244 THE COMPLETE ANGLEK. [PART I. 



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 

 mixed 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 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 dressed 

 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, Prov. xxv. 16, " Hast thou found it, eat no 

 more than is sufficient, lest thou surfeit, for it is not good 

 to eat much honey." And let me add this,' that the 

 uncharitable Italian bids us, " give eels, and no wine to our 

 enemies." 



And I will beg a little more of your attention to tell you, 

 that Aldrovandus and divers physicians commend the eel 

 very much for medicine, though not for meat. But let me 

 tell you one observation ; that the eel is never out of season, 

 as trouts and most other fish are at set times ; at least most 

 eels are not. 1 



1 The haunts of the eel are -weeds ; under roots, stumps of trees ; holes 

 and clefts of the earth, both in the banks and at the bottom, and in the 

 plain mud ; where they lie with only their heads out, watching for prey. 

 They are also found under great stones, old timber, about flood-gates, 

 weirs, bridges, and old mills. They delight in still waters, and in those 

 that are foul and muddy ; though the smaller eels are to be met with in all 

 sorts of rivers and soils. 



Although the manner in which eels, and indeed all fish, are generated, 



