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. XIII.

Of the Inwards and Outwards both of Beasts and Birds.

HAving hitherto spoken of the Flesh of Beasts and Fowls, it remaineth now to speak of those parts which are not properly flesh, but either of another, or a mingled nature: Namely, their Fat, Marrow, Brains, Lungs, Livers, Tripes, Stomacks, &c. together with their Eyes, Ears, Noses, Feet, Pinions, Tails, Rumps, Udders, Stones, and Skins: whereof I will write in order.

Fat.

Fat of Beasts, as it was forbidden the Israelites by God himself, for some cause unto himself best known; so there be many reasons to perswade us not to eat of the same: For it takes away appetite, gluts the stomack, hardly digesteth, turneth wholly to excrements, and de∣cayeth the retentive powers, especially if it be the fat of greater Beasts, or the greater sort of Birds: For the fat of Rabet-suckers, and little Birds, and small Chickens, is not discommendable, because it is soon and lightly overcome of an indifferent stomack. Of fat Beasts and Birds notwithstanding, the lean is sweetest (so they be not exceeding fat through cramming, but upon their own feeding) by reason that it is basted and suppled with the oyliness thereof, and made both ten∣der and of good relish. Wherefore let some commend lard and fat bruis never so much, and slap it up as greedi∣ly as they list, yet they will reward us in the end with

many diseases, unless their stomacks be exceeding strong and good.

Marrow.

Marrow is the finest part or (as it were) the sweat of fat, secretly conveyed into bones: Sweet, unctuous, and pleasant of taste, nourishing them whose bodies be dry, and stomacks able to digest it. It is sod usually with Capons, Cockrels, and Hens in a nourishing white broth, and also dainty pies be made thereof: but I have known many men to have surfeited of them, and there∣fore I dare not generally allow of Marrow. Of all Mar∣rows, I find the Marrow of a Deer easiest to digest; next of a young Mutton, and Beef Marrow to be the heavi∣est. The Marrow of a Goat is very offensive, and the Marrow of Lambs or Calves are not good, because they are crude, bloudy, and imperfect for want of age.

Brains.

The Egyptians thought it a capital offence to eat the Head of any thing, for the Brains-sake, wherein they thought the soul of every living thing to be chiefly pla∣ced. And Plutarch saith, that many things were thought delicate in his time, which no man before desired or dar∣ed to taste; as the Brains of Birds and Beasts. How abject a thing Brains were in old time, it appeareth in Ulysses scoffing of Agamemnon, comparing him with a Calves Brain, as with a most abject and vile thing, which all men cast away. And verily Brains for the most part are exceeding phlegmatick, of gross juice, hard passage, slow concoction, great heaviness, and so offensive to the stomack, that being eaten last, or with any fat meat, they trouble the same exceedingly, and procure vomit: where∣fore we doe well to eat the brains of Calves, Lambs, Kids, and Pigs, at the beginning of Dinner or Supper, for were they eaten last (through their unctuous and su∣perfluous

moisture) we should bring up all. Likewise I commend the tosting of Piggs brains at the fire (being the moistest of all other) the thorough rosting of Hares brains and Rabbets brains; and the mingling of sage, salt, pepper, and Vinegar with Calves brains.

Concerning the brains of Birds, none are absolutely commendable, but of such fowl as be of a temperate constitution, as Cocks, Chickens, Capons, Pullets, Par∣tridg and Phesant. Also the brains of rosted Wood∣cocks, and Snites, and Blackbirds, and all small birds are counted wholsom; but the brains of great birds, and water-fowl, and Pigeons, and all sorts of Wild-doves, are counted by the old and learned Arabians very dange∣rous: Only Quails brains are commended by Galen, a∣gainst the falling sickness, and Cranes brains against the Hemorrhoids.

Tongues.

The Tongues of Beasts seem to be wholly of a fleshy substance: Which if we deny not because it is full of muscles, yet verily the flesh thereof is more spongy and oily then of any flesh besides. Aesop and Thales called Tongues the best and the worst part of the body; but as an Asses bones make the sweetest Regal-pipes of all others, though the living Asse be least musical; so let the living Tongues of any Beasts be never so bad, yet they are without comparison the sweetest meat of all others, when they are dead and drest: For the Tongues of Beasts are soft, temperate, light, moist and spongy, never faulty of themselves, but marred oftentimes by miscooke∣ry. As for Birds Tongues, they are generally exceeding dry, hard, and gristly (Parots tongues excepted) neither could I ever find any cause (but because a curious and sumptuous fool would have it so) why Heliogabulus should have pies made of Nightingales Tongues.

Chine-Marrow.

