The situation of our region, lieng néere vnto the north, dooth cause
the heate of our stomaches to be of somewhat greater force: therefore
our bodies doo craue a little more ample nourishment, than the
inhabitants of the hotter regions are accustomed withall, whose
digestiue force is not altogither so vehement, bicause their internall
heat is not so strong as ours, which is kept in by the coldnesse of
the aire, that from time to time (speciallie in winter) dooth enuiron
our bodies.
It is no maruell therefore that our tables are oftentimes more
plentifullie garnished than those of other nations, and this trade
hath continued with vs euen since the verie beginning. For before the
Romans found out and knew the waie vnto our countrie, our predecessors
fed largelie vpon flesh and milke, whereof there was great aboundance
in this Ile, bicause they applied their chéefe studies vnto pasturage
and féeding. After this maner also did our Welsh Britons order
themselues in their diet so long as they liued of themselues, but
after they became to be vnited and made equall with the English they
framed their appetites to liue after our maner, so that at this daie
there is verie little difference betwéene vs in our diets.
In Scotland likewise they haue giuen themselues (of late yeares to
speake of) vnto verie ample and large diet, wherein as for some
respect nature dooth make them equall with vs: so otherwise they far
excéed vs in ouer much and distemperate gormandize, and so ingrosse
their bodies that diuerse of them doo oft become vnapt to anie other
purpose than to spend their times in large tabling and bellie chéere.
Against this pampering of their carcasses dooth Hector Boetius in his
description of the countrie verie sharpelie inueigh in the first
chapter of that treatise. Henrie Wardlaw also bishop of S. Andrewes,
noting their vehement alteration from competent frugalitie into
excessiue gluttonie, to be brought out of England with Iames the first
(who had béene long time prisoner there vnder the fourth & fift
Henries, and at his returne caried diuerse English gentlemen into his
countrie with him, whome he verie honorablie preferred there) dooth
vehementlie exclame against the same in open parlement holden at Perth
1433, before the three estats, and so bringeth his purpose to passe in
the end by force of his learned persuasions, that a law was presentlie
made there for the restreint of superfluous diet, amongest other
things baked meats (dishes neuer before this mans daies seene in
Scotland) were generallie so prouided for by vertue of this act, that
it was not lawfull for anie to eat of the same vnder the degrée of a
gentleman, and those onelie but on high and festiuall daies, but alas
it was soone forgotten.
In old time these north Britons did giue themselues vniuersallie to
great abstinence, and in time of warres their souldiers would often
féed but once or twise at the most in two or thrée daies (especiallie
if they held themselues in secret, or could haue no issue out of their
bogges and marises, through the presence of the enimie) and in this
distresse they vsed to eat a certeine kind of confection, whereof so
much as a beane would qualifie their hunger aboue common expectation.
In woods moreouer they liued with hearbes and rootes, or if these
shifts serued not thorough want of such prouision at hand, then vsed
they to créepe into the water or said moorish plots vp vnto the chins,
and there remaine a long time, onelie to qualifie the heats of their
stomachs by violence, which otherwise would haue wrought and béene
readie to oppresse them for hunger and want of sustinance. In those
daies likewise it was taken for a great offense ouer all, to eat
either goose, hare, or henne, bicause of a certeine superstitious
opinion which they had conceiued of those three creatures, howbeit
after that the Romans (I saie) had once found an entrance into this
Iland, it was not long yer open shipwracke was made of this religious
obseruation, so that in processe of time, so well the north and south
Britons as the Romans, gaue ouer to make such difference in meats, as
they had doone before.
From thencefoorth also vnto our daies, and euen in this season wherein
we liue, there is no restreint of anie meat, either for religions sake
or publike order in England, but it is lawfull for euerie man to féed
vpon what soeuer he is able to purchase, except it be vpon those daies
whereon eating of flesh is especiallie forbidden by the lawes of the
realme, which order is taken onelie to the end our numbers of cattell
may be the better increased, & that aboundance of fish which the sea
yéeldeth, more generallie receiued. Beside this there is great
consideration had in making of this law for the preseruation of the
nauie, and maintenance of conuenient numbers of sea faring men, both
which would otherwise greatlie decaie, if some meanes were not found
whereby they might be increased. But how soeuer this case standeth,
white meats, milke, butter & cheese, which were neuer so deere as in
my time, and woont to be accounted of as one of the chiefe staies
throughout the Iland, are now reputed as food appertinent onelie to
the inferiour sort, whilest such as are more wealthie, doo féed vpon
the flesh of all kinds of cattell accustomed to be eaten, all sorts of
fish taken vpon our coasts and in our fresh riuers, and such
diuersitie of wild and tame foules as are either bred in our Iland or
brought ouer vnto vs from other countries of the maine.
