the names of the members of the fishing society, anno 1670 fishing society (scotland) 1670 approx. 5 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 1 1-bit group-iv tiff page image. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2009-03 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a52542 wing n142a estc r216410 99828141 99828141 32568 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 0 1.0 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 1, no. a52542) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 32568) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 1856:03) the names of the members of the fishing society, anno 1670 fishing society (scotland) 1 sheet ([1] p.) s.n., [s.l : 1670] imprint date from wing. reproduction of the original in the goldsmiths' library, university of london. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.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 1473 and 1700 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 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. 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. 5% (or 5 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 100 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 4 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-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng fishing society (scotland) -membership -early works to 1800. fishing -scotland -early works to 1800. 2007-12 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2008-01 spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images 2008-02 jason colman sampled and proofread 2008-02 jason colman text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-09 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the names of the members of the fishing society , anno 1670. the king's majhsti●● earl of lauderdail , the king's commissioner . earl of rothes , lord chancellor . earl marishall , lord privie seal . duke of hamiltoun . earl of argyle . earl of eglingtoun . earl of athol . earl of linlithgow . earl of kinghorn . earl of weimes . earl of panmure . earl of tweddall . countess of dysart . earl of kincardin . earl of dundonnald . lord fyvie . lord newbottel . lord y●ster . lord neil campbell . lord halcartoun . sir john gilmore . master of salton . sir james dalrimple . sir archibald primerose . sir john nisbet . charles m●itland l. thesaurer depute . sir john bai●d . sir john lockhart . sir peter wedderburn . sir andrew ramsay . patrick murray . master alexander gibson . master thomas hay . sir james hay . sir john harper . sir patrick murray . sir archibald murray . sir charles erskin . sir robert sinclar . sir francis scot. thomas moncreiff . master david dunmure , sir william sharp . walter cheisly . sir john young. charles murray . henrie wilkie . james currie . william hamiltoun . robert baird . william anderson . adam hepburn of humbie . william binning . william stevenson . charles charteris . john ealconer , master of the mint . william hay . patrick fyfe . robert leirmonth . james fleeming . william hume elder . sir john fowlis . sir william bruce . master robert petric . sir james ramsay . sir robert murray . david boyd . gilbert fyfe . patrick threplane . sir james primerose . george mackalla . andrew stevenson . george monteith . robert dowglas . sir walter seaton . james cockburn . sir william purves . sir john cuningham . sir george lockhart . sir george mackenzie . sir thomas wallace . sir william ker. archibald gibson . robert milne . archibald wilson . master william clark. john goven . john scot. gaven marshal . james hamiltoun . william hume younger . sir alexander frazer . james standsfield . john tailor . sir harie bruce . andrew fletcher . thomas crawfurd . john strachan . john cuningham . john johnstoun . sir john nicolson . master andrew oswald . george smelam . sir patrick hume . john hope of hoptoun . sir alexander hope . thomas wilson . john falconer , vvarden . james baily . alexander milne . thomas burnet . sir andrew fletcher . sir george mackenzie of tarbit . sir john keith . sir mark carss . james bennet . sir george maxwel . george grant. neil macklewd . andrew nimmo . alexander simson . robert raitt . john scouler . john wilkie . andrew dick. david murray . the names of the councellors elected by the company to be their councell , for the years 1670. and 1671. john earle of rothes , chancellor . william duke of hamiltoun . earl of panmure . john earl of tweddall . alexander earle of kincardin . william earl of dundonnald . lord president of the session . lord register . lord thesaurer depute . lord newbyth . provest of edinburgh . lord gosford . sir william bruce . sir patrick murray . james currie . william anderson . master robert petrie . directors for anne 1670. & 1671. walter cheisly . henrie wilkie . vvilliam binning . robert milne . charles charteris . robert baird , cash-keeper . robert dowglas , book-keeper . to the king and both houses of parliament in parliament assembled watson, s. 1677 approx. 9 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 1 1-bit group-iv tiff page image. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2009-03 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a65269 wing w1095a estc r220853 99832238 99832238 36710 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 0 1.0 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 1, no. a65269) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 36710) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 2102:19) to the king and both houses of parliament in parliament assembled watson, s. 1 sheet ([1] p.) printed by h. brugis, [london] : in the year 1677. place of publication from wing. signed at end: s. watson. a petition to encourage the fishing industry. reproduction of the original in the bodleian library, oxford. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.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 1473 and 1700 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 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. 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. 5% (or 5 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 100 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 4 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-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng fisheries -england -early works to 1800. fishing -england -early works to 1800. 2008-02 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2008-06 spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images 2008-08 paul schaffner sampled and proofread 2008-08 paul schaffner text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-09 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion to the king and both houses of parliament in parliament assembled . the proposal contained in this paper is ( with submission ) conceived of general advantage to the kingdom , and thereby sufficiently recommended to obtain admission to present it self before you , whose providence and justice secure the proposer of a readiness to embrace and promote whatever may improve the welfare of the publick : 't is his part to make the proposal appear of advantage to your common-interest , wherein the welfare of the publick consists . the proposal . that an act of parliament may pass for building and fitting out with expedition a fleet of 500 busses of about 70 tuns burthens a piece , to be imploy'd in fishing for herrings , cod and ling , in his majesties seas ; and profits to be disposed for the increasing of the said fishing-vessels to the number of 2000 or thereabouts , as it will be thought necessary ; and after the paying of publick debts , and the defraying of all necessary charges , the property of the said fleet to be setled in the crown . the advantages . a fleet of two thousand busses will imploy yearly at sea , at 15 men to a busse 30000 men ! besides at least 30000 more at land in the service of the fleet : it will save the kingdom 300000 l. per annum paid yearly to the dutch for fish taken by them in his majesties seas , and sold to the english — besides as much more in taxes to the poor . the first year the said 2000 busses sails , may ( with god's blessing ) defray the whole charge of building , tackle , victualling , fitting out , officers and seamens wages for that year , with an everplus of 1835033 l. 06 s. 8 d and will every year after , communibus annis , as long as the fleet lasts , yield his majesty the clear profit of at least 2644033 l. 06 s. 08 d. which is demonstrated as followeth :   l. s. d. l. s. d. fish usually taken in busses of 70 tuns , communibus annis , is at least herrings 100 last worth de claro at least 1000     2250. 00. 00. cod 15000 worth de claro at least 0450     ling 10000 worth de claro at least 0800     the charge of a busse 70 tuns the first year ( ready to be demonstrated ) will not exceed building , and fitting for sail 0403 10 00 1332. 09. 08. victualling , and furnishing with lasting and wasting commodities 0695 18 08 officers , and seamen's wages 0233 01 00. remains profit de claro each busse 0017 10 04. which for 2000 busses for the first year will be clear profit 1835033 06 08. profit of each busse after the first year as above 2250 00 00.       charge of fitting , victualling , sallaries and wages 0928 19 08.       profit de claro of each busse 1321 00 04.       which from 2000 busses will amount to per annum 2647033 06 8. this fleet will be a nursery of seamen , no less necessary than useful for asserting his majesties dominion of the seas , and the rights of his crown , in regulating trade , against the encroachments of strangers . the profits of this fleet will lessen the necessity of taxes for support of the government , and will improve the value of land , and the wealth of the nation by saving 300000 pound now yearly exported by the hollanders for fish bought of them , and by the importation of coyn from abroad by vent of fish , taken and sold by his majesties subjects ; the monopoly of fish taken by the hollander in his majesties seas , being one main support of that government . as to men and materia's for the fleet , there will be sufficient of both , unless money be wanting to carry on the design . 1. the interest of the king doth concern every particular person , his undertaking of it is for every man's advantage ; whatsoever he gets thereby saves the nation so much in their purses : for if the king gains as much by this as will maintain his crown and dignity , his majesty may in time come to have the less need of parliamentary-taxes . he may also alleviate his customs as low as any nation whatsoever , which will bring the trade of holland , &c. into this kingdom , invite all ingenuous manufactors into the nation , as well as rich men into this kingdom , and the rest of his majesties dominions , and also will preserve the peace of this nation from being disturbed and violated more than private persons or corporative bodies will or can do in their undertaking of it , who cannot protect the fishing-fleet from the attemps and injury of strangers , and may be apt upon evill instigations and discontents to strenghthen either domestick or forreign enemies with their power both of thi●●i●● and m●● 〈◊〉 by 〈…〉 〈…〉 less probable grounds of advantage than here are proposed , it had lost to that crown , as it did to this and to the french , the first discovery of the mynes in the indies ; but this is addressed to his majesty and his parliament , for raising six hundred thousand pounds , whereof one hundred thousand pounds to be imploy'd for docks , and for store-houses and wharfs , adjoyning one to the other , that the goods may be convey'd from the wharfs to the store-houses , without the charge of carting ( which said sum will be demonstrated an ample fund ) to carry on and compleat this design worthy their encouragement , and reserved by providence ( after the weak essays of former times ) to be perfected under the auspicious government of the best of princes , and wisest of parliaments , who cannot neither want either power or will to compleat what appears so clearly and eminently advantagious for the publick good and the interest of the kingdom , and in order thereto raise the fund proposed , and to secure the imployment of it to the use it is designed for . 3. the proposers are ready when commanded to demonstrate at large the facility of bringing the design to effect , the probability and greatness of its advantages when effected , and the necessity of it in order to any considerable improvement of the wealth , strength and honour of the nation : and as to the objection , they doubt not but to clear all can made against it , except that of the want of six hundred thousand pounds to carry on the work ; yet they conceive they have already removed this objection , by having demonstrated the return of this fund with so great an encrease into the publick coffers , and presented that demonstration to them who have power to give and lay out the money proposed , but cannot lay it out to better advantage , for improving their and their posterities safety , honour and wealth , than by bringing to perfection this design , which is not the project of a privat-brain , but an enterprize of publick good , approved by queen elizabeth , and upon solemn and mature deliberation , embraced and encouraged by king james , king charles the first , and his now majesty , and their several privy-counsels , and furthered by several grants under the great-seal of england , in the respective reigns of the princes last mentioned ; and by this present parliament by a vote of the honourable house of commons 17 february 1670 : that a bill should be brought in for encouragement of the fishery . s. watson . s. watson . printed by h. brugis in the year 1677. licensed march the 26. ro. l'estrange . the art of angling wherein are discovered many rare secrets, very necessary to be knowne by all that delight in that recreation. barker's delight barker, thomas, fl. 1651. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a30936 of text r22795 in the english short title catalog (wing b783). 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. 32 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 11 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo 2017 a30936 wing b783 estc r22795 12125357 ocm 12125357 54574 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 0 1.0 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 1, no. a30936) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 54574) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 756:29) the art of angling wherein are discovered many rare secrets, very necessary to be knowne by all that delight in that recreation. barker's delight barker, thomas, fl. 1651. [2], 18 p. [s.n.], london : 1653. attributed to thomas barker. cf. dnb. also issued as part 4 of the country-mans recreation, 1654. beginning with the edition of 1657, title became 'barker's delight'. reproduction of original in huntington library. eng fishing -early works to 1800. a30936 r22795 (wing b783). civilwar no the art of angling· wherein are discovered many rare secrets, very necessary to be knowne by all that delight in that recreation. barker, thomas 1653 6817 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 a this text has no known defects that were recorded as gap elements at the time of transcription. 2006-03 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2006-05 spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images 2007-04 robyn anspach sampled and proofread 2007-04 robyn anspach text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the art of angling . wherein are discovered many rare secrets , very necessary to be knowne by all that delight in that recreation . london , printed in the yeare 1653. the art of angling . reader : i will complement , and put a case to you . i met with a man , and upon our discourse he fell out with me : this man having a good weapon , having neither wit , stomack , nor skill ; i say this man may come home by totnam-high-cross , and cause the clerk to tole his knell : it is the very like case with the gentleman angler that goeth to the river for his pleasure : this angler hath neither judgement , knowledge , nor experience ; he may come home light laden at his pleasure . a man that goeth to the river for his pleasure , must understand , when he commeth there , to set forth his tackles . the first thing he must do , is to observe the sun , the wind , the moon , the starres , and the wanes of the air ; to set forth his tackles according to the times and seasons ; to goe for his pleasure , and some profit . as for example , the sun proves cloudy ; then must he set forth either his ground bait or tackles , and of the brightest of his flies . if the sun prove bright , then must he put on some of the darkest of his flies . thus must you goe to work with your flies , light for darkness , and dark for lightness , with the wind in the south , then that blows the flie in the trouts mouth . though i set down the wind being in the south , if the weather be warm , i am indifferent where the wind standeth , either with ground bait or menow , so that i can cast my bait into the river . the very same observations is for night , as for day : for if the moon prove cleer , or if the stars glitter in the skie , there is as ill angling that night , as if it were at high noon in the midst of summer , when the sun shineth at the brightest , wherein there is no hopes of pleasure . i will begin to angle for the trout , with the ground baits with this quality . the first thing you must gaine , must be a neat taper rod , light before , with a tender hazell top , which is very gentle . if you desire to attain my way of angling , ( for i have angled these forty years ) with a single haire of five lengths , one tied to another for the bottom of my line , and a line of three haired links for the uppermost part ; & so you may kill the greatest trout that swims , with sea-room . he that angles with a line , made of three haired links at the bottom , and more at the top , may kill fish : but he that angles with one hair shall kill five trouts to the others one ; for the trout is very quick sighted ; therefore the best way for night or day , is to keep out of the sight . you must angle alwayes with the point of your rod downe the stream ; for a fish hath not the quickness of sight so perfect up the stream , as opposite against him , observing seasonable times ; as for example , we begin to angle in march ; if it prove cloudie , you may angle with the ground baits all day long : but if it prove bright and cleere , you must take the morning and evening , or else you are not like to do any good ; so the times must be observed , and truely understood ; for when an angler commeth to the river for his pleasure that doth not understand to set forth his tackles fit for the time , it is as good keep them in the bag , as set them forth . i am determined to angle with the ground baits and set my tackles to my rod , and go to my pleasure : i begin at the uppermost part of the streame , carrying my line with an upright hand , feeling the plummet running on the ground some ten inches from the hook , plumming my line according to the swiftnesse of the stream you angle in ; for one plummet will not serve for all streams ; for the true angling is that the plummet runneth on the ground . for the bait. the red knotted worme is very good where brandlins are not to be had , but brandlins are better : now that you may bring these brandlings sit to angle with , that they may live long on the hook , which causeth the best sport . when you have gathered your worms out of the dung-hill , you must gaine the greenest moss you can find , then wash the earth very clean out of it , then provide an earthen pot , so put your moss into the pot , then put the worms to the moss into the pot ; within two days you shall find your worms so poor , that if you bait some of them on your hook , you shall see that with throwing of them two or three times into the water , they will dye and grow white : now the skill is , when these worms be grown poor , you must feed them up to make them fat and lusty , that they may live long on the hook ; that is the chiefest point . to make them lusty and fat , you must take the yolke of an egge , some eight or ten spoonfull of the top of new milk , beaten well together in a porringer , warm it a little , untill you see it curdle ; then take it off the fire , and set it to coole ; when it is cold , take a spoonfull and drop it upon your moss into the pot , every drop about the bignesse of a green pea , shifting your moss twice in the week in the summer , and once in the winter : thus doing , you shall feed your wormes fat , and make them lusty , that they will live a long time on the hook ; so you may keep them all the year long . this is my true experience for the ground baits , for the running line for the trout . the angling with a menow , called in some places pencks for a trout , is a pleasant sport , and killeth the greatest fish ; he commeth boldly to the bait , as if it were a mastive dog at a beare : you may angle with greater tackles , and stronger , & be no prejudice to you in your angling : a line made of three silks and three hairs twisted for the uppermost part of the line , and two silkes and two haires twisted for the bottome next your hook , with a swivel nigh the middle of your line , with an indifferent large hook . to bait your hook with a menow , you must put your hook through the lowermost part of his mouth , so draw your hook thorow , then put the hook in at the mouth againe , let the point of the hook come out at the hindmost fin , then draw your line , and the menowes mouth will close , that no water will get into its belly ; you must alwayes be angling with the point of your rod down the stream , with drawing the menow up the stream by little and little , nigh the top of the water ; the trout seeing the bait , commeth at it most fiercely , so give a little time before you strike : this is the true way , without lead ; for many times i have had them come at the lead and forsake the menow , so he that tryeth shall prove it in time : let us go to angling with a flie , which is a delightfull sport . the rod must be light and tender , if you can fit your selfe with an hazell , either of one piece or two set together in the most convenient manner , light and gentle : set your line to the rod ; for the uppermost part , you may use your owne discretion ; for the lower part , next your flie , must be of three or foure haired links . if you can attain to angle with one haire , you shall have the more rises , and kill more fish ; be sure you doe not over-load your self with the length of your line : before you begin to angle , make a triall , having the winde in your back , to see at what length you can cast your flie , that the flie light first into the water , and no longer ; for if any of the line falleth into the water before the flie , it is better unthrowne then throwne : be sure you be casting alwayes downe the stream , with the wind behinde you , and the sun before ; it is a speciall point to have the sunne and moon before you ; for the very motion of the rod drives all the pleasure from you , either by day or night in all your angings , both for wormes and flies ; so there must bee a great care of that . let us begin to angle in march with the flie : if the weather prove windie , or cloudie , there are severall kindes of palmers that are good for that time . first , a black palmer ribbed with silver : the second , a black palmer with an orange-tauny body : thirdly , a black palmer , with the body made all of black : fourthly , a red palmer ribbed with gold , and a red hackle mixed with orenge cruel ; these flies serve all the year long morning and evening , windie and cloudie . then if the aire prove bright and cleare , you must imitate the hauthorn flie , which is all black and very small , and the smaller the better . in may take the may-flie : imitate that , which is made severall wayes ; some make them with a shammy body , ribbed with a black haire : another way made with sandy-hogges wooll , ribbed with black silke , and winged with a mallards feather , according to the fancy of the angler . there is another called the oak-flie , which is made of orange colour cruell and black , with a browne wing ; imitate that : another flie , the body made with the strain of a pea-cocks feather , which is very good in a bright day : the grasse-hopper which is green , imitate that ; the smaller the flies be made , and of indifferent small hooks , they are the better ; these sorts i have set downe , will serve all the year long , observing the times and seasons : note , the lightest of your flies for cloudy and darknesse , and the darkest of your flies for lightnesse , and the rest for indifferent times ; that a mans owne judgement , with some experience and discretion must guide him : if he mean to kill fish , he must alter his flies according to these directions . now , of late , i have found , that hogs-wooll , of severall colours , makes good grounds ; and the wooll of a red heyfer makes a good body : and bears wool makes a good ground ; so i now work much of them , and it procureth very much sport . the naturall flie is sure angling , and will kill great store of trouts with much pleasure : as for the may-flie , you shall have them alwayes playing at the river side , especially against raine . the oake-flie is to bee had on the butt of an oake , or an ash , from the beginning of may to the end of august : it is a brownish flie , and stands alwayes with his head towards the root of the tree , very easie to be found : the small black flie is to be had on every hawthorn bush , after the buds be come forth : your grasse-hopper , which is green , is to be had in any medow of grasse in june or july : with these flies , you must angle with such a rod as you angle with the ground bait ; the line must not be so long as the rod : with drawing your flie , as you finde convenient in your angling . when you come to deep waters that stand somewhat still , make your line some two yards long , or thereabout , and dop your flie behinde a a bush , which angling i have had good sport at ; we call it doping . a lord lately sent to me at sun going down , to provide him a good dish of trouts against the next morning by six of the clock : i went to the door to see how the wains of the aire were like to prove , and returned answer , that i doubted not but to be provided ( god willing ) at my time appointed . i went presently to the river , and it proved very dark ; i drew out a line of three silkes and three hairs twisted for the uppermost part , and a line of two silks and two hairs twisted for the lowermost part , with a good large hook : i baited my hook with two lob-worms , the four ends hanging as meet as i could ghesse them in the dark : i fell to angle ; it proved very dark , that i had good sport , angling with the lob-worms , as i doe with the flie , at the top of the water ; you shall heare the fish rise at the top of the water , then you must loose a slack line down to the bottome , as nigh as you can ghesse , then hold a straight line ; feeling the fish bite , give time , there is no doubt of losing the fish ; for there is not one among twenty , but doth gorge the bait : the least stroak you can strike to fasten the hook , makes the fish sure , and then you may take the fish up with your hands : the night began to alter and grew somewhat lighter ; i took off the lob-worms , and set to my rod a white palmer flie , made of a large hook , i had sport for the time , till it grew lighter : then i put on my red palmer , i had sport for the time , untill it grew very light ; then i set on my black palmer , had good sport , made up my dish of fish , put up my tackles , and was at my time appointed for the service . for these three flies , with the help of the lob-worms , serve to angle all the year long , observing the times , as i have shewed in this nights work : a light flie for darknes , the red flie in medio , and a dark flie for lightnesse : this is my experiment for this kind of angling , which is the surest angling of all , and killeth the greatest fish : your lines may be strong , but must be no longer then the rod . to take a carp either in pond or river , if you mean to have sport with some profit , you must take a peck of ale-graines , and a good quantity of any bloud , and mix the bloud and graines together , and cast it in the places where you meane to angle ; this feed will gather the seale fish together , as carp , tench , roach , dace , and bream ; the next morning be at your sport very early , plum your ground : you may angle for the carp with a strong line ; the bait must be either a red knotted worm , or paste : there is no doubt of sport . to take pearch . the pearch feeds well , if you light where they be , and bites very free : my opinion is , ( with some experience ) to bait with lob-worms , chopt in pieces over night ; so come in the morning , betimes , plum your ground , gage your line , bait your hook with a red knotted worme ; but i hold a menow better : put the hook in at the back of the menow , betwixt the fish and the skin , that the menow may swim up and down alive , being boyed up with a cork or quill , that the menow may have liberty to swimme a foot off the the ground : there is no doubt of sport with profit . i will shew , a little , my opinion of floating for scale fish in the river or pond : the feed brings the fish together , as the sheep to the pen : there is nothing better in all your anglings , for feed , then bloud and grains ; i hold it better then paste : then plumming your ground , angling with fine tackles , as single haire for halfe the line next the hook , round and small plumed , according to your float : for the bait , there is a small red worm , with a yellow tip on his taile , is very good ; brandlins , gentles , paste , or cadice , which we call cod-bait , they lye in a gravelly husk under stones in the river : these be the speciall baits for these kinde of fish . one of my name was the best trouler , for a pike , in this realme : he laid a wager , that he would take a pike of four foot long , of fish , within the space of one moneth , with his trouling-rod ; so he trouled three weeks and odde dayes , and took many great pikes , nigh the length , but did not reach the full length , till within the space of three dayes of the time ; then he took one , and won the wager . the manner of his trouling was , with a hazell rod of twelve foot long , with a ring of wyre in the the top of his rod , for his line to runne thorow : within two foot of the bottome of the rod there was a hole made , for to put in a winde , to turne with a barrell , to gather up his line , and loose at his pleasure ; this was his manner of trouling : but i will pawn my credit , that i will shew a way , either in maior , pond , or river , that shall take more pikes than any trouler with his rod : and thus it is . first , take forked stick , a line of twelve yards long wound upon it , at the upper end , leave about a yard , either to tye a bunch of sags , or a bladder , to boy up the fish , and to carry it from the ground : the bait must be a live fish , either dace , or gudgin , or roach , or a small trout : the forked stick must have a slit in the one side of the fork to put in the line , that you may set your live fish to swimme at a gage , that when the pike taketh the bait , he may have the full liberty of the line for his feed . you may turne these loose , either in pond or river : in the pond with the winde all day long , the more the better : at night set some small weight , as may stay the boy , as a ship lyeth at anchor , till the fish taketh . for the river , you must turne all loose with the streame ; two or three be sufficient to shew pleasure , gaged at such a depth as they will go currant downe the river ; there is no doubt of sport , if there be pikes : for the hooks , they must be doubled hooks , the shanks should be somewhat shorter then ordinary : my reason is , the shorter the hook is of the shank , it will hurt the live fish the lesse , and must be armed with small wyre well softned ; but i hold a hook armed with twisted silk to be better , for it will hurt the live fish least . if you arm your hook with wyre , the neeld must be made with a small hook at the one end thereof . if you arme with silke , the neeld must be made with an eye : then must you take one of those baits alive ( which you can get ) and with one of your neelds enter within a strawes breadth of the gill of the fish , so put the neeld betwixt the skin and the fish ; then pull the neeld out at the hindmost sinne , and draw the arming thorow the fish , untill the hook come to lye close to the fishes bodie : but i hold for those that be armed with wyre to take off the hook , and put the neeld in the hindmost sin and so to come forth at the gill ; then put on the hook drawn close to the body , 't will hurt the live fsh the less , so knit the arming with the live fish to the line ; then put off either in maior or pond , with the winde , in the river with the stream : the more you put off in maior or pond , you are like to have the more pleasure : for the river i have shewed you before . there is a time when pikes goe a frogging ditches , and in the river to sun them , as in may , june and july , there is a speedy way to take them , and not to misse scarce one in twenty . you must take a line of six or eight foot long , arm a large hook , of the largest size that is made ; arm it to your line , lead the shank of your hook very handsom , that it may be of such a weight as you may guide the hook at your pleasure : you may strike the pike , you see , with the bare hook where you please : this line and hook doth far exceed snaring . the principall sport to take a pike , is to take a goose or gander , or duck : take one of the pike lines i have shewed you before : tye the line under the left wing , and over the right wing , about the body , as a man weareth his belt : turne the goose off into a pond , where pikes are , there is no doubt of sport , with great pleasure , betwixt the goose and the pike : it is the greatest sport and pleasure that a noble gentleman in shropshire doth give his friends entertainment with . the way to make the best paste is , take a reasonable quantity of fresh butter , as much fresh sheeps suet , a reasonable quantity of the strongest cheese you can get , with the soft of an old stale white loafe ; beat all this in a morter till it come to perfect paste ; put as much on your hook as a green pease . there are many wayes to take eeles : i will shew you a good way to take a dish of eeles . when you stay a night or two angling , take four or five lines , such as be laid for pikes , of fourteen or fifteen yards long , and at every two yards make a noose , to hang a hook armed either to double thred , or silk twist ; for it is better then wyre : bait your hooks with millors-thumbs , loaches , menowes , or gudgins : tye to every noose a line baited : these lines must be laid crosse the river in the deepest places , either with stones , or pegged , so the line lie in the bottome of the river , there is no doubt of taking a dish of eeles ; you must have a small neeld with an eye , to bait your hooks . now to shew how to make flies : learn to make two flies , and make all : that is , the palmer ribbed with silver or gold , and the may-flie : these are the ground of all flies . we will begin to make the palmer flie : you must arme your line on the inside of the hook ; take your scisers , and cut so much of the brown of the mallards feather , as in your owne reason shall make the wings , then lay the outmost part of the feather next the hook , and the point of the feather towards the shanke of the hook , then whip it three or four times about the hook with the same silk you armed the hook : then make your silk fast : then you must take the hackle of the neck of a cock or capon , or a plovers top , which is the best , take off the one side of the feather , then you must take the hackle silk , or cruell , gold or silver thred ; make all these fast at the bent of the hook , then you must begin with cruell , and silver , or gold , and work it up to the wings , every bout shifting your fingers , and making a stop , then the gold will fall right , then make fast : then worke up the hackle to the same place , then make the hackle fast : then you must take the hook betwixt your finger and thumb , in the left hand , with a neeld or pin , part the wings in two : then with the arming silk , as you have fastned all hitherto , whip about as it falleth crosse betwixt the wings , then with your thumb you must turne the point of the feather towards the bent of the hook , then work three or four times about the shank , so fasten , then view the proportion . for the other flies : if you make the grounds of hogs-wooll , sandy , black , or white ; or the wooll of a bear , or of a two year old red bullock : you must work al these grounds upon a waxed silk , then you must arm and set on the wings , as i have shewed before : for the may-flie , you work the body with some of these grounds , which is very good , ribbed with a black hair ; you may work the body with cruels , imitating the colour , or with silver , with suiting the wings . for the oak-flie , you must make him with orange-tauny and black , for the body , and the brown of the mallards feather for the wings . if you do after my directions , they will kill fish , observing the times fitting , and follow my former directions . if any worthy or honest angler cannot hit of these my directions , let him come to me , he shall read and i will work , he shall see all things done according to my foresaid directions : so i conclude for the flies having shewed you my true experiments , with the rod , i will set all labouring sports aside : and now i am waiting on my lord with a great dish of trouts , who meeting with company , commanded me to turne scullion , and dresse a dinner of the trouts wee had taken : whereupon i gave my lord this bill of fare , which i did furnish his table with , according as it was furnished with flesh . trouts in broth , which is restorative : trouts broyled , cut and filled with sweet herbes chopt : trouts calvored hot with antchovaes sauce : trouts boyled ; out of which kettle i make three dishes ; the one for a soused dish , another for a stew'd dish , the third for a hot dish : the sauce is butter , vinegar , beaten cinamon , with the juyce of a lemmon , beaten very well together , that the sauce is white and thick , or else it is no sauce for a great mans table : trouts fryed , which must be done , and not put into the pan , untill the suet boyle very high , and kept with stirring all the time they are frying , being flowr'd first . trouts stew'd : trouts close , boyled with the calvored trouts , all in one kettle and the same liquor : trouts butter'd with egs : trouts roasted : trouts baked : these are for the first course , before the salt . and these are for the latter course . trouts calvored cold : trouts flat cold : baked trouts : trouts marilled , that will eat perfect and sweet three moneths in the heat of summer : if i did say , for the whole year about , i would make it good . for the dressing of four or five of the dishes , i will shew you how i did perform them . first , i will shew you for the boyling and calvoring , that serves for hot and cold , for first and latter course . first , you must draw out the intrails of the fish , cutting the fish two or three times in the back ; lay them in a tray or platter , put some vinegar upon them ; you shall see the fish turn sanguine , if they be new , presently : you must put so much water in the kettle as you thinke will cover them , with a pint of vinegar , a handfull of salt , some rosemary and thyme and sweet marjoram tyed in a bunch : then you must make this liquor boyle with a fierce fire made of wood : when the liquor hath boyled very well , put in your fish by one and one , keeping your liquor alwayes boyling , untill you have put all in : having provided a cover for your kettle , so put on the cover : you must have a paire of bellowes to blow up the fire with speed , that the liquor may boyle up to the top of the kettle ; so the fierce boiling will make the fish to calvor : provided , the fish be new killed : you may let them boile nigh a quarter of an hour ; when they are cold , you may put them in a tray or earthen pan , untill you have occasion to use them : be sure they lie covered . for your stewed trouts , you must cut them on the side , as for broiling : there are divers wayes of stewing ; the english hath one way , the french hath another way , the italian hath another way : i may speak this ; for i have been admitted into the kitchins , to furnish men of most nations , when they have been in england . we will begin with the english : he broyleth first upon a charcoale fire : the first thing that you must have a care of is , when your grid-iron is hot you must coole it with ruff suet , then the skin of your fish will not break , with care of turning them : when they are nigh broyled , take them off the grid-iron ; set on a chafing-dish of coals in a stew-pan , or dish ; put in a good quantity of fresh butter , so much vinegar as will give the relish , a penny-worth of beaten cinamon ; then put in your broyled fish , and let them stew , about halfe an houre will be sufficient , being turned : adorn your dish with sippets , take the fish out of the stew-pan , lay them for the service , be sure to squease a lemmon on them : i will warrant them good victuall . the italian he stewes upon a chasing-dish of coals , with white-wine , cloves , and mace , nutmegs sliced , a little ginger : you must understand when this fish is stewed , the same liquor that the fish is stewed in , must be beaten with some butter and the juyce of a lemmon , before it is dish'd for the service . the french doe add to this a slice or two of bacon . i will shew you the way to marrionate a trout or other fish , that will keep a quarter of a yeare in summer , which is the italians rarest dish for fresh fish , and will eat perfect and sweet . you must take out the intrailes as you doe of other fish , and cut them a-crosse the sides , as you do to broyle , washed clean , dried with a cloth , lay them upon a tray or board , sprinkle a little salt on them , and flowre them as to frie them , so take your frying-pan with so much suet , when it is melted , as the fish may lye to the mid-side in the liquor , and so fry them ; and every time you turn them , flower them againe , untill you finde the fish fryed sufficient : when you think the fish is fryed , take it out of the pan , and lay it upon some thing , that the liquor may draine out of it ; when the fish is cold , you may reare it an end . you must have a close vessell to keep this fish and liquor in , that no winde comes in , according to the quantity you make triall of . for the liquor . first , you must take halfe claret-wine , the other halfe vinegar , two or three bay-leaves , so much saffron as a nut tyed in a cloth , with some cloves and large mace , some nutmeg sliced ; boile all these together very well ; when the liquor is cold , and the fish cold , put the fish and liquor into the close vessell , with three or four lemmons sliced among the fish ; make all close that no winde can get into the vessell ; after eight or ten days you may begin to eat of this fish ; the sauce must be some of the same liquor , with some of a sliced lemmon . to dresse a pike . when the pike cometh into the kitchin , kill it ; then take a handfull of salt , with water , and rub the fish very well to take the slime off , draw out the intrailes ; wash the pike cleane , put a handfull of salt in the pikes belly ; then take so much water , with a pinte of vinegar : if the pike be any thing large , you must put in at least three handfull of salt , with a bunch of rosemary , thyme , and sweet marjoram , and two or three green onyons ; boyle your liquor very well with a high fire made of wood ; then put in your pike , cover your kettle , with your bellows keep your kettle boiling verie high for the space of halfe an houre or thereabouts : a pike asketh great boiling : for the sauce , it is sweet butter well beaten with some of the top of the same liquor , with two or three antchovaes , the skin taken off , and the bones taken out , a little vinegar , so garnish your dish : when your pike is dished , take the juyce of a lemmon and put on the top of the fish : there is no doubt but it is good victuall . i could set downe as many wayes to dress eeles , as would furnish a lords table : but i will relate but one . take off the skinne whole , till you come within two inches of the taile , beginning at the head : take out the intrailes , wash the eele cleane , drie it with a cloth , scotch it all along both the sides ; take some pepper and salt , mixe them together , rub the eele well with the pepper , and salt ; draw the skinne on againe whole ; tye the skinne about the head with a little thred lapped round , broyled on a charcoale fire , let your grid-iron be hot , rub your grid-iron with some ruffe suet ; the skinne will not burne ; this is good ; but take the skin off , and stew the eele betwixt two dishes , on a chafing-dish of coals , with sweet butter , vinegar , and beaten cinnamon , they will be better . the boyling of a carp is the very same way as i have shewed for the trout , the scales on : no better sauce can be made then the antchovaes sauce . the high boyling is the way for all fresh-water fish : i have served seven times seven years , to see the experiment . if there be any gentleman that liveth adjoyning to a river side , where trouts are ; i will shew the way to bring them to feed , that he may see them at his pleasure ; and to bring store to the place . gather great garden-wormes , the quantity of a pinte , or a quart , chop them in pieces , and throw them where you intend to have your pleasure ; with feeding often , there is no doubt of their comming ; they will come as sheep to the pen : you must begin to feed with peeces of worms , by hand , by one and one , untill you see them eat ; then you may feed with liver or lights , so your desire will be effected . and thus i conclude this short treatise . finis . the anglers delight containing the whole art of neat and clean angling; wherein is taught the readiest way to take all sorts of fish, from the pike to the minnow, together with their proper baits, haunts, and time of fishing for them, whether in mere, pond, or river. as also, the method of fishing in hackney river, & the names of all the best stands there; with the manner of making all sorts of good tackle fit for any water whatsoever. the like never before in print. by william gilbert, gent. gilbert, william, 17th cent. 1676 approx. 43 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 36 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2008-09 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a42741 wing g725a estc r223676 99833963 99833963 38442 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 0 1.0 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 1, no. a42741) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 38442) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 1831:08) the anglers delight containing the whole art of neat and clean angling; wherein is taught the readiest way to take all sorts of fish, from the pike to the minnow, together with their proper baits, haunts, and time of fishing for them, whether in mere, pond, or river. as also, the method of fishing in hackney river, & the names of all the best stands there; with the manner of making all sorts of good tackle fit for any water whatsoever. the like never before in print. by william gilbert, gent. gilbert, william, 17th cent. [10], 45, [1] p. : ill. printed [by t.m.] for w. birch at the peacock at the lower end of cheapside, london : 1676. "the method of fishing in hackney-river" has a separate dated title page on p. [33], with imprint: ... printed by t.m. for w. birch, ...". reproduction of the original at the british library. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.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 1473 and 1700 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 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. 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. 5% (or 5 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 100 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 4 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-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng fishing -great britain -handbooks, manuals, etc. -early works to 1800. 2007-07 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2007-07 aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images 2007-09 pip willcox sampled and proofread 2007-09 pip willcox text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion with allowance , october 20th . 1674. roger l'estrange . the anglers delight : containing the whole art of neat and clean angling ; wherein is taught the readiest way to take all sorts of fish , from the pike to the minnow , together with their proper baits , haunts , and time of fishing for them , whether in mere , pond , or river . as also , the method of fishing in hackney river , & the names of all the best stands there ; with the manner of making all sorts of good tackle fit for any water whatsoever . the like never before in print . by william gilbert , gent. depiction of a fisherman fishing. london , printed for w. birch at the peacock at the lower end of cheapside , 1676. to the right honourable , and worthily admired sr. richard fisher . since it is generally known , that no man lives without fault ; but that we all transgress daily , even against our soveraign good , from whom notwithstanding , we receive innumerable benefits , with large promises of forgiveness : so in this case , i have a matter of encouragement , that , although i may have offended , thus rashly appearing , to offer these following lines to your view , ( no wayes to be compared to your great , and masculine spirit ; ) yet that i should not doubt of your obliviating this my present offence ; but also obtain ( from your real generosity ) a favourable acceptation , and reception of these first-fruits of my publick endeavours : i have taken the boldness to make this dedication , hoping that my presumption ( taken as an error ) may be understood to proceed from the assurance of countenance , under so worthy a personage ; whereby it may more safely appear upon the stage of the world , encounter the greatest oppositions , and rest secure from the cruelty of envy . the great god , who hath hitherto blessed you with health and means , continue the same , and multiply it to your last period : and when you shall cease to be among the living , give you the full fruition of eternal glory ; so wisheth , sir , a real honourer of you , and all your worthy family . w. gilbert . to all the ingenious lovers & practicers of the most noble science of angling . kind reader , i know ( and you know ) that the wits of this age are ripe , accute , and various , and how to please all men , is a task too great for my vndertaking ; i have here laid open the whole art and mistery of clean , neat , and gentile angling , in a far more plain , and easie way , than ever was yet in print ; all from experience , and not borrowed from other books , and many things never before heard of , by most people : so that , if there be any thing that may yield you profit , solace of mind , recreation of spirit , or content , i have my end , and shall rejoyce , and think my time well spent ; otherwise i shall be troubled that there is nothing worthy your acceptance , and only intreat you to lay down the book again , and there is no harm done between you , and an artist's friend , w. g. the anglers delight . of the pike , and how to take him several wayes . this pike is the king and commander of all fresh-water fish ; therefore i begin with him first : and he is ravenous , that i my self , at boately , near oxford , with my trole , took a great over-grown pike , that was within an inch of a yard-long ; and when he came to be opened , he had an other large one , of above a quarter of a yard-long , in his belly : and i will , upon occasion , bring evidence , that the pike , which was taken out of the others belly , had a small bird that is used to lodge in the reeds , in the pouch of it : but no more of this . now for my promise , which was , how to catch this depiction of a pike his feeding is generally of roach , dace , gudgeons , or froggs ; but above all , he delighteth most in fair gudgeons : and where there is not store of small fish , he feeds of a weed called , pike-rell-weed . now your first way of taking a pike , that i shall teach , is , by a frixed bait , which is done ( if in a standing water ) by having a line of about twenty yards long , made fast to a stick , stuck in the ground ; and having baited your hook with a live gudgeon , roach , or dace , throw it as far as conveniently you can , or in the like-liest place you see for a pike , leaving two yards , or there-abouts , loose upon the ground by your peg , that you may see when your line is run out strait ; at which time be assured , that you have got a pike . you may make use of as many lines as you please , the more you lay out , the like-lier you are to have the more sport. but if you would take a pike in a river , or any other moving water , i will shew you the best way ever invented , which you may perceive by the figure . diagram of a method for fishing for pike take a piece of cork , about little more than a quarter of an inch thick , cut it round , as you see in the figure , and then hollow it round the sides , to lap or wind your line in , which must be about twelve yards ; tye it fast round the cork , and tye a hook to it , baited with a live bait , as you see in the figure : and when you have left so much of the line , at the end the fish hung to , as you think will reach half depth of the water you intend to fish in , catch your line in the cleft of the stick , which must be put through the cork , as you see the figure ; and this will boy up your bait , at any distance you place it . this being done , throw your cork , line , and fish , all into the middle of the water you intend to fish ; if in a river , the stream will carry it down ; in a mere or pond , the wind will give it motion : so that , if you have but two or three of these , you need not fear sport enough . now , when the pike bites , his snatching so eagerly , as they generally do , pulls your line out of the cleft in the stick , and gives him the whole length of the line , to pouch your bait with : this being done , he will run up and down a little , but will presently be tyred ; but let him go whither he will , you need not fear ; for , your boy will continually be above water . now to take him , you must have a strong piece of three twist pack-thred , of thirty yards long , with a plummet at the end , of a quarter of a pound weight ; which cast beyond the line , between your boy and the pike , and let it sink ; and it will bring you both boy and pike : so that , try all the wayes that are , you will find none so pleasant or profitable as this , to take a pike . many use to troule for a pike ; but that is so easie , that i shall not spend time in giving directions : for , it will be far easier learnt , by once going with any person that understands it , in ones day time , than is possible to be taught by a printed direction . so much for the taking of him . now for the dressing of him . all pikes , that are not half a yard long , are fitter to be fryed or boyled , than any other way ; but for a pike to exceed that length , either little or more , roast him in this manner : first , open your pike at the gills , and if need be , give a little cutt towards his belly ; out of these take his guts , but keep his liver , which you are to shred very small with tyme , sweet-marjerome , and a little winter-savory ; to these put some pickled oysters , and some anchovies , two or three of both , the last whole ( for the anchovies will melt , and the oysters should not ) ; to these add a pound of sweet-butter , which you are to mix with the herbs that are shred ; and let them all be well salted : those being mixed with a blade or two of mace , must be put into the pike's belly , and then his belly sowed up so close , that , if possible , it may keep all the butter in his belly . take not off his scales : then you are to thrust the spit through his mouth , out at the tayle : and then with five or six split stixs , or very thin lathes , with a good quantity of filliting . these lathes are to be tyed round about the pikes belly , from his head to his tayle , and the tape tyed something thick to prevent his breaking or falling from off the spit . let him be roasted very leasurely , and often basted with claret vvine , and anchovies , and butter , mixt together ; and also , with what moysture falls from him into the pan. vvhen you have roasted him sufficiently , you are to hold under him , ( when you unwind , or cutt the tape that tyes him ) such a dish as you intend to eat him out of , and let him fall into it , with the sauce which is roasted in his belly ; and by this means the pike will be kept unbroken , and compleat . then , to the sauce which was within , and also in the pan , you are to add a fit quantity of good butter , and to squeeze the juyce of three or four oranges : lastly , you may either put into the pike , with the oysters , two cloves of garlick , and take it whole out , when the pike is cutt off the spit ; or , to give the sauce a hogo , let the dish ( into which you let the pike fall ) be rubbed with it . the using , or not using of this garlick , is left to your discretion . e. h. so much of the taking of a pike , and the best way of dressing of him . i shall now come to the way of fishing for , and dressing of a trout . of the trout . the nature of his breeding , and the place of his haunts ; and how to take him either with worm , minnow , or fly. he is an excellent fish , and highly admired by all people , in all nations . he hath some-thing of the nature of venison , being so like to a buck , that he comes-in , and goes out of season , even as the stag and buck do . he may claym place of all fresh-water fish , for precedency , and daintiness of tast ; for , the most curious palats , when he hath been in season , have admired him . he is at his perfection in may , and doth decline , as before , with the buck. he spawn's generally about october , or november . his haunts are in gravelly clear rivers , in the most shady places . he delights much near wires , and fludgates , and any falls of waters . his baits are , usually , that he is caught with , a worm , or a minnow , or else with a flye , viz. either natural , or artificial flye . first of worms ; there are many , as earth-vvorms ; others that are bred of plants , as the dug'd-vvorme ; others of excrements , or in the bodies of creatures , as the maggot , or gentle , &c. but of all these , the dew , or lob-worm , and the brandling , are the best for a trout . depiction of a trout now to bait your hook neatly , that it may trole or runn upon the ground , without tangling , or catching against any sticks , gravel , or weeds , observe : if you have a big lob-worme , put your hook into it , some-what above the middle , and out again , a little below the middle ; having so done , draw your worme above the arming of your hook. but note , that at the entring of your hook , it must not be at the head-end of the worme ; because the point of your hook may come out towards the head-end : and having drawn him above the arming of your hook , then put the point of your hook again into the very head of the worme , till it come near the place where the point of the hook first came out , and then draw back that part of the worme that was above the shank , or arming of the hook , and so fish with it . but if you mean to fish with two worms , which you may do : if one be not big enough , then put the second worme , before you turn back the hook's head of the first worme . so a little trying will make you expert ; and you may fish without danger of stopping or catching upon any gravel , or the like . for the minnows . they may be had easily in march or april ; for then they appear in the river , where you may take them at your pleasure : of which , for to take a trout , the middle size are best , and must be so put upon your hook , that it must turn round , when it is drawn against the stream ; and for the nimbler turning thereof , put it upon a big sized hook , which put in , at his mouth , and out at his gill ; then your hook being drawn two or three inches beyond his gill , put it again into his mouth , and the point and beard out at his tayle ; and then tye the hook , and his tayle very neatly , with a white thred or silk , which will make it the apter to turn quick in the water : that being done , pull back that part of your line , which was slack , when you put your hook into the minnow , the second time : so that , it shall fasten the head ; and the body of the minnow shall be almost straight on your hook. then try how it will turn , by drawing it cross the water , or against the stream ; and so turn the tayle to your right or left hand , till it turns to please you ; if not , you 're not likely to catch any thing ; if you cannot get a minnow , a loach or a stickle-bag , will serve neer as well : if you can get an artificial minnow at the shops , you had best take one with you , lest you fail elsewhere . as for flyes . i think either for trout , or any other fish , that will rise at flyes , those that they rise-at most , that season when you fish for them , are the best to take them with ; and there are so many , that i cannot ( for fear of making my little piece swell beyond its price ) stand to name them . now , as to the artificial flyes , take only this rule with you ; that is , to provide all colours of silk , and feathers , and such things as are convenient for the making of them : and never go about to make one , artificially , without a natural one before you , what-ever it is you would imitate : but you had better go , or send , to the three fishes , over-against the little north-door of st. pauls , in london , where you may have them better and cheaper , than you can make them : and so much of the trout . of the barbel . his haunts , baits , and the manner of taking him . they are a fish , that love to keep one another company dearly , and flock together much : they are at worst in april , at which time they spawne ; but are not long before they come in season again . he loves ( all the summer ) the shallow , and sharp streams , and lies lurking under weeds , and feeds most on gravel , against a rising ground ; for , he roots with his nose like a hog , and nests himself in the gravel . he loves also such places as london-bridge , or any deep place , where the fierceness of the water , stirs the gravel ; where he will take hold of mosse , or weeds , that the water , though never so fierce , is not able to stir him . he is mighty curious in his baits , and if they be not sweet and clean , he will not touch them ; therefore you must have your wormes well scoured with mosse , and he will bite at a well-scoured lob-worme , as boldly , as at any bait whatsoever : but your best way will be , to bait the place where you intend to fish for them , with some lob-wormes , cutt to pieces , a night or two before you go to fish . you cannot bait too much ; nor well fish too early , or late , for him . gentiles are also a good bait for him ; but then they must not be scoured . many use cheese , which is also a good bait. he is a very fine fish , to look on ; but not so good as he seems to be . depiction of a barbel so much of the barbel . of the cheven , or chub. his haunts , baits , and manner of taking him ; as also , the best way of dressing him . the chubs or chevens , ( in hot weather ) lye playing together , under the shade of willows , or weeds ; and when the sun shines not , then generally they lye where the water runs neither fast nor slow , under a bank , where they have covert enough , or else in the deep , in the midst of rivers . they delight in grass-hoppers , snails , paste , or cheese , of which i shall give you an account , when you come to my method of hackney fish . i shall only here give you directions , how you may , the best way , dresse this chub , or cheven , viz. first , scale him , and then wash him clean , and take out his guts ; and to that end , make the hole as little , and as near to his gills as you can possibly : and especially make clean his throat from the grasse , and vveeds , that are usually in it ( for else if that be not clean , it will make him tast mighty sowr ) ; having so done , put some sweet herbs into his belly , and then tye him with two or three splinters to a spit , and roast him , basted often with vinegar ; or rather verjuce and butter , with good store of salt mixed with it ; and so much of the chub , or cheven . of the carp. his haunts , baits , and way to fish for him , and to dresse him . now if you have a mind to catch this carp , that is so cunning , and difficult to be caught ; depiction of a carp first , you must expect to have your patience sufficiently tyred , if you fish for a river-carp ; and like-wise in some ponds too : if you intend to do any good with him , you must be at him either early or late ; for , they will not bite in the middle of the day . you must ( if you fish in a pond for a carp ) first , throw in blood and grains , or the like , to bring them to the place where you would fish ; and then some of the same bait which you intend to angle with . the carp bites either at worms or paste . the blew-marsh or medow-worm , is best for him . when he is in the humour , he will some-times bite at a large gentle : and for pastes , there are more sorts , than there are sorts of fishes ; but sweet-pastes are best , that are made either with sugar or honey : which ( that you may the better beguile him , he being so cunning ) should be thrown where you intend to fish , an hour or two before you undertake your skill with your angle-rod : and your best bait is made of the flesh of a rabbet , kitling , cutt small ; and bean-flower : and if that may not be gotten , other flower ; mix them together , and put thereto either honey , or sugar ; and beat them together in a mortar , sometime working them in your hands , being very clean , and make it into a ball or two , as you think fittest for your use . diagram showing size of bait to dresse a carp. if you can take him alive , scove him , and rub him clean with vvater and salt : but scale him not then . open him , and put him , with his blood , and liver ( which you must save when you open him ) into a small pot or kettle . then take sweet-marjerome , tyme , and parsley , of each half a handful ; a sprig of rose-mary , and another of savory ; bind them in two or three small bundles , and put them to your carp , with four or five whole onions , twenty pickled oysters , and three anchovies ; then put upon the carp as much claret as will cover him ; and season your claret well with salt , cloves , and mace , and the rinds of oranges and lemmons . cover your pot , and set it on a quick fire , till it be sufficiently boyled : then take out the carp , and lay it with the broth into the dish , and pour upon it a quarter of a pound of fresh butter , melted , and beaten with half a dozen spoonfuls of broth , the yolkes of two or three eggs , and some of the herbs shred . garnish your dish with lemmons , and so serve it up . j. h. so much of the carp. of the bream , and how to take him . depiction of a bream depiction of a lead weight now , the worm being well baited , it will crawle up and down , as far as the lead will give it leave ; which much enticeth the fish to bite without suspition . your float must be ( part of it ) an inch above the water : then where you think there is fish , angle : but first note , that you must bait your ground at night , and fish about four in the morning ; and without doubt , you will not fail of sport enough . so much for bream-fishing . of the tench , and how to fish for him. depiction of a tench he delights much in any paste , wherewith tar is mixed . he will bite also at a smaller worm , with his head nipped off ; and at a cod-vvorm , put on the hook before . he onely bites in the three hottest months in the year ; for , in the other nine , he stirs not at all . vvhatsoever bait you fish for him with , be sure you dip it in tar ; and be chewing still some of the crum of a white-loafe ; and be often a casting of it into the water where you fish , round about your float ; and if they once begin to bite , you will catch them as fast as you can lay-in : and so much of the tench . of the pearch . and how to take him. depiction of a perch his baits are , a worm , a minnow , or a little frog ; of which you may find many in hay-time ; and the best worm is a brandling , which you will find in most dung-hills ; but they must be well scoured in mosse , or fennel ; or a worm that lies under a cow-turd , with a blewish-head . if you fish for him with a minnow-bait , as i directed you to bait for a trout : observe to keep your minnow , fishing for a pearch , at mid-water , by the help of a cork ; but be sure , what-ever you fish with , give a pearch time enough in biting ; for he will not leave you . and this is sufficient for mr. pearch ; for , every boy can catch him , he is so bold . of eeles , and how to take them ; their haunts , &c. and how to dresse them . an eele is caught by more baits than any other fish ; for , they are so greedy , that they will bite at powder'd-beef ; and be taken with a lob-worm , or a garden-worm ; with a minnow , or gut of a hen , chicken , or the guts of any fish : but the eele may be ( especially ) taken with a very little lamprey ; but some call it a pride : and may ( in the hot months ) be found in the river thames . now an eele never ( except it be by chance ) stirs in the day-time ; and therefore , are usually caught in the night , by laying a line , with a many hooks to it , cross a river or pond ; baited with some of the afore-said baits : but these are things so common , that it is not worth while to write of . but there is a very pretty way to take them , which is called snigling , which is thus ; observe your time ( which must be in a hot summers-day ) when the water is lowest , you may take a strong small hook , tyed to a small strong line , about a yard long : and then ( because that the eeles hide themselves under board-planks , about floud-gates , or wires , or mills , or in holes in the river-banks , ) you may put into one of these holes , or between any boards about a mill , or under any great stone , or plank , or any place where you think an eele may hide , or shelter her self ) there ( by the help of a short stick ) put-in your bait ; but leasurely , and as far as you can conveniently ; and if there be an eel there , he will certainly gorge up your bait ; and you need not doubt to have him , if you pull him not out too soon , but by degrees : and see , here he comes . depiction of an eel how to dresse this eele . first , wash him in water and salt , and then pull off his skin , below his rent , or navel , and not much farther : having done that , take out his guts as clean as you can ; but wash him not . then give him three or four scotches with a knife ; and put into his belly , & into these scotches , sweet-herbs , and anchovies , and a little grated nut meg ; and your herbs , and anchovies must also be cutt very small , and mixed with good butter and salt. having done this , then pull his skin over all but his head , which you must cutt off . by the reason you may tye the skin over the end where his head grew , it must needs keep all his moysture within his skin . then tye him to a spit , with tape or pack-thred , and roast him leasurely ; and baste him with water and salt , till his skin breaks : and then with butter , having roasted him enough , let what was put into his belly , and what he dropt , be his sawce : and so far of eeles . finis . the method of fishing in hackney-river ; with the names of all the best stands there ; and the manner of making the best tackling to fish there , or in any pond , or river , whatsoever . by william gilbert , gent. london : printed by t. m. for w. birch , at the sign of the peacock , at the lower-end of cheap-side , 1676. the anglers delight : or , the method of fishing in hackney-river . of making the tackle . depictions of fish-hooks the bleak , or gudgeon . the roach , or dace . the roach . the pearch , or barbel . the chub. next , you must be provided with excellent strong , round , long , and white or gray stone-horse-hair ; silk to whip your hooks with , and wax to wax the silk . then must you have swans , and goose-quill-floats , of all sizes ; and for chub-lines , or barbel-lines , you may buy them cheaper of silk and hair , than you can make them : but for hair-lines , you will not meet with any to be sold , that you can do any good with , in hackney-river : therefore , being thus provided , begin to make ( first ) a line for the chub , or cheven ; putting eight hairs in the first link next your rod ; and so make it taper ( by leaving out a hair every other link ) till you have made it ; when it comes to the last , to be but four or five hairs at the bottom ; to which , tye such a hook as is before described for the chub. depiction of a fishing line with float, lead and hook now , for your roach , and dace-lines , they must be far more fine ; for , you must not ( by any means ) exceed above one hair , at , or next the hook , or two at the most ; for , if you do , where you take one fish , they that fish with a single hair , will catch half a dozen : and observe , that , be it for what fish you will , the finer you fish , the more , and larger fish you will catch . but you must never be without your landing-hook , or landing-net . depiction of a fishing line when you have two or three of a sort of these lines , and shots , and floates , links , hooks , and supplies for every thing that you can possibly use ; then go to mother gibert's , at the flower-de-luce at clapton , near hackney and whilst you are drinking of a pot ale , bid the maid make you two or three peny-worth of ground-bait , and some paste ( which they do very neatly , and well ) ; and observing of them , you will know how to make it your self for any other place : which is too tedious here to insert . then go down to cunnis-hole , or else maries-hole ; where pull out your tackle , and fish there-abouts ; first , plumming your ground exactly , that your paste may swim within half an inch of the bottom . depiction of lead plummets diagram showing size of float diagram showing size of bait now , you must observe , that your float swim just over the place , where your ground-bait lies ; and then observing ( with a diligent and quick eye ) the first motion of your float , that then you strike gently ; and , according as as you find the weight of the fish you have hold of , to play him : you need not doubt of sport enough , following but these directions . there is an excellent stand , in the second meddow , on the left-hand , beyond the ferry , under a willow-tree ; in the midst of the meddow , by the water-side . but in my former piece ( where i did speak of the chub ) , i did promise that i would give farther directions for the taking of him ; so that , now , i intend to perform it . and now , when you have filled your basket of roach , and dace ; or else the wind is so high , that you cannot well angle for them , or that you find they will not bite ; then i would have you try this way ( which i am going about to teach you ) to take a chub : and first , observe , that here are large ones in hackney ; and therefore , provide you strong silk , and hair lines , with your swan's-quill-floats , as was before directed : and walk either up or down the river , till you see a place clear from weeds , that you can swim your float half a score yards without danger of entangling : but if you knew the place before , it would be better ; for fear your coming too near the water should fright away the chubs , that may , peradventure , be there : but this must be in such a place as i told you before ( in my discourse of the chub or cheven ) ; where the chub , or cheven's haunts are . diagram showing size of pellet diagram showing line and lead how to make the ground-bait . now , by reason that some people in the country may be ignorant of the way of making this ground-bait , i thought meet to let such know , that it is made by cutting a two-penny , or three penny loafe ( according to the quantity you would make ) into slices , and lay them in soake into a platter of fair water ; which , being soaked half a quarter of an hour , powr the water from it ; and with bran , make the bread up into a stiffe paste ; and then make that paste up into two or three large balls for your use ; which you must make use of according to my former directions . but note , if you fish in a pond you need not put stones into your bait , but rather crumble it . to make paste . this is made by the cutting off , of the crust of a white-loafe , that is two or three dayes old ; and holding it in your hands , being clean washed , about two minutes in fair water till it be soaked ; then squeeze out the water : and ( with a little pains in working of it in your hands ) it will come to be a very stiffe paste , and hang mightily upon the hook without washing off . you may colour it with a little red lead , either more or less , according as you find it most agreeable to the colour of the water where you fish . there are many sorts of pastes ; but i esteem this the best for any fish , excepting a carp ; for , they love sweet pastes best , as those made of bean-flower , honey , &c. i might say more , but i think this sufficient ; only letting you know , that if you would be set-out like a fisher-man , as you ought to be : then , when-ever you go out to fish , faill not to have with you , viz. a good coat for all weathers . an apron to put your ground-bait , stones , and paste in . a basket to put your fish in . a neat rod of about four foot long , in several pieces , one within another . two or three lines fitted up , of all sorts . spare hooks , links , floats , silk , wax , plummets , caps , floats , and a landing-nett , &c. and if you have a boy to go along with you , a good neats-tongue , and a bottle of canary should not be wanting : to the enjoyment of which i leave you. finis . the trade & fishing of great-britain displayed with a description of the islands of orkney and shotland. by captain john smith. smith, john, captain, lieutenant under col. rainsborough. 1661 approx. 41 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 12 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2005-12 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a60466 wing s4097 estc r220078 99831507 99831507 35970 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 0 1.0 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 1, no. a60466) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 35970) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 2045:11) the trade & fishing of great-britain displayed with a description of the islands of orkney and shotland. by captain john smith. smith, john, captain, lieutenant under col. rainsborough. [4], 16 p. printed by william godbid, and are to be sold by nathaniel webb, at the sign of the royal-oake in st paul's church-yard, london : 1661. caption title on p. 1 reads: captain john smith, late of london, merchant, his observations of the islands of orkney and shotland, with the manner of the hollanders fishing in the north or narrow seas, on those coasts, and the coast of england and scotland: .. . reproduction of the original in the british library. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.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 1473 and 1700 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 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. 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. 5% (or 5 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 100 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 4 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-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng fishing -england -early works to 1800. orkney (scotland) -description and travel -early works to 1800. 2005-04 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2005-05 apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images 2005-06 mona logarbo sampled and proofread 2005-06 mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited 2005-10 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the trade & fishing of great-britain displayed : with a description of the islands of orkney and shotland . by captain john smith . london , printed by william godbid , and are to be sold by nathaniel webb , at the sign of the royal-oake in st. paul's church-yard . 1661. to his sacred majesty , charles by the grace of god , of great-britain , france , and ireland king , defender of the faith , &c. may it please your most excellent majesty , encouraged by the proclamation your majesty was graciously pleased to put forth some months since , concerning the fishing-trade , and having gained some little experience in that particular , during my stay upon the coasts of shotland : i presume humbly to offer to your sacred majesty the following discourse , being a short description of that , and the adjoyning islands ; the conveniency of the place , what course the dutch have continually taken , in order to their carrying on that great business ; their infinite gain thereupon , and by what means the industry of the english may render all their trade there inconsiderable . beseeching your majesty's gracious acceptance of this small endeavour , from one of the meanest , yet amongst the faithfullest of your majesty's subjects , john smith . captain john smith , late of london , merchant , his observations of the islands of orkney and shotland , with the manner of the hollanders fishing in the north or narrow seas , on those coasts , and the coast of england and scotland : which doth truly and lively set forth the great benefit that the fishing employments will produce . in the year 1633. being then an apprentice to mr. matthew cradock of london merchant , one of the society for the fishing-trade of great britain , was sent to sea by the right honorable , the earl of pembrook and montgomery , and his associates , for the discovery of the island of shotland , the manner and way of trading , the profits and customs thereof , the setling a staple , building of store-houses , the viewing the ground on shore for landing and drying of nets , making and drying of fish , and the building of block-houses for the security of trade ; the manner of the hollanders fishing for herring with busses , and other vessels for ling and cod , according to the journal kept thereof , is as followeth . we set sail from gravesend the 27th . of april , 1633. and having letters from the earl of pembrook to mr. william dicks of edinburgh in scotland , we directed our course towards scotland ; but by reason of foul weather was forced into harwich , and set sail from thence the 30th . ditto ; the wind not favouring us we came to an anchor in yarmouth-road , and there going on shore was informed , that the hollanders busses did drive at sea for herrings on that coast , and that from the holms before yarmouth to bookness in scotland , north north-east is 96 leagues , and from bookness to the south end of shotland north and by-east about 53 leagues . the fifth of may we set sail from yarmouth , and by stress of wind was forced into scarbrough , and there going on shore was informed of the hollanders busses fishing on that coast , and that from scarbrough northward towards catness , in 45 fathom or thereabouts , in that fair way is usually the first summer herrings caught . from scarbrough we set sail and came to an anchor before leith in scotland the 13th . ditto , where going on shore , and from thence to edinburgh , delivered my letters to mr. william dicks , who was at that time governor of the island of shotland , and did receive the revenue of those islands . having received my instructions and letters from mr. william dicks directed to mr. james scot , who lived at that time in the north parts of the islands of shotland , and was agent or deputy to the said william dicks . we set sail from leith , and came to an anchor at casten in the islands of orkney , the 22 ditto : and because these islands are very considerable as to the fishing trade , i cannot pass them by without a brief description thereof , which is as followeth . the islands of orkney are 31 , and lye from the north and north-east point of scotland ; the first and southermost island is called elhey , but the greatest and chiefest island of orkney is called maland , which lyeth southermost from the point of catness ; on the north side of this great island are the havens , where the ships come to that trade in those parts , and to the island called lewis , and the islands thereabouts . the lewis islands are the islands on the west of scotland , and those seas , being also very considerable as to the fishing trade , i make bold to give account thereof as followeth . these islands lying westward from scotland , and to the northward of ireland , are in number 34. there are four great islands that lie near the main land , but the greatest and chiefest island is called lewis , which lyeth northward from the foresaid islands ; but the northermost of all the islands which lyeth towards the orkanes , about sixteen leagues from lewis , is called rova ; betwixt rova and orkney lye some small islands . the island lewis lyeth from shotland south-west or more westerly about 58 leagues ; and from the south end of lewis to the north-west of ireland is 27 leagues : in and between these islands are many very good sounds and havens for ships . lewis with the islands belonging to it lye south and by-west and south south-west about 29 leagues . i shall farther add to my boldness , and give you an account of the islands of fero. these islands lie northward from the lewis islands about ●4 leagues , and from shotland westerly about 58 leagues , and are in number 22. the sounds and havens are many . the southermost great island is called sugdro : on the north side of this island are several good sounds and havens ; but the best and chiefest of all the havens , and where all the trade and merchandise is , is called tor-haven , which lyeth on the great island strone . but these islands being out of my road , i shall return to my former discourse on the coast of orkney and shotland . the south part of shotland lyeth about 20 leagues northward from the island called maland ; but between the islands of orkney and shotland lie two islands , the one called fair-hill , and the other called fulo ; these two islands lye about 10 leagues one from the other , fulo lyeth north north-east from fair-hill . the island fair-hill lieth from the noth-east point of orkney about 9 leagues , and the southermost point of shotland lyeth from fair-hill north and by-east about 8 leagues , and from fulo east and by-south about four leagues . being informed of the manner of the hollanders fishing for herring , ling , and cod , with busses and doger-boats , in those seas , and the inhabitants of the islands manner and way of fishing , we set sail from casten , and came to an anchor by sunbrough-head , being the south part of shotland , the third of june , and going a shore , spake with the good-man of quandale , one of the chief of those parts ; the said gentleman with other of the inhabitants did inform me of their manner of trading with the hamburgers and others ; and of the hollanders fishing for herring on that coast , also of their doger-boats that fish onely for ling and cod. after i had received information from the inhabitants of the several islands , and the manner of fishing and trading there , we set sail from thence and came to an anchor in bracey-sound , otherwise called broad-sound , a very gallant harbour , where many ships may lie land-lockt for all winds . having informed my self by the inhabitants of those parts of the manner of their trading and fishing , and the hollanders fishing for herrings driving on that coast , we set sail from thence , and came to an anchor in evey-sound , the northermost sound in shotland on the 12 ditto , and there going on shore , i continued about 11 or 12 months , and in that time travelling the greatest part of the island by sea and land , did thereby better inform my self concerning the manner of trading and fishing by the inhabitants , and the hollanders at sea. the land of shotland lyeth north and by-east , and south or south and west about 60 miles . but their many islands belonging to shotland , which i shall have occasion to mention hereafter . that which is most considerable are the sounds and harbours . on the west side of the southward point of shotland , there is a good harbour and sound , called st. magnus , and on the east side near sunbrough-head is a fair sand-bay , where there is good anchoring in ten or twelve fathom ; to the northward of this last sound there is another sound called hambrough-haven , which is a lade-place for the hamburgers and scots . about 9 or 10 leagues from the southward point of shotland there is a chanel that runneth through the land , the south part of the land divided by the chanel is called swanberg , the other part so divided , or the north part , is called laxford ; within this chanel aforesaid are several sounds or harbours , but the best and chiefest sound in shotland is brace-sound , or broad-sound , as before mentioned ; out of this sound the aforesaid channel doth run northward . on the north part of swanberg lieth the high hill of hanglix , from the said hanglix about 9 leagues northward , lie some out-rocks , called the stars ; to the northward of the stars there is a very good harbour , called bloom sound ; to the northward of this last sound is another good haven , called hue-seund , being the northernmost or north-east sound or haven belonging to the island , called ounst . there are other havens or sounds which lyeth through the land , between and about that part of shotland called laxford , and the island called jello . there are also other islands and sounds , which for brevitie sake i forbear to mention . the merchants which trade with the inhabitants of shotland are hamburgers , breamers , luberghers , scots and english. the chief inhabitants of the islands are scots , the meaner or inferior sort are a mixed people of danes and scots . the islands of shotland , as i have been informed , were given to king james of blessed memory , by the king of denmark , with queen ann. being part of her dowry . the commodities of shotland which the inhabitants do for the most part trade withal is ling and cod , which they take with hooks and lines in small boats , called yalls , about the bigness of gravesend oars ; the ling they sell for 3d. a piece , being a ling of the largest size , and is called a gild ling ; if smaller , then we have two for one , or three for two , and so proportionable . the cod is sold for 2d . the gild cod , and is measured as the ling. i bought of fisher-men , the inhabitants of the island called ounst , 11655 gild ling , and 834 gild cod , at 3d. the gild ling , and 2d . the gild cod ; which ling and cod were taken by the said fishermen at several times in their small boats , and brought to my booth , or place of abode every morning as they were caught ; the said ling and cod being very good and merchantable , were salted aboard the ship that landed me , and within seven weeks after my landing , i sent her for london with the said fish to the right honorable the earl of pembrook , as by my books of account , delivered into his hands , and left with him , may appear . there is also other small fish which the inhabitants do catch with angles sitting on the rocks , and in their small boats with hooks and lines in the sounds , and between the islands ; and these small fish are very considerable , for although they cannot spend them by reason of the multitude they take , and have not industry to make use of them for transportation , yet the livers they preserve , and with the livers of the ling and cod , make train-oyle ; but if it were improved , as taking them with nets , the train oyle , i say , would amount to a considerable sum . and if this increase of trade were carried through the whole islands , it would be a great encouragement to all merchants trading into those parts . there were several other merchants in the island where i did inhabit , that bought ling and cod of the fishermen , so that the quantity which i sent for england was not above the fifth part taken in that island : with which the whole quantity of fish that was bought by other merchants throughout the whole islands of shotland being added together , would amount to a very considerable sum or quantity , to the lading of many vessels , which might be much more improved , and encrease trading thereby , furnishing the inhabitants with mony and commodities . in the islands of shotland there were beeves and sheep sold at a very reasonable rate ; i bought for my own use , and the victualing the ship sent to london , three oxen for 3 l. and at an other time four oxen for 5 l. which were fat , and about the bigness of the small fort of cattel we have in england : there were also fat sheep sold for 2s . and 2s . 6d . per sheep ; there were also other creatures for food , as conies and fowl. but desiring not to multiply words , i forbear to mention them . the fuel or firing in shotland is peat and turf . there may be salt-pans set up there , and good salt made to serve all the fishing fleet. there are very good shores for landing and drying of nets , and making and drying fish. there is no night in the north of shotland part of two months in the year , as june and july . in an island north of ounst , being not inhabited , but stockt with wild cows and conies , i did kill with my birding-piece ten couple of conies in one night , shooting from a little before sun-set to sun-rising , and it was as light as a cloudy winter-day . i do not remember any frost or snow in shotland ; if any , it was not of long continuance ; the coldest weather is by reason of great winds in the winter-quarter , the wind blowing so violent , that no ship dare look on the north-coast ; so that the people of those islands have little commerce with other nations in that quarter . i can speak by experience , being blown down flat to the ground by the violence of the wind , was forced to creep on my hands and knees to the next wall , and going by the wall got into an house , or else must have stayed by the wall till the violence of the wind were over . sometimes it lasteth half a day , and sometimes more . there are several towns in shotland , so called , being about eight or ten houses together , where they plow and sow corn , as oates , which is their chiefest bread ; and if my memory do not much deceive me , there was good barley growing in my time . but the land might be much improved if the inhabitants were industrious ; they are like unto the idle irish , not improving any thing either by sea or land , spending that in the winter which they get in summer ; although their winter might be very profitable unto them , if they were laborious and industrious , as the hollanders are . the goods and commodities that are vendible in shotland are hooks and lines for the taking of ling and cod , nets for the taking of herring , strong-beer , bisket , wheaten meal , salt , pease , fruits of all sorts , strong water , monmouth-caps , and many other particulars , which is not needful at this time to mention . the inhabitants of the island of ounst usually have a bark that they trade with to norway , where they may buy timber for houses ready framed , also deal-boards , tar , ships , barks , and boats of all sorts , and other necessaries for their use . with their small fishing-boats , called yalls , they will row into the main about two or three leagues , more or less , where the banks are that they lay their hook and lines for ling and cod ; in one of these boats rowing with two men , and sometimes four , according to the largeness of the boat , they do usually bring to shore every morning that they go to sea , about fifty or sixty ling and cod. there are many barrels of herrings taken by the inhabitants , with their small boats , in the sounds , and at sea not far from land , which are the gleanings of the hollanders busses ; for the busses driving at sea , break the skull or shole of herrings , and then the herrings flee near the shore , and through the sounds , where these small boats , with those nets they have , take them . but if they had better tackling and boats , they might take five hundred barrels for one , which would much enrich the islands , and by encreasing of trade would augment his majesty's revenue . i was an eye-witness of the hollanders busses fishing for herring on the coast of shotland , not far from ounst , one of the northermost islands ; demanding the number of them , was informed by several persons of quality , that the fleet consisted of 1500 sail , and that there were above 20 wafters , as they call'd them , which were ships carrying about 30 guns a piece , being the convoys of the fleet of busses ; which said busses were of the burden of about 80 tun. there were also a small fleet of dogger-boats , which were of the burden of 60 tun and upward , which did fish onely with hooks and lines for ling and cod. many of these boats and busses came into several havens or sounds , to fit and trim themselves . one thing was observable , that within eight or ten days after the dogger-boats went to sea , they came into the sound again so full laden as they could swim . the certain number of dogger-boats i could not learn , but the general report was about 400. the composition of the hollanders , as i was informed after my comming into england , was an annual rent of 100000 l. and 100000 l. in hand ; and never having been paid or brought into the exchequer , as i could hear of , there is in arrearages above 2500000 l. an acceptable sum , and which would come very happily for the present occasions of his majesty . as for the charges in building , rigging , and setting forth the busses to sea , with nets and other materials for the fishing , as also dogger-boats for ling and cod , i refer to several books in print , as , the royal herring-buss fishing ; and , a narrative of the royal fishing , both set forth by mr. simon smith , who is well experienced in those affairs . if god would please to put it into the heart of our gracious king and his subjects to set out such a fleet of busses , as before mentioned , for the fishing-trade , being in our own seas , and on our own ground ; and that the hollanders and all strangers may be discharged from fishing in those seas , and the hamburgers , breamers , and lubeckers , and all strangers , from trading in the islands of orkney and shotland , and that onely the subjects of the three kingdoms may have the trading and fishing , it would make our king one of the greatest monarchs in the world , for riches and glory ; and the three kingdoms the happiest people in christendom , and there would not be one wanting bread ; but the hearts of the subjects would be lifted up with praises to god and our king. for it is well known , that trading is the life of all the habitable world , and therefore much more of these three kingdoms , which are but islands , and so populous , that we are ready to devour one the other ; and if trading be not encreased and maintained amongst us , we shall in a short time be the most despicable people in the world , and the derision of all nations . having in thirty years experience in travelling england , scotland , and ireland , and other parts , observed , that without trading no nation can subsist , which i humbly conceive i shall be able to make good against all opposers thereof , which are enemies to your sacred majesty , and these three kingdoms : and that if there be not an increase of trade powerfully carried on , we are an undone people , as i shall make more fully appear by my ensuing discourse . now it is well known to all , who are not quite ignorant of the course of trade and merchandise , that the traffick of europe hath been engrossed into the hands , and carried on all along by the venetians , genoese , portugalls , easterlings , hollanders , and english ; all which i shall briefly run through , and shew how the failer and decay of one , was the original rise to another , till the whole at present is divided between the hollanders and us . i shall begin with venice , that city therefore and genoa at first , two pretty equal common-wealths , by reason of that mutual advantage they had one of another , and community of trade to the same places , were counter-ballances one to another ; in one thing the venetians than the genoese , in another the genoese than the venetians , being better supplied ; for if the venetians had better shipping , the genoese had richer merchants , and a greater bank , and so they continued : till venice disdaining to be confin'd in so narrow limits , as was the compass of its city , encreased its dominion , and adding to its power greater industry , utterly undid the genoese , undersold them in their best commodities , and so wore them out ; which they could well do , being better in this continuance of time provided , as to men , mony , and all manner of provisions . hence they made themselves lords of all the trade of the levant , comprehending in it turkey , part of africk , and italy : and by multitude of ships of their own , transported the commodities of those countries into france , england , and the netherlands . they made their way also into the indies , and all over persia by their caravans , and by egypt and aleppo returned thence all kind of silks and spices , and sold them at their own rates , where ever they found the best vent , and so they continued to do at excessive rates , though not without extraordinary gains , by reason of the difficulty of conveyance ; till the portingals discovered the passage to the indies by the cape of good hope , receiving in exchange for the commodities so bartered , the staple commodities of all the countries they traded to ; here in england they had for them cloth , tin , lead , &c. and with which we our selves , by our own shipping , cheaper , and with greater gain , might have supplyed italy , turky , and the greatest part of africk . hence also that state , at first confined to a sew scattered islands , on which by degrees they built their city , whither before they onely fled for security , came to encrease and grow to that heighth in which now it is , nay greater in all probability ; for by the decaying of trade , their power and dominion hath sensibly decayed . by the greatness of their trade they enlarged their jurisdiction , both upon the levant seas , and very high into the main land , in lombardy , graecia , on the dukedom of milan ; conquered and purchased many considerable islands in the mediterranean , as candy , zant , cyprus , and other places which lay convenient , both for strength and security of the trade and navigation of that republick . it would be tedious for me to recount how many colonies they have dispersed over the world , and that fear and jealousie other kings and emperors have had of its growing strength ; how that city was thought to have a design upon the soveraignty of italy , and the many combinations to prevent . and all this to have compassed from so small a beginning , onely by the extent of its trade , as its neighbour rome enjoyed it by strength of arms. after the venetians and genoese , the easterlings or hance-towns were master of the trade and commodities transported from moscovy , poland , germany , sweden , prussia , denmark , &c. and with them , by their abundance of shipping , served england , france , spain , and the low-countries . and that in regard of that continual need we had of the commodities of those parts or people , as hemp , all manner of cordage , sope-ashes , flax , pitch , tar , masts , corn , &c. they received in return from us our staple commodities , which by their own ships , at their own rates , they conveyed all over europe , when we for want of shipping could not : but did see their excessive gains , and yet were forced to be content . even here in england they had very great privileges , mighty indulgencies ; and out of that necessity we thought we had of them , finding by them the speediest vent for our commodities , we embraced them into our bosom , so that by degrees they began to be very potent upon the northern seas , and upon every occasion were ready to turn our enemies , the most dangerous , because , as it were , within our own bowels : hence taking advantage , in their shipping the saxons , danes , and normans invaded england ; and the hance-towns were grown formidable both to italy and france . but as their trading decayed , so did also their strength , and their shipping being wasted , they have undergone the same necessity that others , once famous cities of mart , have done , and have utterly lost all their power and strength by sea. the portingals discovering the way to the indies by the cape of good hope , quickly became engrossers of the whole trade thither , and by the same stratagem and device undermined at once the the venetian and all the hance-towns , whereupon encreasing with the strength of spain , they made themselves the terror of all round about them , and a very rich nation and people within it self . this was the first rise of the portingals , who lying so commodiously for navigation , and a no less industrious than a very cautelous people in the management of their affairs , proceeded so far , that queen elizabeth of blessed memory jealous of them , fearing lest spain should joyn with them , and of their future greatness , continually encreasing by reason of its traffick into the east and west-indies , for the security of her self , and safety of all her good subjects , endeavoured to make her self equal in strength , and counterpoise them , if possible , by the enlargement of the trade of great-britain , and this she prosecuted with so much vigour , and so successfully , that in a little space england had as great a trade and power by sea , as either the king of spain , or any principality of europe . but before her time , in the reign of king edward the 6th . our own merchants discovered the trade into moscovy by the way of st. nicholas , ever since which time , in our own shipping we have thence transported home all the commodities of that large and vast country , formerly brought in by the hanc●-towns , their agents and merchants . and whereas a great part of those same commodities , as cavear , tallow , hydes , &c. are not vendible in england , and being bought , must be again sold or exchanged , need and use hath found a better vent for them in italy , and other parts of the levant , whereupon first began our trade there ; a trade , which though it at first appeared very small and inconsiderable , increased in a few years to that heighth of improvement , that within 90 or 100 years , we have worn the venetians out of all that mighty trade they carried from those parts , or in turky , and all over christendom . so that by this you easily see how trade hath flourished and decayed in genoa , venice , the hance-towns , and portingal , the whole being now fallen betwixt us and the hollander , either striving who shall use means most effectual for advancing the general trade of its country ; and though the hollanders hath by art and industry better improved his interest , yet that wherein his interest most li●s may obviously appear , and wherein , in that very particular , we may , if we please , go before them , i shall thus endeavour to demonstrate . the hollanders have not at present , neither ever had any other means to rise to this greatness of wealth and trade , but by betaking themselves to fishing , being a people of constant labour , and unwearied industry ; a multitude in a spot of land , which doth not afford them any commodities sufficient to be the ground even of a mean trade . they first began , and all along have drove this trade of fishing , being their original of all trade , upon our coast , and the coast of scotland , on which they employ thousands of poor people , besides others of a better rank , making some mariners and fisher-men , others they keep at work about the making and mending of n ets ; others they employ as merchants about the transportation or exchanging of their fish for other commodities . so that in all holland you shall scarce see one beggar , there being so many thousand things , or particular trades , or imployments belonging to the fishing-trade , out of which they may find a livelyhood . they employ also hereby great store of ships , and in the industrious management hereof , make us in england at what rate they please buy our own fish. the great quantity of herring every year they take , they transport to dantzick , melvin , quinbrough , leghorn , and other parts ; and with the returns they make of them , buy corn , hemp , flax , pitch , tar , clap-boards , and other commodities ; and in holland store them up into a magazin , whence they again disperse them into italy , france , spain , yea england , and all over europe . fish , and the fishing-trade being the onely stock upon which they continually live and spend , putting off most there where they find the best rates ; and this hath encreased their shipping and wealth , that now they have lengthned their power all over the world , and in most countries have a considerable stock . and this growing and encreasing of theirs hath been within the space of 70 or 80 years , and yet they are not come to their heighth , for every day they glory in some new addition to their sway. and if care be not taken of this their growth , they will within few years not onely be master of our seas but of our trades too . his majesty hath been graciously pleased to take this into his princely consideration , and if it be seconded with the prudent management of those commissioners he hath already imployed in the carrying it on , i dare be bold to say the hollanders are at their meridian . for first of all , england is not inferior to the netherlands , nay , we are before them in all the advantages both of art and nature . the scituation of our country is such , that for the convenience of all kind of marts the world hath not the like , and being seated between the north and south , so that it is fix'd , as it were , by art and nature , the fittest staple for both northern and southern commodities . secondly , our ports and harbours are fairer and safer , having good anchoring , and more in number throughout the three kingdoms , than any country in christendom can boast of . and then thirdly , which exceedeth , we have valuable commodities , as to the quantity and quality of them , such as are the inriching of all those that trade with them . so that if we are not our own enemies , and will but be a little industrious , one quarter of that will serve and be enough in england , which is but necessary and scarce sufficient in holland ; adding thereto providence for the employing our own shipping , and not any forreigners , we shall within few years have the greatest power at sea , and make our selves master of all trades ; and the hollanders a servant to that wealth and power , of which at present he is the sole master . but for the quicker advancement of so great and noble a work , there is necessary to be a protection and favour of his majesty to all manner of trades , so that they be not carried on by strangers , and acted by them , as at present it is in and about the city of london , there being , thousands of them up and down the suburbs , french , and dutch , and others , who live as it were upon the ruines of the poor free-born citizens , vending any unmerchantable ware , and at lower rates than any other honest tradesman can . and this i humbly conceive is the reason why trading hath been so bad and dead in this great city for these late years . but the prudence of his majesty is such , and under his prosperous reign all things so readily begin to run in their old chanel , that we doubt not but in a little time trading and merchandize will do so too , and not be any longer the burden of the land for the lack of it , but of the sea in bringing it hither . after men comes mony , and without this sure foundation , we shall never be able to make any superstructure to stand . there must be a stock of shipping , mony , and commodities ; for commodities in traffick will bring in more mony , and mony commands all commodities , and to attempt this without both , or at least one of these two , is like a soldier going to battel without his offensive and defensive weapons ; with the one we offend all our enemies , the engrossers of our trade : and with the other we defend our selves against their most powerful assaults . in antient times , merchants and tradesmen were very careful to provide and lay up a stock of mony for the building of ships , and buying of commodities to trade with . but in these latter years , as within 40 or 50 years , they have disbursed much mony in purchasing land , and building stately houses , minding pleasure more then profit , and have neglected trade , to the undoing of many of them , and that great cause of the decaying of trade . therefore to preserve and uphold trade , i humbly offer unto his majesty's consideration , and his honorable council , that all merchants and tradesmen within the three kingdoms may be restrained from purchasing land above the yearly value in rent of pounds . this being effected , and the fishing-trade carried on , will within few years make the greatest bank of mony , and the greatest trade in the three kingdoms , to be equal , if not greater , than any trade or bank of mony in the world . for hereby great and vast sums of mony , which are now consumed in continual purchases , will be expended onely in and about trade and traffick in general ; and the best security for this mony will be a setled bank , which all will of necessity use . having not read any of those books which are in print concerning the fishing-trade , but referring to several books that i heard of , and not knowing the number of busses allotted or appointed to be bought or built , neither how they shall be disposed of as to their ports or harbours ; therefore i make bold to offer my judgment . that a certain number of busses be bought or built , as also dogger-boats ; the number of busses to consist of 1000 or 1500 , or thereabouts ; for that some years 15000 may as soon catch their lading as 500 , and therefore more considerable as to the charges of the three kingdoms ; for a small number of busses will not do the work . the dogger-boats which fish onely for ling and cod , would consist of 400 , or thereabouts . these busses and dogger-boats being fitted for sea to proceed in their fishing , that then they be sent or appointed to several ports or harbours of the three kingdoms , that lie most convenient for the fishing . and that the counties or shires that these ports do belong to , be enjoyned to keep the same number of busses and boats perpetually , well rigged and furnished to sea for the fishing , as was delivered to them . and if by reason that those counties , which have the most and best harbours , and that lie most convenient for the fishing trade , will bear the greatest burden , by reason the greatest number of busses will be sent to these ports . then thirdly , i humbly offer , that the undertakers of the said counties have allowance out of the main stock or bank of mony , proportionable to their charges . and i do further humbly offer unto consideration , that there be a corporation made of all the adventurers for the fishing-trade , and that merchants and tradesmen be admitted into this corporation . and that t●is corporation be armed with large privileges , and ample immunities , for the transportation of the said fish. i might have also told you of the pilcher-fishing , and for ling and cod on the w●st and north-west of england , and that great pilcher-fishing , and fishing for cod on the west coast of ireland , frequented by those of biscay , galicia , and portugal ; but they are so well known that i forbear to mention them . the islands that belong to scotland , and lie on the north , north-west , and west of scotland , which are useful for the fishing-trade , are in number 94. and whereas it is credibly reported , th●t above 220 fisher-towns are decayed and reduced to extream poverty , for want of favour , succour , and protection : on the contrary , by diligent endeavouring to make use of so great a blessing , as is offered unto us by the seas , we might in a short time repair those decayed towns , and add both honor , strength , and riches to our king and country . the premises being taken into serious consideration , it maketh much to the ignominy and shame of our nation , that god and nature offering us so great a treasure , even at our own doors , we do notwithstanding neglect the benefit thereof . the conclusion : and to conclude , such is the clear and indubitable right of our soveraign lord the king to the superiority of the british seas , that no man can produce clearer evidence for any part of his estate : and as those seas , under god , are the principal means of our wealth and safety ; so it doth much concern all his true subjects , who are bound by the law of crace and nature , with heart and hand , to preserve and maintain the same with the hazard of their lives , goods , and fortunes . finis . the innocent epicure, or, the art of angling a poem. innocent epicure j. s., fl. 1697. 1697 approx. 72 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 41 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2003-01 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a62957 wing t191 estc r1126 13429079 ocm 13429079 99505 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 0 1.0 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 1, no. a62957) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 99505) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 478:2) the innocent epicure, or, the art of angling a poem. innocent epicure j. s., fl. 1697. tate, nahum, 1652-1715. [14], 64 p. printed for s. crouch, h. playford and w. brown ..., london : 1697. preface signed: n. tate. published later, 1741, with title: angling. reproduction of original in huntington library. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.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 1473 and 1700 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 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. 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. 5% (or 5 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 100 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 4 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-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng fishing -poetry. 2002-02 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2002-03 spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images 2002-04 tcp staff (michigan) sampled and proofread 2002-04 john latta text and markup reviewed and edited 2002-05 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the art of angling . a poem . the innocent epicure : or , the art of angling . a poem . tytire amas rivos , rivos tibi , tytire , dicam . rap. — si quid novisti rectius istis , candidus imperti , si non , his utere mecum . hor. london : printed for s. crouch , h. playford , and w. brown : against the royal-exchange , cornhill ; in the temple-exchange , fleetstreet ; and in black-horse alley near fleet-bridge . 