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.

Coturnices.

Quails have gotten an ill name ever since Pliny accus∣ed them for eating of Hemlocks and Bear-foot; by rea∣son whereof they breed cramps, trembling of the heart and sinews; yea though Hercules loved them above all other meats, in so much that Iolaus fetcht him out of a swound when he was cruelly wounded by Typhon, with the smell of a Quail; yet with much eating of them he fell into the falling-evil, which ever since hath been termed Hercules's sickness. Avicen thinketh that they bring cramps not onely by feeding on Helleborus and Hemlocks, but also from a natural inborn property. Monardus writeth thus of them; I allow not the flesh of Quails neither in the Spring nor Winter, not because the ancient Fathers of Physick do condemn them; but because reason is against them. For in the Spring and Summer time they are too dry, engendring rather me∣lancholy then bloud: In Autumn and Winter they are too moist; yea though they be fat, yet are they of small nourishment, causing loathing of stomack, and corrupti∣on of meat. Baptista Fiera, Amatus Lusitanus, yea Avicen, Rhasis, Isaac and Galen are of the same judge∣ment; only Arnoldus de Villa nova in his Commentary upon the Salern School, affirmeth them in some Coun∣tries

to be of fine substance, good juice, and easie dige∣stion: Nay, Kiranides saith that their broth clenseth the kidneys, and their flesh nourisheth indifferently well. Were I here to give my censure, I would be of either side, and yet defend the truth likewise; for I nothing doubt but Quails flesh is bad (as Ducks flesh is) of its own nature, and heavy to be digested; nevertheless be∣ing taken young before they have eaten of unwholsome weeds, and fatted with pure Wheat, Hemp-seed, Cori∣ander▪seed and Milk (or Chalk-water instead of Milk) I make no question that their flesh is laudable, and may be counted a good and dainty meat.

And here by the way let us marvel at one thing, That Qualis are generally forbidden because their flesh engen∣dreth the falling evil, and yet Galen commendeth their brains (the principal seat of that great evil) as an Antidote against the same. What need I write that when the Is∣raelites loathed Manna, Quails were sent them as the best and daintiest meat of all other? And if some curi∣ous Paraphrast would therefore say it was the worst, be∣cause whilst the flesh was in their mouthes, many thou∣sands of them fell in the Wilderness! We answer, That it was not through the badness of the food, but the naughtiness of their lusting and tempting God.

Notes

• Plin l. 10. c. 22 Avicen Fen. 14 tr. 3. c. 21.
• Athen. l. 9. c. 15.
• Loco citato.
• L. 1. Epist. 8.
• 3: Euporist:
• Nam: 11: v: 31: