Healths improvement: or, Rules comprizing and discovering the nature, method, and manner of preparing all sorts of food used in this nation. Written by that ever famous Thomas Muffett, Doctor in Physick: corrected and enlarged by Christopher Bennet, Doctor in Physick, and fellow of the Colledg of Physitians in London.

CHAP. IX. (Book 9)

Of the Flesh of Wild Beasts, or Venison. (Book 9)

Wild Bore, and Wild Sow.

OF all Venison, Hippocrates most commendeth the flesh of a Wild Sow, because it is not only an ex∣cellent * 1.1nourishing and strengthening meat, but also me∣dicinable to keep us from costiffness. Reason teacheth us that it is farr above tame Pork or Swines flesh: First, because it feeds more purely; secondly, because it hath not meat brought to hand, but gets it by travail, and hath choice of Diet to feed whereon it listeth. Thirdly, it is not penn'd up (as commonly our Swine be) in a little Close and stinking Stie, but enjoyeth the benefit of a clear aire, which clarifieth bloud, as much as any meat can augment it. It is a rare meat in England, and found only (as I have been enformed) in my Lord Latimers Woods, who took great pleasure in hunting them, and made also wild Buls of tame ones, as our fore-Fathers (more wise∣ly) made tame of wild.

If they be young, fat, fully grown, and taken in chaso, in the Winter time (presently after mast is fallen) they are unfit for few mens stomacks, being thus prepared as I have seen them drest in High-Germany. First, after the flesh is throughly cold, parboil it in Rhenish Wine, where∣in ripe Juniper berries were sodden: then having taken it out and sliced it, season every slice or cut thereof with Pepper, Salt, Cloves, Mace, Ginger, and Nutmegs, of each a sufficient quantity, last of all make it in paste,

with good store of sweet butter and it will prove a most excellent meat to be eaten cold.

Wild Calves are common in Wales upon the Mountains: whence one was brought this last Christmas to Ludlow Castle, where I did eat of it rosted and bak'd; and by taste I find it more firm and dry, and by the effects of di∣gestion, more wholsom and passable then our ordinary Veal.

Red and Fallow Deer.

Now concerning Deers Flesh, which Isaac in his old age so much longed for; some imagin it to be the worst meat of all others, and some conceive it to be the best. * 1.2Galen numbreth it amongst hard, meclancholique, and gross Meats, comparing, yea almost preferring Asses flesh before it; ascribing also unto it ill concoction, ill nourishment, stoppings, and quartane Feavers. Roger * 1.3Bacon thinks it one of the best meats, if it be so young that we can digest it: For, saith he (Quod diu sem tipsum, alios illud diu conservare potest) that which long liveth by its own nature, maketh also others to live long. But by his leave, we may then feed better upon Ravens then Capons, for these never live above seaven yeares, and a Raven li∣veth to nine hundred yeares, if Virgil be not deceived. Plutarch thinketh Deer an unwholsom meat, because it is of a cold and melancholick constitution. And how * 1.4proveth he that? forsooth 1. because he is fearful: second∣ly because if he were of a hot complexion (as the wilde Bore is) his teares would be sweet, as his be; but the teares of a Deere (and especially of a Stagg) are salt: ergo, he is of a cold and dry constitution. But Empedocles was of sounder opinion, who ascribeth all teares to the wor∣king of heat: for as milke yieldeth whey by stirring, chur∣ning and pressing, so any violent passion (be it joy or greife, anger or pitty) churneth the blood, stirreth the humors,

and presseth the brain, wherupon teares (the wheyish part of them all) must needs ensue. Furthermore they are thought to be unwholsom, because Bucks and Staggs feed * 1.5much upon snakes: yea as an Ass is to a Lions mouth, or hony to Bears, or Bees to Martlets, so are Serpents to them a most desired meat; whereupon the Grecians call them 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Serpent catchers. Might I be a suffi∣cient Arbitrator between two so Learned men, I would determine the truth to be on either side: For indeed young Venison, whilst it is sucking, is very restorative; neither do I think old Isaac in his declining age to have * 1.6delighted more in it in respect of taste, then in respect of wholsomness and goodness. Also a gelded Deer is neither too dry, nor too cold, but of a temperate con∣stitution, and so void of superfluous or excrementitious humors, that his horns never grow again after he is gelt, which Aristotle, and all Philosophers impute to superfluity of heat and moisture. Nay young Bucks and Does, Hinds and Staggs (whilst they are in season) are a whol∣som and delicate meat, breeding no bad juice of them∣selves, yet bearing often the faults of bad Cooks (which know not how to dress nor use them aright) but more often the deserved reproaches of greedy Gourmands, that cannot moderately use the good creatures of God; either eating venison when they should not, or more liberally and usually then they should. The Italians also * 1.7have this opinion of Venison, that eaten in the morning, it prolongeth life, but eaten towards night, it hasteneth death. Contrariwise old Venison indeed is dry, and perhaps too cold likewise; full of gross, clammy, and in∣corrigible humors: So that the same meat may be whol∣som at some age, in some times, and for some certain com∣plexions, which otherwise in contrary circumstances is unwholsom: yet is it never so pretious as that a man

