those publike punishments , sword , pestilence , and famine . nature teacheth vs that wee are not borne onely for our selues , and that publike vtility is to be preferred before priuate commodity . this could cicero say out of plato , one heathen out of another . it was the praise of cato l that he was , in commune bonus , good for the commonalty , being resolued , that hee was borne , not for himselfe , but for all mankinde . but these antipodes to nature as well as vnto grace , these man-haters , opposite to the common good , as if the world were made onely for them , would appropriate the earth , and the fruits thereof , wholly to themselues , thinking that they can neuer haue enough , vnlesse they haue all ; and that while others haue any thing , they themselues haue nothing . wherefore as quailes grow fat with hem locke , which is poison to other creatures , so these grow full by dearth , which is the famishing of others . their whole study and endeuour is to trouble the pure streames of publike plenty , that they may haue the better angling for their priuate commodity . m the profite of the earth is for all ( saith salomon ) and the king himselfe is serued by the field . but these , as if the earth , and the profits thereof , were proper to them alone , as if they were the kings of the field , and the whole tribute thereof were to be payed into their insatiable exchequer , , doe study how they may dry vp the publike fountaine , or draw the whole streame thereof into their owne cisterne . n traitors they are vnto nature ; for that o which nature most desireth , they detest ; and that which nature teacheth most to detest , that doe these most desire : plenty is desired by euery well minded man , naturally , and grace doth allow such desire ; for plenty is a sweet effect of gods goodnesse and fauour , therefore called by dauid , the crowne of the yeere : p thou crownest the yeere with thy goodnesse , and thy steps drop fatnesse . but these desire to pull the crowne of plenty from the head of the yeare , and instead thereof , would put thereon a crowne of thornes , as the miscreant iewes did on the head of christ . plenty is one of gods chiefest earthly blessings ; but these enuious children doe thinke that their poore brethren haue too much of their heauenly fathers blessing . againe , that which nature teacheth most to detest , they doe most desire ; namely , dearth and scarcity : that which nature teacheth to preuent , they endeuour to procure ; they pray for that which all men else doe pray against ; angry , in their mindes , at our leiturgie for hauing prayers against dearth and famine , and thanksgiuings for seasonable weather , which they cannot endure saue in their owne fields ; ready to chide god because he is so prodigall of his temporall fauours , as to cause q his sunne to arise on the euill as well as on the good , and his raine to fall on the iust and on the vniust ; whereas these , by their wils , would haue the sunne to warme , and the raine to moisten no fields nor gardens , but of the euill and vniust , that is , their owne . what then can we thinke of them but as enemies both to god and man , opposite both to grace and nature ? salomon at the consecration of the temple r making way for the peoples prayers by his owne , for the remouing of common calamities , setteth famine in the fore-front of them , as the first and worst of all . what shall we thinke of them who pray for tht which salomon prayed against , esteeming that a benefit to them , which is one of the greatest curses that can fall on a nation ? when god threatneth foure heauy iudgements on a land , wherein if these three worthies , noah , iob , and daniel were , a they should deliuer none but their owne soules , he giueth the precedence vnto famine . what then shall wee thinke of those who care not though iob , noah , and daniel , and all the righteous men in the country starued , so they may be filled ? when god by his prophet makes a briefe catalogue of the crying sinnes of sodome , this comes in at last , not as the least of them , b manum pauperis & egentis non confirmauit ; shee did not strengthen the hands of the poore and needy : it is not not said that shee weakned , but that she did not strengthen ; & that not the heart , but the hand of the poore and needy ; and yet god rained hell out of heauen , fire and brimstone on her to consume her . what then shall become of them who doe not strengthen , but enfeeble , not the hands , but the hearts of their poore brethren , by with-holding from them that which is the staffe of their hands , and ( vnder god ) the strength and life of their hearts ? and that these cormorants are such enemies to the publike good , all wise men who desired to procure it , haue perceiued . therefore this cursed practice of imprisoning the countries prouision , hath euer beene condemned by the lawes of nations . these cankars of the common-wealth were by the ancients branded with odious appellations , commonly called by the old romans , dardanarians , vexers , scourgers , torturers , of the store of the yeare . c these dardanarians ( saith vlpian their great ciuilian ) are they who chiefly doe vex and persecute the annuall prouision , against whose auarice princes and states haue alway opposed the barres of edicts and constitutions . there is extantan epistle or edict of apollonius , an ancient gouernour , against those scourgers of the country , by enforced dearth and scarcity ; the beginning whereof , in effect is this ; d the earth ( saith hee ) is the common mother of all , and therefore iust , but you are vniust who would ingrosse her wholly to your selues , and make a monopoly of the common mother , as if shee were bound to be a mother onely to you , and a step-mother to all her children besides : but if you desist not from your doings , i will take order that she shall not long be a mother vnto you , but i will root you out of her , as being vnworthy to be a burthen vnto her . i speake nothing of our nationall lawes , because i speake before them , who can better informe mee herein , than i can others . the last proclamation , together with the booke , published by authority , for fuller declaration of his maiesties minde and purpose , for preuenting the dearth by punishing these dardanarians , hath breathed some life into the poore countrey , from whom these doe labour to take away life , by with-holding the stay thereof . god put it into the hearts of gouernours to act , as well as to enact ; to performe , as well as to proclaime ; that the proclamation against these horders and hucksters be not like that senatus consultum against the mathematicians in rome , e atrox at irritum , fierce , but effectlesse : and that these may not be among vs , f as the historian complained , the others were among them , a kinde of people alway condemned , but euer repriued , if not acquitted . affliction is euer fearefull , and misery still mistrusteth the worst : no maruell then if the poore people doe misdoubt , because there seemeth a doore left open to these their oppressors , that they shall not carry their life from them without license : wherefore finding after so much thunder by edicts , little lightning by effects , no lightening of their afflictions : they feare that they haue cause to complaine , we are all the worse for licenses . these feares would soone be remoued , and peraduenture these afflictions too , if but one or two of the offenders in a country were punished for terror to the rest , as pituanius and p. martius were , when all the mathematicians and magicians were banished out of italy . three sorts of people are found among vs , guilty of this sinne , and consequently lyable to the ensuing curse : . the greedy farmar : . the couetous marchant : . the cunning huckster , or badger , as they are called . i adde these epithites to distinguish between the guilty and the guiltlesse in euery profession . the greedy farmar sometimes with-holds corne by selling it ; with-holding it from those who need it , to sell it to those who will make greater profit by it ; so that the needy shall more need it : for who so selleth at a price too high for the poore , hee with-holds it from the poore , as he doth meat from a childe , who sets it on a shelfe whereto hee cannot reach . now what is this , but captare pretia frumenti , to make the price too heauie , when either hee will not send it to the market , or if hee send , will not sell but at his owne price ? thou sayest , i thresh out my corne as fast as i can , and doe fell it , and therefore i am not guilty , i am no with-holder of corne. thou sellest , but to whom ? to the poore ? no , vnlesse as the iewes did , of whom amos complained , that they sold the refuse of the wheat , and yet at the price of the best , as if thou wouldest adde to the badnesse of the graine , and want of measure , the greatnesse of the price , to make a sorry satisfaction . thou sellest it , but to whom ? to them who helpe thee to sell the rest the deerer , to the merchant or badger , who by exporting or transporting it farther , doe cause it to be scarser and deerer at home . thou sellest it , but where ? at home , in priuate , and so causest the markets to be vnfurnished . for how canst thou haue time to thresh for the market , when all is too little to thresh for the merchant , whom thou hast promised to furnish with so many scores of bushels by such a day . the markets are the commons of the common people , and of many who vse good hospitality ; let them be inclosed , soone will these grow leane : the markets are their magazines ; if the poore buyers be not there prouided , how shall their wants be supplied ? the markets are their wels , if the couetous farmers dry vp these , as the enuious philistims did the wels of isaac , these poore sheepe must needs perish . thou sellest , but in what manner ? in grosse , or by such quantities as the poore cannot accomplish ; whereas if thou wilt shunne the curse threatned , and obtaine the blessing promised , thou must doe as the word importeth in the second part of my text , perfringere frumenta , breake it out from the heape by small parcels , as the poore doe need for the present and are able to compasse . breake thy bread to the hungry ; so breake thy corne by halfe bushels , by peckes , by gallons to the needy , as their ability meeteth with their necessity . to set a whole loafe before a childe who hath neither strength to breake , nor knife to cut , is not to feed him , but to famish him . i am not vancquainted with some of their apologies : i haue made a purchase , or taken a lease , or bought so much at a suruey to be paid on such a day , and i must sell many bushels together to make vp a good summe of money , i cannot tarry the leasure of these lingring markets . all this while i heare no arguments but drawne from the common place of thine owne profit ; and thou maiest remember that the buying of a farme , and a yoke of oxen excluded the vnworthy guests from the great marriage feast ; these excuses are worse . thou hast made a purchase , and the calamity of the countrey must pay for it : thou hast bought a bargaine , and thy poore brethren , their wiues and children must pinch for it . a bad bargaine ( bare-gaine it may well be called ) to buy the curses of god and man. say not that i condemne purchasing , because i am no purchaser , god grant i neuer bee in such manner . buy farmes , take leases , make bargaines for oxen , cattell , corne , or what you will , as long as you wrong not your own soules , which you cannot chuse but doe , if you wrong or pinch the poore members of the sauiour of soules . the couetous marchant is also free of the company of these corne-catchers . hee with-holds corn from the poore , by drawing it from markets , to export it , or transport it into other parts or places whether neerer or more remote ; especially out of the land , and that without regard of religion , or charity , or any thing else , saue his owne gaine , which to him is godlinesse . tros , tyriusque , protestant , papist , mahumetan , english , french , spanish , barbarian , all are alike to him , so hee may gaine by them . the sauour of lucre is sweet to him , though raked out of the puddle of the most filthy profession in europe , or in all the world . mistake me not , i traduce not the calling , not onely lawfull , but laudible , i may adde , honourable , the second supporter of the kingdome . not the lyon and the vnicorue , but the plough and the ship , vnder god , are the supporters of the crowne . the marchants by their trauels and aduentures ioyne together forraigne nations which the sea hath set farre asunder ; they make remote countries to bee ours vpon the matter , causing their commodities to bee ours ; casting with their ships such a bridge ouer the ocean , that the chiefest , profits of both the indies doe come home to our houses . i haue often yearned that they haue beene no better considered of , but suffered to be a prey to dunkers abroad , and to as bad at home . i know that it is lawfull to transport our commodities , particularly our corne into other nations , vpon some conditions , as other nations doe make vs partakers of their profits : yea , this sometimes may be done to those who are of another , that is , of an euill religion . nature teacheth this : the aegyptians releeued the israelites in the famine , g though it were an abomination to the aegyptians , in their peeuish superstition , to eat bread with the hebrewes , yet they would , in common humanity , afford them bread to eat by themselues . but this i affirme ; to famish english , and to feed french or spanish ; to starue brethren , and to nourish enemies ; to pinch the members of christ , to preserue the limbs of antichrist ; to thriue by the death of saints , and life of reprobates ; this cannot possibly escape a curse ; and all marchants that vse such courses , i can say no better of them , than a blessed saint said at least three hundred yeares sithence , they are all mercatores humanarum calamitatum●… merchants of mens calamities . the third sort are these whom we call badgers of corne , who were not to be condemned for conueying corne from those places where it may well be spared , to other places within the countrey where there is more want , if they did not procure want in those places where it doth abound , nor forestall the markets , but would take that which the markets doe leaue , nor raise the price to make the poore to smart for it . sufficient hath beene said ( i hope ) to shew the impietie , the inhumanity , the iniustice of this sin of procuring a dearth by with-holding corne ; and that it is a lawlesse rebell against the laws of grace , of nature , of nations . let this be farther added and considered , that this oppression is the more cruell , and this cruelty the more heauy in our land , where corne serueth both for bread and drinke ; whereas other countries by the benefits of the soile doe abound with wine ; or because of the heate of the climate , are contented with water . but among vs these with-holders of corne doe doubly plague the poore people , staruing them with hunger , and choaking them with thirst ; depriuing them of that which they should both eat and drinke . our children doe not say vnto their mothers , where is corne and wine ? keepe you the wine , giue vnto their mothers corne , and they will finde in it both bread and drinke that shall content them as well as wine . but denie them corne , you take from them bread , drinke , life and all . wherefore the curses of these corn-mungers are likely to be doubled ; for that is the recompence they must expect for their cursed couetousnesse , namely , curses : and as the mischiefe is common , so it is iustly pursued with a common curse , the curses of the commons , the people shall curse him . the second sermon . pro. . . the people shall curse him . the sinne and the odiousnesse thereof to god and man , hath beene ( in part ) discouered , that it may be shunned ; and shunned it will be the sooner , if the iudgement threatned be seriously considered ; which iudgement is expressed in these words : the people shall curse him . populares ] so iunius with some others , doe render the word , the commons ; or popul●●… , as most doe reade , the people , implying a collectiue curse ; as if there were a gathering of curses ouer the whole countrey , and none ( saue such as himselfe ) refused to contribute curses towards him . not one man , not a few , but the whole countrey ( as with hue-and-cry ) shall pursue him with curses . execrabuntur , shall curse and banne him ; or maledicent , shall say all euill of him , and pray that euill may befall him . the originall word is very emphaticall , persodient , they shall digge , or stab , or runne him thorow with curses . a metaphor borrowed from digging or stabbing ; as who should say , the people with their curses shall digge on him , as with mattockes , or runne him thorow , as with rapiers . a common crime still drawes on a common curse . god , in iustice doth vse to proportion the punishment to the offence . who so hurteth or oppresseth many , must looke to bee cried out against , and to be cursed by many . the wings of their punishment shall spread as farre as the tallands of their oppression , their iudgement shall be of equall dimensions with their transgressions . our dearth-mongers , as they are procurers of a common calamitie , must looke to be pursued with a common out-cry , the whole country shal stab them with cursings , as they seeke to stab it with staruing . but is this such a punishment to be hunted with the clamours and curses of the people ? doubtlesse it is , when those curses are iustly caused by wrongs done vnto the people . in such cases we may safely lay downe this assertion , that the peoples curse , iustly procured , is a fearefull iudgement . hardly can there be a greater plague , then to be pursued by the clamours and curses of the people for oppressing them . here we must distinguish , that we may the more safely teach : the peoples curse is two-fold , either caused , or causelesse ; iust , or vniust ; either iustly procured by some reall wrong insticted on them ; or vniustly vented out of error or malice , where no iust cause hath been giuen . salomon himselfe affordeth vs this distinction , saying , a as the bird by wandring , and the swallow by flying , doe escape , so the causelesse curse shal not come to passe . b where he sheweth , that there is a causelesse curse , which is not to be feared : when people out of spleene , or because their corrupt humors are not satisfied , doe flye to the fooles asylum , or shelter of execrations or curses . such are the curses of some impudent and insatiable beggars : such are the curses of some desperate malefactors against the iudges , when they are sentenced according to lawes and their deseruings : such are the curses of roarers , sonnes of belial , against zealous ministers , for discharging their duties . hence ieremy complained , that hee was causelesly cursed ; c i haue not lent on vsury , neither haue men lent to mee on vsury , yet euery one doth curse mee . d and it is not vnprobable that some of you ( worthy magistrates ) for diligence in doing your duties , and for your laudable endeuours to furnish the markets by drawing forth the corne out of the bands of horders , and the hands of hucksters , shall carry away some curses from the mouches or in the mindes , of these mizars . 't is not vnlikely , but that some of them ( such is their charity ) will reward you with curses , euen for this your care to preuent the curses of the people vpon them . but be not discouraged , salomon hath secured you against such airie execrations . these breath-bullets shall not pierce you ; these speares of reed , and swords of bull-rushes shall not so much as pricke your reputations , much lesse your consciences . the bubbles of such curses shall fall into the faces and eyes of those who blow them vp : like mad-men they runne at you with the hilt , but the point of the sword runneth into their owne brest . let that bee your refuge which was dauids in the like case , euen flying vnto the lord , e let them curse , but blesse thou . say you by them as he did by shimei , when hee cursed him , f god will requite good for such cursing . if for doing iustice , you bee vniustly pursued with virulent tongues , the same promise appertaineth vnto you , which the fountaine of blessednesse hath made vnto vs : g blessed are yee when men reuile you , and say all manner of euill against you falsely . reioyce and be glad , for great is your reward in heauen . their curses are but like the popes bruta fulmina , his banning buls , which the more lowdly they bellowed against queene elizabeth , of blessed memory , the better she prospered , the more she was blessed h therefore , i feare not the reproach of men , neither be afraid of their reuilings ; but , k sanctifie the lord of hoasts himselfe , let him be your feare , let him bee your dread . rest in the blessing of the lord , l who hath blessed vs with all spirituall blessings in heauenly things in christ . let these causelesse curses be so farre from hindering or disheartning you in your lawfull courses , as that you doe rather reioyce in them , and binde them as crownes to your heads ; and be you assured that the promise god made to abraham , belongeth to euery childe of his , continuing in his faith and obedience , and so particularly vnto you , m i will blesse them that blesse thee , and will curse him that curseth thee . contrariwise , formidable is that curse which is extorted by oppression , and vented forth from a brest surcharged with vexation . no iron bullet , driuen by the strongest powder , from the mouth of a cannon , is more terrible and tearing . such a curse being shot from earth , mounteth vp to heauen ; and being sent vp from man , is sealed by god. it is true , that the common people doe commonly erre and offend herein ; their curses , many times are their fooles-bolts , shot without ayme , and falling without hurt , saue to themselues . but many times they are enforced , by grieuous pressures , to shoot these arrowes against their oppressors ; and then they hit surely , and wound deepely . in this case the people haue a legatiue power like the pastors , what they binde on earth , is bound in heauen . here the voyce of the people , especially of the poore , the people of god , is the voyce of the god of the people . therefore wee finde in scripture , that the curse of the people , and a woe from god , are all one vpon the reckoning . our wise man saith , in this booke , n hee that saith vnto the wicked , thou art righteous , the people shall curse him . the prophet isay , inueighing against the same sinne , saith , o vvoe to him that iustifieth the wicked for a reward . here you see that god addeth a woe to that sinne whereon the people doe affix a curse : a curse extorted from them is sealed with a woe denounced by him ; p whose curses , as they are neuer discharged without iust cause , so they neuer returne without effect . heare and tremble all ye nimrods , all you rough-handed esawes , grinders of the poore , oppressors of the people . thinke not to fillip off these curses which your cruelties haue squeised from them , with tush , what care i what the people say ? the fox , the more he is cursed , the better he fares . q let them curse and spare not , as long as such curses doe fill my coffers . know you , that the curse of the people , iustly caused , is a vapor exhaled from earth ; or rather indeed a thunder , which causeth a thunder-bolt to be cast downe from heauen . let the oppressor poste from it as fast as he can , it shall ouertake him ( r as the arrow of iehu did iehoram ) and smite him betweene his armes , and runne thorow his heart ; let him fence himselfe with the best amunition that hee may , it shall pierce him thorow . no coate of male shall rebate the edge , no armour of proofe shall beare off the stroke of the peoples curse , when it is edged with iustly conceiued passion and backed by the almighties approbation . wise men therefore will hearken vnto the counsell of wise syrachides ; ſ make not an hungry soule sorrowfull , neither prouoke a man that is in distres . adde not more trouble to an heart that is vexed , defer not to giue to him that is in need . turne not thine eyes from the needy , and giue him no occasion to curse thee ; for if he curse thee in the bitternesse of his soule , his prayer shall be heard of him that made him . and among all grinders of the poore , tremble you who with-hold from them that which they should grinde for the necessary sustenance of life , and so grinde them the more , because you keepe them from grinding . you rurall tyrants , who , by with-holding your corne , doe enforce the miserable people to flie to their for lorne hope of ringing a peale of curses , against your couetousnesse , in the eares of the almighty . if z the hire of the labourers , who haue reaped downe your fields , being by fraud kept backe , cryeth , and those cries doe enter into the eares of the lord of sabboth : then doubtlesse , the deserued curses of those who are ready to perish , because you will not so much as fell vnto them that which they laboured to reape , and to saue for you , and which without the sweat of their browes , and galling of their hands , you could not haue saued , doe sound like a volley of shot in the eares of the god of mercies , and will awake him to take vengeance on your cursed cruelties . u if any widdow or fatherlesse childe be afflicted by thee ( saith the lord ) and in their affliction doe at all cry vnto me , i will surely heare their cry , and my wrath shall wax hot , and i will kill you with the sword , and your wiues shall bee widdowes , and your children fatherlesse . will god heare the cry of one widdow , of one fatherlesse childe , being afflicted , and can his eares be shut at the generall cry of the whole multitude , among whom are so many widdowes , so many orphans , and some of them ( doubtlesse ) his owne children , the sonnes and daughters of his deare saints , the linely members of his onely begotten sonne christ iesus ? and that these enforced curses are not alwayes effectlesse in this life , witnesse the fearefull iudgements which god hath inflicted on some nabals for terror vnto others . i could tell you old chronicle-stories out of matthew paris , and others , of terrible examples in our owne land , vpon offenders in this kinde . as that of walter grey , an archbishop of yorke , in the yeare of grace , . who hauing fiue yeares corne vnder-hand , would not thresh it out for the releefe of the poore in three yeeres famine , hoping still that the price would encrease . being aduertised by his officers that it was greatly to be feared , lest the corne were consumed by mice , he willed them to deliuer it to the husband-men , who dwelt in his mannor , vpon condition that they should pay him as much new wheat for it after haruest . they attempting to take downe a great mow of corne which hee had at rippon , saw the heads of many snakes , and toads , and other venemous creatures peering out at the end of the sheaues . this being related to the archbishop , hee sent his steward with diuers of good credite to enquire the truth thereof , who seeing what others had seene , enforced , not withstanding , certaine poore men to goe vp to the top with ladders . they were scarcely vp , when they saw a great smoake arising out of the corne , and felt withall a loathsome stinke , which compelled them with all haste possible to hye them downe againe : moreouer , they heard an vnknowne voyce saying vnto them , let the corne alone , for the archbishop and all that he hath , belongeth to the diuell . in fine ( saith the story ) they were faine to build a wall about the corne , and then to set it on fire , fearing lest such an huge number of venemous creatures should empoison , at least annoy the whole country . i could tell you out of forraine authors , of a x german bishop , who in time of dearth kept in his corne , and called the poore which came about him begging reliefe , the rats and mice which deuoured his corne. but god retorted his malicious scomme vpon his owne head ; for he himselfe was soone after deuoured aliue by rats and mice , notwithstanding that he immured himselfe in a strong tower , which is reported to be yet standing , and in the name it beareth to retaine a memoriall of the strange iudgement . i had rather preferre to your consideration the pious action of y ethelwald , a bishop of winchester , before the conquest , who in a great dearth , did breake vp all the plate belonging to his church , and gaue it to the poore , saying , that the church in good time might be prouided of necessary ornaments , but the poore that perished for want of food , could not be recouered . but these examples of ancient times doe lesse affect , and may be held fabulous . z that god hath made the curses of the poore effectuall vpon such couetous corne-horders , euen in recent remembrance , may appeare by this , that some of this cursed crue haue become their owne executioners , and in kindnesse haue saued the hang-man a labour by haltering themselues , when contrary to their expectation , the price of corne hath sodainly fallen : and this both in other countries , and among vs , as a diuines of good reputation haue deliuered vpon their owne knowledge . but worst of all will be , when christ at the great and terrible day of his comming shall adde vnto all these the insupportable weight of his heauie and intolerable curse , when he shall say vnto these , as vnto others ( in some respects more excusable then these ) b depart ye cursed into euerlasting fire , prepared for the diuell and his angels ; for i was hungry , and yee gaue me no meate , i was thirstie , and you gaue mee no drinke : nay , you would not so much as sell mee meate and drinke for ready money , and at a deere rate , when by relieuing mee you might haue enriched your selues ; by feeding me , you might haue filled your owne purses . oh what shall be said to them who will not sell for money , when depart from me ye cursed , is the mildest word that christ shall afford them , who would not giue freely ? what hell shall be hot enough for those that will not sell , when hell fire is prepared for those who would not giue ? shall i speake now vnto the deafe adder , who will not heare the voyce of the charmer ? shall i loose my sweet words by spending them on stones or stony hearts , who regard not the law of god , the command of the king , the cry of the country , the curses of the people , the teares distilling downe the widdowes cheekes , the sighes exhaled from orphants fainting tongues , the ruthfull spectacles of hunger-starued scellitons , whose very sight-might dissolue eyes of adamant into teares ? they who are not moued by any of these , by all of these , what hope is there that they will be mollified by my weake words ? but a necessity is laid vpon vs , and wee must speake ; for if wee should be silent , the stones would euen cry out against these , whose hearts are harder then the nether milstone . if they will not heare vs , let them yet tremble at this determinate speech of god himselfe by salomon , captans pretia frumenti maledictus est in plebe : hee is cursed by the people who catcheth at aduantages by the price of corne. the sentence is peremptory ( c saith a saint ) leauing no place for disputation . if thou doest so , pretend what thou wilt , fill thy mouth with arguments , cast the best colour on the matter that thou canst , all thy fig-leaued apologies will not fence thee from the curse . thou wilt say peraduenture , i do no man wrong , i keepe but mine owne , i may sell mine owne when i please ; is it not lawfull for me to doe with mine owne what i list ? but know , first , that thou abusest the words of christ , he onely ( because he is lord of all ) may doe with his own what pleaseth him . man cānot , because he is not absolute owner of any thing ; for what hath he that he hath not receiued : he must therefore doe with his owne , that which pleaseth the supreme owner of all things . againe , call it thine owne ; it is not lawfull for thee to doe with thine owne what thou wilt , vnlesse thou wilt doe that which is lawfull and right . thou mayst not vse thine owne to the hurt of another man. thou mayest not murther with thine owne sword , nor make men drunke with thine owne drinke , nor burne thy neighbours house with thine owne fire . god , who is the owner of the earth , telleth thee that thou mayest not with-hold his ( which thou vnproperly callest thy ) corne , thereby to famish and impouerish thy brethren . the purple glutton fries in hell fire for with-holding his owne bread from poore lazarus , lying at his gate . it cost nabals life , for denying his owne bread and victuals to dauid and his followers , when he kindely craued it in his need . what canst thou expect then , who wilt rather be cursed by the poore , than sell thine own to them at a reasonable rate in their necessity ? know this therfore , that this corne is not thine own , but it belongeth rather to the poore when they need it , and thou canst well afford it . thou takest from them that which is theirs , by with-holding from them that which thou callest thine . thou doest wrong enough , in not doing right ; thou exercisest cruelty , in not shewing mercy ; thou killest all , from whom thou keepest that which should keepe them aliue . is he a theefe that takes from a man his owne , and makes him to be in want ? what is hee lesse , that will not sell a poore man his owne when hee is in want ? it is the worst kinde of couetousnesse ( saith a d saint ) not to giue to those who are ready to perish , that which otherwise will perish ; what is it then not to sell it vnto them ? thou sayest ( saith the same ) to whom doe i wrong , if i keepe mine owne ? i demand of thee againe ( in the words of that blessed man ) what are those things thou callest thine owne ? thou answerest , why ? my coine , my clothes , my corne. but how came these things to be thine owne ? didst thou bring them with thee into the world ? didst thou not come naked out of thy mothers wombe ? shalt thou not returne naked againe ? whence then hast thou these things ? if thou sayest , i got them by chance , or it is my good fortune that i haue them ; thou doest not acknowledge the author and disposer of all things , thou art vnthankefull , thou art no better than an atheist . if thou confessest thou hast them from god , that he gaue them vnto thee ; then tell me , why did god giue them vnto thee rather than vnto another ? for god is not vniust , or one that knoweth not how to diuide his owne gifts in equall proportions . why then hath god giuen thee so much , and him so little ? why art thou rich , and hee poore ? certainely for no other cause , but that thy fulnesse might supply his want , and that both might , doing their duties , obtaine of him a reward ; thou of faithfull distributing , and hee of his patient enduring . if all were rich , what praise were there of patience ? if all were poore , who should be able to shew charity ? if there were , in this kinde , an equality , two pretious vertues would be vile or not at all , charity and patience . therefore the most prudent disposer of all things , hath most prouidently ordained this inequality , that as the patience of the poore is exercised in wanting , so the charity of the rich may be shewed in releeuing . but thou , griping all in the tallands of thine insatiable auarice , and thereby depriuing so many of their portions , saist thou keepest but thine owne , and thou wrongest no man. thou doest herein ( saith the same blessed bishop ) as if entring into a theatre , thou keepe , or driue out all other spectators , as though those shewes , which were prouided for all , were proper to thee alone : or , as if inuited to a feast by a great friend , together with many other guests as good , or better than thy selfe , thou shouldest sit downe at the table , and keepe all the dishes to thy selfe , excluding the rest , as if the whole dinner were prouided for thee alone . yet still thou sayest , i keepe but mine owne , i doe no man wrong . but tell mee sadly , who is a couetous man ? hee who is not contented with that which is sufficient , but still craueth more . tell mee againe , who is a theefe ? hee who takes away that which is another mans . art not thou then couetous , who art not contented with that which is too much , and which would well content an hundred men , as good , and as dearely bought by christ , as thou art ? art not thou a theefe , who keepest that to thy selfe which thou hast receiued of thy lord and master to distribute and diuide among thy fellow-seruants , thine owne portion ( and that double , treble , yea seuen to one of theirs ) being allowed thee ? shall hee who takes away a mans garment from him , be called a robber , and shall not he who will not clothe the naked , if hee bee able , be also a spoiler ? shall hee who kils a man with a sword , be called a murtherer , and shall hee bee any better that with-holdeth from him that whereof the want will shortly kill him ? doth not hee put out the lampe that powreth not oyle into it , as well as he that blowes it out ? doth not he put out the fire that puts not on wood , as well as hee that throwes on water ? what 's the oddes , but that which the murtherer doth suddenly , thou doest it leasurely and lingringly , and so art the more cruell murtherer of the two ; because thou doest not quickly dispatch , but doublest c death by delaying , and d extendest life onely for greater torment ; not so mercifull as a courteous hangman , that leaps on the shoulders , or puls by the heeles , to put out of paine ; but rather as cruell as that e tyrant , who was said to be nothing but morter made of bloud , not contented to put innocents vnto death f vnlesse the executioner did so strike them , that they might be sensible of their dying . neuer say then that thou keepest but thine owne . it is the bread of the hungry which thou detainest ; it is the garment of the naked which thou sufferest to lye moath-eaten in thy presse ; it is the gold and siluer of the needy , which rusteth in thy coffer : it is the corne of the poore , ready to dye with hunger , which thou sufferest to moulder in thy mow or barne . neuer say , thou doest no man wrong . thou wrongest so many as thou doest not releeue , being able . callest thou thy selfe a christian , and arguest thou thus , quite contrary to the rules of christianity ? answer once an heathen who neuer knew christ and his gospell , vnto his short question : cur eget indignus quisquam te diuite ? why seest thou any one to want ; who is vnworthy , while thou doest abound ? art thou not vnnaturall , who sufferest that which nature cannot endure , vacuity ? art thou worthy to breathe the ayre , who wilt not endeuour to doe as the ayre doth , shift some of it selfe from places that are oner-full , to others that are empty ? how canst thou call thy selfe a christian , when the members of christ doe quiuer with cold for want of that which doth clothe the moaths in thy presse ? or to want necessaries , for lacke of that which the rust consumes in thy bagges , or starue for need of of that which releeueth rats and mice in thy barnes ? hee is a bad seruant who will flaunt it in silks himselfe , gotten by his masters goods , and glut himselfe with the choicest food , and see his masters children , ( yea the master himselfe in them ) goe naked , or ready to starue for want of bread . but did not religious ioseph in the yeares of plenty , gather and keepe vp corne , which he sold afterward in the yeares of famine ? he did so , and that lawfully ; for you haue beene told that there is a lawfull storing vp of corne , when it is done , as ioseph did , not to procure a dearth , but to preuent it , or to be the better prouided against it . i godly ioseph opened his garners in the yeares of famine he did not shut them ; his intent was not to raise the price , but to prouide a supply against the time of want . he gathered and kept not for himselfe , but for others , euen for strangers : thou with-holdest it from neighbours , and wilt suffer vile vermin to feed on it , rather than thy brethren . shamest thou not to alleage the example of ioseph , whose care for the common good so directly condemneth thy couetousnesse , who carest for none but for thy selfe . k but doe wee not read that gedeon threshed out his corne , not to sell it , but to hide it , and yet is not blamed for so doing ? he did . but when did hee hide his corne ? in time of inuasion by the enemy . his garner might be closer and safer than his barne . and from whom did he hide it ? not from his neighbours , but from his and their enemies , the midianites . thy course is quite contrary . then the israelites threshed out their corne to hide it from the midianites : but our midianites will not thresh out theirs , or if they doe , it is to hide it from the israelites . the sword of the lord and of gedeon ( the godly magistrate ) bee against such mercilesse midianites . l dearth and famine is one of the most grieuous iudgements which god inflicteth on a sinfull nation . m thou shalt fall by the sword , by famine , and by the pestilence . these are the three rods wherewith god vseth to scourge a wanton and wicked people . i know that some graue n diuines doe affirme famine to bee the easiest of the three , because god , who best knowes the waight of his owne rods , accounteth three daies pestilence , and three months of the sword , equall with seuen yeeres famine . but this to me seemeth no sufficient reason : sure i am , that dauid , in his hard choice , preferred pestilence before it ; * and it is not probable , that hee would choose the heauiest punishment . besides , the prophet ieremie saith , o they that be slaine by the sword , are better then they that be staine by hunger . moreouer , this scourge of famine is the worse and the more intolerable for the miseries and mischiefes that doe commonly attend it . pestilence often is the companion of it , robberies , rebellions , outrages and other enormities are the pages that doe wait vpon it . dire famine ! thou hast taught tender-hearted mothers to turne cannibals , and to become butchers , cookes , caruers , eaters of their owne children : thou hast taught men to exceed cannibals , and for want of other food to deuoure their owne flesh , and as much as they might , to eat vp themselues . for this ieremie most lamenteth , as for the most lamentable iudgement , p mine eye doth faile with teares , my bowels are troubled , my liuer is powred vpon the earth , for the destruction of the daughter of my people ; because the children and sucklings doe swowne in the streets of the catie . they say vnto their mothers , where is corne and wine ? they swowned as the wounded in the streets of the citty , their soule is powred out into their mothers bosome . that which followes is most patheticall ; q shall the women eat their owne fruit , and their children of aspan long ? now it is proper to the lord alone to punish a sinfull nation . he knowes when it is fittest to whip a people with famine , and he hath wayes enough to bring such a calamitie on a country whensoeuer it pleaseth him : r a fruitfull land he turneth into barrennesse , for the wickednesse of the people that dwell therein . sometimes ſ he makes the heauens aboue as brasse , and the earth beneath as iron : so that albeit men doe labour and sowe , yet they receiue no increase . sometimes againe , t he giueth the former and the later raine in due season , so that the earth yeeldeth abundance ; but the lord sending blasts , rusts , mel-dewes , caterpillars , canker-wormes , doth cause the hope of the yeere to faile : as if such worthlesse creatures were more worthy to enioy the fruits of the earth , then sinfull and vnthankfull man : sometimes euen when the corne is not yet reaped , but expecteth the hooke , or while it standeth in the field awaiting to be housed in the barne , god sends airie threshers , violent windes , to beat it out of the eare ; the furrowes of the field doe become the threshing-floore ; the wheat is sowed where it grew , and that without the helpe of hand , plow or harrow : thus haruest , threshing , and seed-time doe vntimely meet together , as they did some few yeers since . our crying sinnes , particularly the vile abuse of the creature by drunkennesse and riot , haue called for vengeance , and we haue deserued to be scourged , not only with famine , but with the other two rods , with sword also and with pestilence . but this dearth is not inflicted immediately by the hand of god , but enforced by wicked mens cruell couetousnesse . god hath not broken the staffe of bread , but churlish nabals haue gotten it into their owne fists , and with-hold it from the people who should be supported by it . we cannot complaine , u the field is wasted , and yet the land mourneth ; the corne is not wasted , but with-held . god hath not sent want of bread , but couetousnesse hath caused cleannesse of teeth . god hath not smitten vs with blasting , nor sent caterpillers , nor canker-wormes , but the diuell hath raised vp caterpillers and locusts , those x catchers at the dearth of corn ( as the father stileth them ) and these doe make a priuate gaine of a publike detriment , improuing that as a profit to themselues , which god ordained as a plague for sinners ; y the lord hath heard the heauens , and the heauens haue heard the earth , and the earth hath heard the corne ; but those earth-wormes will not heare the voice of the lord , nor the crying complaints of the poore . the earth hath answered the expectation of the sower , but cannot answer the vnsatiable greedinesse of the seller . many mens barnes are full of corne , but their brests are empty of compassion : their garners are stuffed and stored ; two yeeres graine vnder hand in many mens keeping , yet they still gape for a greater dearth , and doe their best , or rather worst to procure it . they suffer their mow-hayes to stand laden with corne neere the high-wayes , in the open view of the poore , the more to anger their hunger . thus they bring vpon their brethren on earth a torment , much like that which poets deuised for tantalus in hell , to haue faire apples at his lips , and yet to pine with hunger ; and in the midst of faire water vp to the chinne , to perish with thirst . z these arrowes of famine that haue wounded our sides , had lesse afflicted vs , had they beene shot directly from the iust hand of god ; him wee could haue entreated with our prayers , mollified with our teares , pacified with our repentance ; but nothing can preuaile with impenitrable auarice : a o let vs fall into the hands of god ( for his mercies are great ) but let vs not fall into the hands of mercilesse men . if our sinnes must needs be scourged , let not greater sinners be the beadles : who hath giuen you commission to be the countries hangmen ? where is your warrant to thrust your selues into the seat of gods iustice ; or to take his quiuer and to shoot against his children those arrowes which hee keepeth against his enemies ? you may indeed , for a while , be the rods of gods wrath ( as ashur was to israel ) but vpon our true repentance , god will turne his wrath from vs , vpon you : and the childe being humbred , the rod shall be cast into the fire . o insatiable auarice ! doth not the earth yeeld thee sufficient encrease ? what meanest thou to plow and harrow the very guts of thy poore brother for greater gaine ? now it is farre worse then they said it was in the beginning of the iron-age ; for then couetousnesse b went but into the bowels of the earth ; but now men c digge into the bowels of their brethren , yea , d they delue into the bowels of christ himselfe for coyne . call ye me this vsurie , or rather fellonie ? * vsury it selfe is charitable in respect of this . vsury yet sends abroad money for money ; this rurall sacriledge will not sell corne for coyne . vsury indeed biteth , but this killeth by keeping away that which should sustaine life . vsury by money stealeth money out of mens purses ( as one by powring a little water into a dry pumpe , forceth out a great deale more ) but this burglary breaketh into mens bowels , and robbeth them of that which should maintaine them . is not this gaine more odious , more base then that of the emperour , who extracted gold out of vrine ? i perceiue , that among our pagan-christians , it holds as currant as it did among the pagans ; e sweet is the scent of siluer , out of what sinke soeuer it be raked : seeing to these horse-leeches gaine is sweet , though sucked out of the bowels of their brethren . oh , if you haue any bowels your selues , or haue not drunke vp that obdurate riuer , f which is reported to turne the bowels of the drinker into hard marble ; looke once ouer the threshold of your poore neighbour , some poore coater , some daily labourer , for his groat or three pence a day , groning vnder the burthen of an heauy house-rent , with a house full of small children on the bargaine ; and if you will not enter in , yet stand without a while , and become officious eues-droppers , listen to the pittious complaints that are among them . there may you see , or heare the wofull mother , with her eldest daughter , the one carding or knitting , the other spinning a sorry threed , and singing to her turne an heauy tune of some sorrowfull psalme ; as , o lord consider my distresse ; or , o lord how are my foes increast ; or , helpe lord , for good and godly men doe perish and decay : then awakes the poore sucking infant , and crying , interrupts both worke and musicke : the mother takes it vp , and giues it sucke with teares , for with milke she cannot . alas ! how can the infant draw milke from the breast , when the nurse cannot get meat for the belly : mother , saith another childe , when shall we eat ? mother , saith another , where is bread ? o mother , saith another , i am so hungry i know not what to doe . thus the feeble children doe call vpon the wofull mother , shee complaines to the sad father , he answers her with pittious complaints against the pittilesse neighbours ; alas ! what shall i doe ? i haue beene at goodman — such a ones house ; from him i went to goodman — such a one ( good men with a mischiefe , that haue not a mite of goodnesse in them , because no compassion on their miserable fellow-members , ) i haue beene ouer the parish , i haue beene out of the parish , with money in my hand , and cannot get a pecke of barley : they haue it , but they say they cannot spare it . o miserable condition ! the poore man is put to a double labour ; first , to get a little money for corne , and then to get a little corne for money , and this last is the hardest labour : he might haue earned almost halfe a bushell , while hee ruunes about begging to buy halfe a pecke . thus doe our country - pharaohs make their brethren bondslaues , enforcing them to make bricke , and denying them straw ; crying , hang them , hang them if they steale , yet not setting them on worke , nor releeuing them when they haue wrought , and so enforcing them either to steale or to starue . remember , o ye palmer-wormes remember , your predecessour , the rich foole in the gospell . h the ground of a certaine rich man brought forth plenteously . and hee thought with himselfe , what shall i doe , because i haue no roome to bestow my fruits ? what shalt thou doe , man ? hast thou so much that thou knowest not what to do with thy goods ? i will tell thee what thou shalt doe : giue to the poore out of thine abundance ; if thou wilt not doe so , yet sell to them at a reasonable price . what shalt thou doe ? why ? make the guts of the poore thy garnors ; their bowels , thy barnes ; their empty mawes , thy mow-hayes ; so shalt thou bee sure that both thy substance and thy soule shall bee safe . how ? no , i 'le none of that . why ? what wilt thou doe then ? i know what i will doe : i will pull downe my barnes , and build greater . nay , soft and faire , thou mayest saue charges and labour ; for , o foole , this might shall they take away thy soule from thee . so let thine enemies perish , o lord , euen all these who are enemies to those whom thou most befriendest , the poore and indigent : vnlesse it rather please thee ( which wee most desire ) to giue them grace to turne mercifull , that so thou mayest haue mercy vpon them : and vnlesse it please thee to giue them wisdome from aboue , to flye from the curse , by forsaking the cursed sinne which procureth it , and to buy a blessing at so cheap an hand , as by selling the superfluity of their corne , hauing reserued sufficient for their owne prouision : for , blessings shall be on the head of him who selleth it . the third sermon . pro. . . but blessing shall be vpon the head of him who selleth it . i haue almost beene tired on mount ebal , the mountaine of cursing ; whereunto the first part of my text necessarily tasked mee . i doe therefore ( after some pause ) the more willingly climbe the mount gerizim , the mountaine of blessing , whereunto the second part doth lead me ; and glad i am to follow , because the ascent is easie , and the top excellent . the ascent i call the duty , which is selling , than which , what more easie ? by the top i vnderstand the recompence , which is no lesse than blessing ; than which , what more excellent ? but blessing shall bee on the head of him who selleth it . consider wee first , the duty , which is selling of corne , opposite to the sinne of with-holding it . that selleth . ] the originall word importeth breaking , or diuiding . the meaning is , that corne must be broken from the heape , and by small portions distributed abroad among many , according to the necessity and ability of the buyer ; that they who cannot reach a bushell , may haue a pecke , or halfe a pecke , for their money . the like phrases are frequent in scripture : breake thy bread vnto the hungry . — giue a portion vnto seauen — as a loafe of bread is broken and diuided among many , that euery one may haue some , and not one all ; so corne is to be broken from the heape , and not to bee sold by the heape to ingrossers , and to such as will make a commodity by retailing it at a dearer rate , but in smaller portions to bee diuided and subdiuided to the poorer sort of people who doe buy for necessity . thus to sell ( especially in such seasons as these ) is a worke of charity , and shall not want a reward ; for it shall receiue a blessing . so that there is a charity sometimes in selling . there are three principall deeds of charity : . giuing , . lending , . selling. giuing is the chiefest and most noble ; it is more blessed to giue , than to receiue ; and therein man doth most resemble god , a who giueth vs abundantly all things to enioy . lending is next , if it be free lending ; b a good man is mercifull and lendeth , saith the psalmist . selling is the last , yet this also ( rightly performed ) wanteth not a blessing . the holy ghost in scripture prescribeth rules for selling , giuing a charge , that c no man doe circumuent or defraud another in bargaining . d lydia , a seller of purple , is praised , and said also to be a worshipper of god. in the last chapter of this booke , the godly matron is commended , not onely ( though chiefly ) for her bounty in giuing , e pro. . . she stretcheth forth her hands to the poore , yea , shee spreadeth them out to the needy ; but also for her selling ; shee maketh fine wooll , and selleth it , and deliuereth girdles to the merchants . behold herein , and acknowledge the gratious indulgence and great kindenesse of our heauenly father , and master to vs his poore children and seruants . he imposeth no hard taske vpon vs. christ may well say , f my yoke is easie , and my burthen light : if there bee any hardnesse in any of his precepts , it is mollified againe with some milde qualification . g canst thou not ( saith a saint ) keepe virginity ? god giues thee leaue to marry : canst thou not fast ? god giues thee leaue to eat : hast thou a great charge , many of thine owne to be prouided for , so that it is not for thine ease to giue ? behold , god giueth thee leaue to sell , yea , promiseth a blessing where thou makest a benefit . h sell that you haue , and giue almes , saith our sauiour : is that somewhat hard to sell and giue all ? why , then sell some , and giue almes of a part , yea , giue almes euen by selling some part of that which you may well spare to your poore brethren ; that i now at this time your abundance may supply their want , that [ at another time ] their abandance may supply your want , that there may be an equality . yea , where there is ability of giuing , there god accepteth selling at some times , such times as these . hee who selleth to preuent a dearth , doth a good worke , as well as hee who giueth in the time of dearth . a few bushels sent to the market , and sold indifferently to the needy , doe please god , as well as mony or bread giuen at the doore : by this , one or a few are , for the time , refreshed ; by the other , many are weekely releeued ; by giuing at the doore , many times , idle bellies , loose lozels , lewd loyteterers are pampered , whose backes had more need to be punished ; but by reasonable and seasonable selling , many poore painefull families are maintained , which hauing laboured hard all the weeke , must not onely pray , but fast the sunday , if they caunot buy a little corne the satterday . so that the way to heauen is not so narrow , nor the gate so strait , but that a courteous farmer , with his cart-load of corne may enter into it , who is ready to releeue the countrey by charitable selling . behold how god esteemes that mercy to others , which brings a commodity to our selues ; and saith , in effect , to you that are of ability , in these extremities ; thy neighbour hath need , yea , i my selfe , in him , doe suffer want , now enrich thy selfe . at other times ( and so now too especially ) k hee that giueth to the poore , lendeth vnto the lord ; at this time , hee that selleth vnto the poore , giueth vnto the lord , and the lord will repay him with a blessing on the bargaine . doth dauid say of him , l who hath dispersed and giuen to the poore , that his righteousnesse remaineth for euer ? behold , his righteousnesse also remaineth , and a blessing is layd vp for him who disperseth and selleth to the poore . did that blessed saint say truly in one sense , m charitas de sacculo non erogatur , charity is not drawne out of a sacke : we may as truly ( in this sense ) affirme the contrary , charity is drawne out of a sacke . when a man openeth the sacke and selleth as he ought , he dealeth charitably . to sell , in latine , is , n to giue to sale ; so that to sell to him that needeth , is a kinde of gift . the charitable seller shall haue his reward , as well as the charitable giuer . o i say , the charitable seller : for , not euery one that selleth , nor that selleth at euery time , must expect the blessing . euen those whom the people doe curse for not selling at this time , doe meane to sell at another time . but he who will so sell as that hee may buy a blessing , must sell charitably . how is that ? he must sell , p . conuenient graine , . for conuenient gaine , . in season conuenient , and . measure conuenient . q first , hee must shew charity in selling , in regard of the matter ; he must sell that which is good for quality . he must not sell the refuse of the wheat , lest instead of a blessing , hee come within compasse of the curse denounced by amos r , against such sellers . some will sell indeed , but it shall bee the orts and fragments of rats and mice . ſ many will giue that which they cannot sell . t but many are worse than the calabrian host , who , if his guests would not accept his profered peares , hee would tell them that the swine should eat them . many will not sell to their brethren but that which is almost too bad to be cast vnto the swine . u secondly , conuenient graine must bee sold for conuenient gaine , otherwise there is no charity , but iniury and oppression in selling . gold may bee bought too deare , and so may graine . wherefore , as saint iohn baptist counselled the publicans , so doe we the popular publicans , the farmars , x exact no more than is appointed . men say that light gaine makes heauy purses ; some shall finde that their light ware and heauy price wil make guilty consciences , & heauy hearts at the last . too many doe catch their poore neighbour , the buyer , as , they say , men doe vse to catch the panther , by placing the prey on a tree in his sight , so farre aboue his reach , that hee breakes his heart-strings in leaping at it : so , many doe bring into the market good corne , but as a bait in the sight of the buyer ; for they pitch such an high price on it , that the poore coater , though hee stretch his purse-strings till they breake againe , is not able to reach vnto it . and if they cannot haue their owne price , home it must againe , or bee housed vntill the next market ; and if the price doe fall in the meane time , they are ready to hang themselues , because they neglected their first aduantage . thirdly , selling ( especially in this ) cannot bee charitable , vnlesse it bee also seasonable . god giueth euery thing food in due season ; so will the godly afford their poore brethren that which must feed them in the fittest season . tempestiuity in doing , addeth weight and worth to euery good deed . what is a pardon worth , that commeth after execution ? as much as the cardinals cap which the pope sent to b. fisher , when the head was off that should haue worne it . farmers will sell ( forsooth ) but not yet , not in haste , the price is not yet high enough for their purpose . they haue learn'd the language of the iewes in haggaies times , and doe say , by releeuing the spiritual temples of the lord , as they did by repairing his materiall temple . y the time is not yet come , the time that the lords house should be built . the time is not yet come that wee should sell ; it will bee dearer a great deale , and that ere long . what is this but to delay a blessing , vntill it turne to a curse ; like the reprieuing of a good dish of meat till it be moulded , and full of worms ? you who desire a blessing vpon your selling , remember that of the apostle , and take it as spoken to you in this particular , z now is the acceptable time , now is the day of saluation . now is the time ( you who haue corne to sell ) now is your time to sell it ; now that corne is deare , now bring it forth , furnish the markets , bring downe the price ; now take your time , that you may bring a blessing on your soules . lastly , as the matter must be good , so the measure must be iust ; there must bee a conueniency as well in regard of quantity as of quality , otherwise , charity and a blessing will be absent from your selling . a false ballances are abhomination vnto the lord ; and are not false bushels and false peckes also ? b iust ballances , iust weights , a iust ephah , and a iust hin shalt thou haue . c to make the ephah small , and the shekel great , and to sell the refuse of the corne : bad ware , and as bad measure , this is not to sell vnto the poore , but to sell the poore , or to buy them for so base a price as a paire of shooes , saith the prophet . such merchants are some of our mizars , who bring good graine and great measure to the market , onely to fetch vp the price , and doe sell worse corne and lesse measure to their poore neighbours at home at the same price , swearing that they sold it for so much at the market , and so by a mentall reseruation , reserue their soules ( without repentance ) for the diuell . what can this bee , but a manifest breach of that strict iniunction , d thou shalt not haue in thy bagge diuers waights , thou shalt not haue in thine house diuers measures , a great and a small ; and marke what followes , and tremble all yee that practise such craft , all that doe such things , and all that doe vnrighteously , are an abhomination to the lord. and how can abhominable selling expect a blessing ? it is the charitable seller , for whose head this crowne is prepared , as a reward , not of merit , but of mercy ; which that it may the more feruently affect vs , let it be a little more punctually considered by vs , blessing shall bee on the head of him who selleth it . here it is obseruable , that the reward promised , is larger and more emphatically laid downe , than the punishment threatned . for whereas the antithesis requires that it should be said , the people shall blesse him , as it was of the cōtrary , the people shal curse him , it is not so said , but , blessing shal be on his head , which is more emphaticall . for hereby it is signified , that god taketh on him to be the bestower of the blessing , he will not entrust the multitude therewith , he will doe it himselfe to preuent failing . in naming the head , ( the sublimest and noblest part of the whole body ) he intimateth that god , who is the fountaine of blessednesse , will streame downe blessings vpon him plentifully and comfortably . that which is powred downe vpon the head , must needs proceed from something that is aboue the head . now there is none higher than the head of man , that can conferre a blessing on man , but god alone . hence therefore it must needs follow , that god will crowne with blessings that man who charitably selleth his corne in times of extremity , thereby to mitigate or abate the dearth . these are two sinnes especially reigning among the poorer sort of people ; . murmuring , and . vnthankfulnesse : if they want , and be not presently satisfied , they murmure against god and man ; they cry out on the hardnesse of the times and of mens hearts . this dauid , long sithence , obserued in some of that kinde ; e they wander vp and downe for meat , and grudge if they be not satisfied . and yet being satisfied , commonly they are vnthankefull both to god and man. they haue mouthes full of cursing against them who with-hold corne ; but not a breath of blessing ( too many of them ) for those who releeue them , either by giuing , lending , or selling . this makes mens hearts to bee harder than they would be ; and this causeth god to punish such murmuring , such vnthankfulnesse , by encreasing their wants , and remouing the supplies . but let neither of these discourage good christians from doing their duties ; let no man bee disheartned from charitable beneficence by the peoples vnthankfulnesse : for though man be vngratefull , yet god is not forgetfull . good men in doing good , doe looke vp chiefly to the fountaine of goodnesse , to god and his glory . be ye assured therefore , that though men doe neglect their duty , yet god can as soone forget himselfe as his mercy . if the people , who are ready to curse when they want , be not as ready to blesse when their wants are supplied , yet god , who hath powred charity into your hearts , will powre down blessings vpon your heads , and so crowne in you his owne gifts . i must reserue some time for application , and so much the more , because my text ( rightly applied ) surroundeth the whole temple , and bespeaketh all auditors here present , of whatsoeuer condition , euen from the chancell to the church-doore , as well for application as attention . and because salomon saith , blessing shall be vpon the head , let me first beginne with the head of this assembly , and prepare them to receiue the blessing , which afterward ( like aarons ointment ) may from the head distill vnto the beard , and thence runne downe to the hem of the garment . to you ( right worshipfull ) doth salomon speake in this proclamation , as proclamations are first addressed to the chiefe officers , that by them they may be published to the people . if you be failing in doing your duties , if you discharge not that trust which god hath imposed and his annointed hath reposed on you , how will you answer it ? how will you escape the curse of god and man. but ( praised be god ) the country doth witnesse , and we thankfully acknowledge , that hitherto ( some of you especially ) haue not beene failing . proceed in the name of god ; all the praise and recompence is paid vnto perseuerance : feare not , faint not , be resolute , be couragious ; you haue god , the king , the cleargie , the country on your sides : onely a few scarabees , whose element is dongue , may assay to scare you from your commendable courses . but let not their buzzing out-braue your worthy proceedings : let not the murmurings nor reproaches of a few , worthier to be punished then regarded , daunt you in the seruice of god and your country . i haue heard strange language from some of their lips ; the markets are worse furnished , and the price of corne more risen since the iustices haue beene so industrious . strange inferences ! iust like teuterton steeple the cause of goodwin sands . as if iudges were the cause of so many fellonies , as physitians ( in some places ) are of so many funerals , and attornies of so many law-sutes . these are but bubbles blowne vp by malice or couetousnesse ; let them not be lyons to stop you from going on couragiously in the way of iustice . though the people do sometimes curse where they should blesse , yet god will surely blesse , where he findeth obedience . as blessing shall be on the head of them who sell their corne willingly , so shall it be on your heads , who cause them , or compell them to sell , who are vnwilling . the blessing that might haue beene on their heads , if they had sold willingly , shall bee taken from theirs , and placed on your heads , for enforcing them to doe their duty . and doubtlesse , this blessing shal be doubled , if you draw them on by example , as well as by authority . if blessing shall be on the head of the seller , how many blessings shall bee on the bountifull giuer and releeuer of the poore ? if it be more blessed to giue than to receiue , then , doubtlesse , it is more blessed to giue than to sell . let me incite you ( worthies ) to an holy ambition , a godly enuy , or ( to auoyd the odiousnesse of the terme , stile it rather ) zeale . disdaine , disdaine that your tenants should carry away from your heads , such a crowne by selling , when you may anticipate the blessing by bountifull giuing . or let those earth-wormes be so base , that they will not buy heauen by selling , be ye more generous ( noble bereans ) buy it you by giuing . christ was contented to be sold himselfe at a vile price , that he might buy vs at so deare a price as his owne blood . how can we call our selues christians , if wee will not buy christ for a little siluer , or a morsell of bread ? hospitality at all times commendable , in these hard times is royall . learne of noble nehemias , to make your houses hospitals for the poore . away with that mock-chimney , or rather poyson of hospitality , entertaining of nimrods , esaus , ismaels , and those deuouring dromedaries , their followers . if euer , now , now follow your sauiours counsell of inuiting and entertaining your poore neighbours at your tables ; if not at your tables , yet in your houses ; if not in your houses , yet at your doores ; or if you will not haue them come to your owne houses , yet send sometimes to see how they are prouided at their owne . your ouer-seers for the poore , in many parishes , are poore ouer-seers : it is a worthy worke for a iustice of peace , in his parish , to ouer-see them , and if need be , to be a deacon in ministring and distributing to the necessities of the brethren . christ hath descended to baser seruices for vs. if any say , i talke of cost and charges ; i will soone shew how that may be saued , at least quitted . stop somewhat of the streame in your butteries and sellars , and open it rather at your doores . rescue your wine and your beere from the tyranny of rorers , and turne it into bread for the necessary releefe of your hungry neighbours . plucke your drinke from the throats of them that waste it , that you may the better bestow your morsels on those who want it . how many a hungry family might feast it a week , on the healths that are wasted in some gentlemens houses in a night ? one word more , i pray you , at parting : you haue mysticall corne , as well as materiall . iustice and equity is your corne ; if you with-hold this , the people will curse you , and god will adde the weight of a woe to their curses . onely , this corne of iustice is not for the market ; it must not be sold , take heed of that , it must be equally diuided , and distributed freely . iustice must not be sold by the basket , as corn is by the bushell . though in cities , commonly , merchants be iustices , yet neither in city nor country must iustices be merchants , especially of iustice . the sellers of this kinde of corne , are liable to a curse , equall with the with-holders of the other . blessing shall be on the head of them who vprightly doe administer it , and freely doe distribute it . i see here are ministers present , as well as magistrates , and shall i dismisse my brethren without a blessing ? were this a visitation ( as in some kinde it is ) here were a text for a concio ad clerum , hee that with-holdeth corne , the people shall curse him . as for materiall corne , our neighbours will exempt vs from the curse by keeping our corne from vs , not allowing vs ( by their wil● ) sufficient to serue our owne turnes , much lesse to be sellers . but ( blessed and beloued brethren ) let vs remember that we are gods husbandmen , and iosephs ( as i may say ) for spirituall corne : some of the ancients doe take this text in a mysticall sense , and by corne doe here vnderstand the preaching of the gospell . o let vs not be hiders and with-holders , but stewards and dsposers of that graine whereof is made the bread of life . neuer had wee more need to be bountifull in breaking it to the people , then in these dangerous dayes : see we not how the seeds-men of sathan , the diuels farmers and proctors , iesuites and secret sectaries doe bestirre themselues ? they are not sparing in threshing out their tares : they sell , yea , they giue abroad their romish graine , they impose it on the people , and doe presse them to take it : shall we be with-holders and hiders of gods graine , when so many are ready to perish for want of knowledg ? it may be the common people , who care not much for this mysticall corne , will not curse vs , though we keepe it from them : but though they doe not , god will ; for if he be cursed who with-holds corporall bread , how shall he escape who with-holds the bread of the foule ? and if blessing shall be on his head who in a needfull time produceth his corn , that the people may haue the food which perisheth , how blessed shall he be who in so needfull times as these , is bountifull in bestowing on them the food that endureth to euerlasting life ? let mee now speake to them , for whom i haue spoken all this while ; namely , the poorer sort of people , who are therefore the poorer and more miserable , because they care so little to repaire to the temple , and to heare what god saith vnto them . though the peoples curse be the curse of corn-horders , yet this is no warrant for you , o ye poore , to be impatient , & to reuenge your wrongs with execrations and curses . vengeance is mine , and i will recompence , saith the lord. when saint iames had bitterly inueighed against couetous rich men for keeping in their coyne , and their cloathing , and for detaining from the labourer his hire , though hee said that a the rust of their siluer should bee a witnesse against them , and that the moaths of their garments should at their flesh as fire , and that the cries of the laborers entred into the eares of the lord ; yet hee doth not counsell the labourers to cry , much lesse to curse , but exhorting them to patience , aduiseth them to commit their case to the supreme iudge , saying , b be patient therefore , brethren , till the comming of the lord. — grudge not one against another , brethren , lest yee be condemned . behold the iudge standeth before the doore . * rather , looke into your selues , accuse your selues , and if you will needs curse , banne and abandon your owne sinnes , for they are the causes of all your calamities . your grudging , your murmuring , your vnthankefulnesse , these , and the like , haue caused god to harden the hearts of men against you . sinne , sin is the procurer of dearth , and of all other disasters besides . c god turneth a fruitfull land into barrennesse : why doth he so ? for the wickednesse of the people that dwell therein . onely for sinne , bethleem , which was an house of bread , became an house of famine ; and that land , which abounded with milke and honey , was abandoned to dearth and scarcity . in the caldean language d ( saith blessed ambrose ) sodome and gomorra doe signifie blindnesse and barrennesse . e consider with your selues , whether among your other sinnes , your affected blindnesse be not a cause of this inflicted barrennesse . alas ! you doe not feele your greatest famine : miserable is your ignorance : i haue knowne some of you that haue not knowne whether christ were a man or a woman . how sollicitous are you for corporall , how carelesse of spiritual sustenance ? crying out that you are ready to dye for want of a crust , and not perceiuing that you doe daily perish for want of knowledge ? f you wander vp and downe for meat , and grudge if you be not satisfied ; you may bee fed at home with the food that endureth to euerlasting life , and will not come to receiue it . if your neighbour deny you wheat or barley , you complaine , you cry , you are ready to curse him . but if god doe send a famine , not of bread , but of ( that which is much more pretious ) the word of god , or if the bread of life be withholden from you , by those who should breake it vnto you , you are nothing grieued thereat , you neuer complaine of that want . these , and the like , your peculiar sins haue caused vnto you this dearth . accuse not so much the couetousnes of others , as your own corruptions : not the constellations or courses of the heauens , but euill men , euill minds , euill manners , do make the times euill . amend them , and these will soone be amended . and amend , if not for loue of god and godlinesse , yet for feare of iudgements . repent , if not inuited thereunto by goodthings , yet enforced by these things which you account euill , what you haue lost by sin and negligence , redeeme , recouer by true repentance . learne you once to seek first the kingdome of god and his righteousnes , and then you haue a most sure word of promise , that g all these things shall be added vnto you god will turn stones into bread , make the most stony-hearted mammonist relent and yeeld you bread , or he will raine downe bread from heauen , or cause the rauens to feed you , or worke any miracle rather than you shall perish . or if it please god to correct you with this rod , and to exercise you with this affliction , yet despaire not ; for euen these publike calamities are sanctified to gods children . to them , this very scourge of famine ( as well as other curses ) haue their natures altered , as the bitter waters of mara , were turned into sweetnesse , and a stinging serpent changed into a flourishing rod. no extremity of famine ( no more then any other temptation ) can turne the loue of god from his children ; as is cleere by that bold challenge of the apostle to all afflictions and crosses , and to this as well as to any of the rest , h who shall separate vs from the loue of christ ? shall tribulation , or distresse , or persecution , or famine ? no , for in all these things wee are more then conquerors , through him that loued vs. can i quit the mountaine of blessing , without bequeathing a blessing ? i cannot ; and to whom should i bequeath it , rather then vnto them on whom my text doth bestow it , the sellers ? we who are the preachers of peace , may , and ought sometimes encourage men vnto contention , so it be against sinne , and the courses of sinners . contend you therefore ( charitable breasts ) against these hard-hearted horders : be you as couetous for your soules , as they are for perishing substance : while they heape vp curses on themselues by with-holding , striue you for blessings by charitable selling . now is your haruest , take aduantage of these hard times to store your selues with the best riches ; see how god makes many to want , that you may abound , and suffers others to be miserable , that you may be blessed by relieuing them . neglect not this opportunity , but now by seasonable selling buy vnto your selues an assured blessing ; you see with what a faire offer god presents you , to get heauen without loosing any thing on earth . that blessing which others attaine vnto by free giuing , you may get by profitable selling . blessed shall you be in your outward estate , you shall neuer be the poorer at the yeeres end ; you shal finde as much coine in your purses , as the greedy cormorant that sharketh after all aduantages . god will blow on his store , and boare holes in his bags , while yours shall hold , and be encreased : a little that the righteous hath , is more then all the riches of the wicked . blessed shall you be in your names and reputations ; you shall be praised and well reported of by all men ( all good men ) and by the truth it selfe : the precious ointment of a good name shall perfume the places of your aboad : the righteous shall be had in euerlasting remembrance . blessed shall you be in the loue of the people . the daily labourer shall daily pray for you ; and magistrates shall praise you ; godly ministers shall reioyce & take comfort in you ; widdowes & orphanes in their hearty prayers shall send letters of commendation in your behalfe vnto heauen , to the king of heauen , their speciall protector and assured friend to all that doe befriend them . blessed shall you be in your husbandry , and in your fields ; this yeeres selling shall be the next yeeres sowing and reaping : the earth which was cursed for adams sinne , shall be blessed vnto you : no worthing , no marle , no manuring shall procure you more plenty of corne , then this your selling of corne ; yea , a blessing shall be on your children , and on your posterity after you , as is promised vnto the faithfull . god shall crowne you with spirituall blessings : i he shall put gladnesse into your hearts , more then they haue , when their corne and their wine is increased , and the prices with them : you shall haue peace of conscience , ioy in the holy ghost , greater treasures then all full coffers and barnes can afford . you shall be blessed in your sicknesse . god himselfe shal be your physitian , your keeper , your attender : the lord will strengthen you vpon the bed of languishing , he himselfe will burne all your bed in your sicknes . you shall be blessed in that houre wherein others are most distressed , in your death ; with old simeon you shall depart in peace , your eyes before-hand seeing your saluation . but most blessed shall you be after death , when god shall crowne you with euerlasting blessednesse in heauen ; then shall the head of blessings be on your head , when you shall be most neerely and eternally ioyned vnto your head christ iesus , who is blessednesse it selfe , who is god blessed for euer . o how ioyfull shall you be at that day , when others shall be most sorrowfull : how blessed , when these corn-holders shall be cursed ▪ for when they shall be sent away with the goates on the left hand , with that wofull word , depart ye cursed into euerlasting fire , prepared for the diuel and his angels : then shal you standing among the sheepe on the right hand heare that happy call , come ye blessed k of my father , inherit the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world . to which kingdome he bring vs who hath prepared it for vs , and to him one god in three persons , blessed for euer , be ascribed all praise , power , might , maiesty , glory , and dominion , now and for euer . amen . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e cor. . . veteres omnes morbos inediâ curabant . notes for div a -e the occasion of the choice of this text. a luk. . . ministers . et quae non prosunt singula , iuncta iuuant . a psal . . . b deut. . . . . iosh . . . diuision of the text into two parts . in the former part consider , . the sinne , . the sequel . prima primae . the sin withholding corne. all keeping of corne not vnlawfull . * paruula na● exemplo est magni formica laboris , ore trahit quod cunque potest , acque addit aceruo quem struit , haud igna●a e● non incauta futuri horat. hyemis memores tectque repenunt virgil. . aenid . parcum genus est patiensque laboris . ouid metam . . videatur plinius . lib. . cap. . et ambros . hexam . l. . c. . item aelian . de var. histor . l. . indè dictum granigerum agmen , a a see pro. . , , . b what is vnlawfull herein . c ambr. offic. l. . c. . d vnder the word , corne euery publike commodity is comprehended . doctr. . a grieuous sin to procure or further famine by raising the price of corne. reasons . . it is odious vnto god. e amos ● . ● , , f dod ad text. g vers . . the detaining of other commodities not so necessary for the life of man a corn , forbidden by god. h iam. . , , . much more of bread-corne , without , which the life of man can hardly , yea , not at all , be sustained . i the necessity of bread vnto mans life . k isa . . . leuit. . . ezech. . . . . . . satis est homini fluuiusque ceresque . . it is opposite to nature . l hi mores , haec duri immota catonis secta f●it , scr●are modum , finemque tenere , naturamque sequi patriaeque impendere vitam . nec sibi , sed toti genitum se credere mundo . lucan l. . m eccle. . . n corn-horders traitours to nature . o that which nature most desireth , they detest ; that is , plenty . p psal . . . and that which nature teacheth most to detest , they doe most desire , namely , dearth and scarcity . q mat. . . r king. . . a ezech. . , . b ezec. . . . condemned by the lawes of nations . c annonam vexare et tentare vel maximè dardanarii solent , quorum auaritia itum est tam mandatis quàm costitutionibus . vlpian . in leg . annon . d. de extraordinar . criminio . d terra communis omnium mater est , propterea iusta ; vos autem iniusti , qui eam duntaxat vestram matrem esse voluistis ; quod nisi ab huiusmodi incepto destiteritis , diutiùs vos in ea permanere non sinam . epistol apolloniꝭ ad a●nona vex●tores in princip . e de mathemalicis italia pelend is factum senatus consultum atrox et irritum . tacit. annal. l. . c. . f genus hominum quod in ciuitate nostra & vetabitur semper & retinebitur . tacit. hist . l c. . tacit , annal. l. . c. . application . three sorts of people guilty of this sinne . . the greedy farmer , who sometimes with-holds corne euen in selling in . . the couetous marchant . g gen. . . basil . . hucksters , or badgers of corne. the sinne of with-holding corne , more hamous in our land , than in others . lament . , , the sequell . the curses of the people . a common sinne drawes on a common curse . doct. . a fearefull thing to be iustly cursed by the people . the peoples curse two-fold . . causlesse or vniust , this not to be feared or regarded . a pro. ▪ . b sciendum est quòd scriptura sacra duobus modis maledictum memorat , aliud videlicet quod approbat , aliud quod damnat . aliud enim maledictum profortur iudicio iustitiae , aliud liuore vindictae greg. moral . l. . c. . c ier. . . d exhortation to magistrates and officers to doe their duties though the people do causlesly curse them . such curses shall not hurt their credits or consciences , but rebound on those who do vse them . e psa . . . f sam . . for such curses god will blesse them . g mat. . . h beati super quos talis maledictio cadit . vtinam vt super nos ista maledictio veniat . euseb . emis . seu . ser . . post . , domini . i i●ai . . k lsai . . l ephe. . . m gen. . . . the iustly caused curse of the poore & oppressed , this is very fearefull . n prou. . . see pro. . o isai . . vse . terrour to all oppressors of the poore . vt quidam memoratur athenis sordidus & diues vulgi cont●mnere voces sic solitus , populus me sibilat ac mihi plaudo ipse domi quoties nummos contemplor in arca . q maledictio diuina sicut nunquam temerè emittitur ita nunquam re infecta reuertitur . cartw● ad text. horat. l . sat . ● king. . ſ ecel , , , . especially to corne horders . z iam. . . u exod. ● . , , . that these curses are not effectlesse in this life , shewed by examples . a story out of matthew paris , of walter grey , archbishop of yorke , a couetous corn-horder . an. dom. . x another of a german bishop deuoured by rats . anno . hatto episcopus moguntinensis . — nomineq idem episcopus et pastor , sed reipsa lupus . scribunt quidam quòd mures quoque●o men eius detentes a parietibus et tapetibus aebraserint . — inde & in hodiernum diem turris ipsa , turris muri●m vocatu . iob fincel . andr. housdorphius . phil. laui●er . in theat . histor . theod. zuinger . in theat . vit . human . l. . rauisius textor . y b. godwin . catalogue of english bishops . z the effect of these curses in latter times , wherein some of these nabals haue hanged themselues , when the price of corne hath fallen . a lauater , cartwright ad text. the greatest curse of all , at the day of iudgement . b mat. . , . c definita est sententia , nihil disputationi relinquens . ambros. offic. l. . c. . obiections answered . . may i not do with mine owne as i list ? answ . christ onely may doe with his owne as he list . man cannot , who can call properly nothing his own saue his sin . men may not vse their own to the hurt of others . it is damnable to withhold our own when others are ready to perish for want of that which we may well spare . d videatur d. basilius ser . . in auaros . c tristior est laetho , laethi mora . d prob saeuior ense parcendi rabies concessaque vit● dolori . claudian . e lutum sanguine . maceratum . caligula● f ita ferivt sentiant se meri , sueton. horat. obiect . . iosephs example answered . i fortasse dicet . et ioseph in abundantia frum●nta collegit , in caritate vendidit . ioseph sanctus omnibus aperuit horrea , non clausit , nec pretia captauit annonae , sed perenne subsidium collecauit , nihil sibi acquisiuit , sed quemadmodum fames etiam in posterum vinceretur prouida ordinatione disposuit . ambr. offic. l. c. . k obiect . . gedeons example . iudg. . . answered , b. o● exon. contemplat . vol. . l. . gedeons calling . l famine , agrieuous iudgement . m ezech. . n b. cowper on rom. . . * sam. . , . o lamen . . . dira fames semper magnorum prima malorum st comes●● lucand● . p lam . , q lam. . . it ▪ is proper to god alone to punish a sinfull nation with famine or any other iudgement . r psal . . ſ leu. . . t deut. . . we haue deserued to be thus scourged but this famine is not inflicted immediately by god , but enforced by the cruell couetousnesse of men. u ioel . . x frumentarii pretii captatores , amb offic. ● . . c. . y hos . . , z ezech. . . a sam. . an inuectiue against couetousnesse . b itum est in viscera terrae . c itum est in viscera fratrum d itum est in viscera christi . * these corn-horders worse then vsurers . latrocinium hoc an foenus appellem ? captantur tanquā latrociniꝭ tempora quibus in vis●era hominum clarus insidiator obrepas ambr ▪ vbi supr . e lucri bonus est odor ex re qualibet — iuuenal f flumen habent cicones quod potum saxea reddit viscera , quod tactis inducit marmora rebus ouid. m●tam . the pittifull estate of poore labourers in these hard times , deplored . h luk. . . quid faciam ? nonne haec pauperis vox est , non habentis subsidia viuendi ? — quid faciam ( inquit ) quòd non habeo ? clamat sediues non habere ; paupertatis hic sermo est , de inopia queritur abundans fructibus . — et dixit , hoc faciam , horrea mea destruam . diceret potius , aperiam horrea mea , ingrediantur qui tolerare famem non queunt , veniant inopes , intrent pauperes , repleant sinus suos . desiruantur parietes qui excludunt esarientes . vt quid ego abscondam cui deus facit ab indare quod l●rgior ? ambros. l de nabuth c . id. ibid. c. . dam incrementa pretiorum aucupor , amisi vsum beneficiorum . quantas anni superioris frumento animas pauperum reseruare possem ? haec me magis delectarent pretia , quae non nummo aestimantur sed gratia : — tu verò non h●c ditis , sed ais . de ruam horrea mea recte destiues ea quibus nullus pauper onustus reuertitur , &c. the second part of the text , wherin it is to be considered . the duty to be performed ▪ selling. perfringentis metaphora à rebus fractis ▪ cartwright ad locum . doct. . there is a charity in selling , as well as in giuing . a tim. . . b psalm . c thes . . . d act. . . e prou. . vers . . vse . to teach vs to acknowledge gods goodnesse in accepting any seruice done at his command , though for our owne profit . f mat. . . g chrysost . ad pop . antioch . hom . . h luk. . . i cor. . . god accepteth sometimes selling , euen where there is ability of giuing . vse . to incite those who are of ability , to this duty of selling . k prou. . . l psal . . . cor. . . m nemo dicat , non habeo ; charitas de sacculo non erogatur . augustin . in psal . . n vendere quasi venum dare . o not euery one who selleth , but hee who selleth charitably , hath the recompence . p fourethings required in charitable selling . q to sell that which is good for quality , conuenient graine . r amos . . ſ plerumque , hoc homines nequeunt quod vendere donant . faern in fab . t haec hodie porcis comedenda relinques . horat. u for conuenient gaine . x luk. . . in conuenient season . y haggai . . z ● cor. . . conuenient measure . a prou. . . b leuit. . deut. . . ezech. . . c amos . d deut. . , . vers . . da , de . obseruat . the reward more emphatically layd downe , than the iudgment threatned . doct. . god wilblesse him who selleth charitably in time of extremity . two sinnes of the poore . murmuring vnthankfulnesse . e psal . . . neither of these should discourage vs from charitable actions . for though men bee vngratefull , yet god is not forgetfull . application . to the magistrates , exhorting them to carefulnes in doing their duties in this behalfe , according to his maiesties orders . and to draw on the people by their example . o quae stultitia est ! deus emit sanguine seruos , mercari paruo nos piget aere deum . dehortation from withholding iustice , & from selling it . to ministers . to be careful and faithfull in distributing spirituall corne for the bread of life . hieronym . hugo cardinal . et aly . to the poore . here is no warrant for them to reuenge their wrongs with cursings , as commonly they doe . a iam. . b vers . , , . * but rather to accuse and curse their owne sins , the cause of that sufferings . malorum omnium n●●orum casa est pecc●um . nihil imputerus astris ; sacrilegio annus exaruit . symmach . c psal . . d lingua patria caldaei nuncuparunt sodomam et gomorram coecitatem et sterilitatem . ambrso . l. de noe et arca. c. . e particularly that common sinne of the vulgar , who are more carefull for materiall bread than for the word , the bread of their soules . f psal . . . mala tempora facit nobis contemptus dei , temporum cursus non facit . chrysologus . de orat . et ●eiunio ser . g mat. . . h rom. . . encouragement and comfort vnto sellers . god shall crowne them with blessings externall . internall . i psal . . . psal . . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all . k mat. . . a treatise of cleanness in meats and drinks of the preparation of food, the excellency of good airs and the benefits of clean sweet beds also of the generation of bugs and their cure : to which is added, a short discourse of the pain in the teeth shewing from what cause it does chiefly proceed, and also how to prevent it / by tho. tryon. tryon, thomas, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing t estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a treatise of cleanness in meats and drinks of the preparation of food, the excellency of good airs and the benefits of clean sweet beds also of the generation of bugs and their cure : to which is added, a short discourse of the pain in the teeth shewing from what cause it does chiefly proceed, and also how to prevent it / by tho. tryon. tryon, thomas, - . [ ], p. printed for the author and sold by l. curtis ..., london : . reproduction of original in huntington library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng food handling -- early works to . teeth -- care and hygiene -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - emma (leeson) huber sampled and proofread - emma (leeson) huber text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a treatise of cleanness in meats and drinks , of the preparation of food , the excellency of good airs , and the benefits of clean sweet beds . also of the generation of bugs , and their cure . to which is added , a short discourse of the pain in the teeth , shewing from what cause it does chiefly proceed , and also how to prevent it . by tho. tryon . london , printed for the author , and sold by l. curtis near fleet-bridge . . of cleanness in meats and drinks . of the excellency of good airs , and of the contrary . of the benefits of clean sweet beds , and of the inconveniences of feather-beds . what matter it is that does occasion the generation of that pernicious vermin called bugs , that so many hundreds in this city , and other great towns , are infested with ; more especially in holland , italy , new-england , barbadoes , jamaica , and in many other places . that they are never bred but where beds are : and that their being generated from wooden bedsteads , or from hogs hair in the plaisterings of the walls , is a meer story , promoted inconfiderately by persons mistaken in the productions of nature : also , how all such persons as are troubled with them may be cured without using medicines , and directions how to avoid ever having them again . . of cleanness in food . what is more profitable for all lovers of health and wisdom , than food that is radically clean ? and as bread hath deservedly the first place , together with herbs , and various sorts of excellent fruits ; so the next is milk , which of it self is a brave , mild , and most friendly food to nature , very fit and profitable for all ages and complexions ; and if it do not agree with some people , it is because their stomachs are made sharp and sowred by superfluity of dainty food , and the continual use of strong drink . also milk being altered , it makes many sorts of wholesom healthy food . next to these , are various sorts of flesh , which being killed in their proper times and seasons , and when they are free from their uncleannesses , surfeits , and other inconveniences , which most beasts are subject to ; and if care be taken also that they be well and moderately seasoned with salt , and boyled in plenty of river or spring-water ( which is the best of all waters except rain-water ) they become wholesom nourishment . for , river-water hath the advantage of running through various sorts of earth , by which it sucks into it self a fat , oylie , and saline quality , which the surface of the earth does plentifully afford ; which also is the cause of all vegitation , and the lovely green colour which all vegitables are cloth'd with , does arise from this saline quality . for these reasons , river-water will brew , boil , and wash , and it is more profitable in all uses in houswifery , than spring or pump-water , and far wholesomer for men and beasts to drink . also your vessel in which your food is boyled , ought to be uncovered all the time it boyls ; for if the air have not its free egress and regress , the pure spirits in the food become as it were suffocated , and then the food so prepared becomes dull and heavy ; for the air is the essential life of the spirit ; and all food that hath not plenty of water , and the free influences of the air , in its preparation , does certainly lose its natural colour , with the pure smell and taste : for if those three qualities be not preserved in all preparations of food , then the genuine vertue and lively tinctures are in part lost . the same is to be observed in all physical operations . and if the above-mentioned order be not observed , then the food is not so pleasant to the pallate , nor so easie of concoction ; it lies heavy in the stomach , dulling and stupifying the senses ; it generates a gross nourishment , and bad blood , whence does proceed many diseases : whereas if the above-mentioned rules be observed ; and your fire quick , that your food do not stand still , or cease from boyling , till it be sufficiently done , the effects are contrary . it is also much better the food should be a little under-prepared , than too much : for when the gross plegmatick body of any food is by preparation digested , then presently the lively spirituous quality is set at liberty , whence does proceed a most pleasant smell and taste ; which pleasant quality , before the preparation , lay hid or captivated in the body of phlegm ; but so soon as this phlegmatick body is in part destroyed , the spirit becomes volatile ; and then , if the preparation be continued , those pure spirits do either become suffocated , or evaporate ; and then the sweet balsamick body turns as it were sowr . for these reasons , all sorts of food , either over prepared , or twice prepared , are of a strong fulsom taste and smell ; as all meats heat again , and also pottages , and all such things , do obstruct nature , and generate many diseases . but if the forementioned rules be observed , the food so prepared is not only more pleasant to the pallate , but far lighter of digestion , and breeds better blood. for that universal distemper ( the scurvy ) which reigns so much in england , is chiefly caused by food ill prepared , and the eating of too much flesh , and fat things , especially in the improper seasons of the year , viz. from iuly to the last of november . in this season the sun , which is the true life and power of all things , declines ; and all sorts of herbage , which is the food of all beasts that are generally eaten , doth the same : the grass all this season is fraught with a gross phlegmatick matter ; besides , it is a fainty hot time ; the air , which is the cherishing life of all things , is more gross , and full of humidity , than all other times of the year ; the spirits of all sorts of creatures are also weak , and on any accidents are quickly wounded , or evaporated , more especially those beasts that come from remote parts to great cities . besides , it is then the principal time of their generating , which renders them unclean . are not the people ten-fold as sickly in this season , and double the number die , than they do at other times ? also you may observe , that the rots amongst sheep , and murrains that attend other beasts , are all or most of them in this season : therefore all sorts of people ought to be more careful of their health , both in exercises , meats , and drink , that they do not exceed either in quantity , nor eat things that are improper in quality . this is the time that all shepherds , and also those that are drivers of horses , and indeed all that have the government of cattel , ought to have and use double the prudence in the management of them , than at other seasons of the year , as i have more largely discoursed in a small treatise , which i intend to put forth , if i am permitted , of the preservation of sheep from the rot , and horses from surfeits . there are three marks by which every one may know whether the flesh be good the first is by its pure white and brisk red colour , when raw. the second is by its continuing its firmness , being plump or swelled when boyled , having a brisk and lively taste , and that after eating it feels easie and pleasant in the stomach . the third is , by its taking salt well ; for if your flesh be free from heat and surfeits , and not over-fed , which charges the body with gross phlegm ; as also if it be not kept longer after it is killed ( as indeed it ought not ) than it be thought to be cold , before it is salted ; all such flesh will take salt greedily , and it will not only keep longer from putrifaction , but it will eat much sweeter , and breed better nourishment . for , if any sort of cattel be over-fed , furfeited , or any other inconveniency attends them , and they be killed before they have recovered themselves of those injuries ; or if it be in august , september , or october , this flesh will not take salt so well as the former , neither will the salt preserve it half so long from corruption . also , as it is before-mentioned , if flesh be kept too long after it be killed , such flesh will not receive salt into it , as other will , which is salted as soon as it is cold : for by keeping it does certainly lose its pure spirituous quality , so that the body becomes heavy , gross , and dull . does not the life and spirits of most sorts of food waste and evaporate by keeping , if there be not a proper way of preservation used ? if flesh , by any inconveniencies , have lost its pure lively spirits and vertue , salt then hath no power to preserve such flesh from putrefaction : for salt cannot preserve the body from corruption , but by vertue of the pure subtile spirits , which are a pleasant habitation for the salt to incorporate it self with : for salt will not preserve flesh from putrifaction , any longer than the vertue and power of the spirit does continue , as it does appear by all salted flesh and fish : for through length of time the spirits become either suffocated , or evaporated , and then it presently falls into putrifaction : and yet this same flesh does still continue salt ; for salt does not destroy and purge the flesh from its corruption , but incorporates it self with the essential spirits , and those two do as it were tie or hold the corrupt part captive , till the spirit and life of the flesh be spent or wasted , and then the flesh falls into putrifaction , which cannot be recovered , eitheir by salting , or any other art , to its first state : but if the salt had purged or destroyed the humidity and gross part , then there would have been no room nor matter for putrifaction , and then it would have continued firm and sound , as many other things do , which are freed from that gross humid matter from which putrifaction does proceed . therefore flesh is naturally the most unclean of all food , it being of a gross phlegmatick nature ; and if care be not taken , and order and temperance observed in the eater , it generates abundance of crude and noxious humours . . cleanness in houses , especially in beds , is a great preserver of health . now beds for the most part stand in corners of chambers , and being ponderous close substances , the refreshing influences of the air have no power to penetrate or destroy the gross . humidity that all such places contract , where the air hath not its free egress and regress . in these shady dull places beds are continued for many years , and hardly see the sun or elements . besides , beds suck in and receive all sorts of pernicious excrements that are breathed forth by the sweating of various sorts of people , which have leprous and languishing diseases , which lie and die on them : the beds , i say , receive all the●● several vapours and spirits , and the same beds are often continued for several generations , without changing the feathers , until the ticks be rotten . besides , we have many feathers that are imported from several countries , which are the drivings of old beds , the uncleanness whereof is not considered . as to the nature of feathers , they are of a strong , hot , fulsom quality : for , fowls , of all creatures , are for the most part the hottest ; and their feathers contain the same nature : therefore the constant lying on soft feather-beds , does not only over-heat the back and reins , weakning the joynts and nerves ; but they have power also not only to receive but retain all evil vapours and excrements that proceed from , and are breathed forth by various diseased people . hence it comes to pass , that sundry distempers are transferred from one to another , by lying upon or in such beds , which distempers do secretly steal on a man by degrees , so that he cannot imagine whence the disorder proceeds , or what the cause thereof should be . but i would not have the reader mistake me ; all people are not subject to get diseases this way : there are some whose constitutions are strong , and their natural heat and spirits are vigorous and lively , by the power and vertue whereof they withstand and repel all such evil vapours and scents as do proceed from such beds , when a man is hot and sweats in them , that they have no power to seise the spirit : but , on the contrary , when such people shall lie on such beds , whose natural heat is weak , their spirits few , and whose central heat is not able to withstand or repel those vapours and scents which such beds send sorth when a man is hot in them , this last sort of people are subject to receive injuries , and contract diseases : for those evil vapours do powerfully penetrate the whole body ; and if they are not withstood by the central heat and power of the spirits , then these evil vapours do seise the spirits , and incorporate themselves with their likenesses : for every particular thing does sensibly and powerfully seek out its likeness , and wheresoever it finds its simile , it hath power to incorporate , and become essential . these are the chief reasons why one man gets diseases by lying with diseased persons , and in unclean beds , and others not . it is a general custom , when men go abroad or travel , to desire clean sheets , imagining them to be a sufficient bulwark to defend them from the pernicious fumes and vapours of old stale beds ; bu● it is too short . for , it is certain , that most or all beds do perfectly stink , not only those in inns and houses of entertainment , but others : not but that every ones bed does smell indifferent well to himself ; but when he lies in a strange bed , let a man but put his nose into the bed when he is thorowly hot , and hardly any common vault is like it . now this sort of uncleanness , which does proceed from old beds , is not only the greatest , but also the most injurious to the health and preservation of mankind , and the least care is taken to prevent it : every one that can , will have plentiful changes both of linen and woollen garments ; for if they have not , experience does shew , that the excrements and breathings of the body will generate vermin . also do not most people take care that their furnitures are daily brushed and rubbed , and their very floors washed , as though they were to eat their food on them ? but all this while they lie on beds that have not been changed , or hardly aired , in several years . let any indifferent person judge , which is most pleasurable and healthful , to have a clean floor to tread on , which costs many hard days labour to keep so , and is dirtied in a moments time ; or to have a clean sweet bed to lye on . there is no comparison to be made , the difference is so great ; the one being essential either to health or sickness ; the other an indifferent thing . if there was but the tenth part of the care taken to keep beds clean and sweet , as there is of clothing and furniture , then there would be no matter for the getting of diseases , nor for the generation of bugs . i would have all housewifes , and others , consider the reasons of these things . are not lice , that troublesom vermin , bred from the breathings of the body , for want of often change both of linnen and woollen ? and will not fleas breed from the very dust of chambers where people lie ? also any woollen that hath been used about beds , although the cold winter hath destroyed them , yet if these clothes lie in any close place , where the air hath not its free egress and regress , these very garments will generate fleas the summer following : but if these clothes had never been used about men and women , they would never have bred fleas : for there is no matter of element in wooll or cloth for the generation of such creatures ; but wooll , cloth , furs , and hair are chiefly the eliment of moths , and sometimes of small worms ; that is , if such things are kept in places where the refreshing influences of the air have not their free egress : for all such places do contract great store of moisture , which , when hot weather comes , causeth putrifaction , whence all such vermin do proceed . but if those things be in daily use , and exposed to the open element , they never breed any vermin : so that the generation of those things are generally caused by accidents ; not but that there is matter in the radixes of such things for the generation of such vermin . . from the pernicious smells and putrified vapours that do proceed from old beds , are generated the vermin called bugs , ( of which , neither the ancients , nor the modern writers of this age , have taken any notice ) according to the degrees of uncleanness , nature of the excrements , and the closeness of the places where beds stand : for some peoples excremenes are not so unclean as others : also in all close places , especially in cities and great towns , the spirits and thin vapours of the air are suffocated , which makes the same air sulphurous and humid , whence does proceed putrifaction . therefore it is not to be thought a general rule , that all old beds should breed bugs , as some ( who are ignorant of the operations of nature ) will be apt to say , if one bed do breed them , why not all ? no , it is according to the nature of the uncleanness , and other accidents that do happen : for where ( as is said before ) the thin pure air , with the refreshing influences of the sun and elements , have their free egress and regress , all such matter is destroyed whence such vermin is produced . the original of these creatures called bugs is from putrifaction , occasioned by stinking scents and vapours which do proceed from the bodies and nature of men and women , and the mixing or incorporating of these vapours with moist and sulphurous airs : for where there is no heat nor humidity , there can begin no putrifaction . therefore all that have attributed the generation of this vermin to wood , as bedsteads , and the like , are grosly mistaken in the productions of nature ; for there is no matter in wood that can generate such a vermin , it being productive only or chiefly of two creatures in england , viz. of wood-lice , and a small worm . these wood-lice are never generated but