Plinies'NaturallHiftorie* i^f 



Chap, l. 



^ firH devifed to cram Hens, Who invented Mtits And Coupes to kepe foule tni 



THcy of the Ifland Delos began the cramming of Hens and Pullein firft. And from them 

 arofe that dctcftable gourmandife and gluttdnieto eat Hens and Capons fo fat and enter- 

 larded with their owne grcalc. Among the old ftatutes ordained for to reprefle inordinate 

 feaflsjl find in one ad made by CFannm^ii Confull ofRomejCleven yeares before the tliird Pn- 

 nicke warrc^an cxprcffe prohibition & reftraintj That no man fhould have'his table ferved witii 

 any foule^unlelfe it were oneHerijand no morCjand the fame a runner onely^ and not fed iip and 

 B crammed fat.The braunch of this one ftatuce was afterwards taken forth and inferred in all other 

 ads provided in that bchalfc3& went currant through all.Hdwbeit,for all the law lb well fct ddwn^ 

 there was a flatting hole found to delude and efcape the meaning therof^ namely ^to feed Cdekes 

 and Capons alfo with a paft foked in milk & mead together/or to make their flcflj more tender, 

 delicate,and of fweeter taft : for that the letter of the ftatute reached no farther than to Hens or 

 Pullets. As for the HenSjthey oncly bee thought good and well ynough crammed^ which af e fat 

 about the neckejand have their skin plumpe and loft there. Howbeit, afterwards our fine cookes 

 began to looke unto their hind-parts about the rumpe, and chufe them thereby. And that they 

 ftiould make a gteater fhew in the platterjthey flit them along the chine, and lay their legs out at 

 large^that they might take up the whole drefler bourd.The Parthians alfo have taught our cooks 

 C their own fafhions. And yet for all this fine drelfing and fetting out of meatstliere is nbthing that 

 pleafeth and conteriteth the tooth of man in all refpeds^ whiles one loveth nothing but the leg, 

 another liketh and praifeth the white brawnealonCjaboutthe breaftbone.The firihhat deviled 

 a Barton and Mue to kcepe {oyA^^ms M^Lenim Strabo^ a gentleman of Rome, who made fuch 

 an one at Brindis^where he had encloled birds of allkinds.Andby his example we began to keep 

 foules within narrow coupes and cages as prifon€%to which Creatures Nature had allowed thd 

 wide aire for their fc ope and habitation. ;' : .j: < -ic-; 



ChaJ-. Lli 



1^ of Mfjpes proud pLiitero , 



BVtih the relatibri and report of this argumentj notorious above all thc r€:ft in ourmemorie 

 is that platter of cW/^iiE/tf^///, the plaier of Tragedies'j which wasettcemed worth"* fixe */-.«rooooo$e- 

 hundred Seftertia.In this one charger hefcrved up at the bourd all kind of birds that either Jc"^"). ^ 50°°° 

 could fing or fay after a man:and they coft him fixe hundred Sefterces apeece. Andfurcly it was 

 no delight and pleafure that he fought herein to content the toothjbut only that he would have 

 thcnametoeatthcreremblersof mans voice : without any confideration and regard thathee 

 had of all that great riches and revenues of his owne, which fiimielfc had gotten by his tongue, 

 and by counterfeiting the fpeech of others. A father verily worthie fuch a fon, who, as we faid 

 before, devoured thofe precious pearles. And tolpeakeatruth, itishard tojudge whether of 

 E them twaincplaiedthe beaftmore, the father or the fonne. But that it feemethielle pride and 

 prodigalitie to fwallovv downe the throat tlie greateft riches of Naturejthan to chaw and eat at a 

 iiipper mens congvicsjthat is to fayjthofe bird* that could pronounce our language. 



^■ ^^iiigin^^^ heajls Uy egges ds 



. • 7,...^ mil as they, 



^He generation of birdsfeemethalwaies to bee after one and the fame manner^ And yet 

 flicrein istobfe found fomc ftraungc and extraordinarie worke.Like as there be four foo- 

 ted beaftsknoWne alfoto have egSjnamelyjthe Chama^leonSjLizards^and fuchas we na- 

 med among Set pehts-. Of foules, thofe that have hooked clawes and tallons,af c b ui barren thac 

 way^arid lay few egs ,0nly the Keftrell laicth fdurc at a time. And verily Nature hath well provi-^ 

 tied in all the kind of foules,That the mightier fhould be lefic fruitful than the weaker and thofe 

 thac ^iefrom the other. The Ofiriches^Hcns^Partridges^andLinnets^ are great laiers. Astou- 

 - --^ chin^ 