In number of dishes and change of meat, the nobilitie of England
(whose cookes are for the most part musicall headed Frenchmen and
strangers) doo most exceed, sith there is no daie in maner that
passeth ouer their heads, wherein they haue not onelie béefe, mutton,
veale, lambe, kid, porke, conie, capon, pig, or so manie of these as
the season yeeldeth: but also some portion of the red or fallow déere,
beside great varietie of fish and wild foule, and thereto sundrie
other delicates wherein the swéet hand of the seafaring Portingale is
not wanting: so that for a man to dine with one of them, and to tast
of euerie dish that standeth before him (which few vse to doo, but ech
one feedeth vpon that meat him best liketh for the time, the beginning
of euerie dish notwithstanding being reserued vnto the greatest
personage that sitteth at the table, to whome it is drawen vp still by
the waiters as order requireth, and from whome it descendeth againe
euen to the lower end, whereby each one may tast thereof) is rather to
yéeld vnto a conspiracie with a great deale of meat for the spéedie
suppression of naturall health, then the vse of a necessarie meane to
satisfie himselfe with a competent repast, to susteine his bodie
withall. But as this large feeding is not séene in their gests, no
more is it in their owne persons, for sith they haue dailie much
resort vnto their tables (and manie times vnlooked for) and thereto
reteine great numbers of seruants, it is verie requisit & expedient
for them to be somewhat plentifull in this behalfe.
The chiefe part likewise of their dailie prouision is brought in
before them (commonlie in siluer vessell if they be of the degrée of
barons, bishops and vpwards) and placed on their tables, wherof when
they haue taken what it pleaseth them, the rest is reserued, and
afterward sent downe to their seruing men and waiters, who féed
thereon in like sort with conuenient moderation, their reuersion also
being bestowed vpon the poore, which lie readie at their gates in
great numbers to receiue the same. This is spoken of the principall
tables whereat the nobleman, his ladie and guestes are accustomed to
sit, beside which they haue a certeine ordinarie allowance dailie
appointed for their hals, where the chiefe officers and household
seruants (for all are not permitted by custome to waite vpon their
master) and with them such inferiour guestes doo féed as are not of
calling to associat the noble man himselfe (so that besides those
afore mentioned, which are called to the principall table, there are
commonlie fortie or thrée score persons fed in those hals, to the
great reliefe of such poore sutors and strangers also as oft be
partakers thereof and otherwise like to dine hardlie. As for drinke it
is vsuallie filled in pots, gobblets, iugs, bols of siluer in noble
mens houses, also in fine Venice glasses of all formes, and for want
of these elsewhere in pots of earth of sundrie colours and moulds
whereof manie are garnished with siluer) or at the leastwise in
pewter, all which notwithstanding are seldome set on the table, but
each one as necessitie vrgeth, calleth for a cup of such drinke as him
listeth to haue: so that when he hath tasted of it he deliuered the
cup againe to some one of the standers by, who making it cleane by
pouring out the drinke that remaineth, restoreth it to the cupbord
from whence he fetched the same. By this deuise (a thing brought vp at
the first by Mnesteus of Athens, in conseruation of the honour of
Orestes, who had not yet made expiation for the death of his
adulterous parents Egistus and Clitemnestra) much idle tippling is
furthermore cut off, for if the full pots should continuallie stand at
the elbow or néere the trencher, diuerse would alwaies be dealing with
them, whereas now they drinke seldome and onelie when necessitie
vrgeth, and so auoid the note of great drinking, or often troubling of
the seruitours with filling of their bols. Neuerthelesse in the noble
mens hals, this order is not vsed, neither in anie mans house
commonlie vnder the degrée of a knight or esquire of great reuenues.
It is a world to sée in these our daies, wherin gold and siluer most
aboundeth, how that our gentilitie as lothing those mettals (bicause
of the plentie) do now generallie choose rather the Venice glasses
both for our wine and béere, than anie of those mettals or stone
wherein before time we haue béene accustomed to drinke, but such is
the nature of man generallie that it most coueteth things difficult to
be atteined; & such is the estimation of this stuffe, that manie
become rich onelie with their new trade vnto Murana (a towne néere to
Venice situat on the Adriatike sea) from whence the verie best are
dailie to be had, and such as for beautie doo well néere match the
christall or the ancient Murrhina vasa, whereof now no man hath
knowledge. And as this is séene in the gentilitie, so in the wealthie
communaltie the like desire of glasse is not neglected, whereby the
gaine gotten by their purchase is yet much more increased to the
benefit of the merchant. The poorest also will haue glasse if they
may, but sith the Venecian is somewhat too déere for them, they
content themselues with such as are made at home of ferne and burned
stone, but in fine all go one waie, that is, to shards at the last, so
that our great expenses in glasses (beside that they bréed much strife
toward such as haue the charge of them) are worst of all bestowed in
mine opinion, bicause their péeces doo turne vnto no profit. If the
[Sidenote: Ro. Bacon.]
philosophers stone were once found, and one part hereof mixed with
fortie of molten glasse, it would induce such a mettallicall
toughnesse therevnto, that a fall should nothing hurt it in such
maner, yet it might peraduenture bunch or batter it, neuerthelesse
that inconuenience were quickelie to be redressed by the hammer. But
whither am I slipped?