Pith. Marrow, running all along from the hinder brain (whereof no doubt it is a portion) to the end of the back-bone or chine of beasts, is no doubt much harder and drier then the brain it self, especially towards the further end of the back; which driness makes it less loathsom to the stomack then brains are; yea further∣more it strengtheneth that body which is able to con∣coct it. Many are of opinion that Cawdles made strong with the pith of a Steer, and yolks of new-laid eggs, do by a secret property restore nature, and recover the weakness of loyns caused by venery. Montagnana ma∣keth a singular confection of divers marrows to that pur∣pose, which I will not set down in English, lest wantons be too bold to follow their follies.

Hearts.

Hearts of all living creatures, whilst life endureth, are most active and effectual to many purposes; but af∣ter death there is no part of less use, nor less nourishment. Yea they are harder of digestion then any entrail, con∣cocted with no small difficulty, though chosen from the youngest and tenderest sort of fowls or beasts: Yet if any do overcome them, they give no weak nor bad nou∣rishment.

Lungs.

Lungs of beasts are softer then the heart, liver, kid∣neys and spleens; easier therefore of concoction, though of a more phlegmatick and froathy substancer. Tacuinus commendeth them greatly to young men sick of hot agues, because they both temper their hot and dry dis∣position, as also for that they be light, and soon conco∣cted. But he saith, that therefore they are ill for strong and labouring men, whom so light a meat cannot suffici∣ently nourish, but is more likely to putrifie in their sto∣macks.

The Lungs of Foxes are no wholsome meat, but rather medicin to sore lungs.

Livers.

Livers of all beasts give but gross nourishment, and are hardly concocted, and of slow passage; unless it be of sucklings, or of young swine fed with pure meat. The Livers of tame fowl, as Hens, Capons, chickens, duck∣lings and geese, fatted with wholsom and white meat, please the taste, clear the eye-sight, agree with the sto∣mack, and encrease bloud. Cranes Livers sod in the broth of cicers asswage the pain of the back and kidneys, but they are of a small and bad nourishment. The Li∣vers of Larks and Snites are very sweet and restorative, as also of a Woodcock, which hath of all other birds (for proportion of his body) the greatest Liver.

Tripes.

Stomacks, Paunches, and Guts of Beasts, are far harder in substance then their flesh, requiring much time ere they can be concocted, deserving scarce the name of meat, because they give so little nourishment, and so much excrement. Yea all tripes and chitterlings made of elder beasts (be they oxen, swine, or deer) though acciden∣tally through sowcing they procure appetite, yet natural∣ly they are foul and unwholsom meat, engendring scabs, itches, and leprosies, and other filthy diseases like them∣selves. Yet the taste of tripes did seem so delicate to the Romans, that they often killed oxen for the tripes sake, not caring what became of the flesh; till such time as their licentious appetite was bridled by banishment if any should attempt the like again. But the maws or gyzards of Hens, Capons, Chickens, and Geese especi∣ally, are both tender and pulpy, and are supposed extra∣ordinarily to corroborate the stomack. So likewise the guts of Larks, Woodcocks, and Snites, give no bad

nourishment, being presently roasted assoon as the birds be taken.

Milts.

Spleens of beasts give an unpleasant taste and a worse nourishment: and no marvel, for if livers, being the fountains of blood, be of hard and unwholesom juice, how can spleens (the sinks and spounges of the liver) prove wholesome meat? Onely such a hoggs spleen is commended, which hath fed long upon Tamarisk, wher∣by all gross, soure, and melancholick humours have been consumed in it. Paracelsus is the first that ever commended an Oxes spleen, as available to hasten the courses of women.

Kidneys of beasts (for birds have none, the Bat ex∣cepted, which also hath brests and giveth milk) be of a middle temper betwixt flesh and kernels, of hard con∣coction and ill juice, especially in the greater sorts of beasts; alwaies keeping a smack of that which passeth through them, and being too strong for most stomacks; the kidneys of sucking Lambs, Calves, Piggs, and Kids, are the tenderest and the best, but when they have left sucking they are all too ranck.

Kernels and Sweet-breads

Kernels of Beasts, especially such as lye about the throat and breast of sucking Calves, Kids and Lambs, are a very good meat being well digested, drawing neer to the nourishment of flesh; but if they be not well di∣gested, they breed raw and flegmatick humours. Our Countrymen do well first to roast and then to boil the sweet-bread of beasts; for thereby all superfluous moisture is consumed. Kernels of fowls lye chiefly a∣bout the rump on either side thereof, and are (as many take it) very restorative.

The Matrix.

The matrix of beasts, yea of a barren Doe so highly esteemed, is but a sinewy and hard substance, slow of digestion and little nourishment.

