TO DRESS LAMPREY'S
At Glocester they use Lamprey's thus. Heat water in a Pot or Kettle with a
narrow mouth, till it be near ready to boil; so that you may endure to dip
your hand into it, but not to let it stay in. Put your Lamprey's, as they
come out of the River, into this scalding-water, and cover the pot, that
little while they remain in, which must be but a moment, about an _Ave
Maria_ while. Then with a Woodden ladle take them out, and lay them upon a
table, and hold their head in a Napkin (else it will slip away, if held in
the bare hand) and with the back of a knife scrape off the mud, which will
have risen out all along the fish. A great deal and very thick will come
off: and then the skin will look clean and shining and blew, which must
never be flead off. Then open their bellies all along, and with a Pen-knife
loosen the string which begins under the gall (having first cast away the
gall and entrails) then pull it out, and in the pulling away, it will
stretch much in length; then pick out a black substance, that is all along
under the string, cutting towards the back as much as is needful for this
end.
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