1697. preface . the copy of this poem being sent to me from the unknown author , with commission to publish or suppress it , as i thought fitting ; his indifference about the matter convinc'd me that he was a gentleman who wrote it for his diversion , or at least in kindness to those who are lovers of that ingenious and innocent recreatio● , concerning which he has made so judicious observations . i immediately communicated the sight of his manuscript to s●●eral experienc'd anglers , ( and some of 'em no enemies to the muses , ) who agreed in their opinions , that notwithstanding the confin●m●nt th●t verse lays upon a writer , it far excels any thing that has been publish'd in prose upon this subject , even in the useful and instructive part of the work. they assur'd me , that it contains all the necessary rules that have yet been delivered ; and those rules digested into a much better method ; together with several uncommon and surprizing remarks , which many who are reputed artists at the sport , may receive advantage by . this was all that seem'd needful to be said of the performance , with relation to the angler's business ; and in reference to the poetry , 't is certain that every man will judge for himself : and doubtless the modestest account that i can give of it , will be most acceptable to an author who conceals his name . the cast and design of the work are after the model of ancient and best received poets on such arguments : the style lively , and as elevated as was proper for the matter of which he treats , and discovers a genius capable of managing a greater subject : the numbers are smooth and easy ; and if there is not always a ●ervi●e strictness of rhyme , that seems to me a iudicious negligence ( in ● pi●●● where nature 〈◊〉 to have the ascendant ) , and becoming a gentleman who wrote for his pleasure , and makes not poetry his profession . his digressions , as they were necessary to relieve the dryness of prescribing directions , so are they sensible and entertaining . i have only this to add , that since the author's scene lies in the countrey , in the solitude of rivers and meadows , i presume there needs no apology for publishing herewith so good a copy of that original landskip of retirement , which was long since so admirably drawn by horace . nor can any contempla●ive person be offended at my publishing of both , since they were both committed to my disposal . n. tate . from j. s. to c. s. horace epist. x. lib. i. vrbis amatorem fuscum salvere ju●emus ruris amatores , &c. health to my friend , who loves the town so well ; health from his friend , who loves his countrey cell ; in all but this , we twin like brother doves , what one dislikes , the other disapproves ; and covent● garden cooing but divides our loves . thou keep'st the billing nest ; i range the fields , and taste what uncorrupted nature yeilds ; riot in flowers , and wanton in the woods , bask on the mossy banks , and skim along the floods . in short , i live , and reign , and joy to be , from all thy much-mistaken blessings free ; and , as the slave the flamens surfeits fled , nauseate the honey-cakes , and feast on bread ; if happiness of life be worth our care , ( and he who builds , should nicely chuse his air ) ; tell me the place that with the country vies , in easy blessings , and in native joys ; where chearful hearths deceive the cold so well , or gentle gales the raging beams repel ; when both the lyon and the dog conspire , with furious rays to set the day on fire ; where then , ah where ! but here , can sleep maintain ( that slave in courts ) her soft imperial reign ? is parian marble press'd beneath thy feet , more beautiful than flowers , or half so sweet ? or water roaring through the bursting lead , so pure as gliding in its easy bed ? who builds in cities , yet the fields approves , and hedges in with pillars awkward groves● strives for the countrey-view that farthest runs , and tweers aloof at beauties which he shuns . in driving nature out , our force is vain , still the recoiling goddess comes again ; and creeps in silent triumph to deride the weak attempts of luxury and pride . an ignorant and uncomparing fop , is cheated less in any mercer's shop , than he who cannot with a wary eye distinguish happiness from vanity . who prosperous chance too eagerly embrace , feel double pangs in her averted face . you once must leave whatever you admire ; ah wisely now , and willingly retire ; forsake the gawdy tinsel of the great , the peacef●l cottage beckens a retreat : where tr●● content so tru● a greatness brings , as slights th●ir ●a●ourites , and pities kings . the stag and ●ors● in common pasture fed , till j●rs en●u'd , and heels oppos'd to head ; but horns are lucky things● and p●lsrey sled , foaming for spight ( and passion is a wit , ) he sought to man , and kindly took the bit : but when he fully had reveng'd his cause , the spurs still gaul'd his sides , the curb his jaws . just so the man who has his freedom sold , ( the nobler riches ) to insulting gold , his back beneath a jaunting rider lays , hackney'd and spurr'd through all his slavish days . whose fortune is not fitted to his will , too great or little , is uneasy still . our shooes and fortune surely are alli'd , we limp in strait , and stumble in the wide . wisely now take what chance and fate afford , nor wish for more ; i know thou wilt not hoard : and when i labour for the sordid gains , or heap the trash , upbraid me for my pains . it serves or rules , where ever gold you find ; but still the varlet is a slave by kind . receive these from thy friend — who laughs in kent from cares and business free , and wanting nothing in the world but thee . books printed for , and sold by h. playford . harmonia sacra , in two books , containing divine hymns and dialogues ; set to musick by dr. i. blow , the late mr. h. purcell , and other eminent masters . price of both bound 15 s. the 2d book stitch'd 4 s. deliciae musicae , in four books , containing most of the newest and best songs ; with three elegies on ●ha late queen mary ii. being the first volume ; ●et by the late famous mr. h. purcell . price of the vol. stitch'd 5 s. deliciae musicae , the first and second book of vol. 2. price of the first 1 s. of the second 18 d. the whole book of psalms in three parts , by iohn playford , as they are sung in churches : to ●hich is added a table of all the trebles , and what ●salms are sung to them ; being very fit for coun●●ey masters who teach the same : 2 d edit . in octavo . ●rice bound 3 s. 6 d. an ode on the death of that late excellent ma●●er , mr. henry purcell ; the words by mr. dryden , ●nd compos'd to musick by dr. iohn blow . also the late mr. henry purcell's picture , exactly ●ngraven by mr. white . price in a frame 18 d. or ●ithout a frame 6 d. miscellanea sacra : a collection of choice poems on divine and moral subjects . vol. i. collected by n. tate , servant to his majesty . price bound 2 s. the parallel ; a● essay on friendship , love , and marriage ; by sir h. s. price sti●ch'd 6 d. oroonoko , a tragedy ; by mr. southern ● price 18 d. the she-gallants , a comedy ; written by a person of quality . price 18 d. the lovers-luck , a comedy ; by mr. dilk ● price 1 s. there will lik●wise be speedily publi●●'● , a catalogue of all the musick-books sold at the same place ; amongst which will be several italian musick-books , and some newly come over . all sorts of fishing-rods , tackle , and other implements of angling , sold by william brown , in black-horse alley , near fleet-bridge , and at his house , the sign of the golden fish in st. paul ●s church-yard . the art of angling . hence idle love ; the muse at last grown wise , dilates her fancy , and improves her choice . to vain delights she 's now no●more a friend . but ye , ye genial souls do you attend ; attend and listen , while i freely tell you and the wiser world the art of angling well . others their pleasure by their hopes commend ; but i the anglers value by its end. ye nymphs and river-gods ( if such there be ) of you i sing ; exert your force to me . while i describe the glories of your court , natives , their manners , and their vast resort , my humble reed with such a strain inspire , as those the list'ning streams in you admire ; when the glad waves from their swift course recoil , and in your songs forget their hourly toil. so may they still attend you as you sing ; so may the meads , of sport your wanton scene , be blest by iove with everlasting spring . and thou , whom once to hear , is once to love , alike propitious to my labours prove . smile on your own commands , tho' ill obey'd , and kindly execute the muses aid . beneath thy least neglect the work must fall , so vast its height , my genius so small ; but from your smiles she will not fear to hope : atlas , they say , bore the world's fabrick up . at worst the just will emulate my fate ; sternhold might shine exalted to the height , and b — and l — poll for laureat . begin , my muse , the pleasures of the wise , serene content , and unrepented ease ; thy noble song who can neglect to hear ? none but the fools thou shouldst not love nor fear . they scorning thee , thy reputation raise , and with their cypress bring eternal bays . first then , the best materials to prepare , ( the curious anglers chief and wisest care ) sing we , in numbers rather just than new , and short ; for the ingenious want but few . hints are enough , where we the subject love ; and the lukewarm won't more than hints improve . tir'd with the glories he so long has born , when sol resigns them all in capricorn , or when the northern pleiades are set , and rural hinds seek out the welcome heat ; awhile th' approaching winter-blasts sustain : the future bliss will quit the present pain . then tender shoots from the old hazle take ; strait , smooth , and even , free from knot or break. search all the copse , nor spare the fairest tree : no matter though the tender mothers cry . no matter though the nymphs , her sisters , mourn : from the fresh wound fresh offspring will return . besides , 't is kind her issue to impair ; old as she is , her stock should lightly bear . we bless the shepherds , and we call them wise , who treble-bearing ewes discreetly ease : as wisely then you may your use supply ; furnish your self , and ease the lab'ring tree . thus got , preserve them with your utmost care ; for nicety it self 's a virtue here . prune them , if notch'd ; if crooked , make them straight : the knife does this , a gentle flame does that● the sap expell'd , they dexterously bend , and double service and assistance lend . then lest they warp , and from the curling snake , their quondam tenant , some resemblance take ; let some straight pole their fetter'd bodies bear ; nor loose them till occasion first require . nor when you fit them for your sport and use , slight you the art , or any pains refuse . here nice proportion must be well observ'd ; and exact beauty through the whole preserv'd : for though rude slaves with bungling labour kill ; true anglers ought to do 't distinguishingly well . but if these pains , like dangerous tasks in love , stifle your thoughts , and your fledg'd hopes remove : a little charge will purchase you your ease , and london furnish you with just supplies . there lab'ring artists nicely fit each part : you buy your pleasure , and they live by art. the cane , the hazle , all the anglers store they sell , and often , to the curious , more . but , if i might intrench upon your ease , i 'd with a caution join my poor advice . first , of their lines , their treach'rous lines beware ; nor grudge your self a little labour here . i teach you here , by sad experience taught , what i with care and money dearly bought . full oft relying on my strength , not skill ; full oft the fisher was the fishes spoil . nor only were my hopes and pleasures crost , but , with my prize , more precious time was lost . then warning take , and wisely thus avoid the rock on which my ship has oft been try'd . chuse well your hair , and know the vigorous horse not only reigns in beauty , but in force . creatures decay'd the london shops supply : get you such locks as they can't reach to buy . nor chuse the hair of beasts ( tho newly ) dead ; there nature's universally decay'd . but , when the rampant brute with vigour flies to force the timerous jade to taste his joys , obtain your wish at any rate and price . then for your single links the fairest chuse ; such single hair will best supply your use . and of the rest your several lines prepare , in all still lessening every link a hair. if for the flye , taper and long your line ; the fish is quick , and hates what is not fine . if for the depth , to stronger i advise ; tho still the finest take the finest prize . but e're you twist your upper links , take care wisely to match in length and strength your hair. believe me , friend , this care as useful is , and just , as any part of my advice . have you not seen the skilful archer's bow drawn to a height , his expectation so ; the arrow pointing to the wish'd-for prize , and he devouring 't with his heart and eyes ; when the ill-twisted string his vigour fails , first frets , then snaps , the baffled master rails . such oft has been my fate , which only care and future circumspection could repair . on equal strength we wisely may rely ; but else experience by our loss we buy . for ev'n in friendships bonds 't is rarely found , that when one fails , the other keeps his ground . then wisely to avoid the archer's fate , twist slow your links , and see they justly plait . hair best with hair , and silk with silk agrees ; but mixt , have each their inconveniences . though would you freely to my rules attend , i 'd only to your use the hair commend . more trivial things are these ; the knot and * bought , not worth a verse since eas'ly learn'd without . for every angler here by instinct knows the use of this , and that that must be close . of like consideration are the rest ; hook , float and plummet , as you fancy best . for one , perhaps , applauds his kerby's ware ; and others cheaplier serv'd exceed him every where . for as in beauty fancy reigns ; we see fancy misleads us in utility . some teach you next the blunted hook to whet ; though i was never so unfurnish'd yet ; nor did my leisure e're so much oppress , to lose an hour in niggard idleness . nor is there farther●worthy to be taught , bags , landing nets , and panniers must be bought . when , though unask'd , th' event will easily show your willing chap will over-furnish you . next of the art it self i speak ; o friend ! my weighty lessons heedfully attend ! attend me , while i into order bring each weighty rule , and every pond'rous line . hail ! great triumvirate * of angling ! hail ! ye who best taught , and here did best excel . play here the gods , play here the heroes part : your selves the proto-poets of the art. my humble breast with pow'rful flames inspire to teach the world what justly we admire : joys fraught with innocence , of danger free , raptures which none but we should so enjoy . but tell me first , for you or none can tell , what god the mighty science did reveal ? for sure a god he was ; less than divine , how could such weighty blessings flow from him ? a god he was then , or at least to me , and , my associates , such he ought to be . he taught us first the grandeur of the court contemn'd and scorn'd for this , to chuse a sport full of content , and crown'd with healthful ease : where nature frets not while our selves we please . come back my muse now to the task design'd ; sing we of fish the haunts of every kind , their baits , their seasons , and their usual feed , and when the angler best may hope to speed . things worthy of the angler's greatest care ; things worthy thee to teach , and him to hear . and first the salmon does my verse command , lov'd at his sport , but more at tables fam'd . well are the patient anglers pains repaid , when this fair captain is his captive made . oft purling brooks , but oftner greater streams he haunts : where neptune , like the dutch in india reigns : just salts the water to evince his pow'r , afraid to vex the river-beauties more . at mid-day when the sun exerts his rays , see on the surface how the wanton plays . then wisely tempt him , and from force or choice you 'll see him nimbly to your pastime rise . strong be your lines , your hooks , your rods , and all , and wise your conduct , or he breaks the whole . one wary jerk , and straight he plunging cries , angler be cautious● or you lose your prize . though mealy mouth'd , he 's sometimes that way lost ; which cautious care prevents not , no , nor cost . though art may much your strength and lines relieve , and nice observance great assistance give . large be your flye too , and might i advise , expanded wings should more provoke his rise . to which if various colours well you join , and time ( which renders every thing divine ) agree , it cannot fail to answer your design . yet curling billows should assist the cheat , quick-sighted else he 'll quickly shun the bait. and clear the water must , or else he feeds low on the gravel , or the wasting weeds . yet lobbworms scour'd , them 〈◊〉 sure friends you 'll find , then too your tackling strengthen to your mind . these cannot fail you , if the dying year say not , desist , his spawning time is near . a troll some use , and some the rod prefer : no matter which , since both like useful are . less nice at bottom he devouring roves , and boldly rushes , as he boldly loves . the mennows too his rage not rarely feel , try those , and if you can , procure the reel , which freely of its self emits the line , ( needfully long and yet securely fine ) . the greedy fish may have his full of play , while unconcern'd on the less fry you prey . or wisely casting round your ravish'd eyes , salute the author of these mighty joys , with these or more adapted thoughts than these : coelestial bounty ! how shall i repay those blessings which thy mercy throws away ? each morn , each hour , thy lavish'd hand i find ; make me less sinful , or be thou less kind . neglected mercy must to vengeance turn ; be thou my love , though by the atheists scorn . come here ye fools , though in opinion wise. come here and see with natural reason's eyes . reason , your boast , though an imperfect guide , the weighty controversy shall decide . in beauteous order see the waters move , and show like motion in the spheres above . tell me , could human force such skill attain ? and where that fails , sure chance attempts in vain . chance mimicks art , and nature helps the cheat ; but 't is a different glory to create . besides , though gay the sun his course each morn renews , chance cannot hold the reins could she the work produce . no! here consistent beauty rules the whole , mov'd by an ardent and continual soul. when that is kind , the sun 's diffusive ray ripens the fields , and drives the mists away . when sullen , then the strongest beauties pine , and chance it self no kind relief can bring . that flowry mead is not by chance so fair ; but knows its seasons , and observes the year . the flocks alike their annual off'rings pay : but all would fade , were purblind chance to sway● o mighty author of all earthly things ! and heaven no less thy wise creation sings ; let not me vainly offer to dethrone thy will , to idolize my foolish own . still in my soul more genial gleams infuse , that i by others scorn may wisely chuse : may wisely chuse thy precepts to obey , and all things else fling with contempt away . come back my muse , now change the weighty strain , and take the humble anglers up again . sing next the trout , for next in sport and kind he comes . o thou , who here apply'st thy mind , tread softly , and be sure keep out of sight ; or the shy fish will balk thy appetite . nice as thy hopes too , be thy rod and line , nice be thy flies , and cast exactly fine . for which nor rod , nor line of length should want , full six yards each , if so the streams consent . taper and light , as long , from hand to hook , if for the flye and in a chrystal brook : or tho in muddled streams y' are forc'd to cast , yet still the finer , you succeed the best . fineness in angling 's th' anglers nearest rule ; tho prudence still must regulate in all . for wise men will not trust a single hair with weight , which dead , it could not easily bear . if then with natural flies to fish you chuse , observe the season , and provide for use. observe the fish , as round for prey they rove , and gain your baits where best they seem to love . for search all nature , and this truth you 'll find , variety , the mistress of mankind , is not to species or to sex confin'd . but if the artificial you 'd prepare , first well to make them use your utmost care : some brother angler freely will impart the useful ni●●ties throughout the art. and verse nor prose can ever teach you well , what masters well , but practice best will tell . only at large the muse may thus exhort ; nature best mimick'd , best secures your sport. of flies the kinds , their seasons , and their breed , their shapes , their he● , ( which nicest observation need . ) which best the trout admi●es , where easiest gain'd experience best will teach too , or your friend . for several kinds must every month supply : ( so great 's his passion for variety . ) nay , if new species o're the waves you find , try , you 'll acknowledge fortune amply kind . the flye , the hardest task , thus learnt , prepare to cast your line distinguishingly fair . cast oft , till by experience perfect made , your pains are in the sequel well repaid . if on the surface first your line should light , the fish spring out , nor soon recover the affright . but if the flye , straight for a quick surprize , the greedy wantons scarce prepare to rise . if short he cuts , next throw be sure beware ; he saw too much , the angler stood too near . but keep your shadow off the purling stream , and cast , and long you cannot cast in vain . for if no obvious failure interpose , you speed , or will not speed in forty throws . but if he thus exacts too weighty pain , and with less art you would your hopes obtain : since all men artists are not , let it be your choice the less precarious means to try . the worm at no time can your pleasures fail , unless the boundless floods or winds prevail ; unless the frosts have almost chain'd the streams , when dangerous fevers would revile our pains . here , tho the streams , by whatsoever cause , of mills , of rains , or artful overflows , prove milky-white , no balk ●ou need to fear ; for all is homelily destructive here . thick lines , thick rods , hooks answerably strong● and worms of any sort , as ill put on . the troubled streams the treach'rous lines disguise , and he 's betray'd by trusting to his eyes . thus while the rogue without precaution preys , he 's murder'd by the most unskilful ways . * some to ape art , a hollow bullet take , and of small things a mighty pother make . hook above hook they place , exactly nice , to prove perpetual motion no devi●e . for if a moment still the weight should lie , their sport 's not only spoil'd , but their philosophy● thus needy lads at thames's fairest bridge , with hosts of lines the homel● fry besiege● but with course humble labour w●y should we adjust our sport by their neces●ity ? with equal justice we their careful zeal might ape , who on the rough dee attempt the † corricle . struggling with force too high for human blood , the curse of want , and an impetuous flood , seeking with life's distress their livelihood . such things we rather justly call distress ; for how agrees it with the name of ease ? when a poor countrey hind a faithful turn partakes , and bears the boat by which he 's born . pleasure like this may suit their rustick souls : but neither suits the poet's verse or rules . somewhat uncommon heightens his desire , which those that love not , may with force admire . thus i to chrystal brooks resort , and chuse arms all genteel and neat , and fit for use. a taper rod , and long , tho neatly light ; bending by no means with its proper weight : lines longer too , yet taper ; and if e're , 't is now that i prefer the single hair. small too your hooks should be , and cover'd well above the arming by the brandling's tail ; his head dejected best the fish invites , and mutualizes best your choice delights . for he that prudently this way will try , and angles fine , as when we use the flye , traversing up again the chrystal streams , will ne're lament expended time or pains . this way the caddice too deserves your care , and some with reason too the float prepare : this they proportion to the brook and stream ; little , if clear and slow ; if swift , less fine . tho all things else should neat and taper be , and fine , if not finer than with which you try your fortune with the artificial fly. thus he tha● justly plays the angler's part , in my opinion still should thrive by art. and trust his skill , tho oft he be deceiv'd , the conquest will at last be well atchiev'd . less artful ways no doubt will much prevail . the mennow , lobworm , stone-loach never fail . but these are common ways , which all men teach , and therefore far beneath the muses reach . she sings in verse , which , tho like marum low , sends strength and pleasure to the studious brow. those who peruse her with attentive heat , will find her wondrous chaste , and wondrous sweet . come ye , who grandeur court , and call it ease , like sickly souls , fond of mistaken joys ; come on , for boldly i 'll your utmost dare . match me a landskip just as this , and fa●●● from noise and hurries free , we sport our fill ; nor gain our ends by methods basely ill . no flatt'ring fop , no fawning courtier here disturbs our peace , or fosters civil war. nature's our mistress , who can bear a look , nor fears a lover's censure or rebuke . look on those hills , tho high , the rural swain visits with joy , nor fears his aching brain . or let 's descend . heav'ns ! how severely nice proud caelia in her tatter●d mantua is ? painted and patch'd , hiring with what she 's hir'd . she damns her soul to have her face admir'd . while beauty here in native splendor reigns , requires our wonder , and explodes our pains . each healthful green , each flowry fragrant mead command our praise , since they our art exceed . here are fair streams too , full of fresh delight , and willows more than lovely to the sight : since thence the angler by a wise deceit hawls the strong captive from his lov●d retreat . nor do those falls the ear , those meads the eye offend : nor do those fish that leap so high , they seem resolv'd to populate the air , and hold conjunction with their brother star. ah! happy they , who free from vice and care , with wise content improve their moments here : free from the vices of the noisy town , who study thus and here to lose their own . go on my muse ; next let thy numbers speak that mighty nimrod of the streams , the pike . for justly next may he thy verse command , who sways the streams , and hardly yields on land. o anglers ! here much caution use and care ; if once thy bait he gorge , alas ! beware . thy rod , thy lines , thy hooks , are all too small ; the tyrant's strong , and rudely forces all . hast thou not seen a vessel richly fraught , returning home , big with the wealth sh 'as got , just on the coast snapp'd by some privateer , himself the prize of some big man of war. such oft , alas ! has been my own defeat , my boasted prize has only been the bait , that hasten'd on an unprevented cheat. for as the french whole countries first deface , and then inhuman contributions raise● so tyrant like he makes my loss his play , leaves not my prize , but forces all away . which to revenge ( for no man can provide 'gainst chance , by human reason unespy'd ) a stiff neat nine-foot pole you must prepare , which may in several things repay your care . whether your strugling prize your caution ask , and landing-nets fix'd to 't facilitate your task : or by fix'd rings you further this design , by casting finely out your bait and line , it useful is ; and here so needful too , want it you mayn't , y' are ruin'd if you do . with this have always hooks securely strong , well wir'd , and join'd to lines sufficiently long. a dace , a gudgeon , or a stone-loach take ; or wanting these , some happy trial make of something else of the less usual kind , as frogs , or eels , or garbidge ; for you 'll ●ind his greedy appetite will leave your doubts behind . baited with these you need not fear your prize . true glutton-like his stomach rules his eyes . oft i at swallows sweeping o're the stream have seen him snap , and baulk'd , advance again . which shews , that if your lines be wisely strong , without success you cannot tempt him long . perhaps the day is hot , no breeze of wind is to your hope and vain endeavours kind : rise early then , or try your fortune late ; or else till more auspicious minutes wait . when keener winds from any quarter blow . the tyrant hardly waits a second throw . but when you feel him pull , ah then be wise ; for want of patience never lose your prize . a little swallowing time and you're secure ; he rarely leaves his prize , or quits his pow'r . but if the streams you use are thinly stor'd , and therefore small 's the pastime they afford , methods more fatal you may wisely try ; methods such force should only justify . however , as they bear the term of art to teach them is the muses pow'r a●● part . first then prepare a taper handsome pole , long , if not somewhat longer tha● the trowle ; not thick , but such as you may easily use , such as ●or hunting those who chuse it chuse . to this a thin , but strong well twisted line , and hooks , both large and fit for your design , fix : and when baited , if you chance to fail , some strange mysterious fortune must prevail . by often bobbing down your well-fix'd bait , in any place likely for his retreat , you tempt him rashly to renou●ce his eyes , and if your tackling hold , he 's sure your prize . nay though the noise the tyrant only hears , he 's summon'd , and undoubtedly appears . so that if● all along the banks you try , and yet succeed not , you may safely cry , these happy streams are free from tyranny . this way too almost all things he 'll devour , raw flesh or guts , are fish without your pow'r . nay some , whose mistress was necessity , by bloody rags have wrought his destiny . but still , if clear t●e day , keep far from sight ; quick-ey'd he is , a●● quickly shuns the white in spight of anger , ●●ase , or appetite . sometimes the wretches , who for lucre slave with snares and night-hooks seem the stream to pave . but s●ill the angler should such tricks defy : his end is pleasure , theirs necessity . however , if he see af●r a prize beaking at la●ge , if then his luck he tries , and halter som●●●●● fry to ●empt him to ; here is true 〈…〉 will allow . but poaching 〈◊〉 , t●●t the game destroy , a●●●●ither ●pa●● the 〈◊〉 nor the fry , sho●●d othe●●i●e employ 〈◊〉 muses strain ; but that the whipping-posts were rais'd for them . were i , who only thus could wish to be above my best , my own , my lov'd degree , ( and thus to wish sure reason will allow , since roman-like i could resume my plow , and mildly lay those gawdy grandeurs down , justice and slighted truth restor'd to rome ) . were i , that long not for 't , to state preferr'd , some county and its peace my trusted ward , this care , however low , however mean , should not escape my eye , as now my pen. why should the niggard magistrate pretend to charity ? when , should we search the end , you 'll find , false hypocrite ! the lame and poor begging and starving at the miser's door . but while his store escapes , he thinks it best , acts be infring'd and laws be long transgress'd . besides no sportsman he , why should his care extend to what his foolish friends admire . not he , let poor folks live upon the spoil ; he saves his coin , and gains their love the while but , mad-man , should we reason well and true , how little worthy of your place are you ? are laws that pass the sanction of the crown , are they such play-things for a country-town ? sure things so trifling , of so little weight can ne're deserve a nations grave debate . howe're the law thy duty makes ; though thou vain fool pretend'st thy duty makes the law. o mighty manlius ! how much amiss was thine , to what our modern justice is ! thou to the laws paid'st such severe respect , thy own son's life aton'd for their neglect . while we by oaths and int'rest doubly bound secure the guilty and the guiltless wound . but stop my muse , for thy satyrick rage must never hope to cure this vicious age. let other men acquit their duties there , do thou pursue thy task , and every where strow sweets , that may the wandring fops invite , and freshen every lover's appetite . for vrtue will have charms , though fools despise , to lure the wavering , and to hold the wise. next sing the pearch ; for justly this he claims , lavishly kind to every angler's pains . others the carp and tench before him place ; but why ? since there no equal sport he has . they muddy moats and standing waters love , and rarely in the chrystal curren●● rove . or when they do , so nice they are , so coy , the angler's skill and patience they defy . while this disdains their course and homely feed , and bowing flags prefers to stinking weed . fish where he is ( and you will rarely find a stream that has him not ) he 's always kind . in gentle rains , or after violent show'rs , he roves , it 's true , and eagerly devours ; and yet as true it is , the violent heat , but very rarely spoils his appetite . beneath impending willows oft he lies , watchful to take , or chewing on his prize : then tempt him warily he 'll spring to bite , so greedy he , so vast his appetite . nor waits he seasons , nor is ever coy , no , though forewarn'd he hardly can deny . deep pits he loves too , though you 'll rareli'st fail where deepest eddies rapidly prevail . yet soon in april after spawning hours , he haunts , and freely bites upon the scours . but large your float should be , your tackling strong , nor must you think his slow digestion long . for , if he bite , his prize he will not leave : 't is not his use or nature to deceive . nor is his palate delicate or nice ; he kickshaws eats , but nothing comes amiss : though yet some difference you may wisely make , and best to tempt him , worms or mennows take● these he will never slight ; and if wild fame say true , the lobworms easiest conquest gain . though if my weak opinion might prevail , in marshy meadows , angler , never fail to search the cowdung for the blewish tail : these , tho' new taken from their homely soil , by my experience far all else excel . though when misfortune all my hopes has cross'd , and all my baits were either spent or lost ; fruitful necessity this change has wrought , and to my aid this useful knowledge brought ; some little part of my least valu'd prize , has furnish'd out most fortunate supplies . the roach or dace in little pieces cut , and on the hook with careful safety put , have wi●h unthought advantage slaughter'd more than all the lost preparatives before . nor was this trial trivially bless'd , for pike and chub have strenuously prest to force the liquorish bit before the rest● thus other baits ingenious souls may try , and owe great things to curiosity . things which may set aloft his angling name , with those who court so much the breath of fame . for tell me , muse , by whom the virtuous live , how lasting are the bays that poets give ? how long shall guttemberg's admired name survive and load the flagging wings of fame ? brave guttemberg , who first the secret found to compass ages in a paper wound . or what compare we if our reason's nigh to monte regio's eagle or his fly. or to conclude an endless theme , and raise just trophies to divine invention's praise ; tell me how iubal first the myst'ry found to strengthen numbers , and to order sound . the lab'ring anvils first their force declare , and wound for want of pow'r to charm the ear. then on his harp their forces he essay'd , and from the feather'd quire discov●ries made . thencest arted number , and thence harmony ; descant from thence , and after symetry : o sacred science ! early from above taught , where their souls are ever tun'd to love : thee angels practice ; thee , poor we below , by thy infinity can only know . and just it is thou should'st his signet bear , who reigns above , and justly fix'd thee there . whence thy vast charms we by faint glimmering know ; so high is heaven , and humble earth so low . and thou who doubt'st the great authority to her ascrib'd , the sacred volumes see . there thou'lt perceive the son of mighty love , in musicks sounds descending from above ; and pain and sickness exquisitely fly , the all-dissolving force of harmony . but soft , you 'll cry , perhaps , let 's justly weigh your arguments , and the whole truth survey : reason you 'll find on a fair scrutiny , condemns no part but the whole history . and those old chinese tales which first begin ; but force the credit of those worse within . come then , ye fools , and if ye can evince , for things of common reason , common sence ; say why ye classick truths so soon allow , and talk of caesar , pompey , heav'n knows who ? how know ye nero rul'd ? or how that rome once held the sovereign reins , all europe in a town ? this on tradition you can safely take ; but fail'd , by reason ye distinctions make ; where greater reasons , truths that cannot dye , require our faith , command authority . might i , whom close endearments nearly tie , might i advise my delius he should fly , fly far the treach'rous poisons , fair deceits , with which each florid fool his nonsence baits . for though but barely probable they were , how can our reason with blind fortune share ? or how can it consist with sence or wit , for human things such mighty hopes to slight ? not true , he nothing loses , if they be a boundless bliss of bless'd eternity . the barbel's next in sport , though not in kind , for few there are in goodness come behind . but sport , the angler's aim , has plac'd him here ; and when he finds him , sport he need not fear . close at a current's end he 's sure to lie , low in the streams , as the swift trout runs high . true river-hog , upon the sand he roots , and like him then all things occasion suits . lobworms well scour'd , rarely or never fail ; but then e'en bees or garbidge will prevail . and if you early to your pastime high , he 's hungry , and devours more eagerly . though when the winds a little curl the waves , much caution and much patience too he saves . for common caution must be still your own ; you know him large , and you will find him strong . therefore large lines and hooks you must prepare ; he 's bold , and does not any danger fear . nay , packthred-like , no obstacle is found , if your fair bait trail gently o're the ground . and high'r he rises not , unless delight force him to wanton ; when , he will not bite . nor till wet april's past , his spawning time , for then he 's sick , and blasts your whole design : but if kind fortune at some current's end shows you clear sands that by degrees descend , where some close weeds his lab'ring fins supply , or hanging osiers shade the sporting fry ; angler take courage , every inch beware , for , if in all the streams , the herd is there . tempt not too evidently , keep out of sight , and rest assur'd , like greedy perch they 'll bite . next sing the ch●vin , who is always found , in quick deep streams that run o're marly ground . for though in muddy rivers much he preys , yet there he nicely seeks the sands or clays ; or else the bridge his safeguard is , and haunts where strength in tackle best his own supplants● for if he bites ( as if you caution use , and tempt with nature , he will ne're refuse ) : he 's of his dangerous holds with ease bereav'd . and after some few flounces well deceiv'd . here let your hooks be large , your angle strong , and strong your lines , though hardly half so long . for if for him alone your skill you try , floats must be spar'd , as when you use the fly , and gentle dabs must summon him on high : but then beware , no shadow , no nor noise , for either he both fears , and always flies . but if with caution you for sport prepare , he bites both all the day , and every where . oft beaking under shady trees he lies ; and then , if hid you are , he 'll freely rise . or though your rod have struck him with its shade , have patience , and the vertue 's soon repaid . e'en swallow's swooping o're the chrystal main fright him , but soon the coward mounts again . oft i with lobworms in a hasty stream have had vast sport , without the least design . yet still i found , that as the day increas'd , my sport grew less , and nothing at the last . yet still by other baits i then have sped ; and other baits true anglers should not need , the dorr , the caterpiller , wasp , or bee , or grashopper , or moth , nay , any fly he 'll take . though yet if i may bait might chuse , if to be got , i 'd most the mennow use ; for if the river's deep , and current strong , without success you cannot tempt him long . but then the winds should somewhat too agree , unless your early rise the want supply . f●r he 's so idle in the mid-day heat● he 'll hardly try the most alluring bait. but cool so well he loves , that if you spare him spawning march , he 'll bite throughout the year . the bream , less common , so more rarely known , requires the angler's study next , and song . nice to extremes , his minutes you must wait , and early with the sun , or with the moonshine late . unless the winds blow a fresh mack'rel gale , and then of sport all day you will not fail . with strong silk lines , and hooks just gudgeon small ; rods long and strong , and baits the chief of all ; chuse some slow stream , in its own deepness black . and let your float not two foot water make : there is his haunt , and if your length permit , just in the middle of the gloomy pit you 'll find him roving , and with ease divine t is he that flats your float upon the stream : he gorges then● a●● angler● a●● beware : if large your bait , you must no patience spare ; if small , a little serves ; his mouth allows of nothing large ; the less the better does . therefore tho some the large scour'd dew-worm chuse , do thou the flag , or well-scour'd red-worm use : he 'll these with greedy appetite devour ; and when he bites , your prize is always sure . but my experience ever must prefer the small red dew-worm , if with pains and care him first in moss and fennel you prepare . these he with passion loves , they hold his eyes , and suiting's mouth , enlarge your sport and prize . for flies and pastes , or other baits i 've found my patience rarely with common largess crown'd . and therefore leave the angler there to try if he can purchase better luck than i. their humours all things have . the pike at paste has struck , and for his folly struck his last . in iuly at his spawning , i the bream have found most eager in a rapid stream . close at the bottom scouring there he lies , and then will nibble any bait he sees ; so diff'rent from all else his nature is . but this is random chance , not worth a line , for nothing well he takes in spawning time . his stomach 's queasy then , as in the rest ; and then the angler wisely should desist . perhaps sometimes your line or hooks appear ; or else the heats your patience will require . but patience is the angler's first great rule , and patience here has least of ridicule . how does the fawning courtier daily wait , or those who follow law , or toys of state ? o delius ! by kind fortune largely blest , let not the cheats of grandeur break they rest. on promises and quicksands ne're depend ; nor on a lord , though once thy seeming friend . honour no claim allows : alas ! his state commands his promises he first forget . and where 's the statute that will ease afford ? since tom the promise made , and not my lord. he quits past friendship when he lofty grows ; and though he promise well , their strength he knows : for if you bring him for 't to equity , his party 's strong , and privileges high . in my own business bless'd , contented i , who grandeur seek not , and its charms defy . e'en i unmov'd have heard a statesman prate what mighty things he 'd do , what favours get , and never forfeited my quiet yet . nay more , believe me , friend , ( for i have known some passages in court as well as town ) ; among the men whose sacred character should harbour nothing but what 's most sincere ; friendship with great prefermens's rarely known , but , bucket-like , this weighs the other down . for though grave blockheads cajole men of sense , their own dear image have most influence . let then preferment by resemblance go , it can't move me , and with less reason you . you on paternal acres justly got , may live , and great men envy at your lot : with a kind partner of my joys and cares , while freely i drill on heav'ns bounteous years● with all my poor endeavours fond to get an honest name , and moderate estate . let griping codrus pen and paper save , and for his issue make himself a slave : by cunning let him all his deeds disguise , and affect silence , to be fanci'd wise : by methods ill i 'll purchase no estate , but truth and virtue love at any rate . now from the chrystal brooks and purling streams , angler , a while withdraw your careful pains ; and to the carp and tench your art apply , which love still pits , and chrystal currents fly : they all your patience , all your strength require ; and though admir'd , rarely your baits admire . sometimes in rivers to your lot they fall ; ●ut there 's no vigor where the hopes are small . man's frailty's such , that e'en in things divine , kind heaven by crowns is forc'd to force him in . but in full ponds your sport you need not fear , ●f laziness be not your greater care. for here to speed , you with the sun must rise , and then the largest easiest are your prize : though if beyond the second watch you stay , the smallest only bite , and hardly they : of such vast moment is the place and time , your balking those oft balks your whole design . but first , my tyro , of your lines beware , for conquest is not to be slighted here : tho little circumspection will suffice , yet you must sweat before you gain your prize : he 's strong , will struggle , and unless prepar'd , your conquest 's doubtful , and your labour hard . ponds weedy feed the tench , and that that 's clear best please the carp , but both for mud declare . but in their baits so closely they agree , they feed just as they live , promiscuously : both love their baits , prepar'd with nicest care , and both best take 'em vilely strong of tar. low at the bottom too i' th' deeps they lye , and rarely , very rarely feed on high : tho oft the carp in hottest summer days , while on the surface wantonly he plays , on bread or worms with eager passion preys . but if your rod or self offend his ●ight , he 's gone , and blasts at once your whole delight . he 's humoursome at best , experience tells : for season , place , and baits , and all things else justly agreeing ; i have one time slain fourscore , and at another hardly ten : and yet the wondrous myst'ry to explore , a net has largely paid the squander'd hour . perhaps at night they found some unknown feed , or else the soil dilated out their breed : for though in may they usually spawn , some cast in april , others say in iune : though nature certainly may help receive from soils ; and waters may assistance give : for e'en in human bodies this we find , chang'd climates to the barren have been kind ; and , mew'd in town , an heirless loving pair have blest the countrey , and been ●ruitful there . nature is nature still . next let us see what baits should best the angler's art supply ; the largest red-worms highly some prefer ; and for the smallest i must needs declare . but have thou both , and thou'lt the better speed ; for with success at once i both have tri'd : and though to th' side the small for refuge fly , thou in the middle more successfully shalt fish ; for though their sport 's perhaps secure , thy prize is larger , and thy glory more . gentles and cadbaits too some sport may yield , but yet the former justliest claim the field : and though for pastes some mighty men declare , i never found the secret worth my care. but still perhaps thou' rt for the chrystal streams , and for the prospect slight'st thy fruitless pains : fair purling brooks , by meadows more than fair , are more your choice than any conquest here : come then , i 'll tell thee , if resolv'd to try that patience which exceeds philosophy , i 'll tell thee where 's their likeliest haunt , and when they freeliest bite , and easiest are ta'en . if for the tench thou seek'st , make it thy pains to find the deepest pits in silent streams : no stream thy float by any means should move , but chuse the stillest place , for such they love : nor should the breeze disturb thy well-tarr'd bait ; therefore both long and early thou should'st wait and if the rivers fruitful are , thou 'lt find they red-worms love , and are both free and kind . but if the carp exacts thy greater pains , chuse still the deeps , but in the gentle streams . just in the midst he never fails to move , and marsh and flag-worms takes with eager love● nor may'st thou well thy former baits despise , he 'll never fail to take them when he sees : but still the early morn , or evening late , will crown , or make more probable thy fate● nor can i justly blame thy happy choice , so great my own , my equal passion is . clear streams have charms which standing waters want , and meads have beauties which the envious grant : but when they join , as far they all excell , as maids their lovers in dissembling well . oh friend ! oh friend ! what fortune 's so divine , what fate 's so safe or sweet as that of thine ? thou chear'st the minutes , as they glide along , unmov'd at all the follies of the young : thou chear'st the minutes , for to thee they bear scarce the minutest part of human care : thus by the streams , and there supinely laid , with thoughts for which mankind was chiefly made : no care , no mischief in thy worst intent , all , like thy recreation 's innocent . through nature's opticks thou dost wisely look , and read'st thy maker in the fairest book . next , muse , the roach , ( and less regarded fry ) thy work 's e'en done ; for these no industry , no mighty art , no skilful care require ; and force it self would make discov'ries here . each puny tyro here can easily tell the ways of taking , that 's of angling well ; for small the difference is , where perfect force , and vulgar method makes the captive yours : tho e'en in this , if you would angle fine , you 'll find it well requi●e your whole design : and though she break your single hair , the cross is small , and small the patient angler's loss ; put on a new , they 'll bite with equal haste , and swallow cadbait , gentles , flies , or paste ; nay , worms in windy weather they 'll devour , presented every where , and every hour . for unless heat them to the surface call , they 'll ( if unseen ) no caution use at all . or though upon the streams they beaking lye , unlead your line , and then both worm and fly will fatal prove , if naturally cast , and not with rustick skill , or frightful haste● in wittham , and fair thames's higher streams , a kind of roach there is , which rustick swains call rudd . his colour is of purest gold , strong , broad , and thick , most lovely to behold : this at the surface will with freedom bite at small red worms , or flies , his like delight . but angler , if you meet him , pray take care ; he struggles long , and breaks the single hair. but soft my muse , thy soon-suspended aid i now invoke again ; my haste betray'd my knowledge . there ; see sw●ftly how he flies , like lightning quick , and like that past my eyes : the archers arrow no such swiftness knows ; in vain the angler or his skill pursues . in march he spawns , though then he 'll freely bite , perhaps the frosts provoke his appetite . then wisely would you , and 't is worth your care , wisely to prosper , all your skill prepare ; the trouts companion both in feed and soil , and rarely caught with more than equal skill : in summer on the scours the wanton lies , and ( if unseen ) he all day long will rise . but ne'er so gamesome , ne'er so brisk before , once seen he flies you , and will rise no more : therefore behind some bush thy self conceal , and with the flesh-fly thou wilt rarely fail ; for though on worms he 'll feed , or any fly , none 's so destructive , none so kills as he . floats useless are , unless the worm you try , and with the rising flash successfully descend the stream , then any thing he takes , and like the trout but small distinction makes . this for the dace . once more , and then adieu ; the gudgeons haunts , and hours of biting show : for though small art the little prize suffice , his sport 's as good , and with the greatest vies : the river smelt he is , and if as rare , none doubts but he would lose in the compare . few lessons will the angler's use supply , where he 's so ready of himself to dye : for if no heats or flashes interpose , his prize he 'll hold , and yours you cannot lose . but should those obstacles your sport bereave , this method will at all times well relieve : with some long pole raise up his love the sand , and all are summon'd , and at your command : or else if clear and shallow , wade the ford , and if the water 's plentifully stor'd , you to your own content may kill , and he you 'll find resolv'd to gain the victory . but yet in spawning time he lies full low i' th' deeps , and bites not , tempted never so : for i in april fruitful streams have tri'd , and found my art and all my pains deni'd : nay , not the cordial gentle could auspicious prove , nor the small red-worm , his continual love , could change my fortune , or his fancy move . the bleak small flies upon the surface takes , and never the least hesitation makes , with an observing eye , and curious hand , any advantage eas●ly is obtain'd . desist my muse , thy work at last is past , which with the angling few shall always last : without thy aid sense shall supply the rest ; no rules they want , deserve not verse at least . the mennow , flatterer like , is always nigh ; the angler's plague , although he useful be : wheree'er he breeds , he keeps a fearful rout , and few the rivers are that are without . to catch the bullhead too , each school-boy knows ; and to the eel , reason no verse allows : like worms engendring they no sport can make , but what the school-boys find in whip and snake . though if my delius to the sport incline , one rule i 'll give to close with his design ; after strong thund'ring show'rs your fortune try , with lobworms , and strong lines a strong supply ; and while your stock endures , the slimy crew will shear your hooks , and plague your cloaths and you . though would you my advice sincerely take , you first this trial of the prize should make . hot dung , the slimy virmin soon will find , if in o'reflowing meadows well design'd . there when you will the nasty jakes remove , reason will terminate your care and love . in cluster'd heaps , like worms thou 'lt see 'em lye , and soon decide their wise philosophy , who see no spawn , and ask the reason why . the ruff , no commoner , shall close my song , a bold free biter , though a little one : for since of fish i treat , 't would awkward seem , to end with monsters , and with maids begin . they gentles love , but small redworms will chuse , and mennow-like at no time will refuse : have patience when th' ast found the haunted hole , and they 'll not leave thee e're th' ast taken all : thus they in nature too , as well as make , except in largeness with the pearch partake : these norwich plenteous streams most justly boast , here most belov'd , and here abounding most● nor must i sacred cam in this forget , cam in my verse for nobler reasons set , to raise my song , for 't is the muses seat . no wonder there the watry natives throng , amphion's harp drew woods and rocks along : they of all kinds , admirers may command , while she 's the urn of cowley's sacred hand . nor , happy nyne , must thou my verse evade , whose charming streams my youthful sallies had● there were my innocent hours not badly spent ; o that i had no greater to repent . unpoach'd are all thy streams , thy meadows free , what stream is worthy to compare with thee ? what but fair trent , that wheresoe're she flows , nature luxuriant in her favour shows ? not thrice ten rivers , as some meanly feign , but thrice so many natives give her name : though should we trace her to her spacious jaws , thrice thrice ten various kinds we might disclose : the anglers luxury thou art , and he no recreation wants that lives by thee . poach'd wellin slipp'd , i must not yet disclaim , my love , my well acquainted witham's name ; though rented out , the largess of the poor , the angler's pride she is , no river more . idle must pass ; for though i oft have tri'd , she always love , and often sport deni'd : much less deserves she such penurious care , to punish ladies when they angle there . speak not my muse , thy verse it sure would blast , to name , and more to justify the beast : poor streams , thy well-taught natives justly fly thy master's bounty and his tyranny . but dun would blame the justice of my pen , who kindly us'd , return'd it not again : but dun from anglers shall not fail of praise , e'en more than my poor humble verse can raise : for mighty sure must be her vast desert , who from an arm can such delight impart . o dern ! thy pleasures oft my mind employ , much greater streams may justly envy thee ; scarce one of all the watry court is found , that does not in thy little streams abound . witness ye river-nymphs , and every shade , how often this my ardent wish i 've made : blest might i with a moderate estate , which my own labour never spar'd to get : blest might i live an honest country swain , and with content in little compass reign : no spacious fabricks would i care to boast , convenient neatness would delight me most ; where from my shades i could with joy survey expanding meads that on each side me lay ; just in the mid'st a rivulet should pass , with pleasing murmurs , and transparent grace : if falling waters reach'd from far my ear , 't would raise the landskip , and depress my care : far off some good old tow'r shou'd strike my view , and teach the certain state of things below . there neighb'ring grandeur might unenvi'd reign , while i 'm allow'd by all the happy man : lov'd by my friends , and if i must have foes , envi'd for my plain honest truth by those . but let all vice , ye pow'rs , be banish'd hence , and that religion which is all pretence . at my own table i 'd have no man see extravagance , and much less penury . nor should the poor of cruel want complain ; nor should the wrong'd implore my help in vain : nor should my sallies far from home extend , to see a field , or cheer a drooping friend : or with the darling partner of my life , that mightiest comfort of my days , my wife , hast to the neighbour streams our luck to try , and baulk'd in sport , return assur'd of joy. such would i be , but if the pow'rs design me other fate , why fortune is not mine ? with a sincere dependance i submit , since i return but his , that gave me it . such is the angler's life , so truly blest are those that wait on fickle fortune least : that taste my joys , and hold them what they are , and scorn to bring things trivial in compare . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a62957-e1940 * is a word peculiar to the angler , and signifies no more than the wrapping of two links together , which evens the line , and keeps it more taper than the knot will allow it to be . * walton , cotton , venables . * here ●he a●thor rid●●●i●s the vulgar . † a sort of boat us'd in the river dee , and carried by the fisherman to the water to fish in . the experienc'd angler, or, angling improv'd being a general discourse of angling, imparting many of the aptest wayes and choicest experiments for the taking of most sorts of fish in pond or river. venables, robert, 1612?-1687. 1662 approx. 103 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 64 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2006-02 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a64795 wing v183 estc r16184 12255913 ocm 12255913 57471 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 0 1.0 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 1, no. a64795) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 57471) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 441:15) the experienc'd angler, or, angling improv'd being a general discourse of angling, imparting many of the aptest wayes and choicest experiments for the taking of most sorts of fish in pond or river. venables, robert, 1612?-1687. [17], 105, [6] p. : ill. printed for richard marriot, and are to be sold at his shop ..., london : 1662. added engraved t.p. written by robert venables. cf. bm. advertisements: p. [1] at beginning and p. 105. reproduction of original in bodleian library. includes index. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.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 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, 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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 4 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-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng fishing -early works to 1800. 2005-04 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2005-08 spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images 2005-11 mona logarbo sampled and proofread 2005-11 mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited 2006-01 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the experienc'd angler , or angling improved . sold by rich : marriott in st. dunstans churchyard vaughan sculp ▪ the experienc'd angler : or angling improv'd . being a general discourse of angling ; imparting many of the aptest wayes and choicest experiments for the taking of most sorts of fish in pond or river . london : printed for richard marriot , and are to be sold at his shop in st. dunstans church-yard , fleet-sheet . 1662. to the reader . delight and pleasure are o fast rivetted and firmly rooted in the heart of man , that i suppose there is none so morose or melancholly , that will not onely pretend to , but plead for an interest in the same , most being so much enamored therewith , that they judge that life but a living death , which is wholly deprived or abridged of all pleasure ; and many pursue the same with so much eagerness and importunity , ( as though they had been born for no other end ) as that they not only consume their most precious time , but also totally ruine their estates thereby : for in this loose and licentious age , when profuse prodigality passes for the characteristical mark of true generosity , and frugality ( i mean not niggardliness ) is branded with the ignominious blot of baseness . i expect not that this undervalued subject ( though it propound delight at an easie rate ) will meet with any other entertainment than neglect , if not contempt , it being an art which few take pleasure in , nothing passing for noble or delightful which is not costly ; as though men could not gratifie their senses , but with the consumption of their fortunes . hauking and hunting have had their excellencies celebrated with large encomiums by divers pens , and although i intend not any undervaluing to those noble recreations , so much famed in all ages and by all degrees , yet i must needs affirm , that they fall not within the compass of every ones ability to pursue , being as it were only entailed on great persons and vast estates ; for if meaner fortunes seek to enjoy them , actaeons fable often proves a true story , and these birds of prey not seldom quarrey upon their masters : besides , those recreations are more subject to choller and passion , by how much those creatures exceed a hook or line in worth : and indeed in those exercises our pleasure depends much upon the will and humor of a sullen cur or kite , ( as i have heard their own passions phrase them ) which also require much attendance , care and skill to keep her serviceable to our ends . further , these delights are often prejudicial to the husbandman in his corn , grass and fences ; but in this pleasant and harmless art of angling a man hath none to quarrel with but himself , and we are usually so intirely our own friends , as not to retain an irreconcileable hatred against our selves , but can in short time easily compose the enmity ; and besides our selves none are offended , none endamaged ; and this recreation falleth within the capacity of the lowest fortune to compass , affording also profit as well as pleasure , in following of which exercise a man may imploy his thoughts in the noblest studies , almost as freely as in his closset . the minds of anglers being usually more calm and composed than many others , especially hunters and falkoners , who too frequently lose their delight in their passion , and too often bring home more of melancholly and discontent than satisfaction in their thoughts ; but the angler , when he hath the worst success , loseth but a hook or line , or perhaps ( what he never possessed ) a fish , and suppose he take nothing , yet he enjoyeth a delightful walk by pleasant rivers in sweet pastures , amongst odoriferous flowers , which gratifie his senses and delight his mind ; which contentmēts induce many ( who affect not angling ) to chuse those places of pleasure for their summers recreation and health . but peradventure some may alleage that this art is mean , melancholly and insipid : i suppose the old answer , de gustibus non est disputandum , will hold as firmly in recreations as palats , many have supposed angling void of delight , having never tryed it , yet have afterwards experimented it so full of content , that they have quitted all other recreations ( at least in its season ) to pursue it ; and i do perswade my self , that whosoever shall associate himself with some honest expert angler , who will freely and candidly communicate his skill unto him , will in short time be convinced , that ars non habet inimicum nisi ignorantem ; and the more any experiment its harmless delight , ( not subject to passion or expence ) probably he will be induc'd to relinquish those pleasures which are obnoxious to choller or contention ( which so discompose the thoughts , that nothing during that unsettlement can relish or delight the mind ) to pursue that recreation which composeth the soul to that calmness and serenity , which gives a man the fullest possession and fruition of himself and all his enjoyments ; this clearnesse and equanimity of spirit being a matter of so high a concern and value in the judgments of many profound philosophers , as any one may see that will bestow the pains to read , de tranquilitate animi , and petrarch , de utriusque conditionis statu : certainly he that lives sibi & deo , leads the most happy life ; and if this art do not dispose and encline the mind of man to a quiet calm sedatenesse , i am confident it doth not ( as many other delights ) cast blocks and rubs before him to make his way more difficult and lesse pleasant : the cheapnesse of the recreation abates not its pleasure , but with rational persons heightens it ; and if it be delightful the charge of melancholly falls upon that score , and if example ( which is the best proof ) may sway any thing , i know no sort of men lesse subject to melancholly than anglers ; many have cast off other recreations and imbraced it , but i never knew any angler wholly cast off ( though occasions might interrupt ) their affections to their beloved recreation ; and if this art may prove a noble brave rest to thy mind , it will be satisfaction to his , who is thy well-wishing friend . to his ingenious friend the author on his angling improv'd . honoured sir , though i never ( to my knowledge ) had the happiness to see your face , yet accidentally coming to a view of this discourse before it went to the press ; i held my self obliged in point of gratitude for the great advantage i received thereby , to tender you my particular acknowledgment , especially having been for thirty years past , not onely a lover but a practicer of that innocent recreation , wherein by your judicious precepts i find my self fitted for a higher form ; which expression i take the boldness to use , because i have read and practiced by many books of this kind , formerly made publick ; from which ( although i received much advantage in the practick ) yet ( without prejudice to their worthy authors ) i could never find in them that height of judgment and reason , which you have manifested in this ( as i may call it ) epitome of angling , since my reading whereof i cannot look upon some notes of my own gathering , but methinks i do puerilia tractare . but lest i should be thought to go about to magnifie my own judgment , in giving yours so small a portion of its due , i humbly take leave with no more ambition than to kiss your hand , and to be accounted your humble and thankful servant , j. w. the contents . chap. 1. when to provide tools , and how to make them up . 1 chap. 2. divers sorts of angling : and first of the flie. 14 chap. 3. of the artificial flie. 23 chap. 4. angling at the ground . 40 chap. 5. of divers sorts of baits for several fish . 54 chap. 6. how to keep your baits . 65 chap. 7. the several haunts of fish , what rivers or ponds they most frequent . 76 chap. 8. when not to angle . 84 chap. 9. when best to angle . 84 chap. 10. general observations . 95 angling improv'd : or , profit and pleasure united . chap. i. when to provide tools , and how to make them . for the attaining of such ends which our desires propose to themselves , of necessity we must make use of such common mediums , as have a natural tendency to the producing of such effects , as are in our eye , and at which we aim ; and as in any work , if one principal material be wanting , the whole is at a stand , neither can the same be perfected : so in angling , the end being recreation , which consisteth in drawing the fish to bite , that we may take them , if you want tools , though you have baits , or baits though you have tackle , yet you have no part of pleasure by either of these singly : nay , if you have both , yet want skill to use them , all the rest is to little purpose . i shall therefore first begin with your tools , and so proceed in order with the rest . 1. in autumn , when the leaves are almost or altogether fallen , ( which is usually about the winter solstice ) the sap being then in the root , which about the middle of january beginneth to ascend again , and then the time is past to provide your self with stocks or tops : you need not be so exactly curious for your stocks as the tops , though i wish you to chuse the nearest taper-grown you can for stocks , but let your tops be the most neat rush-grown shoots you can get , streight and smooth ; and ( if for the ground-rod ) near or full two yards long , ( the reason for that length shall be given presently ) and if for the flie , of what length you please ; because you must either chuse them to fit the stock , or the stock to fit them in a most exact proportion ; neither do they need to be so very much taper grown as those for the ground , for if your rod be not most exactly proportionable , ( as well as slender ) it will neither cast well , strike readily , or ply and bend equally , which will very much indanger your line . when you have fitted your self with tops and stocks , ( for all must be gathered in one season ) if any of them be crooked , bind them all together , and they will keep one another streight ; or lay them on some even-boarded floor , with a weight on the crooked parts , or else bind them close to some streight staffe or pole ; but before you do this you must bathe them all , save the very top , in a gentle fire . for the ground angle , i prefer the cane or reed before all other , both for its length and lightness ; and whereas some object against its colour and stiffness : i answer , both these inconveniencies are easily remedyed , the colour by covering it with thin leather or parchment , and those dyed into what colour you please , or you may colour the cane it self , as you see daily done by those that sell them in london , especially if you scrape off the shining yellow out-side , but that weakneth the rod ; the stiffnesse of the cane is helped by the length and strength of the top , which i would wish to be very much taper-grown , and of the full length i spoke of before , and so it will kill a very good fish without ever straining the cane , which will ( as you may observe ) yield and bend a little , neither would i advise any to use a reed that will not receive a top of the forementioned length . such who most commend the hazel-rod ( which i also value and praise but for different reasons ) above the cane , do it because , say they , the slender rod saveth the line , but my opinion is , that the equal bending of the rod chiefly ( next to the skill of the angler ) saveth the line , and the slenderness i conceive principally serveth to make the flye-rod long and light , easie to be managed with one hand , and casteth the flye far , which are to me the considerations chiefly to be regarded in a flye-rod ; for if you observe the slender part of the rod ( if strained ) shoots forth in length as if it were part of the line , so that the whole stress or strength of the fish is born or sustained , by the thicker part of the rod , which is no stronger then the stronger end of such a top as i did before direct for the ground-rod , and you may prove what i say to be true , if you hang a weight at the top of the fly-rod , which you shall see ply and bend ( in the stiffe and thick part ) more or less as the weight is heavy or light . having made this digression for the cane , i return to the making up of the top , of which at the upper or smal end , i would have you to cut off about two foot or three quarters of a yard at most , and then piece neatly to the thick remaining part , a small shut of black-thorn or crab-tree ( gathered in the season as before ) fitted in a most exact proportion to the strength of the hazel , and then cut off a small part of the slender end of the black-thorn or crab-tree , and lengthen out the same with a small piece of whale-bone , made round , smooth and taper , all which will make your rod to be very long , gentle , and not so apt to break or stand bent as the hazel , both which are great inconveniencies , especially breaking , which will force you from your sport to amend your top . 2. to teach the way or manner how to make a line , were time lost , it being so easie and ordinary : yet to make the line well , handsome , and to twist the hair even and neat , makes the line strong : for if one hair be long and another short , the short one receiveth no strength from the long one , and so breaketh , and then the other ( as too weak ) breaketh also : therefore you must twist them slowly , and in the twisting , keep them from entangling together , which hindereth their right playting or bedding . also i do not like the mixing of silk or thred with hair , but if you please , you may ( to make the line strong ) make it all of silk , or thred , or hair , as strong as you please , and the lowest part of the smallest lute or viol strings , which i have proved to be very strong , but will quickly rot in the water , but you may help that in having new and strong to change the rotted ones ; but as to hair ( the most usuall matter whereof lines are made ) i like sorrel white and gray best ; sorrel in muddy and boggy rivers , both the other for clear waters ; i never could find such vertue or worth in other colours , to give them so high praise as some do , yet if any other have worth in it , i must yield it to the pale watry green , and if you fancy that you may dye it thus . take a pottle of allom water , a large handful of marigolds , boyl them untill a yellow scum arise , then take half a pound of green copperas , and as much verdegreece , beat them into a fine powder , put those with the hair into the allom-water , set all to cool for twelve houres , then take out the hair and lay it to dry . leave a bought or bout at both ends of the line , the one to put it to , and take it from your rod , the other to hang your lowest link upon , to which your hook is fastned , and so you may change your hook so often as you please . 3. let your hooks be long in the shank , and of a compass somewhat inclining to roundnesse , but the point must stand even and streight , and the bending must be in the shank , for if the shank be streight , the point will hang outward , though when set on it stand right , yet it will after the taking of a few fish , cause the hair at the end of the shank to stand bent , and so ( by consequence ) the point of the hook to lie or hang too much outward , whereas upon the same ground the bending shank will then cause the point of the hook to hang directly upwards . when you set on your hook ; do it with strong but smal silk , and lay your hair upon the inside of the hook , for if on the outside the silk will cut and fret it asunder , and to avoid the fretting of the hair by the hook on the inside , smooth all your hook upon a whetstone , from the inside to the back of the hook slope wayes . 4. get the best cork you can without flawes or holes ( quils and pens are not able to bear the strong streams ) bore the cork through with a small hot iron , then put into it a quill of a fit proportion , neither too large to split it , or so small as to slip out , but so as it may stick in very closely : then pare your cork into the form of a piramide , or small pear , and into what bigness you please , then upon a smooth grindstone , or with a pumice make it compleat , for you cannot pare it so smooth as you may grind it , have corkes of all sizes . 5. get a musquet or carbine bullet , make a hole through it , and put in a strong twist , hang this on your hook to try the depth of river or pond . 6. take so much parchment as will be about four inches broad , and five long , make the longer end round , then take so many pieces more as will make five or six partitions , sow them all together , leaving the side of the longer square open , to put your lines , spare links , hooks ready fastned , and flies ready made , into the several partitions ; this will contain much ( lie flat and close in your pocket ) in a little room . 7. have also a little whetstone about two inches long , and one quarter square ; it s much better to sharpen your hooks than a file , which either will not touch a well-tempered hook , or leave it rough but not sharp . 8. have a piece of a cane for the bob and palmer , with several boxes of divers sizes for your hooks , corks , silk , thred , lead , flies , &c. 9. bags of linnen and woollen , for all sorts of baits . 10. have a small pole , made with a loop at the end , like that of your line , but much bigger , to which must be fastned a small net , to land great fish , without which ( if you want assistance ) you will be in danger to lose them . 11. your pannier cannot be too light : i have seen some made of oziers , cleft into slender long splinters , and so wrought up , which is very neat , and exceeding light ; you must ever carry with you store of hooks , lines , hair , silk , thred , lead , links , corks of all sizes , lest if you lose or break ( as is usual ) any of them , you be forced to leave your sport , and return for supplies . chap. ii. divers sorts of angling : first , of the flie. as there are many kinds and sorts of fish , so there are also various and different wayes to take them ; and therefore before we proceed to speak how to take each kind , we must say something in general of the several wayes of angling , as necessary to the better order of our work . angling therefore may be distinguished either into fishing by day , or ( which some commend , but the cold and dews caused me to dis-rellish that which impaired my health ) by night ; and these again are of two sorts , either upon the superficies of the water , or more or less under the surface thereof : of this sort is angling with the ground line , ( with lead , but no slote ) for the trout , or with lead and flote for all sorts of fish , or near the surface of the water for chub , roch , &c. or with a trowle for the pike , or a menow for the trout ; of which more in due place . that way of angling upon or above the water , is with cankers , palmers , caterpillars , cadbait , or any worm bred on herbs or trees ; or with flies natural or artificial ; of these last ( viz flies ) shall be our first discourse , as comprising much of the other last named , and as being the most pleasant and delightful part of angling . but i must here take leave to dissent from the opinion of such who assign a certain fly to each moneth , whereas i am certain scarce any one sort of flye doth continue its colour and vertue one moneth ; and generally all flies last a much shorter time , except the stone fly ( which some call the may fly ) which is bred of the water-cricket , which creepeth out of the river , and gets under the stones by the w●ter side , and there turneth to a fly , and lyeth under the stones ; the may fly and the reddish flye with ashie gray wings . besides the season of the year may much vary the time of their comming in , a forward spring bringeth them in sooner , and a late spring the later : for flies being creatures bred of putrefaction , do take life as the heat doth further or dispose the seminal vertue ( by which they are generated ) unto animation : and therefore all i can say as to time , is that your own observation must be your best instructor , when is the time that each flye cometh in , and will be most acceptable to the fish , of which i shall speak more fully in the next section ; further also i have observed that severall rivers , and soyles , produce several sorts of flies , as the mossy boggy soils have one sort peculiar to them ; the clay soil , gravelly and mountainous countrey and rivers , and a mellow light soil different from them all , yet some sor●s are common to all these sorts of rivers and soils , but they are few ▪ and also differ somewhat in colour from those bred in another soil . in general , all sorts of flies are very good in their season , for such fish as will rise at the flie , as salmon , trout , umber , grayling , bleak , chevin , roch , dace , &c. though some of these fish do love some flies better than other ; except the fish named i know not any sort or kind that will ( ordinarily and freely ) rise at the fl●e , though i know also some do angle for bream and pike with artificial flies , but i judge the labour lost , and the knowledge a needless curiosity ; those fish being taken much easier ( especially the pike ) by other wayes : all the forementioned sorts of fish will sometimes take the flie , much better at the top of the water , and at another time much better a little under the superficies of the water , and in this your own observation must be your constant and daily instructor , ( for if they will not rise to the top , try them under ) it not being possible ( in my opinion ) to give any certain rule in this particular : also the five sorts of fish first named will take the art●ficial flie , so will not the other , except an oakworm or cadbait be put on the point of the hook , or some other worm sutable ( as the flie must be ) to the season . you may also observe ( which my own experience taught me ) that the fish never rise eagerly and freely at any fort of flie , untill that kind come to the waters side ; for though i have often at the first coming in of some flies , ( which i judged they loved best ) gotten several of them , yet i could never find that they did much ( if at all ) value them , untill those sorts of fl●es began to stock to the rivers sides , and were to be found on the trees and bushes there in great numbers ; for all sorts of flies ( where ever bred ) do after a certain time come to the rivers banks , ( i suppose to moisten their bodies dryed with the heat ) and from the bushes and herbs there , skip and play upon the water , where the fish lie in wait for them ; and after a short time die , and are not to be found ; though of some kinds there come a second sort afterwards , but much less , as the orenge flie , and when they thus stock fo● the river , then is the chiefest season to angle with that flie : and that you may the better find what flie they covet most at that instant , do thus : when you come first to the river in the morning , with your rod beat upon the bushes or boughs which hang over the water , and by their falling upon the water you will see what sorts of flies are there in greatest numbers ; if divers sorts and equal in number , try them all , and you will quickly find which they most desire : sometimes they change their flie ( but it s not very usual ) twice or thrice in one day ; but ordinarily they seek not for another sort of flie , till they have for some dayes even glutted themselves with a former kind , which is commonly when those flies die and go out . directly contrary to our london gallants , who must have the first of every thing , when hardly to be got , but scorn the same when kindly ripe , healthful , common and cheap : but the fish despise the first , and covet when plenty , and when that sort grow old and decay , and another cometh in plentifully , then they change ; as if nature taught them , that every thing is best in its own proper season , and not so desirable when not kindly ripe , or when through long continuance it beginneth to lose its native worth and goodness . i shall adde a few cautions and directions in the use of the natural flie , and then proceed . 1. when you angle for chevin , roth , dace with the flie , you must not move your flie swiftly , when you see the fish coming towards it , but rather after one or two short and slow removes , suffer the flie to glide gently with the stream towards the fish ; or if in a standing or very slow water , draw the flie slowly , and ( not directly upon him , but ) sloaping and sidewise by him , which will make him more eager lest it escape him ; for if you move it nimbly and quick , they will not ( being fish of slow motion ) follow as the trout will. 2. when chub , roch , dace shew themselves , in a sunshiny day upon the top of the water , they are most easily caught with baits proper for them , and you may chuse from amongst them which you please to take . 3. they take an artificial flie with a cadbait or oakworm on the point of the hook , and the oak-worm when they shew themselves is better upon the water than under , or than the flie it self , and more desired by them . chap. iii. of the artificial flie. having given these few directions for the use of the natural flie of all sorts , shewed the time and season of their coming , and how to find them , and cautioned you in the use of them , i shall proceed to treat of the artificial flie . but here i must premise , that it is much better to learn how to make a flie by sight , than by any paper-direction can possibly be expressed , in regard the terms of art do in most parts of england differ , and also several sorts of flies are called by different names ; some call the flie bred of the water cricket or creeper a may-flie , and some a stone-flie ; some call the cadbait flie a may , and some call a short fly of a sad golden green color , with short brown wings , a may-flie : and i see no reason but all flies bred in may , are properly enough called may-flies . therefore except some one ( that hath skill ) would paint them , i can neither well give their names nor describe them , without too much trouble and prolixity ; nor as i alleaged , in regard of the variety of soils and rivers , describe the flies that are bred and frequent each : but the angler ( as i before directed ) having found the flie which the fish at present affect , let him make one as like it as possibly he can , in colour , shape , proportion ; and for his better imitation let him lay the natural flie before him . all this premised and considered , let him go on to make his flie , which according to my own practice i thus advise . first , i begin to set on my hook , ( placing the hair on the inside of its shank ) with such coloured silk as i conceive most proper for the flie , beginning at the end of the hook , and when i come to that place which i conceive most proportionable for the wings , then i place such coloured feathers there , as i apprehend most resemble the wings of the flie , and set the points of the wings towards the head , or else i run the feathers ( and those must be stript from the quill or pen , with part of it still cleaving to the feathers ) round the hook , and so make them fast , if i turn the feathers round the hook , then i clip away those that are upon the back of the hook , that so ( if it be possible ) the point of the hook may be forced by the feathers ( left on the inside of the hook ) to swim upwards ; and by this means i conceive the stream will carry your flies wings in the posture of one flying ; whereas if you set the points of the wings backwards , towards the bending of the hook , the stream ( if the feathers be gentle as they ought ) will fould the points of the wings in the bending of the hook , as i have often found by experience : after i have set on the wing , i go on so far as i judge fit , till i fasten all , and then begin to make the body , and the head last , the body of the flie i make several wayes , if the flie be one intire colour , then i take a worsted thred , or moccado end , or twist wooll or fur into a kind of thred , or wax a small slender silk thred , and lay wooll , fur , &c. upon it , and then twist , and the material will stick to it , and then go on to make my flie small or large , as i please . if the flie ( as most are ) be of several colours , and those running in circles round the flie , then i either take two of these threds ( fastning them first towards the bent of the hook ) and so run them round , and fasten all at the wings , and then make the head , or else i lay upon the hook wooll , fur of hare , dog , fox , bear , cow , hog , ( which close to their bodies have a fine fur ) and with a silk of the other colour bind the same wooll or fur down , and then fasten all : or instead of the silk running thus round the fly , you may pluck the feather from one side of those long feathers which grow about a cock or capons neck or tail ( which some call hackle ) then run the same round your flie , from head to tail , making both ends fast ; but you must be sure to sute the feather answerable to the colour you are to imitate in the flie● ; and this way you may counterfeit those rough insects ( which some call wooll-beds , because of their wool-like outside , and rings of divers colours ) i take them to be palmer worms , which the fish much delight in . let me adde this onely , that some flies have forked tails , and some have horns , both which you must imitate with a slender hair fastned to the head or tail of your flie , when you first set on your hook , and in all things , as length , colour , as like the natural flie as possibly you can : the head is made after all the rest of the body , of silk or hair , as being of a more shining glossy colour , than the other materials , as usually the head of the flie is more bright than the body , and is usually of a different colour from the body : sometimes i make the body of the flie with a peacocks feather , but that is onely one sort of flie , whose colour nothing else that i could ever get would imitate , being the short , sad , golden , green flie i before mentioned , which i make thus ; take one strain of a peacocks feather ( or if that be not sufficient , then another ) wrap it about the hook , till the body be according to your mind ; if your flie be of divers colours , and those lying long-wayes from head to tail , then i take my dubbing , and lay them on the hook long-wayes , one colour by another ( as they are mixt in the natural flie ) from head to tail , then bind all on , and make it fast with silk of the most predominant colour ; and this i conceive is a more artificial way than is practised by many anglers , who use to make such a flie all of one colour , and bind it on with silk , so that it looks like a flie with round circles , but nothing at all resembles the flie it is intended for ; the head , horns , tail , are made as before . that you may the better counterfeit all sorts of flies , get furs of all sorts and colours you can possibly procure , as of bears hair , foxes , cows , hogs , dogs , who next their bodies have a fine soft hair or fur , moccado ends , crewels , and dyed wooll of all colours , with feathers of cocks , capons , hens , teals , mallards , widgeons , pheasants , partridges , the feather under the mallard , teal or widgeons wings , and about their tails , about a cock or capons neck and tail , of all colours ; and generally of all birds , kite , hickwall , &c. that you may make yours exactly of the colour with the natural flie . and here i must give some cautions and directions , as for the natural flie , and so pass on to baits for angling at the ground . 1. when you angle with the artificial flie , you must either fish in a river not fully cleared from some rain lately fallen , that had discoloured it ; or in a moorish river , discoloured by moss or bogs ; or else in a dark cloudy day , when a gentle gale of wind moves the water , but if the wind be high , yet so as you may guide your tools with advantage , they will rise in the plain deeps , and then and there you will commonly kill the best fish ; but if the wind be little or none at all , you must angle in the swift streams . 2. you must keep your artificial flie in continuall motion , though the day be dark , water muddy , and wind blow , or else the fish will discerne and refuse it . 3. if you angle in a river that is mudded by rain , or passing through mosses or bogs , you must use a larger bodyed flie than ordinary ; which argues that in clear rivers the flie must be smaller , and this not being observed by some , hindereth their sport , and they impute their want of success to their want of the right flie , when perhaps they have it , but made too large . 4. if the water be clear and low , then use a small-bodied fl●e with slender wings . 5. when the water beginneth to clear after rain , and is of a brownish colour , then a red or orenge flie . 6. if the day be clear , then a light coloured flie , with slender body and wings . 7. in dark weather as well as dark waters your flie must be dark . 8. if the water be of a whey colour or whitish , then use a black or brown flie , yet these six last rules do not alwayes hold , though usually they do , or else i had omitted them . 9. observe principally the belly of the flie , for that colour the fish observe most , as most in their eye . 10. when you angle with an artificial flie , your line may be twice the length of your rod , except the river be much cumbred with wood and trees . 11. for every sort of flie have three , one of a lighter colour , another sadder than the natural flie , and a third of the exact colour with the flie , to sute all waters and weathers as before . 12. i could never find ( by any experience of mine own or other mans observation ) that fish would freely and eagerly rise at the artificial flie in any slow muddy river ; by muddy rivers i mean such rivers , whose bottom or ground is slime or mud ; for such as are mudded by rain ( as i have already , and shall afterwards further shew ) at some times and seasons i would chuse to angle , yet in standing meers or sloughs i have known them ( in a good wind ) to rise very well , but not so in slimy rivers , either weever in cheshire , or sow in stafford-shire , and others in warwick-shire , &c. and blackwater in ulster ; in the last , after many tryals i could never find ( though in its best streams ) almost any sport , save at its influx into lough neaugh , but there the working of the lough makes it sandy ; and they will bite also near tome shanes castle , mountjoy , antrim , &c. even to admiration ; yet sometimes they will rise in that river a little , but not comparable to what they will do in every little lough , in any small gale of wind : and though i have often reasoned in my own thoughts to search out the true cause of this , yet i could never so fully satisfie my owne judgment , so as to conclude any thing positively ; yet have taken up these two ensuing particulars as most probable . 1. i did conceive the depth of the loughs might hinder the force of the sun-beams from operating upon , or heating the mud , which in those rivers ( though deep , yet not so deep by much as the loughs ) i apprehend it doth , because in great droughts fish bite but little in any river , but nothing at all in slimy rivers , in regard the mud is not cooled by the constant and swift motion of the river , as in gravelly or sandy rivers , where ( in fit seasons ) they rise most freely , and bite most eagerly , save as before in droughts , notwithstanding at that season some sport may be had , ( though not with the flie ) whereas nothing at all will be done in muddy slow rivers . 2. my second supposition was , whether ( according to that old received axiom , suo cuique similima coelo ) the fish might not partake of the nature of the river , in which they are bred and live , as we see in men born in fenny , boggy , low , moist grounds , and thick air , who ordinarily want that present quickness , vivacity and activity of body and mind , which persons born in dry , hilly , sandy soils and clear air , are usually endued withall : and so the fish participating of the nature of the muddy river , which are ever slow , ( for if they were swift , the stream would cleanse them from all mud ) are not so quick , lively and active , as those bred in swift , sandy or stony rivers , and so coming to the flie with more deliberation , discern the same to be counterfeit , and forsake it ; whereas on the contrary , in stony , sandy , swift rivers ( being more cold ) the fish are more active , and so more hungry and eager , the stream and hand keeping the flie in continual motion , they snap the same up without any pause , lest so desireable a morsel escape them . 13. you must have a very quick eye , a nimble rod and hand , and strike with the rising of the fish , or he instantly finds his mistake , and putteth out the hook again : i could never ( my eye-sight being weak ) discern perfectly where my flie was , the wind and stream carrying it so to and again , that the line was never any certain direction or guide to me ; but if i saw any fish rise , i use to strike if i discerned it might be within the length of my line . 14. be sure in casting that your flie fall first into the water , if the line fall first , it scareth the fish ; therefore draw it back , and cast againe , that the flie may fall first . 15. when you try how to fit your colour to the flie , wet your fur , hair , wool or moccado , otherwise you will fail in your work ; for though when they are dry they exactly sute the colour of the flie , yet the water will alter most colours , and make them lighter or darker . the best way to angle with the cadbait , is to fish with it on the top of the water as you do with the flie ; it must stand upon the shank of the hook , as doth the artificial flie , ( if it come into the bent of the hook , the fish will little or not at all value it , nor if you pull the blue gut out of it ) and to make it keep that place , you must , when you set on your hook , fasten a horse-hair or two under the silk , with the ends standing a very little out from under the silk , and pointing towards the line , and this will keep it from sliding back into the bent ; and thus used it is a most excellent bait for a trout . you may imitate the cadbait , by making the body of shammy , the head black silk . i might here insert several sorts of flies , with the colours that are used to make them ; but for the reasons before given , that their colours alter in several rivers and soils , and also because though i name the colours , yet it s not easie to chuse that colour by any description , except so largely performed as would be over large , and swell this small piece beyond my intended conciseness ; and i suppose the former directions ( which are easie and short ) if rightly observed , are full enough and sufficient for making and finding out all sorts of flies in all rivers . i shall only adde , that the salmon flies must be made with wings standing one behind the other , whether two-or four ; also he delights in the most gaudy and orient colours you can chuse ; the wings i mean chiefly , if not altogether , with long tails and wings . chap. iv. of angling at the ground . now we are come to the second sort of angling , ( viz. ) , under the water , which if it be with the ground-line for the trout , then you must not use any flote at all , onely a plumb of lead , which i would wish might be a small bullet , the better to rowle on the ground ; and it must also be lighter or heavier , as the stream runneth swift or slow , and you must place it about nine inches or a foot from the hook , the lead must run upon the ground , and you must keep your line as streight as possible , yet by no means so as to raise the lead from the ground ; your top must be very gentle , that the fish may more easily , and ( to himself ) insensibly run away with the bait , and not be scared with the stiffnesse of the rod ; and if you make your top of black-thorn and whale-bone , as i before directed , it will conduce much to this purpose : neither must you strike so soon as you feel the fish bite , but slack your line ( a little ) that so he may more securely swallow the bait , and hook himself , which he will sometimes do , especially if he be a good one ; however the least jerk hooks him , and indeed you can scarce strike too easily . your tackle must be very fine and slender , and so you will have more sport than if you had strong lines , ( which fright the fish ) but the slender line is easily broke with a small jerk . the morning and evening are best for the ground-line for a trout in clear weather and water , but in cloudy weather or muddy water , you may angle at ground all day . 2. you may also in the night angle for the trout with two great garden worms , hanging as equally in length as you can place them on your hook ; cast them from you as you would cast the flie , and draw them to you again upon the top of the water , and suffer them not to sink ; therefore you must use no lead this way of angling ; you may hear the fish rise , give some time for him to gorge your bait , as at the ground , then strike gently . i● he will not take them at the top , adde some lead , and try at the ground , as in the day time , when you feel him bite , order your self as in day angling at the ground : usually the best trouts bite in the night , and will rise in the still deeps , but not ordinarily in the stream . 3. you may angle also with a menow for the trout , which you must put on your hook thus ; first , put your hook through the very point of his lower chap , and draw it quite through , then put your hook in at his mouth , and bring the point to his tail , then draw your line streight , and it will bring him into a round compass , and close his mouth that no water get in , which you must avoid , or you may stitch up his mouth : or you may ( when you set on your hook ) fasten some bristles under the silk , leaving the points above a straws breadth and half , or almost half an inch standing out towards the line , which will keep him from slipping back . you may also imitate the menow as well as the flie , but it must be done by an artist with the needle . you must also have a swivel or turn , placed about a yard or more from your hook ; you need no lead on your line , you must continually draw your bait up the stream near the top of the water . if you strike a large trout , and she either break hook or line , or get off , then near to her hold ( if you can discover it ) or the place you strook her , fix a short stick in the water , and with your knife loose a small piece of the rind , so as you may lay your line in it , and yet the barck be close enough to keep your line in that it slip not out , nor the stream carry it away ; bait your hook with a garden or lob-worm ( let your hook and line be very strong ) let the bait hang a foot from the stick , then fasten the other end of your line to some stick or bough in the bank , and within one hour you may be sure of her if all your tackle hold . the next way of angling is with a trowle for the pike , which is very delightful , you may buy your trowle ready made , therefore i shall not trouble my self to describe it , onely let it have a winch to wind it up withall . for this kind of fish your tackle must be strong , your rod must not be very slender at the top , where you must place a small slender ring for your line to run through , let your line be silk at least two yards next the hook , and the rest of strong shoomakers thred , your hook double , and strongly armed with wire for above a foot , then with a probe or needle you must draw the wire in at the fishes mouth and out at the tail , that so the hook may lie in the mouth of the fish , and both the poynts on either side ; upon the shank of the hook fasten some lead very smooth , that it go into the fishes mouth and sink her with the head downward , as though she had been playing on the top of the water , and were returning to the bottom ; your bait may be small roch , dace , gudgeon , loch , or a frog sometimes , your hook thus baited , you must tie the tail of the fish close and fast to the wire , or else with drawing to and again the fish will rend off the hook , or which i judge neater with a needle and strong thred , stitch through the fish on either side the wire and tie it very fast : all being thus fitted , cast your fish up and down in such places as you know pikes frequent , observing still that he sink some depth before you pull him up again . when the pike commeth ( if it be not sunk deep ) you may see the water move , or at least you may feel him , then slack your line and give him length enough to run away to his hould , whither he will go directly , and there pouch it , ever beginning ( as you may observe ) with the head swallowing that first , thus let him lie untill you see the line move in the water , and then you may certainly conclude he hath pouched your bait , and rangeth abroad for more , then with your troul wind up your line till you think you have it almost streight , then with a smart jerk hook him , and make your pleasure to your content . some use no rod at all , but hold the line in links on their hand , using lead and float : others use a very great hook with the hook at the tail of the fish , and when the pike commeth then they strike at the first pull , others use to put a strong string or thred in at the mouth of the bait and out at one of the gills , and so over the head and in at the other gill , and so tie the bait to the hook , leaving a little length of the thred or string betwixt the fish and the hook , that so the pike may turn the head of the bait the better to swallow it , & then as before , after some pause strike . some u●e to tie the bait-hook and line to a bladder or bundle of flags or bull-rushes , fastning the line very gently in the cleft of a small stick , to hold the bait from sinking more then ( its allowed length ) half a yard , and the stick must be fastned to the bladder or flags , to which the line being tyed that it may easily unfold and run to its length , and so give the pike liberty to run away with the bait , and by the bladder or flags recover their line again . you must observe this way to turn off your bait with the wind or stream , that they may carry it away , or some use ( for more sport , if the pike be a great one ) to tie the same to the foot of a goose which the pike ( if large ) will sometime pull under the water . before i proceed to give you each sort of bait for every kind of fish ; give me leave to adde a caution or two , for the ground-line and fishing , as i did for the natural and artificial flie , and then we shall go on . there are two wayes of fishing for eels ; proper and peculiar to that fish alone ; the first is termed by some , brogling for eels , which is thus , take a short strong rod and exceeding strong line , with a little compassed but strong hook , which you must bait with a large well scoured red-worm , then place the end of the hook very easily in a cleft of a stick , that it may very easily slip out ; with this stick and hook thus baited , search for holes under stones , timber , roots , or about floud-gates ; if there be a good eele , give her time and she will take it , but be sure she hath gorged it , and then you may conclude , if your tackling or hold fail not , she is your own . the other way is called bobbing for eeles , which is thus ; take the largest garden-worms , scower them well , and with a needle run a very strong thred or silk through them from end to end , take so many as that at last you may wrap them about a board ( for your hand will be too narrow ) a dozen times at least , then tye them fast with the two ends of the thred or silk , that they may hang in so many long bouts or hanks , then fasten all to a strong cord , and something more than a handful above the worms , fasten a plumb of lead , of about three quarters of a pound , and then make your cord sure to a long and strong pole ; with these worms thus ordered you must fish in a muddy water , and you will feel the eeles tugge strongly at them ; when you think they have swallowed them as far as they can , gently draw up your worms and eeles , and when you have them near the top of the water , hoist them amain to land ; and thus you may take three or four at once , and good ones if there be store . 1. when you angle at ground , keep your line as streight as possible , suffering none of it to lye in the water , because it hindereth the nimble jerk of the rod , but if ( as sometimes it will happen ) you cannot avoid , but some little will lie in the water , yet keep it in the stream above your float , by no meanes below it . 2. when you angle at ground for small fish , put two hooks to your line fastned together thus ; lay the two hooks together , then draw the one shorter than the other by nine inches , this causeth the other end to over-reach as much as that is shorter at the hooks , then turn that end back to make a bought or boute , and with a water-knot ( in which you must make both the links to fasten ) tye them so as both links may hang close together , and not come out at both ends of the knot ; upon that link which hangeth longest , fasten your lead near a foot above the hook , put upon your hooks two different baits , and so you may try ( with more ease and less time ) what bait the fish love best : and also very often ( as i have done ) take two fish at once with one rod : you have also by this experiment one bait for such as feed close upon the ground , as gudgeon , flounder , &c. and another for such as feed a little higher , as roch , dace , &c. 3. some use to lead their lines heavily , and to set their cork about a foot or more from the end of the rod , with a little lead to buoy it up , and thus in violent swift streams they avoid the offence of a flote , and yet perfectly discern the biting of the fish , and so order themselves accordingly ; but this hath its inconvenience , ( viz. ) the lying of the line in the water . 4. give all fish time to gorge the bait , and be not over hasty , except you angle with such tender baits , as will not endure nibbling at , but must upon every touch be struck at ( as sheeps-bloud-flies , which are taken away at the first pull of the fish ) and therefore enforce you at the first touch to try your fortune . now we are to speak next of baits , more particularly proper for every fish , wherein i shall observe this method , first to name the fish , then the baits , ( according as my experience hath proved them ) grateful to the fish , and to place them as near as i can in such order as they come in season , though many of them are in season at one instant of time , and equally good . i would not be understood , as if when a new bait cometh in , the old one were antiquated and useless ; for i know the worm lasteth all the year , flie all summer , one sort of bob all winter ; the other under cow-dung in june and july : but i intimate that some are found when others are not in rerum natura . chap. v. of all sorts of baits for each kind of fish , and how to find and keep them . 1. the salmon taketh the artificial flie very well , but you must use a trowle ( as for the pike ) or he being a strong fish will hazard your line , except you give him length ; his flies must be much larger than you use for other fish , the wings very long ( two or four ) behind one another , with very long tails ; his chiefest ground-bait a great garden or lob-worm . 2. the trout takes all sorts of worms , especially brandlings ; all sorts of flies , menow , young frogs , marsh-worme , dock-worme , flag-worme ; all sorts of cadbait , bob , palmers , caterpillers , gentles , wasps , hornets , dores , bees , grashoppers , cankers and bark-worm ; he is a ravenous greedy fish , and loveth a large bait at ground , and you must fit him accordingly . 3. the umber is generally taken with the same baits as the trout ; he is an eager fish , biteth freely , and will rise often at the same flie , if you prick him not . the barbel bites best at great red worms well scowered in moss , at cheese and several sorts of pastes , and gentles . 4. carp and tench love the largest red worms , the tench especially if they smell much of tar ; to which end you may some small time before you use them , take so many as you will use at that time , and put them by themselves in a little tar , but let them not lye long lest it kill them ; paste also of all sorts made with strong-sented oyles , tar , bread-grain boiled soft , maggots , gentles , marsh-worm , flag-worm , especially feed much and often for these fish. 5. the pike taketh all sorts of baits , ( save the flie ) gudgeon , roches , dace , loaches , young frogs in summer : you may halter him thus ; fasten a strong line with a snare at the end of it to a pole , which if you go circumspectly to work , he will permit you to put it over his head , and then you must by strength hoist him to land . 6. eeles , take great red worms , beef , wasps , guts of fowles and menow : bait night-hooks for him with small roches , the hook must lye in the mouth of the fish , as for the pike ; this way takes the greatest eeles . 7. barbel , cheese , or paste made of it with suet , maggots and red worms , feed much for this fish. 8. the gadgeon , ruff and bleak take the smallest red worms , cadbait , gentles , wasps : the bleak takes the natural or artificial flie , especially in the evening . the ruff taketh the same baits as the pearch , save that you must have lesser worms , he being a smaller fish. 9. roch and dace , small worms , cadbait , flies , bobs , sheeps bloud , small white snails , all sorts of worms bred on herbs or trees , paste , wasps , gnats , cherries and lipberries . the bleak is an eager fish , and takes the same baits as the roch , onely they must be less : you may angle for him with as many hooks , on your line at once , as you can conveniently fasten on it . 10. chevin , all sorts of earth , worms , bob , menow , flies of all sorts , cadbait , all sorts of worms bred on herbs and trees , especially oak-worms , young frogs , cherries , wasps , dores , bees , grashopper at the top of the water , cheese , grain , beetles , a great brown flie that lives on the oak like a scarrabee , black snails , their bellies slit that the white appear ; he loveth a large bait , as a waspe , colwort-worm , and then a waspe altogether . 11. bream , loveth red worms , especially those that are got at the root of a great dock , it lyeth wrapped up in a knot or round clue ; paste , flag-worms , wasps , green flies , butter-flies , a grashopper his legs cut off . 12. flownder , shad , suant , thwait and mullet , love red worms of all sorts , wasps and gentles . as for the menow , loach , bull-head or millers-thumb , being usually childrens recreation , i once purposed to have omitted them wholly , but considering they often are baits for better fish , as trout , pike , eele , &c. neither could this discourse be general if they were omitted ; and though i should wave mentioning them , yet i cannot forget them , who have so often vexed me with their unwelcome eagernesse ; for the menow will have a part in the play , if you come where he is , which is almost every where , you need not seek him ; i use to find him oftner than i desire , onely deep still places he least frequents of any , and is not over curious in his baits ; any thing will serve that he can swallow , and he will strain hard for what he cannot gorge ; but chiefly loveth smallest red wormes , cadbait , worms bred on herbs or trees , and wasps . the loach and bullhead are much of the same dyet , but their principall bait is smallest red worms , having spoken before of pastes , i shall now shew how you may make the same ; and though there be as many kinds as men have fancies , yet i esteem these best . 1. take the tenderest part of the leg of a young rabbet , whelp or catling , as much virgin wax and sheeps suet , beat them in a mortar till they be perfectly incorporated , then with a little clarified honey temper them before the fire into a paste . 2. sheeps kidney suet , as much cheese , fine flower or manchet , make it into a paste , soften it with clarifyed honey . 3. sheeps bloud , cheese , fine manchet , clarifyed honey , make all into a paste . 4. cherries , sheeps bloud , saffron , and fine manchet , make all into a paste . you may adde to any paste coculus indie , assa foetida , oyle of polipody of the oak , of lignum vitae , of ivie , or the gum of ivie dissolved : i judge there is vertue in these oyles , and gum especially , which i would adde to all pastes i make ; as also a little flax to keep the paste that it wash not off the hook . chap. vi. to keep your baits . 1. paste will keep very long if you put virgin wax and clarified honey into it , and stick well on the hook if you beat cotton wooll or flax into it , when you make your paste . 2. put your worms into very good long moss , whether white , red or green , i matter not ; wash it well , and cleanse it from all earth and filth , wring it very dry , then put your moss and worms into an earthen pot , cover it close that they crawle not out , set it in a cool place in summer , and in winter in a warm place , that the frost kill them not ; every third day in summer change your moss , once in the week in winter ; the longer you keep them before you use them , the better : clean scowering your worms makes them clearer , redder , tougher , and to live long on the hook , and to keep colour , and therefore more desireable to the fish : a little bole-armoniack put to them will much further your desire , and scower them in a short time : or you may put them all night in water , and they will scower themselves , but will be weak ; but a few hours in good moss will recover them . but lest your worms die , you may feed them with crums of bread and milk , or fine flowre and milk , or the yelk of an egge and sweet cream coagulated over the fire , give them a little and often ; sometimes also put to them earth cast out of a grave , the newer the grave the better , i mean the shorter time the party hath been buried , you will find the fish will exceedingly covet them after this earth ; & here you may gather what gum that is , which j. d. in his secrets of angling , calleth gum of life . 3. you must keep all other sorts of worms with the leaves of those trees and herbs , on which they are bred , renewing the leaves often in a day , and put in fresh for the old ones : the boxes you keep them in , must have a few small holes to let in air . 4. keep gentles or maggots with dead flesh , beasts livers or suet , cleanse or scower them in meal , or bran which is better ; you may breed them by pricking a beasts liver full of holes , hang it in the sun in summer time , set an old course barrel or small firken with clay and bran in it , into which they will drop , and cleanse themselves in it . 5. cadbait cannot endure the wind and cold , therefore keep them in a thick woollen bag , with some gravel amongst them , wet them once a day at least if in the house , but often in the hot weather ; when you carry them forth , fill the bag full of water , then hold the mouth close , that they drop not out , and so let the water run from them ; i have thus kept them three weeks : or you may put them into an earthen pot full of water , with some gravel at the bottom , and take them forth into your bag as you use them . 6. the spawn of some fish is a good bait , to be used at such time as that fish spawneth , some dayes before they spawn they will bite eagerly ; if you take one that is full-bellied , take out the spawn , boil it so hard as to stick on your hook , and so use it ; or not boil it at all , the spawn of salmon is best of all sorts of spawn . 7. i have observed , that chevin , roch , dace bite much better at the oak-worm , ( or any worm bred on herbs or trees ) especially if you angle with the same ( when they shew themselves ) at the top of the water , ( as with the natural flie ) then if you use it under ; for i have observed , that when a gale of wind shaketh the trees , the worms fall into the water , and presently rise and flote on the top , where i have seen the fish rise at them as at flies , which taught me this experience , and indeed they sink not till tost and beaten by the stream , and so they dye and lose their colour , and then the fish ( as you may see by your own on your hook ) do not much esteem them . 8. there are two ; some say three , sorts of cadbait ; the one bred under stones , that lye hollow in shallow rivers or small brooks , in a very fine gravelly case or husk , these are yellow when ripe : the other in old pits , ponds or slow running rivers or ditches , in cases or husks of straw , sticks or rushes , these are green when ripe ; both are excellent for a trout , used as before is directed , and for most sorts of small fish. the green sort , which is bred in pits , ponds or ditches , may be found in march before the other yellow ones come in ; the other yellow ones come in season with may or the end of april , and go out in july : a second sort , but smaller , come in again in august . 9. yellow bobs are also of two sorts , the one bred in mellow light soils , and gathered after the plough when the land is first broken up from grazing , and are in season in the winter till march ; the other sort is bred under cow-dung , hath a red head ; and these are in season in the summer only : scowre them in bran , or dry moss , or meal . 10. under the bark of an oak , ash , alder , and birch especially , if they lie a year or more after they are fallen , you may find a great white worm , with a brown head , something resembling a dore-bee or humble-bee , this is in season all the year , especially from september until june , or mid may ; the umber covets this bait above any , save fly and cad-bait : you may also find this worm in the body of a rotted alder , if you break it with an ax or beetle , but be careful only to shake the tree in pieces with beating , and crush not the worm : you may also find him under the bark of the stump of a tree , if decayed . 11. dry your wasps , dares , or bees upon a tile-stone , or in an oven cooled after baking , lest they burn ; and to avoid that , you must lay them on a thin board or chip , and cover them with another so supported , as not to crush them , or else clap two cakes together : this way they will keep long , and stick on your hook well . if you boyl them hard , they grow black in a few days . 12. dry your sheeps blood in the air upon a dry board , till it become a pretty hard lump ; then cut it into small pieces for your use . 13. when you use grain , boyl it soft , and get off the outward rind , which is the bran ; and then if you will , you may fry the same in honey and milk , or some strong sented oyls , as polypody , spike , ivy , tunpentine ; for nature , which maketh nothing in vain , hath given the fish nostrils , and that they can smell is undeniable ; and , i am perswaded , are more guided by the sense of smelling than sight ; for sometimes they will come to the float , if any wax be upon it , smell at it and go away . we see also that strong sents draw them together ; as , put grains , worms , or snails in a bottle of hay tied pretty close , and you will , if you pluck it out suddenly , sometimes draw up eeles in it . but i never yet made trial of any of these oyls ; for , when i had the oyls , i wanted time to try them ; or when i had time , i wanted the oyls : but i recommend them to tryal of others , and do purpose ( god willing ) to prove their virtue my self , especially that oyntment so highly commended by i. d. in his secret of angling . 14. when you see the ant-flyes in greatest plenty , go to the ant-hills where they breed , take a great handful of the earth , with as much of the roots of the grass that groweth on those hills , put all into a large glass bottle , then gather a pottle full of the blackest ant-flyes unbruised , put them into the bottle ( or into a firkin , if you would keep them long ) first washed with honey , or water and honey ; roach and dace will bite at these flyes under water near the ground . 15. when you gather bobs after the plough , put them into a firkin with sufficient of the soyle they were bred in , to preserve them , stop the vessel exceeding close , or all will spoyl , set it where neither wind nor frost may offend them , and they will keep all winter for your use . 16. at the later end of september , take some dead carrion that hath some maggots bred in it that begin to creep , bury all deep in the ground , that the frost kill them not , and they will serve in march or april following to use . 17. to find the flag-worm do thus , go to an old pond or pit where there are store of flags , or ( as some call them ) sedges , pull some up by the roots , then shake those roots in the water , till all the mud and dirt be washed away from them , then amongst the small strings or fibres that grow to the roots , you will find little husks or cases of a reddish or yellowish , and some of other colours , open these carefully with a pin , and you will find in them a little small worm , white as a gentle , but longer and slenderer ; this is an excellent bait for tench , bream , especially carp : if you pull the flags in sunder , and cut open the round stalk , you will also finde a worm like the former in the husks , but tougher , and in that respect better . chap. vii . of several haunts or resorts of fishes , and in what rivers or places of them they are most usually found . this part of our discourse being a discovery of the several places or rivers each kind of fish doth most haunt , or covet , and in which they are ordinarily found . the several sorts of rivers , streams , soyls and waters they most frequent , is a matter ( in this under valuable art ) of no smal importance ; for if you come with baits for the trout or umber , and angle for them in slow muddy rivers or places , you will have little ( if any ) sport at all : and to seek for carp or tench in stony swift rivers , is equally preposterous ; and though i know that some times you may meet with fish in such rivers and places , as they do not usually frequent ( for no general rule but admits of particular exceptions ) yet the exact knowledge of what rivers or soyls , or what part of the river ( for some rivers have swift gravelly streams , and also slow , deep , muddy places ) such or such sorts of fish do most frequent , will exceedingly adapt you , to know what rivers , or what part of them are most fit for your baits , or what baits suit best with each river , and the fish in the same . 1. the salmon loveth large swift rivers where it ebbeth and floweth , and there they are found in greatest numbers ; nevertheless i have known them to be found in lesser rivers , high up in the country , yet chiefly in the later end of the year , when they come thither to spawn , he chuseth the most swift and violent streams , ( or rather cataracts ) and in england the clearest gravelly rivers usually with rocks or weeds ; but in ireland i do not know any river ( i mean high in the country ) that hath such plenty of them , as the black water by charlemont , and the broad water by shanes castle , both which have their heads in great boggs , and are of a dark muddy colour , and very few ( comparatively ) in the upper ban , though clearer and swifter than they . 2. the trout loveth small purling brooks , or rivers that are very swift , and run upon stones or gravel ; he feedeth whilest strong in the swiftest streams behind a stone , logge , or some small bank that shooteth into the river , which the streams beareth upon ; and there he lieth watching for what cometh down the stream , and suddenly catcheth it up ; his hold is usually in the deep , under a hollow place of the bank , or a stone that lieth hollow , which he loveth exceedingly ; and sometimes , but not so usually he is found amongst weeds . 3. the pearch loveth a gentle stream of a reasonable depth , ( seldom shallow ) close by a hollow bank ; and though these three sorts of fish covet clear and swift rivers , green weeds and stony gravel ; yet they are sometimes found ( but not in such plenty and goodness ) in slow muddy rivers . 4. carp , tench and eele seek mud and a still water ; eeles under roots or stones , a carp chuseth the deepest and stillest place of pond or river , so doth the tench , and also green weeds , which he loveth exceedingly : greatest eeles love as before , but the smaller ones are found in all sorts of rivers and soils . 5. pike , bream and chub , chuse sand or clay ; the bream a gentle stream and broadest part of the river ; the pike still pools full of frie , and shelters himself ( the better to surprise his prey unawares ) amongst bull-rushes , water-docks , or under bushes ; the chub loves the same ground , ( is more rarely found without some tree to shade and cover him ) large rivers and streams . 6. barbel , roch , dace , ruff , seek gravel and sand more than the bream , and the deepest parts of the river , where shady trees are more grateful to them , than to the chub or chevin . 7. the umber desires marle , clay , clear waters , swift streams , far from the sea , ( for i never saw any taken near it ) and the greatest plenty of them that i know of , are found in the mountainous parts of derby-shire , stafford-shire , as dove-trent , derwent , &c. 8. gudgeon desires sandy , gravelly , gentle streams , and smaller rivers , but i have known them taken in great abundance in trent in derby shire , where it is very large , but conceive them to be in greater plenty nearer the head of that river about or above heywood : i can say the same of other rivers , and therefore conceive they love smaller rivers rather than the large , or the small brooks ; for i never found them in so great plenty in brooks , as small rivers : he bites best in the spring till he spawns , and little after till wasp time . 9. shad , thwait , peel , mullet , suant and flounder , love chiefly to be in or near the saltish waters , where it ebbeth and floweth ; i have known the flounder taken ( in good plenty ) in fresh rivers , they covet sand and gravel , deep gentle streams near the bank , or at the end of a stream in a deep still place : though these rules may and do hold good in the general , yet i have found them admit of particular exceptions ; but every mans habitation ingageth him to one or ( usually at most to ) two rivers , his own experience will quickly inform him of the nature of the same , and the fish in them . i would perswade all that love angling , and desire to be complete anglers , to spend some time in all sorts of ▪ waters , ponds , rivers , swift and slow , stony , gravelly , muddy and slimy ; and to observe all the differences in the nature of the fish , the waters and baits , and by this means he will be able to take fish where ever he angleth ; otherwise ( through want of experience ) he will be like the man that could read in no book but his own ; besides , a man ( his occasions or desires drawing him from home ) must onely stand as an idle spectator , whilest others kill fish , but he none , and so lose the repute of a complete angler , how excellent soever he be at his own known river . furthermore , you must understand , that as some fish covet one soil more than another ; so they differ in their choice of places , in every season : some keep all summer long near the top , some never leave the bottom ; for the former sort you may angle with a quill or small flote near the top , with a flie or any sort of worm bred on herbs or trees ; or with a flie at the top : the later sort you will all summer long find at the tails of wiers , mills , floud-gates , arches of bridges , or the more shallow parts of the river , in a strong , swift or gentle stream , except carp , and tench , and eele ; in winter all flye into the deep still places : where it ebbeth and floweth they will sometimes bite best , in the ebbe most usually , sometimes when it floweth , rarely at full water near the arches of bridges , wiers , floud-gates . chap. viii . what times are unseasonable to angle in . there being a time for all things , in which with ease and facility the same may be accomplished , and most difficult , if not impossible , at another : the skill and knowledge how to chuse the best season to angle , and how to avoid the contrary , come next to be handled ; which i shall do first negatively , viz. what times are unfit to angle ; and then affirmatively , which are the best seasons . 1. when the earth is parched with a great drought , so that the rivers run with a much less current than is usual , it s to no purpose to angle ; and indeed the heat of the day in summer ( except cooled by winds , and shaddowed with clouds , though there be no drought ) you will find very little sport , especially in muddy , or very shallow and clear rivers . 2. in cold , frosty , snowy weather , i know the fish must eat in all seasons , and that a man may kill fish when he must first break the ice ; yet i conceive the sport is not then worth pursuing , the extreme cold taking away the delight ; besides , the indangering health ( if not life ) by those colds , which at least cause rhumes and coughs : wherefore i leave winter and night angling to such strong healthful bodies , whose extraordinary delight in angling , or those whose necessity enforceth them to seek profit by their recreation in such unseasonable times . 3. when there happeneth any small frost , all that day after the fish will not rise freely and kindly , except in the evening , and that the same prove very pleasant . 4. if the wind be extream high , so that you cannot guide your tools to advantage . 5. when shepherds or country-men wash their sheep , though whilest they are washing ( i mean the first time onely ) the fish will bite exceedingly well ; i suppose the filth that falleth from the sheep doth draw them ( as your baiting a place ) together , and then they so glut themselves , that till the whole washing time be over , and they have disgested their fulness , they will not take any artificial baits . 6. sharp , bitter , nipping winds , which most usually blow out of the north or east especially , blast your recreation ; but this is rather the season than the wind , though i also judge those winds have a secret maligne quality to hinder the recreation . 7. after any sort of fish have spawned they will not bite any thing to purpose , until they have recovered their strength and former appetite . 8. when any clouds arise that will certainly bring a showre , or storm ( though in the midst of summer ) they will not bite : i have observed that though the fish bite most eagerly , and to your hearts content , yet upon the first appearing of any clouds , that will certainly bring rain ( though my own judgment could not then apprehend , or in the least conjecture , that a storm was arising ) they have immediately left off biting ; and that hath been all that hath given me to understand that a showre was coming , and that it was prudence to seek shelter against the same . chap. ix . the best times and seasons to angle . we now come to the affirmamative part , which is the best season to angle , that as before we discovered when it would be lost labour to seek recreation ; so now you may learn to improve opportunity ( when it offers it self ) to best advantage . 1. calm , clear ( or which is better ) coole cloudy weather in summer , the wind blowing gently , so as you may guide your tools with ease ; in the hottest months the cooler the better . 2. when the floods have carried away all the filth that the rain had washed from the higher grounds into the river , and that the river keepeth his usual bounds , and looketh of a whay colour . 3. when a sudden violent shower hath a little mudded and raised the river ; then if you go forth in , or immediately after such a showre , and angle in the stream at the ground ( with a red worm chiefly ) if there be store of fish in the river , you will have sport to your own desire . 4. a little before any fish spawn ( your own observation will inform you of the time by the fulness of their bellies ) they come into the gravelly , sandy foards to rub and loosen their bellies , and then they bite very freely . 5. when rivers after rain do rise , yet so as that they keep within their banks , in swift rivers the violence of the stream forceth the fish to seek shelter and quiet ease , in the little and milder currents of small brooks , where they fall into larger rivers , and behind the ends of bridges that are longer than the breadth of the river , making a low vacancy , where the bridge defends , a small spot of ground from the violence of the stream , or in any low place near the rivers side , where the fish may lie at rest and secure from the disturbance of the rapid stream ; in such a place ( being not very deep ) and at such a time , you will find sport : my self have ever found it equal to the best season . 6. early in the morning from ( carp and tench before ) sun rising , until eight of the clock ; and from four after noon till night ; carp and tench , from sun set till far in the night in the hot months . 7. in march , beginning of april , later end of september , and all winter fish bite best in the warmth of the day , no winds stirring , the air clear ; in summer months , morning and evening is best , or cool cloudy weather : if you can find shelter , no matter how high the wind be . 8. fish rise best at the flye after , a shower that hath not mudded the water , yet hath beaten the gnats and flyes into the rivers , you may in such a shower observe them rise much if you will endure the rain ; also the best months for the flye are march , april , may , part of june ; in the cooler months , in the warmest time of the day ; in warmer weather , about nine in the morning ; three after noon , if any gentle gale blow ; sometimes in a warm evening , when the gnats play much . also after the river is cleared from a flood they rise exceeding well , i conceive they were glutted with ground baits , and now covet the fly , having wanted it a time . 1. a trout bites best in a muddy rising water , in dark , cloudy , windy weather , early in the morning , from half an hour after eight till ten ; and in the afternoon , from three , till after four ; and sometimes in the evening ; but nine in the morning , and three afternoon are his chiefest and most constant hours of biting at ground or fly , as the water suits either ; march , april , may , and part of june are his chiefest months , though he bites well in july , august , and september . after a showre in the evening he riseth well at gnats . 2. salmon , three afternoon , chiefly in may , iune , iuly , august , a clear water and some wind , and he biteth best when the wind bloweth against the stream , and near the sea. 3. carp and tench , morning and evening very early and late , iune , iuly , and august , or indeed in the night . 4. a chevin , from sun rising or earlier ( at snails especially , for in the heat of the day he careth not for them ) in iune and iuly , till about eight ; again at three after noon at ground or fly ; and his chief fly which he most delights in , is a great moth , with a very great head , not unlike to an owl , with whitish wings and yellowish body ( you may find them flying abroad in summer evenings in gardens ) some wind stirring , large rivers chiefly , streams or shade , he will take a small lamprey or seaven-eyes , an eele-brood , either of them about a straws bigness . 5. pike bites best about three afternoon , in a clear water , a gentle gale ; july , august , september , october . 6. a bream from about sun rising till eight in a muddy water , a good gale of wind ; and in ponds the higher the wind , and where the waves are highest , and nearer the middle of the pond , the better ; end of may , june , july ( especially ) and august . 7. roch and dace all day long , best at the top , at flie or oak-worm principally , and at all other worms bred on herbs or trees , palmers , caterpillers , &c. in plain rivers or ponds , under water-dock-leaves , under shady trees . 8. gudgeon , april , and till he have spawned in may , and little after that till wasp time , and then to the end of the year all day long . 