in places where the sun and air have not their free influences , so that there is store of humidity contracted ; and when the sun comes to such degrees of the zodiack , this creature is generated , which is of as different a nature from bugs , as sweet wood is from a stinking bed. also wood does breed a certain small worm , but never till the salts nature and power is decayed through length of time ; then the air enters it , which does presently cause it to contract a humid quality , from whence proceeds putrifaction , whereof , when the sun is powerful , this worm is bred . but so long as wood continues sound , and is kept dry , the air having its free influences on it , i affirm , that no sort of wood ever breeds any kind of vermin . . there are many also that attribute the generation of this creature to hogs hair , which being mixed with lime , and houses plaistered with it , does occasion ( say they ) the generation of bugs . now it is most certain , that there is no possibility in nature for this production : for no kind of hair ever breeds any living creature , except it be put into water or mud when the sun is powerful , and then this creature , thus generated , retains its first species , viz. a hair , with a live head , which was its element whence it proceeded : but if you take it out of the water , it presently dies : so also it doth when the sun declines in heat , as most sorts of vermin that are bred through heat and moisture do . but hair being mixed with lime , all matter of generation is thereby totally destroyed : for lime does chiesly contain a harsh , fiery , keen , sharp , corroding quality ; it is so sharp , that it does destroy all life , and is as contrary to it , as light is to darkness ; the predominant quality in it is the salts nature , from which no living creature can be produced . besides , if there were never so much matter in hair for the generation of such vermin , lime would destroy it ; for in lime there is only a sal-nitral fiery vertue . . if the reasons before-mentioned be not sufficient to convince the ignorant of their erroneous opinions in this particular , then i hope the following one will , which is more familiar to every one . it hath never been known , that this troublesom vermin was ever seen in warehouses , kitchens , parlours , dining-rooms , or any places where beds have never been , except they have by accident been brought into such rooms or warehouses , by furniture of chambers that have been troubled with them , though all such places have the same furniture as chambers , except beds . . from the same substance or matter whence bugs are bred , is also occasioned the generation of many nasty diseases in the blood ; so that the destruction of the matter that breeds them , is of greater consequence than most people are sensible of : and if these following rules be observed , i dare affirm , that the generation of bugs will cease , and also many other inconveniencies and distempers , that are got by this sort of uncleanness , will be avoided . first , you are to destroy all press-bedsteads which stand in corners of rooms , being made up with boards so close , that the air cannot penetrate or dry up and consume the moist sulphurous vapours that are contracted . these sorts of beds , that stand so , are apt to have them more than others . also you are to set your other sorts of beds as near as you can in the most airie places of your rooms , exposing them to the air the most part of the day , with your chamber-windows open , that the air may freely pass , which is the most excellent element , that does sweeten all things , and prevents putrifaction . in the night also you ought not to have your window-curtains drawn , nor your curtains that are about your beds ; for it hinders the sweet refreshing influences of the air , so that the air of all close places becomes of a hot sulphurous nature and operation ; the thin pure vapours , which do wonderfully refresh nature , are as it were suffocated : and this preventing the influences of the air , is in an especial manner observable , when people are sick , or out of order ; as though the sweet pleasant air had been the cause of their disease : such rooms being so very close , with great fires in them , that if a healthy person do but continue three or four hours in them , the fulsom steams and thick vapours will much disorder him , and take away the edge of his appetite : and if so , what will the operation be on those whose spirits are weak and disordered with distempers . what is more pleasant and healthful than good air ? it chears and comforts the spirits , it opens the passages of the joynts and nerves , it purifies the blood , creates an appetite , increasing strength and vigour : but , on the contrary , hot , thick , sulphurous airs do not only obstruct the passages of the spirits , but suffocate them , loading the joynts and nerves with evil juices , whereby the limbs and members become full of pain , causing a general tenderness to possess the whole body , and destroying the appetite , and the power of the digestive faculty in the stomach . also , do not all houses and places grow musty , and contract too great store of moisture , if the air be any way prevented , by window-shutters , or the like , that it cannot have its free egress and regress ? therefore moderate clothing , hard beds , houses that stand so as that the pleasant briezes of wind may air and refresh them , and also houses that are full of windows , are to be preferr'd : for where the air hath not its free influences , the spirit becomes dull and heavy , this being the true life of the spirit in every thing . . now the certain means and way not onely to prevent the generation of this vermin , but also to preserve ▪ health and strength , are straw , or rather chaff-beds , with ticks of canvas , and quilts made of wooll or flocks to lay on them ; which certainly is the most easie and pleasant lodging that can be invented : and a little custom will make it appear friendly to nature , and in every respect far beyond the softest feather-beds , on which , when a man lies down , he sinks into them , as into an hole , with banks rising on each side of him ; especially if two lie together , when first they go to bed they lie close , and after a little time , when they begin to be hot or sweat , they are generally willing to lie a little further off , that they may cool themselves , but cannot do it without great difficulty and trouble , by reason of the softness of the bed , and those banks that rise on each side . besides , such soft feather-beds do over-heat the reins and back , making all the parts tender , and causing sweatings and many other inconveniencies to attend the body . feather-beds also are nothing so easie as quilts , after a little time being accustomed to them ; they are also extream fulsom , and by their heat they do powerfully dry up the radical moisture , causing a general faintness to attend the whole body . but , on the contrary , hard , even beds , that lie smooth , are not only easie through custom , as is mentioned before ; but a man may turn freely , both sleeping and waking : they harden and strengthen the whole body , especially the back and reins , make the nerves and sinews strong , preventing the immoderate evacuations by sweating , and keeping the body in a temperate heat . besides , such beds may be often changed , with but little trouble , and less cost ; they send forth no stinking fumes or steams , as feather-beds do ; but are sweet and clean . certainly nothing is more healthy , next to temperance in meat and drink , than clean hard beds . . all sorts of beds , especially feather-beds , ought to be changed , driven , or washed , at the least three or four times in a year ; or else it is impossible to keep them sweet and clean , and to prevent the generation of vermin , or the other inconveniencies before-mentioned . would not every one condemn a man , if he should wear a shirt a year , and lie in sheets seven years ? which if any should do , it would not either endanger his health , or bring half the inconveniencies on his body , as old stinking feather-beds do ; which possibly stunk before ever they were lain on , by reason of the fulsom excrements that the quills of the feathers contain . also feathers do certainly contain an unclean putrified matter , that hath a near affinity with the nature of bugs ; and therefore feather-beds are more apt to breed them , than wooll , or flocks ; though both will do it , if the forementioned rules be not observed . but if you are not willing , or so lowly-minded , to have straw or chaff-beds under your quilts , then you may have flock-beds , with canvas tickings , which may be both aired and washed as often as you please , with little trouble and charge . if any shall question the truth of what i have alledged concerning beds , i desire they would please but to try the experiment , by filling a bed with the freshest and cleanest straw or chaff , which will smell very pleasant ; and having so done , let them lie on it half a year , in a corner of a room , as beds generally stand , and then smell to it ; and in stead of sending forth a pleasant scent , as it did at first , it will send forth a strong , fulsom , musty steam or fume . and if this will do so , what will feathers do , that in the root of nature are unclean fulsom excrements , of a hot strong quality ? therefore they have the greater power not only to attract and suck in to themselves the fulsom excrements that are breathed forth of the body by sweatin̄gs , and the like ; but they have also power to retain such evil vapours : and when others come to lie on them , and are throughly hot , it awakens those pernicious steams , which often bring many inconveniencies on the body . besides , it is very unpleasant to lie in such beds ; a man must always be forced to keep his nose above-board . indeed each mans own bed does not stink or smell strong to himself , because he is accustomed to it ; neither does a tallow-chandler smell those horrible scents and pernicious fumes that old tallow sends forth when it is melted : but let any other person , that is not accustomed to it , be near such things , and it will be very offensive to him . even so it is in all other stinking trades , and things of this rature : so that the greatest slut in the world does hardly smell her own house or bed stink : for in man is contained the true nature and property of all things , both of good and evil ; therefore he is both liable and also apt to receive all impressions , and to be wrought on by all things he shall either communicate with or joyn himself to , whether it be cleanness , or the contrary . also by meats , drinks , and communication , all things have power , by a sympathetical operation , to work on man , because he is like unto all , bearing a proportionable nature unto all things . if people did understand this , they would prefer sobriety and temperance , with cleanness , far beyond what they do ; and then men would not be subject to so many diseases as now they are . . heat and moisture is the root of all putrifaction ; and therefore bugs are bred in summer : but they live all the winter , though they are not then so troublesom . they harbour in bedsteads , holes , and hangings , nitting and breeding as lice do in clothes : but all men know , that woollen and linnen are not the element of lice , but they are bred from the fulsom scents and excrements that are breathed forth from the body . the very same radix have bugs ; and if there be any difference , they are from a higher putrifaction , and therefore they are a more noisom stinking creature . . the whole preservation of mens health and strength does chiefly reside in the wisdom and temperance of women . therefor the ancient wise men in former ages , did direct and accustom their women to a higher degree of temperance than the men. which customs of sobriety the women of several countries do maintain to this day , as in spain , great part of france , italy , and many great countries under the dominion of the grand seignior . their women do always drink water , their food being for the most part of a mean and simple quality ; and for this reason neither they nor their children are subject to several diseases which our women and children are . wine and strong drink should be sparingly drunk by women , till they are past child-bearing ; because the frequent and common drinking of strong drinks , does generate various distempers in the female sex , such as are not fit to be discoursed of in this place , which their children often bring with them into the world. if the seed be good , yet if the ground be bad , it seldom brings forth good fruit. also women are our nurses for fifteen or sixteen years ; and they do not only suffer us to be gluttons , by letting us eat and drink often , of their ill-prepared food , beyond the power of the digestive faculty , and more than the stomach can bear ; but many of them will entice us to gluttony , and some will force their children to eat even against their stomachs , till they cast it up again . now if it be a difficult point for a man of age and experience to observe the necessary rules of temperance , how careful then ought mothers and nurses to be in ordering their children ? a great part of the children that die , especially in towns and cities , is occasioned either by the intemperance of their mothers , during the time they go with child , or afterwards by their unnatural and badly-prepared food , and suffering them to eat to excess ; also by their keeping of them too warm , and too close from the air , and lapping of them up in several double clothes and swathes , so tight , that a man may write on them , and then putting them into warm beds , and covering them up close . if a strong man was so boand up , he could not endure it , without great injury unto his health . besides , the window-curtains are drawn , and also the curtains about the bed ; by which means the air becomes so hot and sulphurous , that it causes great disorders to attend both the mothers and the children . this ill kind of management does also cause such a tenderness both in the mother and the child , that on every small occasion they are liable and apt to get colds , and divers other distempers . also women have the entire management of all things that concern our healths , during the whole time of our lives ; they prepare and dress our food , and order all things in our houses , both for bed and board . there is not one man of a hundred that understands or takes any notice whether his food be well prepared or not ; and if his bed stinks , he is used to it , and so counts it all well . mens time and study is chiefly taken up about getting a livelihood , and providing things necessary for themselves and families ; so that there is not one among a thousand that understands any thing what belongs to the preservation of his healt● whatever t●e women do and say touching the preparation of 〈◊〉 and other ordering of families for health , most men believe , 〈◊〉 making the least scruple or question of the truth thereof . and well they may : for the chiefest doctors of our times do bow before them , and are altogether as subject to the rules and directions of women , as other men. where are your doctors that teach men sobriety in their lives , or the proper and natural way of preparing meats fit for the stomach ? which of them adviseth against the evil custom of keeping their chambers so over-hot , when people are sick , and in the time of womens lying in child-bed ? why do they not advise them not to have their curtains so close drawn , both before the windows and beds , insomuch that they are oftentimes in a manner suffocated for want of the fresh air ? for , i affirm , that all sorts of people that do keep their beds , let the occasion be what it will , have ten-fold more need of the refreshing influences of the air , than others that are up : for , the bed being much hotter than a mans garments are when he is up , the thin , refreshing , moist vapours , that do penetrate the whole body more powerfully when a man is up , are thereby hindred . this is one chief reason why a man cannot digest a supper so well in bed , as if he sits up . all men know , that the bed destroys appetite . if a man go to bed at eight a clock , and lies till eight in the morning , he shall not be hungry ; but if he goes to bed at the same time , and rises at four in the morning , though he sits still without action , yet by eight he shall have a good stomach to eat and drink ; so great is the power of the air : for when a man is up , his body is cool , and the pure spirits and thin moist vapours of the air have power to penetrate the body ; which element the body sucks in like a spunge thorow the pores ; and this does not only cool and refresh the spirits , and the whole body , but also powerfully strengthens the action of the stomach . but i pity the young children most , who are so tender , and of so delicate a nature , both in their body and spirits , that every disorder does wound them to the very heart . nothing is more grateful and refreshing to them , than the pleasant air : it comforts their spirits , and causeth a free circulation of the blood and radical moisture , begets appetite , and makes them grow in strength : but , on the contrary , hot sulphurous airs , with great fires , and warm clothing , do not only hinder the circulation of the blood , but suffocate the spirits , and destroy the appetite , causing an unnatural heat to possess the whole body ; whence does proceed various disorders and diseases , making them to cry , and be very froward . also close bindings , and over-warm clothings , and thick hot airs , do oft in weak-spirited children cause convulsions , vapours , and fumes to fly into the head , sometimes occasioning vomiting , which people call windy diseases . again , the food of most children , of late years , is so enriched with west and east-india ingredients , that is , with sugar and spices , that thereby their food becomes so hot in operation , that it does not only breed too much nourishment , which generates obstructions and stoppages , but it heats the body , drying up and consuming the radical moisture , and infecting the blood with a sharp fretting humour , which in some complexions and constitutions causeth languishing diseases , contracting the breast and vessels of the stomach , and hindering the passages of the spirits , so that the joynts and nerves become weak and feeble : in others , with the help of bad diet , and other uncleanliness , does cause botches , boils , and various sorts of leprous diseases . also many that have wherewithal , will frequently give their children sack , strong drinks , and fat meats , as long as they will eat , which is abominable , and absolutely contrary to the nature of children . there are a hundred other disorders and intemperances that many mothers and ignorant nurses affect their children with , which i have no room in this place to discourse of : therefore i commend unto the women milk that is raw , only made so hot as the mothers or nurses milk is when the child sucks it ; and sometimes milk and flower boyled together , giving it the child about the warmness of breast-milk ; and indeed , neither children nor others ought to eat any food hotter . also no children ought to drink any kind of strong drink : i could commend water , as the most wholesom ; but it being contrary to our custom , ordinary beer may do well , or rather small ale. if women did understand but the hundredth part of the evils and diseases those indulging and intemperate ways do bring both to themselves and children , they would quickly be of my mind ; which i never expect ; they are too wise . a short discourse of the pain in the teeth , shewing from what cause it does chiefly proceed , and also how to prevent it . the terrible pains and diseases of the teeth do chiefly proceed from two causes . the first is ●rom certain filthy phlegmy matter which the stomach and vessels do continually breathe and send forth , which does lodge or center in the mouth , especially between the teeth , and on the gums ; and some people having fouler stomachs than others , such do breathe forth very sowr , stinking , phlegmy matter , which does not only increase the pain , but causeth the teeth to become loose and rotten : and for want of continual cleansing and washing , those breathings and this phlegmy matter turns to putrifaction , which does eat away the gums , as though worms had eaten them : and this defect is generally attributed to the disease called the scurvey ; but it is a mistake : the cause is chiefly , as is mentioned before , from the stomach , or for want of cleansings . . this distemper of the teeth and gums does also proceed from the various sorts of meats and drinks , and more especially from the continual eating of flesh , and fat sweet things , compounded of various things of disagreeing natures , which do not only obstruct the stomach , but fur and foul the mouth , part thereof remaining upon the gums , and between the teeth . for all such things do quickly turn to putrifaction , which does by degrees corrupt both the teeth and gums . besides , our beds take up near half the time of our lives , which time the body is not only without motion , but the bed and coverings do keep it much hotter than the day-garments , especially of those that draw the curtains of their windows and beds so close , that the pure spirits and thin refreshing vapours of the air are hindred of having their free egress and regress , which does dull and flatten the action of the stomach ; and this is the chief cause why suppers lie hard in the stomach , and require more than double the time for perfect concoction , than the same food does when a man is up , and in the open air : for this element , if it hath its free influences , is sucked in , as by spunges , through all the pores of the body , and does wonderfully refresh , comfort , open , and cleanse all the parts , having power to assist and help concoction : but hot , dull , thick airs do destroy the action of the stomach , and as it were suffocate the pure spirits , drying up and consuming the radical moisture . therefore the night does foul the mouth more than the day , furring it with a gross slimy matter , especially those that hav● foul stomachs , and are in years , which ought to be well cleansed every morning . . whatsoever are the disorders in the body , the mouth does always partake of them ; besides the evils that the variety of food , and the improper mixtures of flesh and fish , and many other things , which do foul and hurt both the teeth and gums . when any person is disordered with inward diseases , does not the mouth quickly complain of the evils thereof ? this very few do consider in time . . it is to be noted , that most people do attribute the diseases of the teeth to colds , and rheums , and other outward accidents . it is true , outward accidents will further this disease , but then there must be matter before-hand , otherwise outward colds can have no power to cause this pain . the same is to be understood in all stoppages of the breast , and other obstructions , as coughs , and the like . for , if any part be obstructed , or there be matter for distemper , then , on every small occasion of outward colds , or the like accidents , nature complains . if your teeth and gums be sound , and free from this matter , take what colds you will , and your teeth will never complain , as daily experience doth shew . for all outward colds , and other accidents of the like nature , have no power to seise any part of the body , except first there be some inward defect or infirmity : suppose the teeth be defective , then the disease falls on that part ; or if it be the head , eyes , breast , back , or any other part or member of the body , that is obstructed , the evil is felt in that part. therefore if the mouth be kept clean by continual washings , it will prevent all matter which may cause putrifaction ; and then colds , and the like accidents , will have no power to seise this part , or cause this terrible pain . even so it is in all other parts of the body . if temperance and sobriety be observed in meats , drinks , and exercises , with other circumstances belonging to health , then stoppages , coughs , colds , and other obstructions , would not be so frequent on every small occasion : for temperance has an inward power and operation , and does as it were cut off diseases in the very bud , preventing the generation of matter whence distempers do proceed , increasing the radical moisture , and making the spirits lively , brisk , and powerful , able to withstand all outward colds , and other casualties of the like nature . . there are many various things , of divers natures , prescribed by physicians , and others , as washes to preserve the teeth and gums ; but most of them , if not all , to little or no purpose , as daily experience teaches : for , all high , sharp salts , and things of a sowr or keen nature , do rather cause the teeth to perish , than the contrary ; as do all hot spirits , be they what they will : many have destroyed their teeth by the frequent use of such things , and it hath hardly ever been known that any such things have ever cured or prevented the aking pains of the teeth , but water only . many examples i could mention , if it were convenient . physicians , and others , do daily prescribe such things for the cure and prevention of this disease of the teeth , which most of them do know by experience can do no good , but rather the contrary : but when people come to them , they must give them something for their money ; for interest and ignorance have more affinity with this sort of people , than vertue , and the true knowledge of the nature of things . most certain it is , that the shepherd and husbandman do know far better how to prepare the meat for their cattel , and also how to preserve them from disorders , than many physicians do their food or physick : and a man shall understand more by conversing with some of this sort of people , than with the learned : for the shepherd and husbandman understand something of nature ; but most of the learned are departed from the simple ways of god in nature , putting out their own eyes , and then boasting what wonders they can see with other mens : they have invented many words to hide the truth from the unlearned , that they may get the greater esteem . this hath chiefly been done to advance pride and interest ; so that the divine eye is departed from many of them , who never make any inspexion into the true nature of things , being contented to take other mens words , let it be right or wrong , as long as they have authority and law on their sides , wherefore should they trouble their weak heads ? . the best and most sure way to prevent the diseases and pains in the teeth and gums , is every morning to wash your mouth with at the least ten or twelve mouthfuls of pure water , cold from the spring or river , and so again after dinner and supper , swallowing down a mouthful of water after each washing : for there is no sort of liquor in the world so pure and clean as water ; and nothing doth cleanse and free the teeth and gums from that foul matter which does proceed from the breathings and purgings of the stomach , and from the various sorts of food , so well as water : the use of other washes is to little or no purpose ; but whosoever do constantly wash their mouths with water , as is before mentioned , shall find an essential remedy . all hard rubbing and picking of the teeth ought by any means to be avoided , for that is injurious to them . also whensoever you find your mouth foul , or subject to be slimie , as sometimes it will more than at others , according to the good or evil state of the stomach , though it be not after eating ; at all such times you ought to wash your mouth . this rule all mothers and nurses ought to observe , washing the mouths of their children two or three times a day ; and also to cause their children to swallow down a little water , which will be very refreshing to their stomachs : for milk does naturally foul and fur the mouth and teeth , and if they be not kept clean by continual washing , it causes the breeding of childrens teeth to be the more painful to them . . to keep your teeth white , one of the best things is a piece of a china dish , or a piece of a fine dutch earthen dish , made into fine powder , and the teeth rubbed with it . . few there be that understand or consider the excellent vertues of water , it being an element of a mild and cleansing nature and operation , friendly unto all things , and of universal use : but because it is so common , and so easily procured , i am afraid that many people will be like naaman the syrian , when the prophet elisha advised him to wash seven times in the river of iordan to cure his leprosie ; it being the ignorance and folly of most people , to admire those things they do not know , and , on the other side , to despise and trample under foot those things and mysteries they do know ; which the learned in all ages have taken notice of : for , should some people know what apothecaries and others give them , they would despise the physick , and have but little respect for their doctor . all housewifes do know , that no sort of liquor , be it what it will , will cleanse and sweeten their vessels , but only water ; all other liquors leaving a sowr stinking quality behind them , which will quickly cause putrifaction : but water in its own nature is clean and pure , not only for all uses in housewifery , and the preservation of health ; but the saints and holy men of god have highly esteemed this element , by using it in the exteriour acts of divine worship , as having a simile with the eternal water of life , that does purifie and cleanse the soul from sin. finis . proclamation, recalling former acts or proclamations, declaring forraign victual free of duty, and ordaining all victuall to be imported to pay duty as before the saids former acts and proclamation. scotland. privy council. approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page image. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). b wing s estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. b ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) proclamation, recalling former acts or proclamations, declaring forraign victual free of duty, and ordaining all victuall to be imported to pay duty as before the saids former acts and proclamation. scotland. privy council. scotland. sovereign ( - : william ii) sheet ([ ] p.) printed by the heirs and successors of andrew anderson, printer to the king's most excellent majesty, edinburgh : . caption title. initial letter. intentional blank spaces in text. dated: given under our signet at edinburgh, the twenty one day of july, and of our reign the ninth year, . signed: gilb. eliot cls. sti. concilii. reproduction of the original in the national library of scotland. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng food law and legislation -- scotland -- early works to . foreign trade regulation -- scotland -- early works to . taxation -- law and legislation -- scotland -- early works to . broadsides -- scotland -- th century. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - john pas sampled and proofread - spi global rekeyed and resubmitted - john pas sampled and proofread - john pas text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion proclamation , recalling former acts or proclamations , declaring forraign victual free of duty , and ordaining all victuall to be imported to pay duty as before the saids former acts and proclamation . william by the grace of god , king of great-britain , france and ireland , defender of the faith , to our lovits , _____ macers of our privy council , messengers at arms , our sheriffs in that part , conjunctly and severally , specially constitute , greeting ; forasmuch , as by our proclamation of the date , the sixth day of august , one thousand six hundred ninety six years , the exacting of any custom , excise , or other imposition said upon victual imported into this kingdom by sea or land , from any other countrey , by any act of parliament , or book of rates , was discharged : and sicklike , by an act of the lords of our privy council , dated the day of december , one thousand six hundred ninety six years , all victual imported into this kingdom from abroad , was declared to be free of all custom and excise , or other publick duties whatsomever : and seing the foresaid proclamation and act of council were past and published , for encouraging such who should import victual , for relief of the poor , under the then scarcity and dearth , which now are competently provided against , by the plenty of victual already imported , and the old victual yet in the countrey not consumed or spent : and there being likewise the prospect of a very good harvest , and plentiful cropt approaching . therefore we , with advice of the lords of our privy council , have discharged the foresaid proclamation , and act of council , and declare the same to be of no furder force ; and hereby ordain the collectors , and others imployed in uplifting and collecting our customs , to levy and collect the custom , excise , and other duties imposed upon victual imported from any forraign countrey : by sea or land , by whatsomever law , or act of parliament , and appoint them to be comptable to us therefore , conform to the laws made thereanent , as they were lyable to do before the said proclamation , or act. our will is herefore , and we charge you straitly , and command , that incontinent these our letters seen , ye pass to the mercat-cross of edinburgh , and to the remanent mercat-crosses of the head burghs of the several shires and stewartries within this kingdom , and there in our name and authority make intimation hereof , that none pretend ignorance . and ordains these presents to be printed . given under our signet at edinburgh , the twenty one day of july , and of our reign the ninth year , . per actum dominorum secreti concilii gilb . eliot cls. sti. concilii . god save the king. edinburgh , printed by the heirs and successors of andrew anderson , printer to the king 's most excellent majesty , a proclamation, discharging the importation of forraign victual. scotland. privy council. approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page image. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). b wing s estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. b ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a proclamation, discharging the importation of forraign victual. scotland. privy council. scotland. sovereign ( - : william and mary) sheet ([ ] p.) printed by the heir of andrew anderson, printer to their most excellent majesties, edinburgh : anno dom. . caption title. initial letter. intentional blank spaces in text. dated: given under our signet at edinburgh, the third day of may. and of our reign, the fourth year, . signed: da. moncrief, cls. sti. concilii. reproduction of the original in the national library of scotland. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng food law and legislation -- scotland -- early works to . foreign trade regulation -- scotland -- early works to . broadsides -- scotland -- th century. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - mona logarbo sampled and proofread - mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion depiction of scottish thistle, fleur-de-lis, tudor rose a proclamation , discharging the importation of forraign victual . william and mary , by the grace of god , king and queen of great-britain , france , and ireland , defenders of the faith ; to macers of our privy council , or messengers at arms , our sheriffs in that part , conjunctly and severally , specially constitute , greeting : forasmuch , as the importing and bringing from forreign countries , any wheat , bear , barly , oats , meal , malt , pease , beans , or ry into this kingdom , is highly prejudicial to the native product thereof , and to the trade upon the growth of the same , and gives occasion to the unwarrantable exporting of much money forth of this realm ; for preventing whereof , and obviating the inconveniencies that follow whereupon , we , with the advice of the lords of our privy council , do hereby strictly prohibit and discharge , all persons whatsomever , to import , or bring by sea or land , into this kingdom , or any of the ports , harbours , towns , or places thereof ; any sort or quantity of the victual abovementioned , excepting white-pease allanerly , under the pain of confiscation of the said victual , the one half to the person or persons who shall seize or make discovery , and prove the importing of the same , either contrary to our former proclamation , of the date the sixth day of january , . or to these presents ; and the other half thereof , with the ships , barks or boats , wherein the same shall be imported : to our thesaury , for our use , and other punishments to be inflicted upon them , conform to the acts of parliament made thereanent ; and ordains all our collectors , surveyers , and waiters within this kingdom , and the respective ports , harbours , and places , where they serve , to see this act punctually observed , as they will be answerable at their highest peril ; with certification to such as shall be found negligent therein , they shall incur the loss of their respective offices . our will is here fore , and we charge you straitly and command , that incontinent these our letters seen , ye pass to the mercat-cross of edinburgh , and whole other mercat-crosses of the royal burghs , and sea-ports within this kingdom , and thereat , make publick intimation of our pleasure in the premisses , to the effect none may pretend ignorance . and ordains these presents to be printed . given under our signet at edinburgh , the third day of may. and of our reign , the fourth year , . per actum dominorum secreti concilii . in supplimentum signeti . da , moncreif , cls. sti. concilii . god save king william and queen mary . edinburgh , printed by the heir of andrew anderson , printer to their most excellent majesties , anno dom. . proclamation discharging the importation of forreign victual. scotland. privy council. approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page image. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). b wing s estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. b ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) proclamation discharging the importation of forreign victual. scotland. privy council. scotland. sovereign ( - : william ii) sheet ([ ] p.) printed by the heir of andrew anderson, printer to his most excellent majesty, edinburgh : . caption title. royal arms at head of text; initial letter. intentional blank spaces in text. dated: given under our signet at edinburgh, the twenty day of november, and of our reign, the seventh year, . signed: gilb. eliot cls. sti. concilii. reproduction of the original in the national library of scotland. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng food law and legislation -- scotland -- early works to . foreign trade regulation -- scotland -- early works to . broadsides -- scotland -- th century. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - mona logarbo sampled and proofread - mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion w r diev et mon droit honi soit qui mal y pense royal blazon or coat of arms proclamation discharging the importation of forreign victual . wiliam by the grace of god , king of great-britain , france and ireland , defender of the faith , to macers of our privy council , messengers at arms , our sheriffs in that part , conjunctly and severally , specially constitute , greeting ; forasmuch , as the importing and bringing from forreign countries , any wheat , bear , barley , oats , meal , malt , pease , beans , or rye , into this kingdom ; is highly prejudicial to the native product thereof , and to the trade upon the growth of the same , and gives occasion to the unwarrantbale exporting of much money forth of this realm : for preventing whereof , and obviating the inconveniencies that follow thereupon , we , with advice of the lords of our privy council , do hereby strictly prohibite , and discharge all persons whatsomever , to import , or bring by sea or land , into this kingdom , or any of the ports harbours , towns , or places thereof , any sort or quantity of the victual above-mentioned , excepting white pease allenarly , without licence had from our saids lords for that effect , under the pain of confiscation of the said victual , the one half thereof to the person or persons , who shall make discovery of , and seize upon the same , and the other half thereof , with the ships , barques , or boars wherein the same shall be imported , to our thesaurie for our use ; and other punishments to be inflicted upon them , conform to the acts of parliament made thereanent : and ordains all our collectors , surveyors and waiters , within this kingdom , at the respective ports , harbours and places where they serve , to see this act punctually observed , as they will be answerable at their highest peril ; with certification to such as shall be found negligent therein ; they shall incur the loss of their respective offices . our will is herefore , and we charge you strictly , and command , that incontinent these our letters seen , ye pass to the mercat-cross of edinburgh , and whole other mercat-crosses of the royal-burghs and sea-ports within this kingdom , and thereat , make publick intimation of our pleasure in the premisses , to the effect , none may pretend ignorance : and ordains these presents to be printed . given under our signet at edinburgh the twenty day of november , and of our reign the seventh year . . per actum dominorum sti. concilii . gilb eliot cls. sti. concilii . god save the king . edinburgh , printed by the heirs and successors of andrew andrsoen printer to his most excellent majesty , a designe for plentie, by an universall planting of fruit-trees: tendred by some wel-wishers to the publick. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text in the english short title catalog (thomason e _ ). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing h thomason e _ this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (thomason tracts ; :e [ ]) a designe for plentie, by an universall planting of fruit-trees: tendred by some wel-wishers to the publick. hartlib, samuel, d. . [ ], p. printed for richard wodenothe in leaden-hall street, over against leaden-hall., london, : [ ?] editor's dedication signed: samuel hartlib. refers to a treatise of ralph austin "which now he is putting to the presse, as by his own letter written in november last he doth informe me". running title reads: a designe for plenty. annotation on thomason copy: "ffeb: (crossed out) ". reproduction of the original in the british library. eng fruit trees -- england -- early works to . food supply -- england -- early works to . a (thomason e _ ). civilwar no a designe for plentie,: by an universall planting of fruit-trees: tendred by some wel-wishers to the publick. hartlib, samuel b the rate of defects per , words puts this text in the b category of texts with fewer than defects per , words. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - john pas sampled and proofread - john pas text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a designe for plentie , by an vniversall planting of frvit-trees : tendred by some wel-wishers to the publick . gen . . . and god said , behold , i have given you every herb bearing seed which is upon the face of the earth and every tree in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed , to you it shall be for meat . london , printed for richard wodenothe in leaden-hall street , over against leaden-hall . to the reader . courteous and ingenuous reader , in the publication of this small treatise ; it is just that every one should have his due . first , gods goodnesse is to be praised , who having indued man with knowledge above the beasts of the field , and put all things under his feet , he doth in a more speciall manner ( as the prophet saith ) instruct the husbandman to discretion , and doth teach him how to order his affairs for the best advantage of humane societies . secondly , his providence is to be acknowledged in bringing things to light , which without his good hand would have been lost and lien in darknesse , as this discourse would have been , if he had not stirred up some favourable instruments to preserve it , and bring it unto my hand to be published for the common good . thirdly , the instruments whom he hath employed both to bring forth this birth into the world , and to preserve it after it was brought forth , deserve some commendation . he that was made instrumentall to bring it forth into the world , is not yet known unto me : for although i have endeavoured by a diligent search to finde out his name , yet i have not been able to compasse the matter : onely this i have been told , that the author of this designe was an aged minister of the gospel , who for the space of many years had for his own recreation , and that he might be serviceable also to others experimented this part of husbandry which at last he resolved by this treatise to make publick , but was by death prevented ; the place of his abode being said to be loving-land neer yarmouth . he who did preserve it from being lost , and gave it to a friend of mine , is the honourable collonel john barkstead , the present lieutenant of the tower , a gentleman whom i know not , but such as know him do give him this character , that he is of a very publick and ingenuous spirit ; in his military relations , exceeding active and circumspect ; zealous for justice and good order , to represse the licentiousnesse of the times ; and one who being capable of publick thoughts and generous cares , is willing freely to communicate and impart the same to all that can reap any benefit thereby . as for my self , i claim nothing but the contentment to be the publisher thereof , that i may be instrumentall to advance the comforts of many thereby , and so help forward the authors honest designe ; and i am the more willing to divulge this brief tract upon this subject , because it will serve as a fore-runner to a larger volume of fruit-trees , which an experienced friend of mine , mr. ralph austin hath in a readinesse to put forth at oxford . such as have perused mr. blithe's improver improved ( a book worth the reading by all that apply themselves to husbandry ) in the second part , chapter . towards the latter end , will meet with a promise made concerning this treatise of master austin's , which now he is putting to the presse , as by his own letter written in november last he doth informe me : therefore i intend in this preface and by this treatise , as by a small taste of so good a matter , both to raise thine appetite and quicken thy desire to see that larger work , and to stay thy stomack a little till it come forth , in hope , that when god shall have furnished this wise and noble nation with all these and many other means of plenty we shall then be all inclined to beat out swords into plough-shares , and our spears into pruning-hooks , and that by a happy union of england and scotland , and the peaceable settlement of the affections of all people under the present government , we shall live as brethren , and study by the wayes of common industry to strengthen the hands of those that bear rule over us , and are set for our defence ; whose burthen , although it be extraordinary great , yet by the good hand of god upon us , it will be greatly eased and lessened , when all hands shall suffer themselves to be set a work , and the earth yield her increase . for certainly the present constitution of the nation ( if we become not so fatally and more then brutishly miserable , as to study continually one anothers ruine ) is not in so weak and dangerous a condition , as it was in queen elizabeth's dayes when she came first to the crown . for then as bishop carleton describes it , the state of affairs was far otherwise then now it is , as appears by his own words in his book ( called a thankfull remembrance of gods mercy ) where he writes as followeth . she [ queene elizabeth ] did not serve god in vain . for it is a thing to be wondered at , that the land being * then without strength , without forces , without souldiers , yea , without armour ; all things necessary should be so suddenly furnished . she had provided armour at antwerp , but king philip caused that to be stayed . yet was she not discouraged , but laid out much money upon armour though she found the treasury but poore . she procured armour and weapons out of germany . she caused many great guns to be cast of brasse and iron . and gods providence and favour appeared in her protection . for new mines of brasse were found at keswike , that had long bin neglected . from whence there was not onely sufficient matter to supply her wants , but abundance thereof to be transported to other countreys . the stone called lapis calaminaris , whose use is needfull for working in brasse , was also at the same time first found in england . there was provision made at home also for the making of gun-powder . which was done first here by her commandement : for before , it was bought and imported . berwick before her time , was weak and had but souldiers : she fortified the town , made the new inner wall and increased the number of souldiers and their stipends , that provision might be made for the training up of experienced souldiers and martiall men . she provided a navy , the best furnished that ever england saw . neither needed she to do as her father & ancestours were wont to do , when they wanted ships , to send for ships and hire them from hamburg , lubeck , dantisk , genua and venice ; for she had them readie at home to serve her . yea all the good townes upon the sea-coast , beholding this incredible alacrity and forwardness in their prince , strived also to imitate the same , and therefore with great cheerefullnesse and readinesse built ships for warre . so that in a short time , the queenes ships and those of the subjects joyned together , rose to such a number , that they were able to imploy twenty thousand men in sea-fight at once . the noblemen , the gentlemen and yeomen , did all strive to answer so noble a resolution of their prince . and therefore great store of armour and weapons were every where provided . and brave spirits were bred and inabled to service , whereby they became an helpe and ornament to their countrey ; so that queene elizabeth was quickly growne so strong , that all her adversaries were not able to hurt her . and was not this a great work of god , that so weak a woman should be able to defend her selfe against so many , so potent enemies ? yea , and not onely to match them , but to master them ? this was gods doing , &c. this remembrance of her condition , and of gods wonderfull preservation of this nation at that time , should not onely encourage us to hope still in his mercy , whereof we have as great experience hitherto as ever she had , but also direct us to the performance of the duties fitting us for the continuance of such mercies towards us . for as then all the neighbours of this nation were either open enemies or uncertain friends , so it now may fall out again in this juncture of time , that we shall finde none abroad cordially to appear for us ; but if we be found faithfull to one another at home in minding the interest of the gospel , in seeking peace and truth , in setling judgement , in repressing the enormous scandals which are broken forth , and in advancing all manner of industrie , we may expect the same successe which that blessed queen had , and a greater harvest of spirituall and temporall blessings then ever yet this nation hath received . which that we may live to see , i shall not cease to pray , and in praying with the best and utmost of my endeavours to approve my selfe , thine and the publiques most faithfull servant , samuel hartlib . a designe for plentie . as plenty oft-times is the producer of pride , pride the root of envy , envy the mother of contention , contention the spring of war : so is war the cause of poverty and poverty brings forth famine , and where famine rageth must needs follow inevitable destruction . it is greatly to be wished , and as a blessing from god to be desired ; that all men would as wisely , and conscionably eschew and shun the climax , and wayes to destruction as they seem warily and carefully to fly destruction it self , when it presseth upon them . but ( alass ) such is the wickedness and blindnes of mans heart , that he is desperatly set on to follow that way , which will at last winde him into most certain destruction : and so be , that men may attein their own private interest and end , they never consider the ultimate and woful end and conclusion of their wayes and actions . but he that 's wise , his practicks so intends , that he may levell actions to their ends . the consideration of which thing ( as it too sadly may be appliable unto this nation , and the inhabitants thereof , by reason of this late intestine , and unnaturall war ) hath moved us , to prepare what cataplasme we can against the inevitable malady , which a long & continued war threateneth ( if not already beginneth ) to bring upon us , that is to say ; a generall famine and want of all necessary things for the support and sustentation of life : the which we may also feare the rather , by reason of the unseasonable weather for seed-time and harvest , with the unspeakable mortality of cattel in many places , which hath declared , and evidenced no small displeasure of god against us , and threateneth us with most certain famine : besides the want of trade , traffique , and imployment both by land and by sea ; together with the daily losses by sea , and expenses of provisions by land , are no meane ingredients in this threatened , & approaching miserie . what more may be observed , also from the discouragements of men in their husbandry , and making improvement for plenty ( as not knowing either for whom they labour , or who they are that may reap their labours , or what themselves shall enjoy ) may strongly imprint a feare of famine . now as in a time of famine it were too unchristian-like to hide our selves from our own flesh , and to deny relief ( as god lendeth us ) to such as want it : so were it too selfish for any not to labour to prevent famine ; and to hide themselves , and their advice ( which god hath granted them ) from a publique good : it being counted no less sin by god , not to strengthen the hands of the needy , then not to fill their hands with benefits , and supplies . for which cause we have thought it our dutie to present an assay of plenty , which we call ( a designe or project for plenty ) yet not a project of any private advantage to us ; but of publique good and plenty unto this nation ; if so be it may be enlivened and nourished by authority and law : otherwise we shall but term it ( the embrio of plenty , and the untimely birth of good desires ) which had it come to perfection , might have yielded both pleasure and profit to many . and such a project also it is , as is not without experience both in our own , and other nations ; nor yet without good reasons to speak for it ; whereof we shall desire to make all rationall men partakers . for with men of reason , reasons will take place , but nought can get from fools but base disgrace . moreover , when we consider ( besides the necessitie , as aforesaid ) the accomodation this nation affordeth for such a designe , the possibility and facility to effect it : and yet the sluggishnesse of most in our nation , who perhaps would be glad to have plenty in their families : yet care not to take pains , or to be at any cost to effect it . like to the cat , who fish would gladly eat , but yet her foot in water will not weat . we are incouraged the rather to make our demonstration thereof , adding therewithall our reasons , and answering such objections as may possible lie against it . first therefore , we do conceive that it will make much for the benefit and publike relief of this whole nation . and for the prevention of famine in time to come ( through the blessing of god ) if there were a law made , and put in force by authority for a generall and universall plantation of such wholesome fruit ( according to proportion ) as might be for the relief of the poor , the benefit of the rich , and the delight of all . the fruits we conceive most wholesome , beneficiall and suitable for our climate , are the apple , peare , walnut and quince . the proportion to be ordeined ; that every five pounds per annum of plantable land , as well field as enclosure , being in private occupation , ( except cities , towns incorporate , and such towns where the rents are raised onely of the houses without lands ) shall plant and preserve fruit-trees of apple , peare , walnut , or quince : and li. per annum , ; and li. per annum , ; and li. per annum , trees ; and so in proportion . that there may be a certain limited time set , that the aforesaid proportion according to every mans occupation , may be perfected , with a penalty to be inflicted for the neglect ; and that every year may be proportioned in order to the whole with a penalty likewise . that in every town there may be ordeined two officers ( called fruterers or woodwards , or such like name ) specially to be chosen every year , and authorized , to see the said proportions to be planted and carefully preserved . and to have power to levie the penalties upon the defaulters ; and to employ the same to some publick use . that the high constables in every hundred do take account of the said two officers in every town belonging to their division : and to present them to some superiour court ; that so there may be no collusion or deceit in the businesse . and that the said high constables , and fruterers , or woodwards be fineable and punishable , if they neglect to do their duties . that if any evil-disposed person be found to destroy any of the planted trees ; or to cut , mangle , or break them ; or to pull up , or carry away their fencings , when they are young trees , and require fencing ; that then he be severely punished by corporall , or pecuniary mulct , or both ; as being an enemy to a publike and common good . that the said fruterers or woodwards in every respective towne may have power ( as the surveyers of the high-wayes ) so to call out , and appoint certain common dayes to work , in dressing , pruning , moulding mossing , trimming the said trees ( which dayes are to be in the moneths of october & november for mossing and pruning , those moneths being the moistest ; and the winter frost following thereupon will seare the wounds , so that the cut parts are not subject to put out syens , whereby the body and fruit are decayed ; and in january and february for moulding the trees ) and to set fines upon such as make default , and leavy the same to some publique use . that all trees already planted , be accounted into the proportion ; and that as any trees do die , or decay , or grow barren , care be taken that others may be planted in their stead ; and that within a limited time upon some penalty to be levied by the woodwards or fruiterers . that when those lands , which are in particular occupation be fully planted ; like care be taken by a common work in the common dayes to be appointed , for the planting of all wastes and commons every thirty yards a tree , and by thirty yards all over , till they be throughly planted . that the commons and wastes be planted , and fenced at the publique charge of every town to which they do belong : and that all such fines as are levied upon the transgressors in this project be imployed to the publique work and use . that the fruits and benefits arising of the plantations upon the commons and wastes be given to the poor , & necessitous people of every town , unto which they do belong . and that by the discretion of the fruiterers or woodwards they be yearly distributed accordingly . reasons for this designe . as touching the reasons for this design , they are very many , whereof i onely propound some for satisfaction to all men . first , the wholesomenesse of these fruits are such as may challenge every mans estimation of them , and diligence to obtein them . apples are good for hot stomacks , for all inflammations , tempering melancholy humours ; good for diverse diseases , as the strangury , plurisie , &c. peares are cold , and binding , good for hot swellings , do help the lask and bloody flux , and being made into drink , do warm the stomack , and cause good digestion . the walnut is an ingredient in antidotes against the plague , and biting of venomous beasts ; whose kernels made into a milke cooleth and comforteth the languishing sick body . so quinces do strengthen the stomack , stay vomiting , and stop the flux ; and are good for many other things . the benefits , which from such a generall plantation will arise to this nation , is very much . as , first , by this means there may be a great improvement of land without any losse of other fruits , which it usually yieldeth , as of grasse , corn of all sorts , or any other thing : and so men may receive a double gain ; first , of those fruits upon the ground ; and secondly , of such fruits as growing upon the trees , the land beareth as it were by the by . there will be a great plenty of wholesome food added where little or none of that nature was before ; for besides every family may have of these fruits enough for all uses in food ; so also may thereby be obteined a good and wholesome drink from the juice of the apples , and peares , as in the counties of worcester and glocester is very exemplary in that particular , to their profit and plenty . by this means much corn , ( especially of barley ) may be saved ( which is spent out in malt ) and may serve for food in the time of want ; and other corn by that means become more reasonable in prices . and likewise much expense in wines may by reason of the perry and syder , which in all parts may be made , be spared : and which kinde of drink ( being once accustomed ) will be as proper and wholsome for our english bodies , as french wines , if not more . a generall plantation ( as aforesaid ) will make wonderfull plenty , as may be gathered by a supposition probable as this : suppose trees of apples and peares be planted , and well fenced upon a tenement of li. per annum , once in seven years they may ( by gods blessing ) bring forth halfe a bushel of good fruit apiece ; and in years a bushel a tree ; in years two bushels , and so forth ; what a plenty will this make in so small an occupation ? and besides it will yield great plenty , yea abundance to the poor , who shall yearly receive from the common plantations of the commons and wastes so much good fruit , as that they cannot be destitute all the year . and if to buy ; yet in such a generall plantation , good fruit will not cost above d. or d. the bushel , which now will cost d. or d. if not more in many places , which kinde of provisions the poor preferre before better food , as the story goeth . the poor mans childe invited was to dine with flesh of oxen , sheep , and fatted swine , ( far better chear then he at home could finde ) and yet this childe to stay had little minde . you have ( quoth he ) no apple , froise nor pie , stew'd pears , with bread and milk , & walnuts by . this generall plantation is very requisite , seeing so many places are wholly destitute of all fruit , and yet both the ground and clymate throughout this whole island able and apt to yield of fruit great plenty . cambden saith , that they are whining and slothfull husbandmen , who complain of the barrennesse of the earth in england ; and doth confidently affirm , that it proceedeth rather of the inhabitants idlenesse then any distemper , and indisposition of the air , that this our england affords no wine : and that it hath heretofore had vineyards which yielded wine well nigh as good in taste and smell as the french wine ; and indeed so are many places unto this day in our land called vineyards ; as at elie in cambridgeshire ; of which remaines upon record these old rimes . quatuor sunt eliae , lanterna , capella mariae , et molendinum , nec non dans vinea vinum . in english thus . four things of elie town much spoken are , the leaden lanthorn , maries chappel rare , the mighty mill-hill in the minster-field , and fruitfull vineyards , which sweet wine do yield . and if our england be so able and apt for wine , much more is it able and apt for these ordinary and wholesome fruits . besides , such an universall plantation will both yield great store of fuel to burn , and wood for many occasions ( the apple , peare and walnut-trees , being all of them good joyners timber ) fit to make chaires , stools , tables , and many other house-utensils ) and also it will much warm the countrey by so many thousands of trees planted in open and waste grounds to the great comfort both of man and beast . and as concerning this work , it is very feasable and easie , the banks , and quickrowes may be set , as well with good fruit-trees at a convenient distance , as with thorn , hasel , harbow , or brier : besides , how many usefull stocks of crab and wilding are to be taken from the roots of such as grow in rowes , and to be found in woods , which being transplanted and grafted will be as good fruit-trees , and last longer then such as are reared up from seeds or kernels ? the delight and pleasure , which by this will arise , will not be small in a little while ; when one may behold the waste and wilde places all abounding with fruitfull trees ( like the garden of god ) keeping their order , and distance : each one offering the weary traveller some little collation to quench his thirst , and refresh his spirits ; inviting him to rest under their shadow , and to taste of their delicates , and to spare his purse ; which is a benefit well known in the western counties of this our england . to these might be added the benefit of the walnut for oil ; the delight and comfort of all these for conserves and preserves , both for sicknesse and health : and their use in a famine , when all other fruits of the earth do fail ; whereof the nation of france hath had good triall , who had starved in some famines , had it not been for their chesnuts , walnuts , apples , and pears , these being far better food in a famine then asses heads , doves dung , or old leather , which some have been constrained to eat to preserve life ; yea sometimes the flesh of dead men , and their own children . objections against this designe . object . but here it may be some men wil object , that these are but vain and trifling things , not worthy a law , or injunction for so noble a nation as this is . to which the answer is easie : that our slothfulnes is the more , and improvidence the more to be condemned , that so noble a nation should need a goad , and spur to put them on to the improving of such trifling things ; which are of such necessity , profit , facility and delight , as these things , which every diligent and prudent provident husband should endevour after continually of themselves . object . but it will be a hard and difficult matter to get so many plants as may supply the proportion throughout the whole nation . we answer , the slothfull man saith , there is a lion in the way ; and if men were as willing as they might be , the woods and hedgerows would afford stocks not a few to graft upon : besides , there are not wanting commendable planters and arborists in this nation , whose nurseries will afford at very low rates many thousand of wilde stocks fitting to be removed , and improved for this businesse . object . yea , but there is such rudenesse and ravening in the common people of england , that all would come to nought . answ. true as our scarcity of these fruits are in every place , so it is , and so it will be : but plenty yields satiety and content : and the western countries can witnesse this to be otherwise ; besides , good laws , and good execution of them will prevent all such like mischiefs . object . but it will be a great while before this designe come to perfection . answ. yet if a beginning be not made , there can be no hope of any perfection ; and if men begin well , the work will go on the better ; for the saying is , he that begins with heart and great good will , hath got the half of that he would fulfill . besides he is the most unworthy of his own life , who is like the bear , lives onely to suck his own claws , and will not provide for posterity as well as himself . for , man is not born unto himself alone , but to his after race when he is gone . object . but the commons and wastes cannot wel be planted . answ. if not all of them , yet the most of them will bear forth these trees : and we see the most barren places to bring forth the thorn , oak , and ash-trees , and why not these also ? which are not so hard to grow as some of them ; besides such directions may be given , as may be very advantagious for their rooting and growth in such barren places , as afterward shall be shewed . object . but these trees being planted in hedge-rows amongst other trees of greater growth and top , will never prosper and come to perfection ; and so much labour will be lost . answ. these trees being prudently set , and providently husbanded in banks and hedge-rows , will thrive the best of all , and prove most fruitfull ; for if the grounds be cold and wet , then to set them in banks and rows will be far better , then to set them abroad , the banks being the driest places for planting : and if the grounds be dry and sandy , then the banks are the best , as being least hurtful to the roots of trees , and gaining moisture unto them by the ditches , when any do fall , whereby they are refreshed and preserved . and for other trees which may overtop them , if every honest and good member in this our common-wealth could as easily remove his wicked and bad neighbour , as the husbandman can remove such trees from his plantation , there would not be a bad neighbour in england . and how much a good fruit-tree will exceed in profit any other tree of what kinde soever , may easily be gathered by this computation : suppose one load of wood in twenty yeers may be cut from any husband , or powling ( and it must be a good one , which will yeeld so much in such a time ) which load of wood may be worth nine or ten shillings ; yet a good fruit-tree ( by gods blessing ) will yeeld as much fruit in one yeer as will countervail that profit ; for some good fruit-trees have been known to yeeld eight , nine , or ten coombs of good fruit in one yeer , which at four pence the bushell will come to more then the best tree for wood will yeeld in twenty yeers . and suppose an oak after yeers growth be worth five or six pounds , yet a good fruit-tree within fourty yeers will yeeld the same profit four or five times double , which is far beyond the benefit arising of the best timber-trees in england . and moreover , trees for timber may have the woods to grow in , and such convenient places in fields and rows , as may be no annoyance or hinderance to the fruit-trees of this plantation . it is a folly manifestly plain , to be pound-foolish , penny-wise in gain . object . these plantations in arable grounds , and common fields , will both hinder the plough , and by their shadow destroy and hinder corn . answ. if indeed they should be planted in the middest of plowed lands , something might be said against it ; but in all common fields for corn , there lie land-divisions , and baulks , or meers , which though but narrow , yet are sufficient and apt to bear trees , ( as being the best ground ) if they be planted upon them : and at thirty yards distance in length , and about thirty yards in breadth one from another likewise ; they will be no hinderance at all to the plough , nor yet to the growth and increase of corn ; for at such a distance the sun and winde will have such power on every side that they will disperse their beams and air without any let ; and in case ( when these trees are grown large and great ) they may hinder a peck of corn a tree , yet will they recompense that losse twenty-fold in their fruit and fewell to the owners : besides , a good husband may keep up his trees so by pruning , as that no damage at all may be susteined by them . object . but fielding grounds which lie in parcels are often so intermixed , that sometimes ten several persons may have severall proprieties in five acres of land : and therefore how can trees be planted either at an equall distance of yards ; or who shall plant them , or receive their fruits or fuel being so many and diverse proprieters ? answ . if men were without reason , this might make an objection ; but reasonable men wil conclude that mears or balks in their length may be planted at yards distance without difficulty , and that such small parcels will fall likewise about yards distance in breadth , not much under or over ; which will make no difference : and such trees as are to be planted upon partable mears , may by law be appointed to be charged in their plantation , and fencing , and divided in their benefits equally between such owners , as have a community therein . object . but this designe , if once it come to perfection , will undo many families , who live by brewing and malting . answ . the light of nature will teach us that a common , and publike good is to be preferred to all private profit ; as the saying is , a publique good doth many wayes outvie all private good , and self-utilitie . besides , the multiplicity of men practising brewing , and malting is but rather a bane then a benefit to this common-wealth ; ministring occasion to thousands of blinde and unnecessary tipling-houses , whereby drunkennesse , disorder , and dangerous plots are fomented and nourished to the great dishonour of god , and disturbance of the state and common-wealth ; so that it were to be wished that every private family in this whole nation were so provided , that there might not be any further occasion to expend so much corn in malt , or so much money and precious time in ale-houses and drink , which would cause every pious heart rather to rejoyce with thanksgiving , then to repine with murmuring for the disappointing of self-ends and advantages , when the publique good should be so greatly advanced . instructions concerning this designe . although planting doth chiefly depend upon the blessing and providence of god , ( without which no benefit can be expected ) yet god who ordaineth the end , appointeth also the means conducible thereunto ; not that men should rest in the means appointed , but that they waiting upon god in the use of meanes should expect his blessing thereupon of his grace and mercy : according to the saying , rest not in meanes , use meanes gods gifts to gain ; god gives the end , and meanes his ends t' attain . therefore we have thought good to set down for the help of such as are unskilfull in the noble art of planting , such necessary instructions and directions touching this designe , as by experience have been found usefull and commodious for our countrey of england , letting go those unprofitable conclusions wherewith many have filled their books of this art of planting , taken for the most part out of the writings and experiments of other nations , as italy , france and spain , &c. which being of far different climates from our nation , however they may be usefull and effectuall unto others , are indeed altogether uselesse and in-effectuall unto us in england : for , each land the like alike will never yield , clime alters much in garden , orchard , field , leave france to french , and spain to spanish sun ; what england may is best to think upon . instructions concerning wilde sets and stocks to plant and graft upon . for the increase and store of wilde sets and stocks to plant and to graft upon ; it is very requisite , that every man , according to the proportion of his occupation have some yard or inclosure for his wilde sets and stocks , which may serve him as a continual nursery , to plant and supply all his other grounds and plantations . let this inclosure or nursery be well and strongly fenced so as no cattel may hurt it ; for a beast will do more mischief in a night unto the nursery then it will recover in seven years after . the nursery would not be of the richest and fattest ground , but rather inclinable to leannesse , that so the wilde sets and stocks being transplanted , may be removed from a mean to a better ; from a lean to a fatter soyl , otherwise they will not prosper . at the first , let this nursery be well digged , and as much as may be made cleer of all noisome weeds , ( especially of spearegrasse ) by harrowing , raking , and sowing turneps the year before , or covering that all over with brakes : otherwise the weeds willl much hinder the growth and increase of the plants or sets . to replenish this nursery in the best way , is to sowe that all over with the goods , or stamping of crabs , apples , pears , and kernels of quince about alhollon-tide , or in november , or at such time as you make your verjuice , sydar , or perry , and then to riddle good earth all over to cover them a finger thick ( or to rake them in , which is not so good ) and so covering them with thorns to expect their spring in february , march , and april , when the covering is to be taken away from them . chuse the best and greatest walnuts , ( as the welsh nut , french nut , &c. ) and set them all about your nursery , without the plants , some three or four foot distance ; or they may be set altogether upon beds by themselves . for three years after the nursery be thus replenished , be carefull to keep it very clean from weeds , grasse , or any other beggery , for it will requite the owner abundantly for his paines . the wilde sets being three foot high would be removed , and set a foot distance one from another , and would have their long top-roots cut off , that they may root the better , and grow the greater ; otherwise they will grow down with a long top , and up with a high top , their bodies being slender , not fit to graft , and to remove dangerous , as having few or none other roots but their long top-roots . at this first removing of the wilde sets , cut off onely the spray and branches of the plants , pruning them into a straight wands , and cut not off their heads , for that will hinder them , being so young and tender . there is another way to replenish the nursery , which is by setting at a foot distance branches of apple trees with burknots , or the suckers which are found in orchards , and may be taken from the roots of the apple , pear , or quince-trees , or the shoots of the kentish codling cut off and pricked in the ground , all which wil take and grow wel ; onely it must be remembred that such suckers must be taken as may have some roots , and these must be well pruned and headed likewise when they are transplanted into the nursery . the quince is the most apt of all other to grow , whether by kernels sowne , suckers , or even any young branch cut off from the body , with a soals foot , set into good earth about november will take and grow . also if a bough be half split from the body in the spring ; and then bound well about with new cow-dung , and so let grow till michaeltide , or october , it will be rooted into the dung , and may be taken off and transplanted with profit . if an apple or peare-tree have any goodly young bough ( if it be not bigger then a mans wrest ) it may be rooted upon the tree : if in june the bark be taken away round the bough the breadth of four fingers , and a be skep ( having a hole in the crown answerable to the bignesse of the bowe ) be slit down the side , that it may open , and so set , and fastened below . the barked place with the mouth upward , and so filled with fat , sad , and clayish earth well moistened , and so let stand untill november or deecmber , and then being cut off below the skep , the head pruned , and transplanted into good ground , and the skep gently taken away , so as the earth be not loosed , it will grow a fruitfull dwarf-tree . instructions concerning removings , or transplantations . when your wilde sets and stocks are fit for transplanting , it is best to remove them before they be grafted , so they will be in lesse danger to die ; and the cutting of the tops of the wilde sets will be no hinderance either to growth or grafting . the best time to transplant these trees , is september and october ( with their leaf upon their head , ) because the winter will both close and consolidate the earth about the roots , and also the remainder of sap in the trees descending into the roots will fasten them the better , and prepare their growth in the spring the surer : november , december , and january may serve , but are nothing so good as the other moneths . in all removings have speciall care to prune both the root and head , remembring this , that it is farre better to have a large root and little top , then to have a great top and a little root , which seldom comes to good . a great many roots may endure a good large top , but a few roots would have a little top . where the soil is very good , it will be sufficient to dig a hole four times as big as the root , which let it be digged about mid-summer , or as soon after as you can for the crop growing thereupon . first pare off the uppermost part thereof , laying grasse to grasse , or stubble to stubble , and upon that on the one side of the hole lay the best earth ( which will be the first speete , or spade ) and the rest by it self on the other side of the hole , and so let that lie open to sun and air , till you transplant the trees ; then set your tree in the best earth first , being well broken and mouldred , laying out the roots in their severall proportion set not your tree too deep , after that put in the worst earth uppermost , carefully closing the earth alwayes about the roots . you may lay some dung upon the uppermost face of the hole after all , if you please . in light and sandy ground , and shallow soil , dig your hole , and prepare it as aforesaid ; but you must remember to dig it much deeper , three or four foot deep , & when you set your trees fill that up with good moist earth within a foot and half of the uppermost ground : then setting in the tree , take slur of some sink or hog-yard , or mud of some pond , ( or for want of these make poy , with good earth and water ) and pour it amongst the roots , drawing them forth each in his way , and so fill that up with good earth : this will never fail expectation in the growth of young trees ; onely remember that in sandy ground trees must be set deeper then in moist and good earth . in moist and wet grounds it is good to dig a hole , and prepare that as followeth : when you are to set your tree , dig a hole four foot over and two foot deep , and then lay a faggot of wood close bound in the bottom , well troden down , fill up the hole again with the best earth , then set your trees upon the plain ground on the top , raising an hill of earth round about the root , which may cover it well from heat and cold , it will like exceedingly . when the trees are transplanted into light or sandy ground , if the spring or summer following prove drie , they must be watered very well , but very seldom . the water would be taken out of some standing pit ( which is better then spring , or well-water ) or else mixed with cow-dung ( which maketh a laxative and lusty water for young trees ) and when they are watered , cover their roots with old straw , or hatch , putting it by in rainy weather , for fear of mice harbouring in it . in the ttansplantation of walnuts be very careful to preserve the top-root ; for if that be perished , the tree will not thrive , if not die . the apple-tree loves to grow best in rich soil , but indifferently in any . the peare best in a sandie , and light soile . the qvince in a moist ground , and fat . the walnut-tree in a clayish or mixt soile . note that the medler , and service-trees may be planted in sandie , and gravelie ground , and will grow in places , where other trees will not thrive . and these fruits are both wholesome and pleasant . when the trees are transplanted and set , they must be wel fenced and stayed against the shaking of winds both for their preservation and steady growing : thorns pricked into the ground , and bound about the tree with a withe , and a stake set fast into the ground to stay them is used by some ; three stakes set in a triangle about the tree with crosse bars nailed from stake to stake ; by others , stakes driven aslope into the ground two wayes , and well fastened to the tree with hay-bands , and fenced , others use : and some having fenced their trees with a triangle ( as is aforesaid ) use to cut off the head of their tree wholly , leaving as a staffe , which after will both grow strong against windes , and put forth a gallant head in few years : onely it is to be remembred that , that fencing and staying of your trees is best , which is most secure , least subject to grate your trees , and longest lasting . instructions concerning grafting . as touching the kindes , manner and time of grafting , they are as followeth . the kindes . manner . time of grafting . cōmon grafting is - by cleaving the stock . these three first in the latter end of february , march , or beginning of april . incysing — is - shoulderwise between the bark and tree .   packing — is - by sloping the impe and stocks , and cloving them together like a whipstock .   inoculating — is - by placing a bud into the bark of another tree . this last about the tenth of june . there is an other way of crossing the pith of trees , which is by boring two holes through the stock across a hand breadth one above another , and making two pins of the same wood to drive them hard in ; some take this to be a good way . good winter-fruit sowne of kernels in nurseries , and so transplanted , will prove good fruit , though they never be grafted at all : and note that the walnut will not be grafted . never graft your sets the same year you do remove them , but let them stand and take root a year at least or two , then they will nourish their grafts , and thrive exceedingly . a generall rule for grafting . to grow apace graft when the change is near , but at the full moon for your trees to bear . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a e- esa. . , , . see another discourse lately published by a worthy and speciall friend of mine , called , bread for the poor , & advancement of the english nation , promised by enclosure of the wast●s and common ground of england . chap. . pag : . * that is , when she came first to the crown . notes for div a e- quicquid agas , prudenter agas ; & respice finem . ezeck. . . cambden . brit. as in glocest , and worcest , shires , &c. in kent about feversham , where by the industry and example of richard harris fruterer to k. hen. the eighth towns are planted to their inestimable benefit . catus vult piscem , sed non vult tangere lympham . gerard . herb. in which countreys the very hogs feeding upon the fallings , make choice of fruit , and first taste , eating up the pleasant fruit , leaving the other , there is such abundance . gerards herb. cambden . brit. camb. ex will . malmesbur . and at bromwell abbey in norfolk . kings . miseries of germany . dimidium facti qui benè coepit habet . non nobis solum nati fumus , sed liberis , &c. cicero . bonum quò communius eò melius . cor. . . non omnia fert omnia tellus . act of the commissioners of supply of the sheriffdom of edinburgh, anent the settlement of the prices of victual within the said shire, to the first day of september next. edinburgh, april . . edinburgh (scotland). commissioners of supply of the sheriffdom of edinburgh. approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page image. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). b wing e ca estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. b ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) act of the commissioners of supply of the sheriffdom of edinburgh, anent the settlement of the prices of victual within the said shire, to the first day of september next. edinburgh, april . . edinburgh (scotland). commissioners of supply of the sheriffdom of edinburgh. thomson, robert, town-clerk. sheet ([ ] p.) printed by the heirs and successors of andrew anderson, printer to his most excellent majesty, edinburgh : . caption title. imprint from colophon. signed at end: ro. thomson their clerk. reproduction of the original in the national library of scotland. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng food prices -- law and legislation -- scotland -- early works to . price regulation -- scotland -- early works to . broadsides -- scotland -- th century. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - john pas sampled and proofread - john pas text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion act of the commissioners of supply of the sheriffdom of edinburgh , anent the settlement of the prices of victual within the said shire , to the first day of september next . edinburgh , april . . the commissioners of supply of the sheriffdom of edinburgh appointed by act of his majesties most honourable privy council , of the date the last day of march last by past , for stating and settling the prices of victual within the said shire , having several times conveened at edinburgh and dalkeith ; and last of all being met and conveened this day : and having taken true and exact tryal of the prices of victual , for five weeks space preceeding the date of the said act , and duly considered the saids prices : the saids commissioners , by vertue of the power given and committed to them by the foresaid act of council , have stated and settled , and hereby states and settles the highest prices of the best victual and meal to be as follows , to wit the best wheat seventeen pounds scots per boll . the best oats twelve pounds per boll . the best barley bear thirteen pounds six shilling eight pennies per boll . the best pease thirteen pounds per boll . the best oat meal , by weight , being eight stone , at sixteen shilling six pennies , per half stone , for the peck . the best bear meal , at eight pounds per boll , being ten shilling per peck . the best pease meal , nine pounds twelve shilling scots money per boll , being twelve shilling per peck . and the foresaid prices so settled , are appointed by the said act of privy council , to be the feer and settled prices until the first day of september next : and none are to presume to sell at higher rates , either in mercats , girnels , or otherwise , with the said sheriff-dom , under the certification of being pursued as usurers and occurers , as the act bears . and to the end the above written prices may be published , the saids commissioners ordained , and ordains thir presents to be printed , and their clerk to send through copies to all the paroch kirks of the shire , to be read the next lords day after divine service ; as also , doubles to be sent to the baillies of burghs within the shire , to be by them proclaimed at their mercat-crosses : and this present settlement of the prices of the said victual and meal to be binding , and take effect after the publication and intimation hereof . and ordains thir presents to be recorded in the sederunt books of the saids commissiomers . sic subscribitur john clerk , i. p. c. extracted furth of the sederunt books of the saids commissioners , by ro. thomson their clerk. edinbvrgh , printed by the heirs and successors of andrew anderson , printer to his most excellent majesty , . taylors feast contayning twenty-seaven dishes of meate, without bread, drinke, meate, fruite, flesh, fish, sawce, sallats, or sweet-meats, only a good stomacke, &c. being full of variety and witty mirth. by john taylor. taylor, john, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc estc s this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) taylors feast contayning twenty-seaven dishes of meate, without bread, drinke, meate, fruite, flesh, fish, sawce, sallats, or sweet-meats, only a good stomacke, &c. being full of variety and witty mirth. by john taylor. taylor, john, - . [ ], , [ ] p. printed by j. okes dwelling in little st. bartholmews, london : anno. . the first leaf is blank. error in pagination: page is incorrectly labeled p. . reproduction of the original in the henry e. huntington library and art gallery. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng food -- england -- humor -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - tcp staff (michigan) sampled and proofread - tcp staff (michigan) text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion taylors feast : contayning twenty-seaven dishes of meate , without bread , drinke , meate , fruite , flesh , fish , sawce , sallats , or sweet-meats , only a good stomacke , &c. being full of variety and witty mirth . by john taylor . london : printed by j. okes dwelling in little st. bartholmews . anno. . the names of the severall dishes served in at this feast . . the invitation . . bread and salt. . great and small oysters . . brawne and mustard . . powderd beefe and cabbadge . . a chine of roast beefe . . strong beere . . venison . . wine clarret . . puddings and sawsadges . . two pigges , one raw , and the other roasted in a cloak-bag . . a goose. . a cup of sacke . . a couple of fat ducks roasted . . a cup of small beere . . twelve woodcocks in a dish . . a loyne of veale . . a custard . . a whole sturgeon like an old colt. . a fresh salmon . . sixe six-penny mutton pyes to make up the feast . . a pudding-pye . . a foole. . cheese . . a posset . . musicke . . one hundred faggots to warme the guests , and dresse the meate . taylors feast , contayning twenty seaven dishes , without bread , drinke , meate , fruite , flesh , fish , sawce , sallats , or sweet-meates . the invitation . first i would have my guests understand this point of modesty , not to presume to come unto my feast without bidding , except they bring stooles with them ( as unbidden guests should do . secondly , i observe a rule of the italian ( which is now of late in great use in england ) which is to invite a man most earnestly to dinner or supper , hoping hee or they that are so invited , will have more manners then to come : but if they do come , then the inviters doe esteeme the guests unmannerly , and that they want good and gentile breeding . thirdly , i would have none but such as have the gift of abstinence and fasting to come to my feast , for my house stands ( as other gentlemens houses do ) in a very wholesome and hungry ayre , that shall not take away any mans appetite , but allowing every man to depart with a good stomacke to his meate , ( when he hath it ) which is an apparant and infallible signe of health . lastly , as many as please to come over my house any morning , shall be very welcome to breake their faces before they goe : or if the greatest enemy i have doe ride within a mile or two of my dwelling , let him or they make bold to stay there a moneth ( if they please ) and take such as they finde and welcome , for i will be but at ordinary or small charge in providing . now gentlemen readers , or all of what degree so ever , that doe read this , i pray you all to take notice that you are my guests , for the entertainement and dyet you are like to have , i pray takeit in good part , washing is costly , and soape is deare , therefore i will not have any table-cloath , or napkin fould , for you shall have no occasion to wash your hands , licke your lipps or fingers , nor shall you neede to make use of a tooth-picke , you shall have no cause to draw knives , neither shall here be any carving of either the wing of a coney , or the fore-legge of a capon : heere is no troublesome shifting of trenchers or platters , nor exception for the highest place at the board , for the dyet is a like in all places of the table , ( and to avoyde pride and emulation ) i have caused it to be made and fram'd , neither long or short , or middle size , square , round , or ovall ; and so you are all welcome unto my tantalian feast , which is drest without kettle , pot , or spit , dripping-pan , frying-pan , ladle , scummer , cooke , scullion , jacke , or turne-broach : so now at the first sight you may perceive bread and salt , which is first placed upon every mans table , and so likewise at my feast , and so in good order you shall finde the rest of the feast follow in their due course and order . . bread and salt. bread and salt are the first ushers to the feast . the anagram of bread , is beard or bared , and though salt come in with the first , yet salt anagrammatiz'd is last ; which signifies that bread and salt should be the first broght in to a table , and last bared and carried away . but my bread is not for every mans tooth , it not being made of wheate , rie , barley , oates , mescellin , beanes , pease , or any graine , pulse , or roote whatsoever . it is neither dough baked , baked dough , or burnt in the oven , neither leavened or unleavened , nor any yeast , barme , or rising put into it , ( for it might fill my guests with wind in stead of puffing them up with vaine glory . ) it hath neyther crust or crum , nor is it chip'd or unchip'd ; for the colour and finenesse of it is neyther white , wheaten , raunged , or browne : it is neither in the shape of loafe , rowle , cake , bunne , wig , manchet , ruske , bannock , jannock , symnell , or bread-pye , nor is it cheat-bread , for it shall satisfie every man as much as hee lookes for : if it bee distastfull unto any , let him dippe it in the salt , and it will be savoury presently . . great and small oysters . my bawdy boy , having thus procur'd faggots , yet hee 'l not be idle , but for your better content , the same tyde hee will fit you with two bushels of great and small oysters ; for before hee had rowed foure miles , he overtooke a katch that was swiming up towards london loaden with oysters . well overtaken katch-man sayes one , gramercy water-man said the other ; wilt thou buy . of faggots , said bawdy boy ? i know not what to doe with them said the other ; but yet i care not if i give thee a crowne for them : bawdy boy reply'd , i was glad ( quoth hee ) to take them for part of a desperate debt , for where i had them , i could get no money , and my house is little , so that i want roome to lay them in , which is the cause that makes me to sell them to thee at so cheape a rate . the match being thus made , the faggots were delivered into the katch , and the five shillings was paid to the water-man , who presently demanded of the katch-man if his oysters were good ? who answer'd , that his great ones were at sixe shillings the bushell , ( water-measure ) and his small ones at two shillings the bushell : bawdy boy said , thou hast bestowed thy money with me for faggots , and i will leave it againe with thee for oysters ; i will give thee a crowne for a bushell of the great , and two shillings for the small : all parties being agreed , the oysters were measur'd , and throwne into the boate : i pray thee katch-man said bawdy boy , give me one great oyster or two into the bargaine , which whil'st the katch-man was reaching , the other put off his boate , and rowed away : the one call'd ho water-man , thou hast not payd me for my oysters , the other said , you lye katchman , you have faggots for your oysters ; the other reply'd , thou hast money for thy faggots , the other answer'd , thou hast faggots for thy oysters , and for thy money both , and thou art an ignorant fellow , that know'st not how to reckon right : so away rowed he , and i pray gentlemen fall to your oysters . . a coller of brawne . will baxted , a late well knowne fine comedian , went in a morning , on one of the twenlve dayes in christmas time , upon occasion of businesse to speake with an old rich miserable house-keeper , and having done what he came for , hee tooke his leave , leaving the old man in his chamber : but as hee was going out of the doores , he said to the fellow that let him out , my friend , is not this christmas time ? yes that it is said the other ; then sayd baxted , will not your master bee angry if i doe goe away and not drinke ? the fellow said , no sure , i thinke he will not be offended at all for such a small fault : o but ( quot baxted ) it is good to be sure , and i am loth you should have any ill will for my sake , therefore i pray you , aske your master if he will not be angry with you , if i doe goe away before i drinke : sir sayd the fellow , i will not aske him such a question , but i will make you drinke without his knowledge . so into a celler they went , and strong beere was drawne in a horne-cup , and as baxted was drinking , the master of the house knockt , and call'd , and whistl'd for his man as if hee had beene mad , so that the fellow was faine to leave baxted in the celler , and run upstaires in haste to his master , who angryly said , ( sirrha ) where have you beene ? and what is the reason that i have knock't , and bounc'd so long for you ? sir ( sayd the servant ) i was giving a cup of beere in the celler to the player that was with you : how , said the master , thou idle wastfull knave , doe i keepe a tap-house or ordinary for every companion to tipple in ? i 'le make thee know it is not my disposition , nor is it for my reputation or profit : truely sir , said the fellow , i could not chuse but make him drinke for shame , hee spake such words that mov'd me so ; and with that he told his master what baxted said , and that he had left him in the celler alone : a rope on him said the old man , i will goe to him , and bid him welcome , ( though but with an ill will ) the mad knave will jeere me else . so he went to the celler , where finding baxted , hee said , you are welcome , and i thanke my man for having so much manners as to entertaine you ; for my head was full of businesse , and so i drinke to you good mr. baxted , and i pray you what say you to a slice of a coller of brawne and mustard this morning ? o sir , sayd hee , i would not say any thing at all to it , but i would doe somewhat to it if i had it ; truely mr. baxted ( said he ) and you shall have it ; so with an ill will he sent his man for it , who brought into the celler a goodly coller of brawne , whole and uncut , baxted knowing the riches of the man , and the miserable poverty of his minde , drew forth his knife , with a full resolution to take the coller lower , though the anger were raysed the higher , so with a desperate acute stomacke hee cut out a peece as bigge as a penny-loafe on the top of the brawne , which he presently consumed , and more for roagery than hunger : in the meane space the sight of the brawnes demollishing vext the old man : but baxted persisting twixt jeast and coller , gave it the second cut in the other side on the top , so that it look'd forked like the signe of the myter ; at which the old man could no longer hold , or contayne himselfe from speaking , saying , master baxted , are you marryed sir ? no sir quoth he , i am single , and i keepe no house ; the other said , i thought so by your cutting of brawne , for i doe thinke you doe neither know the price of such a coller , or what belongs 〈◊〉 it . baxted answered him , sir , indeed for the price i neither know , nor care for , but yet i doe know what belongs to it , which is a cup of muskadell , if i could get it . so the old mizer was faine to send his man to the taverne for halfe a pinte of muskadell , to wash downe baxteds brawne , who was no sooner gone , but the old man in a rage gave his man warning to provide him another master , for hee would keepe no such riotting knaves that would entertaine such bold guests . . powderd beefe and cabbage , and a messe of mustard . a water-man ( now living ) named gilford , dwelt on the bank-side , and comming home to his dinner , which was beefe and cabbage , of which hee had made pottage , hee prayed his wife to make haste , and take it off the fire , that hee might quickly dine , and bee gone ; and whilst the woman was reaching a porrenger and platter , a cur-dog came into the house , lifted up his legge , and pist in the porridge-pot amongst the meare and cabbage , which the man perceiving told his wife , and catch'd the dogge , and almost beate him to death : but the woman intreated her husband to eate his dinner , for it should bee never the worse , when shee had strayned the pottage through a cleane cloath , but all her perswasions could not make him eate . mustard . three gentlemen of the ancient race of redshanks , ( now called highland-men , because they inhabite in the mountaynous parts of the north of scotland ) these three having occasions to come into england , being at their inne , had to their dinner a peece of powdered beefe and mustard : now neither of them had never seene mustard before , wherefore one of them demanded what deele it was ? the host answered , that it was good sawce for their meate ; sawce said the other ? it hath an ill looke , i pray let me see you eat some first ; then the host took a bit of beefe , and dipt it in the mustard , & did eate it : the highland-man presently tooke his meat and rowl'd it in the mustard , and began to chaw , but it was so strong , that it was no sooner in his mouth , but it set him a snuffing and neesing , that he told his friends , ( ducan and donald ) that hee was slaine with the grey grewell in the wee-dish ; he bid them draw their whineards , and sticke the false lowne , ( their host ) hee pray'd them to remember his last love to his wife and barnes , and withall to have a care to beware of the grey grewell , for the deele was in 't . but after the force of the mustard was spent , the gentleman left neesing , all was pacified , mine host was pardoned , and mustard was good sawce for powderd beefe . . a chyne of beefe roasted . afaire chyne of beefe was once given to mr. iohn fletcher , ( the poet ) he pray'd his hostesse , ( being an old woman neere the bank-side , where he lodged ) to salt it well seven or eight daies , and he would invite some friends to the eating of it : the day being come , and the chine at the fire , the woman had not playd the huswife so well in salting of it , but that it had taken ayre , and entertain'd more tenants than were welcome : but after it had beene three houres at the fire , master fletcher had a minde to have a slice hot from the spit , and for that purpose came downe from his chamber , drew his knife , and cut ; and as hee cut , hee espyed maggots drop out , at which hee was angry , but suffering the spit to goe about , hee cut on the other side , and found it worse : whereupon fletcher being alone , ( for the woman was gone forth , and left the jacke to looke to the spit ) was so enraged , that hee tooke the spit up , and setting his foot against the meate , footed it off , and threw it into a muddy ditch on the other side of the way , and putting the spit into the jackerope againe , went up to his chamber againe in a chafe : the old woman suddainly comming in , and seeing the meate gone , was amazed , and stept into the streete , and asked some of her neighbours , if they saw any body goe into her house ? one made answer , that mr. fletcher went over to the ditch , and backe againe , but he saw no body else ; then the woman went to see , and shee perceived the mudde was newly inclosed over something that had beene cast there in lately : so she fetcht a rake , and raked the beefe out of the ditch , put it under a pumpe , and with a wispe , ashes , and sand , wash'd and scower'd it , so that all the gentiles in it were confounded , then to the spit shee put it againe , winds up the jacke , which made a noise in his language whir , whir ; which mr. fletcher hearing , mused what was provided for dinner for his guests and himselfe ; the old woman being gone into her back-side , fletcher stole softly downe the stayres , and peeping towards the fire , saw the chine a roasting the second time , at which amazement hee biest himselfe , saying , art thou crawl'd thither againe , thou shalt never be remov'd for me againe : so it was roasted , and gave good content to the guests , but some of them said , it had taken winde . gentlemen , i doubt you have sate too long over your beefe , and therefore a cup of beere is not amisse , and then you shall be furnish'd with some other viands . . strong beere . two souldiers of old acquaintance , having beene long asunder , chanced to meete , and after salutations they agree'd to enter an ale-house , where a formall fashionable tapster fill'd them as much nicke and froath with petars of tobacco , as made them ( in his estimation ) to bee reckoned at two shillings ; they fell to the discourse of their severall fortunes and services , the one of russia and poland , the other of germany and sweaden ; they talk't of hunger and thirst , cold , and nakednesse , sieges , and assaults , artillery , ammunition , guns , and drummes , wounds , scarres , death , and all the perils incident to men of the sword. the tapster over-hearing them , said , that they were the better welcome for being souldiers , and that hee had beene one of that martiall traine himselfe in the low-countries , where ( hee thank'd god ) hee neither did harme , nor tooke any ; the best was , that hee had learn'd so much wit that no man could couzen him : the souldiers answer'd him , that his labour was worth his travell , in learning so much cunning , and so they paid their reckoning , and departed . they had not gone farre , but they met with another of their old acquaintance , ( a cunning shark ) to whom they told the bragging confidence of the tapster : how said he , will he not be couzned ? tell mee where hee dwells , and goe you two and stay at a taverne that 's next him ; and i will first be with him , and then come quickly to you . the place being told , and the taverne appointed , the witty soldier went to the tapster , and call'd for two gunnes of beere ; guns quoth the tapster ? canns you would say ; the other reply'd , i doe meane cannes , but i have beene so us'd to cunnes in the warres , that i forget my selfe , and call every thing a gunne : so the beere was fill'd in , and drank , and the tapster fill'd his gunnes or cannes by couples , which they dranke betweene them ; then the souldier said that hee saw a tapster winne a wager lately beyond beleefe ; for he brought sixe cannes of beere from the tap all full , in one hand , and set them on the table , not spilling one drop ; sir , said the tapster , i dare to lay a crowne that i can doe that , i will lay as much that you doe it not said the other ; so the wager was layd on the boord , but whilst the tapster was filling the cannes , the souldier ran away with the money , and straight perceived for all his wit and cunning , yet was able to be couzned . . venison and wine . a gentleman dwelt two miles from a market-towne , where ( at a taverne ) hee caused some bottles of wine to be fill'd to carry home , because he had invited some friends to his house to eate a venison pasty with him the next day : but his man and himselfe dranke so hard , that they forgot their liquor , ( i meane the bottles . ) the next day being come , and dinner ready to bee laid on the table , they remembred the wine ; so the gentleman commanded his man to take a horse , ( which was sadled in the stable ) and to ride for the wine with all speed . well , to dinner they went , and the serving-man to the stable , the pafry was opened , and to 't they fell , and after an houres time expecting the wine , now sayd the gentleman , methinks my man is riding hither in post , i heare the horse dash ; at which words the fellow entred : hah well said , art thou come said the master ? we have stay'd long , and thou hast made but slow speed ; a poxe on 't said the fellow , if i should bee hang'd i cannot finde the bridle . . puddings and sawsadges . the pudding and the sawsages will bee cold gentlemen , if you doe not fall to , and then they will not be worth a sir-reverence ; and methinks it is an easie peece of logick , to prove a pudding to bee a perpetuall motion , for it is alwayes moving . and as an arrow , flies from butt to butt , so doth a pudding poste , from gut to gut . simon wadle , a vintner , ( that once kept the taverne neere the temple-barre , at the signe of saint dunstane ) with some other vintners , had beene to taste and buy wines at the merchants , and having done their occasions , happened into the three tunnes at garlike-●ithe , where all the meate they could have on the suddaine , was a pound of sawsadges ; wadlo being hungry , had no great stomacke to have so many partners in so small a dish , and having an old rotten tooth in his pocket , ( which a barbar in fleet-streete had drawne from him the day before ) hee secretly convey'd , and thrust the said tooth into one of the sawsages , which he himselfe first tooke into his hand ; and after his associates had each one tasted a little , and began to bee quicke and nimble , wadlo snap'd his old tooth in his chaps , and pulling it forth , shewed it to the company ; upon the sight whereof they were all struck with feare and amazement , beleeving by the tooth , that the sawsages had beene made of mans flesh : so they call'd for sacke and sallet-oyle , supposing they had beene poysoned ; but wadlo fell to with a good stomacke , saying that hee could be no worse poysoned with them than hee was : the man of the house vowed that the murderous jade that made the sawsages , should be burnt . but after wadlo had eaten up all , hee sent for the barbar that drew the tooth , and every man was presently cured , and the sawsagewoman escaped burning . . a pigge . a collier , neere croyden , having loaden his cart with coales for london , a woman that dwelt neare him that was nurse to a marchants child of the city , desired the collier to remember her humble service to her maister and mistresse , and to tell them ( god be thanked ) their childe was well ; and withall she intreated the collier to carry them a live pigge , ( which she had put in a bag before the colliers face : ) the collier tooke the bagge and made it fast upon the top of his cart , and away came he . when hee came into london where hee should deliver his coales , hee tooke the bagge with the pigge , and tyed it under the cart to one of the spoakes of the wheele , and when hee had almost unloaden , a couple of porters stood and perceived something moove in the bagge , did suppose it was a pigge or a goose , or some such creature , which they had borrowed upon some common or high way , as they came by night : and whilst the colliers were busied , & absent in carriage , and empting their sackes , the porters stole the pigge out of the bagge , and put in a little cur dogge of their owne , making it fast as they found it , and away go they : the dogge impatient of his bondage , began to frig and fling , as he had bin mad , that the colliers said , the divell was newly entred into the pigge ; or else the pig did presage that hee was neare his owne death . wel , the cart being empty , the collier takes the dog-pigge , and carried it to the marchant , delivering his message ( which was welcome ) saying that he must carry the bag backe agen ; so hee went to a side table , and opened it , and putting in his hand for a pigge , the dogge bit him by the fingers ; a pox on yee dee bite , quoth he : what doth he bite : quoth the marchant , it can not be , i will take him out my selfe , then the marchant put his hand into the bag , and the dogge snapt him so currishly that hee fetcht blood of his fingers , at which hee was angry , and bid the divell take the collier and the pigge both . at which the marchants wife laughed , and cald them both fooles , and with that she tooke the bagge by the bottome , and shooke out the dogge : the dogge being amazed , ( not knowing where hee was ) turn'd round twice or thrice , and leapt over a hatch , and away ran he home to pick the bones of the pigge : the collier hang'd down his head all ashamed to looke upon the marchant . the marchant ( standing with his fingers bleeding ) very angerly asked the collier that if hee had no body but hee to abuse , and play the knave withall , to bring him a dog instead of a pigge : to whom the collier replyd , and also affirm'd with an oath , that his intent was free from abusing him or any man else , and that it was a pig in the morning . the marchant swore it was a dogge , the collier swore it was a pig ; and so much good may it doe you with your pig. a pig miraculously roasted . but a raw pig is no mans meat , and therefore now you shall have one roasted , and strangely over-roasted . a gentleman that dwelt about enfield ten miles from london , had a buffe , tough suite in law , that had lasted him ten yeares , and every terme hee sent his counsellor a pig , scalded and ready drest for the spit : it fell so that at the beginning of a mid-summer terme : richard the serving-man had the pigge in a cloak-bag a horse-backe behind him , and as he was riding by totnam-high-crosse , other serving-men were there drinking at the signe of the swan , who espied richard , they cald him to make him drinke . richard was glad to see his old acquaintance , and alighted , put his horse in the stable , tooke off his cloak-bag , and layd it on the board , telling his friends of the pigge , and that it was the fortieth pig that he had carried in ten yeares from his master to a lawyer . the company gave richard the hearing , and with all one of them cunningly stole the pig out of the cloakbag , and carried it into the kitching , cōmanding it to be speedily roasted : in the meane time they plied richard with cup after cup , that they were al merry : the pig being roasted , they wrapt it close in the napkin again , that no heat should come from it , and put it into the cloak-bag : so they took suddain leave of richard , who was quickly mounted with his piping hot pig behind him . so that he being well lined with sack , with the hot pig at his back-side , and the sunne in his face , & exceeding hot , so that poore richard did ride , as it were betweene two fires , besides the horse trotted terrible , which made the cloak-bag skip , and the pig was tost as in a blanket : in these occurrences , richard was halfe stewed , so that the sweate distil'd from his body , and lyquored his bootes . in this bloated case he came to london , and set up his horse , tooke off his cloak-bag , which carrying under his arme , it was so hot that his side seem'd to scald , and hee thought he had gotten a plewrisie , or a burning feaver . being come to the councellours chamber , hee remembred his masters and mistresses loves to him , and that they had ( acording to custome ) sent him a pigge , and withall complained of the soultrinesse of the weather , and the extreame heate he was in . then he puts his hand into the cloak-bagge to take out hte pig , which was so hot , that he said there was fire in it ; at last hee drew it out , and when hee opened it , that it had gotten aire , it reak'd and smoak'd in such manner , that richard said , there was one of the wonders of the world ; for betweene the heate of the sun , and the hard trotting of his horse , there was a pigge roasted all to pieces in the cloake-bagge . a gentleman loved the sole of a goose more than any part else , but his cooke having a wench that long'd for it , hee adventred to give it her : when the goose was carved , and brought to the table , the gentleman mist the sole , and demanded the cooke for it ; the cooke made answer , sir , this was no goose , it was a gander , and and he lost his sole with treading his sister . this goose deserves some sawce , but i can swimme no more than a goose , therefore i 'le wade no further : much good may it doe you gentlemen . . a cup of sacke . now it is but folly to offer a little sacke to my readers , for it is not a little or small sack that can hold them ; yet for all that they may hold or contayne a little sacke , ( when they have it . ) a roaring gallant having dranke so much sacke , that his head and belly were full , and empty of ebriety and sobriety , and his purse and brayne discharg'd of wit and money , was inforced to cast up his sacke with more haste than he receiv'd it , which being done , and his stomacke somewhat eas'd , hee threw the pottle-pot downe the staires , saying , drawers , you rogues , bring more sacke , for all this is gone . a spitch-cocke , or roasted eele turn'd to a bull. there was a great dispute held amongst good fellows once , of what thing in the world would live longest after exquisite and extreame torments : the judgement was generall , that it was an eele , for first hee would live after his head was off ; after he was flay'd , after hee had his entrailes and heart taken out , after he was cut in peeces , yet every peece would have life in it , after it was laid on the gridyron : then one of the company said , i doe approove of your opinions ; for an eele doth live longer after hee is dead , than any other thing that everliv'd on the earth . . a couple of fat ducks roasted . neere the citty of gaunt in flanders , in a small village there was lately a priest that preached , or rayled most bitterly against the protestants , calling them reprobates , cast-awayes , hugonats , and hereticks , good for nothing but to feed fire , flame , and faggots ; for which constant way of invective talking the priest was mightily followed by abundance of ignorant people , ( the most part women ) as the like troupes doe into many places haunt schismaticall seperatists , that willingly would dislocate the conformity and unity of the church . amongst the rest of this priests auditorie , there was one man and his wife that seldome failed to heare him ; but it hapned that the woman was to give her mayd-servant leave to goe to a wedding at gaunt , ( where she had a kinswoman to bee married ) so that her mistris was forc'd to stay at home that sunday , and dresse dinner for her husband and family . the sermon being done , the goodman came home , and told his wife that their priest had made an extraordinary piece of worke , that the like was never spoken , and that hee thought all the protestants were knock'd downe with his words , and that he was griev'd at the heart shee was not at church to heare him . at which report the woman was so full of griefe , ( for her being absent from so rare a matter ) that shee could eate no meate to dinner , but fed upon sorrow ; her husband began to comfort her , and told her , that if shee would bee merry , and eate her meate , hee would procure the priest to come to their house on the wednesday following , and there , ( in their parlour ) he should repeate the same sermon to them privately . the woman was well contented with the motion , and said , that shee would bestow a couple of as good ducks roafted on him as ever hee eate in his life . ( now you must understand , that the woman was hard and miserable , and did seldome use to feede her husband , or any other with ducks : and the priest on the other side , did love a ducke so well , that hee would run over the parish after them . ) well , the wednesday was come , the priest came , the ducks were on the spit roasted , the sermon was repeated , and dinner was expected : the woman arising from her seate , made a low courtesie to the priest , saying , sir , i will goe into the kitchin , and make haste with your meate , the while i will leave you with my husband to discourse . in the parlour : so the good wife went to her maid , saying , in faith wench our priest hath made a good declaration , but i would my ducks were alive againe , for it grieves me to remember how the pretty fooles would quacke , quacke , about the backsides ; but troubles my mind more , to thinke how , like wolves , the priest and thy master will devoure them . the maid answer'd her dame , that if she pleased , that we two here will eate up the ducks in the kitchin , the whilst the priest and hee are prating in the parlour . the woman reply'd , that she could finde in her heart to doe it , but shee could not answer the matter with credit . then said the maide , dame , let us eate the ducks , and i will lay my quarters wages against them , that wee will come off with fame and credit . the match was agreed upon , the ducks were taken from the spit , and betwixt them one was eaten , and the other dismember'd , and spoil'd : what must be done now said the dame ? i pray you ( quoth the maid ) to lay the cloath , with bread , and salt , and trenchers ; which she did , ( her husband bidding her make haste with dinner ) then shee came to her maid againe , and asked what must further be done ? then said the maid , you see our knives are foule and blunt , i pray you whifper our master in the eare , and tell him you will turne the grindstone whilst hee doth sharpen them : then the woman did as her maid bid her , and as her husband and shee were grinding in the back-side , the maid went into the parlour to the priest , and told him that he was in great and suddaine danger , for her master and dame were much defam'd by reason of too much familiarity which was suspected betweene her dame and his good father-hood , and therefore they had sent for him , with a trick to abuse him , to make him relate a sermon , ( which they regard not : ) and as for the ducks which he expected , shee swore truely there was not a ducke in the house : the maine plot was , that they did purpose to gueld him , and therefore were sharpning their knives ; which if hee pleas'd but to looke out at the hall-window , he might plainely see . the priest was all amazed at this newes , and looking , ( as the maid said ) hee spied the man and his wise grinding and turning , at which sight he took his heeles , and ran away as if hee had beene two stone lighter than hee was . then the maid went to her master , and said , that shee thought the priest was mad , or the devill was in him ; for he came suddainly into the kitchin , and was run away with both the ducks . whereat the hungry man was angry , and in haste ( with one of the naked knives in his hand ) he ran after the priest ; so they both ran , the one for feare , and the other for hunger : the man calling to the priest , bad him for shame not to carry them both away , but to let his wife have one of them : the priest made answer ( as he ran ) that thy wife and thee are a couple of rogues , and they should both bee hang'd before they had one of them , and that he would keepe them both whilst he had them . thus the sermon was said , the priest was affraid , his hunger unstay'd , the jest well laid , the wages paid , gramercy maid . . a cup of small beere . my reader perhaps may bee thirsty or dry with relating this long tale of the ducks , therefore it cannot be amisse to give him a bowle of small beere for a cooler . a gentleman that dwelt tenne miles from london , sent his footman in all haste to the citty , to tell a merchant welcome newes of a rich unkle of his lately dead , that had left him somewhat to make him merry for his death , with an out-side mourning in blacke , and an in-side laughing with sacke . the foot-man having his message , with a letter , made as much speed as hee could , in hope of reward for his good tidings , so that he seem'd by his pace to have wings on his heeles , and by the fogge or sweate hee was in , you would have suppos'd him to have beene bloated or stewed body and bones . being come to the merchant , hee deliver'd the letter , which after he had halfe read , the contents contented him so , that hee call'd his maid , commanding her to fill a bowle of beere , and give it to the foot-man , ( who stood dropping with sweate as if he had newly beene duck'd ) but hee setting it to his mouth , swallowed it with extreame eagernesse , and finding by the taste that it was a poore mortified liquor , having no vivacity left in it , but meerely cold , comfortlesse , and at the best , a poore decayed single-soal'd drinke , although it were dead , and a deceased remnant of humidious aquacity , nay though it had not upou the death or departure from its cinnicall or diogenicall habitation given so much as a good rellish , a smacke , or a taste to the poore foot-man , that ever any malt had beene drown'd , drench'd , or imbrew'd into it , yet hee ( as a man of a milde temper ) amidst his heate , unwilling to speake ill of the dead , did plainely tell the merchant thus : sir , i doe thinke that your beere hath ran as fast as i have ran , and faster . why sayst thou so ? ( quoth the merchant ) because said the other , it sweates more then i do : it cannot be said the marchant : the foote-man replied that if it did not sweate , he was much deceived , for hee was sure it was in a cold sweate , or all of a water . another piece of beefe , and then how the beefe was purchased , &c. though beefe be accounted a grosse dish at most of our late sardanapolitan feasts and banquests , yet i doubt not but many of my guests ( or readers ) wil be well pleased to eat beefe ( when they have it ) but i being reasonably well stored , will tell them how i came by it , and then ( as they like it ) let them fall too and welcome . now how the beefe was purchased . a brace or couple of monilesse gallants , who had met with some believing or credulous mercer and taylor , and sworne ( and lied themselves into compleate suites of praeter-plu-perfect-plush , or well deserving beaten uelvet : these two had long time shared equall fortunes , and did purpose to live and dye in a brotherly conjunction ; and indeed it was pitty to part them . it befel that upon an ash-wensday , they chanced to read a proclamation for the strict observing and keeping of lent ; at which they were both exceedingly grieved , so that the one said to the other , i cannot live according as is here commanded , for i will eate no fish , and therefore must have flesh : the other then replied i i thinke neither of us have friends , money , or credit , to purchase flesh or fish ; but if thou canst borrow a porters habite , as a frock , cap , basket , rope , or halter ; stockins , shooes , and the like , then i will assure thee , i will load thy backe with good beefe ; my wit shall get it , and thy backe shall beare it , and our old hostesse where we lodge , will powder it , and wee all will bee merry , and eate it . to be short , the out-side of a porter was borrowed , and on the thursday after ash-wednesday , to the butchers went this gentleman-porter , and his consort the kater . ( now there was an old doctor of physicke , which for some reasons shall not be named : hee dwelt in london , of good repute , and great estate , but so lame of the gout , that he seldome went out of his house , but sate in a chaire , and gave his opinion of urins and diseases , and directions , and bills to patients and apothecaries . ) this doctor was the stake or ayme that the master cheater did purpose to make the buckler for his knavery : for comming to a butcher , hee bargained with him at the best rate for so many stone of the chiefest beefe , with a legge and shoulder of mutton , and loyne of veale , which came to fifty shillings and odde money ; which being cut in peeces , and joynted , and laid in the basket , he asked the butcher if hee knew such a doctor of physicke ? ( as afore-said ) the butcher said that he knew him well , that hee was an honest gentleman , and that one of his men did buy meate often of him at his shop ; the cheater reply'd , that hee was also one of the doctors men , and that hee that was wont to buy meat of him , was his fellow , but he was gone into the countrey about some occasions , and that himselfe for his part had laid out all his money in the citty uppon other things for his master , therefore hee intreated the butcher to let one of his servants to goe home with him , and take his due for his meate : the butcher said it was a busie time , and had my customers to serve , yet hee commanded one of his men , ( calling him richard ) to goe with the gentleman , to bring . shillings and . pence , and to make haste backe againe . away went the butcher , the porter , and the gentleman , who asked the butcher his name , and of what country he was ? he said his name was richard snelling , of such a parish in northamptonshire ; the cheater straite began to call richard cousin , and told him , that himselfe was a snelling by the mothers side , and that hee would doe more for him than hee was aware of . when they came into a lane neere london wall , ( called philiplane ) where the old doctor dwelt , the cheater said richard , i will goe before , and have the gate or doore open , because the porter is loaden ; so running apace to the gate , hee knock'd , which straite a maide opened , to whom he said , yonder comes a butcher with a porter , i pray you let them rest here in the hall whilst i doe speake a word with your master in the parlour : as hee requested , it was done , and the cheater went to the doctor , and told him that hee was a gentleman famous for learning and experience , and that though hee were lame in his legges , yet hee was sound in his art and profession , which had moved him to bring to him a patient , ( his kinsman ) who was of gentle birth , but in his wild youth ran from his parents , and bound himselfe apprentise to a butcher , and now within two dayes he was halfe franticke , and talk'd of nothing but money , which he thought was some distemperature in the brayne , through want of sleepe , which surely sir ( said he to the doctor ) i am perswaded that you can effect in one night , and you shall have ten pound for the cure : he is very milde and tractable , his fault is onely talking of money , and he staies without in your hal. i pray you call him in said the doctor , which the cheater did , saying , richard , goe into the parlour , my master will pay you : so in went the butcher to the physitian , the whilst the two cheaters went away with the meate . then richard entred with his cap off , and made many scraping legges to the doctor , who bade him put on his cap , and take a stoole , and sit downe by him ; but richard said , hee had more manners than so , desiring his worship to helpe him to his money : alas good fellow sayd the doctor , i would not have thee to set thy heart upon mony , for they that doe love money , are bewitch'd with this world , and have little thought or hope of a better ; that money was like fire and water , very necessary for the use of man , ( so long as they are servants , and kept under ) but where they get the maistry , they will doe a man a world of mischiefe . richard reply'd , ( sir ) i care not for money , but i must have money of you for my master beefe : to whom the doctor said , richard , thou art farre gone , how long hast thou beene in this case , to talke thus idly of money ? i pray thee canst thou say thy prayers , or creed ? then straite the butcher began to waxe hot , and said , that he was not farre gone , nor would goe without his money ; and for the case hee was in , it is the same hee will be in , till he have his money : and as for prayers , hee came not thither to pray ; and therefore i pray sir , to leave jesting , and give me my money , for my master and mistris are hastie folkes ; and will bee very angry with me for my long stay , and therefore give me my money . the doctor perceiving that he could not put richard out of talking of money , did suppose he was stark mad , and therefore he quickly called for his men , ( william and thomas ) and commanded them to take richard , and put him into a close chamber , and to draw curtaines , and shut up the windows , whereby hee might be kept darke , ( for the better settling of his braines ) saying that richard came of good friends , and that a worthy gentleman ( his unkle ) was with him but now , and further , that hee had a good hope to cure him in short time . the serving-men ( as their master bad them ) tooke hold of richard , who would not goe with them ; then they began to pull , hale , and tugge him , so that richard in anger , asked if they would make him mad : then they fell by the ears , and cuffe , and buffetted till they were bloody-nos'd , and their bands torne ; the doctor still crying to his men , away with him , i will tame him before i have done , that he shall set his minde no more upon money . richard ( being weake ) was dragg'd perforce to the chamber , when presently the butcher ( richards master ) came to the doore , and knock'd , demanding whether hee had not a servant in the house ? one of the men said , there was a young fellow in the house that was stark mad , and that they would hhe had beene hang'd before they saw him , hee had beaten and torne them so : what , is he mad , ( quoth the butcher ? ) yes said the other , hee talkes of money , and would have it of my master ; but feare not ( honest man ) my master will cure him . what , is my man mad said the butcher ? yea quot the other , hee would have money , i told you : money , why should hee not have money said the butcher ? he must , and shall have money , and so will i : are you as mad as your man said the serving-man ? then we must be troubled to have another darke chamber for you too ; and ( growing to high words one with another ) at last the butchers wife came , ( flinging her armes as if she had beene swimming ) using the volubility of her tongue to a shrill and lofty straine , ( a principall vertue in too many women ) that the house rang with the clamour , ( as if it had beene a cock-pit ) asking her husband why hee staid there , and where the idle rogue her man was , that hee brought not away the money . the old lame doctor , hearing such a noise , asked one of his servants what the matter was : who told him that the butcher and his wife both were come for money : hoy-day , said the doctor , i thinke all the world is made for money ; goe and tell the butcher and his wife , that i have not darke roomes enow in my house for them : so after a little conference together , the doctors maid affirm'd that a porter rested his meate in their hall , whilst the other gentleman spake with him in the parlour , and that they both went away when the butchers man went in : thus the truth was cleared , the cheaters were victual'd , the doctor was gull'd , the butcher was couzned , and richard was released . . twelve woodcockes in a dish . about sixe or seaven new molded gallants , ( whose outsides were silke and slashes , and their insides jeeres and flashes ) were invited to a worthy cittizens house to dinner , where amongst a great deale of other good cheare , there was brought to the board a jury of woodcockes in one dish , laid head to head in the center of the platter , as fantastick travailers and their wives doe lie feete to feet in the great bed of ware , sometimes by dozens . these guests ( beeing loath to conceale their small tallents of wit ) had an especiall art to breake ten good jeasts of other mens , before they were able to make one good one of their own : they began to jybe at the woodcockes , and said they were a jury empanell'd ; another sayd , it was hard to judge whether they were a petty , or a grand-jury : a third said , that he thought that those twelve were an embleme of the twelve companies . the citizen ( being a gentleman of place and eminence ) not thinking their eering worthy of his anger , would not set his gravity against their foppery ; yet thus mildly he answered them . you are welcome gentlemen , and i do wish that my entertainment were better for you : i see there is one dish that distastes you , but it shall be taken away ; for i do assure you , that i never had so many woodcockes at my table at one time in all my life ; but i thinke the fault is not in my cater , for here are at least halfe a dozen more then he provided . so hee commaunded one that waited on , to take away the roasted woodcockes from the rest . . a loyne of veale . although the bodies of men are all ( or the greatest number ) of one forme or a like frame , all compacted and composed of the foure elements and humors : yet those elementary humours are so variously mixed in men , that it makes them different in their appetites , affections , inclinations , constitutions and actions : for example , some wil gape and make water at the sight of a hot roasted pigge ; some wil run from an eele ; some dce hate cheese so , that they will not handle a knife that hath cut it : some will sweat at the sight of a messe of musrard . mr. anthony munday ( sometimes a writer to the city of london ) would run from the table at the sight of a fore-quarter of lambe roasted : and a reverend grave judge of this kingdome , did abhorre a ducke as it had bin a divell . another gentleman did love salt , but by no meanes could indure to see it about the sides of a dish , but would swound at the sight of it . a schoole-master in this citty cannot indure to smell apples . amongst all these , i my selfe did know one thomas vincent that was a book-keeper or prompter at the globe play-house neere the banck-end in maid-lane : as also i did know iohn singer , who playd the clownes part at the fortune-play-house in golding-lane , these two men had such strange and different humours , that vincent could not endure the sight or scent of a hot loyne of veale , and singer did abhorre the smell of aquavitae : but it hapned that both these were invited to dinner by a widdow , ( that did not well know their dyets ) and as they sate at the boord , a hot loyne of veale was set before vincent , who presently began to change colour , and looke pale , and in a trembling manner hee drop'd in a swowne under the table ; the widdow ( being in a great amazement ) made haste for an aquavitae bottle to revive him , which was no sooner opened , but the very scent sent singer after vincent in the like foolish traunce . but when the veale and aqua vitae were taken away , after a little time the men recover'd : vincent went into another roome , and dranke , and singer call'd for the veale , and din'd well with it . . a custard . a prating fellow , that dwelt in a citty that had in former times beene governe by bayliffes , and was newly made a majoralty , did brag that their first majors feast was most sumptuous , and in price and value beyond the lord majors of york or london , for besides other dishes and provision , there was sent in by the gentlemen of the countrey , fourteene brace of bucks ; i demanded of him at what time of the yeere their major was chosen ? he answer'd me , that about the twentieth of october hee tokee his oath , and kept his feast : i reply'd , that i thought hee was mistaken , for the season for buckes doth not hold or continue till the moneth of october ; then hee said , that if they were not bucks , they were does : to which i seemed to grant ; but withall i told him , that if they had beene bucks , all had beene too short of our london feast ; for wee were able on that day to drowne such a towne as theirs with sixteene tunne of custard . . a sturgeon like an old colt. there is a market-town ( which i will not name in print ) in the roade betwixt london and yorke , which hath a pretty river or brooke rnnnes by it , up which brooke it did chance that a sturgeon did swim or shoote , ( somewhat neere the towne ) the which a gentleman that dwelt neere , espied , and caused a small rope to bee put through the gills of the fish , and fastened it to a stumpe of a willow , intending to take it as a wafte or stray , that fell into the limits of his owne bounds or royalty : but as hee was gone to make provision for the carriage of it , and to call his servants for that purpose , the newes of the sturgeon was brought to the towne , and the recorder told the major , that it was taken in their liberty , and that they were better to spend or give an hundred pound , than to lose or hazard the losse of so much ground as the sturgeon was within their liberty and lordship : and therfore it were their best course to goe speedily and fetch it away into the towne perforce . this counsell was lik'd and approv'd , and so with one consent , the major with his brethren , the recorder , and officers , with the whole drove or heard of the townsmen , went out to bring in the sturgeon . and as they went , master major said , that he had eaten part of such a fish many times , but in all his life hee had never seene a whole sturgeon , and therfore he did not know of what shape or proportion it was : to whom one of the aldermen said , sir , in my youth i did use to goe to sea , and then i did now and then see one , and i can compare or liken him to nothing more than to an old ragged colt ; 't is like enough to bee so ( quoth the major ) and for any thing i know he may be like a goose , a cocke , or a bull : thus as they walk'd and talk'd many words to small purpose , they espy'd a fellow leading a young colt with aslip from the brooke thwart over the field , which caused one of the aldermen to say to the major , sir , yonder man ( be like ) hath had some warning of our comming , and you may see he is about to prevent us , for he is leading away the sturgeon from us ; with that the major called aloud , saying , hallow , thou fellow , i charge and command thee , that thou bring hither our sturgeon before me : the fellow ( wondring ) answer'd , what zay zur ? marry i say sir , i charge thee bring hither our sturgeon ; what doe you meane , my colt said hee ? sirrah , sirrah , said the major , doe not you offer to put your knavish colts tricks upon me , for if you doe , i 'le lay you by the heeles : do'st thou thinke that i am such an asse that i doe not know a colt from a sturgeon ? yfaith quoth the fellow , you are a merry gentleman , and with that hee led the colt away . then the major commanded men to pursue him , and take away the sturgeon : well , the fellow ran , the townsmen ran , the colt slip'd his halter , and was encompast round , and hunting him into the towne , was met by men , women , and children , as a rare and admirable sight , and had like to have beene kill'd , and cut out into jolles and rands , and made up into keggs in pickle , but that a knowing understanding shooe-maker most luckily prevented it . in the meane time , the gentleman that first found the sturgeon , caused it to be taken up out of the brooke , and carried home unto his house and there it was drest as was fitting . the major perceiving his errour , let the man have his colt againe , with a full determination that at the common charge with the towne-purse to trie an action with the gentleman for the sturgeon . . a fresh salmon . the good , old , and truely right honourable charles earle of nottingham , lord high admirall of england , whose renowned memory shall never bee forgotten untill his bounteous houskeeping bee generally imitated . he being at his house at chelsey , and looking upon certaine fishermen that were fishing in the thames with their salmonnet , his lordship call'd to them , and said , my friends , if you take a salmon , and bring him a shoare living , that i may see it move , and live , i will give you your price for it : the fisherman answer'd , ( my good lord ) i hope wee shall bee able to present your honour with such a fish as you desire ; so they drew their net to land , and caught a very faire salmon . ( my lord standing on the land looking on them ) to whom the fisherman said , my lord , i have him , and you shall have him straite : so the poore man tooke off his leather-girdle , which had fastned to it a little pouch , with ten pence in money in it , and as he had put the girdle through the gill of the salmon to hold it the faster , the fish being a strong lively fish , gave a suddaine flirt or spring out of the mans armes into the river againe with the girdle in the gill , and the pouch with ten-pence ; which salmon did shoote up the river the same tide , from chelsey to hammersmith , and there it was taken by another fisherman , and the girdle with the pouch with it , which was restor'd to the right owner , and the fisherman contentedly rewarded for the same by the bounteous nobleman afore-named . . sixe six penny mutton-pyes to make up the feast . methinks a feast is not well set forth if there bee no pies or bak'd meates , and instead of deere , i pray gentlemen take in good part such venison as smithpenns affoord . there was a chyrurgian , or corruptly a surgeon , whose name was well knowne to me , and many more by land , but especially and truly by walter , and by shortning it an l , by water , or briefly , wat ; ( the helpe of a priest would declare the rest ) this walters stomacke did water for a six-penny mutton-pye , at a cookes named t. s. at westminster , almost over against the . tunnes taverne , and having eaten one pie , he lik'd the rellish so well , that hee call'd for five pies more of the same price , and valiantly consum'd them both crust and meate , outsides and linings : which being done , he heard westminster clock strike , and demanding of one of the cookes servants what time of day it was ? who answer'd him , that the clocke strooke eleaven ; oh ( quoth he ) i pray you bring me a reckoning quickly , or else i shall lose my dinner at my lord maynards . . a pudding-pye . an old rich tanner , with a beggerly minde , did use hartfourd market constantly every weeke , for the time of . yeeres , to buy and sell hides ; in all which space hee never changed his inne or hosresse , nor altered his price for diet or expences , either for his horse or himselfe ; whose horse-meate was to be tied up to an empty racke , for which one pennie paid for his standing , and another penny the tanner spent upon himselfe in a pinte of beere , and a halfe-penny loafe ; so two pence in the totall was his constant expences every market-day for so long a time : till at last as hee passed alongst the streete , he espied a wench that sold hot pudding-pies , and presently his chapps began to water , so that his quicke eye and liquorish tooth made him turne prodigall so farre as to waste a pennie upon himselfe for a pudding-pie , which he put in his handkerchiefe , and carried to his inne , with a purpose to feast his carkasse . so being set alone in a roome , hee call'd for a whole pot of beere , which the maide drew , and was carrying it to him : but meeting her dame or mistris by the way , shee asked her to whom that beere was fill'd ? for the old tanner said the maide , whereat the mistris call'd her forgetfull baggage , that had forgotten his usuall diet , to bee but a pinte of beere , and a halfe-pennie loafe : the maide reply'd , that hee had bought a pudding-pie , and would make that serve instead of bread , and therefore hee would spend a whole pennie in drinke . so it was carried to the tanner , who sate ( repentingly ) looking upon his pie ; the whilst the hostesse went into another roome , where there were some merry fellows drinking , to whom shee told how the tanner had altered his custome and diet , and that hee was in such a roome alone with his pot and his pudding-pie before him : whereat one of the fellows start up , and swore , the old miserable hound should have small joy of it ; so away went he to the tanner , ( who as yet had neither touch'd pie or pot ) to whom hee said , by your leave father , i am bold to looke into your roome , for my selfe with some friends are basely us'd in this house , for they fill us such scurvy dead drinke , as a man would bee asham'd to wash his boots with it : now you being an old guest of the house , i would taste if your beere bee better , and with that hee tooke up the pot , and dranke all off , set it on the boord againe , saying , i thought ( old man ) that you were in favour with mine hostesse , and i perceive it now by the goodnesse of the liquor : oh but said the tanner , you have drunk up all , then call for more said the other ; but who shall pay ( quoth the tanner ? ) hee that 's best able quoth the fellow ; thou art a sawcy fellow ( said the tanner ) and little better than a cheater , to come into my roome and drinke up my drinke thus basely , and therefore tell me thy name : the fellow told him , his name was gurley ; gurley said the tanner ? there was a rascall of thy name that stole a mare from me three yeere agoe , that i could have hang'd him for it if i would : with that the fellow clap'd his hand on the boord , and said , old man , that gurley was my cousin , and hee was the most desperate fellow that england bred , and did care no more for stealing your mare , than i doe at this time for eating your pudding-pie , and with those words hee suddainly snach'd up the old tanners pie , and greedily ( knavishly ) devoured it at two or three mouthfulls , leaving the miserable tanner in a mad , hungry , and thirsty anger , without either beere or pudding-pie for his two-pence . so gentlemen , much good may it doe you with your pudding-pie : now there remaines behind onely some light meate for the closure of the stomack , which i pray fall to , and welcome ; and that is a foole , being made like a custard , and when that is done , pray give eare to the musick . . a foole. to furnish a feast compleatly , there must be tarts , custards , flawnes , flap-jackes , and by al meanes a foole or two : and at a feast it so hapned , that a counsellour at law ( or of law ) being at the table , amongst other dishes that stood before him , hee fell to feeding most heartily upon a foole , and lovingly likeing it so well , demaunded of the mistresse of the house , what good name that most excellent dish of meate had : shee answered him , that the name of it was a foole. the lawyer replied , hat hee had often tasted the goodnesse of a terme foole , but for a table foole hee never smatch'd one that pleas'd his pallate better , and therefore hee desired her to let him have a note of the ingredients that appertained to the making of such a composition , that his wife might put it in her booke of cookery . to which request of his , the gentle-woman condescended : so after supper was ended , the counsellors man drew his pen and inke , and as the gentle-woman directed him , hee wrot . item , so much clouted creame , so much sugar , so much rose-water , so many egges , such and such spices , with other simples that are pertinent to foole-making , which i am not perfit in : but after hee had written all , he knew that his mistresse would insert it into her booke , and therefore he thought it fit to give it a title or directions above it , to distinguish it from other receites , wherefore thus he intituled it : a receite to shew my mistresse , how to make my master a foole. a tale of a foole. a young gentleman ( being a rich heire ) came a woing to a proper gentle-woman , whose sharpe wit quickly found him to be a foole , by his playing the coxcombe , and by his outward gesture ; and so shee gave him frumps for his folly , and flours for his foppery , parting as wisely as they met : which her mother perceiving , beganne to chide her , saying that shee was a squeamish proud baggage to give no more contentfull respect to a gentleman of his worth and rich hopes , and that she had best to be more tractable to him hereafter , for , ( quoth she ) your father and i , and his parents are minded and agreed that hee shal be your husband . now , god blesse me , said the maide , for i cannot love him : why canst thou not love him ? ( quoth the mother , ) i know he is very rich : rich , said the maide ? i know hee is rich , ( but , — . ) but quoth the mother , what but : you idle slut , you would say he is but a foole : you say true mother , said she , it is for that onely that i cannot affect him : the mother reply'd , that for his being a foole , it was her wisest part to take him ; for it was better for her to be married to one that is a foole already made to her hand , then after marriage to take the paines to make him one : saying further , who loves theirwives better then fooles ? who lets them eate , drinke , weare , say , or doe what they please , but fooles ? i tell thee that i was foure yeares married to thy father , and hee he curb'd me , and restrain'd me of my will so much , that hee almost broake my heart , till at the last ( with a great deale of cost and counsell from my good neighbours and cossips , ) and aboundance of care and paines taking , i made him a foole , ( and so he happily continues : ) since which time , i have liv'd a ladies life , full of content and pleasure : and therefore huswife , no more a doe , but take my counsell , and marry a foole , if you meane to live a merry and pleasant life . . cheese . one brag'd and boasted that when he was married , that he had at the least two hundred cookes to dresse his wedding dinner : another answered him that hee believed him not , because he knew that he had not so much as a house to put his head in , but lodged in a garret , and therefore he could not have use or roome for so many cookes : he replied , that as hee with his friends came from church , they went to a drie hedge , and set it on fire , ( every man having a piece of cheese in his pocket , ) and dividing themselves , the one halfe halfe of them on one side of the hedge , and the other halfe on the other , and so toasting their cheese , being two hundred in number , they were all cookes , and drest the wedding dinner . . a posset . the kings-head taverne in fleet-streete , at chancery-lane end , hath a long time bin a contenting well-custom'd house , and if the travailes of some of the drawers up and downe the staires could be measured , it may be reckoned a dayly journey of forty miles a day in a terme-time . about . yeeres since there was a man that kept the said taverne , whose name was gent , who was an honest fat man , ( as most fat men be ) who being in bed , about mid-night the drawers and the maids were up merry in the kitchin , to have a little recreation after their long dayes toyle : for which purpose the maides had made a great and a good posset , which exceeding hot , and well sack'd , sugar'd , and spic'd , was put into a broad-brim'd pewter bason : mr. gent being suddainly taken with an occasion to rise , ( for the keeping of his bed cleane ) put on his slippers , and as he was comming downe the staires , his servants hearing him , were in doubt they were discovered by their master , whom to prevent , they put out the light , and one of them took the bason with the hot posset , and ( to hide it ) laid it upon the seat in the house of office , master gent suspecting no harme , went thither in the darke , and set himselfe in the posset , which hee found so scalding , that hee cried out helpe , helpe , the devil 's in the privie : thus was the servants deceiv'd , the good-man scar'd and scalded , and the posset most unluckily spoyl'd and defil'd . . musicke . three or foure gentlemen being merry with drinke and discourse in a taverne , a musitian proffer'd them musicke , which was deny'd ; within a little time after another ask'd the same question , gentlemen , will you have any muficke ? the gentlemen began to bee angry , saying , they were musick to themselves , and of themselves , and bad the fidler get him gone ; but it was not long before the third fidler opened their doore , and peep'd into the roome , with the old note , gentlemen , will you have any musicke , a new song , or a fine lesson ? the gentlemen perceiving that no deniall would satisfie their intruding importunacy , said , do'st thou heare fellow , how many are you ? wee are foure said the musitian ; can you dance said the gentlemen ? yes sir said the other ; tha●'s well quoth the gentlemen : so without any more bidding , the musitians entred , and two of them plaid , and the other two danc'd foure or five dances ; in conclusion the gentlemen call'd for a reckoning , and paid it ; but as they were going away , one of the fidlers said , gentlemen , i pray you to remember the musick , you have given us nothing yet ; to whom one of the gentlemen answer'd , nor will we give you any thing , for we never knew any reason to the contrary , but alwayes those that dance must pay the musicke . . one hundred of faggots . gentlemen , the aire is raw and cold , therefore 't is not amisse to have some faggots , as well to warme you , as to dresse your meate ; and first how the faggots were gotten . there dwelt a water-man at greenewitch , who for his meritorious and notorious vertues , had justly purchas'd the nicke-name of bawdy-boy , by which name hee was generally knowne , and called , and will thereby bee many yeeres to come , had in remembrance . it happened that this fellow ( working with oares ) had a gentleman at london in his boate , whom hee carried to gravesend ; it being in a winter-night , and eleaven of the clocke at the time of their landing , the moone shining in her full brightnesse , and so calme and still was the winde , that it would not move the smoake of a chimney , or flame of a candle . when bawdy-boy had landed the gentleman , and tooke his fare , ( which was sixe shillings ) hee told his fellow what hee had receiv'd , and withall the tide being an houre flood , and no passengers left , hee thought it best to swim up emptie-boated with the streame from gravesend to greenewich , rather than to stay there , and spend their money ; and that hee doubted not , but to make some profitable purchase on the river before he gat home : in which resolve they put off their boate , and after one houres rowing , betweene greene-hithe and purfleete they overtooke an hoy , or great boate , loaden with as good kentish faggots as christendome could yeeld : the hoy-man driving and whistling up in the calme streame , and the light moone-shine , to whom bawdy-boy call'd , and ask'd him if hee would sell him one hundred of faggots ? the hoy-man answer'd , saying , they are not mine to sell , i am but hired to bring them to london for a woodmonger that dwells there . my friend ( quoth bawdy-boy ) what though they are none of thine to sell , yet thou may'st let me have one hundred of them , and make thy master beleeve they were mis-told to thee ; or else thou may'st mis-tell one hundred in the delivery of them ; 't is twenty to one they will never bee mist amongst so many . this gentle and grave counsell began to worke upon the tender conscience of the faggot-man , insomuch that the bargaine was strooke , that for five shillings bawdy-boy should have one hundred of faggots . in briefe , the faggots were taken into the wherrie , and the faggot-seller expected five shillings ; to whom bawdy-boy said , ( friend ) i doe see a faggot with a crooked stick in it , which sticke will be to me of more worth than three faggots , for a use that i would put it to : i pray thee let me have it , and i wil give thee one of my faggots backe againe for it ; the other reply'd , that he would doe him that kindnesse , though it were troublesome to him to remove a dozen or twenty faggots that lay about it : so whilst the fellow was busie to get the crooked-stickefaggot , bawdy-boy thrust himselfe off with his boate and one hundred of faggots : at the last the hoy-man came to the hoyes side , and perceiving his merchant to be gone , hee called to him , saying , hoe friend , com● hither , here is the faggot with the crooked sticke : to whom bawdy-boy reply'd , saying , it is no matter , i have better bethought my selfe , i will make a shift without it : the other call'd againe , and said , thou hast nor paid me for my faggots , i know it well quoth the other , nor will i pay thee any thing ; thou art a theefe , and a notable rogue , and i will pay thy master , who is an honest gentleman , and hee shall know what a rogue you are , and so i leave you . courteous reader , i would intreate you to read this pleasant discourse of one hundred of faggots , before that of great and small oysters , for so it should be placed . thus gentlemen , you have seene your cheere , and you know you are welcome ; i am perswaded that you could not have had so good diet ( as is before related ) at any six-penny ordinary , though it were in the north , where victuals are cheapest : heere hath beene variety without ebriety , i promis'd you at first , that i would not take your stomacks from you , and that you should goe away as sober as you came , wherein i hope i have kept my word , and so you are welcome gentlemen : onely here is a bill of fare to satisfie your mindes , or to bee a president fo you , when you have occasion to make a feast , and how to provide for every mans palate . a bill of fare , invented by the choisest pallats of our time , both for worth and wit , wherein are appointed such rare and admirable dishes , as are not to bee had every where ; and may be expected dayly at the five pound ordinary : as it came to my hands i give it you freely ( gentlemen ) with some addition of dishes of mine owne . foure phantasmaes , two boil'd and two roasted . one dish of cadulsets . a stew'd torpedo . one dish of andovians . one phoenix in white broath . one fore-legge of a greene dragon bak'd . foure pellican chickens . two dottrells broyl'd . a dish of elephants pettitoes . a rhinorsceros boyld in allecant . a calves head roast with a pudding in the belly . a sowst owle . a dish of irish harts horne boil'd into jelly , with a golden horse-shooe dissolv'd in it . one lobster fry'd in steaks . nine soales of a goose. three ells of a jackanapes taile . two cockatrices . two dryed sallamanders . one boild ele-pie . a dish of quishquillions . a dish of modicums boild with bonum . a dish of bounties with sorrellsoppes . a gull pickled . a tantablin with an onion . a sallet of goose-grease and chickweed-fruite . a west-india cheese . one hundred of coakernuts . fifty pine-apples . twelve palmitaes . finis . advertisement by the sheriff deput of aberdeen-shire undersubscryving in relation to the lords of councill their proclamation against forstallers, and allowing importation of victuall. whereas, i have received the said proclamation of date the ninth day of iune instant, and that the famen is of great import to be known generally to all in the countrey, there being few who may not be concerned therein; therefore i am advysed, and it is thought fit to cause re-print the same, to be read at each parish kirk within this shire, and whereof the tenor followes, proclamation against regraiting of victual, and forestallers, and allowing the importation of victual free of publick burden. fraser, andrew, of kinmundie. approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing a estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) advertisement by the sheriff deput of aberdeen-shire undersubscryving in relation to the lords of councill their proclamation against forstallers, and allowing importation of victuall. whereas, i have received the said proclamation of date the ninth day of iune instant, and that the famen is of great import to be known generally to all in the countrey, there being few who may not be concerned therein; therefore i am advysed, and it is thought fit to cause re-print the same, to be read at each parish kirk within this shire, and whereof the tenor followes, proclamation against regraiting of victual, and forestallers, and allowing the importation of victual free of publick burden. fraser, andrew, of kinmundie. p. forbes, [aberdeen : ] caption title. imprint from wing. signed and dated at end: given at aberdeen the twenty fourth day of iune, one thousand six hundred and ninety six years, by me the said sheriff deput under subscryving. andrew fraser. reproduction of the original in the aberdeen city charter room. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng food law and legislation -- great britain -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - mona logarbo sampled and proofread - mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion advertisement by the sheriff deput of aberdeen-shire undersubscryving , in relation to the lords of councill their proclamation against forstallers , and allowing importation of victuall . whereas , i have received the said proclamation of date the ninth day of iune instant , and that the samen is of great import to be known generally to all in the countrey , there being few who may not be concerned therein ; therefore i am advysed , and it is thought fit to cause re-print the same , to be read at each parish kirk within this shire , and whereof the tenor followes , proclamation against regraiting of victual , and forestallers , and allowing the importation of victual free of publick burden . william by the grace of god , king of great britain , france and ireland ; defender of the faith , to macers of our privy councill , messengers at arms , our sheriffs in that part , conjunctly and severally , specially , constitute , greeting : forasmuch as by several acts of parliament , the keeping up of victual to a dearth , is strictly prohibited , and particularly , it is statute by the acts , iames the second parliament cap. sixth , twenty two and twenty three , that for the escheuing of dearth : sheriffs , bailies and other officers both to burgh , and to land ; inquire what persons buvs victual , and holds it to a dearth : and that the saids sheriffs and officers make such known , that in case they hold more then will sustain them , and their meinzie to new-corn they may be punished , and demeaned as ockerers and usurers ; and the victual escheared to us ▪ and that the same be presented to mercats , and sold as the price goes . and by the act iames the second parliament ninth cap thirty-eight and thirty-ninth , it is ordained that no manner of victual be holden in girnals by any man to a dearth , but allenerly what is needful for their own persons , and sustentation of their housholds and that the saids persons present all that they have more to the mercat , under the pain of escheat thereof : and searchers are appointed in edinburgh and lieth to make the saids acts effectual : as likewise , the crime of for-stalling is forbidden by several acts and statutes , and particularly by the act ▪ iames the sixth , parliament twelfth , cap. one hundred and fourty eight it is declared , that who buyes any merchandize , or victual coming to fair or mercat , or makes any contract or promise for the buying of the same , before the said merchandize or victual shall be in the fair or mercat-place ready to be sold , or shall make any motion by word , writ , or message for raising of the prices , or dearer selling of the said merchandise and victual ; or who shall diswade any from coming , and bringing the foresaid merchandize and victual to fair or mercat , shall be esteemed and iudged a forestaller ; and it is ordained that all such forestallers may be pursued before the iustices , or magistrats of burghs , and that without a special libel , but only upon forestalling in general , and the persons convict to be fined for the first fault in fourty pounds , for the second in one hundred merks , and for the third to incurr the tinsel of moveables . and seeing that through the not due observance , and the execution of the foresaids acts : the c●lamity of the countrey , by the present scarcity and dearth is greatly increased . therefore we with advice of the lords of our privy councill , have thought fit to revive the same , and ordain them to be put to strict execution , and for that effect , to impower and require all sheriffs of shires ; stewarts of stewartries , lords and bailies of regalities , and their deputs , and magistrats of burghs , as likewise all commissioners of supplie , and iustices of peace , to cause inquire , and search to be made , who holds up , or girnels victual or keeps stacks contrary to the foresaid laws , and to command and charge the keepers up of the said victual in girnels , stacks , or otherways contrary to the saids statutes either to thresh out , bring , and expose the same for sale , in open and ordinary mercats , or otherwise to open their girnels , and other houses where the victual is keeped , and there sell the same , as the said sheriffs , stewarts of stewartries ▪ lords and bailies of regalities , and their deputs , and magistrats of burghs , or any two of the saids commissioners , shall find the ordinary price to rule for the time in the country not below the last candlemass fiers , with certification that if they failzie therein , they shall be proceeded 〈◊〉 and the pains of the foresaids acts of parliament execute upon them with all rigour : and in the mean time the victual girneled , and unlawfully keeped up as said is , arreasted and sequestrat by the foresaid sheriffs and others as escheat . and further , we with advice foresaid , command and charge all magistrats of burghs , and other officers of the land to take care that all mercats and fairs be duely regulat , conform to the laws , without extortion , and to cause put the foresaid acts of parliament against forestallers to due and vigorous execution : certifying the foresaids sheriffs , magistrats and others , who shall fail in their duty in the premisses , that upon information given to the lords of our privy council , they shall be therefore severely punished , as the lords of our privy council shall see ▪ cause . and further , for the better releif of the country under the present great scarcity , whereby the prices of victual are a●…sen above the rates mentioned in the act of parliament for prohibiting the import of forraign victual , we with advice foresaid , do hereby grant little and full liberty to all persons to import victual and corn of all sorts ▪ from any forraign kingdom or countrey , and that free of custom , excise , or other imposition , and for that effect recommends it to the commissioners of our thesaury , to discharge the exacting thereof for the said victual to be imported as said is , after the day and date hereof , and that notwithstanding of any act of parliament or book of rates imposing the s●m● , declaring , that this license and liberty , is to endure until the first day of september next to come , and no longer . our will is herefore , and we charge you strictly and command , that incontinent these our letters seen , ye pass to the mercat-cross of edinburgh , and to the mercat-crosses and others in girnels now selling , or to be sold within shire , 〈◊〉 shall not exceed the sume of nine pound scots per 〈◊〉 in ready money ; as being the most ordinary current 〈◊〉 for the time , and proportionally , for greater or lesser qu●●tities of lawfull and standart measure : and in caice 〈◊〉 be sold upon trust , that it be sold for such reasonable 〈◊〉 proportionall rates to the said ready money , as may co●● with law , and without extortion upon the buyers . and these are also ordaining , that all in this shire who have co●… bear in stacks , or otherwayes preserved , shall cause thresh or sell ou● same at reasonable rates , proportinall to the foresaids prices , as the●● corn and bear would yeild in meal or malt , or make sell and dispo●● the same in meal or malt themselves ▪ by due sale at the rates fore●… and that none , whither heretor or merchant keep up girnels of vic●●●●… meal , bear or malt , or any quantity thereof , any manner of way , t●●● then will serve their own families to martinmass next at farthest ; ●…ifying such , whither in burgh or landwart , as shall doe in the con●… or shall be guilty of any manner of forestalling , or contraveening the laudible lawes and proclamation abovementioned , either by keeping 〈◊〉 victual of any kind , or taking for the same above the rates before ex●… or any way forestalling of mercats , prohibited by the saids lawes , upon complaint , or any discovery thereof , they will be persued legally punished conform to the acts of parliament and councill made against transgressors , and their forestalled victual , or other goods , seized made escheat in manner , therein prescryved , and that with all ri●… competent in law : and that none pretend ignorance , thir presen●●… ordained to be published at each parish kirk within this shire , by 〈◊〉 readers thereat the next lords day immediatly after divine service , duely kept by them to be furth coming for the use of all concer●●● for which this is warrand . given at aberdeen the twenty fourth day 〈◊〉 iune , one thousand six hundred and ninety six years , by me the said she●●●● deput under subscryving . andrew fraser . a proclamation against regrating of victual, and fore-stallers, and allowing the importation of victual free of publick burden. scotland. privy council. approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page image. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). b wing s estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. b ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a proclamation against regrating of victual, and fore-stallers, and allowing the importation of victual free of publick burden. scotland. privy council. scotland. sovereign ( - : william ii) sheet ([ ] p.) printed by the heirs and successors of andrew anderson, printer to the kings most excellent majesty, edinburgh : . caption title. intentional blank spaces in text. signed: gilb. eliot cls. sti. concili. dated at end: given under our signet at edinburgh, the fourteenth day of july, and of our reign the tenth year, . reproduction of the original in the national library of scotland. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng food law and legislation -- scotland -- early works to . broadsides -- scotland -- th century. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - scott lepisto sampled and proofread - scott lepisto text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a proclamation against regrating of victual , and fore-stallers , and allowing the importation of victual free of publick burden . william by the grace of god , king of great-britain , france and ireland , defender of the faith , to _____ macers of our privy council , messengers at arms , our sheriffs in that part , conjunctly and severally , specially constitute , greeting : forasmuch as by several acts of parliament , the keeping of victual to a dearth , is strictly prohibited ; and particularly , it is statute by the acts james the second , parliament sixth , caput twenty two and twenty three , that for the eschewing of dearth , sheriffs , baillies , and other officers , both to burgh and to land , inquire what persons buys victual , and holds it to a dearth , and that the saids sheriffs and officers make such known , that in case they hold more than will sustain them and their meinȝie to new corn , they may be punished and demeaned as ockerers and usurers , and the victual escheated to us , and that the same be presented to mercats , and sold as the price goes : and by the act james the second , parliament ninth , caput thirty eighth and thirty ninth , it is ordained that no manner of victual be holden in girnels by any man to a dearth , but allennarly what is needful for their own persons , and sustentation of their housholds ; and that the saids persons present all that they have more to the mercar , under the pain of escheat thereof : and searchers are appointed in edinburgh and leith to make the saids acts effectual . as likewise , the crime of fore-stalling is forbidden by several acts and statutes , and particularly by the act james the sixth , parliament twelfth , caput one hundred and fourty eight , it is declared , that who buys any merchandise or victual coming to fair or mercat , or makes any contract or promise for the buying of the same before the said merchandice or victual shall be in the fair or mercat-place ready to be sold , or shall make any motion by word , writ , or message , for raising of the prices , or dearer selling of the said merchandice and victual , or who shall disswade any from coming and bringing the foresaid merchandice and victual to fair or mercat , shall be esteemed and judged a fore-staller : and it is ordained that all such fore-stallers may be pursued before the justices or magistrats of burghs , and that without a special libel , but only upon fore stalling in general , and the persons convict to be fined for the first fault in fourty pounds , for the second in one hundred merks , and for the third to incur the tinsell of moveables . and seing that through the not due observance , and the execution of the foresaids acts , the calamity of the countrey by the present scarcity and dearth is greatly increased : therefore we advice of the lords of our privy council , have thought fit to revive the same , and ordain them to be put to strict execution ; and for that effect to impower and require all sheriffs of shires , stewarts of stewartries , lords and baillies of regalities and their deputs , and magistrats of burghs , as likewise all commissioners of supply , and justices of peace , to cause inquiry and search to be made who holds up , or girnels victual , or keeps stacks contrary to the foresaids laws , and to command and charge the keepers up of the said victual in girnels , stacks , or otherways , contrary to the saids statutes , either to thresh out , bring and expose the same for sale in open and ordinary mercats , or otherwise to open their girnels , and other houses where the victual is kept , and there sell the same , as the saids sheriffs , stewarts of stewartries , lords and baillies of regalities and their deputs , and magistrats of burghs , or any two of the saids commissioners shal find the ordinary price to rule for the time in the countrey , not below the last candlesmass fiers ; with certification if they failȝie therein , they shall be proceeded against , and the pains of the foresaid acts of parliament execute upon them with all rigor : and in the mean time the victual girnelled , and unlawfully kept up as said is , arrested and sequestrat by the foresaids sheriffs and others , as escheat . and further , we with advice foresaid , command and charge all magistrats of burghs , and other officers of the law , to take care that all mercats and fairs be duly regulat conform to the laws , without extortion , and to cause put the foresaids acts of parliament against fore-stallers to due and vigorous execution , certifying the saids sheriffs , magistrats and others , who shall fail in their duty in the premisses , that upon information given to the lords of our privy council , they shall be therefore severely punished as the lords of our privy council shall see cause . and further , for the better relief of the country under the present great scarcity , whereby the prices of victual are arisen above the rates mentioned in the act of parliament for prohibiting the import of forraign victual : we with advice foresaid , do hereby grant license and full liberty to all persons to import victual , and corns of all sorts , from any forraign kingdom or countrey , and that free of custom , excise , or other imposition ; and for that effect recommends it to the commissioners of our thesaury , to discharge the exacting thereof for the said victual to be imported as said is , after the day and date hereof : and that notwithstanding of any act of parliament , or book of rates imposing the same , declaring that this license and liberty is to endure till the first day of october next to come . our will is herefore , and we charge you strictly , and command , that incontinent these our letters seen , ye pass to the mercat-cross of edinburgh , and remanent mercat-crosses of the head-burghs of the several shires and stewartries within this kingdom , and thereat in our name and authority , make publication of the premisses , that none pretend ignorance : and ordains these presents to be printed . geven under our signet at edinburgh , the fourteenth day of july , and of our reign the tenth year , . per actum dominorum secreti concilii . gilb . eliot cls. sti. concili . god save the king. edinbvrgh , printed by the heirs and successors of andrew anderson , printer to the kings most excellent majesty , . a proclamation discharging the importation of forraign victual scotland. privy council. approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page image. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). b wing s _variant estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. b ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a proclamation discharging the importation of forraign victual scotland. privy council. scotland. sovereign ( - : william and mary) sheet ([ ] p.) printed by the heir of andrew anderson ..., edinburgh, : . caption title. title vignette: royal seal with intertwined initials wm rr. initial letter. intentional blank spaces in text. reproduction of original in: national library of scotland. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng food law and legislation -- scotland -- early works to . foreign trade regulation -- scotland -- early works to . broadsides -- scotland -- th century. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - mona logarbo sampled and proofread - mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion monogram of 'w' (william) superimposed on' m' (mary) diev et mon droit honi soit qui mal y pense royal blazon or coat of arms a proclamation , discharging the importation of forraign victual . william and mary by the grace of god , king and queen of great britain , france and ireland , defenders of the faith , to our lovits , macers of our privy council , messengers at arms , our sheriffs in that part , conjunctly and severally , specially constitute , greeting ; forasmuch as the importing and bringing from forraign countreys , any wheat , bear , barley , oats , meal , or malt , into this kingdom , is highly prejudicial to the native product thereof , and to the trade upon the growth of the same , and gives occasion to the unwarrantable exporting of much money forth of this realm : for preventing whereof , and obviating the inconveniencies that follow thereupon , we with advice of the lords of our privy council , do hereby strictly prohibite and discharge all persons whatsoever , to import or bring by sea or land into this kingdom , or any of the ports , harbours , towns , or places thereof , any sort or quantity of the victual above-mentioned , without licence had from our saids lords for that effect , under the pain of confiscation of the said victual ; the one half thereof to the person or persons , who shall make discovery of , and seiz upon the same , and the other half thereof , with the ships , barques , or boats , wherein the same shall be imported : to our thesaurie , for our use ; and other punishments to be inflicted upon them , conform to the acts of parliament made thereanent ; and ordains all our collectors , surveyers , and waiters within this kingdom , at the respective ports , harbours , and places where they serve , to see this act punctually observed , as they will be answerable at their highest perril ; with certification to such as shall be found negligent therein , they shall incur the loss of their respective offices . our will is herefore , and we charge you straitly , and command that incontinent , these our letters seen , ye pass to the mercat-cross of edinburgh , and whole other mercat-crosses of the royal burrows , and sea-ports within this kingdom , and thereat make publick intimation of our pleasure in the premisses , to the effect none may pretend ignorance . given under our signet at edinburgh , the sixth day of january , and of our reign the second year , . per actum dominorum secreti concilii . gilb . eliot cls. sti. concilii . god save king william and queen mary . edinburgh , printed by the heir of andrew anderson , printer to their most excellent majesties , anno dom. . a proclamation against the importation of victuall scotland. privy council. approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page image. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). b wing s b estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. b ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a proclamation against the importation of victuall scotland. privy council. gibson, alexander, sir, d. . scotland. sovereign ( - : charles ii) sheet ([ ] p.) printed by andrew anderson, printer to his most sacred majesty, edinburgh : anno . caption title. royal arms at head of text; initial letter. intentional blank spaces in text. dated: given under our signet at edinburgh, the twenty fourth day of february, and of our reign the twenty eight year. signed: al. gibson cl. sti. concilii. reproduction of the original in the national library of scotland. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng foreign trade regulation -- scotland -- early works to . food law and legislation -- scotland -- early works to . broadsides -- scotland -- th century. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - scott lepisto sampled and proofread - scott lepisto text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion royal blazon or coat of arms c r 〈…〉 a proclamation against the importation of victuall . charles , by the grace of god , king of great brittain , france and ireland , defender of the faith ; to our lovits , _____ macers , or messengers at arms , our sheriffs in that part , conjunctly , and severally , specially constitute , greeting : forasmuch , as upon representation to our privy council , of the great scarcity and dearth of victual in some western shires of this kingdom ; they did , by their act , of the second of december last , grant licence for importing oats , oat-meal , and pease , to the shires of vvigtoun , air , renfrew , and stewartrie of kircudburgh , for supplying the necessity of these places until furder order : and seeing now , by reason of great quantities of victual imported since the said licence was granted , the rates and pryces of victual in this kingdom are much fallen , and that the continuation of the said licence any longer , would prove very prejudicial to our subjects of this kingdom ; we have thought fit , with advice of the lords of our privy council , to discharge and take off the foresaid licence , and to renew our former proclamation against importing of victual , of the date the fourth of may , . likeas , we , with advice foresaid , do hereby restrain and discharge the importation of victual of any kind into this kingdom after the eleventh day of march next , under the pains following , viz. for such victual as shall be imported from ireland , under the pains contained in the third act of the third session of our second parliament , and for any victual imported from other forraign places , under the pains contained in our said former proclamation , which shall be inflicted upon the contraveeners with all rigour . and ordains thir presents to be printed , and published at the mercat-crosses of edinburgh , glasgow , air , and other places needful , that none may pretend ignorance . given under our signet at edinburgh , the twenty fourth day of february , . and of our reign the twenty eight year . al. gibson cl. s ti . concilii . god save the king. edinburgh , printed by andrew anderson , printer to his most sacred majesty . anno. . proclamation discharging the export, and allowing the import of victual. scotland. privy council. approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page image. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). b wing s estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. b ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) proclamation discharging the export, and allowing the import of victual. scotland. privy council. scotland. sovereign ( - : william ii) sheet ([ ] p.) printed by the heirs and successors of andrew anderson, printer to the king's most excellent majesty, edinburgh : anno dom. . caption title. royal arms at head of text. intentional blank spaces in text. dated: given under our signet at edinburth the fourteenth day of december, and of our reign the eleventh year . signed: gilb. eliot cls. sti. concilii. reproduction of the original in the national library of scotland. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng food law and legislation -- scotland -- early works to . foreign trade relations -- scotland -- early works to . broadsides -- scotland -- th century. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - john pas sampled and proofread - john pas text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion proclamation discharging the export , and allowing the import of victual . willim by the grace of god , king of great-britain , france and ireland , defender of the faith ; to _____ macers of our privy council , messengers at arms , our sheriffs in that part , conjuctly and severally , specially constitute , greeting : for asmuchas , through the goodness of god in the last seasonable harvest , there wants not sufficiency of victual for subsisting of all our liedges at reasonable and easie rates , if on the one hand , the exporting of victual to forraign places , and on the other hand , the ill practices of forstallers and regraters , do not hinder so great a benefite . therefore , and for preventing these inconveniencies , we with advice of the lords of our privy council , hereby most strictly prohibit and discharge the exporting forth of this kingdom by any person whatsoever , either by sea or land , all , or any kinds of victual , either meal , wheat , rye , oats , pease , barley or bear , malted or not malted , or any other grain or victual whatsoever ( except what shall be found necessary to be exported for the use of the company trading to africa and the indies ) after the day and date of these presents , under the pain of forefaulting the victual offered to be exported , for the use of the poor of the bounds where the samen shall be attacted and seased , or the value thereof , when the same is proven to be exported , and of the horse , ship , boat , or other the veessels whreeby the samen shall be attempted to be exported , with the sum of ten pounds scots for each boll that shall be proven to be exported , or seased when transporting , to be payed by the owner , skipper , or transporter ; and we hereby require and command all sheriffs , stewarts , baillies and their deputs , magistrats of burghs , justices of peace , or other officers of the law , to see and cause these presents to be put to strict execution , in all points as they will be answerable , and farder , we hereby authorise and require our customers , and all collectors , surveyers , waiters , and other officers at sea-ports , and generally all our liedges , to discover and sease the victual that shall be exported , or offered to be exported , promising and allowing them the half of the pecunial pains above-mentioned for their reward , and that they themselves shall be subject to the like pains as the skipper or owner for the victual that shall be found exported through their default , neglect or connivance . and farder , we with advice foresaid , for the more effectual disappointing of the foresaid ill practices of forestallers and regraters , do hereby permit and allow the importing of all sorts of forraign victual , whether by natives or strangers from any forraign kingdom or countrey whatsoever , and that ay and while this present license shall be discharged or recalled . our will is herefore , and we charge you strictly , and command , that incontinent these our letters seen , ye pass to the mercat cross of edinburgh , and remanent mercat-crosses of the haill head-burghs of the several shires and stewartries within this kingdom , and to all the several sea-port-towns within the same , and make publication hereof , and appoints our solicitor to transmit a sufficient number of copies hereof to the sheriffs of the several shires , stewarts of stewartries ; baillies of regalities , their deputs or clerks , to be published at their several burghs , and likeways sent by them to the magistrats of the several sea port towns , there to be published by them under the certification foresaid ; as also appoints our solicitor to deliver a sufficient number of copies of thir presents to the taxmen of our customs , to be sent by them to the several ports and places of this kingdom , where they keep offices for collecting and in bringing of our customes , to be published thereat by the collector or surveyer residing there for the time , and ordains these presents to be printed that none pretend ignorance . given under our signet at edinburgh the fourteenth day of december , and of our reign the eleventh year . ex deliberatione dominorum secreti concilii . gilb . eliot . cli. sti. concilii . god save the king. edinburgh , printed by the heirs and successors of andrew anderson , printer to the king 's most excellent majesty , anno dom. . healths improvement: or, rules comprizing and discovering the nature, method, and manner of preparing all sorts of food used in this nation. written by that ever famous thomas muffett, doctor in physick: corrected and enlarged by christopher bennet, doctor in physick, and fellow of the colledg of physitians in london. moffett, thomas, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing m thomason e _ estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (thomason tracts ; :e [ ]) healths improvement: or, rules comprizing and discovering the nature, method, and manner of preparing all sorts of food used in this nation. written by that ever famous thomas muffett, doctor in physick: corrected and enlarged by christopher bennet, doctor in physick, and fellow of the colledg of physitians in london. moffett, thomas, - . bennet, christopher, - . [ ], p. printed by tho: newcomb for samuel thomson, at the sign of the white horse in pauls churchyard, london, : . with a preliminary imprimatur leaf. annotation on thomason copy: "may. .". reproduction of the original in the british library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng diet -- early works to . food -- early works to . nutrition -- england -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - john latta sampled and proofread - john latta text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion healths improvement : or , rules comprizing and discovering the nature , method , and manner of preparing all sorts of food used in this nation . written by that ever famous thomas mvffett , doctor in physick : corrected and enlarged by christopher bennet , doctor in physick , and fellow of the colledg of physitians in london . london , printed by tho : newcomb for samuel thomson , at the sign of the white horse in pauls churchyard , . imprimatur , francis prujean , president . balduinus hamey , george ent . edmund wilson . christoph . bennet censors . the table . chap. i. . what diet is . . who were the authors of it . . what good it bringeth . chap. . how many sorts of diet there be . . wherein diet consisteth materially . . wherein diet consisteth formally . chap. . and . of aire . . how it is to be chosen . . how it is to be prepared . . how it is to be used . chap. . of meat , and the differcnces thereof , in kind , substance , temperature and taste . chap. of meats . how they differ in preparation , age and sex. chap. . how many sorts of flesh there be . . whether flesh or fish were first eaten of , and whether of them is the purest and best nourishment . chap. . of the flesh of tame beasts . chap. . of the flesh of wild beasts , or venison : chap. . of the flesh of tame birds . chap. . of the flesh of wild foul , abiding and feeding chiefly upon the land. chap. . of the flesh of wild foul , abiding and feeding chiefly upon the waters . chap. . of the inwards and outwards both of beasts and birds . chap. . of milk. chap. . of butter , cream , curds , cheese and whey . chap. . of egs and blood. chap. . of fish generally , and the difference thereof . chap. . of sea-fish . chap. . of fresh-water fish . chap. . of such living creatures and meats , as be neither flesh nor fish , and yet give good nourishment to the body . chap. . of fruit and the differences thereof . chap. . of all orchard fruit. chap. . of such fruits of the garden , as are nourishing . chap. . of such fruits of the field , as are nourishing . chap. . of the variety , excellency , making and true use of bread. chap. . of salt , sugar and spice . chap. . of the necessary use and abuse of sawces , and whereon they consist . chap. . of variety of meats , that it is necessary and convenient . chap. . of the quantity of meats . chap. . of the quality of meats . chap. . of the time , order and manner of eating . to the reader t is not an itch to be in print , but my profession to keep men alive , and when gone to recover and revive them , that hath induced me to this undertaking ▪ blame me not therefore for using means to raise our author out of the dust , and long oblivion , wherein he was buried : t is true , his own relations and their interests much sollicited my help ; but the merits of the man were my greatest motives , and his old fame most quickned me to restore him ▪ seriously , upon perusal , i found so much life and pulse in his dead works , that it had not been charity in me to let him dye outright , specially when t is for the worlds good and your ( healths improvement . ) this is all , only if it may be any advantage to have my judgement , t is a piece for my palate , not likely to dis-relish any , where so much pleasure is interlarded with our profit ▪ i may safely say , upon this subject i know none that hath done better ; and were platina , apicius , or alexandrinus , with all the rest of dietetick writers now alive , they would certainly own , and highly value this discourse . accept then kindly his endevors , that strives to do you good both in publick and private . farewell . chr. bennet . chap. i. . what diet is . . who were the authors of it . . what good it bringeth . diet is defined by very learned scholars , an exact order in labour , meat , drink , sleep , and venery . for they are thought to be pythagoras his pentangle or five squar'd figure , wherein ( as hipocrates saith of mans body ) there be several confluences and concurrences ; yet but one general sympathy through all nevertheless labor was appointed for most to invite meat and drink : they to draw on sleep , for the ease of our labours : and all four , to perfit generation ; which is not onely essendi sed semper essendi causa ; not onely the cause of being but of ever being : for indeed after we are dead in our selves , we recover in our posterity another life . but in this treatise i define diet more particularly ( as it is usually taken both by the vulgar and also the best physitians ) to be an orderly and due course observed in the use of bodily nourishments , for the preservation recovery or continuance of the health of mankind . which how and when it was first invented and by whom collected , neither cardan , nor scaliger , nor virgil , nor montuus , nor biesius , nor jason pratensis , nor psellus , nor any ( in my judgement ) have more truely declared , then hippocrates himself ; avouching that necessity was the mother , and reason the father of diet. for when sickness crept into the world , and men gave the same meats to sick folks which they did to the healthful , they perceived them to be so far from recovery , that they rather wax'd worse and worse . hereupon being enforced to alter either the kind or the preparation , or the quantity , or the quality and order of nourishments : they knew by diligent observation what was fittest for every disease , for every sexe , age , and complexion , and accordingly committed them to memory , or set them down in writing . plutarch thinks that we first learned this knowledg of brute beasts . for pigeons and cocks before they fight , will eate store ( if they can get it ) of cummin seed to lengthen their breath : and nightingales eate spiders to prevent stoppings ; and lions having surfeited on flesh , abstaine from all meat til it be digested . so the marlin taught tender persons first to keep warm their feet , the storkes to remedy costiveness of body by the use of glisters , the hedghog to avoid walking in windy seasons , the little birds to bathe in summer , the flies and bees to keep home in winter . for there is no doubt but the natures of men were in former ages so strong , that they did eate and digest every thing as it grew . neither were mills , boulters , ovens , and artificial preparations from the beginning ; but as sickness of the body encreased , so the mind devised remedies , teaching men how to thrash and grind corne , to make bread , to boil , roast , and bake meat , to give thinne and liquid meats to weak stomacks , and grosser cates to them that be strong , after the example of every bird ; who first softneth and boileth the meat in their mawes , before they give it to their young ones , neither should we marvail hereat ; for as ignorant sailers ( whose errours and imperfections no man could perceive in a calm sea ) in a tempest do follow every mans advise : so the examples of birds and beasts did teach sick men wisdome , when through self-ignorance they lost the light of nature , and knew not what was good for themselves . but leave we plutarchs conceit , and let us fetch the invention of diet from a more worthy teacher , yea from the worthiest of all other , god himself . for can we imagine that he taught our forefathers ( having sinned ) how to cloath their bodies , and not how , and when , and wherewith to feed them ? he that taught abel how to diet sheep , would he leave him unskilful how to diet himself ? or had cain the art of tilling the ground , and not the knowledge how to use the grain thereof ? knew physicians in iacobs time how to conserve dead bodies , and wanted they knowledge to preserve the living ? wherefore how foolishly soever some ascribe the invention of diet to apollo , aesculapius , and that many-eide osiris , or to hippocrates , galen , or asclepiades : yet let this rest immoveable , that it springeth from an elder time , then that any heathenish chronicle is able to record the author thereof . for if the multitude of burials be an argument of ill diet , and contrariwise long life an argument of good ; it must needs follow , that before the universal floud this noble knowledge of diet was not hid from the first patriarcks , but as perfitly perceived as it was practised . for till after the floud , men usually lived to eight hundred years , some to nine , many to seven , and none ( for ought we have heard or read ) dyed a natural death before five . now if any man shall object , that the very name of diet is not mentioned before the floud , and that therefore the thing it self was not in use : i can shape him no better answer then from the mouth of hippocrates : names are the daughters of men , but things the sons of nature . so that assoon as men began to feed , no doubt they were inspired with wisdome how much , how often , and of what to feed . for we must not imagine , though they had as it were ostriches stomacks , and giants strength , ( insomuch that lamech in his wound could crush into peices the mightiest champion of our age ) that therefore they neglected preparation or proportion in the use of nourishments ; nay reason it self will conclude , that as one shooe did not fit every mans foot , nor children and young men fed alike in those dayes , so every man knew or was taught his peculiar diet , most proper healthful and convenient for his owne estate . wherefore as many disseases are recovered with our physicians , but none without physick : so albeit there lived no dietary physitians before the floud ( if i should grant so much ) yet no man can deny , that through feeding or fasting , drinking or thirsting , taking this thing or refusingthat , they preserved their life-oile ( as i may term it ) for many ages , which in this surfeiting and riotous age is commonly consumed in less then one . but some men will further object against me . what sir ? may diet prolong a mans life ? why then through diet we may prove immortal , or at the least live as long as adam did . whereunto i answer , that albeit immortality is denied upon the earth to mortal men , yet so much life is prolonged by a good diet , by how much disseases thereby are eschewed . for as solomon saith , to whom is pain of the belly , and gripings , and redness of eyes , and want of health ? even to those that keep no measure , but greedily hunt after wine , and rise up earely to drink strong drinke . some in hippocrates time , seeing precise observers of physick to dye assoon as they which used no physick , conceived presently no otherwise of physicians , them as of kings in a stage play ; carrying golden crownes , and scepters , and swords , commanding for the time whole empires , but indeed void of in-borne majesty in them selves , and of outward abillity fit for so high a caling . so now in our daies the name of diet seems but a scare-crow to the unwiser sort , who think it best diet , to keep no diet at all , saying ( as will. sommers said to sir john rainsford ) drink wine and have the gout , drink no wine and have it too . which in effect what is it else , then with the sicilians to erect a temple to riot : or with the barbarians to praise surfeiting ? or with ulisses drunken companions to open aeolus his bottle all at once ? whereby their ship was so far from proceeding , that all art and prayers , yea and all the gods ( in a manner ) were not able to keep it above the waters . let me laugh ( said democritus ) at mens follies , who diet their horses , sheep , cattel , yea their capons , and geese , and yet themselves keep no diet . they foresee by porking of raven , flying of kites , croking of frogs , and bathing of ducks , when it will raine ; yet surfeiting dayly they cannot foresee their own ruine . to the like purpose singeth a french poet. si tu veux viure sainement aye pour toy tel pensement : que de ton cheval falcon on chien , quand autre chose leur vint que bien . if sickness thou wilt long award , have of thy self that due regard , which to their falcons , steeds , or hounds men bear , when sickness them surrounds . and truely well might the one laugh , and the other sing at such follies . for albeit an exquisire thin diet ( called of ioubertus the inch-diet , wherein we eat by drams , and drink by spoonfuls ) more perplexeth the mind then cureth the body , engendring a jealousie over every meat , suspition on every quantity , dread , fear , and terrour over every proportion ( bereaving the head of quietness , the heart of security , and the stomack consequently of good concoction ) yet the full diet as it is more usual , so is it in effect no less dangerous . would you see the discommodities of excess ? why then imagine you saw verres rouling before break of day in his own vomits , dyonisius belching up a soure and unpleasant breath , polyphemus stript of wit and memory , cleomenes king of lacedemonia playing after his drunkenness at cherrypit with children , elpenor ( ulisses his companion ) breaking his neck downe the staires , ennius racked with the sciatica ▪ riglus the wrestler dead of an apoplexie , anacreon so unable to swallow any more drink that he was strangled with a grapes kernel , vibius crispus dying at the stool , an old english knight dying at the chamberpot . on the otherside will it please you to mark the commodities of diet , and moderate nourishing ? then behold timotheus , who being continually sick through dayly surfetting , came once to platoes table , where he fed ( as the company did ) and drank moderately . the next morning he cryed out with this admiration : ▪ o sweet plato , sweet plato ; how truely sweet are thy suppers , which make us to sleep and awake so sweetly ? how able am i now to all exercises , being erst so unable to the least labour ? no marvel timothy : for as the sun cannot warm us when clouds be between : so excess either fetters or divides the minds , faculties . how careful is the mind alwaies to preserve life ? yet many a drunkard sinks under water , because reason cannot teach him the art of swiming , the inward sences being choaked with abundance of clammy vapours . divine hippocrate ( whom i can never sufficiently name nor honour ) compareth diet most fitly to a potters wheele , going neither forward nor backward , but ( as the world it self moveth ) equally round : moistning that which is too dry , drying up that which is too moist , restoring true flesh if it be decaid , abating proud flesh ( by abstinence ) if it be too much , neither drawing too much upward nor downward ( as peevish sawyers do : ) neither clapping on too much nor too little sail ( like unskilfull mariners ) but giving ( like a wise steward ) every part his allowance by geometrical proportion , that the whole household and family may be kept in health such a steward was asclepiades , who cured by onely diet infinite diseases . such an one was galen , that famous physitian , who being three or four times sick before he was twenty eight years old , looked afterwards more strictly to his diet ; in such sort that a hundred years following he was never sick but once , and died onely through want of radical moisture . such an one finally was hippocrates , who lived till he was a hundred and nine years old ( or at the least till he was fourscore and five ) without any memorable sickness , and yet he had by nature but a weak head , insomuch that he ever wore a night cap. wherefore let us neither with the impudent , call diet a frivolous knowledge , or a curious science with the imprudent : but embrace it as the leader to perfit health , ( which as the wise man saith ) is above gold , and a sound body above all riches . the romans once banished physitians out of rome , under pretence that physick druggs weakened the peoples stomacks : and cooks , for corrupting and enforcing appetites with strange sawces and seasonings : and perfumers , and anointers , and bathe-masters , because they did rather mollifie and effeminante the romans mindes , then any whit profit or help their bodies . yet they retained cato , the chief dietist of that time , and all them that were able ( without physick ) to prevent or cure diseases : esteeming diet ( as it is indeed ) to be so honest , pleasant , and profitable a science , that even malice it self cannot but commend it , and her enemies are forced to retaine it . thus much or rather too much , in the commendation of diet ; for which some spartane censor would severely punish me , as antalaides did the orator that prais'd hercules , whom no wiseman ever discommended . for howsoever idle heads have made these addle proverbs . . dieted bodies are but bridges to physicians mindes . . we shall live till we dye in despight of diet . . every dissease will have his course . . more rubarb and less diet , &c. yet the wisest man and king of all others , hath established it upon such grounds , as neither can nor shall ever be shaken with all their malice . chap. ii. . how many sorts of diet there be . . wherein diet consisteth materially . . wherein diet consisteth formally ▪ . there be especially three sorts of diets ; a full diet , a moderate diet , and a thin diet. the first increaseth flesh , spirits , and humors , the second repaireth onely them that were lost , and the third lesseneth them all for a time , to preserve life . full diet is proper unto them which be young , growing , strong , lusty , and able through their good constitution to endure much exercise . moderate diet is fittest for persons of a middle health , whose estate of body is neither perfectly strong nor over-weak . thin diets are never to be used , especially in the strictest kind , but where violent diseases ( caused either of fulness or corruption ) have the preheminence : wherein how much the body wanteth sufficient food , so much the sickness wanteth his tyrannical vigour . . the matter of diet , is neither iron nor steel , nor silver , nor coral , nor pearl , no nor gold it self ; from which worthy simples , albeit most rare and effectual sustenances be drawn ( as our own countryman of all other , most learnedly proveth ) to strengthen our body , and to thicken our radical moisture , which is soon consumed ( like a fine spirit of wine ) when it is too thin and subtile : yet neither have they , neither can they have a nourishing power , because our natural heat will be tired before it can convert their oyle into our oyle , their substance into our substance , be it never so cunningly and finely exalted . furthermore , if it be true ( which hippocrates and reason telleth us ) that as contraries are expelled by contraries , so like is sustained by his like : how should the liquors of gold , pearl , and precious stones ( which the chymists have named immortal essences ) nourish or augment our mortal substance ? nay doth not that soonest restore decayed flesh ( as milk , gellie , strong broaths , and young lamb , which soonest corrupteth , if it be not presently eaten ? is not a young snite more nourishing ( yet it keeps not long sweet ) then a peacock that will not corrupt nor putrifie in a whole year , no not in thirty years ( saith kiranides ) though it be buried in the ground ? yet as a candles end of an inch long being set in cold water , burneth twice as long as another out of water ; not because water nourisheth the flame , which by nature it quencheth , nor because it encreaseth the tallow , which admits no water , but by moistning the circumfluent aire , and thickning the tallow , whereby the flame is neither so light nor lively as it would be otherwise : in like sort , the substances , powders , and liquors of the things aforesaid , may perhaps hinder the speedy spending of natural heat , by outward cooling of fiery spirits , inward thickning of too liquid moistures , hardning or condensating of flaggy parts ; but their durableness and immortality ( if they be immortal ) are sufficient proofs that they are no nourishments for corruptible men . but they are pure essences , and therefore suitable to our radical moisture , which the best physicians derive from a starr-like substance . alas , pure fools ! what doe you vaunt and brag of purity , when the purest things do least nourish ? for had not the aire , water , and earth , certain impurities , how should men , beasts , birds , fishs , and plants continue ? for the finer the aire , the less it nourishes , the clearer the water , the less it fatneth , the simpler the ground , the less it succoureth : yea were we in an air ( such as the element of aire it self is defined to be ) void of invisible seeds , and those impalpable substances or resekens that are sometimes descried by the sun-beams , our spirits should find no more sustenance by it , then a dry man drink in an empty hogshead . and though we see pikes to live a great while in cisterns with clear water alone , yet were that water so pure as the element it self , they would clean consume for want of nourishment . the like may be said of plants growing in a dry , crumbling , sapless and unmingled earth , wherein we should see them quickly so far from sprouting , that for want of their restorrative moisture they would come ▪ to withering . wherefore i conclude , neither oriental stones for their clearness , nor pearls for their goodliness , nor coral for his temperating of bloud , nor gold for his firmness , nor liquor of gold for his purity , nor the quintessences of them all for their immortality , are to be counted nourishments , or the matters of diet. object not the ostrich his consuming of stone and mettals , to prove that therefore they may nourish man ; no more then the duck , nightingale , or stork , to prove that toads , adders and spiders are nourishing meats : for our nourishment ( properly taken ) is that nature or substance , which encreaseth or fostereth our body , by being converted into our substance . now for as much as our bodies ( like the bodies of all sensible and living creatures else ) consist of a treble substance , namely , aerial spirits , liquid humors , and confirmed parts : it is therefore necessary it should have a treble nourishment answerable to the same ; which hippocrates truly affirmeth to be air , meat , and liquors . meat is a more gross and corporeal substance , taken either from vegetables in the earth , or creatures living upon the earth , or living ever or sometimes in the water , whereby the grosser part of our body is preserved-liquors are thin and liquid nourishment , serving as a sled to convey meat to every member , and converted most easily into humors . now whereas pliny nameth some which never eat meat , and apollonius and athenaeus , other which never drank ; they are but few and particular persons ( yea perhaps the sons of devils ) ▪ which cannot overthrow the general rule and course of nature . it is possible to god ( as the devil truly objected ) to make stones as nourishing as bread ; to feed men with locusts ) a most fretting , burning , and scalding vermin ) as he did john baptist : to give us stones instead of bread , and to give us scorpions when we ask eggs : yet usually he doth not transgress the course of nature , by which , as by his bayliff , he rules the world : so that when any man lived without meat or drink ( as moses and elias did forty daies ) it is rather to be counted a miraculous working , then to be imputed to the strength of nature . chap. iii. of aire . . how it is to be chosen . . as hippocrates said of meats , like food , like flesh : so may i justly say of the aire , like aire , like spirits ; for hence cometh it that in pure , clear , and temperate aire , our spirits are as jocund , pleasant , active , and ready as butterflies in summer ; but in thick , dark , cloudy , and unseasonable weather , they are dul , drowsie , idle , and as heavy as lead , working neither perfectly what they ought , nor chearfully what they would . witty cardan supposeth a like resemblance to be betwixt our bodies , and the aire , as there is betwixt the soul and heaven : so that as they encline the soul , so the aire altereth the body every way ; let the aire be cloudy , how can the body be warm ? let it be hot , how can that be cold ? let it be chilled with frost or snow , our skin ( yea our inwards themselves ) begin to shiver ? how staggers the head , and how presently finks the heart , at the smel of a damp , or the insensible sense of deadly and subtile spirits , carried from the ugh-trees of thasus , or the hole of a cokatrice , or the breathing of aspes , or the dens of dragons , or the carcases of dead serpents , wherewith the aire is not so soon infected , as the hearts and brains of men , whereunto it is carried . galen saith , that the inhabitants of the palestine lake are ever sickly , their cattle unsound , and their countrey barren , through the brimstone and pitchy vapor ascending from thence over all the countrey , in such sort that birds flying over it , or beasts drinking of it , do suddenly die ; and verily no bird hateth that lake , nor the lakes of avernum , lucrine , or padua , like unto it ; no frogs and serpents can less live in ireland , foxes in crete , staggs in africa , hares in ithaca , and fishes in warm water , then the heart of man can abide impure smels , or live long in health with infected airs ; which if they do not alwaies corrupt men , yet they shew their force , and exercise their power over cattle , hearbs , grass , corn , fruits , and waters , a great while after ▪ poysoning us ( as it were ) at a second draught , whilst we feed of infected things , and ( as eclipses are wont to do ) spitting out their venom when they are almost forgotten . sicil is recorded to be seldom void of the plague : and the dwellers of sardinia quitted their country oftentimes for the same cause . but how could it be otherwise , when the wind blows there most commonly out of africa , the mother of all venomous and filthy beasts ? is not middleborough , roterdam , delf , and divers other cities in zealand and holland , stinched every dry autumn with infinite swarms of dead frogs , putrifying the aire worse then carrion ? rome also was greatly annoyed with agues and pestilence , till by asclepiades his councel their common sewers were monthly cleansed , their privy-vaults yearly emptied , and their soil and offal daily carried forth into the fields ; whereby receiving the benefit of sweet aire and health both at once , no marvel ( as mr. ajax his father hath well noted ) though the skavenger and gun-farmer , that is , stercutius and cloacina were honoured as gods. and verily had that worthy author lived amongst those romans , as he liveth in this unthankful and wicked age , wherein ( to speak with hippocrates ) admirantur fatui , calumniantur plerique , intelligunt pauci : ) no doubt ere this he had been very highly exalted , and stood in some solemn capitol , betwixt stercutius and cloacina , as king ludd doth upon ludd-gate betwixt his two sons : for i assure you ( and let us not but give the devil his right ) he hath truely , plainly , and perfectly set down such an art of privy-making , that if we would put it in practice , many a house should be thought in london to have never a privy , which now smels all over of nothing else : neither is the aire only infected with venemous winds and vapours , sinks , sewers , kennels , charnel houses , moors , or common lestals ( as in great camps and cities ) nor only with privy vaults ; but also biesius maketh mention , that a house in spain seated among many elder trees ( wherewithall the grounds were headged ) cast every man out of it ( like sejus horse ) either dead or diseased , till such time as he caused them to be rooted up , and so made it both wholsome and habitable to the dwellers . furthermore it is recorded , that as the aire in cyprus cureth any ulcers of the lungs , so the air of sardinia makes and enlargeth them : and as the aire of anticyra helpeth madness , so contrariwise the aire of thasus ( especially in a hot and dry summer ) brought almost all the inhabitants into a lunacy , which no doubt hapned upon these causes , that cyprus aboundeth in cypres and firr-trees , sardinia in alom and copper mines , anticyra is replenished with true hellebors , and thasus is full of deadly ughes , which either kill a man , or make him mad , when the savor infects him fully , as it doth in such hot and dry countries . the aire may be also infected with the smoak of charcole newly kindled , whereof quintus catulus died : or with the smel of new morter , which killed jovinianus the emperor in his bed : or with the snuf of a candle , wherewith many have been strangled ; or with the aire of a pan of coles throughly kindled , by which as aemylius victor studied in the city of parma , he suddenly fell down dead . by the smell of a snuf of a candle , many become leprous , and women miscarry of children . what light is best to study by , of oyle , wax , dears suet , and tallows ; the very smel of roses cureth headach , and of some flowres drunkenness . the smel of a wantlowse may kil a child in the mothers womb : the very smel of physick cureth many . first therefore in the election or choice of aire , observe this , that it be pure and void of infection : for pure aire is to the heart , as balm to the sinews , yea it is both meat , drink , exercise , and physick to the whole body . meat , whilst it is easily converted into spirits : drink , whilst it allayeth the thirst of the lungs and heart , which no drink can so well quench ; exercise , whilst it moveth humors immoveable otherwise of their own nature ; medicine or physick , whilst it helpeth to thrust forth excrements , which would else harden or putrifie within our bodies , the vapors whereof would so shake the bulwark of life , and defile the rivers of blood issuing from the liver , that we should not live long in health , if happily we lived at all . next to purity of aire , we must chuse that also which is temperate . for natural heat is not preserved , saith galen , but of aire moderately cold : and aristotle saith , that countries and cities , and houses , which by interposition of hils on the north side be seldom cooled , are subject to mortality , and many diseases . yet must it not be so hot as to dissolve spirits , procure thirst , and abundant sweat , to the hindring of urine , and decaying of strength and appetite : but ( as i said before ) of a middle temper , because as nature is the mother , so mediocrity is the preserver of every thing . who sees not a dry summer peeleth , and a dry winter riveleth the skin ? and that contrariwise , an over-moist aire puffeth it up with humors , and engendreth rheumes in the whole body ? thirdly , that aire is best which is most seasonable : namely , warm and moist in the spring , hot and dry in summer , cooling and dry in autumn , cold and moist in winter : which seasons falling out contrarily , as sometimes they doe ( especially in islands ) infinite and unavoidable diseases ensue thereupon . for if the spring-aire be cold and dry through abundance of northeast winds , dry inflammations of the eys , hot urines , fluxes of bloud by nose and bowels , and most dangerous catarrhs to old persons , follow upon it . if summer be cold and dry through the like winds , look for all kinds of agues , headaches , coughs , and consumptions : contrariwise if it be too hot and dry , suppression of urine , and womens courses , together with exceeding bleeding at the nose is to be feared . if autumn be full of southern and warm blasts , the next winter attend all rheumatick and moist diseases . if winter on the contrary be cold and dry , which naturally should be cold and moist , long agues , humoral aches , coughs and plurisies are to be expected , unless the next spring be of a moist disposition . again , consider also , how any house or city is situated , for the aire is qualified accordingly . namely , if they be placed southeast , south , and southwest , and be hindred from all northern blasts by opposition of hils , they have neither sweet water , nor wholsome aire ; but there women are subject to fluxes and miscarriages , children to convulsions and shortness of breath , men to bloudy fluxes , scourings , and hemorrhoids , and such like . but cities , countries , or houses situated clean contrary , towards the north-west , north , and north-east , and defended from all southern gusts and blasts , albeit the people there are commonly more strong and dry , yet are they subject through suppression of excrements , unto headaches , sharp plurisies , coughs , exulceration of the lungs , phlegmatick collections , rupture of inward veins , and red eyes . likewise in those countries , young boyes are subject to swelling of the codds , young girls to the navel-rupture ; men to the diseases above named : women to want and scarcity of their natural terms , to hard labours , ruptures and convulsions , and to consumptions after childbearth ▪ easterly towns ( especially inclining to the south ) and houses are more wholesome then the westerly for many causes : first because the aire is there more temperately hot and cold . secondly because all waters and springs running that way , are most clear fragrant pleasant and wholesome , resembling as it were a dainty spring ; and verily women there conceive quickly and bring forth easily : children prove large , well coloured and lively : men healthful strong and able to any exercise , but western cities and houses , barren , clean , of eastern gusts , have ever both troubled waters and unwholesome winds , which mingled with the waters obscure their clearness , and maketh the inhabitants weak , heavy , and ill coloured , hoarce-voiced , dull witted , and wanting ( as if they were entring the house of death ) quickness and vigour . but avicen of all others declares this most at large , who shewing the boldness and goodness of aire by the situation , describes them in these words . houses having their chief or full seat eastward , are very wholsome for three causes . first , because the sun rising upon them , purgeth the aire very timely , secondly , because it stayes not there long to dissolve spirits , but turneth westward after noon , thirdly , because cold winds are commonly as ushers to the sun rising , by which all corruption is killed , that either was in the aire or lay on the ground . westerne places are worst situated : first , because the sun bestowes not his maiden head and kingly heat upon them , but a hot and scorching flame , neither attenuating nor drying their aire , but filling it full of fogs and mists whereupon it falls out , that the inhabitants are much troubled with hoarseness , rheumes , measils , pocks , and pestilence . southern seats are commonly subject to catarhs , fluxes of the belly , heaviness , want of appetite , haemoroids , inflamation of eyes ; and their women conceive hardly and miscarry easily , abounding in menstrual and mighty pollutions , their old men are subject to palsies , trembling apoplexies and all humoral diseases , their children to cramps and the falling evil : their young men to continual putrified agues , and all kind of rebellious fevours . in nothren countryes through the driness , coldness , and sharpness of the wind ; women do hardly conceive , and dangerously bring forth : or if they be well delivered , yet commonly through want of milk they are not able to nurse their children . their young men die of consumptions , their old men and children of cruel cramps . they which dwell upon the tops of hills ( where every wind blows from under the sun ) are for the most part sound , strong , nimble , long-lived and fit for labour . contrariwise the valley people ( so seated that no wind blows upon them ) are ever heavy spirited , dull and sickly : for as a fire of green wood dieth unles the flame be scattered with continual blowing ; and as a standing water corrupteth in a little space : so an idle aire rouled about with no winds soon putrifieth ; because his dissimilar parts be not separated by winowing , as the chaffe is from the wheat . but the best situation of a house or city , is upon the slaunt of a southwest hill ( like to this of ludlow , wherein we sojourne for a time ) neither fully barred of the east , north , and southern winds , clear , and free from the mists of bogs and fens , purified from the stinck of common sinks , vaults and lestals , as also from the unwholesome breathings of caves , colepits , & copper , or brimstone-mines : not so cold as to stupifie members , not so hot as to burn the skin , not so moist as to swell us with rheumes , nor so dry as to parch up our natural moisture : not to much nor to variable ( as upon the top of hills ) not so little , nor too standing , as in low vallies : neither smelling of nothing , as in barren countries , nor smelling of bad things , as in the fens : but fragrant without a discerning of smell , and sweetest of all in an unknown sweetness for howsoever some men dream , that the smell of the spice-trees in arabia felix make the neighbour inhabitants both healthfull of body and sound of mind ( which i will not deny , if you compare them with the borderers of the palestine lake . ) nevertheless as tully saith of women , they smell best which smell of nothing ; so verily the aire that smells of nothing is best to nourish us in health , though otherwise in some sickness a perfumed aire is best , and also to expel a loathsome stinck , or ( like to the neighing of apolloes horses ) to rouse up dull and sleepy senses . in which respect i am of aristotles opinion , that sweet smels were appointed to be in flowers , fruits , barks , roots , fields , and meddowes , not onely for delight , but also for medicin . nevertheless as the tastles water makes the best broath , so the smelling aire gives the purest ( i will not say the strongest ) nourishment to our spirits . in plutarchs time men were grown to this wantoness , that every morning and night they perfumed not only their apparrel and gloves , but also their bodies with sweet ointments , made of most costly spices : buying with great charges , what shall i say ? an idle , a needless , a womanly pleasure ? nay verily an unnatural and more then bruitish . for every beast loveth his own mate only for her own smel ( whatsoever it be ) but some men love not their meat , nor drink , nor the aire , nor their wifes , nor themselves , unless they smel , or rather stinck of sweet costly and forreine fumes : which being taken without cause , do the head more hurt then being taken upon cause they do it good . wherefore if thy brain be temperate , and not too moist , cold , or dull , eschew a strong smelling aire ( such as comes from walflowers , stock-gillyflowers , pincks , roses , hiacynths , mead sweet , hony suckles , jasimin , narcissus , musk , amber civet , and such like ) contenting thy self with the simplest aire , which for sound complexions is simply best . or if for recreation and pleasuresake thou desirest it some time , let it not be of a full or strong sent : but mingled with sweet and soure ( as violets with time ) and breathing rather a sharpe then a fulsome sweetness . and thus much of the choice of aires ; now come we to the preparation and use of them . chap. iiii. of aire . . how it is to be prepared . . how it is to be used . satyrus ( that goat-bearded god ) the first time that ever he saw fire , would needs kiss it and embrace it in his armes , notwithstanding that prometheus forewarn'd him of coming too nigh : for he knew well enough the nature of fire to be such , that as in certain distances , times , and quantities it may be well endured , so in others it is harmful and exceeding dangerous . the like may i say of heat , cold , moisture , and driness of the aire : which in the first or second step towards them may and do preserve life , but the nearer you come to their extremities , the nearer are you to death : so that either you will be burnt with satyrus , or frozen to death with philostratus , or dryed up for lack of moisture with darius souldiers when they could get no water , or dye as the inhabitants of the lakes in egypt do with too much moisture . wherefore let every one consider his owne strength and constitution of body ; for some like to new wax , are dissolved with the least heat , and frozen with the least cold : others with salamanders think nothing hot enough , others like to silk worms can abide no cold ; others with smiths and woodcocks can abide those frosts which even the fishes themselves can hardly tolerate . so likewise dry constitutions laugh and sing with the thrush when rain approacheth : when others of the contrary complexion do mourn and lament with the plouver , because it is so wet . which being so , i shall no doubt deserve well of every man in teaching him so to prepare the aire , that sometimes abroad , but alwayes at home it may be tempered ( according as he most needeth ) and purified from all infection . concerning the tempering of aire in our houses : is it too hot and dry ? then coul it by sprinkling of vinegar and rose water , by strewing the floure with green flags , rushes , newly gathered , reed leaves , water-lilly leaves , violet leaves and such like ; stick also fresh boughes of willow , sallow , poplar , and ashe ( for they are the best of all ) in every corner . is it too cold and moist ? amend it by fires of clear and dry wood ; and strew the room and windows with herbs of a strong smell , as mints , penniroial cammomil , balm , nep , rue , rosemary and sage . is it too thick and misty ? then attenuate and clear it in your chamber first by burning of pine-rosin ( as the egyptians were wont to do ) then presently by burning in a hot fire-shovel some strong white-wine vinegar . but their chiefest perfume of all other called kuphi : the great temper , was made of sixteen simples : namely , wine , hony , raisins of the sun , cipres , pine-rosin , mirrhe , the sweet rush , calamus aromaticus , spike-nard , cinamon , berries of the great and little juniper , lignumaloes , saffron , figtree buds , and cardamoms : to which composition in galens time democrates added bdellium and the seed of agnus castus , and the physicians in plutarchs time the roots of calamint . it were needless to write how wonderfully apollo , i mean our new apollo francis alexander of vercelles ( for so like a proud italian he calleth his owne work ) commend the same in his third beam ; or how plutarch and avicen extol it above all others , in that it not onely bringeth any aire to a good temper ; but also cleanseth the same of unclean spirits , openeth it when it is clowdy , attenuateth it when it is too thick , refineth it when it is full of dreggy mixtures , and consequently dispelleth melancholy from the head , fear and ill vapours from the heart , procuring natural and quiet sleep , and therefore not unworthily consecrated to the gods. now as the egyptians burnt rosin in the morning , and their kuphi towards noon , so albeit the sun set , when many heavy vapours lye in the aire , the ancients were not to burn mirrhe and juniper : which disperse those heavy vapours , leaving in the house a rectified aire , quickning the senses , and correcting those melancholick fumes that pervert judgement . wherefore the egyptians call mirrhe , bal , and juniper dolech the purifiers of the aire , and curers of madness . whereat let no man wonder , sith the very noise of bells , guns , and trumpets , breaketh the clouds , and cleanseth the aire : yea musick it self , cureth the brain of madness , and the heart of melancholy , as many learned and credible authors have affirmed . much more then may it be tempered , and altered to the good or hurt of our inward parts by smells and perfumes , whereby not onely a meer aire ( as in sounds ) is carried to the inward parts , but also invisible seeds and substances qualified with variety of divers things . for who knoweth not that the smell of opium bringeth on sleep , drowsiness , and sinking of the spirits ? contrariwise the the smell of wine , and strong vinegar out of a narrow mouth'd glass , awaketh the heaviest headied man , if possibly he can be awaked . furthermore because stincking smells ( unless one by little and little be accustomed to them , as our dungfarmers , and kennel rakers are in london ; and as a wench did eat napellus , a most cruel poyson , ordinarily as a meat ) are both noysom to the head , and hurtful to the lungs , heart , and stomack ; in such sort , that they which live in a stinking house , are seldom healthy : it shall be good , where the cause cannot wholly be removed , to correct the accident in this sort , with sweet waters , sweet perfumes , sweet pomanders , and smelling unto sweet fragrant things . isabella cortesa , that dainty lady of italy , comb'd her hair , and sprinkled her gown every morning with this sweet water following , whereby the aire circumfluent was so perfumed , that wheresoever she stood , no stinch could be discerned . take of orenge flower water , water of violets , water of the musk-geranium , and the musk rose , water of red and damask roses , of each a pint ; powder of excellent sweet orris , two ownces ; powder of storax calamite , benjoine , and indian wood of roses , of each half an ounce ; civet a dram and a half . mingle all together , and let them stand in balneo three daies . then after the water is throughly cold , filtre it out with a fine filtre , and keep it to your use in a glass very close stopt . marinellus maketh another not much inferior unto this , whereof this is the description . take a pottle of damask-rose-water , benjoin , storax calamite , cloves , and wood of aloes , of each a● ounce ; ambre-grice and civet of each a scruple : boil them together in balneo in a glass very well stopt , for hours space ; filtre it out when it is cold , and having hang'd fifteen grains of musk in it tied in a close cloth , set it five daies in the sun , and keep it to your use . these waters are costly , but verily exceeding good ; nevertheless sith men of mean fortune are likewise to be preserved , i appoint for them these perfumed cakes , and for the poorer sort , a less costly perfume . take of benjoin six drams , wood of aloes four drams , storax calamite four drams , sweet orris two drams , musk a scruple , white sugar candy three ounces , beat them into fine powder , and with red-rose water , work them into a stiff paste , whereon make a sort of little cakes no bigger nor thicker then a threepence ; dry them in a cold shadowy place , and then put them up very close into a glass , and take out one or two , or as many as you please , and burn them upon quick coles . the poorer sort may make them fire-cloves , far better then you shall find any at the apothecaries , after this receit . take of good olbanum halfe a pound , storax calamite an ounce and a halfe , ladanum halfe an ounce , coles of iuniper wood drams , make all into fine powder , and then with drams of gum tragacanth mingled with rose water , and macerated three daies together , and an ounce of storax liquida , form the paste like great cloves , or sugar-loves , or birds , or in what form you list , and dry them in an oven when the bread hath been drawn ; kindle one of these at the top , and set it in any room , and it will make it exceeding sweet . but forasmuch as no aire is so dangerous as that which is infected with pestilent influences , let us consider how , and in what sort that of all other is to be corrected . hippocrates ( for ought we read of ) when his own countrey , and the city of athens were grievously surprised of the plague , used no other remedies to cure or preserve the rest , then by making of great fires in each street , and in every house , especially in the night time , to purifie the aire ; whereby the citizens or athens being delivered from so dangerous an enemy , erected to hippocrates an image of beaten gold , and honoured him alive as if he had been a god. and verily , as running water , like a broome , cleanseth the earth , so fire like a lion , eateth up the pollutions of the aire , no less then it consumeth the drossie mettals . so that cleanliness and good fires ▪ cannot but either extinguish or lessen any infection : whereunto if we also add the use of other outward correctors and perfumers of the aire , no doubt it will be much , if not wholly amended . the pestilence ( as i have noted to my grief in mine own house ) taketh some first with a great chilness and shaking , others with a hot sweat and often fainting : in some place it raineth most in winter , others it never annoyeth but in summer . the first sort are to correct the air about them with good fires , and burning of lignum aloes , ebony , cinamon bark , sassaphras , and juniper , which ( as matthiolus recordeth in his herbal ) retaineth his sent and substance a hundred years . burn also the pils of oringes , citrons , and lemons , and myrrh and rosen ; and the poorer sort may perfume their chambers with baies , rosemary , and broom it self . make also a vaporous perfume in this sort ; take of mastick and frankincense , of each an ounce , citron pils , calamint roots , herb-grass dried , and cloves , of each three drams ; make all into a gross powder , and boil it gently in a perfuming pot with spike-water and white wine . the second sort ( i mean such as are sick of the plague in summer , or are the first taken with a dissolving heat ) should rather burn sweet cipres , lignum rhodium , sanders , sprigs of tamarisk , gum tragacanth , elemi , cherri-tree gum , and a little camphire . likewise their vaporing perfumes should be of red-rose-leaves , lignum rhodium , and sanders , with rose-water and vinegar boil'd together . so that according to the kind of taking , and the season of the year , is the air to be corrected in the time of pestilence , and not alike at all times with one perfume , which marsilius ficinus so diligently observeth , that he blameth many physicians for their general preferring of this or that masticatory : some extolling the chewing of sage as one goes abroad , others the chewing of setwall roots , others of elecampana , cloves , angelica , or citron pils ; which indeed are best in a cold season ; but in the hot time of the year and a hot plague , the chewing of coriander seeds prepared , grains , sanders , and the pulpe of oringes , lemons , citrons , or pearmains , is far to be preferred before them . the like may be said of sweet pomanders strong of musk , civet , ambre , and storax ; which are no doubt good correctors of the pestilent aire ; but yet in hot seasons and pestilences , nothing so good as the smel of a lemon stickt with lignum rhodium instead of cloves , and inwardly stuffed with a sponge throughly soaked in vinegar of red-roses and violets . but here a great question ariseth , whether sweet smels correct the pestilent aire , or rather be as a guide to bring it the sooner into our hearts ? to determin which question , i call all the dwellers in bucklers berry in london to give their sentence : which only street ( by reason that it is wholly replenished with physick , drugs , and spicery , and was daily perfumed in the time of the plague with pounding of spices , melting of gums , and making perfumes for others ) escaped that great plague brought from newhaven , whereof there died so many , that scarce any house was left unvisited . of variety and change of aire . hitherto of the correcting and tempering of distempered and infected aire ; which being clean and purified , may yet through ignorance of wilfulness be abused : for as satyrus would needs kiss the glowing cole , and children delight to put their fingers in the candle , so some know not how to use this general nourishment , which is not given ( as all other nourisments be ) unto one particular man or country , but equally and universally unto all . now there be two sorts of aire , as every man knoweth ; the one open and wide unto all men , the other private , shut within the compass of a house or chamber : that permitted to any man which is in health ; this proper to very many and sickly persons , who receiving but the least blast of the outward aire upon a suddain , fall into great extremities , and make the recidival sickness to be worse then the former . many , and amongst them , my lord rich his brother , can justifie this , who almost recovered of the small pox , looked but out of a casement , and presently was striken with death . so likewise one harwood of suffolk , a rich clothier , coming suddenly in an extream frost from a very hot fire into the cold aire , his blood was presently so corrupted , that he became a leaper ; which is an ordinary cause of the same disease in high germany , as paracelsus and many other writers have truely noted . again , some men tie themselves so to one aire , that if they go but a mile from home ( like to fresh-water soldiers ) they are presently sick : others are so delighted with variety , that no one aire or country can contain them : of which humor was agesilaus , phocion , diogenes , cato , yea and socrates himself , who sometimes lay abroad in the fields , sometimes at home , sometimes travailed one country , and sometimes another , that being accustomed to all airs , they might ( if necessity served ) the better abide all . furthermore in long diseases , it is not the worst , but the best physick to change airs ; which few can endure that are tied in conceit or by custom only to one , and therefore that ( of both fantastical humors ) is the most dangerous . besides this , the time of going abroad in the open aire is to be considered ; for some go out early before the dew be off , and the sun up , which is very unwholsom ; others also walk at night after the dew falling , which is as perilous : for the dew to mans body is as rust unto iron , in so much that it blasteth the face and maketh it scabby ( especially in some months ) if a man do wash himself with it . furthermore some men delight to travel in tempests and winds , which the very hedghog reproveth , and the beasts of the field eschue by seeking coverture : for strong and violent winds , be ( as cardan cals them ) the whales of the aire , rowling clouds and meteors where and whether they list , beating down trees , houses , and castles , yea shaking otherwhiles the earths foundation . now as some goe abroad too much , so others with over-fearfulness take the open aire too little , sitting at home like cramb'd capons in a close room , and not daring in a manner to behold the light ; better it were by degrees to go abroad , then with such certainty of danger to stay at home ; yet so that a calm , mild , and temperate day be chosen , lest we make more haste outward then good speed , and bewail the alteration of aire through decrease of health . for as contrariety of meats make tumults and rebellions in our stomacks , so contrary changes of aire upon the sudden , maketh dangerous combats in our bodies : yea though a fenny aire be thick and loathsome , yet suddenly to go dwel upon the high mountains in a clear aire , is a posting to death rather then a course to life , and albeit a southern country be pregnant of corruption ( for all trees lose their leaves first on the southside , and on the southside houses decay soonest , and the southside of corn is soonest blasted , and malt lying in the southside of a garner , is first tainted with weevels ) yet suddenly to depart to a northern soil , where the north wind chiefly bloweth , is to leave the sea to be forzen in ice , and bringeth imminent peril , if not hasty death to the patient , yea to them that are otherwise sound of body : wherefore use the open aire in his due time , season , quantity , and order ; else shalt thou be offended with that nourishment , which simply of all other is most necessary : for as this invisible milk ( for so severinus cals the aire ) in time , season , and quantity , nourisheth these lower , and perhaps the upper bodies : so being taken out of time , and longer , and lesser then we should , it is both the child , the mother , and the nurse of infinite mischiefs . chap. v. . of meat , and the differences thereof , in kind , substance , temperature , and taste . purposing now to treat of meats , i will keep this method . first i will shew their differences : then the particular natures of every one of them : last of all in what variety , quantity , and order they are to be eaten . their differences be especially seaven in number ; kind , substance , temperature , taste , preparation , age and sex. . concerning the first , it is either of vegitable things only by ordination , or of sensible creatures by permission . for whilst adam and his wife were in paradise , he had commission to eat only of the fruit of the garden ; being cast thence , he was enjoyned to till the ground , and fed in the sweat of his brows upon worts , corn , pulse and roots ; but as for flesh , howbeit many beasts were slain for sacrifices and apparrel , yet none was eaten of men . years after the creation ; even till god himself permitted noah and his family to feed of every sensible thing that moved and lived , as well as of fruits and green hearbs . nay the indian philosophers , called brachmanes , did never a great while after the floud taste of any sensible creature : and though nimrod the great hunter slew many beasts , yet flesh was even then untasted of the babilonians ( and many hundred years after ) saith herodotus . and verily till god would have it so , who dared to touch with his lips the remnant of a dead carcass ? or to set the pray of a wolfe , and the meat of a falcon upon his table ? who i say durst feed upon those members which lately did see , go , bleat , lowe , feel , and move ? nay tell me , can civil and humane eyes yet abide the slaughter of an innocent beast , the cutting of his throat , the mauling him on the head , the flaying of his skin , the quartring and dismembring of his joints , the sprinkling of blood , the ripping up of his veins , the enduring of ill savours , the hearing of heavy sighs , sobs , and grones , the passionate strugling and panting for life , which only hard-hearted butchers can endure to see ? is not the earth sufficient to give us meat , but that we must also rend up the bowels of beasts , birds , and fishes ? yes truly there is enough in the earth to give us meat , yea verily and choise of meats , needing either none or no great preparation , which we may take without fear , and cut down without trembling , which also we may mingle a hundred waies to delight our taste , and feed on safely to fill our bellies . nevertheless we must not imagine , that god either idely or rashly permitted flesh and fish to be eaten of mankind , but that either he did it for causes known to himself , or for special favours shewed to us . plutarch writeth that hens eggs in egypt do hatch themselves in the warm sun , and that wilde connies breed every month : so that albeit by their rites of religion the egyptians were forbidden to eat eggs , or to kill for meat any living creature , yet necessity caused them to eat both , lest their corn should be devoured both in seed and blade , or they forced to do nothing else but to bury young rabbets and to squash eggs ; perhaps upon foresight of the like inconvenience , god appointed men to eat flesh and fish : least happily overflowing the earth by dayly increase , there would scarce be any food left for man , and man should not be able to rule his subjects . but the chiefest thing which he aimed at in the permission , was ( in my judgement ) the health and preservation of our lives : for as before the floud men were of stronger constitution , and vegitable fruits grew void of superfluous moisture : so by the floud these were endued with weaker nourishment , and men made more subject to violent diseases and infirmities . whereupon it was requisite or rather necessary , such meat to be appointed for humane nourishment , as was in substance and essence most like our own , and might with lest loss and labour of natural heat be converted and transubstantiated into our flesh . and truely whosoever shall with the adamites refuse that diet , which god and nature hath appointed ; either because they think they should not , or because they would not feed upon living creatures : i dare boldly avouch they are religious without knowledge , and timerous without occasion ; yea ( unless naturally they abhor fish and flesh , as some men may ) they shorten their owne lives and do violence to nature . how meats differ in substances . . touching the difference of meats in substance : some are of thin and light substance , engendring pure thin and fine blood , fit for fine complexions , idle citizens , tender persons , and such as are upon recovery out of some great sickness : as chiken peepers , rabbet suckers , young pheasants , partridge , heath-poulse , godwits , all small birds being young , all little fishes of the river , the wings and livers of hens , cockchickens and patridges , eggs warm out of the hens belly , &c. others are more gross , tough , and hard , agreeing chiefly to country persons and hard labourers : but secondarily to all that be strong of nature , given by trade or use to much exercise , and accustomed to feed upon them : as poudred beife , bacon , goose , swan , salt-fish , ling , tunnis , salt samon , cucumbers , turneps , beans , hard peaze , hard cheese , brown and rye bread , &c. but meats of a middle substance are generally the best , & most properly to be called meats ; engendring neither too fine nor too gross blood , agreeing in a manner with all ages , times , and complexions , neither binding nor loosning the body , neither strengthening nor weakning the stomack , neither procuring nor hindring urine or sweat , causing no alteration in coldness , heat , dryness , or moisture ; finally neither adding to the body by overnourishing , nor detracting from it by extenuating , but preserving it in such estate as they found it , restoring dayly as much as dayly decayed , and nothing or very little more . of which sort may be reckoned young beife , mutton , veal , kid , lamb , pig , hen , capon , turkye , house-doves , conny , sodden lettice , skirrets , almonds , raysins , &c. how meats differ in temperature and distemperature . . as there is a certain temperature and distemperature of our bodies , so likewise is there in meats ; that temperate bodies should feed of their likes , and distempered of their contraries . wherefore god hath appointed some meats hot onely in the first degree , &c. hot meats . lamb , pork , pig , gosling , partridge , quail , thrush , sturgian , mullet , base , oisters , cockles : cream , butter , figs , suger , raisins , sweet apples , ripe pomegranates , new hasselnuts , new almonds , asparagus , borrage , bur-rootes , skirrit-roots , white thistle roots , hop buds , parseneps , wheat and rice . others hot in the second degree , as hare , roe-buck , turky , peacok , pigeon , duck , turtle , pickled oisters , anchoves , honny , ripe mulberies , new walnuts , pickled olives , preserved capars , pisticks , dates , chestnuts , artichokes , carots ▪ potadoes , persly , and radish roots , eryngo roots , nutmegs and saffron . some hot in the third degree , as scallops , mints , taragon , onions , leeks , alisanders , ●ld walnuts , cinamon , ginger , cloves , and pepper . some are hot in the fourth degree , as skallions , garlick , and ramsies . now whereas all meats hot further then the second degree , are reckoned by physitians to be rather medicin then meat : i allow their judgement , for the most sort of men ; but not generally in all . for in scythia & some parts of persia , as also in scotland & wales , many mens bodies and stomachs are so full of cold and raw fleagme , that leeks , onyons , watercresses , and garlick is made a nourishment unto them , which would gripe , fret , & blister temperate stomacks . the like reason may be given , why adders are commonly eaten of the people called ophiophagi , and venemous spiders of many in egypt . yea , my self have known a young maide , of an exceeding moist and cold complexion , whose meat for two years was chiefly pepper , wherewith another would have been consumed , though she was nourished : for it is hot in the third , and dry in the fourth degree . cold meats . of cold meats , god hath likewise appointed some of the first degree , as cow-flesh , steer-flesh , conny , rabbet , young hedghogs ; eeles , lumps , olafes , fresh tunny , fresh sprats , fresh herrings , curds , and all sorts of pompions , millions , cherries , strawberries , peaches , some apples , pears , quinces , medlars , cervices : spinache , succory , sorrel , gooseberries , cabbage , colewoorts , peaze and beans . others cold in the second degree , as tench , pike , shrimps , crabs , crevisses , new cheese , prunes , damsins , apricots , and most sorts of plums , lettice , endiff , citrons , oringes , lemmons , gourds , and cucumbers . whatsoever exceedeth this degree in coldness can never be turned into our nourishment , howsoever some one body by a proper sympathy or long usage ( as docter randal did ) may digest and nourish himself with poppy medicins . moist meats . meats moist in the first degree , are these and such like : wild bore ; lamprey , barble , cramb , shrimps , crevisse , pine-apple-kernels , new filbirds , sweet allmonds , dates , asparagus , spinache , borrage , hop buds , carrots , turneps ▪ and french peaze . meats moist in the second degree : hedgebuck , turky , young pigeon , young ducks , young quailes ; fresh sturgeon , lump , olaffe , tunny , tench , eele , fresh oisters , ruen-cheese . meats moist in the third degree are onely fresh pork , and young pigs . dry meats . neither hath nature omitted to provide dry meats for them , who by nature or sickness are overmoistned : whereof some are dry onely in the first degree , as peacock , heathcock , the dorry , and all fresh fish lightly poudred : strawberries , soure fruit , medlers , fennel , artichokes , colewoorts , raddish , saffron , and cheese curds throughly pressed . others in the second in degree , as oxe-beife , venison , hare , conny , partridge , turtle , thrush , black-birds ; mullets , crabs , perwinckles , cockles , honny , cinamon , nutmegs , ginger ; galanga , peares , quinces , soure-pomegranats , pickled olives , pisticks , chessnuts , succory , sorrel , persty , onyons , leeks , lemons , citrons , beans and rice . others in the third degree , as flesh and fish long salted , stock fish , old cheese , poudred capers , cervisses , mints , garlick , ramsies , scallions , water-cresses , cloves and cinamon . others in the fourth degree , as pepper , and all things by miscookery over-peppered . temperate meats . temperate meats are such , as hardly can be discerned to be either hot , cold , dry , or moist , or if they can yet do , they never exceed , yea scarsly attain the first degree . of which sort , a young pullet , a crowing cockrel , a grown capon , soles and perches , fine wheat , new laid eggs ( eate white and all ) being potcht , and all small birds being young , are to be accounted . how meats differ in taste . . being now come to the fourth difference of meats , which consisteth in taste , it is necessary to shew how many kinds of tasts be found in nourishments ; whereof some be abominable to certain persons , though good and pleasant in nature ; others contrarily desired and liked , though naturally not appointed for meat ; which if you call a sympathetical and antipathetical taste , or an in borne tasting or distasting , it will not be amiss : for though the words seem strange and hard at the first , yet time and wearing will make them easy and common . what is more unpleasant to most mens natures , then the taste of humane flesh ? yet not onely some women with child have longed for it , but also the whole nation of canibals account it the sweetest meat of all others . it is also recorded that neroes , great gourdman , thought no meat pleasant but raw flesh ▪ fermius saleucius loved the sea horses so exceedingly , that he dayly dived for them amongst the crocodiles of nilus , ventring his life to save his longing . plato thought that olives had the best taste . mecaenas coveted the fish of asses foals , whereby the whole race of asses had been extinguished , but that he died in a good hour . the germans once ( and now the tartars ) reckon horseflesh for the sweetest and best meats , even as our welshmen esteem of cheese , lancashire men of egg pies , and devonshire men of a brown whitepot . what need i write of achilles , who in his nonage living with chiron , desired most to feed upon lions livers ? or of the vandales , who long after foxes ; or the zygantes in africa , that covet monkies and apes , no less then the carmanians love tortesses , the west africans lisards , the egyptians grasshoppers , the candneans serpents , the corsicans and maltanists young whelps , the romans and phrygians timber-worms , the allmans mites and magots of cheese , and such filthy meats . yea ( if herodotus an sabellicus write a truth ) the budanes desire to feed on lice , which a muscovite abhors to kill ; least unnaturally or unwittingly he might slay his own flesh and blood . it were strange to believe ( yet fernelius writes it for a truth ) how a noble man of france found a greater sweetnes in quick-lime , then in any meat beside , refreshing his stomack and hurting no inward part with the continual use thereof . others feed greedily upon rags of woollen cloth and wall-morter : and anatus lusitanus remembreth a certain young maid of twelve years of age , who did eate usually stones , earth ▪ sand , chalke , wooll , cotten and flox ; esteeming their taste and substance better then of the finest and tendrest partridge . marcellus donatus saw a girle so longing after lisards and neauts , that she would hunt after the one in gardens , and after the other in houses with a bough in her hand , as a cat would hunt a mouse , and eat them without hurt ▪ albertus magnus ( as caelius reporteth ) saw another wench in collen but three years old , hunting as diligently after all sorts of spiders , with which meat she was not only much delighted , but also exceedingly nourished . yea doctor oethaeus telleth a story of a certain farmer in the county of hirsberg , that feedeth chiefly upon potsheards finely beaten , batling no less with them then marriners do with eating bisket . and joachimus camerarius ( my dear and learned friend ) reporteth that a certain girl of norimberg did eat up her own hair , and as much as elsewhere she could get ; neither conld she be perswaded by parents or friends , to think it an unpleasant or an unwholsom meat . contrariwise petrus aponensis loathed milk : the inhabitants of the new fishing land abhor oyle ; many men cannot abide the taste of cheese , others of flesh , others of fish , others of all sorts of fruit , and that bartimew marnta his father was almost dead of hares flesh in a gallimawfery , it is not unknown to physicians . nay some are naturally ( or by imagination ) so perverted , that they cannot abide the sight of many meats , and muchless the last . what souldier knoweth not that a roasted pigg will affright captain swan more then the sight of twenty spaniards ? what lawyer hath not heard of mr. tanfiels conceit , who is feared as much with a dead duck , as philip of spain was with a living drake ? i will not tell what physician abhorreth the sight of lampres , and the taste of hot venison , though he love cold ; nor remember a gentleman who cannot abide the taste of a rab bet , since he was once ( by a train ) beguiled with a young cat . nay ( which was more ) all meat was of an abominable taste to heliogabulus , if it were not far fetcht and very dearly bought ; even as some liquorish mouthes cannot drink without sugar , nor sinardus hot stomack could break wine without snow ; which dainty and foolish conceit , though it picks a quarrel with god and reason ( after the nice fineness of courtly dames , that abhor the best meat which is brought in an earthen dish ) and maketh ulcers as it were in sound stomacks ; yet that there is a natural liking and disliking of meats , and consequently of the tastes of meats , both the examples of men and women forenamed do justly prove , and even spaniels and hounds themselves ( i mean of the truer kind ) by refusing of venison and wild-fowl in the cold bloud , can sufficiently demonstrate . meats of ordinary tastes . now let us come to the ordinary tastes of meats , which are especially seven in number ; sweet , bitter , sharp , sowre , fatty , salt , and flash . sweet meats . sweet meats agree well with nature , for they are of a temperate heat , and therefore fittest for nourishment ; they delight the stomack and liver , fatten the body , encrease natural heat , fill the veins , digest easily , soften that which is too hard , and thicken that which is too liquid ; but if they be over-sweet and gluttish , they soon turn into choler , stop the liver , puff up lungs and spleen , swell the stomack , and cause oftentimes most sharp and cruel fevers . bitter meats . if any thing be very bitter ( as asparagus , hop-sprouts , and broom-buds ) they cannot much nourish either man or beast , unless they have first been boiled or infused in many waters : for otherwise they may engender ( as they do ) some cholerick humors , burning bloud , killing worms , opening obstructions , and mundifying unclean passages of the body ; but their nourishment they give is either little or nothing , and that only derived to some special part . sharp meats . sharp meats ( as onions , skallions , leeks , garlick , radish , mustardseed , cresses , and hot spices ) dry the body exceedingly , being also hurtful to the eyes and liver , drawing down humors , sending up vapors , inflaming the bloud , fretting the guts , and extenuating the whole body : wherefore we must either taste them as they are , or not feed upon them till their sharpness be delaid with washings , infusions , oilings , and intermixtions of sweet things . soure meats . soure meats ( as sorrel , lemons , oringes , citrons , soure fruit , and all things strong of vinegar and verjuice ) albeit naturally they offend sinewy parts , weaken concoction , cool natural heat , make the body lean , and hasten old age ; yet they pleasure and profit us many waies , in cutting phlegm , opening obstructions , cleansing impurities , bridling choler , resisting putrifaction , extinguishing superfluous heat , staying loathsomness of stomack , and procuring appetite : but if they be soure without sharpness ( as a rosted quince , a warden , cervises , medlars , and such like ) then they furthermore strengthen the stomack , bind and corroborate the liver , stay fluxes , heal ulcers , and give an indifferent nourishment to them that eat them . salt meats . saltishness is thought to be an unnatural taste , because it is found in no living thing . for the very fishes are fresh ; so likewise is all flesh , and every fruit , and all herbs which grow not where the sea may wash upon them . wherefore howsoever salt hath the term of divinity in homer , and plato calleth it jupiters minion , and the athenians have built one temple to neptune and ceres ( because even the finest cakes be unwholsom and unpleasant if they be not seasoned with salt ) yet i hold it to be true , that salt meats ( in that they are salt ) nourish little or nothing ; but rather accidentally in procuring appetite , strengthening the stomack , and giving it a touch of extraordinary heat , as i will more perfectly prove when i treat of sawces . for salt meats ( especially if they be hot of salt ) engender cholor , dry up natural moistures , enflame blood , stop the veins , gather together viscous and crude humors , harden the stone , make sharpness of urine , and cause leanness ; which i speak of the accidental salt wherewith we eat all meats , and not of that inborn salt which is in all things . fat meats . fattiness is sensibly found not only in flesh and fish , of every sort , but also in olives , coco's , almonds , nuts , pisticks , and infinite fruits and herbs that give nourishment : yea in serpents , snails , frogs , and timber-worms it is to be found ; as though nature had implanted it in every thing which is or may be eaten of mankind . and verily as too much fattiness of meats glutteth the stomack , decayeth appetite , causeth belchings , loathings , vomitings , and scourings , choaketh the pores , digesteth hardly , and nourisheth sparingly ; so if it be too lean and dry on the contrary side ( for a mean is best of all ) it is far worse , and nourisheth the body no more then a piece of unbuttered stockfish . unsavory or unrelished meats . flashiness or insippidity ( which some call a maukish or senseless taste ) tasting just of nothing ( as in water , the white of an egg , mellons , pumpions , and pears , apples , berries , and plums of no relish ) is of no taste , but a deprivation or want of all other tastes besides ; which be it found in any thing that is dry ( as in spices ) or in things naturally moist ( as in fish , flesh , or fruit ) it alwaies argueth an ordinary weakness in nourishment , howsoever extraordinarily ( i will not say unnaturally ) it may strongly nourish some . avicen saith truly in his canons , quod sapit , nutrit : that which relisheth , nourisheth : yet not so , but that unsavory things nourish likewise , though not abundantly nor speedily : for what is more unsavory then fresh water , wherewith many fishes are only nourished ? what so void of relish as the white of an egg ? yet is it to aguish persons more nourishing then the yeolk ; yea and stockfish will engender as good humors in a rheumatick person , as the best pigg or veal that can be brought him . chap. vi. of meats . how they differ in preparation , age and sex . the preparation of meats is threefold , one before the killing or dressing of them , another in the killing or dressing , and the third after both . of which art timochides rhodius wrote eleven books in verse , and numenius heracletus ( scholler to dieuches that learned physician ) and pitaneus parodus and hegemon thasius compiled also divers treatises of that argument ; which either the teeth of time , or stomack of envy having consumed , i must write of this argument according to mine own knowledg and collections . whether an iron ladle hinders peas and rice from seething ? whether roast meat be best , and best tasted , larded , barded , scorch'd or basted ? beasts killed at one blow are tenderest and most wholsom . why all broath is best hot , all drink best cold . some fish , flesh , and fruits never good but cold ; some never good when they are cold ; and yet we have all but one instrument of tasting . of fatting of meats . lean meat as it is unwholsom , so it seemed also unsavory in ancient times ; in so much that q. curtius being sewer at caesars table , seeing a dish of lean birds to be set at the table , was not afraid to hurl them out at the window . also the priests of israel , yea the heathen priests also of rome and egypt touched no lean flesh , because it is imperfect till it be fat , fitter to feed hawks and vultures , then either to be eaten of men , or consumed in sacrifice to holy uses . hereupon came a trial how to fatten flesh and fish ( yea snails and tortesses , as macrobius writeth ) by feeding them with filling and forced meats ; casting not only livers and garbage into fishponds , but also their slaves to feed their pikes ( as did vidius pollio ) and to make them more fat and sweet then ordinary . hence also came it that swine were fatned with whey and figgs , and that servilius rullus devised how to make brawn , and that the aegyptians invented the fatting of geese , because it was ever one di●h at their kings table . amongst the romans it was a question , who first taught the art of fatning geese ; some imputing it to scipio metellus , others to marcus sestius ; but without contradiction , marcus aufidius lucro taught first how to cram and fatten peacocks , gaining by it threescore thousand sesterties , which amounteth to l. of our mony . cranes and swans were fatted in rome with ox-bloud , milk , oatmeal , barley , curds and chaulk mingled ( to use plutarch's phrase ) into a monstrous meat , wherewithall they were cram'd in dark places ▪ or else their eyes were stitched up , by which means their flesh proved both tenderer , sweeter , whiter , and also ( as it is supposed ) far wholsomer . hens , capons , and cockrels , and tinches were fatned by them of delia , with bread steep'd in milk , and feeding in a dark and narrow place , that want of scope and light , might cause them to sleep and sit much , which of it self procureth fatness . in varro's time men did not only fatten conies in clappers , but also hares , and made them ( of a melancholick ) a most white and pleasant meat , according to that of martial , inter aves princeps pinguis ( me judice ) turdus , inter quadrupedes gloria prima lepus . amongst the feathered knights , fat thrushes do excel , amongst four-footed squires , the hare deserves the bel , but here a question may be moved , whether this penning up of birds , and want of exercise , and depriving them of light , and cramming them so often with strange meat , makes not their flesh as unwholsom to us as wel as fat ? to which i answer , that to cramb capons , or any bird , and to deprive them of all light , is ill for them and us too : for though their body be puffed up , yet their flesh is not natural and wholsom ; witness their small discoloured and rotten livers ; whereas hens and capons feeding themselves in an open and clean place with good corn , have large , ruddy and firm livers . so great is the diversitie betwixt a cramm'd , i may say a strangled , and captive capon , and betwixt a gentleman capon feeding himself fat without art . wherefore the best fatning of all fowl , is first to feed them with good meat ( for like food , like flesh . ) secondly , to give it them not continually as crammers do , forcing one gobbet after another till they be fully gorg'd , but as often as they themselves desire it , that nature be not urged above her strength ; not in a coope or close roome , for then the aire and themselves will smell of their own dung , but in a cleane house spacious enough for their little exercise ; not in a dark place , or stitching up their eyes , for that will cause them to be timerous , or ever sleepy ; both which are enemies to their bodies , and consequently to ours : for every man knows that fear marreth concoction , and sleepiness bereaving us of exercise , hindreth digestion . yea young pigeons whilst they are in the nest ( be they never so fat ) are reckoned but an unwholsom meat ; but when they follow and fly a little after the dam , then are they of great and good nourishment . the like may be said of the fatting of beasts , for they are not to be stied or stalled so close that they cannot stirr , but to have sufficient room for to walk in , as well as to feed in , that they may be wholsom as well as fat , and not corrupt our bodies with their own corruption . so likewise fish kept in great ponds where they may rove at pleasure , are better then such as be mewed in a narrow and shallow ditch ; which not only we shall find by inward digestion , but also by outward tasting ; yea look what difference there is betwixt tame and wild conies , betwixt deer fed by hand , and deer fatning themselves in the chase and copses , the like shall you perceive betwixt forced fatness , and fatness gotten by natural and good diet . another thing also is to be observed before the killing of any beast or bird ; namely , how to make it tenderer if it be too old , and how to make it of the best rellish : patrocles affirmed , that a lion being shewed to a strong bull three or four hours before he be killed ; causeth his flesh to be as tender as the flesh of a steer : fear dissolving his hardest parts and making his very heart to become pulpy . perhaps upon the like reason we use to bait our bulls before we kill them : for their blood is otherwise so hard , that none can digest it in the flesh , but afterwards it is so far from being poisonable , that it becometh tender and nourishing food . perhaps also for this cause old cocks are coursed with little wands from one another , or else forced to fight with their betters before they are killed . perhaps also for these causes , so much filthy dung is brought from common lestals into great gardens ; namely to cause roots and herbs to be fatter and tenderer then they would be : which intent i do not disallow , onely i wish that no other soil were used , then what proceeded from the earth or from brute beasts . concerning the manner of killing , it is divers in divers countries . the grecians strangled their swine , and did eat them with their blood . the romans thrust them through the body with a spit red hot , whereby death ensuing without cooling and voiding of blood , the flesh seemed far more sweet and tender . but if a sow were ready to farrow , they trampled upon her belly , bruising her pigs , and the kernells of her dugs with the milk and blood ot once , eating them for the most delicate meat , as some delight in the bruse or pudding of the deer . plutarch also avoucheth , that sheep kill'd by wolves , birds by hawkes , geese by foxes , hares or deer by greyhounds , eate much sweeter , kindlier , and tenderer , then if they be killed suddainly by sleight or violence . yea i have heard of a lady in england , that let a score of partridges be brought unto her , some killed by the hawkes , others at the foot of dogs , others by men , she will discern that which the hawke killed at sowce from all the rest , having tasted but one morsel . furthermore as there is a reason of cutting down wood for timber ( namely in the prime of the moon , or about the last quarter ) and a special good season of moulding bread , and laying of leavens ( this before the full of the moon , that in the full it self ) so there is likewise a season to kill beasts birds and fishes , and to eate the fruits of gardens and orchards . for experience teacheth that hens are best in january , eggs in february , lamb , kid , pigeons and veal in march , herbs in april , cockles in may , bucks and salmon in june , july , and august , gurnards in september ; oisters in all months in whose name an r. is found , pork , bacon , and cabbage in frosty weather , &c. nay further it 's to be considered , whether a deer be stricken stone dead at a blow , though he be in season , or suffered to dye languishing upon his hurt ; for his skin be it never so well drest , will soon shed his haire and wax worm-eaten if it languish , whereas as otherwise it will hardly corrupt at all in a long season : wherefore no other reason can be given , then that by the one way natural heat is inwardly restrained , and by the other way of killing outwardly expired . so likewise there are seasons for gathering of fruit , herbs , floures , seeds , and roots , which whosoever observed not carefully and diligently , he may seeth bones for flesh and ( to speake more properly ) stalks for lettice . for all things have their several times , and there is a season for each purpose under heaven . a time to plant , and a time to pluck up ; a time to kill , and a time to preserve . the last preparation is after the killing of sensible creatures , or the gathering of the which are onely vegetable : all which preparations are divided into five principal actions , garbelling , boiling , rosting , baking , and frying . garbelling is a taking away of all things from any creatures , which are counted either hurtful or unnecessary : as the flaying of beasts , pulling , and scaling of fouls , garbaging of all things that have corruption in their bellies , voiding of piths , cores , rinds , and stones in roots , apples , and plums , &c. for albeit the first cooks were so unskilful , that they roasted oxen skin and all , yet reason after taught them to reject the outwards , as they had upon just cause emptied the inwards . the other four preparations are so necessary , as that all things in a manner are subject to them . what is raw flesh till it be prepared , but an imperfect lump ? for it is neither the beast it was , nor the meat it should be , till boiling , roasting , bakeing , or broiling , hath made it fit to be eaten of men . diocles being asked whether were the best fish , a pike or a conger : that saith he , if it be sodden ; this if it be broild ; but none better then another if they were raw : onely oisters of all fish are good raw ( yet he was no coward that first ventered on them ) being called of athenaeus the prologue of feast , because ever ( as we use them ) they were eaten formost . other fish being eaten raw , is harder of digestion then raw beife : for diogenes died with eating of raw fish , and wolmer ( our english pandereus ) digesting iron glass and oister shells , by eating a raw eele was overmastered . nay the icthyophagi themselves feeding only on fish , do first either roast them in the sun , or prepare them with fire before they eat them ; having stomacks far hotter then ours , and consequently more proper to digest them . as for raw flesh ( besides butchers , cooks , poulterers , slaughter men , and canibals ) who dare almost touch it with their fingers ? much less dare any grind it with their teeth , no not that egyptian , who was neroes gourman . now as galen saith of chesnuts , that being roasted in embers , they are sweet and drying , being sodden in broth they are sweet and moistning ; being roasted with their husk they eate delicately , being roasted without their husk they eate ranck and sourish , being sodden without their huske they prove unsavoury : so may i say of all other meats whatsoever , that according to the kind of preparation , they either keep relinquish or alter their propriety . if hereupon you aske me what meats is best boild , and what roasted i answer that flashy meats & naturally moist should be drest with a dry heat ( as in baking , broiling , frying , and rosting ) and meats naturally exceeding in driness and firmness should ever be boyled . temperate meats may be used any way , so they be not abused by miscookery , which even diocles knew many years ago , saying ( as before i noted out of athenaeus ) that a pike is best when he is boild , and a conger when he is broild ; because that is a firm and solid fish , this of a moist soft and eely substance . but forasmuch as in my particular discourses of severall meats , i purpose to touch their best preparing , i will surcease to speak any more generally of the dressing of meats , either before they are bereaved of life , or in or after their death : onely this i conclude , that who seeth not a great difference betwixt meats kill'd in season , and out of season , betwixt raw meat and parboild , betwixt fri'd meats and bak't meats , spiced and unspiced , salt and fresh ; betwixt asparagus once washt and twice washt , betwixt cabbages once and twice sod , &c. is in my judgement deprived of his wits , or else over-wedded to his will. for who is ignorant that cabbages once sod loosen the belly , but twice sod ( i mean in several waters ) procure most dangerous and great costiveness ? who knoweth not ( as galen affirmeth ) that asparagus often washed is a good nourishment , but otherwise so bitter that it wholly purgeth ? what stomack of any such dulness , that being overmoist it confesses not amendment after the use of spiced , salted , baked , and dry rosted meats ; and contrariwise complaineth of hurt by fresh liquid sodden and unsavory meats ? the difference of meats in age and sex . last of all meats differ in age and sex , for the flesh of sucklings is moistest , most slippery excremental and viscous ; the flesh of old beasts are tough , lean , hard , dry , and melancholick : wainelings less , hard , and dry then the one , and withall more firm , temperate , and nourishing then the other . but generally they are best for most complexions , when they are almost come to their full growth both in height , length , and bigness : for then as their temper is best so likewise their substance is most proportionable to our natural moisture , which is neither so hard that it is unchangeable , nor so thin and liquid that it is over easily disolved . concerning the difference of meats in sex , the males of beasts , fish , and foul are more strong , dry , and heavy of digestion , the females sweeter , moister , and and easier to be concocted : but gelt beasts , kerned foules , and barren fish , are counted of a middle and better nature then them ; as an oxe amongst beasts , a capon amongst birds , & a pike wounded in the belly can well testifie ; who therefore being unable to conceive again , fatten abundantly , ( as experience dayly sheweth in our london fishponds ) and becometh a most delicate meat . now are we come to the particular natures of every meat , and first to them which are called by the name of flesh . chap. vii . . how many sorts of flesh there be . . whether flesh or fish were first eaten of , and whether of them is the purest and bestnourishment . it will seem strange perhaps unto some , that they begin first to treat of flesh , which was one of the last foods appointed unto mankind by the voice of god. for ( as before i touched ) till years after the floud , we read of no flesh eaten or permitted to be eaten of any man. neither indeed was it needful whilst hearbs , fruits , and grain , were void of that putrifying moisture , whereto ever since the floud they are subject , and whilst mens stomacks were so strong and perfit , that in a manner no meat could overthrow them : aud verily were the sun of such power with us , as it is in southern countries towards the aequator , to ripen our fruits throughly , and to take them as it were upon the tree ; no doubt being freed from their crudities and superfluous moisture , they would give as good nourishment unto us ( and perhaps far better ) then any flesh . but now our complexions waxing weaker and weaker through abundance of sin and riot , and our climate being unapt for wholesome and much nourishing fruits , let us give god thangs for storing us with flesh above all other nations , making our shambles the wonder of europe , yea verily rather of the whole world . now all the flesh we have is taken either from beasts , or birds , or things creeping upon the ground . the difference of flesh . of the first sort some are tame , as the bull , cow , oxe , and calfe ; thc ram , ewe , weather , and lamb , the he-goat , she-goat ▪ geled goat , and kid , the bore , sowe , hog , and pig : others wild , as venison , red and fallow , wild bore , roebucks , hares , connies , hedg-hogs , and squirrels . amongst tame birds these are most familiar unto us : cock , hen , capon , chicken , turky , peacock , goose , guiny-hens , duck , and pigeon : amongst wild foul some keep and feed chiefly upon the land , as bystard , crane , heronshaws , byttors , stork , pbeasant , heathcock , partridge , plover , lapwing , cuckoe , pye , crows , woodcocks , rails , red shanks , gluts , woodsnites , godwits , smirings turtles , stockdoves , rock-doves , ringdoves , jayes , wood peckers , stonechatters , thrushes , mavis , feldefares , blackbirds , stares , quailes , and all sorts of little birds ; as sparrows , reed sparrows , larks , bulfinches , goldfinches , thistlefinches , citron-finches , bramblings , linnets , nightingales , buntings , wagtailes , robin-redbreasts , wrens , witrolles , siskins , oxeys , creepers , titmise , titlings , swallow , and martlets . others live in or upon the water , , as swan , bergander , barnicle , wildgeese , wild-duck , teal , widgin , fly-duck , shovelars , cormorant , curtues , gulls , black-gulls , seamewes , cootes , water railes , sea-pies , pufins , pivers , shell drakes , moor-cocks , and moorehens , dobchicks , water crows kingsfishers , water-snits . of creeping things i know none but the snail in our country , which some esteem not only for a meat , but also for a meat very restorative . and thus much of the kinds of flesh . now let us come ( for recreations sake ) to the comparison betwixt flesh and fish ; which of them is the more ancient , pure , and wholesome meat for mans body ; whereat perhaps both butchers and fish mongers will be much pleased , and perhaps no less of fended : but i will write what i have read , and leave the determination to others that can better judge . whether flesh or fish be the more ancient , pure , and wholsom meat . the charter-monks to the preferring of fish before flesh , use especially these arguments : first , that christ did feed most upon it ; for we never read but once that he did eat flesh ; but that he did often eat fish it is proved by many places , namely , mat. . luc. . . mar. . . john . furthermore he restrained by name no kind of fish from the israelites , but divers kinds of flesh ; which sheweth that fish is the cleaner , purer , and more holy meat : for the action of christ should be our instruction , and his works our imitation . thus much said baldwin arch-bishop of canterbury , of whom rainulphres writeth this story . when baldwin was chosen arch-bishop of canterbury , he sware that from the time of his enstallment , to his dying day , he would never eat flesh : whereby his body so decayed , that he fell into a consumption : an old woman meeting him on the way as he was carried in an open horselitter , called him liar to his face : whereof being reproved by some of his followers , why ( said she ) do you rebuke me ? doth he not lie , for saying that he never ate flesh since his enstallment , when his face sheweth that he surpassed the savages in eating his own flesh ? for indeed by superstitious observing of his vow , he became an anatomie , and lived as a cypher amongst men . but to answer the carthusians arguments , i say this ; that christ in the places of scripture cited before , asked his disciples what meat they had ? and they answered , none but a few loaves and a few fishes ; wherewith he satisfied himself and his disciples , and above five thousand persons at one time : neither is it to be doubted if they had had flesh , but he would have fed the people with that : for it was his property ( which every man ought to follow ) to eat with thanksgiving of that which was set before him , were it flesh or fish ; as no doubt he did at the marriage in canan , in lazarus his house , and the house of zacheus , and at the feast of the passeover , which albeit ( for ought we read ) he did but once celebrate , yet reason and religion teacheth us , that according to the commandment of god , he did every year celebrate it before , since the time of his childhood ; else the jews would have accused him as a transgresser of the law , and by justice have cut him off from amongst the people : but as he submitted himself to circumcision ( being then one of the sacraments of the church ) so questionless after the years of discretion , he did yearly eat of the pascal lamb ( for he came not to break any law given by moses , but to fulfill it ) which cannot be fewer then five or six and twenty times at the least . as for the other argument taken from the restraining of certain beasts and birds by name , and that no fish by name is there forbidden : saving baldwin his graces reverence , it is a very lie : for when god generally forbiddeth the israelites to eat of any fish , that wanteth either fins ( as the poulpe , periwinkles , lobsters , and crabs ) or scales ( as the eele , lamprey , plaise , turbot , and conger , &c. ) doth he not expresly forbid them to eat of poulps , periwinkles , lobsters , crabs , eeles , lampres , plaise , turbot , and conger , and a hundred fish more wanting either scales or fins ? fish is therefore no purer meat then flesh , neither can a carthusian eat a sole ( being a meat forbidden the israelites ) with a sounder conscience then a piece of bief or swines flesh . finally , where he saith that the actions of christ should be our instruction , and his works our imitation : why do not those fishy friars eat flesh every maundy thursday , sith christ himself did so , whom we ought to imitate ? but let these alone to the conformity of their church injunction , remembring also with st. paul , to abstain from no meats which god hath created for our life and health . it is recorded by st. jerom in his epistles , that seneca upon a foolish conceit abstained so long from flesh , and fed only upon fruit and fish ( infected perhaps with the leaven of the egyptian priests ) that when upon neroes commandment he was to bleed to death , there did not spring from him a drop of bloud . the like is written of st. genovese , the holy maid of paris , who ( like the egyptian prophetess ) abstained wholly from flesh , because it is the mother of lust : she would eat no milk , because it is white bloud ; she would eat no eggs , because they are nothing but liquid flesh : thus pining and consuming her body both against nature and godliness , she lived in a foolish error , thinking flesh more ready to inflame lust , then fruit or fish , the contrary whereof is proved by the islanders , groenlanders , orites , and other nations ; who feeding upon nothing but fish ( for no beast nor fruit can live there for cold ) yea having no other bread then is made of dried stockfish grinded into powder , are nevertheless both exceeding lecherous , and also their women very fruitfull . yea venus the mother of lust and lechery is said to have sprung from the fome of fish , and to have been born in the sea , because nothing is more availeable to engender ust , then the eating of certain fishes and sea-plants , which i had rather in this lascivious age to conceal from posterity , then to specifie them unto my countrymen , as the grecians and arabians have done to theirs . what nation more lascivious then the fenny egyptians , and the poeonians ? yet their meat was only fish , yea they fed their horses with them , as herodotus writeth . also in the isle of rhodes , the mother-seat of a strong and warlike nation , the people heretofore fed chiefly of fish , abhorring with such a kind of detestation from flesh , that they called the eaters of it savages and bellies . and verily if a strong , lusty , and warlike nation sprang from the eaters of fish alone , why should we deny , that fish is as much provoking to venery , as any flesh . so then , i having fully proved that flesh is as lawfull , as pure , and as holy a meat as fish ; now let us try which of them is the more ancient and best nourishment did we but mark ( saith plutarch ) the greasie fowlness of butchers , the bloudy fingers of cooks , and the smell of every beasts puddings and offal : we must needs confess , that first every thing was eaten before flesh , which even still we naturally abhor to see whilst it is in killing , and few touch without loathing when it is killed . the indian philosophers . called brachmanes , being at length induced to feed upon living creatures , killed fish for their sustenance , but abhorred from flesh . and though the babylonians delighted much after nimrods example , in hunting and killing of wild beasts , yet ( as herodotus reporteth ) they abstained from flesh , and lived wholly upon fruit and fish . for answer of which objections , i oppose to the babylonians , abraham and the holy scriptures ; which making mention of a calf drest and eaten in abrahams house , before ever any mention is made of eating of fish ; it is very probable that flesh was foremost , after the general permission to eat both . to the indian sophisters i oppose pythagoras and his schollars , who being perswaded at the length to eat of certain beasts and birds , utterly yet abstained from eating of flesh , perhaps upon these causes . first because it is a cruel and unmanlike thing , to kill those creatures which cannot possibly hurt the inhabitants of the earth . secondly , what necessity is there to use them , nature having replenished the earth with fruit , herbs , grain , beasts also , and birds of all sorts ? thirdly , had fish been eaten first , no doubt it had been first eaten of the islanders and sea-borderers ; but neither the inhabitants of hellespont , nor the islanders of phoeacum , nor the wooers of penelope ( bringing all manner of dainties to their feasts ) are ever read in homer to have brought or eaten fish . no nor ulysses his companions are recorded to have made their sea-provision of fish , but of flesh , fruit , salt , and meal ; neither used they any hook to catch fish withall , till they were almost famished for want of victual ( as you may read at large in homer his ulysses ) which is a manifest argument , that fish was not used ( or at the least not eaten of ) till men were unfurnished of other meats . last of all , whereas plutarch objecteth how loathsom a thing it is to see butchers and cooks sprinkled with bloud in killing and dressing flesh . i answer him , that the sight is not so loathsom to nature , but to niceness and conceit . for what god permits to be eaten , nature permits to dress and kill ; neither rebelleth she more at the death of an ox , then at the cutting down of hay or corn . nay furthermore , sith all was made for mans use , and man for god , she giveth us liberty to kill all things that may make for the maintenance of our life , or preservation and restoring of our health . hippocrates most wittily having shewed , that some men are deceitful by nature , and that therefore nature taught them the art of making dice ( the instruments of deceit ) he sheweth consequently , that because nature is provident for mens health , therefore she hath likewise invented the arts of building , plaistering , weavin g and tillage : wherefore ( to imitate and urge hippocrates argument ) if nature have provided flesh and fish ( that a substantial , this a more light nourishment for our bodies ) how squemish soever we are to see them killed , yet it is no unnatural thing to see it , no not to do it our selves . concerning the last question whether flesh or fish be the better nourishment ; i cannot answer better then as galen did , being asked the like question of wine and water . for as wine is best for one man , and water for another ; so likewise flesh is most nourishing to some constitutions , and fish to others . timothie was young , but yet sickly and weak stomacked , his youth required water , but his sickness wine ; wherefore paul , like a good physician ; advised him to drink no longer water , but a little wine for his stomacks sake , and his often infirmities . so likewise severus the emperor being sick at york , of a hot gout , his physicians forbad him all flesh , especially of the stronger sort ; but he refusing their councel , nourished his disease with forbidden meats , and soon died . contrariwise seneca was forbidden by serenus the physician to eat any more of fish , being too too watrish a nourishment for his weak body ; which whilst he refused to do and forbare to eat flesh , his bloud was all turned to a gellied water . so then in respect of particular persons , neither flesh nor fish be of better nourishment , but both alike : yet generally flesh engendreth the better , purer , and more perfect bloud ( as the very colour and face of men which use either of them apart , doth perfectly declare ; ) and consequently for sound men , it is and ought to be accounted the best sustenance . chap. viii . . of the flesh of tame beasts . veal . calves flesh is of a temperate constitution , agreeing with all ages , times , and temperatures . calves are either sucklings or wainlings : the first are of easier digestion , making good bloud , and driving choler from the heart : so likewise is the wainlings , but somewhat harder ; either of them agree with hot and dry persons , howsoever it is drest ; but to flaggy and moist stomacks , veal is unwholsom unless it be dry roasted ; for roasted meats give drie nourishment , and boil'd meats moist , as galen writeth . the italians are so in love with veal , that they call veal vitellam , that is to say , their little life : as though it gave not only nourishment , but also life to their dry bodies : which albeit i confess to be true , by reason neither their calves flesh , nor their own bodies , be so moist as ours ; yet in our country it falls out otherwise through abundance of moisture ; so that howsoever sound bodies do well digest it , yet languishing and weak stomacks find it too slimy , and can hardly overcome it : did we not kill them so soon as commonly we do , namely , before they be fully a month old , they would give the more sound and wholsome nourishment ; for till they be five or six weeks old , their flesh is but a gelly hardened ; afterwards it is firm flesh , void of superfluous moisture , and most temperate of constitution . likewise in the choice of veal , the bull calf is thought the sweeter and better flesh , whereas in all other beasts ( for the most part ) the female is preferred . beef . ox-beef , the older it is after his full growth , the worse it is , engendring ( as galen dreamed of all beef ) quartane agues , leprosies , scabs , cankers , dropsies , stoppings of the spleen and liver , &c. but whilst it is young , or growing forwards in flesh and fatness , it is of all meats by nature , complexion , and custome , most nourishing unto english bodies ; which may easily appear in the diffecence of their strength , and clean making , which feed chiefly upon it , and betwixt them that are accustomed to finer meats . chuse we therefore the youngest , fattest , and best grown ox , having awhile first been exercised in wain or plough to dispel his foggie moisture ; and i dare undertake , that for sound men , and those that labour or use exercise , there is not a better meat under the sun for an english man ; so that it be also corned with salt before it be roasted , or well and sufficiently poudred before it be sod : for so is it cleansed from much impurity , and made also more savory to the stomach : but if it be over salted , poudred , or dried ( as commonly it happeneth in ship provision and rich farmers houses , that keep beefe a whole twelve-month till they eat it ) it is tough , hard , heavy , and of ill nourishment , requiring rather the stomach of another hercules who is said to have fed chiefly of bulls flesh ) then of any ordinary and common ploughman . wherefore howsoever we may taste of it to bring on appetite , let it be but a touch and go : for being eaten much and often , it will heat and corrupt our blood , dry up our bodies , choke the mesaraical veins , and bring forth many dangerous inward and outward griefs . the romans when they first ventured to dress an oxe ( fearing belike what event might follow the eating of an unknown meat ) roasted the oxe all at once , and stuft his belly with all sorts of sweet hearbs , and good flesh that the season yeelded , making no small pudding in his belly , which the people called equm trojanum , the trojan horse : because it contained no fewer kinds of meats then that did soldiers ; but had they known the wholesomness of the meat , and our manner of dressing , they needed not to have mingled so many antidotes , and to have corrupted rather then corrected so good a nourishment . cow biefe . cowbiefe is supposed by the irish people , and also by the normans in france to be best of all : neither do they account so much of oxen ; either because they think the unperfit creatures , or rather ( as i take it ) because they know not how to use and diet them in the gelding . but were they as skilful in that point , as also in the killing and dressing of oxen , as was prometheus ; no doubt they would make higher estimation of one oxe , then of all the fat cowes in ceres stall . nevertheless i deny not , yea i affirm with galen that a fat and young heifer , kept up a while with dry meat , will prove a convenient temperate and good nourishment , especially if it be kil'd after the french fashion , as i saw the norman butchers kill them in our camp , whilst i lay there in camp with that flower of chivalry the earl of essex . when the cow is strook down with the axe , presently they lay her upon her back , and make a hole about the navel , as big as to receive a swans quill , through which the butcher blowes wind so long , till the whole skin swell round about like a bladder , in such sort that the beast seems of a double bigness ; then whilst one holdeth the quill close and bloweth continually , two or three others beat the cow as hard as they can with cudgils round about : which beating never bruseth the flesh ( for wind is ever betwixt it and the skin ) but maketh both the hide to prove better leather , and the flesh to eat better and tenderer then otherwise it would . bull beife . bull beife , unless it be very young , is utterly unwholesome and hard of digestion , yea almost invincible . of how hard and binding a nature bulls blood is , may appear by the place where they are killed : for it glaseth the ground and maketh it of a stony hardness . to prevent which mischief either bulls in old time were torne by lions , or hunted by men , or baited to death by dogs as we use them : to the intent that violent heat and motion might attenuate their blood , resolve their hardness , and make their flesh softer in digestion . bulls flesh being thus prepared , strong stomachs may receive some good thereby , though to weak , yea to temperate stomachs it will prove hurtful . lambs flesh . galen , halyabbas , and isaac , condemn lambs flesh for an over phlegmatick and moist meat : breeding ill nourishment , and through excessive watrishness slipping out of the stomach before it be half concocted , in cold stomacks it turns all to slime , in a hot stomack it corrupts into choler , in aged persons , it turns to froth and flegm , in a young person and temperate , it turns to no wholesome nourishment ; because it is of so flashy and moist a nature : all which i will confess to be true in sucking lambs who the nearer they are killed to their birth day the worse they are : but when they are once weaned , and have fed half a year upon short and tender grass , i think that of all other flesh it is simply the best , as i will prove by divine and humane reason . for as in the new testament , the lords supper materially consisteth of two such things , as there cannot be any drink or meat devised more comfortable nor more strenthening to the nature of man , namely bread and wine : so likewise the blessed sacrament of the old testament , could not conveniently be so well expressed as in the eating of that , which was the purest , most temperate , and most nourishing of all meats : and what flesh is that i pray you ? veal ? pig ? or goats flesh ? or the flesh of wild beasts ? or the flesh of birds ? no , but the flesh of a sound weaned lamb , of a year old , whose flesh is neither too cold and moist , as is a sucklings ; nor too dry , and hot ▪ as when it hath strength to know the ewe : but of a most temperate constitution , fittest to resemble the thing signified , who is of all other our best nourishment . philochorus is recorded to have made a law that the athenians should eat no more lambs flesh : not because they thought it too tender a meat for mens stomacks ( as some foolishly have conceived ) but because the people found it so wholesome , pleasant , and nourishing , that every man desired it above all meats : in such sort that had not the eating of them been restrained by a severe law , the whole race of sheep would have decayed amongst them . upon the like reason valens the emperour made a law that no veal should be eaten ; which was counted in old time a princely meat ( for alwaies it was one dish at the kings table in egypt , though they never had but two ) howsoever through god his singular blessing it is an ordinary meat amongst us in mean households . the best way to prepare lambs flesh is sufficient roasting ; for boyling makes it too fleshy and phlegmatick , and by over-rosting the sweetness thereof is soon dried up . yea all mutton ( contrary to the nature of pork , pig ▪ and veal ) should rather be too raw then too much roasted ; according as the french men find by experience , who slash and cut a giggot of mutton upon the spit , and with the bloody juice thereof ( tempered with crums of bread and a little salt ) recover weak stomacks and persons consumed . wherefore howsoever some naturally abhor it ( as my honest friend signor romano ) and strong stomacks prove better with harder meat ; yet without all question , a lamb chosen and drest in manner aforesaid , is for most men a very temperate nourishing and wholesome meat , agreeing with all ages , times , regions and complexions . arnoldus freitagius in his natural history , saith that the hinder quarters of a lamb being drawn with rosemary and garlick first steept in milk , and moderately rosted at the fire , is a meat most acceptable to the taste , and also profitable to moist stomacks , for which it is else commonly thought to be hurtful . also he assureth , that lambs flesh being well beaten with a cudgel before it is roasted , eateth much better and is far wholesomer : which i leave to be judged by the cooks experience . mutton . mutton is so generally commended of all physicians , if it be not too old , that itis forbidden to no persons , be they sick or sound . the best mutton is not above four years old , or rather not much above three ; that which is taken from a short hilly and dry feeding , is more sweet short and wholesome , then that which is either fed in ranck grounds , or with pease-straw ( as we perceive by the taste ) great fat and ranck fed sheep , such as somerset shire and linconshire sendeth up to london , are nothing so short nor pleasant in eating , as the norfolk , wiltshire , and welsh mutton ; which being very young are best rosted , the elder sort are not ill being sodden with bugloss , borrage , and persly roots . now if some shall here object , that gelding and spading be unnatural actions ; and that eunuchs are subject to more diseases then perfect men : inferring thereupon a reason or likelihood , that the like may be also in all gelded ware ( and consequently in muttons ) contrary to that which galen hath affirmed ; i will deny all their positions upon good grounds . for even nature hath deprived some things of that which gelders cut away ; and that eunuchs are freed from many diseases ( as gouts , baldness , leprosies ) whereunto other men are subject , experience in all ages truely avoucheth . last of all , it is generally confessed of all skilful shepherds , ( and namely by charles steven and john liebault ) that ewes and rams are subject to far more maladies then muttons ; requiring greater cost , care , skill , and providence to maintain them in health . rams flesh and ewes flesh . as for rams flesh and ewes flesh ( that being too hot and dry , this too excremental and soon corrupted ) i commend neither of them , especially in this country of ours , where there is ( god bethanked ) such choice of wholesome wethers . kid and goat . as lambs flesh is lighter and moister then other mutton , so is kid more light and moist then goats flesh : because ( as hippocrates reasoneth ) it is less bloody , and the blood which it hath is very moist , liquid , and fine . the black and red kids are better then the white : and the younger they are ( so they be above a fortnight old ) the more wholesome and nourishing they are esteemed . their flesh is soon and quickly digested , of excellent nourishment , and restorative after a great sickness : especially for young persons and hot stomacks , but naught for them which are old & phlegmatick . it is better rosted then sod , and the hinder parts are to be prefered because they are dryer and less excremental . they are temperately hot and moist , whilst they are under six weeks age : for afterwards they grow to such heat and lasciviousness , that ( before they are wained ) they will after they have suckt , cover their own dam ; after they are once wained , their flesh may be fit for strong labouring men , which would not so well brook a tender suckling ; but for the most part of men it is unwholesome and of bad juice . the old he-goat is suitable to an old ram , save that it is more tough , hard , and unpleasant ; his flesh is not to be eaten , till he hath been baited like a bull to death , and when he is dead you must beat the flesh in the skin , after the french fashion of beating a cow. the she-goat being young , is less hurtful ; but an old she-goat is worse and of a more sharp and corrupt juice : rather provoking venery and sharpness of seed ( as also the male doth ) then nourishing the body . a gelded goat was unknown unto ancient physicians , but questionless it is the best next to sucking kid ; for it is more moist through abundance of fat , and also of more temperate heat because it wanteth stones ; in which i certainly believe a more violent heat to be placed , then in any part beside : yea whereas the liver draweth onely from the stomack and guts by the meseraical veines , and the heart only from the lungs and liver , and the brain from all three ; the stones have a heat which draweth seed from the whole body , yea from the bones and gristles , as hippocrates writeth and reason collecteth . furthermore the tollerable smell which a gelded goat hath , sheweth that his flesh is far sweeter : but he-goats and she-goats are so ranck , that a fencer of thebes feeding much of them , no man could endure his sweat . also the chief priest of rome did never so much as touch them saith plutarch , because they are subject to the falling sickness , letcherous in life , and odious in smell . pigg , sowe , bore , and hogg . piggs flesh by long and a bad custome is so generally desired and commended , that it is credibly ( though falsly ) esteemed for a nourishing and excellent good meat : indeed it is sweet , luscious , and pleasant to wantons , and earnestly desired of distempered stomacks : but it is the mother of many mischiefs , and was the bane of mine own mother . a sucking piggs flesh is the moistest flesh simply of all other ; engendring crudities , palsies , agues , gowts , apoplexies and the stone : weakning the memory ( for it is moist in the third degree ) procuring fluxes of the belly , and engendring most viscous , flashy and corrupt humours . their flesh is hardly digested of a weak stomack , and their leather-coat not easily of a strong . the younger they are , the worse they are : yet some venture upon them ( yea covet them ) ere they be eight days old ; yea the romans delicacy was such , that they thought them dainty meat being taken blood and all out of the sowes belly ere she was ready to farrow , eating them after a little bruising in the blood , no less greedily then some do the pudding of a bruised deer . we do well in roasting our piggs at a blazing fire , sprinkling them with salt on the outside : but if we stuft their bellies with a good deal of salt as well as sage , and did eat them with new sage , and vinegar and salt , they would be less offensive . the danes i remember ( when i was at elsenore ) draw them with garlick as the french men do with lard : which is no ill correcter of their sliminess and viscous humour . the bore-pig is not preferred before the sow-pig : because it is strong and ranck . bores flesh ( i mean of the tame bore ) is never good but 〈◊〉 it is brawn'd ; which though pliny avoucheth to be first invented by servillus rullus , yet by plautus it seemeth to be a more ancient meat . the best way of brawning a bore is this of all other , which i learned first of sir thomas george , and saw practised afterwards to good purpose . shut up a young bore ( of a year and a half old ) in a little room about harvest time , feeding him with nothing but sweet whey , and giving him every morning clean straw to lye upon , but lay it not thick . so before christmas he will be sufficiently brawned with continual lying , and prove exceeding fat , wholesome and sweet ; as for the common way of brawning bores , by stying them up in so close a room that they cannot turn themselves round about , and whereby they are forced alwaies to lye on their bellies , it is not worthy the imitation : for they feed in pain , lye in paine , and sleep in pain : neither shall you ever find their flesh so red , their fat so white , nor their liver so sound , as being brawned otherwise accordingly , as is before rehersed . after he is brawned for your turn , thrust a knife into one of his flanks , and let him run with it till he dye : others gently bait him with muzled doggs . the roman cooks thrust a hot iron into his side , and then run him to death ; thinking thereby that his flesh waxed tenderer and his brawn firmer . sows flesh is reckoned of isaac , to engender good blood , to nourish plentifully , yea to be restorative if it be young . but an old sow breedeth ill juice , is hardly concocted , and begetteth most viscous humors . the heliopolitanes abstained from sows flesh of all others : first , because ( contrary to the nature and course of all other beasts ) she admits the bore not in the full , but in the wane of the moon . secondly they demand , how can her flesh be wholsom , whose milk being drunk , filleth our bodies full of leprosie ▪ scurf , tetters and scabs ? yea a sow is one of the most filthy creatures in the world ; her belly is never void of scurf , her throat of kernely imposthumes , her brain so heavy and moist , that she cannot look up to heaven ; or rather she dare not , being the rooter up , and so bad an inhabitant of the earth . nevertheless i am of isaacs mind , that a young sow kept long from the bore , sweetly dieted with roots , corn , and whey , and kept from filthy feeding and wallowing , may be made good and tolerable meat for strong stomacks , after it hath been powdered and well rosted . pork and bacon . now concerning pork and hogs flesh , made of a spaded sow , or a hogg gelded , verily let us say thereof ( as theon said of all sorts of swine ) if it be not good for meat , wherefore is it good ? his cry is most odious and harsh , his smel loathsom , his very shape detested : at home he is ravening , in the field rooting , and every where filthy , foul , unhappy , and unprofitable . all which hurts he recompenceth in this only one , that of all other beasts ( if galen be not deceived ) he most nourisheth : especially if he feed abroad upon sweet grass , good mast and roots ; for that which is penn'd up and fed at home with taps drappings , kitchin offal , soure grains , and all manner of draffe , cannot be wholsom . in plinies time they were so far from fatting them with such refuse , that ( considering they were to be eaten of themselves ) men usually fatted their hogs with milk and figgs . but sith that course is more chargeable then necessary for englishmen ; either let their hoggs feed themselves fat abroad with grass and mast , or at home with only sweet whey , and a little grounded corn , then which they cannot have a more sweet meat . furthermore , to use galens encomium or phrase of a hogg ( whereby you may swear he was no jew , nor lopus no good physician ) howsoever nothing less resembleth a man , then a hogg in his outwards , yet inwardly no creature resembleth him more : for the colour and substance of his flesh , the shape , figure , connexion , suspension , proportion , and situation of his entrails , differ little or nothing from mans body : and besides that ( when he is of a just grouth ) his temper is also most like to ours . thus much out of galen for the praise of pork ; whom albeit rea●dus columbus , and vesalius do oppugne in their anatomies concerning the likelihood of a mans and a hoggs entrails ; yet none hitherto denyed pork to be a a temperate meat , being corned and rosted , or sodden after it hath been well powdered . nevertheless , ( to yield mine own opinion ) i esteem it ( by galens leave ) a very queasie meat , howsoever it be prepared , and to have in it self alwaies , flatuosum chacochynicum & febrile quid . for if you eat it fresh , it is as dangerous as fresh sprats to an aguish stomack : if you eat it corned , yet is it of gross juice , and speedy corruption , unless by mustard and sorrel sawce it be corrected : if it be sodden and powdered ▪ green-sawce made of sorrel , is to be eaten with it , both to cool the fiery nature of the salt , and also to qualifie the malignity of the flesh it self : if it be salted and made into bacon , how hard is it to be digested in most mens stomacks , either boiled or fryed ? yea the caretanes of spain ( whom strabo ▪ writeth to be the best makers of sawsages and salt meats in the whole world ) and the normans in france ( whose bacon flitches and jambons varro extolleth ) could never so dry bacon , or make pork into such wholsom sawsages , seasoned with pepper , salt , and sage , but that it needed a draught of wine more then ordinary to macerate and digest it in the stomack . it is recorded that leo the tenth , pope of rome , loved pork so exceedinglv , that he bestowed above two thousand crowns a year in sawsages , mingling the brawnes of peacocks , with porks flesh , pepper , and other spices , which were afterwards called leonis incisia , leo his sawsages . but when hadrian the sixth his successor perused the accounts , and found above ten thousand ducats spent by his predecessor in that one meat , he detested him ( saith jovius ) as much dead , as he honoured him whilst he was alive . finally , no brawn , pork or bacon , should be eaten without wine , according to that old verse made in salern school ( which some no less account of then the heathen did of apollo his oracles ) est caro porcina sine vin● pejor ovina ; si tribuis vina , tune est cibus & medicina . as mutton tough , pork without wine is not esteem'd so good : but if that wine be drunk thereon , 't is physick both and food . or if wine be scarce , drink after such meats , a good draught of your strongest beer well spic'd with ginger , and then labour it out ( as ploughmen do ) for ease after gross meats is very dangerous ; but strong labour overcometh all things . as for the entrails of hoggs , and especially the harsenet ( which publius syrus preferred before all meats ) i find them to be stopping , and of bad nourishment ; yet the livers of piggs are counted nourishing , but their lungs are watrish and very phlegmatick . chap. ix . of the flesh of wild beasts , or venison . wild bore , and wild sow . of all venison , hippocrates most commendeth the flesh of a wild sow , because it is not only an excellent nourishing and strengthening meat , but also medicinable to keep us from costiffness . reason teacheth us that it is farr above tame pork or swines flesh : first , because it feeds more purely ; secondly , because it hath not meat brought to hand , but gets it by travail , and hath choice of diet to feed whereon it listeth . thirdly , it is not penn'd up ( as commonly our swine be ) in a little close and stinking stie , but enjoyeth the benefit of a clear aire , which clarifieth bloud , as much as any meat can augment it . it is a rare meat in england , and found only ( as i have been enformed ) in my lord latimers woods , who took great pleasure in hunting them , and made also wild buls of tame ones , as our fore-fathers ( more wisely ) made tame of wild . if they be young , fat , fully grown , and taken in chaso , in the winter time ( presently after mast is fallen ) they are unfit for few mens stomacks , being thus prepared as i have seen them drest in high - germany . first , after the flesh is throughly cold , parboil it in rhenish wine , wherein ripe juniper berries were sodden : then having taken it out and sliced it , season every slice or cut thereof with pepper , salt , cloves , mace , ginger , and nutmegs , of each a sufficient quantity , last of all make it in paste , with good store of sweet butter and it will prove a most excellent meat to be eaten cold . wild calves are common in wales upon the mountains : whence one was brought this last christmas to ludlow castle , where i did eat of it rosted and bak'd ; and by taste i find it more firm and dry , and by the effects of digestion , more wholsom and passable then our ordinary veal . red and fallow deer . now concerning deers flesh , which isaac in his old age so much longed for ; some imagin it to be the worst meat of all others , and some conceive it to be the best . galen numbreth it amongst hard , meclancholique , and gross meats , comparing , yea almost preferring asses flesh before it ; ascribing also unto it ill concoction , ill nourishment , stoppings , and quartane feavers . roger bacon thinks it one of the best meats , if it be so young that we can digest it : for , saith he ( quod diu sem tipsum , alios illud diu conservare potest ) that which long liveth by its own nature , maketh also others to live long . but by his leave , we may then feed better upon ravens then capons , for these never live above seaven yeares , and a raven liveth to nine hundred yeares , if virgil be not deceived . plutarch thinketh deer an unwholsom meat , because it is of a cold and melancholick constitution . and how proveth he that ? forsooth . because he is fearful : secondly because if he were of a hot complexion ( as the wilde bore is ) his teares would be sweet , as his be ; but the teares of a deere ( and especially of a stagg ) are salt : ergo , he is of a cold and dry constitution . but empedocles was of sounder opinion , who ascribeth all teares to the working of heat : for as milke yieldeth whey by stirring , churning and pressing , so any violent passion ( be it joy or greife , anger or pitty ) churneth the blood , stirreth the humors , and presseth the brain , wherupon teares ( the wheyish part of them all ) must needs ensue . furthermore they are thought to be unwholsom , because bucks and staggs feed much upon snakes : yea as an ass is to a lions mouth , or hony to bears , or bees to martlets , so are serpents to them a most desired meat ; whereupon the grecians call them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , serpent catchers . might i be a sufficient arbitrator between two so learned men , i would determine the truth to be on either side : for indeed young venison , whilst it is sucking , is very restorative ; neither do i think old isaac in his declining age to have delighted more in it in respect of taste , then in respect of wholsomness and goodness . also a gelded deer is neither too dry , nor too cold , but of a temperate constitution , and so void of superfluous or excrementitious humors , that his horns never grow again after he is gelt , which aristotle , and all philosophers impute to superfluity of heat and moisture . nay young bucks and does , hinds and staggs ( whilst they are in season ) are a wholsom and delicate meat , breeding no bad juice of themselves , yet bearing often the faults of bad cooks ( which know not how to dress nor use them aright ) but more often the deserved reproaches of greedy gourmands , that cannot moderately use the good creatures of god ; either eating venison when they should not , or more liberally and usually then they should . the italians also have this opinion of venison , that eaten in the morning , it prolongeth life , but eaten towards night , it hasteneth death . contrariwise old venison indeed is dry , and perhaps too cold likewise ; full of gross , clammy , and incorrigible humors : so that the same meat may be wholsom at some age , in some times , and for some certain complexions , which otherwise in contrary circumstances is unwholsom : yet is it never so pretious as that a man should venture his life to get it by stealth , as many doe , and have done in noble mens parks , yea perhaps in their princes forrests and chief chases . cardan affirmeth that bucks and does have no galls in their bodies , which is rather a signe of good temperature and lightness , then of any dull , dry , or heavy meat . this one thing only i will add , that keepers of parks , or at the least their servants and young children , have , upon my knowledge , fed all the year long of little meat else , and yet remained as strong , healthfull , and active , as any persons could be . finally , admit deer be dry ; doth not butter amend them ? suppose they be cold ; doth not pepper and salt , and baking , give them sufficient heat ? thus , howsoever it falleth out , they are either by preparation ( which none can deny ) or by nature ( as i verily believe ) a good nourishment , so that they be chosen in their due season , just age , and moderately fed upon : neither have we any reason from their unwholsomness to dispark our parks , or to c●t down forrests provided for their succour ; nay rather we ought to cherish them for the maintenance of hunting , whereunto if young gentlemen were addicted , as their fathers were heretofore ( they would be more ready ( whereof hunting is a resemblance ) to warlike purposes and exploits . roebuck and capreol . but of all venison roebuck and capreol bareth away the bell ; for whereas the forenamed beasts are discredited for their grosness of blood , the capreol his blood is exceeding fine , through his swift running , and continual frisking and leaping from place to place , whereby his pores are ever opened , and all bad humours consumed by exercise , so that the very smell of his flesh is not heavy nor fulsome ( as in other deer ) but fragrant , quick and delightful ; neither hath his flesh the ordinary taste of venison , but a peculiar and more pleasant taste : neither lyeth it heavy upon any stomack , but is digested as soon as kid ; curing also ( as isaac writeth ) the falling sickness , colick , dropsie , and abundance of fleam collected in any part . it is permitted to all indifferent stomacks , and forbidden onely to children , colerick constitutions , lean and consumed bodies , shrunck sinews , and burning agues . the alpes are full of them in high germany , and some of our mountains of wales are not without them . they are good roasted , sodden , or baked as red deer ; but you need not to pepper or salt them half so much , for their flesh ( even when they are old ) is easily digested , and scarce needeth a cup of wine ( which other venison necessarily requireth ) to hasten their concoction . furthermore , where all kinds of other venison are not good but at certain seasons , yet the capreol is never out of season : being alike wholesome in sommer and winter , and alike toothsome , as the borderers of the alpes do best know , and our owne country men might perceive if they made trial . hares . hares or leverets ( the beloved meat of alexander severus ) taken in hunting , roasted with fresh lard , and eaten with venison sawce , cannot offend a reasonable stomack . galen saith that the flesh of a hare prevents fatness , causeth sleep , and cleanseth the blood : how be it in another place he saith , that it breedeth gross blood and melancholick humours : which unless he understand only of old , lean , and unseasonable hares , experience it self will overthrow him ; for take a young leveret , and let it blood as you do a pigeon , the flesh of it will be very white , tender , and well rellishing ; yea little inferiour to a midso●mer rabbet . yet i deny not ( with hippocrates ) that it dryeth more then ordinary meats : for it provoketh much urine , and so accidentally moistneth little , though it be moist enough of its own nature . pissanellus writeh ( and the italians generally believe it ) that eating of much hares flesh maketh a man fair and merry seven dayes after ; for which purpose perhaps they were so much in request amongst the romans , who fatned young hares in clappers , as we do connies , finding them so dieted to be a delicate and wholesome meat : tame hares so prepared are good at all times but wild hares are best and fattest in the hardest time of winter . certain it is , that much eating of hares flesh procureth leanness ; because it is very diuretical , and common sence teacheth , that a man pissing much cannot be fat , because the wheyish part of blood ( called of hippocrates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sled of nourishment ) is sooner expelled then that it can carry nourishment throughout the body . the neither germans hang their hares six or seven daies in the cold and shadowy aire before they flay or dress them : whereby they prove exceeding tender , though a night or two nights hanging were sufficient . we do usually boil the foreparts in broth , and rost only the hinder parts : and not without reason ; for as in kid and lamb the hinder parts are driest ; and therefore we seeth them , the fore-parts over-moist and therefore we roast them : so contrawise a hare is driest before , and moistest behind . now concerning such medicins , as matthiolus avoucheth to be taken from a hares harsenet , from his skin , gall , kidneys , bones , stones , haire , blood , and dung ; i think it impertinent to the treatise of diet , which sheweth not how to give medicines but to use nourishments . connies . it is not to be thought strange that hippocrates and galen , and all the grecians wrote so little of connies , which with us , above all other nations is so common a meat . for as ithaca never bred , nor fostered them , so in all grece they hardly lived . here ( thanks be to god ) they are plentiful , in such sort that alborne chase affordeth above a hundred thousand couple a year , to the benefit of good house-keeping , and the poors maintenance . rabbet suckers are best in march , agreeing as well with old melancholick dry , and weak stomacks , as disagreeing with strong and moist complexions . a midsomer rabbets flesh is less moist and more nourishing ; but a michaelmas or winter rabbet is of firm , wholesome , temperate , and most laudable flesh : best roasted , because their nourishing juice is soon soked out with the least seething , making good broth and bad meat . chuse the female before the male , the fat before the lean , and both from out a chalky ground and a sweet laire . hedghoggs . when i considered how cleanly the hedghogg feedeth , namely upon cows milk ( if he can come by it ) or upon fruit and mast ; i saw no reason to discontinue this meat any longer upon some fantastical dislike ; sith books , nature and experience hath commended it unto us . for as martial made hares flesh the daintiest dish of the romans , so in hippocrates time the hedghogg was not of least account among the grecians ; which he commendeth for an excellent nourishment , were it not something too moist and diuretical . nay ( as some affirm ) it nourisheth plentifully , procureth appetite and sleep , strengthneth travailers , preserveth women with child from miscarrying , dissolveth knots and kernelly tumours , helps the lepry , consumption , palsy , dropsie , stone , and convulsion ; onely it is forbidden unto melancholick and flegmatick persons , and such as are vexed with piles or hemorhoids . squirrels . squirrels are much troubled with two diseases , choler and the falling-sickness ; yet their hinder parts are indifferent good , whilst they are young , fried with parsly and butter : but being no usual nor warrantable good meat , let me skip with them and over them to another tree ; for it is time to write of the winged nation , which promise us a second course of more dainty , i will not say of more wholesome meats . neither shall any discourse of asses flesh ( which maecenas so highly loved , that all italy was too little to find him asses enough ) nor of horse flesh ( for longing after which gregory the third excommunicated the germans ) nor of foxes flesh ( which the vandales eat for restorative ) nor of lions flesh ( wherewith achilles was dieted in his pupillage ) nor of beares flesh ( which the moscovite calls his great venison ) nor of apes flesh though it most resembleth a man ( which the zygantes in africa highly esteam & eat of in their solemn feasts ) nor of lysards , tortesses , or any other four-footed beasts : nor of mans flesh , albeit the canibals praise it above all other ( as osorius writeth ) and cambletes king of lydia having eaten of his own wife , said he was sorry to have been ignorant so long of so good a dish . as for the flesh also of young puppies ( commended of hippocrates & afterwards of galen ) howsoever in the isles of corsica & alalta they are still esteemed as good meat , yet cardan saith in his divers history , that they made the people like to doggs , that is to say , cruel , stout , rash , bould , and nimble . wherefore leaping over these insolent and bad meats , which neither use nor reason hath confirmed . i now to come treat of birds and fowl , and then of fish , and the fruits of the earth , and waters according to my first division . chap. . of the flesh of tame birds . that the flesh of tame foul nourisheth more then wild foul , isaac the physitian proveth by three arguments . first , because they are more usually eaten of , and so by custom ( a second nature ) made more agreeable to our stomacks . secondly , where al other birds fly from us , and are not gotten without cost and travel : nature hath caused tame birds to converse with us , and to offer themselves ( as it were ) to be killed at our pleasure : which verily she would never have done , had they been of a small or a bad nourishment . thirdly , wild foul ( for the most part ) especially such as flye far for a little meat , and trust more to their wings then their feet , though they are more light in digestion , because they are of a more spirituous & aiery substance ; yet they are not of so abundant nourishment as tame houshold birds , which feed not at randome of what they can get , but of good corne , such as men themselves eate , and therefore most fit to nourish man. now of all kind of fowl , remember that the youngest is tenderest and lightest ; old birds flesh is heaviest , but they which are proceeding to their full growth are most nourishing ; for ungrown birds ( and much more nestlers ) give but a weak thin and gelly-like substance , old birds