The gentlemen and merchants keepe much about one rate, and each of
them contenteth himselfe with foure, fiue, or six dishes, when they
haue but small resort, or peraduenture with one, or two, or thrée at
the most, when they haue no strangers to accompanie them at their
tables. And yet their seruants haue their ordinarie diet assigned,
beside such as is left at their masters boordes, & not appointed to be
brought thither the second time, which neuerthelesse is often séene
generallie in venison, lambe, or some especiall dish, whereon the
merchant man himselfe liketh to feed when it is cold, or peraduenture
for sundrie causes incident to the féeder is better so, than if it
were warme or hot. To be short, at such time as the merchants doo make
their ordinarie or voluntarie feasts, it is a world to see what great
prouision is made of all maner of delicat meats, from euerie quarter
of the countrie, wherein beside that they are often comparable herein
to the nobilitie of the land, they will seldome regard anie thing that
the butcher vsuallie killeth, but reiect the same as not worthie to
come in place. In such cases also geliffes of all colours mixed with a
varietie in the representation of sundrie floures, herbs, trees,
formes of beasts, fish, foules and fruits, and therevnto marchpaine
wrought with no small curiositie, tarts of diuerse hewes and sundrie
denominations, conserues of old fruits forren and home-bred, suckets,
codinacs, marmilats, marchpaine, sugerbread, gingerbread, florentines,
wild foule, venison of all sorts, and sundrie outlandish confections,
altogether seasoned with suger (which Plinie calleth Mel ex
arundinibus, a deuise not common nor greatlie vsed in old time at the
table, but onelie in medicine, although it grew in Arabia, India &
Sicilia) doo generallie beare the swaie, besides infinit deuises of
our owne not possible for me to remember. Of the potato and such
venerous roots as are brought out of Spaine, Portingale, and the
Indies to furnish vp our bankets, I speake not, wherin our Mures of no
lesse force, and to be had about Crosbie Rauenswath, doo now begin to
haue place.
But among all these, the kind of meat which is obteined with most
difficultie and cost, is commonlie taken for the most delicat, and
therevpon each guest will soonest desire to feed. And as all estats
doo excéed herin, I meane for strangenesse and number of costlie
dishes, so these forget not to vse the like excesse in wine, in somuch
as there is no kind to be had (neither anie where more store of all
sorts than in England, although we haue none growing with vs but
yearelie to the proportion of 20000 or 30000 tun and vpwards,
notwithstanding the dailie restreincts of the same brought ouer vnto
vs) wherof at great méetings there is not some store to be had.
Neither doo I meane this of small wines onlie, as Claret, White, Red,
French, &c: which amount to about fiftie six sorts, according to the
number of regions from whence they come: but also of the thirtie kinds
of Italian, Grecian, Spanish, Canarian, &c: whereof Veruage, Cate
pument, Raspis, Muscadell, Romnie, Bastard Tire, Oseie, Caprike,
Clareie & Malmeseie are not least of all accompted of, bicause of
their strength and valure. For as I haue said in meat, so the stronger
the wine is, the more it is desired, by means wherof in old time, the
best was called Theologicum, bicause it was had from the cleargie and
religious men, vnto whose houses manie of the laitie would often send
for bottels filled with the same, being sure that they would neither
drinke nor be serued of the worst, or such as was anie waies mingled
or brued by the vintener: naie the merchant would haue thought that
his soule should haue gone streightwaie to the diuell, if he should
haue serued them with other than the best. Furthermore when these haue
had their course which nature yéeldeth, sundrie sorts of artificiall
stuffe, as ypocras & wormewood wine must in like maner succéed in
their turnes, beside stale ale and strong béere, which neuerthelesse
beare the greatest brunt in drinking, and are of so manie sorts and
ages as it pleaseth the bruer to make them.
[Sidenote: Béere.]
The béere that is vsed at noble mens tables in their fixed and
standing houses, is commonlie of a yeare old, or peraduenture of two
yeares tunning or more, but this is not generall. It is also brued in
March and therefore called March béere, but for the household it is
vsuallie not vnder a moneths age, ech one coueting to haue the same
stale as he may, so that it be not sowre, and his bread new as is
possible so that it be not hot.
[Sidenote: Artificer.]
The artificer and husbandman make greatest accompt of such meat as
they may soonest come by, and haue it quickliest readie, except it be
in London when the companies of euery trade doo meet on their quarter
daies, at which time they be nothing inferiour to the nobilitie. Their
food also consisteth principallie in béefe and such meat as the
butcher selleth, that is to saie, mutton, veale, lambe, porke, &c:
whereof he findeth great store in the markets adioining, beside souse,
brawne, bacon, fruit, pies of fruit, foules of sundrie sorts, cheese,
butter, egs, &c: as the other wanteth it not at home, by his owne
prouision, which is at the best hand, and commonlie least charge. In
feasting also this latter sort, I meane the husbandmen doo excéed
after their maner: especiallie at bridales, purifications of women,
and such od méetings, where it is incredible to tell what meat is
consumed & spent, ech one bringing such a dish, or so manie with him
as his wife & he doo consult vpon, but alwaies with this
consideration, that the léefer fréend shall haue the better prouision.
This also is commonlie séene at these bankets, that the good man of
the house is not charged with any thing sauing bread, drink, sauce,
houseroome, and fire. But the artificers in cities and good townes doo
deale far otherwise, for albeit that some of them doo suffer their
iawes to go oft before their clawes, and diuerse of them by making
good cheere doo hinder themselues and other men: yet the wiser sort
can handle the matter well inough in these iunkettings, and therfore
their frugalitie deserueth commendation. To conclude, both the
artificer and the husbandman are sufficientlie liberall, & verie
fréendlie at their tables, and when they méet, they are so merie
without malice, and plaine without inward Italian or French craft and
subtiltie, that it would doo a man good to be in companie among them.