9. flounder all day in april , may , june , july . chap. x. general observations . 1. let the anglers apparel be sad dark colours , as sad gray's , tawny , purple hair or musk colour . 2. use shoomakers wax to your silk or thred , with which you make or mend either rod or flie ; it holds more firmly , and sticketh better than any other . 3. into such places as you use to angle at , once a week at least cast in all sorts of corn boyled soft , grains washed in bloud , bloud dryed and cut into pieces , snails , worms chopt small , pieces of fowle or beasts guts , beasts livers ; for carp and tench you cannot feed too often , or too much ; this course draweth the fish to the place you desire : and to keep them together , cast about twenty grains of ground malt at a time , now and then as you angle ; and indeed all sorts of baits are good to cast in , specially whilest you are angling with that bait ; principally cadbait , gentles and wasps , and you will find they will snap up yours more eagerly , and with less suspicion ; but by no means when you angle in a stream cast them in at your hook , but something above where you angle , lest the stream carry them beyond your hook , and so instead of drawing them to you , you draw them from you . 4. destroy all beasts or birds that devour the fish or their spawn , and endeavour ( whether in authority or not ) to see all statutes put in execution , against such as use unlawful nets or means to take fish ; especially barre netting and night-hooking . 5. get your rods and tops without knots , they are dangerous for breaking . 6. keep your rod dry , lest it rot ; and not near the fire , lest it grow brittle . 7. in drought wet your rod a little before you begin to angle . 8. lob-worms , dew-worms , and great garden worms all one . 9. when you angle at ground , or with the natural flie , your line must not exceed the length of your rod. for the trout at ground it must be shorter , and in some cases not half the length , as in small brooks or woody rivers , either at ground or with the natural flie . 10. when you have hooked a good fish , have an especial care to keep your rod bent , lest he run to the end of the line , and break your hook or his hold . 11. such tops or stocks as you get , must not be used till fully seasoned , which wich will not be in one year and a quarter ; but i like them better if kept till they be two years old . 12. the first fish you take cut up his belly , and you may then see his stomach ; it is known by its largeness and place , lying from the gills to the small guts ; take it out very tenderly , ( if you bruise it your labour and design are lost ) and with a sharp knife cut it open without bruising , and then you may find his food in it , and thereby discover what bait the fish at that instant takes best , flies or ground-baits , and so fit them accordingly . 13. fish are frighted with any the least sight or motion , therefore by all means keep out of sight , either by sheltering your self behind some bush or tree , or by standing so far off the rivers side , that you can see nothing but your flie or flote ; to effect this , a long rod as ground , and a long line with the artificial flie may be of use to you . and here i meet with two different opinions and practises , some alwayes cast their flie and bait up the water , and so they say nothing occurreth to the fishes sight but the line : others fish down the river , and so suppose ( the rod and line being long ) the quantity of water takes away , or at least lesseneth the fishes fight ; but the other affirm , that rod and line , and perhaps your self are seen also . in this difference of opinions i shall onely say , in small brooks you may angle upwards , or else in great rivers you must wade , as i have known some , who thereby got the sciatica , and i would not wish you to purchase pleasure at so dear a rate ; besides , casting up the river you cannot keep your line out of the water , which we noted for a fault before ; and they that use this way confess , that if in casting your flie , the line fall into the water before it , the flie were better uncast , because it frights the fish ; then certainly it must do it this way , whether the flie fall first or not , the line must first come to the fish or fall on him , which undoubtedly will fright him : therefore my opinion is , that you angle down the river , for the other way you traverse twice so much , and beat not so much ground as downwards . 14. keep the sun ( and moon , if night ) before you , if your eyes will endure it , ( which i much question ) at least be sure to have those planets on your side , for if they be on your back , your rod will with its shadow offend much , and the fish see further and clearer , when they look towards those lights , then the contrary ; as you may experiment thus , in a dark night if a man come betwixt you and any light , you see him clearly but not at all if the light come betwixt you and him . 15. when you angle for the trout , you need not make above three or four tryals in one place , either with flie or ground-bait ; for he will then either take it , or make an offer , or not stir at all , and so you lose time to stay there any longer . pearch bites exceeding well at all sorts of earth-worms , if well scowered , especially lob-wormes and brandlings , bobs , oak-wormes , gentles , cadbait , wasps , dores , menow , colwort-worm , and often as almost any bait saye the flie . he bites well all day long in seasonable weather , but chiefly from eight in the morning till after ten , and from a little before three afternoon , till almost five . 16. a chevin loveth to have several flies , and of divers sorts , on the hook at once , and several baits also at once on the hook ; as a wasp and colwort-worm , or an old wasp and young dore , or humble when his wings and legs are grown forth , or a flie and cad-worm or oak-worm . 17. take for a trowt two lob-worms well scowered , cut them into two equal halfs , put them on your hook ; this is an excellent bait . in a muddy water a trout will not take a cadbait , you must therefore onely use it in clear waters . if you desire to angle in a very swift stream , and have your bait rest in one place , and yet not overburthen your line with lead , take a stone bow or small pistoll bullet , make a hole through it , wider at each side than in the middle ; yet so open in every place , as that the line may easily pass through it without any stop ; place a very small piece of lead on your line , that may keep this bullet from falling nearer the hook than that piece of lead , and if your flote be made large enough to bear above water against the force of the stream , the fish will , when they bite , run away with the bait as securely , as if there were no more weight upon your line , than the little piece of lead , because the hole in the bullet gives passage to the line , as if it were not there . 18. when cattle in summer come into the foards , their dung draweth the fish unto the lower end of the foard ; at such a time angle for a chevin with baits fit for him , and you will have sport . 19. before you set your hook to your line , arme the line by turning the silk five or six times about the link , and so with the same hair set on your hook ; this preserves your lines , that your hook cut it not in sunder , and also that it will not , when you use the cast flie , snap off so easily , which it is very subject to do . 20. in very wet seasons trouts leave the rivers and larger brooks , and flee into such little brooks as scarce run at all in dry summers . 21. to all sorts of pastes adde flax , cotton or wooll , to keep the paste from falling off your hook . 22. deny not part of what your endeavours shall purchase unto any sick or indigent persons , but willingly distribute a part of your purchase to those who may desire a share . 23. make not a profession of any recreation , lest your immoderate love to the same bring a cross wish with it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . finis . you may be most completely furnished with all manner of fishing tackling at mr. fletchers , near st. gregories church by the west end of pauls ; or at mr. brandons , near to the swan in golden-lane ; or at mr. kirbies in harp alley in shoo-lane , who is a most choice hook-maker . the table . a angling tools when to provide page 2 angling the several kinds . page 14 angling at ground for the trout . page 40 angling in the night . page 41 angling with the menow . page 42 anglig for the pike . page 44 angling for the eele page 49 angling at ground for all sorts of fish , directions . page 51 ant-flies to keep . page 73 b bark-worm . page 71 bags for worms . page 12 barbel his baits . page 59 his haunt . page 80 bleak his baits as the roach . page 60 bobs . page 70 bream his baits . page 61 his haunt . page 80 his time of biting . page 94 boxes for flies , cankers , &c. page 12 bobbing . page 49 brogling page ibid. bulhead . page 63 bloud to order . page 72 c cadbait his kind . page 69 how to keep them . page 68 how to use them . page 38 cane or reed its best use . page 4 carp his baits . page 57 his haunt . page 79 his time of biting . page 93 chevin or chub his baits . page 60 his haunt . page 80 his time of biting . page 93 d dace his baits . page 59 his haunt . page 80 his time of biting . page 94 depth of water to try . page 11 e eele his baits . page 58 his haunt . page 79 his time of biting . page f flie , what fish rise best at it . page 17 when each flie comes in . page 19 how to find that time . page 20 flie artificial to make . page 24 directions how to use it . page 30 flie natural to angle with . page 21 directions how to use it . page 22 why fish rise not at the artificial flie in muddy rivers so well as in others . pages 34 , 35 , 36 flounder his baits . page 61 his haunt . page 81 his time of biting . page 84 flag-worm . page 75 when fish rise at the flie best . page 91 feeding the fish . page 95 g gudgeon his baits . page 59 his haunt . page 81 his time of biting . page 94 grayling , vide umber . page grain to order . page 72 h hooks the shape . page 9 how to set them to the line . page 10 to sharpen them . page 12 l line how to make . page 7 lines , hooks , flies to carry . page 13 leach his baits , haunts , &c. page 61 m menow his baits , haunts , &c. pages 61 , 62 mullet his baits . page ●● his haunt as the flounder . page 81 maggots to breed and keep . page 74 o oak-worm how to use , and when the fish take it best . page 69 p pannier . page 13 pastes to make . page 63 pike his baits . page 45 his haunt . page 80 his time of biting . page 94 how to halter him . page 58 pearch his baits . page 101 his haunts . page 79 his biting time . page 102 r roach his baits . page 59 his haunt . page 80 his time of biting . page 94 ruff his baits . page 79 his haunt . page 80 biting time as the pearch . page s salmon his baits . page 54 his haunt . page 77 biting time page 92 shad and suant their baits . page 61 their haunts . page 81 biting time as the flounder . page 84 spawn of fish how to use . page 68 swivel its use . page 43 t tench his baits , page 57 his haunt . page 79 biting time . page 99 trout his baits . page 55 his haunt . page 78 his biting time . page 92 to take a trout you have missed . page 44 trowle its several wayes . page ibid. u umber his baits . page 56 his haunt . page 80 his biting time . page 92 w worms how to order . page 65 worm-bags . page 12 wasps . page 71 finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a64795-e780 the introduction to the ensuing discourse . the time to provide stocks and tops . the use of the reed or cane . the making the line . the shape of the hook. the flote . to try the depth of the water . to carry your lines or artificial flies . to sharpen the hook that is dulled . to carry baits and other necessaries . for worms , c●dbait . to land great fish when you want an assistant . your pannier . several wayes of angling . what fish rise best at the fly , both natural and artificial . how to find what flie the fish at that instant most desire . directions in using the artificial flie . of the artificial flie . how to make the artificial fl●e several wayes . cautions for the use of the artificial fly . two conjectures why fish rise not wel at the artificial flie in slimy rivers . how to angle with the cadbait . ground angling . night ●ngling . angling for the trout with a menow . the use of the swivel . if you misse a trout how to take her afterwards . how to angle for the pike with a trowle , and several other wayes . brogling for eeles . bobbing for eeles directions in angling at the ground . baits for the salmon . several sorts of pastes . cadbait . spawn of fish . the chiefest way to use the oakworm . cadbait his kinds . bobs , two sorts . barke wormes . how to use wasps . sheeps blood , how to use it . how to o●der graine . ant-flyes . bobs after the plow. to breed and keep gentles . to find the flag-worm . when unseasonable to angle . when it is best to angle . the compleat angler or, the contemplative man's recreation. being a discourse of fish and fishing, not unworthy the perusal of most anglers. walton, izaak, 1593-1683. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a67462 of text r202374 in the english short title catalog (wing w661). 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. 223 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 132 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo 2017 a67462 wing w661 estc r202374 99862687 99862687 114857 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 0 1.0 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 1, no. a67462) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 114857) images scanned from microfilm: (thomason tracts ; 191:e1488[1]) the compleat angler or, the contemplative man's recreation. being a discourse of fish and fishing, not unworthy the perusal of most anglers. walton, izaak, 1593-1683. [16], 246, [2] p. : ill. (metal cuts), music printed by t. maxey for rich. marriot, in s. dunstans church-yard fleetstreet, london, : 1653. dedication signed: iz. wa. [i.e. izaak walton]. the words "the compleat .. recreation." on title are engraved in a decorative cartouche. the last leaf is blank. annotation on thomason copy: "may. 20.". reproduction of the original in the british library. eng fishing -early works to 1800. a67462 r202374 (wing w661). civilwar no the compleat angler or, the contemplative man's recreation. being a discourse of fish and fishing, not unworthy the perusal of most anglers. walton, izaak 1653 44570 16 0 0 0 0 0 4 b the rate of 4 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the b category of texts with fewer than 10 defects per 10,000 words. 2000-00 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2001-04 apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images 2001-00 tcp staff (michigan) sampled and proofread 2001-00 tcp staff (michigan) text and markup reviewed and edited 2001-11 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the compleat angler or the contemplative man's recreation . being a discourse of fish and fishing , not unworthy the perusal of most anglers . simon peter said , i go a fishing : and they said , we also wil go with thee . john 21.3 . london , printed by t. maxey for rich. marriot , in s. dunstans church-yard , fleetstreet , 1653. to the right worshipful john offley of madely manor in the county of stafford , esq my most honoured friend . sir , i have made so ill use of your former favors , as by them to be encouraged to intreat that they may be enlarged to the patronage and protection of this book . and i have put on a modest confidence , that i shall not be denyed , because 't is a discourse of fish and fishing , which you both know so well , and love and practice so much . you are assur'd ( though there be ignorant men of an other belief ) that angling is an art ; and you know that art better then any that i know : and that this is truth , is demōstrated by the fruits of that pleasant labor which you enjoy when you purpose to give rest to your mind , and devest your self of your more serious business , and ( which is often ) dedicate a day or two to this recreation . at which time , if common anglers should attend you , and be eye-witnesses of the success , not of your fortune , but your skill , it would doubtless beget in them an emulation to be like you , and that emulation might beget an industrious diligence to be so : but i know it is not atainable by common capacities . sir , this pleasant curiositie of fish and fishing ( of wch you are so great a master ) has been thought worthy the pens and practices of divers in other nations , which have been reputed men of great learning and wisdome ; and amongst those of this nation , i remember sir henry wotton ( a dear lover of this art ) has told me , that his intentions were to write a discourse of the art , and in the praise of angling , and doubtless he had done so , if death had not prevented him ; the remembrance of which hath often made me sorry ; for , if he had lived to do it , then the unlearned angler ( of which i am one ) had seen some treatise of this art worthy his perusal , which ( though some have undertaken it ) i could never yet see in english . but mine may be thought as weak and as unworthy of common view : and i do here freely confess , that i should rather excuse my self , then censure others , my own discourse being liable to so many exceptions ; against which , you ( sir ) might make this one , that it can contribute nothing to your knowledge ; and lest a longer epistle may diminish your pleasure , i shal not adventure to make this epistle longer then to add this following truth , that i am really , sir , your most affectionate friend , and most humble servant , iz. wa. to the reader of this discourse : but especially , to the honest angler . i think fit to tell thee these following truths ; that i did not undertake to write , or to publish this discourse of fish and fishing , to please my self , and that i wish it may not displease others ; for , i have contest there are many defects in it . and yet , i cannot doubt , but that by it , some readers may receive so much profit or pleasure , as if they be not very busie men , may make it not unworthy the time of their perusall ; and this is all the confidence that i can put on concerning the merit of this book . and i wish the reader also to take notice , that in writing of it , i have made a recreation , of a recreation ; and that it might prove so to thee in the reading , and not to read dull , and tediously , i have in severall places mixt some innocent mirth ; of which , if thou be a severe , sowr complexioned man , then i here disallow thee to be a competent judg. for divines say , there are offences given ; and offences taken , but not given . and i am the willinger to justifie this innocent mirth , because the whole discourse is a kind of picture of my owne disposition , at least of my disposition in such daies and times as i allow my self , when honest nat. and r. r. and i go a fishing together ; and let me adde this , that he that likes not the discourse , should like the pictures of the trout and other fish , which i may commend , because they concern not my self . and i am also to tel the reader , that in that which is the more usefull part of this discourse ; that is to say , the observations of the nature and breeding , and seasons , and catching of fish , i am not so simple as not to think but that he may find exceptions in some of these ; and therefore i must intreat him to know , or rather note , that severall countreys , and several rivers alter the time and manner of fishes breeding ; and therefore if he bring not candor to the reading of this discourse , he shall both injure me , and possibly himself too by too many criticisms . now for the art of catching fish ; that is to say , how to make a man that was none , an angler by a book : he that undertakes it , shall undertake a harder task then hales , that in his printed book * undertook by it to teach the art of fencing , and was laught at for his labour . not but that something usefull might be observed out of that book ; but that art was not to be taught by words ; nor is the art of angling . and yet , i think , that most that love that game , may here learn something that may be worth their money , if they be not needy : and if they be , then my advice is , that they forbear ; for , i write not to get money , but for pleasure ; and this discourse boasts of no more : for i hate to promise much , and fail . but pleasure i have found both in the search and conference about what is here offered to thy view and censure ; i wish thee as much in the perusal of it , and so might here take my leave ; but i will stay thee a little longer by telling thee , that whereas it is said by many , that in fly-fishing for a trout , the angler must observe his twelve flyes for every month , i say , if he observe that , he shall be as certain to catch fish , as they that make hay by the fair dayes in almanacks , and be no surer : for doubtless , three or four flyes rightly made , do serve for a tront all summer ; and for winter-flies , all anglers know , they are as useful as an almanack out of date . of these ( because no man is born an artist nor an angler ) i thought fit to give thee this notice . i might say more , but it is not fit for this place ; but if this discourse which follows shall come to a second impression , which is possible , for slight books have been in this age observed to have that fortune ; i shall then for thy sake be glad to correct what is faulty , or by a conference with any to explain or enlarge what is defective : but for this time i have neither awillingness nor leasure to say more , then wish thee a rainy evening toread this book in , and that the east wind may never blow when thou goest a fishing . farewel . iz. wa. because in this discourse of fish and fishing i have not observed a method , which ( though the discourse be not long ) may be some inconvenience to the reader , i have therefore for his easier finding out some particular things which are spoken of , made this following table . the first chapter is spent in a vindication or commendation of the art of angling . in the second are some observations of the nature of the otter , and also some observations of the chub or cheven , with directions how and with what baits to fish for him . in chapt. 3. are some observations of trouts , both of their nature , their kinds , and their breeding . in chap 4. are some direction concerning baits for the trout , with advise how to make the fly , and keep the live baits . in chap. 5. are some direction how to fish for the trout by night ; and a qucstion , whether fish hear ? and lastly diroction bow to fish for the umber or greyling . in chap. 6. are some observations concerning the salmon , with direction how to fish for him . in chap. 7 . are several observatiens concerning the , luce or pike , with some directions how and with what baits to fish for him . in chap. 8 . are several observations of the nature and breeding of carps , with some observations how to angle for them . in chap 9. are some observations concerning the bream , the tench and pearch , with some directions with what baits to fish for them . in chap. 10. are several observations of the nature and breeding of eeles , with advice how to fish for them . in chap. 11. are some observations of the nature and breeding of barbels , with some advice how , and with what baits to fish for them ; as also for the gudgion and bleak . in chap. 12 . are general directions how and with what baits to fish for the ruffe or pope , the roch , the dace , and other smal fish , with directions how to keep ant-flies and gentles in winter , with some other observations not unfit to be known of anglers . in chap. 13. are observations for the colouring of your rod and hair . these directions the reader may take as an ease in his search after some particular fish , and the baits proper for them ; and he will shew himselfe courteous in mending or passing by some few errors in the printer , which are not so many but that they may be pardoned . ( i ) the complete angler . or , the contemplative mans recreation . piscator . viator . piscator . you are wel overtaken sir ; a good morning to you ; i have stretch'd my legs up totnam hil to overtake you , hoping your businesse may occasion you towards ware , this fine pleasant fresh may day in the morning . viator . sir , i shall almost answer your hopes : for my purpose is to be at hodsdess ( three miles short of that town ) i wil not say , before i drink ; but before i break my fast : for i have appointed a friend or two to meet me there at the thatcht house , about nine of the clock this morning ; and that made me so early up , and indeed , to walk so fast . pisc. sir , i know the thatcht house very well : i often make it my resting place , and taste a cup of ale there , for which liquor that place is very remarkable ; and to that house i shall by your favour accompany you , and either abate of my pace , or mend it , to enjoy such a companion as you seem to be , knowing that ( as the italians say ) good company makes the way seem the shorter . viat . it may do so sir , with the help of good discourse , which ( me thinks ) i may promise from you , that both look and speak so chearfully . and to invite you to it , i do here promise you , that for my part , i will be as free and open-hearted , as discretion will warrant me to be with a stranger . pisc. sir , i am right glad of your answer ; and in confidence that you speak the truth , i shall ( sir ) put on a boldnesse to ask , whether pleasure or businesse hath occasioned your journey . viat . indeed , sir , a little businesse , and more pleasure : for my purpose is to bestow a day or two in hunting the otter ( which my friend that i go to meet , tells me is more pleasant then any hunting whatsoever : ) and having dispatcht a little businesse this day , my purpose is to morrow to follow a pack of dogs of honest mr. — , who hath appointed me and my friend to meet him upon amwel hill to morrow morning by day break . pisc. sir , my fortune hath answered my desires ; and my purpose is to bestow a day or two in helping to destroy some of those villanous vermin : for i hate them perfectly , because they love fish so well , or rather , because they destroy so much : indeed , so much , that in my judgment , all men that keep otter dogs ought to have a pension from the commonwealth to incourage them to destroy the very breed of those base otters , they do so much mischief . viat . but what say you to the foxes of this nation ? would not you as willingly have them destroyed ? for doubtlesse they do as much mischief as the otters . pisc. oh sir , if they do , it is not so much to me and my fraternitie , as that base vermin the otters do . viat . why sir , i pray , of what fraternity are you , that you are so angry with the poor otter ? pis. i am a brother of the angle , and therefore an enemy to the otter , he does me and my friends so much mischief ; for you are to know , that we anglers all love one another : and therefore do i hate the otter perfectly , even for their sakes that are of my brotherhood . viat . sir , to be plain with you , i am sorry you are an angler : for i have heard many grave , serious men pitie , and many pleasant men scoffe at anglers . pisc. sir , there are many men that are by others taken to be serious grave men , which we contemn and pitic ; men of sowre complexions ; mony-getting-men , that spend all their time first in getting , and next in anxious care to keep it : men that are condemn'd to be rich , and alwayes discontented , or busie . for these poor-rich-men , wee anglers pitie them ; and stand in no need to borrow their thoughts to think our selves happie : for ( trust me , sir ) we enjoy a contentednesse above the reach of such dispositions . and as for any scoffer , qui mockat mockabitur . let mee tell you , ( that you may tell him ) what the wittie french-man sayes in such a case . when my cat and i entertaine each other with mutuall apish tricks ( as playing with a garter , ) who knows but that i make her more sport then she makes me ? shall i conclude her simple , that has her time to begin or refuse sportivenesse as freely as i my self have ? nay , who knows but that our agreeing no better , is the defect of my not under standing her language ? ( for doubtlesse cats talk and reason with one another ) and that shee laughs at , and censures my folly , for making her sport , and pittes mee for understanding her no better ? to this purpose speaks mountagne concerning cats : and i hope i may take as great a libertie to blame any scoffer , that has never heard what an angler can say in the justification of his art and pleasure . but , if this satisfie not , i pray bid the scoffer put this epigram into his pocket , and read it every morning for his breakfast ( for i wish him no better ; ) hee shall finde it fix'd before the dialogues of lucian ( who may be justly accounted the father of the family of all scoffers : ) and though i owe none of that fraternitie so much as good will , yet i have taken a little pleasant pains to make such a conversion of it as may make it the fitter for all of that fraternity . lucian well skill'd in scoffing , this has writ , friend , that 's your folly which you think your wit : this you vent oft , void both of wit and fear , meaning an other , when your self you jeer , but no more of the scoffer ; for since solomon sayes , he is an abomination to men , he shall be so to me ; and i think , to all that love vertue and angling . viat . sir , you have almost amazed me : for though i am no scoffer , yet i have ( i pray let me speak it without offence ) alwayes look'd upon anglers as more patient , and more simple men , then ( i fear ) i shall finde you to be . piscat . sir , i hope you will not judge my earnestnesse to be impatience : and for my simplicitie , if by that you mean a harmlesnesse , or that simplicity that was usually found in the primitive christians , who were ( as most anglers are ) quiet men , and followed peace ; men that were too wise to sell their consciences to buy riches for vexation , and a fear to die . men that lived in those times when there were fewer lawyers , for then a lordship might have been safely conveyed in a piece of parchment no bigger then your hand , though several skins are not sufficient to do it in this wiser age . i say , sir , if you take us anglers to be such simple men as i have spoken of , then both my self , and those of my profession will be glad to be so understood . but if by simplicitie you meant to expresse any general defect in the understanding of those that professe and practise angling , i hope to make it appear to you , that there is so much contrary reason ( if you have but the patience to hear it ) as may remove all the anticipations that time or discourse may have possess'd you with , against that ancient and laudable art . viat . why ( sir ) is angling of antiquitie , and an art , and an art not easily learn'd ? pis. yes ( sir : ) and i doubt not but that if you and i were to converse together but til night , i should leave you possess'd with the same happie thoughts that now possesse me ; not onely for the antiquitie of it , but that it deserves commendations ; and that 't is an art ; and worthy the knowledge and practice of a wise , and a serious man . viat . sir , i pray speak of them what you shall think fit ; for wee have yet five miles to walk before wee shall come to the thatcht house . and , sir , though my infirmities are many , yet i dare promise you , that both my patience and attention will indure to hear what you will say till wee come thither : and if you please to begin in order with the antiquity , when that is done , you shall not want my attention to the commendations and accommodations of it : and lastly , if you shall convince me that 't is an art , and an art worth learning , i shall beg i may become your scholer , both to wait upon you , and to be instructed in the art it self . pisc. oh sir , 't is not to be questioned , but that it is an art , and an art worth your learning : the question wil rather be , whether you be capable of learning it ? for he that learns it , must not onely bring an enquiring , searching , and discerning wit ; but he must bring also that patience you talk of , and a love and propensity to the art it felf : but having once got and practised it , then doubt not but the art will ( both for the pleasure and profit of it ) prove like to vertue , a reward to it self . viat . sir , i am now become so ful of expectation , that i long much to have you proceed in your discourse : and first , i pray sir , let me hear concerning the antiquity of it . pisc. sir , i wil preface no longer , but proceed in order as you desire me : and first for the antiquity of angling , i shall not say much ; but onely this ; some say , it is as ancient as deucalions floud : and others ( which i like better ) say , that belus ( who was the inventer of godly and vertuous recreations ) was the inventer of it : and some others say , ( for former times have had their disquisitions about it ) that seth , one of the sons of adam , taught it to his sons , and that by them it was derived to posterity . others say , that he left it engraven on those pillars which hee erected to preserve the knowledg of the mathematicks , musick , and the rest of those precious arts , which by gods appointment or allowance , and his noble industry were thereby preserved from perishing in noah's floud . these ( my worthy friend ) have been the opinions of some men , that possibly may have endeavoured to make it more ancient then may well be warranted . but for my part , i shall content my self in telling you , that angling is much more ancient then the incarnation of our saviour : for both in the prophet amos , and before him in job , ( which last book is judged to be written by moses ) mention is made of fish-hooks , which must imply anglers in those times . but ( my worthy friend ) as i would rather prove my self to be a gentleman , by being learned and humble , valiant and inoffensive , vertuous and communicable , then by a fond ostentation of riches ; or ( wanting these vertues my self ) boast that these were in my ancestors ; [ and yet i confesse , that where a noble and ancient descent and such merits meet in any man , it is a double dignification of that person : ] and so , if this antiquitie of angling ( which , for my part , i have not forc'd ) shall , like an ancient familie , be either an honour , or an ornament to this vertuous art which i both love and practise , i shall be the gladder that i made an accidental mention of it ; and shall proceed to the justification , or rather commendation of it . viat . my worthy friend , i am much pleased with your discourse , for that you seem to be so ingenuous , and so modest , as not to stretch arguments into hyperbolicall expressions , but such as indeed they will reasonably bear ; and i pray , proceed to the justification , or commendations of angling , which i also long to hear from you . pisc. sir , i shall proceed ; and my next discourse shall be rather a commendation , then a justification of angling : for , in my judgment , if it deserves to be commended , it is more then justified ; for some practices that may be justified , deserve no commendation : yet there are none that deserve commendation but may be justified . and now having said thus much by way of preparation , i am next to tell you , that in ancient times a debate hath risen , ( and it is not yet resolved ) whether contemplation or action be the chiefest thing wherin the happiness of a man doth most consist in this world ? concerning which , some have maintained their opinion of the first , by saying , [ that the nearer we mortals come to god by way of imitation , the more happy we are : ] and that god injoyes himself only by contemplation of his own goodness , eternity , infiniteness and power , and the like ; and upon this ground many of them prefer contemplation before action : and indeed , many of the fathers seem to approve this opinion , as may appear in their comments upon the words of our saviour to * martha . and contrary to these , others of equal authority and credit , have preferred action to be chief ; as experiments in physick , and the application of it , both for the ease and prolongation of mans life , by which man is enabled to act , and to do good to others : and they say also , that action is not only . doctrinal , but a maintainer of humane society ; and for these , and other reasons , to be preferr'd before contemplation . concerning which two opinions , i shall forbear to add a third , by declaring my own , and rest my self contented in telling you ( my worthy friend ) that both these meet together , and do most properly belong to the most honest , ingenious , harmless art of angling . and first i shall tel you what some have observed , and i have sound in my self , that the very sitting by the rivers side , is not only the fittest place for , but will invite the anglers to contemplation : that it is the fittest place , seems to be witnessed by the children of israel * , who having banish'd all mirth and musick from their pensive hearts , and having hung up their then mute instruments upon the willow trees , growing by the rivers of babylon , sate down upon those banks bemoaning the ruines of sion , and contemplating their own sad condition , and an ingenuous spaniard sayes , [ that both rivers , and the inhabitants of the watery element , were created for wise men to contemplate , and fools to pass by without consideration . and though i am too wise to rank my self in the first number , yet give me leave to free my self from the last , by offering to thee a short contemplation , first of rivers , and then of fish : concerning which , i doubt not but to relate to you many things very considerable . concerning rivers , there be divers wonders reported of them by authors , of such credit , that we need not deny them an historical faith . as of a river in epirus , that puts out any lighted torch , and kindles any torch that was not lighted . of the river selarus , that in a few hours turns a rod or a wand into stone ( and our camden mentions the like wonder in england : ) that there is a river in arabia , of which all the sheep that drink thereof have their wool turned into a vermilion colour . and one of no less credit then aristotle , tels us of a merry river , the river elusina , that dances at the noise of musick , that with musick it bubbles , dances , and growes sandy , but returns to a wonted calmness and clearness when the musick ceases . and lastly , ( for i would not tire your patience ) fosephus , that learned few , tells us of a river in fudea , that runs and moves swiftly all the six dayes of the week , and stands still and rests upon their sabbath day . but sir , lest this discourse may seem tedious , i shall give it a sweet conclusion out of that holy poet mr. george herbert his divine contemplation on gods providence . lord , who hath praise enough , nay , who hath any ? none can express thy works , but he that knows them ; and none can know thy works , they are so many , and so complete , but only he that owes them . we all acknowledge both thy power and love to be exact , transcendent , and divine ; who dost so strangely , and so sweetly move , whilst all things have their end , yet none but thine . wherefore , most sacred spirit , i here present for me , and all my fellows , praise to thee ; and just it is that i should pay the rent , because the benefit accrues to me . and as concerning fish , in that psalm , wherein , for height of poetry and wonders , the prophet david seems even to exceed himself ; how doth he there express himselfe in choice metaphors , even to the amazement of a contemplative reader , concerning the sea , the rivers , and the fish therein contained . and the great naturallist pliny sayes , [ that natures great and wonderful power is more demonstrated in the sea , then on the land ] and this may appear by the numerous and various creatures , inhabiting both in and about that element : as to the readers of gesner , randelitius , pliny , aristotle , and others is demonstrated : but i will sweeten this discourse also out of a contemplation in divine dubartas , who sayes , god quickned in the sea and in the rivers , so many fishes of so many features , that in the waters we may see all creatures ; even all that on the earth is to be found , as if the world were in deep waters drownd . for seas ( as well as skies ) have sun , moon , stars ; ( as wel as air ) swallows , rooks , and stares ; ( as wel as earth ) vines , roses , nettles , melons , mushroms , pinks , gilliflowers and many milions of other plants , more rare , more strange then these ; as very fishes living in the seas ; and also rams , calves , horses , hares and hogs , wolves , urchins , lions , elephants and dogs ; yea , men and maids , and which i most admire , the mitred bishop , and the cowled fryer . of which examples but a few years since , were shewn the norway and polonian prince . these seem to be wonders , but have had so many confirmations from men of learning and credit , that you need not doubt them ; nor are the number , nor the various shapes of fishes , more strange or more fit for contemplation , then their different natures , inclinations and actions : concerning which i shall beg your patient ear a little longer . the cuttle-fish wil cast a long gut out of her throat , which ( like as an angler does his line ) she sendeth forth and pulleth in again at her pleasure , according as she sees some little fish come neer to her ; and the cuttle-fish ( being then hid in the gravel ) lets the smaller fish nibble and bite the end of it ; at which time shee by little and little draws the smaller fish so neer to her , that she may leap upon her , and then catches and devours her : and for this reason some have called this fish the seaangler . there are also lustful and chaste fishes , of which i shall also give you examples . and first , what dubartas sayes of a fish called the sargus ; which ( because none can express it better then he does ) i shall give you in his own words , supposing it shall not have the less credit for being verse , for he hath gathered this , and other observations out of authors that have been great and industrious searchers into the secrets of nature . the adulterous sargus doth not only change , wives everyday in the deep streams , but ( strange ) as if the honey of sea-love delight could not suffice his ranging appetite , goes courting she-goats on the grassie shore , horning their husbands that had horns before . and the same author writes concerning the cantharus , that which you shall also heare in his own words . but contrary , the constant cantharus , is ever constant to his faithful spouse , in nuptial duties spending his chaste life , never loves any but his own dear wife . sir , but a little longer , andi have done . viat . sir , take what liberty you think fit , for your discourse seems to be musick , and charms me into an attention . pisc. why then sir , i will take a little libertie to tell , or rather to remember you what is said of turtle doves : first , that they silently plight their troth and marry ; and that then , the survivor scorns ( as the thracian women are said to do ) to out-live his or her mate ; and this is taken for such a truth , that if the survivor shall ever couple with another , the he or she , not only the living , but the dead , is denyed the name and honour of a true turtle dove . and to parallel this land variety , & teach mankind moral faithfulness , & to condemn those that talk of religion , and yet come short of the moral faith of fish and fowl ; men that violate the law , affirm'd by saint paul to be writ in their hearts , and which he sayes shal at the last day condemn and leave them without excuse . i pray hearken to what dubartas sings , ( for the hearing of such conjugal faithfulness , will be musick to all chaste ears ) and therefore , i say , hearken to what dubartas sings of the mullet : but for chaste love the mullet hath no peer , for , if the fisher hath surprised her pheer , as mad with wo , to shoare she followeth , prest to consort him both in life and death . on the contrary , what shall i say of the house-cock , which treads any hen , and then ( contrary to the swan , the partridg , and pigeon ) takes no care to hatch , to feed , or to cherish his own brood , but is sensless though they perish . and 't is considerable , that the hen ( which because she also takes any cock , expects it not ) who is sure the chickens be her own , hath by a moral impression her care , and affection to her own broode , more then doubled , even to such a height , that our saviour in expressing his love to jerusalem , quotes her for an example of tender affection , as his father had done job for a pattern of patience . and to parallel this cock , there be divers fishes that cast their spawne on flags or stones , and then leave it uncovered and exposed to become a prey , and be devoured by vermine or other fishes : but other fishes ( as namely the barbel ) take such care for the preservation of their seed , that ( unlike to the cock or the cuckoe ) they mutually labour ( both the spawner , and the melter ) to cover their spawne with sand , or watch it , or hide it in some secret place unfrequented by vermine , or by any fish but themselves . sir , these examples may , to you and others , seem strange ; but they are testified , some by aristotle , some by pliny , some by gesner , and by divers others of credit , and are believed and known by divers , both of wisdom and experience , to be a truth ; and are ( as i said at the beginning ) fit for the contemplation of a most serious , and a most pious man . and that they be fit for the contemplation of the most prudent and pious , and peaceable men , seems to be testified by the practice of so many devout and contemplative men ; as the patriarks or prophets of old , and of the apostles of our saviour in these later times , of which twelve he chose four that were fishermen : concerning which choice some have made these observations . first , that he never reproved these for their imployment or calling , as he did the scribes and the mony-changers . and secondly , that he found the hearts of such men , men that by nature were fitted for contemplation and quietness ; men of mild , and sweet , and peaceable spirits , ( as indeed most anglers are ) these men our blessed saviour ( who is observed to love to plant grace in good natures ) though nothing be too hard for him , yet these men he chose to call from their irreprovable imployment , and gave them grace to be his disciples and to follow him . and it is observable , that it was our saviours will that his four fishermen apostles should have a prioritie of nomination in the catalogue of his twelve apostles , as namely first , s. peter , andrew , james and john , and then the rest in their order . and it is yet more observable , that when our blessed saviour went up into the mount , at his transfiguration , when he left the rest of his disciples and chose onely three to bear him company , that these three were all fisher-men . and since i have your promise to hear me with patience , i will take a liberty to look back upon an observation that hath been made by an ingenuous and learned man , who observes that god hath been pleased to allow those whom he himselfe hath appointed , to write his holy will in holy writ , yet to express his will in such metaphors as their former affections or practise had inclined them to ; and he brings solomon for an example , who before his conversion was remarkably amorous , and after by gods appointment , writ that love-song betwixt god and his church . and if this hold in reason ( as i see none to the contrary ) then it may be probably concluded , that moses ( whom i told you before , writ the book of job ) and the prophet amos were both anglers , for you shal in all the old testament , find fish-hooks but twice mentioned ; namely , by meek moses , the friend of god ; and by the humble prophet amos . concerning which last , namely , the prophet amos , i shall make but this observation , that he that shall read the humble , lowly , plain stile of that prophet , and compare it with the high , glorious , eloquent stile of the prophet isaiah ( though they be both equally true ) may easily believe him to be a good natured , plaine fisher-man . which i do the rather believe , by comparing the affectionate , lowly , humble epistles of s. peter , s. james and s. john , whom we know were fishers , with the glorious language and high metaphors of s. paul , whom we know was not . let me give you the example of two men more , that have lived nearer to our own times : first of doctor nowel sometimes dean of s. paul's , ( in which church his monument stands yet undefaced ) a man that in the reformation of queen elizabeth ( not that of henry the viii . ) was so noted for his meek spirit , deep learning , prudence and piety , that the then parliament and convocation , both chose , injoyned , and trusted him to be the man to make a catechism for publick use , such a one as should stand as a rule for faith and manners to their posteritie : and the good man ( though he was very learned , yet knowing that god leads us not to heaven by hard questions ) made that good , plain , unperplext catechism , that is printed with the old service book . i say , this good man was as dear a lover , and constant practicer of angling , as any age can produce ; and his custome was to spend ( besides his fixt hours of prayer ( those hours which by command of the church were enjoined the old clergy , and voluntarily dedicated to devotion by many primitive christians : ) besides those hours , this good man was observed to spend , or if you will , to bestow a tenth part of his time in angling ; and also ( for i have conversed with those which have conversed with him ) to bestow a tenth part of his revenue , and all his fish , amongst the poor that inhabited near to those rivers in which it was caught , saying often , that charity gave life to religion : and at his return would praise god he had spent that day free from worldly trouble , both harmlesly and in a recreation that became a church-man . my next and last example shall be that undervaluer of money , the late provost of eaton colledg , sir henry wotton , ( a man with whom i have often fish'd and convers'd ) a man whose forraign imployments in the service of this nation , and whose experience , learning , wit and cheerfulness , made his company to be esteemed one of the delights of mankind ; this man , whose very approbation of angling were sufficient to convince any modest censurer of it , this man was also a most dear lover , and a frequent practicer of the art of angling , of which he would say , [ 't was an imployment for his idle time , which was not idly spent ; ] for angling was after tedious study [ a rest to his mind , a cheerer of his spirits , a divertion of sadness , a calmer of unquiet thoughts , a moderator of passions , a procurer of contentedness , and that it begot habits of peace and patience in those that profest and practic'd it . sir , this was the saying of that learned man ; and i do easily believe that peace , and patience , and a calm content did cohabit in the cheerful heart of sir henry wotton , because i know , that when he was beyond seventy years of age he made this description of a part of the present pleasure that possest him , as he sate quietly in a summers evening on a bank a fishing ; it is a description of the spring , which because it glides as soft and sweetly from his pen , as that river does now by which it was then made , i shall repeat unto you . this day dame nature seem'd in love : the lustie sap began to move ; fresh juice did stir th' imbracing vines , and birds had drawn their valentines . the jealous trout , that low did lye , rose at a well dissembled flie ; there stood my friend with patient skill , attending of his trembling quil . already were the caves possest with the swift pilgrims daivbed nest : the groves already did rejoice , in philomels triumphing voice : the showrs were short , the weather mild , the morning fresh , the evening smil'd . jone takes her neat rubb'd pail , and now she trips to milk the sand-red cow ; where , for some sturdy foot-ball swain , jone strokes a sillibub or twaine . the fields and gardens were beset with tulips , crocus , violet , and now , though late , the modest rose did more then half a blush disclose . thus all looks gay and full of chear to welcome the new liveried year . these were the thoughts that then possest the undisturbed mind of sir henry wotton . will you hear the wish of another angler , and the commendation of his happy life , which he also sings in verse . let me live harmlesly , and near the brink of trent or avon have a dwelling place , where i may see my quil or cork down sink , with eager bit of pearch , or bleak , or dace ; and on the world and my creator think , whilst some men strive , ill gotten goods t' imbrace ; and others spend their time in base excess of wine or worse , in war and wantonness . let them that list these pastimes still pursue , and on such pleasing fancies feed their sill , so i the fields and meadows green may view , and daily by fresh rivers walk at will , among the daifies and the violets blue , red hyacinth , and yellow daffadil , purple narcissus , like the morning rayes , pale ganderglass and azure culverkayes . i count it higher pleasure to behold the stately compass of the lofty skie , and in the midst thereof ( like burning gold ) the flaming chariot of the worlds great eye , the watry clouds , that in the aire up rold , with sundry kinds of painted colours flye ; and fair aurora lifting up her head , still blushing , rise from old tithonius bed . the hils and mountains raised from the plains , the plains extended level with the ground , the grounds divided into sundry vains , the vains inclos'd with rivers running round ; these rivers making way through natures chains with headlong course into the sea profound ; the raging sea , beneath the vallies low , where lakes , and rils , and rivulets do flow . the loftie woods , the forrests wide and long adorn'd with leaves & branches fresh & green , in whose cool bowres the birds with many a song do welcom with their quire the sūmers queen : the meadows fair , where flora's gifts among are intermixt , with verdant grass between . the silver-scaled fish that softly swim , within the sweet brooks chrystal watry stream . all these , and many more of his creation , that made the heavens , the angler oft doth see , taking therein no little delectation , to think how strange , how wonderful they be ; framing thereof an inward contemplation , to set his heart from other fancies free ; and whilst he looks on these with joyful eye , his mind is rapt above the starry skie . sir , i am glad my memory did not lose these last verses , because they are somewhat more pleasant and more sutable to may day , then my harsh discourse , and i am glad your patience hath held out so long , as to hear them and me ; for both together have brought us within the sight of the thatcht house ; and i must be your debtor ( if you think it worth your attention ) for the rest of my promised discourse , till some other opportunity and a like time of leisure . viat . sir , you have angled me on with much pleasure to the thatcht house , and i now find your words true , that good company makes the way seem short ; for , trust me , sir , i thought we had wanted three miles of the thatcht house , till you shewed it me : but now we are at it , we 'l turn into it , and refresh our selves with a cup of ale and a little rest . pisc. most gladly ( sir ) and we 'l drink a civil cup to all the otter hunters that are to meet you to morrow . viat . that we wil , sir , and to all the lovers of angling too , of which number , i am now one my self , for by the help of your good discourse and company , i have put on new thoughts both of the art of angling , and of all that profess it : and if you will but meet me too morrow at the time and place appointed , and bestow one day with me and my friends in hunting the otter , i will the next two dayes wait upon you , and we two will for that time do nothing but angle , and talk of fish and fishing . pisc. 't is a match , sir , i 'l not fail you , god willing , to be at amwel hil to morrow morning before sun-rising . chap. ii. viat . my friend piscator , you have kept time with my thoughts , for the sun is just rising , and i my self just now come to this place , and the dogs have just now put down an otter , look down at the bottom of the hil , there in that meadow , chequered with water lillies and lady-smocks , there you may see what work they make : look , you see all busie , men and dogs , dogs and men , all busie . pisc. sir , i am right glad to meet you , and glad to have so fair an entrance into this dayes sport , and glad to see so many dogs , and more men all in pursuit of the otter ; le ts complement no longer , but joine unto them ; come honest viator , le ts be gone , le ts make haste , i long to be doing ; no reasonable hedge or ditch shall hold me . viat . gentleman huntsman , where found you this otter ? hunt. marry ( sir ) we found her a mile off this place a fishing ; she has this morning eaten the greatest part of this trout , she has only left thus much of it as you see , and was fishing for more ; when we came we found her just at it : but we were here very early , we were here an hour before sun-rise , and have given her no rest since we came : sure she 'l hardly escape all these dogs and men . i am to have the skin if we kill him . viat . why , sir , what 's the skin worth ? hunt. 't is worth ten shillings to make gloves ; the gloves of an otter are the best fortification for your hands against wet weather that can be thought of . pis. i pray , honest huntsman , let me ask you a pleasant question , do you hunt a beast or a fish ? h. sir , it is not in my power to resolve you ; for the question has been debated among many great clerks , and they seem to differ about it ; but most agree , that his tail is fish : and if his body be fish too , then i may say , that a fish will walk upon land ( for an otter does so ) sometimes five or six , or ten miles in a night . but ( sir ) i can tell you certainly , that he devours much fish , and kils and spoils much more : and i can tell you , that he can smel a fish in the water one hundred yards from him ( gesner sayes , much farther ) and that his stones are good against the falling-sickness : and that there is an herb benione , which being hung in a linen cloth near a fish pond , or any haunt that he uses , makes him to avoid the place , which proves he can smell both by water and land . and thus much for my knowledg of the otter , which you may now see above water at vent , and the dogs close with him ; i now see he will not last long , follow therefore my masters , follow , for sweetlips was like to have him at this vent . via . oh me , all the horse are got over the river , what shall we do now ? hun . marry , stay a little & follow , both they and the dogs will be suddenly on this side again , i warrant you , and the otter too it may be : now have at him with ki lbuck , for he vents again . via . marry so he is , for look he vents in that corner . now , now ringwood has him . come bring him to me . look , 't is a bitch otter upon my word , and she has lately whelped , le ts go to the place where she was put down , and not far from it , you will find all her young ones , i dare warrant you : and kill them all too . hunt. come gentlemen , come all , le ts go to the place where we put downe the otter ; look you , hereabout it was that shee kennell'd ; look you , here it was indeed , for here 's her young ones , no less then five : come le ts kill them all . pisc. no , i pray sir ; save me one , and i 'll try if i can make her tame , as i know an ingenuous gentleman in leicester-shire has done ; who hath not only made her tame , but to catch fish , and doe many things of much pleasure . hunt. take one with all my heart ; but let us kill the rest . and now le ts go to an honest alehouse and sing old rose , and rejoice all of us together . viat . come my friend , let me invite you along with us ; i 'll bear your charges this night , and you shall beare mine to morrow ; for my intention is to accompany you a day or two in fishing . pisc. sir , your request is granted , and i shall be right glad , both to exchange such a courtesie , and also to enjoy your company . viat . well , now le ts go to your sport of angling . pisc. le ts be going with all my heart , god keep you all , gentlemen , and send you meet this day with another bitch otter , and kill her merrily , and all her young ones too . viat . now piscator , where wil you begin to fish ? pisc. we are not yet come to a likely place , i must walk a mile further yet before i begin . viat . well then , i pray , as we walk , tell me freely how do you like my hoste , and the company ? is not mine hoste a witty man ? pisc. sir , to speak truly , he is not to me ; for most of his conceits were either scripture-jests , or lascivious jests ; for which i count no man witty : for the divel will help a man that way inclin'd , to the first , and his own corrupt nature ( which he alwayes carries with him ) to the latter . but a companion that feasts the company with wit and mirth , and leaves out the sin ( which is usually mixt with them ) he is the man : and indeed , such a man should have his charges born : and to such company i hope to bring you this night ; for at trout-hal , not far from this place , where i purpose to lodg to night , there is usually an angler that proves good company . but for such discourse as we heard last night , it infects others ; the very boyes will learn to talk and swear as they heard mine host , and another of the company that shall be nameless ; well , you know what example is able to do , and i know what the poet sayes in the like case : — many a one owes to his country his religion : and in another would as strongly grow , had but his nurse or mother taught him so . this is reason put into verse , and worthy the consideration of a wise man . but of this no more , for though i love civility , yet i hate severe censures : i 'll to my own art , and i doubt not but at yonder tree i shall catch a chub , and then we 'll turn to an honest cleanly ale house that i know right well , rest our selves , and dress it for our dinner . via . oh , sir , a chub is the worst fish that swims , i hoped for a trout for my dinner . pis. trust me , sir , there is not a likely place for a trout hereabout , and we staid so long to take our leave of your huntsmen this morning , that the sun is got so high , and shines so clear , that i will not undertake the catching of a trout till evening ; and though a chub be by you and many others reckoned the worst of all fish , yet you shall see i 'll make it good fish by dressing it . viat . why , how will you dress him ? pisc. i 'l tell you when i have caught him : look you here , sir , do you see ? ( but you must stand very close ) there lye upon the top of the water twenty chubs : i 'll catch only one , and that shall be the biggest of them all : and that i will do so , i 'll hold you twenty to one . viat . i marry , sir , now you talk like an artist , and i 'll say , you are one , when i shall see you perform what you say you can do ; but i yet doubt it . pisc. and that you shall see me do presently ; look , the biggest of these chubs has had some bruise upon his tail , and that looks like a white spot ; that very chub i mean to catch ; sit you but down in the shade , and stay but a little while , and i 'l warrant you i 'l bring him to you . viat . i 'l sit down and hope well , because you seem to be so confident . pisc. look you sir , there he is , that very chub that i shewed you , with the white spot on his tail ; and i 'l be as certain to make him a good dish of meat , as i was to catch him . i 'l now lead you to an honest ale-house , where we shall find a cleanly room , lavender in the windowes , and twenty ballads stuck about the wall ; there my hostis ( which i may tel you , is both cleanly and conveniently handsome ( has drest many a one for me , and shall now dress it after my fashion , and i warrant it good meat . viat . come sir , with all my heart , for i begin to be hungry , and long to be at it , and indeed to rest my self too ; for though i have walk'd but four miles this morning , yet i begin to be weary ; yesterdayes hunting hangs stil upon me . pisc. wel sir , and you shal quickly be at rest , for yonder is the house i mean to bring you to . come hostis , how do you ? wil you first give us a cup of your best ale , and then dress this chub , as you drest my last , when i and my friend were here about eight or ten daies ago ? but you must do me one courtesie , it must be done instantly . host. i wil do it , mr. piscator , and with all the speed i can . pisc. now sir , has not my hostis made haste ? and does not the fish look lovely ? viat . both , upon my word sir , and therefore le ts say grace and fall to eating of it . pisc. well sir , how do you like it ? viat . trust me , 't is as good meat as ever i tasted : now let me thank you for it , drink to you , and beg a courtesie of you ; but it must not be deny'd me . pisc. what is it , i pray sir ? you are so modest , that me thinks i may promise to grant it before it is asked . viat . why sir , it is that from henceforth you will allow me to call you master , and that really i may be your scholer , for you are such a companion , and have so quickly caught , and so excellently cook'd this fish , as makes me ambitious to be your scholer . pisc. give me your hand : from this time forward i wil be your master , and teach you as much of this art as i am able ; and will , as you desire me , tel you somewhat of the nature of some of the fish which we are to angle for ; and i am sure i shal tel you more then every angler yet knows . and first i will tel you how you shall catch such a chub as this was ; & then how to cook him as this was : i could not have begun to teach you to catch any fish more easily then this fish is caught ; but then it must be this particular way , and this you must do : go to the same hole , where in most hot days you will finde floting neer the top of the water , at least a dozen or twenty chubs ; get a grashopper or two as you goe , and get secretly behinde the tree , put it then upon your hook , and let your hook hang a quarter of a yard short of the top of the water , and'tis very likely that the shadow of your rod , which you must rest on the tree , will cause the chubs to sink down to the bottom with fear ; for they be a very fearful fish , and the shadow of a bird flying over them will make them do so ; but they will presently rise up to the top again , and there lie soaring till some shadow affrights them again : when they lie upon the top of the water , look out the best chub , which you setting your self in a fit place , may very easily doe , and move your rod as softly as a snail moves , to that chub you intend to catch ; let your bait fall gently upon the water three or four inches before him , and he will infallibly take the bait , and you will be as sure to catch him ; for hee is one of the leather-mouth'd fishes , of which a hook does scarce ever lose his hold : and therefore give him play enough before you offer to take him out of the water . go your way presently , take my rod , and doe as i bid you , and i will sit down and mend my tackling till you return back . viat . truly , my loving master , you have offered mee as fair as i could wish : i le goe and observe your directions . look you , master , what i have done ; that which joyes my heart ; caught just such another chub as yours was . pisc. marry , and i am glad of it : i am like to have a towardly scholer of you . i now see , that with advice and practice you wil make an angler in a short time . viat . but master , what if i could not have found a grashopper ? pis. then i may tel you , that a black snail , with his belly slit , to shew his white ; or a piece of soft cheese wil usually do as wel ; nay , sometimes a worm , or any kind of fly ; as the ant-fly , the flesh-fly , or wall-fly , or the dor or beetle , ( which you may find under a cow-turd ) or a bob , which you wil find in the same place , and in time wil be a beetle ; it is a short white worm , like to , and bigger then a gentle ; or a cod-worm , or case-worm any of these wil do very wel to fish in such a manner . and after this manner you may catch a trout : in a hot evening , when as you walk by a brook , and shal see or hear him leap at flies , then if you get a grashopper , put it on your hook , with your line about two yards long , standing behind a bush or tree where his hole is , and make your bait stir up and down on the top of the water ; you may , if you stand close , be sure of a bit , but not sure to catch him , for he is not a leather mouthed fish : and after this manner you may fish for him with almost any kind of live flie , but especially with a grashopper . viat . but before you go further , i pray good master , what mean you by a leather mouthed fish . pisc. by a leather mouthed fish , i mean such as have their teeth in their throat , as the chub or cheven , and so the barbel , the gudgion and carp , and divers others have ; and the hook being stuck into the leather or skin of such fish , does very seldome or never lose its hold : but on the contrary , a pike , a pearch , or trout , and so some other fish which have not their teeth in their throats , but in their mouthes , which you shal observe to be very full of bones , and the skin very thin , and little of it : i say , of these fish the hook nevertakes so sure hold , but you often lose the fish unless he have gorg'd it . viat . i thank you good master for this observation ; but now what shal be done with my chub or cheven that i have caught . pisc. marry sir , it shall be given away to some poor body , for i le warrant you i le give you a trout for your supper ; and it is a good beginning of your art to offer your first fruits to the poor , who will both thank god and you for it . and now le ts walk towards the water again , and as i go i le tel you when you catch your next chub , how to dresse it as this was . viat . come ( good master ) i long to be going and learn your direction . pisc. you must dress it , or see it drest thus : when you have scaled him , wash him very cleane , cut off his tail and fins ; and wash him not after you gut him , but chine or cut him through the middle as a salt fish is cut , then give him four or five scotches with your knife , broil him upon wood-cole or char-cole ; but as he is broiling , baste him often with butter that shal be choicely good ; and put good store of salt into your butter , or salt him gently as you broil or baste him ; and bruise or cut very smal into your butter , a little time , or some other sweet herb that is in the garden where you eat him : thus used , it takes away the watrish taste which the chub or chevin has , and makes him a choice dish of meat , as you your self know ; for thus was that dress'd , which you did eat of to your dinner . or you may ( for variety ) dress a chub another way , and you wil find him very good , and his tongue and head almost as good as a carps ; but then you must be sure that no grasse or weeds be left in his mouth or throat . thus you must dress him : slit him through the middle , then cut him into four pieces ; then put him into a pewter dish , and cover him with another , put into him as much white wine as wil cover him , or spring water and vinegar , and store of salt , with some branches of time , and other sweet herbs ; let him then be boiled gently over a chafing-dish with wood coles , and when he is almost boiled enough , put half of the liquor from him , not the top of it ; put then into him a convenient quantity of the best butter you can get , with a little nutmeg grated into it , and sippets of white bread : thus ordered , you wil find the chevin and the sauce too , a choice dish of meat : and i have been the more careful to give you a perfect direction how to dress him , because he is a fish undervalued by many , and i would gladly restore him to some of his credit which he has lost by ill cookery . viat . but master , have you no other way to catch a cheven , or chub ? pisc. yes that i have , but i must take time to tel it you hereafter ; or indeed , you must learn it by observation and practice , though this way that i have taught you was the easiest to catch a chub , at this time , and at this place . and now weare come again to the river ; i wil ( as the souldier sayes ) prepare for skirmish ; that is , draw out my tackling , and try to catch a trout for supper . viat . trust me master , i see now it is a harder matter to catch a trout then a chub ; for i have put on patience , and followed you this two hours , and not seen a fish stir , neither at your minnow nor your worm . pisc. wel scholer , you must indure worse luck sometime , or you will never make a good angler . but what say you now ? there is a trout now , and a good one too , if i can but hold him ; and two or three turns more will tire him : now you see he lies still , and the sleight is to land him : reach me that landing net : so ( sir ) now he is mine own , what say you ? is not this worth all my labour ? viat . on my word master , this is a gallant trout ; what shall we do with him ? pisc. marry ee'n eat him to supper : we 'l go to my hostis , from whence we came ; she told me , as i was going out of door , that my brothet peter , a good angler , and a cheerful companion , had sent word he would lodg there to night , and bring a friend with him . my hostis has two beds , and i know you and i may have the best : we 'l rejoice with my brother peter and his friend , tel tales , or sing ballads , or make a catch , or find some harmless sport to content us . viat . a match , good master , le ts go to that house , for the linnen looks white , and smels of lavender , and i long to lye in a pair of sheets that smels so : le ts be going , good master , for i am hungry again with fishing . pisc. nay , stay a little good scholer , i caught my last trout with a worm , now i wil put on a minow and try a quarter of an hour about yonder trees for another , and so walk towards our lodging . look you scholer , thereabout we shall have a bit presently , or not at all : have with you ( sir ! ) on my word i have him . oh it is a great loggerheaded chub : come , hang him upon that willow twig , and let 's be going . but turn out of the way a little , good scholer , towards yonder high hedg : we 'l sit whilst this showr falls so gently upon the teeming earth , and gives a sweeter smel to the lovely slowers that adorn the verdant meadows . look , under that broad beech tree i sate down when i was last this way a fishing , and the birds in the adjoining , grove seemed to have a friendly contention with an echo , whose dead voice seemed to live in a hollow cave , near to the brow of that primrose hil ; there i sate viewing the silver streams glide silently towards their center , the tempestuous sea , yet sometimes opposed by rugged roots , and pibble stones , which broke their waves , and turned them into some : and sometimes viewing the harmless lambs , some leaping securely in the cool shade , whilst others sported themselvs in the cheerful sun ; and others were craving comfort from the swolne udders of their bleating dams . as i thus sate , these and other sighs had so fully possest my soul , that i thought as the poet has happily expre 〈…〉 t it : i was for that time lifted above earth ; and possest joyes not promis'd in my birth . as i left this place , and entered into the next field , a second pleasure entertained me , 't was a handsome milk-maid , that had cast away all care , and sung like a nightingale ; her voice was good , and the ditty fitted for it ; 't was that smooth song which was made by kit marlow , now at least fifty years ago ; and the milk maids mother sung an answer to it , which was made by sir walter raleigh in his yonger dayes . they were old fashioned poetry , but choicely good , i think much better then that now in fashion in this critical age . look yonder , on my word , yonder they be both a milking again : i wil give her the chub , and perswade them to sing those two songs to us . pisc. god speed , good woman , i have been a fishing , and am going to bleak hall to my bed , and having caught more fish then wil sup my self and friend , wil bestow this upon you and your daughter , for i use to sel none . milkw . marry god requite you sir , and we 'l eat it cheerfully : wil you drink a draught of red cows milk ? pisc. no , i thank you : but i pray do us a courtesie that shal stand you and your daughter in nothing , and we wil think our selves stil something in your debt ; it is but to sing us a song , that that was sung by you and your daughter , when i last past over this meadow , about eight or nine dayes since . milk . what song was it , i pray ? was it , comeshepherds deck your heads : or , as at noon dulcina rested : or philida flouts me ? pisc. no , it is none of those : it is a song that your daughter sung the first part , and you sung the answer to it . milk . o i know it now , i learn'd the first part in my golden age , when i was about the age of my daughter , and the later part , which indeed fits me best , but two or three years ago ; you shal , god willing , hear them both . come maudlin , sing the first part to the gentlemen with a merrie heart , and i le sing the second . the milk maids song . come live with me , and be my love , and we wil all the pleasures prove that vallies , groves , or hils , or fields , or woods and steepie mountains yeelds . where we will sit upon the rocks , and see the shepherds feed our flocks , by shallow rivers , to whose falls mellodious birds sing madrigals . and i wil make thee beds of roses , and then a thousand fragrant posies , a cap of flowers and a kirtle , imbroidered all with leaves of mirtle . a gown made of the finest wool which from our pretty lambs we pull , slippers lin'd choicely for the cold , with buckles of the purest gold . a belt of straw and ivie buds , with coral clasps , and amber studs : and if these pleasures may thee move , come live with me , and be my love . the shepherds swains shal dance and sing for thy delight each may morning : if these delights thy mind may move , then live with me , and be my love . via . trust me master , it is a choice song , and sweetly sung by honest maudlin : i le bestow sir thomas overbury's milk maids wish upon her , that she may dye in the spring , and have good store of flowers stuck round about her winding sheet . the milk maids mothers answer . if all the world and love were young , and truth in every shepherds tongue ? these pretty pleasures might me move , to live with thee , and be thy love . but time drives flocks from field to fold : when rivers rage and rocks grow cold , and philomel becometh dumb , the rest complains of cares to come . the flowers do fade , and wanton fields to wayward winter reckoning yeilds . a honey tongue , a heart of gall , is fancies spring , but sorrows fall . thy gowns , thy shooes , thy beds of roses , thy cap , thy kirtle , and thy posies , soon break , soon wither , soon forgotten , in folly ripe , in reason rotten . thy belt of straw and ivie buds , thy coral clasps and amber studs , all these in me no means can move to come to thee , and be thy love . but could youth last , and love stil breed , had joyes no date , nor age no need ; then those delights my mind might move to live with thee , & be thy love . pisc. wel sung , good woman , i thank you , i 'l give you another dish of fish one of these dayes , and then beg another song of you . come scholer , let maudlin alone , do not you offer to spoil her voice . look , yonder comes my hostis to cal us to supper . how now ? is my brother peter come ? host. yes , and a friend with him , they are both glad to hear you are in these parts , and long to see you , and are hungry , and long to be at supper . chap. iii. piscat . vvel met brother peter , i heard you & a friend would lodg here to night , and that has made me and my friend cast to lodge here too ; my friend is one that would faine be a brother of the angle : he has been an angler but this day , and i have taught him how to catch a chub by daping with a grashopper , and he has caught a lusty one of nineteen inches long . but i pray you brother , who is it that is your companion ? peter . brother piscator , my friend is an honest country man , and his name is coridon , a most downright witty merry companion that met me here purposely to eat a trout and be pleasant , and i have not yet wet my line since i came from home : but i wil fit him to morrow with a trout for his breakfast , if the weather be any thing like . pisc. nay brother , you shall not delay him so long , for look you here is a trout will fill six reasonable bellies . come hostis , dress it presently , and get us what other meat the house will afford , and give us some good ale , and le ts be merrie . peter . on my word , this trout is in perfect season . come , i thank you , and here 's a hearty draught to you , and to all the brothers of the angle , wheresoever they be , and to my young brothers good fortune to morrow ; i wil furnish him with a rod , if you wil furnish him with the rest of the tackling , we wil set him up and make him a fisher . and i wil tel him one thing for his encouragement , that his fortune hath made him happy to be a scholer to such a master ; a master that knowes as much both of the nature and breeding of fish , as any man ; and can also tell him as well how to catch and cook them , from the minow to the sammon , as any that i ever met withall . pisc. trust me , brother peter , i find my scholer to be so sutable to my own humour , which is to be free and pleasant , and civilly merry , that my resolution is to hide nothing from him . believe me , scholer , this is my resolution : and so here 's to you a hearty draught , and to all that love us , and the honest art of angling . viat . trust me , good master , you shall not sow your seed in barren ground , for i hope to return you an increase answerable to your hopes ; but however , you shal find me obedient , and thankful , and serviceable to my best abilitie . pisc. 't is enough , honest scholer , come le ts to supper . come my friend coridon , this trout looks lovely , it was twenty two inches when it was taken , and the belly of it look'd some part of it as yellow as a marygold , and part of it as white as a lily , and yet me thinks it looks better in this good sawce . coridon . indeed , honest friend , it looks well , and tastes well , i thank you for it , and so does my friend peter , or else he is to blame . pet. yes , and so i do , we all thank you , and when we have supt , i wil get my friend coridon to sing you a song , for requital . cor. i wil sing a song if any body wil sing another ; else , to be plain with you , i wil sing none : i am none of those that sing for meat , but for company ; i say , 't is merry in hall when men sing all . pisc. i 'l promise you i 'l sing a song that was lately made at my request by mr. william basse , one that has made the choice songs of the hunter in his carrere , and of tom of bedlam , and many others of note ; and this that i wil sing is in praise of angling . cor. and then mine shall be the praise of a country mans life . what will the rest sing of ? pet. i wil promise you i wil sing another song in praise of angling , to morrow night , for we wil not part till then , but fish to morrow , and sup together , and the next day every man leave fishing , and fall to his business . viat . t is a match , and i wil provide you a song or a ketch against then too , that shal give some addition of mirth to the company ; for we wil be merrie . pisc. t is a match my masters ; le ts ev'n say grace , and turn to the fire , drink the other cup to wet our whistles , and so sing away all sad thoughts . come on my masters , who begins ? i think it is best to draw cuts and avoid contention . pet. it is a match . look , the shortest cut fals to coridon . cor. well then , i wil begin ; for i hate contention . coridons song . oh the sweet contentment the country man doth find ! high trolollie loliloe high trolollie lee , that quiet contemplation possesseth all my mind : then care away , and wend along with me . for courts are full of flattery , as hath too oft been tri'd ; high trolollie lollie loe high trolollie lee , the city full of wantonness , and both are full of pride : then care away , and wend along with me . but oh the honest country man speaks truly from his heart , high trolollie lollie loe high trolollie lee , his pride is in his tillage , his horses and his cart : then care away , and wend along with me . our clothing is good sheep skins gray russet for our wives , high trolollie lollie loe high trolollie lee . 't is warmth and not gay clothing that doth prolong our lives : then care away , and wend along with me . the ploughman , though he labor hard , yet on the holy-day , high trolollie lollie loe high trolollie lee , no emperor so merrily does pass his time away : then care away , and wend along with me . to recompence our tillage , the heavens afford us showrs ; high trolollie lollie loe high trolollie lee , and for our sweet refreshments the earth affords us bowers : then careaway , &c. the cuckee and the nightingale full merrily do sing , high trolollie lollie loe high trolollie lee , and with their pleasant roundelayes bid welcome to the spring : then care away , and wend along with me . this is not half the happiness the country man injoyes ; high trolollie lollie loe high trolollie lee , though others think they have as much yet he that sayes so lies : then come away , turn county man with me . pisc. well sung coridon , this song was sung with mettle , and it was choicely fitted to the occasion ; i shall love you for it as long as i know you : i would you were a brother of the angle , for a companion that is cheerful and free from swearing and scurrilous discourse , is worth gold . i love such mirth as does not make friends ashamed to look upon one another next morning ; nor men ( that cannot wel bear it ) to repent the money they spend when they be warmed with drink : and take this for a rule , you may pick out such times and such companies , that you may make your selves merrier for a little then a great deal of money ; for 't is the company and not the charge that makes the feast : and such a companion you prove , i thank you for it . but i will not complement you out of the debt that i owe you , and therefore i will begin my song , and wish it may be as well liked . the anglers song . as inward love breeds outward talk , the hound some praise , and some the hawk , some better pleas'd with private sport , use tenis , some a mistris court : but these delights i neither wish , nor envy , while i freely fish . who hunts , doth oft in danger ride ; who hauks , lures oft both far & wide ; who uses games , may often prove a loser ; but who fals in love , is fettered in fond cupids snare : my angle breeds me no such care . of recreation there is none so free as fishing is alone ; all other pastimes do no less then mind and body both possess ; my hand alone my work can do , so i can fish and study too . i care not , i , to fish in seas , fresh rivers best my mind do please , whose sweet calm course i contemplate , and seek in life to imitate ; in civil bounds i fain would keep , and for my past offences weep . and when the timerous trout i wait to take , and he devours my bait , how poor a thing sometimes i find will captivate a greedy mind : and when none bite , i praise the wise , whom vain alurements ne're surprise . but yet though while i fish , i fast , i make good fortune my repast , and thereunto my friend invite , in whom i more then that delight : who is more welcome to my dish , then to my angle was my fish . as well content no prize to take as use of taken prize to make ; for so our lord was pleased when he fishers made fishers of men ; where ( which is in no other game ) a man may fish and praise his name . the first men that our saviour dear did chuse to wait upon him here , blest fishers were ; and fish the last food was , that he on earth did taste : i therefore strive to follow those , whom he to follow him hath chose . w. b. cor. well sung brother , you have paid your debt in good coyn , we anglers are all beholding to the good man that made this song . come hostis , give us more ale and lets drin k to him . and now lets everie one go to bed that we may rise early ; but first le ts pay our reckoning , for i wil have nothing to hinder me in the morning , for i will prevent the sun-rising . pet. a match : come coridon , you are to be my bed-fellow : i know brother you and your scholer wil lie together ; but where shal we meet to morrow night ? for my friend coridon and i will go up the water towards ware . pisc. and my scholer and i vvill go down tovvards waltam . cor. then le ts meet here , for here are fresh sheets that smel of lavender , and , i am sure , we cannot expect better meat and better usage . pet. 't is a match . good night to every body . pisc. and so say i. viat . and so say i. pisc. good morrow good hostis , i see my brother peter is in bed still ; come , give my scholer and me a cup of ale , and be sure you get us a good dish of meat against supper , for we shall come hither as hungry as hawks . come scholer , le ts be going . viat . good master , as we walk towards the water , wil you be pleased to make the way seeme shorter by telling me first the nature of the trout , and then how to catch him . pisc. my honest scholer , i wil do it freely : the trout ( for which i love to angle above any fish ) may be justly said ( as the ancient poets say of wine , and we english say of venson ) to be a generous fish , because he has his seasons , a fish that comes in , and goes out with the stag or buck : and you are to observe , that as there be some barren does , that are good in summer ; so there be some barren trouts , that are good in winter ; but there are not many that are so , for usually they be in their perfection in the month of may , and decline with the buck : now you are to take notice , that in several countries , as in germany and in other parts compar'd to ours , they differ much in their bigness , shape , and other wayes , and so do trouts ; 't is wel known that in the lake lemon , the lake of geneva , there are trouts taken , of three cubits long , as is affirmed by gesner , a writer of good credit : and mercator sayes , the trouts that are taken in the lake of geneva , are a great part of the merchandize of that famous city . and you are further to know , that there be certaine waters that breed trouts remarkable , both for their number and smalness i know a little brook in kent that breeds them to a number incredible , and you may take them twentie or fortie in an hour , but none greater then about the size of a gudgion . there are also in divers rivers , especially that relate to , or be near to the sea , ( as vvinchester , or the thames about vvindsor ) a little trout called a samlet or skegger trout ( in both which places i have caught twentie or fortie at a standing ) that will bite as fast and as freely as minnows ; these be by some taken to be young salmons , but in those waters they never grow to bee bigger then a herring . there is also in kent , neer to canterbury , a trout ( called there a fordig trout ) a trout ( that bears the name of the town where'tis usually caught ) that is accounted rare meat , many of them near the bigness of a salmon , but knowne by their different colour , and in their best season cut very white ; and none have been known to be caught with an angle , unless it were one that was caught by honest sir george hastings , an excellent angler ( and now withgod ) and he has told me , he thought that trout bit not for hunger , but wantonness ; and 't is the rather to be believed , because both he then , and many others before him have been curious to search into their bellies what the food was by which they lived ; and have found out nothing by which they might satisfie their curiositie . concerning which you are to take notice , that it is reported , there is a fish that hath not any mouth , but lives by taking breath by the porinss of her gils , and feeds and is nourish'd by no man knows what ; and this may be believed of the fordig trout , which ( as it is said of the stork , that he knowes his season , so he ) knows his times ( i think almost his day ) of coming into that river out of the sea , where he lives ( and it is like feeds ) nine months of the year , and about three in the river of fordig . and now for some confirmation of this ; you are to know , that this trout is thought to eat nothing in the fresh water ; and it may be the better believed , because it is well known , that swallowes , which are not seen to flye in england for six months in the year , but about michaelmas leave us for a hotter climate ; yet some of them , that have been left behind their fellows , have been found ( many thousand at a time ) in hollow trees , where they have been observed to live and sleep out the whole winter without meat ; and so albertus observes that there is one kind of frog that hath her mouth naturally shut up about the end of august , and that she lives so all the winter , and though it be strange to some , yet it is known to too many amongst us to bee doubted . and so much for these fordidg trouts , which never afford an angler sport , but either live their time of being in the fresh water by their meat formerly gotten in the sea , ( not unlike the swallow or frog ) or by the vertue of the fresh water only , as the camelion is said to live by the air . there is also in northumberland , a trout , called a bull trout , of a much greater length and bignesse then any in these southern parts ; and there is in many rivers that relate to the sea , salmon trouts as much different one from another , both in shape and in their spots , as we see sheep differ one from another in their shape and bigness , and in the finess of their wool : and certainly as some pastures do breed larger sheep , so do some rivers , by reason of the ground over which they run , breed larger trouts . now the next thing that i will commend to your consideration is , that the trout is of a more sudden growth then other fish : concerning which you are also to take notice , that he lives not so long as the pearch and divers other fishes do , as sir francis bacon hath observed in his history of life and death . and next , you are to take notice , that after hee is come to his full growth , he declines in his bodie , but keeps his bigness or thrives in his head till his death . and you are to know that he wil about ( especially before ) the time of his spawning , get almost miraculously through weires and floud-gates against the stream , even through such high and swift places as is almost incredible . next , that the trout usually spawns about october or november , but in some rivers a little sooner or later ; which is the more observable , because most other fish spawne in the spring or summer , when the sun hath warmed both the earth and water , and made it fit for generation . and next , you are to note , that till the sun gets to such a height as to warm the earth and the water , the trout is sick , and lean , and lowsie , and unwholsome : for you shall in winter find him to have a big head , and then to be lank , and thin , & lean ; at which time many of them have sticking on them sugs , or trout lice , which is a kind of a worm , in shape like a clove or a pin , with a big head , and sticks close to him and sucks his moisture ; those i think the trout breeds himselfe , and never thrives til he free himself from them , which is till warm weather comes , and then as he growes stronger , he gets from the dead , still water , into the sharp streames and the gravel , and there rubs off these worms or lice : and then as he grows stronger , so he gets him into swifter and swifter streams , and there lies at the watch for any flie or minow that comes neer to him ; and he especially loves the may flie , which is bred of the cod-worm or caddis ; and these make the trout bold and lustie , and he is usually fatter , and better meat at the end of that month , then at any time of the year . now you are to know , that it is observed , that usually the best trouts are either red or yellow , though some be white and yet good ; but that is not usual ; and it is a note observable that the female trout hath usually a less head and a deeper body then the male trout ; and a little head to any fish , either trout , salmon , or other fish , is a sign that that fish is in season . but yet you are to note , that as you see some willows or palm trees bud and blossome sooner then others do , so some trouts be in some rivers sooner in season ; and as the holly or oak are longer before they cast their leaves , so are some trouts in some rivers longer before they go out of season . chap. iv. and having told you these observations concerning trouts , i shall next tell you how to catch them : which is usually with a worm , or a minnow ( which some call a penke ; ) or with a flie , either a natural or an artificial flie : concerning which three i wil give you some observations and directions . for worms , there be very many sorts ; some bred onely in the earth , as the earth worm ; others amongst or of plants , as the dug worm ; and others in the bodies of living creatures ; or some of dead flesh , as the magot or gentle , and others . now these be most of them particularly good for particular fishes : but for the trout the dew-worm , ( which some also cal the lob-worm ) and the brandling are the chief ; and especially the first for a great trout , and the later for a lesse . there be also of lob-worms , some called squireltnils ( a worm which has a red head , a streak down the back , and a broad tail ) which are noted to be the best , because they are the toughest , and and most lively , and live longest in the water : for you are to know , that a dead worm is but a dead bait , and like to catch nothing , compared to a lively , quick , stirring worm : and for a brandling , hee is usually found in an old dunghil , or some very rotten place neer to it ; but most usually in cow dung , or hogs dung , rather then horse dung , which is somewhat too hot and dry for that worm . there are also divers other kindes of worms , which for colour and shape alter even as the ground out of which they are got : as the marshworm , the tag-tail , the flag-worm , the dock-worm , the oake-worm , the gilt-tail , and too many to name , even as many sorts , as some think there be of severall kinds of birds in the air : of which i shall say no more , but tell you , that what worms soever you fish with , are the better for being long kept before they be used ; and in case you have not been so provident , then the way to cleanse and scoure them quickly , is to put them all night in water , if they be lob-worms , and then put them into your bag with fennel : but you must not put your brandling above an hour in water , and then put them into fennel for sudden use : but if you have time , and purpose to keep them long , then they be best preserved in an earthen pot with good store of mosse , which is to be fresh every week or eight dayes ; or at least taken from them , and clean wash'd , and wrung betwixt your hands till it be dry , and then put it to them again : and for moss , you are to note , that there be divers kindes of it , which i could name to you , but wil onely tel you , that that which is likest a bucks horn is the best ; except it be white moss , which grows on some heaths , and is hard to be found . for the minnow or penke , he is easily found and caught in april , for then hee appears in the rivers : but nature hath taught him to shelter and hide himself in the winter in ditches that be neer to the river , and there both to hide and keep himself warm in the weeds , which rot not so soon as in a running river ; in which place if hee were in winter , the distempered floods that are usually in that season , would suffer him to have no rest , but carry him headlong to mils and weires to his confusion . and of these minnows , first you are to know , that the biggest size is not the best ; and next , that the middle size and the whitest are the best : and then you are to know , that i cannot well teach in words , but must shew you how to put it on your hook , that it may turn the better : and you are also to know , that it is impossible it should turn too quick : and you are yet to know , that in case you want a minnow , then a small loch , or a sticklebag , or any other small fish will serve as wel : and you are yet to know , that you may salt , and by that means keep them fit for use three or four dayes or longer ; and that of salt , bay salt is the best . now for flies , which is the third bait wherewith trouts are usually taken . you are to know , that there are as many sorts of flies as there be of fruits : i will name you but some of them : as the dun flie , the stone flie , the red flie , the moor flie , the tawny flie , the shel flie , the cloudy or blackish flie : there be of flies , caterpillars , and canker flies , and bear flies ; and indeed , too many either for mee to name , or for you to remember : and their breeding is so various and wonderful , that i might easily amaze my self , and tire you in a relation of them . and yet i wil exercise your promised patience by saying a little of the caterpillar , or the palmer flie or worm ; that by them you may guess what a work it were in a discourse but to run over those very many flies , worms , and little living creatures with which the sun and summer adorn and beautifie the river banks and meadows , both for the recreation and contemplation of the angler : and which ( i think ) i my self enjoy more then any other man that is not of my profession . pliny holds an opinion , that many have their birth or being from a dew that in the spring falls upon the leaves of trees ; and that some kinds of them are from a dew left upon herbs or flowers : and others from a dew left upon colworts or cabbages : all which kindes of dews being thickened and condensed , are by the suns generative heat most of them hatch'd , and in three dayes made living creatures , and of several shapes and colours ; some being hard and tough , some smooth and soft ; some are horned in their head , some in their tail , some have none ; some have hair , some none ; some have sixteen feet , some less , and some have none : but ( as our topsel hath with great diligence observed ) those which have none , move upon the earth , or upon broad leaves , their motion being not unlike to the waves of the sea . some of them hee also observes to be bred of the eggs of other caterpillers : and that those in their time turn to be butter-flies ; and again , that their eggs turn the following yeer to be caterpillers . 't is endlesse to tell you what the curious searchers into natures productions , have observed of these worms and flies : but yet i shall tell you what our topsel sayes of the canker , or palmer-worm , or caterpiller ; that whereas others content themselves to feed on particular herbs or leaves ( for most think , those very leaves that gave them life and shape , gives them a particular feeding and nourishment , and that upon them they usually abide ; ) yet he observes , that this is called a pilgrim or palmer-worm , for his very wandering life and various food ; not contenting himself ( as others do ) with any certain place for his abode , nor any certain kinde of herb or flower for his feeding ; but will boldly and disorderly wander up and down , and not endure to be kept to a diet , or fixt to a particular place . nay , the very colours of caterpillers are , as one has observed , very elegant and beautiful : i shal ( for a taste of the rest ) describe one of them , which i will sometime the next month , shew you feeding on a willow tree , and you shal find him punctually to answer this very description : his lips and mouth somewhat yellow , his eyes black as jet , his fore-head purple , his feet and hinder parts green , his tail two forked and black , the whole body stain'd with a kind of red spots which run along the neck and shoulder-blades , not unlike the form of a cross , or the letter x , made thus cross-wise , and a white line drawn down his back to his tail ; all which add much beauty to his whole body . and it is to me observable , that at a fix'd age this caterpiller gives over to eat , a d towards winter comes to be cover d over with a strange shell or crust , and so lives a kind of dead life , without eating all the winter , and ( as others of several kinds turn to be several kinds of flies and vermin , the spring following ) so this caterpiller then turns to be a painted butterflye . come , come my scholer , you fee the river stops our morning walk , and i wil also here stop my discourse , only as we sit down under this honey-suckle hedge , whilst i look a line to fit the rod that our brother peter has lent you , i shall for a little confirmation of what i have said , repeat the observation of the lord bartas . god not contented to each kind to give , and to infuse the vertue generative , by his wise power made many creatures breed of liveless bodies , without venus deed . so the cold humour breeds the salamander , who ( in effect ) like to her births commander , i th child with hundred winters , with her touch quencheth the fire , though glowing ne'r so much so in the fire in burning furnace springs the fly perausta with the flaming wings ; without the fire it dies , in it , it joyes , living in that which all things else destroyes . so slow boötes underneath him sees in th' icie islands goslings hatcht of trees , whose fruitful leaves falling into the water , are turn'd ( 't is known ) to living fowls soon after so rotten planks of broken ships , do change to barnacles . oh transformation strange ! 't was first a green tree , then a broken hull , lately a mushroom , now a flying gull. vi . oh my good master , this morning walk has been spent to my great pleasure and wonder : but i pray , when shall i have your direction how to make artificial flyes , like to those that the trout loves best ? and also how to use them ? pisc. my honest scholer , it is now past five of the clock , we will fish til nine , and then go to breakfast : go you to yonder sycamore tree , and hide your bottle of drink under the hollow root of it ; for about that time , and in that place , we wil make a brave breakfast with a piece of powdered bief , and a radish or two that i have in my fish-bag ; we shall , i warrant you , make a good honest , wholsome , hungry breakfast , and i will give you direction for the making and using of your fly : and in the mean time , there is your rod and line ; and my advice is , that you fish as you see mee do , and le ts try which can catch the first fish . viat . i thank you , master , i will observe and practice your direction as far as i am able . pisc. look you scholer , you see i have hold of a good fish : i now see it is a trout ; i pray put that net under him , and touch not my line , for if you do , then wee break all . well done , scholer , i thank you . now for an other . trust me , i have another bite : come scholer , come lay down your rod , and help me to land this as you did the other . so , now we shall be sure to have a good dish of fish for supper . viat . i am glad of that , but i have no fortune ; sure master yours is a better rod , and better tackling . pisc. nay then , take mine and i will fish with yours . look you , scholer , i have another : come , do as you did before . and now i have a bite at another . oh me he has broke all , there 's half a line and a good hook lost . viat . master , i can neither catch with the first nor second angle ; i have no fortune . pisc. look you , scholer , i have yet another : and now having caught three brace of trouts , i will tel you a short tale as we walk towards our breakfast . a scholer ( a preacher i should say ) that was to preach to procure the approbation of a parish , that he might be their lecturer , had got from a fellow pupil of his the copy of a sermon that was first preached with a great commendation by him that composed and precht it ; and though the borrower of it preach't it word for word , as it was at first , yet it was utterly dislik'd as it was preach'd by the second ; which the sermon borrower complained of to the lender of it , and was thus answered ; i lent you indeed my fiddle , but not my fiddlestick ; and you are to know , that every one cannot make musick with my words which are fitted for my own mouth . and so my scholer , you are to know , that as the ill pronunciation or ill accenting of a word in a sermon spoiles it , so the ill carriage of your line , or not fishing even to a foot in a right place , makes you lose your labour : and you are to know , that though you have my fiddle , that is , my very rod and tacklings with which you see i catch fish , yet you have not my fiddle stick , that is , skill to know how to carry your hand and line ; and this must be taught you ( for you are to remember i told you angling is an art ) either by practice , or a long observation , or both . but now le ts say grace , and fall to breakfast ; what say you scholer , to the providence of an old angler ? does not this meat taste well ? and was not this place well chosen to eat it ? for this sycamore tree will shade us from the suns heat . viat . all excellent good , master , and my stomack excellent too ; i have been at many costly dinners that have not afforded me half this content : and now good master , to your promised direction for making and ordering my artificiall flye . pisc. my honest scholer , i will do it , for it is a debt due unto you , by my promise : and because you shall not think your self more engaged to me then indeed you really are , therefore i will tell you freely , i find mr. thomas barker ( a gentleman that has spent much time and money in angling ) deal so judicially and freely in a little book of his of angling , and especially of making and angling with a flye for a trout , that i will give you his very directions without much variation , which shal follow . let your rod be light , and very gentle , i think the best are of two pieces ; the line should not exceed , especially for three or four links towards the hook ) i say , not exceed three or four haires ; but if you can attain to angle with one haire , you will have more rises , and catch more fish . now you must bee sure not to cumber your selfe with too long a line , as most do : and before you begin to angle , cast to have the wind on your back , and the sun ( if it shines ) to be before you , and to fish down the streame ) and carry the point or top of the rod downeward ; by which meanes the shadow of your selfe , and rod too will be the least offensive to the fish , for the sight of any shadow amazes the fish , and spoiles your sport , of which you must take a great care . in the middle of march ( till which time a man should not in honestie catch a trout ) or in april , if the weather be dark , or a little windy , or cloudie , the best fishing is with the palmer-worm , of which i last spoke to you ; but of these there be divers kinds , or at least of divers colours , these and the may-fly are the ground of all fly-angling , which are to be thus made : first you must arm your hook , with the line in the inside of it ; then take your scissers and cut so much of a browne malards feather as in your own reason wil make the wings of it , you having withall regard to the bigness or littleness of your hook , then lay the outmost part of your feather next to your hook , then the point of your feather next the shank of your hook ; and having so done , whip it three or four times about the hook with the same silk , with which your hook was armed , and having made the silk fast , take the hackel of a cock or capons neck , or a plovers top , which is usually better ; take off the one side of the feather , and then take the hackel , silk or crewel , gold or silver thred , make these fast at the bent of the hook , that is to say , below your arming ) then you must take the hackel , the silver or gold thred , and work it up to the wings , shifting or stil removing your fingers as you turn the silk about the hook : and still looking at every stop or turne that your gold , or what materials soever you make your fly of , do lye right and neatly ; and if you find they do so , then when you have made the head , make all fast , and then work your hackel up to the head , and make that fast ; and then with a needle or pin divide the wing into two , and then with the arming silk whip it about cross-wayes betwixt the wings , and then with your thumb you must turn the point of the feather towards the bent of the hook , and then work three or four times about the shank of the hook , and then view the proportion , and if all be neat , and to your liking , fasten . i consess , no direction can be given to make a man of a dull capacity able to make a flye well ; and yet i know , this , with a little practice , wil help an ingenuous angler in a good degree ; but to see a fly made by another , is the best teaching to make it , and then an ingenuous angler may walk by the river and mark what fly falls on the water that day , and catch one of them , if he see the trouts leap at a fly of that kind , and having alwaies hooks ready hung with him , and having a bag also , alwaies with him with bears hair , or the hair of a brown or sad coloured heifer , hackels of a cock or capon , several coloured silk and crewel to make the body of the fly , the feathers of a drakes head , black or brown sheeps wool , or hogs wool , or hair , thred of gold , and of silver ; silk of several colours ( especially sad coloured to make the head : ) and there be also other colour'd feathers both of birds and of peckled fowl . i say , having those with him in a bag , and trying to make a flie , though he miss at first , yet shal he at last hit it better , even to a perfection which none can well reach him ; and if he hit to make his flie right , and have the luck to hit also where there is store of trouts , and a right wind , he shall catch such store of them , as will encourage him to grow more and more in love with the art of flie-making . viat . but my loving master , if any wind will not serve , then i wish i were in lapland , to buy a good wind of one of the honest witches , that sell so many winds , and so cheap . pisc. marry scholer , but i would not be there , nor indeed from under this tree ; for look how it begins to rain , and by the clouds ( if i mistake not ) we shall presently have a smoaking showre , and therefore sit close , this sycamore tree will shelter us , and i will tell you , as they shall come into my mind , more observations of fliefishing for a trout . but first , for the winde ; you are to take notice that of the windes the south winde is said to be best . one observes , that when the winde is south , it blows you bait into a fishes mouth . next to that the west winde is believed to be the best : and having told you that the east winde is the worst , i need not tell you which winde is best in the third degree . and yet ( as solomon observes , that hee that considers the winde shall never sow : so hee that busies his head too much about them , ( if the weather be not made extreme cold by as east winde ) shall be a little superstitious : for as it is observed by some , that there is no good horse of a bad colour ; so i have observed ; that if it be a clowdy day , and not extreme cold , let the winde fit in what corner it will , and do its worst . and yet that this for a rule , that i would willingly fish on the lee shore : and you are to take notice , that the fish lies , or swimms neere the bottom in winter then in summer , and also neerer the bottom in any cold day . but i promised to tell you more of the flie-fishing for a trout , ( which i may haave time enough to do , for you see it rains may-butter . ) first for a may-flie , you may make his body with greenish coloued crewel , or willow colour , darkning it in most places , with waxed silk , or rib'd with a black hare , or some of them rib'd with silver thred ; and such wings for the colour as you see the flie to have at that season ; nay at that very day on the water . or you may make the oak-flie , with an orange tawny and black ground , and the brown of a mallards feather for the wings ; and you are to know , that these two are most excellent flies , that is , the may flie and the oak flie : and let me again tell you , that you keep as far from the water as you can possibly , whether you fish with a flie or worm , and fish down the stream , and when you fish with a flie , if it be possible , let no part of your line touch the water , but your flie only ; and be stil moving your fly upon the water , or casting it into the water ; you your self , being also alwaies moving down the stream . ms. barker commends severall sorts of the palmer flies , not only those rib'd with silver and gold , but others that have their bodies all made of black , or some with red , and a red hackel ; you may also make the hawthorn-flie , whichis all black and not big , but very smal , the smaller the better ; or the oak-fly , the body of which is orange colour and black crewel , with a brown wing , or a fly made with a peacocks feather , is excellent in a bright day : you must be sure you want not in your magazin bag , the peacocks feather , and grounds of such wool , and crewel as will make the grass-hopper : and note , that usually , the smallest flies are best ; and note also , that , the light flie does usually make most sport in a dark day : and the darkest and least flie in a bright or cleare day ; and lastly note , that you are to repaire upon any occasion to your magazin bag , and upon any occasion vary and make them according to your fancy . and now i shall tell you , that the fishing with a naturall flie is excellent , and affords much pleasure ; they may be found thus , the may-fly usually in and about that month neer to the river side , especially against rain ; the oak-fly on the butt or body of an oak or ash , from the beginning of may to the end of august it is a brownish fly , and easie to be so found , and stands usually with his head downward , that is to say , towards the root of the tree ; the final black fly , or hawthorn fly is to be had on any hawthorn bush , after the leaves be come forth ; with these and a short line ( as i shewed to angle for a chub ) you may dap or dop , and also with a grashopper , behind a tree , or in any deep hole , still making it to move on the top of the water , as if it were alive , and still keeping yourself out of sight , you shall certainly have sport if there be trouts ; yea in a hot day , but especially in the evening of a hot day . and now , scholer , my direction for fly-fishing is ended with this showre , for it has done raining , and now look about you , and see how pleasantly that meadow looks , 〈…〉 ay and the earth smels as sweetly too . come let me tell you what holy mr. herbert saies of such days and flowers as these , and then we will thank god that we enoy them , and walk to the reverand sit down quietly and try to catch the other brace of trouts . sweet day , so cool , so calm , so bright , the bridal of the earth and skie , sweet dews shal weep thy fall to night , for thou must die . sweet rose , whose hew angry and brave bids the rash gazer wipe his eye , thy root is ever in its grave , and thou must die . sweet spring , ful of sweet days & roses , a box where sweets ccompacted lie ; my musick shewes you have your closes , and all must die . only a sweet and vertuous soul , like seasoned timber never gives , but when the whole world turns to cole , then chiefly lives . viat . i thank you , good master , for your good direction for fly-fishing , and for the sweet enjoyment of the pleasant day , which is so far spent without offence to god or man : and i thank you for the sweet close of your discourse with mr. herberts verses , which i have heard , loved angling ; and i do the rather believe it , because he had a spirit sutable to anglers , and to those primitive christians that you love , and have so much commended . pisc. well , my loving scholer , and i am pleased to know that you are so well pleased with my direction and discourse ; and i hope you will be pleased too , if you find a trout at one of our angles , which we left in the water to fish for it self ; you shall chuse which shall be yours , and it is an even lay , one catches : and let me tell you , this kind of fishing , and laying night-hooks , are like putting money to use , for they both work for the owners , when they do nothing but sleep , or eat , or rejoice , as you know we have done this last hour , and sate as quietly and as free from cares under this sycamore , as virgils tityrus and his melibaeus did under their broad beech tree : no life , my honest scholer , no life so happy and so pleasant as the anglers , unless it be the beggers life in summer ; for then only they take no care , but are as happy as we anglers . viat . indeed master , and so they be , as is witnessed by the beggers song , made long since by frank davison , a good poet , who was not a begger , though he were a good poet . pisc. can you sing it , scholer ? viat . sit down a little , good master , and i wil try . bright shines the sun , play , beggers , play ; here 's scraps enough to serve to day : what noise of viols is so sweet as when our merry clappers ring ? what mirth doth want when beggers meet ? a beggers life is for a king : eat , drink and play , sleep when we list , go where we will so stocks be mist . bright shines the sun ; play , beggers , &c. the world is ours , and ours alone , for we alone have world at will ; we purchase not , all is our own ; both fields and streets we beggers fill : play beggers play , play , beggers play , here 's scraps enough to serve to day . a hundred herds of black and white upon our gowns securely feed , and yet if any if any dare us bite , he dies therefore as sure as creed : thus beggers lord it as they please , and only beggers live at ease : bright shines the sun , play beggers play , here 's scraps enough to serve to day . pisc. i thank you good scholer , this song was well humor'd by the maker , and well remembred and sung by you ; and i pray forget not the k 〈…〉 tch which you promised to make against night for our country man honest coridon will expect your ketch and my song , which i must be forc'd to patch up , for it is so long since i learnt it , that i have forgot a part of it . but come , le ts stretch our legs a little in a gentle walk to the river , and try what 〈…〉 erest our angles wil pay us for lending them so long to be used by the trouts . viat . oh me , look you master , a fish , a fish . pisc. i marry sir , that was a good fish indeed ; if i had had the luck to have taken up that rod , 't is twenty to one he should not have broke my line by running to the rods end , as you suffered him ; i would have held him , unless he had been fellow to the great trout that is neer an ell long , which had his picture drawne , and now to be seen at mine hoste rickabies at the george in ware ; and it may be , by giving that trout the rod , that is , by casting it to him into the water , i might have caught him at the long run , for so i use alwaies to do when i meet with an over-grown fish , and you will learn to do so hereafter ; for i tell you , scholer , fishing is an art , or at least , it is an art to catch fish . viat . but , master , will this trout die , for it is like he has the hook in his belly ? pisc. i wil tel you , scholer , that unless the hook be fast in his very gorge , he wil live , and a little time with the help of the water , wil rust the hook , & it wil in time wear away as the gravel does in the horse hoof , which only leaves a false quarter . and now scholer , le ts go to my rod . look you scholer , i have a fish too , but it proves a loggerheaded chub ; and this is not much a miss , for this wil pleasure some poor body , as we go to our lodging to meet our brother peter and honest coridon come , now bait your hook again , and lay it into the water , for it rains again , and we wil ev'n retire to the sycamore tree , and there i wil give you more directions concerning fishing ; for i would fain make you an artist . viat . yes , good master , i pray let it be so . chap. v. pisc. vvel , scholer , now we are sate downe and are at ease , i shall tel you a little more of trout fishing before i speak of the salmon , ( which i purpose shall be next ) and then of the pike . or luce you are to know , there is night as well as day-fishing for a trout , and that then the best are out of their holds ; and the manner of taking them is on the top of the water with a great lob or garden worm , or rather two ; which you are to fish for in a place where the water runs somewhat quietly ( for in a stream it wil not be so well discerned . ) i say , in a quiet or dead place neer to some swift , there draw your bait over the top of the water to and fro , and if there be a good trout in the hole , he wil take it , especially if the night be dark ; for then he lies boldly neer the top of the water , watching the motion of any frog or water-mouse , or rat betwixt him and the skie , which he hunts for if he sees the water but wrinkle or move in one of these dead holes , wher the great trouts usually lye neer to their hold . and you must fish for him with a strong line , and not a little hook , and let him have time to gorge your hook , for he does not usually forsake it , as he oft will in the day-fishing : and if the night be not dark , then fish so with an artificial fly of a light colour ; nay he will somtimes rise at a dead mouse or a piece of cloth ; or any thing that seemes to swim cross the water , or to be in motion : this is a choice way , but i have not oft used it because it is void of the pleasures that such dayes as these that we now injoy , afford an angler . and you are to know , that in hamp-shire , ( which i think exceeds all england for pleasant brooks , and store of trouts ) they use to catch trouts in the night by the light of a torch or straw , which when they have discovered , they strike with a trout spear ; this kind of way they catch many , but i would not believe it till i was an eye-witness of it , nor like it now i have seen it . viat . but master , do not trouts see us in the night ? pisc. yes , and hear , and smel too , both then and in the day time , for gesner observes , the otter smels a fish forty furlong off him in the water ; and that it may be true , is affirmed by sir francis bacon ( in the eighth century of his natural history ) who there proves , that waters may be the medium of sounds , by demonstrating it thus , that if you knock two stones together very deep under the water , those that stand on a bank neer to that place may hear the noise without any diminution of it by the water . he also offers the like experiment concerning the letting an anchor fall by a very long cable or rope on a rock , or the sand within the sea : and this being so well observed and demonstrated , as it is by that learned man , has made me to believe that eeles unbed themselves , and stir at the noise of the thunder , and not only as some think , by the motion or the stirring of the earth , which is occasioned by that thunder . and this reason of sir francis bacons has made me crave pardon of one that i laught at , for affirming that he knew carps come to a certain place in a pond to be fed at the ringing of a bel ; and it shall be a rule for me to make as little noise , as i can when i am a fishing , until sir francis bacon be confuted , which i shal give any man leave to do , and so leave off this philosophical discourse for a discourse of fishing . of which my next shall be to tell you , it is certain , that certain fields neer lemster , a town in herefordshire , are observed , that they make the sheep that graze upon them more fat then the next , and also to bear finer wool ; that is to say , that that year in which they feed in such a particular pasture , they shall yeeld finer wool then the yeer before they came to feed in it , and courser again if they shall return to their former pasture , and again return to a finer wool being fed in the fine wool ground . which i tell you , that you may the better believe that i am certain , if i catch a trout in one meadow , he shall be white and faint , and very like to be lowsie ; and as certainly if i catch a trout in the next meadow , he shal be strong , and red , and lusty , and much better meat : trust me ( scholer ) i have caught many a trout in a particular meadow , that the very shape and inamelled colour of him , has joyed me to look upon him , and i have with solomon concluded , every thing is beautifull in his season . it is now time to tell you next , ( according to promise ) some observations of the salmon ; but first , i wil tel you there is a fish , called by some an umber , and by some a greyling , a choice fish , esteemed by many to be equally good with the trout : it is a fish that is usually about eighteen inches long , he lives in such streams as the trout does ; and is indeed taken with the same bait as a trout is , for he will bite both at the minnow , the worm , and the fly , both natural and artificial : of this fish there be many in trent , and in the river that runs by salisbury , and in some other lesser brooks ; but he is not so general a fish as the trout , nor to me either so good to eat , or so pleasant to fish for as the trout is ; of which two fishes i will now take my leave , and come to my promised observations of the salmon , and a little advice for the catching him . chap. vi . the salmon is ever bred in the fresh rivers ( and in most rivers about the month of august ) and never grows big but in the sea ; and there to an incredible bigness in a very short time ; to which place they covet to swim , by the instinct of nature , about a set time : but if they be stopp'd by mills , floud-gates or weirs , or be by accident lost in the fresh water , when the others go ( which is usually by flocks or sholes ) then they thrive not . and the old salmon , both the melter and spawner , strive also to get into the sea before winter ; but being stopt that course , or lost ; gro v sick in fresh waters , and by degrees unseasonable , and kipper , that is , to have a bony gristle , to grow ( not unlike a hauks beak ) on one of his chaps , which hinders him from feeding , and then he pines and dies . but if he gets to sea , then that gristle wears away , or is