HOw now lusty Fishmonger ? haue you yet bought you a rope ?

A rope Butcher , what to doe ?

What to do ? to go hang thy selfe .

Why man , I am not yet weary of my life .

But you will be ere it be long .

Why Butcher , what is the matter ?

If you knowe not , I wil tell you . There is comming towards you , a very Saguntine famine ( as they cal it ) that will make you euen goe hang your selues .

Good wordes Butcher , let this come to our ennemies : how commeth it about , that of a Butcher you are so sodainely become a diuiner of such great calamitie ?

It is no diuination , doe not flatter your selfe , the matter is euident , and the thing it selfe is already in the open market place .

You trouble my minde much , fhew it mée if you haue any thing .

I will shew it you to your great griefe : There is of late come forth an edict from Rome , that from henceforth it shal be lawful for euery man to eate what he list . And wat then remayneth to you and your order , but an insatiable hunger with your rotten salt fish ?

For my part , I care not if any man do list to eate snailes or netles , let him : but is any man forbidden to eate fish ?

No , but there is libertie graunted to all men , to eate flesh that will .

If this be all , then goe thou and hang thy selfe : for I hope to gayne more héereafter than euer I haue done .

Yea , great comming in , but hunger to the full : or if you had rather heare more merry newes , henceforth you shall liue more cleanely , neither shall you vse to wipe your snotty nose , which is euer itching with scabbes vpon your arme , as you were wont to doe .

Ha , ha : now we be come to the toppe : the blinde reproacheth the one-eyed , I would it were true that you tell me , but I am afraide you doe but féede me with a false ioy .

That which I tel you is too true , but whereupon do you promise to your selfe greater gaine ?

Because that the world is come to that passe , that looke what is most forbidden , that men do most of all desire .

And what of that ?

Because more will abstaine from eating of flesh , when there is libertie giu●…n to eate it , neither will it be counted a daintie banquet indeede , where there is no fish , as the manner hath béene amongst our forefathers : therefore I am glad that the eating of flesh is permitted , and I would also that the eating of fish were forbidden , for then ●…ould men more gladly buy it then now they do .

Surely a goodly wi●… .

This I could wish , if I respected nothing but the gaine of money , as you do , for the loue whereof you haue deuoted your grosse flesh deuouring bodie to the infernall spirites .

You should séeme to be all salt , by your vnsauorie spéech .

What hath mooued the Romaines to release men from that lawe which res●…rained flesh eating , and hath bin obserued so many ages ?

They thinke ( as the truth is indéede ) that by Fishmongers the cittie is polluted , the earth , the ayre , the waters , and the fire are infected , and the bodies of men are Discommodities of fisheati●…g . corrupted , for by eating of fish the body is filled with rotten humors , and from hence procéede feuers , consumptions , gowtes , the falling sickenesse , leaprousies , and what not ?

Tell me then ( maister Hippocrates ) why in good gouerned Citties it is forbidden to kill bulles and swine within the walles ? And it were more for the health of the Cittizens , if there might be no cattell killed within the walles . Why haue Butchers a certayne place allotted them to dwell in , for feare that if they should dwell euery where , they would soone infect the whole Citty with the plague ? Is there any kinde of stinch more pestilent than the corrupted blood and dregges of beasts and other liuing things ?

These things be very swéete spices , if they be compared with the rotten sauor of fish .

To you I thinke they be méere spices , but not to the Magistrates which haue remooued you from the Cittie . And howe swéetely your slaughter houses doe smell , let them declare that passe by them , holding their noses : yea aske the common people , who had rather haue tenne bawdes dwell by them then one Butcher .

