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Blood being the charet-man or coacher of life, was expresly forbidden the Israelites, though it were but the blood of beasts, partly because they were naturally given to be revengeful and cruel hearted, partly also because no blood is much nourishing out of the body, albeit in the body it is the onely matter of true nourish∣ment: Nevertheless the Laconians black broth, so high∣ly commended of Dionysius, was made of kidds blood sodden with water, vinegar and salt; yea the Bisalta of
Scythia make pottage of horses blood & milk, account∣ing it their best and strongest meat. Also in Aegira Bulls blood is so far from being poisonable (as it is in all other places) that it is held both delicate and restorative; so likewise is the blood of a Mare that was never covered; for if she once have taken horse her bloud is dangerous. Drusus the Tribune purposing to accuse Quintus Caepio of giving him poison, drank Goats blood a good while before, whereby he waxed so pale and colourless, that many indeed suspected him to have been poisoned by Caepio: whereby it is manifest, that bloud hath been a very ancient nourishment, and not lately devised by our country pudding writes, or curious sawce makers, as Iason Pratensis and other foolish dietists have imagined. Nay (which is more) not onely the blood of beasts hath been given for meat, but also the blood of men and striplings hath been drunk for a restorative; yea in Rome (the seat and nurse of all inhumanity) Physicians did prescribe their patients the blood of Wrestlers, causing them to suck it warm breathing and spinning out of their veins, drawing into their corrupt bodies a sound mans life, and sucking that in with both lips, which a dogg is not suffered to lick with his tongue; yea they were not ashamed to prescribe them a meat made of mans marrow and infants brains. The Grecians afterwards were as bold and impious as the Romans, tasting of eve∣ry inward and outward part of mans body, not leaving the nails unprosecuted. But of all other I wonder most at Marsilius Ficinus, a most famous Scholer and ac∣counted for a good Catholick, who hath thus written of the use of mans blood. No doubt (saith he) the milk of a young and sound woman is very restorative for old men, but the liquor of mans blood is far better; which old women-witches knowing to be true, they get young
children unto them, and prick or wound them, and suck their blood to preserve their own health and life. And why may not then old men (I pray you) for a need, suck likewise the blood of a young man or maid, which is merry, lusty, sound, and willing to spare some of his su∣perfluous blood for another mans life? wherefore I advise them to suck an ounce or two of blood, fasting, out of the veine of the left arm, at a little orifice, towards the full of the moon, drinking presently upon it some wine and sugar, &c. Which though he protesteth himself to have uttered as a great secret (though the Prince of Abo∣haly writ as much before in his Old-mans diet) and to be as lawful as it is helpful in Physicks practise: yet by his leave I dare again protest and prove the contrary; for it is unlawful to gaze upon a mans carcase, and is it lawful to eat or drink his blood? what remedy call you that, which is more savage and abominable then the grief it self? what law, what reason, nay what conjecture found out this canibals diet? well, let it proceed from the A∣mericans and Barbarians: nay, from the Grecians, that were counted civil. Let Democritus dream and com∣ment, that some diseases are best cured with anointing the blood of strangers and malefactors, others with the blood of our friends and kinsfolks; let Miletus cure sore eyes with mens galls; Artemon the falling sickness with dead mens sculls: Antheus convulsions with pills made of dead mens brains; Apollonius bad gums with dead mens teeth; but far be it from any humane or Chri∣stian heart (brag we of this foolish invention never so much) to suck away one anothers life in the blood of young men, wherein Charles the 9 King of France be∣ing but outwardly bathed for his leprosie, died therefore and for other his cruel massacres a most bloody death: wherefore let us content our selves with the blood of
geese▪ swans, hoggs and sheep in our sawce and puddings, which yet are but a gross and fulsome nourishment, un∣less they meet with a strong and good stomack.
L••vit. 7.
Cael. lib. 13 cap. ••. A. L.
Virgil. 3. Geo. Guag. in Tart.
Pl. l. 28. cap. 9.
Mars. Fic. de. studios••••n ••ue. I b. 2. cap. 1••.
Avic. l▪ 1. d••c. 3
Plin. l. 28. ca. 1.