Nature’s Cook

Death is the cook of Nature, and we find
Creatures1 dressed several ways to please her mind.
Some Death doth roast2 with fevers burning hot,
And some he3 boils with dropsies in a pot;
Some are consumed for jelly4 by degrees,                                 5
And some with ulcers, gravy out to squeeze;
Some, as with herbs, he5 stuffs with gouts and pains;
Others for tender meat he hangs6 in chains;
Some in the sea he pickles up to keep;
Others he, as soused brawn,7 in wine doth8 steep;                 10
Some flesh and bones he with the pox chops9 small,
And doth a french fricassee make10 withall;
Some on gridir’ns of calentures are11 broiled,
And some are12 trodden on,13 and so quite spoiled.
But some14 are baked, when smothered they do die;             15
Some meat he doth by hectic fevers15 fry;
In sweat sometimes he16 stews with savory smell:
A hodge-podge of diseases tasteth17 well.
Brains dressed with apoplexy to Nature’s wish,18
Or swim with sauce of megrims in a dish.19                             20
And tongues he20 dries with smoke from stomachs ill,
Which as the second course he21 sends up still.
Throats he doth cut, blood puddings for22 to make,
And puts them in the guts, which colics rack.
Some hunted are by him23 for deer, that’s red,24                     25
And some as stall-fed oxen knocked o’th’head;25
Some, singed and scald for bacon, seem most rare26
When with salt rheum and phlegm they powdered are.27

  1. Creatures] Meat 1653
  2. Death doth roast] Meates shee rosts 1653
  3. he] shee 1653
  4. are consumed for jelly] for Gelly consuming 1653
  5. as with herbs, he] Flesh as Sage she 1653
  6. he hangs] hangs up 1653
  7. The word “brawn” means “The muscle or flesh of animals as food.”
  8. soused brawn, in wine doth] Brawne is sous’d, those in Wine 1653
  9. flesh and bones he with the pox chops] with the Pox, chops Flesh, and Bones so 1653
  10. And doth a french fricassee make] Of which She makes a French Fricasse 1653
  11. gridir’ns of calentures are] Gridirons of Calentures is 1653
  12. are] is 1653
  13. on,] down, 1664, 1668
  14. some] those 1653
  15. Some meat he doth by hectic fevers] By Hectick Feavers some Meat She doth 1653
  16. he] she 1653
  17. A hodge-podge of diseases tasteth] An Hodge-Podge of Diseases he likes 1664; An Hodge-podg of Diseases, he likes 1668
  18. Brains dressed with apoplexy to Nature’s wish,] Some Brains he Dresseth with Apoplexy, 1664; Some Brains he dresseth with Apoplexy, 1668
  19. swim with sauce of megrims in a dish.] swimmes with Sauce of Megrims in a Dish. 1653; Sawce of Megrims, Swimming plenteously; 1664; Sawce of Megrims, swimming plenteously: 1668
  20. he] she 1653
  21. he] she 1653
  22. Throats he doth cut, blood puddings for] Then Death cuts Throats, for Blood-puddings 1653
  23. him] Death, 1653
  24. The word “red” means “Involving or characterized by bloodshed, burning, or violence.”
  25. And some as stall-fed oxen knocked o’th’head;] Or Stal-fed Oxen, knocked on the Head. 1653
  26. singed and scald for bacon, seem most rare] for Bacon by Death are Sing’d, or scal’d, 1653
  27. When with salt rheum and phlegm they powdered are.] Then powdered up with Flegme, and Rhume that’s salt. 1653