Notes

Wynkyn de Worde introduces some dishes, sauces, fish, and one wine, not mentioned by Russell.

The new Dishes are—

Fayge (p. 157, l. 10). This may be for Sage, the herb, or a variety of Fritter, like Fruyter vaunte (p. 157, l. 2; p. 159, l. 24), fruyter say (p. 159, l. 24), or a dish that I cannot find, or a way of spelling figs.

Fruyter say, p. 159, l. 24. If say is not for Sage, then it may be a fish, contrasted with the vaunte, which I suppose to mean ‘meat.’ Sey is a Scotch name for the Coalfish, Merlangus Carbonarius. Yarrell, ii. 251.

Charlet (p. 159, l. 28). The recipe in ‘Household Ordinances,’ p. 463, is, Take swete cowe mylk and put into a panne, and cast in therto ȝolkes of eyren and the white also, and sothen porke brayed, and sage; and let hit boyle tyl hit crudde, and colour it with saffron, and dresse hit up, and serve hit forthe.” Another recipe for Charlet Enforsed follows, and there are others for Charlet and Charlet icoloured, in Liber Cure, p. 11.

Jowtes, p. 160, last line. These are broths of beef or fish boiled with chopped boiled herbs and bread, H. Ord. p. 461. Others are made ‘with swete almond mylke,’ ib. See ‘Joutus de Almonde,’ p. 15, Liber Cure. For ‘Joutes’ p. 47; ‘for oþer ioutes,’ p. 48.

Browes, p. 160, last line. This is doubtless the Brus of Household Ordinances, p. 427, and the bruys of Liber Cure, p. 19, l. 3, brewis, or broth. Brus was made of chopped pig’s-inwards, leeks, onions, bread, blood, vinegar. For ‘Brewewes in Somere’ see H. Ord. p. 453.

Chewettes, p. 161, l. 4, were small pies of chopped-up livers of pigs, hens, and capons, fried in grease, mixed with hard eggs and ginger, and then fried or baked. Household Ordinances, p. 442, and Liber Cure, p. 41. The Chewets for fish days were similar pies of chopped turbot, haddock, and cod, ground dates, raisins, prunes, powder and salt, fried in oil, and boiled in sugar and wine. L. Cure, p. 41. Markham’s Recipe for ‘A Chewet Pye’ is at p. 80-1 of his English Houswife. Chewit, or small Pie; minced or otherwise. R. Holme. See also two recipes in MS. Harl. 279, fol. 38.

Flaunes (p. 161, l. 4) were Cheesecakes, made of ground cheese beaten up with eggs and sugar, coloured with saffron, and baked in ‘cofyns’ or crusts. ‘A Flaune of Almayne’ or ‘Crustade’ was a more elaborate preparation of dried or fresh raisins and pears or apples pounded, with cream, eggs, bread, spices, and butter, strained and baked in ‘a faire coffyn or two.’ H. Ord. p. 452. ‘Pro Caseo ad flauns qualibet die . panis j’ (allowance of). Register of Worcester Priory, fol. 121 a. ed. Hale, 1865. Corrigenda

Of new Sauces, Wynkyn de Worde names Gelopere & Pegyll (p. 165, l. 4). Gelopere I cannot find, and can only suggest that its p may be for f, and that “cloves of gelofer,” the clove-gillyflower, may have been the basis of it. These cloves were stuck in ox tongues, see “Lange de beof,” Liber Cure, p. 26. Muffett also recommends Gilly-flour Vinegar as the best sauce for sturgeon in summer, p. 172; and Vinegar of Clove-Gilliflowers is mentioned by Culpepper, p. 97, Physical Directory, 1649.

Pegylle I take to be the Pykulle of Liber Cure Cocorum, p. 31, made thus;

‘Take droppyng of capone rostyd wele

With wyne and mustarde, as have Þou cele [bliss],

With onyons smalle schrad, and sothun in grece,

Meng alle in fere, and forthe hit messe.’

The new Wine is Campolet, p. 153. Henderson does not mention it; Halliwell has ‘Campletes. A kind of wine, mentioned in a curious list in MS. Rawl. C. 86.’ [See the list in the Notes to Russell, above, p. 86.] I suppose it to be the wine from ‘Campole. The name of a certaine white grape, which hath very white kernels.’ Cotgrave.

Of new Fish W. de Worde names the Salens (p. 166, l. 8), Cottell and Tench (p. 167). Torrentyne he makes sele turrentyne (p. 166, l. 8 from bottom) seemingly, but has turrentyne salte as a fish salted, at p. 168, l. 7.

Cottell, p. 168, l. 14, the cuttlefish. Of these, Sepiæ vel Lolligines calamariæ, Muffet says, they are called also ‘sleewes’ for their shape, and ‘scribes’ for their incky humour wherewith they are replenished, and are commended by Galen for great nourishers; their skins be as smooth as any womans, but their flesh is brawny as any ploughmans; therefore I fear me Galen rather commended them upon hear-say then upon any just cause or true experience.

For the Salens I can only suggest thunny. Aldrovandi, de Piscibus, treating of the synonyms of the Salmon, p. 482, says, “Græcam salmonis nomenclaturam non inuenio, neque est quod id miretur curiosus lector, cum in Oceano tantum fluminibusque in eum se exonerantibus reperiatur, ad quæ veteres Græci nunquam penetrarunt. Qui voluerit, Salangem appellare poterit. Σαλαγξ enim boni, id est, delicati piscis nomen legitur apud Hesychium, nec præterea qui sit, explicatur: aut a migrandi natura κατανάδρομος, vel δρόμας fluviatilis dicatur, nam Aristoteles in mari dromades vocat Thunnos aliosque gregales, qui aliunde in Pontum excurrunt, et vix vno loco conquiescunt; aut nomen fingatur a saltu, & ἄλμων dicitur. Non placet tamen, salmonis nomen a saltu deduci, aut etiam á sale, licet saliendi natura ei optimè quadret saleque aut muria inueturaria etiam soleat. Non enim latine sed a Germanis Belgisuè Rheni accolis, aut Gallis Aquitanicis accepta vox est.” See also p. 318, ‘Scardula, et Iucohia ex Pigis, et Plota, Salena.’ Gesner, de Piscibus, p. 273. Can salens be the Greek ‘σωλην, a shell-fish, perhaps like the razor-fish. Epich. p. 22.’—Liddell and Scott—? I presume not. ‘Solen. The flesh is sweet; they may be eaten fryed or boiled.’ 1661, R. Lovell, Hist. of Animals, p. 240. ‘Solen: A genus of bivalve mollusks, having a long slender shell; razor-fish.’ Webster’s Dict.

Sele turrentyne, p. 166, l. 8 from bottom. Seemingly a variety of seal, or of eel or sole if sele is a misprint. But I cannot suggest any fish for it.

Rochets, p. 167, l. 5. Rubelliones. Rochets (or rather Rougets, because they are so red) differ from Gurnards and Curs, in that they are redder by a great deal, and also lesser; they are of the like flesh and goodness, yet better fryed with onions, butter, and vinegar, then sodden. Muffett, p. 166.

FROM THE SLOANE MS. 1986 IN THE BRITISH MUSEUM,
AB. 1460 A.D.