But neither pondes nor whole riuers will suffice to wash your rotten salt fish : and it is truely said , that you spend water in vaine , for a fish alwayes smelleth like fish , though you should besméere it with swéet oyntments . And no maruel though they smel so when they are dead , for the most of them do smel so soone as they are taken . Flesh béeing powdred in brine may be kept very swéet many yéeres together , and common salt wil preserue it from smelling : being dried in the smoake and the wind , it gathereth no ill sauour . If you should do al this vnto fish , yet it would sauour stil like fish . By this alone you may coniecture , that there is no rotten sauor to be compared vnto that fish maketh . And fish corrupteth and putrifieth the very salt it selfe , whose nature is to preserue things from putrefaction , whilest by his natural force it both shutteth and bindeth , and also excludeth and kéepeth out whatsoeuer might hurt outwardly , and drieth vp inwardly whatsoeuer might putrify the humors . In fishes onely salt is not salt . Some dainty or delicate person perhaps doth hold their nose when they goe by our sla●…ghter houses , but no man can abide in the boate where your salt fish lieth . If vpon the way any trauelers chaunce to méete your cartes loaden with your salt fish , what running is there til they be past it ? What holding of noses , spitting , and coughing ? And , if it were possible , that pure salt fish could be brought into the citie , as we doe the flesh of beasts that we kil , yet the Lawe would not sléepe : but no●… what shal be done to those that ore rotten before they be sp●…nt ? And yet how often doe wée sée your damned marchandise taken by the Clarke of the Market , and cast into the riuer , and your 〈◊〉 fined for bringing such stuffe to the Market ? And this should be done oftner than it is , but that they ( being corrupted by your bribes ) doe more respect their owne priuate gaine , than the good of the common●… wealth .

Although no man did euer knowe of any Butcher fined for selling of meazled porke , or r●…tten shéep that haue died in a ditch , & shoulders of mutton eaten with worms , yet by washing of them , and be●…mearing them ouer with fresh blood , the matter hath béene couered .

You cannot ●…hew such a president amongest all of vs , as we can shew amongst you , as of an éele sodden with a cru●… of bread , there died nine citizens , a horrible thing : with such dainties doe you furnish mens tables .

You tell of a case that nò man could auoyd , if God would haue it so : but with you it is an ordinary thing , to sel cattes for conies , and dogges for hares . I say nothing of pasties made of mans flesh .

What doe you know by me ? you vpbraide mée by mens abuses , let them answer these matters that commit them , I do but compare trade with trade , and gaine with gaine : so you may also condemne Gardiners , for that against their willes they may sometimes sell hemlockes or woolfes bane for colewortes : so may you also condempne Apothecaries , for that sometime vnawares they giue poisons insteade of medicines . There is no trade ●…o frée from offence , but such mischances may now and then happen : but you Fishmongers , when yée haue done what you can , yet is it poyson that you sell , if you should sel a crampefish , or a water snake , or a hare of the sea , caught and mingled together with other fish in your nettes , it were a chaunce , and no crime , neither were you any more to be blamed for it than a Physition , who oftentimes killeth that sicke body which he intendeth to cure . This might be borne withall , if only in winter time you did thrust out your filthiness●…s , the rigor of the season might mitigate the plague : but now in the heate of summer you cast out your rotten garbage , and the Autumne , which is daungerous of it selfe , is by your meanes made more dangerous . And when the yéere doth renew it selfe ▪ and hidden humours doe againe shew themselues , not without great danger to the bodie ▪ then do you for two whole moneths together play the tyrants , corrupting the infancie of the spring with vntimely age . And when this should be holpen by nature , that bodies , ●…éeing purged from bad humors , might be renewed with new moisture , you fill them with méere rottennesse , and stincking corruption : and if there be any corruption in the body , by your meanes it is increased : and if there be any good humors , they are also corrupted . And this also might bée ●…orne withall , if you did corrupt mens bodies onely : but now , because by the difference of meates , the organical instruments of the minde be corrupted , it commeth to passe , that the mindes of men are also infected : for the most part , you shal sée these same great fish eaters , such as the fishes themselues are , that is , they looke pale , they smell , they are blockish and mute .

Oh sir , you are another Thales , one of the seauen wise men of Greece . How then I pray you doe they looke and smel which liue vpon béetes ? doe they looke like béets ? do they sauor of them ? how do they look and sauor that eate of oxen , shéep , & goats ? For sooth like oxen , shéep and goats , do they not ? you Butchers sel kids flesh for daintie meate , and yet as it is subiect to the ●…alling sickenesse it selfe , so it bréedeth the same disease in those that loue flesh , were it not better to please the hungry stomacke with salt fish ?

