A HARD-WORKING DIET. 429 



excremental is much corrected, and they become less 

 fulsome and hurtful. 



Red herring and sprat give a very bad and adusted Red Herring, 

 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 



