The Plain-dealing POULTERER.
How to get the Knowledge of Land-fowl and Water-fowl.
First of Water-fowl.
A Swan and Synet, and other Broad-footed Fowl.
A Swan when it is killed, it is either pull'd or scalded; if full of hairs, then it is old, but if not full of hairs, then they are young; when they are young, they are called Synets.
A Wild Goose.
A Wild Goose if she be red-footed, then she is old and full of hairs; if she be whitish-footed, and not full of hairs, then she is young.
A Brand Goose.
If she be full of hairs when she is pull'd, then she is old; if not, then she is young.
A Tame Goose.
A Tame Goose scalded, and lying in water in a Poulterer's Shop, or elsewhere, do but rub your finger upon the breast of it, if it feel rugged or ruff, then it is new kill'd; but if it feel slippery, or slimy, then it is stale kill'd.
A Tame Goose dry pull'd.
If dry pull'd, if red-footed, and red bild, and full of hairs when she is pull'd, then it is old; but if she hath a yellowish foot and a yellowish bill, then she is young.
A Wild Duck.
If she be fat, she will feel thick and hard upon the belly; but if lean, she will feel thin and soft upon the belly: and if she be new kill'd, she will be limberfooted; but if stale kill'd, she will be dry-footed; and if it be right wild, it hath a small reddish foot.
A Tame Duck.
A Tame Duck must be chosen after the same manner as a Wild Duck, new or stale, but it hath a thicker foot, blackish, and somewhat yellowish; but a [Page 3]Duck scalded, that lieth in water in a Poulterer's Shop, or elsewhere, do but rub your finger upon the breast of it, if it feel ruff, it is new kill'd, but if it feel slippery, or slimy, then it is stale kill'd.
Teals.
If they feel thick or hard upon the belly, then they are fat; but if they feel thin upon the belly, then they are lean; and if they are dry-footed, then stale kill'd; but if limber-footed, then they are new kill'd.
Land Wiggens.
Land Wiggens are in the chusing, as Teals good or bad, fat or lean, new or stale.
A Pintail.
A Pintail is almost in bigness like a Duck, and as good meat; in the same manner of chusing them, good or bad, fat or lean, new or stale.
A Water Wiggen.
A Water Wiggen is worse than a Land Wiggen a great deal, for they are very full of bloud, and will eat rank, and look black when they are dressed.
A Fowl called a Nun.
Nuns are as Water Wiggens, but full of bloud, and will eat rank, and look black when they are dressed.
A Curlew.
Hath a long hookt bill; if it be fat, it will be firm upon the belly; if it be lean, it will feel thin upon the belly; if new kill'd, it will be limberfooted.
A Stone-Curlew.
It hath a short bill, but no difference in the eating for goodness of meat.
An Olive.
It is white-breasted, and black backed, and hath a small long red leg, it doth eat fishy and oily.
A Stent.
Is about the bigness of a Jack-Suite, and like bill'd, but a little shorter, and very bad meat, she is gray-feathered.
Moore-hens are good for nothing, Dydappers and Cootes good for nothing, onely for sport.
So much for Water-fowl.
Several sorts of LAND-FOWL.
A Bustar.
A Bustar is as big as a Goose, and it is the best, rarest and dearest Fowl we have in England; it hath no heel, and therefore most commonly they are taken with Gray-hounds; they are seldom bought or sold in Poulterers Shops, or Markets, but are presented as a gift to Persons of quality.
A Fesant Cock.
If it be young, it hath a short spur; but if it be old, it hath a small sharp spur; Mind that it be not cut or par'd; if it be fat, it will have a fat vein upon the side of the breast of it under the wing; if it be new, it will have a fast firm vent; but if it be stale kill'd, it will have a green vent, and if you do but touch it any thing hard with your finger, it will peel. But mind the vent with loamdust, or any other thing, as flower, or such like.
A Fesant Hen.
A Fesant Hen, if it be young, it hath a smooth leg, and a fine smooth grain upon the flesh of it; but [Page 6]if it be old, it hath a rugged wrinckled grain upon the flesh of it, and full of hairs, like an old yard Hen; if she be full of Eggs, she will have a fast, but open vent, as a yard Hen hath; if not full of Eggs, a close vent.
A Fesant Powt.
It hath a fine smooth leg, and a smooth grain upon the flesh of it; but if it be green in the vent, or dry-footed, then it is stale kill'd; but if it be limber-footed, and white in the vent, then she is new kill'd.
A Heath Cock.
