The Compleat Angler 



water, and so up the stream, and it is more than likely that you have 

 a pike follow with more than common eagerness." 



And some affirm, that any bait anointed with the marrow of the 

 thigh-bone of an hern is a great temptation to any fish. 



These have not been tried by me, but told me by a friend of note, 

 that pretended to do me a courtesy ; but if this direction to catch a 

 pike thus do you no good, yet I am certain this direction how to 

 roast him when he is caught is choicely good, for I have tried it, and 

 it is somewhat the better for not being common ; but with my 

 direction you must take this caution, that your pike must not be a 

 small one, that is, it must be more than half a yard, and should be 

 bigger. 



First, open your pike at the gills, and if need be, cut also a little 

 slit towards the belly ; out of these take his guts and keep his liver, 

 which you are to shred very small with thyme, sweet marjoram, and 

 a little winter-savory ; to these put some pickled oysters, and some 

 anchovies, two or three, both these last whole (for the anchovies 

 will melt, and the oysters should not) ; to these you must add also 

 a pound of sweet butter, which you are to mix with the herbs that 

 are shred, and let them all be well salted (if the pike be more than 

 a yard long, then you may put into these herbs more than a pound, 

 or if he be less, then less butter will suffice) : these being thus mixed 

 with a blade or two of mace, must be put into the pike's belly, and 

 then his belly so sewed up as to keep all the butter in his belly, if it 

 be possible, if not, then as much of it as you possibly can ; but take 

 not off the scales : then you are to thrust the spit through his mouth 

 out at his tail ; and then take four, or five, or six split sticks or very 

 thin laths, and a convenient quantity of tape or filleting : these laths 

 are to be tied round about the pike's body from his head to his tail, 

 and the tape tied somewhat thick to prevent his breaking or fall- 

 ing off from the spit : let him be roasted very leisurely, and often 

 basted with claret wine and anchovies and butter mixed together, 

 and also with what moisture falls from him into the pan : when 

 you have roasted him sufficiently, you are to hold under him 

 (when you unwind or cut the tape that ties him) such . a dish as 

 you purpose to eat him out of ; and let him fall into it with the 



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