Alexander Barclay

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“If the dishe be pleasaunt, eyther fleshe or fishe,Ten handes at once swarme in the dishe....To put there thy handes is perill without fayle,Without a gauntlet or els a glove of mayle.”

“That thou would have first and lovest principalIs brought to the borde oft times last of all.”

“For this unto courtiers moste commonly doth hap,That while they have broune bread and chese in their lap,On it faste gnawing as houndës ravenous,Anone by them passeth of meate delicious,And costly dishes a score may they tell,Their greedy gorges are rapt with the smell,The deynteous dishes which passe through the hall.”

“If the daye be solemne perchaunce thou mayst feleThe taste and the sapour of tenche or ele,Their muddy sapour shall make thy stomake ake,And as for the ele, is cosin to a snake.”

“Seldome at chese hast thou a little licke,And if thou ought haue within it shall be quicke,All full of magots and like to the raynebowe,Of divers colours as red, grene and yelowe,On eache side gnawen with mise or with rattes, Or with vile wormes, with dogges or with cattes, Uncleane and scorvy, and harde as the stone,It looketh so well thou wouldest it were gone.”

“Make hunger thy sause be thou never so nice,For there shalt thou finde none other kinde of spice.”

“Thy meate in the court is neyther swanne nor heron,Curlewe nor crane, but course beefe and mutton,Fat porke or vele, and namely such as is boughtFor Easter price when they be leane and nought.”