three estates, and so bringeth his purpose to pass
in the end, by force of his learned persuasions, that a law was presently
made there for the restraint of superfluous diet; amongst other things,
baked meats (dishes never before this man's days seen in Scotland) were
generally so provided for by virtue of this Act that it was not lawful for
any to eat of the same under the degree of a gentleman, and those only but
on high and festival days. But, alas, it was soon forgotten!

In old time these north Britons did give themselves universally to great
abstinence, and in time of wars their soldiers would often feed but once
or twice at the most in two or three days (especially if they held
themselves in secret, or could have no issue out of their bogs and
marshes, through the presence of the enemy), and in this distress they
used to eat a certain kind of confection, whereof so much as a bean would
qualify their hunger above common expectation. In woods moreover they
lived with herbs and roots, or, if these shifts served not through want of
such provision at hand, then used they to creep into the water or said
moorish plots up unto the chins, and there remain a long time, only to
qualify the heats of their stomachs by violence, which otherwise would
have wrought and been ready to oppress them for hunger and want of
sustenance. In those days likewise it was taken for a great offence over
all to eat either goose, hare, or hen, because of a certain superstitious
opinion which they had conceived of those three creatures; howbeit after
that the Romans, I say, had once found an entrance into this island it was
not long ere open shipwreck was made of this religious observation, so
that in process of time so well the north and south Britons as the Romans
gave over to make such difference in meats as they had done before.

From thenceforth also unto our days, and even in this season wherein we
live, there is no restraint of any meat either for religious sake or
public order in England, but it is lawful for every man to feed upon
whatsoever he is able to purchase, except it be upon those days whereon
eating of flesh is especially forbidden by the laws of the realm, which
order is taken only to the end our numbers of cattle may be the better
increased and that abundance of fish which the sea yieldeth more generally
received. Besides this, there is great consideration had in making this
law for the preservation of the navy and maintenance