CHAP. X. THE COMPLETE ANG1EE. 449 



Viat. Believe me. Sir, that you have ; and it looks 

 well, I long to be at it. 



Pise. Fall to then ; now, Sir, what say you, am I 

 a tolerable cook or no ? 



Viat. So good a one, tliajt I did never eat so good 

 fish in my life. This fish is infinitely better than any I 

 ever tasted of the kind in my life, ; 'tis quite anpthej: 

 tiling, than our Trouts about London. 



Pise, You would say so, if that Trout you eat of 

 were in right season : but pray eat of the Grayling-, 

 which, upon my word, at this time, is by much the bet- 

 ter fish. 



Viat. In earnest, and so it is. And 1 have one re- 

 quest to make to you, which is, tjiat as you have taugfrt 

 me to catch Trout and Grayling, you will now teach 

 me how to dress them as these are drest, which, ques- 

 tionless, is of all other the best way. 



Pise. That I will, Sir, with all my heart ; and am 

 glad you like them so well as to make that request. 

 And they are drest thus : 



Take your Trout; wash, and dry him with a clean 

 napkin ; then open him, and having taken nut his guts, 

 and all the blood, wipe him very clean within, but wash 

 him not ; and give him three scotches, with a knife, to 

 the bone, on one side only. After which take a clean 

 kettle, and put in as much hard stale beer, (but it must 

 not be dead,) vinegar, and a little white wine and water, 

 as will cover the fish you intend to boil : then throw 

 into the liquor a good quantity of salt, the rind of a 

 lemon, a handful of sliced horse-radish-root, with a 

 handsome little faggot of rosemary, thyme, and winter- 

 savory. Then set your kettle upon a quick fire of 

 wood : and let your liquor boil up to the height before 

 you put in your fish : and then, if there be many, put 

 them in one by one, that they may not so cool the li- 

 quor as to make it fall. And whilst your fish is boiling, 

 beat up the butter for your sauce with a ladle-full or 

 two of the liquor it is boiling in. And being boiled 

 enough, immediately pour the liquor from the fish : 

 and being laid in a dish, pour your butter upon it ; and 



