A HARD-WORKING DIET. 99 
excremental is much corrected, and they become less 
fulsome and hurtful. 
Red herring and sprat give a very bad and adusted alec: 
nourishment; they are only good to excite thirst, and to 
- make drink acceptable to palate and throat. They are 
hurtful to them of choloric constitution and melancholy. 
I commend them to the Spaniards and Italians, whereby 
our merchants make a good commodity. 
Anchovas, the famous meat of drunkards and of them Anchovas. 
who desire their drink to oblectate their palats. They are 
used as sauce with meats, as with mutton, etc., and is in 
great esteem with them who affect sauce and meats of 
strange relish and taste. They nourish nothing at all but 
naughty choleric blood. They may excite the appetite of 
some peevish stomachs, and by reason of their saltish 
acrimony are thought to cleanse phlegm from the stomach 
and intestines ; wherefore, if they be good for any, it is for 
the phlegmatic, so that they pour not too much drink with 
them. But in my opinion the special good they have, if it 
may be termed good, is as of pickled oysters, to commend 
a cup of claret to the palate and stomach. They are 
therefore chiefly profitable to the vintners. 
In shellfish it is to be observed some are of soft sub- Shellfish. 
stance, and are easily digested; some hard and more diffi- 
cult of concoction, though of firmer and better nourishment. 
Of shellfish oysters are of a most soft substance and Oyster. 
easily digested, and least offend the stomach, except they 
be taken, as we commonly say, against stomach. And also, 
by reason of the saltness of their juice, they make the belly 
soluble ; they give a light, salt, phlegmatic nourishment ; 
and therefore they are not only very hurtful unto them that 
be phlegmatic, but also unto all such as have cold weak 
stomachs, because in them they abundantly increase flegm. 
Unto choloric bodies and such as have strong stomachs 
they are agreeable. They must be eaten with pepper and 
vinegar, a cup of good claret or sack drunk presently after 
them, for then they will be the better digested. Onions also 