If it be new, it will be stiff and white in the vent, and limber-footed; and if it be fat, it will be hard in the vent; but if stale, it will be dry-footed, and green in the vent; do but touch it hard with your finger in the vent, it will peel.
A Heath Powt-male.
If it be new, it will be stiff and white in the vent, and limber-footed; and if it be fat, hard in the vent; but if stale, it will be dry-footed, and green in the vent; if you touch it hard with your finger in the vent, it will peel.
A Growse which is grayer than the Cock.
A Growse is a Female Powt, but male and female of one bigness, when it is pull'd, if it be new, it will be stiff and white in the vent, and [Page 7]limber-footed; if stale, it will have a green vent, and dry-footed.
A Woodcock.
If it be fat, it will feel thick and hard in the vent, and have a fat vein upon the side of the breast of it under the wing; but if lean, it will feel thin in the vent; if new kill'd, limber-footed; but if stale, dry-footed; have a care that it hath not got a snotty nose, or a morish muddy throat; you may know that by squeesing the throat.
A Partridge.
A Partridge, if it be old, it hath a white bill and a blewish leg; but if it be young, it hath a blackish bill, and a yellowish leg; if new, it will have a fast firm vent; but if stale, it will have a green vent, and will peel if you touch the vent hard with your finger; but you must have a care of the crop of it: if it hath eaten green Wheat, and full cropt, it will stink and be green in the crop.
A Snipe.
If it be fat, it will feel thick and fat in the vent, and have a fat vein upon the side of the breast under the wing; but if lean, it will feel thin in the vent; and if it be new kill'd, it will be limber-footed; if stale, then dry-footed; but have a care it hath not a snotty nose, nor a morish muddy throat.
A Green Plover.
A Green Plover hath no heel, and if she be new and good, she will be limber-footed; and if she be far, she will feel thick and hard in the vent of her; but if lean, she will feel thin in the vent; and if stale kill'd, dry-footed; she will keep the longest sweet and good of any Fowl in England.
A Gray Plover.
A Gray Plover is in the same manner as a Green Plover is in bigness and in goodness, and just the same in chusing good or bad.
A Stone-Plover.
Is like a Gray Plover, and about the same bigness; but she eateth oily and fishy.
A Bastard-Plover, or a Lapent.
A Bastard-Plover is the worst of all, for they are far stronger in taste and rankness, and very full of bloud, and they look black when they are dressed; but if far, they will feel thick and fat in the vent; and if new, limber-footed.
A Black-bird.
A Black-bird, if she be thick and hard in the vent, then she is fat; and if limber-footed, then new kill'd; but if thin in the vent, and dry, then she is both stale and poor.
A Felfaire.
If she be thick and hard in the vent, then she is fat; if limber-footed, then new kill'd; but if thin in the vent, and dry-footed, then she is both stale and poor.
A Maves.
Is a little bigger than a Black-bird, and as good meat in eating; If fat, she will feel thick in the vent; and if new, limber-footed; but if poor, then she will feel thin in the vent; and if stale, dry-footed.
A Field-Lark.
A Field-Lark hath a long heel; and if she be fat, she will feel thick and hard in the vent; and if new, limber-footed; but if stale, she will be dry-footed, and peel in the vent if you touch it with your finger.
A Wood-Lark.
Is one that is bred in the Wood, and that is the singing Lark; it is smaller and grayer than the Heath-Lark, and hath a long heel like the Field-Lark.
A Tit-Lark.
A Tit-Lark is as small as a Wood-Lark, and hath a heel like the other, and many times we have them come among our Field-Larks.
A Bunten.
A Bunten commonly comes among the Field-Larks, and we do sell them with the Larks, and for Larks; but they have not a long heel as a Lark hath, and they have a perfect tooth in the roof of their mouth; put in your finger and feel, and you shall find it to be true.
A Turtle-Dove.
A Turtle-Dove for the most part they are white, and they have a blewish ring about their neck, and if once matched and bred together, and if one of them doth die, the other will never match again with any other, but will pine away and die.
A Stock-Dove.
A Stock-Dove is bigger than a Wood-Pigeon, and better meat a great deal, and braver meat, larded and roasted very well, it is good for the eater, and especially if a man hath a good appetite.
A Ring-Dove.
A Ring-dove is less than a Stock-Dove. and more blewish, and nothing near so good meat.
A Wood-Pigeon.
A Wood-Pigeon, or Wood-Quist, some do call them, is almost as big as a Stock-Dove, but not so good meat nothing near.
A Dove-house Pigeon.
