The closet of Sir Kenelm Digby Knight opened

down in a soft and dry napkin, changing thisas soon as it is wet for another, using so many Napkins as may make the fishes perfectly dry ; for in that consisteth achief part of their preparation. Then powder them well with Pepper and Salt, rubbing them in well, and lay them round in a Pot or strong crust upona good Lare of Butter,andstoreof Onions every where about them, and chiefly a good company in the middle. Then put more Butter upon them, covering the pot with a fit cover, and so set them into a quick oven, that is strongly heated ; where they will require three or four hours (at least)baking. When they are taken out of the oven and begin to cool, pour store of melted Butter upon them, to fill up the pot at least three fingers breadth above the fish, and then let it cool and harden ; And thus it will keep a year, if need be, so the Butter be not opened, nor craked, that the air get into the fish. To eat them presently. They dress them thus : When they are prepared, as abovesaid, (ready for baking) boil them with store of Salt and gross Pepper, and many Onions, in no more water, then is necessary to cover them, as when you boil a Carp or Pike au Com't bouillon. In half or three quarters of an hour,theywill be boiled tender. Thentakethem and drain them from the water, and serve them with thickened Butter, and some of the Onions minced intoit,and a little Pepper, laying the fish upon some sippets of spungy bread, that may soak up the water, if any come from the fish ; and pour butter upon the fish ; so serve it up hot. TO DRESS STOCK FISH, SOMEWHAT DIFFERINGLY FROM THE WAY OF HOLLAND Beat the fish very well with a large Woodden-Mallet, so as not to break it, but to loosen all the flakes within. It is the best way to have them beaten with hard heavy Ropes. And though thus beaten, they will keep a long time, if you put them into Pease straw, so thrust in as to keep them from all air, and that they touch not one another, but have straw enough between every fish. When you will make the best dish of them, take only the tails, and tye up half a dozen or eight of them with White-thred. First, they must be laid to soak over night in cold water. About an hour and half, (or a little more) before they are to be eaten, put them to boil in a pot or Pipkin, that you may cover with a cover of Tin or Letton so close, that no steam can get out ; and laya stone or other weight upon it, to keep the cover from being driven off by the steam of the water. Put in no more water, then well to cover them. They must never boil strongly, but very leasurely and but simpringly. It will be near half an hour before the water begin to boil so : And from their beginning to do so, they must boil a good hour. You must never put in any new water, though hot, for that will make the fish hard. After the hour, take out the fishes and untie them, and lay them loose in a colander with holes to drain out the water, and toss them in it up and down very well, as youuse to do Butterand Pease ; and that will loosen and break asunder all the flakes, which will make