Eyes.

Eyes of young beasts and young birds are not un∣wholesome, being separated from their skins, fat, balls, and humours; for then nothing remaineth but a sweet tender and musculous flesh, which is very easie of digestion.

Ears, Snouts and Lips.

The Ears, Snouts and Lips of beasts being bloudless and of a sinewy nature, are more watrish, viscous, and fleg∣matick, then that they may be commended for any good or indifferent nourishment.

Pinions and Feet.

The Pinions of birds, and the feet of beasts are of like disposition; yet the pinions of geese, hens, capons, and chickens are of good nourishment: and so are the feet of young hogs, pigs, Lambs and Calves; yea also a tender Cow-heel is counted restorative; and Heliogabalus the Emperour amongst his most dainty and lustful dishes made Pies of Cocks-combs, Cock-stones, Nightingales tongues, and Camels heels, as Lampridius writeth. Ga∣len also for men sick of agues boil'd Piggs-pettitoes in barly water, whereby each was bettered by the other: the Ptisan making them the more tender, & they make∣ing the Ptisan more nourishing and agreeable to the stomack. That sodden Geese feet were restorative, Mes∣salinus Cotta by trial found out, if Pliny may be credi∣ted. The Tails or Rumps of Beasts are counted by cer∣tain unskilful Physitians, yea of Dr. Isaac himself, to be hard of digestion. First, because they are so far distant from the fountain of heat. Secondly because they are

most of a sinewy constitution; to which if a third had been added, that they are but covers of a close-stool, perhaps is arguments would have been of some indiffe∣rent weight: For indeed the farther any part is from the heart, it is fed and nourished with the more fine and temperate blood; also the extremities or ends of sinews are of strong wholesome and good nourishment; but as for the Tails and Rumps of Beasts, it is indiffe∣rently mingled of flesh, sinews and fat; so that the very Anatomy of them shews them to be a meat agreeable to all stomacks; and verily whosoever hath eaten of a pye made onely of Mutton Rumps, cannot but confess it a light wholesom and good nourishment. The Rumps of Birds are correspondent, having kernels instead of flesh; but when they are too fat, they overclog and cloy the stomack.

Udders.

The Udders of milch beasts (as Kine, Ewes, Does, and She-goats) are a laudable taste, and better then Tripes, because they are of a more fleshy nature. Lean Udders must be sod tender in fat broth; fat Udders may be sod alone; each of them need first a little corn∣ing with salt, being naturally of a flegmatick and moist substance.

Stones.

The Stones of a Bore work marvails (saith Pissanellus) in decayed bodies, stirring up lust through abundance of seed, gathered by superfluous and ranck nourish∣ment. Indeed when Bucks and Stags are ready for the rut, their stones and pisels are taken for the like purpose: as for the stones of young Cocks, Pheasants, Drakes, Partridges, and Sparrows, it were a world to write how highly they are esteemed. Averrhois thinks that the stones of a young Cock, being kept long in good feed∣ing

and separated from his Hens, do every day add so much flesh unto our bodies, as the stones themselves are in weight. Avicen as much esteemeth Cock-sparrowes stones, or rather more. But the Paduan Doctors (but especially Doctor Calves-head) giveth that faculty to the stones of Pheasants and Partridges above all o∣thers.

Skin.

The Skins of Beasts, yea of a roasted Pig is so far from nourishing, that it can hardly be well digested of a strong stomack. Some Birds are sodden or roasted without their skins, because they are black and bitter (as Rooks, Dawes, Cootes, and Moor-hens) and how∣soever others are spared, yet the skin of no Bird turneth to nourishment, but rather to ill humours or filthy ex∣crements. Nay the very skin of an egg, of a nut, an almond, a prune, a raisen, or a corrin, and generally of all fruit, is so far from nourishing, that it cometh out of the strongest mans body (either whole or broken) as it went in.

Notes

• Ala mala, Coxa noxa, Crura dnra, Cropium du∣bium. Collum bo∣num.
• Macr. 3. Satur.
• lib. cap. 37.
• Aveuz. 1. &: 2. Theisir. Gal. 4. Eupor. Gal de comp. in sect. loc.
• Diocl. in 7: sap. Conv.
• Gal. 3 de alim. fac.
• Isaac. Jud. de part. diaet.
• Gal. 3. de alim. fac.
• Plut. de es. carn.
• l. de Magister.
• Pli. l. 10. c. 61.
• Gal. 3. de. al. fa▪ cap. 6.
• ••, de alim fac.
• Plin. lib. 10: cap. 22.
• lib. esc. & potu.
• Capi vaccius