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. XVI. (Book 16)

Of EGGS and BLOƲD. (Book 16)

* 1.1 AS the Oonians live only of Eggs and Oatmeal, so the Aegyptians for a great while durst not eat Eggs, * 1.2because they are unperfect or liquid flesh; neither did they eat a long time any Milk, because it is but disco∣loured bloud: Certain Grecians abstained from them, * 1.3because they resemble a little world; for the shell of them is like the earth, cold and dry; the white is like to water, cold and moist; the fome or froth in the white, resembleth aire, which is warm and moist; the yolk agreeth with the fire, which is hot and dry. But to o∣mit such frivolous reasons, let us not doubt but an Egg is a lawfull and wholsom meat, tempered so excellently well by nature it self, that it must needs be accounted one of the best nourishments, being eaten white and all; For they which eat only the yolk (as many do in a con∣ceit to nourish more plentifully) fall into many hot and dangerous diseases, unless they have a very cold liver, and * 1.4watrish bloud. Contrariwise the whites of Eggs are so cold, that spongy wood being thoroughly overlaid with them, will hardly, or not at all be burnt in a glowing fire. Both being taken together, do so qualifie one another, that generally they agree with all stomacks, or at the least offend none, if we chuse them that be best, and prepare them well after they be chosen. Now all Eggs being potential creatures, no doubt but they are of like substance and temper with that which in time they shall be made. Wherefore as the flesh of Pheasants, Part∣ridges,

and Hens be of best juice, temper, quality, nou∣rishment and digestion, so likewise their Eggs are whol∣somest of all others. Contrariwise, as the Greek Pro∣verb saith, Like Crow, like Egg. Neither can we ima∣gine how any Egg should be wholsom, proceeding from an unwholsom or distempered creature. Wherefore we condemn (in the way of comparison) all Eggs of Tur∣kies, Peacocks, Geese, Ducks, and all water-fowl, pre∣ferring Hens Eggs before all other, because they are a most usual, familiar, and temperate meat.

What kind of Eggs be best.

In the choice of good Eggs observe these lessons,

First, That they be rather Pullets Eggs then laid by an old Hen.

Secondly, That they be not self-begotten, but got∣ten by the Cock upon the Hen.

Thirdly, That they be new, white, and long: For such Eggs nourish plentifully and quickly, clear the * 1.5voice and breast, strengthen the stomack, recover men out of consumptions, and encrease nature so much, that in continuance of time they make us wantons. They nourish quickly, because they are nothing but liquid flesh: * 1.6They nourish much, because their heat and moisture is proportionable unto ours: They are wholsomest in the morning, because they are then newest. They are best in winter, because Hens are then fattest, strongest, and best relished; they are worst in summer, because Hens feed then upon flies, snails, cadlocks, and many ill weeds, which rather scoures then nourishes their bodies: They are best being eaten alone, because being mingled with orher meat, they corrupt in the stomack, filling many mens faces full of pimples, morphues, and freckles. They are ill for young children (especially being often eaten) for that their hot bodies turn them into over-hot

nourishment, whence itch, scabs, inflammations, and corruptions do arise. They are also as bad for old men, because they are hardly digested of a cold stomack; fit∣test they are for temperate young persons, and such as are consumed without any notable fever.

Concerning the nature of other Birds Eggs, besides Hens. Epenaetus extolleth Peacocks Eggs before all * 1.7other, and then the Eggs of Berganders, and lastly of Phesants, Partridges, and Turkies, whose judgement I would have throughly confuted, had not daily experi∣ence, and Antonius Gazius his arguments done it alrea∣dy. And verily whosoever will taste other eggs then which daily we use, shall find none void of a strong savour and bad relish, saving the eggs of Phesants, Partridges, Berganders, Ostriches, Turkies, Ducks and Geese, though the three last named be bad enough. Yet if Ducks eggs be hatched under a Hen, they eat more sweetly, and Goose eggs also hatched under them, are * 1.8thought by Simeon Sethi no unwholsom meat. Pigeons eggs are exceeding hot, and of ill taste, hardly hardning by long seething. The eggs of Sparrows encrease lust, strengthen the heart, and nourish abundantly: As for the eggs of other birds, great and small, howsoever they are eaten (as Rhasis saith) in the way of medicine, * 1.9yet they give either none or no good nourishment. But Hens eggs are so temperate and nourishing, that Galen himself in certain continual fevers, gave them usually to * 1.10his Patients to restore spirits,: and not without reason, being of so fine a substance, and freed in a manner from all hurtfulness; for they moisten us in fever Hecticks, they nourish us in consumptions, they strengthen us in fluxes, they bridle sharp humors when they gripe us, restore spirits in weakness of heart, they speedily pass from a clean stomack, neither are they forbidden in a

