Via recta ad vitam longam, or A plaine philosophical discourse of the nature, faculties, and effects, of all such things, as by way of nourishments, and dieteticall obseruations, make for the preseruation of health with their iust applications vnto euery age, constitution of bodie, and time of yeare. Wherein also, by way of introduction, the nature and choice of habitable places, with the true vse of our famous bathes of Bathe is perspicuously demonstrated. By To: Venner, Doctor of Physicke, at Bathe in the spring, and fall, and at other times in the burrough of North-Petherton neere to the ancient hauen-towne of Bridgewater in Somerset-shire.

Whether doth the Phesant, for sweetnesse and wholsomnesse, ex∣cell all other wilde and syluestriall birds? And whether the Teale all other water fowle?

THe Phesant is in all qualities temperate, of easie con∣coction, and comfortable to the stomacke, and of much and excellent nourishment, very profitable for eue∣ry age and constitution. For sweetnesse and pleasantnesse

of taste, it excelleth all other Fowle, and for nourishment, is of a meane betweene the Capon and the Partridge: ve∣rily, for goodnesse and pleasantnesse of flesh, it may of all syluestriall Fowle, well challenge the first place at tables, for it giueth a most perfect and temperate nourishment to them that be healthy, and to the weake, sickly, or that are vpon a recouery vnto health, there is not so profitable a flesh, for it is very delightsome to a weake stomacke, and quickly, by reason of the pure and restauratiue nourish∣ment, which it giueth, repaireth weake and feeble strengths: wherefore, for bodies that are naturally leane, weake, or extenuated by long sicknesse, it is farre better then the flesh of any other Fowle.

Next to the Phesant, for goodnesse of meat, is the Par∣tridge, * 1.1 so it bee young: for the flesh of old Partridges, is neither to the pallat, nor stomacke, very welcome, especi∣ally if they be not fat, for it is of a very dry temperature, of hard concoction, and of a dry and melancholike nourish∣ment: wherefore they are in no wise conuenient for the melancholike, or such as are subiect to costiuenesse. But the flesh of them that be young, is of a laudable temper, of easie concoction, and very acceptable to the stomacke, it yeeldeth verie good nourishment, which impinguateth the bodie, helpeth the memorie encreaseth seede, and exci∣teth Venus: They are conuenient for euery age and con∣stitution; especially for them that haue moyst stomacks, that are subiect to fluxes, and that are in statu conualescentiae. The young ones, that are taken euen as they are readie to flie, and afterwards fatted, are the best, for they make a pure and excellent nourishment. They are onely hurtfull to Country-men, because they breede in them the Asthma∣tick passion, which is a short and painful fetching of breath, by reason whereof they will not be able to vndergoe their vsuall labours. Whe•…•…fore, when they shall chance to meet with a Couie of young Partridges, they were much better to bestow them vpon such, for whom they are conuenient, then to aduenture (notwithstanding their strong stomacks)

the eating of them, seeing that there is in their flesh, such an hidden and perilous antipathie vnto their bodies.

Quailes are not for goodnesse and pleasantnesse of meat, * 1.2 so wholsome as they are accompted, for they haue in their flesh much moyst and excrementall iuyce, by reason wher∣of they quickly putrifie in the stomacke, and make a bad nourishment. But they are corrected, by baking them well seasoned with pepper, cloues, and salt. Some haue iudged them, by reason of their great moysture, to bee onely pro∣fitable for melancholike bodies; but their colour and taste, prooue their nourishment to be rather quickly conuerted into melancholy; except you wil, that their flesh haue a cer∣tain kind of force against melancholy, by reason of a great desire, that these birds haue to feed vpon Hellebor, which is a purger of melancholy. But yet for all this, you shall not haue my assent, that they are good for melancholike bo∣dies, because the incommodum will be maius, commodo, as by that which shall be by and by shewed, may be collected. In my opinion, they are best agreeable to them that bee cho∣lericke, and most hurtfull to the aged, and to all cold, moyst, phlegmatick, & paralitick bodies. Some there are, that affirme Quailes, by reason of some maglignity in their nature, to be worse then any other fowle, and scarcely whol∣some for meate, which malignity they acquire by feeding vpon Hellebor, which they greatly desire, and other ve∣nomous seedes: and Plinie writeth, that they alone, of all liuing creatures besides man, suffer the falling sicknesse. Wherof they conclude, that the vse of them engendereth the cramp, a trembling of the limbes, and falling sicknesse. To that which others haue studiously obserued concer∣ning the nature of these birds, I may well assent, seeing that euen the verie colour, temperature, and sauor of their flesh doe confirme the same. But there are few (I think•…•…) that would feare to incurre the aforesayd hurts, by eating of them, if they might haue them. Indeede the scarsitie of them vpholdeth their reputation, and the hurts that come by the seldome eating of them are not sensible, but to the

curious Indagator and Obseruer of things; but if they had their fill of them, as they haue of any other common flesh, they would out of their experience esteeme of them, no better then they do deserue. But to preuent and amend, in some measure, the naughty nature of them, it shall bee good to nourish them some time in a conuenient place, with good and wholsome seedes, and afterwards to bake them, as aforesayd.

