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ON THE PLACE OF FISH IN 



Pickled 

 Oysters. 



Muscles. 



Cockles. 



Crab. 



Lobster. 



sliced in the vinegar and eaten with them is an excellent 

 correctory to the flegm if they be not offensive to the eater. 

 But why are oysters eaten a little before meals, and that 

 with one-way bread ? For two reasons I conjecture. The 

 first is, because of their subductory quality concerning the 

 belly, which also is holpen with one-way bread ; the second 

 is, because through their saltness they excite appetite. 

 Oysters roasted on the coals or stewed in white wine, with 

 butter, pepper, and a few drops of white or claret wine 

 vinegar, and so eaten, do oblectate the palat and stomach, 

 and nourish better than if eaten raw. 



Pickled oysters, by reason of their heat and saltness, 

 please the palate of drunkards as anchovies do ; the fewer 

 that are eaten the less the hurt. They are least hurtful, and 

 if at all beneficial, to the phlegmatic that have cold, moist 

 stomachs; but they are most pernicious to choleric and 

 arrabilaric. 



Amongst shellfish muscles are of grossest juice and 

 worst nourishment, and most noisome to the stomach. 

 They abundantly breed flegm and gross humours, and dis- 

 pose the body unto fevers. I advise all such as are 

 respectful of their health utterly to abandon use of them. 



Cockles are not so noisome as muscles ; they are of 

 lighter concoction, and better nourishment, yet not laudable 

 meat for such as lead studious or easy kind of life or have 

 weak stomach. 



Crab is not very hard of digestion, somewhat pleasant to 

 taste, and yieldeth to the body much gross nourishment. 

 It is meat best fitted to labouring men, who have strong 

 stomachs ; but to old men, students, and all such as have 

 weak stomachs, and are subject to oppilations of the breast, 

 distillations from the head, or are otherwise wont to be 

 affected in the head, it is very hurtful. The freshwater crab 

 is wholesomer than the sea crab, and the sea is whole- 

 somer if it is taken out of fresh water. 



Also is not easily digested, and therefore it quickly 

 offendeth a weak stomach ; but, if well digested, giveth 



