Page:Batman upon Bartolome.djvu/711
the male is more hot and leſſe moiſt than the female, and therefore fleſh of male beaſts is more ſubtill and better féeding than the fleſh of females, except Goats fleſh, that is better in the female than in the male, for in the female moiſture tēpereth the drineſſe of complection, and in the male, heate kindeleth or tempereth not ye kind drines of the male: & therefore in this manner kinde of beaſts, the fleſh of the female is better than the fleſh of the male, for it is more temperate, and not paſſing drye, & that though it be freſh or olde, and namely when it paſſeth not from age of ſucking, for then the goodneſſe of milke of the female tempereth kinde drineſſe therof. And gelded beaſtes be meane betwéene complection of male and of female: for fleſh of gelded beaſts heateth leſſe, than doth fleſh of males, and more than fleſh of females: and is digeſted flower than male fleſh, and ſooner than female fleſh: and are therefore leſſe nouriſhing, and worſe than be males, and better than females. And it is a generall rule, that among beaſts that be kindly moyſt, the male is better than the female, and better in perfect age, than in vnperfect age: and among beaſts that be kindly drye, the female is much better than the male, and more in vnperfect age, than in perfect age, as he ſaith.
Alſo goodneſſe of beaſtes, varieth by diuerſitie of age, for beaſts that be nigh the age of ſeeking, be of great moyſture and gleymineſſe, and alſo of ſlederneſſe, and therefore their fleſh gendreth ſuperfluitie and fleame: but if it be beaſtes that are kindly drye, as Rotherne, and Goates. And fleſh of ſuch beaſtes, as Calues, is good in ſuch an age, & namely if they be nouriſhed with good milk, and beſt if they be weaned, for it is leſſe moyſt and gleymie, and of more temperate ſadneſſe. And in young age, when beaſts be full-waxen, then theyr fleſh is more hard and drye, and namely if the beaſts be of drye complection, and therefore their fleſh is more hard to digeſt: and is better in comforte of the members, and in during more than in ruling of health, as he ſaith.
And in the fourth age when they be ful olde, their fleſh is more vnprofitable to meate, and that for double cauſe: For than kinde heate is nigh quenched, and ſubſtaunciall moyſture is full nigh waſted, and therefore their fleſh is full hard and not good to digeſt, and namely if the beaſts be of drye complection. And it is generall among all beaſts and fowles, that while they grow and wexe: theyr fleſh is better to meate, and better féeding, than it is when it paſſeth into féebleneſſe for age, as hée ſayth.
Alſo in paſture and féeding is diuerſitie, for beaſts that be fedde in mountaines, haue better bloud, and more ſubtill and ſharpe, for ſcarcitie of meate.
And thoſe that be fed in marreys, haue more great bloud and more fatneſſe, and leſſe heate, and leſſe ſtopping. And beaſts that eate graſſe and hearbes, as meate, are more boyde in Winter, than in Springing time or in Summer, for in Winter their meate faileth, and therefore they wexe fat, after the middle of Springing time or before, and wexeth much, and their fleſh is more ſauourye and better becauſe of plentie of couenable meate.
And beaſts that eate ſmal graſſe and hearbes, are more fat from the beginning of ſpringing time to the middle of Summer, and their fleſh is then beſt, for then they finde couenable meate and good and tender, for then they haue couenable meate and foode. And other beaſts that eate crops, boughs, twigs, & alſo braunches, are good from the beginning of Summer vnto Winter: For then boughes and braunches, are both full moyſt and tender. And ſo beaſtes, that eate full ſmall graſſe and drye, are better than thoſe that eate moyſt graſſe and hearbes: and thoſe that eate tender boughes and braunches are much better than thoſe that be fedde at home with fruite. And thoſe that eate and drincke lyttle, are better than thoſe that eate & drinke much: for beaſts that are fed in fieldes and in mountaines, haue great trauaile and moouing, and are therefore better than thoſe that are fedde at home.