Herein onelie are the inferiour sort somewhat to be blamed, that being
thus assembled, their talke is now and then such as sauoureth of
scurrilitie and ribaldrie, a thing naturallie incident to carters and
clownes, who thinke themselues not to be merie & welcome, if their
foolish veines in this behalfe be neuer so little restreined. This is
moreouer to be added in these méetings, that if they happen to stumble
vpon a péece of venison, and a cup of wine or verie strong beere or
ale (which latter they commonlie prouide against their appointed
daies) they thinke their chéere so great, and themselues to haue fared
[Sidenote: I haue dined so well as my lord maior.]
so well, as the lord Maior of London, with whome when their bellies be
full they will not often sticke to make comparison, because that of a
subiect there is no publike officer of anie citie in Europe, that may
compare in port and countenance with him during the time of his
office.
I might here talke somewhat of the great silence that is vsed at the
tables of the honorable and wiser sort, generallie ouer all the realme
(albeit that too much deserueth no c[=o]mendation, for it belongeth to
gests neither to be muti nor loquaces) likewise of the moderate eating
and drinking that is dailie séene, and finallie of the regard that
each one hath to keepe himselfe from the note of surffetting and
dronkennesse (for which cause salt meat, except béefe, bacon, and
porke are not anie whit esteemed, and yet these thrée may not be much
powdered) but as in rehearsall thereof I should commend the noble man,
merchant, and frugall artificer, so I could not cleare the meaner sort
of husbandmen, and countrie inhabitants of verie much babbling (except
it be here and there some od yeoman) with whome he is thought to be
the meriest that talketh of most ribaldrie, or the wisest man that
speaketh fastest among them, & now and then surffetting and
dronkennesse, which they rather fall into for want of héed taking,
than wilfullie following or delighting in those errours of set mind
and purpose. It may be that diuers of them liuing at home with hard
and pinching diet, small drinke, and some of them hauing scarse inough
of that, are soonest ouertaken when they come vnto such bankets,
howbeit they take it generallie as no small disgrace if they happen to
be cupshotten, so that it is a greefe vnto them though now sans
remedie sith the thing is doone and past. If the freends also of the
wealthier sort come to their houses from farre, they are commonlie so
welcome till they depart as vpon the first daie of their comming,
wheras in good townes and cities, as London, &c: men oftentimes
complaine of little roome, and in reward of a fat capon or plentie of
béefe and mutton, largelie bestowed vpon them in the countrie, a cup
of wine or béere with a napkin to wipe their lips, and an "You are
heartelie welcome" is thought to be great interteinement, and
therefore the old countrie clearkes haue framed this saieng in that
behalfe, I meane vpon the interteinment of townesmens and Londoners
after the daies of their aboad in this maner:
Primus iucundus, tollerabilis estq; secundus,
Tertius est vanus, sed fetet quatriduanus.
[Sidenote: Bread.]
The bread through out the land is made of such graine as the soile
yéeldeth, neuerthelesse the gentilitie commonlie prouide themselues
sufficientlie of wheat for their owne tables, whilest their household
and poore neighbours in some shires are inforced to content themselues
with rie, or barleie, yea and in time of dearth manie with bread made
either of beans, peason, or otes, or of altogither and some acornes
among, of which scourge the poorest doo soonest tast, sith they are
least able to prouide themselues of better. I will not saie that this
extremitie is oft so well to be seene in time of plentie as of dearth,
but if I should I could easilie bring my triall. For albeit that there
be much more ground eared now almost in euerie place, than hath beene
of late yeares, yet such a price of corne continueth in each towne and
market without any iust cause (except it be that landlords doo get
licences to carie corne out of the land onelie to kéepe vp the peeces
for their owne priuate gaines and ruine of the common-wealth) that the
artificer and poore laboring man, is not able to reach vnto it, but
[Sidenote: A famine at hand is first séene in the horsse manger
when the poore doo fall to horssecorne.]
is driuen to content himselfe with horsse-corne, I meane, beanes,
peason, otes, tares, and lintels: and therefore it is a true prouerbe,
and neuer so well verified as now, that hunger setteth his first foot
into the horsse manger. If the world last a while after this rate,
wheate and rie will be no graine for poore men to feed on, and some
caterpillers there are that can saie so much alreadie.
Of bread made of wheat we haue sundrie sorts, dailie brought to the
table, whereof the first and most excellent is the mainchet, which we
[Sidenote: Primarius panis.]
commonlie call white bread, in Latine Primarius panis, wherof Budeus
also speaketh, in his first booke De asse, and our good workemen
deliuer commonlie such proportion, that of the flower of one bushell
with another they make fortie cast of manchet, of which euerie lofe
weigheth eight ounces into the ouen and six ounces out, as I haue
[Sidenote: Cheat bread.]
béene informed. The second is the cheat or wheaton bread, so named
bicause the colour therof resembleth the graie or yellowish wheat,
being cleane and well dressed, and out of this is the coursest of the
[Sidenote: Rauelled bread.]
bran (vsuallie called gurgeons or pollard) taken. The raueled is a
kind of cheat bread also, but it reteineth more of the grosse, and
lesse of the pure substance of the wheat: and this being more
sleightlie wrought vp, is vsed in the halles of the nobilitie, and
gentrie onelie, whereas the other either is or should be baked in
[Sidenote: The size of bread is verie ill kept or not at all
looked vnto in the countrie townes and markets.]