As though this were the onely lie , that the naturall Philosophers haue written , but admit that they be all true which they write , yet to bodies that are subiect to diseases , oftentimes those things that be of themselues exceeding good , prooue very bad : We sell kiddes flesh vnto those that are troubled with feuers , & consumption of the lungs , but not to giddy braines .

If fish-eating be so hurtful as you would make it , why doe the magistrates allow vs to sell our wares all the yéere , and restraine you from selling of your commodities a good parte of the yéere .

What s that to me ? peraduenture that is procured Note that of the Phisitian . by bad Physitians , to the end their gaines might be the more .

What doe you tell me of bad physitians ? why man , none are more enemies to fish than they be .

O deceiue not your selfe , they doe not that for any loue that they beare you , or to the fishes , when they can abstaine from them , none more religiously , they know what they doe well euough : they doe therein prouide for themselues , and their owne health . That which makes many to cough , to languish , to be sicke , is good prouision for them , and they like it well .

I wil not speake for Phisitions , let them reu●…nge themselues vpon thée , ( as I doubt not but they will ) if euer thou fallest into their nets . It sufficeth me that I haue to defend my cause , the good life of our forefa●…hers , the authoritie of the most approoued Writers , the approbation of the reuerend Bishops , and the generall custome of christian countries , whome if you will condemne all of madnes , you may : but I had rather be madde with them , than so●…er with Butchers .

You wil not patronize the Physitian , neyther will I be a censurer of ou●… forefathers , or the common custome , I was alwayes woont to reuerence them , but not to inueigh against them .

In this respect you are more wary than godlie , vnlesse I be deceiued in you .

In my opinion , it is good for men to beware how The Butcher discourseth out of the Bible . they haue to do wi●…h such as haue auctority in their hands : but I will tell you what I thinke , according to that which I read in my Bible , that is , of the vulgar translation .

That so of a Butcher you may become a Diuine .

I thinke that the first men , so soone as they were created of the moist clay , had very healthful bodies , which appéereth by their long liuing . And further , that paradise stoode in a most commodious and healthful ayre . And I do thinke that such bodies in such places , yéelding on euery side a sweete ayre , by reason of the swéete hearbs , trées and flowers that there did growe , might liue long without any meate , and the rather , I thinke so , because the earth abundantly powred forth euery thing of it own accord , without the labor of man : for the dressing of such a garden was rather to be counted a pleasure than a labour .

As yet that which you say is likely , but go on .

Of that great variety of things which came of s●…●…ertile a ground , there was nothing forbidden , but onely one trée .

Most true .

And that for no other cause , but that by their obedione●… they might acknowledge their Lord and Maker . And this I thinke , that the earth when it was young , did bring forth all things more happily , and of better iuyce , then if doth now , being old and almost barren , but especially in Paradise .

Not vnlike : what then ?

Therefore to eate there was of pleasure , not of necessity .

I haue heard so .

And to abstaine from tearing , or butchering , liuing creatures , was then a point of humanitie , not o●… sanctitie .

I know not that . I reade , that after the floud , to ●…éede vpon liuing creatures , was permitted : I do not reade that it was forbidden before . But why should there bee now a permission granted to eate of them , if it were permitted before ?

Why doe we not féede vpon frogges , as well as vpon other liuing creatures ? Not because they are forbidden , but because we abhorre them . And it may be , that God in that place , doth but adm●…nish men what meates are fittest for humane ●…rugality , and not what he would permit to be eaten .

I am no Sooth●…sayer .

But we reade , that so soone as man was created , it was said vnto them ; beare rule ouer the fishes of the sea , and the fowles of the aire , and all liuing things that moue vpon the earth . What vse is there of this dominion , if it be net lawfull to eate of them ?

O cruell Maister , do●…st thou so debarre thy men and thy maides , thy wife and thy children ? but by the same reason thou maiest goe eate thy chamber pot too , for thou bearest rule ouer it .

But heare againe you prowd Fish monger , of other things there is an vse , and the name of rule is not in vaine : The horse doth beare me on his backe , the cammell carrieth packes , but of fishes what other vse can there be , but to féede vpon them ?