should venture his life to get it by stealth, as many doe, and have done in Noble mens Parks, yea perhaps in their * 1.8Princes Forrests and chief Chases. Cardan affirmeth that Bucks and Does have no Galls in their bodies, which is rather a signe of good temperature and lightness, then of any dull, dry, or heavy meat. This one thing only I will add, That Keepers of Parks, or at the least their servants and young children, have, upon my knowledge, fed all the year long of little meat else, and yet remain∣ed as strong, healthfull, and active, as any persons could be. Finally, admit Deer be dry; doth not butter a∣mend them? Suppose they be cold; doth not pepper and salt, and baking, give them sufficient heat? Thus, howsoever it falleth out, they are either by preparation (which none can deny) or by nature (as I verily believe) a good nourishment, so that they be chosen in their due season, just age, and moderately fed upon: Neither have we any reason from their unwholsomness to dispark our Parks, or to c••t down Forrests provided for their suc∣cour; nay rather we ought to cherish them for the main∣tenance of Hunting, whereunto if young Gentlemen were addicted, as their Fathers were heretofore (they would be more ready (whereof Hunting is a resemblance) to Warlike purposes and exploits.

Roebuck and Capreol.

But of all Venison Roebuck and Capreol bareth away the bell; for whereas the forenamed beasts are discredi∣ted for their grosness of blood, the Capreol his blood is exceeding fine, through his swift running, and continual frisking and leaping from place to place, whereby his pores are ever opened, and all bad humours consumed by exercise, so that the very smell of his flesh is not hea∣vy nor fulsome (as in other Deer) but fragrant, quick and delightful; neither hath his flesh the ordinary taste of

Venison, but a peculiar and more pleasant taste: neither lyeth it heavy upon any stomack, but is digested as soon as Kid; curing also (as Isaac writeth) the falling sickness, * 1.9colick, dropsie, and abundance of fleam collected in any part. It is permitted to all indifferent stomacks, and for∣bidden onely to Children, colerick constitutions, lean and consumed bodies, shrunck sinews, and burning agues. The Alpes are full of them in high Germany, and some of our mountains of Wales are not without them. They are good roasted, sodden, or baked as red Deer; but you need not to pepper or salt them half so much, for their flesh (even when they are old) is easily digested, and scarce needeth a cup of wine (which other Venison necessari∣ly requireth) to hasten their concoction. Furthermore, where all kinds of other Venison are not good but at cer∣tain seasons, yet the Capreol is never out of season: be∣ing alike wholesome in Sommer and Winter, and alike toothsome, as the borderers of the Alpes do best know, and our owne Country men might perceive if they made trial.

Hares.

* 1.10 Hares or Leverets (the beloved meat of Alexander Severus) taken in hunting, roasted with fresh lard, and * 1.11eaten with Venison sawce, cannot offend a reasonable stomack. Galen saith that the flesh of a Hare prevents fatness, causeth sleep, and cleanseth the blood: how be it * 1.12in another place he saith, that it breedeth gross blood and melancholick humours: which unless he understand on∣ly of old, lean, and unseasonable Hares, experience it self will overthrow him; For take a young Leveret, and let it blood as you do a Pigeon, the flesh of it will be ve∣ry white, tender, and well rellishing; yea little inferiour to a midso••mer Rabbet. Yet I deny not (with Hippocra∣tes) * 1.13that it dryeth more then ordinary meats: for it pro∣voketh

much urine, and so accidentally moistneth little, * 1.14though it be moist enough of its own nature. Pissanel∣lus writeh (and the Italians generally believe it) that eat∣ing of much hares flesh maketh a man fair and merry se∣ven dayes after; For which purpose perhaps they were * 1.15so much in request amongst the Romans, who fatned young Hares in clappers, as we do Connies, finding them so dieted to be a delicate and wholesome meat: tame Hares so prepared are good at all times but wild Hares are best and fattest in the hardest time of Winter. Certain it is, that much eating of Hares flesh procureth leanness; because it is very diuretical, and common sence teacheth, that a man pissing much cannot be fat, because the whey∣ish part of blood (called of Hippocrates 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the sled of nourishment) is sooner expelled then that it can carry nourishment throughout the body. The neither Ger∣mans hang their Hares six or seven daies in the cold and shadowy aire before they flay or dress them: whereby they prove exceeding tender, though a night or two nights hanging were sufficient. We do usually boil the foreparts in broth, and rost only the hinder parts: and not without reason; for as in Kid and Lamb the hinder parts are driest; and therefore we seeth them, the fore∣parts over-moist and therefore we roast them: so contra∣wise a Hare is driest before, and moistest behind.

* 1.16 Now concerning such Medicins, as Matthiolus a∣voucheth to be taken from a Hares harsenet, from his skin, gall, kidneys, bones, stones, haire, blood, and dung; I think it impertinent to the treatise of Diet, which sheweth not how to give Medicines but to use nourish∣ments.