cities & good townes of an appointed size (according to such price as
the corne dooth beare) and by a statute prouided by king Iohn in that
behalfe. The raueled cheat therfore is generallie so made that out of
one bushell of meale, after two and twentie pounds of bran be sifted
and taken from it (wherevnto they ad the gurgeons that rise from the
manchet) they make thirtie cast, euerie lofe weighing eightéene ounces
into the ouen and sixteene ounces out: and beside this they so handle
the matter that to euerie bushell of meale they ad onelie two and
twentie or thrée and twentie pound of water, washing also in some
houses there corne before it go to the mill, whereby their manchet
bread is more excellent in colour and pleasing to the eie, than
[Sidenote: Browne bread.]
otherwise it would be. The next sort is named browne bread of the
colour, of which we haue two sorts, one baked vp as it c[=o]meth from
the mill, so that neither the bran nor the floure are anie whit
diminished, this Celsus called Autopirus panis, lib. 2. and putteth it
in the second place of nourishment. The other hath little or no floure
[Sidenote: Panis Cibarius.]
left therein at all, howbeit he calleth it Panem Cibarium, and it is
not onlie the woorst and weakest of all the other sorts, but also
appointed in old time for seruants, slaues, and the inferiour kind of
people to féed vpon. Herevnto likewise, bicause it is drie and brickie
in the working (for it will hardlie be made vp handsomelie into
loaues) some adde a portion of rie meale in our time, whereby the
rough drinesse or drie roughnes therof is somwhat qualified, & then it
is named miscelin, that is, bread made of mingled corne, albeit that
diuerse doo sow or mingle wheat & rie of set purpose at the mill, or
before it come there, and sell the same at the markets vnder the
aforesaid name.
[Sidenote: Summer wheat and winter barleie verie rare in England.]
In champeigne countries much rie and barleie bread is eaten, but
especiallie where wheat is scant and geson. As for the difference that
is betwéene the summer and winter wheat, most husbandmen know it not,
sith they are neither acquainted with summer wheat, nor winter
barleie: yet here and there I find of both sorts, speciallie in the
north and about Kendall, where they call it March wheat, and also of
summer rie, but in so small quantities as that I dare not pronounce
them to be greatlie common among vs.
[Sidenote: Drinke.]
Our drinke, whose force and continuance is partlie touched alreadie,
is made of barleie, water, and hops, sodden and mingled togither, by
the industrie of our bruers, in a certeine exact proportion. But
before our barleie doo come vnto their hands, it susteineth great
[Sidenote: Malt.]
alteration, and is conuerted into malt, the making whereof, I will
here set downe in such order, as my skill therein may extend vnto (for
I am scarse a good malster) chiefelie for that forreine writers haue
attempted to describe the same, and the making of our beere, wherein
they haue shot so farre wide, as the quantitie of ground was betwéene
themselues & their marke. In the meane time beare with me, gentle
reader (I beséech thée) that lead thee from the description of the
plentifull diet of our countrie, vnto the fond report of a seruile
trade, or rather from a table delicatelie furnished, into a mustie
malthouse: but such is now thy hap, wherfore I praie thée be
contented.
[Sidenote: Making of malt.]
Our malt is made all the yeare long in some great townes, but in
gentlemens and yeomens houses, who commonlie make sufficient for their
owne expenses onelie, the winter halfe is thought most méet for that
commoditie: howbeit the malt that is made when the willow dooth bud,
is commonlie worst of all, neuerthelesse each one indeuoureth to make
it of the best barleie, which is steeped in a cesterne, in greater or
less quantitie, by the space of thrée daies and three nights, vntill
it be throughlie soked. This being doone, the water is drained from it
by little and little, till it be quite gone. Afterward they take it
out, and laieng it vpon the cleane floore on a round heape, it resteth
so vntill it be readie to shoote at the root end, which maltsters call
Comming. When it beginneth therefore to shoot in this maner, they saie
it is come, and then foorthwith they spread it abroad, first thicke,
and afterward thinner and thinner vpon the said floore (as it commeth)
and there it lieth (with turning euerie daie foure or fiue times) by
the space of one and twentie daies at the least, the workeman not
suffering it in anie wise to take anie heat, whereby the bud end
should spire, that bringeth foorth the blade, and by which ouersight
or hurt of the stuffe it selfe the malt would be spoiled, and turne
small commoditie to the bruer. When it hath gone or béene turned so
long vpon the floore, they carie it to a kill couered with haire
cloth, where they giue it gentle heats (after they haue spread it
there verie thin abroad) till it be drie, & in the meane while they
turne it often, that it may be vniformelie dried. For the more it be
dried (yet must it be doone with soft fire) the swéeter and better the
malt is, and the longer it will continue, whereas if it be not dried
downe (as they call it) but slackelie handled, it will bréed a kind of
worme, called a wiuell, which groweth in the floure of the corne, and
in processe of time will so eat out it selfe, that nothing shall
remaine of the graine but euen the verie rind or huske.
The best malt is tried by the hardnesse & colour, for if it looke
fresh with a yellow hew, & thereto will write like a péece of chalke,
after you haue bitten a kirnell in sunder in the middest, then you may
assure your selfe that it is dried downe. In some places it is dried
at leisure with wood alone, or strawe alone, in other with wood and
strawe togither, but of all the strawe dried, is the most excellent.
