The Fourth Day 161 



time to be wearied with pulling, and so get him out 

 by degrees, not pulling too hard. 



And to commute for your patient hearing this 

 long direction, I shall next tell you, How to make 

 this Eel a most excellent dish of meat. 



First, wash him in water and salt ; then pull off 

 his skin below his vent or navel, and not much 

 further : having done that, take out his guts as 

 clean as you can, but wash him not : then give him 

 three or four scotches with a knife ; and then put 

 into his belly and those scotches, sweet herbs, an 

 anchovy, and a little nutmeg grated or cut very 

 small, and your herbs and anchovies must also be 

 cut very small ; and mixt with good butter and salt : 

 having done this, then pull his skin over him, all 

 but his head, which you are to cut off, to the end 

 you may tie his skin about that part where his head 

 grew, and it must be so tied as to keep all his 

 moisture within his skin : and having done this, tie 

 him with tape or packthread to a spit, and roast 

 him leisurely ; and baste him with water and salt 

 till his skin breaks, and then with butter ; and 

 having roasted him enough, let what was put into 

 his belly, and what he drips, be his sauce. S. F. 



When I go to dress an Eel thus, I wish he were 

 as long and as big as that which was caught in 

 Peterborough river, in the year 1667 ; which was a 

 yard and three quarters long. If you will not 

 believe me, then go and see at one of the coffee- 

 houses in King Street in Westminster. 



But now let me tell you, that though the Eel, thus 

 drest, be not only excellent good, but more harmless 

 than any other way, yet it is certain that physicians 

 account the Eel dangerous meat ; I will advise you 

 therefore, as Solomon says of honey, " Hast thou 

 found it, eat no more than is sufficient, lest thou 

 surfeit, for it is not good to eat much honey ". And 