Railes are of light digestion, and of wholsome nourish∣ment, * 1.3 they are good for cuery age and constitution, especi∣ally for them that be phlegmaticke.

The flesh of Turtle-Doues is of a dry temperature, and * 1.4 therefore if they be old, it is of hard concoction, and bree∣deth a naughty melancholike bloud. But the flesh of them that be young, and not aboue a yeere old, is acceptable to the taste, of easie concoction, and of very good nourish∣ment, but most profitable for moyst and phlegmatick bo∣dies. It is thought to haue an excellent propertie of com∣forting the braine, and quickning the wit.

The Black-Bird or Owsle that is fat, is greatly commen∣ded * 1.5 for pleasantnesse of taste, lightnesse of digestion, and goodnesse of nourishment.

The Thrush that is of a darke reddish colour, is of the same nature: they are best in the winter, and are conueni∣ent * 1.6 for euery age and constitution of bodie, especially for the phlegmaticke.

Larkes are of a delicate taste in eating, light of digestion, * 1.7 and of good nourishment, they are good for all constituti∣on•…•…, but best for the phlegmaticke.

Woodcocks are of easie concoction, and of indifferent * 1.8 good nourishment. Some iudge them to approch some∣what neere vnto the nature of the Partridge, and therefore is of them called the rusticke Partridge; but the flesh of the Woodcocke is more excrementall then of the Partridge, more inclining to melancholy, and of a more ingratefull fauour.

The Snite, for goodnesse of meat, is inferiour to the * 1.9

Woodcocke, for he is of a more vnpleasant sauour, of har∣der concoction, and giueth to the bodie a more excremen∣tall and melancholicke nourishment. Both the Snite and Woodcocke are least of all profitable for them that be melancholicke.

Heathcocks are of much, and laudable nourishment, * 1.10 and also of easie concoction: they are conuenient for e∣uery age, and temperature of bodie.

Feildfares are of a dry and melancholick substance, and * 1.11 therefore neither for concoction, taste or nourishment commendable.

Sparrowes are of an hot temperature, of hard conco∣ction, * 1.12 and of euill iuyce, especially if they be eaten'rosted, for then they make a dry, cholericke, and melancholicke nourishment. But being boyled in broth, they become wholesome, and the broth restoratiue.

Linnets are both for lightnes of digestion, and good∣nes * 1.13 of meat better then Sparrowes.

The Crane is of an hard and fibrous substance, and of a * 1.14 cold and dry temperature: wherefore the flesh is of very ill and melancholicke iuyce, of very hard concoction, and of much more excrement then nutriment. After that he is killed and exenterated, it is good to hang him vp a day or two before he be eaten, for by that meanes, the flesh will be the moretender, and lesse vnwholesome.

The Bustard, if he be leane, is in temperament, excre∣ment, * 1.15 and euilnes of iuyce very like vnto the Crane. But being fat, and kept without meat a day or two before he be killed to expulse his ordure, and then exenterated, and han∣ged as the crane, and afterwards baked, well seasoned with pepper, cloues and salte, is for them that haue strong sto∣macks a good, fit, and well nourishing meat.

The Heron is of a very hard and fibrous substance, it is * 1.16 hardly digested, and breedeth an ill melancholicke bloud. Moreouer the flesh is of a fishie sauour, which in flesh, is a note of greatest prauitie. But the young Heronshowes * 1.17 are with some accounted a very dainty dish: indeed they

are of a more tender flesh, and consequently of lighter di∣gestion, and better nourishment, if there be any good in them at all; but I leaue them and commend them vnto such as are delighted with meats of strange and noysome taste.

The Byttour is also of hard concoction, of euill taste, * 1.18 and also of vnprofitable and excrementall iuyce.

The Storke is of hard substance, of a wilde sauour, and * 1.19 of very naughty iuyce: for he feedeth vpon venemous wormes &c, which he taketh vp out of the waters: and therefore let him be excluded from tables.

The Seagull is to be reiected as all other kindes of flesh of a fishie sauour: for he is of a very ill iuyce, and is not * 1.20 onely vnpleasant, but also very offensiue to the stomacke.