Connies.

It is not to be thought strange that Hippocrates and Galen, and all the Grecians wrote so little of Connies,

which with us, above all other Nations is so common a * 1.17meat. For as Ithaca never bred, nor fostered them, so in all Grece they hardly lived. Here (thanks be to God) they are plentiful, in such sort that Alborne Chase afford∣eth above a hundred thousand couple a year, to the bene∣fit of good house-keeping, and the poors maintenance. Rabbet suckers are best in March, agreeing as well with old melancholick dry, and weak stomacks, as disagreeing with strong and moist complexions. A Midsomer Rab∣bets flesh is less moist and more nourishing; but a Mi∣chaelmas or Winter Rabbet is of firm, wholesome, tem∣perate, and most laudable flesh: best roasted, because their nourishing juice is soon soked out with the least seeth∣ing, making good broth and bad meat. Chuse the Fe∣male before the Male, the fat before the lean, and both from out a chalky ground and a sweet laire.

Hedghoggs.

When I considered how cleanly the Hedghogg feed∣eth, namely upon Cows milk (if he can come by it) or up∣on fruit and mast; I saw no reason to discontinue this meat any longer upon some fantastical dislike; sith books, nature and experience hath commended it unto us. For as Martial made Hares flesh the daintiest dish of the Ro∣mans, * 1.18so in Hippocrates time the Hedghogg was not of least account among the Grecians; which he commend∣eth for an excellent nourishment, were it not something * 1.19too moist and diuretical. Nay (as some affirm) it nourish∣eth plentifully, procureth appetite and sleep, strength∣neth Travailers, preserveth Women with child from mis∣carrying, * 1.20dissolveth knots and kernelly tumours, helps the Lepry, Consumption, Palsy, Dropsie, Stone, and Con∣vulsion; onely it is forbidden unto Melancholick and Flegmatick persons, and such as are vexed with Piles or Hemorhoids.

Squirrels.

Squirrels are much troubled with two diseases, Choler and the Falling-sickness; yet their hinder parts are indif∣ferent good, whilst they are young, fried with parsly and butter: but being no usual nor warrantable good meat, let me skip with them and over them to another tree; for it is time to write of the winged nation, which promise us a second course of more dainty, I will not say of more wholesome meats. Neither shall any discourse * 1.21of Asses flesh (which Maecenas so highly loved, that all Italy was too little to find him Asses enough) nor of horse * 1.22flesh (for longing after which Gregory the third excom∣municated the Germans) nor of Foxes flesh (which the Vandales eat for restorative) nor of Lions flesh (where∣with * 1.23Achilles was dieted in his pupillage) nor of Beares flesh (which the Moscovite calls his great venison) nor of Apes flesh though it most resembleth a man (which the Zygantes in Africa highly esteam & eat of in their so∣lemn feasts) nor of Lysards, Tortesses, or any other four∣footed beasts: nor of mans flesh, albeit the Canibals * 1.24praise it above all other (as Osorius writeth) and Cambletes King of Lydia having eaten of his own wife, said he was sorry to have been ignorant so long of so good a dish. As for the flesh also of young puppies (commended of Hip∣pocrates * 1.25& afterwards of Galen) howsoever in the Isles of Corsica & Alalta they are still esteemed as good meat, yet Cardan saith in his divers history, that they made the peo∣ple like to doggs, that is to say, cruel, stout, rash, bould, and nimble. Wherefore leaping over these insolent and bad meats, which neither use nor reason hath confirmed. I now to come treat of Birds and fowl, and then of fish, and the fruits of the earth, and waters according to my first division.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Lib. 2. de vict∣rat.
• * 1.2

  Gen. 25. L. 5 de vict. atten.
• * 1.3

  L. de retard▪ fen.
• * 1.4

  L. quaest. nat.
• * 1.5

  Plut. de sol. anim.
• * 1.6

  Gen. 25.
• * 1.7

  Pisanel. de esc. & potul.
• * 1.8

  lib. 6. de v▪ rer.
• * 1.9

  In diaet univ.
• * 1.10

  Lampridius.
• * 1.11

  Gal. de vict. atten.
• * 1.12

  3 de alim. fac. cab. 1.
• * 1.13

  Hares be often leprous.
• * 1.14

  Lib. de fac. esc.
• * 1.15

  Varro. 3. lib. agric.
• * 1.16

  Matthiolus. Com. in lib. 2. Diosc. cap. 18.
• * 1.17

  Strab▪ lib. 4.
• * 1.18

  2 de vict. rat.
• * 1.19

  Jas. Prat.
• * 1.20

  Jo. Necker. Syntax. 3.
• * 1.21

  Plin. lib. 8. c. 43
• * 1.22

  Nauclerus.
• * 1.23

  Virg. 3. Georg. Guagnimus.
• * 1.24

  lib: 2. de gest. Emanu. Athen. lib. 10. cap. 1.
• * 1.25

  2 de vict. rat. lib. 3. de. alim. fac. cap. 1.