cast off ( as the eagle is said to cast his bill ) and he recovers his strength , and comes next summer to the same river , ( if it be possible ) to enjoy the former pleasures that there possest him ; for ( as one has wittily observed ) he has ( like some persons of honour and riches , which have both their winter and summer houses ) the fresh rivers for summer , and the salt water for winter to spend his life in ; which is not ( as sir francis bacon hath observed ) above ten years : and it is to be observed , that though they grow big in the sea , yet they grow not fat but in fresh rivers ; and it is observed , that the farther they get from the sea , the better they be . and it is observed , that , to the end they may get far from the sea , either to spawne or to possess the pleasure that they then and there find , they will force themselves over the tops of weirs , or hedges , or stops in the water , by taking their tails into their mouthes , and leaping over those places , even to a height beyond common belief : and sometimes by forcing themselves against the streame through sluces and floud-gates , beyond common credit . and 't is observed by gesner , that there is none bigger then in england , nor none better then in thames . and for the salmons sudden growth , it has been observed by tying a ribon in the tail of some number of the young salmons , which have been taken in weires , as they swimm'd towards the salt water , and then by taking a part of them again with the same mark , at the same place , at their returne from the sea , which is usually about six months after ; and the like experiment hath been tried upon young swallows , who have after six months absence , been oserved to return to the same chimney , there to make their nests , and their habitations for the summer following ; which hath inclined many to think , that every salmon usually returns to the same river in which it was bred , as young pigeons taken out of the same dove-cote , have also been observed to do . and you are yet to observe further , that the he salmon susually bigger then the spawner , and that he is more kipper , & less able to endure a winter in the fresh water , then the she is ; yet she is at that time of looking less kipper and better , as watry and as bad meat . and yet you are to observe , that as there is no general rule without an exception , so there is some few rivers in this nation that have trouts and salmon in season in winter . but for the observations of that and many other things , i must in manners omit , because they wil prove too large for our narrow compass of time , and therefore i shall next fall upon my direction how to fish for the salmon . and for that , first , you shall observe , that usually he staies not long in a place ( as trouts wil ) but ( as i said ) covets still to go neerer the spring head ; and that he does not ( as the trout and many other fish ) lie neer the water side or bank , or roots of trees , but swims usually in the middle , and neer the ground ; and that there you are to fish for him , and that he is to be caught as the trout is , with a worm , a minnow , ( which some call a penke ) or with a fly . and you are to observe , that he is very , very seldom observed to bite at a minnow ( yet sometime he will ) and not oft at a fly , but more usually at a worm , and then most usually at a lob or garden worm , which should be wel scowred , that is to say , seven or eight dayes in moss before you fish with them ; and if you double your time of eight into sixteen , or more , into twenty or more days , it is still the better , for the worms will stil be clearer , tougher , and more lively , and continue so longer upon your hook . and now i shall tell you , that which may be called a secret : i have been a fishing with old oliver henly ( now with god ) a noted fisher , both for trout and salmon , and have observed that he would usually take three or four worms out of his bag and put them into a little box in his pocket , where he would usually let them continue half an hour or more , before he would bait his hook with them ; i have ask'd him his reason , and he has replied , he did but pick the best out to be in a readiness against he baited his hook the next time : but he has been observed both by others , and my self , to catch more fish then i or any other body that has ever gone a fishing with him , could do , especially s 〈…〉 s ; and i have been told lately by one of his most intimate and secret friends , that the box in which he put those worms was anointed with a drop , or two , or three of the oil of ivy-berries , made by expression or infusion , and that by the wormes remaining in that box an hour , or a like time , they had incorporated a kind of smel that was irresistibly attractive , enough to force any fish , within the smel of them , to bite . this i heard not long since from a friend , but have not tryed it ; yet i grant it probable , and refer my reader to sir francis bacons natural history , where he proves fishes may hear ; and i am certain gesner sayes , the otter can smell in the water , and know not but that fish may do so too : 't is left for a lover of angling , or any that desires to improve that art , to try this conclusion . i shall also impart another experiment ( but not tryed by my selfe ) which i wil deliver in the same words as it was by a friend , given me in writing . take the stinking oil drawn out of poly pody of the oak , by a retort mixt with turpentine , and hivehoney , and annoint your hait therewith , and it will doubtlesse draw the fish to it . but in these things i have no great faith , yet grant it probable , and have had from some chimical men ( namely , from sir george hastings and others ) an affirmation of them to be very advantageous : but no more of these , especially not in this place . i might here , before i take my leave of the salmon , tell you , that there is more then one sort of them , as namely , a tecon , and another called in some places a samlet , or by some , a skegger : but these ( and others which i forbear to name ) may be fish of another kind , and differ , as we know a herring and a pilcher do ; but must by me be left to the disquisitions of men of more leisure and of greater abilities , then i profess my self to have . and lastly , i am to borrow so much of your promised patience , as to tell you , that the trout or salmon , being in season , have at their first taking out of the water ( which continues during life ) their bodies adorned , the one with such red spots , and the other with black or blackish spots , which gives them such an addition of natural beautie , as i ( that yet am no enemy to it ) think was never given to any woman by the artificial paint or patches in which they so much pride themselves in this age . and so i shall leave them and proceed to some observations of the pike . chap. vii pisc. it is not to be doubted but that the luce , or pikrell , or pike breeds by spawning ; and yet gesner sayes , that some of them breed , where none ever was , out of a weed called pikrell-weed , and other glutinous matter , which with the help of the suns heat proves in some particular ponds ( apted by nature for it ) to become pikes . sir francis bacon observes the pike to be the longest lived of any fresh water fish , and yet that his life is not usually above fortie years ; and yet gesner mentions a pike taken in swedeland in the year 1449 , with a ring about his neck , declaring he was put into the pond by frederick the second , more then two hundred years before he was last taken , as the inscription of that ring , being greek , was interpreted by the then bishop of worms . but of this no more , but that it is observed that the old or very great pikes have in them more of state then goodness ; the smaller or middle siz'd pikes being by the most and choicest palates observed to be the best meat ; but contrary , the eele is observed to be the better for age and bigness . all pikes that live long prove chargeable to their keepers , because their life is maintained by the death of so many other fish , even those of his owne kind , which has made him by some writers to bee called the tyrant of the rivers , or the fresh water-wolf , by reason of his bold , greedy , devouring disposition ; which is so keen , as gesner relates , a man going to a pond ( where it seems a pike had devoured all the fish ) to water his mule , had a pike bit his mule by the lips , to which the pike hung so fast , that the mule drew him out of the water , and by that accident the owner of the mule got the pike ; i tell you who relates it , and shall with it tel you what a wise man has observed , it is a hard thing to perswade the belly , because it hath no ears . but if this relation of gesners bee dis-believed , it is too evident to bee doubted that a pike will devoure a fish of his own kind , that shall be bigger then this belly or throat will receive ; and swallow a part of him , and let the other part remaine in his mouth till the swallowed part be digested , and then swallow that other part that was in his mouth , and so put it over by degrees . and it is observed , that the pike will eat venemous things ( as some kind of frogs are ) and yet live without being harmed by them : for , as some say , he has in him a natural balsome or antidote against all poison : and others , that he never eats a venemous frog till he hath first killed her , and then ( as ducks are observed to do to frogs in spawning time , at which time some frogs are observed to be venemous ) so throughly washt her , by tumbling her up and down in the water , that he may devour her without danger . and gesner affirms , that a polonian gentleman did faithfully assure him , he had seen two young geese at one time in the belly of a pike : and hee observes , that in spain there is no pikes , and that the biggest are in the lake thracimane in italy , and the next , if not equal to them , are the pikes of england . the pike is also observed to be a melancholly , and a bold fish ; melancholly , because he alwaies swims or rests himselfe alone , and never swims in sholes , or with company , as roach , and dace , and most other fish do : and bold , because he fears not a shadow , or to see or be seen of any body , as the trout and chub , and all other fish do . and it is observed by gesner , that the bones , and hearts , & gals of pikes are very medicinable for several diseases , as to stop bloud , to abate fevers , to cure agues , to oppose or expel the infection of the plague , and to be many wayes medicinable and useful for the good of mankind ; but that the biting of a pike is venemous and hard to be cured . and it is observed ; that the pike is a fish that breeds but once a year , and that other fish ( as namely loaches ) do breed oftner ; as we are certaine . pigeons do almost every month , and yet the hawk , a bird of prey ( as the pike is of fish ) breeds but once in twelve months : and you are to note , that his time of breeding or spawning is usually about the end of february ; or somewhat later , in march , as the weather proves colder or warmer : and to note , that his manner of breeding is thus , a he and a she pike will usually go together out of a river into some ditch or creek , and that there the spawner casts her eggs , and the melter hovers over her all that time that she is casting her spawn , but touches her not . i might say more of this , but it might be thought curiosity or worse , and shall therefore forbear it , and take up so much of your attention as to tell you , that the best of pikes are noted to be in rivers , then those in great ponds or meres , and the worst in smal ponds . his feeding is usually fish or frogs , and sometime a weed of his owne , called pikrel-weed , of which i told you some think some pikes are bred ; for they have observed , that where no pikes have been put into a pond , yet that there they have been found , and that there has been plenty of that weed in that pond , and that that weed both breeds and feeds them ; but whether those pikes so bred will ever breed by generation as the others do , i shall leave to the disquisitions of men of more curiosity and leisure then i profess my self to have ; and shall proceed to tell you , that you may fish for a pike , either with a ledger , or a walking bait ; and you are to note , that i call that a ledger which is fix'd , or made to rest in one certaine place when you shall be absent ; and that i call that a walking bait , which you take with you , and have ever in motion . concerning which two , i shall give you this direction , that your ledger bait is best to be a living bait , whether it be a fish or a frog ; and that you may make them live the longer , you may , or indeed you must take this course : first , for your live bait of fi 〈…〉 h , a roch or dace is ( i think ) best and most tempting and a pearch the longest liv'd on a hook ; you must take your knife , ( which cannot be too sharp ) and betwixt the head and the fin on his back , cut or make an insition , or such a scar as you may put the arming wyer of your hook into it , with as little bruising or hurting the fish as art and diligence will enable you to do , and so carrying your arming wyer along his back , unto , or neer the tail of your fish , betwixt the skin and the body of it , draw out that wyer or arming of your hook at another scar neer to his tail ; then tye him about it with thred ; but no harder then of necessitie you must to prevent hurting the fish ; and the better to avoid hurting the fish , some have a kind of probe to open the way ; for the more easie entrance and passage of your wyer or arming : but as for these , time and a little experience will teach you better than i can by words ; for of this i will for the present say no more , but come next to give you some directions how to bait your hook with a frog . viat . but , good master , did not you say even now , that some frogs were venomous , and is it not dangerous to touch them ? pisc. yes , but i wil give you some rules or cautions concerning them . and first , you are to note , there is two kinds of frogs ; that is to say , ( if i may so express my self ) a flesh and a fish-frog : by flesh frogs , i mean , frogs that breed and live on the land ; and of these there be several sorts and colours , some being peckled , some greenish , some blackish , or brown : the green frog , which is a smal one , is by topsell taken to be venomous ; and so is the padock , or frog-padock , which usually keeps or breeds on the land , and is very large and bony , and big , especially the she frog of that kind ; yet these will sometime come into the water , but it is not often ; and the land frogs are some of them observed by him , to breed by laying eggs , and others to breed of the slime and dust of the earth , and that in winter they turn to slime again , and that the next summer that very slime returns to be a living creature ; this is the opinion of pliny : and * cardanas undertakes to give reason for the raining of frogs ; but if it were in my power , it should rain none but water frogs , for those i think are not venemous , especially the right water frog , which about february or march breeds in ditches by slime and blackish eggs in that slime , about which time of breeding the he and she frog are observed to use divers simber salts , and to croke and make a noise , which the land frog , or padock frog never does . now of these water frogs , you are to chuse the yellowest that you can get , for that the pike ever likes best , and thus use your frog , that he may continue long alive : put your hook into his mouth , which you may easily do from about the middle of april till august , and then the frogs mouth grows up and he continues so for at least six months without eating , but is sustained , none , but he whose name is wonderful , knows how . i say , put your hook , i mean the arming wire , through his mouth and out at his gills , and then with a fine needle and silk sow the upper part of his leg with only one stitch to the armed wire of your hook , or tie the frogs leg above the upper joint to the armed wire , and in so doing use him as though you loved him , that is , harme him as little as you may possibly , that he may live the longer . and now , having given you this direction for the baiting your ledger hook with a live fish or frog , my next must be to tell you , how your hook thus baited must or may be used ; and it is thus : having fastned your hook to a line , which if it be not fourteen yards long , should not be less than twelve ; you are to fasten that line to any bow neer to a hole where a pike is , or is likely to lye , or to have a haunt ; and then wind your line on any forked stick , all your line , except a half yard of it , or rather more , and split that forked stick with such a nick or notch at one end of it , as may keep the line from any more of it ravelling from about the stick , then so much of it as you intended ; and chuse your forked stick to be of that bigness as may keep the fish or frog from pulling the forked stick under the water till the pike bites , and then the pike having pulled the line forth of the clift or nick in which it was gently fastned , will have line enough to go to his hold and powch the bait : and if you would have this ledger bait to keep at a fixt place , undisturbed by wind or other accidents , which may drive it to the shoare side ( for you are to note , that it is likeliest to catch a pike in the midst of the water ) then hang a small plummet of lead , a stone , or piece of tyle , or a turfe in a string , and cast it into the water , with the forked stick to hang upon the ground , to be as an anchor to keep the forked stick from moving out of your intended place till the pike come . this i take to be a very good way , to use so many ledger baits as you intend to make tryal of . or if you bait your hooks thus , with live fish or frogs , and in a windy day , fasten them thus to a bow or bundle of straw , and by the help of that wind can get them to move cross a pond or mere , you are like to stand still on the shoar and see sport , if there be any store of pikes ; or these live baits may make sport , being tied about the body or wings of a goose or duck , and she chased over a pond : and the like may be done with turning three or four live baits thus fastned to bladders , or boughs , or bottles of hay , or flags , to swim down a river , whilst you walk quietly on the shore along with them , and are still in expectation of sport . the rest must be taught you by practice , for time will not alow me to say more of this kind of fishing with live baits . and for your dead bait for a pike , for that you may be taught by one dayes going a fishing with me or any other body that fishes for him , for the baiting your hook with a dead gudgion or a roch , and moving it up and down the water , is too easie a thing to take up any time to direct you to do it ; and yet , because i cut you short in that , i will commute for it , by telling you that that was told me for a secret : it is this : dissolve gum of ivie in oyle of spike , and therewith annoint your dead bait for a pike , and then cast it into a likely place , and when it has layen a short time at the bottom , draw it towards the top of the water , and so up the stream , and it is more then likely that you have a pike follow you with more then common eagerness . this has not been tryed by me , but told me by a friend of note , that pretended to do me a courtesie : but if this direction to catch a pike thus do you no good , i am certaine this direction how to roste him when he is caught , is choicely good , for i have tryed it , and it is somewhat the better for not being common ; but with my direction you must take thiscaution , that your pike must not be a smal one . first open your pike at the gills , and if need be , cut also a little slit towards his belly ; out of these , take his guts , and keep his liver , which you are to shred very small with : time , sweet margerom , and a little winter-savoury ; to these put some pickled oysters , and some anchovis , both these last whole for the anchovis will melt , and the oysters should not . ) to these you must add also a pound of sweet butter , which you are to mix with the herbs that are shred , and let them all be well salted ( if the pike be more then a yard long , then you may put into these herbs more then a pound , or if he be less , then less butter will suffice : ) these being thus mixt , with a blade or two of mace , must be put into the pike's belly , and then his belly so sowed up ; then you are to thrust the spit through his mouth out at his tail ; and then with four , or five , or six split sticks or very thin laths , and a convenient quantitie of tape or filiting , these laths are to be tyed round about the pike's body , from his head to his tail , and the tape tied somewhat thick to prevent his breaking or falling off from the spit ; let him be roasted very leisurely , and often basted with claret wine , and anchovis , and butter mixt together ; and also with what moisture falls from him into the pan : when you have rosted him sufficiently , you are to hold under him ( when you unwind or cut the tape that ties him ) such a dish as you purpose to eat him out of , and let him fall into it with the sawce that is rosted in his belly ; and by this means the pike will be kept unbroken and complete ; then to the sawce , which was within him , and also in the pan , you are to add a fit quantity of the best butter , and to squeeze the juice of three or four oranges : lastly , you may either put into the pike with the oysters ; two cloves of garlick , and take it whole out when the pike is cut off the spit , or to give the sawce a hogoe , let the dish ( into which you let the pike fall ) be rubed with it ; the using or not using of this garlick is left to your discretion . this dish of meat is too good for any but anglers or honest men ; and , i trust , you wil prove both , and therefore i have trusted you with this secret . and now i shall proceed to give you some observations concerning the carp . chap. viii . pisc. the carp is a stately , a good , and a subtle fish , a fish that hath not ( as it is said ) been long in england , but said to be by one mr. mascall ( a gentleman then living at plumsted in sussex ) brought into this nation : and for the better confirmation of this , you are to remember i told you that gesner sayes , there is not a pike in spain , and that except the eele , which lives longest out of the water , there is none that will endure more hardness , or live longer then a carp will out of it , and so the report of his being brought out of a forrain nation into this , is the more probable . carps and loches are observed to breed several months in one year , which most other fish do not , and it is the rather believed , because you shall scarce or never take a male carp without a melt , or a female without a roe or spawn ; and for the most part very much , and especially all the summer season ; and it is observed , that they breed more naturally in ponds then in running waters , and that those that live in rivers are taken by men of the best palates to be much the better meat . and it is observed , that in some ponds carps will not breed , especially in cold ponds ; but where they will breed , they breed innumerably , if there be no pikes nor pearch to devour their spawn , when it is cast upon grass , or flags , or weeds , where it lies ten or twelve dayes before it be enlivened . the carp , if he have water room and good feed , will grow to a very great bigness and length : i have heard , to above a yard long ; though i never saw one above thirty three inches , which was a very great and goodly fish . now as the increase of carps is wonderful for their number ; so there is not a reason found out , i think , by any , why the should breed in some ponds , and not in others of the same nature , for soil and all other circumstances ; and as their breeding , so are their decayes also very mysterious ; i have both read it , and been told by a gentleman of tryed honestie , that he has knowne sixtie or more large carps put into several ponds neer to a house , where by reason of the stakes in the ponds , and the owners constant being neer to them , it was impossible they should be stole away from him , and that when he has after three or four years emptied the pond , and expected an increase from them by breeding young ones ( for that they might do so , he had , as the rule is , put in three melters for one spawner ) he has , i say , after three or four years found neither a young nor old carp remaining : and the like i have known of one that has almost watched his pond , and at a like distance of time at the fishing of a pond , found of seventy or eighty large carps , not above five or six : and that he had forborn longer to fish the said pond , but that he saw in a hot day in summer , a large carp swim neer to the top of the water with a frog upon his head , and that he upon that occasion caused his pond to be let dry : and i say , of seventie or eighty carps , only found five or six in the said pond , and those very sick and lean , and with every one a frog sticking so fast on the head of the said carps , that the frog would not bee got off without extreme force or killing , and the gentleman that did affirm this to me , told me he saw it , and did declare his belief to be ( and i also believe the same ) that he thought the other carps that were so strangely lost , were so killed by frogs , and then devoured . but i am faln into this discourse by accident , of which i might say more , but it has proved longer then i intended , and possibly may not to you be considerable ; i shall therefore give you three or four more short observations of the carp , and then fall upon some directions how you shall fish for him . the age of carps is by s. francis bacon ( in his history of life and death ) observed to be but ten years ; yet others think they live longer : but most conclude , that ( contrary to the pike or luce ) all carps are the better for age and bigness ; the tongues of carps are noted to be choice and costly meat , especially to them that buy them ; but gesner sayes , carps have no tongues like other fish , but a piece of flesh-like-fish in their mouth like to a tongue , and may be so called , but it is certain it is choicely good , and that the carp is to be reckoned amongst those leather mouthed fish , which i told you have their teeth in their throat , and for that reason he is very seldome lost by breaking his hold , if your hook bee once stuck into his chaps . i told you , that sir francis bacon thinks that the carp lives but ten years ; but janus dubravius ( a germane as i think ) has writ a book in latine of fish and fish ponds , in which he sayes , that carps begin to spawn at the age of three yeers , and continue to do so till thirty ; he sayes also , that in the time of their breeding , which is in summer when the sun hath warmed both the earth and water , and so apted them also for generation , that then three or four male carps will follow a female , and that then she putting on a seeming coyness , they force her through weeds and flags , where she lets fall her eggs or spawn , which sticks fast to the weeds , and then they let fall their melt upon it , and so it becomes in a short time to be a living fish ; and , as i told you , it is thought the carp does this several months in the yeer , and most believe that most fish breed after this manner , except the eeles and it is thought that all carps are not bred by generation , but that some breed otherwayes , as some pikes do . and my first direction is , that if you will fish for a carp , you must put on a very large measure of patience , especially to fish for a river carp : i have knowne a very good fisher angle diligently four or six hours in a day , for three or four dayes together for a river carp , and not have a bite : and you are to note , that in some ponds it is as hard to catch a carp as in a river ; that is to say , where they have store of feed , & the water is of a clayish colour ; but you are to remember , that i have told you there is no rule without an exception , and therefore being possest with that hope and patience which i wish to all fishers , especially to the carpangler , i shall tell you with what bait to fish for him ; but that must be either early or ate , and let me tell you , that in hot weather ( for he will seldome bite in cold ) you cannot bee too early or too late at it . the carp bites either at wormes or at paste ; and of worms i think the blewish marsh or meadow worm is best ; but possibly another worm not too big may do as well , and so may a gentle ; and as for pastes , there are almost as many sorts as there are medicines for the tooth-ach , but doubtless sweet pastes are best ; i mean , pastes mixt with honey , or with sugar ; which , that you may the better beguile this crafty fish , should be thrown into the pond or place in which you fish for him some hours before you undertake your tryal of skil by the angle-rod : and doubtless , if it be thrown into the water a day or two before , at several times , and in smal pellets , you are the likelier when you fish for the carp , to obtain your desired sport : or in a large pond , to draw them to any certain place , that they may the better and with more hope be fished for ; you are to throw into it , in some certaine place , either grains , or bloud mixt with cow-dung , or with bran ; or any garbage , as chickens guts or the like , and then some of your smal sweet pellets , with which you purpose to angle ; these smal pellets , being few of them thrown in as you are angling . and your paste must bee thus made : take the flesh of a rabet or cat cut smal , and bean-flower , or ( if not easily got then ) other flowre , and then mix these together , and put to them either sugar , or honey , which i think better , and then beat these together in a mortar ; or sometimes work them in your hands , ( your hands being very clean ) and then make it into a ball , or two , or three , as you like best for your use : but you must work or pound it so long in the mortar , as to make it so tough as to hang upon your hook without washing from it , yet not too hard ; or that you may the better keep it on your hook , you may kneade with your paste a little ( and not much ) white or yellowish wool . and if you would have this paste keep all the year for any other fish , then mix with it virgins-wax and clarified honey , and work them together with your hands before the fire ; then make these into balls , and it will keep all the yeer . chap. ix . pisc. the bream being at a fuli growth , is a large and stately fish , he will breed both in rivers and ponds , but loves best to live in ponds , where , if he likes the aire , he will grow not only to be very large , but as fat as a hog , he is by gesner taken to be more pleasant or sweet then wholesome ; this fish is long in growing , but breeds exceedingly in a water that pleases him , yea , in many ponds so fast , as to over store them , and starve the other fish . the baits good for to catch the bream are many ; as namely , young wasps , and a paste made of brown bread and honey , or gentels , or especially a worm , a worm that is not much unlike a magot , which you will find at the roots of docks , or of flags , or of rushes that grow in the water , or watry places , and a grashopper having his legs nip'd off , or a flye that is in june and july to be found amongst the green reed , growing by the water side , those are said to bee excellent baits . i doubt not but there be many others that both the bream and the carp also would bite at ; but these time and experience will teach you how to find out : and so having according to my promise given you these short observations concerning the bream , i shall also give you some observations concerning the tench , and those also very briefly . the tench is observed to love to live in ponds ; but if he be in a river , then in the still places of the river , he is observed to be a physician to other fishes , and is so called by many that have been searchers into the nature of fish ; and it is said , that a pike will neither devour nor hurt him , because the pike being sick or hurt by any accident , is cured by touching the tench , and the tench does the like to other fishes , either by touching them , or by being in their company . he will bite at a paste made of brown bread and honey , or at a marsh-worm , or a lob-worm ; he will bite also at a smaller worm , with his head nip'd off , and a cod-worm put on the hook before the worm ; and i doubt not but that he will also in the three hot months ( for in the nine colder he stirs not much ) bite at a flag-worm , or at a green gentle , but can positively say no more of the tench , he being a fish that i have not often angled for ; but i wish my honest scholer may , and be ever fortunate when hee fishes . viat . i thank you good master : but i pray sir , since you see it still rains may butter , give me some observations and directions concerning the pearch , for they say he is both a very good and a bold biting fish , and i would fain learne to fish for him . pisc. you say true , scholer , the pearch is a very good , and a very bold biting fish , he is one of the fishes of prey , that , like the pike and trout , carries his teeth in his mouth , not in his throat , and dare venture to kill and devour another fish ; this fish , and the pike are ( sayes gesner ) the best of fresh water fish ; he spawns but once a year , and is by physicians held very nutritive ; yet by many to be hard of digestion : they abound more in the river poe , and in england , ( sayes randelitius ) then other parts , and have in their brain a stone , which is in forrain parts sold by apothecaries , being there noted to be very medicinable against the stone in the reins : these be a part of the commendations which some philosophycal brain have bestowed upon the fresh-water pearch , yet they commend the sea pearch , which is known by having but one fin on his back , ( of which they say , we english see but a few ) to be a much better fish . the pearch grows slowly , yet will grow , as i have been credibly informed , to be almost two foot long ; for my informer told me , such a one was not long since taken by sir abraham williams , a gentleman of worth , and a lover of angling , that yet lives , and i wish he may : this was a deep bodied fish ; and doubtless durst have devoured a pike of half his own length ; for i have told you , he is a bold fish , such a one , as but for extreme hunger , the pike will not devour ; for to affright the pike , the pearch will set up his fins , much like as a turkie-cock wil sometimes set up his tail . but , my scholer , the pearch is not only valiant to defend himself , but he is ( as you said ) a bold biting fish , yet he he will not bite at all seasons of the yeer ; he is very abstemious in winter ; and hath been observed by some , not usually to bite till the mulberry tree buds , that is to say , till extreme frosts be past for that spring ; for when the mulberry tree blossomes , many gardners observe their forward fruit to be past the danger of frosts , and some have made the like observation of the pearches biting . viat . nay , good master , one fish more , for you see it rains still , and you know our angles are like money put to usury ; they may thrive though we sit still and do nothing , but talk & enjoy one another . come , come the other fish , good master . pisc. but scholer , have you nothing to mix with this discourse , which now grows both tedious and tiresome ? shall i have nothing from you that seems to have both a good memorie , and a chearful spirit ? viat . yes , master , i will speak you a coppie of verses that were made by doctor donne , and made to shew the world that hee could make soft and smooth verses , when he thought them fit and worth his labour ; and i love them the better , because they allude to rivers , and fish , and fishing . they bee these : come live with me , and be my love , and we will some new pleasures prove , of golden sands , and christal brooks , with silken lines and silver hooks . there will the river wispering run , warm'd by thy eyes more then the sun ; and there th' inamel'd fish wil stay , begging themselves they may betray . when thou wilt swim in that live bath , each fish , which every channel hath most amorously to thee will swim , gladder to catch thee , then thou him . if thou , to be so seen , beest loath by sun or moon , thou darknest both ; and , if mine eyes have leave to see , i need not their light , having thee . let others freeze with angling reeds , and cut their legs with shels & weeds , or treacherously poor fish beset , with strangling snares , or windowy net . let coarse bold hands , from slimy nest , the bedded fish in banks outwrest , let curious traitors sleave silk flies , to ' witch poor wandring fishes eyes . for thee , thou needst no such deceit , for thou thy self art thine own bait ; that fish that is not catch'd thereby , is wiser far , alas , then i. pisc. well remembred , honest scholer , i thank you for these choice verses , which i have heard formerly , but had quite forgot , till they were recovered by your happie memorie . well , being i have now rested my self a little , i will make you some requital , by telling you some observations of the eele , for it rains still , and ( as you say ) our angles are as money put to use , that thrive when we play . chap. x. it is agreed by most men , that the eele is both a good and a most daintie fish ; but most men differ about his breeding ; some say , they breed by generation as other fish do ; and others , that they breed ( as some worms do ) out of the putrifaction of the earth , and divers other waies ; those that denie them to breed by generation , as other fish do , ask , if any man ever saw an eel to have spawn or melt ? and they are answered , that they may be as certain of their breeding , as if they had seen spawn ; for they say , that they are certain that eeles have all parts fit for generation , like other fish , but so smal as not to be easily discerned , by reason of their fatness ; but that discerned they may be ; and that the hee and the she eele may be distinguished by their fins . and others say , that eeles growing old , breed other eeles out of the corruption of their own age , which sir francis bacon sayes , exceeds not ten years . and others say , that eeles are bred of a particular dew falling in the months of may or june on the banks of some particular ponds or rivers ( apted by nature for that end ) which in a few dayes is by the suns heat turned into eeles . i have seen in the beginning of july , in a river not far from canterbury , some parts of it covered over with young eeles about the thickness of a straw ; and these eeles did lye on the top of that water , as thick as motes are said to be in the sun ; and i have heard the like of other rivers , as namely , in severn , and in a pond or mere in stafford-shire , where about a set time in summer , such small eeles abound so much , that many of the poorer sort of people , that inhabit near to it , take such eeles out of this mere , with sieves or sheets , and make a kind of eele-cake of them , and eat it like as bread . and gesner quotes venerable bede to say , that in england there is an iland called ely , by reason of the innumerable number of eeles that breed in it . but that eeles may be bred as some worms and some kind of bees and wasps are , either of dew , or out of the corruption of the earth , seems to be made probable by the barnacles and young goslings bred by the suns heat and the rotten planks of an old ship , and hatched of trees , both which are related for truths by dubartas , and our learned cambden , and laborious gerrard in his herball . it is said by randelitius , that those eeles that are bred in rivers , that relate to , or be neer to the sea , never return to the fresh waters ( as the salmon does alwaies desire to do ) when they have once tasted the salt water ; and i do the more easily believe this , because i am certain that powdered bief is a most excellent bait to catch an eele : and sr. francis bacon will allow the eeles life to be but ten years ; yet he in his history of life and death , mentions a lamprey , belonging to the roman emperor , to be made tame , and so kept for almost threescore yeers ; and that such useful and pleasant observations were made of this lamprey , that crassus the oratour ( who kept her ) lamented her death . it is granted by all , or most men , that eeles , for about six months ( that is to say , the six cold months of the yeer ) stir not up and down , neither in the rivers nor the pools in which they are , but get into the soft earth or mud , and there many of them together bed themselves , and live without feeding upon any thing ( as i have told you some swallows have been observed to do in hollow trees for those six cold months ) ; and this the eele and swallow do , as not being able to endure winter weather ; for gesner quotes albertus to say , that in the yeer 1125 ( that years winter being more cold then usual ) eeles did by natures instinct get out of the water into a stack of hay in a meadow upon dry ground , and there bedded themselves , but yet at last died there . i shall say no more of the eele , but that , as it is observed , he is impatient of cold , so it has been observed , that in warm weather an eele has been known to live five days out of the water . and lastly , let me tell you , that some curious searchers into the natures of fish , observe that there be several sorts or kinds of eeles , as the silver-eele , and green or greenish eel ( with which the river of thames abounds , and are called gregs ) ; and a blackish eele , whose head is more flat and bigger then ordinary eeles ; and also an eele whose fins are redish , and but seldome taken in this nation ( and yet taken sometimes ) : these several kinds of eeles , are ( say some ) diversly bred ; as namely , out of the corruption of the earth , and by dew , and other wayes ( as i have said to you : ) and yet it is affirmed by some , that for a certain , the silvereele breeds by generation , but not by spawning as other fish do , but that her brood come alive from her no bigger nor longer then a pin , and i have had too many testimonies of this to doubt the truth of it . and this eele of which i have said so much to you , may be caught with divers kinds of baits ; as namely , with powdered bief , with a lob or garden-worm , with a minnow , or gut of a hen , chicken , or with almost any thing , for he is a greedy fish : but the eele seldome stirs in the day , but then hides himselfe , and therefore he is usually caught by night , with one of these baits of which i have spoken , and then caught by laying hooks , which you are to fasten to the bank , or twigs of a tree ; or by throwing a string cross the stream , with many hooks at it , and baited with the foresaid baits , and a clod or plummer , or stone , thrown into the river with this line , that so you may in the morning find it neer to some fixt place , and then take it up with a drag-hook or otherwise : but these things are indeed too common to be spoken of ; and an hours fishing with any angler will teach you better , both for these , and many other common things in the practical part of angling , then a weeks discourse . i shall therefore conclude this direction for taking the eele , by telling you , that in a warm day in summer , i have taken many a good eele by snigling , and have been much pleased with that sport . and because you that are but a young angler , know not what snigling is , i wil now teach it to you : you remember i told you that eeles do not usually stir in the day time , for then they hide themselvs under some covert , or under boards , or planks about floud-gates , or weirs , ormils , or in holes in the river banks ; and you observing your time in a warm day , when the water is lowest , may take a hook tied to a strong line , or to a string about a yard long , and then into one of these holes , or between any boards about a mill , or under any great stone or plank , or any place where you think an eele may hide or shelter her selfe , there with the help of a short stick put in your bait , but leisurely , and as far as you may conveniently ; and it is scarce to be doubted , but that if there be an eel within the sight of it , the eele will bite instantly , and as certainly gorge it ; and you need not doubt to have him , if you pull him not our of the hole too quickly , but pull him out by degrees , for he lying folded double in his hole , will , with the help of his taile , break all , unless you give him time to be wearied with pulling , and so get him out by degrees ; not pulling too hard . and thus much for this present time concerning the eele : i will next tel you a little of the barbell , and hope with a little discourse of him , to have an end of this showr , and fal to fishing , for the weather clears up a little . chap. xi . pisc. the barbell , is so called ( sayes gesner ) from or by reason of his beard , or wattels at his mouth , his mouth being under his nose or chaps , and he is one of the leather mouthed fish that has his teeth in his throat , he loves to live in very swift streams , and where it is gravelly , and in the gravel will root or dig with his nose like a hog , and there nest himself , taking so fast hold of any weeds or moss that grows on stones , or on piles about weirs , or floud-gates , or bridges , that the water is not able , be it never so swift , to force him from the place which he seems to contend for : this is his constant custome in summer , when both he , and most living creatures joy and sport themselves in the sun ; but at the approach of winter , then he forsakes the swift streams and shallow waters , and by degrees retires to those parts of the river that are quiet and deeper ; in which places , ( and i think about that time ) he spawns ; and as i have formerly told you , with the help of the melter , hides his spawn or eggs in holes , which they both dig in the gravel , and then they mutually labour to cover it with the same sand to prevent it from being devoured by other fish . there be such store of this fish in the river danubie , that randeitius sayes , they may in some places of it , and in some months of the yeer , be taken by those that dwel neer to the river , with their hands , eight or ten load at a time ; he sayes , they begin to be good in may , and that they cease to be so in august ; but it is f●und to be otherwise in this nation : but thus far we agree with him , that the spawne of a barbell is , if be not poison , as he sayes , yet that it is dangerous meat , and especially in the month of may ; and gesner declares , it had an ill effect upon him , to the indangering of his life . the barbell is also curious for his baits , that is to say , that they be clean and sweet ; that is to say , to have your worms well scowred , and not kept in sowre or mustie moss ; for at a well scowred lob-worm , he will bite as boldly as at any bait , especially , if the night or two before you fish for him , you shall bait the places where you intend to fish for him with big worms cut into pieces : and gentles ( not being too much scowred , but green ) are a choice bait for him , and so is cheese , which is not to be too hard , but kept a day or two in a wet linnen cloth to make it tough ; with this you may also bait the water a day or two before you fish for the barbel , and be much the likelier to catch store ; and if the cheese were laid in clarified honey a short time before ( as namely , an hour or two ) you were still the likelier to catch fish ; some have directed to cut the cheese into thin pieces , and toste it , and then tye it on the hook with fine silk : and some advise to fish for the barbell with sheeps tallow and soft cheese beaten or work'd into a paste , and that it is choicely good in august , and i believe it : but doubtless the lob-worm well scoured , and the gentle not too much scowred , and cheese ordered as i have directed , are baits enough , and i think wil 〈…〉 erve in any month ; though i shall commend any angler that tryes conclusions , and is industrious to improve the art . and now , my honest scholer , the long showre , and my tedious discourse are both ended together ; and i shall give you but this observation , that when you fish for a barbell , your rod and line be both long , and of good strength , for you will find him a heavy and a doged fish to be dealt withal , yet he seldom or never breaks his hold if he be once strucken . and now le ts go and see what interest the trouts will pay us for letting our angle-rods lye so long and so quietly in the water . come , scholer ; which will you take up ? viat . which you think fit , master . pisc. why , you shall take up that ; for i am certain by viewing the line , it has a fish at it . look you , scholer , well done . come now , take up the other too ; well , now you may tell my brother peter at night , that you have caught a lease of trouts this day . and now le ts move toward our lodging , and drink a draught of red-cows milk , as we go , and give pretty maudlin and her mother a brace of trouts for their supper . viat . master , i like your motion very well , and i think it is now about milking time , and yonder they be at it . pisc. god speed you good woman , i thank you both for our songs last night ; i and my companion had such fortune a fishing this day , that we resolve to give you and maudlin a brace of trouts for supper , and we will now taste a draught of your red cows milk . milkw . marry , and that you shal with all my heart , and i will be still your debtor : when you come next this way , if you will but speak the word , i will make you a good sillabuh , and then you may sit down in a hay cock and eat it , and maudlin shal sit by and sing you the good old song of the hunting in chevy chase , or some other good ballad , for she hath good store of them : maudlin hath a notable memory . viat . we thank you , and intend once in a month to call upon you again , and give you a little warning , and so good night ; good night maudlin . and now , good master , le ts lose no time , but tell me somewhat more of fishing ; and if you please , first something of fishing for a gudgion . pisc. i will , honest scholer . the gudgion is an excellent fish to eat , and good also to enter a young angler ; he is easie to bee taken with a smal red worm at the ground and is one of those leather mouthed fish that has his teeth in his throat , and will hardly be lost off from the hook if he be once strucken : they be usually scattered up and down every river in the shallows , in the heat of summer ; but in autome , when the weeds begin to grow sowre or rot , and the weather colder , then they gather together , and get into the deeper parts of the water , and are to be fish'd for there , with your hook alwaies touching the ground , if you fish for him with a flote or with a cork ; but many will fish for the gudgion by hand , with a running line upon the ground without a cork as a trout is fished for , and it is an excellent way . there is also another fish called a pope , and by some a ruffe , a fish that is not known to be in some rivers ; it is much like the pearch for his shape , but will not grow to be bigger then a gudgion ; he is an excellent fish , no fish that swims is of a pleasanter taste ; and he is also excellent to enter a young angler , for he is a greedy biter , and they will usually lye abundance of them together in one reserved place where the water is deep , and runs quietly , and an easie angler , if he has found where they lye , may catch fortie or fiftie , or sometimes twice so many at a standing . there is also a bleak , a fish that is ever in motion , and therefore called by some the river swallow ; for just as you shall observe the swallow to be most evenings in summer ever in motion , making short and quick turns when he flies to catch flies in the aire , by which he lives , so does the bleak at the top of the water ; and this fish is best caught with a fine smal artificial fly , which is to be of a brown colour , and very smal , and the hook answerable : there is no better sport then whiping for bleaks in a boat in a summers evening , with a hazle top about five or six foot long , and a line twice the length of the rod . i have heard sir henry wotton say , that there be many that in italy will catch swallows so , or especially martines ( the bird-angler standing on the top of a steeple to do it , and with a line twice so long , as i have spoke of ) and let me tell you , scholer , that both martins and blekes be most excellent meat . i might now tell you how to catch roch and dace , and some other fish of little note , that i have not yet spoke of ; but you see we are almost at our lodging , and indeed if we were not , i would omit to give you any directions concerning them , or how to fish for them , not but that they be both good fish ( being in season ) and especially to some palates , and they also make the angler good sport ( and you know the hunter sayes , there is more sport in hunting the hare , then in eating of her ) but i will forbear to give you any direction concerning them , because you may go a few dayes and take the pleasure of the fresh aire , and bear any common angler company that fishes for them , and by that means learn more then any direction i can give you in words , can make you capable of ; and i will therefore end my discourse , for yonder comes our brother peter and honest coridon , but i will promise you that as you and i fish , and walk to morrow towards london , if i have now forgotten any thing , that i can then remember , i will not keep it from you . well met , gentlemen , this is luckie that we meet so just together at this very door . come hostis , where are you ? is supper ready ? come , first give us drink , and be as quick as you can , for i believe wee are all very hungry . wel , brother peter and coridon to you both ; come drink , and tell me what luck of fish : we two have caught but ten trouts , of which my scholer caught three ; look here 's eight , and a brace we gave away : we have had a most pleasant day for fishing , and talking , and now returned home both weary and hungry , and now meat and rest will be pleasant . pet. and coridon and i have not had an unpleasant day , and yet i have caught but five trouts ; for indeed we went to a good honest ale-house , and there we plaid at shovelboard half the day ; all the time that it rained we were there , and as merry as they that fish'd , and i am glad we are now with a dry house over our heads , for heark how it rains and blows . come hostis , give us more ale , and our supper with what haste you may , and when we have sup'd , le ts have your song , piscator , and the ketch that your scholer promised us , or else coridon wil be doged . pisc. nay , i will not be worse then my word , you shall not want my song , and i hope i shall be perfect in it . viat . and i hope the like for my ketch , which i have ready too , and therefore le ts go merrily to supper , and then have a gentle touch at singing and drinking ; but the last with moderation . cor. come , now for your song , for we have fed heartily . come hostis , give us a little more drink , and lay a few more sticks on the fire , and now sing when you will . pisc. well then , here 's to you coridon ; and now for my song . oh the brave fishers life , it is the best of any , 't is full of pleasure , void of strife , and 't is belov'd of many : other joyes are but toyes , only this lawful is , for our skil breeds no ill , but content and pleasure . in a morning up we rise ere aurora's peeping , drink a cup to wash our eyes , leave the sluggard sleeping ; then we go too and fro , with our knacks at our backs , to such streams as the thames if we have the leisure . when we please to walk abroad for our recreation , in the fields is our abode , full of delectation : where in a brook with a hook , or a lake fish we take , there we sit for a bit , till we fish intangle . we have gentles in a horn , we have paste and worms too , we can watch both night and morn , suffer rain and storms too : none do here use to swear , oathes do fray fish away , we sit still , watch our quill , fishers must not rangle . if the suns excessive heat make our bodies swelter , to an osier hedge we get for a friendly shelter , where in a dike pearch or pike , roch or dace we do chase bleak or gudgion without grudging , we are still contented . or we sometimes pass an hour , under a green willow , that defends us from a showr , making earth our pillow , there we may think and pray before death stops our breath ; other joyes are but toyes and to be lamented . viat . well sung , master ; this dayes fortune and pleasure , and this nights company and song , do all make me more and more in love with angling . gentlemen , my master left me alone for an hour this day , and i verily believe he retir'd himself from talking with me , that he might be so perfect in this song ; was it not master ? pisc. yes indeed , for it is many yeers since i learn'd it , and having forgotten a part of it , i was forced to pa 〈…〉 ch it up by the help of my own invention , who am not excellent at poetry , as my part of the song may testifie : but of that i will say no more , least you should think i mean by discommending it , to beg your commendations of it . and therefore without replications , le ts hear your ketch , scholer , which i hope will be a good one , for you are both musical , and have a good fancie to boot . viat . marry , and that you shall , and as freely as i would have my honest master tel me some more secrets of fish and fishing as we walk and fish towards london to morrow . but master , first let me tell you , that that very hour which you were absent from me , i sate down under a willow tree by the water side , and considered what you had told me of the owner of that pleasant meadow in which you then left me , that he had a plentiful estate , and not a heart to think so ; that he had at this time many law suites depending , and that they both damp'd his mirth and took up so much of his time and thoughts , that he himselfe had not leisure to take the sweet content that i , who pretended no title , took in his fields ; for i could there sit quietly , and looking on the water , see fishes leaping at flies of several shapes and colours ; looking on the hils , could behold them spotted with woods and groves ; looking down the meadows , could see here a boy gathering l●llies and lady-smocks , and there a girle cropping culverkeys and cowsl●ps , all to make garlands sut●ble to this pleasant month of may ; these and many other field-flowers so perfum'd the air , that i thought this meadow like the field in sicily ( of which diodorus speaks ) where the perfumes arising from the place , makes all dogs that hunt in it , to fall off , and to lose their hottest sent . i say , as i thus sate joying in mine own happy condition , and pittying that rich mans that ought this , and many other pleasant groves and meadows about me , i did thankfully remember what my saviour said , that the meek possess the earth ; for indeed they are free from those high , those restless thoughts and contentions which corrode the sweets of life . for they , and they only , can say as the poet has happily exprest it , hail blest estate of poverty ! happy enjoyment of such minds , as rich in low contentedness , can , like the reeds in roughest winds , by yeelding make that blow but smal at which proud oaks andcedars fal gentlemen , these were a part of the thoughts that then possest me , and i there made a conversion of a piece of an old ketch , and added more to it , fitting them to be sung by us anglers : come , master , you can sing well , you must sing a part of it as it is in this paper . the anglers song . for two voyces , treble and basse . cantus . mr. henry lawes . man's life is but vain ; for 't is subject to pain , and sorrow , and short as a buble ; 't is a hodge podge of business , and mony , and care , and care , and mony , and trouble . but we 'l take no care when the weather proves fair , nor will we vex now though it rain ; we 'l banish all sorrow , and sing till to morrow , and angle , and angle again . the anglers song . bassus . for two voyces . by mr. henry lawes . man's life is but vain ; for 't is subject to pain , and sorrow , and short as a buble ; 't is a hodge podge of business , and mony , and care , and care , and mony , and trouble . but we 'l take no care when the weather proves fair , nor will we vex now though it rain ; we 'l banish all sorrow , and sing till to morrow , and angle , and angle again . pet. i marry sir , this is musick indeed , this has cheered my heart , and made me to remember six verses in praise of musick , which i will speak to you instantly . musick , miraculous rhetorick , that speak'st sense without a tongue , excelling eloquence ; with what ease might thy errors be excus'd wert thou as truly lov'd as th'art abus'd . but though dull souls neglect , and some reprove thee , i cannot hate thee , 'cause the angels love thee . piscat . well remembred , brother peter , these verses came seasonably . come , we will all joine together , mine hoste and all , and sing my scholers ketch over again , and then each man drink the tother cup and to bed , and thank god we have a dry house over our heads . pisc. well now , good night to every body . pet. and so say i. viat . and so say i. cor. good night to you all , and i thank you . pisc. good morrow brother peter , and the like to you , honest coridon ; come , my hostis sayes there is seven shillings to pay , le ts each man drink a pot for his mornings draught , and lay downe his two shillings , that so my hostis may not have occasion to repent her self of being so diligent , and using us so kindly . pet. the motion is liked by every body ; and so hostis , here 's your mony , we anglers are all beholding to you , it wil not be long ere i le see you again . and now brother piscator , i wish you and my brother your scholer a fair day , and good fortune . come coridon , this is our way . chap. xii . viat . good master , as we go now towards london , be still so courteous as to give me more instructions , for i have several boxes in my memory in which i will keep them all very safe , there shall not one of them be lost . pisc. well scholer , that i will , and i will hide nothing from you that i can remember , and may help you forward towards a perfection in this art ; and because we have so much time , and i have said so little of roch and dace , i will give you some directions concerning some several kinds of baits with which they be usually taken ; they will bite almost at any flies , but especially at ant-flies ; concerning which , take this direction , for it is very good . take the blackish ant-fly out of the mole-hill , or ant-hil , in which place you shall find them in the months of june ; or if that be too early in the yeer , then doubtless you may find them in july , august , and most of september ; gather them alive with both their wings , and then put them into a glass , that will hold a quart or a pottle ; but first , put into the glass , a handful or more of the moist earth out of which you gather them , and as much of the roots of the grass of the said hillock ; and then put in the flies gently , that they lose not their wings , and so many as are put into the glass without bruising , will live there a month or more , and be alwaies in a readiness for you to fish with ; but if you would have them keep longer , then get any great earthen pot or barrel of three or four gallons ( which is better ) then wash your barrel with water and honey ; and having put into it a quantitie of earth and grass roots , then put in your flies and cover it , and they will live a quarter of a year ; these in any stream and clear water are a deadly bait for roch or dace , or for a chub , and your rule is to fish not less then a handful from the bottom . i shall next tell you a winter bait for a roch , a dace , or chub , and it is choicely good . about all-hollantide ( and so till frost comes ) when you see men ploughing up heath-ground , or sandy ground , or greenswards , then follow the plough , and you shall find a white worm , as big as two magots , and it hath a red head , ( you may observe in what ground most are , for there the crows will be very watchful , and follow the plough very close ) it is all soft , and full of whitish guts ; a worm that is in norfolk , and some other countries called a grub , and is bred of the spawn or eggs of a beetle , which she leaves in holes that she digs in the ground under cow or horse-dung , and there rests all winter , and in march or april comes to be first a red , and then a black beetle : gather a thousand or two of these , and put them with a peck or two of their own earth into some tub or firkin , and cover and keep them so warm , that the frost or cold air , or winds kill them not , and you may keep them all winter and kill fish with them at any time , and if you put some of them into a little earth and honey a day before you use them , you will find them an excellent baite for breame or carp . and after this manner you may also keep gentles all winter , which is a good bait then , and much the better for being lively and tuffe , or you may breed and keep gentle thus : take a piece of beasts liver and with a cross stick , hang it in some corner over a pot or barrel half full of dry clay , and as the gentles grow big , they wil fall into the barrel and scowre themselves , and be alwayes ready for use whensoever you incline to fish ; and these gentles may be thus made til after michaelmas : but if you desire to keep gentles to fish with all the yeer , then get a dead cat or a kite , and let it be fly-blowne , and when the gentles begin to be alive and to stir , then bury it and them in moist earth , but as free from frost as you can , and these you may dig up at any time when you intend to use them ; these wil last till march , and about that time turn to be flies . but if you be nice to fowl your fingers ( which good anglers seldome are ) then take this bait : get a handful of well made mault , and put it into a dish of water , and then wash and rub it betwixt your hands til you make in cleane , and as free from husks as you can ; then put that water from it , and put a smal quantitie of fresh water to it , and set it in something that is fit for that purpose , over the fire , where it is not to boil apace , but leisurely , and very softly , until it become somewhat soft , which you may try by feeling it betwixt your finger and thumb ; and when it is soft , then put your water from it , and then take a sharp knife , and turning the sprout end of the corn upward , with the point of your knife take the back part of the husk off from it , and yet leaving a kind of husk on the corn , or else it is marr'd ; and then cut off that sprouted end ( i mean a little of it ) that the vvhite may appear , and so pull off the husk on the cloven side ( as i directed you ) and then cutting off a very little of the other end , that so your hook may enter , and if your hook be small and good , you will find this to be a very choice bait either for winter or summer , you sometimes casting a little of it into the place where your flote swims . and to take the roch and dace , a good bait is the young brood of wasps or bees , baked or hardned in their husks in an oven , after the bread is taken out of it , or on a fire-shovel ; and so also is the thick blood of sheep , being halfe dryed on a trencher that you may cut it into such pieces as may best fit the size of your hook , and a little salt keeps it from growing black , and makes it not the worse but better ; this is taken to be a choice bait , if rightly ordered . there be several oiles of a strong smel that i have been told of , and to be excellent to tempt fish to bite , of which i could say much , but i remember i once carried a small bottle from sir george hastings to sir henry wotton ( they were both chimical men ) as a great present ; but upon enquiry , i found it did not answer the expectation of sir henry , which with the help of other circumstances , makes me have little belief in such things as many men talk of ; not but that i think fishes both smell and hear ( as i have exprest in my former discourse ) but there is a mysterious knack , which ( though it be much easier then the philosophers-stone , yet ) is not atainable by common capacities , or else lies locked up in the braine or brest of some chimical men , that , like the rosi-crutions , yet will not reveal it . but i stepped by chance into this discourse of oiles , and fishes smelling ; and though there might be more said , both of it , and of baits for roch and dace , and other flote fish , yet i will forbear it at this time , and tell you in the next place how you are to prepare your tackling : concerning which i will for sport sake give you an old rhime out of an old fish-book , which will be a part of what you are to provide . my rod , and my linc , my flote and my lead , my hook , & my plummet , my whetstone & knife , my basket , my baits , both living and dead , my net , and my meat , for that is the chief ; then i must have thxed & hairs great & smal , with mine angling purse , and so you have all . but you must have all these tackling , and twice so many more , with which , if you mean to be a fisher , you must store your selfe : and to that purpose i will go with you either to charles brandons ( neer to the swan in golding-lane ) ; or to mr. fletchers in the court which did once belong to dr. nowel the dean of pauls , that i told you was a good man , and a good fisher ; it is hard by the west end of saint pauls church ; they be both honest men , and will fit an angler with what tackling hee wants . viat . then , good master , let it be at charles brandons , for he is neerest to my dwelling , and i pray le ts meet there the ninth of may next about two of the clock , and i 'l want nothing that a fisher should be furnish'd with . pisc. well , and i le not fail you , god willing , at the time and place appointed . viat . i thank you , good master , and i will not fail you : and good master , tell me what baits more you remember , for it wil not now be long ere we shal be at totenham high-cross , and when we come thither , i wil make you some requital of your pains , by repeating as choice a copy of verses , as any we have heard since we met together , and that is a proud word ; for wee have heard very good ones . pisc. wel , scholer , and i shal be right glad to hear them ; and i wil tel you whatsoever comes in my mind , that i think may be worth your hearing : you may make another choice bait thus , take a hand ful or two of the best and biggest wheat you can get , boil it in a little milk like as frumitie is boiled , boil it so till it be soft , and then fry it very leisurely with honey , and a little beaten saffron dissolved in milk , and you wil find this a choice bait , and good i think for any fish , especially for roch , dace , chub or greyling ; i know not but that it may be as good for a river carp , and especially if the ground be a little baited with it . you are also to know , that there be divers kinds of cadis , or caseworms , that are to bee found in this nation in several distinct counties , & in several little brooks that relate to biggerrivers , as namely one cadis called a piper , whose husk or case is a piece of reed about an inch long or longer , and as big about as the compass of a two pence ; these worms being kept three or four days in a woollen bag with sand at the bottom of it , and the bag wet once a day , will in three or four dayes turne to be yellow ; and these be a choice bait for the chub or chavender , or-indeed for any great fish , for it is a large bait . there is also a lesser cadis-worm , called a cock-spur , being in fashion like the spur of a cock , sharp at one end , and the case or house in which this dwels is made of smal husks and gravel , and slime , most curiously made of these , even so as to be wondred at , but not made by man ( no more then the nest of a bird is : ) this is a choice bait for any flote fish , it is much less then the piper cadis , and to be so ordered ; and these may be so preserved ten , fifteen , or twentie dayes . there is also another cadis called by some a straw-worm , and by some a ruffe-coate , whose house or case is made of little pieces of bents , and rushes , and straws , and water weeds , and i know not what , which are so knit together with condens'd slime , that they stick up about her husk or case , not unlike the bristles of a hedg-hog ; these three cadis are commonly taken in the beginning of summer , and are good indeed to take any kind of fish with slote or otherwise . i might tell you of many more , which , as these doe early , so those have their time of turning to be flies later in summer ; but i might lose my selfe , and tire you by such a discourse , i shall therefore but remember you , that to know these , and their several kinds , and to what flies every particular cadis turns , and then how to use them , first as they bee cadis , and then as they be flies , is an art , and an art that every one that professes angling is not capable of . but let mee tell you , i have been much pleased to walk quietly by a brook with a little stick in my hand , with which i might easily take these , and consider the curiosity of their composure ; and if you shall ever like to do so , then note , that your stick must be cleft , or have a nick at one end of it , by which meanes you may with ease take many of them out of the water , before you have any occasion to use them . these , my honest scholer , are some observations told to you as they now come suddenly into my memory , of which you may make some use : but for the practical part , it is that that makes an angler ; it is diligence , and observation , and practice that must do it . chap. xiii . pisc. well , scholer , i have held you too long about these cadis , and my spirits are almost spent , and so i doubt is your patience ; but being we are now within sight of totenham , where i first met you , and where wee are to part , i will give you a little direction how to colour the hair of which you make your lines , for that is very needful to be known of an angler ; and also how to paint your rod , especially your top , for a right grown top is a choice commoditie , and should be preserved from the water soking into it , which makes it in wet weather to be heavy , and fish ill favouredly , and also to rot quickly . take a pint of strong ale , half a pound of soot , and a like quantity of the juice of walnut-tree leaves , and an equal quantitie of allome , put these together into a pot , or pan , or pipkin , and boil them half an hour , and having so done , let it cool , and being cold , put your hair into it , and there let it lye ; it wil turn your hair to be a kind of water , or glass colour , or greenish , and the longer you let it lye , the deeper coloured it will bee ; you might be taught to make many other colours , but it is to little purpose ; for doubtlesse the water or glass coloured haire is the most choice and most useful for an angler . but if you desire to colour haire green , then doe it thus : take a quart of smal ale , halfe a pound of allome , then put these into a pan or pipkin , and your haire into it with them , then put it upon a fire and let it boile softly for half an hour , and then take out your hair , and let it dry , and having so done , then take a pottle of water , and put into it two handful of mary-golds , and cover it with a tile or what you think fit , and set it again on the fire , where it is to boil softly for half an hour , about which time the scum will turn yellow , then put into it half a pound of copporis beaten smal , and with it the hair that you intend to colour , then let the hair be boiled softly till half the liquor be wasted , & then let it cool three or four hours with your hair in it ; and you are to observe , that the morecopporis you put into it , the greener it will be , but doubtless the pale green is best ; but if you desire yellow hair ( which is only good when the weeds rot ) then put in the more mary-golds , and abate most of the copporis , or leave it out , and take a little verdigreece in stead of it . this for colouring your hair . and as for painting your rod , which must be in oyl , you must first make a size with glue and water , boiled together until the glue be dissolved , and the size of a lie colour ; then strike your size upon the wood with a bristle brush or pensil , whilst it is hot : that being quite dry , take white lead , and a little red lead , and a little cole black , so much as all together will make an ash colour , grind these all together with linseed oyle , let it be thick , and lay it thin upon the wood with a brush or pensil , this do for the ground of any colour to lie upon wood . for a green . take pink and verdigreece , and grind them together in linseed oyl , as thick as you can well grind it , then lay it smoothly on with your brush , and drive it thin , once doing for the most part will serve , if you lay it wel , and besure your first colour be throughly dry , before you lay on a second . well , scholer , you now see totenham , and i am weary , and therefore glad that we are so near it ; but if i were to walk many more dayes with you , i could stil be telling you more and more of the mysterious art of angling ; but i wil hope for another opportunitie , and then i wil acquaint you with many more , both necessary and true observations concerning fish and fishing : but now no more , le ts turn into yonder arbour , for it is a cleane and cool place . viat . 't is a faire motion , and i will requite a part of your courtesies with a bottle of sack , and milk , and oranges and sugar , which all put together , make a drink too good for any body , but us anglers : and so master , here is a full glass to you of that liquor , and when you have pledged me , i wil repeat the verses which i promised you , it is a copy printed amongst sir henry wottons verses , and doubtless made either by him , or by a lover of angling : come master , now drink a glass to me , and then i will pledge you , and fall to my repetition ; it is a discription of such country recreations as i have enjoyed since i had the happiness to fall into your company . quivering fears , heart tearing cares , anxious sighes , untimely tears , fly , fly to courts , fly to fond worldlings sports , where strain'd sardonick smiles are glosing stil and grief is forc'd to laugh against her will . where mirths but mummery , and sorrows only real be . fly from our country pastimes , fly , sad troops of humane misery , come serone looks , clear as the christal brooks , or the pure azur'd heaven that smiles to see the rich attendance on our poverty ; peace and a secure mind which all men seek , we only find . abused mortals did you know where joy , hearts ease , and comforts grow , you 'd scorn proud towers , and seek them in those bowers , where winds sometimes our woods perhaps may shake , but blustering care could never tempest make , no murmurs ere come nigh us , saving of fountains that glide by us . here 's no fantastick mask nor dance , but of our kids that frisk and prance ; nor wars are seen unless upon the green two harmless lambs are butting one the other , which done , both bleating , run each to his mother : and wounds are never found , save what the plough share gives the ground . here are no false extrapping baits to hasten too too hasty fates ; unless it be the fond credulitie of silly fish , which , worldling like , still look upon the bait , but never on the hook ; nor envy , ' nless among the birds , for price of their sweet song . go , let the diving negro seek for gems hid in some forlorn creek , we all pearls scorn , save what the dewy morne congeals upon each little spire of grasse , which careless shepherds beat down as they passe , and gold ne're here appears save what the yellow ceres bears . blest silent groves , oh may you be for ever mirths best nursery , may pure contents for ever pitch their tents upon these downs , these meads , these rocks , these mountains , and peace stil slumber by these purling fountains which we may every year find when we come a fishing here . pisc. trust me , scholer , i thank you heartily for these verses , they be choicely good , and doubtless made by a lover of angling : come , now drink a glass to me , and i wil requi 〈…〉 e you with a very good copy of verses ; it is a farewel to the vanities of the world , and some say written by dr. d , but let them bee writ by whom they will , he tha writ them had a brave soul , and must needs be possest with happy thoughts at the time of their composure . farwel ye guilded follies , pleasing troubles , farwel ye honour'd rags , ye glorious bubbles , fame's but a hollow eccho , gold pure clay , honour the darling but of our short day . beauty ( th' eyes idol ) but a damask'd skin , state but a golden prison , to live in and torture free-born minds ; imbroidir'd trains meerly but pageants , for proud swelling vains , and blood ally'd to greatness ; is alone inherited , not purchas'd , nor our own . fame , honor , beauty , state , trai 〈…〉 , blood & birth , are but the fading blossoms of the 〈…〉 . i would be great , but that the sun doth still , level his rayes against the rising hill : i would be high , but see the proudest oak most subject to the rending thunder-stroke ; i would be rich , but see men too unkind dig in the bowels of the richest mind ; i would be wise , but that i often see the fox suspected whilst the ass goes free ; i would be fair , but see the fair and proud like the bright sun , oft setting in a cloud ; i would be poor , but know the humble grass still trampled on by each unworthy asse : rich , hated ; wise , suspected ; scorn'd , if poor ; great , fear'd ; fair , tempted ; high , stil envi'd more i have wish'd all , but now i wish for neither , great , high , rich , wise , nor fair , poor i 'l be rather would the world now adopt me for her heir , would beauties queen entitle me the fair , fame speak me fortunes minion , could i vie angels wth india , wth a speaking eye command bare heads , bow'd knees strike justice dumb as wel as blind and lame , or give a tongue to stones , by epitaphs , be call'd great master , in the loose rhimes of every poetaster ; could i be more then any man that lives , great , fair , rich , wise in all superlatives ; yet i more freely would these gifts resign , then ever fortune would have made them mine and hold one minute of this holy leasure , beyond the riches of this empty pleasure . welcom pure thoughts , welcome ye silent groves , these guests , these courts , my soul most dearly love now the wing'd people of the skie shall sing my chereful anthems to the gladsome spring ; a pray'r book now shall be my looking glasse , in which i will adore sweet vertues face . here dwell no hateful looks , no pallace cares , no broken vows dwell here , nor pale fac'd fears , then here i 'l sit and sigh my hot loves folly , and learn t' affect an holy melancholy . and if contention be a stranger , then i 'l nere look for it , but in heaven again . viat . wel master , these be verses that be worthy to keep a room in every mans memory . i thank you for them , and i thank you for your many instructions , which i will not forget ; your company and discourse have been so pleasant , that i may truly say , i have only lived , since i enjoyed you and them , and turned angler . i am sorry to part with you here , here in this place where i first met you , but it must be so : i shall long for the ninth of may , for then we are to meet at charls brandons . this intermitted time wil seem to me ( as it does to men in sorrow ) to pass slowly , but i wil hasten it as fast as i can by my wishes , and in the mean time the blessing of saint peters master be with mine . pisc. and the like be upon my honest scholer . and upon all that hate contentions , and love quietnesse , and vertue , and angling . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a67462e-450 * called the private schoo of defence . notes for div a67462e-1630 the lord mountagne in his apol. for ra. scbond . pro. 24.9 . j. da. jer. mar. chap. 4.2 . chap. 41 . * luk. 10. 41,42 . * psal. 137 . in his wonders of nature . this is confirmed by ennius and solon in his holy history . psal. 104. dubartas in the fifth day . mount . essayes : and others affirm this . rom. 2.14 15. dubartas 5. day . mat. 23 37 mat. 10 . the canticles . jo. da. notes for div a67462e-6730 mr. nich. seagrave . notes for div a67462e-10750 view sir fra. bacon exper. 899 see topsel of frogs . notes for div a67462e-14350 in his history of serpents . view sir fra. bacon exper. 728 & 90 in his naturalhistory g 〈…〉 rh . herbal . cambden . notes for div a67462e-17510 exper. 792 notes for div a67462e-18270 in his history of life and death . notes for div a67462e-19090 in his history of life and death . * in his 16th book , de subtil . ex . the second booke of the english husbandman contayning the ordering of the kitchin-garden, and the planting of strange flowers: the breeding of all manner of cattell. together with the cures, the feeding of cattell, the ordering both of pastures and meddow-ground: with the vse both of high-wood and vnder-wood. whereunto is added a treatise, called good mens recreation: contayning a discourse of the generall art of fishing, with the angle, and otherwise; and of all the hidden secrets belonging thereunto. together vvith the choyce, ordering, breeding, and dyeting of the fighting cocke. a worke neuer written before by any author. by g.m. english husbandman. part 2-3 markham, gervase, 1568?-1637. 1614 approx. 239 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 59 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2003-01 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a06927 stc 17356 estc s112058 99847317 99847317 12348 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 0 1.0 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 1, no. a06927) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 12348) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1475-1640 ; 813:12) the second booke of the english husbandman contayning the ordering of the kitchin-garden, and the planting of strange flowers: the breeding of all manner of cattell. together with the cures, the feeding of cattell, the ordering both of pastures and meddow-ground: with the vse both of high-wood and vnder-wood. whereunto is added a treatise, called good mens recreation: contayning a discourse of the generall art of fishing, with the angle, and otherwise; and of all the hidden secrets belonging thereunto. together vvith the choyce, ordering, breeding, and dyeting of the fighting cocke. a worke neuer written before by any author. by g.m. english husbandman. part 2-3 markham, gervase, 1568?-1637. dennys, john, d. 1609. secrets of angling. [16], 56, 59-205 [i.e. 105], [1]; [2], 51, [3] p. printed by t[homas] s[nodham] for iohn browne, and are to be sould at his shop in s. dunstanes church-yard in fleetstreet, london : 1614. g.m. = gervase markham. printer's name from stc. "the pleasures of princes, or good mens recreations", a prose paraphrase with additions of "the secrets of angling" by john dennys, has separate dated title page, pagination, and register. the first leaf is blank except for signature-mark "a"; the last leaf is blank. p. 105 misnumbered 205. a variant (stc 17356a) has title pages dated 1615. reproduction of the original in the british library. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.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 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illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 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 4 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-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng fishing -england -early works to 1800. agriculture -england -early works to 1800. 2002-06 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2002-08 spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images 2002-09 olivia bottum sampled and proofread 2002-09 olivia bottum text and markup reviewed and edited 2002-10 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the second booke of the english husbandman . contayning the ordering of the kitchin-garden , and the planting of strange flowers : the breeding of all manner of cattell . together with the cures , the feeding of cattell , the ordering both of pastures and meddow-ground : with the vse both of high-wood and vnder-wood . wherevnto is added a treatise , called goodmens recreation : contayning a discourse of the generall art of fishing , with the angle , and otherwise ; and of all the hidden secrets belonging thereunto . together with the choyce , ordering , breeding , and dyeting of the fighting cocke . a worke neuer written before by any author . by g. m. london : printed by t. s. for iohn browne , and are to be sould at his shop in s. dunstanes church-yard in fleetstreet . 1614. a table of all the principall matters contayned in this booke . chap. i. how the husbandman shall iudge and fore-know all kinde of weather , and other seasons of the yeere . of raine . signes from clouds . signes from the moone . signes from the sun. signes from lightning . signes from fowle . signes from beasts . signes from things without motion . signes of much raine . signes of snow or hayle . signes of winde . signes of tempests . signes of faire weather . signes of winter . signes of the spring . signes of a hot summer . signes of a long winter . signes of a forward or backward yeere . signes of a good or bad yeere . signes from christmas day . signes from the sunne rising . signes from the twelue dayes in christmas . signes from s. paules day . signes from maudlin and s. switthens day , if corne shall be cheap or deere . signes from thunder . signes of sickenesse or health . the preseruation of health . chap. ii. the choyse of grounds for the kitchin-garden , and the ordering thereof . the contents . the choyce of ground . the bettering of grounds . the trenching of grounds . of breaking the garden-mould . ordering of garden-beds . of the fruitfull soyle . the necessariest ornament in a garden . chap. iii. of the sowing and ordering of all manner of pot-hearbes . the contents . of all sorts of pot-hearbs . of endiue and succory . of beets . of land-cresses . of parcely . of sauory . of time. of french mallowes , and cheruil . of dill. of issop . of mints . of violets . of basill . of sweet marioram and marigolds . of strawburyes . of borrage and buglosse . of rosemary . of pennyroyall . of leekes . of onyons . of gathering onyon-seeds , or the onyon . chap. iiii. of sowing of certaine hearbes which are to be eaten , but especially are medicinall , yet euer in the husbandmans garden . the contents . of arage . of lumbardy louage . of fennell . of anyse . of comyn . of colyander . of rue . of organy . of white poppye . of germander . of cardus benedictus . of angelica . of valerian . of elecampana . of pepper-wort . of phylipendula . chap. v. of diuer sorts of sallet-hearbes , their manner of sowing and ordering . the contents . of lettuce . of spinage . of sparagus . of colworts . of sage . of purslaine . of artichocks . of garlicke . of raddish . of nauewe . of parsenips and carrets . of pompions or mellons . of cowcumbers . of the beanes of aegipt . of skerrets . a most necessary obseruation . chap. vi. of flowers of all sorts , both forraine and home-bred , their sowing , planting , and preseruing . the contents . of roses . of the damaske rose . of the redde rose . of the white rose . of the cynamon rose . to make the cynamon rose grow double . of the prouence rose . to make roses smell well . generall notes touching roses . of lauender . of the white lilly. to make lillies of any colour . to make lillies flourish all the yere . of the wood lilly. of the flowre de lice . of pyonye . of petiluis . of veluet flowers . of gilly-flowers . of grafting of gilly-flowers . of the smels of gilly-flowers . of the wall gilly-flower . of the hellytropian . of the crowne-emperiall . of the dulippo . of the hyacinth . of the narcissus . of the daffadill , colombine , and chesbole . an excellent caution . a new manner of planting flowers and fruits . chap. vii . how to preserue all manner of seeds , hearbs , flowers , and fruits , from all manner of noysome and pestilent things , which deuoure and hurt them . the contents . of thunder and lightning . of caterpillers . of toads and frogs . of the field mice . of flies . of the greene flie. of gnats . of pissemires . of moales . of snayles . of moathes . of canckers . of garden wormes . an excellent experiment . the conclusion of the kitchin-garden . the table of the second part of the second booke . contayning the ordering of all sorts of vvoods , and the breeding of cattell . chap. i. of the beginning of vvoods , first sowing , and necessary vse . the contents . wood better then gold. the excellent vses of wood. the plantation of wood. the fencing of young woods . when cattel may graze in springs . the vse of the clay-ground for woods . a speciall note . chap. ii. the deuision of vnder-woods , their sale and profit . the contents . the deuision of woods . the value of vnderwood . of the sale of vnderwoods . how to cut vnderwoods . the fencing of sales . the woodwards duty . chap. iii. of high-woods , and their plantation . the contents . what high-woods are . the beginning of highwoods . the plantation of your high-woods . of planting the elme . of planting the ash. obiection . answere . chap. iiii. the preseruation and sale of high-woods . the contents . of trees which take wet inwardly . of barke-bound . of hornets and dores . of the canker . of pissemires . of ●uye , woodbine , and mysselto . of thunder and lightning . of the sale of tall woods . how to chuse timbers . of mill-timber . of timber to beare burthen . timber for poales , wainescot , &c. timber for piles or water workes . the vse of the elme . the vse of the ashe . the vse of the walnut tree . the vse of the peare tree . the vse of the maple , beech , or poplar . of char-coale . how to valew tymber . how to measure timber by guesse . best seasons for the sale . the time for chapmen . when to cut downe tymber . chap. v. of the breeding of wood in rich champaine soyles . the contents . how to set all sorts of quick-sets . planting of greater trees . of the setting of willowes , &c. the vse of willowes , sallowes , and oziers . the ordering of willowes . the ordering of the ozier . chap. vi. of plashing of hedges , and lopping or heading of timber . the contents . vvhat plashing is . how to plash . the time of yeere . the tooles to plash with . the profit of plashing . the lopping of timber . what lopping is . the season for lopping . how you shall loppe timber . chap. vii . of pasture-grounds , their order , profit , and generall vse . the contents . diuersitie and vse of pastures . of barraine pastures . signes of barrainnesse . bettering of soyles . sowing of good seeds . for abundance of grasse . the imperfection of meanure . to helpe a slow spring . to helpe naughty grasse . to helpe sunne-burning . to helpe ling or braken . to helpe marrishes . to helpe mossinesse . the generall vse of barraine grounds . what cattell to be bred . of fertile grounds . deuision of rich grounds . vse of rich grounds . ordering of pastures . feeding of cattell . how to know a fat beast . of meddowes , and their ordering . preseruation of meddowes . vvhen to lay meddowes . vvhen to mowe meddowes . inclination of weather . the manner to mow meddowes . how to make hay . to make fine hay . to make course hay . vse of hay for cattell of all sorts . chap. viii . a new method for the husbandly curing of all manner of cattell . the contents . the reason of this chapter . all diseases to be cured with twelue medicines . of inward sicknesses . the first medicine . the second medicine . of outward diseases . the third medicine . the fourth medicine . the fift medicine . the sixt medicine . the seauenth medicine . the eyght medicine . the ninth medicine . the tenth medicine . the eleauenth medicine . the twelfth medicine . diseases in the feet . diseases in the feete , or for stifling . the end of the table for husbandry . of angling . chap. i. of angling : the vertue , vse , and antiquitie . the contents . the vse of angling . the antiquitie of angling . chap. ii. of the tooles , and implements for angling . the contents . of the angle-rodde . of the toppe of the angle-rodde . the angle-rodde of one piece . the angle-rodde of many pieces . of lines . of colouring of lines . of the corke . of angle hookes . of other implements for anglers . chap. iii. of the anglers cloathes , and inward qualities . the contents . of the anclers apparell . anglers vertues . certaine cautions . chap. iiii. of the seasons to angle in . the contents . the anglers manner of standing . the best seasons to angle in . seasons ill to angle in . of fishes haunts . obiection . answere . chap. v. of baits in generall , and of euery particular kinde , their seasons and vse . the contents . seasons for bayts . of flyes . the making of flyes . preseruation of bayts . of making pastes . chap. vi. of angling for euery seuerall kinde of fish , according to their natures . the contents . of the goodgin , roche , and dace . of the carpe . of the chub , cheuin , or trout . of the eele . of the flounder or sewant . of the grayling or barbell . of the breame . of the tench . of the bleke , ruffe , or perch . of the pyke . of snyckling of the pyke . of the salmon . chap. vii . of taking fish without angles , and of laying hookes . chap. viii . of preseruing fish from all sorts of deuourers . chap. ix . of ordering of ponds for the preseruation of fish. chap. x. of the best water-lime . of the fighting cocke . chap. i. of the choyce , ordering , breeding , and dyeting of the fighting cocke . the contents . the choyce of the cocke for battell . the breeding of the battell cocke . the dyeting of cockes for battell . of taking vp cockes . of the cocke-penne . of his dyet . of sparring of cockes . the stouing of cockes . of the best dyet-bread . of the best scowring . the matching of cockes . the preparing cockes to the fight . the ordering of cockes after the battell , and the curing them . finis . the first part of the second booke of the english husbandman : contayning the ordering of the kitchin-garden , and the planting of strange flovvers . chap. i. how the husbandman shall iudge and fore-know all kinde of weathers , and other seasons of the yeere . although god out of his infinite prouidence , is the onely directer and ruler of all things , gouerning the yéeres , dayes , minutes and seasons of the yeere according to the power of his will : yet for as much as hee hath giuen vs his creatures , and placed the celestiall bodies to holde their influences in vs , and all things else which haue increasement , reuealing vnto vs from their motions , the alteration and qualities of euery season , it shall be very behouefull for euery husbandman to know the signes and tokens of euery particular season , as when it is likely to raine , when snow , when thunder , when the winds will rise , when the winter will rage , & when the frosts will haue the longest continuance , that fashioning his labours , according to the temperature or distemperature of the weather , hee may with good iudgement and aduise , eschew many euils which succéede rash and vnfore-looking actions . to speake then first of the generall signes of raine , you shall vnderstand that the olde husbandmen did obserue rules generall , and rules speciall : the generall rules were such as concerned eyther all , most , or a great part of the whole yéere : the rules speciall , those which concerned dayes , houres , and times present : of which i will first speake in this place . if therefore you shall at any time perceiue a cloud rising from the lowest part of the horizon , and that the maine body be blacke and thicke , and his beames ( as it were ) curtaine-wise , extending vpward , and driuen before the windes : it is a certaine and infallible signe of a present showre of raine , yet but momentary and soone spent , or passed ouer : but if the cloud shall arise against the winde , and as it were spread it selfe against the violence of the same , then shall the raine be of much longer continuance . if when you sée the new moone appeare , you perceiue that some part of her hornes are obscured , or if it be black , or discoulored in the middest : if it hang much to the west , if it be compast or girdled about , eyther with thicke , or waterish transparent vapours : if it looke more then ordinarily pale , or if it shall beginne to raine small and mist-like on the fourth or fift day of her age , all these are infallible signes of raine , and the last an assured signe that the raine will continue all that quarter of the moone following . if you shall sée the sunne rise earely in the morning , and spread forth his beames violently , yet with a very moyst and waterish complexion , and there-withall in the west you doe sée a bedde of thicke vapours to arise , increase and ascend vpward , then shall you bee assured that at high noone , when those vapours and the sunne shall méet , there will be raine , and that raine of no short continuance : if you shall sée the sunne rise red , and turne sodainely blacke , if it haue many red clouds about it mixt with blackenesse , if it haue a spacious circle about it , or if when it setteth you sée it fall behinde a banke of darke and blacke cloudes , they be all most certaine and infallible signes of raine , which will presently follow . if it lighten at noone , or any time whilest the sunne shineth , eyther with thunder or without thunder , or if it lighten in fayre weather , or if it lighten more then it thundereth , all are most certaine signes of raine which will follow . if you shall perceiue water-fowle to bathe much : if the crow wet her head at the water brimme , or if shée wade into the water , or if she shall cry and call much : if the rauen shall croake with a hollow or sounding voyce : if the house-cocke shall crow at all houres : if pigions shall come home late to the doue-house : if sparrowes shall chyrpe and cry earely in the morning : if bées flye not farre from their hyues : if flies and small gnats bite sharpe and sore , all are most certaine signes of raine , which will presently follow . if you shall perceiue your oxen to eate more gréedily , and with a more earnest stomacke then their vsuall custome : if your kine gaze and looke much vpward : if swine shall play and gambole vp and downe : if horses being at grasse shall scope , course , and chase one another : or if the cat shall wash behinde her eare , all are certaine signes of raine to follow . if salt turne moyst standing in dry places , if channels , uaults , and common sewers stincke more then vsuall : if bels seeme to sound louder then they were wont : if the tazell at any time close vp his pricks : if soote fall much from the chimney : if oyle shall sparkle much when it burneth , or if marble , pauing-stone , or other wals shall sweat , or be much moyst , all are most ineuitable signes of rayne which will follow . if raine , when it falleth , make great bubbles , or such a noyse as is not ordinary : or if raine fall mildely , small , and mist-like : or if rayne fall in a calme when no winde stirreth : or if when it rayneth you cannot perceiue the racke or clouds to moue : if pullen flye to their roust assoone as the raine begins : if the raine-bow stretch towards the south , or if it doe reflect and shée doole : if you shall sée one or more weather-gals which are like rainebowes , onely they arise from the horizon but a small way vpward , all these are most certaine signes of much raine that will follow . if blacke clouds shall turne sodainely white : if about eyther the sunne or moone be pale , and waterish circles , or that they séeme to shine as through a miste : if the ayre be thicke and extreame cold without frosts : if with the signes of raine be mixt signes of cold also , or if windes be nipping and extreame sharpe , all are most certaine tokens that snow or hayle will follow presently after . if when the sunne setteth it looketh red and fiery , and that all that part of the horizon looke red also , or if it looke blewish , or séeme greater then his ordinary proportion : if the moone doe blush or looke high colloured , if the racke ride high , and the firmament be much vaulted : if woods and hils séeme to make a noyse : if the stars séeme to shine brighter then vsuall : if it shall thunder in winter , or if it thunder without lightning : if bels be heard farre off with more ease then accustomed , and presently in the same instant be not heard at all : if cobwebs flye much in the ayre : if hernes or heronsh●es cry much in their flying : if fire sparkle much , or if wood or wainscot cracke much , all these are most certaine signes of much winde that will follow after . if you shall perceiue the morning or euening sunne , eyther in the sommer or in the autumne , to shine hotter or to scortch more then accustomed , when the ayre is prest with an extreame blacke cloude , or with many clouds , if you perceiue whirlewindes to blow oft and violently : if you sée the raine-bow shall appeare in the west without taine : if you sée flames and meteors flashing in the ayre , or if the porpus shall be séene in the fresh riuer , all are most certaine signes of thunder , lightnings and tempests , which will follow . if the sun rise gray and cléere in the morning , and likewise setteth without darkenesse , not loosing a minute in the declination : if the euening skye be ruddy and not fierie , more purple then skarlet : if the moone be cléere when it is foure or fiue dayes olde : if it lighten after sunne-set without thunder : if the dewe fall in great abundance and in the rising ascend vp to the mountaines : if the north winde blow strong : if the owle doe whup much and not scrytch : if flyes at night play much in the suns beames : if crowes flocke much together , and cakell and talke : if bats flye busily vp and downe after sunne-set , if you sée cranes flye high , and water-fowle make their haunts farre off from the water , all these are most certaine signes of very faire weather which will follow after . if water-fowle forsake the water : if the nightingale sing more then other birds , if cranes flocke together , if géese fight for their féeding place , or if sparrowes call very earely in the morning , any of these are certaine signes that winter is néere at hand . if the west winde blowe freshly morning and euening : if the colde abate and loose much of his vigor , if swallowes begin to come in and flye busily about , if the brest-bone of the mallard or woodcocke looke white and cléere , any of these are certaine signes that the spring is at hand . if the ramme ride in the spring , and shew more then an vsuall lust : if the spring haue beene very extraordinarily colde , or if mildewes fall not in the woodland● countryes , any of these are certaine signes of a hot summer to follow after . if you shall sée the oake loaden with akornes : if the brest-bone of the mallard when he is kild looke red : if hornets be séene after the end of october , or if cattell doe trample and tread the earth much , making it myrie , or like a new plowde field : any of these are most certaine signes that the winter will be sharpe , long , and cruell . if there fall much raine before october , by meanes whereof many inundations doe follow , and that such wet lye long aboue ground : it is a most infallible token that the yéere will be very forward : but if the wet doe fall after october then it is a signe that the yéere will be indifferent , but and if the wet fall after nouember , then it is held for most certaine that the yéere will fall out very slacke and backeward . if the oke apples , when they are opened , bréed flyes , or if haruest be seasonable , and the spring warme : if snow fall in february : if broome put forth great store of flowers : if the walnut-trée haue more blossoms then leaues : if the flower of the sea-onion wither not quickly , or if the spring be preserued from frosts and blasting , then any of these are certaine signes that the yéere will proue passing good and fruitfull : but if the oake apple bréede instéed of a flye a spyder : if comets or meteors oppresse the ayre : if the sommer fall out vnnaturally moyst : if the dewes when they fall at the rising of the sunne descend to the riuers : if frosts come in vnseasonable times : if wood-birds flye to the plaines , and refuse couert : if the sunne haue his whole body , or at least thrée parts ecclipsed : when corne beginneth to bloome , and is not fully kirneld , then any of these be most certaine signes that the yéere will proue bad , barrayne , & fruitlesse . againe , if christmas day shall fall vpon the sunday , the yéere shall be good , seasonable and abounding with all store and plenty : if it fall vpon munday the yéere shall be reasonable temperate and fruitfull , onely something subiect to inundation of waters , losse by shipwracke , and some mortality of people , especially women in childbearing : if it fall vpon tuesday , the yéere will proue very barraine and vnfruitfull , much dearth will raigne , and amongst people great plague and mortallitie : if it fall vpon wednesday , the yéere shall be reasonably seasonable , though a little inconstant : there shall be plenty of all things , onely much sickenesse , and great likelyhood of warres : if it fall vpon the thursday , the yéere shall be generally very temperate and wholesome , onely the sommer subiect to moistnesse , much deuision is like to fall amongst the clergie , and women shall be giuen to more laciuiousnesse then at other seasons : if it fall on the friday , the yéere shall be barraine and vnwholesome , for sickenesse shall rage with great violence , much mortallitie shall fall amongst yong children , and both corne and cattell shall be scarce , and of a déere reckoning : if it fall on the saturday , the yéere shall be reasonably good and plentifull , onely the people of the world shall be excéeding peruerse , & much giuen to mutinie & dissention one against another . againe , if the sunne rise without impediment , and shine bright and cléere vpon christmas day , the yéere will be very plentifull : if it rise likewise cléere the second day in christmas , then corne will fall in price : if it rise cléere the third day in christmas , there will onely be dissention in the church : if on the fourth day , it foreshewes trouble vnto yong persons : if on the fift day , it shewes that many good things will increase : if on the sixt , doubtlesse euery garden will bring forth great plenty : if on the seauenth , then is much dearth and scarcitie to be feared : if it shine cléere on the eyght day in christmas , then there is likely to be great store of fish : if on the ninch , it will doubtles proue a good yéere for all manner of cattell : if on the tenth , the yéere is likely to yéeld much cause of mourning : if on the eleauenth , there will fall much fogges , thicke mistes , and great infection will follow after . lastly , if the sunne shine cléere the twelfth day after christmas , it fore-shewes much warre and troubles , with great losse and bloudshed . againe , according to these former obseruations , you shall vnderstand , that what weather shall fall or be on the sixe and twentieth day of december , the like weather shall be all the moneth of ianuary after , what shall be on the seauen and twentieth of december , the like shall be all the moneth of february following : what weather shall be on the eight and twentieth day of december , the like weather shall be all march following : what weather shall be the nine and twentieth day of december , the same shall be all aprill after : what on the thirtieth , the same all may : what on the one and thirtieth the like all iune following : what weather shall fall on the first of ianuary , the same shall be all iuly after : what on the second of ianuary , the same all august after : what on the third , the same all september after : what on the fourth , the same all october following : what on the fift , the same all nouember after , and what weather shall fall on the sixt of ianuary , which is twelft-day , the same weather shall fall all december following . againe , if saint pauls day proue fayre , dry and bright , it foresheweth plenty of all things the yéere following : but if it be misty then it shewes great dearth of cattell . if there fall vpon that day snow or raine , then it shewes famine and want of corne , but if it be windy , tempestuous , or if it thunder , then it sheweth that great warres will follow . againe , looke what quantitie of raine falleth eyther on mary maudlins day , or on saint swithens day , be it more or lesse , the same proportion will fall for the space of forty dayes after : but if these two dayes be fayre and dry all the time of haruest will be so also . now if you will know whether corne shall be cheape or déere , take twelue principall graynes of wheate out of the strength of the eare , vpon the first day of ianuary , and when the harth of your chimney is most hot , swéepe it cleane , then make a stranger lay one of those graynes on the hot hearth , then marke it well , and if it leape a little , corne shall be reasonably cheape , but if it leape much then corne shall be excéeding cheape , but if it lye still and mo●e not , then the price of corne shall stand , and continue still for that moneth : and thus you shall vse your twelue graines , the first day of euery moneth one after another , that is to say , euery moneth one graine , and you shall know the rising and falling of corne in euery moneth , all the yéere following . if it shall thunder much the first sunday of the new-yéere , it shewes great death and mortallitie amongst learned men : if it thunder the first munday , it shewes great death of women , and many eclipses of the sunne : if it thunder on the first tuesday , it shewes plenty of corne , but much warre and dissention : if it thunder on the first wednesday , it shewes mortallitie and death amongst the worst sort of people , both male and female , besides much warre and bloudshed : if it thunder on the first thursday in the new-yéere , it sheweth much plenty of corne that will follow : if it thunder on the first friday , it betokeneth the losse of great personages , and men of authoritie , many affrayes and murthers , with much perill and danger . lastly , if it thunder vpon the first saturday in the new-yéere , it foresheweth onely a generall plague and infection , which shall raigne with strong violence . if you shall perceiue the summer and spring time to fall out very moyst and rainy , without winde , yet in their owne natures very hot & scortching , or if the southerne or southwest-winde blow much without raine : if many fogs and mists fall in the morning , and ouercome the sunnes beames at noone also : if the sunne suffer any large eclipse : if autumne and winter be more foggy then moyst or cold : if the dowe or leauen , of which you mould your bread , doe quickely mould and cleaue together without labour : if dogs runne madde , if birds forsake their nests : if shéepe r●t : if fennes , 〈◊〉 grounds , and muddy places abound with frogges : if mud-wals bréede swine lice or sowes : if moales forsake the earth : if the small pocks or meazels be ri●e and abound in the spring time , or if women generally 〈◊〉 miscarry in childe-bedde , any of these are most certaine signes of much sickenesse and mortallitie that will follow the yéere after : and all such signes as are directly contrarie to any of these , as if the summer and spring doe fall out drye and windy : if the south or southwest winde bring with it euer rayne : if no fogs or mists oppresse the ayre , and so forth of all the rest which are before shewed , are most certaine and infallible tokens of a very wholesome and healthfull yéere , which will euer follow after . now for the preseruation of your health , and to preuent all such sickenesses as are incident to follow in these casuall and daungerous yéeres : through euery seuerall moneth in the yéere you shall obserue these few precepts . first , in the month of ianuary you shall forbeare to let bloud , vnlesse vpon violent extreamitie , & that the sig●● be excéeding good for the same , you shall drinke white wine in the morning fasting , & rub your head with a course towell very hard , but yet cleane , for it is a most wholesom friction . in the month of february , you shall not let bloud for wantonnesse , but néede : you shall forbeare hearbe-pottage , for at that time onely they are least wholesome : you shall kéepe the soles of your féete from wet , and vse euery morning your former friction . in the moneth of march , the signe being good , you may let bloud according to your youth , strength , and necessitie : you may take hot and swéet meats and drinkes , especially almonds , figs & reyzins , & vse also your former friction . in the month of aprill , you may bléed as in the month of march : in it also you may purge , by the order of a learned directer : let your dyet be hot and fresh meats , and your drinke temperate : also in this moneth your former friction is excéeding wholesome . in the month of may be no sluggard , for the bed is vnwholesome , cléerified way is this moneth a most soueraigne drinke , and sage with swéet butter is a most excellent breakefast : yong lettuce is an approued good sallet , and the inthrals or offall of beasts would by all meanes be refused , it is also good to let bloud in this month onely for necessitie , and not for pleasure , and beware by all means , not to go weishooed in the dew in the morning . in the month of iune obserue the dyet of may , or if you be of youthfull bloud it is not amisse if it be a little cooler , and for bléeding let it be for vrgent necessitie . in the month of iuly eschew all wanton bed-sport : and if each morning you take a draught of clarified butter-milke it is very wholesome : vse coole iulyps , and meats that are fresh , and not stirring : now forbeare lettice , and bléede not , except it be in cause of great extreamitie . in the month of august forbeare all manner of worts , and cabadges , and generally all meats and spices which are hot and inflaming : but by any meanes bléed not at all , except by the direction of most approued learning . in the month of september you may eate any sort of ripe fruits : you may bathe in hot bathes , for colde causes , at your pleasure , and you may let bloud according to your necessitie : those foods are best which are of lightest disgestion , and those drinkes most wholesome which are rather strong then scouring . in the moneth of october , spare not any bloud , except great extreamitie compell you , and for your dyet , let it be of such foods as are most strong and nourishing , and your drinke béere or ale , of indifferent strength , and now and then at the midst , and end of meales , a draught or two of such wines as are pleasant , strong , and wholesome : sallets of flowers , preserued in uinegar & sugar , as either uiolets , broome-flowers , or gelly-flowers of all kindes , or sampyre , purslan , or beane-●ods , preserued in pickell , are of excellent vse , both in this moneth , and the other two which follow . in the moneth of nouember open also no vaine , but for great néed , because the blood is then gathered together into the principall vessels : bathing in this moneth is vtterly to be refused , onely let your body be kept warme , and euery colde humour or obstruction , rather dissolued by moderate frictions , as is shewed in the moneth of ianuary and february , then by the violence of any other inward medicine . shell-fish in this moneth is very wholesome , and so are all other sorts of fish , which are not too rawe or slymie . in the moneth of december blood-letting should be also forborne , except vpon some especiall dayes , as after the fiue and twentieth day at the soonest : and for your diet let it be meate which is hot and nourishing , but by no meanes that which bréedeth melancholie bloud . use strong wine and sharpe sauces : as for the warmth of your body , next vnto good cloathing , let it euer procéed from exercise that is moderate , then from toasting , or broiling your selfe against the fire , for in this month that body can hardly be sound whose shinnes are made pyde and motley with the fiers scorthcing . and thus much touching the experience of the english husbandman in these fore-knowledges , and ayming after the times to come , being drawne from the obseruations and rules left vs by succession of times of those learned fathers , and other best knowne and approued in these knowledges : yet i doe not binde-euery husbandman to make as it were new créeds of these principles , but onely to giue them to his memory , as things that will neither oppresse nor hurt it , and if in any seldome-séene particularitie , any shall vary from the purpose of the relation , to remember that there is aboue vs a god of all truth and knowledge , who will dispose and gouerne all things , according to his good will and pleasure : to which let euery creature submit , in as much as hee onely knoweth what is for mankinde most best and most conuenient . chap. ii. the choyce of ground for the kitchin-garden , and the ordering thereof . a promise honest and profitable , being seriously made , i holde a sinne capitall to neglect , especially where the goodnesse stretcheth it selfe ouer a whole kingdome : and hence i haue assumed to perfect both my promise and my labour in building vp that weake foundation which i formerly laid , of the english husbandman : wherein , contrary to all other authors , i am neither beholden to pliny , virgil , columella , varo , rutillius , libault , nor any other forrainer , but onely to our owne best experienst countreymen , whose daily knowledge hath made them most perfect in their professions : and what better instruction can be had then that which we receiue from the professors , being men of our owne neighbourhood , acquainted with our climate and soile , and the necessary things agréeing with the bett●ring of the same ? and not resort , as our translators haue done , to strangers helpe , who tels you that you must meanure your ground with asses dung , when our kingdome hath not so many foure-footed asses as wil meanure one acre , and many such like things which our kingdome affordeth not : therefore according to the plaine true english fashion , thus i pursue my purpose . touching the choyse of ground , i haue in the former part of this booke shewed you the true nature and goodnesse of euery seuerall soyle : and you are to vnderstand that the best soyle is best for this purpose , because it is least laborsome , and most profitable : yet notwithstanding that some of our translated authors doth vtterly disalow for gardens many soyles , as namely , all sands , all chawkie earths , all grauell , all earths like dust , and any earth which chappeth or openeth in the heat of summer , by that meanes depriuing almost halfe our kingdome of the benefit of gardens , yet i assure you there is no soyle whatsoeuer ( if it lye from the inundation of water , or be not absolutely boggy ) but with industry will beare any fruit , hearbe , or flower , plentifully , and without any casualtie procéeding from the 〈◊〉 therof : witnes a most worthy garden in the barren peake of darbyshire , where there is no curious trée or plant wanting , nor doe they flourish in any place more bra●●ly . now for mine owne part , i write generally to all husbandmen , not to those onely which liue in fertile and fat soyles , and therefore i would haue no man say , the soyle where i liue is so barraine , that i cannot haue a garden : for if the soyle wherein you liue , be barraine , then shall you in the latter end of september breake vp your earth more then a spade-graft déepe , and be well assured that at euery spade-graft you breake the moul● well , and leaue not the rootes of any wéeds within it , th●● let it rest till the midst of october , at which time if ●●y wéeds appeare vpon it , by all meanes let them be pl●ckt vp by the roots ; which done , you shall trench your ground at least a yarde and a halfe déepe , and then bury in those trenches , if it be a sand or grauell earth , great ●tore o● oxe or cow meanure , if it be a colde chalkie clay , or a moyst ground , then great store of horse meanure , of both which meanures the oldest and rottenest is the best : but if you liue in such a soyle as there is neyther of these meanures bred therein , then take straw of any kinde whatsoeuer , and spread it in the high-way where there is much trauell , & when it is rotten with the beating of horse féet , then cause it to be shoueld vp , & with it fill your trenches , but if straw be wanting , then if you haue any muddy ditches or ponds , scowre the mud out of them , & with it fill vp your trenches : & although these are not so long lasting as the two first sorts of meanures , yet they are sufficient to bring forth increase , & must supply where necessity inforceth , alwayes hauing discretion when you sée your ground abate in fruitfulnes , to replenish it with fresh meanure . now as you fill your trenches with meanure , let one mixe the earth therewithall , and as it were blend and incorporate them together : thus hauing gone ouer so much ground as you intend to plant or sowe vpon , you shall let it rest till the midst of ianuary , at which time you shall breake it vp in trenches againe , but not aboue thrée quarters of a yarde déepe , and then fill vp those trenches with meanure as before , and lay your earth as leuell as is possible , & so let it rest till the beginning of march ( if the weather be seasonable for sowing or planting ) otherwise let it stay till mid-march , and as soone as the moone is changed you shall then dig it vp the fourth time , and make it fit to receyue your séede , but in this fourth time of turning ouer your earth , you shall dig it but a little better then a spade-graft depth , and euer as you dig it , mixe it with fresh meanure : if your ground be subiect to much chapping or rining , then you shall at this last digging mixe the earth with ashes and horse meanure mixt together , which will binde and holde the earth from chapping . after you haue digd your ground in this order , and made it leuell , you shal with an iron rake breake the great clods of earth , and bring it to as fine a mould as is possible , euer obseruing that if in the breaking of the clods or otherwise , you perceiue the roots or stalks of any wéeds to arise , you shall presently with your hand pull them out , and cast them on heaps , that they may serue eyther for the fire or the dunghill : which done , you shall tread out your beds in such orderly sort , that you may passe from one to the other without eyther treading vpon the beds , or striding ouer them : & thus much for the barraine & sterrill ground , which although all ancient & late writers reiect , as not worthy to be imployed to this vse , yet beléeue it , being husbanded as is said before , it will equall in fruitfulnes the best ground . touching your rich and perfect grounds , which of themselues are apt to put forth with little labour , you shall onely at the latter end of september breake vp the earth , and making greater trenches , 〈…〉 with oxe meanure , and then turning the earth ●pon the meanure , leuell your ground very carefully , br●●ke the clots and rake it very painefully , and their trende ●ut 〈◊〉 beds , as is before sayd , artificially : but if the ground which you breake vp , be eyther gréene-swarth , or much ouergrowne with wéeds ( as these rich soyles must euer be the one or the other ) ( for they will not be idle , but continually bringing forth ) then at this first digging and dunging you shall haue diuers which shall follow the spade , who shall take away all manner of roots , gréenes , grasse-●ults , stones , or whatsoeuer may bréede anoyance to the ground : which worke being perfected , you shall let the ground ●est all winter till the beginning of march , that the frost may mellow and ripen the mould , and also kill the roots of such wéeds as the spade hath turned vp , and haue béene omitted to be pulled away . now so soone as march is come , vpon the first change of the moone , you shall digge vp this earth again● , leuell it , and order it in all points as was sayd of the barraine earth , onely there will néede no more vse of meanure , but as soone as it is digged , raked , leuelled , and brought into a fine mould , you may then tread out your beds , as aforesayd , euer proportioning the quantitie of them according to the quantitie of your séedes , hauing the most of that which is most in vse , and the least of the contrary . now as touching the fencing and inclosing of your garden , i haue in the former booke shewed you the same at large , and giuen seuerall instructions , according to mens seuerall abilities , with this caution , that whether your fence be wall , pale , dead-hedge , ditch , or quick●et , yet it must be so high that it may with assurance kéepe all manner of pullen from flying ouer the same , who are the greatest enemies to a garden that may be . there would be also in this kitchin-garden , if with conueniency it may be brought to passe , eyther a pumpe , well , or cesterne , which might flow continually with water all the summer time , for the watering of hearbs , as shall be héereafter declared . and thus much touching the choyce of ground for a kitchin-garden , and the ordering of the same . chap. iii. of the sowing and ordering of all manner of pot-hearbs . when you haue prepared your ground , and cast your beds in an orderly fashion , as is before spoken , you shall then take your séeds , which séeds would by no meanes be aboue a yéere olde : and hauing sorted them seuerally , euery one by it selfe , and appointed the beds which shall seuerally receiue them : you shall in this manner sowe your pot-hearbs , which craue not much roote , because their onely benefit is in the leafe : take your séeds and put them into a wooden tray , then take of your garden moulde , the finest that may be , being made almost as fine as ashes , and mixe your séeds , and that mould very well together , then goe to the bedde where you meane to bestow them , and hauing newly rackt it ( to stirre vp the fresh mould ) with your hand sprinkle and sowe them all ouer the bed , so thicke as may be : which done , with a fine rake , rake the bed gently ouer , then taking spare fine mould , put it into a ridling siue , and sift it ouer the bed better then two fingers thickenesse , and so let it rest : thus you shall doe seuerally with euery séede one after another , bestowing euery one vpon a seuerall bed . now for your pot-hearbs , which are most generally in vse , they be these : endiue