A Dove-house Pigeon if she be new kill'd, she will be stiff and firm in the vent; and if stale kill'd, limber and green in the vent; and if old, red-legged.
Tame Pigeons.
Tame Pigeons are of divers sorts; but we use but two sorts of them, one sort to roast, and the other to boil or bake.
A Peacock.
Peacocks are seldom used, except it be for great Feasts, or the like, and more to make a shew than for the goodness of the meat.
A Pea-Hen.
A Pea-Hen is brave meat, if she be young; but seldom used, except it be for great Feasts, or the like.
A Pea-Chicken.
A Pea-Chicken is as brave meat as any Feasant-Powt, or rather better if she be new kill'd.
A Turky-Cock.
A Turky-Cock, if he be young, he hath a smooth blackish leg, and a short spur; but if he be old, he hath a sharp spur and a red leg; if he be stale, he will be dry-footed, and his eyes will be sunk in his head; but if he be new kill'd, his eyes will stand firm in his head as if he were alive.
A Turky-Hen.
A Turky-Hen, if she be old, she will have a red leg, and a rugged grain; but if young, a smooth grain; and if she is full of Eggs, she is fast and open-vented; if hard-vented, not full of Eggs.
A Turky-Chicken.
A Turky-Chicken dry pulled is as hard to pull as any Fowl that is; but scalded, it is as easie as any Fowl that is: But many times Gentlemen are deceived in Taverns, or Ordinaries, or other places, where feasting is, and where Gentlemen use to meet together: Many times at great Feasts they do take Hen-Chickens with white legs, and scald them, and do truss them Turky-fashion, and make Turky-sawce to them, and it must be a good Palate that can find it out, unless he had notice of it before.
A Capon.
A Capon, if a-live, she will have a fat thick rump, and a fat thick belly, and a fat vein under her wing on the side of her breast; and if she be young, she will have a short spur, and a smooth leg; but if she be old, she hath a sharp spur; but have a care the spur be not cut, par'd, or scraped lesser; but if you mistrust it, do but pinch it upon the breast with your thumb, and if your thumb goeth in easie, then it is young; but if hard, then 'tis old; but if alive, have a care she be not bruised upon the breast with carriage, or have any sore, or wen about her; and if she be pale about the head, and have a short comb, then she is young; but if read about the head, then she is no clean Capon.
A Caponet.
A Capon and a Caponet is all one in the chusing of them, good or bad, fat or lean, new or stale, but she hath a shorter spur; and is more tender and younger meat.
A Pullet.
A Pullet, if she be a right Pullet, she will have a smooth leg, and a smooth breast, and will pinch tender upon the breast of it; and if she be full of Eggs, she will be open in the vent, and soft in the belly; but if not, she will be hard in the vent, and small-vented.
A Cock.
A Cock hath a red comb, and red gills; but if he hath a short spur, not cut, nor par'd, and fat, he will spend very well.
A Hen.
A Hen in January will spend better than the best Capon or Pullet that can be, if she be young, and full of Eggs; and that you may know by her soft and open vent, and by her red comb.
A Chicken dry pull'd.
If she be new kill'd, will be stiff and white, and firm in the vent; but if stale kill'd, it will be limber and green in the vent.
A Chicken Scalded.
A Chicken scalded in a Poulterer's Shop, or elsewhere, and lieth in water, do but rub your finger upon the breast of her, and if she feels ruff, then she is new kill'd; but if she feel slippery and slimy, then it is stale kill'd.
A Cramb'd Chicken.
A Cramb'd Chicken, if she be fat, she will have a fat rump, and a fat vein upon the side of the breast of her like a fat Pullet.
A Shuffler.
A Shuffler is like a Duck, but not so big, and it hath a broader bill, and they are fed with red Wheat and white, boiled; and with Mault, and with Bullocks-liver cut in small pieces.
A Godward.
A Godward hath a long bill like a Woodcock, and they are fed with the same sort of meat as your Shufflers are.
A Ruffe.
A Ruffe is none of the strongest Fowl that is; for you shall see a hundred of them together, and not one of them like the other; and they are fed with the same sort of meat as your Godwards are.
A Knot.
A Knot is lesser than a Ruffe, and they feed as your Ruffs do, or with the same sort of meat.
A Marrel.
A Marrel is about the bigness of a Knot, and are sold commonly for Knots to them that have no skill or judgment in them, but nothing near so good meat, and they are gray-feathered like a Stent.
A Gull.
Gulls are bigger than Ducks a great deal, and they are fed with Bullocks-liver cut in small pieces, and give them water enough, and that will make them very fat.
Hearns.
