[140.] Congur in Pyole, H. Ord. p. 469. ‘I must needs agree with Diocles, who being asked, whether were the better fish, a Pike or a Conger: That (said he) sodden, and this broild; shewing us thereby, that all flaggy, slimy and moist fish (as Eeles, Congers, Lampreys, Oisters, Cockles, Mustles, and Scallopes) are best broild, rosted or bakt; but all other fish of a firm substance and drier constitution is rather to be sodden.’ Muffett, p. 145.
[141.] So MS., but grone may mean green, see [l. 851] and note to it. If not, ? for Fr. gronan, a gurnard. The Scotch crowner is a species of gurnard.
[142.] Lynge, fysshe, Colin, Palsgrave; but Colin, a Sea-cob, or Gull. Cotgrave. See Promptorium, p. 296.
[143.] Fr. Merlus ou Merluz, A Mellwell, or Keeling, a kind of small Cod whereof Stockfish is made. Cotgrave. And see Prompt. Parv. p. 348, note 4. “Cod-fish is a great Sea-whiting, called also a Keeling or Melwel.” Bennett’s Muffett on Food, p. 148.
[144.] Cogan says of stockfish, “Concerning which fish I will say no more than Erasmus hath written in his Colloquio. There is a kind of fishe, which is called in English Stockfish: it nourisheth no more than a stock. Yet I haue eaten of a pie made onely with Stockefishe, whiche hath been verie good, but the goodnesse was not so much in the fishe as in the cookerie, which may make that sauorie, which of it selfe is vnsavourie ... it is sayd a good Cooke can make you good meate of a whetstone.... Therfore a good Cooke is a good iewell, and to be much made of.” “Stockfish whilst it is unbeaten is called Buckhorne, because it is so tough; when it is beaten upon the stock, it is termed stockfish.” Muffett. Lord Percy (A.D. 1512) was to have “cxl Stok fisch for the expensys of my house for an hole Yere, after ij.d. obol. the pece,” p. 7, and “Dccccxlij Salt fisch ... after iiij the pece,” besides 9 barrels of white and 10 cades of red herring, 5 cades of Sprats (sprootis), 400 score salt salmon, 3 firkins of salt sturgeon and 5 cags of salt eels.
[145.] Fr. Merlan, a Whiting, a Merling. Cot. ‘The best Whitings are taken in Tweede, called Merlings, of like shape and vertue with ours, but far bigger.’ Muffett, p. 174.
[146.] MS. may be Cleynes. ? what place can it be; Clayness, Claynose? Claybury is near Woodford in Essex.
[147.] A recipe for Pykes in Brasey is in H. Ord. p. 451. The head of a Carp, the tail of a Pike, and the Belly of a Bream are most esteemed for their tenderness, shortness, and well rellishing. Muffett, p. 177.
[148.] Cut it in gobets or lumps a-slope. “Aslet or a-slowte (asloppe, a slope), Oblique.” P. Parv. But slout may be slot, bolt of a door, and so aslout = in long strips.
[149.] Onions make a man stink and wink. Berthelson, 1754. ‘The Onion, though it be the Countrey mans meat, is better to vse than to tast: for he that eateth euerie day tender Onions with Honey to his breakfast, shall liue the more healthfull, so that they be not too new.’ Maison Rustique, p. 178, ed. 1616.