h hemlocks and nettles; but such is the savour
of the clothes touched withal that I cannot abide to wear them on my body,
more than such as are scoured with the refuse soap, than the which (in
mine opinion) there is none more unkindly savour.

Of our tame boars we make brawn, which is a kind of meat not usually known
to strangers (as I take it), otherwise would not the swart Rutters and
French cooks, at the loss of Calais (where they found great store of this
provision almost in every house), have attempted with ridiculous success
to roast, bake, broil, and fry the same for their masters, till they were
better informed. I have heard moreover how a nobleman of England not long
since did send over a hogshead of brawn ready soused to a Catholic
gentleman of France, who, supposing it to be fish, reserved it till Lent,
at which time he did eat thereof with great frugality. Thereto he so well
liked the provision itself that he wrote over very earnestly, and with
offer of great recompense, for more of the same fish against the year
ensuing; whereas if he had known it to have been flesh he would not have
touched it (I dare say) for a thousand crowns without the pope's
dispensation. A friend of mine also dwelling some time in Spain, having
certain Jews at his table, did set brawn before them, whereof they did eat
very earnestly, supposing it to be a kind of fish not common in those
parts; but when the goodman of the house brought in the head in pastime
among them, to shew what they had eaten, they rose from the table, hied
them home in haste, each of them procuring himself to vomit, some by oil
and some by other means, till (as they supposed) they had cleansed their
stomachs of that prohibited food. With us it is accounted a great piece of
service at the table from November until February be ended, but chiefly in
the Christmas time. With the same also we begin our dinners each day after
other; and, because it is somewhat hard of digestion, a draught of
malvesey, bastard, or muscadel, is usually drank after it, where either of
them are conveniently to be had; otherwise the meaner sort content
themselves with their own drink, which at that season is generally very
strong, and stronger indeed than it is all the year beside. It is made
commonly of the fore part of a tame boar, set up for the purpose by the
space of a whole year or two, especially in gentlemen's houses (for the
husbandmen and farmers never frank them for their own use