strait and thin diet, did they not nourish oversoon. Ges∣ner sheweth a good reason, why new white and long * 1.11eggs be the best of all other. First, because new eggs are ever full, but old eggs lose every day somewhat of their substance, and in the end waxing addle stink like urine, whereupon they were called of the Latins Ova urinae. Secondly, the whitest eggs have the palest yolks, and most thin, fine, little bloody strings swiming upon them. Thirdly, the longest eggs are commonly cock-eggs and therefore of better nourishment. Some eggs are almost all yolk and no white, yea some have two yolks in them, others have in a manner no yolk at all, or (at the most) nothing proportionable: the former sort nourish most, the other are fittest for hot sto∣macks.

The dressing of Eggs.

Concerning the preparation of them, a rare egg any way drest is lightest of digestion, a hard egg is most re∣bellious, an egg betwixt both is of strongest nourish∣ment. Brassavola reporteth a Monk to have been made so costiff with hard eggs, that no art was available to give him on stool. Furthermore all hard eggs, especial∣ly hardened by frying, get from the fire a smoky and hot nature, and from the frying-pan and burnt butter a maligne quality, not onely as offenssive to the stomack as rotten eggs, but also sending up bad vapours to the brain and heart. Eggs potcht into water or verjuce are fittest for hot complexions, or men distempered with agues; sodden rare in the shell they are soonest con∣verted into blood; but being rare-roasted in embers they make thickest and strongest blood, and are fit∣test for weak, cold and watrish stomachs. Thus much * 1.12of Birds eggs, which in a little quantity nourish much, and are called of Ficinus, the quintescence of flesh; be∣cause

they yeild so speedy and fine nourishment.

Now it resteth to discourse something of Tortesses eggs, which be not poisonable nor hurtful (as the eggs of Snakes, Lizards, and Chamaeleons) but very fit to * 1.13nourish men in hot agues, when all birds eggs may be suspected of inflaming the blood; for they are of a more flegmatick nature, tempering hot humours, procuring sleep to the watchful, moisture to the dryed person, and inspiring as it were a second life, to such as seem despe∣rately consumed of hot fevers▪ Sir Wil. Pelham (that wor∣thy & valiant Knight) kept them in his garden at the Mi∣nories by the Tower of London, where I wondred much at the beast and more at her eggs: for contrary to the nature of hens eggs, the most spotted were the best, and the hardest of shell the best likewise; and they are worst when they are newest, best when they are three months old.

Last of all, as touching that question made by Plutack, * 1.14and disputed of him more wittily then wisely of either side, Whether the Hen or the Egg be first in nature, I omit it as a foolish and superfluous doubt, sith common sence and reason telleth us, that the perfecter creatures were first made, and the whole is more ancient then that which is gotten of the whole.

Of Blood.

Blood being the charet-man or coacher of life, was * 1.15expresly 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: * 1.16Nevertheless 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 * 1.17it 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 * 1.18of 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 * 1.19for 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 * 1.20have 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 * 1.21sore 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.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Plin. l. 4. c. 13.
• * 1.2

  Polid. Vir. l. 3. c. 5. de rar. inv.
• * 1.3

  Alex. Aphr. l. 2 problem. 84.
• * 1.4

  Pl. l. 29 cap. 3.
• * 1.5

  Schol. Salem. & Horat. Serm. lib. 2. Satyr. 4.
• * 1.6

  Rha. 4 ad Alm.
• * 1.7

  Athen. l. 3. c▪ 7.
• * 1.8

  Avicenna & Albertus.
• * 1.9

  4. Ad Almans
• * 1.10

  12 de meth. med.
• * 1.11

  lib 2. de avib▪
• * 1.12

  Avic. Fen. 1. tract: 1. cap. 8. Lib. de san tu▪
• * 1.13

  Pisanel de esc. & potul.
• * 1.14

  l. sym. 2. quae. 3.
• * 1.15

  L••vit. 7.
• * 1.16

  Cael. lib. 13 cap. ••. A. L.
• * 1.17

  Virgil. 3. Geo. Guag. in Tart.
• * 1.18

  Pl. l. 28. cap. 9.
• * 1.19

  Mars. Fic. de. studios••••n ••ue. I b. 2. cap. 1••.
• * 1.20

  Avic. l▪ 1. d••c. 3
• * 1.21

  Plin. l. 28. ca. 1.