For the wood dried malt when it is brued, beside that the drinke is
higher of colour, it dooth hurt and annoie the head of him that is not
vsed thereto, bicause of the smoake. Such also as vse both
indifferentlie doo barke, cleaue, and drie their wood in an ouen,
thereby to remooue all moisture that shuld procure the fume, and this
malt is in the second place, & with the same likewise, that which is
made with dried firze, broome, &c: whereas if they also be occupied
gréene, they are in maner so preiudiciall to the corne, as is the
moist wood. And thus much of our malts, in bruing whereof some grinde
the same somewhat groselie, and in séething well the liquor that shall
be put vnto it, they adde to euerie nine quarters of mault one of
headcorne, which consisteth of sundrie graine, as wheate, and otes
groond. But what haue I to doo with this matter, or rather so great a
quantitie, wherewith I am not acquainted. Neuerthelesse, sith I haue
taken occasion to speake of bruing, I will exemplifie in such a
proportion as I am best skilled in, bicause it is the vsuall rate for
mine owne familie, and once in a moneth practised by my wife & hir
maid seruants, who procéed withall after this maner, as she hath oft
informed me.
[Sidenote: Bruing of beere.]
Hauing therefore groond eight bushels of good malt vpon our querne,
where the toll is saued, she addeth vnto it halfe a bushell of wheat
meale, and so much of otes small groond, and so tempereth or mixeth
them with the malt, that you cannot easilie discerne the one from the
other, otherwise these later would clunter, fall into lumps, and
thereby become vnprofitable. The first liquor which is full eightie
gallons, according to the proportion of our furnace, she maketh
boiling hot, and then powreth it softlie into the malt, where it
resteth (but without stirring) vntill hir second liquor be almost
readie to boile. This doone she letteth hir mash run till the malt be
left without liquor, or at the leastwise the greatest part of the
moisture, which she perceiueth by the staie and soft issue thereof,
and by this time hir second liquor in the furnace is ready to séeth,
which is put also to the malt as the first woort also againe into the
furnace wherevnto she addeth two pounds of the best English hops, and
so letteth them seeth togither by the space of two houres in summer,
or an houre and an halfe in winter, whereby it getteth an excellent
colour, and continuance without impeachment, or anie superfluous
[Sidenote: Charwoort.]
tartnesse. But before she putteth hir first woort into the furnace, or
mingleth it with the hops, she taketh out a vessel full, of eight or
nine gallons, which she shutteth vp close, and suffereth no aire to
come into it till it become yellow, and this she reserueth by it selfe
vnto further vse, as shall appeare herafter, calling it Brackwoort or
Charwoort, and as she saith it addeth also to the colour of the
drinke, whereby it yeeldeth not vnto amber or fine gold in hew vnto
the eie. By this time also hir second woort is let runne, and the
first being taken out of the furnace and placed to coole, she
returneth the middle woort vnto the furnace, where it is striken ouer,
or from whence it is taken againe, when it beginneth to boile and
mashed the second time, whilest the third liquor is heat (for there
are thrée liquors) and this last put into the furnace, when the second
is mashed againe. When she hath mashed also the last liquor (and set
the second to coole by the first) she letteth it runne, and then
séetheth it againe with a pound and an halfe of new hops, or
peraduenture two pounds as she séeth cause by the goodnesse or
basenesse of the hops, & when it hath sodden in summer two houres & in
winter an houre & an halfe, she striketh it also and reserueth it vnto
mixture with the rest when time dooth serue therefore. Finallie when
she setteth hir drinke togither, she addeth to hir brackwoort or
charwoort halfe an ounce of arras, and halfe a quarterne of an ounce
of baiberries finelie powdered, and then putting the same into hir
woort with an handfull of wheat flowre, she procéedeth in such vsuall
order as common bruing requireth. Some in stéed of arras & baies adde
so much long pepper onelie, but in hir opinion and my liking it is not
so good as the first, and hereof we make thrée hoggesheads of good
beere, such (I meane) as is méet for poore men as I am to liue
withall, whose small maintenance (for what great thing is fortie
pounds a yeare Computatis computandis able to performe) may indure no
déeper cut, the charges whereof groweth in this manner. I value my
malt at ten shillings, my wood at foure shillings which I buie, my
hops at twentie pence, the spice at two pence, seruants wages two
shillings six pence with meat and drinke, and the wearing of my
vessell at twentie pence, so that for my twentie shillings I haue ten
score gallons of béere or more, notwithstanding the losse in seething,
which some being loth to forgo doo not obserue the time, and therefore
spéed thereafter in their successe, and worthilie. The continuance of
the drinke is alwaie determined after the quantitie of the hops, so
that being well hopped it lasteth longer. For it féedeth vpon the hop,
and holdeth out so long as the force of the same continueth, which
being extinguished the drinke must be spent or else it dieth, and
becommeth of no value.