and succorie , which delight in moyst ground , and will endure the winter . bleete of which there be two kindes , red and white : this hearbe neuer néedeth wéeding , and if he be suffered to shed his séed it will hardly euer to be got out of a garden . then beets , which must be much wéeded , for they lo●● to liue by themselues , and if they grow too thick● you may take them vp when they are a finger long in their 〈◊〉 earth , and set them in another bed , and they will prosper much better . then land cresses , which is both a good pot-hearb● and a good sallet-hearbe : it loueth shadowie places , where the sunne shineth least , and standeth in néed of little dung . then parcely , which of all hearbs is of most vse , it is longest in appearing aboue ground , and the elder s●●d is the quicker in growth , but not the surer ; but eyther being once come vp increase naturally , and doe hardly euer decay : it cannot grow too thicke , but as you vse it you must cut off the toppes with your knife , and by no meanes pull vp the rootes : if it be put into a little pursse , and beaten against the ground , to bruise it a little before it be sowne , it will make it haue a large crisped leafe . then sauory , of which are two kindes , the winter sauory , and summer , both delight in leane ground , and are quicke of growth , and long lasting . then time , of which are also two kindes , the running time , and the garden time : they delight in fertile ground , and from the séede are very slow of growth , therefore it is best euer to set them from the ●lip . the running time doth delight in the shadow , but the garden time in the sunne . then french mallowes , which will ioy in any ground , and are quicke of growth . then cheruill , which will not by any meanes grow with any other hearbe . then dill , which may be sowne almost in any moneth of the yéere as well as march : it endureth all weathers , but loueth the warmth best . then isop ● which in like manner as time is , slow of growth from the séed , and therefore ●itter to be set from the slips , after it hath once taken roote it encreaseth wonderfully , and will hardly be destroyed . then mints , which flourish onely in the summer time , but dye in the winter , it delighteth most in the moyst ground . then violets , the leaues whereof are a good pot-hearb , and the flowers preserued in close glasse pots , with strong wine-vinegar and sugar , a most excellent sallet : it doth delight to grow high , and will grow spéedely eyther from the plant or from the séed . then basill , which would be sowne in the warme weather , as at the beginning of may , for the séed is tender , and when you haue sowne it , you shall presse the earth downe vpon it with your féet , for the seede can endure no hollownesse : if you sowe it at the fall of the leafe , you shall sprinkle the séede with uinegar , and when you water it let the sunne be at his height . then swéet marioram , which would be sowne on rich ground , and farre from sunneshine , for it taketh no delight in his beames . then marigolds , which renew euery moneth , and endure the winter as well as the summer : this hearbe the oftner you remoue it , the bigger it groweth . then strawberries , whose leaues are a good pot-hear●e , and the fruit the wholesomme●t berry : this hearbe of all other , would be set of the plant , and not sowne from the séed , for the oft changing and remouing of it causeth it to grow bigger and bigger : it groweth best vnder the shadowes of other hearbes , but very sufficiently in beds , or else where . then borage and buglosse , both which are of one nature : they would be sowne in small quantity , for where they take they will runne ouer a whole garden : the séed must be gathered when it is halfe ripe it is so apt to shed , and when you gather it you must plucke vp the stalkes , leaues & all , and so laying them one vpon another thrée or foure dayes , their own heat will bring the séed to ripenes . then rosemary , which is an hearbe tender and ●●●rious , yet of singular vertue : it is soone slaine with frost or lightening : it will grow plentifully from the séede , but much better from the slip , it delighteth to be planted against some wall where it may haue the re●lection of the sunne , for to stand vnpropped of himselfe , the very shaking of the winde will kill it . then penyroyall , which most properly is vsed to be mixt with puddings , made of the bloud of beasts , & oatmeale : of it there be two kindes , male and female : the male beareth a white flower , and the female a purple : it must be sowne in small quantity , for it will runne and spread ouer-much ground : it delighteth most in moyst earth . then leekes , which would haue a fertile ground , and as soone as they be shot vp a good length you shall cut the blades to the polt , and then remoue the heads , and set them borderwise about your other beds : this remouing after the cutting off the blades , wil make them grow bigger , and prosper better , as for thrusting oyster-shels or tyle-shreads vnder them , to make the heads bigger , it is a toy , for if the mould be loose and good , the léeke will come to his perfect growth : they may be sowne both in march , aprill , may , and iune , and they may be remoued all iuly , august , september and october . then onions , which differ not much from the nature of léekes , they loue a fertile soyle , and would be sowne with the séeds of sauory : when they come vp if they grow too thicke , as is often séene , you shall plucke vp some and spend them in the pot and in sallets , to giue the rest more roome , and some you shall take vp and replant in other beds , which you may preserue for séede : those onion● which you would not haue to séede , you shall cut off the b●ades in the midst , that the iuyce may descend downew●rd , and when you sée the heads of the onions appearing aboue the earth , you shall with your féet tread them into the ground● there be some very well experienst husbands , which will take the fayrest , goodliest and soundest onions they can get , and in this moneth of march set them thrée fingers déepe in the earth , and these of all other bring forth the purest and best séede , for which purpose onely they are preserued : as soone as your séed-onions are knotted , you shall vnderproppe them with square cradles , made of stickes , least the waight of the boules which carry the séede , should breake the blades . the time of gathering your séede is , when it is all turned purely blacke , and the time of gathering the onions is , when the heads doe forsake the earth , after they be gathered you shall lay them on a dry floore for a fortnight , or more , and then binde them vp in ropes , and hang them where they may haue the ayre of the fire , onely note that shall gather your onions in the increase of the moone , as they were sowne , and not otherwise . many other pot-hearbs there be , which for as much as they differ nothing , eyther in sowing , planting , or ordering , from these which i haue rehearsed , i will héere omit them , and thinke this sufficient , touching the sowing and ordering of all manner of pot-hearbs . chap. iiii. of the sowing of certaine hearbs , which are to be eaten , but especially are medicinall , yet euer in the husbandmans garden . of hearbes which are medicinall , i will begin with arage ● or orache , which being colde and moyst is very excellent against the hot go●t : it is to be sowne in any moneth , from february till december : it loueth much moisture , and therefore must be oft watered : it must be sowne excéeding thinne , and quickly couered , for the ayre is offensiue . next it is lumbardy , loueage , which being 〈…〉 dry , is very purgatiue , it desireth a very fruitfull 〈◊〉 but if it be sowne where it may haue much 〈…〉 some shelter accompanied with moysture , it will 〈…〉 any ground , the moneths for sowing thereof , is , 〈◊〉 the midst of february till haruest . fennell is also hot and dry , and it comforteth the stomacke , openeth the inward vessels , and helpeth disgestion ; it may be sowne in any moneth , and vpon any indifferent ground , especially if it be a little stony , the séede would not be very old , though of all other it be the longest la●ter . anise is hot and dry , it dissolueth humors and obstructions , and is very comfortable to weake stomacks , it delighteth in a good and loose mould , and is to be sowne in the height of the spring onely . comin is of the nature of anise and fennell , and mixt with either , is very soueraine against all inward sicknesses procéeding from cold , it loueth a fruitfull rich earth & much warmth , and therfore the later it is sowne in the spring , it is so much the better , and aboue all things it would be sowne in the hottest time of the day , & if it be mixed with other séeds , it is so much the better , and appeareth the sooner . coliander is of the nature of the earth , cold & dry , it helps disgestion , & suppresseth vapours which offend the braine , it may be sowne vpon any indifferent ground , & in any month except december and ianuary , the elder the séedes are the better so they be sound , and they desire much watering . rue or hearb-grace is hot and dry , & is very soueraigne against all inward infection , putrifactions , and impostumations , it ioyeth in any reasonable ground so it grow warme and dry , the moneths fittest for the sowing thereof , is march , aprill or may , and the mould would be firme and not subiect to ryuing , whence it procéedes that no meanure is so good for the encrease thereof as horse-dung and ashes mixt together : the beds would be made high & discending , that no moysture may stay thereon , they must be carefully wéeded , for in their first growth otherwise they are soone choaked . organie is hot and dry , and excellent against any sicknesse of the liuer , the ground in which it most ioyeth would be a little stonie , and full of rubbish , yet by no meanes vndunged , the moneth fittest for the sowing thereof is march and september , the moone being in libra or any other moist signe , it must be continually watred till it appear● aboue the earth , but after forborne , for being once well fixed , it is euer certaine . white poppy is cold and moyst , and much prouoketh sléepe : it delights to be sowne in a rich , warme , dry ground , in the moneths of march , september or nouember . germander is hot and dry , and excellent against the kings euill ; obstructions of the spléene and hardnesse of urine ; it is a hard hearbe , and will prosper in any ground , it is to be sowne , either in the spring or fall of the leafe , and is most comly for the setting forth of knots in gardens . cardus benedictus , or the blessed thistell , is hot and dry , it is very soueraine against most inward sicknesses , stancheth blood , and is a great comforter of the braine , it delighteth in a rich ground and a loose well tempered mould , it must be sowne very shallow , and not couered aboue two inches déepe , the first quarter of the moone is best to sowe it in , and in the moneths of march , may or september , if you sowe a little fine flaxen wheat with it , no doubt but it will prosper the better . angellica is hot and dry , it openeth and dissolueth obstructions , is an excellent cordiall against poyson , and all infections , it helpeth the collicke , and cureth the biting of madde dogges or venemous beasts , it loueth a fruitfull dry mould , but may not indure the trouble of wéedes , it is to be sowne in march or aprill , & it flourisheth in iuly & august , it hath a swéet odour , and helpeth all euill & infected ayres . valerian is hot & dry and preuenteth infection , it helpeth stitches and other griefes procéeding from windy causes , it loueth to grow in moist and low places , the ground being well meanured , and fill it be shot at least a handfull high , it must be kept with continuall watring , the 〈…〉 of the yéere is the best to sowe it in . elecampana , is hot and moyst , and good for offences in the lungs , or any outward ioynt , being troubled with paine procéeding from colde : it is better much to be set th●● sowne , yet notwithstanding it may safely enough be sowne at any time after mid-march , the ground being rich● soft , and loose , and the séede strowed very thinne , and ●t least two fingers distance one from another . pepperwort is hot and drye , yet of the two much more hot , it is good against all kinde of aches , and other paine in the ioynts , or sinewes : it delighteth in a rich blacke soyle , fat and loose : it would be sowne in february , and remoued in september . philipendula is very hot and dry , and is good against abortiue births , stone , strangury , or any griefe procéeding from colde causes : it may be sowne in any barraine , stony , or grauelly soyle , in the months of may , aprill , or september : it neither desireth much wéeding , nor much watering , but being once committed to the ground appeareth sodainely : and thus much of those hearbes which are fit for medicine , of which though there be many others , yet they differ not in their ordering from these already declared . chap. v. of diuers sorts of sallet-hearbes , their manner of sowing and ordering . amongst the many numbers of sallet-hearbes i thinke it not amisse to beginne first with lettuce , which of all other whose vertue is helde in the leafe , is most delicate , tender , and pleasant : the ground then in which it most delighteth , is that which is most fertile , best laboured , and of the finest mould , being soft , loose , and more enclining to moysture then drinesse : it may be sowne in any moneth of the yeare , from february to nouember ; it is very quick of growth , and will appeare aboue the earth in foure dayes after the sowing : it would at first be sowne thicke , and carefully kept with morning and euening watrings , if the season be dry , but not otherwise : after it is growne and faire spread aboue the earth , which will be in a moneths space or there-abouts , you shall chuse out the fairest and goodliest plants , and taking them vp with the earth and all , about their rootes , replant or remoue them to a new bed of fresh mould , and there set them a foote distance one from another , and fixe their rootes fast and hard into the ground : then couer or presse them downe with tyle or slate stones , to make them spread and not spring vpward , by which meanes the leaues will gather together , and cabbadge , in a thicke and good order , for it is to be vnderstood , that the oftner you remoue your lettuce , the fairer and closer they wil cabbage . there be diuers which obserue to remoue lettuce as soone as sixe leaues are sprung aboue the ground ; but i like better to remoue them when they begin to spindle : they are most estéemed in the moneths of aprill , may , and iune , for in iuly they are supposed to carrie in them a poysonous substance . next the lettuce i preferre the hearbe spynage , which delighteth in a well-dunged earth , and may be sowne in aprill , march , september , or october : it would not be mixed with other séedes , because it prospereth best alone . sparagus ioyeth in a fertill moist ground , the mould being made light which couers it , and the ground well dunged , the spring is the best time to sowe it , and it must be sowne in long furrowes or trenches made with your finger , and not vniuersally spread ouer the bed as other séeds are : it loueth moysture , but may not endure the wet to lye long vpon it , and therefore the beds would a little descend it : must not be remoued till the rootes be so feltred together , that they hinder the new branches from springing vp , which commonly is two yeares . colworts or cabbadge séede delighteth in any well husbanded handed ground , and may be sowen in all sorts and seasons as lettuce is , and must also in the like manner be remoued , after the principall leaues are come forth , which will make them to gather together , and cabbadge the better : and as they may be sowen in any season of the yeare , so likewise they may be remoued at all seasons likewise , except the frost or other vnseasonable weather hinder you : and although some men will not allow it to be sowen in clay grounds , grauell , chalke , or sand , yet they are deceiued ; for if the earth be well ordred , they will grow plentifully , onely you must obserue when you remoue them to let them haue earth roome enough . sage is in gardens most common , because it is most wholesome , and though it may be better set from the slip then sowen in the séede , yet both will prosper , it loueth any well drest ground , and may be sowen either in february , march , september , or october : it loueth also to grow thick and close together , and will of it selfe ouercome most wéedes : it asketh not much dung , neither too great care 〈◊〉 watring , onely it would be oft searched , for toa●es and other venemous things will delight to lye vnder it , the more sunne and ayre it hath , the better it is . purslane is a most excellent sallet hearbe , and loueth ● fertile soile , and though it may be sowen almost in any moneth , yet the warmest is the best , as aprill , may , iune , or septemb. buck ashes are an excellent meanure for them , and for most sallet hearbs else , but aboue all they loue dry dust and house-swéepings , they are apt to shed their séede , whence it comes that a ground once possest of them will seldome want them , they may also be remoued , and will prosper much the better . artychokes loue a fat earth , and may be sowen in february or march , the moone encreasing , the séedes must not be sowen together , but set one by one a good distance asunder ; they must lye somewhat déepe , and be firmely couered ; yet if you can procure them , i rather with you rather to set them from slips or young plants , then sowe them from the séedes , for they doe so naturally loue the earth , that you can hardly slip so wast a leafe from an artychoke as will not take roote ; if you sowe the séede , you must be carefull to wéede and water them well , for the first leaues are very tender : also if you remoue them after their first springing , the fruit will be bigger and better . garlicke is best in september and nouember , to be set from the cloue , in & about the borders of beds , or other séedes , halfe a foote one from another , and in february , march , and aprill , to be sowen from the séede : it must be ordered as you order onyon séede , it loues not much wet nor extreame drought , onely it desires a good mould which is rich and firme , yet not too much dunged . raddish loueth a fertile ground , that is well dunged , chiefly with mans ordure , that is déepe trencht , and hath an easie and light mould , and the séedes would be placed either in rowes , or about the borders of beds , as you doe garlicke : the manner of sowing it is with a dibble or round sticke , to make a hole into the ground almost a foote déepe , and then into that hole to put not aboue two séedes at the most , and then close the hole vp againe , and let the holes be foure fingers one from another , it may be sowen in most months of the yéere if the frost hinder not , and to make the roote large & tender , and to kéepe the branch from séeding ; you shall as it springs crop off the principall leaues which grow against the heart of the root : to tread them downe into the earth after they haue fast roote is good also . nauew , if the earth haue any small goodnesse in it will grow plentifully , neither is offended with any ayre , onely the mould would be loose and rough , for otherwise it many times turneth to rape : the séede naturally commeth vp very thicke , therefore it is expedient to remoue them and plant them thinner , for that best preserueth their natures , they may be sowne in february , march , aprill , september , or october . parsneps or carrets are of one and the selfe nature , they delight in a good fat earth , and would be sowne reasonably thicke , in long déepe trenches like furrowes , hauing a gentle and easie mould either in the moneth of ianuary , february , or march , or in september , october , or december , they must be carefully well wéeded , and if the earth be fat , they néede not much watring or other attendance . pompyons , gourds , or mellons , desire a very good ground , or by nature or art , the séedes must be sowne very thinne , as at least halfe a foote one from another , they would lye reasonably déepe , yet the mould very gentle which couers them , they are subiect to spread and runne ouer much ground , therefore as they grow you must direct their stemmes , so as they may not annoy one another , and when they flower you shall lay broad tiles or slat● stones vnder them , that the fruit nor flower may not touch the earth ; if you plash them vp against trées or walles where they may haue the reflection of the sunne , the fruit will be larger , pleasanter , and sooner ripe : they néede no wéeding nor watring after you sée them appeare aboue the earth , and the best seasons to sowe them in , is february , march , or aprill , those are the best pompyons which haue the smallest séedes , and are of the most yellowest complexion . cowcumber , is a delicate , pleasant , yet very tender fruit , and delighteth in an extraordinarie fat earth , especially during the opening or sprouting of the séede , therefore the best and most vndoubted safest way for sowing them , is , first in some corner of your kitchin garden to make a bed of two or thrée yards square of olde oxe dung , and horse dung mixt together , and at least a yard or better high from the earth , then couer this bed of dung with the rich●st garden mould you haue , better then halfe a foote thicke : then thereon place your séedes halfe a foote likewise one from another , and be most sure that your séedes be hard and sound ( for any softnesse in them sheweth rottennesse ) then couer them foure fingers thicke with the like mould : then within seauen or eight dayes , after you shall sée them appeare aboue the earth , but in any wise let them continue still till the principall leaues be come forth , and they begin to créepe out in length , then with your hand griping the whole plant , take it vp by the rootes with the earth and all , and plant it in a bed new digged & trimmed for the purpose with a rich loose mould , and so replant and remoue each roote seuerally one after another , and they will grow and bring forth in great plenty . now by the way you must obserue , that as soone as you haue sowne your séedes you shall prouide a mat , canuasse , or other couering , which being placed vpon stakes ouer the dung bed , shall euery night after sunne-set be spread ouer the same , and not taken away till the sunne be risen in the morning , for this will defend the séedes from frosts and other cold dewes which are very dangerous . now if any demand why these séedes are thus sowne first on the bed of dung , they shall vnderstand that besides the warmth and fertility thereof , that the séedes are so pleasant and tender , that wormes and other créeping things in the earth will destroy them before they can sprout , which this bed of dung preuenteth . the months most fit for sowing these séedes , are aprill , may , and iune onely , for other are much too colde , and in this manner you may sowe any tender séede whatsoeuer . beanes of egipt delight in a moyst watrish ground , rather fertile then any way giuen to barrainnesse , yet will plentifully enough prosper in any indifferent earth : they are rather to set then sowe , because they must take strong roote , and be fi●ed somewhat déepe into the earth , and the moneth which is most proper for them , is the latter end of ianuary , all february and the beginning of march onely . skerrets are a delicate roote , white , tender , and pleasant , little differing in tast or excellencie from the eringo . they delight in a rich mould , moyst and well broken , and must be set déepe in the earth : after they be a finger length aboue the ground they would be remoued , and planted in a fresh mould , which will preserue them from spéedie séeding , for when they runne to séede , they loose the vertue of their roote . the moneths fittest for the sowing of them , is march , aprill , and may , and if you desire to haue them all winter , you may then sowe them it september and october . and thus much for sallet-hearbs , and rootes of all natures , of which kindes though there be diuers other , yet you shall vnderstand , all are to be ordered in the manner of these before rehearsed , that is to say , such as haue their vertues in the stalke or leaues , like spynage , sparagus , purslayn , and such like , those which cabbadge or knit together in hard lumps , like lettuce , colworts , and such like , and those whose goodnesse liues in their rootes , like raddish , carrets , skerrets , and such like . now for a most necessarie obseruation , euery gardner ought to beare this rule in his memorie , that all pot-hearbs must be sowne thicke , and but thinly couered , as namely not aboue thrée fingers : all hearbs which cabbadge must be sowne thicke , and déeper couered , as a full handfull at least , and in their remouing planted thinne , and well fixt into the earth : and all rootes must be sowen thinne and déepe , as almost a foote either let into the ground , or strewed in déepe furrowes , digged and laide vp for the purpose , in which the quantity of your séede must onely direct you : for if you haue occasion to sow hardly a handfull , then you may set them one by one into the ground at your leasure , but if you haue occasion to sowe many pecks or halfe pecks , then you shall turne vp your earth into déepe furrowes , and in the bottome thereof scatter your séede , and after rake it into a leuell , and you shall not onely saue much labour , but gaine your purpose . chap. vi. of flowers of all sorts both forraigne and home-bred , their sowing , planting , and preseruing . hauing written sufficiently of pot-hearbs and sallet-hearbs , which are the ornaments of the husbandmans kitchin or table , i will here speake of flowers , which either for their smels , beauties , or both , are the graces of his chamber . and first , because my maine ayme and scope is english husbandrie , i will begin with those flowers which are most proper and naturall for our climate , of which because i holde roses both for their smell , beauties , and wholesomnesse to excéede all other , i thinke it not amisse to giue them the first place and precedencie before all other . you shall vnderstand then that roses are generally and aunciently but of thrée kindes , the damaske , the red , and the white , and what are different from these are but deriuations from them , being by grafting , replanting , and phisicking , somewhat altered either in colour , smell , or doublenesse of leafe . to speake then first of the damaske rose , it is fit that all husbandmen know , that roses may as well be sowne from the séede , as planted from the roote , syen , or branch onely , they are the slower in comming vp , more tender to nourish , and much longer in yéelding forth their flowers , yet for satisfaction sake and where necessitie vrgeth , if of force or pleasure you must sowe it from the séede , you shall chuse a ruffish earth loose and well dunged , and you shall cast vp your beds high and narrow : the moneth which is fit for their sowing is september , and they must be couered not aboue foure fingers déepe , they must be defended well all the winter from frosts and stormes , and then they will beare their flowers plentifully all the next spring following ; yet this is to be noted , that all roses which rise from the séede simply , their flowers will be single like the eglantine , or cyphanie , therefore after your plants are two yéeres olde , you must graft one into another , as you doe other fruit , and that will make them double and thicke : also you must remember that those yellow small séedes which are in the midst of the rose , are not true rose séedes , but those which lye hid in the round peare knob vnder the rose , which as soone as the leaues are fallen away , will open and shew the séede . and thus much touching the sowing of all sorts of roses , which is for experience and knowledge sake onely , for indéede the true vse and property of the rose is to be planted in short slips about fourtéene inches long , and the small tassels of the roote cut away , they would be set halfe a foote into the ground , in the same manner as you set ordinary quick-set , and of like thicknesse , rather a little slope-wise then vpright : and though some thinke march the best season , yet doubtlesse september is much better for hauing the roote confirmed all the winter , they will beare the sooner and better all the sommer following ; you must be carefull to plant them in faire weather , and as néere as you can vnder shelter as by the sides of walls , and such like couert where the sunne may reflect against them , and if they be planted on open beds or borders , then you must with poales and other necessaries support and hold them vp , least the winde shake their rootes and hinder their growing . the red rose is not fully so tender as the damaske , neither is it so pleasant in smell , nor doubleth his leaues so often ; yet it is much more phisicall , and oftner vsed in medicine , it is likewise fitter to be planted then sowen , and the earth in which it most ioyeth would be a little rough or grauelly , and the best compasse you can lay vnto it , is rubbish or the sweeping of houses , the moneths to sowe or plant it in is march or september , & the time to prune and cut away the superfluous branches is euer the midst of october . the white rose is of lesse smell then the red , and will grow in a harder ground , his vse is altogether in phisicke as for sore eyes and such like : it will grow into a trée of some bigge substance , and is seldome hurt with frosts , stormes , or blastings : it would likewise be planted from the roote against some high wall , either in the moneth of february or march , and the oftner you plant and replant it , the doubler and larger the flower will be : for the earth it much skilleth not , because it will grow almost in euery ground , onely it delights most in the shadow , and would be seldome pruned , except you finde many dead branches . the cinamon rose , is for the most part sowen , and not planted , whence it comes that you shall euer sée the leaues single and little , the delicacie thereof being onely in the smell , which that you may haue most fragrant and strong , you shall take a vessell of earth , being full of small holes in the bottome and sides , and fill it with the richest earth you can get , being made fine and loose , then take damaske rose séedes which are hard , and sound , and steepe them foure and twenty houres in cinamon water , i doe not meane the distilled water , but faire conduit water , in which good store of cinamon hath bin stéeped , or boyled , or milk , wherin good store of cinamon hath bin dissolued , and then sow those séedes into the pot , and couer them almost thrée fingers déepe , then morning and euening till they appeare aboue the earth , water them with that water or milke in which the séedes were stéeped , then when they are sprung vp a handfull or more aboue the ground , you shall take them vp mould and all , and hauing drest a border or bed for the purpose , plant them so as they may grow vp against some warme wall or pale , and haue the sunne most part of the day shining vpon them , and you shall be sure to haue roses growing on them , whose smell will be wonderfull pleasant , as if they had béene spiced with cinamon , and the best season of sowing these is euer in march , at high noone day , the weather shining faire , and the winde most calme . now if you would haue these roses to grow double , which is an act yet hid from most gardners , you shall 〈◊〉 michaelmasse take the vppermost parts of the plants from the first knot , and as you graft either plumme or apple , so graft one into another , and couer the heads with earth or clay tempered with cinamon-water , and they will not onely grow double , but the smell will be much swéeter , and looke how oft you will graft and 〈◊〉 graft them , so much more double and double they will proue . the prouince rose is a delicate flower for the eye more then the nose , for his oft grafting abateth his smell , but doubleth his leafe so oft that it is wonderfull , therefore if you will haue them large and faire , you shall take the fairest damaske roses you can get , and graft them into the red rose , and when they haue shot out many branches , then you shall graft each seuerall branch againe with new grafts of another grafted damaske rose and thus by grafting graft vpon graft , you shall haue as faire and well coloured prouince roses , as you can wish or desire : and thus you may doe either in the spring or fall at your pleasure , but the fall of the leafe is euer helde the best season . now if your roses chaunce to loose their smels , as it all happeneth through these double graftings : you shall then plant garlicke heads at the rootes of your roses , and that will bring the pleasantnesse of their sent vnto them againe . now for your generall obseruations , you shall remember that it is good to water your roses morning and euening till they be gathered ; you shall rather couet to plant your roses in a dry ground then a wette ; you shall giue them much shelter , strong support , and fresh dung twise at the least euery yeare , when the leafe is fallen , you shall cutte and prune the branches , and when the buds appeare you , then begin your first watring . lauender is a flower of a hot smell , and is more estéemed of the plaine country housewife then the dainty citizen : it is very wholesome amongst linnen cloathes , and would be sowen in a good rich mould , in the moneths of march or aprill . the white lilly would be s●wen in a fat earth , in the moneths of october and nouember , or in march or april , and the séedes must be sowen excéeding thinne , not one by any meanes touching another , and the mould which couereth them must be sifted gently vpon them . if you would haue your lillyes of a purple colour , you shall stéepe your féedes in the lées of red wine , and that will change their complexion , and also you shall water the plants with the same lées likewise : if you will haue them scarlet red , you shall put vermillion or cynaber betwéene the rinde and the small heads growing about the roote : if you would haue them blew , you shall dissolue azure or byse betwéene the rinde and the heads , if yellow orpment , if gréene verdigreace , and thus of any other colour . now to make them flourish euery moneth in the yéere , you shall sowe your séedes some a foote déepe , some halfe a foote , and some not two inches , so they will spring one after another , and flourish one after another . the wood lilly or lilly of the vale , delighteth most in a moyst ground , and may be sowen either in march or september , it is very faire to looke on , and not so suffocating in smell as the other lillyes are . the flower de lice is of excellent beauty , but not very pleasant to smell to , it loueth a dry ground & an easie mould , and is fittest to be sowen in the moneth of march. pyonie or the blessed rose , loueth a good fat earth being somewhat loose , and may be sowen either in march or september , it asketh not much watring , onely some support because the stalkes be weake . petillius or indian eye , may be sowen in any ground , for it desireth neither much water , nor much dung , and the best season for sowing , it is iune or 〈…〉 it will beare flowers commonly all the wint●r . veluet flower loueth a rich fertile ground , and must be much watred : the season best for the sowing is aug●st , 〈◊〉 commonly it will beare flowers all the winter . gilliflowers are of diuers kindes , as pynks , wall-flowers , carnations , cloue-gilliflowers , and a world of others , which are of all other flowers most swéet and delicate● all but the wall-gilliflower loue good fertile earths , and may be sowen either in march , iuly , or august . they are better to be planted of slips then sowen , yet both will prosper . they are very tender , and therfore the best planting of them is in earthen pots , or halfe tubs , which at your pleasure you may remoue from the shade to the sunne , and from the roughnesse of stormes to places of shelter , they grow vp high on long slender stalkes , which you must defend and support with square cradles made of stickes , least the winde and the waight of the flowers breake them : these gilliflowers you may make of any colour you please , in such sort as is shewed you for the colouring of lillyes , and if you please to haue them of mixt colours you may also , by grafting of contrary colours one into another : and you may with as great ease graft the gylliflower as any fruit whatsoeuer , by the ioyning of the knots one into another , and then wrapping them about with a little soft sleau'd silke , and couering the place close with soft red waxe well tempered . and you shall vnderstand that the grafting of gylliflowers maketh them exceeding great , double , and most orient of colour . now if you will haue your gylliflowers of diuers smels or odours , you may also with great ease , as thus for example : if you will take two or thrée great cloues , & stéepe them foure and twenty houres in damaske rose water , then take them out and bruise them , and put them into a fine cambricke ragge , and so binde them about the heart roote of the gylliflower , néere to the setting on of the stalke , and so plant it in a fine , soft , and fertile mould , and the flower which springeth from the same , will haue so delicate a mixt smell of the cloue and the rose-water , that it will bréede both delight and wonder . if in the same manner you take a sticke of cinamon , and stéepe it in rose water , and then ●ruise it , and binde it as afore-said , all the flowers will smell strongly of cinamon : if you take two graines of fat muske , and mixe it with two drops of damaske rose water , and binde it as afore-said , the flowers will smell strongly of muske , yet not too hot nor offensiue , by reason of the correction of the rose water : and in this sort you may doe either with amber-greece , storax , beniamin , or any other swéet drugge whatsoeuer ; and if in any of these confections before named , you stéepe the séedes of your gylliflowers foure and twenty houres before you sowe them , they will take the same smels in which you stéepe them , onely they will not be so large or double , as those which are replanted or grafted . now for your wall-gylliflower , it delighteth in hard rubbish , limy , and stonie grounds , whence it commeth that they couet most to grow vpon walles , pauements , and such like barraine places . it may be sowen in any moneth or season , for it is a séede of that hardnesse , that it makes no difference betwixt winter and sommer , but will flourish in both equally , and beareth his flowers all the yéere , whence it comes that the husbandman preserues it most in his bée-garden ; for it is wondrous swéet , and affordeth much honey . it would be sowen in very small quantity , for after it haue once taken roote , it will naturally of it selfe ouer-spread much ground , and hardly e●er after be rooted out . it is of it selfe of so excéeding a strong and swéet smell , that it cannot be forced to take any other , and therefore is euer preserued in its owne nature . the helytropian or flower of the sunne , is in nature and colour like our english marigold , onely it is excéeding huge in compasse , for many of them will be twenty , and foure and twenty inches in compasse , according to the fertilenesse of the soyle in which they grow , and the oft replanting of their rootes , they are excéeding 〈…〉 on , and pleasant to smell , they open their flowers at the rising of the sunne , and close them againe at the 〈◊〉 setting , it delighteth in any soyle which is fertile 〈◊〉 by art or nature , and may be sowen in any 〈◊〉 from february till september , the oft planting 〈◊〉 replanting of the roote after it is sprung a handfull from the earth , maketh it grow to the vttermost bignesse , it would haue the east and west open vpon it , onely 〈◊〉 small pent-house to kéepe the sharpnesse of the 〈◊〉 from it . the crowne emperiall , is of all flowers both foraigne and home-bred , the delicatest and strangest : it hath the true shape of an emperiall crowne , and will be of diuers colours , according to the art of the ●ar●ner . in the middest of the flower you shall sée a 〈◊〉 pearle stand , in proportion , colour , and orientnesse , li●● a true naturall pearle , onely it is of a soft liquid substance : this pearle if you shake the flower neuer so violently will not fall off , neither if you let it continue neuer so long , will it either encrease or diminish in ●he bignesse , but remayneth all one : yet if with your finger you take and wipe it away , in lesse then an h●●re after you shall haue another arise in the same place , and of the same bignesse . this pearle if you taste it vpon your tongue , is pleasant and swéet like honey : this flower when the sunne ariseth , you shall sée it looke directly to the east , with the stalke bent lowe there-vnto , and as the sunne ariseth higher and higher , so the flower will likewise ascend , and when the sunne is come into the meridian or noone poynt , which is directly ouer it , then will it stand vpright vpon the stalke , and looke directly vpward , and as the sunne declineth , so will it likewise decline , and at the sunne setting looke directly to the west onely . the séedes of this flower are very tender , and therefore would be carefully sowen in a very rich and fertile earth well broken and manured . the seasons most méete for the same , is the latter end of march , aprill , or may , for the flowers flourish most in may , iune , and iuly . as soone as it is sprung a handfull aboue the earth ; you shall remoue it into a fr●sh mould , and that will make it flourish the brauer : the roote of this flower is like an apple , or great flat onion , and therefore in the replanting of it , you must be carefull to make a hole large and fitte for the same , and to fire the mould gently and close about the same . in the winter it shrinketh into the earth , and is hardly or not at all discerned , by meanes whereof i haue seene diuers supposing it to be dead , to digge vp the earth , and negligently spoyle the roote , but be not you of that opinion , and in the spring you shall sée it arise and flourish brauely . the dulippo is but a little short of the crowne emperiall in pleasantnesse and rarenesse , for you may haue them of all colours whatsoeuer , in such sort as was shewed you for the lillyes , gylliflowers , and other rootes : they are tender at their first springing from the séede , and therefore must be sowen in a fine rich mould , in the warmth of the sunne , either in march , aprill , or may : but after they are once sprung aboue the ground , they are reasonable hard , and will defend themselues against most weathers : the roote of this flower is shaped like a peare , with the biggest end downeward , and many small thréeds at the bottome ; therefore you must be sure when you remooue or replant it , to couer all the roote in fresh mould , and let not any part of the white thereof be vncouered : this flower by monethly replanting , you may haue to flourish in all the summer moneths of the yeare , for in the dead of winter it shrinketh into the ground , and is hardly or not at all perceiued , the stalkes of these flowers are weake , therefore to support them , and defend them from the shakings of the windes with little square frames of stickes , will be very good 〈◊〉 ●●cessary , it must be oft watred . the hyacinth is a flower more delicate to the eye then nose , and is of a good strong nature , for it will ●ndure any reasonable earth , and may be sowne in any ●●neth of the spring , from the beginning of february till midde iune : it onely hateth tempests and stormes , and therefore is commonly sowen or planted néere vnto walls or other shelter . you may haue them of any colour you please , as is shewed before of other flowers , and in this alteration or mixture of colours their greatest glorie appeareth , they will flourish all the summer long , and if they stand warme , appeare very early in the spring . the narcissus is a very curious and dainty flower , and through his much variety and alteration in growing , they are supposed to be of diuers kindes , but it is not so ; for in as much as they are séene to be of diuers colours , that is but the art of the gardner , as is before exprest in other flowers , and whereas some of them grow single , some double , and some double vpon double , you shall vnderstand that such as grow single , grow simply from the seede onely , those which are double and no more , are such as haue béene planted and replanted , the small thréeds of the rootes being clipt away , and nothing left about it that is superfluous , and those which are double vpon double , are the double plants grafted one into another . this narcissus loueth a rich warme soyle , the mould being easie and light , it may be sowne in any moneth of the spring , and will flourish all the summer after . before it appeare aboue ground it would be oft watred , but after it sa●●s not how little , for it will defend it selfe sufficiently . not vnlike vnto this is your daffadill of all kindes and colours , and in the same earths and seasons delighteth either to be sowen or planted , and will in the same manner as your narcissus double and redouble his leaues ; so will your colombine , your chesbole , and almost any hollow flower whatsoeuer . many other forraigne flowers there are which grow plentifully in our kingdome : but the order of their planting and sowing differeth nothing from these which i haue already declared , being the most tender and curious of all other , therefore i will end this chapter with this one caution onely , that when you shall receiue any séede from any forraine nation , you shall learne as néere as you can the nature of the soyle from whence it commeth , as hot , moyst , colde , or dry it is , and then comparing it with ours , sowe it as néere as you can in the earth , and in the seasons that are néerest to the soyle from whence it came , as thus for example : if it came from a clime much hotter then ours , then shall you sowe it in sandie mould or other mould made warme by strength of meanure , in the warmest time of the day , and in those moneths of the spring , which are warmest , as aprill or may , you shall let it haue the sunne fréely all the day and at night , with mats , penthouse , or other defence shield it from sharpe windes , frosts , or colde dewes . i haue séene diuers noblemen and gentlemen , which haue béene very curious in these dainty flowers , which haue made large frames of wood with boards of twenty inches déepe , standing vpon little round whéeles of wood , which being made square or round according to the masters fancie , they haue filled with choyse earth , such as is most proper to the flower they would haue grow , and then in them sowe their séedes , or fixe their plants in such sort , as hath béene before described , and so placing them in such open places of the garden , where they may haue the strength and violence of the sunnes heate all the day , and the comfort of such moderate showers , as fall without violence or extraordinarie beating , and at night draw them by mans strength into some low vaulted gallery ioyning vpon the garden , where they may stand warme and safe from stormes , windes , frosts , dewes , blastings , and other mischiefes which euer happen in the sunnes absence , and in this manner you may not onely haue all manner of dainty outlandish flowers , but also all sorts of the most delicatest fruits that may be , as the orenge , limond , pomgranate , poncythron , cynamon-tree , oliue , almond , or any other , from what clime so euer it be deriued , obseruing onely but to make your frames of wood , which containes your earth , but déeper and larger , according to the fruit you plant in it , and that your alleys through which you draw your trées when you house them be smooth and leuell , least being rough and vneuen , you iogge and shake the rootes with the waight of the trées , which is dangerous . and least any man may imagine this but an imaginary supposition , i can assure him that within seauen miles of london , the experiment is to be séene , where all these fruits and flowers with a world of others grow in two gardens most abundantly . now for such flowers or fruits as shall be brought from a colder or more barraine ground then our owne , there néedeth not much curiosity in the plantation of them , because a better euer bringeth forth a better encrease , onely i would wish you to obserue , to giue all such fruits or flowers the vttermost liberty of the weather , & rather to adde coolenes by shaddow , then encrease any warmth by reflection , as also to augment showers by artificiall watrings , rather then to let the roote dry for want of continuall moysture ; many other notes and obseruations there are , which to discouer , would aske a volume larger then i intend , and yet not be more in true substance , then this which is already writ , if the reader haue but so much mother-wit , as by comparing things together , to draw the vses from the true reasons , and to shunne contrary by contraries , which what husbandman is so simple , but he can easily performe , and hauing the true grounds of experience , frame his descant according to his owne fancie , which is a musicke best pleasing to all men , since it is not in any one mans power to giue a generall contentment . and thus much for flowers , and their generall and particular ordering . chap. vii . how to preserue all manner of seedes , hearbs , flowers , and fruits , from all manner of noysome and pestilent things which deuoure and hurt them . it is not enough to bequeath and giue your séedes vnto the ground , and then immediatly to expect ( without any further industrie ) the fruit of your labours , no goodnesse seldome commeth with such ease : you must therefore know that when you lay your séedes in the ground , they are like so many good men amongst a world of wicked ones , and as it were inuironed and begirt with maine armies of enemies , from which if your care and diligence doe not defend them the most , if not all , will doubtlesse perish , and of these enemies the worst and most violentest is thunder and lightning , which in a moment killeth all sorts of flowers , plants , and trées , euen in the height and pride of their flourishing , which to preuent , it hath béene the practise of all the auncient gardners , to plant against the walles of their gardens , or in the middest of their quarters , where their choysest flowers grow , the lawrell or bay trée , which is euer helde a defence against those strikings . next vnto thunder and lightning are caterpillers , which are a kinde of filthy little wormes , which lye in cobwebs about the leaues , deuouring them , and poysoning the sap , in such sort , that the plant dieth spéedily after : the way to kill these , is to take strong urine and ashes mixt together , and with it to dash and sprinkle all the plants cleane ouer , and it will both preuent their bréeding , or being bred will kill them : the smoake of brimstone will doe the like , yet if they be excéeding much abundant , the surest way to destroy them , is to take olde , rotten , mouldy hay , and setting it on fire , with the blaze thereof burne the cob-webs , and then with the smoake smother and kill the wormes , and they will hardly euer bréede in that place againe . next these are toades and frogges , which are very poysonous and great destroyers of young plants , chiefly in their first appearing aboue the ground , and the auncient gardners haue vsed to destroy them by burning the fat of a stagge in some part of the garden beds , from which earth all creatures that haue poyson in them , will flye with all violence : other gardners will watch where the kite pearcheth on nights , and gathering vp her dung , scatter it vpon the beds either simply , or mixt with the shauings of an olde harts horne , and no venemous thing will come néere it . next these are field myce , which will roote séedes out of the earth , and deuoure them aboundantly , which to kill you shall take henbane seede , and beate it to pouder , and then mixing it with swéet oyle , fresh butter , or grease , make thereof a bayte ; and when you finde where they scratch or roote , lay some part of the bayte in that place , and they will gréedily eate it , and it will kill them : there be other gardners which will take a wéesell , and burning it to ashes , scatter the ashes on the beds , and then no field mouse will come néere them . next these are flyes , as flesh flyes , scarabs , hornets dores , and such like , which are great destroyers of séeds and plants , when they appeare in their first leafe , and are soft and tender , which to destroy , you shall either take orpment mixt with milke , or the pouder of allome , or the ashes of any of these flyes burnt , and with it sprinkle your beds and young plants all ouer , and it will kéepe flyes that they will not dare to come néere them . if the gréene fly , which of all other flyes is most gréedie to hurt séedes and plants , doe offend your garden , you shall take henbane leaues , houseleeke , and mints , and beat them in a morter , then straine forth the iuyce , and then adde thereto as much uinegar as was of all the rest , and there●with sprinkle your beds all ouer , and the gréene fly will neuer come néere them . some hold opinion , that if you plant the hearbe rocket in your garden , that it is a safe preseruatiue against these gr●eacute ; ene flyes , for it is most certaine that the very smell thereof will kill these , and most sorts of all other flyes whatsoeuer , as hath béene found by approued experience , and the sylts of olde auncient abby gardens , which a man shall seldome finde without this hearbe planted in them . next these are gnats , which although it be the smallest of all flyes , yet it is the greatest , quickest , and sharpest deuourer of tender plants of all other , for it biteth déeper and more venemously sharpe , then those which are of much bigger substance : the best way to destroy them is morning and euening , to smoake and perfume your beds either with wet rosemary , or with mouldy hay : some vse to burne calamint , and some oxe dung , and sure all are very good , for the smoakes are very sharpe , and styflle as soone as it is receiued . next these are pismyers , which also are very noysome vnto gardens , for they will digge vp , and carrie away the smaller séedes to their hills , and in shrot space spoyle and deface a bed of his encrease , and the best way to destroy them , is , if you finde their hill , to poure hot scalding water vpon them : or if vpon your garden beds you strowe ashes or lyme , but especially that which is made of chalk , they will by no meanes come néere them , as you shall finde by experience . next these are moales , which digging and vndermining the earth , turneth vp séedes and plants in a confused fashion , to the vtter destruction and ruine of the husband-mans labour , the cure whereof is to take them in such sort , as shall be shewed in this booke , where i speake of pasture grounds ; but if you finde that their encrease and continuance multiply with your labour , it shall be then good for you to plant in diuers places of your garden the hearbe called palma christi , in other places garlicke● and in other places onyons , and it is an assured rule that no moale will come néere where they grow for the strength and violence of their smell , is poysonous and deadly to those blinde vermines . next these are snailes of both kindes , blacke and white , which are as much offensiue to gardens , as any other crawling thing , for they féed of the tender leaues of plants , and of the outmost rindes of the daintiest hearbs or flowers , the way to destroy them , is to sprinkle vpon the beds and other places of their aboad good store of chimney soote , which by no meanes they can endure , because it is mortall and poysonous . next these are moathes or moaghts , which are very pernitious in a garden , for they destroy both séeds and plants , and there is no better or more certaine way to kill them , then by taking olde horse hoofes , and burning them , with the smoake thereof to perfume all the places where they abide , and it will in an instant kill them ; with this smoake onely you may kéepe arras hanging , tapistrie , néedle-worke , cushions , or carpets , or any woollen cloath or garment whatsoeuer safe from moathes as long as you please , neither néede you to vse it aboue once or twice a yéere at the most , as shall be more at large in another place declared . next these are cankers , which are a kinde of filthie wormes , which deuoure both the great and small leaues of all sorts of swéet plants , especially lettuce , cabbadge , colaflours , and such like ; and the way to destroy them , is to scatter amongst your plants , goose-dung , or to sprinkle the iuyce thereof with a wispe of rue , or hearbe of grace ouer all the beds , and though some with a rustie knife vse to scrape them from the leaues , and so kill them on a tyle-shread , ye● for my part i hold this the néerer way , and both more certaine and more easie , as experience will approue . lastly , are your garden wormes which liuing in the hollowes of the earth féede much vpon your tender garden séedes , and the soft sprouts which first issue from them , especially from all sorts of kirnels , in which they delight more then in any other séede whatsoe●er , as you may finde by experience , if you please to obserue accidents as they happen , without which obseruation you shall hardly attaine to the perfection of an excellent gardner : for if you please to make this triall , take the kirnels of a faire sound pippin , and deuide them into two parts , then lowe the one halfe in a garden bed well drest and trimmed for the purpose , where the worme hath liberty to come and goe at his pleasure , sowe the other halfe in some riuen boule , earthen pot , or halfe tub , made for the purpose with the same earth or mould that the bed is , and then set the vessell so as no worme may come there-vnto , and you shall finde that all those séedes will sprout and come forth , when hardly any one of those in the bed of earth will or can prosper , there being no other reason but the extreame gréedinesse of the deuouring worme , which to preuent , you shall take oxe dung , and burne it to ashes , then mixe them with the earth where-with you couer your séedes , and it will both kill the wormes , and make the séedes sprout both sooner and safer . and thus much for the preseruation of séeds and plants , from all noysome and pestilent creatures , which being practised with care and diligence , will giue vnto euery honest minde the satisfaction he desireth . now to conclude this small tract or treatise of the husbandmans kitchen garden , i would haue euery honest reader vnderstand , that i haue not taken vpon me to modell out any curious shape or proportion , but onely figured out a perfect nourcerie , shewing you how to bréed and bring vp all things fit for health or recreation , which being once brought to mature and ripe age , you may dispose into those proper places which may become their worthinesse , in which worke i would haue your owne fancy your owne directour , for i may giue preheminence to that you least like , and disestéeme that most which to you may séeme most worthy , therefore let your owne iudgement order your garden , like your house , and your hearbs like your furniture , placing the best in the best places , & such as are most conspicuous , and the rest according to their dignities in more inferiour roomes , remembring that your galleries , great chambers , and lodgings of state doe deserue artes , your hall wainscote , and your meanest offices some boscadge , or cleanly painting : from this alligorie if you can draw any wit , you may finde without my further instruction how to frame gardens of all sorts to your owne contentment . the second part of the second booke of the english husbandman : contayning the ordering of all sorts of vvoods , and the breeding of cattell . chap. i. of the beginning of woods , first sowing , and necessarie vse . it is a maxime held in plantations , that no land is habitable , which hath not wood & water , they two being as it were the only nerues & strength of a mans safe and wholesome liuing , and i haue heard many wise gentlemen , exercised , and ingaged , in the most noble and euer laudable workes of our new plantations , both of virginia and the summer ilands affirme , that they had rather , for a generall profit , haue a fertile wholesome land , with much wood , then ( wanting wood ) with a mine of gold : so infinite great is the vse of timber ( whose particulars i néede not rehearse ) and so insufferable is the want , when we are any way pinched with the same . and hence it springeth that our olde auncestors ( whose vertues would god we would in some small measure imitate ) when they found any hard and barraine earth , such as was vnapt for grasse , or at least such as bar● but grasse that would kéepe life , not comfort life , they presently plowed it vp , and sowed thereon acornes , ash-keyes , maple knots , béech apples , hawes , slowes , nuts , bullis , and all other séeds of trees in innumerable quantity , as may appeare by the forrests of del la mere , sherwood , kings wood , and many other within this kingdome of huge great spaciousnes and compasse , from whom when the wood is spoiled , the soyle serueth to little or no purpose , except it be the kéeping aliue of a few poore shéepe , which yéeld but little profit more then their carkasse . thus euen from the first age of the world hath our forefathers béene euer most carefull to preserue and encrease wood , and for mine owne part i haue euer obserued in all those places where i haue séene woods decayed and destroyed , that the charge of stubbing and other necessaries allowed ; those lands haue neuer againe yéelded the former profit , for the greatest exhaustment that euer i saw of wood ground was to bring it to tenne shillings an arte when it was conuerted to pasture , and being kept to wood , it was worth euery seauentéenth yéere one and twenty pound . a simple auditor may cast the account of this profit , but such is our gréedinesse , that for our instant vse we little respect the good of ours , or our neighbours : but it is no part of my bookes method to call offences to question , but onely to right the husbandman in his 〈◊〉 to ordinarie profit . know then that there is nothing more profitable to the husbandman , then the encreasing and nourishing of wood ; from whence ( as our common lawes termes it ) springs these thrée bootes or necessary commodities , to wit house-boote , plowe-boote , and fire-boote , without the first we haue neither health , couert , ease , nor safety from sauage beasts : without the second we cannot haue the fruits of the earth , nor sustenance for our bodies , nor without the last can we defend off the sharp winters , or maintaine life against the numbing colds which would confound vs. the consideration of these thrée things only , might enduce vs to the preseruation of this most excellent commodity : but the other infinite necessities & vses which we make of wood , as shipping , by which we make our selues lords of the seas : fencing which is the bond of concord amongst neighbours : solution & trial of mines , from whence springs both our glory in peace , and our strength in warre , with a world of others sutable vnto them , should be motiues vnresistable to make vs with all diligence hast to the most praise-worthy labour of planting wood , in euery place and corner , where it may any way conueniently be receiued . if then the husbandman shall liue in a high barraine countrey ( for low-valleyes , marshes , or such grounds as are subiect to inundations , seldome nourish wood well ) or in a soyle though not vtterly barraine , yet of so hard and sower encrease , that the hearbage doth in the profit but in small quantity , i would wish him after a generall triall of his earth , to deuide it into thrée equall parts , the first and the fruitfullest i would haue him preserue for pasture for his cattell of all kindes : the second and next in fertility for corne , being no more then those cattell may till , and the last & most barraine to imploy for wood : which though he stay long for the profit , yet will pay the interest double . and this ground thus chosen for wood , i would haue him plowe vp from the swarth about the latter end of februarie , and if it be light earth , as either sand , grauell , or a mixt hazel earth , then immediatly to sow it with acornes , ash-keyes , elme & maple knots , béech-apples , chesnuts , ceruisses , crabs , peares , nuts of all kindes , hawes , hips , bullice , slowes , and all manner of other wood séeds whatsoeuer , and as soone as they are sowne with strong oxe harrowes of iron , to harrow and breake the earth , in such fort , that they may be close and safely couered . and in the plowing of this earth , you must diligently obserue to turne vp your furrowes as déepe as is possible , that the séede taking strong and déepe roote , may the better and with more safety encrease , and defend it selfe against stormes and tempests , whereas if the roote be but weakely fixed , the smallest blasts will shake the trées , and make them crooked , wrythen , and for small vse but fire onely . after you haue harrowed your earth , and laide your séede safe , you shall fence your ground about with a strong and large fence , as hedge , ditch , pale , or such like , which may kéepe out all manner of foure-footed b●asts , for comming within the same , for the space of tenne yéeres after : for you shall vnderstand , that if any cattell shall come where young wood is péeping aboue the earth , or whilst it is young , tender , and soft , they will naturally crop and brouse vpon the same , and then be sure that the wood which is so bitten , will neuer prosper or spring vp to any height , but turne to bushie shrubs and ill-fauoured tufts , pestring the ground without any hope of profit , whereas if it be defended and kept safe the space of tenne yéeres at the least , it will after defend it selfe , and prosper in despight of any iniurie : and then after that date you may safely turne your cattell into the same , and let them graze at pleasure , and surely you shall finde it a great reliefe for your young beast , as your yearling haiffers , bullocks , colts , f●●lies , and such like : for i would not wish you to let any elder cattell come within the same , because the grasse though it be long , yet it is sower and scowring , and by that meanes will make your cattell for labour weake and vnhealthie , whether it be oxe or horse , and for much-kine , it will instantly dry vp their milke , but for idle heilding beasts , whose profit is comming after , it will serue sufficiently . now if the earth whereon you sowe your wood , be a stiffe clay ground , and onely barraine through the extreamitie of colde , wet , or such like , as is séene in daily experience : you shall then plowe vp the ground at the end of ianuarie in déepe furrowes , as is before rehearsed ; and then let it rest till it haue receiued two or thrée good frosts , then after those frosts some wet , as either snow or raine , and then the next faire season after sowe it , as afore-said , and harrow it , and you shall sée the mould breake and couer most kindely , which without this baite , and order , it would not doe , then fence it as afore-said , and preserue it from cattell for tenne yéeres after . and here is to be noted that one oake growing vpon a clay ground , is worth any fiue which growes vpon the sand , for it is more hard , more tough , and of much longer indurance , not so apt to teare , ryue , or consume , either with lyme , rubbish , or any casuall moysture , whence it comes that euer your ship-wrights or mill-wrights desire the clay oake for their vse , and the ioyner the sand oake for smoothnesse and waynscote . and thus much for the sowing of wood , and his generall vses . chap. ii. the deuision of vnder-woods , their sale , and profit . whosoeuer be a lord or master of much vnder-wood , which is indéede young spring-wood of all kindes , growing thicke and close together , either from the séede , as is declared in the former chapter , or from the rootes of former salles , the first being a profit begotten by him selfe , the other a right left by purchase or inheritance , and desire , as it is the dutie of euery vertuous husband , to make his best and most lawfullest profit thereof , hauing not left vnto him any president of former commodity . in this case you shall suruay the whole circuit of your wood , with euery corner and angle there vnto belonging , and then as your abilitie and the quantity of your ground shall afford , you shall deuide your whole wood either into twelue , seauentéene , or one and twenty parts of equall acres , roodes , or rods , and euery yeare you shall sell or take to your owne vse one of those parts , so that one following yearely after another , our sales may continue time out of minde , and you shall imploy as you please so much wood euery yeare of either twelue , seauentéene , or one and twenty yeares growth . and in this you shal note that the sale of one and twenty , doth farre excéede that of seauentéene , and that of seauentéene as farre that of twelue : but in this it is quantity , and your necessity that must direct you , and not my demonstration : for there be fewe husbands but know that an acre of one and twenty yéeres growth , may be worth twenty , nay thirty pounds , that of seauentéene worth eight or ten pounds , and that of twelue , fiue and sixe pounds , according to the goodnesse of the wood , insomuch that the longer a man is able to stay , the greater sure is his profit : but fewell and fence must of necessity be had , and if a man haue but twelue acres of wood , i sée not but he must be forced to take euery yéere one acre for his owne reliefe , and if hée take more , hée must either necessarily spoyle all , or driue himselfe into extreame want in fewe yeares following : and therefore it is méete that euery good husband shape his garment according to his cloath , and onely take plenty where plenty is ; yet with this husbandly caution that euer the elder your sale is , the richer it is , as you may perceiue by the well husbanded woods of many bishoprickes in this land , which are not cut but at thirtie yeares growth . when you haue made your deuisions according to your quantity , you shall begin your sale at an out-side where cariages may enter without impeachment to the springs you intend not to cut , and a pole or halfe pole according to the quantity of ground , you shall preserue ( being next of all to the outmost fence ) to repaire the ring fences of your wood , and to seperate the new sale from the standing wood : and this amongst woodwards is called plash-pole . then at the latterend of ianuarie you may begin to cut downe your vnder-wood , and sell it either by acres , roodes , perches , poles , roddes , or dozens , according to the quantitie of your earth , or the abilitie of your buyers . and in this sale i cannot set you downe any certaine price , because true iudgement , and the goodnesse of your wood must onely giue you direction , things being euer valewed according to their worth and substance , and this sale or the cutting downe of vnder-wood , you may continue from the latter end of ianuarie , till midde aprill , at which time the leafe begins to bud forth , or somewhat longer if necessitie vrge you : the like you may also doe from the beginning of september , at which time the leafe beginnes to shed till the middest of nouember . now for the manner of cutting downe your vnderwoods , although the lawes of the kingdome shew you what dutie you shall performe therein , what timber you shall preserue , and how néere each weauer shall stand one to another , yet i would wish you both for your owne and the common-wealths sake , to performe somewhat more then that to which you are by law compelled , & therefore you shall giue direction to your wood fallers , that when they shall méete with any faire and straight well growne sapling , oake , elme , ash , or such like , to preserue them , and let them stand still , being of such fit distance one from another , that they may not hinder , or trouble each other in their growing , and when you shall finde vpon a cluster many faire plants or saplings ; you shall view which is the fairest of them all , and it preserue onely , and the rest cut away , that it may prosper the better : also if you finde any faire and well growne fruit trées , as peares , chesnuts , seruisses , and such like , you shall let them stand and cleare them from the droppings of the taller trées , and you shall finde the profit make you recompence . now for the generall cutting vp of the wood , you shall cut it about sixe inches aboue the ground , and drawing your strokes vpward , cut the wood slope-wise , for that is best to hasten on the new spring ; and those weauers or young which you preserue and suffer to growe still , you shall prune and trimme as you passe by them , cutting away all ●●perfluous branches , twigges , and young spyers , which shall grow either néere vnto the roote , or vpon any part of the boale , which is fit to be preserued for timber , and if you shall finde that the earth haue by any casualty forsaken the root , and left it bare , which is hurtfull to the growth of the trée , you shall lay fresh earth vnto it , and ram the same hard and fast about it . thus when you haue made an end of cutting downe your sale , and that the wood is cleansed and carried away , and all the loose and scattered stickes raked vp into seuerall heapes , and caried away also ; for it is the part of euerie good husband and woodward , not to sée any wood lye and rot vpon the ground : you shall then with the vnder-wood preserued in the plash-pole , deuide by a strong hedge this new cut downe sale from the other elder growne wood , and for tenne yéeres , as before is spoken , not suffer any foure-footed beast to come within the same ; from which rule you shall learne this lesson , that it is the woodwards duty euery day to looke ouer all his young springs , and if by any mischance or negligence cattell shall happen to breake into them ( as many times they doe ) then shall he not onely driue forth or impound such cattell , but also suruay how farre and which plants they haue cropt , and hauing spied them , with his wood bill , presently cut the plants so brouzed close by the bottomes of the last shuts , and then they will newly put forth againe , as well as if they had neuer béene hindred : which done , he shall finde out where the cattell brake in , and then mend the same , so well and sufficiently , that it may preuent the like mischiefe . also if these young springs shall stand néere vnto forrests or elder woods , which are full of wilde deare , and be no purfewes belonging vnto the same , the woodward then shall neuer walke without a little dogge following him , with which he shall chase such deare out of his young springs , because it is to be vnderstood , that the brouzing of deare is as hurtfull to young wood , as that of any other cattell whatsoeuer . and thus much touching the ordering and gouernment of vnder-woods , with their sales , and the nourishing vp of greater timber . chap. iii. of high-woods , and their plantation . high woods are those which containe onely trées for timber , and are not pestred or imbraced with the vnder growth of small brush wood , such as hazels , white-thorne , sallowes and poplar are ; these for the most part consist of oakes , ash , elme , béech , maple , and such like , growing so remote and seperate one from another , that although their tops and branches méete , and as it were infolde one within another , yet at the rootes a man may walke or ride about them without trouble . these high woods had their first beginnings from the séede , as was before declared , and nourisht from age to age amongst the vnder-woods , which , when men began to want foode for their bréede-cattell , and that from the super-abundance of young woods , they found some might conueniently be spared , they forth-with in stead of cutting downe their young wood aboue the earth , began to digge it vp by the rootes , and with stubbe axes to teare the meane sinewes from the ground , so that it might not renew or encrease againe , and then leuelling the earth , and laying it smooth and plaine , to leaue nothing standing but the tall timber trées , betwéene which the grasse had more libertie to growe , and cattell more abundance to féede on , and all be not so long and well able to fill the mouth , as that which growes in the thicke springs , yet much more swéet and better able to nourish any thing that shall graze vpon the same , by reason that the sunne and frosts hauing more frée power to enter into the ground , the earth is so much the better seasoned , and bringeth forth her encrease with more swéetnesse . some are of opinion , that these high woods may as well be planted as sowne , and that many of them from the first beginning haue béene so , to which opinion i consent in part : for doubtlesse i am perswaded , that many small groues of ash , elme , béech and poplar haue béene planted , for we sée in our daily experience , and the new walkes in more-fields by london , are a perfect testimonie , that such plantations may be without trouble or danger : but for the oake to be taken vp and replanted , is very hard , and very seldome in vse , neither shall a man in an whole age sée any oake remoued come to perfec●●on or goodnesse , but growe crooked , knottie , and at the best , but for the vse of fewell onely : but for the other before rehearsed , you may remoue them when they are a dozen yeares of age , and plant them where you please : and if the earth haue in it any goodnesse at all , they will take rest and grow both spéedily , and plentifully . and since i am thus farre entred into the plantation of woods , i will shew you how you shall plant and remoue euery trée in his due manner and season . and first for the planting of the elme , which is an excellent trée for shadow , and the adorning of walkes or dwelling houses , you shall make choise of those plants which are straightest , soundest , the barke euen and v●twound , and at least eightéene or twenty inches in compasse : these you shall digge out of the ground , roote and all , then at the top of the head , about thrée fingers vnder the knot , where the maine armes seuerally issue forth , you shall a little slope-wise cut the head cleane off them , and mixing clay and a little horse-dung , or fine ashes together , couer the head round about there-with , then ouer the same wrap mo●se , or fine hay , and binde it about with fa●t clouen oziers , or some such like bands , then with a sharpe pruning bill cut euery seuerall branch of the roote with●● a finger or two of the stocke : which done , and the roote pickt cleane , you shall make a hole to be digged in the place , where you meane to plant the elme iust of that depth , the hole was from whence you digged out the elme , that so much and no more of the elme may be hidden in the earth , then was formerly at his remouing ; and this hole you shall make spacious and easie , and that the mould be soft and loose both vnderneath and round about the roote of the elme , which done , you shall place your elme in the same , straight and vpright , without either swaruing one way or other , which for your better certaintie , you may proue either with plumbe , leuell , or other instrument , which being perfected , you shall with rich fresh mould well mixt with olde meanure , couer and ram the same fast in the earth , in such sort , that no reasonable strength may moue or shake it : and all this worke must be done in the encrease of the moone , either in the moneth of october , or at the latter end of ianuary : but the latter end of ianuarie is euer helde the best and safest , for there is no question but you shall sée flourishing trées the next summer after : and in this sort you may likewise remoue either béech , witcher , or popler , bestowing them either in groues , walkes , hedge-rowes , or other places of shadow , as shall séeme best to your contentment : for their natures being alike , their growthes and flourishings haue little difference . now for the replanting or remouing the ash , though not much , yet there is some difference , for it is not at the first so spéedie a putter forth , and flourisher , as the others be : but for the first yeare laboureth more to bestow and fixe his roote in the earth , then to spread forth his vpper branches , and although some woodwards are of opinion , that so much as the ash is aboue the ground , so much hée will be vnder before he begin to flourish outwardly , yet experience doth find it erronious , for though it be for the first yéere a little flower then other trées , yet when it beginneth to flourish , it will ouer-take the spéediest grower . therefore when you do intend to plant ashes for a spéedy profit , you shall not according to the olde custome chuse the smooth , small , long plants , which are hardly thrée inches in compasse , and haue put out hardly any branches , and are such as grow from the rootes of elder ashes cut downe before , which our auncient woodwards haue vsed to slip or cleaue from those rootes , no , these are the worst sorts of plants : but you shall take the true ground-ash , which springeth from his owne proper roote , being smooth , euen , sound , and straight without bruise , canker , or other impediment . this you shall digge vp by the root , being as is before said almost twenty inches in compasse , and hauing cleansed the roote , you shall leaue each spray not aboue halfe a foote , or eight inches in length : but for the small thréeds or tassels of the roote , those you shall cut cleane away close by the wood , and so plant it in euery point , as was shewed you for the planting of the elme , onely the top thereof you shall by no meanes cut off , because it is a trée of pith , which to deuide or lay bare , wer● very dangerous ; and the best season for the planting of this trée , is euer in the encrease of the moone , at the fall of the leafe , which is from the beginning of october till midde nouember , and at no other time , for it would euer haue a whole winter to fasten his roote , and to gather strength , that it may bud forth his leafe the summer following . thus you sée how you may plant groues or copses at your pleasure , and make vnto your selfe high woods according to your owne pleasure . but you will obiect vnto me , that you liue in such a champaine countrey , that albe these plantations might bréede vnto you infinite pleasure , yet the pouerty thereof in wood is such , that these plants are not there to be found for any money . to which i thus answere , that in this kingdom● there is not any country so barraine , or farre off remote from wood , being a soyle fit to receiue wood : but his next neighbour-country is able to furnish him , especially with these plants at an easie reckoning : as for example , i hold northampton shire one of the barrennest for wood , yet best able to beare wood , and hath not he his neighbour huntington shire and leicester shire about him , where nurceries of these plants are bred and preserued for the sale onely ? nay , euen in holland , in lincolne shire , which is the lowest of all countries , and most vnlikely , to holde such a commodity , i haue séene as goodly timber as in any forrest or chase of this kingdome : and thus much for the planting of high woods . chap. iiii. of the preseruation , and sale of high woods . it is not sufficient for the husbandman to sowe , plant , and encrease wood about his grounds , conuerting his earth to the vttermost and extreamest profit that may spring from the same : but he must also be diligent to preserue and nourish his timber trées from all inconueniences that may any way annoy or afflict them : and to this end hée shall daily walke into his woods , and with a searching eye suruay euery trée which is of any account , and sée if he can finde any fault or annoyance about the same , and if casting his eye vp to the top , where the maine armes shoote forth themselues , he perceiue that by the breaking off of some arme or other riuen boughes , the wet and droppings of the leaues is sunke and fretted into the timber , which in time will corrupt the heart , and make the trée hollow . in this case he shall presently mount the trée , and with his bill , either cut the place so smooth that the wet may not rest thereon , or else hauing smoothed it so much as he may with conuenience , mixe stiffe clay and fine hay together , and with the same couer the place , in such manner , that it may put off the wet till it haue recouered new barke . if hée shall perceiue any of his younger trées to be barke-bound , that is , so stiffe and straitly tied within their owne ryndes , that they cannot encrease or prosper : in this case he shall with a sharpe drawing knife , made in the proportion of a narrow c draw and open the barke euen from the top of the bole of the trée downe to the roote , and then clap oxe-dung into those slits , let the trée rest , and in short space you shall sée it mightily encrease . if he shall perceiue that hornets , dores , or such like , haue found some little hollownesse in one of his trées , and séeketh there to shelter and hide themselues , which in little space they will soone make larger , he shall forth-with besmeare all the place with tarre and goose-dung , and it will driue them thence . if he shall finde that by the droppings of other trées , some of his trées shall grow cankerous , and loose their barke , which is an accident very vsuall , and the trées whose barkes are so lost , will with great difficulty after prosper . in this case he shall annoynt the place with tarre and oyle mixt together , and then couer the place with clay , where the barke is wanting . if he shall perceiue any pismyer hilles or beds to be made against any of his trées , which is very noysome , for they are great destroyers of the barks of trées : he shall then with hot scalding water kill them , and throw the hill downe leuell and plaine with the earth . if he shall finde any iuy , woodbine , or mystletoe to grow in or about any of his principall trées , which doe strangle , suffocate , and kéepe them from encreasing , he shall forth-with digge vp the roots thereof , and then cut it away or loosen it from about the barks of the trées . lastly , if he shall perceiue that by thunder , lightning , or other plantarie stroakes , any of the armes of his well growne trées be blasted or slaine , he shall forth-with cut them away , euen close to the quicke wood , and make the place smooth and euen where they were ioyned : thus shall the carefull husbandman with a vigilant eye , regard euery enormous and hurtfull thing that may offend his timber , and by that meanes possesse more benefit from a fewe roodes , then others doe from many acres . now when either necessity or the vrgent occasions of any néedfull vse , enforceth the husbandman to make sale of any part of his tall wood , in which marchandise there is many prety and obscure secrets , such as are hard to be shewed by any uerball demonstration , for truly there is not any trucking or marting whatsoeuer , in which a man may sooner deceiue , or be deceiued , men buying and selling in a manner hood-winkt : for it is most certaine that no man can certainely tell either what peny-woorth hée selleth , or the other buyeth , so long as the trée is standing , there be in trées so many secret faults , and likewise when they are downe , and come to the breaking or burkning ( as the wood-man tearmes it ) so many vnexpected vertues , as for mine owne part i haue often séene a trée whose out-side hath promised all good hope , the barke being smooth and euen , the body large and great , and the armes high set on , and spaciously extended ; yet when this trée hath béene felled , and came to burkning , there hath béene found a hole in the top , which hath runne cleane through the heart , and vtterly spoyled the whole timber : so likewise on the contrary part i haue séene a trée very foule at the top , which is suspitious for rottennesse , whose armes haue growne so close and narrow together , that they haue promised little burthen , yet being cut downe , i haue séene that trée passing sound , the armes double the loades in valuation , and the price being lesse then any , the proofe and goodnesse to excéede all , so that i must conclude it all together impossible to set downe any fixed or certaine rules either for the buyer or seller : but for as much as there are diuers worthie obseruances for both parts , and that it is as necessary to buy well as sell well , i will runne through euery particular obseruation , which doth belong both to the one and the other partie , with which when a mans minde is perfectly acquainted , he may with much bolder confidence aduenture to buy or sell in the open market . the first thing therefore that either buyer or seller should be skilfull in , is the choyse of all sorts of timbers , and to know which is fit for euery seuerall purpose , the crooked and vneyely being for some vses of much higher price and reckoning then that which is plaine , straight , and euen growne , as thus for example . if you would buy timber for mill-whéeles , the heads of round turrets , or any kinde of any worke whatsoeuer , you shall chuse that which is crooked and some-what bent , bring sound , firme , and vnshaken . if you will chuse timber for summer trées , baulks , iawnies , or tracens , you shall chuse that which is most hartie , sound , and much twound , or as it were wrythen about , which you shall with great ease perceiue by the twinding or crooked going about of the barke , the graine whereof will as it were circle and la● round about the trée . this timber which is thus twound or wrythen , will by no meanes ryue or cleaue asunder , and therefore is estéemed the best to support and beare burthen , and the heart thereof will endure and la●● the longest . if you will chuse timber for pales , singles , copers-ware , wainscote , or such like , then you shall euer chuse that which is smooth , euen , and straight growne , without any manner of twynding or shaking , which you shall perceiue by the straight and euen growing vp of the barke , whose crests will ascend straight and vpright , euen from the roote to the bottome , which is an assured token that all such timber will shiuer and ryue into as thinne parts as a man would desire . lastly , if you would chuse timber to make pyles of , to driue into the earth , for the framing of weares with●● the water , the heads of ponds , or any other worke within the water then you shall chuse that which is most knottie ( so it be sound ) for that will driue without splitting , and continue in the earth the longest : and of all timbers the elme is accounted the best for this purpose , for it will continue almost euerlastingly in the earth without rotting ; yet notwithstanding , the oake is excellent good also : and thus much for the generall choise of oakes . now if you would chuse timber for weather-boards , or to be vsed in water-workes , or to make planks for low moyst uaults , then you shall chuse the biggest , soundest and smoothest growne elme , it is also excellent good to make kitchen tables of , or for boards , for the vse of butchers . if you will chuse the most principallest timber , for cart or waine axel trées , for the naues of whéeles , or for any other vse of toughnesse , you shall chuse the elme onely , for it excéedeth all other timbers , and though some husbandmen are of opinion , that the elme axel-trée when it is throughly heated , is then most apt to breake , they are much deceiued , for it will endure farre beyond ash or any other timber , except yewgh , which for the scarsity is now of little vse in such a purpose . and herein you must obserue , that the elme which you chuse for axel-trées must be straite , smooth , and without knots , but that which you chuse for naues , must be most knotty , twound , and the hardest to be broken or hewed asunder . if you will chuse timber for ploughes , ordinary axel-trées ( for those of elme are speciall ) the rings of whéeles harrow bulls , and such like , then you shall chuse the fairest , straightest , biggest , and smoothest growne ash that you can finde , and from the roote end vpward , you shall cut out a length of axel-trées , aboue it a length of shelbordes , and aboue it ( if the trée be so large ) a length for heads and skeathes , the largest armes which are somewhat bending , you shall elect for rings for whéeles , and so according to the bignesse of the ash , and as your eye can proportion out what will be made of the same , you shall make valuation thereof . if you would chuse timber for ioyned tables , cupbords , or bedsteds , you shall then make choise of the fairest walnut-trée you can finde , being olde , straight , vnknotted , and of a high boale : and although either oake , or ash will reasonably well serue for this purpose , yet the walnut-trée is by many degrées the best of all other , for it is of smoothest graine , and to the eye most beautifull , prouided that by no meanes you put it into any worke , before it be excéedingly well seasoned . if you would chuse timber for ioynt stooles , chaires , or chests , you shall then chuse the oldest peare-trée so it be sound , for it is both smooth , swéet , and delicate , and though it be a very soft wood , yet in any of these frames it is an excéeding long laster , and the heart thereof will neuer bréede worme , nor will it in any time loose the colour . if you would chuse timber for trenchers , dishes , or any tourners ware , or for any in-laying worke , you shall then make choise of the fairest and soundest maple , being smooth and vnknotted , for it is the plainest graine , and the whitest wood of all other : and although either the béech or poplar will reasonably well serue for these purposes , yet is neither the colours so good , nor the timber so long lasting . many other trées there are which may serue for many other purposes : but these are of most vse for our english husbandman , and will sufficiently serue to passe through all his businesses . touching char-coale , you shall vnderstand , that oake , elme , and ash , make your longest and best en●uring coale : the birtch the finest and brightest coale , and the béech or sallow the swiftest coale . now for your small coale , the twigges of the birtch makes that which kindles the soonest , and the white-thorne that which endures the longest . thus when you know how to chuse euery seuerall trée , and the true vse and profit which can any way be made of the same , and by a practised experience can cast by the suruay and view of a standing wood , the almost entire profit that may arise from the same , deuiding in your memory how many are for euery seuerall purpose , and to what reckoning they may amount one with the other , and blemishing ( if you buy ) the good with the bad , or making good ( if you sell ) the bad with those good-ones which grow néere them , you may then boldly venture into any sale either as buyer or seller at you pleasure , and sure if you know ( as it is fit you should doe ) the market-able prices of all sorts of timbers in those places , where you are either to buy or sell , as what a mill-post is worth , what so many inches of well squared timber , contayning so many foote in length , what a dozen of boards of such a size , what so many naues , spoakes , rings , sparres , or tracens , or what so much sound and good plough-timber is worth , and then looking vpon a trée , and computing what may euery way be made of the same , allowing the wast which will hardly sometimes defray the charge of breaking vp the trée , you cannot but with great ease draw into your minde the true value of euery trée , and the vttermost profit or losse may any way rise from the same . and in this worke i would haue you to obserue this rule very carefully , that is , when you come to any great timber-trée , to fathome or embrace it about with both your armes , and then knowing what quantity your fathome is , and how many fathome girdleth the trée round about , you may from former experience giue a certaine gesse what inches of squared timber that trée wil beare , for if you haue found in former trials that twice your fathome in the rough barke hath borne twenty , or two and twenty inches squared , and now finde that the present trée on which you looke , is no lesse , but rather with the bigger , you may boldly presume , that being sound , this trée can carrie no lesse square of good timber : and thus much for the knowledge and choise of tall woods . now to come to the seasons & fittest times for sale of these high woods : you shall vnderstand that it is méete for euery good husband which intendeth to sell any of his high woods● to walke into the same immediately after christmas , & whether they be in woods , groues , hedge-rowes , or other places , to marke with a speciall marke all 〈◊〉 trées which he intendeth to sell , as well for the 〈◊〉 and cleansing out of all such as are decayed and wast●● , 〈◊〉 also to know the true number of both the good and bad , and thereby in some measure to compute the profit which will arise from the same , for to make sale of them otherw●se confusedly , might bring much losse to a man happily , selling away those that would encrease their valewes , and kéep●ing them which daily would decrease their goodnesse , or so vnorderly vnmixing his wood , that where one faire and good trée would draw a mans eye from beholding diuers which are doated , now that onely taken away , the rest will remaine , and neuer be sale-able , and therefore euer as néere as you can so suite and match your trées together , that in your sales you may neuer passe away an absolute worthie trée : but you may euer couple some which haue defects to goe with it , as in these dayes we sée warri●e●s and poulters sell rabbets , a fat and a leane euer coupled together . when you haue thus marked out what you meane to sell , and disposed your sale according to your best profit , after notice giuen vnto the country in the market townes néere adioyning , you shall begin your 〈◊〉 the candlemasse following , which sale you may continu● all the spring , according to the greatnesse thereof , or the quicknesse of buyers . now for any rules or orders to be obserued in these sales , i can prescribe you none certaine , because it is méete that euery one binde himselfe to the customes of the country in which he liueth , whose va●●●tions are diuers , for almost euery one is seuerall , onely in the maine they holde together , which is that they seldom● make publike sales for money downe vpon the head , but for a certaine payment some fewe moneths after , which makes the marchandise more lookt to , and the sales goe away the faster ; and in this the sales-man must be circumspect in the choise of his chap-men , and where h●● findeth any doubt there to make one neighbour 〈◊〉 bound for another , as for the earnest penny it is ●uer 〈◊〉 and aboue the price , and must be laide downe at the binding vp of the bargaine , which earnest is in some countries foure pence in the pound , in some eight pence , and in some twelue pence , according to the goodnesse of the timber , and hath euer béene taken for a fée due to the sales-man for his paines and attendance : and sure if he be carefully honest , it is a merrit well bestowed : if otherwise , it is much too much for falshood , for in him consists the owners losse or profit , and therefore it may become any man , of what place so euer , to take a strickt account from such an officer : or if he haue any doubt euer to ioyne with him in commission , another of contrary faction . when you haue made sale of your timber , you shall by no meanes let it be cut downe till the end of aprill , at which time the sap ascending vpward , will loosen the bark , and make it come from the body of the trée easily . you shall cut your timber downe close by the earth , not digge it vp by the rootes , vnlesse you meane vtterly to destroy it , for from the spurnes of the roote will arise new spiers , which in processe of time , will come to another trée . as soone as you haue felled your oakes , you shall with your axe immediatly whilst the sap is wet , take all the bark● from the body and the armes , and setting it end-wayes vp one by another , so place it , that the winde may passe through it , and dry it , and then fell it to the tanners , which will giue you a good price therefore , according to the worth and scarsity thereof . when your trées are barkt , you shall then sawe the body into such lengthes of timber , as shall be méete for the purpose for which it is bought , or in such sort as it may be best portable : the armes also you shall hewe from the body , and so burken or breake them vp , as they may be fit to be loaded : all which done , and the timber caried away , you shall , if you intend to haue the wood renew , fence in the sale , and kéepe it safe from cattell : and thus much for the preseruation and sale of ●igh woods . chap. v. of the breeding of wood in rich champaine soyles . nature which is the most perfect worke-mistresse of all things ( as all the philosophers say ) but i say our good god out of his most diuine wisedome , hath allotted to euery soyle , if we will note it , through the whole course of this kingdome , particular profit to sustaine and maintaine it , as to some mines , to some timber , and to some fertility of grasse and corne , and where any one of these are , there commonly some of the other is euer wanting , as we 〈◊〉 daily in our experience ; and for as much as in the fruitfull and fertill soyles of this land , of which wée estéeme the wealthie vales , as that of essam , white horse , beluoire ● and many others the best , there is euer great scarsitie of wood , the very wealthinesse of the soyle it selfe almost denying to beare such burden , because for the most part the stifnesse of those clayes is contrary to their growth , yet for as much as the necessitie and vse of wood is so great and valuable , i would perswade euery good and worthy husbandman to endeauour himselfe with all his vtmost power and strength , to plant wood in euery conuenient place round about him , and not to take the rules of the ignorant for his lesson , that sith neuer any did grow there , therefore neuer any will grow there : for it is absurd and foolish : nor to say because my auncestors haue neuer done it why should i attempt it ? these arguments are made from a false ●●gure , and the husbandman must remember that his dutie is industrie , and encrease not altogether imitation and president , and he must as seriously finde out new and néerer profits , as hold those he hath learned : and therefore ●e shall endeauour by all commendable labour to haue euer about him whatsoeuer is necessarie for his vse : but you will peraduenture aunswere me , that to plant woods in these rich soyles , were very much losse , because the fertilitie thereof will yéeld a much better profit . to this i reply , that i would not haue you plant any spacious piece of ground with wood , but onely your ditches , hedges , and such wast earthes , as almost denie any other profit , and that the want of wood in those places may not discourage you , to imagine that wood will not grow there . doe but view the cytes of euery towne in those rich countries , the seates of noblemen & gentlemens houses , and the parks which commonly are adioyning there-vnto , and you shall hardly sée any of them without the fellowship & acquaintance of some wood , which in times past hath béene planted either for defence or pleasure , and from thence collect that if wood will grow with my next neighbour , then why not with me , so long as the soyle doth not alter ? but labor vincit omnia improbus , true industrie was neuer fruitlesse . then for the generall good both of your selfe & your neighbours , looke that you replenish all your ditches & ring fences , with good store of quick-set , that is to say , all that lye high , & out of the danger of water , with white-thorne , black-thorne , and bryer , and those which are low & subiect to washing , with willowes , sallowes , and ozyers . now for as much as it is not enough to say vnto the husbandman do this , but that i must also shew the manner of doing thereof : i will shew you briefly how to set all manner of quick-sets , and first for the white-thorne , black-thorne , brye● or such like , which must stand frée from inundation , you shal when you enclose any piece of ground , after you haue markt out the true breadth of your dyke vpon the in-side thereof , and close by the verdge of the dyke , cut with your spade a little trough , halfe a foote or there-abouts in breadth & depth , in which trough or small gutter , you shall lay the rootes of the first rowe of your quick-sets , so as the top ends may looke vpward , & a little bend in towards the ditch , & these quick-sets you shall place within lesse then a foot one of another : then with your spade beginning to make your ditch , you shall with the 〈◊〉 cleane mould , couer all the rootes close and fast , so as they will not shake nor stirre with your hand , then hauing r●●sed the banke of your dyke , and couered the lowest 〈◊〉 of quick-set more then halfe a foote , and broken the earth so , as it may lye close and handsome together : you shall then after the same manner lay another rowe of quick-set ouer the first , i meane not one quick-set directly ouer another , but the second rowe placed as it were in the mid●● betwéene two of the first , though at least halfe a f●●te higher : then you shall couer that rowe like the former , and ouer it place a third , which shall stand directly opposite , and ouer the first , so that in their growth the middle rowe shall as it were grow betwéene two of the lowest , and two of the highest : and then vpon this vppermost rowe lay the remainder of your earth , and make your barke perfect , and in this sort finishing one yard of the ditch after another , you shall at length bring your labour to the end of your desire . now in this labour you are to obserue som● speciall things , as first to looke well vpon your sets before you put them into the ground , and be sure that they be gréene , young , and vntainted , then that the rootes 〈◊〉 cleane , and no small thréeds or iagges hanging about them . and lastly , that they stand vpright , and not aboue foure or fiue inches without the earth at the most , then shall you looke well to the making of your banke , and lay the earth so as it may not flip or fall backe into the dyke , so as the raine may wash away the mould , and leaue the rootes bare : but let all things be done strongly and artificially . the best seasons for this worke is the moneths of february , march , and aprill , or september , october , and some part of nouember : if the weather be dry aboue head , when you haue set your quick-set , you shall make a dead hedge vpon the top of the new banke , to kéepe th●se cattell which are within your ground , from breaking forth or hurting the quick-set : and another small fence on the lowe verdge of the dyke which is outward , to kéepe those cattell which graze without from running into the dyke , and hurting the quick-set . now after a spring and fall is past , you shall suruay all your quick-set and wéede it cleane from all manner of filthinesse that doth choake or stifle it , and scratching the fresh mould about it giue comfort to the roote : then if yo● perceiue that any of your sets be dead , you shall plucke them vp , and place new in the roome , and if any be blasted in part , and not cleane killed , you shall cut away so much as is blasted , and let the rest remaine , you shall looke well to the caterpiller and other wormes , which mightily deuoure quick-sets , especially in these fat countries , and if you finde any taint of them , destroy them as is shewed you in a former chapter . after your quick-set is come to the age of thrée yéeres , and that the banke is setled and swarth growne thereon , you shall then within the body of your hedges plant all manner of great trées , as ash , béech , maple , and such like , and also all manner of fruit trées , as aples , peares , plums , wardens , and such like , and in the first thrée yéeres be very carefull to preserue each in his true proper nature , and doe to them all the rights which is due to their growth , and in that time obserue which kinde of trées in the generality prospereth best , and agréeth most naturally with the soyle . and of those trées s●e that you flourish your grounds most plentifully , the particular manner of planting whereof is already formerly declared . and hence doth kent and worcester shire boast of their fruit , windsor , sherwood , and hollam shire their oakes , and other particular countries their particular commodities . now for the setting of willow , sallow , and oziers , it is a thing so vsuall and common , that it néedeth no great art in the relation , yet because i would be loath that any omission should be taken for negligence , you shall vnderstand that in setting them you must first respect the place , which would euer be lowe and moyst , the water sometimes washing them , sometimes cooling them , and euer giuing them comfort . now to speake fir●● 〈…〉 low , it would be euer planted vpon bankes , wher● 〈…〉 stand more dry then wet , for such prosper be●t , and ●●dure longest , as for proofe some will continue , twelue , ●●●●teene , nay one and twentie yéeres , where as those which are set close by the water , will hardly endure 〈…〉 not aboue nine yéeres at the most . touching their pla●●ing , they be set two manner of wayes , but which is the best , is not yet agréed on amongst husbandmen . the first is to take an a●gure full as large in compasse ( 〈◊〉 much shorter ) as that where-with you boare pump● and with it boare a hole in the earth two-foote , and a 〈◊〉 déepe , then hauing headed some of the choysest w●●●lowes you haue , take the fairest and straightest of th●se lops , and then cutting them sloape-wise at both ends , and leauing no superfluous twigs cleauing there-vnto , put the bigger end downe very hard into the earth , and then with the mould which came forth , with the augure 〈◊〉 the earth close and hard about the set , so as no reason●●ble strength may shake it . now there be other husband●men which in stéed of the augure take onely an oaken 〈◊〉 ash stake , of the bignesse of an vsuall set , and with a b●●●tell driue it into the ground two foote and a halfe , and the● by shaking and opening the earth , pull it out againe & then put in the set as is before shewed , and beate 〈◊〉 tread the earth close there-vnto , and there is no 〈…〉 the well prospering thereof . now for the defects which husbandmen finde in these two seuerall plantings . some say , that the augure taketh out so much earth , that the set cannot but stand loose at the roote , and so wanting full hold of the earth , either takes not at all , or continues but a little space . others say that the driuing in of the 〈◊〉 beates the earth so hard together , that it withstandeth the passage of the tender sprouts , & so killeth the set , but 〈◊〉 are deceiued : for these are but suppositions , and expe●●●ence daily shewes vs , that these are the best and 〈◊〉 wayes of setting of all sorts of willowes that euer 〈◊〉 time brought forth , and i haue knowne one man set this way two hundreth sets in a day , of which not one hath failed , but all prospered . now for your sallowes , you shall set them , and chuse the sets in all poynts as you doe the willow , onely they would be placed a little néerer the water , for they delight some-what more in moysture , as for the ozier it would be set like other quick-set in the side of bankes , so as it may almost touch the water , and as your willowes or sallowes would be set a little remote one from another , as namely tenne foote asunder : so these must be set close together , and in thicke rowes one against another : and these ozier plants you must cut from their head , being the principall spiers which grow thereon , and then cut off their tops , leauing them not aboue two foote long at the most , and of all other they are the quickest in growing . and although willow , sallow , and ozyer , are in our lawes estéemed but as wéedes and no woods , yet they be so profitable , that the husbandman can hardly misse them , the willow and sallow seruing for fence and fewell , to make harrowes , cart-saddles , & horse hames , and the ozyers , for fish leapes , or wéeles , for baskets , scuttels , fans to winnow with , and many other things full as necessary : therefore if you haue any marish grounds that are vselesse , bogge-myers , or ilands in great riuers , let them be imployed to the nourishing of these profitable wéedes , and by making draynes through them to giue the water passage , you shall in small time bring them to earthes of great profit , which consideration were it rightly wayed , there would not be halfe so much wast ground as is in this kingdome . but to my purpose , when you haue planted these willowes , you shall after euery floud , sée if the water haue driuen any of them awry , or displease them , and immediately mend them , and set them vp straight againe . it any cattell shall pyll or barke them , you shall pull vp such settes , and place new in their roome . your willow set would by no meanes be to long 〈…〉 first setting , for then it will neuer beare a good 〈…〉 too short is likewise as vnprofitable , therefore it is hold to be fiue foote aboue the earth , is a length sufficient● you may head your willowes once in thrée yéeres , or 〈◊〉 at the furthest , and when you sée the bodies waxe hollow● you may cut them downe for the fire , and fixe new sets in their places . the ozier to come to his true profit and season , asketh much pruning and trimming , as namely you must kéepe the stocke lowe , and neuer aboue halfe a foote aboue the earth , you must picke them cleane from mosse , and from the slime and filth , which the euer-flow of the water will leaue vpon them : you shall prune the small spiers , and make them grow single one by another , and if any shoote out a double stalke , you shall cut it away , you may head them euery second yéere at the fall onely , and though some head them once a yéere , yet it is not so good husbandry , nor will the ozier be so tough or long lasting . the best seasons for the setting of the willow , sallow , or ozier is , either any part of the spring or fall , and the best time to loppe the willow or sallow , is in the spring for fence , and in the fall for timber or fewell : but the ozier would be cut at the fall of the leafe onely . and thus much for the bréeding of wood in the rich champaine countries . chap. vi. of plashing of hedges , and lopping of timber . hauing alreadie sufficiently in the former chapter spoken of the planting of all sorts of quick-sets , it is méete now that i shew you how to order the hedges being growne and come to perfection . know then that if after your hedge is come to sixe or seauen yéeres of age , you shall let it grew on without cutting or pruning , that then although it grow thicke at the top , yet it will decay and grow so thinne at the bottome , that not onely beasts but men may runne through it , and in the end it will dye and come to nothing , which to preuent , it shall be good once in seauen or eight yéeres to plash and lay all your quick-set hedges , in which there is much fine art and cunning to be vsed . for this plashing is a halfe cutting or deuiding of the quicke growth , almost to the outward barke , and then laying it orderly in a sloape manner , as you sée a cunning hedger lay a dead hedge , and then with the smaller and more plyant branches , to wreathe and binde in the tops , making a fence as strong as a wall , for the roofe which is more then halfe cut in sunder , putting forth new branches , which runne and entangle themselues amongst the olde stockes , doe so thicken and fortifie the hedge , that it is against the force of beasts impregnable . now to giue you some light how you shall plash a hedge , though diuers countries differ diuersly in those workes , yet as néere as i can i will shew you that which of the best husbandmen is the best estéemed . first , for the time of yéere either february or october , is passing good , and the encrease of the moone would likewise be obserued . for the tooles which you shall imploy , they would be a very sharpe nimble hatchet , a good bill , and a fine pruning knife . now for the worke you shall enter into it , first with your bill you shall cut away all the superfluous boughes and branches which are of no vse , or hinder your worke , and then finding the principall stemmes which issue from the maine roote , you shall within a foote or lesse of the ground with your hatchet , cut the same more then thrée quarters through , so as they may hang together by nothing but the outward barke , and some part of the outward sap , and this stroke must euer be sloape-wise and downeward : then take those mayne bodies of the 〈◊〉 set , so cut , and lay them sloape-wise from you , as you would lay a dead hedge , and all the branches which extend from those bodies , and would spread outwardly , you shall likewise cut as before said , and fould them 〈…〉 into your head , and euer within a yard or two distance , where a pretie plant growes straight vp , you shall onely cut off the top equall with the height of your hedge , and so let it stand as a stake , about which you shall folde and twind all your other branches . now when you come to the top of the hedge , which would commonly not be aboue fiue foote high , you shall take the longest , youngest , and most plyant boughes , and cutting them as afore-said gently binde in the tops of all the rest , and so make your hedge strong and perfect : and herein is to be noted , that the ●●eser and thicker you lay your hedge ( so there be nothing in it superfluous ) the stronger and better lasting it will be . many vse not to binde in the tops of their plasht hedge● , but onely to lay the quick-set and no more : but it is not so husbandly , neither is the hedge of any indurance : many other curiosities there be in the plashing of hedges , but this which i haue alreadie shewed , is sufficient both for the husbandmans benefit and vnderstanding . the profit which ariseth from this labour , is the maintenance and defence of fencing , the preseruing and encrease of quick-set , and a continuance of amitie amongst neighbours , when one liues frée from offending another . it yéeldeth a good mast for swine , and with the ouer-plus thereof at these times of plashings , repaireth all a mans dead hedges , and brings good store of fewell both to the brewhouse , kitchin , and backhouse . next to the plashing , is the lopping of timber-trées , which in those countries which are bare and naked of wood , is of much vse , and though i cannot much commend it , because it oft marreth the bodies of trées , yet i must allow it for necessary , because it is a néedfull rate , which the trées pay to their planters . this lopping or heading of trées , is the cutting off of the armes and vppermost branches of trées , and suffering the body to grow still , and it may very well be done once in eight or tenne yéeres , either at the beginning of the spring , or at the end of the fall , as you shall haue occasion to vse the wood , and immediately after the moone hath new changed . now for the manner of the worke , there is small curiositie to be vsed therein , if your axe be good and sharpe , for you shall but cut off the armes and boughes , smooth and cleane without nickes , rifts , or gutters , or any thing which may receiue wet , whereby the trée maybe cankred and spoyled . also in cutting away of the armes , you shall haue a great care rather to cut them away ( if it be possible ) vpward then downeward , least when you cut them downeward , the waight of the arme sodainly falling downe , riue and teare the barke of the body of the trée , which is dangerous , and hath béene the spoyle of much timber : which to preuent , you shall euer before you strike any blowe aboue , make a good large nicke vnderneath , and then after cut it downe from aboue , and so the trée shall receiue no hurt . also you shall obserue to cut the armes close by the body of the trée , and neuer to desist till you haue made the place as playne and smooth as may be , for to doe the contrarie , is neyther workmanly , nor the part of any good husband . and thus much touching the plashing of hedges , and lopping of trées . chap. vii . of pasture grounds , their order , profit , and generall vse . hauing alreadie sufficiently entreated of errable grounds , gardens , orchards , and woods of all kindes , i thinke it most méete ( as falling in his due place ) here to write of pasture grounds , which are of two kindes : the first , such pastures as lye in wood land , mountainous , or colde climes , and are enclined to hardnesse and barrennesse , and therefore onely imployed to the bréeding and bringing forth of cattell : the other such as lye in lowe , warme , and fruitfull soyles , and are most fertile and aboundant in encrease , onely imployed to the fatting and féeding of cattell . and now to speake of the first sort of pasture , which being some-what barraine , is preserued for bréeding , you shall vnderstand that it is generally dispierced ouer all this kingdome , and particularly into euery countrey , for according to the veanes and mixture of the earth , such is either the richnesse or pouerty of the same , and of those seuerall mixtures i haue spoken sufficiently before in that part of this booke , which entreateth of errable ground . then to procéede to my purpose , it is the first office of the husbandman when he séeth and knoweth the true nature of his earth , and perceiueth from perfect iudgement that it is of very hard encrease , which as the temper and mixture of the soyle assures him , so also he shall better confirme by these fewe signes and charracters , which i will deliuer : as first , if he sée grasse flow of growth , and that no spring will appeare before may. if in stead of clouer grasse , dandylion , and honisuckle , you sée your ground furnished with penigrasse , bents , and burnet . if you sée much knot-grasse or speare-grasse , or if you perceiue the scorching of the sunne burne away the grasse as fast as the raine had brought it forth : or if you finde quarries of stone néere vnto the vpper swarth of grasse ; or if your ground bring forth lyng , bracken , gorse , whynnes , broome , bilburie , or strawburie : or if your ground be morish , full of quick-myers , mossie or full of blacke flint , any of these signes make it to be most apparant that the soyle is barraine and of hard encrease . and then as before i said it is the husbandmans first office to prouide for the bettering and perfecting of his earth , which he shall doe in this sort . first , if he perceiue that the barrainnesse of his ground procéedes from want of good plants , as from want of clouer-grasse , dandylion , honisuckle , cowslop , and other swéet flowers , then he shall repaire into the fruitfull countries , and there buy the hay séedes and swéepings of hay-barne-flowers , which he shall euery spring and fall of the leafe sowe , as thin as may be , vpon such pastures , as he shall either lay for meddow , or preserue for the latter spring after michaelmas . but if he respect not the goodnesse of grasse , but the abundance of grasse , as those husbands doe which liue in or about great cities , then he shall dung those grounds which he will lay for meddow at candlemasse ; or those which he will graze or eate in the first beginning of the spring , at michaelmasse before , with the oldest and rottennest meanure he can get , of which the best is the rotten staddell or bottomes of hay-stackes , or for want of it the meanure of horse-stables , swéepings , and scowrings of yards and barnes , the mudde of olde ditches , or else good oxe or cow meanure , any of which will bring forth abundance of grasse . yet thus much i must aduertise the husbandman ; that this meanuring of pasture grounds carries with it diuers imperfections , for though it occasion abundance of grasse to growe , yet the meddow or hay which comes thereof , is so ranke , loggie , and fulsome in tast , that a beast taketh no ioy to eate thereof , more then to holde very life and soule together . also the grasse thus meanure which you intend to graze or eate with your cattell , is by meanes of the meanure so loose at the roote , that cattell as they bite plucke vp both the grasse , roote , and all , which being of strong & ranke sent in the mouth of a beast , maketh him loathe and cast it out againe , and so not striue to eate to be fat , but onely to maintaine life . now if your spring be slow , and late in the yéere before your grasse will appeare aboue ground , it is méete then that you enclose your ground , and not only maintaine the fences with high and thicke quick-sets , but also with tall timber-trées , whose shade and strength may defend many colde blasts from the earth , and adde vnto it a more naturall warmenesse then it had before , for it is onely the coldnesse of the soyle which makes the grasse long before it grow . also in this case it is méete that you lay ( as the husbandman tearmes it ) all such pasture as you intend to graze at the spring following , in nouember before , & so not being bitten from that time till aprill following , no doubt but your spring will be both good and forward . there be others which helpe their slow springing grounds by stocking them in the latter end of the yéere with great abundance of shéepe , who although they bite néere to the ground , and leaue little grasse behinde them , yet they so tread and meanure it with their hot meanure , that it will spring after it commeth to rest , much more early and faster then it was wont . so that to conclude in a word , to make a barren ground spring earely , is to kéepe it warme , let it 〈◊〉 long rest , and meanure it well with shéepe . if your ground be troubled with knot-grasse or speare-grasse , it is a signe of too much colde moysture in the earth , and in this case you shall with a great common plough , made for such a purpose , turne vp great furrowes through your ground , and make them so descend and fall one into another , that not onely the moysture bred in the earth , but that which falls vpon the earth , may haue a swift passage from the same , and so your soyle being drayned and kept dry , all those wéedy kindes of grasse will soone perish . if your ground be subiect to the scorching or burning of the sunne , then you shall vnderstand that it is directly contrary to the last soyle we spake of : for as that by too much moysture is made barraine by colde , so this by too much want of moysture is made barraine with heate : wherefore the husbandman shall in this case draw all his draynes , to bring moysture into his ground , which sometimes watring and sometimes ouer-flowing the same , will in the end bring it to a reasonable fertility , for it is a rule , that where there may be ouerflowes , there can seldome be any hurt by sunne-burning , vnlesse that such soyles be vpon limestone ground , or néere vnto other quarries of hard stone , which lying néere vnto the vpper swarth of the grasse , doth so burne the roote , that the vpper branches cannot prosper . in this case the bringing in of water doth rather hurt then good , wherefore your best course is partly by your owne industry , and partly by the labours of others , who are traded in such commodities , to let forth your ground to stone-diggers or lime-makers , who digging the quarries out of the earth , and then filling vp the emptie places with rubbish and other earth , the soyle will in short space become as fruitfull as any other , for it is onely the want of taking roote ; or the burning vp of the roote , which makes this kinde of earth barraine . now if your ground bring forth ling , braken , gorse , whinnes , or such like : you shall pare off the vpper swarth of the earth , and lay it in the sunne to dry , in the height or heate of sommer , and being throughly dried , you shall lay them in round hollow heapes one sod ouer another , then putting fire vnto them , burne them into ashes , which done , spread the ashes , like a meanure , ouer all the ground , and you shall sée those wéedes will no more spring or grow in that ground . if your ground be morish or full of quicke myers , you shall then by small draynes or trenches draw 〈◊〉 the water , and turne it into some lower ditch or 〈◊〉 and so bringing the ground to a stability or firmenesse , there is no doubt but fruitfulnesse , will presently follow after . lastly , if your ground be mossie , and bring forth in stead of grasse onely a soft fussie and vnwholsome mosse , your onely best way to cure the fault , is in the winter time to tread it much with the féete of cattell , as by making of hay-stacks in diuers parts of such ground , and so fodring your cattell about the same , and so yéerely altering the places of your stackes or réekes to goe ouerall your ground , & without doubt the treading of the ground will kill the mosse , and the meanuring of the cattell , and the expence of hay-séeds vpon the ground , will soone bring the earth to much fruitfulnesse and goodnesse . now for the generall vse of these barraine grounds , it is to be vnderstood , that albe by the meanes before shewed , they may be helpt or bettered , yet they are but onely for bréede or encrease of cattell . whether the grounds be seuerall and enclosed , or vniuersall and common : whether they be woods , parkes , or pastures , or heathes , mores , downes , or other wilde and vnlimitted places , and these grounds shall be deuided into thrée parts , the first and most fruitfullest lying lowest , lying néerest to the riuer or some running streame , you shall preserue for meddow , and not suffer any beast to bite vpon the same from candlemasse , vntill the hay be taken from the ground . the second part , you shall graze or eate from candlemasse till lammas , which would be that which lieth most plaine and bleake , and most subiect to all weathers . and the third part , which is the warmest and safest , you shall graze from all-hollantide till candlemasse , and betwixt lammas and all-hollantide you shall eate vp your eddish or after crop of your meddowes . now whereas i speake generally , that these barraine grounds are for the bréede of cattell , yet you shall vnderstand me particularly , as namely , what cattell for what soyle , for euery barraine earth will not bring forth cattell alike , as some will beare a faire cowe or oxe , yet but a little horse : and some will bring forth a very goodly horse , yet but a very little horned beast , therefore you shall obserue that if your ground lye any thing lowe , or be subiect to much moysture , and so not extreamely