But these their Cares were vain, for Death's cold hand, Now to the Caution of the Muse attend, The Fish shoots swiftly thro' the fluent Plain; Now he sucks in his last remains of Breath, Now that your Stew-ponds may with ease afford Some few Years past, the pious Christian's Dish, In Spring-time only, was confin'd to Fish*. "Fishes are like their Element, and place In fervid Seasons, and in Climates hot Use them but if the Beare the helm hath got, Are glibbery, and make egression quiet, More nourishing than Sea-fish, and of these, Those (which the current Streams and Gravel please, And do abhorre annoyances of sinks, Which spoil their Channels with their loathsome stinks) Are most delicious, such as Pearch and Trout; Your Mud-fish all incline you to the Gout. Let out the Water from your open'd Lake, The Water rushes and the Dams and mounds But those delighting in sweet Scowres, refine GAYTON'S Longevity. "Another Remedy against the Dearth of things, especially Victuals, is to restore the vse of Fish to the ancient Credit and Estimation: and hereupon Bodine taketh occasion to commend our Custome of England for obseruing Fish dayes in the Weeke. And for effecting of the like in Fraunce, he propoundeth the example of the Prince and Magistrate whom the People will imitate. We may wish that both the one and the other were duly executed or obserued, whereby Fishing would be better maintained, and most especially the Nauigation: and Flesh would in some Seasons of the Yeare be vsed more commodiously, and better for the Health of Man. The great number of all sorts and kinds of Fish according to the obseruation of the Romaines (noted by Maister Bodine) ought to moue vs thereunto; Fish being so pure a Creature, that were it not, that we see the same subiect vnto Diseases, it wold be very doubtfull, whether the same amongst other Creatures was cursed for Man's Transgression, the Scripture speaking only that the Earth was cursed therefore: considering also the Prouerbe, as sound as a Fish; and if any be subiect to Diseases it is Fish of Riuers, or of standing Waters and Fishponds, which may be cured by strawing much Parsley into the Water. And because that Flesh and Fish are two principall things for the Food of Man, and that our purpose is not to omit any thing, that incidently may be handled for the Good of the Commonwealth, therefore will it not be exorbitant the rule of our methode to discourse somewhat thereof. The best Season of the Yeare to eate Fish is from September vntill March, if we will regard the Goodness of the Fish: howbeit that for the Increase of Beasts, we are commanded with great reason and consideration, to eate most Fish in March and Aprill, when he loseth his Taste. The fresh Fish of Riuers is of more Digestion, and better for sicke Persons; but the Sea-fish is of more Nourishment. All Fish being moist and cold of nature, is qualified by the addition of Salt, and being eaten with much Bread cannot do any hurt, especially vnto cholericke Persons, with whose Complexion it agreeth best. And whereas all other Creatures do first decay and putrifie in the Belly, the Fish doth first putritie in the Head: for no otherr reason, but that hauing only one Gut the Meate doth easily passe the same, without Digestion or Corruption; which by staying long with other Creatures causeth Putrifaction: an Argument that Fish is more healthfull then Flesh, howbeit that (through the continuall vse) Flesh is more agreeable with our Nature." ENGLAND's viévv, in the vnmasking of two Paradoxes: with a replication onto the answer of Maister IoHN BODINE, by GERRARD DE MALYNES, Merchant. Oct. 1603. Meanwhile the wand'ring Fish swims up and down Numerous have been the Opinions upon the Salubrity of FISH as a Diet: Dr. HOLLAND, in his Translation of the Regimen Sanitatis Salerni, a Work supposed to have been drawn up about the Year 1099, by JOHANNES DE MEDIOLANUS, or JOHN of MILAN, with the Concurrence of the other Physicians of Salerne, then reckoned the most celebrated School for Medicine in EUROPE. It was formerly in such high Esteem, that it was called "The Flower of Physic;" and HALLER enumerates above twenty Editions of it, printed at different times, sometimes with, and sometimes without a Commentary; and has been translated into various Languages, into English by