In this trade also our bruers obserue verie diligentlie the nature of
the water, which they dailie occupie; and soile through which it
passeth, for all waters are not of like goodnesse, sith the fattest
standing water is alwaies the best: for although the waters that run
by chalke or cledgie soiles be good, and next vnto the Thames water
which is the most excellent, yet the water that standeth in either of
these is the best for vs that dwell in the countrie, as whereon the
sunne lieth longest, and fattest fish is bred. But of all other the
fennie and morish is the worst, and the cléerest spring water next
vnto it. In this busines therfore the skilfull workeman dooth redeeme
the iniquitie of that element, by changing of his proportions, which
trouble in ale (sometime our onelie, but now taken with manie for old
and sickmens drinke) is neuer séene nor heard of. Howbeit as the beere
well sodden in the bruing, and stale, is cleere and well coloured as
muscadell or malueseie, or rather yellow as the gold noble as our
potknights call it: so our ale which is not at all or verie little
sodden, and without hops, is more thicke, fulsome, and of no such
continuance, which are thrée notable things to be considered in that
liquor. But what for that? Certes I know some aleknights so much
addicted therevnto, that they will not ceasse from morow vntill euen
to visit the same, clensing house after house, till they defile
themselues, and either fall quite vnder the boord, or else not daring
to stirre from their stooles, sit still pinking with their narrow eies
as halfe sleeping, till the fume of their aduersarie be digested that
he may go to it afresh. Such flights also haue the alewiues for the
vtterance of this drinke, that they will mixe it with rosen and salt:
but if you heat a knife red hot, and quench it in the ale so neere the
bottome of the pot as you can put it, you shall sée the rosen come
foorth hanging on the knife. As for the force of salt, it is well
knowne by the effect, for the more the drinker tipleth, the more he
may, and so dooth he carrie off a drie dronken noll to bed with him,
except his lucke be the better. But to my purpose.
In some places of England, there is a kind of drinke made of apples,
[Sidenote: Cider.]
[Sidenote: Perrie.]
which they call cider or pomage, but that of peares is named pirrie,
and both are groond and pressed in presses made for the nonce. Certes
these two are verie common in Sussex, Kent, Worcester, and other
stéeds, where these sorts of fruits doo abound, howbeit they are not
their onelie drinke at all times, but referred vnto the delicate sorts
[Sidenote: Metheglin.]
of drinke, as metheglin is in Wales, whereof the Welshmen make no
lesse accompt (and not without cause if it be well handled) than the
Gréekes did of their Ambrosia or Nectar, which for the pleasantnesse
thereof, was supposed to be such as the gods themselues did delite in.
There is a kind of swish swash made also in Essex, and diuerse other
places, with honicombs and water, which the homelie countrie wiues,
[Sidenote: Mead.]
putting some pepper and a little other spice among, call mead, verie
good in mine opinion for such as loue to be loose bodied at large, or
a little eased of the cough, otherwise it differeth so much fr[=o] the
true metheglin, as chalke from cheese. Truelie it is nothing else but
the washing of the combes, when the honie is wroong out, and one of
the best things that I know belonging thereto is, that they spend but
[Sidenote: Hydromel.]
little labour and lesse cost in making of the same, and therefore no
great losse if it were neuer occupied. Hitherto of the diet of my
countrimen, & somewhat more at large peraduenture than manie men will
like of, wherefore I thinke good now to finish this tractation, and so
will I, when I haue added a few other things incident vnto that which
goeth before, whereby the whole processe of the same shall fullie be
deliuered, & my promise to my fréend in this behalfe performed.
[Sidenote: Lesse time spent in eating than heretofore.]
Heretofore there hath béene much more time spent in eating and
drinking than commonlie is in these daies, for whereas of old we had
breakefasts in the forenoone, beuerages, or nuntions after dinner, and
thereto reare suppers generallie when it was time to go to rest (a
toie brought into England by hardie Canutus and a custome whereof
Athenæus also speaketh lib. 1, albeit Hippocrates speake but of twise
at the most lib. 2. De rat. vict. in feb. ac.) Now these od repasts
thanked be God are verie well left, and ech one in maner (except here
and there some yoong hungrie stomach that cannot fast till dinner
time) contenteth himselfe with dinner & supper onelie. The Normans
misliking the gormandise of Canutus, ordeined after their arriuall,
that no table should be couered aboue once in the daie, which
Huntingdon imputeth to their auarice: but in the end either waxing
wearie of their owne frugalitie, or suffering the cockle of old
custome to ouergrow the good corne of their new constitution, they
[Sidenote: Canutus a glutton, but the Normans at the last
excéeded him in that vice.]
fell to such libertie, that in often féeding they surmounted Canutus
surnamed the hardie. For whereas he couered his table but thrée or
foure times in the daie, these spred their clothes fiue or six times,
and in such wise as I before rehearsed. They brought in also the
custome of long and statelie sitting at meat, whereby their feasts
resembled those ancient pontificall bankets whereof Macrobius speaketh
lib. 3. cap. 13. and Plin. lib. 10. cap. 10. and which for
sumptuousnesse of fare, long sitting and curiositie shewed in the
same, excéeded all other mens feasting, which fondnesse is not yet
left with vs, notwithstanding that it proueth verie beneficiall for
the physicians, who most abound, where most excesse and misgouernement
of our bodies doo appéere, although it be a great expense of time, and
worthie of reprehension. For the nobilitie, gentlemen, and
[Sidenote: Long sitting reprehended.]