barraine , but although the spring be late , yet after it springeth , it yéeldeth a reasonable bit , this ground is fittest to bréede cattell vpon , as cowe , oxe , and such like : but if it lye high and dry , if it be stonie or mountainous , haue much reflection of the sunne : or though it be some-what more barraine then the former earth , and in the best part of the spring yéeld but a short , yet swéet bit , this ground is fittest to bréede a faire and large horse vpon : but if it be extreamely barraine colde and moyst , stonie or mossie , so it be replenished with any good store of underwood● then it is fit to bréede small hard nags vpon , or geldings of a meaner size , goates , wilde-swine , or such like . and lastly , if it be extreame barraine , colde , and dry , and altogether without any kinde of shelter , but subiect to euery blast whatsoeuer , this ground is fit onely to bréede shéepe vpon , as we sée by daily experience in the seuerall parts of this kingdome : so that to conclude , you shall beare in your memorie , that where you bréede your beast , would be reasonable bit : where you bréede your horse good ayre and warmth , and where you bréede your shéepe , there much spatiousnesse of ground . and thus much briefly for the nature and vse of your barraine grounds . now to procéede to your fruitfull and rich grounds , whose very encrease and abundance of grasse , without any other curious relation shewes their fertility , there is little obseruation to be held in the ordering & disposing of them , for being naturally good of themselues , there néedeth little art to the maintainance of the same , onely to haue an especiall care to the fencing and safe kéeping of them , to the due time of eating them with your cattell , and to obserue a fit proportion of rest for them , in which they may 〈◊〉 and gather head for the maintainance of such 〈…〉 shall féede vpon them . and to these , as an especiall 〈◊〉 aboue the rest , must be added a carefull diligence not to ouer stocke or leade your ground with more cattell then it may conueniently beare , for if your ground be neuer so fruitfull , if it be ouer-prest with multitudes of cattell , it cannot by any meanes yéeld you the profit of your expectation , but returne you losse and dammage . these fruitfull and rich grounds would be deuided into two parts , the one pastures , or grounds for continuall féeding or nourishing of cattell all the yéere , the other meddowes , from whence you shall gather your winters prouision of hay , for the preseruation of your cattell , which are either for labour or sale in the market , and of these two parts i will speake seuerally . yet before i begin to speake largely of them , it is méete you know the generall vse of these rich and fruitfull grounds , which is indéede the féeding or fa●ting vp of cattell , either for foode in your owne house , or for sale in the market , to the butcher , droner , or men of such like place or profession . for indéede to bréede much vpon these rich grounds , is neither profitable to the husbandman , nor is the beasts so bred , either so comely or market-able , as those bred in the harder soyles , as wée may note in our experience , if we will suruay the bréedes of cattell in gloster-shire , sommerset-shire , and lincoln-shire , which for the most part are bred vpon excéeding rich and fertile ground : yet if we take view of them , we shall finde that albe they are tall and large , yet they are of slender shape , leane-thighed , crumple-horned , and oft tender and dry skinned , which is a fault very note-worthie amongst graziers , and indéede are nothing so eyely and market-able , as those beasts are which are bred in yorke-shire , darby-shire , lancashire , and such like , all which are bred vpon hard and barraine grounds , yet haue goodly , large , and round bodies , close trust , thicke , and well coupled together , faire heads● veluet skinnes , and as the prouerbe is , are so beautifull in horne and haire , that they are euery mans money , in ●uery market . so that i conclude , that albe vpon the rich ground you may bréede good . cattell , and it is necessary also so to doe for the maintaynance of stocke , yet the generall vse , and that which is the greatest profit to the english husbandman , is to graze féede the same . now to procéede to my former purpose , touching that part of rich ground which i call pasture , because it is onely for féeding , you shall first prouide that they be very well fenced , according to the nature of the country , either with ditch , pale , rayle , dead hedge , or quicke-growth ●pon shall also sée that they be well stored with water , that is swéet and wholesome , for putrified water bréedeth many mortall and infectious diseases amongst cattell . these pastures must euer be your highest ground , and such as lye safest from inundations . those pastures which you lay or giue rest to from the beginning of nouember , you may féede at candlemasse following with heilding beasts , or such as are but beginning to féede , but with your fat beasts not till our ladies day after : those pastures which you lay or giue rest to at candlemasse , you may very well féede at may following : those which you giue rest to at may-day , you may féede at midsommer , for then the spring is swift and plentifull : those you lay at midsommer , you may féede at lammas , and those you lay at lammas , you may féede in october , and generally all the winter following : onely you shall obserue , that those pastures which lye most in danger of water , or any other casualtie , be first eaten , least by too long delaying ●n vnseasonable time come , a●d so you be both preuented of your hope and profit . in the ●ating of your pasture grounds , are many things to be obserued , as first for the feeding of your fat cattell , you must by all meanes be sure that they haue full bite , which is to say , length of grasse : for cattell , whose tongues are the principall gatherers vp of their foode , neither can nor will bite néere vnto the ground , except it be extreame hunger which compels them , and then they take little ioy in their foode . next you shall oft ( as any fit ●ccasion will giue you lea●e ) remoue and shift them into fre●h grounds , and not expect that they should eate your grasse downe to the bottome , but onely as it were sc●mme and take the vppermost and choisest part thereof , and so they will féede both swiftly and throughly : and for that grasse which they shall leaue behinde them , you shall eate if vp after them with your labouring or worke-cattell , and lastly with your shéepe . it is very good also amongst your fat beasts euer to haue a leane horse or two : for your fat beasts taketh delight to féede with them , and sometimes to bite after them , there being as it were a kinde of sympathie or liking of each others tastes . after your grasse is fully knit , and hath receiued his whole strength , which wil be at midsommer , then you may suffer your fat beast to eate a little néerer vnto the ground till after lammas , because there is an extraordinarie swéetnesse therein , springing from the heate of the sunnes beames onely . these few obseruations well kept , there is no doubt but your cattell will féede well to your contentment , then when you sée that they are sufficiently fed , according to the ayme of your purpose , whether it be for the vse of your houshold , or the vse of the market , you shall forth-with imploy them accordingly , for it is both the losse of time and money , not to put them off by sale or otherwise , so soone as they are come to the end of your desire . for those rich grounds will sometimes make two returnes in the yéere , sometimes thrée , which is a great profit . and i haue heard sometimes of ●ours , but it is very rare , and the cattell so returned must be very well stricken with flesh before they be put vnto féeding , but if your ground will returne leane beasts fat twice through the yéere , it is commodity sufficient . now because it is not sufficient to say sell or kill your cattell when they are fat , except you haue the art and skill to know the same , you shall obserue these few rules following , and they will sufficiently instruct you in the same . first , when you sée your beast in the generall shape and composure of his body shew most faire and beautitifull , each member being comely , and each bone couered , in such sort as a perfect shape requireth , as no eye is so stupid as cannot tell when a beast looketh well or ill-fauouredly , you shall then guesse the beast to be well fed , especially when you sée his huckle-bones round and not sharpe , his ribs smooth , not rough , his flankes full , his natch thick , and his cod round . this when you shall perceiue , you shall handle him , and griping him vpon the neathermost ribs , if you féele the skinne loose , and the substance soft vnder your hand , you may be well assured that the beast is very well fed outwardly , that is vpon the bones . you shall then lay your hand vpon his round huckle-bones , and if that féele , vnder your hand , soft , round and plumpe , you shall be assured that the beast is well fed both outwardly and inwardly , that is , both in flesh and tallow : then you shall handle him at the setting on of his taile , and if that handle bigge , thicke , full , and soft , it is a true signe that the beast is very well fed outwardly : then handle his natch-bones which are on both sides the setting on of his taile , and if they féele left and loose , it is a signe that he is well fed , both outwardly and inwardly . lastly , you shall handle his cod and nauell , if it be of an oxe , and the nauell onely if it be a cowe , and if they handle thicke , round , soft , great , and plumpe , it is a most assured signe that the beast is very well tallowed within . and thus when any of these parts or members shall handle in contrary manner , you shall indge of the contrary effects . and thus much touching the knowledge of a fat beast . now for the second part of these rich grounds , which are meddowes , they ought to be the most fruitfullest and richest of all other , lying low and leuell , and being now and then in the winter season washt with inundations , yet not too too much drencht or washt with the same : for as the moderate ouerflowing of waters enricheth and fertiles the soyle , so the too much soking or long resting of the water rotteth the earth , & bringeth it to barrainnesse , neither is it altogether necessary that euery meddowe should lye so low that it might be ouerflowed , for there be some high grounds which are frée from those floods which will beare meddow in very sufficient manner , & although the lower meddowes doe abound in the plenty of grasse , yet the higher grounds euer beareth the swéeter grasse , and it is a rule amongst husbandmen , that the low meddowes do fill , but the high meddowes do féede , the low are for the stable , but the high are for the cratch , and that which is long will maintaine life , but that which is short will bréede milke . the chiefest respect you shall haue to your meddowes , is to defend and preserue them from moales , and such like vermine , which roote vp the earth , and destroy the swéet and tender roots of the grasse . next , that you note in what places of the meddow the water standeth longest , & from thence , by small furrowes or draynes , to giue it a frée passage , so that the meddow may as it were cleanse & be dry in one instant . lastly , you shall maintaine the banks of all such ditches & other fences bordring about your meddowes in good and sufficient manner , both for kéeping out of water after your meddowes begin to grow , as also for kéeping cattell from eating them in the night or other times , which is a great depriuation and losse of the profit you expect to come from them : for you shall vnderstand , that if any ouerflow shall come vnto your meddowes after may , it will leaue such a sandy filthinesse in the grasse , that except very moderate showers fall swiftly , and sodainly , to wash it out againe , the hay which shall be got of that crop , will both be vnsauorie and vnwholsome , and bréed in your cattell many dangerous and mortall sicknesses . the best times for laying of meddowes to rest , is , if the meddow lye high , as in vp-land countries , or if the soyle be cold , or the springing thereof slow , at candlemasse : but if the ground be more warme , temperate , & of some more fertility , then you may lay it at our ladies day in march : but if the ground be most fruitfull , then if you lay it at may day , it will be early enough . also in the laying of your meddowes to rest , you shall consider the state of the ground , as whether it be eaten néere and bare , and with what cattell , as horse , oxen , or shéepe : if it haue béene eaten bare with oxen or horse , then you shall lay it earlier in the yéere , for it will aske a longer time to grow againe : but if it haue béene eaten with shéepe ( although they bite néerest to the ground ) yet you may lay it so much later , because the meanure which they bestow vpon such good ground , will quickly hasten on the spring : but if your meddowes haue not béene eaten bare , but haue a good déepe fogge vpon them still , then you may lay them the latest . also in the laying of meddowes , you shall consider whether they be common or priuate , if they be common meddowes , and that no olde custome binde you to the contrary , you shall lay them to rest earely in the yéere , that recouering a forward spring , you may cut them so much the sooner , and so haue the better after-crop , and the longer time to eate it : but if your meddow be priuate , and at your owne particular disposing , then you shall lay it according to your owne necessitie , and the goodnes of the soyle , obseruing euer to giue it full time of growth , and not to cut it till the grasse be full ripe , for it is better to let it grow a wéeke too long ( so the weather be seasonable for the withering of it ) then to cut it two dayes too soone , because when it is too earely cut , it not onely looseth the strength and goodnesse , but also the substance and waight , and in the drying shrinketh and wasteth to nothing . touching the fittest time to cut or mowe your meddowes : if they be laid in a due season , it is held of all the best english husbandmen generally to be a wéeke or a fortnight after midsommer day , as namely about the translation of thomas , which is euer the seauentéenth day of iuly , and without question it is a very good time for all men to begin that labour , if their grounds be fruitfull and of earely growth : but in as much as diuers grounds are diuers in their growth , some being much more hastie then other some : and for as much as some meddow may as well grow too long as too little a time , as in high land countries , where the heate and reflection of the sunne will burne and consume away the grasse , if it be not gathered in a due season , i would therefore wish euery good husbandman about a wéeke before midsommer , and a wéeke after , to view his meddowes well , and if he sée them turne browne , if the cock heads turne downeward and stand not vpright , if the bels and other vessels of séede open and shed their séedes , if your honisuckles haue lost their flowers , and the penigrasse be hard , dry , and withered , then you shall truly vnderstand that your meddow is ripe and ready to be mowne , and the longer it standeth , the more it will loose of the substance , and when any of the contrary signes appeare , as when the meddow lookes gréene and fresh , the cock-heads looke vpright , the bels are close and hard , the honisuckles flowring and purple , and the penigrasse soft and moyst , then is your meddow not readie to cut , nor will the hay that is so gotten be other then soft , fuzzie , and most vnwholsome , no beast taking delight to eate of the same . now to these considerations , you shall adde a carefull obseruation of the state and inclination of the weather , and if you finde that the weather is disposed to much wet or incertaintie , then you shall forbeare to mowe , because that moysture will still maintaine and hold the graffe in his perfect strength so long as it groweth : but if it be once cut downe , then the wet will soone rot and spoile it : but if you finde the weather enclined to drought and fairenesse , then you shall with all spéede cut downe your hay , for one loade got and brought into the barne without raine , is worth two that hath béene washt , though but with the smallest shower . there be some husbandmen that in the mowing of their meddowes , will obserue the state of the moone , and other planetarie coniectures , but they are fitter for those which séeke curiositie more then profit , for mine owne part i would wish euery good husband but to know truly when his crop is ripe , and then to gather it in the most constant and fairest seasons , which the rules already set downe will most amply shew him . now for the manner of mowing your meddowes , although the generall act resteth in the hands of the mower , and that it is hard and impossible , in words , to expresse the art of the a●tion , nor is it néedfull that euery husbandman be a mower , yet for those rules which the english husbandman should know and obserue , i will in no sort omit them . you shall then know that in the mowing of your meddowes you shall mowe them smooth , plaine , and leuell , and as the husbandman tearmes it , with such an euen board , that a man may no more but discerne the going in and comming forth of the sythe : and this shall be done so close and neere vnto the ground , as is possible for the worke-man to get , especially if it be in publique and common meddowes , because the swap and first crop is all the maine profit you can challenge your owne : nay , you shall doe it also in your owne priuate and seuerall meddowes : for although an ignorant custome haue drawne some of our husbandmen , to say and beléeue that there is no loose in the fleight and insufficient mowing of priuate meddowes , because say they , what i loose in the barne , my cattell findes on the ground , yet they are much deceiued in that opinion , for what they so leaue on the ground halfe cut halfe vncut , is no good foode , neither pleasant nor sauourie , but dry , hard , and bitter , and indéede no better then sower fogge , which may fill , but cannot nourish , and who then will be so simple , as not to preferre swéet hay before such vnsauourie grasse ? therefore be carefull to mowe your grasse euen , and close by the ground , for it will make the fresh grasse spring vp with more ease , and be much pleasanter in taste . next after the mowing of your meddowes , followeth the making of your hay , which is a labour that must be followed with great care and diligence , for it is an old saying , that dearth beginneth at the hay-barne dore , and ●e that is negligent in that , can hardly be good husband 〈◊〉 any thing else , then to shew you how you shall make your hay , you shall first vnderstand that no one particular forme can stand for a generall rule , because hay must be made according to the nature of the grasse , and the soyle where it groweth , some being apt to wither and make soone , as that grasse which is finest , and hath in it least weédes , ●thers will be long in making , as that which is full of thicke , strong , and sower grasse , many wéedes , bunnes , and such like hard stalkes , which are not easily dried , therefore it is the part of euery good husbandman , either by his eye and knowledge to iudge of the nature of his grasse , or else to follow the customes of the country and soyle wherein he liueth , but the first , knowledge , is the better science . but to procéede to my purpose , i will in the natures of two sorts of grasse , the one fine , the other course , shew you the generall making of all sorts of hay . first , then for the making of your fine rich grasse into hay , if it grow in great abundance , thicke and close , and so lieth in the swathe , you shall haue one with a pitch forke to follow the mowers , and to spread and throw the grasse thinne abroad , that the ayre and sunne-beames may passe through it : and this is called in most countries ●edding of hay . the next day , after the sunne hath taken the dewe from the ground , you shall turne that which the day before you tedded , and then if you haue any more new mowen , you shall ted it also . the next day following , as before , when the dewe is from the earth , you shall turne your hay againe , and so letting it lye till the sunne be at his height , begin to stir it againe , at which time if you finde it is reasonably well withered , you shal then draw it into windrowes , that is , you shall marke which way the winde standeth , and the same way that it bloweth , the same way with forks & rakes one after another , gather in the hay into long , great , thicke rowes : then you shall make those windrowes into large cockes , of which the biggest is euer the best , for they will defend themselues from raine , if happily any shall fall , whereas the little small cocke lying light together , taketh in the raine like a spunge , and so makes the hay a great deale much worse then otherwise it would be ; when your hay is thus set in safe cocke , you shall let it rest a day or two , that it may take a little sweat therein , which will make the hay wondrous pleasant and swéet , then when the sunne is got vp to a pretie height , you shall open those cockes , and after the sunne and winde hath passed through them , you may if the grasse be cleane & fine of it selfe , without ranke grasse , load it , and carrie it either into the barne , or such other place , as you haue appointed for the receit thereof : but if it haue any ranke grasse , which you sée vnwithered amongst it , then you shall make it vp againe into safe cockes , and so let it rest a day or two more before you leade it away . and thus much for the making vp of fine hay . now for the making of course grasse into hay , which you must suppose to be grasse growing , in colde , moyst , woodie , and barraine grounds , full of wéedie , rough , and stumpie hearbage , long in growing , late ere it can be gathered , and therefore depriued of much of the sunnes strength , to swéeten and wither it . this grasse as soone as it hath béene mowne and tedded , as it before said : the next day you shall make it into little grasse cockes , as bigge as little moale-hilles , and so hauing layne a day or better , then breake them open , and let them receiue the sunne and winde , for they will heat and si●eat a little in the grasse , which makes it hay the sooner & better : then after the sunne hath spent all his power vpon it , you shall make it vp into little cockes againe , putting two of the first cockes into one , then hauing so layne another day , breake them open againe , and giue them the sunne : then make them vp againe , and put thrée or foure of those cockes into one , and so let them lye another day , th●● breake them open as before , if the sunne shine faire , and at euening make them vp againe , putting thrée or foure of those cockes into one , and so euery morning after the sunne is vp breake them open , a●d at euening ●ake them vp againe , till you finde that the hay is sufficiently well dried , and sweateth no more in the cocke : but in the morning when you breake it open it is dry , without stemme , smoake , or vapour arising from it , which both your hand and eye may perceiue in the first stirring or mouing , and then you may at your pleasure leade it home , and house or stacke it as you shall haue occasion . now for the vse of hay , it is two-folde , that is , either for the maintainance of bréeding cattell , or cattell for labour , or else for the féeding of cattell for the market , or for slaughter : for the maintainance of bréeding cattell ; or the cattell which are imployed in your plough or other labours , whether it be draught or trauell , you shall make choise of the swéet , and well-dried hay , which is of fresh and gréene colour , well withered , sound , and perfect hay , though it be long , loggie , and not excéeding much swéet , it matters not ; for being well inned and dried , it will serue sufficiently for those purposes : and with this hay to mingle sometimes wheat-straw , rye-straw , barly , or oate-straw will not be amisse for heilding , or bréede cattell : but for worke-beasts , except necessitie constraine , let them haue hay simple of it selfe , during the busie time of their worke , but when they rest , you may vse your discretion . for the times of giuing hay or fodd●ring to such cattell as are in the house , the best is in the morning before they goe to labour , in the euening when they come from labour , presently after their drinke , and at night when you goe to bed . but for those cattell which goe abroad , as shéepe , heilding beasts , and such like , to fodder them morning and euening , is out and out fully sufficient . now for the vse of hay for fat cattell , you shall make choyse of the fruitfullest , swéetest , finest , and shortest hay you haue , being full of flowers , pleasant and odoriferous to smell on : and although this hay be mixt with some roughnesse , yet it is not the worse , for though your fat beast make thereof great orts , yet is the losse not great , for those orts may be giuen to other heilding and hungrie cattell , which will eate them with great eagernesse . this hay would in the first gathering not be withered too sore but so stackt-vp with a little hartie gréen●esse that it may a little mo●●-burne , and alter the colour to a redish brounnesse , but by no meanes so moyst that it may mould , rot , or putrifie , for that is f●●some and v●de , but onely alter the colour , and thereby make the smell swéetee and stronger . this hay will entice a beast to eate , and will strengthen and inable his stomacke , and withall will bréed in him such a drought or thirst , that hardly any water will quench him , and the grazier takes it euer for an infall●ble signe , that when his beast drinkes much he féeds fast and his tallo● wonderfully increaseth . for the ordinarie times of foddring your fat cattell , if they be in the stall , and as we say , tyed vp by the head , the best is in the morning before and after water , at noone ; in the euening before & after water , and late in the night , when you goe to bed , but if they féede abroad , and take the benefit of foggs and after-grasse , then to fodder them morning , euening , and high-noone is fully sufficient . here i could speake of pease-f●●ding of shéep , swine , and other cattel , eyther at the trough , kée●●e , stacke , or such like , the seuerall manner of cratches , fashions of st●ls , and many other necessary rules appertaining to this mysterie ; but i am against my will confine● , and therefore must referre i● to some other occasion , being loath to spoyle an excellent discourse , with a tale halfe fould , and imperfectly spoken : and thus much therefore of me●owes , and their seuerall vses . chap. viii . a new method for the husbandly curing of all manner of cattels diseases . of this theame i haue written a whole ( or as some will suppose many ) histories , yet doubtlesse nothing too much , the cause is so necessary and co●●edious : yet this i must let euery reader vnderstand , that what i 〈◊〉 herein formerl● done , i did for a general and vncontrou●lable satisfaction to the whole kingdome , both the learn●● and vnlearned , and as well to satisfie the nicest 〈◊〉 most curious opinion , as the simple and playne 〈◊〉 creature : whence it came that i waded artfully and profoundly into the vttermost secrets of this knowledge , ●●●uing nothing vnsearcht , or vnset downe , that might 〈◊〉 way tend to the satisfaction of any iudiciall reader , 〈◊〉 therefore tooke liberty to make a large progresse , without sparing any paynes , to make my worke absolutely 〈◊〉 perfect . but now , hauing onely to doe with our 〈◊〉 playne english husbandman , who eyther cannot 〈◊〉 read , or else hath little leasure to read , at most but ● little memorie to bestow vpon his readings ; i haue 〈◊〉 for his ease both of memory , readings , and other ve●ao●s , drawne him such a method for the curing of all the diseases in cattell , as was neuer yet found out by 〈◊〉 man or authour whatsoeuer : and is worthy to be ●●●serued to all posterities for euer and euer . to beginne then first with the horse , which is the ●●●bandmans principallest creature , you shal vnderstand that he hath , of my knowledge , one hundred and odde disea●●● or infirmities , besides other hurts and blemishes for 〈◊〉 which , i haue seuerally shewed seuerall cures , as may ●●peare by the volumes which are much too great for 〈◊〉 husbandman to carry in his braynes , and therefore for his ease i haue drawne all those hundred and odde sicknesses or sorrances , into twelue , and will assure euery husbandman that with these twelue medicines following , hée shall perfectly cure all the diseases in a horse , whatsoeuer . to procéede then-in an orderly manner to the curer : euery husbandman must know that all diseases in a horse are inward or outward : inward as offending the vitall parts , or outward as troubling the members : to speake then first of inward sicknesse , i will diuide it into two branches , that is , eyther it offends the heart , or the brayne : if it offend the heart , we call them , feauers , yellowes , anticor , consumption of lungs , liuer , splene , gall or other intra●● , wormes , fluxes , belly-bound , and diuers other of like nature : for any or all which , you shall first let your horse bloud in the neck-veine , and then giue him , during his sicknesse , to drinke , eyther in swéete wine or strong ale or béere , if wine a pinte , if ale or béere a quart , two spoonefull of the powder called diapente , made of aristolochia root , gen●iana , myrthe , eboni and bachi lauri , of each equall quantitie , and let it be well brewed together , and doe thus euery morning fasting , and let the horse fast two houres after it . if it offend the brayne we call them appopleries palsies , staggers , colds , gl●●nder , to●gh●s , mourning of the chyne , migrims , dizzinesse , and a world of such like : and the cure is to take assafeteda , and dissoluing it in uinegar dip hurds therein , and stop it hard into his eares for two mornings together after you haue taken from him great store al bloud at his meeke-veine , and then giue him to drinke , during his sicknesse , euery morning a quart of milke , wherein the white and rough cankerrous mosse of an old oake pale hath béene sodden till the milke grow thicke , then strayned & so giuen luke warme , and if you finde that no heauinesse or dizzinesse appeare in his head , then you may forbeare the bloud-letting , and the assafeteda , but not otherwise , in any case ; and thus assuredly these two medicines alreadie declared will cure all the inward diseases in a horse , whatsoeuer . now for outward diseases , they are eyther naturall or accidentall : if they be naturall , they eyther grow from the generation , or bréede , from whence a horse is descended , or else from corruption of foode , or other vnwholesome kéeping ; if they grow from the bréede and generation of the horse , we call them the uiues , wens , knots , or swellings about the throat : and for the cure thereof , take a peny-worth of pepper , beaten into powder ; a spoonefull of swines-grease , the iuyce of one handfull of kew , two spoonefuls of uineger , and mixe them together , and put this equally into both the horses eares , and so tye them vp and shake the eares , that the medicine may sinke downe , and take good store of bloud from the horses necke veine , and temple veines , and vse this medicine two or thrée mornings together . if they proéede from corruption of foode , or any other vnwholsome kéeping which corrupteth the bloud , then we call them impostumations , byles , botches , fistulaes , polemill , and such like : and the cure is , to take the l●ame of an old mudde wall , strawes and all , but let there be no lime amongst it , and boyle this loame with strong uineger , till it belike a pultus , and as hot as the horse can abide it , apply it to the sore place , and it will not onely draw it to a head , and breake it , but also draw it , search it , and heale it . there be also other diseases which procéed from naughtie foode , and the corruption of blood , and we call them farcies , scabs , mangie , scratches , paynes , ma●landers , sellanders , and all of such like nature , and the cure is first to slit the hard knots , or rubbe off the scarfe , and make the fore places raw : then take yellow arsnicke beaten to powder , and mixe it well with fresh grease , and then therewith annoynt the sore places all ouer , which done , tye vp the horses head , so as he may not knappe or bite himselfe , and so let him stand an houre or two : then take strong old pisse warmde , and therewith bathe and wash the horse all ouer , and so put him to his meat : and in this manner dresse the horse or beast thrée or foure mornings , and it will be sufficient ; onely you must not fayle to take from him good store of bloud at his necke vaine . now if his diseases procéed from accidentall causes , as from wounds , bruises , straynes , galles , hurts in the eyes , excretions , or broken bones , then you shall to euery one of these take these seueral medicines which follow : as first , if they be wounds , in what sort soeuer taken or receiued , you shall take turpentine , waxe , and hogs-grease , of each a like quantity , and melting them together into a salue , dresse the wound therewith , and it will heale it , how great or little soeuer . if they be bruises , whether gotten by stroake , naughtie saddles , or other rushes , from whence procéedeth many times old , putrefied & most ranckorous vlcers , you shall first if the tumor be onely swelled and not broken , apply vnto it the fourth medicine of loame and uingar , but if it be an open old ranckorous vlcer , you shall take hogs-grease , turpentine , waxe , and uerdigrease , of each a like quantitie , and being well mixt , and incorporated together , dresse the sore therewith , till it be whole , for this medicine will abate and kéepe downe any spungie or naughtie dead flesh which arises and kéepes the sore from healing , and may therefore alwayes be vsed in such like cases , whether the sore be new or old . if they be stray●es eyther of ioynts or sinewes , in what part or member soeuer it be , old or new , take strong uinegar , patch-grease , and wheat-branne , and boyle them together till they be thick like a pultus , and then apply it very hot to the strayne , morning and euening , and it is a most certayne cure , and will kéepe the member from growing foule , knotted , or gourded , and will also take away all swellings or paynes of the limbes whatsoeuer . if they be galles , of what kinde or nature soeuer , whether on the backe , limbes , or any other outward part of the bodie , you shal take first fresh butter scalding hot , and with it first bathe and wash the sore , then take thicke creame , & mixing it with the soote of a chimney till it be thicke , like a salue , with the same annoynt the sore place morning and euening , and it will cure it without any feare of dead flesh : if you doe strow vpon the sore the powder of rossen it will be good also . if they be any hurts in the eyes , as strokes , inflamations , pinne-webbe , canker , or any other mischiefe whatsoeuer , you shall then take true ground-iuie , which otherwise is called of some ale-hoofe , and beating a good handfull thereof in a morter , with a spoonefull or two of white rosewater , or the water of eye-bright , then strain it through a cleane wet cloath , and with that water dresse the sore eye morning and euening : or if you can conueniently thrée or foure times a day , for the oftner is the better , and it will without all fayle cure any sore eye in the world whatsoeuer , eyther of man or beast , or any other creature . if they be excretions of bones , as splents , spauens , curbs , ringbones , or such like , in what part or member soeuer they be , you shall then take white arsnicke , beaten or ground to fine powder , and making a little slit vpon the head of the excretion , the length of a barly corne , or very little more , yet in any waies downe déepe to the excretion , & then with the poynt of your knife put the arsnicke vpon the excretion , and so let the horse stand with his head tied vp for two houres at least , for in that time the greatest anguish will be gone , and then put him vnto his meate , and in thrée or foure dayes after the excretion will fall away of it selfe ; and then with a little swéet butter you may cure the sore , which will not be great . if they be broken bones , or bones out of ioynt , you shall after you haue placed them in their due place , first annoynt them with the oyle of mallowes , or for want of it with warme patch-grease , and then clap about them a plaster made of pitch , rossen , and masticke , and so with soft and flat splents , so splent the member , as it may not moue , and so let it rest nine dayes ere you dresse it againe , and in any case so sling the horse or beast that he may not during that time , put his member to the ground , which a little diligence and payne will easily doe . if your horse haue any infirmitie in his hooues as quitter-bone , ouer-reach , pricke , crowne scabbe , rotten frush , or any such vlcerous disease , you shall first lay it open , and then heale it with the seuenth medicine . but if it be foundring , fretteshing , or such like , then you shall first pare all his hooues cleane ouer , so thinne that you may discerne the quicke all ouer , then let him bloud at the toes , and take great store of bloud from him , but in any case cut not the veine in sunder : then take the sixt medicine , and being boyling hot ( after hollow shoes haue béene tackt on his féete ) with flaxe hurds dipt therein , stoppe all the soales of his féete vp hard , and thus doe twice in sixe dayes , and it will bring his féete to their full perfection againe , without any great losse or trouble . as for the common infirmities in a horses priuy parts ; which are swellings , inflammations , incording , & such like , you shall but only swimme your horse in cold water morning and euening , and it is a present helpe , both for them , or the stifling of a horse in his hinder ioynt : thus you sée these twelue medicines will sufficiently cure all the diseases in horse or beast whatsoeuer , which who so will not carry in his memory , he is worthy now and then to be punisht for his sloath , and sometimes to suffer losse , which may make him more industrious to studie for his owne good and profit . and thus much for the cure of diseases . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a06927-e4200 of rayne . signes from clouds . signes from the moone . signes from the sunne . signes from the lightning . signes from fovvle . signes from beasts . signes from things vvithout motion . signes of much raine . signes of snovv or haile . signes of vvinde . signes of tempests . signes of faire vveather . signes of winter . signes of the spring . signes of a hot sommer . signes of a long winter . signes of a forvvard or backvvard yeer . signes of a good or bad yeere . signes from christmas day . signes from the sunne rising . signes from the tvvelue dayes in christmas . signes from saint pauls day . signes from maudlin , and saint swythens day . if corne shall be cheape or deare . signes from thunder . signes of sicknes or health . the preseruation of health . the choyce of ground . the bettering of grounds . the trenching of grounds . of breaking the garden moulde . ordering of garden beds . of the fruitfull soyle . the necessariest ornament in a garden . of all sorts of pot-hearbs . of endiue and succorie . of beets . land-cresses . parcely . of sauory . of time. french mallovves . cheruill . of dill. of isop . of mints . violets . of basill . svveet marioram . marigolds . of stravvberries . of borage and buglosse . of rosemary . of penyroyal . of leekes . of onions . of gathering onion-seede , or the onion . of arag● . of lumbardy loueage . of fennell . of anise . of comin . of coliander . of rue . of organie . of vvhite poppy . of germander . of cardus benedictus . of angellica . o● valerian . of elecampana . of peppervvort . of philipendula . of lettuce . of spynage . of sparagus . of colvvorts . of sage . of purslane . of artichokes of garlicke . of raddish . of nauevv . of parsneps and carrets . of pompyons . of th● covvcumber . of the beane of egipt . of skerrets . a most necessary obseruation . of roses . of the damaske rose . of the red rose . of the vvhite rose . of the cinamon rose . to make the cinamon rose grovv double . of the prouince rose . to make roses smell vvell . generall notes touching roses . of lauender . of the vvhite lilly. to make lillyes of any colour . to make lillyes flourish all the yeere . of the vvood lilly. of the flovver de lice . of pyonie . of petillius . of veluet flovver . of gylliflovvers . of grafting of gylliflovvers . of the smels of gylliflovvers . of the wall-gylliflovver . of the helytropian . of the crovvn emperiall . of the dulippo . of the hyacinth . of the narcissus . of the daffadill , colombine , and chesbole . an excellent caution . a nevv manner of planting flovvers and fruits . of thunder and lightning . of caterpillers . of toades and frogges . of the field myce. of flyes . of the greene fly. of gnats . of pismyers . of moales . of snailes . of moathes . of cankers . of garden wormes . an excellent experiment . the conclusion of the kitchen garden . notes for div a06927-e10770 wood better then gold. the excellent vses of wood. the plantation of wood. the fencing of young vvoods . when cattell may graze in springs . the vse of the clay ground for wood. a speciall note . the deuision of woods . the valevv of vnder-vvood . of the sale of vnder-vvoods . hovv to cut vnder vvoods . the fencing of salles . the woodvvards duty . what high woods are . the beginning of high woods . the plantation of high woods . of planting the elme . of planting the ash. obiection . ansvvere . of trees vvhich take vve● invvardly . of barke-bound . of hornets and dores . of the canker . of pismyers . of iuy , woodbine , and misseltoe . of thunder and lightning . of the sale of tall woods . hovv to chuse timbers . of mill timber . timber to beare burthen . timber for pales , wainscote , &c. timber for pyles or water-vvorkes . vse of th● elme . vse of the ash. vse of the wall-nut tree . vse of the peare-tree . vse of the maple , beech , and poplar . of char-coale . hovv to value timber . hovv to measure timber by gesse . best seasons for the s●le . the time for chap-men . when to cut dovvne timber . hovv to ●et all sorts of quick-set . planting of greater trees . of the setting of willowes , &c. the vse of willovves , sallovves , and oziers . ordering of the willow . ordering of ozier . what plashing is . hovv to plash : the time of yeare . the tooles . the profit of plashing . the lopping of timber . what lopping is . the season for lopping . hovv you shall lop timber . diuersities and vse of pastures of barraine pastures . signes of barrainnesse . battering of soyles . sovving of good seedes . for abundance of grasse . the imperfection of meanure . to helpe a slovv spring . to help knot-grasse and speare-grasse . to helpe sun-burning . to helpe quarries of stone . to help ling , braken , &c. to helpe morishnesse or quick-nyers . to helpe mossinesse . the generall vse of barraine grounds . what cattell are to be bred . of fertill grounds . the deuision of rich grounds . the generall vse of rich grounds . of pastures and ordering them . manner of feeding of cattell . hovv to knovv a fat beast . of meddovves and their ordering . preseruation of meddovves . when to lay meddovves . when to movv meddovves . the inclination of the vveather . the manner hovv to movve meddovves . hovv to make hay . to make fine hay . to make course hay . vse of hay for cattell to breed or labour vvith . the reason for this chap●er . horses diseases to be cured vvith tvvelue medicines . of invvard sicknesse . the first medicine . the second medicine . of outvvard diseases . the third medicine . the fourth medicine . the fift medicine . the sixt medicine . the seuenth medicine . the eight medicines . the ninth medicine . the tenth medicine . the eleuenth medicine . the tvvel●th medicine . diseases in the feete . diseases in the priuie parts , or for stifling . the accomplish'd lady's delight in preserving, physick, beautifying, and cookery containing i. the art of preserving and candying fruits & flowers ..., ii. the physical cabinet, or, excellent receipts in physick and chirurgery : together with some rare beautifying waters, to adorn and add loveliness to the face and body : and also some new and excellent secrets and experiments in the art of angling, 3. the compleat cooks guide, or, directions for dressing all sorts of flesh, fowl, and fish, both in the english and french mode ... 1675 approx. 400 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 203 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2003-01 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a66834 wing w3268 estc r8138 12710291 ocm 12710291 66090 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 0 1.0 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 1, no. a66834) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 66090) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 371:16) the accomplish'd lady's delight in preserving, physick, beautifying, and cookery containing i. the art of preserving and candying fruits & flowers ..., ii. the physical cabinet, or, excellent receipts in physick and chirurgery : together with some rare beautifying waters, to adorn and add loveliness to the face and body : and also some new and excellent secrets and experiments in the art of angling, 3. the compleat cooks guide, or, directions for dressing all sorts of flesh, fowl, and fish, both in the english and french mode ... woolley, hannah, fl. 1670. [4], 382, [10] p., 3 leaves of plates : ill. printed for b. harris, and are to be sold at his shop ..., london : 1675. title on added engraved t.p.: the accomplisht-ladys delight. three parts have special title pages: the physical cabinet, new and excellent experiments and secrets in the art of angling, and, the compleat cook's guide, all with imprint date 1675. attributed, not without some doubt, to mrs. hanna woolley. cf. dnb; halkett & laing (2nd ed.). dedication signed: t.p. reproduction of original in bodleian library. includes index. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.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 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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. 5% (or 5 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 100 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 4 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-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng cookery -early works to 1800. canning and preserving -early works to 1800. medicine, popular -early works to 1800. beauty, personal -early works to 1800. fishing -early works to 1800. 2000-00 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2002-01 aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images 2002-03 tcp staff (michigan) sampled and proofread 2002-03 john latta text and markup reviewed and edited 2002-04 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the accomplisht ladys delight . in preserving , physick , beautifying and cookery . the accomplish'd lady's delight in preserving , physick , beautifying , and cookery . containing , i. the art of preserving and candying fruits & flowers , and the making of all sorts of conserves , syrups , and jellies . ii. the physical cabinet , or , excellent receipts in physick and chirurgery ; together with some rare beautifying waters , to adorn and add loveliness to the face and body : and also some new and excellent secrets and experiments in the art of angling . iii. the compleat cooks guide , or , directions for dressing all sorts of flesh , fowl , and fish , both in the english and french mode , with all sauces and sallets ; and the making pyes , pasties , tarts , and custards , with the forms and shapes of many of them . london , printed for b. harris , and are to be sold at his shop , at the stationers arms in swithins rents by the royall exchange 1675 to the ladies & gentlewomen . ladies , though there have been many books extant of this kind , yet i think something hath been deficient in them all , i have therefore adventured to make another , which i suppose comprehends all the accomplishments necessary for ladies , in things of this nature . for you have here 1. the art of preserving and candying all fruits and flowers , as also of making conserves , both wet and dry , and also the preparing of all sorts of syrups , iellies , and pickles . 2. here are some ex●ellent receipts in physick and chirurgery , for curing most diseases incident to the body . together with some rare beautifying waters , oyls , oyntments , and powders , for adornment of the face and body , and to cleanse it from all deformities that may render persons vnlovely ; there are also added some choise secrets and experiments in the art of angling ; a recreation which many ladies delight in , and is not therefore thought altogether improper in a book of this nature . lastly , you have here a guide to all manner of cookery , both in the english and french mode , with the preparing all kind of sallets and sauces proper thereunto . together with directions for making all sorts of pyes , pasties tarts , and custards , with the forms and shapes of many of them to help your practice , with bills of fare upon all occasions . so that in the whole , i hope it may deserve the title of the accomplish'd ladies delight , and may acquire acceptance at your fair hands , whereby you will very much encourage and oblige , ladies , your very humble servant , and admirer , t. p. the art of preserving , conserving , and candying , fruits and flowers , as also of making all sorts of conserves , syrups and iellies . 1. to make quince cakes . bake your quinces in an oven with some of their own juyce , their own coars being cut and bruised , and put to them , then weigh some of this juyce with some of the quince , being cut into small pieces , taking their weight in sugar , and with the quince some quantity of the juyce of barberies . then take the clearest syrup and let it stand on the coals two or three hours , and let them boyl a little on the fire , then candy the rest of the sugar very hard , and so put them together , stirring it while it is almost cold , and so put it into glasses . 2. to make conserve of barberries . when the stalks are pickt off , boyl th●m in fair water till they swell , and be very soft , then bruise them in a morter , then strain them , and boyl them again by themselves , then take for every pound of them two pound of sugar , and boyl them together but not too long , for then it will r●pe . 3. to make conserve of roses . take of the buds of red roses and slip away the white ends , and then slip the rest of the rose as small as you can , and beat them fine in a marble morter ; and put to every pound of roses , three pound and a half of sugar , then put it up in a gally-pot and set it in the sun for a fortnight . 4. to make cinnamon water . take a quart of white-wine , a quart of rose-water , a pint of muscadine● half a pound of cinamon bruised , lay the cinamon to steep in the wine twelve hours stirring them now and then afterward put them into an alerubick and still them with a gentle fire , and you may draw off from it three pints . but if you will not have it strong , instead of muscadine put in so much rose-water or white-wine . 5. to preserve quinces white . take to every pound of quince , a pound and a quarter of sugar , clarifie this sugar with the white of an egg , coar your quinces , but not too much , then put this sugar , and water , and quince being ra● together , and so make them boyl so fast that you can see no quince , but forget not to turn them , and take off what scum you can keep them boiling thus fast till you think they are enough . 6. to preserve raspices . take of the faire● and well coloured raspices , and pick off their stalks very clean , then wash them , but be sure not to bruise them ; then weigh them , and to every pound of raspices , put six ounces of hard sugar , and six ounces of sugar-candy , and clarifie it with half a pint of fair water , and four ounces of juice of raspices being clarified : boyl it to a weak syrup , and then put in your raspices stiring them up and down , and so let them boyl till they are enough , and you may keep them all the year . 7. to make mackroons take almonds , blanch them , and beat them in a morter , with serced sugar mingled therewith , with the white of an egg , and rose-water , then beat them altogether till they are thick as fritters , then drop it upon your wa●ers , and take it . 8. to preserve cherries . take some of the worst cherries and boil them in fair water , and when the liquor is well coloured strain it , then take some of the best cherries you can get , with their weight in beaten sugar , then lay one laying of sugar , and another of cherries , till all are la●d in the preserving pan ; then pour a little of the liquor of the worst cherries into it , boil your cherries till they be well coloured , then take them up , and boil the syrup till it will button on the side of the dish and when they are cold put them up in a glass covered close with paper , untill● you use them . 9. to make conserve of oranges and lemons , or pippins . boil any of these fruits , as you would do to make past thereof and when it is ready to fashion upon the pye plate , then put it into your gally-pots , and never dry it ; and this is all the difference betwixt conser●e and past , and this serves for all ●ar● fruits , as pippins , oranges and lemmons . 10. to make symbals . take fine flower dry'd , and as much sugar as flower , then take as much whites of eggs as will make it past ; put in a little rose-water , with a quantity of coriander-seed and anniseed , then mould it up in the fashion you will bake it in . 11. to make syrup of clove-gilli-flowers . take a pound of clove-gilli-flowers , the whites being cut off , infuse them a whole night in a quart of fair water , then with four pound of sugar dissolved in it , make it into a syrup wishout boiling . 12. to make syrup of violets . take of violet flowers fresh and pickt , a pound , clear water boiling one quart , shut them up close together in a new glazed pot a whole day , then press them hard out , and in two pound of the liquor , dissolve four pound and three ounces of white sugar , take away the scum , and so make it into a syrup without boiling . 13. to make murmelade of quinces . take a pottle of water , and four pound of sugar , and let them boyl together , and when they boyl , scum them as clean as you can , then take the whites of two or three eggs and beat them to froath , put the froath into the pan to make the scum ●●se , then scum it as clean as you can ; take off the kettle and put in the quinces , and let them boil a good while and stir them , and when they are boiled enough put them into boxes . 14. to make hippocras . take a gallon of white-wine , two pound of sugar ; and of cinamon , ginger , long pepper , mace n●t bruised , grains , galingal cloves not bruised , of each two penny-worth , bruise every kind of spice a little , and put them all together into an earther pot for a day , then cast them through your bags two or three times , as you see cause and so drink it . 15. to make almond butter . take your almonds and blaunch them , and beat them in a morter very small , and in beating put in a little water , and when they are beaten pour in water into two pots and put half into one and half into another , put sugar to them and stir them , and let them boil a good while ; then strain it through a strainer with rose-water , and so dish it up . 16. to preserve quinces red . pare your quinces , and coar them ; then take as much sugar as they weigh , putting to every pound of sugar one quart of water , boil your quinces therein very leasurely being close covered , turn them to keep them from spotting● and when they are so tender that you may prick a hole through them with a rush and that they are well coloured , then boil the syrup till it will button on a dish and so put your syrup and them up together . 17 to pickle cucumbers . wash your cucumbers clean and dry them in a cloath , then take some water . vinegar , salt , fennel tops , and some dill tops , and a little mace , make it fast enough and sharp enough to the tast , then boil it a while , and then take it off , and let it stand till it is cold ; then put in the cucumbers , and lay a board on the top to keep them down , and tye them up close , and within a week they will be fit to eat . 18. to candy pears● plumbs and apricocks to look as clear as amber . take your apricocks or plumbs , and give every one a cut to the stone in the notch , then cast sugar on them and bake them in an oven as hot as for maunchet close stopt , bake them in an earthen platter and let them stand half an hour , then take them out of the dish , and lay them one by one upon glass plates , and so dry them ; if you can get glasses made like marmalet boxes to lay over them , they will be the sooner candyed . in this manner you may candy any other fruit . 19. to preserve oranges . take a pound of oranges , and a pound of sugar , pill the outward rind , and inward white skin off then take juice of oranges and put them into the juice , boil them half an hour and take them off . 20. to make oyl of violets . set the violets in sallad oyl , and strain them , then put in other fresh violets and let them lye twenty days , then strain them again and put in other fresh violets , and let them stand all the year . 21. to mak cream of quinces . take a roasted quince , pare it and cut it into thin slices to the coar , boyl it in a pint of cream with a little whole ginger , till it tast of the quinces to your liking , then put in a little sugar and strain it , and always serve it cold to the table . 22. to make a march-pan , steep two pound of picked almonds one day and two nights in fair water , and blaunch them out of it , then beat them well in a morter , and bedew them with rose-water , put to your almonds so many pound of sugar , and beat your sugar with your almonds ; then make very fine ●rust either of past or wafer , and sprinkle it with rose-water and sugar ; then spread the stuff on it , and bake it at a very soft fire , always bedewing it with damask-water , civet , and sugar ; and lastly with a gut of dates guilt or long comfits guilt , or with cinamon-sticks guilt , or the kernels of the pine-apple and ●o ●et it forth . 23. to make almond milk. boyl french barley , and as you boyl it cast away the water wherein it was boil●d , till you see the water leave to change colour ; as you put in more fresh water , then put in a bundle of straw-berry leaves : and as much cullumbine leaves , and boyl it a good while ; then put in beaten almonds and strain them , and then season it with sugar and rosemary , then strew some sugar about the dish , and send it to the table . 24. to preserve apricocks , or pear-plumbs when they are green . you may take any of these fruits and scald them in water and peel them , and s●rape the spungy substance of the apricocks or quinces , so boyl them very tender , taking their weight in sugar , and as much water as to cover them , and boyl them very leasurely ; then take them up and boil the syrup till it be thick , and when they are cold put them up with you● syrup into your preserving glasses . 25. to pickle french beans . you must take your beans and string them boyl them tender● then take them off● and let them stand till they are cold , put them into the pickle of beer vinegar , pepper and salt cloves and mace with a little ginge . 26● to make an excellent jelly . take three gallons of fair water , and boil in it a knuckle of veal , and two calves feet slit in two , with all the fat clean taken from between the claws , so let them boil to a very tender jelly keeping it clean scum●d , and the edges of the pot always wiped with a clean ●●ath , that none of the scum may boil in , strain it from the meat , and let it stand all night , and the next morning take away the top and the bottom , and take to a quart of this jelly , half a pint of sherry sack , half an ounce of cinamon , and as much sugar as will season it , six whites of eggs very well beaten , mingle all these together , then boil it half an hour , and let it run through your jelly bag . 27. to make aqua-mirabil is . take of cloves , galanga , cubebs , mace , cardamums , nutmegs , ginger , of each one dram ; juice of celandine half a pound , spirit of wine one pint , white-wine three pints , infuse them twenty four hours , and draw off a quart with an alembick . 28. dr. stevens water . take of cinamon , ginger , galanga , cloves , nutmegs , grains of paradise , seeds of annis , fennel , ●arraways , of each one dram● herbs of time , mother of time , mints , sage , penny-royal pellitory of the wall , rosemary , flowers of red roses , camomile , origanum , lavender , of each one handful , infuse them twelve hours in ●welve pints of gascoign wine , then with 〈◊〉 alembick draw three pints of strong-water from it . 29. to make good cherry wine . take the syrup of cherries , and when it hath stood a while bottle it up , and tye down the cork , and in a short time it will be very good pleasant wine . 30. to make wa●ers . take a pint of flower , a little cream the yolks of two eggs , a little rose-water , with some searced cinamon and sugar work them together , and bake them upon hot irons . 31. to preserve grapes . stamp and strain them , let it settle a while before you wet a pound of sugar or grapes with the juice , stone the grapes , save the liquor , in the stoning take off the stalks give them a boiling , take them off , and put them up . 32. to pickle purslain . take the purslain and pick it into little pieces , and put it into a pot or barrel , then take a little water , vinegar and salt to your tast , it must be pretty strong of the vinegar and salt , and a little mace , and boil all these together , and pour this liquor boiling hot into the parslain , and when it is cold tye it close , but lay a little board on the top to keep it down , and within a week or two it is fit to eat . 33. to preserve green walnuts . boil your walnuts till the water tast bitter , then take them off , and put them in cold water , and pill off the bark , and weigh as much sugar as they weigh and a little more water then will wet the sugar , set them on the fire , and when they boil up take them off , and let them stand two days , and then boil them again once more . 34. to prese●ve currants . part them in the tops , and lay a lane of currants , and a lane of sugar , and so boyl them as fast as you do ras-berries , do not put them in the spoon but scum them , boil till the syrup be pretty thick ; then take them off , and let them stand till they be cold and put them into a glass . 35. to make goose berry cakes . pick as many goose-berries as you please and put them into an earthen pitcher and set it in a kettle of water till they be soft , and then put them into a five , and let them stand till all the juice be out , and weigh the juice , and as much sugar as syrup , first boyl the sugar to a candy , and take it off , and put in the juice and set it on again till it be hot and take it off , and set them in the press till they be dry , then they are ready . 36. an excellent broath . take a chicken and set it on the fire , and when it boils scum it , then put in a mace , and a very little oatmeal , and such herbs as the party requires ; and boil it well down , and bruise the chicken and put it in again and it is good broath : and to alter it you may put in six prunes , and leave out the herbs or put them in as you please , and when it is well boyled , strain it and season it . 37. to make angellets . take a quart of new milk , and a pint of cream and put them together in a little runnel , when it is come well take it up with a spoon , and put it into the vate softly , and let it stand two days till it be pretty stiff ; then slip it out and salt it a little at both ends , and when you think it is salt enough set it a drying , and wipe them , and within a quarter of a year they will be ready to eat . 38. to make ielly of harts-horn . take four ounces of the shavings of harts-horn of the inside , and two ale● quarts of water , put this in a pipkin , and boil it very gently till it come to a quart , the harts-horn must be steeped 3 or 4 hours first afterwards put a little into a saucer till it be cold , and if it be cold and jellieth it is boil'd enough● then being warm take it off the fire , and strain it hard through a cloath , and set it a cooling till it be hard jelly , then take two whites of eggs , and beat them very well , er with a sprigg of rosemary or birch , ( but not with a spoon ) till a water come in the bottom , then put these beaten eggs and the water thereof into a skillet and all the jelly upon it , with three spoonfuls of damask rose-water , and a quarter of a pound of sugar , and when it boils , sti● and lay it pretty well , then strain it through a cloath and let it cool , and of this take four spoonfuls in the morning fasting , and four a clock in the afternoon and this is excellent good for the weakness of the ba●k . 40. to preserve damsons red , or black plumbs . take their weight in sugar , and water enough to make a syrup to cover them , so boil them a little therein being close covered turning them for spotting , let them stand all night in their own syrup , then set them upon a pot of seething water , and suffer your plumbs to boyl no faster then the water under them ; and when they are both sweet and tender take them up , and boil the syrup again till it be thick , then put up your plumbs and it together in your preserving glasses . 41. to make rosemary water . take the rosemary and the flowers in the midst of may before sun-rise , strip the leaves and flowers from the stalks , then take 4 or 5 elecampana roots , and a handful or two of sage , then beat the rosemary , sage and roots together , till they be very small , then take three ounces of cloves & as much mace , and half a pound of anniseeds , and ●eat these spices every one by themselves then take the herbs and the spices , and put thereto 4 or 5 gallons of good white-wine , then put in all these herbs , spices and wine into an earthen pot , and put the pot into the ground about sixteen days , then take it up and distil it with a very soft fire . 43. to make pomatum . take fresh hogs suet clean sed from the films and washt in white-wine one pound and as much sheeps suet washt in white-wine , then take about sixteen pomwater apples cleansed and boyl d in rose-water ; add to these rose-wood , sassafras , roots of orrice florentine of each six drams , of benzoin , storax calamita half an ounce of each and so make it into an oyntment . 44. to maks oyl of sweet almonds . take dryed sweet almonds as many as you please , beat them very small and put them into a rough hemp●n● loath , and without fire by degrees press out the oyl . 45. an excellent water against fit● of the mother . take briony-roots , elder-berries ripe , and d●estat a gentle heat in a furnace and cleans'd from their stalks , of each two ounces ; leaves of mugwort , dittany , featherfew , nep , basil , penny-royal , rue , sabine , all dryed in the sun● of each half an ounce , peels of oranges the out-side dry'd an ounce and a half , myrrh , castoreum , of each three drams , saffron one dram ; powder them and steep them eight days in two quarts of the spirit of wine ; then strain through a very quick hair strainer , keep the strained liquor in a glass very well stopt . 46. to make syrup of wormwood . take roman wormwood , or po●tick vvormwood half a pound , of red roses two ounces , indian spike three drams ; old rich white-wine and juice of quinces of each two pints and a half , bruise them in an earthen vessel twenty four hours , then boil them till half be wasted , strain it , and put to the straining two pounds of sugar , and boil it to a syrup . 47. to make conserve of quinces . take three quarts of the juyce of quinces clarified , boil it until two parts be wasted then put to it two pounds of white sugar , then boil them to the thickness of honey . 48. to make syrup of poppies . take the heads and seeds of white poppy and black , of each fifty drams , venus hair fifteen , licorice five drams , jujubes thirty drams ; lettic● seeds forty drams , and of the seeds of mallows ; and quinces tied up in a fine rag , of each one dram and half ; boil them in eight pints of water , untill half be wasted , strain it , and to every three pound of liquor put thereto perrides , & sugar of each 1 pound , boil them to a syrup . 49. to make honey of roses . take of pure white honey dispumed , fresh juice of red roses one pound , put them into a skillet , and when they begin to boil , throw into them of fresh red rose leaves picked , four pounds , and boil them untill the juice be wasted ; alway● stirring it , then strain it , and put it up in an earthen pot . 50. to make syrup of lemmons . take of the juice of lemmons purified by going through a woolen strainer with crushing , three quarts and an half , and of white sugar five pound ; boil them with a soft fire to a syrup . 51. to make spirit of wine . take of good claret , or white-wine , or sack , enough to fill the vessel , wherein you make your distillation to a third part , then put on the head furnished with the nose or pipe , and so make your distillation first in ashes , drawing about a third part from the whole ; as for example , six or eight pints out of four and twenty , then still it again in b. m. drawing another third part , which is two pints , so that the oftner you distil it , the less liquor you have b●t the more strong , some use to rectifie it seven times . 52. to make syrup of maiden-hair . take of the herb ●aiden-hair , fresh gathered and cut a little , five ounces , of roots of licorish scraped two ounces , steep them twenty four hours in a sufficient quantity of hot water then boil them according to art ; add four pounds of sugar to five pints of the clarified liquor , and then boil them to a syrup . 53. to make syrup of licorish take of the roots of licorish scraped two ounces of colts-foot four handfuls ; of maiden-hair one ounce of hysop half an ounce , infu●e them twenty four hours in a sufficient quantity of water , then boil them till one half be wasted , add to the strained liquor , a pound of the best clarified honey , and as much white sugar , boil them to a syrup 54. to make the kings perfume . take six spoonfuls of rose-water , and as much amber-greece as weigheth two barley-corns , and as much cive● , with as much sugar as weigheth two pence beaten in fine powder ; all these boiled together in a perfuming pan is an excellent perfume . 55. the queens perfume . take four spoonfuls of spike water , and four spoonfuls of damask water , thirty cloves , and eight bay leaves shred as much sugar as weigheth two pence ; all these boiled make a good perfume . 56. king edwards perfume to make your house smell like rosemary . take three spoonfuls of perfect rosemary , and as much sugar as half a walnut beaten in small powder ; all these boiled together in a perfuming pan upon hot embers with a few coals is a very sweet perfume . 57. to make conserve of rosemary . take your flowers of rosemary , which you may gather either in march or september , when you have beaten them to pap , take three times their weight in sugar , pound them all together and set them in the sun and so use them . 58. to make syrup of cowslips . take the distilled water of cow-slips , and put thereto your flowers of cow-slips clean pickt , and the green knobs in the bottom cut off , and boil them up into a syrup , take it in almond milk , or some other warm thing ; it is good against the palsi● and ●renzy , and to procure sleep to the si●k . 59. to make marmelade of lemmons and oranges . you may boil eight or nine lemmons or oranges , with four or five pippins , and draw them through a strainer ; then take the weight of the pulp all together in sugar and boil is as you do marmelade of quinces and so box it up . 60. to make angelica wat●r . take a handful of carduus benedictus and dry it , then take three ounces of angelica roots one dram of myrrh , half an ounce of nutmegs , cinamon and ginger four ounces of each , one dram and half of saffron ; of cardonius , cubels , galingal , and pepper , of each a quarter of an ounce ; two drams of mace , one dram of grains , of lignum aloes , spikenard , iunius odoratus ; of each a dram ; sage , borage , buglos , violets , and rosemary flowers of each half a handful , bruise them and steep them in a pottle of sack twelve hours , and distill it as the rest . 61. to make quiddany of cherries . when your cherries are fully ripe , and red to the stone , take them and pull out the stones , and boil your cherries till they be all broken then strain them and take the liquor strained out , and boil it over again , and put as much sugar to it as you think convenient , and when it is boil●d that you think it is thick enough put it into your boxes . 62. to dry cherries . take six pound of cherries and stone them● then take a pound of sugar and wet it with the juice of the cherries , and boil it a little , then put in your cherries and boil them till they are clear , let them lye in the syrup a week then drein them from the syrup , and lay them on thin boards , or sheets of glass to dry in a stove , turn them twice a day , and when they are dry , wash off the clamminess with warm water ● and dry them a little longer . 63. to make brown metheglin . take strong ale-wort , and put as much honey to it as will make it strong enough to bear an egg ; boil them very well together , then set it a cooling , and when it is almost cold put in some ale-yeast , then put it into a strong vessel , and when it hath done working , put a bag of spices into the vessel and some lemon peel and stop it up close , and in a few days it will be fit to drink , but the longer you keep it the better . 64. to candy oranges or lemons , after they are preserved . take them out of the syrup , and drain them well , then boil some sugar to a candy height , and lay your peels in the bottom of a ●ive , and pour your hot sugar over them , and then dry them in a stove or warm oven . 65. to preserve oranges after the portugal fashion . open your oranges at the end , and take out all the meat , then boil them in several waters , till a straw nay go through them , then take their weight ann half in fine sugar , and to every pound of sugar , a pint of water , boil it and scum it , then put in your oranges and boil them a little more , then take them up , and fill them with preserved pippins , and boil them again till you think they are enough , but if you will have them jelly , make a new syrup with the water wherein some sliced pippins have been boiled , and some sine sugar , and that will be a stiff jelly . 66. to make good vsquebath . take two gallons of good aquavitae four ounces of the best liquorice bruised , four ounces of anniseed brui●ed , put them into a wooden , glass , or stone vessel , and cover them close , and so let them stand a week , then draw off the cleerest and sweetest with molosso's , and keep it in another vessel , and put in some dates , and raisens stoned , keep it very close from the air. 67. to make italian bisket . take serced sugar ; and a little of the white of an egg , with some ambergreece and musk , beat them all to a past in an alablaster morter , and mould it in a little anniseed finely dusted , then make it up in loaves , and cut them about like maunchet , then bake them in an oven , as hot as for maunchet , and when they are risen somewhat high upon the plates take them forth and remove them not of the plates till they be cold , for they will be very apt to break . 68. to make french bisket . take half a peek of flower , with four eggs half a pint of ale-yeast , one ounce and half of anniseed , a litle sweet cream , and a little cold water , make all into a loaf , and fashion it something long , then cut it into thick slices like tosts , after it hath stood two days , and rub them over with powdred sugar , and lay them in a warm sun , and so dry them and sugar them as you dry them three , or four times , then put them into boxes for use . 69. to make sugar plate . take serced sugar , and make it up in past with gum-dragon steeped in rose-water , and when you have brought it to a perfect past , rowl it as thin as ●●e you can , and then print it in moulds of what fashion you please , and so let them dry as they ly . 70. to make pomander . take half an ounce of benjamin , and as much storax , and as much lapdanum , with six grains of musk , and as much civet , and two grains of amber-grease , and one dram of sweet balsom , beat all these together in a hot morter , then roul it up in beads as big , or as little as you please , and whilst they are hot make holes in them to serve for your use . 71. to make conserve of damsons . take ripe damsons and put them into scalding water , and half an hour after set them over the fire till they break ; then strain them through a cullender , and let them cool therein , then strain them ( through a peice of canvas ) from their stones and skins , and then set them over the fire again , then put to them a good quantity of red wine , and so boil it often stirring it till it be thick , and when it is almost boil d●enough , put in a convenient proportion of sugar , and stir it very well together , and then put it into your gally-pots . 72. to bake oranges . peel all the bark off , and boil them in rose-water , and sugar till they are ●●nder , then make your pye , and set them whole in it , and put in the liquor they are boil●d in into the pye , and season it with sugar , cinamon and ginger . 73. to preserve peaches . take a pound of your fairest and best colour'd peaches and with a wer linnen clo●t● wipe o●● the white hoar of them , th●n parboil them in half a pint of white-wine and a pint and a half of running water , and being parboil'd peel off the white skin of them and then weigh them ; take to your pound of peaches three quarters of a pound of refined sugar , and di●●olve it in a quarter of a pint of white-wine , and boyl it almost to the height of a syrup , then put in your peaches , and let them boil in the syrup a quarter of an hour or more if need require , then put them up & keep them all the year . 74. to preserve goose-berries . take goose-berries , or grape , or barberries , and take somewhat more then their weight in sugar beaten very fine and so lay one laying of fruits , and another of sugar , till all are laid in your preserving pan , then take six spoonfuls of fair water , and boil your fruits therein as fast as you can , until they be very clear , then take them up , and boil the syrup by it self , till it be thick , when they are cold put them into gally-pots . 75. to preserve pippins white . pare your pippins and cut them the cross way , and weigh them , add to a pound of sugar a pint of water ; then put the sugar to the water and let it boil a while , and then put in your pippins , and let them boil till they be clear at the core , then take them off and put them up . 76. to preserve grapes . it settle a while , then wet a pound of sugar or grapes with the juice , stone the grapes , save the liquor in the stoning , take off the stalks , give them a boiling , t●ke them off , and put them up . 77. to preserve angellica roots . wash the roots and slice them very thin , and lay them in water three or four days , change the water every day , then put the roots into a pot of water , and set them in the embers all night , in the morning put away the water , then take a pound of roots four pints of water , and two pound of sugar , let it boil and scum it clean , then put in the roots , which will be bo●l●d before the syrup then take them up and boil the syrup after , they will ask a whole days work very softly , at st. andrews time is the best time to do them in all the year . 78. to make syrup of quinces . take of the juice of quinces clarified three quarts , boil it over a gentle fire til● half of it be consumed , scum it and add to it three pints of red wine , with four pound of white sugar , boyl it into a syrup , and perfume it with a dram and half of c●● namon , and of cloves and ginger , of 〈…〉 two scruples . 79. to make walnut-water . take of green walnuts a pound and half , garden radish-ro●rs one pound , green afarabacca six ounces , radish seeds four ounces ; let all of them being bruised be steeped in three pints of white-wine-vinegar for three days , and then distil them in a leaden still till they be dry . 80. to make treakle water . take of the juice of green walnuts four pound , juice of rue three pound , juice of carduus , marigolds and balm , of each two pound , green peta●● is roots one pound and half , the roots of burs one pound , angelica and masterwort of each half a pound ; the leaves of scordium four handfuls , old venice treacle and mithridate of each eight ounces , canary wine six quarts , vinegar three quarts , juice of lemons one quart , digest them two days either in horse-dung or in a bath , the vessel being close shut , then distil them in sand , in the distillation you may make a theri●cal extraction . 81. to make syrup of cinamon , take of cinamon grosly bruised 4 ounces ●●eep it in white-wine , and small cinamon water of each half a pound● three days in a glass by a gentle fire ; strain it , and with a po●nd and half of sugar boil it gently to a syrup . this syrup refiesheth the vital spirits and cherisheth the heart and stomach , helps digestion , and cherisheth the whole body exceedingly . 82. to make syrup of citron peels . take of freth yellow citron peels , five ounces , the berries of cherms , or the juice of the● brought over to us two drams , spring-water two quarts ; steep them all night , boyl them till half be consumed , take off the scum , strain it , and with two pound and half of the whitest sugar , boyl it into a syrup : let half of it be without musk , but perfume the other half with three grains of musk tyed up in a rag . 83. to make syrup of harts-horn . take of harts● tongue thee● handfuls , polipodium of the oak , the roots of both sorts of buglos , barks of the roots of capers and tamaris , of each two ounces , hops , dodder , maiden-hair , balm , of each two handfulls ; boil them in four quarts of spring-water till it comes to five , strain it , and with four pound of sugar , make it into syrup according to art. 84. an oyl perfume for gloves that shall never out . take benjamin two ounces , storax and calamint each an ounce ●ut the two first must be finely bearen by themselves ; then take a pound of sweet almonds , and mingle it with the storax and benjamin upon a marble stone , and then put it into an earthen pot with more oyl , then put in your gloves powdered , and so let it stand very close covered ; and when you will perfume a pair of gloves , take a little fair water in a spoon , and wipe your gloves very fine with ; take another spoon , and dip it in your oyl , and rub it on your gloves , and let them dry this is excellent . 85. an excellent water for one that is in a consumption . take three pints of milk , and one pint of red wine , twenty four yolks of new laid eggs , beat them very well together , then add so much white bread as will drink up the wine , and put to it some cow-slip flowers , and distil them : take a spoonful of this , morning and evening , in chicken , or muton broth , and in one month it will cure any consumption . 86. to make barley water , take a penny-worth of barley , a penny-worth of raisins of the sun , a penny-worth of anniseeds , a half penny-worth of liquorish , about two quarts of water , boil all together till half be consumed , then strain it , and when it is cold drink it , your liquorish must be sliced into small pieces . 87. dr. deodates drink for the scurvy . take roman wormwood , carduus benedictus , scurvy-grass , brook-lime , water-creases , water-trifoil , of each one handful , dodder , cetrach , soolopendria . burrage , buglos , sorrel , vervain , or speedwel , of each half a handful , elicampane root one ounce , raisins of the sun three ounces , slices of oranges and lemmons , of each fifteen , boil , or rather infuse these in a double glass , with so much white-wine as will make a pint and a half of the liquor when it is done . 88. a conserve to strengthen the back . take eringo roots , and conserve them as you do damask , white and red roses in every respect the pith being taken out ; one pound and a half of sugar is enough for every pound of roots , with three pints of water stew them closely at first as you do your roses ; if you add to them five or six grains of amber grease beaten to fine powder , it will be much more cordial . 89. to make excellent aqua composita for a surfeit or cold stomach . take a handful of rosemary , a root of ●nula● campane , a handful of hysop , half a handful of thyme , six handfuls of sage , as much mint and as much penny-royal , half a handful of hore-hound , two ounces of liquorish well bruised and as much anniseeds : then take two gallons of the best strong ale , and take all the herbs afore●aid , and wring them asunder , and put them into an earthen pot well covered , and let them stand a day and a night , from thence put all into a brass pot , and set it on the fire , and let it stand till it boil , then take it from the fire and set your limbeck on the pot , and stop it close with past that there come no air out of it , and still it out with a soft fire , you may add to it 1 handful of red fennel . 90. to make balm water . take four gallons of strong stale ale , half a pound of liquorish , two pound of balm two ounces of figgs , half a pound of anniseeds , one ounce of nutmegs , shred the balm and figgs very small , and let them stand steeping four and twenty hours , and then put it in a still as you use aqua-vitae . 91. to pickle broom-buds . take as many broom-buds as you please , make linnen bags and put them in , and tye them close , then make some brine with water and salt , and boil it a little , let it be cold , then put some brine in a deep earthen pot , and put the bags in it , and lay some weight on them , let it lye there till it look black , then shift it again still as long as it looks black , boil them in a little cauldron , and put them in vinegar a week or two , and they will be fit to eat . 92. to make good raspberry wine . take a gallan of sack , in which let two gallons of raspberries stand steeping the space of twenty four hours , then strain them and put to the liquor three pound of raisins of the sun stoned ; let them stand together four or five days , being sometime stirred together , then pair off the clearest and put it up in bottles and set it in a cold place if it be not sweet enough you may put sugar to it . 93. to make excellent hippocras in an instant . take of cinamon two ounces , nutmegs , ginger , of each half an ounce , cloves two drams , bruise these small , then mix them with as much spirit of wine , as will make them into a past , let them stand close covered in a glass the space of six days in a cold place , then press out the liquor and keep it in a glass . a few drops of this liquor put into any wine giveth it a gallant relish and odour , and maketh it as good as any hippocras whatsoever in an instant . 94. to make artificial malmsey . take two gallons of english honey , put into it eight gallons of the best spring-water , set these in a vessel over a gentle fire , when they have boil'd gently an hour take them off , and when they be cold put them into a small barrel or runlet hanging in the vessel a bag of spices , and set it in the cellar , and in half a year you may drink thereof . 95. to make artificial claret-wine . take six gallons of water , two gallons of the best syder , put thereto eight pound of the best malaga raisins bruised in a morter , let them stand close covered in a warm place the space of a fortnight , every two days stirring them well together ; then press out the raisins● and put the liquor into the s●id vessel again , to which add a quart of the juice of ras-berries , and a pint of the juice of black cherries ; cover this liquor with bread spread thick with strong mustard , the mustard-seed being down●ward , and so let it work by the fire side three or four days , then turn it up and let it stand a week , and then bottle it up , and it will tast as quick as bottle beer and become a very p●easant drink , and indeed far better and wholsomer then our common claret . 96. to make spirit of amber-grease . take of amber-grease two drams , of musk a dram cut them small , and put them into a pint of the best spirit of wine , close up the glass hermetically , and digest them in a very gentle heat till you perceive they are dissolved , then you may use it ; two or three drops or more if you please of this spirit put into a pint of wine , gives it a rich odour , or if you put two or three drops round the brims of the glass it will do as well , half a spoonful of it taken either of it self , or mixt with some specifical liquor is a most rich cordial . 97. an excell●nt sweet water . take a quart of orange-flower water , as much rose water , with four ounces of musk-willow-seeds grosly bruised , of benjamin two ounces , of storax an ounce , of latdanum six drams , of lavender flowers two pugils , of sweet marjoram as much , of calanius aromaticus a dram , distil all these in a glass still in balneo , the vessel being very well closed that no vapour breath forth ; note that you may make a sweet water in an instant , by putting in a few drops of some distilled oyls together into some rose-water , and brew them well together . 98. dr. burges plague water . take three pints of muscadine , and boyl in it sage and rue , of each a handful till a pint be wasted , then strain it , and set it over the fire again , put thereto a dram of long pepper , ginger and nutmeg , of each half an ounce being all bruised together ; then boil them a little , and put thereto half an ounce of andramachus treacle , three drams of methridate , and a quarter of a pint of angellica water . take a spoonful or two of this morning and evening . 99. to dry cherries or plumbs in the sun. if it be small fruit you must dry them whole by laying them abroad in the hot sun in stone or pewter dishes , or tin pans turning them as you see cause ; but if your plumbs be large slit them in the middle and lay them abroad in the sun ; an if they be very large then give each plumb a slit on each side , and if the sun do not shine sufficiently , then dry them in an oven that is temperately warm . 100. to preserve pippins green . take pippins when they be small & green off the tree , and pare three or four of the worst , and cut them all to peices ; then boil them in a quart of fair water till they be pap ; then let the liquor come from them as they do from your quiddany into a bason ; then put into them one pound of sugar clarified , and put into it as many green pippins unp●rd , as that liquor will cover , and so let them boyl softly , and when you see they be boil●d as tender as a cod●ing , then take them up and peel off the outermost white skin , and then they will be green , then boil them again in the syrup till it be thick and you may keep them all the year . 101. to maks syrup of hysop . take of hysop one handful , of figgs , raisins , dates , of each an ounce , boil these in three pints of water to a quart , then strain and clarifie it with the whites of two eggs , and two pound of sugar , and so boil them to a syrup , and being boil●d enough keep them all the year . 102. to make rosa solis . take liquorish eight ounces . anniseeds and carr●way of each an ounce ; raisins ston'd and dates of each three ounces , nutmegs , ginger , mace , of each half an ounce , galingal a quarter of an ounce , cubebs one dram , figgs two ounces , sugar four ounces ; bruise these and distil them with a gallon of aqua-vitae as the rest , but when it is distilled , you must colour it with the herb rosa solis or alkanet root . 103. to make muscadine com●●ts . take half a pound of musk sugar beaten and searced , then take gumdragagant steeped in rose-water , and two grains of musk and so beat them in an alablaster morter till it come to perfect past , then roul it very thin , and cut it in small diamond pieces and then bake them , and so keep them all the year . 104. to make conserve of burrage-flowers . let your flowers be well coloured , and pick the blacks from them , then weigh them and to every ounce of flowers you must take three ounces of sugar , and beat them together in a stone morter with a wooden pestle till they be very fine ; then take them out and put the conserve into a pipki● , and ●ea● it thorow hot , put them up and keep them all the year . 105. to candy ginger . take very fair and large ginger and pare it , and lay it in water a day and a night ; then take double refined sugar and boil it to the height of sugar again , and when your sugar begins to be cold , take your ginger and stir it well about while your sugar is hard to the pan ; then take it out piece by peice and lay it by the fire four hours , then take a pot and warm it and put the ginger in it tye it up close and every other morning stir it about throughly , and it will be rock-candyed in a little time . 106. to make manus christi . take half a pound of refined sugar , and some rose-water , boil them together till it come to sugar again , then stir it about till it be somewhat cold , then take leaf gold and mingle with it , then cast it according to art into r●und gobbets , and so keep them . 107. to make conserve of strawberries . first boil them in water , and then cast away the water and strain them ; then boil them in white-wine , and works as in prunes ; or else strain them being ripe then boil them in white-wine and sugar till they be stiff . 108. to make conserve of prunes . take the best prunes put them into scalding water , let them stand a while , then boil themover the fire till they break ; then strain out the water through a cullender , and let them stand therein to cool , then strain the prunes through the cullender , taking away the stones and skins , then set the pulp over the fire again and put thereto a good quantity of red wine , and boil them to a thickness still stirring them up and down , when they are almost enough put in a sufficient quantity of sugar , stir all well together and then put it up in your gally-pots . 109. to make fine christal ielly . take a knuckle of veal , and four calves feet , put them on the fire with a gallon of fair water , and when the flesh is boil'd tender take it out , then let the liquor stand still till it be cold , then take away the top and the bottom of the liquor , and put the rest into a clean pipkin , and put into it one pound of refined sugar , with four or five drops of oyl of cinamon and nutmegs , and a grain of musk , and so let it boil a quarter of an hour leasurely on the fire ; then let it run through a jelly-bag into a bason , with the whites of two eggs beaten ; and when it is cold you may cut it into lumps with a spoon , and so serve three or four lumps upon a plate . 110. to make ielly of strawberries , mulberries , raspisberries or any other such tender fruit . take your berries and grind them in a stone morter with four ounces of sugar , and a quarter of a pint of fair water , and as much rose-water ; and boyl it in a skillet with a little ising-glass , and so let it run through a fine cloath into your boxes and you may keep it all the year . 111. to candy rosemary flowers . pick your flowers very clean , and put to every ounce of flowers two ounces of hard sugar , and one ounce of sugar-candy , and dissolve them in rosemary flower water , and boil them till they come to a sugar again , when your sugar is almost cold put in your rosemary flowers and stir them together till they be enough ; then take them out and put them in your boxes , and keep them in a store for use . 112. to candy brrrage flowers . pick the flowers clean and weigh them , and do in every respect as you did your rosemary flowers , only when they be candyed you must set them in a still , and sokeep them in a sheet of white paper , putting eve●y day a chafing-dish of coals into your still , and it will be excellently candyed in a small time . 113. to make bisket cakes . take a peck of flower●● four ounces of coriander-seed , one ounce of anniseed ; then take three eggs , three spoonfuls of ale-yeast , and as much warm water as will make it as thick as past for maunchet● , make it into a long roul and bake it in an oven an hour , and when it is a day old , pare it and slice it , sugar it with searced sugar and put it again into the oven , and when it is dry take it out , and new sugar it again , and so box it and keep it . 114. to make past royal. take a pound of refined sugar , beaten and searced , and put into a stone morter , with an ounce of gumdragagant steeped in rose-water , and if you see your past be too weak put in more sugar● if too dry more gum , with a drop or two of oyl of ci●amon , beat it into a perfect past , and then you may print it in your moulds , and when it is dry guild it and so keep them . 115. to make apricock cakes . procure the fairest apricocks you can get , and let them be parboil●d very tender ; take of the same quantity of sugar whereof the pulp is , and boil them together very well always keeping them stirring for fear of burning too ; when the bottom of the skillet is dry they are enough , then put them into little cards sewed round about , and dust them with fine sugar , and when they are cold stone them and turn them , and fill them up with some more of the same stuff , but let them stand three or four days before you remove them from the first place , when you find them begin to candy take out the cards and dust them with sugar . 115. to make conserve for tarts all the year . take damsons , or other good ripe plums , and peel off their skins , and so put them into a pot , but to pippins pared , and cut in pieces , and so bake them ; then strain them through a piece of canvas , and reason them with cinamon , sugar , ginger , and a little rose-water : boyl it upon a chafing-dish of coals , till it be as thick as a conserve ; and then put it into your gally-pots , and you may keep it good all the year . 116. to dry pippins . take the fairest yellow pippins , and pare them , and make a hole through every one , then par-boyl them a little in fair water , then take them up , and put them into as much clarified sugar as will cover them , and let them boyl very gently a little while , in that syrup ; then take them out , and put them into an earthen platter , then cast fine sugar upon them , and set them into the oven half an hour , then take them out , and cast some more sugar on them , ( being turned ) and do so three times , and they will be well d●yed . 117. to make paste of genua . take two pound of the pulp of quinces , and as much of peaches ; strain it , and dry it in a pewter platter upon a chasing-dish of coals ; then weigh it , and boyl it to the height of manus christi , and then put them together , and so fashion it upon a pye-plate , and dry it in an oven with a chafing-dish of coals till it be through dry , and then if you please you may spot them with gold. 118. to make leach . make your jelly for your leach with calves feet , as you do your ordinary jelly , but a little stiffer ; and when it is cold , take off the top , and the bottom , and set it over the fire with some cinamon and sugar ; then take your turnsole being well steept in sack , and crush it , and so strain it in your leach , and let it boyl to such a thickness , that when it is cold you may slice it . 119. to dry any kind of fruits after they are preserved . take pippins , pears , or plums after they are preserved out of the syrup , and wash them in warm water , and then strew them over with sugar finely sierced , as you do flower upon fish to fry , and set them into a broad earthen pan , and lay them one by another ; then set them into a warm stove or oven , until they be dry , and turn them every day till they are quite dry ; and if you please , you may candy them therewithal ; cast sugar upon them three or four times as you dry them . 120. to make quiddany of quinces . take the kernels out of seven or eight great quinces , and boyl the quinces in a quart of spring-water , till it come to a pint ; then put into it a quarter of a pint of rose-water , and one pound of fine sugar , and so let it boyl till it come to be of a deep colour , then take a drop and drop it into the bottom of a saucer , and if it stand , take it off ; then let it run through a jelly-bag into a bason , then set it over a chafing-dish of coals to keep it warm , then take a spoon and fill your boxes as full as you please ; when they be cold cover them , and if you please to print it in moulds , wetting your moulds with rose-water , and so let it run in , and when it is cold , turn it into boxes . 121. to make sweet cakes without either spice or sugar . take parsneps , and scrape or wash them clean , slice them thin , and dry them well , beat them to powder , mixing one third part thereof with two thirds of fine wheat-flower ; make up your paste into cakes , and you will find them very sweet and delicate . 122. to make wormwood-vvine . take small rochel or comahe wine , put a few drops of the extracted oyl of worm-wood therein ; brew it together out of one pot into another , and you shall have a more neat and wholsom wine for your body , than that which is sold for right wormwood-wine . 123. to make sweet bags to lye among linning . fill your bags only with lignum and rhodium finely beaten , and it will give an excellent scent to your linnen . 124. to make spirit of honey . put one part of honey to five parts of water , when the water boyleth dissolve your honey therein , scum it ; and having boyled an hour or two , put it into a wooden vessel , and when it is blood-warm set it on fire with yeast , after the usual manner of beer and ale ; turn it , and when it hath lain some time , it will yield spirit by distillation , as wine , beer , and ale will do . 125. to preserve artichoaks . cut off the stalks of your artichoaks within two inches of the choak , and make a strong decoction of the rest of the stalks , slicing them into thin small pieces , and let the artichoaks lye in this decoction ; and when you use them , you must put them first in warm water , and then in cold , and so take away the bitterness of them . 126. to make syrup for a cough of the lungs . take a pottle of fair running water in a new pipkin , and put into it half an ounce of sydrack , half an ounce of maiden-hair , and a good handful of elecampane roots sliced ; boyl all together , untill half be boyled away , even to a syrup ; then put into it the whites of eggs , and let it boyl two or three walms ; and give the patient a spoonful morning and evening . 127. to make banbury cakes . take four pound of currants , wash , and pick them very clean , and dry them in a cloath ; then take three eggs , and put away one yolk , and beat them , and strain them with yeast , putting thereto cloves , mace , cinamon , and nutmegs ; then take a pint of cream , and as much mornings milk , and let it warm ; then take flower , and put in good store of cold butter and sugar , then put in your eggs , yeast , and meal , and work them all together an hour or more ; then save a piece of the paste , and break the rest in pieces , and work in your currants ; then make your cake what quantity you please , and cover it very thin with the paste wherein were no currants , and so bake it according to the bigness . 128. to make ginger-bread . take a quart of honey , and set it on the coals and refine it , then take ginger , pepper , and licorise , of each a penny-worth , a quarter of a pound of anniseeds , and a penny-worth of saunders ; beat all these , and sierse them , and put them into the honey , add a quarter of a pint of claret wine , or old ale ; then take three penny manchets finely grated , and strew it amongst the rest , and stir it till it come to a stiff past ; make them into cakes , and dry them gently . 129. to make vvormwood-vvater . take two gallons of good ale , a pound of anniseeds , half a pound of licorise , and beat them very fine ; then take two good handfuls of the crops of wormwood , and put them into ale , and let them stand all night , and let them stand in a limbeck with a moderate fire . 130. to make paste of quinces . first boyl your quinces whole , and when they are soft , pare them , and cut the quince from the core ; then take the finest sugar you can get finely beaten or sierced , and put in a little rose-water , and boyl it together till it be stiff enough to mould , and when it is cold , roul it and print : a pound of quinces will require a pound of sugar , or thereabout . 131. to make thin quince cakes . take your quince when it is boyled soft , as before , and dry it upon a pewter plate with a soft heat , and stir it with a slice till it be hard , then take sierced sugar to the same weight , and strew it upon the quince as you beat it in a wooden or stone mortar , and so roul them thin , and print them . 132. to make fine cakes . take a pottle of fine flower , and a pound of sugar , a little meale , and good store of water to mingle the flower into a stiff plate , with a little salt , and so knead it , and roul out the cakes thin , and bake them on papers . 133. to make suckets . take curds , and the paring of limons , oranges , or pome-citrons , or indeed any half-ripe green fruit , and boyl them till they be tender , in sweet wort ; then take three pound of sugar , the whites of four eggs , and a gallon of water ; beat the water and eggs together , and then put in your sugar , and set it on the fire , and let it have a gentle fire , and let it boyl six or seven walms , then strain it through a cloath , and set it on again , till it fall from the spoon , and then put it into the rindes , or fruits . 134. to make leach lombard . take half a pound of blanched almonds , two ounces of cinamon beaten and sierced , half a pound of sugar ; beat your almonds , and strew on your cinamon and sugar , till it come to a paste , then roul it , and print it , as afore-said . 135. to make a rare damask water . take a quart of malmsey lees , or malmsey , one handful of marjoram , as much basil , four handfuls of lavender , one handful of bay-leaves , four handfuls of damask-rose-leaves , as many red-rose , the peels of six oranges , or else one handful of the tender leaves of walnut-trees , half an ounce of benjamin , calamus aromaticus as much , of camphire four drams , of cloves an ounce , of bildamum half an ounce ; then take a pottle of running water , and put in all these spices bruised into your water and malmsey together in a pot close stopped , with a good handful of rosemary , and let them stand for the space of six days , then distill it with a soft fire , and set it in the sun sixteen days , with four grains of musk bruised . this quantity will make three quarts of water . 136. to make washing balls . take storax of both kinds , benjamin , calamus aromaticus , labdanum , of each alike , and bray them to powder with cloves and orris , then beat them all with a sufficient quantity of soap , till it be stiff , then with your hand work it like paste , and make round balls thereof . 137. to make a musk-ball . take nutmegs , mace , cloves , saffron , and cinamon , of each the weight of two pence , and beat it to fine powder , add as much mastick , of storax the weight of six pence , of labdanum the weight of ten pence , of amber-grease the weight of six pence , and of musk sour grains ; dissolve and work all these in hard sweet soap , till it come to a stiff paste , and then make balls thereof . 138. to make imperial vvater . take a gallon of gascoin wine , ginger , galingal , nutmegs , grains , cloves , anniseeds , fennel-seeds , caraway-seeds , of each one dram ; then take sage , mint , red roses , tine , pellitory , rosemary , wild thyme , camomile , and lavender , of each a handful , then beat the spices small and the herbs also , and put all together into the wine , and let it stand so twelve hours , stirring it divers times , then distill it with a limbeck , and keep the first water , for it is best ; of a gallon of wine you must not take above a quart of water . this water comforteth the vital spirits , and helpeth the inward diseases that come of cold , as the palsie , and contraction of sinews ; it also killeth worms , and comforteth the stomack , it cureth the cold dropsie , helpeth the stone , and stinking breath , and maketh one seem young. 139. to make verjuice . gather your crabs as soon as the kernels turn black , and lay them a while in a heap to sweat , then pick them from the stalks , blacks , and rotteness , then crush and beat them all to pieces in a tub , then make a bag of course hair-cloath as big as your press , and fill it with the crusht crabs , then put it into the press and press it as long as any moisture will drop out , having a clean vessel underneath to receive the liquor ; then tun it up in sweet hogsheads , and to every hogshead put half a dozen handfuls of damask rose leaves , then bring it up , and spend it as you have occasion . 140. to make dry sugar leach . blanch your almonds , and beat them with a little rose water , and the white of one egg , and then beat it with a good quantity of sugar , and work it as you would work a piece of paste ; then roul it , and print it , only be sure to strew sugar in the print , for fear of cleaving to . 141. to make fine iumbals . beat a pound of sugar fine , then take the same quantity of fine wheat flower , and mix them together , then take two whites and one yolk of an egg , half a quarter of a pound of blanched almonds , then beat them very fine altogether , with half a pound of sweet butter , and a spoonful of rose-water , and so work it with a little cream till it come to a stiff paste , then roul them forth as you please ; you may add a few fine dryed anniseeds finely rub●d , and strewed into the paste , with coriander seeds . 142. to make dry vinegar . to make dry vinegar , which you may carry in your pocket , you must take the blacks of green co●● , either wheat or rye , and beat it in a mortar with the strongest vinegar you can get , till it come to paste , then roul it into little balls and dry it in the sun till it be very hard , and when you have occasion to use it , cut a little piece thereof , and dissolve it in wine , and it will make a strong vinegar . 143. to make excellent date leach . take dates , and take out the stones , and the white rinde , and beat them with sugar , cinamon , and ginger very finely , then work it as you would work a piece of paste , and then print them as you please . 144. to make white ielly of almonds . take rose-water , gum-dragant , or isinglass dissolved , and some cinamon grosly beaten , boyl them all together , then take a pound of almonds , blanch them , and beat them fine with a little fair water , dry them in a fine cloath , and put your rose-water and the rest into the almonds , boyl them together and stir them continually , then take them from the fire , and when it is boyled enough take it off . 145. to candy orange peels . take your orange peels after they are preserved , then take fine sugar , and rose water , and boyl it to the height of manus christi , that is , till it is sugar again , then draw through your sugar ; lay them on the bottom of a siev , and dry them in an oven after you have drawn bread , and they will be candied . 146. to make paste of violets . you must take violets ready pickt , and brui●e them in a marble mortar , and wring the juice from them into a porringer , and put as much hard sugar in fine powder , as the juice will cover , dry it , and then pouder it again ; then take as much gum-dragant steeped in rose water as will bring this sugar into a perfect paste , then take it up & print it with your moulds , and so dry it in your stove . 147. to preserve pippins red. take your best coloured pippins and pare them , then take a piercer and bore a hole through them , then make syrup for them as much as will cover them , and so let them boyl in a broad preserving pan , put to them a piece of cinamon , and let them boyl leisurely , close covered , turning them very often , or else they will spot , and one side will not be like t'other , and let them boyl till they begin to jelly , then take them up , and you may keep them all the year . 148. to make spirit of roses . bruise the rose in his own juice , adding thereto , being temperately warm , a convenient proportion either of yeast , or ferment ; leave them a few days to ferment , till they get a strong and heady smell , near like to vinegar ; then distill them , and draw so long as you find any scent of the rose to come , then distill again so often till you have purchased a perfect spirit of the rose . you may also ferment the juice of roses only , and after distill the same . 149. to make syrup of elder . take elder berries when they are red , bruise them in a stone mortar , strain the juice , and boyl it away to almost half , scum it very clean , take it off the fire whilst it is hot ; put in sugar to the thickness of a syrup , put it no more on the fire , when it is cold , put it into glasses , not filling them to the top , for it will work like beer . 150. to make orange-water . take two quarts of the best malaga sack , and put in as many of the peels of oranges as will go in , cut the white clean off , steep them twenty four hours , then still them in a glass still , and let the water run into the receiver upon fine sugar-candy ; you may still it in an ordinary still . 151. to make a caudle of great virtue . take a pint and a half of the strongest ale may be gotten , twenty jordan almonds clean wiped , but neither wash'd nor blanch'd , with two dates minced very small and stamped ; then take the pith of young beef , the length of twelve inches , lay it in water till the blood be out of it , then strip the skin off it , and stamp it with the almonds and dates , then strain them altogether into the ale , boyl it till it be a little thick , give the party in the morning fasting six spoonfuls , and as much when he goeth to bed. 152. an excellent surfeit vvater . take cellandine , rosemary , rue , pellitory of spain , scabious , angelica , pimpernel , wormwood , mugwort , betony , agrimony , balm , dragon and tormentile , of each half a pound , shred them somewhat small , and put them into a narrow mouthed pot , and put to them five quarts of vvhite vvine , stop it close , and let it stand three days and nights , stirring it morning and evening , then take the herbs from the wine , and distill them in an ordinary still , and when you have distill'd the herbs , distill the wine also , wherein is virtue for a weak stomack . take three or four spoonfuls at any time . 153. to make a syrup for one short-winded . take a good handful of hyssop , and a handful of horehound , and boyl them in a quart of spring-water to a pint , then strain it through a clean cloath , and put in sugar to make it pleasant . stir it morning and evening with a licorise-stick , and take about three spoonfuls at a time . 154. to make syrup of sugar candyed . take sugar candyed , and put it into a clear bladder , and tye it , but so that it may have some vent , then put it into a bason of water , so that the water come not over the top of the bladder , and cover it with a pewter dish , and let it stand all night , and in the morning take of it with a licorise-stick . 155. to make an excellent syrup against the scurvy . take of the juice of garden scurvy-grass , brook●ime , and water-cresses , of each six ounces , and after it hath stood till it is clear , take sixteen ounces of the clearest , and put to it four ounces of the juice of oranges and lemmons , make it a clear syrup with so much fine sugar as will serve the turn . 156. to make syrup of roses . vvhen your liquor is ready to boyl , put as many roses as will be well steept into it , cover it close , and when the roses are throughly white , then strain it , and set it one the fire again , and so use it thirteen times , and to every pint of your water or liquor , you must put a pound of sugar , and let it stand together steeping for the space of one night , then scum it clean , and seeth it over a quick fire a quarter of an hour , then take some whites of eggs and beat them well together , take off your pot , and put in the whites , and then set it on the fire again , and let it boyl a good space , then let it run through a jelly-bag , till it will stand still upon your nail . 157. to make a comfortable syrup . take a handful of agrimony , and boyl it in a pint of water till half be consumed , then take out the agrimony , and put in a good handful of currans , and boyl them till they are ready to break , then strain them , and make a syrup of them , then set it on a chafing-dish of coals , and put thereto a little white saunders , and drink it either hot or cold . 158. to make an almond caudle . take three pints of ale , boyl it with cloves and mace , and slice bread in it , then have ready beaten a pound of almonds blanched , and strain them out with a pint of white wine , and thicken the ale with it , sweeten it if you please , but be sure to scum the ale when it boyls . 159. to candy cherries . take your cherries before they be full ripe , take out the stones , put clarified sugar boyled to a height , and then pour it on them . 160. to make syrup of saffron . take a pint of endive water , two ounces of saffron finely beaten , and steep it therein all night , the next day boyl it , and strain out the saffron , then with sugar boyl it up to a syrup . 161. to make rose water . stamp the leaves , and first distill the juice being squeezed out , and after distill the leaves , and so you may dispatch more with one still , than others will do with three or four ; and this water is every way as medicinable as the other , serving very well in all decoctions , and syrups , &c. though it be not altogether so pleasing to the smell . 162. to make suckets of green walnuts take vvalnuts when they are no bigger than the largest hasel nut ; pare away the uppermost green , but not too deep ; then boyl them in a pottle of water , till the water be boyled away , then take so much more fresh water , and when it is boyled to the half , put thereto a quart of vinegar , and a pottle of clarified honey . 163. to make white leach of cream . take a pint of sweet cream , and six spoonfuls of rose-water , two grains of musk , two drops of oyl of mace , and so let it boyl with four ounces of isinglass ; then let it run through a jelly-bag , when it is cold slice it like brawn , and so serve it out . this is the best way to make leach . 164. to preserve pome-citrons . you must take a pound and a half of pome-citrons , and cut them in halves and quarters , take the meat out of them , and boyl them tender in fair water , then take two pound of sugar clarified , and make syrup for them , and let them boyl therein a quarter of an hour very gently ; then take them up , and let your syrup boyl till it be thick , then put in your pome-citrons , and you may keep them all the year . 165. to pick●e clove-gilly flowers for sallets . take the fairest clove-gilly-flowers , clip off the whites from them , put them into a wide-mouth'd glass , and strew a good deal of sugar finely beaten among them , then put as much wine vinegar to them as will throughly wet them , tye them up close , and set them in the sun , and in a little while they will be fit for use . 166. to make leach of almonds . take half a pound of sweet almonds , and beat them in a mortar , then strain them with a pint of sweet milk from the cow , then put to it one grain of musk , two spoonfuls of rose-water , two ounces of fine sugar , the weight of three shillings in isinglass that is very white , boyl them together , and let it all run through a strainer , then still it out , and serve it . 167. to candy marigolds in wedges , the spanish fashion . take of the fairest marigold flowers two ounces , and shred them small , and dry them before the fire , then take four ounces of sugar , and boyl it to a height , then pour it upon a wet pye-plate , and between hot and cold cut it into wedges , then lay them on a sheet of white paper , and put them in a stove . 168. to candy eringo roots . take your eringos ready to be preserved , and weigh them , and to every pound of your roots take of the purest sugar you can get two pound , and clarifie it with the whites of eggs exceeding well , that it may be as clear as crystal , for that will be best ; it being clarified , boyl it to the height of manus christi , then dip in your roots two or three at once , till all be candyed , and so put them in a stove , and so keep them all the year . 169. to candy elecampane roots . take of your fairest elecampane roots , and take them clean from the syrup , and wash the sugar off them , and dry them again with a linnen cloath ; then weigh them , and to every pound of roots take a pound and three quarters of sugar , clarifie it well , and boyl it to a height , and when it is boyled dip in your roots , three or four at once , and they will candy very well , and so stove them , and keep them all the year . 170. to make cinamon-sugar . lay pieces of sugar in close boxes among sticks of cinamon , or cloves , and in short time it will have the tast and scent of the spice . 171. to make a triste . take cream , and boyl it with a cut nutmeg , add limon peel a little , then take it off , cool it a little , and season it with rose-water and sugar to your tast ; let this be put in the thing you serve it in , then put it in a little rundlet to make it come , and then it is sit to eat . 172. to make quiddany of plums . take one quart of the liquor which you preserved your plums in , and boyl six fair pippins in it , pared , and cut into small pieces , then strain the thin from it , and put to every pint of liquor half a pound of sugar , and so boyl it till it will stand on the back of a spoon like a jelly ; then wet your moulds , and pour it thereinto , and when it is almost cold , turn it off upon a wet trencher , and so slip it into wet boxes . 173. to candy barberries . first preserve them , then dip them quickly into warm water , to wash off the ropy syrup , then strew them over with siersed sugar , and set them into an oven or stove three or four hours , always turning them , and casting more fine sugar upon them , and never suffer them to be cold till they be dryed , and begin to look like diamonds . 174. to make cream of apricots . first boyl your apricots with water and sugar , till they be somewhat tender , and afterwards boyl them in cream , then strain them , and season it with sugar . 175. to make quince-cream . take a roasted quince , pare it , and cut it into thin slices to the core , boyl it in a pint of cream , with a little whole ginger , till it tast of the quinces to your liking , then put in a little sugar , and strain it , and always serve it cold to the table . 176. to preserve barberries . take one pound of barberries pickt from the stalks , put them in a pottle-pot , and set it in a brass pot full of hot water , and when they be stewed , strain them , and put to them a pound and half of sugar , and a pint of red rose-water , and boyl them a little ; then take half a pound of the fairest clusters of barberries you can get , and dip them in the syrup while it boyleth , then take the barberries out again , and boyl the syrup while it is thick , and when it is cold , put them in the glasses with the syrup . 177. to make a cullice . take a cock , and dress him , and boyl him in white wine , scum it clean , and clarifie the broath ( being first strained ) then take a pint of sweet cream , and strain it , and so mix them together ; then take beaten ginger , fine sugar , and rose-water , and put them all together , and boyl it a little more . 178. to make a cordial strengthning broath . take a red cock , strip off the feathers from the skin , then break his bones to shivers with a rolling-pin ; ●●t it over the fire , and just cover it with water , put in some salt , and watch the scumming , and boyling of it , put in a handful of harts-horn , a quarter of a pound of blew currans , and as many raisins of the sun stoned , and as many pruans , four blades of large mace , a bottom crust of a white loaf , half an ounce of china root sliced , being steeped three hours before in warm water , boyl three or four pieces of gold , strain it , and put in a little fine sugar , and juice of orange , and so use it . 179. to candy grapes . after they are preserved , then dip them into warm water to cleanse them from the syrup , then strew them over with sierced sugar , and set them into an oven or stove three or four hours , always turning them , and casting more fine sugar upon them , and never suffer them to be cold till they be dry'd , and begin to sparkle . 180. to make sugar-cakes . take one pound of fine flower , one pound of sugar finely beaten , and mingle them well together , then take seven or eight yolks of eggs , then take two cloves , and a pretty piece of cinamon , and lay it in a spoonful of rose-water all night , and heat it almost blood-warm , temper it with the rest of the stuff ; when the paste is made , make it up as fast as you can , and bake them in a soft oven . 181. to take spots and stains out of cloaths . take four ounces of white hard soap , beat it in a mortar with a limon sliced , and as much roch-allom as an hasel-nut , roul it up in a ball , rub the stain therewith , and after fetch it out with warm water , if need be . 182. to keep chesnuts all the year . after the bread is ●rawn , disperse your nuts thinly over the bottom of the oven , and by this means , the moisture being dryed up , the nuts will last all the year ; but if you perceive them to mould , put them into the oven again . 183. to preserve cucumbers green. you must take two quarts of verjuice , or vinegar , and a gallon of fair water , a pint of bay-salt , and a handful of green fennel or dill , boyl it a little , and when it is cold , put it into a barrel , then put your cucumbers into that pickle , and you may keep them all the year . 184. to preserve white damsons green. scald white damsons in water , till they be hard , then take them off , and pick as many as you please , take as much sugar as they weigh , put two or three spoonfuls of water , then put in the damsons and the sugar , and boyl them , take them off , then let them stand a day or two , then boyl them again , take them off , and let them stand till they be cold . 185. to make cakes of limons . take of the finest double refined sugar , beaten very fine , and sierced through fine tiffany , and to half a porringer of sugar put two spoonfuls of water , and boyl it till it be almost sugar again , then grate of the hardest rinded limon , and stir it into your sugar , put it into your coffins , and a paper , and when they be cold , take them off . 186. to make artificial walnuts . take some sugar-plate , and print it in a mould made for a walnut-kernel , and then yellow it all over with a little saffron-water , with a feather ; then take cinamon sierced , and sugar a like quantity , working it to a paste with gum-dragon steeped in rose-water , and print it in a mould made like a walnut-shell , and when the kernel and shell be dry , close them together with gum-dragon . 187. to make black-cherry-vvine . take a gallon of the juice of black-cherries , keep it in a vessel close stopped , till it begin to work , then filter it , and an ounce of sugar being added to every pint , and a gallon of white-wine , and so keep it close stopped for use. 188. to make rose-vinegar . take of red-rose buds ( gathered in a dry time , the whites cut off , then dry them in the shadow three or four days ) one pound , of vinegar eight sextaries ; set them in the sun forty days , then strain out the roses , and put in fresh ; and so repeat it three or four times . 189. to make syrup of vinegar . take of the roots of smalledge , fennel , endive , each three ounces ; anniseeds , smalledge , fennel , of each an ounce , endive half an ounce , clear water three quarts ; boyl it gently in an earthen vessel , till half the water be consumed , then strain , and clarifie it , and with three pound of sugar , and a pint and half of white-wine-vinegar , boyl it into a syrup . this is a gallant syrup for such whose bodies are stuffed , either with phlegm , or tough humours , for it opens obstructions or stoppings , both of the stomack , liver , spleen , and reins ; it cuts and brings away tough phlegm , and choler . 190 , to make syrup of apples . take two quarts of the juice of sweet-scented apples , the juice of bugloss , garden , and wild , of violet-leaves , and rose-water , of each a pound , boyl them together , and clarifie them , and with six pound of very fine sugar , boyl them into a syrup , according to art. 191. to make the capon-water against a consumption . take a capon , the guts being pull'd out , cut it in pieces , and take away the fat , boyl it in a close vessel in a sufficient quantity of spring-water : take of this broath three pints , of barrage , and violet-water a pint and a half , white-wine one pint , red-rose leaves two drams and an half , burrage-flowers , violets , and bugloss , of each one dram , pieces of bread out of the oven half a pound , cinamon bruised , half an ounce ; still it in a glass still , according to art. this is a sovereign remedy against hectick-fevers , and consumptions ; let such as are subject to those diseases , hold it as a jewel . 192. to make elder-vinegar . gather the flowers of elder , pick them very clean , dry them in the sun , on a gentle heat , and to every quart of vinegar take a good handful of flowers , and let it stand in the sun a fortnight , then strain the vinegar from the flowers , and put it into the barrel again , and when you draw a quart of vinegar , draw a quart of water , and put it into the barrel luke-warm . 193. to make china broath . take an ounce of china-root clipped thin , and steep it in three pints of water all night , on embers covered ; the next day take a cock chicken , clean pickt , and the guts taken out , put in its belly agrimony and maiden-hair , of each half a handful , raisins of the sun stoned , one good handful , and as much french barley ; boyl all these in a pipkin close covered , on a gentle fire , for six or seven hours , let it stand till it be cold , strain it , and keep it for your use : take a good draught in the morning , and at four in the after-noon . 