As if forsooth , there were not a number of medicines made of fishes . Againe , there be many things that be made onely for the delight of man , who also in the beholding of them , may be drawne thereby to an admiration of the Creator . Peraduenture you will not beléeue that Dolphines doe carry men vpon their backes . But to conclude , there be fishes which doe fore-shew a tempe●…t to be at hand , as the Hedge . hog of the sea : doe you not want such a seruant at home sometime ?

Well , grant that before the floud , it was not permitted to eate of any thing but of the fruites of the earth , yet it was no great matter to abstaine from those things which bodily necessity required not , and in killing whereof , was a shew of cruelty . This you will grant me , that the féeding vpon lining creatures , was permitted from the beginning , for the imbecility of mans nature . The fl●…ud brought cold with it : and we sée at this day , that in colde Countries men are more ginen to eate then in hote : and the ouer-flowing of waters , did either extinguish , or much corrupt the fruite of the earth .

Be it so : What then ?

And yet aft●…r the floud men liued aboue two hundred yeares .

So I beléeue .

Why then did almighty God permit those that were so strong without comparison to eate of all things , and afterward re●…rained those that were of a farre weaker constitution and shorter time , to certaine kinds of meates , Of the re●…traint of meates vnder the Lawe . as he gaue in charge by Moses .

As if it were for me to gi●…e a reason of Gods doings . But I thinke the Lord did then as Maisters vse to doe , who abridge their seruants of their libertie , which before they allowed them , when they sée that they abuse their Maisters lenity and kindenesse . So we take from a horse that is too lusty and vnruly , his beanes and ●…ates , and giue him but a little hay , and then ride him with a sharper bit and sharper spurres . Mankinde had shaken off all feare and reu●…rence of God , and was growne into such a kinde of licentiousnesse , as if there had béen no God at all . Héereupon were ordained lawes , as barres and ceremonies , as railes , precepts , and threatnings , as bridles , that so men might repent .

Why then doe not those barres and bridles remaine vnto this day ?

Because the rigor of that carnall seruitude was taken away , after that by the Gospel we were adopted to Of our libert●… vnder the Gospel . be the sonnes of God , when the grace of God did more abound , those preceps were abrogated .

Gods law is perpetuall . And Christ saith ; he came Obiect . not to breake the Law , but to fulfill the Law . How then durst they that came after , to abrogate a good part of the Law ?

That Law was not giuen to the Gentiles : and Answer . therefore it séemed good vnto the Apostles , not to burthen them with circumcision , ( which theIewes obserue vnto this day ) lest they should ( as the Iewes also doe ) place the hope of saluation in bodily obseruations , rather then in faith and loue towards God .

I omit the Gentiles . By what scripture prooue you that the Iewes ( if they would imbrace the profession of the Gospel ) should bee frée from the bondage of Moses Law ?

Because the Prophets did fore-tell , that God would make a new couenant with them , and giue them a new heart , and they bring in the Lord , abhorring the festiuall daies of the Iewes , refusing their sacrifices , detesting their fasts , reiecting their offerings , and desiring a people of a circumcised heart . The Lord himselfe confirmed their prophecies , who giuing his body and his blood vnto his The choyce of meates abrogated . Disciples , calleth it a new Testament . Now if nothing were abolished of the old , why is this called a new ▪ The choice of meates is abrogated , both by Christs example , as also by his word , who saith ; That man is not defiled with that which goeth into the belly , & is cast out in the draught . The same was shewed to Peter in a vision ; yea , and Peter himselfe with Paul and the rest , eateth common meates forbidden by the Law . This matter is handled by Paul in all his Epistles , and without doubt , the Christian people to this day doe follow the same rule , as deliuered them from the hands of the Apostles . Therefore the Iewes are not onely fréed from the superstitious obseruation of the Law , as it were from milke , or food that they were familiarly vsed vnto , but now they are driuen from it as a thing out of season . Neither is the Law abrogated , but onely some part of it is commanded to cease , which now would be idle , or in vaine , which may be illustrated by some familiar Similies . similitudes in the course of Nature .