Teale, for pleasantnes and wholesomnes of meat excel∣leth * 1.21 all other water-fowle: for it is easily digested, accep∣table to the stomacke, and the nourishment which it giueth is very commendable and good, lesse excrementall, then of any other water-fowle. It is conuenient for euery age and constitution, and commendable also euen for them, that be weake and sickly, and so is not any other water-fowle.

The Radge is next vnto Teale in goodnes: But yet * 1.22 there is great difference in the nourishment which they make; for that which commeth of the Radge, is much more excrementall then that of the Teale. Neither is the Radge so pleasant to the taste, nor by much, so acceptable to the stomack, as is the Teale.

Plouer is ofsome reputed a dainty meat, and very whol∣some; but they which so iudge, are much deceiued: for * 1.23 it is of slow digestion, increaseth melancholy, and yeeldeth litle good nourishment to the bodie. The like may be said of the Lapwincke. But the Plouer for goodnes of meat shall haue the precedence, and be next to the Radge. * 1.24

Wigeon and Curlew are of hard digestion, and of a dry and melancholicke nourishment: they are good for them * 1.25 that liue neere to moores, and that haue no better meat.

The flesh of the Fenducke or Moore-hen seemeth for * 1.26 the fatnes of it commendable; but it is of hard concocti∣on, and of grosse and excrementall iuyce. Those that are healthy, and haue strong stomacks, may boldly eat thereof; but I wish other to beware of it.

Ducks, whether tame or wilde, are in no wise commen∣dable; for they chiefely feede vpon the very filth, and ex∣crementall * 1.27 vermine of the earth. The flesh of them is nei∣ther for smell or taste commendable: it is fulsome and vn∣acceptable to the stomacke, and filleth the bodie with ob∣scure and naughty humors. The flesh of domesticke or tame Ducks, giueth much, grosse, and somewhat an hot nourishment, but very excrementall. The flesh of the wilde ones is of a colder temper, & not so excrementall: they are onely conuenient for strong and rusticke bodies. But the Ducklings that are well fed with wholsome graine, * 1.28 are of lighter digestion, more gratefull to the taste, and of wholesomer nourishment; yet let olde men, and such as are phlegmaticke, or haue weake stomacks, beware how they vse them.

The flesh of stuble Geese is of very hard concoction, of * 1.29 an ingratefull sauour, and of grosse, melancholicke, and excrementall iuyce. But the young Geese, which are commonly called greene Geese, are of lighter concoction, of better taste, and of wholesomer iuyce, especially if they * 1.30 be fatted with wholesome graine. They are best agreable to cholericke bodies; but they are not good meate for olde men, for them that be cold and moist by constituti∣on, or haue weake stomacks.

The Swan in digestion and nutriment, is very like vnto * 1.31 the Goose; but as he is greater then the Goose, so is he also of a more heauy, grosser, and more difficult substance to be digested. He yeeldeth best nourishment being ba∣ked and well seasoned with pepper, cloues, and salt. It is a strong melancholicke meat, and therefore conuenient for them that vse great labours, and haue strong stomacks; but not for them that be aged, or liue a restfull and delicate

course of life. Thus much of Fowle. Other also there are, which (because they areseldome in vse) I omit: and for them therefore let this suffice, that there is no small difference betweene those that liue in marish places, lakes, or standing pooles, and them that wander and feede vpon hills, or other dry places: for according to the nature and temperature of the places, the flesh not onely of Fowle, but also of beast, is either competently dry, and free of excre∣ments, and easie to be digested; or moist and excrementi∣tiall, and hard to be digested.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Partridge.
• * 1.2

  Quailes.
• * 1.3

  Railes.
• * 1.4

  Turtle-Dou•…•…s.
• * 1.5

  Black-Birds.
• * 1.6

  Thrush.
• * 1.7

  Larkes.
• * 1.8

  Woodcocks.
• * 1.9

  Snites.
• * 1.10

  Heath-cocks.
• * 1.11

  Feildfares.
• * 1.12

  Sparrowes.
• * 1.13

  Linnets.
• * 1.14

  Crane.
• * 1.15

  Bustard.
• * 1.16

  Heron.
• * 1.17

  Heronshow.
• * 1.18

  Byttour.
• * 1.19

  Storke.
• * 1.20

  Seagull.
• * 1.21

  Teale.
• * 1.22

  Radge.
• * 1.23

  Plouer.
• * 1.24

  Lapwincke.
• * 1.25

  Wigeen. Curlew.
• * 1.26

  Fenducke or Moore-hen,
• * 1.27

  Ducks,
• * 1.28

  Ducklings.
• * 1.29

  Goose.
• * 1.30

  Greene Geese.
• * 1.31

  Swan.