are tough and dry ; those which are almost fully grown are of a more fleshy and firm nature . furthermore all birds feeding themselves abroad fat with wholesome meat , are of better nourishment then such as be cram'd in a coop or little house : for as prisoners smell of the gaol , so do they of their own dung . and thus much generally of birds : now let us come to every particular . pulli gallenacei . chickens ( saith avicen ) are so pure and fine a meat , that they engender no excrements in our bodies , having in themselves no illaudable substance : wherefore caius famius being sick of a burning feaver which had almost consumed all his flesh , was advised by his physicians to eat of no other meat then chickens : whereby he recovered his consumption ; and the eleventh year after the second carthaginian wars , made a law , that nothing but chickens or young pullets fed in the camp should be brought to him at his meals . the young cockrels are counted the best in this kind , being of all flesh the most commendable , nourishing strongly , augmenting seed , and stirring up lust : for which purpose boleslaus duke of silesia did eat thirteen cock-chickens at a meal ; whereof he died without having his purpose fulfilled , because he knew not how to use so wholsom a creature . we doe not amiss in england to eat sodden chickens and bacon together , for if they were eaten first , and bacon after , they would oversoon be digested , and if they were eaten after bacon , they would be corrupted : but they are best being rosted , because they are a moist meat ; and if they be sawced with sorrel and sugar , or with a little butter and grape-verjuice , they are a most temperate meat for weak stomacks ( as platina and bucinus set down ) for no man i think is so foolish as to commend them to ploughmen and besomers . white chickens are found by experience to be hardest of digeston , as gilbert our countryman writ a great while since : yet griunerius preferreth them for hectick persons , because they are coldest and moistest of complexion . they are all best in summer , as contrariwise pullets and hens be best in winter . cock-chickens are best before they crow lowd , hen-chickens before the cock offereth to tread them . galli . cocks flesh , the more old it is , the less it nourisheth ; but if they be young , and kept from their hens , and dieted with white bread and milk , or wheat steept in milk , they recover men out of consumptions , and hectick fevers : and then their stones , livers , and loyns , are of excellent good nourishment : being sodden they are nothing worth , for their goodness is all in the broth : as for their flesh , it is good for nothing but to dry and bind the stomack . galen saith , that as the broth of a hen bindeth the body , and the flesh loosneth the same ; so contrariwise the broth of a cock loosneth , and the flesh bindeth . they of the game are esteemed most wholsom ; called of the romans , medici galli , cocks of physick , because the physicians most commended them : amongst which , if i should prefer the kentish kind for bigness and sweetness , i suppose no injury to be done to any shire of england . chuse the youngest ( as i said ) for nourishment : for if once he be two years old , his flesh waxeth brackish , tough , and hard of digestion , fitter to be sodden in broth for the loosning of the belly , then any way to be dressed for encrease of nourishment . gallinae . hens are best before they have ever laid , and yet are full of eggs ; they also are best in january , and cold months , because long rest and sleep in the long nights makes them then fattest . their flesh is very temperate ( whilst they are young ) of good juice , and large nourishment , strengthening natural heat , engendring good blood , sharpning a dull appetite , quickning the eysight , nourishing the brain and seed , and agreeing with all ages and complexions ; for they are neither so hot as to turn into choler , nor so cold as to turn into fleagm , nor so dry as to be converted into melancholie ( and yet rhasis imagineth them to have a secret property of breeding the gout and hemorrhoids ) but turn wholly , or for the most part into blood , making a lively colour in the face , and quickning both the eyesight and every sense . pullets flesh ( saith avicen ) helpeth the wit , cleareth the voice , and encreaseth the seed , which is a manifest argument that it nourisheth greatly ; which also gallen confirmeth by many other arguments ; but that argument of encreasing seed is the chiefest of all , seed being the superfluity or abundance of nourishment . hens flesh is sweetest , when they are not too much fed , but dig out their meat with their heels in a clean flour ; for exercise consumeth the superfluous moisture , which else cannot but make them more unpleasant . nevertheless the delians used to fat them with bread steept in milk , and platina , apicius , and stendelius shew many waies to fatten them ; but the best way is to let them fat themselves with pure corne cast amongst chaff , that by exercise of their legs in shuffl●ng and scraping they may make their flesh to eat better , and prove more wholesome ; and yet by your leave ( mr. poulter ) the fattest hen or capon is not wholesomest , but that which is of a middle fatness ; for as in a man too much fatness is both a cause of diseases , and a disease it self , so falleth it out in their bodies ; which how can they be wholesome meat unto others , when they are diseased in themselves ? of a black hen the broath is whitest , and of a black goat the milk is purest ; the most part of hens and hares are scurvy and leprous . capi . capons of seven or eight months age , fatned in an open air , on a clean flour with pure meat , are preferred by all physitians ( old or modern , greeks or latins ) before all meats . and to say the truth , what dish can any cooks-shop afford , that can be compared with a boild or rosted capon ? which helpeth appetite , openeth the brest , cleareth the voice , fatneth lean men , nourisheth all men , restoreth sickmen , hurteth none but the idle , tasteth pleasantly , digesteth easily ; which is also more solid then the flesh of pullets , more tender then cocks , more familiar to our nature then phesants or partridges ; not so dry as a cock to be slowly digested , not so moist as a chicken , to be soon corrupted ; but equally affected and tempered in all qualities , engendring much blood and yet unoffensive , engendring much seed without unnatural sharpness or heat : finally the flesh of capons is so mild , temperate , and nourishing , that faventinus fears not to make it the ground of his restorative electuary ; yea aloisius mundella thinketh him to be desperately consumed , whom capon-gellies and cullises cannot recover . concerning the preparation of them , i commend them roasted for moist stomacks ; but beeing boild with sweet marrow in white broth , they are of speedier , though not of stronger nourishment . now if a capon be so wholesome a meat , why should we not also by stitching up some veins , or searing them in the loins , try whether we may not likewise make hen-capenets ? which the italians practise to good purpose , and make them exceeding fat ; but yet in pisanels judgment they eat too moist . one word more of the etymology of a capon ; which some derive from the english by an irony , capon ; because he hath not his cap on : others from the italian , capone , that is to say , qua pone , set it hither , because it is an excellent dish ; but i like fritagius his etimologie best of all , caponem dicimus quasi caput omnium : we call it a capon saith he in th● latin , because it is caput omnium , the head or chief of all other meats . and thus much of a capon , whose excellencies had the heralds known when dr. capon bought his arms of them , i see no reason why they should have preferred into his scutchions three cocks , all being nothing equivalent to one capon . galli africani . meleagrides . turkies , though they be very hardly brought up , and require great cost for their feeding , yet their flesh is most dainty and worthy a princes table . they were first brought from numidia into turky and thence to europe , whereupon they were called turkies . there are some which lately brought hither certain checkred hens and cocks out of new guiny , spoted white and black like a barbers apron ; whose flesh is like to the flesh of turkies , & both of them like the flesh of our hens & cockchickens , but that they be two parts hotter and moister then ours . the youngest , fatted in the fields or at the barn door , killed also in winter rather then in sommer , and hanged a day and night before they be drest , are wholesomest to be eaten and of best nourishment . their flesh recovereth strength , nourisheth plentifully , kindleth lust , agreeth with every person and complexion , saving such as be of too hot a temper , or enclined to rhumes or gouts ; it must be throughly roasted , and if it be sticked full of cloves in the roasting , or when it is to be baked ( which are the two best waies to cook a turky ) it will soke up the watrishness , and make it of speedier digestion . pavones . peacocks are ( as poets fain ) the beloved birds of juno : which none durst kill in old time , for fear of that jealous and revengeful goddesses displeasure . among the romans quintus hortensius was the first that ever brought them to the table ; whose commendation made them so desired , that within a while a peacocks egg was sold for ten pieces of silver , and his kacrsas for twenty times as much . afterwards marcus lurco seeing that old and lean peacocks grew to such a rate , he began to cram them fat whilst they were young , and gained thereby in a short time six thousand sesterties . leo the tenth ( that noble epicurean pope ) made their brawnes into sausages , allowing therefore every year many hundred ducats . it is strange that s. austin writes of peacocks flesh , namely that in a twelve month it corrupteth not after it is drest : nay kiranides avoucheth , that a peacocks flesh will not putrifie in thirty years , but remaineth then as sound and sweet as if it had been new killed ; which whether it proceed of the toughness and sinewy constitution , or the feeding upon serpents ( as some imagine ) i will not now determin : this i onely observe , that being once above a year old , their flesh is very hard , tough , and melancholick , requiring a strong stomack , much wine , and afterwards great exercise to overcome it . it is very ill for them that are molested with the hemorrhoids , and such as live slothfully . concerning their preparation , galen appointeth them to hang upon a hook fifteen daies , but haliabbas twise fifteen before they are drest . the italians after they are drawn , stuff their bodies full of nettles ( which softneth the hardest cheese being laid amongst them , and then they either bury it in sand , or hang it in a cold dry place , with a great weight at his heels ; and so within a fornight it becomes very tender . plutarch reports out of his countriments experiments , that an old cock , or an old peacock , or any hard flesh , hanging but one night on a fig-tree , waxeth very tender by morning : others ascribe as much to the hanging of them upon a brasen hook , which i permit to trial ; and wish both as true in effect , as the reasons why they should be so are learnedly disputed . as for young peacocks , fed at home , with wholesome and pure meat ( as bread corn and curds ) no doubt they are very good meat , yeelding not onely a taste extraordinarily strange and pleasant , but also giving good nourishment : the older sort is best roasted with lard ; the younger without lard , both should be well sowced in pure wine ; for without it they are unwholesome . anseres . galen commendeth nothing in a goose beside the giblets , stomack , and liver , sodden in broth : which whether scipio metellus , or marcus sestius first noted , pisanellus durst not decide ; but had he been as conversant in pliny , as he might have been , he should have read , that a question was moved in rome , who did first fatten geese : some imputing it to scipio and some to sestius . but messalinus cotta without all controversie was the first , that ever taught how to dress and use their giblets . nevertheless sith the kings of egypt feed usually but on two dishes , geese and veal ; either custome hath made them a harmless meat , or else they are not so hard , hot , aguish , and melancholick a meat as some suppose them . jason pratensis saith , that the jews have so hard a flesh , so foul a skin , so loathsome a savour , and so crooked conditions , because they eat so many geese . indeed their exceeding watchfulness , moody disposition , and blackness of flesh , argue a melancholick constitution ; yet being taken whilst they are young , green feathered , and well fatted with wholesome meat , and eaten with sorrel sawce to correct their malignity ( if any malignity can remain after such dieting ) no doubt their flesh is as nourishing as it is pleasant and sweet . but of all other a young stuble goose feeding it self fat in wheaten fields , is the best of all ; being neither of too moist nor too dry a flesh , but a middle constitution . if any goose be eaten above four months old , it is badly digested without garlick sauce , exercise , and strong drink . fritagius , in his creophagia , having set down that young geese are over-moist , and old geese very aguish , appointeh them to be both corrected in this sort . before they be killed make them to receive the smoke of borax down into their bodies three or four times together ; then stuff them with spices and sweet hearbs , and rost them throughly ; which is a very good way to correct their superfluous moisture ; but nothing available for their aguishness . savanarola maketh geese of a very hot constitution , albertus maketh them very cold ; their flesh is hard to digest , and yet more moist ( saith galen ) then of any water-foul besides : but their natural feeding shews them to be hot and dry , as savanarola writeth ; for they drink infinitely often , delight to be in the coldest waters , and feed most gladly upon lettice , endiff , purcelane , trifoil , ducks meat and sowthistle . they are so tame and obsequious to them that usually feed and dieted them , that ( if pliny saith truth ) they were driven ( like sheep ) from brabant and picardy to rome on foot ; but i fear me whilst he did so excessively commend their obedience , he did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , play the very goose himself . cygni . swans flesh was forbidden the jewes , because by them the hieroglyphical sages did describe hypocrisie ; for as swans have the whitest feathers and the blackest flesh of all birds , so the heart of hypocrites is contrary to their outward appearance . so that not for the badness of their flesh , but for resembling of wicked mens minds they were forbidden : for being young they are not the worst of meats ; nay if they be kept in a little pound and well fed with corn , their flesh will not onely alter the blackness , but also be freed of the unwholesomness ; being thus used , they are appointed to be the first dish at the emperour of moscovie his table , and also much esteemed in east-friezland . nevertheless i deny not but that naturally they are unwholesome , for their flesh is hard and black ; and all flesh the blacker it is , the heavier it is , the whiter the lighter ; and the more red the more enclining to heaviness , the less red the more enclining to lightness and easiness of digestion : which being once written for a general rule , needs not ( i hope ) hereafter to be repeated . anates . tame ducks feed filthly , upon froggs , toades , mud , waterspiders , and all manner of venemous and foul things : wherefore it is not untruly said of gesner , that the best part of a duck are his feathers ; for his flesh is hotter then of any tame fowl , and withall toomoist , hard , gross , of slow digestion , and very excremental ; yea furthermore , so aguish , that once or twice it brought galen himself into a fever , while he desired to try the operation of it . nevertheless young ducklings fed with grinded malt and cheese curds , drinking nothing but milk ( or chalkwater ) wax both white , fat , and soft in flesh , giving much good nourishment , clearing the colour of ones face , amending hoarsness of throats , encreasing seed , and dispelling wind : wherein we may see , that art and diet can make that wholsome , which nature of it self hath made hurtful . pipiones . columbae . tame pigeons are of two sorts , the one great and very tame , breeding monthly , kept and fed continually at home : the other fed never at home but in cadlock time and the dead of winter , when they can get no meat abroad , breeding onely but twice a year , namely at the first and later seed-time . they are of a very hot complexion , and dry when they are old ; but whilst they are young they are hot and moist ; the wilder sort is most wholesome , being killed after it hath flown a while up and down the dove-house , for then they give a purer juice , by reason that their foggy moisture is lessened by exercise ; also they must be let blood to death under the wing , which though dr. hector assumed to himself as his own invention , yet it is of no less antiquity then plinies writings . being thus newly killed and forthwith rosted at a blasing fire , their flesh engendreth great store of blood , recalling heat unto weak persons , clensing the kidneys , quickly restoring decayed spirits , especially in phlegmatick and aged persons , for whom they are most proper . in galens time ( saith rhasis ) they onely pluckt off their heads and cast them away ; but bleeding under the wing is far better , and maketh their flesh more cold and whiter ; in so much that galen is not afraid , to commend them to persons sick of agues . nay the italians do as usually give them in agues , as we do chickens . pigeons of the first flight are counted better , because the latter flight is after they have eaten cadlocks , which maketh them neither to eat so sweet , nor to prove so white and wholesome : when they cannot be had , home pigeons ( i mean of the greater sort ) are to be taken , and to be used in the like manner . chap. xi . of the flesh of wild fowl , ahiding and feeding chiefly upon the land. there is no small difference of land fowl , according to the meat they feed on , and the place they live in ; for the purer their meat , the better meat they are themselves ; they that feed upon flesh or garbage , are not so wholesome as they that feed upon good corn , bents , or wholesome seeds ; less wholesome are they which feed upon worms and fish on the sea shore , or rivers banks ; but worst of all other , they that feed upon serpents , spiders and venemous beasts : which no doubt may prove very medicinable to cure diseases , but they cannot prove nourishing ( keeping their natural diet ) to restore flesh . concerning the place wherein they live and feed , it is certain that high and dry countries have the wholesomest birds : for they which sit in low and moist places , are of no sweet nor wholesome complexion . furthermore , their manner of taking alters their flesh ; for a partridge taken in flight , or a larke dared with a hawke , is worth ten taken with nets , springes , and trammels ; the reason whereof is already set down in my chapter of preparation . finally look what bird is whitest flesht , that bird is easiest to be digested : what bird is reddest of flesh , is strongest of nourishment : whatsoever is black of flesh , is heavy to be digested and of slow nourishment ; yea so much the heavier and slower , by how much his skin and flesh appeareth blacker . this shall suffice to be generally spoken of land fowl , yea of all fowl : now let us descend to their particulars , beginning with birds of greater volume . tardae . bistards or bustards ( so called for their slow pace and heavy flying ) or as the scots term them , gusestards , that is to say , slow geese , feed upon flesh , livers , and young lambs out of sowing-time , and in harvest time , then they feed upon pure corn : in the summer towards the ripening of corn , i have seen half a dozen of them lie in a wheat-field fatting themselves ( as a deer will doe ) with ease and eating ; whereupon they grow sometimes to such a bigness , that one of them weigheth almost fourteen pounds . now as they are of an extraordinary bulk , so likewise are they of rare nourishment to indifferent strong stomacks , rellishing finely , restoring bloud and seed , offending no part of the body , but strengthening all . chuse the youngest and fattest about allhalontide ( for then are they best ) and diet him a day or two with a little white bread , or rather keep him altogether fasting that he may scour away his ordure ; then let him bleed to death in the neck-veins , and having hanged three or four daies in a cool place our of the moon-shine , either rost it or bake it as you do a turkie , and it will prove both a dainty and wholsome meat . grues . cranes breed ( as old dr. turner writ unto gesner ) not only in the northern countrys amongst the nation of dwarfs , but also in our english fens . pliny saith , that in italy they feed much upon grapes ; but with us they feed chiefly upon corn , and fenny seeds , or bents , theodosius esteemeth them of a cold temperature ; but all the arabians judge them to be hot and dry : certain it is that they are of themselves hard , tough , gross , sinewy , and engendring melancholique bloud , unfit for sound mens tables ( usually to be eaten of ) and much more unmeet for them that be sick ; yet being young , killed with a goshawk , and hanged two or three daies by the heels , eaten with hot galentine , and drowned in sack , it is permitted unto indifferent stomacks . in plutarch's time cranes were counted a dainty and good meat , fatted after this manner : first , they stitched up their eyes , and fed them in the dark with wholsom mixtures of corn , milk , and seeds to make them white , tender , and pleasant of taste : a day before they were killed , they tempered their meat with the juice of that herb , or with a good quantity of that seed whereof they would have their flesh especially to relish ; were it mints , basil , time , rosemary , commin , coriander , fennel-seed , or annis-seed : which course if we likewise observed in the cramming of capons , and fatning of our houshold birds , without question they would taste far more delicately . ciconiae , asteriae , ardeolae . storks , bittors , and herons , neither do breed , nor can breed any good nourishment , feeding chiefly upon little fishes , frogs , and worms : yea the stork delighteth in newts , water-snakes , adders , and sloeworms ; but ( except it be almost famished ) it will not venture upon a toad , as casparus heldelinus writeth . it was my chance in my first travel into germany , to meet one godfrey achtius ( chief physitian of aquisgrane ) at francfort mart , whose triacle was there sold , and esteemed better then the triacle of venice , whereinto he put not the flesh nor the salt of adders ; but the flesh of a heronshaw , fed a long time with nothing but such adders as galen wisheth us to chuse . verily his conceit was not ill ; and if we practised the like in england , it cannot be amiss , considering that the subtilest part of the adder is ( no doubt ) as it were sublimed and imbibed into the storks body and flesh : wherefore howsoever we use such birds for physick , yet let us not feed upon them as upon meats , lest we take poyson instead of nourishment . nay even all the heronshaws , ( namely the black , white , criel-heronshaw , and the miredromble ) though feeding somewhat better then the byttor or stork , are but of a fishy and strong savour , unless they be very young , and scarce able to fly ; yea they are not dangerless being green rosted , but procure the piles and smarting hemerrhoids ; of all of them , chuse the youngest and fatest , for they may be eaten , so with much spice , salt , or onions , and being throughly steept in a draught of old wine . furthermore , if they be drest without their skins , they rellish far better , according to the french and the best fashion , who also stuff them full of sweet herbs , and draw them with fine and small lard . phasiana . phesants are of so excellent a constitution , as well for substance as temperature , that from them as from a centre , physicians do judge the complexion of every foul , being of a middle constitution betwixt a brown hen and a partridg ( or as pisanellus will have it , betwixt a capon and a partridg ) neither so moist as the first , nor so dry as the second , but exceeding both in taste , temperature and goodness . galen , rhasis , avicen , averrhois , arnaldus de villa nova , trallian , and all writers do prefer a phesant for the soundest and best meat of all other ; and the frenchmen think a phesant to be called fai-san , because it maketh a sound man. nevertheless savanarola willeth men not to eat them often in health , that when sickness cometh they may do them the more good . they are best in winter , and the young ones are fittest for weak stomacks ; the old ones are to hang three or four daies by the heels , and then being drest , they will eat tender . in hectick fevers , and upon recoveries from a long or violent sickness , no meat so wholsom as phesant-pouts ; but to strong stomacks it is inconvenientest , especially to ploughmen and sabourers ▪ who eating of phesants , fall suddenly into sickness , and shortness of breath , as pisanellus hath wittily ( and perhaps truely ) noted . attagenes myricae . heath-cocks whilst they are young , are little inferior to a phesant , very well relishing , and being of good digestion ; when they wax old , all their flesh proves black , saving the brawn next their brest-bone , which is ever white , tender , firm , and wholsome . perdices . partridges have a temperate heat ; but encline to driness in the second degree ; they feed upon snails , chickweed , tops of leeks , and all manner of good and wholsome corn ; they are never subject to pips , nor any rhumatick diseases , which maketh them to live till they be almost twenty years old : but beware of old partridges , for they are as dangerous as old beef ; being young and tender , they agree exceeding well with cold , weak , watrish , and pale bodies , drying up a moist stomack , strengthening the retentive power , easily turning into pure bloud , fatning the body , and encreasing lust . they must not be eaten ( saith galen ) being newly killed , but hang a while in the cold aire : and the wings and brest of a partridg ( as also of all birds , save a woodcock , trusting to their flight ) are better then the legs and thighs : nay the legs and thighs of partridges are thought by sethi , to have an extraordinary weakness in them , causing them to go as if their back or ridg-bone were parted in sunder , whereupon perhaps they had their name , and were called part-ridges . chuse them that are young and fat , killed with the hawk at sowce , or else at foot after a long flight . their broath is good for a weak stomack , for the jaundies , and a tainted liver . if you seeth them in capon-broth with marrow , eggs , and bread , a panado made of that broth is exceeding nourishing , being eaten next ones heart . but if you would have a strengthening broth indeed , then seeth them in broth wherein chines of mutton have first boiled : rosted partridg is best for most stomacks , if it be not too dry rosted ; for then it is rather physick to stay a loosness , then fit meat to nourish or restore flesh . they are best at the end of harvest , before they have either troad or laid . rallae terrestres . railes of the land ( for there is also a water-rail , which the venetians esteem so highly ) deserve to be placed next the partridg , for their flesh is as sweet as their feeding good , and they are not without cause preferred to noble mens tables . gallinagines & rusticulae . woodcocks and snites are so light of digestion , and so good in temperature , that they agree with most mens stomacks , especially at their first coming in , or rather a moneth after when they have rested themselves after their long flight from beyond the seas , and are fat through ease and good feeding upon fat worms , and snails , lying in trees . avicen and albertus dreamed that woodcocks and snites fed upon seeds ; whereas indeed no bird with a long piked , crooked , and narrow bill can pick them up : but where they perceive a worms hole ( as i have seen snites to do ) there they thrust in their bill as far as they can , and if the worm lie deep , they blow in such a breath or blast of wind , that the worms come out for fear as in an earthquake . if worms fail , then they pick snails out of their shels , and likewise devour them . towards their going out , either of them wax drier and worse rellishing . woodcocks require the stronger stomack , snites the weaker ; both are of laudable nourishment , but chiefly the snite . there is a kind of wood-snite in devonshire , greater then the common snite , which never comes into shallows nor springs of water : and in holland i remember snites never living out of springs , as great almost as our woodcocks , called herren-schnepfs , because they are in comparison the lords or chief of snites , or that they are onely fit for lords tables , which gesner therefore also termeth by the name of rusticula regalis . columbae petricolae liviae palumbes turtures . wild-doves be especially four in number , rock-doves , stock-doves , ring-doves , and turtledoves . rock-doves breed upon rocks by the sea-side , but never far from corny downs , whether in seed and harvest-time they fly for meat , living all the year besides upon mast and ivy-berries . the other three sorts of doves feed also upon corn , mast , hawes , juniper-berries , ivy-berries , hurtle-berries , and holly-berries when they are ripe . marcus cato fatted young ring-doves with bean-meal made into paste with new milk ; and didynius , turtledoves with bread steept in wine ; which way they are made of excellent taste and nourishment , though also undieted they are good , being under half a years age . avicen ( contrary almost to the opinions of all other writers ) commendeth the flesh of turtles above all other , as being of a good nourishment , easily digested , quickning wit and memory , encreasing seed , and strengthening both stomack and guts exceeding well . but isaac reproveth that opinion , unless it be understood only of young turtles , or such as have been fed and fatted in the house by art , with moist and cooling nourishments : for otherwise ( as he truly avoucheth ) all manner of wild-doves are so hot , hard , and dry , that they cannot prove of any indifferent nourishment . coturnices . quails have gotten an ill name ever since pliny accused them for eating of hemlocks and bear-foot ; by reason whereof they breed cramps , trembling of the heart and sinews ; yea though hercules loved them above all other meats , in so much that iolaus fetcht him out of a swound when he was cruelly wounded by typhon , with the smell of a quail ; yet with much eating of them he fell into the falling-evil , which ever since hath been termed hercules's sickness . avicen thinketh that they bring cramps not onely by feeding on helleborus and hemlocks , but also from a natural inborn property . monardus writeth thus of them ; i allow not the flesh of quails neither in the spring nor winter , not because the ancient fathers of physick do condemn them ; but because reason is against them . for in the spring and summer time they are too dry , engendring rather melancholy then bloud : in autumn and winter they are too moist ; yea though they be fat , yet are they of small nourishment , causing loathing of stomack , and corruption of meat . baptista fiera , amatus lusitanus , yea avicen , rhasis , isaac and galen are of the same judgement ; only arnoldus de villa nova in his commentary upon the salern school , affirmeth them in some countries to be of fine substance , good juice , and easie digestion : nay , kiranides saith that their broth clenseth the kidneys , and their flesh nourisheth indifferently well . were i here to give my censure , i would be of either side , and yet defend the truth likewise ; for i nothing doubt but quails flesh is bad ( as ducks flesh is ) of its own nature , and heavy to be digested ; nevertheless being taken young before they have eaten of unwholsome weeds , and fatted with pure wheat , hemp-seed , coriander ▪ seed and milk ( or chalk-water instead of milk ) i make no question that their flesh is laudable , and may be counted a good and dainty meat . and here by the way let us marvel at one thing , that qualis are generally forbidden because their flesh engendreth the falling evil , and yet galen commendeth their brains ( the principal seat of that great evil ) as an antidote against the same . what need i write that when the israelites loathed manna , quails were sent them as the best and daintiest meat of all other ? and if some curious paraphrast would therefore say it was the worst , because whilst the flesh was in their mouthes , many thousands of them fell in the wilderness ! we answer , that it was not through the badness of the food , but the naughtiness of their lusting and tempting god. pluviales . plovers feed upon no solid meat , and therefore being new , have no need of drawing ; their meat is chiefly the scom or excrements of worms lying about their holes , or of worms themselves ; yet are they of a very sweet , delicate , and fine flesh , being taken when they are fat in winter-time ; and the gray plover is so highly esteemed , that this proverb is raised of a curious and malecontented stomack ; a gray plover cannot please him . yet to some the green plover seemeth more nourishing , and to others the lapwing , which indeed is savory and light of digestion , but nothing comparable to plovers . cuculi . cuckoes flesh , whilst it is a nestler , is by perot highly extolled ; but when once it comes to feed it self , it is ill rellishing , hot , and leprous . gesner asketh , how any man dare be so foolish or venturous as to eat of a cuckoe , whose much spitting argueth a corrupt and excremental flesh ; yet by experience we find the young ones to be good meat , yea pliny and aristotle preferre them for sweetness above most birds : and albeit the old ones feed filthily upon dorrs , beetels , and venomous spiders , yet the young one are fed by the titling , ( their foster-dam ) with gnats , flies , and red-worms , having no venomous nor bad quality . fedoae . godwits are known to be a fenny fowl , living with worms about rivers banks , and nothing sweet or wholsom , till they have been fatted at home with pure corn ; but a fat godwit is so fine and light a meat , that noblemen ( yea and merchants too by your leave ) stick not to buy them at four nobles a dozen . lincolnshire affordeth great plenty of them , elsewhere they are rare in england wheresoever i have travailed . erythopodes & glottides . redshanks also and gluts feed in the fens upon redseeds , bents , and worms , and are of no bad taste , nor evil nourishment . ochropodes . smirings live in watrish copses with worms , and are a fine and delicate meat . pici. pyes or haggisses feed upon flesh , eggs , worms and ants ; their flesh is very hard and loathsome , unless they be very young , and then are they only the meat of poverty . graculi . jayes feed upon akorns , beech-mast and worms , and never came into the number of good nourishments , because they have themselves , and procure unto others the falling-evil . pici martii . wood-peckers are suspected of the like malignity , though they feed upon timber-worms , the most dainty dish , and most highly esteemed amongst the romans and phrygians . orioli . witwols are of excellent good nourishment , feeding upon bees , flies , snails , cherries , plums , and all manner of good fruit . arquatulae terrestres . stonechatters feed as they do , and are of a very good taste and juice . ispida . the kings-fisher feedeth most upon water-worms , and little fishes , and is of a bad rellish , and worse nourishment . coccothraustes . the clotbird ( called sometimes a smatch , or an arling ) is as big almost as a thrush , feeding chiefly upon cherries , and cherry-kernels . nucifraga . the nope feedeth upon mast , nuts , and cherreis . sitta . so also doth the little pyot , which we call a nutjobber . upupa . houpes were not thought by dr. torner to be found in england , yet i saw mr. serjeant goodrons kill of them in charingdon park , when he did very skilfully and happily cure my lord of pembroke at ivychurch ; they feed upon hurtle-berries , and worms , but delight to feed most upon graves , and mans dung , and stinking soile ; wherefore they deserve to be counted very unwholsom . turdi & turdelae anglicanae . thrushes and navisses feed most upon hawes , sloes , misle-berries , and privot-berries ; which being lean , deserve ( as quintus curtius used them at caesars table ) to be flung out at the windows ; but being young , fat , and in season , and by cunning drawing rid of their gall , they deserve the nourishing in lucullus cages , and to be commended by physicians to pompey's table for a most wholsom meat . turdi exotici . feldefares are of the like feed , and give ( almost ) as good nourishment , yea better , when juniper-berries be ripe , for then all their flesh is perfumed with the scent thereof . merulae . blackbirds are preferred by baptist fiera farre before thrushes , throstels or feldefares , as being nothing so strong , hot , nor bitter ; trallianus commendeth all alike . their feed is on little grashoppers , worms , hurtle-berries , juniper-berries , ivy-berries , bay-berries , and hawes ; they are suspected to be a melancholick meat , because they be never found but alone and solitary , whereupon the latines call them merulas , that is to say , solitarians . sturni . stares-flesh is dry and sanery , and good against all poyson , if kiranides be not mistaken . galen in one place compares them for goodness , with partridg , thrush and blackbirds ; in another place he dispraiseth them as much for their ill juce , hard digestion , and bad nourishment ; which nevertheless are both true , that being understood of young stares , fed with wholesom meat , this of old stares , who delight to feed of unwholesom meat as well as wholesome , namely hemlocks , dwale , and such llke . amongst this treatise of the greater sort of land-birds , i had almost forgotten owles , rookes , crowes , and cadesses . noctuae . concerning owles , when they be once old , they feed upon mice , frogs , grashoppers and all kind of flesh . rabbi moses in his aphorisms saith , that the flesh of young owles is dainty and good , strengthening the mind and diverting melancholie and madness : yea i have heard certain noble men and gentlemen avouch , that no young cuckoe or partridge is a finer meat . corvi leguminales . rooks cannot be ill meat when they are young , for they feed chiefly upon pure corn ; but their skin is tough , black , and bitter . corvus . the carrion crow is generally condemned , and worthily despised of all men : as also the cadesse or jacdaw , which is not more unhappy in conditions , then bad of nourishment . now we are come to treat of small birds of the land , which we will divide according to the order of the alphabet : having first admonished you , that no small birds must be overmuch sodden , or dry roasted : for then their nourishing moisture is soon taken out ; neither are they to be given to strong stomacks , lest they be converted into choler , whenelse they would wholly turn into good blood . finally , young birds must not hang long before they be dressed ; for they are of an airy substance which will soon be evapourated . but let us consider every one particularly in his place . montifringillae . bramblings are a kind of small birds , feeding chiefly upon seeds , sloes , and hawthorne kernels . rubetrae . buntings feed chiefly upon little worms . pyrrhacia . bulfinches feed not onely upon little worms , but also upon hempseed , and the blossoms of peare-plums and apple-trees . citrinellae . citrinels or straw-coloured finges , be very small birds , feeding chiefly of white and black poppy seed , but especially of the wild-poppy called red-weed . certhiae . creepers seem to be a kind of titmise , living upon the worms which engender in and betwixt the barks of trees . fringillae . finches for the most part live upon seeds , especially the goldfinch , which refuseth to eat of any thing else . acanthis atlantica . so also doth the canarie finch or siskin ; yet the bullfinch in hunger feeds upon small worms ; and the greenfinch upon horsedung , and nuts in frosty weather . alandae . larkes are of three sorts : field larks , wood larks , and heath larks . the first sort feeds upon corn seeds and worms . the second chiefly upon worms . the third upon worms and heath seed . some of each sort are high crested like a lapwing , others uncrested which are counted the more wholesom . their temperament is hot and dry in the second degree , unless they be young and fat , and then they scarce exceed the first degree . galen and rhasis write , that as their broth looseneth , so their flesh bindeth the belly . linariae . linnets feed chiefly upon flax seed : but for a need they eat also the seed of hemp and thistles . apodes . martinets are either smooth or hairy legg'd : for neither of them have perfect feet , but stumps instead of feet . baptista fiera in his treatise of birds exclaimeth against them , and calleth them beggers meat : engendring most hot and feverous blood , fitter to be eaten as a medicin to quicken eyesight and memory , then as a wholesome or nourishing meat ; but being taken when they are new fledg'd , experience warranteth them a dainty and good meat , except they be over roasted . luseiniae . nightingales as martial said , are nothing worth when their breath is departed ; for as they feed filthily in the fields upon spiders and ants , so their flesh is unwholesome at the table . pari majores . oxeys or great titmise , feed ( as ordinary titmise do ) upon caterpillers , blossoms of trees , bark worms and flies ; but their flesh is unwholesome . rubeculae . robin-red-brests feed upon bees , flies , gnats , walnuts , nuts , and crums of bread ; and are esteemed a light and good meat . passeres . sparrows of the house , feed commonly on the best corn. they are hot and dry almost in the third degree : engendring hot and aguish blood . the best are the youngest , fattest , and wildest . trallianus commends leane sparrows only to such as are sick of the tympanie : and young cock-sparrows flesh ( as well as their stones and brains ) to such as be cold of nature , and unable to venus sports . haly abbas willeth such men to mince young cock-sparrows with egs and onions , and to eat them in a gally-mawfry : which perhaps you may find a better medicin , then dr. iulius his bottle , that is said to have cost twenty pound a pint ; but the red and hedg sparrows feed ill , and are both unwholesome . hirundines . swallows ( be they either house swallows or banck swallows ) are of the nature and operation of martlets , but that they are esteemed the hotter of both . curruca . the titling , cucknel , or unfortunate nurse ( for the cuckoe ever lays his egg in the titlings nest ) feeds upon gnats , flies , and worms ; it is a very hot bird , coming in and going out with the nightingale , but of a delicate taste pari. titmise are of divers shapes with us in england ; some be long , others ▪ be very short taild : some have black heads , some blew , some green , some plain , and some copped : all of them feed but ill , and nourish worse . motacillae . wagtailes live upon flies , worms , and fat earth , being no bad meat whilst they are young , unless some because their tail is ever trembling , shall therefore divine that they are ill for the shaking palsey . reguli . wrens feed finely , & sometimes fill themselvs so full of little flies , that their bellies are like to burst . their flesh being salted cureth strangullions and the stone not confirmed ; but no man ever wrote that they give good nourishment . galguli . yellow hammers feed ( as the most part of titmise ) of seeds and grain ; namely the seeds of white and red roses , poppy , burs , thistles , succory and endiff , &c. in the winter time being fat , they are counted wholesome : at other times they are lean and also bitter . chap. xii . of the flesh of wild fowl , abiding and feeding chiefly upon the waters . cygni sylvestres . of all water fowl , the wild swan is the biggest and fairest in outward shew : but ( as i said of tame swans ) it resembleth a hypocrite , for his flesh is black , melancholick , and hard of digestion , though not so hard as the tame , by reason of his much flying . anseres sylvestres . wild geese are for the same reason better then tame , for their high and long flight breedeth tenderness of body , and expelleth many gross and heavy vapors ; but of all other the bergander is the best and lightest . anates ferae . wild ducks feed chiefly upon a green narrow-leaved grass ( called therefore ducks grass by crescentius ) which lieth upon the waters in moors , ponds , and plashes all winter long : but they eat likewise the leaves , seeds , and roots of other waterplants , and also worms , spawns of fishes and frogs , young sedge , fat mud , waterspiders , and all venemous and foul things ; they are no less lecherous then cock-sparrows , who as by often treading , they kill themselves and live not till they be two years old , so wild drakes by often treading kill their hens . anates muscariae . but there is a kind of wilde duck , called anas muscaria because it eats nothing but flies : which is of as wholsome and good nourishment , as the other is bad and heavy of digestion . brantae . barnicles both breed unnaturally by corruption , and taste very unsavoury . poor men eat them , rich men hate them , and wise men reject them when they have other meat . querquedulae . teales● and widgins feed alike upon worms , herbs , roots and seeds ; commonly they are very fat and sweet of taste ; much to be esteemed above wild-ducks or geese , yet suspected of ill juice by many authors . totani . pool-snites live wholly upon fish , and therefore have a strong and uncouth rellish . merganseres . shell-drakes , or the ducks of italy , are of most pleasant taste , feeding purely themselves , and us as strongly ; sometimes the● wax so fat , that their feathers being pul'd off , their body hath weighed twelve pound weight . urinatrices . divers feed most upon reeds and reed roots , and caddis-worms breeding in them . scarboides . such likewise is the dobchicks food ; but it is of a strong smell , and fatter and tenderer then the most part of fowls that be clove-footed . fulicae . coots feed upon reeds , mud , grass , little snails , and small fishes , they are of a strong and muddy savour , best in autumne , but never wholesome . nigritae . moor-cocks and moor-hens , as also pocards , be of the like nature with coots ; save that a fat pocard is counted a dainty , though not a wholesome meat . pici marini . sea-pies as dr. cajus writeth , resemble other pies in colour , but they have whole feet like water fowl ; they feed upon spawn , frogs , and frie of fish , and are but of a bad taste . mergi . cormorants , be they gray or black , feed most of fish and frogs , but especially of eels ; and rellish badly . arquatae . curlnes feed wholesomly upon cockles , creuisses , muscles , and perwinkles ; which maketh them to have no ill taste , and to be counted restorative amongst the french , if they be fat . gulones albi & cinerei . white gulls , gray-gulls , and black-gulls ( commonly termed by the name of plungers and water-crows ) are rejected of every man as a fishy meat ; nevertheless being fed at home with new curds and good corn till they be fat , you shall seldome taste of a lighter or better meat . pufina britannica . puffins being birds and no birds , that is to say birds in shew and fish in substance , or ( as one may justly call them ) feathered fishes , are of ill taste and worse digestion ; how dainty so ever they seem to strange appetites , and are permitted by popes to be eaten in lent. erythropodes . redlings or water-redshancks feed as water-railes do , and be of the like nourishment . rallae aquaticae . water-rails are preferred in italy before thrushes or quails , they feed upon water-snails and water-flies , and the worms breeding in the roots of reeds : they be very sweet and pleasant of taste , giving also a fine and wholesome nourishment . lari . sea-mews and sea-cobs feed upon garbage and fish , thought therefore an unclean and bad meat ; but being fatted ( as gulls use to be ) they alter their ill nature , and become good . plateae . shovelars feed most commonly upon the sea coast upon cockles and shell-fish , being taken home and dieted with new garbage and good meat , they are nothing inferiour to fatted gulls . chap. xiii . of the inwards and outwards both of beasts and birds . having hitherto spoken of the flesh of beasts and fowls , it remaineth now to speak of those parts which are not properly flesh , but either of another , or a mingled nature : namely , their fat , marrow , brains , lungs , livers , tripes , stomacks , &c. together with their eyes , ears , noses , feet , pinions , tails , rumps , udders , stones , and skins : whereof i will write in order . fat. fat of beasts , as it was forbidden the israelites by god himself , for some cause unto himself best known ; so there be many reasons to perswade us not to eat of the same : for it takes away appetite , gluts the stomack , hardly digesteth , turneth wholly to excrements , and decayeth the retentive powers , especially if it be the fat of greater beasts , or the greater sort of birds : for the fat of rabet-suckers , and little birds , and small chickens , is not discommendable , because it is soon and lightly overcome of an indifferent stomack . of fat beasts and birds notwithstanding , the lean is sweetest ( so they be not exceeding fat through cramming , but upon their own feeding ) by reason that it is basted and suppled with the oyliness thereof , and made both tender and of good relish . wherefore let some commend lard and fat bruis never so much , and slap it up as greedily as they list , yet they will reward us in the end with many diseases , unless their stomacks be exceeding strong and good . marrow . marrow is the finest part or ( as it were ) the sweat of fat , secretly conveyed into bones : sweet , unctuous , and pleasant of taste , nourishing them whose bodies be dry , and stomacks able to digest it . it is sod usually with capons , cockrels , and hens in a nourishing white broth , and also dainty pies be made thereof : but i have known many men to have surfeited of them , and therefore i dare not generally allow of marrow . of all marrows , i find the marrow of a deer easiest to digest ; next of a young mutton , and beef marrow to be the heaviest . the marrow of a goat is very offensive , and the marrow of lambs or calves are not good , because they are crude , bloudy , and imperfect for want of age . brains . the egyptians thought it a capital offence to eat the head of any thing , for the brains-sake , wherein they thought the soul of every living thing to be chiefly placed . and plutarch saith , that many things were thought delicate in his time , which no man before desired or dared to taste ; as the brains of birds and beasts . how abject a thing brains were in old time , it appeareth in ulysses scoffing of agamemnon , comparing him with a calves brain , as with a most abject and vile thing , which all men cast away . and verily brains for the most part are exceeding phlegmatick , of gross juice , hard passage , slow concoction , great heaviness , and so offensive to the stomack , that being eaten last , or with any fat meat , they trouble the same exceedingly , and procure vomit : wherefore we doe well to eat the brains of calves , lambs , kids , and pigs , at the beginning of dinner or supper , for were they eaten last ( through their unctuous and superfluous moisture ) we should bring up all . likewise i commend the tosting of piggs brains at the fire ( being the moistest of all other ) the thorough rosting of hares brains and rabbets brains ; and the mingling of sage , salt , pepper , and vinegar with calves brains . concerning the brains of birds , none are absolutely commendable , but of such fowl as be of a temperate constitution , as cocks , chickens , capons , pullets , partridg and phesant . also the brains of rosted woodcocks , and snites , and blackbirds , and all small birds are counted wholsom ; but the brains of great birds , and water-fowl , and pigeons , and all sorts of wild-doves , are counted by the old and learned arabians very dangerous : only quails brains are commended by galen , against the falling sickness , and cranes brains against the hemorrhoids . tongues . the tongues of beasts seem to be wholly of a fleshy substance : which if we deny not because it is full of muscles , yet verily the flesh thereof is more spongy and oily then of any flesh besides . aesop and thales called tongues the best and the worst part of the body ; but as an asses bones make the sweetest regal-pipes of all others , though the living asse be least musical ; so let the living tongues of any beasts be never so bad , yet they are without comparison the sweetest meat of all others , when they are dead and drest : for the tongues of beasts are soft , temperate , light , moist and spongy , never faulty of themselves , but marred oftentimes by miscookery . as for birds tongues , they are generally exceeding dry , hard , and gristly ( parots tongues excepted ) neither could i ever find any cause ( but because a curious and sumptuous fool would have it so ) why heliogabulus should have pies made of nightingales tongues . chine-marrow . pith. marrow , running all along from the hinder brain ( whereof no doubt it is a portion ) to the end of the back-bone or chine of beasts , is no doubt much harder and drier then the brain it self , especially towards the further end of the back ; which driness makes it less loathsom to the stomack then brains are ; yea furthermore it strengtheneth that body which is able to concoct it . many are of opinion that cawdles made strong with the pith of a steer , and yolks of new-laid eggs , do by a secret property restore nature , and recover the weakness of loyns caused by venery . montagnana maketh a singular confection of divers marrows to that purpose , which i will not set down in english , lest wantons be too bold to follow their follies . hearts . hearts of all living creatures , whilst life endureth , are most active and effectual to many purposes ; but after death there is no part of less use , nor less nourishment . yea they are harder of digestion then any entrail , concocted with no small difficulty , though chosen from the youngest and tenderest sort of fowls or beasts : yet if any do overcome them , they give no weak nor bad nourishment . lungs . lungs of beasts are softer then the heart , liver , kidneys and spleens ; easier therefore of concoction , though of a more phlegmatick and froathy substancer . tacuinus commendeth them greatly to young men sick of hot agues , because they both temper their hot and dry disposition , as also for that they be light , and soon concocted . but he saith , that therefore they are ill for strong and labouring men , whom so light a meat cannot sufficiently nourish , but is more likely to putrifie in their stomacks . the lungs of foxes are no wholsome meat , but rather medicin to sore lungs . livers . livers of all beasts give but gross nourishment , and are hardly concocted , and of slow passage ; unless it be of sucklings , or of young swine fed with pure meat . the livers of tame fowl , as hens , capons , chickens , ducklings and geese , fatted with wholsom and white meat , please the taste , clear the eye-sight , agree with the stomack , and encrease bloud . cranes livers sod in the broth of cicers asswage the pain of the back and kidneys , but they are of a small and bad nourishment . the livers of larks and snites are very sweet and restorative , as also of a woodcock , which hath of all other birds ( for proportion of his body ) the greatest liver . tripes . stomacks , paunches , and guts of beasts , are far harder in substance then their flesh , requiring much time ere they can be concocted , deserving scarce the name of meat , because they give so little nourishment , and so much excrement . yea all tripes and chitterlings made of elder beasts ( be they oxen , swine , or deer ) though accidentally through sowcing they procure appetite , yet naturally they are foul and unwholsom meat , engendring scabs , itches , and leprosies , and other filthy diseases like themselves . yet the taste of tripes did seem so delicate to the romans , that they often killed oxen for the tripes sake , not caring what became of the flesh ; till such time as their licentious appetite was bridled by banishment if any should attempt the like again . but the maws or gyzards of hens , capons , chickens , and geese especially , are both tender and pulpy , and are supposed extraordinarily to corroborate the stomack . so likewise the guts of larks , woodcocks , and snites , give no bad nourishment , being presently roasted assoon as the birds be taken . milts . spleens of beasts give an unpleasant taste and a worse nourishment : and no marvel , for if livers , being the fountains of blood , be of hard and unwholesom juice , how can spleens ( the sinks and spounges of the liver ) prove wholesome meat ? onely such a hoggs spleen is commended , which hath fed long upon tamarisk , wherby all gross , soure , and melancholick humours have been consumed in it . paracelsus is the first that ever commended an oxes spleen , as available to hasten the courses of women . kidneys of beasts ( for birds have none , the bat excepted , which also hath brests and giveth milk ) be of a middle temper betwixt flesh and kernels , of hard concoction and ill juice , especially in the greater sorts of beasts ; alwaies keeping a smack of that which passeth through them , and being too strong for most stomacks ; the kidneys of sucking lambs , calves , piggs , and kids , are the tenderest and the best , but when they have left sucking they are all too ranck . kernels and sweet-breads kernels of beasts , especially such as lye about the throat and breast of sucking calves , kids and lambs , are a very good meat being well digested , drawing neer to the nourishment of flesh ; but if they be not well digested , they breed raw and flegmatick humours . our countrymen do well first to roast and then to boil the sweet-bread of beasts ; for thereby all superfluous moisture is consumed . kernels of fowls lye chiefly about the rump on either side thereof , and are ( as many take it ) very restorative . the matrix . the matrix of beasts , yea of a barren doe so highly esteemed , is but a sinewy and hard substance , slow of digestion and little nourishment . eyes . eyes of young beasts and young birds are not unwholesome , being separated from their skins , fat , balls , and humours ; for then nothing remaineth but a sweet tender and musculous flesh , which is very easie of digestion . ears , snouts and lips. the ears , snouts and lips of beasts being bloudless and of a sinewy nature , are more watrish , viscous , and flegmatick , then that they may be commended for any good or indifferent nourishment . pinions and feet . the pinions of birds , and the feet of beasts are of like disposition ; yet the pinions of geese , hens , capons , and chickens are of good nourishment : and so are the feet of young hogs , pigs , lambs and calves ; yea also a tender cow-heel is counted restorative ; and heliogabalus the emperour amongst his most dainty and lustful dishes made pies of cocks-combs , cock-stones , nightingales tongues , and camels heels , as lampridius writeth . galen also for men sick of agues boil'd piggs-pettitoes in barly water , whereby each was bettered by the other : the ptisan making them the more tender , & they makeing the ptisan more nourishing and agreeable to the stomack . that sodden geese feet were restorative , messalinus cotta by trial found out , if pliny may be credited . the tails or rumps of beasts are counted by certain unskilful physitians , yea of dr. isaac himself , to be hard of digestion . first , because they are so far distant from the fountain of heat . secondly because they are most of a sinewy constitution ; to which if a third had been added , that they are but covers of a close-stool , perhaps is arguments would have been of some indifferent weight : for indeed the farther any part is from the heart , it is fed and nourished with the more fine and temperate blood ; also the extremities or ends of sinews are of strong wholesome and good nourishment ; but as for the tails and rumps of beasts , it is indifferently mingled of flesh , sinews and fat ; so that the very anatomy of them shews them to be a meat agreeable to all stomacks ; and verily whosoever hath eaten of a pye made onely of mutton rumps , cannot but confess it a light wholesom and good nourishment . the rumps of birds are correspondent , having kernels instead of flesh ; but when they are too fat , they overclog and cloy the stomack . udders . the udders of milch beasts ( as kine , ewes , does , and she-goats ) are a laudable taste , and better then tripes , because they are of a more fleshy nature . lean udders must be sod tender in fat broth ; fat udders may be sod alone ; each of them need first a little corning with salt , being naturally of a flegmatick and moist substance . stones . the stones of a bore work marvails ( saith pissanellus ) in decayed bodies , stirring up lust through abundance of seed , gathered by superfluous and ranck nourishment . indeed when bucks and stags are ready for the rut , their stones and pisels are taken for the like purpose : as for the stones of young cocks , pheasants , drakes , partridges , and sparrows , it were a world to write how highly they are esteemed . averrhois thinks that the stones of a young cock , being kept long in good feeding and separated from his hens , do every day add so much flesh unto our bodies , as the stones themselves are in weight . avicen as much esteemeth cock-sparrowes stones , or rather more . but the paduan doctors ( but especially doctor calves-head ) giveth that faculty to the stones of pheasants and partridges above all others . skin . the skins of beasts , yea of a roasted pig is so far from nourishing , that it can hardly be well digested of a strong stomack . some birds are sodden or roasted without their skins , because they are black and bitter ( as rooks , dawes , cootes , and moor-hens ) and howsoever others are spared , yet the skin of no bird turneth to nourishment , but rather to ill humours or filthy excrements . nay the very skin of an egg , of a nut , an almond , a prune , a raisen , or a corrin , and generally of all fruit , is so far from nourishing , that it cometh out of the strongest mans body ( either whole or broken ) as it went in . chap. xiiii . of milk. forasmuch as childrens stomacks , and old mens bodies , and consumed mens natures be so weak , that not onely all flesh and fish , but also the fruits of the earth are burdensome to their tender and weak bowels : god tendring the growing of the one , the preservation of the other , and the restoring of the third , hath therefore appointed milk ; which the youngest child , the weariest old man , and such as sickness hath consumed may easily digest . if we would define or describe what milk is , it seemeth to be nothing but white blood , orrather the abundant part of blood , whited in the breasts of such creatures as are ordained by nature to give suck ; appointed properly for children and sucking little ones , but accidentally for all men , sick either of consuming diseases or old age . that womens milk is fittest for young children , it may easily be proved by the course of nature , which converteth the superfluity of blood in a woman bearing her child within her to the brests , for no other purpose , then that she should nourish her own babe . for truly nothing is so unperfect , defectuous , naked , deformed , and filthy as a man , when he is newly born into the world through a straite and outstreatched passage ; defiled with blood , replenished with corruption , more like to a slain then a living creature , whom no body would vouchsafe to take up and look on , much less to wash , kiss , and embrace it , had not nature inspired an inward love in the mother towards her own , and in such as be the mothers friends . hence it cometh that mothers yet hot & sweating with travail , trembling still for their many and extream throws , forget not their new-born babes , but smile upon them in their greatest weakness , heaping labour upon labour , changing the nights trouble with the dayes unquietness ; suffering it to taste no other milk , then that wherewith in their bellies it was maintained . this doth a kind and natural mother ( if she be of a sound and indifferent strong constitution ) for her child ; and thus did eve , sara , rebecca , and rachel ; yea all women which truely loved their children , and were both able and willing to feed their own . there be many reasons why mothers should be afraid to commit their children to starnge women . first because no milk can be so natural unto them as their own . secondly because it is to be feared , lest their children may draw ill qualities from their nurses both of body and mind , as it fell out in iupiter , whom whilst his mother committed to aega ( olens daughter and pans wife ) to be nursed by her , the country woman living only upon goats milk , could not but be of a strong lascivious nature , which left such an impression in the child , that growing once to the age of a stripling , he was in love with every fair wench , lay with his own sister , forced his own neices , left no fair woman unassaulted , if either bygold , or entreaty , or craft , and transforming himself he could obtain her love . nay when he was full of womens company , he loved boys and abused himself unnaturally in companying with beasts . the like also is recorded of aegysthus , who being fed in a shepheards cottage only with goats milk , waxed thereupon so goatish and lecherous , that he defiled not onely agamemnons bed , but also neighed ( in a manner ) at every mans wife . nevertheless if the mothers weakness be such that she cannot , or her frowardness such , that she will not nurse her own child ; then another must be taken sutable to the childs constitution : for a fine and dainty child requireth a nurse like to it self ; and the child of strong and clownish parents , must have a nurse of a strong and clownish diet. for as lambs sucking , she-goats bear course wool , and kids sucking ewes bear soft hair , so fine children degenerate by gross womans milk , losing or lesning that excellency of nature , wit , and complexion , which from their parents they first obtained . neither is womens milk best onely for young and tender infants , but also for men and women of riper years , fallen by age or by sickness into compositions . best i mean in the way of nourishment , for otherwise asses milk is best , for some cowes , milk and for others goats milk ; because the one cleanses , the other loosens , and the third strengtheneth more then the rest . goatsmilk is also better for weak stomacks , because they feed on boughs more then grass . sheeps-milk is sweeter , thicker and more nourishing , yet less agreeable to the stomack , because it is fatter . cows-milk is most medicinable , because with us it looseneth the body , though in arcadia it stayeth the belly , and cureth consumptions better then any other milk . finally the milk ofany beast chewing the cud ( as goats , sheep , and kine ) is very ill for rhumes , murs , coughes , fevers , headache , stoppings and inflamations of any inward part ; for sore eyes also , and shaking of sinews . avicen saith , that their milk is hurtfull to young men , because they are cholerick ; to sore eyes , headaches , agues , and rhumes , because it is full of vapors : to convulsions and cramps , by reason of repletion : to resolution or palsies , by over moistning ; to the stone and obstructions , because the cheesy part of it is very gross . of beasts not chewing the cud camels milk is the sweetest and thinest of all other ; mares milk the next , and asses milk of a middle temper : not so thin , but that it nourisheth much ; nor so thick , as that easily it will curdle . all milk is thinnest in the spring , and thickest in sommer , because then the wheyish part is resolved by sweat ; and all meats then obtain a dryer faculty . signes of the best milk. there be four wayes in women and beasts to know the most nourishing and substantial milk : namely by the colour , smell , consistence , and taste . for the best milk is of a pearl-colour , neither blue , transparent , nor gray , but white clear and confused ; the consistence of it is neither thin nor thick , hanging like a row of pearls upon ones nail ( if it be milked on it ) not overhastily running of . in taste it is not soure , bitter , salt , sweet , sharp , nor strong , but sweet yet not in excess , and pleasant after an extraordinary kind of pleasantness : yet galen affirmeth , that if milk could be tasted when it is first concocted in the veins and breasts , it would seem sweeter then hony it self . the smell likewise of it is pure and fragrant , though proper to it self , and void of loathsomness . causes of good milk. also it is much material to the goodness of milk , to have speciall regard to the diet of those creatures whose milk we use , or chuse for our children . galen reporteth that a friends child of his , having lost his good nurse by an untimely death , was put out to another : who in time of dearth being forced to feed chiefly upon fruit , and roots , and acorne bread , infected her child ( as she her self was infected ) with much grevious and filthy scabs . and i pray you what else is the cause , that many children nursed in the country are so subject to frets , sharpness of urine and the stone ; but that their nurses for the most part eat rye bread strong of the leaven , and hard cheese , and drink nothing but muddy and new ale ? it is also recorded , that a young man sick of a consumption , used the milk of a goat to his great good , so long as it fed in his own field ; but afterward feeding in another field where store of scammony grew , and some wild spourge , he fell into a deadly scowring and felt no nourishment . furthermore care is to be taken of their health , that give us milk ; for as an unclean and pocky nurse ( which woful experience dayly proveth ) infecteth most sound and lively children ; so likewise a clean sound and healthful nurse recovereth a sickly and impotent child . nay ( which is more ) no man can justly doubt , that a childs mind is answerable to his nurses milk and manners ; for what made iupiter and aegystus so lecherous , but that they were chiefly fed with goats milk ? what made romulus and polyphemus so cruel , but that they were nursed by she-wolves ? what made pelias ( tyrus and neptunes son ) so bruitish , but that he was nursed by an unhappy mare ? is it any marvel also , that giles the abbot ( as the saint-register writeth ) continued so long the love of a solitary life in woods and deserts when three years together he suckt a doe ? what made dr. cajus in his last sickness so peevish and so full of frets at cambridge , when he suckt one woman ( whom i spare to name ) froward of conditions and of bad diet ; and contrariwise so quiet and well , when he suckt another of contrary disposition ? verily the diversity of their milks and conditions , which being contrary one to the other , wrought also in him that sucked them contrary effects . now having shewed what milk is best , and how to be chosen , let us consider how it is to be taken and used of us . first therefore if any naturally loath it ( as petrus aponensis did from the day of his birth ) it cannot possibly give him any good nourishment , but perhaps very much hurt in offending nature . if contrariwise any with philinus love nothing else , or with the poor bizonians can get no other meat , or with the tartarians and arabians feed most often and willingly on milk : let them all remember these three lessons . how milk is to be eaten and used , in time of health . first that they drink or eat the milk of no horned beast unsodden , for so will it not easily curdle nor engender wind : but womens milk , asses milk , and mares milk , need no other fire to prepare it , for it will never curdle into any hard substance . secondly to be sure that milk shall not curdle , season it with salt , suger , or hony , and neither drink any wine or soure thing upon it , nor mingle it with other meats , but eat it upon an empty stomack , and fast an hour after it . thirdly exercise not presently upon it , neither sleep upon any milk taken from beasts chewing the cud , and when you have eaten it wash your teeth clean , for there is no greater enemy unto them then milk it self , which therefore nature hath chiefly ordained for them , who never had or have lost their teeth . and truely ( as marcilius ficinus noteth ) milk is not to be used of young men , who have sound teeth given them for stronger meat , but of such as either have none at all , or very few and weak ones ; or though they have strong teeth , want ability and strength to set them a grinding as it falleth out in them that are fallen into fever hecticks . wherefore when poppaea wife to domitius nero carried she asses ( shod with gold ) continually about with her , to bath her body in their milk once a week , and to drink of it every day , to make her skin clear and smooth without wrinckles : she left it rather a monument of her pride , then a memorial of her wisdome ; for nature taught her a better meat , though art could not appoint her a finer bath . if she had taken it ( as the arcadians do cow-milk ) in the spring time onely , for a month or six weeks together once in the morning , to cleanse and purge the body of bad humours , it had been good and warrantable by physick : but to use it continually in health could not less corrupt her , then goats milk did my lady penruddock , of whose cruel and terrible end , caused by the lest worms of all other , perpetually engendred betwixt the skin and the flesh , through superfluity of nourishment arising from the long continuance of goats milk ; i will not here reherse , it being fresh enough in their memories that best knew her & most loved her . the like may i say of cow milk so generally used of us , that being now and then taken of sound men ( not subject nor distempered with hot diseases ) it nourisheth plentifully , encreaseth the brain , fatneth the body , restoreth flesh , asswageth sharpness of urine , giveth the face a lively and good colour , encreaseth lust , keepeth the body soluble , ceaseth extream coughing , and openeth the brest ; as for children and old men they may use it dayly without offence , yea rather for their good and great benefit . what milk is best in sickness and consumptions . concerning them that be sick , there are few diseases to which milk is not offensive being inwardly taken , except the consumptions of the solid parts called marasmus , the consumption of flesh , called atrophia , and the consumption of the lungs and breathing parts called phthisis . for recovery of the first , cammels milk is preferred before all others , because it is most moist and thin . the second sort is best recovered by sucking milk from a womans brest , as most familiar to our livers and blood , needing no preparation ( for it is onely blood discoloured ) but onely application unto the flesh . the chusing of a good nurse . the nurse must be young , clear of skin , of a kindly smell , pure complexion , good temperature , wholesom and moderat diet , much sleep , little anger , neither too idle nor too toiling , no wine bibber , no eater of hot spices , no ordinary wanton , and void of all diseases ; such a nurse is sooner wished for then found ; yet such a one is to be chosen either for sound children or sick persons , lest drawing corruption in so fine a meat as milk is , our consumptions be encreased so much the more , by how much poison given with drink is more dangerous . asses milk . the third sort of consumptions , wherein the flesh accidentally decayeth through exulceration of the lungs and breathing parts , is especially to be cured by asses milk ; for which cammels milk is unfit , because it is too thin and moist ; as also womans milk , because it wholly nourisheth and nothing cleanseth ; whereas asses milk is both meat and medicin , cleansing and nourishing alike , not so thin as to hinder expectoration , not so thick as to cause condensation of the matter putrified , but being of a middle temper and consistence , and consequently most proper for that disease . neither are all asses of alike goodness ; for a young asses milk is of the thinnest , an old asses milk is too thick and dry , but one of a middle age is best for that purpose . having gotten such a one , every morning ( four or five hours before you use her milk ) shut her from her foal , and curry her well and clean , lest her skin growing scurvy and foul ill vapours be augmented inwardly for want of expiration : then feed her with grinded malt , straw-dryed , mingled with a little sweet fennel seed , aniseed , or carraway seed , which she will eat with great pleasure , and digest into a sweet and wholesome blood : an hour after that , milk her as neer the patient as conveniently you can , that he may drink her milk ere the air hath altered it , for if it be once cold it is never wholesome ; this is to be done twise a day , morning and evening upon an empty stomach , neither eating nor drinking ought after it for two hours ; you may sweeten it also with sugar-candy , sugar of roses , or fine maiden hony , and it will be the more effectual . assoon as the ass is milked , turn her and her foal into fine leaze , wherein store of cowslaps , trifoil , cinqfoil , elecampana , burnet filipendula , meadtansy , horsetail , plantain , lambs-tongue , seabiouse , and lung-wort groweth . in winter feed her with the sweetest hay growing in the finest and best meddows if asses milk cannot be conveniently obtained for the lung-consumption , nor womens milk for the liver-consumption before specified , use the milk of a meetly young reddish and sound cow , feeding in the like leaze or upon the sweetest hay : but beware ( as commonly fools do not ) that you feed them not with new and much less with soure grains ; for it maketh their milk strong , windy , and unwholesome , especially for such as be weak and much consumed ; likewise remember to rub and stroke down your cow every morning , and her milk will be both sweeter and more nourishing . thus much of milk , what it is , how it is made ; for whom and for what diseases it is convenient , how it is to be prepared and used , how many kinds thereof are wholesome for mans body , what milk is fittest for sound men , and what for them that be sick : so there resteth no more but to wonder at plinies credulity , who as constantly ( upon hear-say ) avoucheth , mares feeding neer the river astaces in pontus to give all black milk ; as cardan reporteth blew snows to be common near the straits of magellane . chap. xv. of butter , cream , curds , cheess , and whey . the milks of horned beasts ( as cows , ewes and goats ) do consist of three substances ; cream , curds and whey . of cream . the first ( being compared to the rest ) is hot and unctuous ; the second flegmatick and viscous ; the third of a middle nature . again there be two sorts of cream ; one natural called the flour of raw milk , gathered of the milk without fire , after it hath stood in a cold place : the other called the flour or cream of sodden milk , or clouted cream ; gathered from it after it hath been thickned upon a soft fire . raw cream how sweet soever it seemeth to wanton stomacks , yet it weakneth concoction , hindereth retention , and is more hard of digestion then any milk . sodden and boild cream ( such as we use in tarts , fools and custards ) is less offensive to the stomach , and of better nourishment ; yet we do ill in eating it last , when the lightness and unctuosity of it sheweth that it ought to be eaten first . butter . butter ( not undeservedly termed the flemmins triacle ) is by labouring and churming made of both sorts of cream ; so that as milk is nothing but blood twise concocted , so butter is nothing but cream twice laboured . pliny sheweth the true making of it , which i need not to repeat , because it nothing , or very little differeth from ours : only i wonder with him , that africa , and other barbarous countreys esteem it a gentlemans dish , when here and in holland , and in all the northern regions , it is the chief food of the poorer sort . for go from the elevation of to ● of the north pole , you shall every where find such store of good butter , as no where the like , no not in parma nor placentia , nor holland it self , whence so much butter and cheese is dispersed through the whole world . in iceland they make such a quantity , that having neither earthen vessels nor cask enough to keep it in , they make chests of firr , thirty or forty foot long , and five foot square , filling them yearly with salt butter , which they bury in the ground till they have occasion to use it . butter is hot and moist , of gross nourishment , softning rather then corroborating the stomack , hastning meat into the belly before it be concocted , rhumatick , and easily converted into oily fumes , which greatly annoy both throat and head . it is ill for the stomackrhume ▪ and all fluxes either of bloud-humors or seed ; and in truth it is rather to be used as sawce and physick , then as meat to feed upon . it is best at breakfast , tollerable in the beginning of dinner ; but at supper no way good , because it hindreth sleep , and sendeth up unpleasant vapours to anoy the brain , according to the old proverb , butter is gold in the morning , silver at noon , and lead at night . it is also best for children whilst they are growing , and for old men when they are declining ; but very unwholsom betwixt those two ages , because through the heat of young stomacks , it is forthwith converted into choler . weak stomacks are to eschue all fat , oily , and buttered meats , especially when they swim in butter ; for naturally butter swimeth aloft , and consequently hindreth the stomacks closing , whereby concoction is foreslowed , and many ill accidents produced to the whole body . the dutchmen have a by-verse amongst them to this effect : eat butter first , and eat it last , and live till a hundred years be past . and paracelsus in his book de tartaro , thinketh the netherlanders to be more free of the stone then other nations , because their chiefest food is butter ; wherein the silly alchymist was not a little mistaken , for no people in the world are more subject to that disease , as the number and excellency of stone-cutters in that country may plainly prove . and if butter be less offensive , and more nourishing to them then better meat , it is to be imputed either to a natural affection unto it , infused ( as it were ) with their parents seed , or else to a long custom , which is ( as before i noted ) another nature . and verily their natural love unto that meat of all others , appeareth in this : for that as english people , when the bride comes from church , are wont to cast wheat upon her head , and the grecians to anoint the doore posts with fat la●d ; so when their brides and bridegrooms return homeward from church , one presents them ( as presaging plenty and abundance of all good things ) with a pot of butter , which they esteem the foundation ( though a slippery foundation ) of their lives . the fattest butter is made of sheeps milk , the strongest of goats milk , but the best and most of cows milk , which caused it of the grecians to be called butyros . it were tedious and impertinent to shew how many and necessary uses it hath in surgery and physick , considering that here we are only to describe ( as we have done ) what nourishment it giveth , not what it worketh against diseases . of curds and cheese . as there hath mention been made of two sorts of cream , so now also i must write of two sorts of curds , the one fresh , without salt or runnet , the other mingled with the one or both : now if the butter be at market when the curds or cheese is prest at home , then are they both utterly unwholsom , clamming the stomack , stopping the veins and passages , speedily breeding the stone , and many mischiefs ; but if they be equally mingled with the butterish part , then the cheese made thereof is wholsom , unless age or ill-housewifery hath made it bad : for new , sweet , and fresh cheese , nourisheth plentifully ; middle-aged cheese nourisheth strongly , but old and dry cheese hurteth dangerously : for it stayeth siege , stoppeth the liver , engendereth choler , melancholy , and the stone , lieth long in the stomack undigested , procureth thirst , maketh a stinking breath , and a scurvy skin : whereupon galen and isaac have very well noted , that as we may feed liberally of ruin cheese , and more liberally of fresh cheese , so we are not to taste any further of old and hard cheese , then to close up the mouth of our stomacks after meat . concerning the differences of cheese in substance : good cheese is neither too soft nor too hard , too close , nor yet spongy , too clammy , nor yet crumbling , too salt , nor yet unsavory , too dry , nor yet weeping , pleasantly , not strongly smelling , easily melting in the mouth , and never burning as it is tosted at the fire . likewise cheese made of ews milk is soonest digested , that of cowes milk is more nourishing , but cheese made of goats milk is most nourishing of all , being eaten whilst it is new and soft , for it quickly waxeth dry , earthly , and crumbling . the western goths , to prevent the dryness of cheese , make them so big , that two strong men with leavers can scarce move one of them ; which also causeth the parmisans to be so big , and also them of placentia , which bernardinus scaccus in his annals of trent , preferreth before the parmisans : but was not that a great cheese think you , wherewith zoroaster lived in the wilderness twenty years together , without any other meat ? or rather was it not most cunningly made or preserved , when at twenty years end it did eat as soft as at the first day ? which though some do think impossible , yet the parmisan of italy will prove it true , by age waxing mellower and softer , and more pleasant of taste , digesting whatsoever went before it , yet it self not heavy of digestion . our essex cheese being well handled , would in my judgement come next unto it , especially if goats were as plentifull there as sheep , that there might be a proportion betwixt the three milks , without which it is folly to attempt the like . now whereas the placentians and parmians add asses milk , and mares milk , and also camels milk ( when they can get it ) to the making of their cheese , it is not for the curds sake ( because they yield no hard curd ) but for the butterish part that is taken out of them : for indeed the butter made of them is most thin , liquid , moist and penetrating , whereby such a suppleing is procured , that their cheeses do rather ripen then dry with long lying . the irish men , like to plinies barbarians , have not yet so much wit as to make cheese of milk ; and our welshmen want cunnning to make it well . french cheese in plinies time tasted like a medicine ; but now the angelots of normandy are counted restorative ; which many of our gentlewomen ( and especially a niece of mine own ) have so well counterfeited , that they excell their first pattern . spain hath forgotten the art of cheese making ; and portugal makes them but indifferently well , though sometimes the best in the world were made at cuna , near to cape vincent , where they also made cheeses of l. weight apiece . as for our country cheeses , banbury and cheshire yields the most , and are best ; to which the holland cheeses might be justly compared , if their makers could but soberly put in salt . as for butter milk and whey , i leave them to my treatise of drinks , because they are of a thinner substance , than that conveniently and properly they may be numbred and accounted amongst meats . now a word or two of eggs , and then to our variable and no less profitable discourse of fishes . chap. xvi . of eggs and blovd . as the oonians live only of eggs and oatmeal , so the aegyptians for a great while durst not eat eggs , because they are unperfect or liquid flesh ; neither did they eat a long time any milk , because it is but discoloured bloud : certain grecians abstained from them , because they resemble a little world ; for the shell of them is like the earth , cold and dry ; the white is like to water , cold and moist ; the fome or froth in the white , resembleth aire , which is warm and moist ; the yolk agreeth with the fire , which is hot and dry . but to omit such frivolous reasons , let us not doubt but an egg is a lawfull and wholsom meat , tempered so excellently well by nature it self , that it must needs be accounted one of the best nourishments , being eaten white and all ; for they which eat only the yolk ( as many do in a conceit to nourish more plentifully ) fall into many hot and dangerous diseases , unless they have a very cold liver , and watrish bloud . contrariwise the whites of eggs are so cold , that spongy wood being thoroughly overlaid with them , will hardly , or not at all be burnt in a glowing fire . both being taken together , do so qualifie one another , that generally they agree with all stomacks , or at the least offend none , if we chuse them that be best , and prepare them well after they be chosen . now all eggs being potential creatures , no doubt but they are of like substance and temper with that which in time they shall be made . wherefore as the flesh of pheasants , partridges , and hens be of best juice , temper , quality , nourishment and digestion , so likewise their eggs are wholsomest of all others . contrariwise , as the greek proverb saith , like crow , like egg. neither can we imagine how any egg should be wholsom , proceeding from an unwholsom or distempered creature . wherefore we condemn ( in the way of comparison ) all eggs of turkies , peacocks , geese , ducks , and all water-fowl , preferring hens eggs before all other , because they are a most usual , familiar , and temperate meat . what kind of eggs be best . in the choice of good eggs observe these lessons , first , that they be rather pullets eggs then laid by an old hen. secondly , that they be not self-begotten , but gotten by the cock upon the hen. thirdly , that they be new , white , and long : for such eggs nourish plentifully and quickly , clear the voice and breast , strengthen the stomack , recover men out of consumptions , and encrease nature so much , that in continuance of time they make us wantons . they nourish quickly , because they are nothing but liquid flesh : they nourish much , because their heat and moisture is proportionable unto ours : they are wholsomest in the morning , because they are then newest . they are best in winter , because hens are then fattest , strongest , and best relished ; they are worst in summer , because hens feed then upon flies , snails , cadlocks , and many ill weeds , which rather scoures then nourishes their bodies : they are best being eaten alone , because being mingled with orher meat , they corrupt in the stomack , filling many mens faces full of pimples , morphues , and freckles . they are ill for young children ( especially being often eaten ) for that their hot bodies turn them into over-hot nourishment , whence itch , scabs , inflammations , and corruptions do arise . they are also as bad for old men , because they are hardly digested of a cold stomack ; fittest they are for temperate young persons , and such as are consumed without any notable fever . concerning the nature of other birds eggs , besides hens . epenaetus extolleth peacocks eggs before all other , and then the eggs of berganders , and lastly of phesants , partridges , and turkies , whose judgement i would have throughly confuted , had not daily experience , and antonius gazius his arguments done it already . and verily whosoever will taste other eggs then which daily we use , shall find none void of a strong savour and bad relish , saving the eggs of phesants , partridges , berganders , ostriches , turkies , ducks and geese , though the three last named be bad enough . yet if ducks eggs be hatched under a hen , they eat more sweetly , and goose eggs also hatched under them , are thought by simeon sethi no unwholsom meat . pigeons eggs are exceeding hot , and of ill taste , hardly hardning by long seething . the eggs of sparrows encrease lust , strengthen the heart , and nourish abundantly : as for the eggs of other birds , great and small , howsoever they are eaten ( as rhasis saith ) in the way of medicine , yet they give either none or no good nourishment . but hens eggs are so temperate and nourishing , that galen himself in certain continual fevers , gave them usually to his patients to restore spirits , : and not without reason , being of so fine a substance , and freed in a manner from all hurtfulness ; for they moisten us in fever hecticks , they nourish us in consumptions , they strengthen us in fluxes , they bridle sharp humors when they gripe us , restore spirits in weakness of heart , they speedily pass from a clean stomack , neither are they forbidden in a strait and thin diet , did they not nourish oversoon . gesner sheweth a good reason , why new white and long eggs be the best of all other . first , because new eggs are ever full , but old eggs lose every day somewhat of their substance , and in the end waxing addle stink like urine , whereupon they were called of the latins ova urinae . secondly , the whitest eggs have the palest yolks , and most thin , fine , little bloody strings swiming upon them . thirdly , the longest eggs are commonly cock-eggs and therefore of better nourishment . some eggs are almost all yolk and no white , yea some have two yolks in them , others have in a manner no yolk at all , or ( at the most ) nothing proportionable : the former sort nourish most , the other are fittest for hot stomacks . the dressing of eggs. concerning the preparation of them , a rare egg any way drest is lightest of digestion , a hard egg is most rebellious , an egg betwixt both is of strongest nourishment . brassavola reporteth a monk to have been made so costiff with hard eggs , that no art was available to give him on stool . furthermore all hard eggs , especially hardened by frying , get from the fire a smoky and hot nature , and from the frying-pan and burnt butter a maligne quality , not onely as offenssive to the stomack as rotten eggs , but also sending up bad vapours to the brain and heart . eggs potcht into water or verjuce are fittest for hot complexions , or men distempered with agues ; sodden rare in the shell they are soonest converted into blood ; but being rare-roasted in embers they make thickest and strongest blood , and are fittest for weak , cold and watrish stomachs . thus much of birds eggs , which in a little quantity nourish much , and are called of ficinus , the quintescence of flesh ; because they yeild so speedy and fine nourishment . now it resteth to discourse something of tortesses eggs , which be not poisonable nor hurtful ( as the eggs of snakes , lizards , and chamaeleons ) but very fit to nourish men in hot agues , when all birds eggs may be suspected of inflaming the blood ; for they are of a more flegmatick nature , tempering hot humours , procuring sleep to the watchful , moisture to the dryed person , and inspiring as it were a second life , to such as seem desperately consumed of hot fevers ▪ sir wil. pelham ( that worthy & valiant knight ) kept them in his garden at the minories by the tower of london , where i wondred much at the beast and more at her eggs : for contrary to the nature of hens eggs , the most spotted were the best , and the hardest of shell the best likewise ; and they are worst when they are newest , best when they are three months old . last of all , as touching that question made by plutack , and disputed of him more wittily then wisely of either side , whether the hen or the egg be first in nature , i omit it as a foolish and superfluous doubt , sith common sence and reason telleth us , that the perfecter creatures were first made , and the whole is more ancient then that which is gotten of the whole . of blood. blood being the charet-man or coacher of life , was expresly forbidden the israelites , though it were but the blood of beasts , partly because they were naturally given to be revengeful and cruel hearted , partly also because no blood is much nourishing out of the body , albeit in the body it is the onely matter of true nourishment : nevertheless the laconians black broth , so highly commended of dionysius , was made of kidds blood sodden with water , vinegar and salt ; yea the bisalta of scythia make pottage of horses blood & milk , accounting it their best and strongest meat . also in aegira bulls blood is so far from being poisonable ( as it is in all other places ) that it is held both delicate and restorative ; so likewise is the blood of a mare that was never covered ; for if she once have taken horse her bloud is dangerous . drusus the tribune purposing to accuse quintus caepio of giving him poison , drank goats blood a good while before , whereby he waxed so pale and colourless , that many indeed suspected him to have been poisoned by caepio : whereby it is manifest , that bloud hath been a very ancient nourishment , and not lately devised by our country pudding writes , or curious sawce makers , as iason pratensis and other foolish dietists have imagined . nay ( which is more ) not onely the blood of beasts hath been given for meat , but also the blood of men and striplings hath been drunk for a restorative ; yea in rome ( the seat and nurse of all inhumanity ) physicians did prescribe their patients the blood of wrestlers , causing them to suck it warm breathing and spinning out of their veins , drawing into their corrupt bodies a sound mans life , and sucking that in with both lips , which a dogg is not suffered to lick with his tongue ; yea they were not ashamed to prescribe them a meat made of mans marrow and infants brains . the grecians afterwards were as bold and impious as the romans , tasting of every inward and outward part of mans body , not leaving the nails unprosecuted . but of all other i wonder most at marsilius ficinus , a most famous scholer and accounted for a good catholick , who hath thus written of the use of mans blood . no doubt ( saith he ) the milk of a young and sound woman is very restorative for old men , but the liquor of mans blood is far better ; which old women-witches knowing to be true , they get young children unto them , and prick or wound them , and suck their blood to preserve their own health and life . and why may not then old men ( i pray you ) for a need , suck likewise the blood of a young man or maid , which is merry , lusty , sound , and willing to spare some of his superfluous blood for another mans life ? wherefore i advise them to suck an ounce or two of blood , fasting , out of the veine of the left arm , at a little orifice , towards the full of the moon , drinking presently upon it some wine and sugar , &c. which though he protesteth himself to have uttered as a great secret ( though the prince of abohaly writ as much before in his old-mans diet ) and to be as lawful as it is helpful in physicks practise : yet by his leave i dare again protest and prove the contrary ; for it is unlawful to gaze upon a mans carcase , and is it lawful to eat or drink his blood ? what remedy call you that , which is more savage and abominable then the grief it self ? what law , what reason , nay what conjecture found out this canibals diet ? well , let it proceed from the americans and barbarians : nay , from the grecians , that were counted civil . let democritus dream and comment , that some diseases are best cured with anointing the blood of strangers and malefactors , others with the blood of our friends and kinsfolks ; let miletus cure sore eyes with mens galls ; artemon the falling sickness with dead mens sculls : antheus convulsions with pills made of dead mens brains ; apollonius bad gums with dead mens teeth ; but far be it from any humane or christian heart ( brag we of this foolish invention never so much ) to suck away one anothers life in the blood of young men , wherein charles the king of france being but outwardly bathed for his leprosie , died therefore and for other his cruel massacres a most bloody death : wherefore let us content our selves with the blood of geese ▪ swans , hoggs and sheep in our sawce and puddings , which yet are but a gross and fulsome nourishment , unless they meet with a strong and good stomack . chap. xvii . of fish generally , and the difference thereof . as amongst poets there is some called the coryphaeus , or captain-poet , so fareth it likewise amongst meats . some prefering fruit as being most ancient , cleanly , naturall , and needing either none or very little preparation . others extoll flesh , as most sutable to fleshy creatures , and giving most and best nourishment . but the finest feeders and dainty bellies did not delight in flesh with hercules , or in fruit with plato and arcesilaus , but with numa and philocrates in variety of fish ; which numa made a law , that no fish without scales nor without finns should be eaten of the people , whereupon i may justly collect and gather , that he was not ignorant of moses law . also ( according to the vain dream of gregory the great bishop of rome , and the author of the carthusian order ) he put more holines in fish then in flesh , falsly imagining flesh to be a greater motive to lust and lasciviousness , then the use of fish ; which frivolous conceit is before sufficiently confuted in the seventh chapter , and needeth not to be shaken again in this place . now i will not deny , that fish is a wholesome meat , if such fish could be alwaies gotten as may sufficiently nourish the body ; but now a daies it so falleth out through iniquity of times , or want of providence , or that our sea-coast and rivers are more barren of fish then heretofore ; that in the spring time , when we ought to feed on the purest and most wholesome nourishment , our blood is not cleansed but corrupted with filthy fish , i mean saltherrings , red-herrings , sprats , haberdin , and greenfish : which are not amiss for sailers and ploughmen , but yet most hurtful and dangerous for other persons . gatis queen of syria made a law , that no meal should pass through the year , without fish : which if it were as firmly made and executed in england , no doubt much flesh would be spared , and navigation and fisher men maintained through the land : neither should we need to imitate gregory the lent-maker , perswading men to eat only fish at that time , when it is most out of season , most hardly gotten , and most hurtfull to the bodies of most men . also in high germany there is both fish and flesh continually set upon the table , that every mans appetite , humour and complexion , may have that which is fittest for it : in which country though no lent be observed ( except of a few catholicks ) yet is there abundance of flesh , all the year long , restraint being onely made in spring time of killing that which is young . differences of fish in kind . concerning the kinds of fishes , pliny maketh a hundred threescore and seventeen several sorts of them , whereof some being never seen nor known of in our country , it were but folly to repeat them . as for them which we have and feed on in england , they are either scaled , as sturgian , salmon , grailings , shuins , carps , breams , base , mullet , barbel , pike , luce , perch , ruffs , herrings , sprats , pilchers , roch , shads , dorry , gudgin , and umbers ; or shell'd , as scallopes , oisters , mustles , cockles , periwinckles ; or crusted over , as crabs , lobsters , crevisses , shrimps ; or neither scalld , shell'd , nor crusted : as tunny , ling , cod , hake , haberdine , haddock , seal , conger , lampreyes , lamperns , eeles , plaise , turbut , flounder , skate , thorneback , maides , sole , curs , gildpoles , smelts , cuttles , sleeves , pouts , dogfish , poulps , yards , mackrels , troutes , tenches , cooks , whitings , gournards , and rochets : to which also we may add , sticklebacks and minoes , and spirlings , and anchovaes , because they are also neither scaled , crusted , nor defended with shells . as for the goodness or badness of fish , it is lessened or encreased upon three causes ; the place they live , in the meat they feed on , and their manner of dressing or preparation . concerning the first , some live in the sea , some in rivers , some in ponds , some in fenny creeks and meers . difference of fish in respect of place . sea-fish as it is of all other the sweetest , so likewise the least hurtfull ; for albeit they are of a thicker and more fleshy substance , yet their flesh is most light and easie of concoction , insomuch that zeno and crato ( two notable physians in plutarcks time ) commended them above all other to their sick patients , and not without desert ; for as the sea-aire is purest of all other , because it is most tossed and purified with winds , so the water thereof is most laboured , and nourisheth for us the wholesomest and lightest meat ; lightest , because continual exercise consumeth the sea-fishes superfluities ; wholesomest , because the salt water ( like to buck-lye ) washeth away their inward filth and uncleaness . of sea fish those are best , which live not in a calm and muddy sea , tossed neither with tides nor windes ; for there they wax nought for want of exercise ; but they which live in a working sea , whose next continent is clean , gravelly , sandy , or rocky , running towards the north-east wind , must needs be of a pure and wholesome nourishment , less moist and clammy then the others , easier also of concoction , sooner turn'd into blood , and every way fitter for mans body . this is the cause why the oritae and northern-people live as wel with fish alone , as we do here with such variety of flesh ; even i say the goodness , lightness , and wholesomness of their fish , which is not brought unto us till it be either so stincking or salt , that all their goodness is gone or dryed up . river-fish likewise are most wholesome and light , when they swim in rocky , sandy , or gravel'd rivers , runing northward or eastward , and the higher they swim up , the better they are : contrariwise , those which abide in slow , short , and muddy rivers , are not onely of an excremental and corrupt juice , but also of a bad smell and ill taste . pond-fish is soon fatted through abundance of meat and want of exercise ; but they are nothing so sweet as river-fish , unless they have been kept in some river to scoure themselves , especially when they live in little standing ponds , not fed with continual springs , nor refreshed from some river or sea with fresh water . fenny-fish of all other is most slimy , excremental , unsavory , last digested , and soonest corrupted ; having neither free aire , nor sweet water , nor good food to help or better themselves ; such are the fish of that lake in armenia , where all the fish be black and deadly : and albeit our english meers be not so bad , yet verily their fish is bad enough , especially to stomachs of other conntries , unacquainted with such muddy and unwholsome meats . differences of fish in respect of their feeding . concerning the meats which fishes feed on ; some feed upon salt and saltish mud ( as neer leptis in africa , and in eubaea , and about dyrrhachium ) which maketh their flesh as salt as brine , and altogether unwholesome for most stomacks : others upon bitter weeds and roots , which maketh them as bitter as gall , of which though we have none in our seas or rivers , yet in the island of of pene and clazomene they are very common : also ( if pliny may be credited ) about cephalenia , anipelos , paros and the delian rocks , fish are not only of a sweet taste , but also of an aromatical smell : whether it is by eating of sweet roots , or devouring of amber and ambre-grice . some also feed and fat themselves neer to the common-sewers , sincks , chanels and draughts of great cities ; whose chiefest meat is either carrion or dung ; whereas indeed the proper meat for fish , is either flies , frogs , grashoppers , young fry and spawne , and chiefly certain wholsom roots , herbs , and weeds , growing in the bottom or sides of seas and rivers . caesar , crasus , and curius fed them with livers and flesh ; so also did the hieropolitans in venus lake . in champagny they fed them with bread ; yea vidius pollio fed them with his condemned slaves , to make them the more fat and pleasant in taste . but neither they that are fed with men , nor with garbage or carrion nor with citty-filth , nor with any thing we can devise , are so truely sweet , wholsome , and pleasant , as they which in good seas and rivers feed themselves , enjoying both the benefit of fresh aire , agreeable water , and meat cor respondent to their own nature . difference of fish in respect of preparation . concerning their difference of goodness in preparation : i must needs agree with diocles , who being asked , whether were the better fish , a pike or a conger ; that ( said he ) sodden , and this broild ; shewing us thereby , that all flaggy , slimy , and moist fish , ( as eeles , congers , lampreys , oisters , cockles , mustles , and scallopes ) are best broild , rosted , or bakt ; but all other fish of a firm substance and drier constitution is rather to be sodden , as the most part of fish before named . last of all , we are to consider what fish we should chiefly choose ; namely the best grown , the fattest , and the newest . how to chuse the best fish . the best grown , sheweth that it is healthy and hath not been sick , which made philoxenus the poet at dionisius table , to request him to send for aesculapius priest to cure the little barbles that were served in at the lower mess , where he sat . if a fish be fat , it is ever young : if it be new it is ever sweet ; if it be fed in muddy or filthy water , keep it not till the next day , for it soon corrupteth ; but if it be taken out of clean feeding , it will keep the longer . rules to be observed in the eating of fish . sodden fish or broild fish , is presently to be eaten hot ; for being kept cold after it but one day ( unless it be covered with wine pickle or vinegar ) it is corrupted by the aire in such sort , that sometimes ( like to poison-full mushroms ) it strangleth the eaters : also fish coming out of a pan is not to be covered with a platter , lest the vapour congeled in the platter drop down again upon the fish ; whereby that fish which might else have nourished : will either cause vomiting or scouring , or else corrupt within the veins . finally , whosoever intendeth to eat a fish dinner , let him not heat his body first with exercise , least the juice of his meat ( being too soon drawn by the liver ) corrupt the whole mass of blood ; and let no fish be sodden or eaten without salt , pepper , wine , onions , or hot spices ; for all fish ( compared with flesh ) is cold and moist , of little nourishment , engendring watrish and thinn blood . and if any shall think that because crabs , skate , cockles , and oisters procure lust , therefore they are likewise of great nourishment . the argument is denied ; for though they blow up the body with wine , and make good store of sharp nature , which tickleth and inciteth us to venery ; yet that seed is unfruitful , and that lust wanteth sufficiency , because it cometh not from plenty of natural seed , but from an itching quality of that which is unnatural . thus much generally of fish , in the way of a preface ; now let us speak particularly of every fish eaten , or taken by us in this island . chap. xviii . of sea-fish . sea-fish , may be called that sort of fish , which chiefly liveth , feedeth , breedeth , and is taken in salt water ; of which i will write according to the letters of the alphabet , that every man may readily find out the fishes name , whose nature or goodness he desires to know of . encrasicholi . anchovaes are but the sea ▪ minoes of provence and sardinia ; which being poudred with salt , wine-vinegar and origanum , and so put up into little barrels , are carried into all greece , and there esteemed for a most dainty meat . it seemeth that the people of those hot countries are very often distempered and distasted of their meat ; wherefore to recover their appetite they feed upon anchovaes , or rather taste one or two of them ; whereby not onely to them , but also to us appetite is restored : i could wish that the old manner of barrelling them up with origanum , salt and and wine-vinegar were observed ; but now they taste onely of salt , and are nothing so pleasant as they were wont to be : they are fittest for stomachs oppressed with fleam , for they will cut , ripen , and digest it , and warm the stomack exceeding well ; they are of little nourishment , but light enough if they were not so over-salted ; they are best drest with oil , vinegar , pepper , and dryed origanum , and they must be freed from their outward skin & the ridge-bone & be washt in wine , before they be laid in the dish . variatae . alburni marini . bleaks of the sea , or sea-bleaks , called of dr cajus variatae , or sea-cameleons ( because they are never of one colour , but change with every light and object , like to changeable silk ) are as sound , firm and wholesome as any carp ; there be great plenty of them in our southern seas , betwixt rye and exceter , and they are best sodden , because they are so fine and so firm a meat . abramides marinae . breams of the sea , be of a white and solid substance , good juice , most easie digestion