Hearns are fed in the same manner as your Gulls are, with Bullocks liver cut in small pieces.
Bitterns.
Bitterns are fed in the same manner as your Hearns are, with Bullocks-liver cut in small pieces, and give them water enough.
A Pevet.
A Pevet is a Water-fowl (or what you please to call them) and your Poulterers keep them alive, and feed them with liver cut in small pieces, and be sure you give them water enough; and if they are fat, they will have a fat vein upon the side of the breast under the wing.
A Dottrell.
A Dottrell is about the bigness of a Thrush in body; but she is redder breasted, and is a brave Bird for meat as any is to be sold for the bigness [Page 17]of it; If she be fat, she will have a fat vein upon the side of the breast of her under the wing, and will feel hard, fat, and firm in the vent, stiff in the body, and limber-footed; but if stale, limber and dry-footed.
A Wheat-geat.
A Wheat-gear is a smaller Bird than a Dottrell; but brave meat as can be eaten; and if she be fat, she will have a fat vein upon the side of the breast of her under the wing, and will feel hard, fat, and firm in the vent; and if new, stiff in the body, and limber-footed; but if stale, then dry-footed.
A Quail.
A Quail is a fine Bird if she be fat, but your French Quails are the best, and will feed better than our English Quails a great deal; it is a currish Bird, and will beat it self against the Cages sides, or up to the top of the Cage: the best way to make them fat, is to keep them dry and close together, and dark, and always let them have meat and water enough before them: men do feed them with Wheat, but Hemp-seed is a great deal better.
Young or old Partridges how to keep them alive.
Partridges are fed with Wheat, or else with fresh Cheese-curds, and give them Milk to drink; you must keep them very warm with dry straw, and keep the cold from them; for if they are kept cold and dirty, they will not thrive, but fall away and die.
So much for Fowl; now follow Four-footed Beasts.
Of Four-footed BEASTS.
A Hare.
A Hare, if she be new kill'd, will be stiff; if large and white, clean kill'd, then she is good; if limber, then stale kill'd, and will be black upon the flesh of her.
A Levaret.
A Levaret, if she be new kill'd, will be stiff; but if stale kill'd, will be limber; and if she be a right Levaret, will have a small bone; if not, a knob on the out-side of her fore-leg near the foot; and do but stroke your finger down upon the outside of the leg, near the foot, and you shall feel a small bone, or knob; if not, she is no Leavaret, but a Hare.
A Cony.
A Cony, if she be new kill'd, will be stiff; but if stale kill'd, will be limber, and have a kind of slime upon her.
A Rabbet.
A Rabbet, if she be new kill'd, will be stiff; but if stale kill'd, will be limber; and if it be a right Rabbet, it will have a small knot or knob upon the outside of her fore-foot a little above the joint.
A Hare, a Levaret, a Cony, a Rabbet, when you have kill'd them, you must let them be throughly cold before you do truss them up in Paniers, or in Baskets; for if you truss them up hot, they will stink and spoil presently, and in the Summer-time be as green as grass, and stink.
Of the Rot in Conies.
The Rot that is incident to Conies cometh by giving them too much green Meat, or gathering their greens with the dew on it; therefore let them have it but seldom, and then the dryness of the Hay you give them will drink up the moisture knit in them, and keep them sound without danger.
Of Madness in Conies.
It is ingendered by corrupt bloud springing from the rankness of their keeping, and you shall know it by their wallowing and tumbling with their heels upward, and leaping in their Boxes: to cure them, you must give them Thistles to [Page 21]eat, and it will heal them. Thus much for the tame and rich Cony.
How a Capon may lead Chickens.
Capons are of two uses, the one is to lead Chickens, Ducklings, young Turkies, Pea-Hens, Phesants, or Partridges, which it will doe naturally, and kindly; and by reason of the largeness of his body, will brood, or cover easily thirty or forty, he will lead them forth safely, and defend them from Kites, or Buzzards, better than the Hens. The way to make them take the charge, is with a fine small bryer, or else sharp Nettles at night, do but sting all his breast, and neather parts, and then in the dark set the Chickens under him; the warmth or heat taketh away the smart, so he will fall much in love with them; and whensoever he proveth unkind, you must sting him again, and this will make him never forsake them.
Of Feeding and Cramming Capons.
The best way to cram a Capon, is to take Barly-meal reasonably sifted, and mix it with Newmilk, make it into a good stiff Dow-paste, then make it into long crams, or rowls, biggest in the midst, small at both ends, and then wetting them in luke-warm Milk, give the Capon a full gorge, three times a day, morning, noon, and night, and he will in two or three weeks be as fat as any man needs to eat.