194. to make paste of tender plums . put your plums into an earthen pot , and set it into a pot of boyling water , and when the plums are dissolved , then strain the thin liquor from them through a c●oath , and reserve that liquor to make quiddany , then strain the pulp through a piece of canvas , and take as much sugar as the pulp in weight , and as much water as will wet the same , and so boyl it to a candy height , then dry the pulp upon a chafing-dish of coals , then put your syrup and the pulp so hot together , and boyl it , always stirring it till it will lye upon a pye-plate , as you lay it , and that it run not abroad , and when it is somewhat dry , then use it , but put to it the pulp of apples . 196. to make cream of codlings . first , scald your codlings , and so peel off the skins , then scrape the pulp from the cores , and strain them with a little sugar , and rose-water , then lay your pulp of codlings in the middle of the dish , and so much raw cream round it as you please , and so serve it . 196. to make sugar of roses . take of red-rose-leaves , the whites being cut off , an ounce , dry them in the sun speedily , put to it a pound of white sugar , melt the sugar in rose-water , and juice of roses , of each two ounces , which being consumed by degrees , put in the rose-leaves in powder , mix them , put it upon a marble , and make it into lozenges , according to art. 197. to make a cream tart. cut the crust of a manchet , and grate it small , and mix it with thick cream , and some sweet butter ; then take twenty-four yolks of eggs , and strain them with a little cream , putting thereto a good quantity of sugar ; mix these very well , and set it upon a small fire , and so let it boyl till it be thick ; then make two sheets of paste as thin as you can , and raise the sides of one of them , the height of one of your fingers in breadth , and then fill it , and cover it with the other sheet , then bake it half a quarter of an hour , then put sugar on it , and so serve it . 198. to make artificial oranges . take alabaster moulds made in three pieces , bind two of the pieces together , and water them an hour or two , then take as much sugar as you think will fill your moulds , and so boyl it to a height ; then pour it into your moulds one by one very quick : then put on the lid of the mould , and so turn it round with your hand as quick as you can , and when it is cold , take it out of the mould , and they will be both whole , and hollow within , and so it will appear , and resemble the mould wherein it is put , whether oranges , limons , cucumbers , or the like . 199. to make poppy-water . take of red poppies four pound , put to them a quart of white-wine , then distill them in a common still , then let the distilled water be poured upon fresh flowers , and repeated three times , to which add two nutmegs sliced , red poppy-flowers a pugil , white sugar two ounces ; set it to the fire , to give it a pleasing sharpness , and order it according to your taste . 200. to make mathiolus bezoar water . take of syrup of citron-peels a quart , and as much of dr. mathiolus great antidote , with five pints of the spirit of wine , five times distill'd over ; put all these in a glass that is much too big to hold them ; stop it close , that the spirit fly not out , then shake it together , that the electuary may be well mingled with the spirit , so let it stand a moneth , shaking it together twice a week ( for the electuary will settle at the bottom ) after a moneth pour off the clear water into another glass , to be kept for your use , stopping it very close with wax and parchment , else the strength will easily fly away in vapours . 201. to make marmalade of red currans . take the juice of red currans , and put into a pretty quantity of white currans , clean pickt from the stalks and buttons at the other end ; let these boyl a little together , have also ready some fine sugar boyl'd to a candy height , put of this to the currans , acording to your discretion , and boyl them together , till they be enough , and bruise them with the back of your spoon , that they may be thick as marmalade , and when it is cool put it into pots : you need not stone the whole currans , unless you please . 202. to make a syllabub . take a pint of verjuice in a bowl , milk the cow to the verjuice ; then take off the curd , and take sweet cream , and beat them together with a little sack and sugar , put it into your syllabub-pot , strew sugar on it , and serve it . 203. to make pleasant mead. put a quart of honey to a gallon of water , with about ten sprigs of sweet-marjoram , and half so many tops of bays , boyl these very well together , and when it is cold , bottle it up , and in ten days it will be ready to drink . 204. to make steppony . take a gallon of conduit-water , a pound of blew raisins of the sun stoned , and half a pound of sugar , squeeze the juice of two limons upon the raisins and sugar , and slice the rindes upon them : boyl the water , and pour it boyling hot upon the ingredients in an earthen pot , and stir them well together , so let it stand twenty four hours ; then put it into bottles , having first let it run through a strainer , and set them in a cellar , or other cool place . 205. to make syder . take a peck of apples and slice them , and boyl them in a barrel of water , till the third part be wasted ; then cool your water as you do for wort , and when it is cold , you must pour the water upon three measures of grown apples . then draw sorth the water at a tap three or four times a day , for three days together . then press out the liquor , and tun it up ; when it hath done working , stop it up close . 206. to make cock-ale . take eight gallons of ale , then take a cock , and boyl him well , with four pound of raisins of the sun well stoned , two or three nutmegs , three or four flakes of mace , half a pound of dates ; beat these all in a mortar , and put to them two quarts of the best sack ; and when the ale hath done working , put these in , and stop it close six or seven days , and then bottle it , and a moneth after you may drink it , 207. to make a caraway-cake . take three pound and a half of the fineest flower , and dry it in an oven , one pound and a half of sweet butter , and mix it with the flower , till it be crumbled very small , that none of it be seen ; then take three quarters of a pint of new ale-yeast , and half a pint of sack , and half a pint of new milk , with six spoonfuls of rose-water , and four yolks , and two whites of eggs ; then let it lye before the fire half an hour , or more ; and when you go to make it up , put in three quarters of carraway-comfits , and a pound and half of biskets . put it into the oven , and let it stand an hour and an half . 208. to make strawberry-wine . bruise the strawberries , and put them into a linnen bag , which hath been a little used , that so the liquor may run through more easily ; then hang in the bag at the bung into the vessel . before you put in your strawberries , put in what quantity of fruit you think good , to make the wine of a high colour ; during the working , leave the bung open , and when it hath work'd enough , stop your vessel : cherry-wine is made after the same fashion , but then you must break the stones . 209 , to make a cordial water of clove-gilly flowers . put spirit of wine , or sack upon clove-gilly-flowers , digest it two or three days ; put all in a glass-body , laying other clove-gilly-flowers at the mouth of it upon a cambrick , or boulter-cloath , ( that the spirit rising , and passing through the flowers , may ting it self of a beautiful colour ) add a head with a limbeck and receiver : then distill the spirit as strong as you like it , which sweeten with syrup of gilly-flowers , or fine sugar . 210 to make an excellent surfeit-water . take mint and carduus four parts , angelica one part , wormwood two parts ; chop and bruise them a little , put a sufficient quantity of them into an ordinary still , and put upon them enough new milk to soak them , but not to have the milk swim much over them . distill this as you do rose-water , stirring it sometime with a stick , to keep the milk from growing to a cake . 211. to make mint-water . take two parts of mint , and one part of wormwood , and two parts of carduus ; put these into as much new milk as will soak them : let them infuse five or six hours , then distill as you distill rose-water , but you must often take off the head , and stir the matter well with a stick : drink of this water a wine-glass full at a time , sweetned with fine sugar to your taste . 212. to pickle artichoaks . take your artichoaks before they are over-grown , or too full of strings , and when they are pared round , then nothing is left but the bottom , boyl them till they be indifferent tender , but not full boyled , take them up , and let them be cold , then take good stale beer , and white wine , with a great quantity of whole pepper , so put them up into a barrel , with a small quantity of salt , keep them close , and they will not be sour , it will serve for baked meats , and boyled meats all the winter . 213. to make rasberry-cream . when you have boyled your cream , take two ladle-fuls of it , being almost cold , bruise the rasberries together , and season it with sugar , and rose-water , and put it into your cream , stirring it altogether , and so dish it up . 214. to make snow-cream . break the whites of six eggs , put thereto a little rose-water , beat them well together with a bunch of feathers , till they come perfectly to resemble snow ; then lay on the said snow in heaps upon other cream that is cold , which is made fit for the table ; you may put under your cream in the bottom of the dish , part of a penny loaf , and stick therein a branch of rosemary or bays , and fill your tree with the said snow to serve it up . 215. to make hydromel . take eighteen quarts of spring-water , and one quart of honey ; when the water is warm , put the honey into it , when it boyls up scum it very well , even as long as any scum will rise ; then put in one race of ginger , sliced in thin slices , four cloves , and a little sprig of green rosemary ; boyl all together an hour , then set it to cool till it be blood-warm , and then put to it a spoonful of ale-yeast , when it is work'd up , put it into a vessel of a fit size , and after two or three days bottle it up ; you may drink it in six weeks , or two moneths . 216. to make a whipt syllabub . take the whites of two eggs , and a pint of cream , with six spoonfuls of sack , and as much sugar as will sweeten it , then take a birchen rod and whip it , as it riseth in froth scum it , and put it into the syllabub-pot , so continue it with whipping and scumming , till your syllabub-pot be full . 217. to make marmalade of cherries . take four pound of the best kentish cherries before they be stoned , to one pound of pure loaf-sugar , which beat into small powder , stone the cherries , and put them into a preserving-pan over a gentle fire , that they may not boyl , but dissolve much into liquor . take away with the spoon much of the thin liquor , leaving the cherries moist enough , but not swimming , in clean liquor ; then put to them half your sugar , and boyl it up quick , and scum away the froth that riseth ; when it is well incorporated and clear , strew in a little more of the sugar , and continue so by little and little , till you have put in all your sugar , which will make the colour the fairer ; when they are boyled enough , take them off , and bruise them with the back of a spoon , and when they are cold , put them up in pots . 218. to make a flomery-caudle . when flomery is made , and cold , you may make a pleasant , and wholesome caudle of it , by taking some lumps and spoonfuls of it , and boyl it with ale and white-wine , then sweeten it to your taste with sugar . there will remain in the caudle some lumps of the congealed flomery , which are not ingrateful . 219. to preserve fruit all the year . put the fruit into a fit case of tin , and soder it together , so that no air can get in ; then lay it in the bottom of a cold well in running water . 220. to make a most rich cordial . take conserve of red roses , conserve of orange-flowers , of each one ounce ; confect . hyacinthi , bezoardick , theriacal powder , of each two drams , confection of alkermes one dram , of powder of gold one scruple ; mix all these well together in the form of an opiate , and if the composition be too dry , add to it some syrup of red currans , as much as is needful ; take of this composition every morning , the quantity of a nut. 221. to pickle red and white currans . take vinegar and white-wine , with so much sugar as will make it pretty sweet , then take your red and white currans , being not fully ripe , and give them one walm , so cover them over with the said pickle , keeping them always under liquor . 222. to make red currans-cream . bruise your currans with some boyled cream , then strain them through your strainer , or siev , and put the liquid substance thereof to the said cream , being almost cold , and it will be a pure red ; so serve it up . 223. to preserve medlars . take the weight of them in sugar , adding to every pound thereof , a pint and a half of fair water , let them be scalded therein , till their skin will come off ; then take them out of the water , and stone them at the head , then add your sugar to the water , and boyl them together , then strain it , and put your medlars therein ; let them boyl apace till it be thick ; take them from the fire , and keep them for use. 224. to preserve mulberries . take the like weight of sugar , as of mulberries , wet the sugar with some of the juice thereof , stir it together , put in your mulberries , and let them boyl till they are enough , then take out your mulberries , but let your syrup boyl a while after ; then take it off , and put it into your mulberries , and let them stand till they be cold , for your use. 225. to make white mead. take six gallons of water , and put in six quarts of honey , stirring it till the honey be throughly melted ; then set it over the fire , and when it is ready to boyl , scum it very clean ; then put in a quarter of an ounce of mace , and as much ginger , half an ounce of nutmegs , sweet marjoram , broad thyme , and sweet bryar , of all together a handful , and boyl them well therein , then set it by till it be throughly cold , and then barrel it up , and keep it till it be ripe . 226. to make naples-bisket . take of the same stuff the mackroons are made of , and put to it an ounce of pine-apple-seeds , in a quarter of a pound of stuff , for that is all the difference between the mackroons and the naples biskets . 227. to make chips of quinces . scald them very well , and then slice them into a dish , and pour a candy syrup to them scalding hot , and let them stand all night , then lay them on plates , and sierse sugar on them , and turn them every day , and scrape more sugar on them till they be dry . if you would have them look clear , heat them in syrup , but not to boyl . 228. to make lozenges of roses . boyl sugar to a height , till it is sugar again , then beat your roses fine , and moisten them with the juice of limons , and put them into it , let it not boyl after the roses are in , but pour it upon a pye-plate , and cut it into what form you please . 229. to make conserve of bugloss-flowers . pick them as you do burrage-flowers , weigh them , and to every ounce add two ounces of loaf-sugar , and one of sugar-candy ; beat them together , till they become very fine , then set it on the fire to dissolve the sugar , and when it is so done , and the conserve hot , put it into your glasses , or gally-pots , for your use all the year . 230. to pickle limon and orange-piel . boyl them with vinegar and sugar , and put them up into the same pickle ; you must observe to cut them into small thongs , the length of half the piel of your limon , being pared ; it 's a handsom savoury winter sallet : boyl them first in water , before you boyl them in sugar . 231. to make goosberry-paste . take gooseberries , and cut them one by one , and wring away the juice , till you have got enough for your turn , boyl your juice alone , to make it somewhat thicker ; then take as much fine sugar as your juice will sharpen , dry it , and then beat it again ; then take as much gum-dragon steeped in rose-water as will serve ; then beat it into a paste in a marble mortar , then take it up , & print it in your moulds , and dry it in your stove , when it is dry box it up for your use all the year . 232. to make suckets of lettuce-stalks . take lettuce-stalks , and peel away the out-side , then par-boyl them in fair water , and let them stand all night dry , then take half a pint of the same liquor , and a quart of rose-water , and so boyl it to a syrup , and when the syrup is almost cold put in your roots , and let them stand all night to take sugar ; then boyl your syrup again , because it will be weak , and then take out your roots . 233. to make musk-sugar . bruise four or five grains of musk , put it in a piece of cambrick or lawn ; lay it at the bottom of a gally-pot , and strew sugar thereon , stop your pot close , and all your sugar in a few days will both smell and taste of musk ; and when you have spent that sugar , lay more sugar thereon , which will also have the same scent . 234. to make prince-bisket . take one pound of very fine flower , and one pound of fine sugar , and eight eggs , and to spoonfuls of rose-water , and one ounce of carraway-seeds , and beat it all to batter one whole hour , for the more you beat it , the better your bread is ; then bake it in coffins of white plate , being basted with a little butter , before you put in your batter , and so keep it . 235. to candy rose-leaves . boyl sugar and rose-water a little upon a chafing-dish of coals , then put the leaves ( being throughly dryed , either by the sun , or on the fire ) into the sugar , and boyl them a little ; then strew the powder of double-refined sugar upon them , and turn them , and boyl them a little longer , taking the dish from the fire , then strew more powdered sugar on the contrary side of the flowers . 236. to preserve roses , or gilly-flowers whole . dip a rose that is neither in the bud , nor over-blown , in a syrup , consisting of sugar double-refined , and rose-water boyled to it 's full height , then open the leaves one by one with a fine smooth bodkin , either of bone or wood , then lay them on papers in the heat , or else dry with a gentle heat in a close room , heating the room before you set them in , or in an oven , then put them up in glasses , and keep them in dry cup-boards near the fire . 237. to make ielly of quinces . take of the juice of quinces clarified six quarts , boyl it half away , and add to the remainder five pints of old white-wine , consume the third part over a gentle fire , taking away the scum , as you ought ; let the rest settle , and strain it , and with three pound of sugar boyl it , according to art. 238. to make ielly of currans . take four pound of good sugar , and clarifie it with whites of eggs , then boyl it to a candy height , that is , till it go into flashes ; then put to it five pints , ( or as much as you please ) of the pure juice of red currans , first boyled , to clarifie it , by scumming it ; boyl them together a while , till they be scum'd well , and enough to become a jelly , then put a good handful or two of the berries of currans whole , and cleansed from the stalks and black end , and boyl them till they are enough . you need not boyl the juice before you put to the sugar , neither scum it before the sugar and it boyl together , but then scum it clean , and take care that the juice be very clear , and well strained . 239. to make syrup of mint . take of the juice of sweet quinces , and between sweet and sour , the juice of pomegranats , sweet , between sweet and sour , of each a pint and half ; dryed mint half a pound , red roses two ounces ; let them lye in steep one day , then boyl it half away , and with four pound of sugar boyl it into syrup , according to art. 240. to make honey of mulberries . take of the juice of mulberries and black-berries , before they be ripe , gathered before the sun be up , of each a pound and half , honey two pound ; boyl them to their due thickness . 241. to make syrup of purslain . take of the seed of purslain grosly bruised half a pound , of the juice of endive boyled and clarified two pints , sugar two pound , vinegar nine ounces ; infuse the seeds in the juice of endive twenty four hours , afterwards boyl it half away with a gentle fire , then strain it , and boyl it with the sugar to the consistence of a syrup , adding the vinegar toward the latter end of the decoction . 242. to make honey of raisins . take of raisins of the sun cleansed from the stones two pound , steep them in six pints of warm water , the next day boyl it half away , and press it strongly ; then put two pints of honey to the liquor that is pressed out , and boyl it to a thickness : it is good for a consumption , and to loosen the body . 243. to make syrup of comfrey . take of the roots and tops of comfrey , the greater and the less , of each three handfuls , red roses , betony , plantain , burnet , knot-grass , scabious , colts-foot , of each two handfuls , press the juice out of them , all being green and bruised , boyl it , scum it , and strain it , add to it it's weight of sugar , and make it into syrup , according to art. 244. to pickle quinces . boyl your quinces whole in water till they be soft , but not too violently , for fear of breaking them ; when they are soft take them out , and boyl some quinces pared , quartered , and cored , and the parings of the quinces with them in the same liquor , to make it strong , and when they are boyled , that the liquor is of a sufficient strength , take out the quartered quinces and parings , and put the liquor into a pot big enough to receive all the quinces , both whole and quartered , and put them into it when the liquor is through cold , and keep them for use close covered . 245. to make plague-water . take a pound of rue , of rosemary , sage , sorrel , celandine , mugwort , of the tops of red brambles , pimpernel , wild dragons , agrimony , balm , angelica , of each a pound ; put these compounds in a pot , fill it with white-wine above the herbs , so let it stand four days , then distill for your use in an alembeck . 245. to make quince-cakes white . first clarifie the sugar with the white of an egg , but put not so much water to it as you do for marmalade , before you clarifie it keep out almost a quarter of the sugar ; let your quinces be scalded , and chopt in small pieces , before you put it into the syrup , then make it boyl as fast as you can , and when you have scummed it , and think it to be half boyled , then jamire it , and let the other part of your sugar be ready candyed to a hard candy , and so put them together , letting it boyl but a very little after the candy is put to it , then put in a little musk , and so lay it out before it be cold . 246. to make red quince-cakes . bake them in an oven , with some of their own juice , their own cores being cut and bruised , and put to them ; then weigh some of the quince , being cut into small pieces , taking their weight in sugar , and with the quince some pretty quantity of the juice of barberries , being baked , or stewed in a pot ; when you have taken the weight in sugar , you must put the weighed quince , and above three quarters of the sugar together , and put to it some little quantity of water , as you shall see cause , but make not the syrup too thin ; and when you have put all this together , cover it , and set it to the fire , keep it covered , and scum it as much as you can , when it is half boyled , then symmer it ; let the other part of the sugar have no more water put to it , then wet the sugar well , and so let it boyl to a very hard candy , and when you think they be boyled enough , then lay them out before they be cold . 247. to make clear cakes of quinces . prepare your quinces and barberries , as before , and then take the clearest syrup , and let it stand on the coals two or three hours , then take the weight of it in sugar , and put near half the sugar to the juice , and so let them boyl a little on the fire , and then candy the rest of the sugar very hard , and so put them together , stirring it till it be almost cold , and so put it into glasses . 248. to make ielly of raspices . first strain your raspices , and to every quart of juice , add a pound and half of sugar , pick out some of the fairest , and having strewed sugar in the bottom of the skillet , lay them in one by one , then put the juice upon them with some sugar , reserving some to put in when they boyl , let them boyl apace , and add sugar continually , till they are enough . 249. to make all sorts of comfits , and to cover seeds , or fruits with sugar . you must provide a bason very deep , either of brass or tin , with two ears of iron to hang it with a rope over an earthen pan , with hot coals , then provide a broad pan for ashes , and put hot coals upon them , and another clean bason to melt your sugar in , or a skillet , as also a ladle of brass to run the sugar upon the seeds , together with a slice of brass , to scrape away the sugar from the bason that hangs , if there be occasion . then take some of the best and fairest sugar you can get , and beat it into powder ; cleanse your seeds well , and dry them in the hanging bason ; put a quarter of a pound of seeds , whether anniseed , or coriander-seeds , to every two pound of sugar , and that will make them big enough , but if you would have them bigger , add the more sugar , which you must melt thus ; put three pound of sugar into your bason , adding to it one pint of clean running-water , stir it well with a brazen slice , till it be well moistened ; then set it over a clear fire , and melt it well , and let it boyl mildly till it ropes from the ladle , then keep it upon hot embers , but let it not boyl , and so let it run upon the seeds from the ladle : if you would have them done quickly , let your water be boyling hot , and putting a fire under the bason , cast on your sugar boyling hot ; put but as much water to the sugar as will dissolve the same , neither boyl your sugar too long , which will make it black ; stir the seeds in the bason as fast as you can as you cast on the sugar , at the first put in but half a spoonful of the sugar , moving the bason very fast , rubbing the seeds very well with your hand , which will make them take sugar the better , and let them be very well dryed between every coat ; repeat this rubbing and drying of them between every coat , which will make them the sooner ; for this way , in every three hours hours you may make three pound of comfits . a quarter of a pound coriander-seeds , and three pound of sugar will make very large comfits ; keep your sugar always in good temper , that it run not into lumps . when your comfits are made , lay them to dry upon papers , either before the fire , or in the hot sun , or in an oven , which will make them very white . 250. to candy nutmegs , or ginger . take a pound of fine sugar , and six or seven spoonfuls of rose-water , gum-arabick , the weight of six pence , but let it be clear ; boyl all these together , till they rope , put it then out into an earthen dish , put to it your nutmegs or ginger , then cover it close , and lute it with clay , that no air enter in ; keep it in a warm place about twenty days , and they will candy into a hard rock-candy ; then break your pot , and take them out : in the same manner you may candy oranges and limons . 251. to make currans-wine . pick a pound of the best currans , and put them in a deep streight-mouth'd earthen pot , and pour upon them about three quarts of hot water , having first dissolved therein three spoonfuls of the purest and newest ale-yeast ; stop it very close , till it begins to work , then give it vent as is necessary , and keep it warm , for about three days it will work and ferment , taste it after two days to see if it be grown to your liking , then let it run through a strainer , to leave behind all the currans , and the yeast , and so bottle it up ; it will be very quick and pleasant , and is admirable good to cool the liver , and cleanse the blood ; it will be ready to drink in five or six days after it is bottled , and you may drink it safely . 252. to make a sweet-meat of apples . make your jelly with slices of iohn-apples , but first fill your glass with slices cut round-ways , and pour in the jelly to fill up the vacuities ; let the jelly be boyled to a good stiffness , and when it is ready to take from the fire , put in some juice of limon and orange , if you like it , but let them not boyl , but let it stand upon the fire a while upon a pretty good heat , that the juices may incorporate well ; a little amber-grease added doth very well . 253. to make conserve of sage . take about a pound of flowers of sage , fresh blown , and beat them in a mortar , afterward put them in a glass , and stop them close , and then set them by a warm fire , or in the sun , and be sure to 〈◊〉 them once a day at the least , and it will keep good a twelve-moneth at the least . 254. to make paste of cherries . boyl some fair cherries in water , till they come to a pap , and then strain them through a siev ; then boyl some good pippins unto pap also , put a quarter of a pound of the apple-pap to a pound of the pap of cherries , and mingle them together , then dry it , and so make it up into paste . 255. to make marmalade of oranges . after you have pared your oranges very thin , let them be boyled in three or four waters , even till they grow very tender ; then take a quarter of a hundred of good kentish pippins , divide them , and take out the cores , boyl them very well to pap , or more , but let them not lose their colour ; then pass your apples through a strainer , and put a pound of sugar to every pint of juice , then boyl it till it will candy ; then take out the pulp of the orange , and cut the peel into long slices very thin , put in your peel again , adding to it the juice of two or three limons , and boyl up to a candy . 256. to make paste of apricots . let your apricots be very ripe , and then pare them , then put them into a skillet , and set them over the fire without water , stir them very well with a skimmer , and let them be over the fire till they be very dry , then ●ake some sugar and boyl it into a conserve , and mix an equal quantity of each together , and so make it into paste . 257. to pickle artichoak-bottoms . take the best bottoms of artichoaks , and par-boyl them , and when they are cold , and well drain'd from the water , and dryed in a cloath , to take away all the moisture , then put them into pots , and pour your brine upon them , which must be as strong as you can make it , which is done by putting in so much sait to it as it will receive no more , so that the salt sinks whole to the bottom ; cover over your artichoaks with this water , and pour upon it some sweet butter melted , to the thickness of two fingers , that no air may come in ; when the butter is cold , set up your pot in some warm place , covered close from vermine . before you put the bottoms in the pot , you should pull off all the leaves and choak , as they are served at table : the best time to do this is in autumn , when your plants produce those which are young and tender , for these you should pickle , before they come to open and flower , but not before their heads are round ; when you would eat them , you must lay them in water , shifting the water several times , then boyl them once again , and so serve them . 258. to make marmalade of grapes . take of the fairest , and ripest blew grapes , gathered in the heat of the day , that their moisture be dryed up throughly , spread them upon a table , or hindle in some room , where the air and sun may come in , let them lye so for fifteen or sixteen days , that they may both sweat and shrink ; if it be cloudy or cold weather , you may put them into an oven , when it is only warm ; after which , press them well with your hands , cleansing them from all the seeds , and stalks , putting the husks and juice to boyl in the kettle , carefully scumming and clearing it from the seeds ; reduce this liquor also to a third part , diminishing the fire as the confection thickens , stirring often about with your spoon , to prevent it's cleaving to the vessel , and to make it boyl equally ; then strain it through a siev , or course cloath . bruising the husks with your wooden ladle to squeeze out the substance , and then serving it out in a press , then set it again on the fire , and let it boyl once more , keeping it continually stirring till you think it be sufficienty boyled , then take it off , and pour it into earthen pans , that it may not taste of the kettle , and being half cold , put it into gally-pots to keep : let your pots stand open five or six days , and then cover them with paper that the paper may lye upon the conserve , and when the paper grows mouldy put on another , till all the superfluous moisture is gone out , which will be in a little time if your confection was well boyled , but if it were not , you must boyl it again . 259. to pickle cornelians . gather the fairest and biggest cornelians when they first begin to grow red , and after they have lain a while , put them up into a pot or barrel , filling them up with brine , as for artichoaks , and put to them a little green fennel , and a few bay-leaves , to make them smell well , then stop them up very close , and let them stand for a moneth : if you find them too salt , make the pickle weaker before you serve them to table . 260. to make ielly of apples . take either pippins or iohn-apples , and cut them into quarters , either pared , or un-pared , boyl them in a good quantity of water , till it be very strong of the apples ; take out the clear liquor , and put to it a sufficient quantity of sugar to make jelly with the slices of apples ; boyl all together till the apples be enough , and the liquor like a jelly ; or else you may boyl the slices in apple-liquor without sugar , and make jelly of other liquor , and put the slices into it , when they be jelly , and it is sufficiently boyled ; put to it some juice of limon , and amber , and musk , if you will. 261. to make ielly of gooseberries . let your gooseberries be full ripe , then strain them through a strainer , and to every two pound of juice put three quarterns of sugar , boyl it before you mix it , and then boyl it again together ; when they are mixed try , it upon a plate , when it is enough , it riseth off . 262. to make bragget . put two bushels and a half of malt to one hogshead of water , the first running makes half a hogshead very good , but not very strong ; the second is very weak : boyl but half a quartern of hops , put your water to the malt the ordinary way , boyl it very well , and work it with very good beer-yeast : now , to make bragget , take the first running of this ale , but put less honey in it than you do for your ordinary mead , but twice or thrice as much spice and herbs ; then put it in a vessel , after it's working with the yeast , hang within it a bag of bruised spices , rather more than you boyled it with , and let it hang in the barrel all the while you draw it . 263. to make italian marmalade . take fifteen pound of quinces , three pound of sugar , and two pound of water , and boyl them all together ; when it is well boyled strain it by little and little through a cloath , as much as you can , then take the juice and put to it four pound of sugar , and then boyl it ; try it on a plate , to know when it is enough , and if it come off , take it presently off the fire , and put it in boxes for your use. finis . the physical cabinet : containing excellent receits in physick and chirurgery , for curing most diseases incident to the body . together with some rare beautifying waters , oyls , oyntments , and powders , to adorn and add loveliness to the face and body . as also some new and excellent secrets and experiments in the art of angling . london , printed in the year 1675. physick and chirurgery . 1. an approved remedy for the stone and gravel . take the hard roe of a red herring , and dry it upon a tile in an oven , then beat it to powder , and take as much as will lye upon a six-pence every morning fasting , in a glass of rhenish-wine . 2. an excellent drink for the scurvey . take a pound of garden-seurvy● grass , six handfuls of wormwood and elder-tops , one ounce of carraway-seeds , and one ounce of nutmegs ; put them all together into six gallons of new ale , and let them work together , and after a convenient time of working , drink of it every morning fasting . 3. a receipt for the cout , known to be very helpful . take five or six black snails , and cut off their heads , then put to them one penny-worth of saffron , and beat them together , and spread it on the woolly side of a piece of sheeps leather , and apply it to the soles of the feet , anointing the sore place with the marrow of a stone-horse . 4. for griping of the guts . take anniseeds , fennel , bay-berries , juniper-berries , tormentil , bistort , balaustius , pomegranate-pills , each one ounce , rose-leaves a handful , boyl them in milk , strain it , and add the yolk of an egg , six grains of laudanum dissolved in the spirit of mint ; prepare it for a glyster , and give it warm . 5. a sovereign medicine for any ach or pain . take barrows-grease , a lap full of arch-angel-leaves , flowers , stalks and all , and put it into an earthen pot , and stop it close , and paste it ; then put in an horse dung-hill nine days in the latter end of may , and nine days in the beginning of iune ; then take it forth , and strain it , and so use it . 6. for the sciatica , and pains in the ioynts . take balm and cinquefoil , but most of all betony , nep , and featherfew , stamp them , and drink the juice with ale o● wine . probatum . 7. for an ague . take the root of a blew lilly , scrape it clean , and stice it , and lay it in soak all night in ale , and in the morning stamp it , and strain it , and give it the patient luke-warm to drink an hour before the fit cometh . 8. for all fevers and agues in sucking children . take powder of crystal , and steep it in wine , and give it the nurse to drink , also take the root of devils-bit , with the herb , and hang it about the childs neck . 9. a good medicine to strengthen the back . take comsrey , knot-grass , and the flowers of arch-angel ; boyl them in a little milk , and drink it off every morning . 10. for the head-ach . take rose-cakes , and stamp them very small in a mortar with a little ale , and let them be dryed by the fire on a tile-sheard , and lay it to the nape of the neck , to bed-ward . proved . 11. for the yellow iaundise . take a great white onion , and make a hole where the blade goeth out , to the bigness of a chesnut , then fill the hole with treacle , being beaten with half an ounce of english honey , and a little saffron , and set the onion against the fire , and roast it well that it do not burn , and when it is roasted , strain it through a cloath , and give the juice thereof to the sick three days together , and it shall help them . 12. for the black iaundise . take fennel , sage , parsley , gromwell , of each alike much , and make pottage thereof with a piece of good pork , and eat no other meat that day . 13. for infection of the plague . take a spoonful of running-water , a spoonful of vinegar , a good quantity of treacle , to the bigness of a hasel nut ; temper all these together , and heat it luke-warm , and drink it every four and twenty hours . 14. for the cramp . take oyl of camomile , and fenugreek , and anoint the place where the cramp is , and it helpeth . 15. for the ach of the ioynts . take marshmallows and sweet milk , linseeds , powder of cummin , the whites of eggs , saffron , and white grease , and fry all these together , and lay it to the aking joynt . 16. for an ague . take a pottle of thin ale , and put thereto a handful of parsley , as much red fennel , as much centory , as much pimpernel ; and let the ale be half consumed away , and then take , and drink thereof . 17. to make the countess of kents powder . take of the magistery of pearls , of crabs-eyes prepared , of white amber prepared , harts-horn , magistery of white coral , of lapis contra yarvam , of each a like quantity ; to these powders infused , put of the black tops of the great claws of crabs , the full weight of the rest : beat these all into a fine powder , and sierse them through a fine lawn sierce : to every ounce of this powder add a dram of oriental bezoar , make all these up into a lump , or mass with jelly of harts-horn , and colour it with saffron , putting thereto a scruple of amber-grease , and a little musk also finely powdered , and dry it in the air , after they are made up into small quantities , you may give to a man twenty grains , and to a child twelve grains . it is excellent against all malignant , and pestilent diseases , french pox , small-pox , measles , plague , pestilence , malignant or scarlet fevers , and melancholy ; twenty or thirty grains thereof being exhibited ( in a little warm sack , or harts-horn-jelly ) to a man , and half as much , or twelve grains to a child . 18. for the falling sickness , or convulsions . take the dung of a peacock , make it into powder , and give so much of it to the patient as will lye upon a shilling , in a little succory-water , fasting . 19. for the pleurisie . take three round balls of horse-dung , and boyl them in a pint of white-wine till half be consumed , then strain it out , and sweeten it with a little sugar ; let the patient drink of this , and then lye warm . 20. to prevent miscarrying . take venice-turpentine , spread it on black brown paper , the breadth and length of a hand , and lay it to the small of her back , then let her drink a caudle made of muskadine , putting into it the husks of about twenty sweet almonds , dryed , and finely powdered . 21. for the worms in children . take worm-seed boyled in beer and ale , and sweetned with clarified honey , and then let them drink it . 22. for the whites . take white washed turpentine , and make up in balls like pills , then take cinamon , and ginger , and roul the balls in it , and take them as you would do pills , morning and evening . proved . 23. for a dry cough . take anniseeds , ash-seeds , and violets , and beat them to powder , and stamp them , of each a like quantity , then boyl them together in fair water , till it grows thick , then put it up , and let the patient take of it morning and evening . 24. to make unguentum album . take a pint of oyl-olive , and half a pound of diaculum , anniseeds a pretty quantity , and put them together , and put thereto a pound of ceruse small grounded , boyl them together a little , and stir them alway till it be cold , and it is done . 25. to destroy the piles . take oyl of roses , frankincense , and honey , and make an oyntment of them , and put it into the fundament , and put myrrh unto the same , and use often to annoint the fundament therewith , and let the fume thereof go into the fundament . 26. for the canker . take a handful of unset leeks , with the roots , and a small quantity of yarrow , and boyl them in white-wine , till they be all very soft , then strain and clarifie them , and let the patient drink thereof morning and evening blood-warm . 27. for the itch. take the juice of pennyroyal , the juice of savin , the juice of scabious , the juice of sage , the juice of pellitory , with some barrows grease and black soap ; temper all these together , and make a salve for the itch. 28. for the kings evil. take two ounces of the water of broom-flowers distilled , and give it in the morning to the patient fasting , and it will purge the evil humour downward , and wasteth , and healeth the kernels without breaking them outwardly . 29. to break an imposthume . take a lilly-root and an onion , and boyl them in water till they be soft , then stamp them , and fry them with swines grease , and lay it to the imposthume as hot as the patient may suffer it . 30. for biting of a mad dog. stamp large plantain , and lay it to the grieved place , and it will cure the sore . 31. for the green-sickness . take the keys of an ashen-tree , dryed and beaten to powder ; and take of red fennel , red sage , marjoram , and betony , and seeth them in running-water , from a pottle to a quart , then strain them , and drink thereof a good draught with sugar , morning and evening luke-warm . 32. for deafness . take of wild mint , mortifie it , and squeeze it in the hand till it rendreth juice , then take it with it's juice , and put it into the ear , change it often ; this will help the deafness , if the person hath heard before . 33. for the dropsie . take a gallon of white-wine , and put into it a handful of roman wormwood , and a good piece of horse-radish , and a good quantity of broom-ashes tyed in a cloath ; then take a good bunch of dwarf-elder , beat it in a mortar , and strain out the juice , and put it into the wine when you will drink it ; but if the dwarf-elder be dry , you must steep a good quantity in the wine . take of this half a pint morning and evening . 34. for a sprain in the back , or any other weakness . take a quarter of a pint of good muskadine , a spoonful of madder , incorporate them well together , then give it the patlent to drink for three mornings together , and if need requireth , you may use it often in a day . this will strengthen the back exceedingly . 35. an excellent water for sore eyes . take a gallon of pure running-water , and eight drams of white coperas , and as much of fine white salt , mix them together , and let it simper half an hour over a slow fire , and then strain it for use. catholicon . 36. a most excellent cordial . take half a peck of ripe elder-berries , pick them clean , and let them stand two or three days in an earthen pan , till they begin to hoar or mould , then bruise and strain them , and boyl the liquor ti●● half be consumed , then putting a pound of sugar to every pint of liquor ; boyl them to syrup . 37. a medicine for an ague . take a quart of the best ale , and boyl it to a pint , and let the party drink it as hot as he is able , and then let the patientlye down upon a bed , and be covered warm when the first fit grudges , and let a bason be ready to vomit in . 38. another for an ague . take a large nutmeg , and slice it , and so much roch-allom beaten to powder , and put them both into one pint of the best white-wine , and incorporate them , well together , and let the patient take one half thereof about half an hour before the the fit , and then walk apace , or use some other laborious exercise , and when the fit begins to come , take the other half , and continue exercise . both these i have known to cure , to admiration . 39. for a great lax , or looseness . take one quart of new milk , and have ready one half pint of distilled plantain-water , and set your milk over the fire , and when your milk by boyling rises up , take two or three spoonfuls , as occasion shall be , to allay the rising , and and when it rises again , do the like ; and so in like manner till the plantain-water be all in , and then boyling up as before , let the patient drink thereof warmed hot , or how else he likes it ; i never yet have sound it fail of curing . 40. for curing of deafness . take herb-of-grace , and pound it , then strain it , and take two spoonfuls of the juice , & put thereto one spoonful of brandy-wine , and when it is well evaporated , dip therein a little black wool , or fine lint , being first bound with a silk thread , and put it into your ear. 41. for the scurvey . take half a peck of sea-seurvey-grass , and as much water-cresses , of dwarf-elder , roman wormwood , red sage , fumitory , harts-horn , and liverwort , of each one handful ; wash the water-cresses , and dry them well ; the other herbs must be rubb'd clean , and not washed , then add one ounce of horse-raddish , and a good handful of madder-roots ; beat these with the herbs , and strain the juice well out , for the last is best , then set it on a quick fire , and scum it clean , then let it stand till it be settled , and when it is quite cold bottle it up , and keep it in a cold place : you must take four or five spoonfuls with one , spoonful of syrup of limons put into it , each morning fasting , and fast one hour after it . 42. an excellent remedy to procure conception . take of syrup of mother-wort , syrup of mugwort half an ounce , of spirit of clary two drams , of the root of english snake-weed in fine powder one dram , purslain-seed , nettle-seed , rochet-seed , all in subtle powder , of each two drams : candied nutmegs , eringo-roots , satyrion-roots preserved , dates , pistachoes , conserve of suceory , of each three drams ; cinamon , saffron in fine powder , of each a seruple , conserve of vervain , pine-apple-kernels picked and pilled , of each two drams ; stamp and work all these ingredients in a mortar to an electuary , then put it up into gally-pots , and keep it for use. take of this electuary the quantity of a good nutmeg , in a little glass full of white-wine , in the morning fasting , and at four a clock after-noon , and as much at night going to bed , but be sure do no violent exercise . 43. for a sore breast not broken. take oyl of roses , bean-flower , the yolk of an egg , a little vinegar ; temper all these together , then set it before the fire , that it may be a little warm , then with a feather strike it upon the breast morning and evening , or any time of the day she finds it pricking . 44. to heal a sore breast , when broken . boyl lillies in new milk , and lay it on to break it ; and when it is broken tent it with a mallow-stalk , & lay on it a plaister of mallows boyled in sheeps tallow ; these are to be used if you cannot keep it from breaking . 45. for a consumption . take a pound and half of pork , fat and lean , and boyl it in water , and put in some oat-meal , and boyl it till the heart of the meat be out , then put to it two quarts of milk , and boyl it a quarter of an hour , and give the patient a draught in the morning , after-noon , and evening , and now and then some barley-water . 46. for the falling sickness . take powder of harts-horn , and drink it with wine , and it helpeth the falling-evil . 47. for the tooth-ach . take feathersew , and stamp it , and strain it , and drop a drop or two into the contrary ear to the pain , and lye still half an hour after . 48. for a wen. take black soap , and mix it with unslaked lime , made into powder , and lay it upon the wen , or kernel . 49. for the wind. take the juice of red fennel , and make a posset of ale therewith , and drink thereof . 50. an excellent medicine for the dropsie . take two gallons of new ale , then take setwel , calamus aromaticus , and galingale , of each two penny-worth , of spikenard four penny-worth ; stamp all together , and put them into a bag , and hang it in the vessel , and when it is four days old drink it morning and evening . 51. for a scald head. wash thy head with vinegar and camomil stampt and mingled together ; there is no better help for the scald : or grind white hellebore with swines grease , and apply it to the head. 52. to make the plague-water . take a handful of sage , and a handful of rue , and boyl them in three pints of malmsey , or muskadine , till one pint be wasted , then take it off the fire , and strain the wine from the herbs , then put into the wine two penny-worth of long-pepper , half an ounce of ginger , and a quarter of an ounce of nutmegs , all grosly bruised , and let it boyl a little again . then take it off the fire , and dissolve in it half an ounce of good venice-treacle , and a quarter of an ounce of mithridate , and put to it a quarter of a pint of strong angelica-water , so keep it in a glass close stopped , for your use. this water cureth small-pox , measles , surfeits , and pestilential fevers . 53. a precious eye-water for any diseases of the eye , often proved . take of the best white-wine half a pint , of white rose-water as much , of the water of celendine , fennel , eyebright , and rue , of each two ounces , of prepared tutia six ounces , of cloves as much , sugar rosate a dram , of camphire and aloes , each half a dram ; wash the eyes therewith . 54. a cordial iulep . take waters of endive , purslain , and roses , of each two ounces , sorrel-water half a pint , juice of pomegranats , and for lack thereof , vinegar , four ounces , camphire three drams , sugar one pound . boyl all these together in the form of a julep , and give three or four ounces thereof at a time . 55. to make the green ointment . take a pound of swines grease , one ounce of verdigrease , half a scruple of sal gemm●e , this oyntment may be kept forty years ; it is good against cancers , and running sores , it fretteth away dead flesh , and bringeth new , and healeth old wounds , put it within the wound , that it fester not . 56. for fits of the mother . take a brown toast of soure bread of the neither crust , and wash it with vinegar , and put thereto black soap , like as you would butter a toast , and lay it under the navil . 57. for the rickets in children . take of fennel-seeds , and dill-seeds , but most of the last ; ●boyl them in beer , and strain it , and sweeten it with sugar , and let the child drink often . probatum . 58. for the shingles . take the green leaves of colts-foot stamped , and mingled with honey , and apply it , and it will help . 59. to heal a fistula , or ulcer . take figgs , and stamp them with shoomakers-wax , and spread it upon leather , and lay it on the sore , and it will heal . 60. for a woman in travel . take seven or eight leaves of betony , a pretty quantity of germander , a branch or two of penny-royal , three marygolds , a branch or two of hyssop , boyl them all in a pint of white-wine , or ale , then put into it sugar and saffron , and boyl it a quarter of an hour more , and give it to drink warm . 61. to make a vvoman be soon delivered , the child being dead or alive . take a good quantity of the best amber , and beat it exceeding small to powder , then sierse it through a fine piece of lawn , and so drink it in some broath or caudle , and it will will by god's help cause the patient to be presently delivered . 62. for infants troubled with wind and phlegm . give them a little pure sugar-candy finely bruised , in saxsifrage-water , or scabious-water in a spoon well mingled together . 63. a most excellent medicine to cause children to breed their teeth easily . take of pure capons grease , very well clarified , the quantity of a nutmeg , and twice as much of pure honey , mingle and incorporate them well together , and annoint the childs gums therewith three or four times a day , when it is teething , and they will easily break the flesh , and prevent torments and agues , and other griefs , which usually accompany their coming forth . 64. for agues in children . take a spoonful of good oyl of populeon , and put thereto two spoonfuls of good oyl of roses , mingle them well together , and then warm it before the fire , annoint the childs joynts and back , also his fore-head and temples twice a day , chasing the oyntment well in . 65. to cause a young child to go to stool . chafe the childs navil with may butter before the fire , then take some black wool , and dip it in the butter , and lay it to the navil , and it will procure a stool : this is also good for one in years , that can take no other medicine . 66. for vvorms in children . take of myrrh and aloes , very finely powdered , of each a penny-worth , and put thereto a few drops of chymical oyl of wormwood , or savine , and a little turpentine ; make these up into a plaister , and lay it to the childs navil . 67. to help one that is blasted . take the white of an egg , and beat it in a mortar , put to it a quarter of an ounce of coperas , and grind them well together , till it come to an oyntment , and therewith annoint the sore face , and it will ease the pain , and take away the swelling ; and when it is well nigh whole annoint the place with a little p●puleon , and that will make the skin fair and well again . 68. an excellent salve . take half a pound of bees-wax , a pint of sallet-oyl , three ounces of red lead , boyl all together in a new earthen pipkin , keeping it stirring all the while till it grows of a darkish colour ; then keep it for use , or make sear-cloaths of it while it is hot . it is most approved against any pain , sore , scald , cut , burn ; to strengthen the back , or remove any old ach whatsoever . 69. a iu'ep of dr. trench , for the fits of the mother . in the time of the year distill black-cherry-water , piony flower-water , cowslip-water , rue , or herb-grace-water ; then take of the waters of cowslip , black-cherries , piony , rue , of each an ounce , and add to them water of castor half an ounce , cinamon-water one dram , syrup of clove-gilly-flowers three drams ; mix all these together , and take two spoonfuls at a time of it , as often as you please . 70. for a tympany . take a handful of the blossoms of marigolds , stamp them , and strain them , and give the juice thereof to the patient in a draught of ale fasting . 71. to provoke terms , a good medicine take wormwood and rue , of each one handful , with five or six pepper-corns , boyl them all together in a quart of white-wine or malmsey , strain it , and drink thereof . 72. for the bloody-flux , or scouring . take a great apple , and cut out the core , and put therein pure virgins-wax , then wet a paper and lap it therein , then rake it up in the embers , and let it roast till it be soft , then eat of it as your stomack will give leave . 73. for a rheumatick cough , or cold. take a pint of hyssop-water , syrup of gilly-flowers , syrup of vinegar , syrup of maiden-hair , syrup of colts-foot , of each one ounce ; mingle them all together , and drink of it when you please . 74. to kill a fellon . take an egg , and roast it hard , and take out the yolk thereof , then roast an onion sost , and beat the yolk and the onion together , and lay it to the sore , and it will kill the fellon . 75. for the white flux . take the powder of the flowers of pomegranats , and drink it in red wine . 76. for the red flux . take sperma caeti , and drink it , and tru●s up your self with a piece of black● cotton . 77. for the cancer in a vvomans breast . take the dung of a goose , and the juice of celandine , and bray them well in a mortar together , and lay it to the sore , and this will stay the cancer , and heal it . 78. for an ague in the breast . take grounsel , daisie-leaves and roots , and course w● eat sisted ; make a poultess thereof with the parties own water , and lay it warm to the breast . 79. for bleeding at the nose . take betony , and stamp it with as much salt as you can hold betwixt your two fingers , and put it into your nose . 80. for spitting of blood. take smalledge , rue , mints , and betony , and boyl them well in good milk , and drink it warm . 81. to stanch the bleeding of a wound , or at the nose . there is not a better thing than the powder of bole armoniack , to stanch the bleeding of a wound , the powder being laid upon it ; or for the nose , to be blown in with a quill . or take the sha●ings of parchment , and lay it to the wound , and it stancheth and healeth . 82. to make the g●scoign powder . take of pearls , white amber , harts-horn , eyes of crabs , and white coral , of each half an ounce , of black thighs of crabs calcined , two ounces ; to every ounce of this powder put in a dram of oriental bezoar , reduce them all into a very fine powder , and sierse them ; then with harts-horn-jelly and a little saffron put therein , make it up into paste , and make therewith lozenges , or trochices for your use. get your crabs for this powder about may , or in september before they be boyled ; dry your lozenges in the air , not by fire , nor sun. 83. for the megrim , or imposthume in the head. take four penny-weight of the root of pellitory of spain , a farthing weight of spikenard , and boyl them in good vinegar , and when it is cold , put thereto a spoonful of honey , and a saucer full of mustard , and mingle them well together , and hold thereof in your mouth a spoonful at once , and use this eight or nine times , spitting it out continually . 84. for pain in the ears . take the juice of wild cucumbers , and put it into the ears , and it asswageth the pain . also put the wood of green ash in the fire , and save the liquor that cometh out at the end , and put it into the ears , it causeth the pain to cease , and amendeth the hearing : also beat the juice of wormwood , and drop it into the ears . 85. a precious water for the eye-sight , made by k. edward the sixth . take smalledge , red fennel , rue , vervain , betony , agrimony , pimpernel , eufrane , sage , celandine , of each a like quantity ; first wash them clean , then stamp them , and put them in a fair brazen pan , with the powder of fourteen or fifteen pepper-corns , fair ●iersed into a pint of good white-wine ; put them into the herbs , with three spoonfuls of honey , and five spoonfuls of the water of a man-child , that is sound ; mingle all together , and boyl them over the fire , and when it is boyled , strain it through a fine linnen cloath , and put it into a glass , and stop it well and close , till you use it ; and when you need , put a little thereof into the sore eyes with a feather , but if it be dry , temper it with white-wine , and it profiteth much all manner of sore eyes : this water was used by k. edward the sixth . 86. my lord dennies medicine for the gout . take burdock-leaves and stalks , cut them small , and stamp them very small , then strain them , and cleanse them , and when you have so done , put them into glasses , and put pure oyl of olives on the top of them , and stop it close from the air , and when you would use it for the gout , pour it into a porringer , and warm it , and wet linnen cloaths in it , and apply it warm to the grieved place , warming your cloaths one after another , as they grow cold that are on . 87. dr. stephen's sovereign water . take a g●llon of good gascoign wine , then take ginger , galingale , cancel , nutmeg , grains , cloves , anniseeds , carraway-seeds , of each a dram ; then take sage , mints , red roses , thyme , pellitory , rosemary , wild thyme , c●momile , lavender , of each a handful ; then bray both spices and herbs , and put them all into the wine , and let them stand for twelve hours , divers times stirring them ; then distill in an alembeck , but keep that which you distill first by it self , for that is the best , but the other is good also , but not so good as the first . this water comforteth the vital spirits , and helpeth inward diseases which come from cold ; it helpeth conception in women that are barren , and killeth worms in the body ; it cureth the cold cough , and helpeth the tooth-ach , it comforteth the stomack , and cureth stinking breath ; it preserveth the body in good liking , and makes them look young. 88. the vvater called aqua mirabilis & pretiosa , made by dr. willoughby . take of galingale , cloves , mace , cucubes , ginger , cardamum , nutmegs , mellilot , saffron four ounces , and beat all these into powder , agrimony-water the quantity of a dram , and somewhat more ; then take of the juice of selandine half a pint , and mingle all these together , with a pint of good aqua-vitae , and three pints of good white-wine ; put all these together in a still of glass , and let it stand so all night , and on the morrow distill it with an easie fire as may be : this water dissoveth the swelling of the lungs without any grievance , and helpeth , and comforteth them being wounded , and suffereth not the blood to putrifie ; he shall never need be let blood , that useth this water , it suffers not the heart to burn , nor melancholy , nor rheum to have dominion above nature ; it also expelleth rheum , and purifieth the stomach . 89. to make allom-water . take a pound of allom , and beat it to powder , then take a gallon of clean water , and set it on the fire , letting it boyl till all the allom be melted , then take it off the fire , and when it is cold put it into a glass , and keep it for your use. 90. to make an excellent electuary , called the electuary of life . take scorlegio , morre , gentiana , grandoret , and ialaom , of each a like quantity ; stamp them , and strain them , and mingle them with honey , that hath been well boyled on the fire , and scummed clean : this is excellent for sickness in the stomach , or pain in the belly , heart , or head ; or for those that are bitten with any venemous beast , or poysoned ; it must be taken in water , three or four spoonfuls at a time , in the morning fasting ; if the disease be of any long time standing , he must drink it fifte●n days together , and he will be whole . probatum . 91. against heat of the liver . take fennel , endive , succory , plantain , of each alike ; distill them with red wine and milk , and use it every morning , nine spoonfuls at a time , with a draught of wine and sugar , or else five spoonfuls thereof alone . 92. for swooning fits. for swooning , and weakness of the heart in fever and sicknesses , or if it come of other cause , stamp mints with vinegar , and a little wine , if the patient have no fever , then toast a bit of bread , till it be almost burnt , and put it therein till it be well soaked , then put it in the nose of the patient , and rub his lips , tongue , gums , teeth , and temples ; and let him chew and such the moistness thereof , and swallow it . 93. a water for the eyes , to make a man see in forty days , who hath been blind seven years before , if he be under fifty years of age. take smalledge , fennel , rue , betony , vervain , agrimony , cinquef oil , pimpernel , eye-bright , celandine , sage , of each a quartern ; wash them clean , and stamp them , do them in a fair mashing-pan , put thereto a quart of good white-wine , and the powder of thirty pepper-corns , six spoonfuls of live honey , and ten spoonfuls of the urine of a man-child that is wholsom ; mingle them well together , and boyl them till half be wasted , then take it down , and strain it , and afterwards clarifie it , and put it into a glass vessel well stopt , and put thereof with a feather into the eyes of the blind ; and let the patient use this medicine at night when he goeth to b●d , and within forty days he shall see : it is good for all manner of sore eyes . wild tansie-water is good for the eye-sight , and eating of fennel-seed is good for the same . 94. for a web in the eye . the leaves of white honey-suckles , and ground-ivy , of each a like quantity ground together , and put every day into the eye , cureth the web. or else salt burnt in a flaxen cloath , and tempered with honey , and with a feather annointed on the eye-lids , killeth worms that annoynt the eye-lids . 95. for moist scabs after the small-pox . take lapis calaminaris , letharge of gold and silver , of each two drams , brimstone and ceruse two ounces ; bring all these into a fine powder , and then beat them in a mortar with so much barrows-grease as is sufficient to make it up in an oyntment , and annoint the places therewith evening and morning . 96. to bring down the flowers . take of alligant , muskadine , or claret a pint , burn it , and sweeten it well with sugar , put thereto two spoonfuls of sallet-oyl ; then take a good bead of amber in powder in a spoon , with some of the vvine after it : take this evening and morning . 97. to stay the flowers . take amber , coral , pearl , jeat , of each alike ; grind them to a fine powder , and sierse them , take thereof as much as will lye upon a six-pence with conserve of quinces , and drink a draught of new milk after it : use this every morning . 98. to cure corns . take beans , and chew them in your mouth , and tye fast to your corn , and it will help : do this at night . 99. to make oyl of roses . take red rose-leaves a good quantity , and stamp in a mortar , and put thereto oyl-olive , and let it stand in the sun twelve days , and then put it in a glass ; and bind the glass fast about with ropes of hay , and set it in a pan full of water , and let it boyl softly two hours , and then ●et it cool , then put it in small glasses , and put thereto the leaves of red roses , all whole , and stop it fast , and set it in the sun for sixteen days , and so use it at your need . 100. for any itch , or breaking out . take frankincense , and beat it small in a mortar , and mingle it with oyl of bays , and therewith annoint all over , and it will destroy the itch. 101. for the piles after child-birth . make a bath of vvormwood , southern-wood , cinamon-rinde , and the bark of cassia fistula boyled well in vvine ; when the vvoman delivered goeth forth of the bath , put bombace , or cotton with powder of alloes , mixed with oyl of penny-royal , unto her lower parts . 102. for a stich in the side . take three handfuls of mallows , boyl them in a little raw milk , and put thereto a handful of vvheat-bran , and let the● boyl together , and then wring out the milk , and lay it hot to the stitch , apply it often . or take a few leaves of rue and yarrow , stamp them together , and wring out the juice , and drink it with a little ale. 103. for a tertian , or double-tertian ague . take a good quantity of celandine , a spoonful of salt , and the bigness of an egg in leven , and as much alligant and spanish soap ; stamp them well in a mortar , and make a plaister of them , and apply them to the patients feet one hour before the coming of the fit ; add thereto four or five yolk of eggs. or take of anniseed-water , the best you can get , half a pound of oyl of vitriol , shake them well together , and drink one or two spoonfuls thereof , an hour before the fit comes . 104. for the spleen . boyl the rindes and keys of an ash-tree very tender in white-wine , and drink a good draught thereof for six or seven mornings together , and it will much ease the patient ; when you drink this annoint the spleen with unguentum dialthea every morning and evening , applying also a plaister of melilot to the place . 105. an excellent powder for the green-sickness . take four scruples of gentian made into fine powder , of raspt ivory , and harts-horn , of each two scruples ; make these into fine powder , and give a spoonful thereof with white-wine , or the like at once . 106. a drink that healeth all wounds without any plaister , or oyntment , or without any taint , most perfectly . take sanicle , milfoil , and bugle , of each a like quantity , stamp them in a mortar , and temper them with wine , and give the sick that is wounded to drink twice or thrice a day till he be whole : bugle holdeth open the wound , milfoil cleanseth the wound , sanicle healeth it ; but sanicle may not be given to him that is hurt in the head , or in the brain-pan , for it is dangerous . this is a good and tryed medicine . 107. for pricking of a thorn. take of violet-leaves one handful , stamp them together , and take a quantity of boars-grease , ond of wheat-bran one handful , set it on the fire in clean water , and make a plaister thereof , and lay it to the grief . 108. to make oyl of st. johns wort , good for any ach , or pain . take a quart of sallet-oyl , and put thereto a quart of flowers of st. iohns wort well picked , let them lye therein all the summer , till the seeds of that herb be ripe , the glass must be kept warm , either in the sun , or in the water all the summer , till the seeds be ripe , then put in a quart of st. iohns wort-seeds whole , and so let it stand twelve hours , the glass being kept open , then you must boyl the oyl eight hours , the water in the pot full as high as the oyl in the glass ; when it is cold , strain it , that the seed remain not in it , and so keep it for your use. 109. for the tissick . take two ounces of licorise , scraped and bruised , of figgs three ounces , of agrimony , horehound , enula campana , of each a handful , boyl them all together in a gallon of water , till the half be wasted , then strain the herbs from the juice , and use it early and late . also for the dry tissick , stamp fennel-roots , and drink the juice thereof with white-wine . 110. to make oyl of fennel . put a quantity of fennel between two tile-stones , or plates of iron , make them very hot , and press out the liquor ; and this oyl will keep a great while , for it is good for the tissick , dry scab , burning and scalding . iii. to make the black plaister for all manner of griefs . take a quantity of oyl-olive , a quantity of red lead , boyl these together , and stirr them with a slice of wood continually , till it be black , and some what thick ; then take it off the fire , and put in it a penny-worth of red wax , and a pound of rosin , and set it to the fire again , but do not blaze it , and stir it , then take it off , and let it stand till it be cold , and make it in a lump : it is good for a new wound , ●or to stanch blood , pour a little of it in a dish , and if it stick fast to the dishes side , then it is enough ; keep it for your use as need requireth . finis . beautifying waters , oyls , ointments , and powders , to adorn , and add loveliness to the face and body . 1. to make the hair very fair. wash your hair very clean , and then take some allom-water , warm , and with a sponge moisten your hair therewith , and it will make it fair . or you may make a decoction of turmerick , rubarb , or the bark of the barberry-tree , and so it will receive a most fair and beautiful colour . 2. another . take the last water that is drawn from honey , and wash your head therewith , and it will make the hair of an excellent fair colour ; but because it is of a strong smell , you must perfume it with some sweet spirit . 3. to make the hair grow thick . make a strong lye , then take a good quantity of hyssop-roots , and burn them to ashes , and mingle the ashes and the lye together , and therewith wash your head , and it will make the hair grow ; also the ashes of froggs burnt doth increase hair , as also the ashes of goats-dung mingled with oyl . 4. to make the hair grow . take marsh-mallows , and boyl them , roots and all , and wash the head therewith , and it will grow in a short time : also take a good quantity of bees , and dry them in a siev by the fire , and make powder of them , and temper it witth oyl-olive , and anoint the place where the hair should grow : also take the oyl of tartar , and warm it , and annoint any bald head therewith , and it will restore the hair again in a short time . 5. to make the hair fair. take the ashes of a vine burnt , of the knots of barley straw , and licorise , and sow-bread , and distill them together in fair water , and wash the head with it ; also sprinkle the hair while it is combing , with the powder of cloves , roses , nutmegs , cardamum , and galingale , with rose-water ; also the head being often washed with the decoction of beech-nut-trees , the hair will become fair . 6. to make the hair grow . taste hasle-nuts with husks and all , and burn them to powder , then take beech-mast , and the leaves of enula campana , and stamp the herb and the mast together , then seeth them together with honey , and annoint the place therewith , and strew the powder thereon , and this will make the hair grow . 7. to take away hair. take the juice of fumitory , mix it with gum-arabick , then lay it on the place , the hairs first plucked out by the roots , and it will never permit any more hair to grow on the place : also annoint your head with the juice of a glo-worm stamped , and it hath the same virtue . 8. for the falling of hair. take the ashes of pigeons-dung in lye , and wash the head therewith ; also walnut-leaves beaten with bears-suet , restoreth the hair that is plucked away . also the leaves and middle rinde of an oak , sodden in water , and the head washed therewith , is very good for this purpose . 9. to make the face fair. take the flower of beans , and distill them , and wash the face with the water ; some say , that the urine of the party is very good to wash the face withal , to make it fair. 10. for cleansing the face and skin . if the face be washed with the water that rice is sodden in , it cleanseth the face , and taketh away pimples . 11. a vvater to adorn the face . take eggs cut in pieces , orange-peels , the roots of melons , each as much as is sufficient , in a large vessel with a long neck , distill by an alembeck , with a strong and careful fire . 12. to beautifie the face . take of cuckow-pintle a pretty quantity , bruise the thick parts with rose-water , dry them by the sun three or four days , then pouring more rose-water on it , use it . 13. to make the face look youthful . take two ounces of aqua-vitae , bean-flower-water , and rose-water , each four ounces , water of water-lillies six ounces , mix them all , and add to them one dram of the whitest tragacinth , set it in the sun six days , then strain it through a fine linnen cloath ; wash your face with it in the morning , and do not wipe it off . 14. a vvater to take away wrinkles in the face . take of the decoction of briony and figgs , each alike quantities , and wash the face with it . 15. an excellent water , called lac virginis , or virgins milk , to make the face , neck , or any part of the body fair and white . take of alumen plumost half an ounce , of camphire one ounce , of roch-allom one ounce and a dram , sal gemmi half an ounce , of white frankincense two ounces , oyl of tartar one ounce and half ; make all these into most fine powder , and mix it with one quart of rose-water , then set it in the sun , and let it stand nine days , often stirring it ; then take littarge of silver half a pound , beat it fine , and sierce it , then boyl it with one pint of white-wine-vinegar , till one third part be consumed , ever stirring it with a stick while it boyleth , then distill it by a philter , or let it run through a jelly-bag , then keep it in a glass vial , and when you will use those waters , take a drop of the one , and a drop of the other in your hand , and it will be like milk , which is called lac virginis ; wash your face , or any part of your body therewith , it is mo●● precious for the same . 16. to take away sun-burn . take the juice of a limon , and a little bay-salt , and wash your face or hands with it , and let them dry of themselves , and wash them again , and you shall find all the sun-burn gone . 17. to make the face very fair. boyl the flowers of rosemary in white-wine , with the which wash your face ; also if you drink thereof , it will make you have a sweet breath . also to make the face white , make powder of the root of serpentine , and of powder of sepia , and mingle them with rose-water , and let it dry , and then let it be put to the same water again , and dry again , do this four or five times , and then use to annoint the face therewith . 18. to clear the skin , and make it white . take fresh boars grease , and the white of an egg , and stamp them together with a little powder of bays , and therewith annoint the skin , and it will clear the visage , and make it white . 19. to take away freckles in the face . annoint your face with oyl of almonds , and drink plantain-water , or annoint your visage well and often with hares blood . 20. to smooth the skin . mix capons-grease with a quantity of sugar , and let it stand for a few days close covered , and it will turn to a clear oyl , with which annoynt your face . 21. to blanch the face . take the pulp of limons , and take out the kernels , and put to them a quantity of fine sugar ; distill these , and keep the water to wash your face every night . 22. for morphew , or scurf of face or skin . take of brimstone beaten into powder two ounces , mix it with as much black soap that stinketh , and tye the same in a linnen cloath , and let it hang in a pint of strong wine-vinegar , or red-rose-vinegar , for the space of eight or nine days ; and therewith wash any kind of scurf , or morphew , either in face or body , dipping a cloath in the vinegar , and rubbing it therewith , and let it dry of it self . also drink the water of strawberries . distilled , or tincture of strawberries , it certainly killeth morphew or scurf . 23. for taking away spots in the face , after the small-pox . mix the juice of limons with a little bay-salt , and touch the spots therewith often●times in a day , for it is excellent good . 24. a good oyntment for the same . take oyl of sweet almonds , oyl of white lillies , of either one ounce ; capons-grease , goats-tallow , of each four drams , litharge of gold one dram and half ; roots of briony , and of ireos , of either one scruple , sugar-candy white one dram ; make powder of all those that may be brought into powder , and sierce them , then put them all in a mortar together , beat them together , and in the working put thereto rose , bean-flower , and white lilly-water , of each a good spoonful , put in by little and little , and so work them together till they become an oyntment ; annoint your face and hands with it every evening , and in the morning wash it away in water boyled with barley , wheaten-bran , and the seed of mallows . 25. to take away the holes or pits in the face , by reason of the small pox. for helping of this accident , i have tryed many things , and the best means i have found , is to wash the face one day with the distilled water of strong vinegar , and the next day with the water wherein bran and mallows have been boyled ; and continue this twenty days , or a moneth together . 26. for redness of the hands or face after the small-pox . take barley , beans , lupines , of each one handful ; bruise them all in a mortar grosly , and boyl them in three pints of water , till it grow thick like a jelly , then strain it , and annoint the face and hands therewith three or four times a day , for three or four days together , and then wet the face and hands as often with this water following . 27. another . take vine-leaves two handfuls , bean-flower , dragon , wild tansie , of either one handful , camphire three drams , two calves feet , the pulp of three limons , a pint of raw cream ; shred the herbs small , as also the limons , and break , and cut the calves feet small , then mix them together , and distill it in a glass still , and use it . also the water of may-dew is excellent good for any high colour , or redness of the face . 28. for pimples in the face . wash your face with warm water when you go to bed , and let it dry in ; then take the white of an egg , and put it into a saucer , and set it upon a chafing-dish of coals , and put into it a piece of allom ; beat it together with a spoon , till it become thick , then make a round ball , and therewith annoint the face where the pimples are . 29. for heat and swelling in the face . boyl the leaves of the blossoms of rosemary , either in white-wine or fair water , and use to wash thy hands and face therewith , and it will preserve thee from all such inconveniencies , and also make both thy face and hands very smooth . 30. for a red face . take brimstone that is whole , and cinamon , of either of them an even proportion by weight , beat them into small powder , and sierse it through a fine cloath upon a sheet of white paper to the quantity of an ounce , or more ; and so by even proportions in weight mingle them together in clean clarified capons●grease , and temper them well together till they be well mollified , then put to it a little camphire , to the quantity of a bean , and so put the whole confection in a glass , and use it . 31. to take away pimples . take wheat-flower mingled with honey and vinegar , and lay it upon them . 32. an excellent oyntment for an inflamed face . take an ounce of the oyl of bays , and an ounce of quick-silver , and put them in a bladder together , with a spoonful of fasting-spittle , and then rub them well together , that nothing of the quick-silver be seen ; take of this oyntment , when it it made , and annoint the face therewith , and it will heal it well and fair ; proved true . 33. for a rich face . take three yolks of eggs raw , as much in quantity of fresh butter , or capons-grease without salt , camphire two penny-worth , red-rose-water half a pint , two grains of sivet , and boyl all these together in a dish , then strain them through a clean cloath , and set it to cool , and take the uppermost , and use it . 34. to make the skin white and clear . boyl two ounces of french barley in three pints of conduit-water , change the water , and put in the barley again ; do this till your barley do not dis-colour the water , then boyl the last three pints to a quart , then mix half a pint of white-wine therein , and when it is cold , wring the juice of two or three good limons therein , and use it for the morthew , heat of the face , and to clear the skin . 35. an excellent pomatum , to clear the skin . wash barrows-grease , or lard often-times in may-dew that hath been clarified in the sun , till it be exceeding white ; then take marsh-mallow-roots , scraping off the out-sides , make thin slices of them , and mix them , set them to macerate in a balneo , and scum it● well till it be clarified , and will come to rope ; then strain it , and put now and then a spoonful of may-dew therein , beating it till it be through cold in often change of may-dew ; then throw away that dew , and put it in a glass , covering it with may-dew , and so keep it for your use. 36. to take away spots and freckles from the face and hands . the sap that issueth out of a birch-tree in great abundance , being opened in march or april , and a glass receiver set under it to receive it : this cleanseth the skin excellently , and maketh it very clear , being washed therewith . this sap will dissolve pearl , a secret not known to many . 37. to take away freckles and morphew . wash your face in the wane of the moon with a sponge , morning and evening with the distilled water of elder-leaves , letting it dry into the skin ; you must distill your water in may : this i had from a traveller , who hath cured himself thereby . 38. to make the teeth white and sound . take a quart of honey , and as much vinegar , and half so much white-wine , boyl them together , and wash your teeth therewith now and then . 39. a dentrifice to whiten the teeth . take of harts-horn and horses teeth , of each two ounces , sea-shells , common salt , cypress-nuts , each one ounce ; burn them together in an oven , and make a powder , and work it up with the mucilage of gum tragacinth , and rub the teeth therewith . 40. to make the teeth white as ivory . take rosemary , sage , and a little allom and honey , and boyl them together in fair running-water , and when it is well boyled , strain out the fair water , and keep it in a glass , and use it sometime to wash your mouth and teeth therewith , and it will make them clean : also wash your teeth with the decoction of lady thistle-root , and it will cleanse and fasten the teeth , and the sore gums made whole● also the root of hore-hound drunk , or chewed fasting , doth quickly heal the gums , and maketh the teeth clean : strawberry-leaves also cleanseth the teeth and gums , a sure and tryed experiment . 41. to make the teeth white . take one drop of the oyl of vitriol , and wet the teeth with it , and rub them afterwards with a course cloath ; although this medicine be strong , fear it not . 42. for a stinking breath . take two handfuls of cummin , and stamp it to powder , and boyl it in wine , and drink the syrup thereof morning and evening for fifteen days , and it will help . proved . 43. to make the breath sweet . vvash you mouth with the water that the shells of citrons have been boyled in , and you will have a sweet breath . 44. to sweeten the breath . take butter and the juice of feather-few , and temper them with honey , and take every day a spoonful . also these things sweeten the breath , the electuary of aromaticks , and the peels of citrons . 45. to cleanse the mouth . it is good to cleanse the mouth every morning by rubbing the teeth with a sage-leaf , citron-peels , or with powder made with cloves and nutmegs ; forbear all meats of ill digestion , and raw fruits . 46. for running in the ears . take the juice of elder , and drop i● into the ear of the party grieved , and it cleanseth the matter and the filth thereof● also the juice of violets used , is very good for the running of the ears . 47. for eyes that are blood-shot . take the roots of red fennel , stamp them , and wring out the juice , then temper it with clarified honey , and make an oyntment thereof , and annoint the eyes therewith , and it will take away th● redness . 48. to make the hands white . take the flower of beans , of lupines of starch-corn , rice , orice , of each six ounces ; mix them , and make a powder , with which wash your hands it water . 49. a delicate washing ball. take three ounces of orace , half an ounce of cypress , two ounces of calamus aromaticus , one ounce of rose-leaves , two ounces of lavender-flowers ; beat all these together in a mortar , siersing them through a fine sierce , then scrape some castile-soap , and dissolve it in rose-water , mix your powders therewith , and beat them in a mortar , then make them up in balls . 50. for the lips chopt . rub them with the sweat behind your ears , and this will make them smooth , and well coloured . 51. to prevent marks of the small-pox . boyl cream to an oyl , and with that annoint the wheals with a feather as soon as they begin to dry , and keep the scabs always moist therewith ; let your face be annointed almost every half hour . 52. to take away child-blains in the hands or feet . boyl half a peck of oats in a quart of water till it grow dry ; then annoint your hands with pomatum , and after they are well chased , hold them within the oats as hot as you can endure them , covering the bowl wherein you do your hands with a double cloath to keep in the steam of the oats ; do this three or four times , and it will do : you may boyl the same oats with fresh water three or four times . 53. to take away pock-holes , or any spot in the face . wet a cloath in white-rose-water , and set it all night to freeze in the winter , and then lay it upon your face till it be dry ; also take two or three poppies , the reddest you can get , and quarter them , taking out the kernels , then distill them in a quart of red cows-milk , and with the water thereof wash your face . 54. an excellent beauty-water , used by the d. of c. take of white tartar two drams , camphire one dram , coperas half a dram , the whites of three or four eggs , juice of a couple of limons , oyl of tartar four ounces , and as much plantain-water , white mercury a penny-worth , two ounces of bitter almonds ; beat all these to powder , and mix them with the oyl , and some water , and then boyl it upon a gentle fire , strain it , and so keep it ; when you use it , you must first rub your face with a scarlet cloath , and at night wash your face with it , and in the morning wash it off with bran and white-wine . 55. against a stinking breath . take a handful of wood-bine , and as much plantain , bruise them very well , then take a pint of eye-selt , and as much water , with a little honey and allom ; keep all these waters together in a glass , and wash your mouth well therewith , and hold it in your mouth , and it will destroy all cankers , and cure a stinking breath , and preserve the teeth from rottenness . 56. to procure an excellent colour and complexion in the face , used by the c. of s. take the juice of hyssop , and drink it in a morning fasting , half a dozen spoonfuls in ale , warm ; it will procure an excellent colour , is good for the eye-sight , destroyeth worms , and is good for the stomack , liver , and lungs . 57. to keep the teeth white , and kill worms . take a little salt in a morning fasting , and hold it under your tongue till it be melted , and then rub your teeth with it . 58. to procure beauty , an excellent wash . take four ounces of sublimate , and one ounce of crude mercury , and beat them together exceeding well in a wooden mortar , and wooden pestle ; you must do it at least six , or eight hours , then with often change of cold water , take away the salts from the sublimate , change your water twice every day at least , and in seven or eight days it will be dulcified , and then it is prepared ; lay it on with oyl of white poppy . 59. a beauty-water for the face , by madam g. take lye that is not too strong , and put two peels of oranges , and as much c●tron-peel , blossoms of c●momile , bay-leaves , and maiden-hair , of each a handful , of agrimony two or three ounces , of barley-straw chopt in pieces , a handful , as much fenugreek , a pint of vine-leaves , two or three handfuls of broom-blossoms ; put all these into the lye , and mingle them together , and so wash the head therewith , put to it a little cinamon and myrrh , let it stand , and wash your face therewith every evening : it is good to wash the head , and to comfort the brain and memory . 60. against stink of the nostrils . take cloves , ginger , and calamint , of each a like quantity , boyl them in white-wine , and therewith wash the nose within ; then put in the powder of piritrum to provoke one to sneeze : if there be phlegm in the head , you must first purge the head with pills of colchie , or of hieva picra : or if the stink of the nose come from the stomack , purge first . 61. to make the hands white . to make the hands white and soft , take daffodil in clean water till it grow thick , and put thereto powder of cantarium , and stir them together ; then put thereto raw eggs , and stir them well together , and with this oyntment annoint your hands , and within three or four days using thereof they will be white and clear . 62. a sweet water for the hands . take of the oyl of cloves , mace , or nutmegs , three or four drops only , and mingle it with a pint of fair water , stirring them a pretty while together in a glass , having a narrow mouth , till they are well mingled together , and wash your hands therewith , and it will be a very sweet water , and will cleanse and whiten the hands very much . 63. for heat and worms in the hands . bruise a little chick-weed , and boyl it in running-water , till the half be wasted away , and wash your hands in it as hot as you can suffer it , for the space of six days , and it will drive away the heat , or worms in the hands . 64. to make the nails grow . take wheat-flower , and mingle it with honey , and lay it to the nails , and it will help them . 65. for nails that fall off . take powder of agrimony , and lay it on the place where the nail was , and it will take away the aking , and make the● nails to grow . 66. for cloven nails . mingle turpentine and wax together , and lay it on the nail , and as it groweth cut it away , and it will heal . 67. for nails that are rent from the flesh . take some violets , and stamp them , and fry them with virgins-wax , and frankincense , and make a plaister , and lay it to the nail , and it will be whole . 68. another . annoint your fingers with the powder of brimstone , arsenick , and vinegar , and in short time you shall find great ease . 69. for stench under the arm-holes . first pluck away the hairs of the arm-holes , and wash them with white-wine and rose-water , wherein you have first boyled cassia lignum , and use it three or four times . 70. for the yellow iaundies . take the juice of wormwood and sorrel , or else make them in syrup , and use to drink it in the morning . 71. to take away vvarts from the face or hands . take purslain , and rub it on the warts , and it maketh them fall away : also the juice of the roots of rushes applyed , healeth them . 72. to smooth the skin , and take away morphew and freckles . annoint the face with the blood of a hare , or bull , and this will take away morphew and freckles , and smooth the skin . finis . new and excellent experiments and secrets in the art of angling . being directions for the whole art . london , printed in the year 1675. new and excellent experiments and secrets in the art of angling . to make the lines . take care that your hair be round , and free from galls , scabs , or frets , for a well chosen , even , clear , round hair , of a kind of a glass-colour , will prove as strong as three un-even scabby hairs , that are ill chose . let your hair be clean washed before you go about to twist it , and then not only chuse the clearest hair , but hairs that are all of an equal bigness , for such do usually stretch altogether , and not break singly one by one , but altogether . when you have twisted your links , lay them in water for a quarter of an hour at the least , and then twist them over again before you tye them into a line , for those that do not so shall usually find their links to have a hair or two shrunk , and be shorter than all the rest , at the first fishing with it , which is so much of the strength of the line lost , for want of wetting it at first , and then re-twisting it ; and this is most visible in a seven hair line , which hath always a black hair in the middle , called by anglers , the herring-bone : those hairs that are taken from an iron-gray , or a sorrel stone-horse , and the middle of the tayl , are best . a cement for floats to fish withal . take black rozin beaten , chalk scraped , bees-wax bruised , of each a like quantity ; melt all these over a gentle small-coal fire in an earthen vessel well leaded , and so warming the two quills , fix them with a little of it ; it cools immediately , and being cold , is so hard , strong , and tite , that you can hardly pull the two quills asunder with both your hands , without breaking them in pieces . to sight your caps for the float aright . let the uppermost be at the distance from the top of the quill , and the lower cap near to the end of the quill , as in the description of it . to dye bone or quills red for ever . take some urine , and put into it as much powder of brazile as will make it very red , which you shall know by dropping some with a feather upon a piece of white paper , and put therein bone or quills , being first well scraped , and laid a while in a water made of argol , and let them lye in it ten or twelve days , then take them out , and hang them up till they are dry , and rub them with a dry linnen cloath , and they will be of a transparent colour . observations . a pike is called , the first year a shotterel . the second , a pickerel . the third year , a pike . the fourth year , a luce. fish are fattest about august . all fish are in season a moneth or six weeks after they have spawn'd . to cleanse worms . take a piece of a hop-sack ( because that is not so close struck in the weaving as other cloath is ) and wash it clean , and let it dry , then take some of the liquor wherein a piece of fresh beef hath been boyled , but be sure you take not the liquor of salt beef , for that will kill all the worms ; dip the piece of hop-sack in the liquor , and wring it out , but not hard , so that some of the liquor abide in the cloath ; put the worms into this cloath , and lay them in an earthen pot , the worms will run in and out through the cloath , and scour themselves ; let them stand from morning to night , then take out the worms from the cloath , and wash the cloath as before , but not dry it , and wet it again in some of the liquor ; thus do once a day , and thus you will not only preserve your worms alive for three weeks , or a moneth , but also make them red and tough . probatum . the secrets of . j. d. would'st thou catch fish ? then here 's thy wish : take this receipt t● annoint thy bait. thou that desirest to fish with line and hook , be it in pool , in river , or in brook ; to bliss thy bait , and make the fish to bite , loe here 's a means , if thou ca●st hit it right . take gum of life fine beat , and laid to soak in oyl , well drawn from that * which kills the oak . fish where thou wilt , thou shalt have sport thy fill ; when twenty fail , thou shalt be sure to kill . probatum . it 's perfect and good , if well understood ; else not to be told , for silver nor gold. to unloose the line in the water . of these there are several sorts , according to several mens fancies ; that which i approve of , as being the surest , is a forked stick , about two yards long , if it be not long enough to reach the bottom , you may lash it to any other stick . these fish rise best at a flye . salmon . trout . vinber . groyling . bleak . cherin , or chub. roch. dace . ad capiendum pisces . recipe musilago vel scholaris fortes ( anglicè white mullen ) collectae circa medium maii , quando luna , sit plena , distemperata cum nigro sale & serva in olla terrea , & quando vis occupare ungue manus & lava eas in loco ubi sunt pisces . a good bait for fish all seasons of the year . take wheat-flower , and tallow of a new slain sheep , and the white of an egg , beat them all together , and make a paste therewith , and bait with it . roch and dace . from the tenth of march to the tenth of may is the spawning time for roch and dace . a paste for roch , dace , chub. fine manchet , old fat cheese of the strongest , rusty bacon ; beat these in a mortar , and moisten it with a little brandy , and colour it with turmerick or cambogia , or red vermilion . baits . 1. take the flesh of a rabbit , or a cat cut small , and bean-flower , and for want of that , other flower ; mix these together , and put to them either sugar or honey ( but i judge honey the best ) beat these together in a mortar , or sometimes work them in your hands ( being very clean ) then make it into a ball , but you must beat it so long , till it be so tuff , that it will hang upon the hook , yet not too hard neither , that you may the better dough-knead with your paste a little white , or yellow wool ; if you would have this paste keep all the year , then mix with it virgins-wax and clarified honey , and work it together with your hands before the fire , then make it into balls , and it will keep all the year . 2. another . take a handful or two of the best and biggest wheat you can get , boyl it in a little milk ( as furmity is boyled till it be soft ) and then fry it very leisurely , with honey and a little beaten saffron dissolved in milk ; you will find it a choyce bait , and good i think for any fish , especially for roch , dace , chub , and cheven . 3. another . the tenderest part of the leg of a young rabbit , whelp , or catlin , as much virgins-wax , and sheeps suet ; beat them in a mortar , till they are well incorporated , then with a little clarified honey , temper them before the fire into a paste . 4. another . sheeps-kidney-suet , as much old strong cheese , fine flower , or manchet ; beat it into a paste , and soften it with clarified honey . 5. another . sheeps-blood , old cheese , fine manchet , clarified honey ; make all into a paste , as before . 6. another . cherries , sheeps-blood , saffron , fine manchet ; make all into a paste , as before : you may add to any of these , or other pastes , cocalus indi●e , assa faetida , oyl of polypody of the oak , the gum of ivy dissolved ; i judge there is virtue in these oyls , but especially in the gum. 7. another . pull off the scale from a boyled prawn , or shrimp , bait the hook with it , and it is an excellent bait for roch , dace , bleak . 8. another . bean-flower , honey , and the white of a egg made up into a paste , is an excellent , an d long experienced bait for small fish , which if they once taste of , they will never for sake till death . 9. another . gentles , of which kind the best are those that are bred upon a cat , because they are the quickest , and liveliest . if you put some gentles into a box , where vermilion hath been , they will live in it two or three days , and will become of a very transparent colour , and keep so in the water when you fish with them . when you fish in a quick stream , a long quill or float is best . but in an eddy , or still , stream , the shorter the quill or float is , the better . when you fish at the well-boats , or at the bank-side , be there at half ebbing water , and fish upon those well-boats that lye nearest to the shoar , till the water falls away from them , then go to the outermost boats. some of the well-boats do sheer to and again from the place where your ground-bait lyeth , to prevent which , and that you may always fish in that place where you have cast your ground-bait , you must have a buoy to lye out , and then you are sure to fi●h right . 10. another bait. dry sheeps-blood in the air upon a dry board , till it become a pretty hard dry lump , then cut it into small pieces for your use. 11. another . you shall find in the moneths of iune , iuly , and august , great quantities of ant-flyes , go to the ant-hills , and take a great handful of earth , with as much of the roots of the grass as you can ; put all into a large glass bottle , then gather a pottle of the blackest ant-flyes , but take heed you bruise them not ; roch and dace will bite at these flyes under water , near the ground . directions how to make your paste . first , wash your hands very clean , then get some of the finest manchet , of two or three days old , and cut away all the crust , then lay it in water , or milk , which is better ; let it lye no longer than till it is soaked just through , then squeeze out all the water very well , then knead it in your hands very well , with a little bit of sweet butter , to make it stiff , colour it with vermilion ; if you make it over-night , keep it in a wet linnen rag , all the water being wrung out of it ; in the kneading scrape a little old cheese among it . how to bait with gentles . put your hook through the middle-part of the gentle , and no more , then he will live longest ; i mean through the skin and no more : but if you could get some oyl of ivy , that is rightly taken from the tree in the moneth of may , and cast but two drops of it among the gentles before you use them , you would have sport beyond expectation . when to drag upon the ground , and when not . when you fish in a quick stream drag a quills length , or more . also when the water is not clear , but of a white or clay colour , and if you put a little piece of scarlet a little above the hook , the fish will see the bait the better . sometimes when you are at the sport the wind ariseth , and makes your float dance upon the waves , then always observe , and watch well the motion of your float under water , and not the top of your float . i saw an angler whipping for bleaks and dace with a may-flye , but he put on a gentle upon the hook besides , and he had excellent sport . carp and tench . baits . 1. a carp will take a red worm dipt in tarr , at the bottom . 2. malt-flower , old cheshire cheese , english honey , eggs ; temper these together with a little water ( but i should think milk is far better ) colour it with saffron , and put as much upon the hook , as the bigness of a large hasle-nut . bait the place where you intend to fish , very well over night , with grains and blood ; the next morning very early fish for him , with a well scoured lob-worm , or the past above-mentioned . you may dip your worm in tarr , and try what that will do . a carp choseth the deepest , and stillest places in ponds and rivers , and so doth the tench , and also green weeds , which he loves exceedingly . late in the evening the ale , grains , and blood , well mixed together , is bait very good for carp , tench , roch , and dace to prepare , if early in the morn at the river you are . strong tackle for carp , for roch and d●ce fine , will help thee with fish sufficient to dine . for the carp , let thy bait the knotted worm be , the rest love the cadis , the paste or the flye . chub , pike , and bream . the pike chuses sandy , or clay ground , in still pools full of fry ; the bream loves a gentle stream , and the broadest part of the river ; the chub loves the same ground , and spawns in may. one , who was the best trouler of pikes in england . used always to troul with a hazle-rod twelve foot long , with a ring of wyre in the top of his rod for his line to run through , within two foot of the rod there was a hole to put in a winder , to turn with a barril , to gather up his line , and loose it at his pleasure ; this was his manner of trouling with a small fish. there are several other ways to take pikes ; there is a way to take a pike , which is called the snap , for with angling you must have a pretty strong rod , for you must angle with a line no longer than your rod , which must be very strong , that you may hold the fish to it ; your hook must be a double hook , made of a large wyre , and armed with wyre one or two links long ; you must bait the fish with the head upwards , and the point must come forth of his side , a little above his vent . in all your baitings for a pike , you must enter the needle where the point cometh forth , so draw your arming through , until the hook lyeth as you think fit , then make it fast with a thread to the wyre , but first tye the thread about the wyre , otherwise the fish will skip up and down , so fall to work : the bait must be a gudgeon , a small trout , roch , or dace . now , i will pawn my credit , that i will shew a way , either in ware , pond , or river , that shall take more pikes , than any trouler shall do by trouling ; and it is this . first , take a forked stick , a line of twelve yards long wound upon it , at the lower end leave a yard to tye ; either a bunch of flaggs , or a bladder , to buoy up the fish , to carry the bait from the ground , that the fish may swim clear ; the bait must be alive , either a small trout , gudgeon , roch , or dace ; the forked stick must have a slit on the one side of the fork to put the line in , that the live fish may swim at the gauge you set the fish to swim at , that when the pike takes the bait , the pike may have the full liberty of the line for his feed ; you may turn as ●ou please of these loose in the pond or river all day long , the more the better , and do it in a pond-wind ; the hooks must be double hooks . to bait the hook. take one of the baits alive , and with your needle enter the fish within a straws breadth of the gill , so put the needle in betwixt the skin and the fish , then draw the needle out at the hindermost fin , drawing the arming through the fish , untill the hook come to lye close to the body ; but i hold it better , if it be armed with wyre , to take off the hook , and put the needle in at the hindermost fin , and so come forth at the gill , then put on the hook , and it will hurt the live fish the less , so knit the arming with the live fish to the line . but i judge the baiting with a live fish is done far better , as it is done , baiting with a minew , to fish for a trout . a rod twelve foot long , and a ring of wyre , a winder and barril will help thy desire , in killing a pike ; but the forked stick , with a slit and a bladder , and the other fine trick , which our artists call snap , with a goose or a duck , will kill two for one , if thou have any luck . chub takes a black snail about august ; and for a bait , take the fourth receipt prescribed for roch and dace , but colour it with saffron , or gambogia . the pike in the moneth of march , before which time it is good fishing for him , but after march it is not good till the middle of may : a smelt is a rare bait , a pole for trouling should be eleven foot long , for the snap twelve foot. when you troul , the head of the fish must be downward at the bent of the hook ; but when you snap , the head must be upward at the shank of the hook . if you fish at snap for a pike , give him leave to run a little before you strike , and then strike the contrary way he runs . if you fish with a dead bait for him , take this as a most excellent one . take a minew , or yellow frogg , a dace , or a roch , and having dissolved some gum of ivy in oyl of spike , annoint your bait therewith , and cast it where the pikes frequent , and when it hath lain a little while at the bottom , draw it up to the top , and so up the stream , and if pikes are in the place where you fish , you will quickly perceive them to follow it with much eagerness . perch . the perch loveth a gentle stream , of a reasonable depth , seldom shallow . baits . 1. his bait is most commonly a red knotted worm , or a minew . 2. another . make a bait with the liver of a goat , and bait your hook therewith . 3. another . take yellow butter-flyes and cheese made of goats-milk , of each half an o●nce , of opoponax the weight of two french crowns , of hoggs-blood half an o●nce , galbanum as much ; pound them all well , and mix them together , pouring upon them red wine , and make thereof little balls , such as you use to make perfumes into , and dry them in the shade . 4. another . to bait your hook with a live minew , when you fish for a trout , or perch , with a running line . first put your hook in at his mouth , and out at his gill , then having drawn your hook two or three inches beyond , or through his gill , put it again into his mouth , and the point and beard out at his tayl , and then tye the hook and his tayl with a white thread , which will make it apter to turn quick in the water ; then pull back that part of your line which was slack , when you put your hook into the mouth the second time ; i say , pull that part of it back , so that it shall fasten the head , that so the body of the minew shall be almost● streight on the hook ; then try how it will turn by drawing it cross the water , or against the stream , and if it do not turn nimbly , then turn the tayl a little to the right or left hand , and try again till it turn quick , for if not , you are in danger to catch nothing ; for know , that 't is impossible it should turn too quick : but if you want a minew , then a small roch , or stickle-back , or any other small fish will serve as well ; if you salt your minews , you may keep them three or four days fit for use , or longer ; bay-salt is best . 5. another . to bait with a lob-worm , to fish for a trout or perch with a running line , with a swivel . suppose it be a big lob-worm , put your hook into him above the middle , then draw your worm above the arming of your hook , enter your worm at the tayl-end of the worm , the point may come out toward the head , and having drawn him above the arming of your hook , put the point of your hook again into the very head of the worm , till it come to the place where the point of the hook first came out , and then draw back that part of the worm that was above the shanker arming of the hook. and so fish with it , you cannot lose above two or three worms before you attain to what i direct you , and having attained it , you will find it very useful , for you will run upon the ground without tangling , but you must have a swivel . trout . the trout loves small purling brooks , or rivers that are very swift , and run upon stones , or gravel ; he feeds while he is in strength in the swi●test streams , behind a stone , log , or some small bank that shooteth into the river , and there lyes watching for what comes down the stream . he spawns about october . baits . 1. you shall find in the root of a great dock , a white worm with a red head , with this worm fish for a trout at the bottom , he lyes in the deep , but feeds in the stream . 2. another . he also takes very freely a worm , called a brandling , of which sort the best are sound at the bear-garden , amongst the bears dung. an universal bait to take all manner of fish , but especially trouts , which hath been experienced by an ancient angler , and made by a chy●ist , in 1668. take of the juice of ca●●omile two spoonfuls , oyl of spike four drams , spirit of vitriol one ounce , oyl of comfrey by infusion , six drams , goose-grease one ounce ; dissolve these over the fire , being well melted , let it stand till it is cold , then put it into a strong glass , and let it stand three or four days before you stop it up , with a good cover made of parchment and leather , and it will keep good for seven years . gudgeons . a gudgeon spawns in may , and sometimes in april . bait. a gudgeon takes nothing but a red knotted worm , in a horse dung-hill . barbel . the barbel ( as gesner saith ) is one of those leather-mouth'd fishes , having his teeth in his throat . there are divers ways of fishing for him , as with a casting-line of small whip-cord , a plummet , and a pair of small drablers of hair. others fish for him with a standing-line , either of silk , or small brass wyre well nealed , with a plummet of one , two , three , or four ounces , according to the swiftness of the stream , and a pair of drabbers , as before . some fish for barbel with casting-lines , as at london-bridge , a plummet of one pound and half , and a pair of drabbers . baits . his baits are green gentles , strong cheese , sometimes a lob-worm , and sometimes a piece of pickled herring . eels . to reckon up the several ways of taking eels , were almost , if not altogether , impossible ; and therefore i shall only tell you how the anglers here in london take them . take a shooting-line , of 10 , 12 , 14 , 16 , or 20 hooks , as many , and as few as you please ; and this cannot but be an excellent way , either in pond , ●river , or moat . the manner of making it is very well known to all those that sell hooks and fishing-tackle in crooked-lane , where you may buy them ready made . baits . his bait is green gentles , strong cheese , lob-worms , pickled-herring , powdered beef , or periwinkles . your plummet must be three pound , or three pound and an half of lead . bream . the bream loveth a red worm , taken at the root of a great dock , it lyeth wrapt up in a knot , or round clue . he chuseth the same waters as the pike . salmon . the salmon 〈◊〉 ●arge swist rivers , where it ebbs and flowes ; he spawns at the latter end of the year . to fish for salmon . the first thing you must gain , must be a rod of some ten foot in the stock , that will carry a top of six foot ; stiff and strong ; the reason is , because there must be a wyre ring at the upper end of the top , for the line to run through , that you may take up , and loose the line at your pleasure , you must have the winder within two foot of the bottom of your rod , made in the manner exprest , with a spring , that you may put it on as low as you please . the salmon swimmeth most commonly in the midst of the river , in all his travels he desires to see the uppermost part of the river , travelling on his journey in the heat of ●he day , he must take a b●sh , if the fisher-man espye him , he goeth at him with his spear , and so shortneth his journey . the angler that goeth to fish for him with a hook and line , must angle for him as nigh the middle of the water as he can with one of these baits . take two lob-worms , and put the hook so near through the middle of them , that the four ends may hang of an equal length , and so angle as near the bottom as you can , feeling your plummet run on the ground , some twelve inches from the hook . if you angle for him with a flve ( which he will rise at like a trout ) the flye must be made of a large hook , which hook must carry six wings , or sour at the least ; there is judgment in making these flyes . the salmon will come at a gudgeon in the manner of a trouling line , and cometh at it bravely , which is fine angling for him ; you must be sure your line be of twenty six , or thirty yards long , that you may have your convenient time to turn him , or else you are in danger to lose him , but if you turn him , you are likely to have him , all the danger is in the running out , both of salmon and trout . you must fore-cast to turn the fish as you do a wild horse , either upon the right or left hand , and wind up your line as you find occasion in the guiding the fish to the shoar , having a large landing-hook to take him up , close to the bottom , in the midst of the water , i fish●d for a salmon , and there i caught her . my plummet twelve inches from the large hook , two lob-worms hung equal , which she ne●r ●orsook : nor yet the great hook , with the six winged flye , and she makes at a gudgeon most furiously . my strong line was just twenty six yards long : i gave him a turn , though i found him strong . i wound up my line , to guide him from shoar ; the landing-hook helpt much , but the cookery more . the names of the flyes that are used in angling , with the times when they are in season , and what the bodies and wings are made of . 1. astone fly , which is in season in april , the body of it is made with black-wool , made yellow under the wings , and under the tayl ; the wings are made of a mallards feather . 2. a ruddy fly , is in season in the beginning of may ; the body is made of red wooll wrapt about with blue silk , the wings are made of the wing of a drake , and a red hackle . 3. the yellow , or greenish fly , in season in may , made of yellow wool , his wings made of red hackles , and the wing of a drake . 4. the dun fly is sometimes of dunwool , and sometimes black , in season in march ; his wings made of partridge . feathers , black drakes feathers , and the feathers under his tayl. 5. the black fly , in season in may , made of black-wool , and wrapt about with peacocks tayl , the feathers of the wings of a brown capon , with the blue feathers in his head . 6. the sad yellow fly , in season in iune , made of black-wool , with a yellow list on either side ; the wings of a buzzard , bound with black braked hemp . 7. the moorish fly , in season in iune , made of duskish wool , the wings the black male of a drake . 8. the tawny flye , good till the middle of iune , made of bears-wool , the wings made contrary one against the other , of the whitish male of a wild drake . 9. the wasp-fly , in season in iuly , made of black-wool , wrapt about with yellow silk ; the wings of a drakes feathers , or buzzards . 10. the shell-fly , good in the middle of iune , made of greenish wool , lapt about with pearl of a peacocks tayl ; the wings of a buzzards feathers . 11. the dark drake-fly , made of black-wool wrapt about with black silk ; in season in august , the wings , the male of the black drake with a black head. 12. the may-fly , made of greenish coloured cruel , or willow colour , and darken it in most places with waxed silk , or ribb'd with a black hair , or some of them ribb'd with silver thread , and such wings for the colour , as you see the fly to have at that season . 13. the oak-fly , the body made of orange-tawny , and black cruel ; the wings the brown of a mallards feather . the best way of dressing these , and all other sorts of fish , you may find in the next part following . finis . the compleat cook 's guide . or , directions for the dressing of all sorts of flesh , fowl , and fish , both in the english and french mode ; with the preparing of all manner of sawces and sallets proper thereunto . together with the making of all sorts of pyes , pasties , tarts , and custards ; with the forms and shapes of many of them . with bills of fare , both for ordinary , and extraordinary . london , printed in the year 1675. the compleat cook 's guide . 1. to make a lamb pye. first , cut your lamb into pieces , and then season it with nutmegs , cloves , and mace , and some salt with currans , raisins of the sun , and sweet butter ; and if you will eat it hot , when it is baked put in some yolks of eggs , with wine-vinegar and sugar beaten together ; but if you will eat it cold , put in no eggs , but only vinegar and sugar . 2. to make a rice-pudding . take thin cream , or good milk , of what quantity you please , boyl it with a little cinamon in it , and when it hath boyled a while , take out the cinamon , and put in rose-water , and sugar enough to make it sweet and good ; then having your rice ready beaten , as fine as flower , and siersed as some do it , strew it in , till it be of the thickness of a hasty-pudding , then pour it into a dish , and serve it . 3. to make cheese-cakes , the best way . take two gallons of new milk , put into them two spoonfuls and a half of runnet , heat the milk little less than blood-warm , cover it close with a cloath , till you see the cheese be gathered , then with a scumming-dish gently take out the whey , when you have dreyn'd the curd as clean as you can , put it into a siev , and let it drain very well there ; then to two quarts of curds , take a quart of thick cream , a pound of sweet butter , twelve eggs , a pound and half of currans , a penny . worth of cloves , nutmeg and mace beaten , half a pound of good sugar , a quarter of a pint of rose-water ; mingle it well together , and put it into puff-paste . 4. to make an egg-pye , or mince-pye of eggs. take the yolks of two dozen of eggs hard boyled , shred them , take the same quantity of beef-suet , half a pound of pippins , a pound of currans well washt , and dry'd , half a pound of sugar , a penny-worth of beaten spice , a few carraway-seeds , a little candyed orange-peel shred , a little verjuice and rose-water ; fill the coffin , and bake it with gentle heat . 5. to carbonado mutton . broyl a shoulder , or breast of mutton , then scotch them with your knife , and strew on minc'd thyme and salt , and a little mutmeg ; when they are broyled , dish them up : the sauce is claret-wine boyled up with two onions , a little camphire and capers , with a little gravy , garnish'd with limons . 6. to stew a pheasant , french fashion . roast your pheasant , till he be half roasted , then boyl it in mutton-broath , and put into the broath whole pepper , whole mace , and sliced onions , and vinegar , and make it sharp , and put in pr●ans and currans , and colour your broath with bruised pruans . 7. to make bisket-bread . take half a peek of flower fine , two ounces of anniseeds , two ounces of coriander-seed , the whites of six eggs , a pint of ale-yeast , with as much warm-water , as will make it up into a paste , so bake it in a long roul ; when it is two days old , pare it , and slice it , then sugar it , and dry it in an oven , and so keep it all the year , 8. to make a dish of marrow . take a piece of fine paste , and roul it very thin ; then take the marrow all as whole out of the bones as you can , and cleave it into four quarters ; then take it and season it with a little pepper , salt , sugar , and dates small minced , then lay one piece in your paste , and make it up like a pescod ; so make half a dozen of them , and fry them in clarified butter , scrape sugar on , and serve them . 9. to make a herring-pye . put great store of sliced onions , with currans and raisins of the sun , both above and under the herrings , and store of butter ; put them into your pye , and bake them . 10. to make black-puddings . take a quart of sheeps-blood , and a quart of cream , ten eggs , the yolks and the whites beaten together ; stir all this liquor very well , then thicken it with grated bread , and oat-meal finely beaten , of each a like quantity , beef-suet finely shred , and marrow in little lumps , ●●●son it with a little nutmeg , cloves , and mace mingled with salt , a little sweet marjoram , thyme , and penny-royal shred very well together , and mingle them with the other things , some put in a few currans : then fill them in cleansed guts , and boyl them very carefully . 11. to make a good spanish olio . take a rump of beef , or some of a brisket or buttock , cut it to pieces ; a loyn of mutton with the fat taken off , and a fleshy piece of a leg of veal , or a knuckle , a piece of inter-laided bacon , three or four onions , or some garlick , and if you will , a capon or two , or else three great tame-pigeons . first , put into the water the beef and bacon , after a while the mutton , veal , and onions , but not the capon or pigeons , only so long till they are boyled enough ; if you have garavanza's , put them in at the first , after they have been soaked with ashes all night in heat , wash them well in warm water ; or if you have cabbage , roots , leeks , or whole onions , put them in time enough to be sufficiently boyled . you may at first put in some crusts of bread , or venison pye-crust ; it must boyl in all five or six hours gently , like stewing ; after it is well boyled , a quarter , or half an hour before you intend to take it , take out a porringer full of broath , and put to it some pepper , and five or six cloves , and a nutmeg , and some saffron , and mingle them well in it , then put that into the pot , and let it boyl , or stew with the rest a while , put in a bundle of sweet herbs , salt must be put in when it is scumm'd . 12. to stew venison . if you have much venison , and do make many cold baked meats , you may stew a dish in hast thus : when it is sliced out of your pye , pot , or pasty , put it in your stewing-dish , and set it on a heap of coals , with a little claret wine , a sprigg or two of rosemary , half a dozen cloves , a little grated bread , sugar , and vinegar , so let it stew together a while , then grate on nutmeg , and dish it up . 13. to boyl a leg of veal and bacon . lard your leg of veal with bacon all over , with a little limon-peel amongst it , then boyl it with a piece of middle-bacon ; when your bacon is boyled , cut it in slices , season it with pepper and dryed sage mixt together ; dish up your veal with the bacon round about it , send up with it saucers of green sauce ; strew over it parsley and barberries . 14. to make furmety . take french-barley , and pick it , and wash it , lay it in steep one night , then boyl it in two or three several waters , and so cover it as as you would do wheat to make it swell ; then take a quart of good cream , and boyl it with a race of ginger cut in two pieces , one blade of mace , and half a nutmeg all in one piece ; then put thereto so much of the barley as will thicken it , and when it is almost boyled , stir in two or three yolks of eggs well beaten , and fo strained with a few beaten almonds and flower , or five spoonfuls of rose-water ; then take out the whole spices , and season your furmety with salt , and sweeten it with sugar , and serve it . 15. to make a pig-pye . flea your pigg , and cut it into pieces , and season it with pepper , salt , nutmeg , and large mace , lay into your coffin good store of raisins of the sun , and currans , and fill it up with sweet butter , so close it , and serve it hot . 16. to make a neats-foot-pye . first boyl your neats-foot , and take out the bones , then put in as much beef-suet as in quantity thereto , and so mince them , then season it with cloves , mace , nutmeg , sugar , and salt , and put it into your coffin with some barberries , currans , and raisins of the sun , then bake it , and always serve it hot . 17. to make an orang ado-pye . make a handsom thin coffin , with hot butter'd paste , slice your orangado , and put over the bottom of it ; then take some pippins , and cut every one into eight parts , and lay them in also upon the orangado , then pour some syrup of orangado , and sugar on the top , and so make it up , and bake it , and serve it up with sugar scraped on it . 18. to make a pork-pye . boyl your leg of pork , season it with nutmeg , pepper , and salt ; and bake it five hours in a round pye. 19. to make a fricasie of veal . cut your veal in thin slices , beat it well with a rowling-pin ; season it with nutmegs , limon , and thyme , fry it slightly in the pan , then beat two eggs , and one spoonful of verjuice ; put it into the pan , stir it together , fry it , and dish it . 