and good nourishment . piscis capellanus . asellus medius . cod-fish is a great sea-whiting , called also a keeling or melwel ; of a tender flesh but not fully so dry and firm as the whiting is : cods have a bladder in them full of eggs or spawne , which the northern men call the kelk , and esteem it a very dainty meat ; they have also a thick and gluish substance at the end of their stomach called a sowne , more pleasant in eating then good of nourishment ; for the toughest fish-glue is made of that . of all parts of the fresh cod , the head , lips , and palate is preferred , being a very light though a slimy meat pectines . pectunculi . cocks and cockles are commended by scribonius largus , for strengthening the stomack . pliny saith they encrease flesh , but certain it is that they encrease lust ; for they themselves are so hot of nature , that they leap and fly above water like an arrow , in the sommer nights to be cooled by the air , alexander benedictus reporteth , that some with eating too many cockles have become stark fools . their broth loosneth the body , but their flesh staies it . galen commends them for a good meat , but dangerous to them that are subject to the stone or falling sickness . the best cockles keep in sandy seas , which maketh the purbeck and selsey cockles so highly esteemed ; they are best in the month of may , for then are they fullest , lustiest , and cleanest of gravel . to avoid their gravel , keep them in salt water or brine a whole day before you eat them , and if you shift them into fresh water or brine when the tide is comming , they will open themselves , and spue out all their gravel and filthiness . chuse the greatest and the whitest of them , and of al shell fish , they are best broild in a frying pan , neither are they ill being sod in water with salt , pepper , parsly , dried mints , and cinamon , after the french fashion . conger . conger is nothing but a sea-eele of a white sweet and fatty flesh : little congers are taken in great plenty in the severn , betwixt glocester and tewkesbury , but the great ones keep onely in the salt seas , which are whiter-flesht , and more tender ; they feed ( as eels do ) upon fat waters at the mouths of rivers running into the sea : they are hard of digestion for most stomacks , engendring chollicks if they be eaten cold , & leprosies if they be eaten hot after their seething . philemon the comical poet seeing a conger seething in a cooks-shop for divers young gentlemen , that bespake it to dinner , suddenly snacht away the pan wherein it boiled , and ran away with it , the gentlemen followed and catcht at him like a number of chickens ; whom he had crossed , and turned , and mocked for a great while , till having sported himself enough , he flang down pan and all with these words : o humane folly ! how do fooles long for unwholsome meats ? for he thought conger to be bad enough of its owne nature , but far worse if it were eaten hot out of the pan . in england we do not amiss first to boil it tender in water with salt , time , parsly , baies , and hot herbs , then to lay it covered in vinegar , and then to broil it ; for so is it a meetly good nourishment in sommer , for hot stomachs . merula . the cook-fish , is so called of the seamen , because he so pleasantly tasteth when he is well sod , as though he had seasoned himself with salt and spices . they are very rare , but tender and light of nourishment ; and there is never seen of them past one at once , which caused the latins to call them merulas , that is to say the solitarians or hermits or blackbirds of the sea. cancri marini . crabs of the sea , be of divers sorts ; some smoothcrusted , and some rough-casted as it were , and full of prickles , called echinometrae : the first sort hath the two formost clawes very big and long , the other wanteth them ; wherefore as they go side wi●e , so these move not themselves but round about like a spiral line : the first sort are also very big , or never growing to be of any reasonable sise . the great ones are called paguri , whereof some weigh l. weight ; furthermore one sort of the great ones ( which is the best of all ) goeth so fast upon the shore , that the grecians have termed them hippeis , or light horsemen . the little sort of crabs is softer shelld ( called pinnotheres ) whose weakness is defended with abundance of wit ; for whilst he is little , he hides himself in a little oister , and when he groweth bigger ( yet is he never so bigg as our common crabb ) he conveyeth himself into a bigger oister ; of all sea-crabbs this is the lightest and wholesomest , next unto them are our ordinary crabs , but somewhat harder of digestion ; both of them nourish much , and are highly commended , in consumptions of lungs and spittings up of blood , not onely by dioscorides , pliny , and avicen , but also by all writers , especially if asses milk be drunk with them . as for their manner of preparation , their vents are first to be stopped with a sticks end , and then they are to be sodden in water for such as are costiff , or in wine for them which are loose bellied ; some seeth them in vinegar , water , and salt ; but galen saith that then they are best , when they are sod in that water out of which they were taken ; the fuller of eggs the better they are , for the female is preferred . our great sea-crabbs ( either of the smooth or rough kind ) full of a yellowish red and strong pulp , lushish in taste , and bought deerly , are of a very hard digestion , except they light upon a very strong stomach . they also over-heat and enflame the body , whereas contrariwise the lesser sort do cool and moisten it . the broth of all of them consume the stone , and cureth quartains being drunk every morning fasting they are best in season in the spring and fall , as also at the full of the moon . cuculi marini . currs are supposed by dr cajus to be all one with our gurnard ; but it somewhat differeth , being of a very firm , whitish , dry , sound , and wholesome flesh ; they are best sodden with salt , water , mace , nutmegs , parsly and vinegar . sepiae . vel lolligines calamariae . cuttles ( called also sleeves for their shape , and scribes for their incky humour wherewith they are replenished ) are commended by galen for great nourishers ; their skins be as smooth as any womans , but their flesh as brawny as any ploughmans , therefore i fear me galen rather commended them upon hear-say , then upon any just cause or true experience ; apicius , that great master-cook , makes sawsages of them with lard and other things ; which composition i would not have omitted , if it had been worth the penning . canis cetaceus . dog-fish is strong ▪ hard , and of grose and bad juice : albeit hippocrates commends it in pleuresies , and also in the skin-dropsie or anasarca . the dorry is very like to a sea-bream , of most excellent taste , constitution , and nourishment , being either backt , or sodden whilst it is alive in wine , water , salt , vinegar , and pennirial . mustelae . eele-powtes are best in april , may and september ; their spawne is counted very hurtful , but their flesh is white , firm , and of good nourishment , and their livers most sweet and delicate : seeth them as you do a dorry , and then broil them a little to make them easier of digestion , or else boil them as you do sturgian , and so eat them cold . rhombi marini . sea-flounders are very thick , firm , and yet light of digestion , they are exceeding good for aguish persons being well sod , and for some men , being fried in vinegar and butter . lucernae . gilt-heads or golden-poles , are very little unlike the gournard , save that it seems about the noddle of the head , as though it were all besprinkled with gold-filings , it is something harder of digestion , as galen writeth . cuculi majores . gurnards are of two sorts , swart or reddish ; either of them are within of a white , firm , dry , firm , and wholsome substance ; giving our bodies a competent nourishment , being sodden in white wine-vinegar , salt , mace , and onions , or else being sodden onely in wine and then sowced . asellus . islandicus . haberdine is nothing but an island cod , bigger somewhat then ours , and also firmer . asselluli . haddocks are little cods , of light substance , crumbling flesh , and good nourishment in the sommer time , especially whilst venison is in season . aselluli longi . hakes be of the same nature , resembling a cod in taste , but a ling in likeness . aquila marina . the sea-hawke is of hard flesh & slow digestion , as galen avoucheth from philotimus mouth ; smelling strong and heavily , not to be eaten without leeks , onions , and garlick haleces . herrings are an usual and common meat , coveted as much of the nobility for variety and wantoness , as used of poor men for want of other provision : it is one of the cardinal supporters of our holy lent , and therefore not to be ill spoken of : yet thomas cogan ( in his haven of health ) saith that by eating of fresh herring many fall into fevers , and that red-herring gives as good nourishment to the body , as resty bacon . and truely i dare avouch , that new bloat-herrings are little better ; and pickeld herrings far worse , though you correct them with never so much vinegar , salt , pepper and oil . as for salt herring well watred or qualified in warm milk , they taste not ill after they are broild , but yet they give none or a bad nourishment ; saving to ploughmen , sailers , souldiers , mariners , or labouring persons , to whom gross and heavy meats are most familiar and convenient . rhinocerotes . acus . horne-beaks are ever lean ( as some think ) because they are ever fighting ; yet are they good and tender , whether they be eaten fresh or poudred . highly be they commended of alexander benedictus in the plague time , because they breed no unwholesome or excremental humours . leucisci marini . javelings or sea-darts are plentiful in the venecian gulf and all the adriatique sea ; where having taken the young ones , they salt them and send them to constantinople in infinite number for anchovaes ; the greater sort they fry and boil at home , being of a very sweet and soft flesh . miluus marinus . keelings differ nothing but in name from cod. the sea-kite , called of pliny hirundo volans , the flying swallow , resembleth much the flying herrings so plentiful about the west-indies , which finding not proper meat within the waters , flieth after gnats and muskitoes like a swallow . sir francis drake ( whom thankful posterity will worthily esteem ) did first shew me one of them dead , and i think he was one of the first of our nation , that did ever eat them ; they are of a good taste , tender flesh , but somewhat aguish after the nature of fresh herrings . asellus . ling perhaps looks for great extolling , being counted the beefe of the sea , and standing every fish day ( as a cold supporter ) at my lord maiors table ; yet is it nothing but a long cod : whereof the greater sised is called organe ling , and the other codling , because it is no longer then a cod , and yet hath the taste of ling : whilst it is new it is called green-fish , when it is salted it is called ling , perhaps of lying , because the longer it lyeth ( being conveniently turned , and the peace-straw often shifted wherein it lyeth ) the better it is , waxing in the end as yellow as the gold noble , at which time they are worth a noble a piece . they are taken onely in the far nothern seas , where the sweetest and biggest live ; but codlings are taken in great plenty neer to bedwell in northumberland shire . locustae marinae . lobsters are of a strong and hard flesh , and hard of concoction ; the belly , clawes and upper parts are most tender , the tail parts tough ; when they are seething their mouth and lower vent should be stopped with towe , lest the liquor being bettered with their juice , they themselves prove flashy and unpleasant in taste . as the river lobster or crevisse seemeth ( as dorion said ) to be made onely for weak stomacks ; so i think these are ordained onely for the stronger sort : for i have known many weak persons venture on them to their great hurt , as contrariwise sound stomacks do well digest them ? pliny saith , that in the north-west indian seas there be lobsters taken of two yards length ; whereof we have none , or if we had , yet can they not be so wholesome , for the least is tendrest , and the middle sised is best flesht ; as for the great ones they be old and tough , & will cause sorrow enough before they be well concocted . they come into season with the buck , and go out of season when the doe comes in ; also in the wane of the moon they are little worth , and best towards and in the full : clove-vinegar and gilly flour-vinegar is their best sawce , and if you butter them after they are well sodden with store of vinegar and pepper , they will give a strong nourishment to an indifferent stomack ; when their spawne lies greatest in their head , then are they in prime ; but when all their spawn is out , then is their spawn good , and they wax bad . lucij . luces are properly called pikes of the sea ; so rare in spaine , that they are never seen . but our english seas , especially which wash the southern shore , have store of them which are large fat and good . mr huzzy of cookfield sent me once a luce out of sussex a yard and a half long , which being presented by me to the mirror of chivalry ( the lord willoughby of eresby ) was thought , and truly thought a most dainty fish ; for it eateth more sweet , tender , and crisper then our river pikes , and may be eaten of aguish persons , weak stomacks , and women in child-bed . their feed is chiefly upon young fry , and spawnes of fish : and by continual swimming ( whereunto they are forced by beating of the surges ) they become tenderer then our fresh water pikes , though not so fat . orbes . lumps are of two sorts , the one as round almost as a bowle , the other resembling the fillets of a calfe ; either of them is deformed , shapeless and ugly , so that my maides once at ipswich were afraid to touch it , being flayed they resemble a soft and gellied substance , whereupon the hollanders call them snot-fishes ; i liked not their substance , taste , nor qualities , for they were ( as they are written of ) a curde , raw , and fleagmatick meat , much like to a thorne-back half sodden , they are best being boiled and pickled like sturgian , and so eaten cold . scombri . mackrels were in old time in such request , that two gallons of their pickle ( called the pickle of good fellows ) was sold for a thousand pieces of silver ; but time and experience described them to be of a thick , clammy and suffocating substance , offensive to the brain , head , and brest , though pleasant in taste , and acceptable to the stomach : certain it is that they cause drousiness in the best stomacks , and apoplexies , or palsies , or lethargies , or dulness ( at the least ) of sense and sinews to them that be weak . tralianus rightly adviseth all persons sick of fleagmatick diseases , and of stoppings , to beware of mackrels as a most dangerous meat : albeit their liver helpeth the jaundies , being sod in vinegar , and their flesh sod in vinegar cureth the suffocation of the matrix : they are best being sod in wine-vinegar with mints , parsly , rosemary , and time , and if afterwards they be kept in pickle , made of rhennish wine , ginger , pepper , and dill , they prove a very dainty and no unwholesome meat ; they are worst of all buttered . the french men lay southernwood upon a gridiron , & them upon the southernwood , and so broil them both upon the fire , basting them well with wine and butter , and so serve them in with vinegar , pepper and butter , as hot as can be ; by which way no doubt their malignity is much lessened , and their goodness no less encreased . rajolae . maides are as little and tender skates , feeding chiefly upon flesh , livers , and spawne of fish ; whereas other fish bring forth eggs , which are in time converted into their parents shape ; onely maides skate and thorne-back bring forth their young ones without eggs , after the kind of propagation of beasts : they are very nourishing and of good juice , fit for weak stomacks , and such as have through wantoness spoiled themselves and robbed nature . boil them in wine water and salt , with a sprig of rosemary , and then eat them with vinegar , pepper , and sweet butter . mugiles marini . italice cephalo . sea-mullets differ little or nothing in shape from barbels , saving that they are very little or nothing bearded , and those that have beards , have them onely on the neither lip . there is store of them in the mouth of the river of usk , and perhaps as many as at lateran in province . they are so swift , that they often outswim the lightest ships ; which argueth them to be of a light and aeireal substance : it is strange what is written of this fish ; namely that it should hurt venus game ; yea that the very broth of it , or the wine wherein it is sodden should make a man unable to get , and a woman unable to conceive children . nay furthermore terpsides avoucheth , that a little of that broth being mingled with hens meat , maketh them barren though never so well trodden of the cock ; whereupon he saith , the poets have consecrated the sea-mullets to diana , as being the procurer and preserver of chastity ; which if it be true ( as i can hardly think it is ) then farewell paracelsus his cabalistical conclusion , or rather the follies of avicen and many arabians , which give the stones , brains , and combs , of most lascivious birds ( as cocks , phesants , partridges , drakes and sparrows ) to stir up lust and encrease seed : for the sea-mullet is so lascivious , that a thousand females swim after one male as soon as they have spawned , and the males likewise strive as much if they have not choice of females ; yea whereas in a manner all kind of fish , spawne but once a year ; they come ( like to swine among beasts ) thrice a year at the least ; yet are they ( as men say , and as many have written since ) abaters of courage , extinguishers of seed , and charmes as it were against conception : nevertheless sith their flesh is wholesome , white , sweet , and tender , and they feed clean and good , i dare boldly aver them to be much nourishing ; being first well sodden in wine , salt , and water , and then either sowced like a gurnard , or kept in gelly like a tench , or eaten hot with vinegar and pepper . of the eggs and blood of this fish mixed with salt ( which must not be omitted in this discourse ) is also made that which the italians call botargo , from the greek words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or salted eggs . mityli . chamae . mussels were never in credit , but amongst the poorer sort ; till lately the lilly white mussel was found out about romers-wall , as we sail betwixt flushing and bergen-●p-zon , where indeed in the heat of sommer , they are commonly and much eaten without any offence to the head , liver or stomach ; yea my self ( whom once twenty mussels had almost poisoned at cambridg , and who have seen sharp , filthy , and cruel diseases follow the eating of english mussels ) did fill my self with those mussels of the low country , being never a whit distempered with my bold adventure . dr wotton saith that the least mussels be ever best , because they are whitest softest , and soonest digested , but the great ones give a stronger and larger nourishment ; the red ones are very dangerous , yellow ones are suspected , but the white ones are wholesome and much commended , save unto hot and distempered stomacks : they are best sodden in the water out of which they were taken , which being not obtained , seeth them in water and salt , and a little strong ale and vinegar : broild mussels encrease heat and draught ; fryed mussels do easily corrupt in our bodies , and turn to a bad juice . if they be kept in the like pickle , as lately is devised by serjeant goodrons to keep oisters in ( made of sea water , wine , vinegar , bayleaves , mints , pepper , ginger , and cinamon ) i durst warrant them as wholesome , and questionless more pleasant then the oister . as for horse-mussels they deserve not the remembrance , sith neither experience , custome , nor reason approveth them a wholesome meat ; nay as pliny saith , salem virusque refipiunt ; they taste brackish and strong , having a hidden poison within their flesh ; yet have i seen them ordinarily sold in venice , which maketh me think that some sea and river may have wholesome ones of that kind , though ours be neither wholesome nor pleasant of taste . they are exceeding bigg in spaine and the west indies ; but the greatest that ever i read of , is that which juba recordeth in his volumes writen to cajus ( augustus son ) being as big in compass as three pecks . monachae . nunfishes were not seen in england till sir francis drake and mr caundish brought them ( no man knows out of what seas ) cleaving to the keels of their happy vessels . it is a kind of shell-fish , not winding like a periwinckle , nor opening his shell ( as oisters , mussels , and cockles do ) but creeping out of his craggy cabine , like a sea-snail , but that ( as i said ) his hole goeth strait inward and windeth not : the face of it is very white , the head is covered as it were with a black vail , like the nuns of saint bridgets order , whereof i suppose it took the name . it feedeth upon sweet mud sticking upon ships sides whilst they lye at anchor , and is as wholesome and delicate a meat as any periwinckle . ostreae . oisters do justly deserve a full treatice , being so common , and whithall so wholesome a meat ; they differ in colour , substance , and bigness ; but the best are thick , little and round sheld , not sli ppery nor flaggy through abundance of a gellied humour , but short , firm , and thick of flesh , riseing up round like a womans breast , being in a manner all belly , and no fins ; or at the most having very short fins , of a green colour , and listed about as with a purple haire , which will make them indeed to be justly called calliblephara , that is to say , the fair eye lidded oisters ; such are our walfleet and colchester oisters ; whose good rellish , substance , and wholesomeness , far exceedeth the oisters of vsk , pool , southampton , whitstable , rye , or any other port or haven in england . thus much concerning the body of oisters , now somewhat concerning their bigness ; alexander with his ( friends and physitians wondred to find oisters in the indian seas a foot long . and in plinies time they marvelled at an oister , which might be divided into three morsels , calling it therefore tridacnon by a peculiar name : but i dare and do truly affirm , that at my eldest brothers marriage , at aldham hall in essex , i did see a pelden oister divided into eight good morsels , whose shell was nothing less then that of alexanders ; but as the greek proverb saith , goodness is not tied to greatness , but greatness to goodness ; wherefore sith the little round oisters be commonly best rellished , and less fulsome , let them be of the greatest account , especially to be eaten raw , which of all other is thought to be the best way . galen saith that they are somewhat heavy of digestion , and engender fleagm ; but as he knew not the goodness of english beefe ( when he condemned the use of all ox-flesh ) so had he tryed the goodness of our oisters , which pliny maketh the second best of the world , no doubt he would have given oisters a better censure . that they are wholesome and to be desired of every man , this may be no small reason , that ( almost ) every man loves them , item whereas no flesh or other fish is or can be dangerless being eaten raw , raw oisters are never offensive to any indifferent stomack . nay furthermore they settle a wayward appetite and confirm a weak stomack , and give good nourishment to decayed members , either through their owne goodness , or that they are so much desired . finally if they were an ill and heavy meat , why were they appointed to be eaten first ? which is no new custome brought in by some late physitian : for one asking dromeas ( who lived long before athenaeus and macrobius time ) whether he liked best , the feast of athens or chalcis ? i like , said he , the athenians prologue better then the chalcidians , for they began their feasts with oisters , and these with hony ▪ cakes : which argueth them to have been ever held for a meat of light digestion , else had they not alwaies been eaten in the first place . it is great pitty of the loss of asellius the sabins book written dialogue-wise betwixt the fig-finch , the thrush and the oisters , wherein upon just grounds he so preferred them before the birds , that tiberius caesar rewarded him with a thousand pound sterling . the fattest oisters are taken in salt water at the mouth of rivers , but the wholesomest and lightest are in the main upon shelfs and rocks ; which also procure urine and stools , and are helps to cure the chollick and dropsy , if they be eaten raw , for sodden oisters bind the belly , stop urine , and encrease the collick . how dangerous it is to drink small drink upon oisters it appeareth by andronicus the elder , who having made a great dinner of oisters , drank cold water upon them , whereupon he died , being not able to overcome them . and truly as oisters do hardly corrupt of themselves ; so if cold drink follow them they concoct as hardly : wherefore ( especially having eaten many ) drink either wine or some strong and hot beer after them , for fear of a mischiefe . little oisters are best raw , great oisters should be stued with wine , onions , pepper , and butter , or roasted with vinegar , pepper , and butter , or bak't with onions , pepper , andbutter , or pickled with white-wine-vinegar , their owne water , bayes , mints , and hot spices ; for of all wayes they are worst sod , unless you seeth them in that sea water from whence they were brought . all oisters are dangeours whilst they be full of milk , which commonly is betwixt may and august . raw oisters are best in cold weather , when the stomach is hottest , namely from september to april : albeit the italians dare not venture on a raw oister at any time , but broil them in the shell with their water , the juice of an orenge , pepper , and oil ; which way i must needs confess it eates daintily . pickled oisters may be eaten at all times , and to my taste and judgement they are more commendable , chiefly to cold , weak , windy , distasted stomachs , then any way else prepared . i wonder whether it be true or no which i have heard of , and pliny seemeth also to affirm , that oisters may be kept all the year long covered in snow , and so be eaten in sommer as cold as can be ; which if it prove answerable to the likelihood i conceive of it , i will cry out with pliny in the same chapter , quanti quanti es ▪ luxuria , quae summa montium & maris ima commisces ? how great and powerful is riot , which maketh the highest covering of mountains , and the lowest creatures of the seas to meet together ? yet it is recorded that apicius the roman , kept oisters so long sweet ( were it in snow , pickle , or brine ) that he sent them from thence sweet and good to the emperour trajan , warring against the parthians . cochleae marinae . perwinckles or whelks , are nothing but sea-snails , feeding upon the finest mud of the shore and the best weeds ; they are very nourishing and restorative , being sod at the sea-side in their own sea water : the whitest flesht are ever best & tenderest , & they which are taken in clean creeks eat pleasant , but they which are gathered upon muddy shores eat very strongly and offend the eyesight . they are best in winter and in the spring : for a stomack and liver resolved as it were and disposessed of strength . apicius warneth us to pick away the covering of their holes , for it is a most unwholesome thing , being nothing but a collection of all their slime hardned with seething . the best way to prepare them for sound persons is to seeth them in their owne sea-water , or else in river water with salt and vinegar ; but for weak and consumed persons apicius willeth them ( in the book and chapter aforesaid ) to be thus drest ; take first the skin from their holes , and lay them for a day or two covered in salt and milk ; the third day lay them onely in new milk , then seeth them in milk till they be dead , or fry them in a pan with butter and salt . passeres . plaise ( called the sea-sparrows , because they are brown above and white beneath ) are of good , wholesome and fine nourishment . arnoldus de villa nova writeth thus of them . of all sea-fish rochets and gurnards are to be preferred ; for their flesh is firm , and their substance purest of all other . next unto them plaise and soles are to be numbred , being eaten in time ; for if either of them be once stale , there is no flesh more carrion-like nor more ●roublesome to the belly of man : the best plaise have blackest spots , as the best flounders reddest , & the thicker , is most commended , and such as are taken upon the eastern cost , as rye , sandwich , and dover ; could we have store at all times of such wholesome fish , at any reasonable rate , jackalent would be a cock-horse all the year long , and butchers meat would go a begging . alausae minores . pilchers differ not only in age ( as some dream ) but even in substance and form from herrings ; for their flesh is firmer and fuller , and their body rounder , neither are they of so aguish an operation ; they are best broild , having lien a day in salt , and eaten with butter salt , & pepper . porci marini . porpesses , tursions , or sea-hogs , are of the nature of swine , never good till they be fat , contrary to the disposion of tunnies , whose flesh is ever best when they are leanest ; it is an unsavory meat , engendring many superfluous humours , augmenting fleagm , and troubling no less an indifferent stomach , then they trouble the water against a tempest ; yet many ladies and gentlemen love it exceedingly , bak't like venison ; yea i knew a great gentle-woman ( in warwick lane ) once send for a pasty of it given from a courtier ) when the prisoners of newgate had refused the fellow of it out of the beggers basket . thus like lips like lettice , and that which is most mens bane , may be fittest to delight and nourish others . pol●pi . poulps are hard of digestion , naught howsoever they be drest , as platina thinketh . but sith hyppocrates commendeth them to women in childbed ▪ i dare not absolutely diswade the eating of them ; especially sith diphilus , paulus , aegineta , and aetius commend them likewise , saying that they nourish much , and excessively provoke lust . indeed if any would eat a live pulp , to anger others and to kill himself , as diogenes did ( though some say that he died of a raw cow-heel , others that he stiffeld himself in his cloke ) no doubt he shall find it a dangerous morsel ; but being well sodden in salt water and wine , and sweet herbs , it is as dainty and far more wholesomer then a mackrel . anates marini . puffins , whom i may call the feathered fishes , are accounted even by the holy fatherhood of cardinals to be no flesh but rather fish ; whose catholique censure i will not here oppugne , though i have just reason for it , because i will not encrease the popes coffers ; which no doubt would be filled , if every puffin eater bought a pardon , upon true and certain knowledge that a puffin were flesh : albeit perhaps if his holiness would say , that a shoulder of muton were fish ; they either would not or could not think it flesh . aranei marini . quawiners ( for so the scots and northen english term them ) are very subtile and crafty fishes , but utterly unwholesome for indifferent stomachs , though the poorer sort of the orcadians eat them for hunger . rubelliones . rochets ( or rather rougets , because they are so red ) differ from gurnards and curs , in that they are redder by a great deal , and also lesser ; they are of the like flesh and goodness yet better fryed with onions , butter , and vinegar , then sodden ; because they are so little , that seething would soke out their best nourishing substance . pectines veneris . scallopes are called venus cockles , either because she was borne in one of them , or because she loved them above all other meat . pliny extolleth the scallops of alexandria in egypt , but now the most and best be in spaine by compostella , whether many lecherous men and women resort , to eat scallops fot the kindling of lust and encrease of nature , under the name of a pilgrimage to saint james his shrine : the whitest are best , and least hot , all of them encrease lust , provoke much urine , and nourish strongly . selsey and purbeck have gotten them credit for them and for cockles , above all the costs of england ; they are best being broild with their owne water , vinegar , pepper , and butter , but sodden they are held to be unwholesome phocae . seales flesh is counted as hard of digestion , as it is gross of substance , especially being old ; wherefore i leave it to mariners and sailers , for whose stomachs it is fittest , and who know the best way how to prepare it triches . clupeae . shads have a tender and pleasant flesh , but in some months they are so full of bones , that the danger in eating them lessneth the pleasure ; they nourish plentifully , especially the severn shad , which in my judgement is void of that viscous humour , whereby other shads ( no less then mackrels ) enforce sleepiness to the eater . they are best in may , june , and july , for then they are full of flesh and freest of bones . squillae . shrimps are of two sorts ; the one crookbacked , the other straitbacked : the first sort is called of frenchmen caramots de la sante healthful shrimps ; because they recover ▪ sick and consumed persons ; of all other they are most nimble , witty , and skipping , and of best juice . shrimps were of great request amongst the romans , and brought in as a principal dish in venus feasts . the best way of preparing them for healthful persons , is to boil them in sea or salt water , with a little vinegar ; but for sick and consumed bodies dress them after this sort : first wash them clean in barly water , then unscale them whilst they are alive , and seeth them in chicken broth ; so are they as much ( or rather more ) restorative as the best crabs and crevisses most highly commended by physitians . futhermore they are unscaled , to vent the windiness which is in them , being sodden with their scales , whereof lust and disposition to venery might arise , but no better nor sounder nourishment . there is a great kind of shrimps , which are called prawnes in english , and crangones by rondeletius , highly prized in hectick fevers and consumptions ; but the crook-backt shrimp far suprasseth them for that purpose , as being of a sweeter taste and more temperate constitution . squatina . skate is skin'd like a file , of the same nature with a thorneback , but pleasanter , more tender , and more available to stir up letchery ; it is so neer a thorneback in shape , that they often couple and engender together . lingulacae soleae . soles or tongue fishes , are counted the partridges of the sea , and the fittest meat of all other for sick folks ; for they are of a good smell , a pleasant taste , neither of too hard nor too soft a flesh , engendring neither too thick nor too thin blood ; of easie concoction , leaving none or few excrements after they be digested . platina fried them ( as we do ) with persly , butter , and verjuce , and sawced them with butter and juce of orenges ; but for sick persons they are best sodden in water , butter , and verjuce with a little falt ; it is a fish impatient of winter , and therefore then it lurketh in deep holes , but in summer it sporteth it self abroad , and offereth it self to be seen when it is most seasonable . chalcides . sprats need no description , being one of jack-a-lents principle pages : they smell well being new and fresh , resembling therein the river-smelt ; but their flesh is quezy , corruptible , and aguish , especially if they light on a weak stomach ; they are worst being smoked or fried , indifferent sodden , and best broild . chalcides majores . spurlings are but broad sprats , taken chiefly upon our northern coast ; which being drest and pickled as anchovaes be in provence , rather surpass them then come behind them in taste and goodness . were english men as industrious as i could wish , we should sel them deerer to the french and italians , then their anchovaes are sold to us ; for i have seen some prepared by dr. turner , which far exceeded theirs : but strange things are ever best liked , according to that saying of galen , peregrina , quae ignorant , magis celebrant mortales , quàm quod nativum est , quodque esse praeclarum nôrunt . mortal men ( saith he ) do more extoll forreign things , albeit they know them not ; then home ▪ bred and familiar things , though they know them to be excellent . apuae infumatae . as for red sprats and spurlings , i vonchsafe them not the name of any wholesome nourishment , or rather of no nourishment at all ; commending them for nothing but that they are bawdes to enforce appetite , and serve well the poor mans turn to quench hunger . asellus aridus stockfish whilst is is unbeaten is called buckhorne , because it is so tough ; when it is beaten upon the stock , it is termed stockfish . rondelitius calleth the first merlucium , and stock-fish moluam , it may be salpa plinij , for that is a great fish , and made tender by age and beating . erasmus thinketh it to be called stockfish , because it nourisheth no more then a dryed stock : wherefore howsoever it be sod , buter'd , fried or baked , and made both toothsomer and delectable by good and chargeable cookery ; yet a stone will be a stone , and an ape an ape , howsoever the one be set up for a saint , and the other apparelled like a judge . the stilliard merchants lay it twenty four hours in strong lye , and then as long again in warm waters ; afterwards they boil it in abundance of butter , and so serve it in with pepper , and salt , which way ( if any way ) it is most nourishing , because it is made not onely tender , but also more moist and warm : now let us stay longer upon the sturgian , esteemed sometime the monarch of all sea-fish . acipenser . sturgian is thought of mr. cogan to be a fish of hard substance , not much better ( in his judgement ) then bacon or brawne , although for the rareness it be esteemed of great estates ; which i will not deny to be true in old and resty sturgian ; but young sturgian is so far of from being tough or unwholesome , that of all other fish it is and was ever most preferred : severus and his followers did so esteem it ( though trajan for an in borne hatred could not abide it ) that whensoever any great feast was kept , the chiefe gentleman of his court carried up the sturgian , all gilded over with gold , and attended with minstrelsy and carolling , as though a solemn pageant or saints shrine were to be carried about the city . galen likewise and tully affirm it to be of a sweet delicate and good nourishment . cordan compareth it with veal , but indeed it is far sweeter : sturgians livers are so exceeding sweet , that at hamborough they rub them over with the broken gall , lest the stomach should be cloyed with over swetness . the great and full grown sturgians are better then the less , and the male then the female ; and they which suck and lye at the mouths of rivers , are counted sweeter then they which are taken in the main sea ; it feeds not ( as other fish do ) upon flies , worms , fish-spawne or roots , but sucketh like a lamprey ( because it hath no teeth ) of such sweet morsels or offall as happily it findeth . one thing is admirable in this fish , that albeit clean contrary to other fishes the scales turn toward the head ; yet against the side and stream it swimeth fasteth ▪ physicians forbid all sturgian ( especially the head and fore-rand ) to aguish persons and such as be lately recovered of agues ; because they are so fat and oily , that their stomachs will convert them into choler . at danske and hamborough ( whence we have the best ) sometimes they are roasted , being stickt full of cloves ; but then the belly onely is toothsome , which eateth like veal , or rather better , if such sawce be made unto it as we use to roasted venison . otherwhiles they are broild and basted with oil and vinegar , having been first a little corned with salt ; but if sturgian be well sod , and then kept in convenient pickle , of all other preparations it is the chiefest , being eaten with vinegar and sweet fennel . they are first sod in two parts of water , one of white wine , and one of white wine vinegar , with sufficient salt , verveine and dill , as long as one would seeth a legg of veal ; then being cold , they are divided into jouls and rands , and put up into barrels or kegs , with store of rhenish wine , wine ▪ vinegar , and seawater ; wherein having lain half a year , they become a light , toothsome and singular good meat , to an indifferent and temperate stomach . as for cavialie , or their eggs being poudred , let turks , grecians , venetians , and spaniards , celebrate them never so much , yet the italian proverb will ever be true . chi mangia di caviale , mangia moschi merdi & salae . he that eateth of cavialies ▪ eateth falt , dung , and flies . i commend the flesh of sturgian chiefly to hot and distasted stomachs , to young men , and especially in sommer ; at which time ( eaten with gilly-flour vinegar ) it slaketh thirst , sharpneth appetite , setleth the stomach , delayeth heat , and giveth both a temperate and a sound nourishment . xiphij . sword-fishes are much whiter and pleasanter in taste then tunny ; but as hard of digestion , and therefore unworthy any longer discourse . raja . thornback , which charles chester merily and not unfitly calleth neptunes beard , was extolled by antiphanes in athenaeus history for a dainty fish ; indeed it is of a pleasant taste , but of a stronger smell then skate , over-moist to nourish much , but not so much as to hinder lust , which it mightily encreaseth . albertus thinks it as hard to be concocted as any beefe ; whose judgement i suspect , sith hippocrates permits it in long consumptions : assuredly if not the flesh , yet the liver is marvelous sweet and of great nourishment , which the very taste and consistence thereof will sufficiently demonstrate . thorneback is good sodden , especially the liver of it , though dorion the musitian said , that a sodden thornback is like a piece of sodden cloth ; but the flesh is best broiled after it hath been sodden ▪ to consume the watrishness . thynni . tunies are best when they are leanest ; namely , towards the fall and the dead of winter . when they are at the best , their flesh is unsavoury enough , cloying an indifferent stomach , and engendering most gross and superfluous moistures . as porpesses must be baked while they are new , so tunny is never good till it have been long pouldred with salt , vinegar , coriander , and hot spices . no tunny lives past two years , waxing so fat that their bellies break : at which time more gain is made of their fat , by making train-oyl for clothiers , then good by their flesh ; which is only good , ( if good at all ) for spanish and italian mariners . rhombi . turbuts , which some call the sea-pheasant , were in old time counted so good and delicate , that this proverb grew upon them , nihil ad rhombum ; that is to say , what is all this in comparison of a turbutt . verily , whilst they be young , ( at which time they are called butts ) their flesh is moist , tender , white , and pleasant ; afterwards they are harder to be digested , though more crumbling to feel to : and as their prickles wax longer , so their flesh waxeth tougher . they are best being sodden as you seeth thornback ; or rather as you seeth a grown plaise . balaenae . whales flesh is the hardest of all other , and unusuall to be eaten of our countrymen , no not when they are very young and tenderest ; yet the livers of whales , sturgians , and dolphins smell like violets , taste most pleasantly being salted , and give competent nourishment as cardan writeth . onisci . albulae . molliculae . whitings had never staid so long in the court of england ( where they are never wanting upon a fish day ) unless they had done some notable service , and still deserved their entertainment ; the best whitings are taken in tweede , called merlings , of like shape and vertue with ours , but far bigger ; all physitians allow them for a light , wholesome and good meat , not denying them to sick persons , and highly commending them to such as be in health ; they are good sodden with salt and time , and their livers are very restorative , yea more then of other fishes : they are also good broild , and dried after the manner of stockfish into little buckhorne ; but then they are fitter ( as stockfish is ) to dry up moistures in a rhumatick stomach , then to nourish the body . colybdaenae . yards or shamefishes ( so called because they resemble the yard of a man ) are by galens judgement as agreeable to weak stomachs , as crabs , shrimps , & crevisses . gesner in his book of fishes , saith that the french men call this fish the asses-prick , and dr wotton termeth it grosly the pintle fish . how shameful a name so ever it beareth , it needs not be ashamed of his vertues ; for it nourisheth much , is light of concoction , and encreaseth nature . yellow heads or giltpoles are before spoken of , next before gurnards . and thus much of sea fish ; now fresh water fish challenge their due remembrance , of which we will treat in the next chapter . chap. xix . of fresh water fish . apium . alderlings are a kind of fish betwixt a trout and a grayling , scaled ( as the trout is not ) but not so great scaled as the grailing is ; it lyeth ever in a deep water , under some old and great alder , his flesh being sod smelleth like to wild parsly , whereupon i guess it had his latin name , and is of indifferent good nourishment , and provoketh urine . barbellio . barbels are counted nothing but bearded-mullets ; it is most likely that this is the fish dedicated to diana the goddess of chastity ; for it is a very cold , moist and gellied fish , hurting the sinews , quenching lust , and greatly troubling both head and belly , if it be usually and much eaten of ; some eat it hot after it is sodden in wine vinegar , time , and savory ( which is a good way to correct it ) others eat it cold laid in gelly , which onely agreeth with hot and aguish stomachs in summer time ; assuredly the eggs or spawne of barbels is very sharp , griping and corrosive , driving many into bloody fluxes that have eaten them fasting . abramides . breams seem no other then flat carps ; yet whiter of flesh , and finer nourishment . there is a kind of bream called scarus ruminas , which we call a cudbream , because his lips are ever wagging like a cow chawing the cud : this of all other is the lightest , sweetest , and best fish of the river , fitter for weak and sick persons then such as be in health , because it is so fine . a very good way how to dress most part of scaled fishes . prepare it after this sort , set on a good quantity of white strong vinegar ▪ and stale ale , with a cursey of salt , a little mints , origanum , parsly and rosemary ; and when your liquor boileth fast upon the fire , stop the mouth of your bream with a nutmeg thrust downe into his throat , and cast him in skipping into the liquor keeping him downe till he be thorow dead and perfectly sodden : dress pikes , roches , carps , grailings , mullets , and all great fish of the river in the like sort ; for it will make them to eat pleasant , crisp , brittle , and firm , not watrish and flaggy , as most fish do , because we know not how to use and order them . alburni . bleyes or bleaks are soft flesht , but never fat ; fitter to feed pikes then to nourish men ; in the heat of sommer they are troubled with a worme in their stomach , which makes them so mad and frantick , that rowing upon the thames you shall have three or four in an evening leap into your boat : a waterman once opened one , and found a little worm in it , not unlike to them which grow in oxens skins ( wherewith they are often enraged ) but far less ; they are counted a tender , but never any wholesome meat ; because they are so subject to frensy and giddiness . cyprini . carpiones . carps are of a sweet taste , and much good nourishment , in which respects they were dedicated to venus , discommended for nothing , but that they will not last long ; wherefore they are forthwith to be drest , because ( through lightness of their substance ) they will soon corrupt . the portugals suppose that carps feed upon gold , because nothing almost is found in their bellies , but a yellow glistering sand ; which opinion is also encreased , in that they lye onely at the bottome of waters : the river carp is most wholesome ; if the ground of that river be gravel or clean sand ; otherwise take them out of gravelly ponds fed with springs , and fatted with convenient meat ; where they will not onely encrease mightily in number and bigness , but also get a very pleasant taste and a wholesome nature : the middle sised carp is ever best , agreeing with all times , ages and complexions . the tongue is the most nourishing part of all , but the spawne is heavy and unwholesome howsoever it be drest . the head of a carp , the tail of a pike , and the belly of a bream are most esteemed , for their tenderness , shortness , and well rellishing . some bake a carp with spice , fruit , and butter ; but in my judgment being sodden like a bream , it is of as good a taste and better nourishment . a red cavialie is made of their spawne in italy ; much eaten and desired of the iewes , for that they dare not eat of the cavialie of sturgians , seales , and tunny , because they are onely to feed upon scaled fish , and such as carry fins : above all things see that your carps stink not of mud nor fenny filth ; for they cannot then be wholesome for mans body . locustellae . astaci . carabi . crevisses and shrimps were appointed by god saith dorion ( as athenaeus writeth ) for quezy stomachs , and give also a kind of exercise for such as be weak : for head and brest must first be divided from their bodies ; then each of them must be dis scaled , and clean picked with much pidling ; then the long gut lying along the back of the crevisse is to be voided . lastly , the small clawes are to be broken , wherein lyeth part of the best meat . crevisses feed upon fish , water-herbs , and sweet clay ; but most gladly upon the livers of young beasts ; before we are to use them , it were good to diet them in a cistern with crumbs of white bread for three or four dayes together , so will they be cleans`d of all impurities , and give a more strong and fine nourishment . they should be sodden in the water whence they were taken with a little salt ; and never kept above a day after , for they will soon smell and putrifie : we do foolishly to eat them last , being a fine temperate and nourishing meat . they are best from the spring until autumn , and at the full of the moon they are most commendable . the females likewise are better then the males , which a wise man will soon discern : for consumed persons they are first to be washed in barly water , and then to be sodden in milk ( being first dis-caled ) till they be tender ; according as before i wrote of shrimps . leucisci . daces , or darts , or dares be of a sweet taste , a soft flesh and good nourishment , either sod or broild ; or pickled like anchovaes after the italian manner . anguillae . eeles have so sweet a flesh , that they and lampreyes were dedicated to that filthy goddess gula or gluttony ; yet withall it is so unwholesome , that some zoilus or momus would have accused nature , for putting so sweet a taste into so dangerous a meat : for eeles ( as hippocrates writeth ) live most willingly in muddy places : and in his epidemiques he rehearseth many mischiefs to have happened to divers through eating of eeles ; they give much nourishment , but very corruptible : they loosen the belly , but bring fluxes , they open the wind-pipes , but stop the liver ; they clear the voice , but infect the lungs ; they encrease seed , but yet no good seed : finally they bring agues , hurt the stomach and kidneys , engender gravel , cause the strangury , sharpen the gout , and fill us full of many diseases ; they are worst in sommer , but never wholesom : the elder ones are least hurtful and if any be harmless it is the silver-bellied and the sandy eele . arnoldus de villa nova , saith that no eele is free from a venemous malignity and a kind of gluish suffocating juice . but jovius reporteth that some eeles are engendred in a little river by cremona , less a great deal , then our little griggs , hurtful in no disease , but of a pure wholesome and good nourishment ; which i will believe because so grave a chronicler reporteth it : otherwise i should think ill with hippocrates of all eeles , even of those little ones as well as the eeles in ganges , which are thirty foot long , as pliny writeth : verily when eeles only sink to the bottom , and all other fishes float after they are dead , it cannot but argue them to be of a muddy nature , little participating of that a●ereal substance which moveth and lightneth other fishes . again sith like an owle it never comes abroad to feed but in the night time ; it argueth a melancholick disposition in it self , and a likelihood to beget the like in us . great eeles are best roasted and broild , because their maligne humour lieth more next under the skin then in their flesh , which is corrected or evapourated by the fire . next of all they are best poudred and sowced , and baked with butter , salt , and pepper ; but worst being sodden in water , ale , and yeast , as commonly they are ; for the yeast addeth one maglinnity to another , and doth more hurt then i can express to the stomach , liver , and blood . rhombi fluviatiles . flounders if they be thick and well grown are a most wholesome and light meat , being sod with water and verjuice , or fried with vinegar and butter ; but the little flounders called dabs as they are little esteemed of , so their watrish and flaggy flesh doth justly deserve it . thymi . grailings called both of greeks and latins thymi , because their flesh smelleth like thime when they be in season , are a white , firm , and yet a tender meat , tasting no worse then it smels , and nourishing plentifully . seeth it in such sort , as was described in our treatise before of dressing breams , and you will find few fishes comparable unto it ; of all scaled fishes they only want a gall , which perhaps is the cause of their greater excellency . gobiones . gudgins are of two sorts , one whiter and very little , the other bigger and blackish ; both are as wholesome as a perch ; but if any be found yellowish , they are dry , lean and unseasonable . galen commendeth their flesh exceedingly , not onely because it is short and pleasant in taste , being fat and friable ; but also for that it is soon concocted , nourisheth much , and encreaseth good blood . they are best which lye about rocky and gravelly places , for fenny and lake gudgeons be not wholesome . paganelli . rondeletius in his book of fishes , mentioneth two sea gudgins called paganelli of a far greater length and bigness then ours are of , which our western fishermen call by the name of sea-cobs : they sometimes come up the river of vske , where they are taken and brought to exceter , and accounted ( as they are indeed ) a most sound , light , wholesom , and nourishing meat . capitones . gulls , guffs , pulches , chevins , and millers thombs are a kind of jolt-headed gudgins , very sweet , tender , and wholesome , especially when they be with spawne ; for their eggs are many and fat , giving good nourishment ; and though their flesh be hard in albertus judgment , yet it never putrifieth , and is well digested . funduli . groundlings are also a kind of gudgins never lying from the ground , freckled as it were on each side with seven or eight spots ; they are seasonable in march , april , and may : the best lye lowest , and feed finest , sucking upon gravel ; but they which lye neer to great cities , feed upon filth and delight in the dead carcasses of men and beasts , therefore called of the germans leijtessers . all sorts of gudgins be wholesom either sod or fried , agreeing with all constitutions of body , sicknesses and ages . pungitij . spinachiae . hackles or sticklebacks are supposed to come of the seed of fishes spilt or miscarrying in the water ; some think they engender of their own accord , from mud or rain putrified in ponds : howsoever it is they are nought and unwholesome , sufficient to quench poor mens hunger , but not to nourish either rich or poor . iacks or young pickrels shall be described hereafter , when we speak of the nature of pikes . kobs or sea-gudgins ( taken yet in fresh water ) are before spoken of in the discourse of gudgions . lampretae . muraenae . lampreys and lamprons , differ in bigness only and in goodness ; they are both a very sweet and nourishing meat , encreasing much lust through superfluous nourishment ; were they as wholesome as sweet , i would not much discommend lucius mutaena and the nobles of england for so much coveting after them : but how ill they are even for strong stomachs , and how easily a man may surfet on them ; not onely the death of king henry the first , but also of many brave men and captains may sufficiently demonstrate . pliny avoucheth that they engender with the land snake : but sith they engender and have eggs at all times of the year , i see no reason for it . aristotle saith , that another long fish like a lamprey called myrus is the sire ; which licinius macer oppugneth , affirming constantly that he hath found lampreys upon the land engendring with serpents , and that fisher-men counterfetting the serpents hiss , can call them out of the water and take them at pleasure . they are best ( if ever good ) in march and april ; for then are they so fat , that they have in a manner no back bone at all : towards summer they wax harder , and then have they a manifest bone , but their flesh is consumed : seeth or bake them thoroughly , for otherwise they are of hard and very dangerous digestion . old men , gowty men , and aguish persons , and whosoever is troubled in the sinews or sinewy parts , should shun the eating of them no less , then as if they were serpents indeed . the italians dress them after this sort ; first they beat them on the tail with a wand ( where their life is thought to lye ) till they be almost dead , then they gagg their mouth with a whole nutmeg , and stop every oilet-hole with a clove , afterwards they cast them into oil and malmsie boiling together , casting in after them some crumbs of bread , a few almonds blancht and minced ; whereby their malignity is corrected and their flesh bettered . cajus hercius was the first that ever hem'd them in ponds , where they multiplied and prospered in such sort , that at caesar the dictators triumphall suppers , he gave him six thousand lampreys for each supper ; he fed them with the liver , and blood of beasts : but vidius pollio ( a roman knight , and one of augustus minions ) fed his lampreys with his slaves carcasses ; not because beasts were not sufficient to feed them , but that he took a pleasure to see a thousand lampreys sucking altogether like horse-leeches upon one man. concerning our english preparation of them , a certain friend of mine gave me this receit of bakeing and dressing lampreys ; namely first to pouder them ( after parboiling ) with salt , time , origanum , then either to broil them as spitchcocks , or to bake them with wine ▪ pepper , nutmegs , mace , cloves , ginger and good store of butter . the little ones called lamprons are best broild , but the great ones called lampreys are best baked . of all our english lampreys , the severn-dweller is most worthily commended , for it is whiter , purer , sweeter , and fatter , and of less malignity then any other . lochae . loches , meat ( as the greek word importeth ) for women in child-bed , are very light and of excellent nourishment ; they have a flesh like liver , and a red spleen , which are most delicate in taste , and as wholesome in operation . apuae cobitae , gesneri . aliniatae caij . phoxini bellonij . minoes , so called either for their littleness , or ( as dr. cajus imagined ) because their fins be of so lively a red , as if they were died with the true cinnabre-lake called minium : they are less then loches , feeding upon nothing , but licking one another . gesner thinks them to engender of the wast seed of gudgins ; others that they engender of themselves out of unknown matter ; yet certain it is that they are ever full of spawn , which should argue a natural copulation of them with some littlefish or other : they are a most delicate and light meat ( their gall being warily voided without breaking ) either fried or sodden . mulli . mullets of the river be of like goodness with the sea-mullets , though not fully of so fine and pure substance . philoxenus the poet , supping at the lower mess in dionisius court ; took suddenly a little leane mullet out of the dish ▪ and set his ear to the mouth of it ; whereat dionysius laughing , and asking him what newes ? marry ( quoth he ) he tells me of some strange newes in the river , whereof none ( as he saith ) can more fully enform me then yonder great mullet in the upper dish : so for his pleasant jest he got the greater ; and withall gives us to note , that unless a mullet be large and fat , it is but a frivolous dish , making a great shew on the table , but little nourishing ; how they are best to be drest , is already specified when i wrote of breams . vetulae olaffes , or rather old wives ( because of their mumping and soure countenance ) are as dainty and wholesome of substance , as they are large in body ; it was my chance to buy one about putny , as i came from mr. secretary walsingham his house about ten years since : which i caused to be boild with salt , wine , and vinegar ; and a little thime ; and i protest that i never did eat a more white firm , dainty and wholesome fish . percae . perches are a most wholesome fish , firm , tender , white , and nourishing . ausonius calleth them delicias mensae the delight of feasts , preferring them before pikes , roches , mullets , and all other fish , eobanus hessus in his poetical dietary , termeth them the river-partridges . diocles the physitian writ a just volumn in the praise of perches , and hippocrates and galen most highly extoll them . they are ever in season , save in march and april , when they spawne . as the oldest and greatest eele is ever best , so contrariwise the middle perch and pike is ever most wholesome . seeth them in wine-vinegar , water , and salt ; and then either ▪ eat them hot , or cover them in wine-vinegar to be eaten cold : for so they both cool a distempered feverous stomach , and give also much nourishment to a weak body . lupi . pikes or river-wolves are greatly commended by gesner and divers learned authors for a wholesom meat , permitted , yea enjoined to sick persons and women in child bed ; yet verily to speak like a lawyer , i cannot perceive quo warranto ; for if fenney or muddy-rivered fishes be unwholesome , the pike is not so good as authors make him , living most naturally and willingly in such places where he may fat himself with froggs and filth . futhermore when a pike is big and full grown , is not his flesh rather to be counted hard , then firm ; indeed i will not deny but a pike of a middle sise , fed in gravelly ponds with fresh livers of beasts , sodden crisp in wine-vinegar and sweet-herbs , is of no bad nourishment for any man , but fittest for hot chollerick stomachs and young persons . macrobius writeth , that the best pike is taken in a clear river betwixt two bridges ; but i never saw them fat in any clear river , and therefore i suspect their goodness . certain it is that old great pikes are very hard , tough , and ill to digest : young ones ( called jacks ) are contrariwise to watrish and moist . chuse therefore one of a middle growth ▪ for it is most likely to nourish us best . the germans having split them along the back , thrust their tails into their mouths , and then fry them a little with sweet butter , then they take them out of the frying pan , and boil them ( as long as one would seeth an egg ) with wine , water , vinegar , and salt , gallopping on the fire , and last of all having sprinckled it over with the powder of cloves , cinamon and ginger , they serve it to the table . rutili . roches , or roch fishes ( called so of saint roch that legendary aesculapius and giver of health ) are esteemed and thought uncapable of any disease , according to the old proverb , as sound as a roch. hence have men collected , that the flesh of them is light , sound , and wholesome ; which verily is not to be denied , being sodden like a bream : they are full of bones , which maketh them the less regarded , though wisemen know well enough , that roses are roses , albeit their tree be dangerous and full of thornes . cernuae aspredines . ruffs or ruggels are not much unlike to perches , for the goodness of their flesh , though their skin be rougher : the best live in sandy places , where they wax exceeding fat and sweet ; dress them as you do perches : some take them for the base ; and verily by gesners description they disagree as much as nothing . salmones . salmons are of a fatty , tender , short , and sweet flesh , quickly filling the stomach and soon glutting . gesner commendeth them that go fardest up into fresh rivers , accounting them worst which are taken nearest the sea ; which i find to be true in the difference betwixt the salmons of upper severn ( betwixt shrewsbury and beaudly ) and the salmons taken betwixt glocester and bristowe . nevertheless if they go too high up the river , they wax leaner for want of sufficient nourishment , as manifestly appeareth ( which i my self have seen ) in the salmon of the rhine taken at ringfielden beyond basel , and at oppenheim above the city of ments . salmons come in and go out with the buck ; for towards winter they wax kipper , full of kernels under their throate like a measeld hogg , and lose both their redness of flesh , and also the pleasure of tast which else it giveth : they are to be sodden wholly in wine , or wholly in water ; for if they be sodden in both , they prove tough and unpleasant : it is best to seeth them in wine vinegar and salt , or else parboile them onely in water , being cut into certain pieces , and having stickt those pieces full of cloves , broil them upon a gridiron , and bast them with butter , and serve them in with sawce made of vinegar , cinamon and sugar . some have pickled salmon as sturgian is used , and find it to be as dainty , and no less wholesom ; but salt salmon loseth a double goodness , the one of a good taste , the other of a good nourishment . hot salmon is counted unwholesome in england , and suspected as a leprous meat , without all reason ; for if it be sodden in wine , and afterwards well spiced , there is no danger of any such accident . as for salmon peales ( which indeed are nothing but sea ▪ trouts ) howsoever they be highly commended of the western and welch people ; yet are they never enough commended , being a more light , wholesom , and well tasted meat then the salmon it self . salmunculi . shuins , seem unto me akind of salmon , whereof plenty is taken in the river running by cardiff castle : but it surpasseth the salmon as much in goodness , as it is surpassed by him in length and greatness ; boil it in wine vinegar salt , and sweet herbs , and you shall find it a delicate and wholesome fish . violaceae . epelani rondeletij . smellts are so called , because they smell so sweet ; yea if you draw them , and then dry them in a shadowy place , ( being seasonably taken ) they still retain a smell as it were of violets . their flesh is of the finest , lightest , softest , and best juce of all other fish ; their excellency is in winter , and whensoever they are full of spawne . western smelts have the greatest commendation for their greatness and goodness . void the gall cleanly , and then use the livers , guts , bellies , and fat for great restoratives . the best are taken by kew and brainford within eight miles of london , and at westchester . seeth them in hot boiling water and salt , and take them out as soon as they are sodden ; for lying long in the water they will wax flaggy : their sawce is butter and verjuce mingled with a little gross pepper ; but if you fry them in butter , eat them with the juice of civil-orenges ; for that is their best sawce . truttae . trouts are so great in northumberland , that they seem thicker then salmons , and are therefore called bull-trouts ; there are especially two sorts of them , red-trouts resembling little fresh-water salmons , and therefore termed salmon-trouts ; and gray-trouts or skurffs , which keep not in the chanel of bournes or rivers , but lurk like the alderlings under the roots of great alders ; they are both a very pleasant and good meat for sound persons : but they are fouly mistaken ▪ which prefer them in agues before perches , ( whose flesh is tender , friable , light , of good juice , and speedy concoction ) when they are in no one thing comparable unto them : they are best being sodden like a bream and eaten hot , for being eaten cold they lose much of their grace and more of their goodness . tincae . tenches are naturally such friends to pikes , that pitty it is they should be separated ; yet sith i have followed the order of the alphabet , i could not but divide them in name though they agree in nature . old writers hardly vouchsafe to mention them , because they were onely esteemed as beggers meat ; the very feeling and smell of them , shew , that a tench is but a muddy and slimy fish . albertus living years after christ , was the first that ever wrote of the nature of the tench . his flesh is stopping , slimy , viscous , and very unwholesome ; and ( as alexander benedictus writeth ) of a most unclean and damnable nourishment . antonius gazius saith , that a fried tench is a secret poison : and i remember that dr. cajus ( whose learning i reverence ) was wont to call tenches good plaisters , but bad nourishers . for indeed being outwardly laid to the soles of ones feet , they oftentimes draw away the ague ; but inwardly taken they engender palsies , stop the lungs , putrifie in the stomach , and bring a man that much eats them to infinite diseases ; they are very hard of digestion , burdensome to the stomach , encreasing slimy nourishment , and breeding palsies , and appoplexies in the head : from may to november they are very dangerous ; afterwards , hot cholerick and labouring men may be refreshed by them , but none else : they are worst being fried , best being kept in gelly , made strong of wine and spices . umbrae . umbers have a dry and whitish flesh , like the flesh of gray-trouts , being of the like substance , quality and goodness , and needing no other preparation . the belly of it is preferred before the other parts , and is wholesomest in the dog ▪ daies . pisanellus saith that it is called umbra in latin , because it swimmeth in the river like a shaddow ; and he commendeth it exceedingly for young and hot stomacks , as that also it is soon concocted and encreaseth seed . chap. xx. of such living creatures and meats , as be neither flesh nor fish , and yet give good nourishment to the body . cochelae terrestres . snails are little esteemed of us in england , but in barbarie , spaine , and italy they are eaten as a most dainty , wholesome , nourishing , and restoring meat . let us beware when , and in what sort , we use them ; for they are naught whilst they feed , but towards winter having scoured themselves from all excrements , and batled themselves fat with sleep , then are they wholesomest : also if they feed in woods or in gardens full of physick-hearbs , they are strong both of smell and taste and dangerous to eat of . they desire of all other herbs to feed of deffadills and asphodils ; but then they are not so good , as those that feed upon other herbs and fruits , but especially upon dew-berries . in cales and spain they feed chiefly upon orenge flouers , which makes them very pleasant in eating . in the islands of majorca and minorca , they never come out of their caves , but live by sucking one anothers shell , hanging together like a gluster of grapes ; which no doubt are of a purer substance then ours , that suck and feed upon all herbs . fulvius hilpinus not long before the civil war betwixt caesar and pompey , made in his garden several snail-parks ( as i may call them ) keeping every kind by themselves ; there might one find the white snails of reate , the gray and great snails of illyricum ; the fruitful snails of africa , and the solitan snails , most famous and excellent of all others : which he suffered not to feed upon what they listed , but made certain papp with sweet wine , hony , and flour , whereby they were fed so fat , and became so wholsome , sweet , and delicate , that they were highly esteemed , being sold every dishfull for fourscore quadrants . but sith no man is in hope to gain so much by that occupation , they which must needs use them , may chuse them in this sort : first , let them choose them of middle size , feeding all sommer time in hilly places upon wholesome herbs . secondly , let them not eat them till september be past , for by that time they are thoroughly purged of all excrements . also , they are unfit for weak , cold and moist complexions , because they themselves are cold in the first degree , and moist in the second . they are best for hot stomacks , cholerick constitutions , thirsty distemperatures , watchfull brains , and men troubled with ulcers of the lungs , and free from all stoppings and inflammations of the kidneys . pliny wills them to be first parboyl'd in warm water with sweet herbs , and then to be broyld upon the coles , and to be eaten ever in an odd number : but if you dress them as apicius appoints periwinckles to be drest ( which i before described in the treatise of periwinckles ) they will prove a light , wholsome and good nourishment . testudines . tortisses are likewise no usuall meat amongst us : yet because i see no reason but that riot may bring them in , and make them as familiar unto us as turkies are , i will write something of their choice , use , hurtfulness , correction and degrees of temperature . choose ever the greatest , fullest of eggs , liveliest eyed , and fatted at home with the best meat . their flesh nourishes plentifully , and recovers men out of consumptions . yet is it slowly digested of weak stomacks , engendering thick and phlegmatick blood , and making the eaters sleepy and sloathfull . wherefore seeth him thoroughly in many waters with sweet herbs and hot spices ; especially for that it is no less cold then snailes , and fully as moist , agreeing only at such times of the year , and for such kinde of persons as snails be thought convenient for . ramae . frogs are of hard concoction , troublesome to the stomack , breeding much phlegme , and giving no sound yea rather a bad juice : yet water frogs are best , of the bigger sort , and both bred and taken in a dry season . their hinder parts and livers ( which be two in each ) are the best to be eaten ; and being throughly sodd in oyle , salt-water and vinegar , and eaten with sawce made of sweet herbs , onions and scallions , they are no bad meat for cholerick young men , though for old and phlegmatick persons they be wholly unprofitable . they are moist in the first degree , and cold in the second , and therefore to be corrected with hot and drying simples . mel : honey and bread was a great meat with pythagoras and his scholars , and counted a sufficient food for a temperate life . for bread strengthens the body , and hony both nourishes much , and also cleanseth away superfluities , pollio romulus being asked by augustus the emperor , how he lived so long ! by nourishing ( saith he ) my inwards with honey , and my outward parts with oyle . the like answer likewise made democritus , being demanded the like question . furthermore , it is so generall a meat thorough all russia , that the children eat it on their bread every morning , as ours do butter to their breakfast : with whom , and with old men , it agreeth exceeding well , clensing their breasts , opening their pipes , warming their stomachs , resisting putrifaction , procuring solubleness and urine , and engendring sweet and commendable blood : but young men ( whose moisture is less then childrens through sharpness of heat , and whose stomachs are hotter then old mens ) by much eating of hony inflame their blood , encrease choler , bloody fluxes , wind , and obstructions , together with a continual loathing of meat and a disposition to vomit : hony-cakes were wont to be a great dish in old times at the end of bankets , as ginger-bread is with us ; which custome macrobius and gellius have justly reproved ; because sweet things being last eaten , open the mouth of the stomach , which after meat should be closed , and as it were sealed up to help concoction : wherefore pisanellus doth very well , in prescribing us to eat sugar-rosat or some soure fruits after hony , to prevent the engendring of choler in the stomach , and to help the same whilst it concocteth . raw hony is never good , therefore clarifie it throughly at the fire ; and chuse the whitest ▪ purest , clearest , most glistering and thickest , for they are notes of the best hony : also let it be hony that ran and was never pressed out of the combs , and of young bees rather then old , feeding upon thime , rosemary , flowers , and such sweet and wholesome herbs . then may you boldly give it as meat to young children , to cold and moist complexions , and to rhumatick old men , especially in northern countries , and cold climates , and in the winter season . chap. xxi . of fruit and the differences thereof . now we are come to the last course , which in ancient and more healthful ages was the first and onely , whilst mens hands were neither polluted with the blood of beasts , nor smelt of the most unwholesome sent of fish . this kind of meat is commended ( like the hebrew tongue ) for three principal reasons ; antiquity , purity , and sufficiency ; for it was more ancient then either flesh or fish by two thousand years ; it is so pure of it self that it never defiles the hand nor needeth any great dressing : and that it is sufficient to maintain us long in life , not onely the history of the first twelve patriarches , but also whole nations living at this day in india , africa , asia , and some parts of europe do sufficiently declare , feeding wholly or principally of fruit ; whereof i find three chief or especial kinds , namely orchard-fruit growing upon trees : garden-fruit growing upon shrubs , herbs and roots : and field-fruit concluded under the name of graine . chap. xxii . of all orchard fruit. pruna . armeniaca chrysomela . abricocks are plums dissembled under a peaches coat , good only and commendable for their tast and fragrant smell , their flesh quickly corrupting and degenerating into choler and wheyish excrements , engendring pestilent agues , stopping the liver and spleen , breeding ill juice , and giving either none or very weak nourishment ; yet are they medicinable and wholesome for some persons , for they provoke urine , quench thirst : and sirup made of the infusion of dried abricocks , qualifies the burning heat and rage of fevers : they are least hurtful to the stomach , and most comfortable to the brain and heart , which be sweet kerneld , big and fragrant , growing behind a kitchin-chimny ( as they do at barn-elms ) and so thoroughly ripened by the sun , that they will easily part from their stone . they are best before meat , and fittest for hot stomachs ; but let not women eat many of them and let them also remember to drown them well in sack or canary wine . galen preferreth abricocks before peaches , because they are not so soon corrupted : whereas common experience sheweth the contrary ; for as abricocks are soonest ripe , so of all other stone fruit they soonest corrupt in a mans stomach . amigdalae . almonds ( into whom fair phyllis was turned , as poets imagine ) are of two sorts , sweet and bitter . these are fittest for medicin , but the sweet ones for meat . the sweet almonds are sometimes eaten green of women with child to procure appetite ; and in summer of others , because then they are most pleasant : but they nourish most after the fall when they are fully ripe , being blanched into cold water ; they fatten the body , give plentiful nourishment , encrease flesh and seed , help the brain and eyesight , purge the brest by spitting , clear the voice , clense the kidneys , and provoke sleep ; eat them not when they are very old and wrinckled , for then they stay long in the stomach and breed headache : if they be eaten with sugar ( as they are in march-paens , or in cullices , mortises , rice ▪ porredge , or almond milks ) they are of greater nourishment and more easie digestion ; but then they are to be eaten alone , not in the middle ( and much less in the end ) of meals . mala. apples be so divers of form and substance , that it were infinite to describe them all ; some consist more of aire then water , as your puffs called mala pulmonea ; others more of water then wind , as your costards and pome-waters , called hydrotica : others being first graffed upon a mulbery stock wax thorough red , as our queen-apples , called by ruellius , rubelliana , and claudiana by pliny . roundlings are called mala sceptiana of sceptius ; and winter-goldlings , scandiana plinij ; pippins mala petisia ; peare-apples , melapia ; and pear-mains or peauxans no doubt be those applana mala , which appius graffed upon a quince , smelling sweetly , and tasting a little tart , continuing in his goodness a year or two . to be short , all apples may be sorted into three kinds , sweet , soure , and unsavory . sweet apples moisten the belly , open the brest , ripen rhumes , ease the cough , quench thirst , help spitting , cure melancholly , comfort the heart and head ( especially if they be fragrant and odoriferous ) and also give a laudable nourishment . soure appels stay the belly , hinder spitting straiten the brest , gripe and hurt the stomach , encrease phlegm , and weaken memory . unsavory apples are unfit for our eating , appointed rather to fat hoggs and swine , then to come into our stomachs . old apples are best ( if they be such as can bear age ) because by long lying they lose two ill quallities , watrishness and windiness , and have also a more perfect and pleasing taste . as nuts , figs , and mulberies be best towards the lowest boughes , so contrariwise plums , apples , and pears be best from the top of the tree , and hanging on the sunny side . sweet apples are to be eaten at the beginning of meat , but soure and tart apples at the latter end . all apples are worst raw , and best baked or preserved . none at all are good sodden besides the codlin ; which afterwards being made into tart stuff , and baked with rose-water and sugar , is no bad meat : their coldnese and watrishness is soon corrected , either in baking , roasting , or preserving with cinamon , ginger , orenge-pills , aniseed , caraway-seed , sweet fennel-seed , and sweet butter . now whereas the old proverb ( ab ovo ad mala ) sheweth that apples were ever the last dish set upon the board , you must understand it of tartish and soure apples , or else justly ( though newly ) find fault with an old custome . philip of macedonia and alexander his son ( from whom perhaps a curious and skilful herald may derive our lancashire men ) were called philomeli apple-lovers , because they were never without apples in their pockets ; yea all the macedonians his countrymen did so love them , that having neer babylon surprized a fruiterers hoy , they strived so for it that many were drowned ; which fight was therefore called by historiographers , melomachia , the apple-fight ; but cruel fluxes surprised the army upon this , and many dyed of intolerable gripings . oxyacanthae . spinae acidae . berberies preserved , are a great refreshing to hot stomachs and aguish persons ; and being kept in pickle they serve for sallets and the garnishing of meat ; but they are of very little nourishment themselves , or rather of none at all , though by a pleasant sharpness they edge an appetite . prunus-sylvestris regius . bullices likewise ( both white , speckled and black ) are of the like nature , being stued , bakt , roasted , or preserved ; fitter to be eaten last to close up the upper mouth of the stomach , then first to stop the neither mouth , unless it be in fluxes . sorbi . cervises ( like to medlers ) are then truely ripe , when they are rotten ; if you would chuse the best , chuse the biggest , most poulpy , and voidest of stones . they are cold in the first degre , and dry in the third , giving little nourishment ; but staying fluxes , preventing drunkenness , strengthening the stomach , and making a sweet breath ; their great astringency sheweth that they are to be eaten last , for otherwise they wil bind the body , burden the stomach , and engender very gross humours . pliny maketh four kind of cervisses , one as round as an apple , another bottled like a peare , the third ovale made like an egg . the apple-cervise is most sweet , fragrant , and nourishing , the other of a most winy tast ; the fourth kind of cervisse is a very little one , called the torment-cerviss allowed for nothing but that it ceaseth the torments of bloody fluxes . cherries were neither brought into italy nor england till lucius lucullus returned from his victory against mithridates ; whereof there are chiefly four sorts amongst us . iuliana . iulians which are very red , soft , and poulpy , never good but under the tree ; for they rot in carriage a little way . aproniana . apronians , which are red , round , and harder , and can abide the carriage . duracina . duracines or in french coeurs , or heart-cherries , because they are made like a heart , which are the firmest of all other . actiana . the blackest of all be called actians , because they were brought from actium a promontory of epire. in england we have also seen white cherries growing , wherein the artificial choler marred the good nature and taste of them ; wherefore i will not commend them for wholesomness , but shew their rareness . concerning their uses , let us remember thus much ; that the coeurs or french cherries are most cordiall , the common and pulpy cherries most nourishing , the black cherries kernel is the best meat , but his flesh unwholesome and loathsome to the stomach . furthermore our common cherries being ripe and eaten from the tree in a dewy morning , loosen the belly : when contrariwise coeurs and red soure cherries bind the same , being of a more dry and astringent faculty . all cherries ( saving them which are black ) slake thirst , cool moderately , and procure appetite . sweet and ripe cherries should be eaten formost ; others are to be eaten last , either scalded or baked , or made into tart stuff , or preserved with sugar , or rather dried after the german manner ; which they keep all the year long to quench thirst in agues , to cool choller , to stir up appetite , to unfur the tongue and rellish the mouth , to stay puking , vomiting , and all kind of fluxes . castaneae nuces . chestnuts are so discommended of galen in his book of thin diet , that they should be little esteemed , had not latter ages better considered of their nature . pliny thought ( and i allow his reason ) that it could not be a vile meat , which nature had hidden with such wonderful and artificial covers or husks . divus tiberius having been in sardinia , or rather ( as i take it ) at sardis in lidia , brought from thence some chestnuts , and set them in italy ; whence no doubt they were derived into france and england . it is questioned by some , whether raw chestnuts may not engender lice . but the french chestnut is bigger , tenderer , and far sweeter then ours ; whereof there are two kinds , the one of a light and reddish colour fittest to be roasted , the other resembling a dark bay , enclining to a blackish brown ( called coctivae of pliny ) because they are best sodden . of all chestnuts chuse the biggest , fullest , brownest and roundest , and let them be three months old at the least before you eat them : if you eat too many , they breed head-ache , collicks and costiffness , but feed moderately upon them in the midst of meals , and they nourish without offence . they are dry in the second degree , and almost as hot as dry ; but seething remits a little of each , as roasting addeth somewhat to either quality . they are best in winter , agreeing with moist complexions , and such as are not subject to stoppings of the brest and liver . mala medica & citria . citrons , were not known in homers time to be any meat : onely the pills thereof were burnt with cedar-wood in temples , when they sacrificed to apollo : as thinking the fume of it a special preservative against the plague : neither is the juice of them since commended , but to resist poison , to qualifie humours putrified within the body , to make a sweet breath , to cure hot burning agues , and to cure the longing of women with child ; for which yet the seeds are thought most medicinable . nevertheless i am sure as ripe citrons in spaine do nourish spaniards , so preserved citrons may no less nourish us , considering that their corrosive quality is altered by sugar , and their coldness made temperate thorough perboiling . pruna damascena . damsins , which were first brought from the mount of damascus in syria , are a most wholesome plum of all others , giving moderat nourishment in hot weather , to young chollerick and dry stomachs . the most nourishing be fully ripe , sweet , plump , and thin-skinn'd . our custome is very bad to eat ripe plums last , when their sweetness and lightness perswades us to eat them formost . ripe damsins eaten whilst the dew is upon them , are more medicinable then meat ; but being eaten at the beginning of dinner or supper , they are more meat then medicin , and give an indifferent sustenance to an indifferent stomach , especially when they are preserved . damsins not fully ripe , had need to be boiled or preserved , to correct their cold and crude nature ; but as they are fit for hot stomachs and aguish persons , so none at all are good for them that be old , or cold , or watrish and phlegmatick of constitution . the like may be said of damase-prunes , brought out of syria , spaine and italy , which are sweet , nourishing and pleasant being stued or sodden ; when contrariwise the french prune is harsh and soure , fitter to cool men in agues and to edge distasted stomachs , then to be offred any man in the way of meat . dactili . dates are usually put into stued broaths , minced-pies , and restorative cull●ces , as though they were of very great and wholesome nourishment . ceatain it is that they fat much and encrease blood , but such blood as easily turneth into hot choller . alexanders souldiers were killed with new dates ; which taste so pleasantly , that only danger makes a man surcease to eat them . the best dates grow by jericho in jewry , the next by alexandria in egypt ; but the dates of barbary and spaine have long writhled bodies without substance : chuse them which are ripe and not rotten , firm and not worm-eaten , sweet and not astringent , and at the least a year old after the gathering ; for such are best for a cold liver , fittest to move the belly and to help the cough ; whereas new dates bind excessively , stop the liver , stomach , veins , and lungs , gripe the guts , breed headach , hurt the teeth , and make little ulcers to arise in the mouth : yea ripe dates lighting upon a bad stomach do easily putrifie , engendering malign agues , & stuffing the body with crude humours , whereupon great stoppings encrease both of spleen and liver . they are hot in the second degree , and moist in the first , never good when they are eaten alone , or without sugar , which hindreth their speedy corruption . praenestinae , heracleoticae , ponticae & avellanae nuces . filberds and haselnuts , coming first out of pontus , and translated by the romans into our countrey , are found by experience to nourish the brain , to heal old coughes being eaten with hony , and to stay rhumes if be tosted . also being peeld whilst they are green , and laid a while in water , and eaten afterwards with sugar or salt at the end of meat , they give a laudible nourishment , encreasing seed , tempering blood and making it of a good consistence . chuse ever the longest , ripest , and thinnest shel`d , fullest of meat , and freest from spot or worm ; also eat them whilst they are new , if you purpose to nourish much ; for afterwards they wax more oily and less nourishing : they are best towards winter , and fitter for strong and able stomachs , because they easily overturn weak stomachs and procure headache . ficus crossi . figs are the sweetest fruit of the bitterest tree in the world ; for neither leafe , nor bud , nor bark , nor wood , nor body , nor root , nor any part of it is sweet besides the fruit : nay the very ashes of a fig-tree , is as sharpe and bitter as any soot ; yet figs themselves are so sweet , that onely for love of them the french men first invaded italy , and inhabited a great part of it many years ; yea moschus antimolus the sophister having once tasted them , he hated all other meats during his life ; and plato so affected them , that he was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ●he fig lover ; nay he loved them so much , that he died of lice , engendred of corrupt blood which the figs made ; also pompejus columna cardinal and viceroy of naples , died suddenly in the arms of austen nyphus that famous philosopher , with eating too many figs. figs are dangerous without wine , but wholesome with it . wherefore let all men beware of them , as solomon bids us take heed of too much hony least our sweet meat bring soure sawce , and pleasure be punished with too late repentance . they are seldome eaten of us green from the tree ; and of outlandish figs , let dioscorides commend his ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) yellow figs , athenaeus his blue figgs , and pratensis his mariscas , or fig-dates ; yet in my judgement the round , short , and thick barrel'd figs ( having a thin skin , and a firm substance , with few seeds in them ) are of all other the best , though not the sweetest , which i nothing doubt to be callistruthiae galeni , and those delicate figs of livia pompeia which pliny writes of . the seed of figs nourisheth no more then a stone , their skin hardly digesteth , onely their pulppy substance giveth much , though no very wholesome nor good nourishment . chuse the softest , roundest , newest , soundest , thickest , and ripest ; and as you drink wine upon cold and moist fruits , so drink small drink , or suck the soure juice of orenges , pomegranards , lemons , or citrons after figs : thus being taken they augment fat , clear the countenance , provoke venery , quench thirst , resist venom , purge the kidneys of gravel , and nourish more then any tree-fruit whatsoever . but if you would ripen a cold , or cleanse your pipes , or clear your voice , it is best to eat them with ripe almonds , or to drink them with barly water : old age is most offended by them , and such as have stopt livers , or be of a bad and corrupt complexion . pistacia , or psittacia . fisticks , or rather pisticks ( alluding to the syrian word ) are nuts growing in the knob of the syrian or egyptian turpentine ▪ tree , being so much more wholesome , good and nourishing , by how much they are more sweet , odorifreous , full , big and green : they nourish plentifully , open the liver , clense the breast , strengthen the stomach and kidneys , stay fluxes and vomitings , fatten the body , stir up lust , and resist poison . they are wholesome both before and after meat , being eaten with old-pippins , or sugar-roset . children and hot complexions must not use them , for they enflame their thin blood , and cause giddiness : but even galen ( who discommends them more then he needed ) alloweth them in winter for cold fleagmatick and weak stomachs . isaac saith , that they are hot and dry in the second degree , whereof indeed they want very little . uvae . grapes differ two wayes especially , in substance and tast . in respect of substance , they are either fleshy , which are fittest for meat , or winy and thinn , which are fittest to drink , being made into wine . in respect of taste , sweet grapes fatten and nourish most , being of hottest constitution , and speediest concoction ; yet they swell the stomach , engender thirst , and loosen the body . soure and harsh grapes are cold in operation , hardly digested , of little nourishment , griping and yet binding the belly , and therefore fitter to be tasted of as sawce , then to be eaten as meat . the germans hang up clusters of ripe grapes ( suffering them not to touch one another ) upon lines in a cold gallery , or rather in their bed-chambers ; which being dried nourish much , and yet neither swell the stomach nor cause loosness : in heat of agues one such grape or two at the most do more refresh the mouth , and restore the taste , then six ownces of conserve of cold berberies . haselnuts are already written of in our treatise of filbirds . mala iunia . iunitings are the first kind of apples which are soonest ripe , coming in and going out with the month of june ; of a little round and light substance , tender pulp , and very fragrant smell ; sent at that time to cool choler , slake thirst , and restore spirits decayed with heat of summer ; it giveth sufficient though no great nor strong nourishment , being fitter for young and hot complections , then them which are weakned with phleagm . gorni . kornils or corneols are of a very astringent and binding taste , fit to nourish weak stomachs that can keep nothing , or weak guts that void all things . for sound men they are not good , but eaten in small quantity after meat ; because they firmly seal up the stomach , and accidentally help concoctition . tart stuff or marmalade may be made of them to that purpose , wherein no doubt the excel quinces , egleutius berries be of the like substance and nature . malum limonium . lemmons approach neer unto citrons : and limes are engendred of them both . their poulp is cold and dry in the third degree ; their peel hot and dry in the second , and their seed temperate . if you eat the juice alone , it causeth gripings , leanness and crudities ; but if you eat the peel with the pulp ( as nature seemeth therefore to have united them ) the heat of the one correcteth the rawness of the other , and not onely the stomach but also the heart is comforted by them both . they of naples and genoa slice the best and sourest lemons and citrons very thinn , and having cast on salt and rosewater , use them as a general sawce to all flesh and fish ; by which preparation an appetite is procured , their wine well tasted , and their kidneys scowred . but forasmuch as we live in a colder climate , it is best to take the ripest sort of lemmons , and to steep their slises , peel and all in wine , sugar and cinamon upon the warm coals , and then to eat them alone , or with our meat . let old and consumed persons beware of them ; for they will spend their spirits with abundance of urine , and also overthrow their natural heat , which is rather to be quickned and restored with wine , then quenched or quelled with so great a cooler . mespila . medlers were not seen in italy whilst cato lived , but now in england there be too many . concerning the fruit it self , it is never good till it be rotten ; wherein the bus-meddlers of our age may also worthily be compared to them : the great ones ( called setania ) have most pulp , the little ones less , but more fine and fragrant : these also do more comfort and bind the stomach , though the great ones excell them in plenty of nourishment : either sort is to be eaten last , because they are of an heavy and astringent nature , burdensom to the stomach , and engendering gross humours , if the be eaten first . mora. mulberies being black and fat ( which is a signe of their full ripeness ) are hot in the first degree , and moist in the second ; fittest to be eaten before meat ; because they easily pass from out the stomach to the guts , drawing the other meat along with themselves : they please the stomach , procure losness of body and urine , nourish ●ound and clean bodies , though they corrupt in unclean stomachs ; also they smoothen the harshness of the throate , quench thirst , delay choller , and cause no great , but yet a natural appetite to meat . they should be gathered before sun-rising , and given onely ( as i said ) to clean stomachs and before meat ; for they will else corrupt and swell us up , and drive us perhaps into some putrified fever . they are fittest in summer for young men , and such as abound with blood and choler . unripe mulberies ( which is discerned by their whiteness and redness ) may be good to make medicins for ulcered throats and fluxes of the belly , but they deserve not the names of nourishments . when mulberies cannot be gotten , blackberries or dewberries may supply their room , to which galen ascribeth the like vertues . this one thing let us note , omitted of all herbarists of our latter age ; that albeit a mulbery tree be called in greek and latin morus , that is to say , a fool ; yet her wisdome excelleth all other trees in my judgement , because it never budeth till all sharp weather be clean gone , and then spredeth out her leaves more in a day , then all other trees did in thirty before . olivae . olives ( the desired salade of divine plato ) are an usual dish at most mens tables , though none of them grow in england . wild olives are better , then those which are set in city orchards ; which the very birds do know in italy , more coveting the wilder sort . we have three sorts of them brought into our countrey , spanish-olives , italian olives , and olives of provence . the first sort is the biggest , but yet the worst , being too yellow , too soft , and too full of oil : the italian olive is almost as big , but more firm of flesh , and pleasanter through retaining his natural greenishness . the province olives are less then either , something ▪ bitterer also and more leather like skin'd , yet better for the stomach then the spanish , though nothing neer the italian or bononian olive in flesh , taste , or goodness : there also their pickles is made of water , salt , ind sweet fennel , which giveth them a greater grace , and maketh them less heavy unto weak stomachs . all olives ( even the best ) are but of slow and little nourishment ; serving especially to provoke appetite , to cleanse the stomach of phlegm , to strengthen the guts , and to cure loathing of meat . it were good to take them out of their salt pickle ( which enflameth blood ) and to lay them a while in vinegar before we eat them , to correct their heat , and make them more agreeable to the stomach . they are best in the midst of meat with a french salad ; for being first eaten , they lye heavy in the stomach , and being last eaten , they offend the head with their brackish and salt vapours , which hinder sleep and encrease thirst . malum aurantium . orenges are brought hither of three kinds , some exceeding sweet , others soure , and the third sort unsavory , or of no rellish . the first sort are sweet and temperately hot , of indifferent nourishment , good for stoppings of the brest , rhumes and melancholy . very soure orenges are extreamly cold , making thin and watrish blood , and griping the belly ; but right civil-orenges have a pleasant verdure betwixt sweet and soure ; whose juice and flesh preserved , cause a good appetite , bridle choler , quench thirst , yet neither cool nor dry in any excess . as for unsavory orenges , they neither nourish nor serve to any good use ; but lie heavy in the stomach , stirring up wind and breeding obstructions in the belly : being eaten with sugar and cinamon , civil-orenges give a pretty nourishment to aguish persons , whose stomachs can digest no strong meats ; and also their pills preserved do somewhat nourish , especially if they be not spoiled of the white part , which is most nourishing ; as the outward rind contrariwise is most medicinable ; chuse the heaviest , ripest , and best coloured , and those that taste pleasantly betwixt sweet and soure . mala persica . peaches shew manifestly how change of earth and climate may alter natures ; for columella and divers before plinies time have recorded , that in persia ( from whence they were brought into europe ) peaches are a deadly poison ; but with us the smell of a ripe , tender , and fragrant peach comforteth the heart , and their meat not onely causeth appetite , maketh a sweet breath and cooleth choler , but also easily digesteth and giveth good nourishment . i never saw greater store of good peaches then in suitzerland ; where the poor men fat themselves and their hoggs with them exceedingly when they are in season . all peaches are to be quartered , and laid in strong wine before they are eaten . ripe peaches according to galens rule must be eaten in the beginning of meals , because they are a moist and slippery fruit ; but hard and unripe peaches are best at the end of meat ( if ever they are good at all ) yea though they be candied or preserved ; yet peaches must be sparingly eaten , for many are dangerous , and killed theognostus that fine scholer , so much lamented in the greek epigrams . four good morsels , peaches , figs , melons , and champignois . pyra . pears be of infinite kindes , because men by graffing divers pears together have made of them infinite mixtures . the norwich-pear , and st. thomas-pear are most durable and very good ; the sand-pear is firm and also nourishing ; the lady-pear is too watrish , though beautiful in colour : the katherin-pear is simply best and best relished : the musk-pear is very cordial ; the long-tail hath a good verdure ; the puff-pear is full of wind : the bell-pear is very sappy : the tanckard-pear is somewhat bitterish and noisome to the stomach . but leaving their infinite differences of shape , colour , and time , let us onely write of their differences in taste , which is chiefly to be regarded . all sweet pears be most nourishing , cleansing the brest of phleagm , comforting the stomach , and least binding . soure and harsh pears are exceeding hurtful to the stomach and sinewy parts ; unsavory pears breed ill juice , and bitter pears nourish nothing at all . if a well rellished pear be also endued with a fragrant smell ( as the katherin pear , violet , poppering , sugar-pear , musk-pear and such like ) they are to be preferred before all others . concerning the preparation of pears , they are worst raw , and their skinn is most unwholesome ; without wine they are counted poison , especially being largely taken as a meat . they are best being eaten last , as contrariwise apples for the most part are first to be eaten ; because they are rather of a loosning then an astringent nature . they are best baked , then roasted ; but dryed pears ( in harry stevens judgement ) surpass all for strong nourishment . they are temperate in heat and cold , but dry in the second degree : which causeth them to cease fluxes and vomits , to repel vapours , and strengthen the stomach . pruna . plums grow here in such variety , that to name them onely were a tedious work . the most pulppy , sweet , pleasant and nourishing be these . pear-plums , violet-plums , pescod-plums our ladies-plums , wheatplums , mawdlins , and damsins , whereof we have already spoken . the least nourishing ( though some of them taste not unpleasantly , especially the christian-plum ) are bullices , christians , prunellaes , skegs and horseplums . all plums baked , stued , or preserved with sugar do more plentifully nourish , because much of their sharpness , watrishness , and rawness is thereby corrected . alwaies remember to eat the sweetest sort before , and the sourest sorts of plums after meat , least unorderly eating cause that to be blamed , which was good and wholesome in his due place . here i have occasion to speak of the paste of genoa made of fragrant and fine ripe plums ; which no doubt is not onely cordial , but also restorative to such stomachs , as through extremities of agues have lost their strength . mala punica . pomegranads when they are sweet and thorough ripe , loosen phlegm , help the stomach , brest , and cough , encrease venery , provoke urine , loosen the belly , moisten the spiritual parts , and give indifferent store of good nourishment : they are best in winter for old men and phlegmatick constitutions . soure pomegranads hurt a cold stomach , straiten the brest , hinder expectoration , stop the liver , offend both teeth and gums , cool excessively , stay all humoral fluxes , yet provoke urine most plentifully ; and therefore they are more prescribed in agues then the sweet ones , as also to cholerick young men subject to scowrings . paulus aegineta affirmeth , soure pomegranads to bind onely sound mens bodies , but not such as be sick . howsoever it is , sith the ones goodness resisteth the others hurtfulness , it is best to mingle both their juices for such as be aguish or weak , and severally to use them for the strong according as occasion serveth . mala cotonea & cydonia . quinces are of two sorts ; an apple-quince called malum cotoneum , and a pear ▪ quince called of dioscorides struthium ; both of them were first brought from cydon , a castle in candy , whereupon they are commonly called mala cydonia ; we account most of the latter sort ; but the cotton and downy quince made like an apple , is most commended of the grecian and latin writers . of either of them chuse the most clear , transparant , thin-skind , ungravelly , downy , best smelling , and most furrowed as it were with long streaks ; for the very scent of such is comfortable , and though their raw flesh be as hard as raw beefe unto weak stomachs , yet being roasted , or baked , or made into marmalade , or cunningly preserved , they give a wholesome and good nourishment , and make the body soluble being eaten last at meat ; for if you eat them first , they clyng the stomach , cause exceeding costiffness , and hinder digestion , as galen sufficiently tried in protas the orator . they are cold in the first degree , and dry almost in the second : agreeing with all ages , times , and complexions , where just occasion is given to use them . uvae passae . raisins are of the same temperature with the grapes which they are made of , being also as divers in taste , substance and quality , as they be . that noah was the first planter of vines , christians know better out of the bible , then any poet or heathen writer could ever aim at ; but who first divised the drying of raisins in the sun , or the pressing them into frailes , it is neither set down by pliny nor any other author that i have read . onely this i finde by reason and experience , that the greatest , fattest , sweetest , longest and blewest raisins of the sun are ever best ; nourishing sufficiently , moderately clensing , very well temperating ill humours , mitigating all paines , and engendring very pure and good blood ; yea the african physitians that lived in galens time did with one voice and consent protest thus much of them , that for opening the brest , stomach and lungs ; for cleansing the blood , kidneys , and bladder , for ceasing all pains of the guts and moderate nourishment , no fruit is to be compared unto raisins . matthiolus in his commentaries upon dioscorides saith that raisins of the sun being either voided of their kernels or growing without kernels , loosen the belly , help hoarseness , and both nourish and cleanse the liver : contrariwise being eaten with the stones or kernels , they work rather a contrary operation . that grapes nourish much , we may see ( saith galen ) by vintage labourers , who come lean to the vineyard , but return as fat as hogs . much more do rasins of the sun and other raisins nourish our bodies , and are therefore to be accounted for no bad meats . pyra volema plinij . wardens or palme-pears so called , because one of them will fill the palm of a hand , were first brought into credit by livia pompeja ; they are very hurtful and almost indigestible being eaten raw or green ; but towards winter they are very wholesome for a weak stomach , being stued , bakt , or roasted , and to be preferred for nourishment before all fruit ; engendring ( especially when they are sweet and red ) most wholesome juice ; strengthening concoction , repelling vapours from the head , and comforting the weak and decayed spirits : would to god every hedge were as full of them as they are of wild pears and crabs , that both poor and rich might have a competent nourishment when fish and flesh can hardly be gotten . iuglandes . wallnuts or iupiters acorns ( for so the greeks and latins called them ) are sufficiently nourishing whilst they are green , but when they once wax so dry that they hardly peel , they are more medicinable then nourishing : either of them engender the cough and cause headache ; but if you peel new walnuts and wash them in wine and salt , they are least offensive to the stomach , and yet more nourishing if you eat them with sugar . old walnuts are hot in the third degree , and dry in the second ; new walnuts are most temperate in each respect , agreeing with old men and phlegmatick persons , being eaten at the end of the fall , and the beginning of winter . chap. xxiii . of such fruits of the garden as are nourishing . a atichokes grew sometimes onely in the isle of sicil ; and since my remembrance they were so dainty in england , that usually they were sold for crownes a peice : now industry and skill hath made them so common , that the poorest man is possessed of princes dainties . julius capitolinus in the life of pertinax , and pliny likewise in the book of his natural history , reports artichokes to have been of such estimation