oil over them. They will keep, well covered, a long time, and are delicious.
To pickle Mock Anchovies.
To a peck of sprats take two pounds of common salt, a quarter of a pound of bay-salt, one pound of saltpetre, two ounces of sal-prunella, and a little bole armoniac; pound all in a mortar; put them into a stone pot, a row of sprats, a layer of your compound, and so on to the top alternately; press them hard down, and cover them close; let them stand six months, and they will be fit for use. Observe that your sprats are very fresh, and do not wash or wipe them, but take them as they first come out of the water.
To pickle Smelts.
Take a hundred of fine smelts, half an ounce of pepper, the same of nutmeg, a quarter of an ounce of mace, half an ounce of saltpetre, and a quarter of a pound of common salt; beat all very fine; wash and clean the smelts, gut them, then lay them in rows in a jar, and between every layer of smelts strew the seasoning, with four or five bay-leaves; then boil red wine and pour over them, cover them with a plate, and when they are cold, tie them down close. They exceed anchovies.
To pickle Oysters.
Open one hundred of the finest and largest rock oysters you can get into a pan, with all their liquor in them, but mind you do not cut them in opening, as that will spoil their beauty; wash
them