20. to make a quince-pye . take a gallon of flower , a pound and half of butter , six eggs , thirty quinces , three pound of sugar , half an ounce of cinamon , half an ounce of ginger , half an ounce of cloves , and rose-water ; make them into a tart , and being baked , strew on double-refined sugar . 21. to make a gooseberry-fool . pick your gooseberries , and put them into clean water , and boyl them till they be all as thick that you cannot discern what it is ; to the quantity of a quart , take six yolks of eggs well beaten with rose-water , before you put in your eggs , season it well with sugar , then strain your eggs , and let them boyl a while ; put it in a broad dish , and let it stand till it is cold , and serve it , 22. to make a tart of green-pease . boyl your pease tender : and pour them out into a cullender , season them with saffron , salt , sweet butter , and sugar ; then close it , and let it bake almost an hour , then draw it forth and ice it , put in a little verjuice , and shake it well , then scrape on sugar , and serve it . 23. to souce an eel . souce an eel with a handful of salt , split it down the back , take out the chine-bone , season the eel with nutmeg , pepper , salt , and sweet herbs minc'd ; then lay a pack thread at each end , and the middle roul up like a collar of brawn , then boyl it in water , salt , and vinegar , a blade or two of mace , and half a slice of limon , boyl it half an hour , keep it in the same liquor two or three days , then cut it out in round pieces , and lay six or seven in a dish with parsley and barberries ; and serve it with vinegar in saucers . 24. to make a bacon-tart . take a quarter of a pound of the best jordan-almonds , and put them in a little warm water to blanch them , then beat them together in a mortar with three or four spoonfuls of rose-water , then sweeten them with fine sugar ; then take bacon that is clear and white , and hold it upon the point of a knife against the fire , till it hath dropt a sufficient quantity , then stir it well together , and put it into the paste , and bake it . 25. to make an umble-pye . lay beef-suet minc'd in the bottom of the pye , or slices of inter-larded bacon , and cut the umbles as big as small dice , cut your bacon in the same form , and season it with nutmeg , pepper , and salt , fill your pyes with it , with slices of bacon and butter , close it up , and bake it ; liquor it with claret , butter , and stripped thyme , and so serve it . 26. to keep asparagus all the year . par-boyl your asparagus very little , and put them into clarified butter , cover them with it , and when the butter is cold , cover them with leather , and about a moneth after refresh the butter , melt it , and put it on them again ; then set them under ground , being covered with leather . 27. to roast a hanch of venison . if your venison be seasoned , your must water it , and stick it with short sprigs of rosemary : let your sauce be claret-wine , a handful of grated bread , cinamon , ginger , sugar , a little vinegar ; boyl these up so thick , as it may only run like batter ; it ought to be sharp and sweet : dish up your meat on your sauce . 28. to carbonado hens . let your sauce be a little white-wine and gravy , half a dozen of the yolks of hard eggs minced , boyled up with an onion , add to it a grated nutmeg ; thicken it up with the yolk of an egg or two , with a ladle-full of drawn butter ; dish up your hens , and pour over your sauce , strew on yolks of eggs minced , and garnish it with limon . 29. to fry artichoaks . when they are boyled , and sliced fitting for that purpose , you must have your yolks of eggs beaten with a grated nutmeg or two ; when your pan is hot , you must dip them into the yolks of eggs , and charge your pan ; when they are fryed on both sides , pour on drawn butter : and if you will fry spanish potato's , then the sauce is , butter , vinegar , sugar , and rose-water ; these for a need may serve for second-course dishes . 30. to make a hedge-hog-pudding . put some raisins of the sun into a deep wooden dish , and then take some grated bread , and one pint of sweet cream , three yolks of eggs , with two of the whites , and some beef-suet , grated nutmeg , and salt ; then sweeten it with sugar , and temper all well together , and so lay it into the dish upon the raisins , then tye a cloath about the dish , and boyl it in beef-broath , and when you take it up lay it in a pewter dish , with the raisins uppermost , and then stick blanched almonds very thick into the pudding , then melt some butter , and pour it upon the pudding , then strew some sugar about the dish , and serve it . 31. to stew a leg of lamb. cut it into pieces , and put it into your stewing-pan , being first seasoned with salt and nutmeg , and as much butter as will stew it , with raisins of the sun , currans , and gooseberries ; when it is stewed , make a caudle with the yolks of two or three eggs , and some wine-vinegar and sugar beaten together , and put it into your meat , and stew all a little longer together ; then dish it , strew sugar on the brims , and serve it hot . 32. to bake a pickerel . boyl your pickerel , and pull out the ribs and bones , then put it into your paste , and season it with pepper and salt , and put in some butter , and raisins of the sun , and so bake it . 33. to make a haggess-pudding . take a fat haggess , par-boyl it well , take out the kernels , shred it small , and temper it with a handful or two of grated manchet ; then take three or four eggs well beaten , rose-water , sugar , cloves , nutmeg , cinamon , and mace finely beaten , currans and marrow good store ; temper them all together with a quantity of cream , being first moderately seasoned with salt . 34. to make a dish of meat with herbs . take sives , parsley , thyme , marjoram , & roast three or four eggs hard , and a quantity of mutton-suet , beef , or lamb , chop them fine all together , and season it with cloves , mace , ginger , sugar , and cinamon , and a little salt ; then fry them with a little sweet butter . 35. to make cream of eggs. take one quart of cream , and boyl it , then beat four whites of eggs very well with two spoonfuls of rose-water ; when the cream is boyled enough , take it off the fire , and when it is cool , stir in the eggs with a little salt ; then garnish your dish with fine sugar scraped thereon , and serve it always cold , for a closing dish . 36. to make a fine pudding in a dish . take a penny white loaf , and pare off all the crust , and slice ir thin into a dish , with a quart of cream , and let it boyl over a chasing-dish of coals , till the bread be ●lmost dry ; then put in a piece of sweet butter , and take it off , and let it stand in the dish till it be cold , then take the yolks of three eggs , and the quantity of one with some rose-water , and sugar , and stirring them all together , put it into another dish well butter'd , and bake it . 37. to broyl scollops . first boyl the scollops , then take them out of the shells , and wash them , then slice them , and season them with nutmeg , ginger , and cinamon , and put them into the bottom of your shells again with a litle butter , white-wine , vinegar , and grated bread , let them be broyled on both sides ; if they are sharp , they must have sugar added to them , for the fish is luscious , and sweet naturally ; therefore you may broyl them with oyster-liquor and gravy , with dissolved anchovies , minced onions , and thyme , with the juice of limon in it . 38. to boyl wild-ducks . first , half roast them , then take them off , and put them in a shallow broad pan that will contain them , with a pint of claret-wine , and a pint of strong broath , a dozen of onions cut in halves , a faggot or two of sweet herbs , with a little whole pepper , and some slices of bacon ; cover your pan , and let them stove up , add gravy to part of the liquor at least so much as will serve to dish them : garnish them with bacon and onions if you please . 39. to make a venison-pasty . when you have powdered your haunch of venison , or the sides of it , by taking away all the bones and sinews , and the skin , or fat , season it with pepper and salt only , beat it with your rolling-pin , and proportion it for the pasty , by taking away from one part , and adding to another , your paste being made with a peck of fine flower , and about three pound of butter , and twelve eggs ; work it up with cold water into as stiff a paste as you can , drive it forth for your pasty , let it be as thick as a mans thumb , roul it up upon a rolling-pin , and put under it a couple of sheets of cap-paper well flowered , then your white being already minced and beaten with water ; proportion it upon the pa●ty to the breadth and length of the venison ; then lay your venison in the said white , wash it round with your feather , and put on a border , season your venison on the top , and turn over your other leaf of paste , so close up your pasty ; then drive out another border for garnishing the sides up to the top of the pasty , so close it together by the rolling-pin , by rolling it up and down by the sides and ends ; and when you have flourish'd your garnishing , and edg'd your pasty , vent it at the top , set it in the oven , and let it have four or five hours baking at the least , and then draw it . 40. to make a damson-tart . take damsons , and seeth them in wine , and strain them with a little cream , then boyl your stuff over the fire , till it be thick , and put thereto sugar , cinamon , and ginger , but set it not in the oven after , but let your paste be baked before . 41. to roast a rabbet with oysters . wash your rabbet , and dry it well , then take half a pint of oysters , wash them , and wipe them clean one by one , and put them into the rabbets belly , a couple of onions shred , whole pepper , large mace , two or three sprigs of thyme , sew up the belly ; and for the sauce , as usual ; the liver and parsley , and a hard egg , shred them together , and beat some butter thick , put into the dish , and serve it . 42. to stew collops of beef . take of the buttock of beef thin slices , cross the grain of the meat ; then hack them , and fry them in sweet butter ; and being fryed fine and brown , put them in a pipkin with some strong broath , a little claret-wine , and some nutmeg ; stew it very tender , and half an hour before you dish it , put to it some good gravy , elder-vinegar , and a clove or two ; when you serve it , put some juice of orange , and three or four slices on it , stew down the gravy somewhat thick , and put unto it when you dish it , some beaten butter . 43. to make a beef-pasty like red-deer . take fresh beef of the finest , without sinews or suet , and mince it as small as you can , and season it with salt and pepper , and put in two spoonfuls of malmsey ; then take lard , and cut it into small pieces . and lay a layer of lard , and a layer of beef , and lay a shin of beef upon it like venison , and so close it up . 44. to bake a hare . take the best of the hare , minced and seasoned with pepper , salt , and mace ; then make a proportion of the head , or shoulders , as you make for an hare-pafty , and lay in a layer of flesh , and a layer of lard , and butter aloft , and beneath , and make a gallentine for it in a saucer . 45. to boyl a salmon . take as much water as will cover it , then take rosemary , thyme , and winter-savoury , and salt ; boyl all these very well , and then put in some wine-vinegar , and when your salmon is boyled , let him remain in the same water always , untill you have occasion to eat of it . 46. to make an oyster-pye . first , dry your oysters , and then put them into your coffin with some butter , and whole large mace , and so bake it ; then take off the lid , and fill it up with more butter , putting some of the liquor of the oysters also thereunto ; then season it well with sugar , and serve it hot to the table at the first course . 47. to butter eggs upon toasts . take twenty eggs , beat them in a dish with some salt , and put butter to them , then have two large rolls , or fine manchets , cut them in toasts , and toast them against the fire , with a pound of fine sweet butter , being finely butter'd in a fair clean dish ; put the eggs on the toasts , and garnish your dish with pepper and salt , otherwise half-boyl them in the shells , then butter them , and serve them on toasts , or toasts about them . 48. to make a fricacie of chickens . scald three or four chickens , and flea off the skin and feathers together , put them in a little water ; take half a pint of white-wine , and two or three whole onions , some large mace and nutmeg tyed up in a cloath , a bundle of sweet-herbs , and a little salt ; and put them all in a pipkin close covered ; let them simper a quarter of an hour , then take six yolks of eggs , half a pound of sweet butter , four anchovies dissolved in a little broath ; shred your boyled spice small , take a quarter of a pound of capers , and shred them very small , put the anchovies dissolved into the eggs and butter , and capers , and so stir it all together over a chafing-dish of coals , till it begin to thicken , then take the chicken out of the broath , and put lear upon them ; serve them with sippets , and limon sliced . 49. to make an eel-pye , with oysters . wash your eels , and gut them , and dry them well in a cloath ; to four good eels allow a pint of oysters well washed , season them with pepper , salt , and nutmeg , and large mace ; put half a pound of butter into the pye , and half a limon sliced , so bake it ; when it is drawn , take the yolks of two eggs , a couple of anchovies dissolved in a little white-wine , with a quarter of a pound of fresh butter , melt it , and mix all together , and make a lear of it , and put into the pye. 50. to make puff-paste . break two eggs in three pints of flower , make it with cold water , then roul it out pretty thick , and square ; then take so much butter as paste , and divide your butter in five pieces , that you may lay it on at five several times ; roul your paste very broad , and break one part of the same butter in little pieces all over your paste , then throw a handful of flower slightly on , then fold up your paste , and beat it with a rolling-pin , so roul it out again ; thus do several times , and then make it up . 51. to make barley-broath . put your barley into fair water , give it three qualms over the fire , separate the waters , and put it into a cullender , boyl it in a ●ourth water with a b●ade of mace , and a clove ; and when it is boyled away , put in some raisins and currans , and when the fruit is boyled enough , take it off , and season it with white-wine , rose-water , butter , and sugar , and a couple of yolks of eggs beaten with it . 52. to bake a pig. take a good quantity of clay , and having moulded it , stick your pig , and blood him well , and when he is warm , put him in your prepared coffin of clay , thick every where , with his hair , skin and all ( his entrails drawn , and belly sewed up again ) then throw him into the oven , or below the stock-hole under the furnace , and there let him soak , turn him now and then when the clay is hardened , for twelve hours , and he is then sufficiently baked ; then take him , and break off the clay , which easily parts , and he will have a fine crispy coat , and all the juice of the pigg in your dish ; remember but to put a few leaves of sage , and a little salt in his belly , and you need no other sauce . 53. a grand sallet . take a quarter of a pound of raisins of the sun , as many blanched almonds , as many capers , as many olives , as much samphire , as many pickled cucumbers , a limon shred , some pickled frenchbeans , a wax tree set in the middle of the dish , pasted to the dish ; lay all their quarters round the dish , ( you may also mince the flesh of a roasted hen , with sturgeon , and shrimps ) and garnish the dish with cut beans , and turneps , in several figures . 54. to make a sallet of a cold hen , or pullet . take a hen , and roast it , let it be cold , carve up the leggs , take the flesh and mince it small , shred a limon , a little parsley and onions , an apple , a little pepper and salt , with oyl and vinegar ; garnish the dish with the bones and limon-peel , and so serve it . 55. to boyl a capon , pullet , or chicken . boyl them in good mutton-broath , with mace , a faggot of sweet herbs , sage , spinage , marygold-leaves and flowers , white or green endive , burrage , bugloss , parsley , and sorrel ; and serve it on sippets . 56. to stew ducks , the french fashion . take the duck , and half-roast it , put half a score onions in the belly whole , some whole pepper , a bundle of thyme , and a little salt ; when it is half-roasted , take it up , and slash it into pieces , put it between two dishes , and pierce the gravy , mix some claret-wine with that gravy , and a little sliced nutmeg , a couple of anchovies , wash them , and slit them , slice the onions in the ducks belly , cover the dishes close , so let them stew while enough ; take some butter , beat it thick , and shred a limon in it , and serve it : garnish your dish with the limon-peel , and your onions . 57. to make a florentine . take the kidney of a loyn of veal , or the wing of a capon , or the legg of a rabbit ; mince any of these small with the kidney of a loyn of mutton , if it be not fat enough ; then season it with cloves , mace , nutmegs , and sugar , cream , currans , eggs , and rose-water : mingle these four together , and put them into a dish between two sheets of paste , then close it , and cut the paste round by the brim of the dish ; then cut it round about like virginal-keys , turn up one , and let the other lye ; prick it , bake it , scrape on sugar , and serve it . 58. to make curd-cakes . take a pint of curd , four eggs , take out two of the whites , put in some sugar , 〈◊〉 nutmeg , and a little flower ; stir 〈◊〉 together , and drop them in , 〈◊〉 fry them with a little butter . 59. to roast a leg of mutton , the french way . take half a pound of mutton , and a quarter of a pound of suet , season it with sweet herbs , and a little nutmeg , and two or three shallots ; slice these very small , and stuff the mutton round ; then take some of the best hackney turneps , and boyl them in beef-broath very tender , then squeeze the water from them a little , set them in a dish under the leg of mutton , when it is half roasted , and so let the gravy drop into them ; and when the meat is roasted , serve them in the dish with it , with a little fresh butter and vinegar : garnish your dish with sliced onions and parsley , and some of the turneps slic'd . 60. to stew a carp. take a living carp , and knock him on the head , open him in the belly , take heed you break not the gall , pour in a little vinegar , and wash out all the blood , stir it about with your hand , and keep the blood safe ; then put as much white-wine into a pan or skillet , as will almost cover , and set it on the fire ; put to it an onion cut in the middle , a clove , or less of garlick , a race of ginger shred , a nutmeg quartered , a faggot , or bundle of sweet herbs , and three or four anchovies ; your carp being cut out , and rubbed all over with salt , when the wine ( into which you may put in a little water ) doth boyl , put the carp in , and cover him close , and let him stew up about a quarter of an hour , then put in the blood and vinegar , with a little butter ; so dish up the carp , and let the spawn , milt , and revet be laid upon it ; the liquor that boyled him , with the butter is the best sauce , and is to be eaten as broath : garnish the dish with limons and grated bread . 61. to make marrow-puddings . take a pound of the best jordan-almonds , blanch them , beat them fine in a stone , or wooden mortar ( not in brass ) with a little rose-water , take a pound of fine powder-sugar , a penny-loaf grated , nutmeg grated , a pint of cream , the marrow of two marrow-bones , two grains of amber-griece ; mingle them all together with a little salt , fill the skins , and boyl them gently , as before . 62. to make a sack-posset . set a gallon of milk on the fire , with whole cinamon and large mace ; when it boyls , stir in a half , or whole pound of naples-bisket grated very small , keeping it stirring till it boyls ; then beat eight eggs together , casting of the whites away ; beat them well with a ladle-full of milk , then take the milk off the fire , and stir in the eggs ; then put it on again , but keep it stirring , for fear of curdling ; then make ready a pint of sack , warming it upon the coals , with a little rose-water : season your milk with sugar , and pour it into the sack in a large bason , and stir it apace ; then throw on a good deal of beaten cinamon , and so serve it up . 63. to hash a rabbit . when your rabbit is wash'd , you must take the flesh from the bones , and mince it small ; then put to it a little strong broath and vinegar , an onion or two , with a grated nutmeg , and let it stew up together ; then mince a handful of boyled parsley green , with a limon cut like dice , and a few barberries ; put it into the hash , and toast it all together ; and when it is enough , put a ladle● ful of sweet butter to it , and dish it upon the chines , and garnish it with limons . 64. to make a fresh cheese . take some new milk. or cream , and a race of cinamon , scald it ; then take it off the fire , sweeten it with fine sugar , then take a spoonful of runnet to two quarts of milk , set it by , and keep it close covered , and so let it stand ; when the cheese comes , strew a little fine sugar and grated nutmeg , and serve it in with sippets , sops in sack , or muskadine . 65. to make an artichoak-pye . take the bottoms of six artichoaks , boyled very tender , put them in a dish , and some vinegar over them , season them with ginger and sugar , a little mace whole , and put them in a coffin of paste ; when you lay them in , lay some marrow and dates sliced , and a few raisins of the sun in the bottom , with good store of butter ; when it is half baked , take a gill of sack , being boyled first with sugar , and a peel of orange : put it into the pye , and set it in the oven again , till you use it . 66. to make marrow-pasties . shred the marrow and apples together , and put a little sugar to them ; put them into puff-paste , and fry them in a pan with fresh butter , and serve them up to the table , with a little white sugar strewed on it . 67. to make green sauce . take a good handful of sorrel , beat it in a mortar with pippins pared , and quartered , with a little vinegar and sugar ; put it into saucers . or take sorrel , beat it , and stamp it well in a mortar , squeeze out the juice of it , and put thereto a little vinegar , sugar , and two hard eggs minced small , a little nutmeg grated , and butter ; set this upon the coals , till it is hot , and pour it into the dish on the sippets : this is sauce for hen , and veal , and bacon . 68. to pickle oysters . take a quart of the largest great oysters with the liquor , wash them clean , and wipe them , add to them a pint of fair water , with half a pint of white-wine-vinegar , half an ounce of whole pepper , an handful of salt , a quarter of an ounce of large mace , with the liquor of the oysters strained ; put all together in a pipkin over a soft fire , let them simper together a quarter of an hour ; when the oysters are enough , take them up , and put them into a little fair water and vinegar , till they be cold , the pickle boyling a quarter of an hour after the oysters are taken up ; both being cold , put them up together : when you use them , garnish the dish with barberries , and limons , and a little mace and pepper , and pour in some of the pickle . 69. to make s●●●●● cellops , of ve●● cut out your fillet 〈◊〉 very broad slices , fat and lean , not to thick : take eight eggs , beat them very well with a little salt , grate a whole nutmeg , take a handful of thyme , and strip it ; then take a pound of sausages , half a pint of stewing oysters of the largest , wash and cleanse them from the gravel , then half-fry your veal with sweet butter , then put in your sausages and oysters ; then take a quarter of a pound of capers , shred them very small , with three anchovies dissolved in white-wine and fair water , so put in your eggs , shred capers and anchovies , butter and spice , and mingle them , and strew them in the pan upon the veal and oysters , serve it with sippets , with a little fresh butter and vinegar , with limons sliced , and barberries , with a little salt. you must have a care to keep the meat stirring , lest the eggs curdle with the heat of the fire . 70. to make a rare white-pot . take three pints of cream , whole cinamon , a little sliced nutmeg ; set on the cream and spice , and scald it , take a penny-loaf , and slice it very thin , take a couple of marrow-bones , lay the marrow sliced on the bottom of the dish , upon the marrow lay the bread , then lay raisins of the sun over the bread , and lay marrow again , as before : to the three pints of scalded cream add nine yolks of eggs well beaten with rose-water ; sweeten the cream with white sugar , and take out the whole cinamon , and beat the cream and eggs well , fill up a broad shallow bason , and bake it , when it is enough , scrape fine sugar on it , and stick it with red and white muscadoes , and so serve it . 71. to make a very fine custard . take a quart of cream , and boyl it with whole spice ; then beat the yolks of ten eggs , and five whites , mingle them with a little cream , and when your cream is almost cold , put your eggs into it , and stir them very well , then sweeten it , and put out your custard into a deep dish , and bake it ; then serve it in with french comfits strewed on it . 72. to make minc'd pyes of an eel . take a fresh eel , flea it , and cut off the fish from the bones , mince it small ; then pare two or three wardens , or pears , mince of them as much as of the eel , temper them together , and season them with ginger , pepper , cloves , mace , salt , a little sanders , some c●rrans , raisins , pruans , dates , verjuice , butter , and rose-water . 73. to bake rabbits , to be eaten cold . when your rabbits are par-boyled , take out all the bones you can well take out , and lard them , then season them with pepper , salt , cloves , mace , and nutmegs , with a good quantity of savoury , and forc'd meat ; then put them into your prepared coffin , put in butter , and close your pye , bake it , and when it is cold , fill it with clarified butter . 74. to bake a ioll of ling in a pye. let your ling be almost boyled , and then season it with pepper only , ( the skin being first taken off , strew the bottom of your prepared coffin with an onion or two minced small ; close your pye , and bake it ; then take the yolks and whites of about a dozen eggs , not boyled altogether hard ; mince them small with your knife , and put them into drawn butter , toss them together ; then draw your pye , and pour in this lear of eggs all over , and shake it together , so put on your lid , and dish your pye. 75. to bake a turkey . boyl and lard your turkey , when it is par-boyled , season it with pepper , salt , and a little cloves and mace ; then put him into your prepared coffin , lay on butter , and close it ; put the head on the top with your garnish , then bake it , and fill it with clarified butter when it is cold . 76. to roast calves-feet . first , boyl them tender , and blanch them , and being cold , lard them thick with small lard , then spit them on a small spit , and roast them ; serve them with sauce made of vinegar , cinamon , sugar , and butter . 77. to bake a goose. break the bones of your goose , and par-boyl him , then season him with pepper and salt , and a little cloves and mace ; if pou please , you may bake a rabbit or two with it , because your stubble-geese are very fat , and your rabbits dry , you need not lard either ; bake it in good hot butter-paste . 78. to make apple-pyes , to fry. take about twelve pippins , pare them , cut them , and almost cover them with water , and almost a pound of sugar , let them boyl on a gentle fire close covered , with a stick of cinamon , minced orange-peel , a little dill seed beaten , and rose-water , when this is cold and stiff , make them into little pasties , with rich paste , and so fry them . 79. to make a rare dutch pudding . take a pound and a half of fresh beef , all lean , with a pound and a quarter of beef-suet , both sliced very small ; then take a stale half-penny loaf , and grate it , a handful of sage , a little winter-savoury , and a little thyme ; shred these very small , take four eggs , half a pint of cream , a few cloves , nutmegs , mace , and pepper finely beaten ; mingle them all together very well with a little salt , roul it all up together in a green colwort-leaf , and then tye it up hard in a linnen cloath : garnish your dish with grated bread , and serve it up with mustard in saucers . 80. to make sausages . take pork , more lean than fat , mince it exceeding small together ; then take part of the fleak of pork , which is the suet , in pieces , about the bigness of the top of your finger , season each apart , with sage minced , good store of pepper and salt , with some cloves and mace mixt in the seasoning each of them ; then take small sheeps-guts , and cleanse them , ( some use capons-guts ) and fill them with your funnel ; always putting some of the fleak between the minced ; if you have it ready , you may sprinkle a little sack on the top of the sausage-meat , and it will make it fill the better . 81. to stew beef in gobbets , the french fashion . take a flank of beef , or any part but the leg , cut it into slices , or gobbets as big as pullets-eggs , with some gobbets of fat , and boyl it in a pot or pipkin with some fair spring-water , scum it clean , and after it hath boyled an hour , put to it carrots , parsnips , turnips , great onions , some salt , cloves , mace , and whole pepper ; cover it close , and stew it , till be very tender ; and half an hour before its ready put into it some pick'd thyme , parsley , winter-savoury , sweet marjoram , sorrel , and spinage ( being a little bruised with the back of a ladle ) with some claret-wine : then dish it on fine sippets , and serve it to the table hot ; garnish it with grapes , barberries , or gooseberries : or else use spices , the bottoms of boyled artichoaks put into beaten butter , and grated nutmeg , garnished with barberries . 82. to boyl a capon , or chicken with sugar-pease . when the cods be but young , string them , and pick off the husks ; then take two or three handfuls , and put them into a pipkin , with half a pound of sweet butter , a quarter of a pint of fair water , gross pepper , salt , mace , and some sallet-oyl ; stew them till they be very tender , and strain to them three or four yolks of eggs , with six spoonfuls of sack. 83. to boyl perches . let your liquor boyl , and your pan be seasoned with a little white-wine , a couple of onions cut in halves , a bunch of sweet herbs , and a little white pepper ; boyl them up very quick , and flea them on both sides , and dish them upon sippets : then take a little white-wine , gravy , and vinegar , with a grated nutmeg , and almost boyl it over a chafing-dish , then pour sweet butter over it ; garnish it with barberries , and sliced limons . 84. to boyl eels . cut the eels , and stew them ; when they are half done , beat a little ale with vinegar , and put into the liquor , with some parsley and sweet herbs ; dish them , and serve them up in their broath with a little salt . 85. a turkish dish of meat . take an inter-larded piece of beef , cut into thin slices , and put it into a pot with a close cover , or stewing-pan ; then put into it a good quantity of clean pick'd rice , skin it very well , and put into it a quantity of whole pepper , two or three whole onions , and let it boyl very well , and take out the onions , and dish it on sippets ; the thicker it is , the better . 86. to boyl a chine of beef powdered . take either a chine , rump , surloin , brisket , rib , flank , buttock , or fillet of beef , and give them in summer , a weeks powdering , in winter a fortnight , you may stuff them , or let them be plain ; if you stuff them , do it with all manner of sweet herbs , with fat beef minced , and some nutmeg ; serve them on brewis , with roots , or cabbage boyled in milk , with beaten butter . 87. to make a hash of a capon or pullet . take a capon , or partridge , or hen , and roast them , and being cold , mince the brains and wings very fine , and tear the legs and rumps whole , to be carbonado●d ; then put some strong mutton-broath , or good gravy , grated nutmeg , a great onion and salt ; then stew them in a large earthen pipkin , or sauce-pan , stew the rumps and legs in the same strong broath in another pipkin ; then take some light french bread chipt , and cover the bottom of the dish , steep the bread in the same broath , or good mutton gravy , then pour the hash on the steeped bread , lay the legs , and the rump on the hash with some fryed oysters , sliced limon , and limon-peel , the juice of an orange , and yolks of eggs strained , and beaten butter ; garnish the dish with carved oranges , limons , &c. thus you may hash any kind of fowl. 88. to dress a cods-head . cut off the cods-head beyond the gills , that you may have part of the body with it , boyl it in water and salt , to which you may add half a pint of vinegar , the head must be little more than covered : before you put it into the cauldron , take a quart of the biggest , cleanest oysters , and a bunch of sweet herbs and onions , and put them into the mouth of the head , and with a pack-thread bind the jaws fast , you must be sure to pick it , and wash it very clean : when it is boyled enough , take it up , and set it a drying over a chafing-dish of coals ; then take the oyster-liquor , four anchovies , and a sliced onion ; put to them a quarter of a pint of white-wine , and sweet butter , and melt them together , and pour it on the cods-head ; stick all , or most of the oysters upon the head , or where they will enter , and garnish it over with them ; grate on a little nutmeg , and send it smoaking up ; garnish the brims of the dish with limon , and sliced bay-leaves . 89. to boyl widgeons , or teal . par-boyl your widgeons , or teal , and then stick whole cloves in their breasts , put into their bellies a little winter-savory , or parsley ; boyl them in a pipkin by themselves , thicken it with toasts , season it with verjuice , sugar , and a little pepper ; garnish your dish with barberries , and pruans , and so serve them . 90. to make a veal-pye . when your paste is raised , then cut your leg of veal into pieces , and season it with pepper , nutmeg , and salt , with some whole large mace , and so lay it into your prepared coffin , with good store of raisins of the sun , and currans , and fill it up with sweet butter ; then close it , and set it in the oven , and when bak'd , serve it hot . 91. to make fry'd puddings . take grated bread , currans , cloves , and mace , with beef-suet , and sugar , and one yolk of an egg beaten ; mix all well together , and make them into flat bowls , then fry them in beef-suet , and garnish your dish with sugar ; serve them always at the first course . 92. to bake a breast of veal . first , par-boyl it , and take out the long bones , and so lay it in a dish in vinegar two or three hours ; then take it out , and season it with pepper and salt , and so lay it into a thin fine paste , with good store of fine sweet herbs , finely chopt , and good store of butter , or marrow ; then bake it , then put in some juice of oranges , and sugar , and serve it hot . 93. to make a paste for all manner of tarts . take very sweet butter , and put into fair water , and make it boyl on the fire ; then take the finest flower you can get , and mix them well together , till it come to a paste , and so raise it ; but if you doubt that it will not be stiff enough , then you may mix some yolks of eggs with it , as you temper all your stuff together . 94. to make a baked pudding . grate a penny-loaf , and put thereto more suet than bread minc'd small , with some nutmeg and sugar , and two yolks of eggs , tempering it only with rose-water : then butter a little pewter dish in the bottom , and put your stuff after it is well tempered , thereinto , then bake it ; when 't is bak'd , stir it up from the bottom of the dish , and so turn the under-side uppermost , then strew some sugar upon it , and upon the brims of the dish , and serve it first to the table . 95. to boyl sparrows , larks , or other small birds . take a ladle-ful of strong mutton-broath , a little whole mace , and a handful of parsley ; put in a little winter-savoury , season it with verjuice , sugar , and a little pepper ; thicken it with a spoonful of cream , and the yolk of an egg. 96. to boyl a capon with asparagus . boyl your capon , or chicken in fair water , and some salt , then put in their bellies a little mace , chopped parsley , and sweet butter ; being boyled , serve them on sippets , and put a little of the broath on them : then have a bundle or two of asparagus boyled , put in beaten butter , and serve it on your capon , or chicken . 97. to boyl a chicken , or capon in white broath . first , boyl the capon in water and salt , then three pints of strong broath , and a quart of white-wine , and stew it in a pipkin with a quarter of a pound of dates , half a pound of fine sugar , four or five blades of large mace , the marrow of three marrow-bones , a handful of white endive ; stew these in a pipkin very leisurely , that it may but only simper , then being finely stewed , and the broath well tasted , strain the yolks of ten eggs with some of the broath , before you dish up the capons , or chickens , put the eggs into the broath , and keep it stirring , that it may not curdle , give it a walm , and set it from the fire ; the fowls being dish'd up , put on the broath , and garnish the meat with dates , marrow , large mace , endive , preserved barberries , oranges , boyled skirrets , pomgranats , and kernels . make a lear of almond-paste , and grape-verjuice . 98. to boyl a capon with sage and parsley . first , boyl it in water and salt , then boyl some parsley , sage , two or three eggs hard , and chop them ; then have a few thin slices of fine manchet , and stew all together , but break not the slices of bread ; stew them with some of the broath wherein the capon boyls , some large mace , butter , a little white-wine , or vinegar , with a few barberries , or grapes ; dish up the chickens on the sauce , and run them over with sweet butter and limon cut like dice , the peel being cut like small lard , and boyl a little peel with the chickens . 99. to fry rabbets with sweet sauce . cut your rabbet in pieces , wash it , and dry it well in a cloath , take some fresh butter , and fry the rabbet in it ; when your rabbet is little more than half fryed , take some slices shred very small , a quarter of a pint of cream , the yolks of a couple of eggs , some grated nutmeg and salt ; when the rabbet is enough , put them into the pan , and stir them all together ; take a little vinegar , fresh butter , and sugar , melt it together , and so serve it with sippets , the dish garnished with flowers , &c. 100. to make a french pottage , called skink . take a leg of beef , and chop it into three pieces , then boyl it in a pot with three pottles of spring-water , a few cloves , mace , and whole pepper ; after the pot is scumm'd put in a bundle of sweet marjoram , rosemary , thyme , winter-savoury , sage , and parsley , bound up hard , some salt , and two or three great onions whole , then about an hour before dinner put in three marrow-bones , and thicken it with some strained oatmeal , or manchet sliced and steeped with some gravy , strong broath , or some of the ●●tage , then a little before you dish up the ●●●nk , put into it a little fine powder of saffron , and give it a walm or two ; dish it on large slices of french bread , and dish the marrow-bones on them in a fine clean large dish ; then have two or three manchets cut into toasts , and being finely toasted ; lay on the knuckle of beef in the middle of the dish , the marrow-bones round about it , and the toasts round about the dish brim : serve it hot . 101. to make gooseberry-cream . first boyl , or you may preserve your gooseberries ; then having a clear cream boyled up , and seasoned with old cinamon , nutmeg , mace , sugar , rose-water , and eggs ; dish it up , and when it is cold , take up the gooseberries with a pin , and stick them on in rounds as thick as they can lye upon the said cream , garnishing your dish with them , and strew them over with the finest sugar , and serve them up . 102. to make a quaking-pudding . take a quart of sweet cream , and near half a pound of almonds blanched , and finely beaten ; then strain them ; and boyl it with large mace , and season it with rose-water and sugar ; then take ten eggs , and five of their whites well beaten with small cinamon , and two or three spoonfuls of flower ; mix all well together , and make it of the thickness of batter , then wet a cloath , and rub it with flower , tying your pudding round therein , and boyl it in beef-broath two hours ; take it up , and put a little white-wine , sugar , and sliced nutmeg into a pewter dish , and put your pudding into it ; then scrape some sugar on the brims , and serve it . 103. to make clouted cream . take new milk , and set it on the fire from morning till evening , but let it not boyl : and this is called , my lady youngs clouted cream . 104. to souce a young pig . scald a young pig , boyl it in fair water , and white-wine , put thereto some bay-leaves , whole ginger , and nutmegs quartered , and a few whole cloves , boyl it throughly , and let it lye in the same broath in an earthen pot . 105. to make polonian sausages . take the fillets of a hog , chop them very small with a handful of red sage , season it hot with ginger and pepper ; then put it into a great sheeps-gut , let it lye three nights in brine , then boyl it , and hang it up in a chimney where fire is usually kept : these sausages will keep a whole year , and are good for sallets , or to garnish boyled meats , or to relish a glass of wine . 106. to keep salmon fresh a whole moneth . first , boyl your salmon as usually , then put it into an earthen pot , and cover it in good white vinegar , putting thereto a branch of rosemary , and keep it very close covered ; and so you may keep it , that it will retain its perfect taste and delicacy for a moneth , or more . 107. to make tender and delicate brawn . put a collar of brawn in a kettle of water , and set it into an oven , as for houshold-bread , cover it close , and let it stand as long as you would do bread , and it will be very excellent brawn . 108. to keep powdered beef , after it is boyled , sweet five or six weeks . when your beef hath been powdered about a fortnight , then boyl it well , and dry it with a cloath , and wrap it in dry cloaths , and put it into some pot or vessel , and keep it close from the air , and it will keep sound two or three moneths . 109. to dress neats-tongues and vdders . when they are boyled enough in beef-broath , and scumm'd , you must have your turneps ready boyled , cut in pieces , and soak'd in butter , or else colliflowers and carrots , or all of them ; then put the turneps all over the bottom of a large dish , then slice out the tongues , and lay the sides one against another , slice the udders , and lay them between , opposite to one another ; garnish the colliflowers all over them , and the carrots up and down between the colliflowers , with barberries and parsley on the brim of the dish . 110. to make pannado . take a quart of running-water , and put it on the fire in a skillet , then cut a light roul of bread in slices , about the bigness of a groat , and as thin as wafers , lay it on a dish on a few coals , then put it into the water , with two handful of currans pick'd , and wash'd , a little large mace , when it is enough , season it with sugar and rose-water . 111. to make liver-puddings . take the guts of a young hog , wash them very clean , and lay them two or three days in water , take the liver of the same hog , and boyl it , till it will grate , then grate it very small and fine , take to the weight of the liver almost the weight of beef-suet , season it with salt , cloves , mace , and nutmeg finely beaten , a penny-loaf grated , a pound of the best white sugar , two pound of good currans , a pint of good cream , a quarter of a pint of rose-water , three eggs ; mix all together to such a thickness , that you may fill the guts , then prick them , and put them into boyling water , and keep an even fire for half a quarter of an hour ; then take them up , and lay them upon straw ; you must have a care not to tye them too hard , nor too slack , lest they break in boyling . 112. to make a rare citron-pudding . take a penny-loaf , and grate it , a pint and half of cream , half a dozen of eggs , one nutmeg sliced , a little salt , an ounce of candyed citron sliced small , a little candyed orange-peel sliced , three ounces of sugar ; put these into a wooden dish well flowred , and covered with a cloath , and when the water boyleth put it in , boyl it well , and serve it up with rose-water and sugar , and stick it with wafers , or blanched almonds . 113. to bake a gammon of bacon . water it fresh enough , and seeth it as tender as you may to handle it , then pull off the skin , and stuff it with parsley , penny-royal , thyme , marjoram , marigolds , camomile , and sage , chop them small , and season them with salt and pepper , cloves , small ra●sins , yolks of eggs hard roasted ; then stuff your bacon , and cut off the lean of the bacon , and mince it small , and take a handful of your stuffing , and mingle it with three or four yolks of raw eggs , and then put it upon the gammon , then close on the skin again , and close it in paste . 114. to boyl woodcocks , or snites . boyl them either in strong broath , or in water and salt , and being boyled , take out the guts , and chop them small with the liver , put to it some crumbs of grated white-bread , a little cock-broath , and some large mace ; stew them together with some gravy , then dissolve the yolks of two eggs in some wine-vinegar , and a little grated nutmeg ; and when you are ready to dish it , put in the eggs , and stir it among the sauce with a little butter ; dish them on sippets , and run the sauce over them with some beaten butter and capers , a limon minced small , barberries , or whole pickled grapes . 115. to make a made dish of apples . put on your skillet of water with some currans a boyling , then pare about a dozen of pippins , and cut them from the core into the said water ; when they are boyled tender pour them into a cullender , when the water is drained from them , put them into a dish , and season them , ( but stay till they are cold , lest it melt your sugar ) with sugar , rose-water , cinamon , and carraway-seeds , then roul out two sheets of paste , put one into the dish bottom , and all over the brims , then lay the apples in the bottom round and high , wet it round , and cover it with the other sheet , close it , and carve it about the brims of the dish as you please , prick it , and bake it , scrape sugar upon it , and serve it up . 116. to make a fool. set two quarts of cream over the fire , let it boyl , then take the yolks of twelve eggs , and beat them very well , with three or four spoonfuls of cold cream , and then strain the eggs in the skillet of hot cream , stirring it all the time to keep it from burning , then set it on the fire , and let it boyl a little while , but keep it still stirring , for fear of burning , then take it off , and let it stand and cool , then take two or three spoonfuls of sack , and put it in the dish , with four or five sippets , set the dish and sippets a drying , and when they be dry that they hang to the dish , sweeten the cream , and pour it into the dish softly , because the sippets shall not rise up ; this will make three dishes : when it is cold it is fit to be eaten . 117. to boyl flounders , or iacks , the best way . take a pint of white-wine , the tops of young thyme and rosemary , a little whole mace , a little whole pepper , seasoned with verjuice , salt , and a piece of sweet butter , and so serve it ; you may do fish in the same liquor three or four times . 118. to boyl a haunch of venison . first , stuff your venison with a handful of sweet herbs , and parsley minced , with a little beef-suet , and yolks of eggs boyled hard ; season your stuffing with pepper , nutmeg , ginger , and salt ; put your haunch of venison a boyling , being powdered before ; then boyl up three or four colliflowers in strong broath , and a little milk : when they are boyled , put them forth into a pipkin , add to them drawn butter , and keep them warm by the fire ; then boyl up two or three handfuls of spinage in the same liquor , when it is boyled up , pour out part of the broath , and put in a little vinegar , and a ladleful of sweet butter , and a grated nutmeg ; your dish being ready with sippets in the bottom , put on the spinage round toward your dish side ; then take up the venison , being boyled , and put it into the middle of your dish , and put in your colliflowers all over it , pour on your sweet butter over your colliflowers , and garnish it with barberries , and the brims of the dish with green parsley minced ; cabbage is as good , done in the same manner as colliflowers . 119. to make an eel-pye . wash , flea , and cut your eeels in pieces , put to them a handful of sweet herbs , parsley minced with an onion , season them with pepper , salt , cloves , mace , and nutmeg , and having your coffin made of good paste , put them in , and strew over them two handfuls of currans , and a limon cut in slices , then put on butter and close the pye ; when it is baked , put in at the funnel a little sweet butter , white-wine , and vinegar , beaten up with a couple of yolks of eggs. 120. to bake steaks , the french way . season the steaks with pepper , nutmeg , and salt lightly , and set them by ; then take a piece of the leanest of the leg of mutton , and mince it small with some beef-suet , and a few sweet herbs , as tops of thyme , and penny-royal , grated bread , yolks of eggs , sweet cream , raisins of the sun , &c. work all these together , and work it into little balls , or puddings , put them into a deep round pye on the steaks ; then put to them some butter , and sprinkle it with verjuice , close it up , and bake it , when it is enough cut it up , and liquor it with a juice of two or three oranges or limons . 121. to make a warden , or pear-pye . bake your wardens , or pears in an oven , with a little water , and good quantity of sugar , let your pot be covered with a piece of dough ; let them not be fully baked by a quarter of an hour ; when they are cold , make a high coffin , and put them in whole , adding to them some cloves , whole cinamon , sugar , with some of the liquor in the pot , so bake it . 122. to stew a trout . take a large trout fair trim'd , and wash it , put it into a deep pewter dish ; then take half a pint of sweet wine , with a lump of butter ; and a little whole mace , parsley , savoury , and thyme ; mince them all small , and put them into the belly of the trout , and so let it stew a quarter of an hour ; then mince the yolk of an hard egg , and strew it on the trout , lay the herbs about it , scrape on sugar , and serve it up . 123. to make sauce for pigeons . melt some vinegar and butter together , and roast some parsley in the belly of the fowl ; or else vine-leaves , and mix it well together , and pour it on . 124. a general sauce for wild-fowl . the most general sauce for wild fowl roasted ; as ducks , mallard , widgeon , teal , snipe , shel-drake , plovers , puets , and the like , is only mustard and vinegar , or mustard and verjuice mixed together ; or else an onion , water , and pepper . 125. to roast a cows vdder . boyl your udder very well , then stick it thick all over with cloves , and when it is cold spit it , and lay it on the fire , and baste it very well with sweet butter , and when it is sufficiently roasted and brown , draw it from the fire , and put some vinegar and butter on a chafing-dish of coals , and crumb in some white-bread , and boyl it till it be thick , then put to it good store of sugar and cinamon , and putting it into a clean dish , lay the cows udder therein , and trim the sides of the dish with sugar , and so serve it . 126. to make a spinage-tart . take of good spinage , and boyl it in white-wine , till it be very soft as pap ; then take it , and strain it well into a pewter dish , not leaving any unstrain'd : put to it rose-water , good store of sugar , cinamon , & rose-water , and boyl it till it be as thick as marmalade , then let it cool , and afterward fill your coffin , and adorn it , and serve it ; it will be of a green colour . 127. to make a tart of rice . pick your rice very clean , and boyl it in sweet cream till it be very soft , then let it stand and cool ; put to it good store of cinamon and sugar , and the yolks of a couple of eggs , and some currans ; stir and beat all well together : then having made a coffin as for other tarts , put your rice therein , and spread it all over the coffin , and break many small bits of sweet butter upon it all over , and scrape some sugar over it , then cover the tart and bake it , and serve it as other tarts . 128. to make a codling-tart . take green apples from the tree , and coddle them in scalding-water without breaking , then peel the thin skin from them , and so divide them into halves , and cut out the cores , and so lay them into the coffin , and do as in a pippin-tart , and before you cover it when the sugar is cast in , sprinkle good store of rose-water on it , then close it , and do as in the pippin-tart . 129. to make a pippin-tart . take of the fairest pippins , and pare them , and then divide them just in halves , and take out the cores clean ; then roul the coffin flat , and raise off a small verge , of an inch or more high ; lay the pippins with the hollow side down-ward , close one to another , then put in a few cloves , a stick of cinamon broken , and a little piece of butter ; cover all clean over with sugar , and so cover the coffin , and bake it as other tarts ; when it is bak'd boyl some butter and rose-water together , and annoint the lid all over with it , then scrape , or strew on it good store of sugar , and so set it in the oven again , and then serve it up . 130. to make a cherry-tart . take the fairest cherries you can get , and pick them clean from leaves and stalks , then spread out your coffin , as for your pippin-tart , and cover the bottom with sugar , then cover the sugar all over with cherries , then cover these cherries with sugar , some sticks of cinamon , and a few cloves ; then lay in more cherries , sugar , cinamon , and cloves , till the coffin be filled up , then cover it , and bake it in all points as the codling , and pippin tarts , and so serve it . in the same manner you may make tarts of gooseberries , strawberries , rasberries , bilberries , or any other berry whatsoever . 131. to make a minc'd-pye . take a leg of mutton , or a neats-tongue , and par-boyl it well , the mutton being cut from the bone , then put to it three pound of the best mutton-suet shred very small ; then spread it abroad , and season it with salt , cloves , and mace ; then put in good store of currans , great raisins , and pruans , clean washed , and pick'd , a few dates sliced , and some orange-peels sliced ; then being all well mixt together , put it into a coffin , or many coffins , and so bake them , and when they are served up open the lids , and strew store of sugar on the top of the meat , and upon the lid. 132. to make a calves-foot-pye . boyl your calves-feet very well , and then pick all the meat from the bones , when it is cold , shred it as small as you can , and season it with cloves and mace , and put in good store of currans , raisins , and pruans ; then put it into the coffin with good store of sweet butter , then break in whole sticks of cinamon , and a nutmeg sliced , and season it with salt then close up the coffin , and only leave a vent-hole , put in some liquor made of verjuice , sugar , cinamon , and butter boyled together , and so serve it . 133. to make a tansey . take a certain number of eggs , according to the bigness of your frying-pan , and break them into a dish , taking away the white of every third egg , then with a spoon take away the little white chicken-knots , that stick upon the yolks , then with a little cream beat them very well together ; then take of green wheat-blades , violet-leaves , strawberry-leaves , spinage , and succory , of each a like quantity , and a few walnut-tree-buds ; chop and beat all these very well , and then strain out the juice ; mix it then with a little more cream , put to it the eggs , and stir all well together ; then put in a few crumbs of fine grated bread , cinamon , nutmeg , and salt ; then put some sweet butter into a frying-pan , and as soon as it is melted , put in the tansey , and fry it brown without burning , and with a dish turn it in the pan as occasion shall serve , strew good store of sugar on it , and serve it up . 134. to stew a pike . after your pike is drest and opened in the back , and laid flat , as if it were to fry , then lay it in a large dish , put to it white-wine to cover it ; set it on the coals , and let it boyl gently , if scum arise , take it off , then put to it currans , sugar , cinamon , barberries , as many pruans as will garnish the dish , then cover it close with another dish , and let it stew till the fruit be soft , and the pike enough , then put to it a good piece of sweet butter ; with your scummer take up the fish , and lay it in a dish with sippets ; then take a couple of yolks only , of eggs , and beat them together well with a spoonful of cream , and as soon as the pike is taken out , put it into the broath , and stir it exceedingly to keep it from curdling , then pour the broath upon the pike , and trim the sides of the dish with sugar , pruans , and barberries , with slices of oranges and limons , and so serve it up . 135. to roast venison . if you will roast any venison , after you have wash'd it , and cleansed all the blood from it , you must stick it with cloves all over on the out-side , and if it be lean , lard it either with mutton , or pork-lard , but mutton is best ; then spit it , and roast it by a soaking fire , then take vinegar , crumbs of bread , and some of the gravy that comes from the venison , and boyl them well in a dish , then season it with sugar , cinamon , ginger , and salt , and serve the venison upon the sauce when it is roasted enough . 136. to roast a piece of fresh sturgeon . stop your sturgeon with cloves , then spit it , and let it roast very leisurely , basting it continually , which will take away the hardness ; when it is enough , serve it upon venison-sauce , with salt only thrown upon it . 137. to boyl a gurnet , or roch. first , draw your fish , and then either split it , or joynt it open in the back , and truss it round ; then wash it clean , and boyl it in water and salt , with a bunch of sweet herbs ; then take it up into a large dish , and pour into it verjuice , nutmeg , butter , and pepper ; after it hath stewed a little , thicken it with the yolks of eggs ; then remove it hot into another dish , and garnish it with slices of oranges and limons , barberries , pruans , and sugar , and so serve it up , 138. to make a carp-pye . after you have drawn , wash'd and scalded a fair large carp , season it with pepper , salt , and nutmeg , and then put it into a coffin , with good store of sweet butter , and then cast on raisins of the sun , the juice of limons , and some slices of orange-peels , and then sprinkling on a little vinegar , close it up , and bake it . 139. to make a chicken-pye . after you have trust your chickens , then break their legs and breast-bones , and raise your crust of the best paste , lay them in a coffin close together , with their bodies full of butter , then lay upon them , and underneath them , currans , great reasons , pruans , cinamon , sugar , whole mace and sugar , whole mace and salt ; then cover all with good store of butter , and so bake it ; then pour into it white-wine , rose-water , sugar , cinamon , and vinegar mixt together , with the yolks of two or three eggs beaten amongst it , and so serve it . 140. to make almond-cream . take blanched almonds beaten in a mortar very small , putting in now and then one spoonful of cream to keep them from oyling ; then boyl as much cream as you please with your beaten almonds , together with a blade of mace , and season it with sugar ; then strain it , and stir it , till it be almost cold , and then let it stand till you serve it , and then garnish your dish with fine sugar scraped thereon . 141. to make an almond-pudding . take two pound of blanched almonds , and beat them small , put thereto some rose-water and amber-greece often thereinto as you beat them ; then season them with nutmeg and sugar , and mix them with grated bread , beef-suet , and two eggs , and so put it into a dish , tying a cloath round about , and so boyl it . 142. to make water-gruel . take a pottle of water , a handful of great oatmeal , pickt and beat in a mortar , put it in boyling ; when it is half enough , put to it two handfuls of currans washed , a faggot or two of sweet herbs , four or five blades of large mace , and a little sliced nutmeg , let a grain of musk be infused a while in it ; when it is enough , season it with sugar and rose-water , and put to it a little drawn butter . 143. to stew sausages . boyl them a little in fair water and salt , and for sa●c● , boyl some currans alone ; when they be almost tender , pour out the water from them , and put to them a little white-wine , butter , and sugar , and so serve it . 144. to make a rare fricacie . take young rabbits , young chickens , or a rack of lamb , being cut one rib from another , and par-boyl either of these well in a frying-pan with a little water and salt , then pour the water and salt from it , and fry it with sweet butter , and make sauce with three yolks of eggs beaten well , with six spoonfuls of verjuice , and a little shred parsley , with some sliced nutmeg , and scalded gooseberries ; when it is fryed , pour in the sauce all over the meat , and so let it thicken a little in the pan ; then lay it in a dish with the sauce , and serve it . 145. to make an oatmeal-pudding . take a pint of milk , and put to it a pint of large , or midling oatmeal , let it stand on the fire till it be scalding hot , then let it stand by , and soak about half an hour , then pick a few sweet herbs , and shred them , and put in half a pound of currans , and half a pound of suet , and about two spoonfuls of sugar , and three or four eggs ; these put into a bag , and boyled , do make a very good pudding . 146. to make an almond-tart . raise an excellent good paste with six corners , an inch deep ; then take some blanched almonds very finely beaten with rose-water , take a pound of sugar to a pound of almonds , some grated nutmeg , a little cream , with strain'd spinage , as much as will colour the almonds green , so bake it with a gentle heat in an oven , not shutting the door ; draw it , and stick it with candyed orange , citron , and put in red and white muskadine . 147. to boyl pigeons with rice . boyl your pigeons in mutton-broath , putting sweet-herbs in their bellies ; then take a little rice , and boyl it in cream with a little whole mace , season it with sugar , lay it thick on their breasts , wringing also the juice of a limon upon them , and so serve them . 148. to barrel up oysters . open your oysters , take the liquor from them , and mix it with a reasonable quantity of the best white-wine-vinegar , with a little salt and pepper ; then put the oysters into a small barrel , and fill them up with this pickle , and this will keep them six moneths sweet and good , and with their natural taste . 149. to make a cowslip-tart . take the blossoms of a gallon of cowslips , mince them exceeding small , and beat them in a mortar , put to them a handful or two of grated naple-bisket , and about a pint and a half of cream ; boyl them a little on the fire , then take them off , and beat in eight eggs with a little cream ; if it do not thicken , put it on the fire till it doth , gently , but take heed it curdles not ; season it with sugar , rose-water , and a little salt : bake it in a dish , or little open tarts ; it is best to let your cream be cold before you stir in the eggs. 150. to bake a calves-head , to be eaten cold . you must half-boyl a fair calves-head , then take out all the bones on both sides , and season it with the afore-said seasoning , and lard it with bacon , and a little limon-peel ; then having a coffin large enough , not very high , nor very thick , but make it four-square , lay on some sheets of lard on the top , and butter ; when it is bak'd , and cold , fill it with clarified butter . 151. to make pear-puddings . take a cold capon , or half roasted , which is much better ; then take suet shred very small , the meat and suet together , with half as much grated bread , two spoonfuls of flower , nutmegs , cloves , and mace ; sugar as much as you please , half a pound of currans , the yolks of two eggs , and the white of one , and as much cream as will make it up into a stiff paste : then make it up in fashion of a pear , a stick of cinamon for the stalk , and the head of a clove . 152. to make a hotch-pot . take a piece of brisket beef , a piece of mutton , a knuck●e of veal , a good cullender of pot-herbs , half minced carrots , onions , and cabbage a little broken ; boyl all these together untill they be very thick . 153. to make a tart of medlars . take medlars that are rotten , then scrape them , and set them upon a chafing-dish of coals , season them with the yolks of eggs , sugar , cinamon , and ginger ; let it boyl well , and lay it on paste , scrape on sugar , and serve it . 154. to make a limon●caudle . take a pint of white-wine , and a pint of water , and let it boyl , put to it half a manchet , cut as thin and small as you can , put it in with some large mace ; then beat the yolks of two eggs to thicken it , then squeeze in the juice of half a dozen limons , and season it with sugar and rose-water . 155. to make an italian pudding . take a fine manchet , and cut it in small pieces like dice , then put to it half a pound of beef-suet minced small , raisins of the sun , cloves , mace , dates minced , sugar , marrow , rose-water , eggs , and cream ; mingle all these together , put them in a butter'd dish ; in less than an hour it will be well baked , when it s enough , scrape on sugar , and serve it up . 156. to make a rare pudding , to be bak'd or boyled . beat a pound of almonds as small as possible , put to them some rose-water and cream as oft as you beat them ; then take one pound of beef-suet finely minced , with five yolks of eggs , and but two of their whites ; make it as thin as b●tter for fritters , mixing it with sweet thick cream , seasoning it with beaten mace , sugar , and salt ; then set it into the oven in a pewter dish , and when you draw it forth , strew some sugar on the top of your pudding , and garnish your dish with sugar , and serve it always first to the table . 157. to make a gooseberry-custard . when you have cut off the sticks and eyes of your gooseberries , and wash'd them , then boyl them in water till they will break in a spoon , then strain them , and beat half a dozen eggs , and stir them together upon a chafing-dish of coals with some rose water , then sweeten it very well with sugar , and always serve it cold . 158. to make a fricacie of rabbits . cut your rabbits in small pieces , and mince a handful of thyme and parsley together , and season your rabbits with a nutmeg , pepper , and salt ; then take two eggs and verjuice beaten together , then throw it in the pan , stick it , and dish it up in sippets . 159. to make cracknels . take five or six pints of the finest wheat-flower you can get , to which put in a spoonful , and not more , of good yeast ; then mingle it well with butter , cream , and rose-water , and sugar finely beaten , and working it well into paste , make it into what form you please , and bake it . 160. to make pancakes . put eight eggs to two quarts of flower , casting by four whites , season it with cinamon , nutmeg , ginger , cloves , mace , and salt ; then make it up into a strong b●tter with milk , beat it well together , and put in half a pint of sack , make it so th●n , that it may run in your pan how you please , put your pan on the fire with a little butter , or suet , when it is very hot , take a cloath and wipe it out , so make your pan very clean , then put in your batter , and run it very thin , supply it with little bits of butter , so toss it often , and bake it crisp and brown . 161. to make a iunket . take ewes , or goats-milk , or for want of these , cows-milk , and put it over the fire to warm , then put in a little runnet , then pour it out into a dish , and let it cool , then strew on some cinamon and sugar , and take some of your cream and lay on it , scrape on sugar , and serve it . 162. to make excellent marrow-spinage-pasties . take spinage , and chop it a little , then boyl it till it be tender ; then make the best rich light crust you can , and roul it out , and put a little of your spinage into it , and currans , and sugar , and store of lump of marrow ; clap the paste over this to make little pasties deep within , and fry them with clarified butter . 163. to make a pine-apple-tart . beat two handfuls of pine-apples with a prick'd quince , and the pulp of two or three pippins ; when they are well beaten , put to them half a pint of cream , a little rose-water , the yolks of six eggs , with a handful of sugar , if it be thick , add a litte more cream to it , so having your thin low coffins for it dryed , fill them up , and bake them ; you may garnish them with orangado , or lozenges of sugar-plate , or what else you please . 164. to dry neats-tongues . take bay-salt beaten very fine , and salt-petre , of each alike , and rub over your tongues very well with that , and cover all over with it , and as it wastes put on more , and when they are very hard and stiff they are enough ; then roul them in bran , and dry them before a soft fire , and before you boyl them , let them lye one night in pump-water , and boyl them in the same water . 165. to stew birds , the lady butlers way . take small birds , pick them , and cut off their legs , fry them in sweet butter , lay them in a cloath to dry up the butter ; then take oysters , and mince them , and put them in a dish , put to them white-wine and cinamon , put in the birds wi●h cloves , mace , and pepper ; let all these stew together covered till they be enough , then put into it some sugar , and some toasted manchet , and put it in the dish , and so serve it up to the table . 166. to make a sweet-pye , with lamb-stones , and sweetbreads , and sugar . slit the lamb-stones in the middle , and skin them , wash the sweetbreads , both of veal and lamb , and wipe them very dry ; take the lambs liver , and shred it very small , take the udder of a leg of veal , and slice it ; season all with a little salt , nutmeg , mace , and cloves beaten , and some whole pepper ; then shred two or three pippins and candyed limon and orange-peel , half a dozen dates sliced , with currans , white sugar , a few carraway-seeds , a quarter of a pint of verjuice , and as much rose-water , a couple of eggs ; roul up all these together in little puddings , or balls made green with the juice of spinage , and lay a pudding , then a sweetbread , then a lamb-stone , till you have filled up the pye , and cover them with dates , and sliced citron , and limon . when it is drawn , take two or three yolks of eggs , beat them , and put to them a little fresh butter , white-wine and sugar , and pour it into the tunnel , scrape some loaf-sugar upon the lid , and so serve it . 167. to roast eels . when they are flea'd , cut them to pieces , about three or four inches long , dry them , and put them into a dish , mince a little thyme , two onions , a piece of limon-peel , a little pepper beaten small , nutmeg , mace , and salt ; when it is cut exceeding small , strew it on the eels , with the yolks of two or three eggs ; then having a small spit ( or else a couple of square sticks made for that purpose ) spit through the eels cross-ways , and put a bay-leaf between every piece of eel , and tying the sticks on a spit , let them roast ; you need not turn them constantly , but let them stand till they hiss , or are brown , and so do them on the other side , and put the dish ( in which the eel was with the seasoning ) underneath , to save the gravy ; baste it over with sweet butter . the sauce must be a little claret-wine , some minced oysters , with their liquor , a grated nutmeg , and an onion , with sweet butter , and so serve it . 168. to boyl cocks , or larks . boyl them with the guts in them in strong broath , or fair water , and three or four whole onions , large mace , and salt ; the cocks being boyled , make sauce with some thin slices of manchet , or grated bread in another pipkin , and some of the broath where the fowl , or the co●ks boyl ; then put to it some butter , and the guts and liver minced ; then take some yolks of eggs dissolved with vinegar , and some grated nutmeg ; put it to the other ingredients , stir them together , and dish the fowl in fine sippets , pour on the sauce with some sliced limon , grapes , or barberries , and run it over with beaten butter . 169. to broyl oysters . lake the biggest oysters you can get , then take a little minced thyme , grated nutmeg , grated bread , and a little salt , put this to the oysters ; then get some of the largest bottom-shells , and place them on the grid-iron , and put two or three oysters in each shell , then put some butter to them , and let them simper on the fire till the liquor bubbles low , supplying it still with butter ; when they are crisp , feed them with white-wine and a little of their own liquor , with a little grated bread , nutmeg , and minced thyme , but as much only as to relish it , so let it boyl up again ; then add some drawn butter to thicken them , and dish them . 170. to pickle oysters . take a quart of the largest great oysters with the liquor , wash them clean , and wipe them , add to them a pint of fair water , and half a pint of white-wine-vinegar , half an ounce of whole pepper , an handful of salt , a quarter of an ounce of large mace , with the liquor of the oysters strained ; put all together in a pipkin over a soft fire , let them simper together a quarter of an hour ; when the oysters are enough , take them up , and put them into a little fair water and vinegar till they be cold ; let the pickle boyl a quarter of an hour after the oysters are taken up ; both being cold , put them up together : when you use them , garnish the dish with barberries and limon , and a little of the mace and pepper , and pour in some of the pickle . 171. to make english pottage . make it with beef , mutton , and veal , putting in some oatmeal , and good pot-herbs , as parsley , sorrel , violet-leaves , and a very little thyme , and sweet marjoram , scarce to be tasted , and some marigold-leaves at last ; you may begin to boyl it over-night , and let it stand warm all night , and make an end of boyling it next morning ; it is good to put into the pot at first twenty or thirty corns of whole pepper . 172. to stew beef . take very good beef , and slice it very thin , and beat it with the back of a knife , put to it the gravy of some meat , and some wine , and strong broath , sweet herbs a quantity ; let it stew till be very tender , season it to your liking ; and varnish your dish with marygold-flowers , or barberries . 173. to make excellent minced-pyes . par-boyl neats-to●gues , then peel and hash them with as much as they weigh of beef-suet and stoned raisins , and pickt currans ; chop all exceeding small , that it be like pap ; employ therein at least an hour more than ordinarily is used , then mingle a very little sugar with them , and a little wine , and thrust in up and down some thin slices of green candyed citron-peel ; and put this into coffins of fine , light , well reared crust ; half an hours baking will be enough : if you strew a few carraway comfits on the top , it will not be amiss . 174. to pickle roast-beef , chine , or surloin . stuff any of the afore-said beef with penny-royal , or other sweet herbs , or parsley minced small , and some salt ; prick in here and there a few whole cloves , and roast it ; then take claret-wine , wine-vinegar , whole pepper , rosemary , bays , and thyme bound up close in a bundle , and boyled in some claret-wine , and wine-vinegar ; make the pickle , and put some salt to it , and pack it up in a barrel that will but just hold it , put the pickle to it , close it on the head , and keep it for your use. 175. to make a double-tart . peel codlings tenderly boyled , cut them in halves , and fill your tart ; put into it a quarter of a hundred of codlings , a pound and half of sugar , a few cloves , and a little cinamon ; close up the coffin and bake it . when it comes out , cut off the lid , and having a lid cut in flowers ready , lay it on , and garnish it with preserves of damsons , rasberries , apricots , and cherries , and place a preserved quince in the middle , and strew it with sugar-biskets . 176. to make a warden , or pear-pye . bake your wardens , or pears in an oven , with a little water , and good quantity of sugar ; let your pot be covered with a piece of dough , let them not be fully baked by a quarter of an hour ; when they are cold , make a high coffin , and put them in whole , adding to them some cloves , whole cinamon , sugar , with some of the liquor they were baked in , so bake it . 177. to bake a pig , court-fashion . flea a small young pig , cut it in quarters , or in smaller pieces , season it with pepper , ginger , and salt , lay it into a fit coffin , strip , and mince small a handful of parsley , six springs of winter-savoury , strew it on the meat in the pye , and strew upon that the yolks of three or four hard eggs minced , and lay upon them five or six blades of mace , a handful of clusters of barberries , a handful of currans well washt and pickt , a little sugar , half a pound of sweet butter , or more ; close your pye , and set it in an oven as hot as for manchet , and in three hours it will be well baked ; draw it forth , and put in half a pound of sugar , being warmed upon the fire , pour it all over the meat , and put on the pye-lid again , scrape on sugar , and serve it hot to the table . 178. to make a pudding of hogs-liver . boyl your liver , and grate it , put to it more grated bread than liver , with as much fine flower , as of either , put twelve eggs , to the value of a gallon of this mixture , with about two pound of beef-suet minced small , and a pound and half of currans , half a quarter of a pint of rose-water , a good quantity of cloves and mace , nutmeg , cinamon , and ginger , all minced very small ; mix all these with sweet milk and cream , and let it be no thicker than fritter-batter ; to fill your hogs-guts , you make it with the maw , fit to be eaten hot at table ; in your knitting , or tying the guts , you must remember to give them three or four inches scope : in your putting them into boyling-water , you must handle them round , to bring the meat equal to all parts of the gut ; they will ask about half an hours boyling , the boyling must be sober , if the wind ri●e in them , you must be ready to prick them , or else they will flye , and burst in pieces . 179. olives of beef stewed and roasted . take a buttock of beef , and cut some of it into thin slices as broad as your hand , then hack them with the back of a knife , lard them with small lard , and season them with pepper , salt , and nutmeg ; then make a farsing with some sweet herbs , thyme , onions , the yolks of hard eggs , beef-suet , or lard , all minced , some salt , barberries , grapes , or gooseberries ; season it with the former spices lightly , and work it up together ; then lay it on the slices , and roul them up round with some caul of veal , beef , or mutton , bake them in a dish in the oven , or roast them ; then put them in a pipkin with some butter and saffron , or none ; blow off the fat from the gravy , and put it to them , with some artichoaks , potato , or skir●ets blanched , being first boyled , a little claret-wine , and serve them on sippets , with some slic'd orange , limon , barberries , grapes , or gooseberries . 180. to make a french-barley-posset . put two quarts of milk to half a pound of french-barley , boyl it small till it is enough ; when the milk is almost boyled away , put to it three pints of good cream , let it boyl together a quarter of an hour ; then sweeten it , and put in mace and cinamon in the beginning when you first put in your cream ; when you have done so , take white-wine a pint , or sack and white-wine together , of each half a pint , sweeten it as you love it , with sugar , pour in all the cream , but leave your barley behind in the skillet ; this will make an excellent posset , nothing else but a tender curd to the bottom ; let it stand on the coals half a quarter of an hour . 181. to bake chucks of veal . par-boyl two pound of the lean flesh of a leg of veal , mince it as small as grated bread , with four pound of beef-suet ; then season it with biskay , dates , and carraways , and some rose-water , sugar , raisins of the sun , and currans , cloves , mace , nutmegs , and cinamon , mingle them altogether , fill your pyes , and bake them . 182. how to stew a mallard . roast your mallard half enough , then take it up , and cut it in little pieces ; then put it into a dish with the gravy , and a piece of fresh butter , and a handful of parsley chopt small , with two or three onions , and a cabbage-lettuce ; let them stew one hour , then season it with pepper and salt , and a little verjuice , and so serve it . 183. to stew a rabbit . half-roast it , then take it off the spit , and cut it into little pieces , and put it into a dish with the gravy , and as much liquor as will cover it ; then put in a piece of fresh butter , and some powder and ginger , pepper and salt , two or three pippins minced small ; let these stew an hour , and dish them upon sippets , and serve it . 184. to make a pigeon-pye . truss your pigeons to bake , and set them , and lard the one half of them with bacon , mince a few sweet herbs and parsley with a little beef-suet , the yolks of hard eggs , and an onion or two , season it with salt , beaten pepper , cloves , mace , and nutmeg ; work it up with a piece of butter , and stuff the bellies of the pigeons , season them with salt and pepper , as before : take also as many lamb-stones seasoned as before , with six collops of bacon , the salt drawn out ; then make a round coffin and put in your pigeons , and if you will , put in lamb-stones and sweetbreads , and some artichoak-bottoms , or other dry meat to soak up the juice , because the pye will be very sweet , and full of it ; then put a little white-wine beaten up with the yolk of an egg , when it comes out of the oven , and so serve it . 185. to stew a fillet of beef , the italian fashion . take a young tender fillet of beef , and take away all the skins and sinews clean from it , put to it some good white-wine in a boul , wash it , and crush it well in the wine ; then strew upon it a little pepper , and as much salt as will season it ; mingle them very well , and put to it as much wine as will cover it , lay a trencher upon it to keep it down in a close pan , with a weight on it , and let it steep two nights and a day ; then take it out , and put it into a pipkin with some good beef-broath , but none of the pickle to it , but only beef-broath , and that sweet , and not salt ; cover it close , and set it on the embers , then put to it a few whole cloves and mace , and let it stew till it be enough ; it will be very tender , and of an excellent taste : serve it with the same broath as much as will cover it . 186. to boyl a capon , or chicken with several compositions . you must take off the skin whole , but leave on the legs , wings , and head ; mince the body with some beef-suet , or lard , put to it some sweet herbs minced , and season it with cloves , mace , pepper , salt , two or three eggs , grapes , gooseberries or barberries , bits of potato or mushromes ; in the winter , with sugar , currans , and pruans : fill the skin , prick it up , and stew it between two dishes , with large mace , and strong broath , pieces of artichoaks , cardones , or asparagus and marrow ; being finely stewed , serve it on carved sippets , and run it over with beaten butter , limon sliced , and scrape on sugar . 187. to broyl a leg of pork . cut your pork into slices very thin , having first taken off the skinny part of the fillet , then hack it with the back of your knife , then mince some thyme and sage exceeding small , and mingle it with pepper and salt , and therewith season your collops , and then lay them on the grid-iron ; when they are enough , make sauce for them with butter , vinegar , mustard , and sugar , and so serve them . 188. to make a fricacie of patridges . after you have trussed your patridges , roast them till they are almost enough , and then cut them to pieces ; then having chopped an onion very small , fry them therewith ; then put to them half a pint of gravy , two or three anchovies , a little bread grated , some drawn butter , and the yolks of two or three eggs beaten up with a little white-wine ; let them boyl till they come to be pretty thick , and so dish them up . 189. to bake calves-feet . you must season them with pepper , salt , and currans , and then bake them in a pye ; when they are baked ; take the yolks of three or four eggs , and beat them with verjuice , or vinegar , sugar , and grated nutmeg ; put it into your pye , then scrape on sugar , and so serve it . 190. to fry neats-tongues . first , boyl them , and after blanch them , and then cut them into thin slices ; season them with nutmeg , sugar , cinamon , put to them the yolks of raw eggs , and a limon cut into little square pieces , then fry them in spoonfuls with sweet butter ; make your sauce with white-wine , sugar , and butter , heat it hot , and pour it on your tongues , scrape sugar on it , and serve it . 191. to roast a hare . when you case your hare , do not cut off his hinder legs , or ears , but hack one leg through another , and so also cut a hole through one ear , and put it through the other , and so roast him ; make your sauce with the liver of the hare boyled , and minced small with a little marjoram , thyme , and winter-savoury , and the yolks of thre or four hard eggs , with a little bacon and beef-suet ; boyl this all up with water and vinegar , and then grate a little nutmeg , and put to it some sweet butter , and a little sugar ; dish your hare , and serve it . this may also serve for rabbits . 192. to roast a shoulder of mutton with oysters . par-boyl your oysters , then mince winter-savoury , thyme , parsley , and the yolks of five or six hard eggs , hard boyled ; add to these a half-penny loaf of grated bread , and three or four yolks of eggs ; mingle all these together with your hands , when you have spitted your mutton , make holes in it as big as you think convenient ; put in your oysters , with the other ingredients , about twenty five , or thirty oysters will be enough , let it roast indifferent long , then take the remainder of a quart of oysters , for you must have so many in all , and put them into a deep dish with claret-wine , two or three onions cut in halves , and two or three anchovies ; put all this in the dripping-pan under your mutton , and save your gravy , and when the meat is enough , put your sauce upon the coals , and put to it the yolk of an egg beaten , grated nutmeg , and sweet butter ; dish your mutton , and pour in your oysters , sauce and all upon it , garnishing your dish with limons and barberries . 193. a rare broath . take a couple of cocks , and cut off their wings and legs , and wash them clean , and par-boyl them very well , till there rise no scum , then wash them again in fair water ; then put them in a pitcher with a pint of rhenish wine , and some strong broath , as much as will cover them , together with a little china-root , an ounce or two of harts-horn , with a few cloves , nutmeg , large mace , ginger shred , and whole pepper , and a little salt ; stop up your pitcher close , that no steam may come out ; boyl the pitcher in a great pot of water about six hours , then pour out the broath , and strain it into a bason , and squeeze into it the juice of two or three limons , and so eat it . 194. to bake sweetbreads . boyl your sweetbreads , and put to them the yolks of two eggs , new laid , grated bread , with some par-boyled currans , and three or four dates minced ; and when you have seasoned it lightly with pepper , sugar , nutmeg , and salt , put to it the juice of a limon ; put up all these together into puff-paste , and so bake it . 195. to make pottage of french-barley . pick your barley very clean from dirt , and dust , then boyl some milk , and put it in while it boyls ; when it is well boyled , put in a little salt , sugar , large mace , and a little cream ; and when you have boyl'd it pretty thick , dish it , and serve it up with sugar scraped thereon . 196. to boyl a hanch of venison . first , stuff your venison with a handful of sweet herbs and parsley minced with a little beef-suet , and some yolks of eggs boyled hard ; season your stuffing with nutmeg , salt , and ginger ; having powdered your hanch , boyl it , afterwards boyl up two or three colliflowers in strong broath , adding to it a little milk ; when they are boyled , put them into a pipkin , and put to them drawn butter , keeping them warm ; then boyl up two or three handfuls of spinage in the same liquor ; when it is boyled up , pour out part of your broath , and put to it a little vinegar , a ladle-ful of sweet butter , and a grated nutmeg ; your dish being ready with sippets on the bottom , put the spinage round the sides of your dish ; when the venison is boyled , take it up , and put it in the middle of the dish , lay your colliflowers over it , pour on sweet butter over that , garnish it with barberries , and some parsley minced round the brims of the dish . 197. to make a florentine of sweet-breads , or kidneys . take three or four kidneys , or sweet-breads , and when they are par-boyled , mince them small ; season it with a little cinamon and nutmeg , sweeten it with sugar and a little grated bread , with the marrow of two or three marrow-bones in good big pieces , add to these about a quarter of a pound of almond-paste , and about half a pint of malaga sack , two spoonfuls of rose-water , and musk and amber-greece , of each a grain , with a quarter of a pint of cream , and three or four eggs ; mix all together , and make it up in puss-paste , then bake it ; in three quarters of an hour it will be enough . 198. to stew a rump of beef . season your beef with some nutmeg grated , together with some salt and pepper , season it on the bony side , and lay it in the pipkin with the fat side downward ; then take two or three great onions , and a bunch of rosemary tyed up together with three pints of elder-vinegar , and three pints of water ; stew all these three or four hours together in a pipkin , close covered over a soft fire ; dish it upon sippets , blowing off the fat from the gravy , put some of the gravy to the beef , and serve it up . 199. to make pottage of a capon . take beef and mutton , and cut it into pieces ; then boyl a large earthen pot ot water , take out half the water , put in your meat , and skim it , and when it boyls season it with pepper and salt ; when it hath boyled about two hours , add four or five cloves , half an hour before you think it is enough , put in your herbs , sorrel , purslain , burrage , lettuce , and bugloss , or green pease ; and in the winter , parsley-roots , and white endive ; pour the broath upon light bread toasted , and stew it a while in the dish covered . if your water consume in boyling , fill it up with water boyling hot . the less there is of the broath , the better it is , though it be but a porringer-full , for then it would be as stiff as jelly when it is cold . 200. to make a pye with pippins . pare your pippins , and cut out the cores ; then make your coffin of crust , take a good handful of quinces sliced , and lay at the bottom , then lay your pippins a top , and fill the holes where the core was taken out with syrup of quinces , and put into every pippin a piece of orangado , then pour on the top syrup of quinces , then put in sugar , and so close it up ; let it be very well baked , for it will ask much soaking● especially the quinces . 201. to boyl pigeons , the dutch way . lard , and set your pigeons , put them into a pipkin , with some strong broath made of knuckles of veal , mutton , and beef , let them be close covered , and when they are scumm'd , put in a faggot of sweet herbs , a handful of capers , and a little large mace , with a few raisins of the sun minced very small , about six dates quartered , a piece of butter , with two or three yolks of hard eggs minced , with a handful of grapes , or barberries ; then beat two yolks of eggs with verjuice and some white-bread , a ladle-full of sweet butter , and a grated nutmeg ; serve it upon sippets . 202. to make excellent black-puddings . beat half a score eggs , the yolks and whites together very well ; then take about a quart of sheeps-blood , and as much cream ; when you have stirred all this well together , thicken it with grated bread , oatmeal finely beaten , of each a like quantity ; add to these some marrow in little lumps , and a little beef-suet shred small , season it with nutmeg , cloves , mace mingled with salt , a little sweet marjoram , thyme , and penny-royal shred very well together ; mingle all together , put to them a few currans , cleanse your guts very well , fill them , and boyl them carefully . 203. to make a pye of neats-tongues . par-boyl a couple of neats-tongues , then cut out the meat at the root-end as far as you can , not breaking it out at the sides ; take the meat you cut out , and mingle it with a little suet , a little parsley , and a few sweet herbs , cut all very small , and mingled together ; season all this with ginger , cloves , mace , pepper , salt , and a little grated bread , and as much sugar , together with the yolks of three or four eggs ; make this up together , and season your tongues , in-side , and out-side , with your seasoning afore-said , and wash them within with the yolk of an egg , and force them where you cut forth the meat , and what remains make into a sorc'd ; then make your paste into the fashion of a neats-tongue , and lay them in with puddings , and little balls , then put to them limon and dates shred , and butter on the top , and close it ; when it is baked , put in a lear of the venison-sauce , which is claret-wine , vinegar , grated bread , cinamon , ginger , sugar , boyl it up thick , that it may run like butter , and let it be sharp and sweet , and so serve it . 204 , to stew a breast , or loyn of mutton . joynt either your loyn or breast of mutton well , draw it , and stuff it with sweet herbs , and parsley minced ; then put it in a deep stewing-dish with the right side downward , put to it so much white-wine and strong broath as will stew it , set it on the coals , put to it two or three onions , a bundle of sweet herbs , and a little large mace ; when it is almost stewed , take a handful of spinage , parsley , and endive , and put into it , or else some gooseberries and grapes ; in the winter time , samphire and capers ; add these at any time : dish up your mutton , and put by the liquor you do not use , and thicken the other with yolks of eggs and sweet butter , put on the sauce and the herbs over the meat ; garnish your dish with limon and barberries . 205. to make a sallet of green pease . cut up as many green pease as you think will make a sallet , when they are newly come up about half a foot high ; then set your liquor over the fire , and let it boyl , and then put them in ; when they are boyled tender put them out , and drain them very well ; then mince them , and put in some good sweet butter , salt it , and stir it well together , and so serve it . 206. to make a sallet of fennel . cut your fennel while it is young , and about four fingers high , tye it up in bunches like asparagus ; gather enough for your sallet , and put it in when your water is boyling hot , boyl it soft , drain it , dish it up with butter , as the green pease . 207. to make a tansie of spinage . take a quart of cream , and about twenty eggs , without the whites , add to it sugar and grated nutmeg , and colour it green with the juice of spinage ; then put it in your dish , and squeeze a limon or two on it ; garnish it with slices of orange , then strew on sugar , and so serve it . 208. to make a hash of a duck. when your ducks are roasted , take all the flesh from the bones , and hash it very thin ; then put it into your stewing-pan with a little gravy , strong broath , and claret-wine , put to it an onion or two minced very small , and a little small pepper ; let all this boyl together with a little salt , then put to them about a pound of sausages , when you think they are ready , stir them with a little butter drawn : garnish it with limon , and serve it . 209. to make french puffs with green herbs . take a quantity of endive , parsley , and spinage , and a little winter-savoury , and when you have minc'd them exceeding small , season them with sugar , ginger , and nutmeg ; beat as many eggs as you think will wet your herbs , and so make it up ; then pare a limon and cut it in thin slices , and to every slice of limon put a slice of your prepared stuff , then fry it in sweet butter , and serve them in sippets , after you have put to them either a glass of canary , or white-wine . 210. to make excellent stewed broath . take a leg of beef , boyl it well , and scum it clean , then take your bread and slice it , and lay it to soak in your broath , then run it through a strainer , and put as much into your broath as will thicken it ; when it hath boyled a pretty while , put in your pruans , raisins , and currans , with cinamon , cloves , and mace beaten ; when your pruans are boyled , take them up , and run them also through a strainer , as you did the bread , then put in half a pint of claret , then let it boyl very well , and when it is ready , put to it rose-water and sugar , and so serve it . 211. to stew a dish of breams . take your breams , and dress them , and dry them well , and salt them ; then make a charcoal fire , and lay them on the grid-iron over the fire being very hot ; let them be indifferent brown on both sides , then put a glass of claret into a pewter dish , and set it over the fire to boyl , put into it two or three anchovies , as many onions , and about half a pint of gravy , a pint of oysters , with a little thyme minced small ; when it hath boyled a while , put to it a little melted butter and a nutmeg . then dish your bream , and pour all this upon it , and then set it again on the fire , putting some yolks of eggs over it . 212. to boyl a mullet . having scalled your mullet , you must save their livers and roes , then put them in water boyling hot , put to them a glass of claret , a bundle of sweet herbs , with a little salt and vinegar , two or three whole onions , and a limon sliced ; then take some whole nutmegs and quarter them , and some large mace , and some butter drawn with claret , wherein dissolve two or three anchovies ; dish up your fish , and pour on your sauce , being first seasoned with salt : garnish your dishes with fryed oysters and bay-leaves ; and thus you may season your liquor for boyling most other fish. 213. to farce , or stuff a fillet of veal . take a large leg of veal , and cut off a couple of fillets from it , then mince a handful of sweet herbs , and parsley , and the yolks of two or three hard eggs ; let all these be minced very small , then season it with a couple of grated nutmegs , and a little salt , and so farce , or stuff your veal with it , then lard it with bacon and thyme very well , then let it be roasted , and when it is almost enough , take some of your stuffing , about a handful , and as many currans , and put these to a little strong broath , a glass of claret , and a little vinegar , a little sugar , and some mace ; when your meat is almost ready , take it up , and put it into this , and let it stew , putting to it a little butter melted , put your meat in your dish , and pour your sauce upon it , and serve it . 214. to make a pudding of oatmeal . take a quart of milk , and boyl it in a skillet , put to it a good handful of oatmeal beat very small , with a stick or two of cinamon , and mace ; put in this oatmeal as much as will thicken it , before the milk be hot , then keep it stirring , and let it boyl for about half an hour , putting into it a handful of beef-suet minced very small , then take it off , and pour it into a dish , and let it stand to cool , if it be too thick , put to more milk , then put in a nutmeg grated , a handful of sugar , with three or four eggs beaten , and some rose-water , then rub the dish within with butter , and pour out your pudding into it ; let it be as thin as batter , let it bake half an hour , scrape sugar on it , serve it up . 215. to make a pudding of rice . take a good handful of rice beaten small , and put it into about three pints of milk , adding a little mace and cinamon , then boyl it , keeping it always stirring , till it grow thick , then put a piece of butter into it , and let it boyl a quarter of an hour , then pour it out to cool , then put to it half a dozen dates minced , a little sugar , a little beaten cinamon , and a couple of handfuls of currans , then beat about half a score eggs , throwing away two or three of the whites , put in some salt , butter the bottom of your dish , pour in your pudding , bake it as before , put on a little rose-water and sugar , and serve it . 216. to make a florentine of spinage . take a good quantity of spinage , to the quantity of two gallons , set your water over the fire , and when it boyls very high , put in your spinage , and let it remain in a little while , then put it out into a strainer , and let it drain very well , and squeeze out all the water , then take it and mince it small with a candyed orange-peel or two , add to it about three quarters of currans boyled also , season it with salt , ginger beaten , cinamon , and nutmeg ; then lay your paste thin in a dish , and put it in , adding butter and sugar , close it up , prick it with holes , and bake it ; when it is nigh baked , put into it a glass of sack , and a little melted butter and vinegar , stir it together with your knife , scrape sugar upon it , and serve it . 217. to make a tansey of cowslips . take your cowslips or violets , and pound them in a wooden or marble mortar , put to them about twelve eggs , with three or four of the whites taken out , about a pint of cream , a quartern of white sugar , cinamon beaten small , nutmeg , and about a handful of grated bread , with a little rose-water ; then take all these together , and put them in a skillet with a little butter , and set them over the fire , stirring it till it grow thick ; then put your frying-pan on the fire , and when it is hot , put some butter into it , and then put in your tansey ; when you think it enough of one side , butter a pewter plate , and turn it therewith ; when it is fryed , squeeze on a limon , scrape on sugar , garnish it with oranges quartered , and serve it . 218. to make excellent white puddings . take the humbles of a hog , and boyl them very tender , then take the heart , the lights , and all the flesh about them , picking them clean from all the sinewy skins , and then chop the meat as small as you can , then take the liver , and boyl it hard , and grate a little of it and mingle therewith , and also a little grated nutmeg , cinamon , cloves , mace , sugar , and a few carraway-seeds , with the yolks of four or five eggs , and about a pint of the best cream , a glass of canary , and a little rose-water , with a good quantity of hogs-suet , and salt ; make all into rouls , and let it lye about an hour and half before you put it in the guts , laying the guts asteep in rose-water before , boyl them , and have a care of breaking them . 219. to stew flounders . draw your flounders , and wash them , and scorch them on the white side , being put in a dish , put to them a little white-wine , a few minced oysters , some whole pepper , and sliced ginger , a few sweet herbs , two or three onions quartered , and salt ; put all these into your stewing-pan , covered close , and let them stew as soon as you can , then dish them on sippets ; then take some of the liquor they were stewed in , put some butter to it , and the yolk of an egg beaten , and pour it on the flounders ; garnish it with limon , and ginger beaten on the brims of the dish . 220. to draw butter for sauce . cut your butter into thin slices , put it into your dish , let it melt leisurely upon the coals , being often stirred ; and after it is melted , put to it a little vinegar , or fair water , which you will , bea● it up till it be thick , if it keep its colour white , it is good ; but if yellow and turn'd , it is not to be used . 221. to roast a salmon whole . draw your salmon at the gills , and after it is scaled , washt , and dry'd , lard it with pickled herring , or a fat eel salted ; then take about a pint of oysters parboyled , put to these a few sweet herbs , some grated bread , about half a dozen hard eggs , with a couple of onions ; shred all these very small , and put to it ginger , nutmeg , salt , pepper , cloves , and mace ; mix these together , and put them all within the salmon at the gills : put them into the oven in an earthen pan , born up with pieces of wood , in the bottom of the dish , put claret-wine , and baste your salmon very well over with butter before you put it in the oven ; when it is drawn , make your sauce of the liquor that is in the pan , and some of the spawn of the salmon boyled with some melted butter on the top ; stick him about with toasts and bay-leaves fryed , take ●ut the oysters from within , and garnish the dish therewith . 222. to make excellent sauce for mutton , either chines , legs , or necks . take half a dozen onions shred very small , a little strong broath , and a glass of white-wine ; boyl all these well together : then take half a pint of oysters , and mince them , with a little parsley , and two or three small bunches of grapes , if in season , with a nutmeg sliced , and the yolks of two or three eggs ; put in all these together with the former , and boyl it , and pour it all over your meat , and then pour some melted butter on the top , and strew on the yolks of two or three hard eggs minced small . 223. another good sauce for mutton . take a handful of pickled cucumbers , as many capers , and as much samphire ; put them into a little verjuice , white-wine , and a little strong broath , and a limon cut in small pieces , and a little nutmeg grated ; let them boyl together , and then beat them up thick , with a ladleful of butter melted , and a couple of yolks of eggs , and a little sugar ; dish your meat upon sippets , pour on your sauce , and garnish it with samphire , capers , and barberries . 224. to make sauce for turkies , or capons . take a two-penny white loaf , and lay it a soaking in strong broath , with onions sliced therein ; then boyl it in gravy , together with a limon cut in small pieces , a little nutmeg sliced , and some melted , put this under your turky , or capon , and so serve it ; you will find it excellent sauce . because many books of this nature have the terms of carving added to them , as being necessary for the more proper nominating of things ; i have thought good also to add them : as also some bills of fare , both upon ordinary , and extraordinary occasions . terms of carving , both fish , fowl , and flesh. allay a pheasant . barb a lobster . border a pasty . break a deer , or egript . break a sarcel , or teal . chine a salmon . culpon a trout . cut up a turky , or bustard . dis-member that heron. display that crane . dis-figure that peacock . fin that chevin . leach that brawn . lift that swan . mince that plover . rear that goose. sauce a capon , or tench . sauce a plaice , or flounder . side that haddock . splay that bream . splat that pike . spoil that hen. string that lamprey . tame a crab. thigh a pigeon , and woodcock , and all manner of small birds . timber the fire . tire an egg. tranch that sturgeon . transon that eel . trush that chicken . tusk a barbel . unbrace a mallard . under-tench a porpuss . unjoynt a bittern . unlace a coney . untach that curlew untach that brew . particular directions how to carve , according to the former terms of carving . unlace that coney . lay your coney on the back , and cut away the vents , then raise the wings , and the sides , and lay the carkass and sides together ; then put to your sauce , with a little beaten ginger and vinegar . thigh a woodcock . raise the legs and wings of the woodcock , as you would do of a hen , then take out the brains , and no other sauce but salt . allay a pheasant . raise the leggs and wings of the pheasant , as of a woodcock , as also of a snite and a plover , and only salt . display a crane . unfold the legs of the crane , and cut off his wings by the joynts ; then take up his wings and legs , and make sauce of mustard , salt , vinegar , and a little beaten ginger . to cut up a turkey . raise up the leg very fair , and open the joynt with the point of your knife , but cut it not off ; then lace down the breast with the point of your knife , and open the breast pinion , but take it not off , then raise up the merry-thought betwixt the breast-bone and the top , then lace down the flesh on both sides the breast-bone , and raise up the flesh , called the brawn , and turn it outward upon both sides , but break it not , nor cut it off , then cut off the wing-pinions at the joynt next the body , and stick in each side the pinion in the place you turned out the brawn , but cut off the sharp end of the pinion , and take the middle piece , and that will fit just in the place ; you may cut up a capon , or pheasant the same way . break a sarcel , or teal , or egript . raise the legs and wings of the teal , and no sauce but salt . wing a partridge , or quail . raise his legs and wings , as of a hen , and if you mince him , make sauce with a little white-wine , and a little beaten ginger , keeping him warm upon a chafing-dish of coals , till you serve him . to untach a curlew , or brew . take either of them , and raise their legs , as before , and no sauce but salt . to unbrace a mallard . raise up the pinion and legs , but take them not off , and raise the merry-thought from the breast , and lace down each side with your knife , waving it two and fro . to sauce a capon . lift up the right leg of the capon , and also the right wing , and so lay it in the dish in the posture of flying , and so serve them ; but remember , that capons and chickens be only one sauce , and chickens must have green sauce , or verjuice . bills of fare for all times of the tear ; and also for extraordinary occasions . a bill of fare for the spring season . 1. a collar of brawn and mustard . 2. a neats-tongue and udder . 3. boyled chickens . 4. green geese . 5. a lumbard-pye . 6. a dish of young rabbits . second course . 1. a haunch of venison . 2. veal roasted . 3. a dish of soles , or smelts . 4. a dish of asparagus . 5. tansie . 6. tarts and custards . a bill of fare for midsomer . 1. a neats-tongue and colliflowers . 2. a fore-quarter of lamb. 3. a chicken-pye . 4. boyled pigeons . 5. a couple of stewed rabbits . 6. a breast of veal roasted . second course . 1. a artichoak-pye . 2. a venison-pasty . 3. lobsters and salmon . 4. a dish of pease . 5. a gooseberry-tart . 6. a dish of strawberries . a bill of fare for autumn , or harvest . 1. a capon and white broath . 2. a westphalia ham , with pigeons . 3. a grand sallet . 4. a neats-tongue and udder roasted . 5. a powdered goose. 6. a turkey roasted . second course . 1. a potato , or chicken pye. 2. roasted patridges . 3. larks and chickens . 4. a made dish . 5. a warden pye , or tart. 6. custards . a bill of fare for winter season . 1. a collar of brawn . 2. a lambs head and white broath . 3. a neats-tongue and udder roasted . 4. a dish of minc'd pyes . 5. a venison , or lamb-pye . 6. a dish of chickens . second course . 1. a side of lamb. 2. a dish of wild-ducks . 3. a quince-tart . 4. a couple of capons roasted . 5. a turkey roasted . 6. a dish of custards . a bill of fare upon an extraordinary occasion . 1. a collar of brawn . 2. a couple of pullets boyled . 3. a bisk of fish. 4. a dish of c●rps . 5. a grand boyled meat . 6. a grand sallet . 7. a venison pasty . 8. a roasted turkey . 9. a fat pig. 10. a powdered goose. 11. a haunch of venison roasted . 12. a neats-tongue and udder roasted . 13. a westphalia ham boyled . 14. a joll of salmon . 15. minced pyes . 16. a sur-loyn of roast beef . 17. cold baked meats . 18. a dish of custards . second course . 1. jellies of all sorts . 2. a dish of pheasants . 3. a pike boyled . 4. an oyster-pye . 5. a dish of plovers . 6. a dish of larks . 7. a joll of sturgeon . 8. a couple of lobsters . 9. a lumber-pye . 10. a couple of capons . 11. a dish of patridges . 12. a fricacie of fowls . 13. a dish of wild-ducks . 14. a dish of cram'd chickens . 15. a dish of stewed oysters . 16. a marchpane . 17. a dish of fruits . 18. a dish of tarts . a bill of fare for fish-days . 1. a dish of butter and eggs. 2. a barrel of oysters . 3. a pike boyled . 4. a stewed carp. 5. an eel-pye . 6. a pole of ling. 7. a dish of green fish buttered with eggs. 8. a dish of stewed oysters . 9. a spinage sallet boyled . 10. a dish of soles . 11. a joll of fresh salmon . 12. a dish of smelts fry'd . second course . 1. a couple of lobsters . 2. a roasted spitcheock . 3. a dish of anchovies . 4. fresh cod. 5. a bream roasted . 6. a dish of trouts . 7. a dish of plaice boyled . 8. a dish of perches . 9. a carp farced . 10. a potato-pye . 11. a dish of prawns buttered . 12. tenches with short broth. 13. a dish of turbut . 14. a dish of eel-pouts . 15. a sturgeon with short broth . 16. a dish of tarts and custards . a bill of fare for a gentlemans house about candlemas . 1. a pottage with a hen. 2. a chatham pudding . 3. a fricacie of chickens . 4. leg of mutton with a sallet . garnish your dishes with barberries . second course . 1. a chine of mutton . 2. a chine of veal . 3. a lark-pye . 4. a couple of pullets , one larded . garnished with orange-slices . third course . 1. a dish of woodcocks . 2. a couple of rabbits . 3. a dish of asparagus . 4. a westphalia gammon . last course . 1. two orange-tarts , one with herbs . 2. a bacon-tart . 3. an apple-tart . 4. a dish of bon-chriteen-pears . 5. a dish of pippins . 6. a dish of pear-mains . a banquet for the same season . 1. a dish of apricots . 2. a dish of marmalade of pippins . 3. a dish of preserved cherries . 4. a whole red quince . 5. a dish of dryed sweet-meats . finis . a table to the art of preserving , conserving , and candying . a. almond-butter . pag. 7 almond-candle . 69. almond-milk . 10. angellets to make . 15 angelica-roots preserved . 30 angelica water . 23 apricot-cakes . 48 apricots preserved . 10 aqua composita . 35 aqua mirabilis . 12 artichoak-bottoms pickled . 118 artichoaks to pickle . 94 artificial claret-wine . 38 artificial malmsey . 28 artificial oranges . 87 artificial walnuts . 81 b. banbury-cakes . 54 barberries candyed . 75 barberries preserved . 76 barley-water . 34 baum-water . 36 bisket-cakes to make . 36 black-cherry-wine . 81 bragget to make . 122 broom-buds to pickle . 36 burrage-flowers to candy 47 dr. burges plague-water 40. c. cakes of limon . 80 capon-water . 83 carraway cake . 91 candying pears , plums , and apricots . 8 caudle of great virtue . 66 cherries to candy . 70 cherries dryed in the sun. 41 cherries preserved . 4 cherry-wine . 13 cherries to dry . 24 chesiuts kept all the year . 79 china-broath . 84 chips of quinces . 10● crystal jelly to make . 45 cinamon s●gar . 74 cinamon-water . 2 clove-gilly flowers to pickle . 72 comfortable syrup . 69 comfits of all sorts to make . 112 conserve of barberries . 2 conserve of burrage-flowers . 43 conserve of bugloss flowers . 101 conserve of damsons . 28 conserve of oranges . 5 conserve of prua s. 44 conserve of qunces . 19 conserve of roses . 2 conserve of rosemary . 23 conserve of sage . 116 conserve to strengthen the back . 35 conserve of strawberries . 44 conserves for tarts all the year . 49 cock-ale to make . 9 cordial strengthning broath . 77 cream of apricots . 76 cream of codlings . 8 cream of quinces . 9 cream-tarts . cornelians to pickle . 120 cordial water of clove gilly flowers . 92 cucumbers to pickle . 8 cucumbers preserved green . 79 cullice to make . 77 currans preserved . 14 currans-wine . 115 d. damask-water . 57 damsons preserved . 7 dr. deodates drink for the scurvy . 35 date-leach . 62 dry vinegar to make . 62 e. elder-vinegar . 83 elecampane-roots candyed . 74 eringo roots candyed . 73 excellent broth. 15 excellent hippocras presently . 37 excellent jelly . 10 excellent sur●eit-water . 93 excellent sweet water . 40 f fine cakes . 56 flomery-caudle . 97 french beans to pickle . 10 french bisket to make . 27 fruits dryed . ●0 fruits preserved all the year . 97 g. ginger to candy . 43 ginger-bread to make . 55 gooseberry-cakes . 14 gooseberry paste . 102 gooseberries preserved . 29 grapes to candy . 78 grapes preserved . 13 h. hartichoaks preserved . 53 hippocras to make . 6 honey of mulberries . 107 honey of raisins . 108 honey of roses . 20 hydromel to make . 95 i jelly of almonds white . 62 jelly of apples . 121 jelly of currans . 106 jelly of harts-horn . 16 jelly of quinces . 105 jelly of strawberries and mulberries . 46 jelly of gooseberries . 121 jelly of raspices . 111 imperial water . 59 italian bisket . 27 italian marmalade . 122 jumbals to make . 61 k. kings persume . 22 k. edwards persume . 22 l. leach of almonds . 72 leach lumbard . 57 leach to make . 50 limon and orange-peel pickled . 102 lozenges of roses . 101 m. manus christi . 44 marmalade of cherries . 96 marmalade of currans . 88 marmalade of grapes . 119 marmalade of oranges . 11● marmalade of oranges and limons . 23 marmalade of quinces . 6 mackroons to make . 4 marchpane to make . 9 marygolds candyed in wedges . 73 mathiolus bezoar water . 88 mead , or metheglin to make 25 mead pleasant to make . 89 medlars preserved . 99 mint-water . 93 muscadine comfits . 42 musk-balls to make . 59 musk-sugar . 103 mulberries preserved . 99 n. naples-bisket to make . 100 nutmegs to candy . 114 o. oranges and limons candyed . 25 oranges to bake . 28 orange-peels candyed . 63 oranges preserved . ● oranges preserved portugal fashion . 25 orange-water . 65 oyl of sweet almonds . ●8 oyl of violets . 9 p. paste of apricots . 117 paste of cherries . 116 paste of genua . 50 paste of quinces . 55 paste royal. 47 paste of tender plums . 85 paste of violets . 63 peaches preserved . 29 pears or plums to candy . 18 perfume for gloves . 33 pippins dryed . 49 pippins preserved green . 41 pippins preserved red . 64 pippins preserved white . 30 plague-water . 109 pome citrons preserved . 71 pomander to make . 28 pomatum to make . 18 poppy-water . 87 prince-bisket . 104 purslain to pickle . 13 q. quiddany of cherries . 24 quiddany of quinces . 51 quiddany of plums . 75 queens perfume . 22 quince-cakes to make . 1 quince-cakes clear . 111 quince-cakes red . 110 quince-cakes white . 109 quince-cakes thin . 56 quince-cream . 76 quinces preserved red . 7 quinces preserved white . 3 quinces to pickle . 108 r. rasberry-cream . 94 rasberry-wine . 37 raspices preserved . 3 red currans-cream . 98 red and white currans pickled . 98 rich cordial . 98 rose-leaves candyed . 104 rosemary-water . 17 rosemary-flowers candyed . 46 roses preserved whole . 10 rose-vinegar . 8 rose-water . 70 rosa solis to make . 4 s. snow-cream . 9 spirit of amber greece 35 spirit of honey . 53 spirit of roses . 64 spirit of wine . 20 dr. stephens water . 12 steppony to make . 90 strawberry wi●e . 92 spots out of cloaths . 79 suckets to make . 56 suckets of green walnuts . 7 suckets of lettuce stalks . 10 sugar-cakes to make 78 sugar-leach . 61 sugar of roses . 86 sugar-plate to make . 27 surfeit-water . 66 sweet cakes without sugar . 52 sweet meat of apples . 115 sweet bags for linnen . 52 syllabub to make . 89 symbals to make . 5 syrup of apples . 82 syrup of citron-peels . 32 syrup of cinamon . 32 syrup of comfrey . 108 syrup of cowslips . 23 syrup of elder . 65 syrup of clove gilly flowers . 5 syrup of harts-horn . 33 syrup of hyssop . 42 syrup of licorise . 2● syrup of limons . 20 syrup for the lungs . 53 syrup of maiden-hair . 21 syrup of mints . 106 syrup of poppies . 19 syrup of purslain . 107 syrup of quinces . 31 syrup of roses . 68 syrup of saffron . 70 syrup for short-wind . 67 syrup of sugar-candy . 67 syrup against scurvy . 68 syrup of violets . 6 syrup of wormwood . 19 syrup of vinegar . 82 syder to make . 90 t. trifle to make . 74 treacle-water to make . 31 v. verjuice to make . 60 ●s●●ebah to make . 26 w. walnuts preserved . 14 walnut-water . 31 washing-balls to make . 59 wasers to make . 13 waters against consumptions . 34 water against fits of mother . 18 wormwood-wine . 52 wormwood water . 55 white damsons preserved green . 80 white leach of cream . 71 white mead. 100 whipt syllabub . 96 the table to physick , beautifying waters , and secrets in angling . a. ach of the joynts . 132 ach or pain . 129 ad capiendum pisces . 211 ague in the breast . 156 agues in children . 151 ague to cure. 129 another . 132 another . 140 another . 140 allom-water to make . 162 b. back to strengthen . 130 baits for barbels . 230 baits for bream . 232 baits for carp or tench . 219 baits for chub and pike . 220 baits for eels . 231 bait for fish all the year . 211 baits for gudgeons . 229 bait with gentles . 2●7 baits for perch . 225 baits for roch and dace . 212 baits for salmon . 233 baits for trout . 228 beauty to procure . 196 beauty water for the fa●e . 197 beauty-water , called , lac virginis . 178 biting of a mad-dog . 137 blasting to cure. 152 bleeding at the nose . 1●6 bleeding of a wound . 156 bloody-flux , or scowring . 154 black plaister for all griefs . 172 bone or quills dyed red for fishing . 207 breath to make sweet . 191 breath to sweeten , another . 191 c. cancer to cure . 136 cancer in a womans breast to cure . 155 caps to sight for fishing . 207 cement for floats to fish. 207 childblains in hands or feet to cure . 194 conception to procute . 143 consumption to cure . 144 cough dry to cure . 135 cordial julip . 147 corns to cure . 166 cramp to cure . 132 d. deafness to cure . 138 deafness , another . 142 delicate washing-ball . 19● dentrifice to whiten the teeth 189 drink to heal wounds . 169 dropsie to cure . 138 dropsie , another . 146 e. ears running to help . 192 ears pained to cure . 158 electuary of life . 162 excellent beauty-water . 195 excellent complexion to procure . 196 excellent cordial . 140 excellent salve . 152 excellent wash for beauty 195 eyes blood-shot . 192 eye-water . 147 f. face and skin to cleanse . 177 face to adorn. 177 face to beautifie . 177 face to look youthful . 177 face to make fair . 176 face to make very fair . 179 face pitted by the small-pox . 183 face to whiten . 181 falling off of hair to prevent 176 falling-sickness , or convulsions . 134 falling-sickness , another . 145 fevers or agues in children . 130 fellon to kill . 155 fishing-lines to make . 205 fishing●lines to unloose in water . 210 fits of the mother . 148 fistula , or ulcer . 149 fits of the mother , a julip . 153 flowers to bring down . 165 flowers to stay . 166 flyes used in angling , to make . 235 flux red to cure . 155 flux white to cure . 155 freckles in the face . 180 freckles and morphew . 188 g. gascoign powder to make . 157 gout to cure . 128 gout , lord dennies medicine . 159 green-sickness to cure . 138 green-sickness , a powder . 169 griping of the guts to cure . 128 h. hands to make white . 192 hands to whiten . 198 hands , a sweet water . 199 hair to make grow . 174 hair to grow thick . 174 hair to make fair . 173 hair to take away . 176 head-ach to cure . 130 heat of the liver . 163 heat and swelling in the face . 185 heat or worms in the hands . 199 i. jaundies black to cure. 131 jaundies yellow to cure. 131 imposthume to break . 137 inflamed face to cure. 186 itch , or breaking out to cure . 167 itch , another . 136 k. c. k●nts powder to make 132 kings-evil to cure . 137 l. lax , or looseness . 141 lips chopt to cure . 193 m. marks of small pox to prevent . 193 megrim , or imposthume in the head. 1●7 mis-carrying to prevent . 134 moist seabs after small-pox . 165 morphew or scurff of pace or skin . 181 mouth to cleanse . 191 n. nails cloven to cure . 200 nails that fall off . 200 nails to make grow . 199 nails rent from the flesh. 200 nostrils stinking to cure . 198 o. oyl of fennel . 171 oyl of st. iohns wort . 170 oyl of roses . 166 oyntment green to make . 148 oyntment for pimples in the face 186 p. paste for fishing . 2●2 piles to destroy . 136 piles after child-birth . 167 pimples in the face to cure 186 pimples in the face , another 184 plague to cure . 131 plague-water . 146 pleurisie to cure . 1●4 pock holes in the face . 194 pomatum to clear the skin . 187 powder for green-sickness . 169 r. red face to cure . 185 redness , hands and face by small pox . 183 redness to take away , another , 184 rich face-to help . 186 rheumatick cough or cold. 154 rickets in children . 149 s. scald head. 146 sciatica , or pains in the joynts 129 scurvy to cure . 127 scurvy , another . 142 secrets in angling , by j. d. 209 shingles to cure . 149 skin to clear . 187 skin to smooth , and take away freckles . 201 skin to make white and clear . 180 skin to make smooth . 180 sore breast to cure . 144 spitting of blood. 156 spleen to cure . 168 sprain in the back . 139 dr. stephens water . 161 stinking breath to cure . 190 stitch in the side . 167 stench under the arm● holes 201 stone and gravel . 127 sun-burn to take away 179 swooning-fits 163 t. termes to provoke 154 teeth to make white and sound 189 teeth to keep white and kill worms 190 teeth white as jvory 119 teeth in children to breed easily 150 toothach to cure 145 tertian or double tertian ague 168 thorn to draw out 170 timpany to cure 153 tissick to cure 171 u. unguentum album to make 135 w. warts in the face or hands 201 washing b●ll to make 193 water for eyesight by king edward the 6. 158 water for the eyes excellent 164 water for sore eyes 139 web in the eye 165 wen to cure 145 dr. willoughbyes water 161 wind to help 145 wind & flegun in children 1●0 woman in travel 149 woman soon delivered 150 worms in children 152 worms in children another 135 worms to clease for fishing 208 wrinckles in the face 178 whites to cure 135 y. yellow jaundies 201 young children to go to stool 151 the table to the compleat cooks guid. a. almond cream 317 almond pudding 317 almond tart 320 apple pyes to fry 281 artichoakes fryed 255 a●ichoake pye 274 b. bacon tart 25● b●rley broth 2●7 beef pasty like red deer 262 beef to keep sweet 298 beef to stew 333 beef to stew french fash●●n 283 black puddings 245 birds to stew l. butlers way 328 bisket bread 244 brawn tender & delicate 298 b. breams stewed 358 breast or loyn mutton stewed 3●4 breast of veal baked 289 butter to draw for sauce 364 c. calves foot pye 312 calves feet baked 344 calves feet roasted 280 calves head baked 322 capon or pullet boyld 269 capon boyld with sage and pa●fly 293 capon boyld with asparagus 221 capon boyld with sugar pease 284 capon boyld with white-broth 292 capon or chicken several compositions 343 carp pye 316 carp to stew 271 cheescakes to make 242 cheese fresh to make 274 chine of beef poudered 286 cherry tart 310 chicken pye 316 chucks of veal to bake 339 citron pudding 300 clowted cream 296 cods head to dress 287 codling tart 309 cocks or barks to boyl 331 collops of beef stewed 262 cows udder roasted 308 cows●ip tart 321 cream of eggs 258 cracknels to make 326 custards to make 278 d. damson tart 261 dish of marrow 244 dish of meat with herbs 257 dutch pudding 282 e. eels to boyl 285 eel pye 305 eel pye with oysters 266 eels to roast 330 eels to soufe 252 egg pye 243 excellent mincet pyes 334 f. feasant stewed french fashion 244 fillet beef stewed ital. fashion 342 fine pudding in a dish 258 flounders or jacks to boyl 303 flounders stewed 365 french barley posset 339 french pottage called skink 294 fricasy of chickens 265 fricasy of rabbits 325 fricasy of veal 2●0 furmity to make 248 g. goose to bake 281 goosberry cream 295 grand sallet 268 green sauce 275 h. haggis pudding 257 haunch ofvenison boyled 304 haunch of venison rosted 254 hare to roast 345 hash of a capon or pullet 28● hen carbonadoed 254 herring pye 245 hotchpot to make 323 i. italian pudding 324 iunket to make 327 l. lamb pye 241 leg of pork broild 343 limon caudle 323 m. made dish of apples 302 mallard to stew 340 marrow pasties 275 marrow puddings 272 medler tart 323 n. neats f●ot pye 249 neats tongues to dry 328 neats tongues fryed 345 neats tongue-pye 353 neats tongue & udder 298 o. oatmeal pudding 360 oysters to pickle 332 p. pannado to make 299 past for all tarts 290 pear or warden pye 306 pe●ch●● to boyl 284 pig to bake court fashion 336 pig to souse 256 pidgeon pye to make 341 pickarel to bake 236 pippin pye 351 polonian sausages 297 pottage of a capon 350 pudding to bake ●90 pudding of rice 361 pudding of hogs liver 337 puff-past to make 266 q quaking pudding 295 quince pye 250 r. rabbits to bake 279 rabbits to hash 273 rabbits to stew 340 rare broth 347 rare pudding 324 rice pudding 242 rice tart 309 rost beef pickled 334 s. sallet of a cold hen 268 sallet of green pease 355 salmon to boyl 263 salmon to keep fresh 297 sauce for mutton 366 sack posset to make 273 sauce for pidgeons 307 sauce for turkys & capons 367 sauce for wildfowl 307 sansages to make 282 scotch collops of veal 276 scollops to b●oil 259 shoulder of mutton and oysters 346 spanish oleo 246 sparrows and larks to boyl 291 stewed broth to make 357 sweet breads baked 347 t. tansey to make 312 tansey of cowslips 362 tart of spinage 309 trout to stew 307 v. veal pye to make 288 venison pasty 260 venison to stew 247 umble pye 253 w. watergruel to make 318 widgeons or teal to boyl 288 finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a66834-e15090 * that which kills the oak , i conjecture to be ivy.