in carthage and corduba , that there were sold as many artichokes in one year , as came to six thousand sesterties , which maketh thirty thousand pound sterling . the first sprouts of artichoke-leavs being sod in good broth with butter , do not onely nourish , but also mightily stir up lust of the body both in men and women : the young heads of them eaten raw with pepper and salt do the like ; but the great heads being once come to perfection , howsoever they are counted windy & hard of digestion , fuming up to the head , and burdensom to the stomach : yet certain it is that they are of great nourishment being well prepared . some boil them in fat poudred beefe broth till they be tender , and then eat them with vinegar , pepper , sugar , butter , and salt . others having parboiled them a little , take the pulpy part in the bottome , and with sweet marrow , verjuice , pepper , sugar , and gooseberries , make most excellent and restorative pies . the italians broil them on a gridiron , setting their bottoms downward , and pouring on a little sweet oil upon every leaf assoon as they open with the heat , and as that soakes in , they put in a little more : for if much should be poured in at once , they would smel of the smoak , by reason that the oil would drop into the fire . this way the artichoke is least windy , and ( if it be eaten with sugar , butter , and the juice of an orenge ) most pleasant likewise . they are hot in two degrees , and dry in one ; and therefore fittest for cold , aged persons , and complexions . remember that raw artichokes are to be eaten towards the end of meals , but the other at the beginning or in the midst . asparagus . asparagus was in old time a meat for such emperours as julius caesar ; now every boord is served with them . they must be presently gathered when their heads bow downwards , and being sodden in two or three waters ( to ridd them of bitterness ) they are to be boiled in mutton broth till they be tender , which is done in a trice . the greatest and tenderest stalked are ever best , and few or no kind of herbs nourish more , being spoiled of their bitterness and eaten hot . galen doubteth of their active quality , but yet experience sheweth them to be temperately moist , and not to exceed in heat the first degree . ballocks-grass , or satyrium ( whereof there be five principal kinds ) is only nourishing in the full , heavy and sappy root ; for the other is of clean contrary disposition . some eat them being boiled in goats milke and sugar . others candy them , or keep them in syrup : any way they encrease bodily lust strengthen the liver , help the parts of conception , restore them which are consumed , and give plentiful nourishment in hectick fevors . ▪ mora rubi . bramble-berries , or black-berries , be they of the greater or the less kind , are temperately warm , and sufficiently nourishing to a weak stomach . how the poor live upon them , daily experience sheweth ; yet being much eaten they bind the body , and engender such putrified humors as beget both scabs and lice . borrago . buglossa . sirsium . borrage , bugloss and langdebeif , are of so great a temperature in all qualities , that they are not only commended for special cordials being steeped in wine , or made into conserves ; but also their flowers , herbs , and roots are esteemed restorative , nourishing weak bodies sufficiently , and strengthening the parts of nourishment more then meanly , being sodden in broths , cullises , or gellies . personatae radix . burr-roots , ( i mean of the clot burr , called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the greeks ) whilst they are young and tender , in the month of april , are very wholesome and nourishing , being eaten like a young green artichoke with pepper and salt . the frenchmen and italians first found them out : since which time they are more common amongst us , through the means of them which have travelled into strange countries . brassicae . coleworts be of divers sorts , but the most nourishing of all is your white-leafed cabbage ( as big as a great loaf ) called brassica tritiana , and that which the italians calleth cauli flores : so beloved of pompey , that it was termed brassica pompeiana . either of them must first gently be sodden in fair water , then again steeped all night in warm milk ; afterwards seeth them with fat marrow or in fat brues , and they are very nourishing without offence . otherwise all coleworts engender gross and melancholique bloud . choose ever the whitest and tenderest leafed , for they are of the finest and best nourishment . the aegyptians eat cabbage first to prevent drunkenness . danci hortenses . carot roots , are very temperate in heat and driness , of an aromatical and spice-like taste , warming the inward parts , and giving great nourishment to indifferent stomachs , being sodden in fat and fleshy broth , or else buttered . the yellower the root , the more sweet , tender , and aromatical is the carot : and the best grow in a black , soft and ripe though not in a forced earth . anguriae citruli . citruls , ( so much beloved of tiberius the emperor ) are of like temperature with melons and pompions ( of whom hereafter ) nourishing hot stomachs very well being boiled with good flesh or sweet milk . c●cumeres . melopepones . cucumbers growing in hot grounds and well ripened with the sun , are neither moist nor cold in the second degree . they agree well with hot stomachs being eaten with vineger , salt , oil , and pepper : but if you boil them ( whilst they are young ) with white-wine , vervin , dill , and salt liquor , they are not of a bad nourishment ( as galen took them ) but engender good humors , and settle a very cold and weak stomach : as by much practice and long experience i have proved in divers persons . schaenoprasa . cives , or rush-leeks be almost as hot as leeks themselves . some eat them raw in salads , but then they nourish not . if you boil them twice or thrice in water , they lose their over-hot and drying nature , and give no bad nourishment to cold stomachs . glandes terrestres dodonaei . earthnuts grow much on richmond heath and coome park , as also beside bath as you travel to bristol . they are best in may. in holland and brabant they are eaten ( as the roots of turneps and parsneps ) boiled in flesh-broth , which correcteth their binding quality , and maketh them of good and wholesome nourishment . bulbocastanea . earth-chesnuts are far bigger then earthnuts , and the flowers of them are white where the others be red . about bath there is great plenty of them , and they are of like nourishment and use with the earthnuts . intubum sativum latifolium . endive ( especially that which hath the longest , largest , softest , and whitest leaves ) is of good nourishment to hot stomachs , not only cooling but also encreasing bloud ; if it be sodd in white broth till it be tender : but if you eat it raw in salads ( as it is most commonly used ) then it only cooleth and lyeth heavy in the stomach , because it is not freed from its crudities . vacinia palustria . fen-berries grow not only in holland in low and moist places , but also ( if i have not forgotten it ) in the isle of eli. they are of like temper and faculty with our whortles , but somewhat more astringent . being eaten raw or stewed with sugar , they are wholesome meat in hot burning fevers , unto which either fluxes of humors or spending of spirits are annexed . likewise they quench thirst no less then ribes , and the red or outlandish gooseberrie . mora rubi idaei . trambois , or raspis are of complexion like the blackberry and dewberry , but not of so astringent nor drying quality . furthermore they are more fragrant to the nose and more pleasant in taste , and of far better nourishment to hot stomachs for cold stomachs cannot convert them into any good juice . allium . garlick was so odious or hurtful to horace that he makes it more venemous then hemlocks , adders bloud , medea's cups , yea then the poison of nessus the centaure which killed hercules . contrariwise the thracians eat it every morning to breakfast , and earry it with them in warfare as their chiefest meat . whereat we need not marvel , considering the coldness of their country and their phlegmatick constitution . let us rather wonder at the spaniard , who eats it more ( being a hot nation ) then our labouring men do here in england . whereby we may see how preparation begetteth in every thing another nature : for the thracians eat it raw because of their extreme coldness ; but the spaniard sodden first in many waters , or else rosted under the embers in a wet paper , whereby it is made sweet and pleasant , and hath lost more then half of his heat and dryness thus is garlick medicine and meat : medicine if it be eaten raw , but meat and nourishment being rosted under the embers , or stickt like lard in fat meat , or boiled in many waters , broths , or milks . by which way also his fuming and diuretical quality is much corrected . yet beware lest you eat too much of it , lest it engender little worms in your flesh , as it did in arnulphus the emperor , whereof he died . it is very dangerous to young children , fine women , and hot young men ; unless the headdy , hot and biting quality thereof be extinguished by the foresaid means . cucurbitae . gourds eaten raw and unprepared , are a very unwholesome food , as galen saith , exceedingly cooling , charging , and loading the stomach ; and engendering crudities and wind . but being boiled , baked , or fryed with butter , it loseth his hurtfulness , and giveth good nourishment to indifferent stomachs . the seed of it being husked and boiled in new milke is counted very restorative in hectick fevers . grossulae . uvae crispae . gooseberries being thorough ripe are as nourishing as sweet , and of the like temper , not only encreasing flesh , but also fatting the body . they should be eaten first and not last , because they are so light a fruit . when they are almost ripe they are restorative being made into codiniack , or baked in tarts . soure gooseberries nourish nothing , serving rather for sawce to please ones taste , then to augment flesh . grossulae transmarinae . red gooseberries or bastard ▪ corinths , commonly called ribes of apothecaries , and taken of dodonaeus for the bears-berry of galen ; is almost of the like nature with gooseberries , but more cold , dry , and astringent by one degree , because they never wax sweet in our country . they are very cordial and cooling in agues , being eaten either in conserve , or codiniack ; yea nourishing also to hot stomachs . lupularii asparagi . hop-shootes are of the same nature with asparagus , nourishing not a little , being prepared in the like sort ( which is before described ) though rather cleansing and scouring of their own nature . alliaria . jack by the hedge , as it is not much used in medicines , so it was heretofore a very ancient and common meat , being therefore called sawce alone . country men do boil it and eat it in stead of garlick , being no less strengthened and nourished by it then the persian children were with town-cresses . i allow it not for indifferent stomachs , unless it have been steept in divers warm waters , and then be eaten ( as garlick may be eaten ) moderately : for it is hot and dry more then in the third degree . porra . leeks are esteemed so wholesome and nourishing in our country , that few thinke any good pottage can be made without them . that they engender bloud no author denies , but they say it is gross , hot , and evil bloud . nevertheless if they be first sodden in milke , and then used in meat , they are unclothed of all bad qualities , and become friendly to the stomach , and nourishing to the liver . the grecians made such reckoning of leeks , as our welsh men do ; yea he ever sate uppermost at apollo's feast that brought thither the greatest headed leek . some impute that to his mother latona her longing for leeks whilst she was with child of apollo . others say that apollo did so highly esteem them , because they engender much bloud and seed , whereby mankind is much encreased : which opinion i like best of , hearing and seeing such fruitfulness in wales , that few or none be found barren , and many fruitful before their time . porrum sectivum palladii . the unset leek or maiden-leek is not so hot as the knopped ones ; because his fuming quality is diminished by often cutting . lactuca . lettice is not more usually then profitably eaten of us in summer ; yea galen did never eat of any other garden herb save this ( for ought we read ) whereby he delayed the heat of his stomach in youth , eating it formost , and slept soundly and quietly in age , eating it last . it is better sodden then raw , especially for weak stomachs : and if any will eat it raw , correct it with mingling a little tarragon and fennel with it . the young loaft . lettice is simply best , but you must not wash it , for then it loseth its best and most nourishing vertue that lieth upon the outmost skin : only pluck away the leaves growing near the ground , till you come to the cabbage of the lettice , and it is enough . long use of lettice causeth barrenness , cooleth lust , dulleth the eyesight , weakeneth the body , and quencheth natural heat in the stomach : but moderately and duly taken of hot natures , it encreaseth bloud , seed , and milk , stayeth all fluxes of nature , bringeth on sleep and cooleth the heat of urine . the middle and thickest part of the leaf being boiled and preserved in syrup ( as endiff and succory is done beyond-sea ) give a great nourishment to weak persons newly recovered of hot agues . the romans did eat lettice last to provoke sleep : we eat it first to provoke appetite . so that martials question is fully answered : claudere quae coenas lactuce solebat avorum . dic mihi , cur nostras incipit illa dapes ? when elder times did feed on lettice last , why is it now the first meat that we tast ? melones & pepones . melons and pompions are not so cold nor moist as cucumbers . growing in a hot ground and thoroughly ripened with hot and dry weather , they give much nourishment , especially being baked with good flesh or sweet milke , or baked with sweet apples butter and fennel-seed . melopepones . musk-melons are neither so moist nor cold as the ordinary sort , engendring far better bloud , and descending more speedily into the belly . they will hardly prosper in our country , unless they are set in a very fat , hot , and dry ground , having the benefit of sun-shine all the year long . jason mainus ( a most famous civilian ) so loved a musk-melon , that he said to one of his friends , were i in paradise as adam was , and this fruit forbidden me , verily , i fear me , i should leave paradise to taste of a musk-melon . nevertheless let not the pleasant smell or taste of them draw any man to eat too much of them , for they cast albertus secundus the emperor into a deadly flux ; sophia queen of poland into a numb'd palsie , and paulus secundus the pope into a mortal apoplexy . all melons , pompions , and cucumbers , are not presently to be eaten out of the ground ( though they be fully ripe ) but rather a week after for with delay they prove less moist , and also less cold . as for our great garden pompions and melons they may tarry in a warm kitchin till towards christmass before they be eaten , to be more dryed from their watrishness , and freed from crudities . napi . navews , especially napus sativus , called in english navew gentle , nourish something less then turneps , otherwise they are of like operation . they are best sodden in pouldred beef broth , or else with fat mutton , or pouldred pork . cepae . onions are very hot and drye ; nevertheless being rosted or boiled in fat broth or milke , they become temperate and nourishing , leaving their hot and sharp nature in the broth or embers . the priests of aegypt abhorred them of all herbs ; first because ( contrary to the course of other things ) they encrease most when the moon decreaseth . secondly , because they nourish too much , and procure lust , which religious men , of all other persons , ought to refrain . the greater , whiter , longer , sweeter , thinner-skinned , and fuller of juice they be ( such are st. thomas onions ) the more they nourish , and excel in goodness : but if they be very red , dry , round , light , and sowrish , they are not so commendable . raw onions be like raw garlick , and raw leeks ( that is to say , of great malignity , hurting both head , eyes , and stomach , enflaming blood , and engendering both gross and corrupt humors ) but sodden in milke , and then eaten sallad-wise with sweet oil , vinegar , and sugar ( as we use them in lent ) they are hurtful to no persons nor complexions . apium hortense . parsley nourisheth most in the root ; for if you choose young roots and shift them out of two or three warm waters , they lose their medicinable faculty of opening and cleansing , and become as sweet , yea almost as nourishing as a carot being sodden in fat broth made with good flesh . the like may i say of alisander buds which is nothing but the parsley of alexandria ) being drest or prepared in the like manner : otherwise they may be used ( as nettles are ) in spring-time pottage to cleanse bloud , but they will give no laudable or rather no nourishment at all . portulaca . purslane is usually eaten green in sallades , as lettice likewise . but being sodden in wine it is of good nourishment in the summer time unto hot stomachs , which are able to overcome it . radices sisari indici . potado-roots are now so common and known amongst us , that even the husbandman buyes them to please his wife . they nourish mightily , being either sodd , baked , or rosted . the newest and heaviest be of best worth , engendring much flesh , bloud , and seed , but withall encreasing wind and lust . clusius thinks them to be indian skirrets , and verily in taste and operation they resemble them not a little . radicula sativa . radish roots of the garden ( for they are best ) are either long and white without , or round like a turnep , and very black skinned , called the italian radish . most men eat them before meat to procure appetite , and help digestion . but did they know ( and yet they feel it ) what ranck belchings radishes make , how hardly they are digested , how they burn bloud , and engender lice , cause leanness , rot the teeth , weaken eye-sight , and corrupt the whole mass of nourishment , i thinke they would be more temperate and sparing of them ; yet were so prized amongst the grecians , that at apollo's feast when turneps were served in tinn dishes , and beets in silver , yet radish roots were not served but in golden dishes . notwithstanding , sith by nature they provoke vomiting , how can they be nourishing ? unless it be to such rustical stomachs as are offended with nothing , and to whom resty bacon is more agreeable then young and tender pork . nevertheless sith only the heat and biting of radish , are the chiefest cause why it nourish little or nothing ( as galen saith ) no doubt if by steeping in warm milk , or boiling in fat broth those qualities be removed , it would prove the less medicinable & more nourishing . rapi silvestris radix . rampions or wild rapes , of nature not unlike to turneps , eaten raw with vinegar and salt , do not onely stir up an appetite to meat , but also are meat and nourishment of themselves . in high germany they are much eaten , and now our nation knows them indifferently well ; and begin to use them . radix allii ursini . ramseys are of like vertue and power with garlick , and are so to be prepared , or else they give neither much nor any good nourishment . rapae . rapes or turneps , sodden in fat broth , or roasted with butter and sugar put into the midst thereof , nourish plentifully , being moderately taken ; for if they be undigested through excess , they stir up windiness , and many superfluous humours in the body . the bohemians have turneps as red outwardly as blood , which i did eat of in prague , and found them a most delicate meat ; yea they are counted so restorative and dainty , that the emperour himself nurseth them in his garden . roasted turneps are so sweet and delicate , that mavius curius refused much gold , offered him by the samnites , rather then to leave his turnep in the embers . radices eringii marini . sea holly roots are of temperate heat and cold , but somewhat of too dry a nature ; yet prove they moist enough to give plentiful nourishment , after they have been preserved in syrupe or candied with ginger , encreasing blood , seed , and lust , and restoring such as by lechery have been much consumed . radices sisari . skirret-roots were so sweet & delicate in ancient times , that tiberius caesar , caused the inhabitants of gelduba ( a certain signory upon the rhine ) to pay him tribute at rome in skirret-roots ; bringing them weekly thither whilst they were in season . they have a long string or pith within them , which being taken away before they are thorough sod , maketh them eat exceeding sweet ; usually they are boild till they be tender , and then eaten cold with vinegar , oil and pepper ; but if they be roasted four or five together in a wet paper under embers ( as one would roast a potado ) or strain'd into tart-stuff , and so baked with sugar , butter and rosewater , they are far more pleasant and of stronger nourishment , agreeing with all complexions , sexes and ages , being also of a mild heat and a temperate moisture . did we know all the strength and vertues of them , they would be much nourished in our gardens , and equally esteemed with any potado root . cepa ascalonites . skallions are a kind of little onions , brought first from ascalon a town of jewry ; very hot and dry , yea hotter and drier by one degree then any onions . cold stomachs and barren weaklings may safely eat them raw to procure appetite and lust ; but they are not nourishing to indifferent stomachs till they have been perboild in new milk . some correct them , by mincing them small , and steeping them a good while in warm water , afterwards they eat them with vinegar , oil and salt , after the italian fashion . spinachia . spinache being boiled soft and then eaten with butter , small currens and sugar heat together upon a chafing dish , giveth no bad nor little nourishment to dried bodies , and is onely hurtful to such as be over-phlegmatick . fragulae . strawberries of the garden , be they white , red , or green ( but the red are best ) being once come to their full ripeness in a warm summer , and growing in a warm ground , are to a young hot stomach both meat and medicine . medicin to cool his choler & excessive heat ; meat by his temperate and agreeable moisture , fit at that time of the year to be converted into blood ; especially being eaten raw with wine and sugar , or else made into tart stuff and so baked : howsoever they be prepared , let every man take heed by melchior duke of brunswick how he eateth too much of them , who is recorded to have burst a sunder at rostock with surfeiting upon them . cranz . lib. . cap. . hist . vandal . radix spirae albae . thistle-roots ( i mean of the white thistle when it first springeth ) are exceeding restorative and nourishing , being sodden in white ▪ stued broth , or else baked in tarts , or in pies like artichoks : few men would think so good meat to lye hidden in so base and abject an herb , had not trial and cookery found out the vertue of it . rapae rotunde . turneps ( in commendation whereof moschio the grecian wrote a large volumn ) are nothing but round rapes , whereof heretofore we writ in this chapter . nastureia aquatica . water-cresses and town-cresses nourish raw and cold stomachs very well : but for hot or indifferent stomachs they are of a contrary nature . xenophon saith , that the persians children going to school , carry nothing with them to eat and drink , but cresses in the one hand and bread in the other , and an earthen cruse at their girdle to take up water in : whereby we may perceive that they agree well with moist natures , and such as are accustomed to drink water : otherwise no doubt they nourish nothing , but rather over heat and burn the blood . as for anise , blites , blood-wort , broom-buds , gapars , calamint , clary , dill , fennel , galangal , hisope , marigolds , mustard-seed , mints , nettles , orache , patience , primroses , rosemary , saffron , sage , samphire , savory , tamarisk , tansy , tarragon , time , violets and wormwood : howsoever they are used sometimes in broths , pottage , farrings , sawces , salads and tansies ; yet no nourishment is gotten by them , or at the least so little , that they need not , nor ought not to be counted amongst nourishments . chap. xxiv . of such fruits of the field , as are nourishing . the chief fruits of the field are wheate , rye , rice , barly , oates , beanes , chiches , pease and lentils . triticum . wheate is divided into divers kinds by pliny , columella , dodonaeus , pena and lobelius ; it shall be sufficient for us to describe the sorts of this country , which are especially two : the one red called robus by columella , and the other very white and light called siligo , whereof is made our purest manchet . being made into furmity and sodden with milk and sugar , or artificially made into bread ; wheate nourisheth exceeding much and strongly : the hardest , thickest , heaviest , cleanest , brightest and growing in a fat soil , is ever to be chosen ; for such wheate ( in dioscorides and galens judgement ) is most nourishing . secale . rye seemeth to be nothing but a wild kind of wheate , meet for labourers , servants and workmen , but heavy of digestion to indifferent stomachs . oriza . rice is a most strong and restorative meat , discommendable onely in that it is over-binding ; very wholesome pottage is made thereof with new milk , sugar , cinamon , mace and nutmegs : whose astringency if any man fear , let him soke the rice one night before in sweet whey , and afterwards boil it in new milk with sugar , butter , cloves and nutmegs , leaving out cinamon and mace . thus shall the body be nourished , costiveness prevented , and nature much strengthened and encreased . hordeum . barly used any way in bread , drink or broth , is ever cooling ( saith galen ) and engendreth but a thin and weak juice . before we use it in broths or ptisan , it should be clean hulld , and washed in many waters . the decoction of barly in chicken-broth , strained with a few blauncht almonds , and sweetned with sugar , and rosewater , is a very covenient meat for sound men , but more for them which are sick and abhor flesh . cardan saith that galen maketh mention of a kind of barly in greece ▪ growing without a husk , and hulld by nature ; which place he never citeth , because he was mistaken ; for through all galen i could never find any such thing , though of purpose i searched for it very diligently . the best barly is the biggest and yellowest without , and fullest , closest and heaviest within ; it is never to be used in meat till it be half a year old , because lying causeth it to ripen better , and to be also far less windy . being made into malt by a sweet fire and good cunning , it is the foundation of our english wine , which being as well made as it is at not●ingam , proveth meat drink and cloth to the poorer sort . parched barly or malt is hot and dry , but otherwise it is temperately cooling and less drying . that wheate and rye is far more nourishing then barly . plutarch would thence prove , because they are half a year longer in the earth , and are of a more thick , sappy , and firm substance . but rice ( being counted and called by tragus german barly ) disarmeth that reason , which is not sowed till march and yet is of as great or rather greater nourishment . avenae . oates termed by galen the asses and horses provender , are of the like nature with barly , but more astringent , especially being old and thorough dry . had galen seen the oaten cakes of the north ; the janocks of lancashire , and the grues of cheshire , he would have confessed that oates and oatmeal are not onely meat for beasts ▪ but also for tall , fair and strong men and women of all callings and complexions : but we pardon the grecians delicacy , or else ascribe it to the badness of their soile , which could bring forth ▪ no oates fit for nourishment . chuse the largest , heaviest , sweetest , fullest and blackest to make your oatmeal groats of , for they are least windy and most nourishing . fabae . beans were first a field fruit , howsoever ( to make them more sappy ) they have lately been set and kept in gardens . pythagoras forbad his scholers to eat of them ( especially coming once to be great and black-taild ) because they hinder sleep and procure watchfulness ( for which cause they were given to iudges as they sate down in judgement ) or else in sleep cause fearful and troublesome dreams , as you may read in tullius second book of divination ; wherefore howsoever camatherus ( immanuel commenaeus his secretary ) ventured for them , or men now affect them in these dayes ; assuredly they are a very hurtful meat , unless they be eaten very young , and sod in fat broth , and afterwards ( being freed of their husk ) be eaten in the beginning or midst of meal , buttered throughly and sufficiently sprinkled with gross pepper and salt ; then will they nourish much , and too too much encrease seed to lusty wantons . ciceres . chiches of england are very hard and unwholesome ; but in italy and france there is a kind of red chich , yeelding a sweet , fine and nourishing flour : whereof thick pap or pottage being made with sugar , you shall hardly find any grain or pulse of comparable nourishment ; as my most honourable good lord , the lord willoughby of eresby , in his most dangerous consumption did well testifie . perhaps this broth was that , for a mess whereof esau sold his birth-right ; for no pulse but this maketh a red pottage . pisa . pease are not fully so windy as beans , and also of better nourishment , because they are less abstersive . french-pease , hasty pease , and gray-pease , be the tenderest and sweetest of all others ; for the common field-pease or green-pease is too hard of digestion for indifferent stomachs . take the youngest , and seeth them thoroughly , butter them plentifully , and season them well with salt and pepper ; so will they prove a light meat , and give convenient nourishment in summer time . lentes . lentiles were so prized in athenaeus time , that one wrote a whole treatise in their commendation ; and diogenes commended them above all meats to his scholers , because they have a peculiar vertue to quicken the wit. let us ( for shame ) not discontinue any longer this wholesome nourishment , but rather strive to find out some preparation , whereby they may be restored to their former or greater goodness . chap. xxv . of the variety , excellency , making , and true use of bread ▪ the dignity and necessity of bread. bread is a food so necessary to the life of man , that whereas many meats be loathed naturally , of some persons , yet we never saw , read , nor heard of any man that naturally hated bread . the reasons whereof i take to be these . first because it is the staff of life , without which all other meats would either quickly putrifie in our stomachs , or sooner pass thorough them then they should , whereupon crudities , belly-worms and fluxes do arise to such children or persons , as either eat none or too little bread. again , neither flesh , fruit nor fish are good at all seasons , for all complexions , for all times , for all constitutions and ages of men ; but bread is never out of season , disagreeing with no sickness , age , or complexion , and therefore truely called the companion of life . no child so young but he hath bread , or the matter of bread in his pap : no man so weak , but he eats it in his broth , or sucks it out of his drink . it neither enflameth the cholerick , nor cooleth the phlegmatick , nor over-moistneth the sanguin , nor drieth the melancholick . furthermore it is to be admired ( saith plutarch ) that bread doth of all other things best nourish and strengthen both man and beast ; insomuch that with a little bread they are enabled for a whole dayes journey , when with twise as much meat they would have fainted . wherefore it was not a small threatning , when god said he would break the staff of bread ; without which our meat giveth no strength ( as i said before ) but either corrupteth in the stomach , or is converted to slimy crudities ; we may also remember , that of all compound meats it is the first of all mentioned in the scripture , namely in the third of genesis ; where god threatneth adam that in the sweat of his browes he should eat his bread . again in the lords prayer we ask for all bodily nourishment in the name of bread , because bread may be justly called the meat of meats , as without whom there is no good nor substantial nourishment . the italians have a proverb , that all troubles are easie with bread , and no pleasure pleasant without bread. signifying thereby , our lives to consist more in bread , then in any other meat whatsoever , to conclude , when christ would describe himself unto us whilst he lived , and leave a memorial unto us of himself after death : his wisdome found no hieroglyphical character wherein better to express himself ( the only nourisher and feeder of all mankind ) then by the sight , taking and eating of bread : so that i may boldly prefer it above all nourishment , being duely and rightly used , as agreeing with all times , ages , and constitutions of men , either sick or sound ; which cannot be verified of any one nourishment besides . upon which and some other things , arose these questions and sayings , whether eating of crusts of bread , and sinews of flesh , make a man strong ? whether ashes be physick , and mouldy bread clear the eyesight ? mony and bread never brought plague . bread and cheese be the two targets against death . the authors and inventers of bread. who was the first authour or inventer of making bread , i will not take upon me to determine . pliny ascribeth it to ceres ; who seeing what hurt came to men by eating of acorns , devised a means how to pound corn into meal , and then to work , form and bake it into loaves and cakes . pausanias ascribeth it to arcas , iupiter , and calistoes son . but without all question adam knew it first , whosoever was the first that made it ; yea sith it is the strengthner of life , no doubt as he and his son knew how to sow corn , so they were not ignorant or unpractised in the chiefe use thereof . the differences of bread. concerning the differences of bread , some are taken from the meats we eat ; for the romans had panem ostrearium , which they onely did eat with oisters . they had also their dainty bread , made with hony , spice and flour : they had also a hasty cake , called panis speuticus learned first in greece ; likewise their bread differed in baking , some being baked upon the hearth , others broild it upon gridirons , others fried it like pancakes , others baked it in ovens , others sod it in seam like fritters ; others boild it in water like cimnels , being called panes aquatici ; which the parthians taught them . but the chiefe differences are in the variety of matter , whereof they consist ; and the variety of goodness , which i will declare in order . some countries ( where corn was either never sown at all , or being sowed cannot prosper ) make bread of such things made into meal as their soil yeeldeth . the oritae , green landers and north-icelanders make it of dried fish , which being thorough dried in the sun , they beat it first with hammers , then pound it with pestils , and form cakes with water , which they tost at their fires , made onely of great fishes bones ( for they have no wood ) and eat it instead of bread ; yet live they well , and look well , and enjoy pleasures ( saith hector boethius in his scottish history ) abounding in children , strength and contentment , though not in wealth . the brasilians make bread of the root of a herb ressembling purcelane , and of the barks of trees as osorius writeth ; whom i may believe , because i have eaten of the same bread , brought home by sir francis drake . the most part of egyptians make bread of lotus seed , resembling poppy : but they which dwell by the river astupas made it of dried roots beaten to pouder , which they formed like a tilestone , and baked it hard in the sun. like bread made the thracians of tribulus or water-nut roots , and the arabians of dates . but the best is made of graine , which the romans for years after their city was built , had not yet learned : and was not afterwards publikely practised by bakers , till the persian wars . as for wheaten bread it was so rare in caesars time , that none knew how to make it save his own baker . and again white manchet was so hard to come by in the grecian courts , that lucian protested a man could never get enough of it , no not in his dream . spiced bread was more ancient ; for diogines loved it above all meats , and hippocrates and plato make mention of it . brown-bread was used in philoxenus his age and long before ; who having eaten up all the white-bread at the sophists table , one set him a great brown-loaf on the table , on whom he bestowed this jest : ho la ! not too much , not too much good fellow , least it be night too soon . thus much of the ancient making of bread ; now let us consider . the usual mattter of bread. first , whereof bread is made in our daies , secondly how it is made , thirdly when , and in what order , fourthly in what quantity it is to be eaten . touching the first : bread is usually made of rye , barly , oates , missellin or pure wheate ▪ rye-bread is cold and of hard concoction , breeding wind and gripings in the belly , engendring gross humours , being as unwholesome for indifferent stomachs , as it agreeth with strong bodies and labourious persons ; yet openeth it , and cureth the hemorrhoids . barly ▪ bread is little or nothing better , being tough and heavy of digestion , choking the small veins , engendring crudities , and stuffing the stomach . oaten-bread is very light being well made , more scowring then nourishing if the oat-meal be new , and too much binding if it be old . howbeit oates in greece are recorded to be so temperate , that they neither stir nor stay the belly . misslin or munckcorn-bread , made of rye and wheate together , is esteemed better or worse , accordingly as it is mingled more with this or that grain . but of all other wheaten-bread is generally the best for all stomachs , yet of so stopping a nature ▪ if it be too fine , because it is of best temper , and agreeth with all natures and complexions things to be observed in the well making of bread. concerning the well making whereof , we must have great choice and care . . of the wheate it self . . of the meal . . of the water . . of the salt. . of the leven . . of the dough or past . . of the moulding . . of the oven . . of the baking . all which circumstances i most willingly prosecute to the ful , because as bread is the best nourishment of all other , being well made , so is it simply the worst being marred in the ill handling . . concerning the wheate , it must be thorough ripe ere it is gathered , two months old ere it be thrashed , and a month or two old after that ( at the least ) ere it be grinded . chuse ever the yellowest without , and smoothest , growing in a hot and fat soil , hard , white and full within , clean thrasht and winowed , then clean washt and dryed , afterwards grosly grinded ( for that makes the best flour ) in a mill wherein the grind-stones are of french marble , or some other close or hard stone . . the meal must neither be so finely grinded ( as i said ) least the bran mingle with it , nor too grosly , least you lose much flour , but moderately gross , that the bran may be easily separated , and the fine flour not hardly boulted . you must not presently mould up your meal after grinding , lest it prove too hot ; nor keep it too long lest it prove fusty and breed worms , or be otherwise tainted with long lying . likewise though the best manchet ( called panis siligineus of pliny ) be made of the finest flour ▪ passed through a very fine boulter , yet that bread which is made of courser meal ( called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the grecians ) is of lighter digestion and of stronger nourishment . . the water must be pure , from a clear river or spring : not too hot least the dough cling , nor too cold least it crumble , but lukewarm . . the salt must be very white , finely beaten , not too much nor too little , but to give an indifferent seasoning . . the leaven must be made of pure wheate , it must not be too old least it prove too soure , nor too new least it work to no purpose , nor too much in quantity , least the bread receive not a digesting but a fretting quality . where by the way note , that loaves made of pure wheaten-meal require both more leaven and more labouring , and more baking , then either course cheate , or then bread mingled of meal and grudgins . in england our finest manchet is made without leaven , which maketh cheate bread to be the lighter of both , and also the more wholesome ; for unleavened bread is good for no man. . the dough of white bread must be throughly wrought , and the manner of moulding must be first with strong kneading , then with rouling to and fro , and last of all with wheeling or turning it round about , that it may sit the closer ; afterwards cut it slightly in the midst round about , and give it a slit or two thorough from the top to the bottome with a small knife , to give a vent every way to the inward moisture whilst it is in baking . . the loaves should neither be too great nor too little : for as little loaves nourish least , so if the loaves be too great , the bread is scarce thoroughly baked in the midst : wherefore the francklins bread of england is counted most nourishing , being of a middle sise , between gentlemens roules or little manchets , and the great loaves used in yeomens houses . . the oven must be proportionable to the quantity of bread , heated every where alike , and by degrees ; not too hot at the first , lest the outside be burnt and the in-side clammy ; nor too cold , lest the bread prove sad and heavy in our stomachs . . last of all concerning the baking , it must not stay too long in the oven , least it prove crusty , dry and cholerique ; nor too little a while , for fear it be clammy and of ill nourishment , fitter to cram capons and poultry , then to be given to sick or sound men . bread being thus made , strengtheneth the stomach , and carrieth truly with it the staff of nourishment . iupiters priests ( called flamines diales ) were forbidden to eat either meal or leaven by themselves , yet might they eat of leavened bread and none other . the reason whereof is alledged by plutarch . they might eat no meal , because it is an imperfect and raw nourishment ; being neither wheate which it was , nor bread which it should be ; for meal hath lost ( which it had ) the form of grain , and wanteth ( which it is to have ) the form of bread. they might eat no leaven , because leaven is the mother and daughter of corruption , souring all if it be too much , and distasting all if it be too little : but when a just proportion is kept betwixt them both , leaven corrects the meals imperfection , and meal resisteth leavens corruption , making together a well rellished mass ( called bread ) which is justly termed the staff of life . as for bunns made with eggs and spices , as also for sugar-cakes , wafers , simnels and cracknels , and all other kind of delicious stuff , wherein no leaven cometh ; i will not deny them a medicinable use for some bodies , but if they be usually and much eaten , they rather help to corrupt then to nourish our bodies . of the age of bread. touching the age of bread , as the egyptians bread made of lotus seed is never either good or light till it be hot ; so contrariwise all bread made of grain is never good till it be fully cold . hot bread is exceeding dangerous swimming in the stomach procuring thirst , most hardly digesting , and filling the body full of wind . neither yet must it be too old and dry , for then it nourisheth nothing , dryeth up the body , encreaseth costiffness , and very hardly passeth from out the stomach . of the use of bread. last of all , concerning the use of bread , it consisteth in the quality , quantity , and timely taking of it . the inmost crumbs of bread are most nourishing , and fittest for hot and cholerick persons ; contrariwise the crumbs next the crust are fittest for phlegmatick dispositions , unto whom sometimes we allow the crust it self , or else the crumbs tosted at the fire . leavened bread is also most convenient for weak stomachs , because it is soonest digested ; but if it be too much leavened , it anoieth them as much in gripings of the belly and spleen-swellings . it is questioned by some , whether children should eat much bread without meat , aut contra . now bread ( so it be not newer then one day ) is most nourshing , but old bread ( as i said before ) is most drying . concerning the quantity of bread , we are to understand : that as drink is necessary to hasten meat out of the stomach when it is concocted , so bread is as needfull to hang it up , and stay it in the stomach till it be concocted . for if we eat flesh , fish or fruit without bread , it will either return upward ( as it fareth in dogs ) or beget crudities and worms ( as it hapneth to greedy children ) or turn to most cruel fluxes , as it falleth out in the time of vintage , and at the gathering of fruit , when many grapes , or apples , or plums be eaten without bread. nevertheless over-much bread is as hurtful , yea the surfeiting of it is more dangerous then of any meat . for flesh ▪ fruit or fish , being immoderately taken , are quickly corrupted into a thin substance , which nature may easily avoid ; but the surfet of bread is incorrigible , remaining so dry , hard , and tough in the stomach , that it will neither be voided upward , nor downward without great difficulty , resisting the operation of any medicine , stopping the veins , and dawbing as it were the bowels ( otherwise sensible enough , and ready to be stirred with the least physick ) with a slimy and viscous morter . eat therefore no more then to make a convenient mixture of meat and drink ; for as there must be a sufficient quantity of sand to combine lime and water together ; not too little ( lest the morter be too liquid ) nor too much ( lest it be tough ) but a certain proportion to be aimed at by the plaisterer : so a due quantity of bread maketh a perfect mass of nourishment , which else being too liquid would turn to crudities by passing over-timely into the guts , or being too thick would either putrifie at length , or at the least wax burdensom to the stomach and choke the veins . note also this , that the more liquid and moist your meats are , so much the more bread is required : but the more dry and solid they are , the more drink is to be taken and the less bread. last of all , to speak somewhat of the time , and order to be observed in the eating of bread : howsoever antoninus that holy emperour of rome , did make his breakfast onely of dry bread , and then presented himself to all suiters till dinner time : we must conceive , first that he was rhumatick through his night watchings and great studying . secondly , that he was old and subject to the dropsie : otherwise he was foolish to prescribe himself that diet , or his physicians mad that perswaded him to it . for as first lime , and then sand are mingled with water , so first meat , then bread should be eaten together , and afterward drink should be poured on like water to mingle them both . socrates said truly , that some fools do use bread as meat , and some use meat as bread. for some will break their fast with bread , which commonly is dangerous : others will eat at dinner a little meat and too much bread , which is almost as unwholesome : others will end their meals with drink and meat , when reason and experience sheweth , that the upper mouth of our stomach is best closed up with bread and dryness ; in the sealing and closing up whereof perfectness of concoction doth greatly consist . cyrus the greater , being asked dayly by his stuard , what he should provide for his supper , never gave him other answer then this , onely bread : shewing us thereby , that as our breakfast must be of the moistest meats , and our dinners moderately mingled with driness and moisture ; so our suppers should be either onely of of bread , or at the most of meats as dry as bread ; especially in these islands and moist countries , so subject to rhumes and superfluous moistures . chap. xxvi . of salt , sugar , and spice . there was a sect of philosophers called elpistici , commending hope so highly above all vertues , that they termed it the sawce of life ; as without which our life were either none at all , or else very loathsom tedious and unsavory . may i not in like manner say the like of salt ▪ to which homer giveth the title of divinity , and plato calleth it jupiters minion ? for tell me to what meat ( be it flesh , fish or fruit ) or to what broth salt is not required , either to preserve season or rellish the same ? nay bread the very staff and strength of our sustenance , is it not unwholesom , heavy and untoothsom some without salt ? wherefore in the same temple neptune and ceres ever stood together , because no grain is good unsalted , be it never so well spiced or sugared , or otherwise artificially handled . besides this , the famous warriours in old time , accustomed to hard and sparing diet , howsoever voluntarily they eschewed flesh and fish as meats too delicate for souldiers stomachs , living onely upon bread , onions , leeks , garlick , town-cresses and roots , yet they did eat salt with every thing , as without the which nothing was deemed wholesome . and truly what is flesh but a peece of carrion and an unsavory carcass , till salt quickens graces and preserves it , infusing thorough out it ( as it were ) another soul ? what is fish but an unrellished froth of the water , before salt correcteth the flashiness thereof , and addeth firmness ? yea milke , cheese , butter , eggs , tree-fruit , garden fruit , field-fruit , finally all things ordained and given for nourishment , are either altogether unwholesome without salt , or at the least not so wholesome as otherwise they would be . plutarch moveth a question in his natural disputations , why salt should be so much esteemed , when beasts and fruits give a rellish of others tastes , but none of salt ? for many meats are fatty of themselves , olives are bitterish , and many fruits are sweet , many soure , divers astringent , some sharpe , and some harsh ; but none are salt of their own nature : what should be gathered of this ? that the use of salt is unnaturall or unwholesome ? nothing less . it is enough for nature to give us meat , and elsewhere to give us wherewith to season them . and truly sith salt may either be found or made in all countries , what needed fruit , flesh , or fish to have that taste within them , which out wardly was to be had at mans pleasure . now if any shall object unto me the egyptian priests , abstaining wholly from salt ( even in their bread & eggs ) because it engendereth heat and stirreth up lust : or apollonius ( herophilus his scholer ) who by his physicians counsel abstained wholly from any thing wherein salt was , because he was very lean , and grew to be exceeding fat by eating hony-sops and sugared panadoes : i will answer them many wayes , and perhaps sufficiently . first , that long custome is a second nature , and that it had been dangerous for the egyptian priests to have eaten salt , which even from their infancy they never tasted . again , whereas it was said , that they abstained from it for fear of lust , no doubt they did wisely in it ; for of all other things it is very effectual to stir up venus , whom poets fain therefore to have been breed in the salt sea. and experience teacheth , that mice lying in hoyes laden from rochel with salt , breed thrice faster there , then if they were laden with other merchandize . huntsmen likewise and shepherds seeing a slowness of lust in their dogs and cattle , feed them with salt meats to hasten coupling ; and what maketh doves and goats so lusty and lacivious , but that they desire to feed upon salt things ? finally remember , that lechery ( in latin ) is not idlely , or at adventure termed salaritas , saltishness ; for every man knows that the salter our humours be , the more prone and inclinable we are to lechery : as manifestly appeareth in lazars , whose blood being over salt , causeth a continual tickling and desire of venery , though for want of good nourishment they perform little . wherefore whosoever coveteth to be freed of that desire with the egyptian priests ( which is an unnatural thing to covet ) let them altogether abstaine from salt in every thing ; but look how much they gain in impotency that way , so much they lose of health another way . for as sheep feeding in salt marshes never dye of the rot and be never barren , but contrariwise are rotted as well as fatted in fresh pastures : so likewise whosoever moderately useth salt shall be freed of putrifaction and stoppings , and live long in health ( no disorder being elsewhere committed ) when they which wholly abstain from it both in bread and meat , shall fall into many diseases and grievous accidents , as did apollonius himself for all his fatness ; and as it hapned to dr. penny , who after he had abstained certain years from salt , fell into divers stoppings , cruel vomitings , intolerable headache and strange migrams , whereby his memory and all inward and outward senses were much weakned . remember here , that i said whosoever moderately useth salt ; for as wholly to refuse it causeth many inconveniencies , so to abuse the same in excess is no less dangerous , engendring choler , drying up natural moisture , enflaming blood , stopping the veins , hardning the stone , gathering together viscous and crude humours , making sharpness of urine , consuming the flesh and fat of our bodies , breeding salacity and the colt evil , bringing finally upon us scabs , itch , skurfe , cankers , gangrena's and foul leprousies . they which are cold , fat , watrish and phlegmatick , may feed more plentifully on salt and salt-meats then other persons : but cholerick and melancholick complexions must use it more sparingly , and sanguineans must take no more of it , then lightly to rellish their unsavory meat . our wiches in cheshire afford so good salt ( through god's singular providence and mercy towards us ) that i am eased of a great labour in shewing the differences of salt . onely thus much i leave to be noted , that bay-salt is best to make brine of , but our white salt is fittest to be eaten at table . finally sith not onely we in england , but also all other nations , yea the old romans and grecians ( as pliny and alexander remember ) placed salt ever first at the table , and took it last away ( insinuating thereby the necessary use thereof with all kinds of meats ) let us conclude with the scholers of salern , in good rhime and better reason . sal primo debet poni , non primo reponi , omnis mensa male ponitur absque sale . here i might speak of sal sacerdotale aetii , called the priests salt , mingled with many sweet herbs and spices to preserve meats : as also of chymical salts drawn from wormwood , cinamon , cloves , guajacum and other infinite simples ; but sith they are rather medicinable then belonging to ordinary diet , i have reason to omit them . now if any will mervail , why i should write thus much in the commendation of salt , when by general consent of writers it is not nourishing : i answer , that it is , and that not onely accidentally , in making our meat more gracious to the stomach , hindring putrefaction , and drying up superfluous humours ; but also essentially in it self , being taken in his just and due proportion . for our bodies hath and should have humours of all tastes ; yea the firmest element of our body is nothing but salt it self , and so termed by the best ( though the newest ) philosophers ; which will hardly be preserved without eating of salt. hence comes it that souldiers , sea ▪ men and country-labourers , accustomed to feed usually upon hang'd ▪ beef , salt-bacon , and salt fish , have a more firm flesh and greater strength then ordinary citizens and dainty gentlemen . and if salt-meats ( not over-salted ) be generally held to give the best nourishment , why should we deny that salt nourisheth ? a woman eating much salt when she is with child , bringeth forth a child without nailes . salt in pottage is forbidden in hot agues . they which eat much salt and vinegar have burnt livers , and live unsound . of sugar . sugar or suchar is but a sweet , or ( as the ancients term it ) an indian salt. the best sugar is made of the tears or liquor of sugar canes , replenished so with juice that they crack againe . other sorts are made of the canes themselves finely cut , and boiled so long in water , till all their gumminess gather together at the bottome , as salt doth in cheshire at nantwich . the best sugar is hard , solid , light , exceeding white and sweet , glistring like snow , close and not spungy , melting ( as salt doth ) very speedily in any liquor . such cometh from madera in little loaves , of three or four pound weight apeece : from whence also we have a courser sort of sugar-loves , weighing seven , eight , nine or ten pounds apeece , not fully so good for candying fruits , but better for syrups and kitchin uses . barbary and canary sugar is next to that , containing twelve , sixteen and seventeen l. weight in a loafe . but your common and course sugar ( called commonly st. omers sugar ) is white without , and brown within , of a most gluish substance , altogether unfit for candying or preserving , but serving well enough for common syrups and seasoning of meat . of the pouder of which sugar our cunning refiners make such white and glorious sugar in shew , that albeit it be neither sweet , light nor kindly , yet they feel an unspeakable sweetness by that art , or rather trade , or rather mystery , or rather ( if i am not mistaken ) flat couzenage and apparent knavery . concerning the uses of this worthy and sweet salt ; they are many and good . for whereas hony is hurtful to cholerick complexions , sugar is incommodious or hurtful unto none ; yea it is so mild and temperate , that galen doth not disallow it to be given in agues . furthermore it nourisheth very plentifully , yea it maketh many things to become exceeding good meat ( by conditing , preserving and conserving ) as citrons , limons , orenges , nutmegs , ginger & such like , which of their own nature do rather hinder nourishment and procure leanness . besides this , it delighteth the stomach , pleaseth the blood and liver , cleanseth the brest , restoreth the lungs ( especially being candied ) taketh away hoarseness , and asswageth drought in all agues , giving also no small ease to enflamed kidneys , and to bladders molested with sharpness of urine . sugar keepeth children from engendring of worms , but being engendred , maketh them stir . it were infinite to reherse the necessary use of it in making of good gellies , cullises , mortesses , white-broths , and restorative pies and mixtures : which sith cooks do and ought chiefly to practice , i will not further usurpe upon their province ; onely say , sugar never marred sawce . of spices . spices are properly called such sweet and odoriferous simples , as are taken from trees , shrubs , herbs , or plants ; whereof some are growing in england or home ▪ bred , others fetcht from far countries , cal'd outlandish spices . homebred spices are these , aniseed , dill , fennel-seed , alcost , commin , carawayes , clary , corianders , dried mints , dried nep , dried origanum , parsly-seed , dried gilly-flowers , roots of galinga and orris , dried primroses ▪ pennirial , rosemary , saffron , sage , oke of ierusalem bay berries , iuniper-berries , sothernwood , tansie , tamarisk , time , dried wal-flowers , violets , varvein , wintersavory , wormwood , and such like . outlandish spices are these chiefly , lignum aloes , foleum indicum , cinamon , ginger , mace , cloves , pepper , nutmegs , pills of citrons , limons and orenges , grains , cubebs , and saunders , &c. which being no nourishment of themselves , and serving onely to physick uses , i rather ought to send you to the herbals of lobelius , dodonaeus , clusius , turner , and bauhinus , ( where at large you may hear of their vertues ) then to stand here upon them any longer in my treatise of nourishments . wherefore let it be sufficient for me to have set down their temperatures in the fifth chapter of this treatise ; and now let me proceed to discourse of sawces : wherein ( as occasion serveth ) i will somewhat enlarge my treatise of spices , which i might have handled in this chapter . chap. xxvii . of the necessary use and abuse of sawces , and whereon they consist . plutarch bouldly affirmeth that the ancients knew never any sawces but two , hungar and salt : calling that the night , and this the light of sawces : for as in the night all colours be alike , so nothing is unsavory to a hungry stomach : and as the light discerneth colours , so salt sheweth the variety and excellency of all tastes . proof hereof we have usually at our tables , where having tasted of vinegar or soure fruit , or eaten much sweet meats ▪ the best wine is presently distasted after it , and the goodness thereof undiscerned till a little salt be eaten . concerning hunger , i yeeld unto plutarch , for without that even salt and vinegar and every thing is unsavory , according as it is written of the cooks of athens ; who vaunting by their divers pickles , sawces , pouders and mixtures to procure any man an appetite , yet in the end they found it true , that the best sawce is loathsome without hunger . dionisius also supping once ( after hunting ) with the lacedaemonians , most highly extolled their black-broth ; afterwards eating of the same another time , without exercise premised , he did as deeply dispraise it . the like we read of ptolomy in platina , and of socrates in tullies tusculanes , who walked ever before meat a mile or two , to buy him this sawce of hunger anacharsis was wont to say , that dry ground is the best bed , a skin hardned with exercise the best garment , and natural hunger the best sawce : which addition of this word natural cleareth the question ; for over-much hunger tasteth nothing better then overmuch satiety , the one loathing good things because of fulness , the other commending bad things because of emptiness . as for salt , the second sawce of the ancients , i have already enough commended it in the former chapter : nevertheless it is not sufficient , nay it is not convenient for all stomachs . for even old times afforded two sawces , salt and vinegar , the one for hot stomachs , the other for cold , knowing well enough that appetites are not procured in all men alike , because want of appetite ariseth from divers fountains . plutarch raileth mightily against sawces and seasonnings , avouching them to be needless to healthful persons , and unprofitable to the sick , because they never eat but when they are hungry , and these ought not to be made hungry , lest they oppress nature by eating too much . but i deny both his arguments ; for as many sound men abhor divers things in their health roasted , which they love sodden ; so likewise they love some things seasoned after one fashion , which seasoned or sawced after another fashion they cannot abide , no though they be urged unto it by great hunger . as for them that be sick , whosoever dreameth , that no sick man should be allured to meat by delightful and pleasant sawces , seemeth as froward and fantastical as he that would never whet his knife . and tell me i pray you , why hath nature brought forth such variety of herbs , roots , fruits , spices and juices fit for nothing but sawces , but that by them the sound should be refreshed , and the sick men allured to feed upon meat ? for whom an overstraite abstinence is as dangerous , as fulness and satiety is inconvenient . all which i write , not to tickle the epicures of our age , who to the further craming of their filthy corps , make curious sawces for every meat ; or to force appetite daily where no exercise is used : for as morris-dancers at burials make no sport , but rather give cause of further lamenting ; so appetites continually forced weaken a diseased stomach , either making men for a time to eat more then they should , or else afterwards bereaving them of all appetite . socrates compared the over-curious seasoning of meat , and these epicurean sawce-makers to common courtisans curiously painted and sumptuously adorned , before they entertain their lovers ; whereby they stir up new lust in withered stocks , and make even the gray-headed spend and consume themselves . even so ( saith he ) these new found sawces , what are they but whores to edge our appetite , making us to feast when we should fast , or at least to feed more then nature willeth ? also he resembleth them to tickling under the sides and arm-pits , which causeth not a true & hearty , but rather a convulsive and hurtful laughter , doing no more good to pensive persons , then hard scratching is profitable to a scald head , wherein yet it delighteth to his own hurt . there is a notable hystory written of alexander and queen ada , who purposing to present the conquerour with her best jewels , sent him two of her best sawce-makers , to season and dress his meat , commending their skill exceedingly in her letters : but alexander having bountifully rewarded them for their travail , returned them with this message , that he had along time entertained two for that purpose , which made him better sawce to his meat , then any other could make in his judgment ; namely , nyctoporia night-marching , who ever got him a stomach to his dinner , and oligaristia littledining , who ever procured him a stomach to his supper . shewing thereby that exercise before dinner and supper are the best sawce-makers , because they bring forth hunger , which tasteth ( yea which causeth us also to digest ) all things . and verily for strong and able persons , what need we prescribe more sawces then exercise and hunger ? nevertheless because many mens trade of life , and estate of health is such , that either they cannot exercise themselves abroad , or else are not able thorugh weakness to do it at home ( whereupon want of appetite and want of digestion , the onely founders of sawces must ensue ) it will not be amiss to set down some simples , which may be the matter of sawces for both those inconveniencies . the most usual and best simples whereof sawces are made . if the stomach want appetite , by reason of cold and raw humours furring the same , and dulling the sense of feeling in the mouth thereof . hot sawces . make sawce of dill , fennel , mints , origanum , parsly , dryed gilli-flowers , galinga , mustardseed , garlick , onions , leeks , juniper-berries , sage , time , varvein , betony , salt , cinamon , ginger , mace , cloves , nutmegs , pepper , pills of citrons , limons and orenges , grains , cubebs , and such like , mingle some one , two , or three of them together , according as occasion most requireth , with wine or vinegar , strong of rosemary or gilly-flowers . cold sawces . contrariwise wanteth your stomach appetite , through abundance of choler , or adust and putrified phlegm ? then restore it with sawces made of sorrel , lettice , spinache , purselane , or saunders ; mingled with vinegar , verjuice , cider , alegar , or water it self , or with the pulp of prunes , apples , currens and such like . as for digestion , it waxeth slow and weak , either because the stomach is too cold , or because the meat is of bad digestion which is put into it . sawces for slow digestion . cold stomachs must be quickned with sawces hot of spice ; and meats hard of digestion must be helped with hot things : therfore i commend the use of mustard with biefe , and all kind of salted flesh and fish ; and onion-saw with duck , widgin , teal , and all water foul ; salt and pepper with venison , and galinga sawce with the flesh of cygnets ; and garlick or onions boild in milk with a stuble goose ; sugar and mustard with red deer , crane , shovelar and bustard . sawces for temperate meats . but for temperate meats and speedy of digestion ( as pork , mutton , lamb , veal , kid , hen , capon , pullet , chicken , rabbet , partridge , pheasant , &c. ) we must likewise devise temperate sawces : as mustard and green-sawce for pork , ▪ verjuice and salt for mutton ; the juice of orenges or limons with wine , salt and sugar for capons , pheasants and partridges ; water and pepper for woodcocks ; vinegar and butter , or the gravet of roasted meat with rabbets , pigeons or chickens ; for if their sawces should be either too cold , or too hot , such meats would soon corrupt in our stomachs , being otherwise most nourishing of their own nature . as for the just quantity and proportion of every thing belonging unto sawces and pickles , albeit apicius took great pains therein , writing whole volums of that argument , yet few of those sawces agreed with most mens natures , and some of them perhaps ( if we might peruse those books ) were grounded upon little or no reason ; wherefore i leave the directing of them to particular cooks , who by experience can best aime at every mans appetite , and know also sufficiently how to correct that flesh by artificial preparation and appropriated sawce , which nature hath made queazy or heavy to indifferent stomachs . some have put the question , whether there be any sawce but appetite ? or whether it be good to use sawces ? chap. xxviii . of variety of meats , that it is necessary and convenient . philo a most excellent physician having invited philinus to supper , entertained him with all kind of fowl , fish and fruit , killing also as many beasts , as if he had purposed to celebrate an hecatombe : but his eloquent guest ( for he was counted the best councellor at the bar of athens ) either to reprove his friend , or to try his oratory , accused him at the table of a double trespass , the one against himself , the other against nature . against himself , because he allured him to surfet by variety of dishes : against nature , because nature teacheth us to feed but upon meat , and yet philo himself did feed upon many . but tell me philinus ( for i am a physitian likewise , and sworne to defend my teachers no less then my parents ) how is it an unnatural thing to feed upon many dishes ? mary ( saith he ) nature teacheth us to feed upon that which will make us to remain longest in life and health ; wherefore if we would feed as beasts do upon some one thing , we should outlive them ; whereas now through our variety of dishes they outlive us . again ; do not you physitians ( being but natures ministers ) disswade men in agues from diversity of meats , bringing unto them only some one dish of a chicken or rabbet simply roasted or boiled , neither smelling nor tasting of any mixture , nor marred , or infected with variety of sawces ? furthermore doth not the diars art instruct us , no colour to keep so long in cloth or silk , as that which is made by one simple ? and is not the sweetest oil marred by mingling , which being kept alone by it self would be ever fragrant ? even so fareth it likewise in meats , for any one meat of an indifferent constitution will be easily concocted , when many strive so one with another , whether of them shall go out formost into the guts , that one stayeth too long and is corrupted , whilst the other is not half changed . and tell me philo ; why should it not be in meats as it is in wines ? doth not variety of wines make bad distribution , and cause drunkenness sooner then if we kept to one wine ? no doubt it doth ; else had the law contra allaenias been frivolous and vaine , precisely forbidding vintners and waiters at the table to mixe one wine with another . musicians likewise by tuning all their instruments into one harmony , plainly shew what hurt cometh by inequality and change of things . socrates was wont to say ( whom the great oracle of apollo hath crowned for the wisest grecian ) that variety of meats is like a common house of courtisans , which with variety of faces , trickings and dressings rather empty then fill up venus treasury , kindling rather a flame to consume our lust , then giving a gentle heat to conserve our lives . wherefore when the jars of crowders shall be thought good musick , and mingled wines allowed for wholesomness , and whorish allurements taken for preservers of life ; then will i also confess variety of dishes to be tollerable , and that one man at once may taste and feed safely of many dishes . in the mean time let me still commend the old romans , who judged as ill of common feasters , as of them which erected a bawdy-house : and give me leave to imitate plato , who at a great feast fed on nothing but olives , thinking one dish most wholesome where many are . other objections against variety of meats . thus much said philinus against philo , as plutarch writeth : whose arguments i will then answer in order , when i have first given a further strength to his assertion , by other proofs and authorities that himself perhaps did never dream of , namely these . rogatianus a noble senator of rome , having spent much mony in physick to no good purpose , fed afterwards ( by his friends advice ) never but upon one dish : whereby he was quit of his grief for many years . epicurus also placing all felicity in health and pleasure , fed but sparingly and simply upon one dish , were it roots , apples , peares , plums or puls-pottadge ( for he never eat fish nor flesh ) also he did eate but one kind of bread , and never drank but one sort of drink , were it wine or water . iovinianus pontanus being asked , why he never fed but upon one dish : i abstaine ( said he ) from many meats , that many , nay that all physitians may abstaine from me . a cook in lacon being bidden by his master to dress him a peece of flesh ; he asked of him cheese and oile to make the sawce ; to whom his master answered : away fool , away ; if i had either cheese or oile , what needed i to have bought a peece of flesh ? whereby we perceive that in old times men fed onely upon one dish , thinking it folly to kill hunger with many meats , when it may be killed with one . epaminondas also being invited to a friends house , seeing their variety of dishes , departed with these flouting speeches : i will not trouble thee , for i see thou art sacrificing to the gods , not making a dinner to thy friend . and yet the tables of the ancient gods ( being but indeed divels ) had no great variety upon them : for when the athenians did celebrate the great festivals of castor and pollux , their dishes were onely these , cheese , mace , olives and leeks ; afterwards when solon ( to imitate agamemnons example in homer ) added a spice-cake , he was rather counted a giver of ill presidents to men , then any whit the more bountiful to the gods. the like may we say of the romans , who offered first to their gods no flesh nor fish , but a little orchard and garden-fruit ; and of the egyptians whilst the mameluks ruled over them ; and of the carthaginians , whose famous quaternal feast consisted onely of four dishes , dry-figs , ripe-dates , green-leeks , and sour milk . nay to come nearer to our owne selves , the scots ( ●our fellow-islanders and northern-countrymen ) beginning the morning with a slender breakfast , did in old times fast till supper , feeding then but onely of one dish , using generally so temperate a diet , that not judges and kings , but philosophers and physitians seemed to have given them precepts ; what need i remember , that moschus antimolus the great sophister lived all his life time onely with figs , stilpo only with garlick , saint genovefue the holy maide of paris five and thirty years onely with beanes , and zoroaster ( that silverheaded nestor ) twenty years in the wilderness onely with cheese ? or that the kings of egypt fed never upon more meats , then either veal or goslings ? whereby we may understand that with one dish men lived a long and healthful life , and that variety of diseases sprang first from confusion and variety of meats . it is written of the romans , that whilst their greatest feasts had but three dishes , the people were sound , healthful and sober ; but when augustus the emperor brought in three more , and permitted the romans to have three in their houses , and six in their temple-feasts , his riot is said to have corrupted rome and brought in physick . also whilst the laconians had little dishes and little tables , so that they could neither have many guests , nor much meat at their board , thrift , wealth and health embraced one another ; afterwards all went to ruine when variety of dishes were admitted their boards enlarged , and after-courses induced by the ionians . the people of lituania were very frugall , laborious and healthful saith aeneas sylvius , till switrigalus made them exceed by his owne example , who had no fewer then a hundred and thirty dishes at a meal : whereupon his owne life , and the happy estate of his subjects was soon shortned . what should i stand upon the romans riot in antoninus geta , commodus ( adrians son ) vitellius and heliogabulus , their dominions and times of governing the empire ? when dormise , timber-worms and snails were served for dainties ; when the livers of great fishes , the brains of phesants and young peacocks , the kernels of lampreys ( brought by flyboats and light-horsemen out of spain to rome ) when infinite numbers of nightingales tongues , the brawnes of kings-fishers , pheasants-combs , peacocks-gizards , and wrens-livers , were made altogether into one pie : when finally three courses came daily to geta his boord , and as many dishes at each course as there be letters in the alphabet . but what followed ? marry infinite diseases , and infinit physitians ; whereof some were so ignorant that they tormented the people worse then sickness ; in such sort that galen , herophilus , erasistratus , and divers greek physicians were sent for to recover them , languishing and consumed almost with fevers , whereinto through excess and variety of meats they were justly fallen . so likewise fell it out with the israelites , who in the wilderness longed first for the fish of egypt , then for cucumbers , pompions , leeks , garlick and onions . then being fed with manna from heaven , they loathed it because it was but one meat . east of all quailes came down , yet were they never satisfied with one meat were it never so good , coveting still change and variety were it never so bad : wherein both they and we shew plainly from what root we are first sprung . for when our first parents might eat of all trees and fruits in paradise , yet the shew , lure and desire of variety made them touch and taste the unbidden fruit . after the floud when flesh , fish and fruit were permitted to be indifferently eaten , and blood and fat onely forbidden yet we gather up the blood and fat of beasts to make us puddings , and abstain not ( for recovery of consumptions ) to suck the hot leaping and vital blood out of one anothers veins . neither are we contented to feed ( as wise men should do ) upon wholesome meats , but we mingle with them venison of wild bears , the flesh of scabby cuckoes , the spawne of whales , sturgians and tunnies , and other very loathsom things , onely for varieties sake and delight of change . licinius though he fed upon many dishes , yet he must end his meals with a lamprey-pye . lucius never supt without oisters , nor sergius without a dorry : whereupon they were justly nicked by these names , licinius lamprey , sergius dorry , and lucius oisterman . thus im-borne impiety engraffed by propagation from adam and eve , hath made us to lose the desire of unity in all things ; coveting variety of meats , drinks and women , yea of gods and religion ; never contented with what is given for our good , but desirous of that which we snatch for our own hurt . an apology for variety of meats , answering the former objections . hitherto i have spoken much from philinus owne mouth , and more from mine own in his behalf , to oppugne the variety of meats : now read i pray you with the like patience , how i shall defend philo against philinus , and prove apparently that variety of meats is both at board , and in our stomachs , most agreeable to nature , and consequently beneficial to maintain us in health . first therefore philinus abused our ears , in saying that all beasts feed onely upon some one kind of meat : for eupolides his goats , yea and ours to , feed upon time , mints , hysope , heath , ivy , oken buds , beech , ash , mullen , chervil and tamarisk , and many other herbs differing no less in taste , smell , substance , and vertue one from another . what shepheard is ignorant , that his flock feedeth upon filipendula , daisies , mouseare , cowslaps , lambs-tongue , milk-wort , saxifrage and little mullen ? yet work they no worse effect in their stomachs , then if they had onely been fed with grass ; what should i speak of the ostrich , which devoureth iron and pap together , and refuseth no meat , unless men had also an ostriches stomach ? onely let him serve to disprove philinus avouching all beasts and birds to tye themselves as it were to one meat , and not to eat at once of divers nourishments . secondly where it was affirmed , that brute beasts and birds out live men , because they are of a simpler diet ; i must pardon philinus being a heathen , and ignorant of the scriptures : wherein methusalem and divers patriarkes are registred to have lived longer , then any beast or bird whatsoever , called fitly of homer by the name of mortals , as upon whom more rots , murrens , aches , diseases and plagues do light , then usually happen unto men . nay go to your raven and stag , those longestlivers of all the unreasonable breathers ; feeds not the raven upon all flesh , eats not the stag of all herbs , boughs and mast that comes in his way ? ye feedeth he not some times upon snakes and adders ? thirdly , the physitians giving of simple meats to aguish persons , proveth no more that variety is not good for most men , then that because thersites can hardly carry his single speare , therefore agamemnon shall not put on his compleat armour . fourthly , the sedition and tumults foolishly feared , and rashly presupposed to be in meats of divers kinds , afflicting the stomach either at the time of concoction or digestion , that reason of all other is most unreasonable . for who would or can imagine , that man the epitome or abstract of the whole world , in whom something of every thing ( to speak platonically and yet truly ) is placed and inserted , could live ever , or long in health without variety of meats ? hippocrates seeing such variety of simples rooted , sprouted and quickned upon the earth , gathereth thereupon very truly and learnedly , that there lye hidden in the earth all kinds of tastes , smells , liquors , and heats , and that it is not ( as some imagine ) a dry and cold dust , void of all tast , heat and moisture . much more then may i justly avouch , that many meats may and do best agree with most mens stomachs , in whose bodies not onely firm flesh , but also thin blood , sweet phlegm , bitter gall , and sourish melancholy is necessary to be preserved : wherefore let hot meats , cold meats , moist meats , dry meats , bitter , meats , salt meats , light meats and heavy meats be mingled together in an indifferent stomach ( so that they be well prepared , orderly taken , and no error committed in time , measure and quantity ) no sedition or tumult will arise , no not so much as if the stomach had taken but one meat ; for ( according to that oeconomical distribution of empedocles ) sweet straitwaies will it self to sweet apply , sharp runs to sharpe , with gall doth bitter lye , hot drinks and meats to fiery parts ascend , whilst cold and moist to watry members tend . an no marvel , considering that natural heat ( like a good stuard ) dissolveth the mass into a creamy substance , running thorough all himself , that he may give unto all their due nourishment . wherefore sith this little world of ours was created full of variety , why should we tye our stomachs onely to fruit , fish , or flesh , when god in his goodness hath given us all of them ? nay furthermore , sith man can digest more sorts of meats , stones and mettles ( being rightly prepared ) then either the goat , raven , or ostrich , why should his power be bridled by any unnatural edict , proceeding rather from the brain of a sensless head , then from the deep and mature judgment of any physitian ? for sence teacheth us , that most compound bodies must feed upon divers meats , and that not variety but satiety , not quality but quantity , not simple taking , but unorderly taking of them , ( out of time , out of season , and out of their due place and proportion ) causeth that dissention and tumult in our bellies , whence all manner of dislikings or discontentments arise , and at which ( to use hippocrates his words ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , nature is distracted , troubled and ( as it were ) ●gnasheth her teeth . as for that simile of diars , and the other of sweetoil , and the third of musick ; they are all more childish , then worthy of an answer . for simple colours ( as white and black ) are not the purest , for then the skies should bear them ; yea the purest jewels give most variety of colours and lights in their own kind . and whereas cloth died with some one simple keepeth longest his colour in philinus opinion , it is little material if it were true ; considering meat is not given to dye our bodies , but to be transformed into our substance . again , though a sweet oil keepeth best his scent and perfection whilst it is unmingled , yet that disproveth not the necessity of mixtures , for whose sake simples were no less created , then consonants and vowels appointed to bring forth syllables : wherefore i laugh whilst others praise and extol , guevarraes folly , who like another erasistratus ( whom he apishly followeth in many points ) complaineth of compound medicins , reducing all kind of agues to be cured with a plain ptisan , a thin cucumber milke , and a little water and oil mingled together . foolish bishop i deride thy ignorance , because thou deservest not to be pitied deriding others . go to the little bee , thou great idiote ; and tell me if thou canst number , out of how many flowers hony is made . hony i say , the sweetest meat , and best medicin of all others , yea the very quintesence ( as isaac the netherlander writeth ) and refined marrow of infinite wholsome and good vegitables . can that imperfect creature perfectly convert so many divers juices into one soveraign meat , and may not man ( the perfectest creature of all others ) do the like in his stomach , when he feedeth of many good and wholesome dishes ? as for socrates his comparison ( whom apollo himself termed the prince of sages ) i answer thus , what though variety be to the stomach , as choise of fair women in a weak mans eye , causing more strong an appetite then reason or nature would ? by the same argument we might as well reprove cleanliness in handling , skill in seasoning , and handsomness or neatness in serving in our meats ; because when these concur we feed more largely ; which if it be a fault , let philinus hereafter eat bread made of meal which was never boulted ; and parsneps and raddish never washt nor scraped ; let him eat of boil'd meat that was never scum'd , and of dry , lean birds ( such as q. curtius threw out at the window ) never basted , and of bitter feldefares never drawn . but i ( and all wise men with me ) will consider , that as honesty and delight may be matcht together , so cleanliness and variety is no hindrance to a good stomach or good digestion , but rather an help and friend to both . nay it fareth with our stomachs as it doth with sailers ; who can easily pull in the sheet when they have too much wind , but cannot enlarge it when they have too little : for so likewise it is a small labour or cunning to kill appetite by onely seeing and feeding upon one dish , but to revive it being extinguished , or to sharpen it being dulled , requireth no little art , and consisteth chiefly in variety and well dressing of meats . item to answer in a word , the law contra alloenias ; i grant the thing , but i deny the equity : for what greater reason have we to mingle wine and water ( which was never forbidden but at drunken feasts ) then to mingle a tart wine with a pleasant , a temperate wine with a hot sack , and a scowrer ( when occasion perswadeth ) with alegant or a harsh binder ? therefore to return philinus his owne sword into his own bosome : as it is not unlawfull ( by the law of reason and nature ) nay as it is necessary and expedient to mingle wines for some persons : so variety of meats taken orderly at one meal , are lawful , necessary and expedient . moreover ( to beat him again with his own similes ) i confess all instruments of musick to be tuned to one harmony : but being so tuned , if the musicians play ever ( like the cuckoe ) but one song , will not the ear and head be wearied and offended ? nay will they not in time be both sick ? can the eye see at once many objects , the ears hear many instruments playing together , & ( philinus ) shal not the stomach as well concoct , keep and digest for the body many meats ? but when reason faileth , thou hast almost daunted philo with inartificial arguments , drawn from antiquity , examples , customes , and sanctions of senators . now if by the like arguments i confirm variety , i doubt not but like a scholler i may cry quittance ▪ but if furthermore i confute thy authorities , as being either falsified or unaptly applied , thou shalt live in my debt till the next audit. wherefore to begin with rogatianus , albeit for many years he was delivered of the gout , yet caelius avoucheth not that he was perfectly cured . and epicurus though he fed but upon one dish at a meal , yet perhaps at every meal he fed on a several dish . pontanus also was a weak and sickly man , to whom i confess many dishes ( especially being of contrary kinds or qualities ) are not to be permitted . neither doth the gentlemans answer in lacon prove more the use then of one dish at a meal , then his cooks demand inferreth the use and mingling of many meats . but if by the few dishes upon the alters of heathen gods , thou thinkest to prove that men at home feed onely upon one meat , thou art much deceived , for hereafter i will plainly demonstrate that they fed on many . as for the old scotish custome , suppose it were true ; yet sure i am , that since king arthurs dayes who lived years before christ , their owne chronicler recordeth them to have used great variety of dishes . that moschus antimolus lived onely with figs , it is no great marvel when he hated from his cradel all other meat . stilpo also fed onely on garlick , because his poverty was such that he could buy nothing else . as for genovefue the holy made of paris ; albeit i suspect marulus for a common lier , yet he saith , that her feeding so long upon one dish consumed her body , and that upon the bishops licence she was enforced to eat milk in lent. zoroaster was no doubt a most learned philosopher , who if he lived twenty years in the wilderness onely with one cheese , no doubt it was some great cheese like to parmisan , full of variety , and not made of one but many milks . as for the monstrous riot of the ionians , lituanians , and latter romans , drawn from the example and imitation of those wicked princes and emperours : i detest and abhor it as much as philinus , ascribing unto excessive variety as many mischiefs of body and mind ; as temperate variety brings profit , health , refreshings and pleasures to them both . the jewes murmuring doth as little please me , for though nature told them that one meat could not conveniently nourish every man , especially such as were accustomed fourty years together in egypt to feed diversty ; yet when every man felt that one meat sent by god , did miraculously preserve man , woman and child , agreeing with all ages , times , persons and complexions , they ought to have been contented ; being as perfitly nourished with one dish , as any of us can be with many . last of all , that example of adam and eve is most violently wrested against variety , whereas rather it is an argument against unity : for suppose they had at once tasted of all fruits in the garden , could they have been sick upon it ? no verily , but the tasting of one alone ( i mean the forbidden one ) was the parent and author of all diseases : wherefore the variety of wholesome meats set down by physitians are not offensive , when one dish forbidden may prove dangerous : as i could prove by many reasons , did not experience clear it with her sun-shine . now to answer examples also with examples ; though the kings of egypt had no great variety of dishes , yet that they ever fed on two at the least , diodorus siculus reports . and if the old romans fed not diversly , why had they usually three dishes at their table ? the persians though they had but few meats , yet they abounded in salades and junckets . the old grecians contrariwise , used much meat and few junckets : yea i read that plato himself when socrates and menippus supped with him , had six several dishes at his table ( figs , peason , beans , whortleberries , roasted beech-nuts , and wafers in the end to close up their stomachs ) whereof they all fed , saving that menippus set aside the wafercakes with his hand , saying ; that a sweet aftercourse makes a stinking breath : another time i read , that plato set before his loving friends and fellow citizens olives , herb-salades , divers kinds of flesh and fish , and last of all new cheese ; whereby any wiseman may gather , that the ancients fed upon many dishes of opposite kindes , and gratified their stomachs ( which every mans stomach coveteth ) with variety of meats . as for our owne nation ( for whom chiefly i write this treatise ) hector boethius avoucheth , that english men from before king arthurs dayes , were accustomed to feed much and very diversly . and paulus iovius writeth thus . the whole nation of english men delight still ( as ever they did heretofore ) in feasting and making of good chear , eating much meat and of many sorts , prolonging their sittings with musick and merryments , and afterwards sporting themselves in set dances . wherefore sith we are naturally desirous of many meats , and have stomachs above all other nations , able to digest them ; and custome also hath confirmed our variety of dishes ( which cannot even in bad things be suddenly altered without a mischiefe ) i perswade strong and indifferent stomachs to continue their used diet , feeding orderly and soberly of divers meats . divers i say , but not too many ; for i like not ( dubias coenas ) the doubtful feasts of cardinal wolsey , nor the abbot of glastenburies diet ( who were served with so many sorts of dainties that one might stagger and doubt where first to begin his dinner ) nor the ancient tables of london ; where ( as diogenes said of maronia ) every citizens house ( in a manner ) was a cooks shop , till plenty of mouths made penury of provision , and dearth of corne and victuals lately taught them sobriety . last of all where the proverb saith , that many dishes make many diseases ; it hurteth not our position and defence of variety : for not diversity but multitude offendeth our stomachs , that is to say , more diversity of meats then they can well abide : accordingly as much meat hurteth not concoction , but that which is overmuch taken in too great a quantity , whereof we are now to discourse in the next chapter . as for variety of meats in the time of sickness , let us hear what galen saith . diversity of meats are as necessary in sicknes ( if it be a compound sickness ) as variety of medicins . for a hot liver requireth a cooling meat , and a cold stomach that which is hot ; and if a mixt disease have made a mixed distemperature in any part , there divers and compounds meats be of necessity required . otherwise many meats ( especially of contrary kind , substance and quality ) are most hurtful and tumultuous . com. in . de vict . rat . in ac . cap . & . de vict . rat . in ac . cap. . & primo in eund . cap. whereby we may easily perceive , that variety of meats is permitted sometimes to the sick , yea though it be joined with contrariety of kinds . chap. xxx of the quantity of meats . that saying of the wiseman , eate not too much hony , sheweth unto us ; that even the most wholesome and nourishing meat of all other will prove dangerous and hurtful to our health , if it be not soberly and measurably eaten . temperancy being not onely the carver , but also the commander at our tables . we find likewise several sayings recorded ; as , that we must eat by reason and not by appetite ; that straightgirding , makes little eating ; that in time of famine , though we desire most , satiety is most perillous ; that in rainy weather little meat , little drink , and much exercise within doores is best ; that melancholy persons eat much , cholerick drink much , phelgmatick sleep much ; great livers , great eaters , that a lean woman , is a tavern of blood ; that they which eate little , are never good travailers . the spaniard eats , the german drinks , and the english exceeds in both . temperance what it is . but would you know what temperancy is ? it is a vertue , timely , moderately and comely using those things , which be truely necessary and natural . for some things be both necessary and natural without which we cannot live , as meat and drink ; others natural but not necessary , without use of which many of us may live , and live in health , as venus game : others necessary but not natural , as strong exercises for some bodies : others neither natural nor necessary , as over-curious cookery , making fine meat of a whetstone , and quelque-choses of unsavory , nay of bad and unwholesome meat . there be two vices equally opposite to this vertue ; surfeiting , when a man eateth more then either his stomach can hold or his strength digest ; and self-pining , when we eate less then our nature craveth and is able to overcome . the first of them ( namely surfeiting and excess ) though it be a vice of all other most hurtful to the body and consequently noisome to the mind , yet we read that whole nations , and emperors , and potentates have both esteemed , and honoured and rewarded it for a vertue . for the sicilians dedicated a temple to gluttony ; and aristophanes writeth thus of the barbarians , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . them onely men barbarians think , that can devoure most meat and drink ▪ of this crue was maximinus the emperour , who ( like our old abby ▪ lubbers ) did eat till he sweat ; yea sabellicus affirmeth , that his one dayes sweat gathered up in goblets , did amount to the measure of six sextaries . claudius caesar and vitellius the emperour were like unto him , eating commonly so much , that they were forced once or twice in a meal to go out and vomit ; and then returned to the table again , giving a fresh charge to a forelorne stomach . and though aurelianus the emperour fed moderately himself , yet he exceedingly loved and honoured a great gourmand , who usually at one meal did eat a hogg ▪ two weathers , and a whole brawn , drinking upon it a whole firkin of wine poured down his throate thorough a funnel : also firmius salencius did eat a whole ostrich in a day : and clodius albinus ( commander for the romans in france ) is registred to have eaten at one sitting five hundred figs , one hundred peaches , ten musk-melons , twenty pound weight of raysins of the sun , one hundred snites , ten capons , and a hundred and fifty great oisters . neither was our country alwaies void of a woolmar , who living ( in my memory ) in the court , seemed like another pandareus , of whom antonius liberalis writeth thus much , that he had obtained this gift of the goddess ceres ; to eate iron , glass , oistershels , raw-fish , raw-flesh , raw-fruit ( and whatsoever else he would put into his stomach ) without offence ; yea as monica augustine's mother was given to excess of wine , so himself ( such are even godly mens imperfections at some times ) confesseth his own pronness and inclination to riot , in these words . o lord , thou hast taught me to use meat not for lust and wantonness , but for life and health . nevertheless when i sit down for refections sake , the snares of concupiscence and surfeit lie in my way like crafty fowlers , and the maid presumeth above her mistris ; so that it is doubtful , whether necessity or riot be commander , and hardly can iresist riots desire , no though it afterwards bringeth me to great pain . and no marvel , augustine ; for from whence cometh soreness and weariness , heaviness of spirits , dulness of sences , stifness and pain of joints , unweldiness , belchings , crudities , fevers , distastings of meat , loss of appetite , and o her tempestuous evils , but from repletion , surfeiting and satiety ? what weakness of body cometh by excess of eating ; we need no more examples then this of our own countrymen , which boethius noteth ( in his scotish history ) of king arthur and his knights ; who having recovered york from the saxons and picts in spight of their beards , kept there such a grand christmas , that afterwards fighting again with the saxons , his souldiers were found so weakned with surfeiting , that their arrows could hardly peirce the saxons furr d dubblets , being able before to strike thorough their iron armour . what scholer hath not read of herodotus , the minstril of megara ( whose girdle in the wast was three yards and a half long ) or of milo crotoniates that great pamphagus ? yet they died both very weak men and young , by oppressing strong nature with too heavy burdens . i he stoicks imputed all diseases to age , but erasistratus did not ill to ascribe , either all or most of them to excess : for if a man feed too much , three principal discommodities arise thereof . first , all natural spirits leave their several standings , and run headlong to the stomach to perfit concoction ; which if with all their forces they cannot perform , then brain and body are over-mastered with heavy vapours and humours ; but suppose they perform it , what followeth but foggy fat insteed of flesh ; or a the least , such abundance of both , that no soveraignty nor ability is left for the actions of the mind ? which ( as menander well noteth in one of his comedies . ) desireth not to play with swine , nor dwells in hogsheads full of wine . for heracletus was of a right opinion , that the wisest soul dwelleth in the emptie body ; which we may partly illustrate by these examples . the moist eye seeth worst ; the fullest vessel soundeth least , and the sun hardly shineth thorough a clowdy aire : even so in a full and troubled body , overpeised with variety and plenty of meats , the eye of our mind must needs be darkned , the voice of reason cannot be heard , and the sun-shine of understanding cannot shine into our hearts , being destitute of will , and much more of ability to execute any thing that is good : nay through surfeiting we live groveling and groping after base delights , as hoggs do for acornes , being disabled so much as to think a good thought . hippocrates and galen say , that the bodys of ordinary great feeders stand upon a dangerous point , or as you would say upon the raysors edge ; for if they feed moderately , alteration of custome hazards their health : if they persist in excess , they are suddenly strangled with apoplexies , as caelius hath well noted . to prevent all which sicknesses both of body and mind , oh what severe and good laws were there made by fannius didius , licinius crassus , cornelius sylla , lepidus , and antius restio against riot ? yet the concord of vices so prevailed , that lust continued excess , excess brought forth unruliness , unruliness contempt of government , whence came fatal destruction to the roman monarchy . the scots punished their belly-gods in this sort ; first they filled their bellies as full of good meat as ever they could hold , then they gagged them , and threw them into the next river with their arms piniond , saying ; now as thou hast eaten too much , so drink too much . plutarch remembreth , that ( by the athenians law ) whosoever did flay a living beast , he should be hang'd as a felon , because they would not have a beast tormented ; which punishment if it were just ( as it seemed just in xenocrates opinion ) then what pains ought they to endure , who by surfeiting not onely torture , but also most unnaturally seek to kill themselves , making their graves with their own teeth , flaying and unskinning themselves as it were of reasons robe , yea ensouling their bodies ( being dedicated temples to the holy ghost ) as much as in them lieth with the form of swine ? the second vice ( namely self-pining ) is as far from temperancy on the right hand , as surfeiting erreth on the left . sozomenus maketh mention of a munck in caelosyria , called battheus , fasting voluntarily so long , till his teeth were full of worms . and in the legendary , s. francis , s. bennet , s. rainulph , and divers other men , maids and women are highly extolled for consuming their bodies with excessive abstinence ; which being a thing against nature and godliness ( which forbiddeth us to scourge or mark , and much more to consume our bodies ) it shall need no confutation at all , especially in this gluttonous age , wherein we are so far from any such fasting , that we wholly delight in riot and feasting . onely let me say thus much out of hippocrates , that a very thin and precise diet is not to be prescribed to any one of indifferent health and strength ; no scarce to any ( except their disease be exceeding sharp ) which are very weak . for the prescribing of meat by drams or ownces , driveth many fears into a weak mans mind , taketh al alacrity from the heart , maketh ▪ a man jealous of his owne fingers , daring to eat nothing with chearfulness , because he ever suspecteth that he eateth too much . hence came that golden aphorism ( though not registred in his aphorisms ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ! an over-yeelding lengthneth the grief , but timely permission maketh it brief . as for temperancy ( which i can never enough reverence or commend ) would to god it were as well practised of every particular man , as it is necessarily required to be in physitians . first that by long life they may ( with galen and hippocrates ) get perfection in that art which they profess : whereas now many physicians are buried under a doctors name , before they ever tasted of hygea her cup , or saluted panacea a far off . secondly if they by surfeiting or fasting hurt their owne bodies ; how shall their doctrine be followed by their patient , when it is broken and crossed by themselves ? the rude persians are recorded to have ever fed so temperately , that to spit or blow their nose , was both execrable and punishable amongst them . likewise they ( as also the romans ) permitted any man to give him that yawned a blow on the ear ; because spiting and sniveling and yawning , are only the fruits of fulness or idleness : much more should learned physitians moderate themselves , who give laws to others , and not rashly run into that excess , which even the savage scythian and persians ever abhorred . it is also recorded of the spanish women , that a certain girdle is kept of some two foot long in every town , which if any womans belly exceeds in compass ( unless it be by child-going ) they are counted detestable and infamous : let it be therefore a greater shame for us physitians , by ill example to purchase our owne discredit , and also to lessen our skill , and shorten our lives as much as lieth in our owne power : for theophrastus falsly accused nature , in that she gave long life to ravens and crows ( whom it little profited ) and but a short time to men , and the shortèst of all to students , whom reason would have to live long for the mutual benefit one of another , and the publick good of the common-weal . more justly he might have accused men and students themselves , for abridging their natural dayes by surfeiting and drunkenness , chambring and wantonness , excess and riot ; considering that nature ever most preserveth and tendereth the most worthy creature , did it not destroy and ruinate it self . timotheus having supped with plato , and eaten ( contrary to his custome ) very moderately , slept very quiely that night , finding neither cholick to awake him , nor belchings in the morning to annoy him ; wherefore assoon as he awaked , he brake forth into this exclamation , with a loude voice : how sweet , how sweet are platoes suppers , which makes us in the night time to sleep , and in the morning to breathe so sweetly ! yea but ( some will say ) how shall we know when we have eaten enough ? at whom democritus would have laughed a month together , and perhaps have returned them this answer ; fools and idiotes that you are , know you when your horse and your hawke and your dog hath enough , and are you ignorant what measure to allow your selves ? who will urge his horse to eat too much , or cram his hawke till she be over gorged , or feed his hound till his tail leave waving ? and shall ( man the measurer of heaven and earth ) be ignorant how in diet to measure the bigness signes or strength of his own stomach ? knows he by signes when they are over filled ; and is he ignorant of the signes of repletion in himself ? namely of satiety , loathing , drowsiness , stiffness , weakness , weariness , heaviness and belching ? doth not every man know , that enough consisteth not in filling the paunch , but in takeing sufficient to maintain nature , which no doubt is satisfied with a little , as solon said at the wisemens feast , summum , imo divinum bonum est nullo vesci alimento ; proximum vero & naturale quod a minimo . it is ( said solon ) the greatest , yea the divinest good thing of all other , to eat no meat : and the next unto that and most natural is , to feed as sparingly as may be . but can you not prescribe one certain measure or quantity fit for all men ? no verily , for to prescribe to all men ( or to one man at all times ) one certain quantity of meat , were to make a coat for the moon ; which if either jupiter her father , or latona her mother could have done , they would long ere this with some robe or other have covered her inconstant body , encreasing or decreasing every moment . and verily hippocrates hath truly written . the quantity of meats ought not to be appointed by weight , number nor measure ; but by sence and ability of our stomachs : for some cannot digest much , others are offended at a little ; others are not satisfied till their maw be filled , others have too much when it is half filled . it were strange to recite , what great store of meat some have eaten and others daily , do eat without offence ; aristotle in his politicks , calleth the fencers and wrastlers diet of his time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a necessary gourmandise ; because through abundance of exercise ( which consumeth spirits and humours ) they were enforced to eat both much and often . nay cornelius gemma affirmeth , that he saw whilst he lived an aged woman , which from her infancy fed in excessive measure , eating something continually every hour , besides her ordinary meals of breakfast , dinner and supper , which were of an incredible quantity : in the end dying with abundance of fat and flesh ( for the caul of her belly weighed twenty pounds ) they perceived all this to come from a peculiar and special temperature , called of the grecians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : for her liver was greater and heavier then all the rest of her bowels laid together ; exceeding red , and swelling with store of blood and wind . surius and bruyrinus , and schengkius tell of many others , who lived long in health though they fed excessively , having as it were an ostriches stomach joined with a dogs appetite . on the contrary side , some may as well live with hunger and long abstinence a great while , according as i have read in many authors . hippocrates thinketh , that if a man abstain from meat and drink seven dayes , he cannot escape death ; yea when some afterwards were perswaded to eat , their meat never passed thorough them , because the hungry gut ( called jejanum intestinum ) was by abstinence clung together . but pliny saw the contrary , and tinous aunt lived two months together without meat or drink . albertus , alexander benedictus , and iacobus sylvius , write yet of more strange and incredible abstinence both of men and women ; which truely i would have registred amongst the lies of the golden legend , and the abbot of ursberg his chronicles , had not william rondeletius and honest ioubertus written the like of a french gentlewoman , living almost three years without any sustenance of meat , bread , broth or drink ; who afterwards was married and conceived a child , which she brougth well forth and happily alive : by all which amples we may easily gather , how absurd the fashion and custome was before plutarchs time : when every man did not carve for himself , but was carved unto by another ; and that ( after the colledge fashion ) so equally , that none had more or less then his fellows : which order howsoever it pleased hagias the sophister , because feasts in greek are called divisions , and the masters of feasts great dividers , and servants carvers , and moera and lachesis ( being the goddesses of feastings ) were called so of equality of division ; and that peace is maintained where equality is kept , and that agamemnons souldiers ( as homer testifieth in sundry places ) had every one alike measure and weight of victuals : yet ( by his leave ) neither is humanity therein observed , nor geometrical proportion kept , nor nature imitated . for tell me , what humanity can we call it , to give a man less then his stomach wanteth ? what geometrical proportion is that , which giveth as much to the half-full , as the empty vessel ? and how dare we prescribe one quantity to all , when mens stomachs be as divers in quantity of receit and ability of concoction , as their faces be differing in appearance ? so that it is too little for one which is too much for another , and no certain measure , nor number , nor weight is to be prescribed to any man : but every one to feed according as his stomach is able to concoct ; which ( to use hippocrates his phrase ) though it have no ears , yet hath it intelligence to beg his own , and wisdome to discern when it hath enough ; willing us not to eat till we have an appetite , nor to eat so long till we have none . this rule galen observing ( amongst many other ) he was seldome sick , and lived ( as sipontinus writeth ) years . also let us remember , that in youth , health and winter we may feed more plentifully , as also after exercise and at our own own ordinary table : but when we are at great feasts , or forced to eat upon strange meats ( be they never so finely dressed ) let jealousy be our carver , after the example of augustus caesar , and also of plato : who at great feasts fed onely on some known dish . i have read somewhere , when they of thasis invited alexander to a feast , that he fed well upon their fat mutton & beife , and gave away the forced dishes and curious quelqchoses not to his own countrimen and souldiers , but to his captives and slaves : saying , that he would rather they were all dead , then that any of his owne by surfeiting upon any unknown meat should be never so little sick . and thus much of the just quantity of meats ; which physitians may aim at by long experience , prescribing a full diet to them that be sound and strong , and accustomed to much feeding , a moderate diet to them that be indifferent , and a thin diet to such weaklings and sick persons as require neither much nor often feeding . chap. xxxii . of the quality of meats . hippocrates and galen bids every man both in health and sickness , beware what kind of meat he most commonly useth ; for like food like flesh , like meat like nourishment . [ and therefore we find that some have quails stomachs , and may eat poyson : a woman by custome drank the juice of hemlocks usually . gal. lib. . simpl . medic . cap. . and a maid fed usually ( by custome ) upon napellus spiders , and other poysons , caelius lib. a. l. . cap. . mithridates the younger used continually a counterpoyson made of poysons , in so much that when he would have poysoned himself ( being by his son pharnaces vilany betrayed to lucullus ) he could not do it , and therefore killed himself by the help of a frenchman , plin. lib. . cap. . ] all which cautions are particularly set down by hippocrates and galen , though scatteringly and by peices in several places ▪ that i need not add to his own words ; which i have aphoristically set down in these sentences following , because no man ever did the like . . let every man take heed , what quality his meat is of ; for custome begetteth another nature , and the whole constitution of body may be changed by diet. . we should take those kinds of meats which are best for our own particular bodys , for our own particular age , temperature , distemperature & complexion . for as every particular member of the body is nourished with a several juice : so labourers and idle persons , children and striplings , old men and yound men , cold and hot bodies , phlegmatick and cholerick complexions must have divers diets . . young , hot , strong and labouring mens stomachs may feed of meats , giving both an hard and a gross juice , ( as beife , bacon , poudred-flesh and fish , hard cheese , rye-bread and hard egs , &c. ) which may nourish slowly , and be concocted by degrees ; for if they should eat things of light nourishment ( as veal , lamb , capons , chickens , poacht-egs , partridges , pheasants or plovers , &c. ) either their meat would be too soon digested , or else wholy converted into choler . contrariwise milk is fittest for young children , tender flesh for them that are growing , and liquid meats for such as be sick of sharpe diseases . furthermore if any mans bowels or body be too dry , a moist diet of suppings , and boild meats yeelds him a remedy , but if it be too moist , all his meats and diet must tend to driness . . sweet meats are unfit for young children and young men , and hot . stomachs ; for they corrupt childrens teeth , and turn most into choler in young mens stomachs , but they are good for old men and cold complexions ; yea hony it self agreeth with them . bitter meats engender choler and burn blood , giving no general nourishment to the whole , howsoever they be acceptable to some one part . . sharp spices ( which i have particularly named before in the fifth chapter of this book ) are most unfit for tender bodies , whose substance is easily melted and enflamed , howsoever strong men may eat them with gross meats . . soure meats and sharp together ( as limons , orenges , citrons and vinegar ) offend cold stomachs and sinewy parts : but if they be cold and astringent ( as sorrel , quinces , cervisses and medlers ) they are not so offensive , nay they are profitable to all stomachs being eaten last , unless the body be subject to fluxes . . meats oversalted how dangerous they are , inflamations , leprosies , sharpness of urine , and great obstructions hapning to such as use them much , do sufficiently declare , agreeing with none but strong bodies ; as sailers , souldiers , and husbandmen , accustomed to hard labour and much toiling . . fatty meats are not good but for cold and dry stomachs ; for in sanguine and cholerick stomacks they are soon corrupted , in phlegmatick stomacks they procure loosness and hinder retention : only they are fit for men naturally melancholick , giving to them a kindly warmth , and also a most convenient and proper moisture . . all meats should be given very hot to cold and raw stomachs ; but cold meats to cold stomachs are very hurtful . pityllus had so cold a stomach ( saith suidas ) that he made a sheath for his tongue , to swallow down his pottage scalding hot : and eunapius reporteth the like of proaeresius the sophister ; yea i my self have known a shropshire gentleman of the like quality . . when any man is sick or distempered , let his meats be of contrary quallity to his disease : for health it self is but a kind of temper gotten and preserved by a convenient mixture of contrarieties . now in what degree most particular meats be hot , cold and dry or moist , is sufficiently declared above in the fifth chapter , where i have largely set down the differencies of meat both in kind , substance , temperature and tast , whereunto i refer you . . above all things take heed that you eat not through hunger of a meat , which either naturally or accidentally you loath ; for as the pleasing meat is best concocted ( yea though it be somewhat of the worst kind ) so meats loathed , turn into wind , belchings , vomitings and cruel gripings , because the stoamch doth not affect them . but what meat is fittest , and most agreeable to every mans tast , humour and nature ; rather proper experience doth teach us , then any mans judgement can direct us . let a strong and good stomach tast of all things , but not feed upon them as nourishments ; yea , it is good in health to tast every thing , least we refuse that in sickness which perhaps we shall have most cause to feed on : as it hapned to titus the emperour , whose over-nice feeding and bathing hastned his death . chap. xxxi . of the time , order and manner of eating . athenaeus in his feast of sages saith , that the old grecians lived very temperately ; but yet he saith that usually they made three meals a day , one early in the morning , another at noon , and the third at night . the first was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , because it was nothing but a sop of bread soked in a little wine . the second was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , because it was made of home-bread things , which are thought to give the best and strongest nourishment . the last was called by two names , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying a late eating , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it required care and cost . in plutarchs time breakfast was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , because they did only tast and go . dinner was termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as being a noon-meal . supper was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , for that it was not private ( as breakfast and dinner ) but either common amongst neighbours , or at least with all their own household . how beavers called procaenia , and sleepdrinks called prohypnia and metacaenia came up , none have yet thoroughly determined , though here amongst labourers , and in germany amongst gentlemen they are ordinarily put in practise . breakfasts are fit for all men in stinking houses or close cities , as also in the time of pestilence , and before you visit the sick ; for empty veins draw deepest , and what they first receive ( be it good or bad ) with that they clense or infect the blood . contrariwise where the air is pure clear and wholesome , it is best to fast till dinner , unless you be either of growing years or of a cholerick stomach , for then you must not in any case be long fasting . dinners and suppers are generally necessary and convenient for all ages , times of the year , and all complexions ; especially in these northern parts of the world , where inward heat being multiplyed by outward coldness , our radical moisture would be soon consumed , if it were not restored by a double meal at the least . whether dinner or supper should be largest . now whether at dinner or supper we may feed more plentifully , is a great question amongst physitians ; either because they affirm too generally on either side , or because they were ignorant of distinctions : some are just of leonard fuchsius his opinion , that our supper should be the larger of both , for these reasons . first , because as we may eat more in winter then in sommer , our inwards being then hottest , through repercussion of heat by external coldness ; so the night resembling winter ( as hippocrates noteth ) no reason but that then we should feed most . secondly we may then feed more largely because sleep ensueth , with whom blood , heat and spirits return more inward to the belly , bowels , stomach and all parts of concoction , then when by light exercise or musing they are distracted upward , downeward , and outward to other parts . again , look what exercise is to the joints and muscles , that is sleep to the bowels : that is to say , look how labor and exercise doth warm the one , so doth sleep and quietness warm the other . galen likewise writeth thus ; whilst a man sleepeth all motive and sensible faculties seem to be idle ; but natural powers are then most active , concocting meat not onely better in the stomach and guts , but also in the veins and whole habit of the body . paulus aegineta is of the same judgement , writing thus . sleep is a ceasing or rest of animal faculties , proceeding from the moistning of our brain with a sweet and profitable humour ; which whosoever taketh in due order quantity and time , he receiveth thereby many singular commodities ; namely good concoction of meat , and digestion of humours , and ability to labour easily and chearfully after digestion : where he addeth this reason of better concoction in sleep out of hippocrates . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. he that is broad waking is hottest outwardly , but he that soundly sleepeth is hottest inw ardly . now if any shall object , that no sleep can be wholesome or sound after supper , because it is taken upon a full gorge . i answer him thus , physitians write not to idiotes and fools , but to men of sence and reason ; whom common sence may teach , that they are not ( like swine and beasts ) first to fill their bellies , and then presently to sleep upon it , but to sit or walk easily after supper for an ▪ hour or more ; to settle their meat to the bottome of their stomach , that it may prove less vaporous to the head , and be sooner concocted lying nearer the liver . furthermore when i said , that we should feed more largely at supper then at dinner , i meant nothing less then to counsel men to gorg themselves up to the top of their gullet ; but to advise them of both their meals to make supper the larger , for the reasons alledged , and for infinite reasons besides which i could set down . for whom large , or sparing suppers be most convenient . nevertheless i do not so generally set this down , as that it is best for all persons , but for them onely which be sound and in health : for if any be troubled with great headache , or rhumes , or nightly torments of any part , their supper ought to be very little , slender and dry , and also to be taken very timely in the evening ; that nature being freed all night time of other offices , may only attend concoction of the diseases cause . last of all , i except also them which have long been accustomed to small suppers and long dinners ; because the imitation of a long custome ( though it be evill ) breedeth no common or petty danger . laurence ioubert in his eigth paradox written to camusius the king of france his secretary , wonderfully striveth to oppugne this opinion ; but profitting no more with his head and hands , then the mouse in the tar-barrel doth with her feet ; for when he hath done all that he can , he onely proveth that better digestion is in the day time , and not better concoction , as hereafter ( upon some other occasion ) i will plainly demonstrate to the learned . how often a man should feed in a day . furthermore i would not in like manner have any man think , that i prescribe two or three meals , and neither more nor less to all persons : for children may feed much and often ; old men little and often : where by the way note this out of plutarch , that old age is not ever to be stinted by years , but by decay and loss of natural strength . for in some nothern countries ( and he nameth ours ) few men are old at half a hundred years , when the ethiopians and southern people are old at thirty . they are long young and lusty , because much feeding restoreth decay of moisture , and outward coldness preventeth the loss of in-borne heat . these contrariwise are soon old , because outward heat draweth out their inward moisture , which should be the maintainer and food of their heat natural . also i permit unto true labourers and workmen to feed often ( yea four or five times a day if their work be ground-work or very toilsome ) because continual spending of humours and spirits , challenge an often restoring of the like by meat and drink . finally whosoever by some natural and peculiar temperature , or else upon any sickness , is enforced to eat often ; it were against art , reason and nature to number and stint his meals . claudius caesar had so gnawing a stomach , that he could eat at all hours , and aulus vitellius , ( even at his gods service and sacrifice ) could hardly refrain from snatching the meal and oil out of the priests hand : yea he baited at every village as he rid upon the way , and swépt clean the amery in every inn. contrariwise some either by nature or custome eat but once a day , others onely twice , and some thrice : as you may read in benevenius , ferdinandus mena and bartholomaeus anulus ; and as i my self can also witness by divers of our own countrymen , if i purposed or thought it needfull to produce their names . the like may i say of set hours , to dine or sup in ; for albeit i could ever wish and think it generally wholesomest , to dine before the highest of the sun , and to sup . or . hours after dinner ; yet if any be accustomed with augustus caesar , to eat onely then and as often as he is hungry i forbid him not to discontinue his own course , albeit i rather impute it to a foolish use , then to any inward prescript or motion of nature . caelius therefore not unwittily termeth courtiers by the name of antipodes ; for as it is day with them when it is night with us , so courtiers and princes eat when all others sleep ; and again ( perverting the order of nature , and setting as it were the sun to school ) sleep out the sweetest part of the day , wherein others eat and work . concerning the manner of eating , it is not alike in all countries . the jews , grecians and old romans did eat lying and declining to their right sight . onely the illyrians sat boult upright as we do now , with a woman placed ( after the new hans fashion ) betwixt every man. masinissa did most commonly eat and walk , yet somtime he did also eat standing , and sometimes leaning after the roman guise , but he never sat at his meat : because he thought eating to be one of the slightest services to be don of men , upon which they should neither stand , lye nor sit long . for mine own part , i prescribe no other manner of eating , then we have recieved and kept by long tradition . nevertheless , that declining towards the right side was the best manner of position in feeding , the example of christ and his apostles do sufficiently prove , who ( when they had choice of rites and manners ) observed ever that which was most wholesome , seemly and natural . now how long we should sit at dinner and supper , though it be not set down precisely by physitians , yet generally we may forbid too long or too short a time . switrigalus duke of lituania never sat fewer then six hours at dinner , and as many at supper : from whom i think the custome of long sitting was derived to denmark ; for there i remember i sat with frederic king of denmark , and that most honorable peregine lord willoughby of eresby ( when he carried the order of the garter ) . or . hours together at one meal . others feed quickly and rise speedily ; but neither of those courses be allowable : for as too long sitting causeth dulness of spirits , and hindereth the full descent of meat to the depth of our stomachs ; so too speedy rising causeth an overhasty setling , and maketh it also to pass out before it be well concocted . to conclude , mince or chaw your meat finely , eat leisurely , swallow advisedly , and sit upright with your body for an hours space or less ; for longer sitting is not requisite for the body ( howsoever some affect it ) nay it is rather hurtful unless it be confirmed by long custome , or made more tollerable by reason of some pastime , game , or discourse to refresh the mind . but of all long sitters at the table , farewel hugutia fagiolanus , who ( as petrarch reporteth ) lost both the city of pisa and lukes at one dinner , because he would not arise ( though a true alarm was given ) to repel the enemy , till his dinner were fully ended , which usually was protracted two or three hours . last of all , concerning the order of taking of meats , the first course in old times was called frigida mensa , the cold service ; because nothing but oisters , lettice , spinache , cold salades , cold water and cold sawces were then set on the table ; which order was clean altered in plutarchs time , for they began their meals with wine , hot pottage , black or peppered broth , and hot meat , ending them with lettice and purcelane ( as galen did ) to suppress vapours and procure sleep ; which example is diligently to be followed of cold stomachs , as the other is to be imitated of them which are over hot . likewise that the most nourishing meat is first to be eaten , that ancient proverb ratifieth ab ovo ad mala ; from the eg to the apples ; wherefore i utterly mislike our english custome , where pheasant , partridge and plover are last served , and meats of hard concoction and less good nourishment sent before them . as for fruit ( if it be not astringent , as tart apples , pears , soure-plums , quinces , medlers , cervises , cornels , wardens , sour pomgranates , and all meats made of them ) it should be eaten last . contrariwise all sweet and moist ▪ fruit ( as ripe melons , gourds , cucumbers , pompions , old and sweet apples , sweet pomgranates , sweet orenges ) and all things either fatty , light , liquid and thin of substance , and easie of concoction , should be first eaten , unless we be subject to great fluxes of the belly , or cholerick dispositions of stomach , and then the contrary course is most warrantable . for if slippery and light meats went formost into hot stomachs , they would either be burnt before the grosser were concocted , or at the least , cause all to slip downwards over-soon , by making the lower mouth of the stomach too too slippery . and verily i think that this is the best reason , wherewithall to maintain our english custome , in eating biefe and mutton formost before foul and fish ; unless the reason drawn from use and custome may seem more forcible ▪ finally let me add one thing more , and then an end of this treatise ; namely that if our breakfast be of liquid and supping meats , our dinner moist and of boiled meats , and our supper chiefly of roasted meats , a very good order is observed therein , agreeable both to art and the natures of most men . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e biesius lib. . theor med . jason prait lib. . dier . hippoc. lib de . pri●c . aristot . lib de ▪ gen . anim . gal. cap. . lib. . comm. hippoc. de na● . hum . avicen . lib. . top. . cap. . all our life i● but a consumption . lib. de prisc . med . lib. de sol . anim . gen. . gen. . v. . hippoc. de vet . med . gen. . lib. de arte ▪ prov. . eccl. . lib. de arte . hippoc. de prisc . med . athen. lib. . cap. . aristoph . in acan. homer . odyss . s. hippoc. epistol . ad . crate● lib. de vulg● error . cic. orat . cont . ver. plut. in dion . homer . i. odyss . herodorus . ovid. . metam . plut. de sal . pr. plut. ibidem , xiphil . in vitellio . marsil . fic . de tuend san . lib. de diet. g●● . comm . . in hippoc. de vict . rat . gal. lib . cap. ● de tuend . san sip●nt●us in vet . gal. soranus in ●jus vita . siracid . cap. ● . v. . notes for div a -e how many kinds of diet there be . gal. com . in apho . . lib. . com. . in . epid. com. . in . epid. com. in aph . . lib. . the matter of diet. roger bacon lib. de record . senect . accid . hyppoc . de diaet sal . paracelf de vit . long l. ● : c : : august ▪ de civit . dei . phaedr . de aquila coel michael tox. com ▪ in para● ▪ de vit . long . io. bonus ter. ●●r . in margar. philos . gal. de alim . ●ac . . lib. de aer . loc . & aq . whether mettals be meat : vide supra : plin. lib. . c. . apol. lib. de hist . mir . athen . lib. . dipn. cap. . notes for div a -e lib. . de rer . var. lib. . de tu . san . lu●tet . lib. . lib. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . lib de aeris potest . plin. l. . c. . plut. in vita marii . hieron . in epi● . nepotiani . hieron . mercurial . in gymnast . lib. de resp . ●su . ex hipp. l. de loc . aer . & aq l. polit . gal. . dr ▪ tu ▪ san hip de aer . loc . & aq . hippoc. de loc . aer ▪ & aq . hippoc. loco citato . lib. . fen. . d●st . . the best aire notes for div a -e lib. cont . epic p u● de u● . ex : host . cap. plut. de isi . & osir . gal. de ant●d ▪ plut. de isid . tract . de ▪ ●rochis● . plut. de isi . & osir . avic . fen. . tract . . swe t waters perfumed , and cakes against i● smels . soranus in vita hipp. how the aire is t● he corrected in the time of pestilence . com. in diosc . ho. . cap. . lib. de pesle . lib. de lepra . aelian . . de v r. hist . plut. in vita . phocion . sabel . ▪ l. . c. plut. in vita . porc. cat. coel. lib. . cap. . a. l. lib. . de rer . var. cardan . lib : . de var : rer : c : . in idaea med . phil . notes for div a -e how many kinds of meats ▪ there be . euseb lib. . de praepar . evang alex. ab . alex. lib. . lib. primo . plut. dees . carm symp. . cap. . gal. lib. de dissol . cont . gal. lib. cib . de enchy . et . . de fac . alim . avic . . fen. . tract . . gal. ● . de alim . sac . meats of peculiar and extraordinray tastes . sueton. in nerone . sabel . lib. . cap. . laert. lib. . naucl. de greg . . pontif . gaugen . lib. . histor . vergil . georg gel. lib. cap. . a. l. herodo . lib. plin. lib. . cap. . caelius lib. . cap. . a. l. cardan . de . rer . var. sabel . ex herodot . lib. . lib. . cap. . patholog . trincavella lib. . cap. . de cur . morb . ●entur . : curat . . lib. : cap : hist . mir●b . coel. l. . c. . ant . lect . lib. observ . propriarum . in epist ad ioann . scl : eng . io. mat. à grad . ep . de appetit . cromer . l . olaus , l ▪ . c. sept reg . marant . l de cogn . simp . cranz . de reb . lituan . gal. . de fac . simp . cap. . isaac de univ . diet . gal. . de simp . fac . c. . & s . ejusdem c. . avic . can . cap. . gal , de fac . alim . c ult . gal. . de reg . ac . morb . aristot : . problematum . anic in univers . diaet . homer . iliad . plato in timae . gal. . de fac . alim . & de loc . aff . c. . gal. de alim . fac ▪ isaac de uni● . & partic . diaet . lib. . notes for div a -e athen l. c. . gal. l. . antiq . lect . plut. in quaest . rom. sat : . c : . suet : in vit : augusti : plin : l. . c. : diod : l : : c : : pl●n : l : : c. & : 〈◊〉 es : carn : varro l : : rer . rust : avic : fen : ● : tract : : plut. lib. de es . carn . sim. ● . quaest . plut. sim●os . quart . . eccle ▪ 〈◊〉 macrob. sat . athen. lib. . cap. . lib. . cap. . laertius . suet. in ner. lib. de . fac . simpl . med . cap . & . lib. . de . fac . simp . notes for div a -e whether flesh or fish be the more ancient pure and whlosome meat . bald. in postillam carthusianorum . ● . ●olychron . exod. . ▪ lev. . v. , . epist . ad timorh . cap. . v. . hieronym : in epist . marul . lib. . decad . . polydor verg lib : . cap. de rer . invent . plin lib. . cap . diod. lib. . ap . . herod . lib. . cic. . de nat . dior . heb. . ael . lib. . de vac : h●ss . lib. de es carn . euseb . . de prap . eu . alex. ab . alex ▪ lib. . ge● . . v. . gen. . v. . gal. lib. cap. . plut. & symp. quest . . ▪ tim. . v. . sextus aurel. hieron in ep. notes for div a -e de fac . alim . c. . valthas . pisanellus l. de esc . & potul . gal. ▪ de alim . sac . c . lib. de cib . bov . & mal ▪ succi . & de alim . fac ▪ cap. . athen. lib. . cap. . isaac . de 〈◊〉 dieta . c. . macrob . sat cap. . . dealim . fac . est : & temperam . athen. lib. . cap. . cael. lib. . cap. . a l. diod. lib. . cap. . tract . de ver. vece . why mutton makes one live longer then ●●y meat . lib. . de alim . fac . cap. . lib. . de la. maison rushque . 〈◊〉 de . vict . rat . haly abb . s. theor . lib. de genit . athen. lib. ● . cap. . i● quest rom sheep and piggs , the younger the better . gal ▪ de alim . ●ac . plut. lib. de es . carn . lib. . ● . . in p●n ▪ & bucc● . de diaet . partic . plut. l. de isid . plut f ▪ mp . plut. . symp . . de alim . fac . c. . plin. l ▪ . c. . l. . de orb ●it . l. . de re rust . p. iov . in vita ▪ leon. x. schol. sal c. . plin. l. c. . notes for div a -e lib. . de victrat . gen. . l. de vict . atten . l. de retard ▪ fen . l. quaest . nat . plut. de sol . anim . gen. . pisanel . de esc . & potul . lib. . de v ▪ rer . in diaet univ . lampridius . gal. de vict . atten . de alim . fac . cab . . hares be often leprous . lib. de fac . esc . varro . . lib. agric. matthiolus . com. in lib. . diosc . cap. . strab ▪ lib. . de vict . rat . jas. prat. jo. necker . syntax . . plin. lib. . c. nauclerus . virg. . georg. guagnimus . lib : . de gest . emanu . athen. lib. . cap. . de vict . rat . lib. . de . alim . fac . cap. . notes for div a -e s. partic . diaet . can . & fen. . t● . . pisanel ▪ de esc . & potul . ex . plinio . joach . curaeus . in situanim platina lib. . cap. . bucinus lib : : cap : : gal. . de alim ▪ fac . l. & vict . atten . rhas . . cont. avenz . . & . theisir . halya . s. theor . elluch . c. . l. rhas . . con. de fac alim . plin. lib. . c. cap. de phthis . dialog . ▪ lib. creophag . lib. nat . histor . macrob. . sat . cap. . pli. l. . ● . . paul jov. in vita leon. x. l. de civit . dei. gal. de alim . fac . halyab : s. theo . plut symp . ▪ quest . . de enchym . & caroch . l de . esc . & po● . plin. l. . c. diod. l. . ca. jas. prat. . lib. diaet . plut. in quest . rom. lege heresbachium , li. . de re rust . in hort ▪ san . lege davidem chytr . in descript . russiae . lib. volatilum . gal. de alim . fac . gal. de comp . in sec . gen . isaac . in partic . diaet . rhas . . de ali . rhas . com ▪ 〈◊〉 aphor aveuz . . & . theisir . notes for div a -e albertus in hort . san . gesn . . de avib . gesn . . de avib . plut. lib. de es . carn . epist . ad gesn . l de ●h eriac . ad pison : arnald . de vil. nov . de es . & pot : gal. de alim . fac . rhas : : aph : de esc . & potul . gal . de alim . fac . de vict . atten . l : r●i rustic : : c : : fen. doct . tract . . de diaet partic plin l. . c. avicen fen. tr . . c. . athen. l. . c. . loco citato . l. . epist . . : euporist : nam : : v : : tract : de avib : lib : de avib : cael. l. . c. . antiq . lect . epist ad ge●n ▪ cael. l. . antiq . lect . plut. in lucullo . lib. de avib . l. . de tu . san . l. . de alim . sac . monedula . acanthis . chloris . . theor. c. : troglodytae ▪ notes for div a -e vulpan●eres . gen. . de avib . boseades . epist ad ▪ gesn . phalacrocoraces . notes for div a -e ala mala , coxa noxa , crura dnra , cropium dubium . collum bonum . macr. . satur. lib. cap. . aveuz . . & : . theisir . gal. . eupor . gal de comp . in sect . loc . diocl. in : sap . conv. gal. de alim . fac . isaac . jud. de part . diaet . gal. . de alim . fac . plut. de es . carn . l. de magister . pli. l. . c. . gal. . de . al. fa ▪ cap. . ● , de alim fac . plin. lib. : cap. . lib. esc . & potu . capi vaccius notes for div a -e ex higyno . ovid. in rem . amor . beasts milk . plin. l . c. . de sac . simpl . cap. . politianus in nutricia . syl. p●et . l. aelian . lib. . var. hist . marulus . lib. cap. . jo. mat. a grad . c. de appetitu . athen. l. . c. guagninus in tart. cael. l ▪ b ● . cap. . a. l. lib. de san . tu . plin l. . c : plin. l. c. . plin. l. . c. . card. lib. . de rer ▪ var. notes for div a -e lib. . c. . olausl . . sept . gent. plut. l. ▪ c . de alim fac . isa . de diaet . pt . l. trid. hist . plin. l. . c. plin. l . c plin. l. . c. plin. loco citato . strab. l. ▪ plin. l. . c. ▪ notes for div a -e plin. l. . c. . polid. vir. l. . c. . de rar . inv . alex. aphr. l. problem . . pl. l. cap. . schol. salem . & horat. serm. lib. . satyr . . rha. ad alm. athen. l. . c ▪ . avicenna & albertus . . ad almans de meth . med . lib . de avib ▪ avic . fen. . tract : . cap. . lib. de san tu ▪ pisanel de esc . & potul . l. sym . . quae . . l●vit . . cael. lib. cap. ● . a. l. virgil. . geo. guag . in tart. pl. l. . cap. . mars . fic . de . studios●●n ●ue . i b. . cap. ● . avic . l ▪ . d●c . plin. l. . ca. . notes for div a -e pis . de esc . & potul . corn. cels . l. . plut. . symp . qu . lev. . v. . . athen l. . c. . caelius lib. . 〈◊〉 . antiq . lect . lib. . nat hist . cap. . plut. . symp . ▪ quest . gal. . de alim . fac . plin. lib. . c. . & lib. . ca. . plin l. . ca . plin. l. . ca ▪ ● . plin. l. . c. . plin. li. c. . suet in vita ▪ severi . athen. l. c . athen. l. . c. ▪ notes for div a -e lib. cap. plin. l. . c. . . de simp . sac . athen. l. . c. . vict. l. . c. . var. lect . gal . comp . sec . loc . de alim fac . lib. de af●● . in t . . de . al. fa c. cap. . this asellus is also by jul. scaliger , aud ●ac . cujacius rendred stockfish perhaps because like unto the afse , not serviceable or fit for use til wel beaten . athen. lib . cap. . plin. l. . c. ● . arnol. de vil . nou . com . in ▪ sch. sal. aelianus . plin. l. cap. . plin. l. . c. . l. de venereis . plin. . c. . l de diff . anim . lib. c. . plin. l. . c. . plin. l. . ca. . plin. l. . ca. . de cib bon . & . mal . succ . loco citato . athen. l c. . mac . sat . c. su. in vita ti● . c●lcus . trallianus . gal. . de . sa . tu gregr. hist . l. . lib. . cap. . seneca in ep . gal. . de comp med . sec . loc . apic. l. . c. . lib. . de morb ▪ mul. lae. in vit . dio. lib cap. pli. lib ▪ c. . plin. li. . ● . . com . epid . ▪ cap. . lib. de pisc ▪ lib. colloq . cap. . suet. in vita . sever. gal ▪ de euchy & cacochym . cic . . tusculan quaest . lib. de morb . in t . athen. l. . c. . de comp . med . sec . loc . li. de dif . anim . notes for div a -e plin. l. . ca. . terpsides lib. de vener . pisan . de . esc . & potul . li. de rect . rat . com. in sch. sal jov. in desc . hetrur . lib. ▪ cap. . de alim . fac . poly. virgil. lib. . hist . lib . cap. ● . plin. l. ca . plin. l. . ca. . plin. l. . ca. plin. l. . c. ▪ athen. l. . c . hippoc. . de rat . vict . gal. . de al. fa. . sat . cap. . lib. de esc ▪ & potul . notes for div a -e plin. l. . c. . plin. loc . citato plin. li. . c. . ex. m varrone pisanel . de esc . & potul . plin. l. . c. . supra cap. . plin. l ▪ . c. . athen l. . c. . plin. lib. . cap. . cael. lib. . cap. . a. l. macr. . sat . c. . gel. l. . c. . de esc . & potul . what hony is best notes for div a -e plin. l. . c. ● . de alim . fac . cael. lib. . ca● ▪ . a. l. athen l. . c. . cael lib. . cap ▪ ▪ a. l. lib . cap. plin. l. . c. . lib. . c . plin. l. . ca. . plin. l. . ca. . plin. l. . ca. . plin. lib. . plut. . symp. plin. l. . ca. ▪ alex. l. . ca. : athen. l. . ca. pau ▪ jov ▪ invita colu● . lib. . cap. . matth. com . in diosc . de diaet . part . pisanel . de esc . & potul . plin. l. . c. . pis . de esc . & pot . ex avicenna aetio & isa . aco iudaeo . ● de alim . fac . laert. in plut. vit . de alim . sac . . amerinum . plinij . signinum . . venereum . crustuminum . hordearium . do●obellianum . superbum . . cucurbitinum . ampullaceum schol. sal . c. . lib. de . la. mais . rust . gal. l. . simpl . gal ex . diosc . lib. cap. . de alim . fac ▪ cap. . de alim . fac ▪ lib. . cap. . lib. . de alim . fac . cap . plin. l. . c. . mac. sat . c. . plin. lib. . c. pis . de ●scul . & potul . notes for div a -e dod. lib. . pla ▪ gal. . de alim ▪ fac . dodon . lib. . hist . pl. plin. alex. l. . c ▪ ● . plin. l. . c. . galen . horat. l. . ●pod suidas . crinz . l. . ca . hist . saxon . lib. . de med . sec . loc . polemon lib. de samothra● . athen. l. . c. . de alim . fac . pe●n . sac . lib. . ticin hist . c●spinianus . cromerus . platina . plut. l. de iside & osiride . dodon . lib. . hist . plaut . de alim fac . plin. l. c. . plin. l. . ca. ● . pisanel . de . esc . & potul . plin. l. ca. . cyropaed . notes for div a -e dios . l. . c. . gal. . de alim . fac . cap. . lib. de alim . fac . cap. . lib. . cap. . de rer . var. plut. in . nat. quest de alim . fac . cap. . suidas . nicetas l. . de reb . immanuel . athe. l. . c. . notes for div a -e plut. symp. . lib. . cap. . in ▪ ar●ad . plin. l. . c. . plin. i. . cap. . diod. lib. . c. . herodot . li. . . lib. de gest . emanuel . herodot . li. . diod. lib. . c. plin. l. . c. . alex. ab ▪ alex. lib . c. . ex . plinio . suet. in vita . iul. cae. luc. in dial . de merc . cond laer. in . vita . diog. athen. lib. . dionyss . gal. de ali . fac . isaac . in partic . diaet . averrh . . col. psel . de . pr. & caen . ●at . gal. . de . la. fa. gal. . de . alim . fac . cap. . lib. quae. rom. bread ▪ of a day , wine of a year , meal of a month . plin li. . c. . gal. . de al. sa . avic . can . . haly abbas . theor. how and when bread is to be eaten . sueton. in vita anton. pli. cael l c. ● . antiq . lect . cael. lib. cap. . a. l. notes for div a -e plut. . sympos quaest . . hom. . iliad . plat. in timae ▪ lib. quaest . nat ▪ quaest . . herot . lib. . plut. in qu. nat . lib. . cap. . meth . med . notes for div a -e sym. ● . quae . . cael. lib. . cap . a. l. plut. in coron . lib. de opt . civ . plut. de sal . vict rat . lib. de tuen . san plut ▪ de san . tu . plut. de sal . diaet . plin. li● . . & lib . nat hist . notes for div a -e hip. in iure jur objections against variety of meats . cael. lib. cap. antiq . lect . la. in vita dio. cael. lib. . cap. . antiq . lect . alex. ab alex. lib. cap. . corrozetus de dict . & fact . memor . plut. in lac. q●est . plut in apo . thegm . athen. l. . c. . plin. l. . c. ▪ sab. l. . suppl ▪ ●ov . l. . hist . hect. boeth . in histor . scot. alex. ab . alex. lib. . cap , . athen. l. . c. mar. l. ● . dec . . plin. l. . c. ● . diod. lib. . c. . alex. ab alex. lib ▪ cap. . plin. l. . ca. . valer. max. . com . in pan. read. plin. l ca. . sabel . lib. . ●nead . . cael. lib. ca. . a. l. spar. in vita ge●ae . iliad . . lib. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . guevarra in his epistles . isaac . belg. lib. de quint. mell . essent . cael. lib. . ant . lect . hect. boeth . l. . scot. hist . alex. l. . c. . athen. l. . c. marul . lib. . decad . . plin. l. . c ▪ ▪ numb . . lib. . c. . alex l. . c. . gell. l. . c. l. scot ▪ hist ▪ lib. . histor . notes for div a -e athen. l. . c. . in a●can . l. . c. . en . . cael lib. . c. . a. l. flan. vopisc . sabel . lib. . ex capitolino . ex boet. in ornithogon . aug l. . con . athen l. ▪ c. pl●t in gryll . marsil . fici . de ●●end . stud san . cael. lib. ea . . a l. ma. sat . . c. . hector . boeth ▪ hist . scot. sozom. lib. . eccl . hist . c. . hippoc. xenoph. . pae ▪ athen. l. ▪ c. . cic. . tusc . marfil . fic . de sanit . stud . tu . plut. . sympo● cloath your self warmly , and feed sparingly . vesti te cal●o & mangia poco hip. de . vet . me lib ▪ . cap. . cosmocrit . sur. com . rer . in orbe gest . b●u . lib. . de re cib . cap. . schengh . lib. . obs ▪ med . hip lib ▪ de ca. plin. l. . c. athen. l. . dip alb. l. . de ani alex. b. pract . lib. c●p . jac. syl . consil . contra famem . ioub dec . . ●a●ad●● ▪ . plut. . symp. lib. de . sal . diaet . suet. in vita . aug. laert. in vita diog. notes for div a -e hipp. de sal di. galen com . in aph . so . lib . gal. com . ▪ de vict . rat . in ac . cap. . gal. com in aph . . lib. . gal. com . in ap ▪ . l. . & com . de sal . diaet . c. ▪ & com . . in . epi ▪ c. ● . & com . in aph . . lib. . gal. com . in aph . . lib. . gal com . . de vict . rat . in . ac . cap. . . de fac . simp . cap. . . de simpl ▪ fac . cap. . & . . ejusdem . cap. gal. de alim . fac . l. & ca. ult . gal. . de vict . rat in ac . ▪ gal. de fac . alim . & . de loc . af● . cap. . gal. com in ap . . lib. . gal . de . al. f● ▪ isa . de univers . & parti . diaeta . gal. com . in aph ▪ . lib. . gal. com in . aph . l. . gal com . in aph . . lib. . gal. com . . de vict rat . in . ac . cap. . hip. de sal . vict . rat . pl. desan . tu●n . notes for div a -e meat well chewed is half digested . it is ill to talk much at meat ▪ where an eg is best to be opened . lib. . para . c ▪ ● lib. . epi. sec . . & . aphor . . hip. ▪ ep . sec . . & aph . . hip ibid. ap . l. . de ca. sym . lib. . cap. . hib. . ep . tom . aph . . hip. . aph . . dec. . parad . . plut. in gryll . suet. in vita claudii & vitel . ben ▪ c. . de abdit . ferd. mena l. de med . feb . c. . barth . an in picta po●si cir ▪ ca finem . sue ▪ in . vit . au. lib. . c. . a. l. cael. l. ▪ c. . a. c. ath. l. . c. ● ▪ leon● . l. . c. . ioa. c ▪ . v. . lib. de ▪ remed . utr for t . plut. . symp . cael liq ▪ . cap. . a. l. a proclamation, discharging the exportation of victual. scotland. privy council. approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page image. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). b wing s estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. b ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a proclamation, discharging the exportation of victual. scotland. privy council. scotland. sovereign ( - : william and mary) sheet ([ ] p.) printed by the heir of andrew anderson, printer to the king and queens excellent majesties, edinburgh : anno dom. . caption title. initial letter. intentional blank spaces in text. dated: given under our signet at holy-rude-house, the twenty one day of june, one thousand six hundred and ninety years, and of our reign the second year. signed: gilb. eliot cls. sti. concilii. reproduction of the original in the national library of scotland. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng food law and legislation -- scotland -- early works to . export controls -- scotland -- early works to . broadsides -- scotland -- th century. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - mona logarbo sampled and proofread - mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a proclamation , discharging the exportation of victual . william and mary by the grace of god , king and queen of great britain , france and ireland , defenders of the faith , to macers of our privy council , messengers at arms , our sheriffs in that part , conjunctly and severally , specially constitute , greeting : forasmuch , as by the twelfth act of the third session of the first parliament of king charles the second , intituled , act for encouragement of tillage and pasturage ; it is expresly provided , that when the lords of our privy council shall judge it necessar , for the good of this our ancient kingdom , and preventing of dearth , they may discharge the exportation of victual of all sorts , for so long time as they shall think expedient . and we , and the lords of our privy council considering , that by the laying up of meal in the stores of our castles of edinburgh , striviling , and dumbartoun , and the providing of magazines for the use of our forces , which are now in the fields , there may be fears and apprehensions of a dearth and scarcety of victual : and we being informed , that there is plenty of victual , and all other provisions necessary for the use of our forces within our kingdom of ireland . therefore we , with advice and consent of our privy council , do hereby prohibite and discharge the exportation of any meal , oats and pease for sale from this kingdom to any kingdom , port , or place whatsomever , during our royal pleasure , under the pain of confiscation of the ships , and whole goods and gear belonging to the masters thereof , and merchants , transporters of the said victual , and the imprisonment of their persons during our pleasure , conform to the act , parl. ii. king ja. . and we command all our collectors , surveyers , waiters and others , to make all diligent search , that no victual be shipped aboard any ship or bark , to be transported forth of this kingdom , more than is necessary for the victualing thereof , under all highest pains ; and to seize , and cause seize upon the samine , to be confiscat in manner foresaid : and we require all magistrats of our burghs-royal , sheriffs of our shires , and justices of peace , to give all due concurence for preventing the export of meal , oats , and pease , in manner above-mentioned . and ordains these presents to be printed , and published at the mercat cross of edinburgh , and other places needful , that none may pretend ignorance . given under our signet , at holy-rude-house , the twenty one day of june , one thousand six hundred and ninety years , and of our reign the second year . per actum dominorum sti. concilii . gilb . eliot cls. sti. concilii . god save k. william and q. mary . edinburgh , printed by the heir of andrew anderson , printer to the king and queens most excellent majesties , anno dom. . proclamation against regraiting of victual, and forestallers, and allowing the importation of victual free of publick burden. scotland. privy council. approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page image. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). b wing s estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. b ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) proclamation against regraiting of victual, and forestallers, and allowing the importation of victual free of publick burden. scotland. privy council. scotland. sovereign ( - : william ii) sheet ([ ] p.) printed by the heirs and successors of andrew anderson, printer to his most excellent majesty, edinburgh : anno dom. . caption title. initial letter. intentional blank spaces in text. signed: gilb. eliot cls. sti. concilii. dated at end: given under our signet at edinburgh the ninth day of june and of our reign the eight year, . reproduction of the original in the national library of scotland. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng food law and legislation -- scotland -- early works to . broadsides -- scotland -- th century. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - scott lepisto sampled and proofread - scott lepisto text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion proclamation against regraiting of victual , and forestallers , and allowing the importation of victual free of publick burden . william by the grace of god , king of great britain , france and ireland ; defender of the faith , to _____ macers of our privy council , messengers at arms , our sheriffs in that part , conjunctly and severally , specially , constitute , greeting : forasmuch as by several acts of parliament , the keeping up of victual to a dearth , is strictly prohibited , and particularly , it is statute by the acts , james the second parliament cap. sixth , twenty two and twenty three , that for the efcheuing of dearth : sheriffs , bailies and other officers both to burgh , and to land ; inquire what persons buys victual , and holds it to a dearth ; and that the saids sheriffs and officers make such known , that in case they hold more than will sustain them , and their meinzie to new-corn they may be punished , and demeaned as ockerers and usurers ; and the victual escheated to us ; and that the same be presented to mercats , and sold as the price goes . and by the act james the second parliament ninth , cap. thirty eight and thirty ninth , it is ordained that no manner of victual be holden in girnals by any man to a dearth , but allanerly what is needful for their own persons , and sustentation of their housholds ; and that the saids persons present all that they have more to the mercat , under the pain of escheat thereof : and searchers are appointed in edinburgh and leith to make the saids acts effectual ; as likewise , the crime of forestalling is forbidden by several acts and statutes , and particularly by the act , james the sixth , parliament twelfth , cap. one hundred and fourty eight , it is declared , that who buyes any merchandize , or victual coming to fair or mercat , or makes any contract or promise for the buying of the same , before the said merchandize or victual shall be in the fair or mercat-place ready to be sold , or shall make any motion by word , writ , or message for raising of the prices , or dearer selling of the said merchandise and victual , or who shall diswade any from coming , and bringing the foresaid merchandize and victual to fair or mercat , shall be esteemed and judged a forestaller ; and it is ordained that all such forestallers may be pursued before the justices , or magistrats of burghs , and that without a special libel ; but only upon forestalling in general , and the persons convict to be fined for the first fault in fourty pounds , for the second in one hundred merks , and for the third to incurr the tinsel of moveables . and seing that through the not due observance , and the execution of the foresaids acts : the calamity of the country , by the present scarcity and dearth is greatly increased . therefore we with advice of the lords of our privy council , have thought fit to revive the same , and ordain them to be put to strict execution , and for that effect ; to impower and require all sheriffs of shires , steuarts of stewartries , lords and baillies of regalities , and their deputs , and magistrats of burghs , as likewise all commissioners of supply , and justices of peace , to cause inquire , and search to be made , who holds up , or girnels victual or keeps stacks contrary to the foresaid laws , and to command and charge the keepers up of the said victual in girnels , stacks , or otherways contrary to the saids statutes ; either to thresh out , bring , and expose the same for sale , in open and ordinary mercats , or otherwise to open their girnels , and other houses where the victual is keeped , and there sell the same , as the said sheriffs , steuarts of stewartries , lords and baillies of regalities , and their deputs , and magistrats of burghs , or any two of the saids commissioners , shall find the ordinary price to rule for the time in the country , not below the last candlemass . fiers , with certification that if they failzie therein ; they shall be proceeded against ; and the pains of the foresaids acts of parliament execute upon them with all rigour : and in the mean time the victual girneled , and unlawfully keeped up as said is , arreested and sequestrat by the foresaid sheriffs and others as escheat . and further we with advice foresaid , command and charge all magistrats of burghs , and other officers of the land to take care that all mercats and fairs be duely regulat , conform to the laws , without extortion , and to cause put the foresaid-acts of parliament against forestallers to due and vigorous execution : certifying the foresaids sheriffs , magistrats , and others , who shall fail in their duty in the premisses , that upon information given to the lords of our privy council , they shall be therefore severely punished , as the lords of our privy council shall see cause . and further , for the better releif of the country under the present great scarcity , whereby the prices of victual are arisen above the rates mentioned in the act of parliament for prohibiting the import of forraign victual ; we with advice foresaid , do hereby grant license and full liberty to all persons to import victual and corns , of all sorts , from any forraign kingdom or country , and that free of custom , excise , or other imposition ; and for that effect recommends it to the commissioners of our thesaury , to discharge the exacting thereof for the said victual to be imported as said is , after the day and date hereof , and that notwithstanding of any act of parliament or book of rates imposing the same ; declaring , that this license and liberty , is to endure until the first day of september next to come , and no longer . our will is herefore , and we charge you strictly and command , that incontinent these our letters seen , ye pass to the mercat-cross of edinburgh , and to the mercat-crosses of the remanent head-burghs of the several shires and stewartries within this kingdom , and there in our name and authority , by open proclamation , make intimation hereof , that none pretend ignorance . and ordains these presents to be printed . given under our signet at edinburgh the ninth day of june and of our reign the eight year , ex deliberatione dominorum secreti concilii . gilb , eliot cls. sti. concilii god save the king . edinburgh , printed by the heirs and successors of andrew anderson , printer to his most excellent majesty , anno dom. . the great eater, of kent, or part of the admirable teeth and stomacks exploits of nicholas wood, of harrisom in the county of kent his excessiue manner of eating without manners, in strange and true manner described, by iohn taylor. taylor, john, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc estc s this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the great eater, of kent, or part of the admirable teeth and stomacks exploits of nicholas wood, of harrisom in the county of kent his excessiue manner of eating without manners, in strange and true manner described, by iohn taylor. taylor, john, - . [ ], p. printed by elizabeth allde, for henry gosson, and are to be sold on london bridge, london : . reproduction of the original in the henry e. huntington library and art gallery. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng wood, nicholas, -- of harrison, kent. food habits -- england -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - tcp staff (michigan) sampled and proofread - spi global rekeyed and resubmitted - olivia bottum sampled and proofread - olivia bottum text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the great eater , of kent , or part of the admirable teeth and stomacks exploits of nicholas wood , of harrisom in the county of kent . his excessive manner of eating withovt manners , in strange and true manner described , by iohn taylor . london , printed by elizabeth allde , for henry gosson , and are to be sold on london bridge . . to the most famovs , infamovs , high and mighty feeder , nicholas wood , great and grand gurmandizer of harrisom in the county of kent . most exorbitant paunchmonger , i hauing taken much vnnecessary paines in writing these fewe collections of your deseruing acts , in memory thereof haue erected this monument of incke and paper . herostratus was famous for burning the temple of diana in ephesus : dedalus for flying in the ayre , and leander for swimming ouer the hellespontick sea : so by this small treatise of your vertues , will your vnmatchable exploits be preserued to posterity , that time , or obliuion shall neuer eate out or deuoure the happy memory of your eating ; yet ( not to flatter you ) though you are the absolutest man of mouth , and the most renowned stifgut in this westerne angle of the world , yet we haue as great or greater faters then your selfe , which are scarcely thought vpon : there are some , that with the vnsauoury sawce of enuy , will eate vp a mans name and reputation , and leaue nothing but the bones and scraps of infamy and scandall ; some eate vp whole lordships without mannours , and some deuoure mannours and leaue nothing but bare lordships : your exercise is onely for the maw , and your excellency consists totally in crambo ; i haue done my best to please and pleasure you . and not knowing where to finde a fit patron , i am bold to dedicate it to your digestion , wishing that your teeth & stomack may be euer sharpe-set , and that your meate may be wanting before your appetite . yours , he that not onely admire and wonders at you , but hath taken these insuing paines , to make the world anmire with him , iohn taylor . the great eater of kent . records and histories doe make memorable mention of the diuersitie of qualities of sundry famous persons , men and women , in all the countries and regions of the world , how some are remembred for their piety and pitty ; some for iustice ; some for seuerity , for learning , wisedome , temperance , constancie , patience , with all the vertues diuine , and morall : some againe haue purchased a memory for greatnesse and talnesse of body ; some for dwarfish smalnesse ; some for beautifull outsides , faire feature and composition of limbs and stature ; many haue gotten an earthly perpetuity for cruelty and murther , as nero , commodus , and others : for leachery , as heliogabalus : for drunkennesse , tiberius , ( alias biberius : ) for effeminacy , as sardanapalus : for gluttony , aulus vitellius , who at one supper was serued with two thousand sorts of fishes , and seuen thousand fowles , as suetonius writes in his ninth booke , and iosephus in his fifth booke of the iewes warres . caligula was famous for ambition , for hee would bee ador'd as a god , though he liu'd like a deuill , poysoning his vnkle and deflowring all his sisters : and in all ages and countries , time hath still produc'd particular persons , men & women , either for their vertues or their vices , to be remembred , that by meditating on the good , we may bee imitating their goodnesse , and by viewing the bad , we might be eschewing their vices . to descend lower to more familiar examples , i haue knowne a great man very expert on the iewes-harpe ; a rich heire excellent at noddy , a iustice of the peace skilfull at quoytes ; a marchants wife a quicke gamester at irish ( especially when she came to beating of men ) that she would seldome misse entring . monsieur la ferr a french-man , was the first inuentor of the admirable game of double-hand , hot-cockles , & gregorie dawson an english man , deuised the vnmatchable mystery of blind-man-buffe . some haue the agility to ride poast , some the facility to runne poast ; some the dexterity to write poast , and some the ability to speake poast : for i haue heard a fellow make a hackney of his tongue , & in a moment he hath gallop'd a lye from china to london , without bridle or saddle . others doe speake poast , in a thicke shuffling kind of ambling-trot , and that in such speede , that one of them shall talke more in one quarter of an houre , then shall be vnderstood in seuen yeeres . and as euery one hath particular qualities to themselues , and dissonant from others , so are the manners of liues ( or liuings ) of all men and women various one from another ; as some get their liuing by their tongues , as interpreters , lawyers , oratours , and flatterers ; some by tayles , as maquerellaes , concubines , curtezanes , or in plaine english , whores ; some by their feete , as dancers , lackeyes , foot-men , and weauers , and knights of the publicke or common order of the forke ; some by their braines , as politicians , monopolists , proiectmongers , suit-ioggers , and stargazers ; some ( like the salamander ) liue by fire , as the whole race of tubalcaine , the vulcanean broode of blacksmiths , fire-men , colliers , gunners , gun-founders , and all sorts of mettle-men ; some like the cameleon , by the ayre , and such are poets , trumpetters , cornets , recorders , pipers , bag-pipers ; and some by smoake , as tobacconists , knights of the vapour , gentlemen of the whiffe , esquires of the pipe , gallants in fumo ; some liue by the water as herrings doe , such are brewers , vintners , dyers , mariners , fisher-men , and scullers ; and many like moles liue by the earth , as griping vsurers , racking land-lords , toyling plowmen , moyling labourers , painefull gardners , and others . amongst all these before mentioned , and many more which i could recite , this subiect of my pen is not ( for his qualitie ) inferiour to any : and as neere as i can , i will stretch my wit vpon the tenters , to describe his name and character , his worthy actes shall be related after in due time duely . and , be it knowne vnto all men , to whom these presents shall come , that i iohn taylor , waterman of saint sauiours in southwarke , in the county of surrey , the writer hereof , &c. will write plaine truth , bare and threed-bare , and almost starke-naked-truth , of the descriptions , and remarkable , memorable actions of nicholas wood , of the parish of harrisom in the county of kent , yeoman , for these considerations following . first , i were to blame to write more then truth , because that which is knowne to be true , is enough . secondly , that which is onely true , is too much . thirdly , the truth will hardly be beleeued , being so much beyond mans reason to conceiue . fourthly , i shall runne the hazzard to bee accounted a great lyer , in writing the truth . lastly , i will not lye , on purpose to make all those lyers that esteeme me so . yet by your leaue , master critick , you must giue me licence to flourish my phrases , to embellish my lines , to adorne my oratory , to embroder my speeches , to enterlace my words , to draw out my sayings , and to bumbaste the whole suite of the businesse for the time of your wearing . for though truth appeareth best bare in matters of iustice , yet in this i hold it decent to attire her with such poore raggs as i haue , in stead of robes . first then ; the place of his birth , and names of his parents are to me a meere terra incognita , as farre from my knowledge , as content from a vsurer , or honesty from a bawde , but if hee be no christian , the matter is not much , hee will serue well enough for a man of kent ; and if his education had beene as his feeding , it is euident he had been of most mighty breeding ; he hath gotten a foule name , but i know not if it came to him by baptisme , for it is partly a nick-name , which in the totall is nicholas , i would abate him but a saint , and call him nicholas shambles , and were the goodnesse of his purse answerable to the greatnesse of his appetite , out of all question , no man below the moone would be a better customer to a shambles then he , for though he be chaste of his body , yet his minde is onely vpon flesh , he is the onely tugmutton , or muttonmonger betwixt douer and dunbarr : for hee hath eaten a whole sheepe of sixteene shillings price , raw at one meale ( pardon me ) i thinke hee left the skin , the wooll , the hornes , and the bones : but what talke i of a sheepe , when it is apparantly knowne , that he hath at one repast and with one dish , feasted his carkas with all manner of meates ? all men will confesse that a hogge will eate any thing , either fish , flesh , fowle , root , herbe , or excrement , and this same noble nick nicholas , or nicholas nick , hath made an end of a hogge all at once , as if it had bin but a rabbet sucker , and presently after , for fruit to recreate his palate , he hath swallowed three peckes of damsons , thus ( philosophically ) by way of a chimicall infusion , as a hogge will eate all things that are to be eaten , so he in eating the hogge , did in a manner of extraction distill all manner of meates thorow the limbeck of his paunch . but hold a little , i would be loath to cloy my reader with too much meate and fruit at once , so that after your sheepe , hogge and damsons , i thinke it best to suffer you to pawse and picke your teeth ( if you haue any ) whilst i spend a few words more in paraphrasing vpon his surname . wood is his appellation , denomination , or how you please to tearme it some of the ancient philosophers haue compared man to a tree with the bottome vpwards , whose roote is the braine , the armes hands , fingers , legges , feete and toes , are the limbs , and branches , the comparison is very significant , many trees doe bring forth good fruit , so doe some fewe men ; some stately trees growe high and faire , yet stand for nothing but shades , and some men grow high and lofty , yet are nothing but shaddows ; some trees are so malignant , that nothing can prosper vnder the compasse of their branches ; and some men are so vnlucky , that very few can thriue in their seruice . and as of one part of a tree a chaire of state may be made , and of another part a carued image , and of a third part a stoole of office ; so men , being compounded and composed all of one mould and mettle , are different and disconsonant in estates , conditions , and qualities . too many ( like the barren fig-tree ) beare leaues of hypocrisie , but no fruites of integrity , who serue onely for a flourish in this life , and a flame in that hereafter . so much for that : now to returne to my theame of wood , ( indeed this last disgression may make my reader thinke that i could not see wood for trees ) what wood he is , i know not , but by his face he should be maple , or crab-tree , and by his stomacke , sure he is heart of oake ; some say he is a meddler , but by his stature , he seemes like a low short pine , and certaine i am , that hee is popular , a well tymberd piece , or a store house for belly tymber . now gentlemen , as i haue walked you amongst the trees , and thorow the wood , i pray set downe , and take a taste or two more of this banquet . what say you to the leafe or flecke of a brawne new kild , to be of weight eight pound , and to be eaten hot out of the bores belly raw ? much good doe you gallants , was it not a glorious dish ? and presently after ( in stead of suckets , twelue raw puddings . i speake not one word of drinke all this while , for indeed he is no drunkard , hee abhorres that swinish vice : alehouses , nor tapsters cannot nick this nick with froth , curtoll cannes , tragicall blacke-pots , and double-dealing bumbasted iugges , could neuer cheate him , for one pinte of beere or ale is enough to wash downe a hog , or water a sheepe with him . two loynes of mutton , and one loyne of veale were but as three sprats to him : once at sir warrham saint leigers house , and at sir william sydleyes he shewed himselfe so valiant of teeth , and stomacke , that hee ate as much as would well haue seru'd and suffic'd thirty men , so that his belly was like to turne bankerupt and breake , but that the seruing-men turn'd him to the fire , and anoynted his paunch with greace and butter , to make it stretch and hold ; and afterwards being layd in bed , hee slept eight houres , and fasted all the while : which when the knight vnderstood , he commanded him to be laid in the stocks , and there to endure as long time as he had laine bed rid with eating . pompey the great , alexander the great , tamberlane the great , charlemagne or charles the great , arthur the great : all these gat the title of great , for conquering kingdomes , and killing of men ; and surely eating is not a greater sinne then rapine , theft , manslaughter and murther . therefore this noble eatalian doth well deserue the tytle of great : wherefore i instile him nicholas the great ( eater : ) and as these forenamed greats haue ouerthrowne and wasted countreyes , and hosts of men , with the helpe of their soldiers and followers ; so hath our nick the great , ( in his owne person ) without the helpe or ayde of any man , ouercome , conquered , and deuouted in one weeke , as much as would haue sufficed a reasonable and sufficient army in a day , for hee hath at one meale made an assault vpon seuen dozen of good rabbets at the lord wootons in kent , which in the totall is foure-score , which number would well haue suffic'd a hundred , three-score and eight hungry soldiers , allowing to each of them halfe a rabbet . bell , the famous idoll of the babylonians , was a meere imposture , a iuggling toye , and a cheating bable , in comparison of this nicholaitan , kentish tenterbelly , the high and mighty duke all-paunch , was but a fiction to him . milo the crotonian could hardly be his equall : and woolner of windsor was not worthy to bee his foot-man . a quarter of fat lambe , and three-score eggs haue beene but an easie colation , and three well larded pudding-pyes he hath at one time put to foyle , eighteene yards of blacke puddings ( london measure ) haue suddenly beene imprisoned in his sowse-tub . a ducke raw with guts , feathers , and all ( except the bill & the long feathers of the wings ) hath swomme in the whirlepole or pond of his mawe , and he told me , that three-score pound of cherries was but a kind of washing meate , and that there was no tacke in them , for hee had tride it at one time . but one iohn dale was too hard for him at a place called lennam , for the said dale had laid a wager that he would fill woods belly , with good wholesome victuals for . shillings , & a gentleman that laid the contrary , did wager , that as soone as noble nick had eaten out dales . shillings , that he should presently enter combate with a worthy knight , called sir loyne of beefe , & ouerthrow him ; in conclusion , dale bought . pots of potent , high , and mighty ale , and twelue new penny white loaues , which hee sop'd in the said ale , the powerfull fume whereof , conquer'd the conqueror , rob'd him of his reason , bereft him of his wit , violently tooke away his stomacke , intoxicated his ●i●mater , & entred the sconce of his pericranion , blinde folded him with sleep ; setting a nap of nine houres for manacles vpon his threed-bare eyelids , to the preseruation of the rost beefe , and the vnexpected winning of the wager . this inuincible ale , victoriously vanquish'd the vanquisher , and ouer our great triumpher , was triumphant : but there are presidents enow of as potent men as our nicholas , that haue subdued kings and kingdomes , and yet they themselues haue beene captiu'd and conquer'd by drinke ; wee need recite no more examples but the great alexander , and holophernes , their ambition was boundlesse , and so is the stomacke of my pens subiect , for all the foure elements cannot cloy him , fish from the deepest ocean , or purest riuer , fairest pond , foulest ditch , or dirtiest puddle . he hath a receite for fowle of all sorts , from the wren to the eagle , from the titmouse to the estrich , or cassawaraway , his paunch is either a coope or a roost for them : he hath ( within himselfe ) a stall for the oxe , a roome for the cow , a stye for the hogge , a parke for the deere , a warren for coneies , a store-house for fruit , a dayery for milke , creame , curds , whay , butter-milke , and cheese : his mouth is a mill of perpetuall motion , for let the wind or the water rise or fall , yet his teeth will euer bee grinding ; his guts are the rendez-vous or meeting place or burse for the beasts of the fields , the fowles of the ayre , and fishes of the sea ; and though they be neuer so wild or disagreeing in nature , one to another , yet hee binds or grindes them to the peace , in such manner , that they neuer fall at odds againe . his eating of a sheepe , a hog , and a duck raw , doth shew that he is free from the sinne of nicenesse or his curiosity in dyet . ( it had beene happy for the poore , if their stomacks had beene of that constitution , when seacoales were so deare here . ) besides , he neuer troubles a larder , or cupboord to lay cold meate in , nor doth he keepe any cats or traps in his house to destroy vermin , he takes so good a course , that he layes or shuts vp all safe within himselfe ; in briefe , giue him meate , and he ne'r stands vpon the cookery , he cares not for the peacocke of samos , the woodcock of phrygia , the cranes of malta , the pheasants of england , the caperkelly , the heathcocke , and termagant of scotland , the goate of wales , the salmon , and vsquabah of ireland , the sawsedge of bolognia , the skink of westphalia , the spanish potato , he holds as a bable , and the italian figge he esteemes as poyson . he is an english man , and english dyet will serue his turne . if the norfolk dumplin , and the deuonshire white-pot , be at variance , he will atone them , the bag-puadings of gloucester shire , the blacke-puddings of worcester shire , the pan puddings of shropshire , the white puddings of somersetshire , the hasty-puddings of hamshire , and the pudding-pyes of any shire , all is one to him , nothing comes amisse , a contented mind is worth all , and let any thing come in the shape of fodder , or eating stuffe , it is welcome , whether it bee sawsedge , or custard , or eg-pye , or cheese-cake , or plawne , or foole , or froyze , or tanzy , or pancake , or fritter , or flap-iacke , or posset , galley-mawfrey , mackeroone , kickshaw , or tantablin , he is no puling meacocke , nor in all his life time the queafinesse of his stomacke needed any sawcy spurre or switch of sowre vertuice , or acute vinegar , his appetite is no straggler , nor is it euer to seeke , for he keepes it close prisoner , and like a courteous kind iaylour , he is very tender ouer it , not suffering it to want any thing if he can by any meanes procure it : indeede it was neuer knowne to be so farre out of reparations , that it needed the assistance of cawdle , alebery , iulep , cullisse , grewell , or stewd-broth , onely a messe of plaine frugall countrey pottage was alwayes sufficient for him , though it were but a washing-bowle full , of the quantity of two pecks , which porrenger of his , i my selfe saw at the signe of the white lyon at a village called harrisom in kent , the hostesse of which house did affirme , that hee did at once wash downe that bowle full of pottage , with nine penny loaues of bread , and three iugges of beere . indeed , in my presence ( after he had broken his fast ) hauing ( as he said ) eaten one pottle of milke , one pottle of pottage , with bread , butter , and cheese : i then sent for him , to the aforesaid inne , and after some accomodated salutations , i asked him if hee could eate any thing ? he gaue me thankes , and said , that if he had knowne , that any gentleman would haue inuited him , that he would haue spared his breakefast at home , ( and with that he told me as aforesaid , what he had eaten ) yet neuerthelesse ( to doe me a courtesie ) he would shew me some small cast of his office , for he had one hole or corner in the profundity of his store-house , into which he would stow and bestow any thing that the house would afford , at his perill and my cost . whereupon i summoned my hostesse with three knocks vpon the table , two stamps on the floore , with my fist and foot , at which shee made her personall appearance with a low curtsie , and an inquisitiue what lacke ye ? i presently laid the authority of a bold guest vpon her , commanding that all the victuals in the house should be laid on the table . she said , she was but slenderly prouided , by reason goodman wood was there , but what she had , or could doe , wee should presently haue : so the cloth was displaid , the salt was aduanc'd , sixe penny wheaten loaues were mounted two stories high like a rampier , three sixe-penny veale pyes , wall'd stiffly about , and well victual'd within , were presented to the hazzard of the scalado , one pound of sweet butter ( being all fat and no bones ) was in a cold sweat at this mighty preparation , one good dish of thorneback , white as alabaster or the snow vpon the scithian mountaines , and in the reare came vp an inch thick shyuer of a peck house-hold loafe ; all which prouision were presently , in the space of an houre vtterly confounded , and brought to nothing , by the meere and onely valourous dexterity of our vnmatchable grand gurmound . he couragiously past the pikes , and i cleared the shot , but the house yeelded no more , so that my guest arose vnsatisfied , and my selfe discontented in being thrifty and sauing my money against my will. i did there offer him twenty shillings to bring him vp to me to my house on the bank-side , and there i would haue giuen him as much good meate , as he would eate in tenne dayes , one after another , & fiue shillings a day euery day , and at the tenne dayes end , twenty shillings more , to bring him downe againe . i did also offer tenne shillings to one ieremy robinson a glouer ( a man very inward with him ) to attend and keepe him company , and two shillings six pence the day , with good dyet and lodging : all which were once accepted , vntill wood began to ruminate and examine what seruice he was to doe , for these large allowances . now my plot was to haue him to the beare-garden , and there before a house full of people , he should haue eaten a wheele barrow full of tripes , and the next day , as many puddings as should reach ouer the thames ( at a place which i would measure betwixt london and richmond ) the third day , i would haue allowed him a fat calfe , or sheepe of twenty shillings price , and the fourth day he should haue had thirty sheepes geathers , thus from day to day , he should haue had wages & dyet with variety ; but he fearing that which his merits would amount vnto , brake off the match , saving , that perhaps when his grace , ( i guesse who he meant ) should heare of one that ate so much , and could worke so little , he doubted there would come a command to hang him : whereupon our hopefull beare-garden busines was shiuerd , and shatterd in pieces . indeed hee made a doubt of his expected performance in his quality , by reason of his being growne in yeeres , so that if his stomack should faile him publikely , and lay his reputation in the mire , it might haue beene a disparagement to him for euer , and especially in kent , where he hath long beene famous , hee would be loth to be defamed ; but as weake as he was , he said , that he could make a shift to destroy a fat weather of a pound in two houres , prouided that it were tenderly boild , for he hath lost all his teeth ( except one ) in eating a quarter of mutton , ( bones and all ) at ashford in the county aforesaid , yet is he very quicke and nimble in his feeding , and will ridde more eating worke away in two houres , then tenne of the hungriest carters in the parish where he dwells . he is surely noble ( for his great stomacke ) and vertuous , chiefely for his patience in putting vp much ; moreoeuer he is thrifty or frugall , for when he can get no better meate , he will eate oxe liuers , or a messe of warme ale-graines from a brew-house . he is prouident and studious where to get more prouision as soone as all is spent , and yet hee is bountifull or prodigall in spending all hee hath at once : hee is profitable in keeping bread and meate from mould and maggots , and sauing the charge of salt , for his appetite will not waite and attend the poudring ; his courtesie is manifest , for he had rather haue one farewel then twenty godbwyes : of all things , hee holds fasting to be a most superstitious branch of popery , he is a maine enemy to ember weekes , he hates lent worse then a butcher or a puritan , and the name of good-friday affrights him like a bulbegger ; a long grace before meate , strikes him into a quotidian ague ; in a word , hee could wish that christmas would dwell with vs all the yeere , or that euery day were metamorphoz'd into shrouetuesdayes ; in briefe , he is a magazine , a store-house , a receptacle , a burse , or exchange , a babel or confusion for all creatures . hee is no gamester , neither at dice , or cards , yet there is not any man within forty miles of his head , that can play with him at maw , and though his pasture be neuer so good , he is alwayes like one of pharaohs leane kine ; he is swarty , blackish haire , hawk-nosed ( like a parrot , or a roman ) hee is wattle-iawde , and his eyes are sunke inward , as if hee looked into the inside of his intrayles , to note what custom'd or vncustom'd goods he tooke in , whilst his belly ( like a maine-sayle in a calme ) hangs ruffled and wrinkled ( in folds and wreathes ) flat to the mast of his empty carkasse , till the storme of aboundance fills it , and violently driues it into the full sea of satisfaction , like as a riuer to the ocean bounds , or as a garden to all britaines grounds , or like a candle to a flaming linck , or as a single ace , vnto sise cinque : so short am i of what nick wood hath done , that hauing ended , i haue scarce begun : for i haue written but a taste in this , to shew my readers where , and what he is . postscript . thou that putst down the mault below the wheat , that dost not eate to liue , but liue to eate : thou that the sea-whale , and land wolfe excels : a foe to bachus , champion of god bels : i wish if any foreine foes intend our famous i le of britaine to offend , that each of them had stomacks like to thee , that of each other they deuour'd might bee . some haue drunke healths at once ( to purchase fames ) as there are letters in their mistris names , others there are , that drinke by rub and square , and sound round drinkers there aboundance are , these barely goe with making barly deare , and cunningly transforme themselues to beere , or potent ale , or iuice of french or spanish , or smoake , ( which time and coyne doth banish : ) these are the sleights that halfe the world inchants , these are the principles of woes and wants : but thou art free from drinking by the great , meat is for men , and thou wer 't made to eate . though maximinus , romes great emperour , did forty pound of flesh each day deuoure , albinus th'emperour did him surpasse , fiue hundred figges by him downe swallow'd was , of peaches he consum'd one hundred more , of great musckmellons also halfe a score , one hundred birds , all at one meale he cast into his paunch , at breaking of his fast . pago surpassed both these two together , a bore , a hundred loaues , a pigge , a weather , all this the rascall swallow'd at a meale , ( if writers in their writing , true doe deale . ) but sure i am , that what of thee is writ , is sure ( although not all the truth , or halfe of it : ) thou dost exceed all that our age e're saw , thou potent , high , and mighty men of maw . finis by the king a proclamation for the prizes of victuals within the verge of his majesties household. england and wales. sovereign ( - : charles ii) approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page image. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing c estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) by the king a proclamation for the prizes of victuals within the verge of his majesties household. england and wales. sovereign ( - : charles ii) charles ii, king of england, - . broadside. printed by john bill and christopher barker, london : . reproduction of original in the university of illinois (urbana-champaign campus). library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng food prices -- great britain. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - john pas sampled and proofread - john pas text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion by the king. a proclamation for the prizes of victuals within the verge of his majesties houshold . charles r. whereas in our passages through divers parts of our realm , necessity requireth that a great number of our subjects , not onely noblemen and others attending our service , but others for their necessary occasions , shall frequent those places where in our royal person we shall resort ; and it is requisit that competent provision be made , that they be not exposed to the intolerable avarice of bakers , brewers , inholders , butchers , and sellers of victual , who , not contented with reasonable profit in uttering and selling of victual within our dominions , and specially within the verge of our houshold , will ( as we have cause to doubt ) unlawfully exact and demand unreasonable and extream prizes for victuals , horsmeat , lodging , and other necessaries , above the prizes they were sold at before our coming to those parts : therefore to prevent the extream exaction by the foresaid victuallers , and others , towards our servants , train , and suiters attending our court , wheresoever we make our above , nothing respecting our prerogative , nor the laws of our realm , our will and pleasure is , and by the advice of the lords and others of our privy council , we do hereby straitly charge and command , that all persons do obey and keep all such prizes , as is and shall be prized , assessed , and rated by the clerk of the market of our houshold , or his lawful deputy , upon the presentment of jurors , by vertue of his office , sworn and charged from time to time , as well within liberties as without , within the verge of our houshold : which rates and prizes we will , not onely shall be certified by our said clerk of the market , or his deputy , into our compting-house , but also sized and set upon the gates of our court , and other places within the verge , as well within liberties as without ; and that no manner of person or persons , of what estate or degree soever he or they be , do in any wise , ask , demand , take , receive , or pay more for corn , victuals , horsmeat , lodging , or any other such thing , then after the rate and form aforesaid , upon pain of imprisonment , fine , and such further punishment that shall thereof follow . and moreover we do straitly charge and command , that no manner of person or persons , now using , or which accustomably have used or shall use , or of right ought to use , to serve any city , borough , town , or other place where our repose or residence shall be , or elsewhere within the verge of our houshold , either within liberties or without , with any kind of corn or victuals , or other necessaries , either upon the market day , or at any other time , shall be any thing the more remiss or flack in bringing or selling their provision , then they or any of them heretofore have been ; nor shall use any colour of craft , either in hiding or laying aside their corn , victuals , horsmeat , lodgings , or any other such necessaries whereby the provision of the market may be diminished , or we and our servants , and other subjects should not be as well served , and as plenteously furnished in every behalf , as it was before , or of right ought to have been , in defraud of this our ordinance . and furthermore we straitly charge and command all our officers of our green-cloth , our iustices of peace , our clerk of the market , his deputy or deputies , mayors , bailiffs , sheriffs , constables , and all other our officers of cities , boroughs , towns , hundreds , and other places within the verge of our houshold , wheresoever the same shall be , as well within liberties as without , and every of them , from time to time , when and as often as need shall require , to make diligent inquiry of corn , grain , and other victual that shall be hidden or withdrawn from the markets , with purpose to increase the prizes , and to cause the same to be put to sale by the owners thereof : and upon complaint by any party justly made , every of them within their authorities , forthwith shall endeavour themselves to see just punishment , and due reformation of the premisses , against such person or persons as shall offend herein , according to iustice . given at our court at whitehal , the twenty sixth day of april , . in the fourteenth year of our reign . god save the king. london , printed by john bill and christopher barker , printers to the king' 's most excellent majesty . . an appeal to all true english-men (if there be any such left), or, a cry for bread grascome, samuel, - ? approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing g estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) an appeal to all true english-men (if there be any such left), or, a cry for bread grascome, samuel, - ? p. s.n., [london? : ?] caption title. published anonymously. by samuel grascome. cf. halkett & laing ( nd ed.) publication information suggested by wing. reproduction of original in bodleian library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng bread. food supply -- england. great britain -- economic conditions -- th century. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - elspeth healey sampled and proofread - elspeth healey text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion an appeal to all true english-men , ( if there be any such left , ) or , a cry for bread . the philosopher having invited some curious wits , and perhaps no dull palats ▪ to an entertainment ; when the table was spread , and plentifully furnished with variety of excellent dishes , and the guess set ; instead of falling on ▪ and eating ( as was expected ) they all sat gazing on one another , no man offering to touch any thing : at which , the master of the feast amazed , looks about to see if he could discover what should be the reason that his guests did not mind their meat , and instantly he perceived that there was no bread on the board . a greater error than perhaps some may think it ; for the most delicious viands without bread are not savory ▪ or at least will not be long so . let other dainties be what they will , bread is the standing dish : with those we may please our palats , but without that we cannot live. so that the proverb hath only done it justice , in telling us , that bread is the staff of life : and that country is most highly esteemed which can best secure its inhabitants from the want of it . now our own dear country of england has been thought to yield to none for fruitfulness in corn , and consequently for fulness of bread. of old it , and sicily , were accounted the roman granaries ; though now it is quite another thing , and every way for the better : for considering how much the art and industry of the husband-man at this time o' th' day excels those of former times , and how much the ground is cleared from roughs , woods , forests , fens , and such kind of unprofitable or useless places , as anciently eat up a great part of the island , it may now be modestly judged to be capable of producing four times the quantity of grain which it did in roman times ; though then it was thought that it might vye with any other place in the world. and i have heard some men , who neither wanted parts nor experience , strenuously argue , and with seeming sound reason conclude , that since the improvement in the northern and western parts , it is impossible that there should ever be any thing like a famine in england , supposing corn were not half a crop , which rarely happens . these things being so plain , we might perhaps think our selves the happiest people under the sun , if we could fill our bellies with reasons ; but i never knew an hungry stomach surfeit with arguments : a piece of bread and cheese is more worth to such a one than all the fine talk in the world ; and in spite of all that has or can be said , we find even in this fruitful country such a famine of bread coming upon us , as is likely to pinch the rich and starve the poor . and what shall we do in this case ? shall we believe those who tell us , that we cannot want in such a country as this ? i fear our gnawing stomachs will not suffe●… our vnderstandings to be gull'd in a matter of this nature . what then ? shall we lie down , and dye ? shall we , like a parcel of sots and fools , tamely sink under the malady , and pine away the miserable remainder of our days without further care ? or shall we try , if there be any remedy ? certainly those men have lost both their wits and senses too , who would not use their utmost endeavors to prevent such a general mischief as this . now if we will seriously , and to any purpose , seek after a remedy , we must first make enquiry after the true cause of our want ; for if we can take away that , our old plenty will return . well country-men ! shall we send hui and cry after the cause of this mischief and misery ? any man will say there is little need of that : for if it were possible to find out so meer a cockney as never saw a field of corn in his life ; yet if you should ask him what might be the reason of want of bread , he would presently tell you want of corn ; and would say , that he were a most impudent fellow who should affirm , that there could be any want of bread in a country , which at the same time afforded plenty of corn ▪ and yet such a paradox as this i must maintain , if i will speak truth ; and shew you the true reason of your present want of bread , which is daily like to be greater . indeed if the earth had play'd the step-mother , and proved unkind to us , it would then have concerned us to have sent abroad , and furnished our selves from other countries which have to spa●e , as hath been the practice and prudence of some of our neighbors , especially france of late , whose policy it were better to imitate than starve . but that is not the case ; if we might enjoy ▪ our own , we need trouble no body else . for i dare boldly affirm , that for twenty years last past , there hath scarce been a better general crop of bread-corn , than was this year , and the last . as for the last year , what i say will be easily granted ; yea , i verily believe , that it produced enough to furnish us for that year , and this too , if an honest use had been made of it . as for this year , i find many possessed with another opinion , which i cannot but admire ; for i have had occasion to view the corn in several counties : and in spite of any dutch-man alive , will pretend to some understanding of it ; and i every where found bread-corn a good crap ; nay , wheat to the eye seemed to out-do that of the last year . and though i do not think it to be really altogether so good , yet is it a crop not to be complained of , and under which we need know no want . and though a thousand new-fashion'd , sham , dutch transubstantiation arguments were brought against this , yet they shall never perswade me out of my senses . i will therefore lay this down for a certain conclusion ; that the reason of our scarcity is not from the products of the earth , or for want of a crop. you will say then , what is the reason ? if you please , country-men , we will first examine those reasons that pass for current , and then see if we can find out the true one . some think , that it may contribute something to our scarcity , that in many places they are not able to manage their harvest , and want hands to get in their corn. this , i confess , is a very deplorable thing ; and , if true , makes the matter much worse . for if we already want hands to get our corn , by reason that those who used to assist in that matter are gone for soldiers , or knockt o' th' head ; in a while it will be in danger to come to this pass , that we shall want hands to till and sow the ground , and so we shall have no corn at all . but however , this cannot be the reason of our present scarcity : for want of hands may be a reason for a more tedious harvest , or may let corn receive some damage ; but this , if by chance it make it something worse , yet it makes it nothing less : it may abate of the pleasantness , but brings no want to our door . and the very same thing may be said as to unseasonable weather in many places ; and therefore i shall give that objection no further answer . but to be short , the great cry , and generally received opinion is , that there hath been such a general blast , as hath destroyed or spoiled the corn ; that it is full of choler , or black ears ; and that other ears are light , yea often quite empty . and thus we are striving to make that the hand of god , which is the fruits of our own folly. it were just with him to deal thus with so wicked a nation ; but he hath not done so you ▪ and it were the height of ingratitude to charge him as plaguing us with famine , when he blesseth us with plenty . i do not say , there is no blast ; some little foundation there hath been for this complaint , which hath been strangely spread and improv'd by those who are the real cause of our evils ; and then being entertain'd by silly frightful people , who if they hear of a blast , verily believe all the corn to be spoiled , it got greater credit . and no doubt ●●u● it hath been encouraged by the farmer , with a design to advance his market . but this i say , and i make no doubt plainly to prove it , that the blast is not the cause of the present scarcity , and dearness of corn. to this end , i shall consider the utmost that in all likelihood it can affect us . i grant , that the blast hath been very busy , especially in some places , as near the sea-coast , and in those countries , which rarely change their seed , where there is always some blast , more or less : yea , considering the backwardness of the year , i am apt to think there may be a great deal of small grain , especially in chalky land , where the clevel is always less than in clay , mixt , or chiselly earth . yea further , suppose that the corn were no where altogether so bold as it was the last year ; yet , for all this , we might have had corn enough , and good , cheap . for though the yeomen of kent ( whose country is very subject to blast , for which particular reasons might be given ) make great complaint ; and their out-cry , by reason of their neighborhood , doth much affect the citizens , yet in many places the blast is very inconsiderable . and i have seen , this very year , many and large fields of corn free from black ears , though not from some light ears ; and i never knew any crop of corn altogether free . this ought also to be observed , that wheat was thicker on the ground this year than the last ; ( which all allow to be a great crop ) and if more straws , consequently there must be more ears of corn : so that if we should suppose the blast to have destroyed every third ear of corn ( which i believe it hath not done the tenth ) there would have been a sufficient crop to have supplied the lan● , without making corn dear . and then if we reckon upon the old stock which remained , or ought to have remained , from the last years plenty , we might as reasonably have expected to have seen wheat sold now at s. or s. d. a bushel ▪ or ( as some call it ) a strike , as in former years . by this time i expect some should grow testy , and say , if this be not the reason ▪ what is ? for nothing can be more plain ●●an that corn is dear , and continues rising , to the endangering of many thousands of poor , perishing for want . now i could give as plain a reason for it , if an honest english-man might speak with safety ; for we are now under dutch comptrollers , and as nothing must be done , so nothing must be said , that may be offensive to the hogen mogens : however i will out with it ; and if my country-men will not see , they may be blind , til they are starved : for i can do no more for them , than to tell them the plain truth . ●…nd to speak all in a word , it is a dvtch blast that makes this scarcity , and will make it greater . those dear friends of ours , for whom we have spent our bloud , and our estates , ( i am unwilling to say damn'd our souls too ) that we might raise and keep them at this height , now carry away our corn at that rate , that if joseph's granaries were among us , they would make a dearth , if they are suffered to go on . ten , twenty , or thirty ships going out together from one port of ours , laden with corn , are not worth our taking notice of ; but as they have drove this trade very briskly of late , and continue so to do , so it is not one port alone which they ply : but that if possible you may be sensible , that these horse-leeches would suck you very last drop of bloud ; i will lay a kind of scheme before you , together with the arts by which our corn is drawn from us . our northern seas , from whence we only cross to holland , and they to us , are now the safest of all others , by reason that no enemy can come thither . but either about scotland , or by the downs ; and so will be in continual danger of falling into the mouths of the english or dutch men of war ; which makes the privateers and pirates have little kindness for that road : so that our corn-carriers have a safe and quick passage to and from all our ports on that coast , even from the south-foreland to tinmouth-haven , and further , if there be any thing to be had for them . and this range takes in upon our sea-coast these counties , kent , essex , suffolk , norfolk , lincoln , york and durham : and in in these counties these ports , dover , sandwich , margate , colchester , harwich , yarmouth , boston , hull , newcastle , and above a hundred other places ; where they may either put in ; or with their boats fetch off corn to their ships : and to all these ports they have already well plyed , and tolerably well drained them . but lest you should imagine that this only affects these maritine counties , i will demonstrate to you how , by this means , they draw the corn from all parts , even out of the very heart of the country . for where there are navigable rivers corn will most certainly run after the price , and travel to sea ; if more be bid for it there , than on land. and the farmer ( let who will starve ) by hook or by crook , by night or by day , will convey it away , if the market please him : and so our corn shall go as far as the river reaches , or they will carry it to it . for instance ; suppose the corn vessels come into boston-deep , with a design to take in lading at boston , or lynn , and other places thereabout , here fall into the sea ( amongst others ) three rivers navigable a very considerable way up into the country : the welland , navigable up as far as stamford , a town bordering upon three counties , lincoln , northampton , and rutland . . the nine , running through lincolnshire , continues navigable beyond peterborough in northamplonshire . and dly , the ●use , which cutting through norfolk , and the isle of ely , skirting cambridgeshire , takes in the cham , which is navigable up to cambridge ; and then passing on to st. ives , and hantingdon , and so onward into the very bowels of the country ; in all , affects si● counties ; though i cannot justly say how far navigable . next . if you please , we will convey our corn vessels to hull , where they have been so often already , that by this time hey may know the way themselves : this stands upon the humber , which is a confluence of rivers , into which ( not to name any other ) runs the trent ; which passing through part of yorkshire continues his current through lincolnshire , and nottinghamshire , and by leicestershire , travelling through some of our best corn countries into the very heart of the kingdom , and is navigable within six miles of darby . but not to trouble you with many others , i think the thames ought not to be forgotten ; which one way brings up the ●rain of kent and essex , and the other way carries down and drains away 〈◊〉 stores of harfordshire , middlesex , surry , berkshire , buckinghamshire , and oxfordshire : and here , in ●nd about the city , our dearly beloved darling dutch-men are continually playing their do●-tricks . sometimes they traffick for our corn with open face ; and when that becomes notorious , and grows distastful , then they deal underhand ; and so many guineas are given to a factor to buy so many thousand quarters of wheat in his own name ; or to a brower to buy so many thousand quarters of male : and this is no sooner privately , or under a colour delivered , but it is as speedily conveyed away : for a jugler cannot play his tricks more nimbly , than these whipsters . now from all these parts , which i have mentioned , they have already carried vast quantities of corn ; so that it is not possible their trade should hold there long , unless they would leave us nothing at all ; and then when they are forced to go a little further a field , along the channel lie several counties fruitful in corn ; as suffex , hampshire , dorset , and devonshire : and then , if you come about into the channel of bristol , the severn will bring corn to you out of the very middle of england ; for touching upon herefordshire , and running through glocestershire , worcestershire and shropshire ▪ in takes in also the avon , which is navigable as far as stratford , within six miles of warwick ; which , with coventry , are stiled our vrbes mediterraneoe . it is further to be observed , that there is scarce any part of england , which is good corn land , but it is within two days journy of some navigable river : now to fetch in that land which the water of it self will not , they have this trick ; they , or their agents , go to the farmer 's house , and agree with him for so many loads of corn to be delivered at a certain place , perhaps twenty or thirty miles distant , where they can send it away by water , or have easy conveyances . thus where the river will not lead them to the corn , they bring the corn to the river ; and thus these ingenious rogues will not leave a mouse-hole unferretted , out of which they will not fetch our corn : and if they be suffered to hold on this trade , for any thing i know , the rich as well as the poor may in a short time be glad to leap at a crust . whatever the crying sins or villanous contrivances of men may effect , doubtless the creator , who is a god of goodness . never originally designed one nation to undo another . but such are the variety of products , and withal the particular necessities of particular countries , that it should seem god designed to oblige them to help and succour each other . if therefore the dutch were in want of corn , it were good reason that we should help them , so as not to hurt our selves : but even then , it were no reason that we should starve our selves to make them abound ; and they would deserve never to find help at need , who should attempt or but desire such a thing : yet this , and worse , do these infatiable sooterkins now endeavour to bring to pass . they do not fetch away our corn for any want , but with design to compleat our ruin : they are not without three or four years provisions before-hand ; and when they have advanced it to that rate , that thousands amongst us must perish , because they cannot reach the price , then perhaps they may be so charitable as to sell us some of our own corn again . this , no prudent nation under heaven would offer to any people , whom they did not think so altogether insensible , that the deepest injuries could not move them ; but in the dutch , it is insufferable and unpardonable as to us : for we all along supported them in their lowest condition ; we held up their heads , when they could not swim ; we raised them to a state , or else they had sink in their bogs : and 〈◊〉 as soon as they were able , they flew in our faces . nevertheless in all streights we still upheld them ; and at this very time ▪ our men fight their battles , our money pays their charges , our fleet it unreasonably hazarded for their safety ; we suffer them to engross our trade ; they hector and domineer in our country ; they buy the estates of our impoverished gentry , and dutch pages are made english nobles . nay , even the flower of the crown-revenues is given to a base-born fellow ; as if he who came young , with his pack at his back to the loo , to beg a service , were shortly to the made prince of wales : and yet all this will not do , unless they may s●●●p our mouths , or ( which is worse ) cause us miserably to languish ▪ away for want of bread , whilst our country affords plenty . thus we have nourished a monster to devour us ; and have so long , and so egregiously play'd the fool , that we are not the pity , but the scorn of all nations . i have thus , in short , laid before you the plain reason ; and true cause of this growing scarcity ; the remedy is not my province , nor in my power , though i could wish it were , for my countries sake : but to quicken you to seek for a remedy in time , before it be too late ; as i have shewed you the cause , so i will briefly touch upon what in likelihood may be the effects and tendencies of this destructive ( and yet connived at ) practice . first , our country will be filled with the lamentable doleful crys of famishing persons : those , whose modesty will not suffer them to beg , nor their consciences to steal , must the soonest languish into their graves ; and so the best must perish first . others , who will not endure to want , if it can be any ways supplied , will fall to pilfering and stealing ; and so will be driven to this sad choice , either to be hanged or starved : and this very thing will fill the country with violence , and peoples hearts with horror and fear ; when a man cannot go to bed , but with an apprehension that his house or barns will be broke open before morning and perhaps their throats cut in their beds to boot . others , endeavouring to prolong a wearisome life , will fall to begging : and those who are once habituated to that trade scarce ever leave it ; so that if they chance to survive the famine , they will stock our country with an idle unprofitable sort of cattle , good for nothing , but consume the fruits of the earth : and when things are brought to this pass , the richest will be but in an ill condition . but in the next place , pardon me if i do believe that one design of these dutch practices is , that they may sport themselves with our miseries : for those , who have observed their ingratitude and insolent humour , and have read or heard of their unparallel'd barbarities and cruelties all over the world , must acknowledge them to be a people who are not pleased with any thing so much , as the miseries of others ; and then most of all , when it is by their own procurement . they are proud of , and glory in such practices . another design of theirs , i think to be , to serve their turns of our men , and to thin our country , in hopes in time to be absolute masters of it : for when men want both bread , and money to buy it , and have little hopes of relief by begging , and are unwilling to be hang'd for stealing , they will be very free to become soldiers ; especially if it be but for this privilege , that if you will not give the soldier bread , he takes it : this serves the turn for a while ; but then on a sudden they are commanded into flanders , where they are put upon all desperate attempts , till their few brains are knockt out , and there 's an end of them ; it is but sending hither for more recruits , till the kingdom is so dispeopled , that they may quietly enter upon , and take possession of it , without any disturbance . but not to trouble you any further , i cannot but think their main design to be , to see what they can bring us to ; and whether we be already fitted , or can be fitted , to make dutch● slaves . for those who have suffered their men , their money , their trade , to be taken away ; and after this , will suffer the bread to be taken out of their mouths , and be content to starve quietly ; doubtless these men will suffer any thing : and so they may , if they please ; for who shall hinder them from starving who have a mind to it ? or who shall pity them if they do starve , who have bread enough , and are able to keep it , and yet tamely suffer others to carry it away from them ? i think such senseless sots before were never heard of : but if this will hold , farewell the fortune of england . if i were a person of any considerable interest or authority in the government , i would suggest to them this one consideration : those , who are best affected to the government , will own , that some things not very commendable have been done , which yet have been justified by the pleas of necessity , the inclination of the people , or publick good. now i am sure there cannot be many things more necessary than the maintaining life ; and if the peoples inclination should not lead them to have bread , and to have it as cheap as may be reasonably expected , i should think them ten times madder than they are : and i believe none will question , but that plenty is more for the publick good than famine . so that without any sham , or pretences , here is a real and plain necessity that our corn be stopt , or we otherwise provided for ; and over and above , the thing is just , commendable , and popular , and withal may be easily done ; which , one would think , should invite some of our great seven to engage in it . it hath also been observable , in all governments whatsoever , that want of bread hath made the people become mutinous , troublesom , and sometimes very dangerous ; so that the provision mentioned is not only honest , but prudent and safe . and therefore , i hope , that upon due consideration such care will be taken , that at least we may keep what corn is left : but if after all no course be taken , and after mature consultation it shall be thought more necessary to starve than relieve the people , i shall leave it to others to enquire into the mystery ; for it is such reason of state , as i can neither understand , nor approve ; and such as i believe no mortal ever before heard of . but i know not what heavier or more dreadfull judgment can befal us , than for english-men to become their own executioners . quos deus vult perdere , dementat priùs . finis . proclamation against importing victual from ireland. scotland. privy council. approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page image. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). b wing s estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. b ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) proclamation against importing victual from ireland. scotland. privy council. scotland. sovereign ( - : william ii) sheet ([ ] p.) printed by the heirs and successors of andrew anderson, printer to the king's most excellent majesty, edinburgh : anno dom, . caption title. initial letter. signed: gilb. eliot, cls. sti. concilii. dated: given under our signet at edinburgh, the fifth day of august, and of our reign the ninth year, . reproduction of the original in the national library of scotland. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng food law and legislation -- scotland -- early works to . foreign trade regulation -- ireland -- early works to . foreign trade regulation -- scotland -- early works to . broadsides -- scotland -- th century. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - scott lepisto sampled and proofread - scott lepisto text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion proclamation against importing victual from ireland . william by the grace of god , king of great-britain , france , and ireland , defender of the faith ; to _____ macers of our privy council , messengers at arms , our sheriffs in that part , conjunctly and severally , specially constitute greeting ; forasmuch , as the importing of victual , of any sort , whether , wheat , bear , barley , oats , meal , malt , pease , beans , or rye , from the kingdom of ireland , into this kingdom , is prohibite by diverse laws , and acts of parliament ; and highly prejudicial to the native product of scotland ; and gives occasion to the unwarrantable exporting of much money furth of this our realm ; wherethrough , the poorer sort of people are altogether destitut of the necessary means of buying , and providing themselves in the dayly mercats of this kingdom . for the better obviating the inconveniencies that may follow thereupon ; we , with advice of the lords of our privy council , do , hereby prohibite , and discharge all persons whatsoever , to import , or bring into this kingdom , or any of the ports , harbours , towns , or places thereof , from the kingdom of ireland , any sort or quantity of the victual above-mentioned , from , and after the first day of september nixt to come , under the pain of confiscation of the said victual ; the one half thereof to the person , or persons who shall make discovery of , and sease upon thesame ; and the other half thereof , with the ships , barks , or boats , wherein the samen shall be imported , to our thesaury for our use ; and other punishments to be inflicted upon them , conform to the acts of parliamens made thereanent : and ordains all our collectors , surveyors , and waiters within this kingdom , at the respective ports , harbours , and places where they serve , to see this act punctually observed , as they will be answerable at their highest peril , with certification to such as shall be sound negligent therein , they shall incurr the loss of their respective offices . our will is herefore , and we charge you strictly , and command , that incontinent , these our letters seen , ye pass to the mercat-cross of edinburgh , and to the mercat-crosses of the head-burghs of the several shires within this kingdom ; and thereat , make publication of our pleasure in the premisses , that none may pretend ignorance : and ordains these presents to be printed . given under our signet at edinburgh , the fifth day of august , and of our reign the ninth year , . per actum dominorum secreti concilii . gilb . eliot , cls. sti. concilii . god save the king. edinburgh , printed by the heirs and successors of andrew anderson , printer to the king 's most excellent majesty , anno dom , .