Of the Pip in Poultry.
A Pip is a white thin scale growing on the tip of the tongue, and will make Poultry they cannot feed: it is easie to be discerned, and proceedeth generally from drinking Puddle-water, or want of water, or eating filthy meat: The cure is to pull the scale with your nail, and then rub the tongue with salt.
Of the Rup in Poultery.
The Rup is a filthy bile or swelling on the Rump, it will corrupt the whole body; it is ordinarily known by the staring or turning of the feathers backwards: To cure this, you must pull away the feathers, and open the sore, thrust out the coar, and then wash the place with salt and water, or with brine, and it helpeth.
Of the Flux in Poultery.
The Flux in Poultery cometh with eating too much moist meat; the cure is to give them Peas, Bran scalded, and it will stay them.
Of Stopping in the Belly.
Stopping in the belly of Poultery is contrary to the flax, so that they cannot move; therefore you shall anoint the vents, and then give them either small bits of bread, or corn, steept in man's urine.
Of Lice in Poultery.
If your Poultery be much troubled with Lice, as it is common, proceeding from corrupt food, or want of bathing in sand, or ashes, or such like; take Pepper small beaten, mixing it with warm water; wash your Poultery therein, and it will kill all sorts of Vermine.
Of Poultery being Stung.
If they be stung with any venomous Worms, or venomous thing, as you may perceive by their lowring and swelling; if so, then you must anoint them with Rue and Butter mixt together, and it helpeth.
Of Sore Eyes in Poultery.
If they have sore Eyes, you must take a leaf or two of Ground-Ivy and chewing it well in your mouth, suck out the juice, and spit it into the sore Eye, and it will most assuredly heal it, as it hath been often tried.
Of Hens that Eat their Eggs.
If you will not have your Hen eat her Eggs, lay a piece of Chalk, cut like an Egg, at which she will often be pecking; and losing her labour, she will refrain the thing.
Of making Hens lay soon and oft.
If you feed your Hens oft with Toast taken out of Ale, with Barly boil'd, or Fiches, they will lay oft, and all the Winter.
Of Feeding the Partridge, Pheasant, or Quail.
These three are the most daintiest of all other Birds: And for the Pheasant or Partride, you may feed them both in one room, where you may have little Boxes for them to run and hide themselves in the corners of the room: In the middle of the room you must have three Wheatsheaves, two with their ears upwards, and one with the ears downward, and near unto them shallow Tubs with water, that they may easily drink out of the Tubs, and peck the ears of Corn at pleasure: By this manner of feeding of them, you shall have them as fat as is possible. As for your Quails, the best feeding of them is in long flat shallow Boxes, each Box able to hold two or three dozen, the formost side being set with round pins so thick that the Quail do no more but put out her head; before the open side shall stand one Trough full of Wheat, another with Hempseed, and another with Water; so that in two or three weeks you shall have them exceeding fat.
Of Godwites, Knots, Roofes, or Curlewes.
For to feed any of these Fowl, which are esteemed of all other the daintiest and dearest: Take fair Childer-wheat and water, give them thrice aday, morning, noon and night, that will doe it effectually; but if you intend to have them extraordinary, and cramed, then you must take the finest-drest Wheat-meal, and mixing it with Milk, make it into Paste, and as you knead it, sprinkle into it the grains of small Wheat till the Paste be fully mixt therewith; then make little small crams thereof, dipping them in water, give to every Fowl according to his bigness, till the gorge be well fill'd; doe this as oft as you shall find the gorge empty, and in one fortnight they will be exceeding fat; and with these Crams you may feed any Fowl, what kind or nature soever.
How to feed Black-Birds, Thrushes, Felfairs, or any small Birds whatsoever.
To feed these Birds, being taken wild, and old, it is good to have some of their kind tame to mix among them, and there putting them into great Cages, three or four yards square, placing therein divers Troughs, some fill'd with Haws, some with Hemp-seed, and some with Water; that the tame teaching the wild to eat, and the wild finding such change and alteration of food, they will in twelve or fourteen days grow exceeding fat, and fit for the use of the Kitchin.
A Starling.
A Starling is one of the worst Birds to eat that is, she will eat bitter being dead; but keep them alive, one of the best Birds that is to talk or whistle; there is two sorts of them, a Field-Starling that breeds in a Tree, and a House-Starling that breeds in Churches, or in Houses; a Cock-Starling hath a white throat, and a black streak underneath his tongue, and a Hen-Starling hath none.