PAGNELL, of which Book, two Editions were published at London in 1579 and 1607. But the best Publication of it, is that from which this Extract is derived. "The Fish of soft and biggest Body take, If hard and little, do not them forsake. Pike, Pearch, and Sole, are known for dainty Fish, The Whiting also is a courtly Dish: Tench, Gurnard, and a well-grown Plaice in May, In Water none is more tyrannicall. Who knows not Physic, should be nice and choice, In eating Eeles, because they hurt the Voice: Both Eeles and Cheese, without good store of Wine, Another Author, in Rules for prolonging Life, written originally in Latin, Anno 1648, has said, "FISH should be seldom eaten, and then they ought to be tender and well dressed, with the Addition of Vinegar, Spices, and other Sauces. Oysters, and all Shell-fish, should be avoided, because they afford only a cold, slow, and viscous Nourishment." A Third has remarked, "The Wholesomeness of FISH in Diet has been much disputed. Some declare it is the most delicious Food; Others that it possesses neither Strength nor Substance*. For the laborious Classes, it certainly is not adapted to be the sole Diet, but to Vegetable Food, it makes an excellent Addition. With Potatoes or other Roots, a Salted or Smoked Herring gives an acceptable Relish, and it is averred, that one Barrel of salted Herrings will, in this way, go as far as Three Barrels of salted Beef. Fresh Fish is better calculated for As a Proof how little Substance is to be found in FISH, it is to be observed, that the Jockeys, who waste themselves at NEWMARKET, are not allowed Meat, or even, Pudding, when Fish can be got. H Still follows the remains; whom, from the Lake sedentary Persons, and to have such a Resource as a Nutriment in a populous Country, when Exigency might require such Aid, is at all Events, a fortunate Circumstance. "It is not improbable, that FISH were, in some Regions, the first Species of Animals, eaten by MAN. The Inhabitants of Caramania and Gedrosia, Provinces of PERSIA, not only fed themselves, but their Flocks, with Fish; and were, therefore, called by HERODOTUS and STRABO, Icthyophagi, or Fish-eaters. The Egyptians, whilst the Israelites resided amongst them, lived on Fish; and no other Animal Food is consumed by the Banians. "The Texture of Fish, in general, is more tender than that of Flesh. It is singular, that although we need Vegetables with our Meat, we hardly ever take them with Fish. FISH have nothing of a fibrous Structure, like Flesh; of course, they are easier digested than Meats, especially such as are not of a viscid Nature. Mons. GOSSE found boiled Perch very Digestible. CORNARO always experienced Fish to be oppressive to his Stomach. The Scaly Fish, have been supposed to be the most easy of Digestion. Manifold, however, are the objections to FISH; the Nourishment derived from them, it is said, is incomplete, not so stimulating, nor so congenial to the Nature of Man, as either Birds or Quadrupeds. But the Faults of Fish are somewhat corrected by the Manner in which they are commonly eaten. In a fresh State, Sauces and Pickles of an acid kind are employed with them, and when dried, the Action of the Stomach is promoted by Salt and Spices. "FISH may be arranged into three Classes. First Fresh Water, Second Salt Water, Third Shell Fish. "The Salmon though it lives much in the Sea, is principally caught in Rivers. It is highly Nutritious, but not easily digested. The Salmon-Trout is less heavy, and the Trout has a delicate Flavour. Eels are nourishing, but difficult of Concoction. Carp and Tench are reckoned wholesome. The Pike, if not too large, nor too old, is firm, palatable and healthful, but the greatest care should be taken to avoid swallowing the Bones, which are of a Texture so peculiarly hard, that they will not dissolve in the Stomach, and are apt to occasion Fistulas. This Fact is not so generally known as it ought to be. "The Salt Water, are more salutary than River Fish, and furnish abundant Subsistence. Of these, the Herring*, the Catching of which gives Occupation to Thousands, is the most Dr. JOHNSON in his Tour to the Western Isles, says, it is held that the Return of the LAIRD to Dunvegan (in the Isle of SKY) after any considerable Absence, produces a plentiful Capture of Herrings; and that if any Woman |