merchantmen, especiallie at great méetings doo sit commonlie till two
or three of the clocke at afternoone, so that with manie is an hard
matter, to rise from the table to go to euening praier, and returne
from thence to come time inough to supper. For my part I am persuaded
that the purpose of the Normans at the first was to reduce the ancient
Roman order or Danish custome in féeding once in the daie, and toward
the euening, as I haue red and noted. And indéed the Romans had such a
custome, and likewise the Grecians, as may appeere by the words of
Socrates, who said vnto the Atheniens, "Oriente sole consilium,
occidente conuiuium est cogitandum," although a little something was
allowed in the morning to yoong children which we now call a
breakefast. Plato called the Siciliens monsters, for that they vsed to
eat twise in the daie. Among the Persians onelie the king dined when
the sunne was at the highest, and shadow of the stile at the shortest:
the rest (as it is reported) went alwaies but once to meat when their
stomachs craued it, as the Canariens and Indians doo in my time (who
if appetite serue refuse not to go to meat at anie houre of the night)
and likewise the ancient Caspians. Yet Arhianus noteth it as a rare
thing li. 4. cap. 16. that the Tyrhenians had taken vp an ill custome
to féed twise in a daie. Howbeit at the last they fell generallie to
allow of suppers toward the setting of the sunne in all places,
bicause they would haue their whole familie to go to meat togither,
and wherevnto they would appoint their guests to come at a certeine
length of the shadow, to be perceiued in their dials. And this is more
to be noted of antiquitie, that if anie man (as Plutarch saith) did
féed before that time, he incurred a note of reprehension as if he had
beene gluttonous and giuen vnto the bellie, 8. Sympos. 6. Their slaues
in like sort were glad, when it grew to the tenth foot, for then were
they sure soone after to go to meat. In the scripture we read of manie
suppers & few dinners, onelie for that dining was not greatlie vsed in
Christs time, but taken as a thing latelie sproong vp, when pampering
of the bellie began to take hold, occasioned by idlenes and great
abundance of riches. It is pretie to note in Iuuenal, how he taunteth
[Sidenote: * That is at thrée of the clocke at afternoone.]
Marius for that he gaue himselfe to drinke before the [*]ninth houre
of the daie: for thinking three houres to be too little for the
filling of his bellie, he began commonlie at eight, which was an houre
too soone. Afterwards when gurmandise increased yet more amongst the
Romans, and from them was dispersed vnto all nations vnder their
subiection, it came to passe that six houres onlie were appointed to
worke and consult in, and the other six of the daie to feed and drinke
in, as the verse saith:
Sex horæ tantùm rebus tribuantur agendis,
Viuere post illas, littera Zetha monet.
Wherevnto Maximus Planudes (except my memorie faile me) addeth this
scholie after his maner, saieng that from morning vnto noone (which is
six of the clocke after the vnequall accompt) each one dooth trauell
about his necessarie affaires, that being doone, he betaketh himselfe
to the refreshing of his bodie, which is noted and set downe by the
Gréeke letters of the diall (wherewith the Romane horologies were
marked, as ours be with their numerall letters) whereby the time is
described; for those which point 7, 8, 9 and 10 are written with
[Greek: x ê th i] and being ioined yéeld [Greek: xêthi], which in
English signified so much as liue, as if they should meane, eat that
thou maist liue. But how Martial diuided his daie, and with him the
whole troope of the learned & wiser sort, these verses following doo
more euidentlie declare:
[Sidenote: Li. 4. epig. 8.]
Prima salutantes, atque altera continet horas,
Exercet raucos tertia causidicos.
In quintam varios extendit Roma labores,
Sexta quies lassis, septima finis erit.
Sufficit in nonam nitidis octaua palestris,
Imperat extructos frangere nona thoros.
Hora libellorum decima est Eupheme meorum,
Temperat Ambrosias cum tua cura dapes.
Et bonus æthereo laxatur Nectare Cæsar,
Ingentíque tenet pocula parca manu.
Tunc admitte iocos: gressu timet ire licenti,
Ad matutinum nostra Thaleia Iouem.
Thus we sée how the ancient maner of the Gentils was to féed but once
in the daie, and that toward night, till gluttonie grew on and altered
this good custome. I might here remember also their maner in pulling
off their shooes when they sat downe to meat, whereof Martial saith:
Deposui soleas, affertur protinus ingens
Inter lactucas oxygarmúq; liber, &c.
And Tullie also remembreth where he saith Seruum à pedibus ad te misi,
which office grew of the said custome, as Seruus ad limina did of
kéeping the doore, though in most houses both these were commonlie one
mans office, also Ad pocula of attending on the cup. But bicause the
good writers of our time haue obserued these phrases and such like
with their causes and descriptions, in their infinite and seuerall
treatises, I shall not need to discourse anie farther vpon them. With
vs the nobilitie, gentrie, and students, doo ordinarilie go to dinner
at eleuen before noone, and to supper at fiue, or betweene fiue and
six at afternoone. The merchants dine and sup seldome before twelue at
noone, and six at night especiallie in London. The husbandmen dine
also at high noone as they call it, and sup at seuen or eight: but out
of the tearme in our vniuersities the scholers dine at ten. As for the
poorest sort they generallie dine and sup when they may, so that to
talke of their order of repast, it were but a néedlesse matter. I
might here take occasion also to set downe the varietie vsed by
antiquitie in their beginnings of their diets, wherin almost euerie
nation had a seuerall fashion, some beginning of custome (as we doo in
summer time) with salets at supper, and some ending with lettice, some
making their entrie with egs, and shutting vp their tables with
mulberies, as we doo with fruit and conceits of all sorts. Diuerse (as
the old Romans) began with a few crops of rue, as the Venetians did
with the fish called Gobius, the Belgies with butter (or as we doo yet
also) with butter and egs vpon fish daies. But whereas we commonlie
begin with the most grosse food, and end with the most delicate, the
Scot thinking much to leaue the best for his meniall seruants maketh
his entrance at the best, so that he is sure therby to leaue the
worst. We vse also our wines by degrees, so that the hotest commeth
last to the table, but to stand vpon such toies would spend much time,
and turne to small profit, wherfore I will deale with other things
more necessarie for this turne.