The Experienced Market MAN and WOMAN: OR, Profitable Instructions, TO ALL Masters and Mistresses of Families, Servants and others, To know the Goodness of all sorts of Provisions, and prevent being Cheated and Imposed on, viz,  
Butcher's Meat, to know whether young or old, fresh killed or stolen. To discover Bull-beef, Ram-mutton, and other Cheats, Bacon, Hams, Brawns, Venison, etc. to know good from bad.  
How to know all sorts of Poulterer's ware, as Fowl young or old, fat or lean, new or stolen, with Egg or not, Hairs, Rabits, Leverets, etc.  
To know the goodness or badness of all sorts of Fish, fresh and salt; by many signs and tokens, and to distinguish kinds near a like one from the other,  
Directions to prevent being defrauded in buying Butter, Eggs, Cheese, Bread; English and Outlandish Fruits, and other things that may turn to much Profit and Advantage.  
Edinburgh, Printed and Sold by James Watson, in craig's Closs, on the North side of the Cross. 1699.   

THE Experienced Mercat Man, etc.  
TO be skilled in buying Flesh, Fowl, Fish, and other Marketings, is not only creditable and commendable in Masters and Mistresses of Families, Servants and others, but by well understanding what is good or bad, and to choose accordingly, much money may be saved which in buying bad penny worths is in a manner thrown away; wherefore to enable you to avoid being cheated and imposed on, I have put this small Book into a small price, but great in value; for by laying out a penny, you may be instructed to save many a Pound.  

Butcher's meat young or old, new or stolen, and many other remarks, and First of Beef.  
AS for the Pieces I leave to every one to choose as they like, or have occasion; but if it be right Ox-beef, it will have an open, the fat if young, of an Oily softness, and crumbling between your Thumb and Finger; If old, it will be rough & spongy, full of skins and strings; If young, the flesh will be a pleasant Carnation red, the fat whitish; If old, it will be a dark dusky Colour, the fat inclining to yellow.  
Cow-Beef, This is known by its closer grain and if young of a cherry colour; the fat white and not so brittle as the former; if old, indent it with your Finger, and the lean will in a little time rise again and fill the hollowness, the fat will be tough, and shrivel up between your Finger and Thumb.  
Bull-Beef: This looks of a dusky red, in the feeling it is brawny and tough, not to be pinched or easily broken with your Nails the fat gross and fiberous, smells strong and ravenish, if you rub it warm between your finger and Thumb.  
Newness and Staleness, If new, it will be of a lively colour, and feel cool; if stolen dusky, the veins where they appear black, the meat will feel some what warm and clammy, indented, it will sink down spongy.  
Lamb fresh, or stolen killed. If a fore-quarter view the Neck vein, if it be of a bright blue colour it is fresh, if of a very dusky inclining to green, it is stolen, and near tainting, not fit to keep, but may indifferently serve for present spending; if kept cool: As for the hind quarter, put your Finger under the Kidney, and if it be a pleasant sent it is fresh, if not stolen killed; bend also the Huckle bone, if it be pliable; it is new, if stiff, stolen.  
Veal. In the shoulder the Vein directs you as in the fore-quarter of Lamb; If any clammy stabbiness, or spots of green appear, it is growing musty or tainting: The loin first taint under the Kidney, the Neck & Beast at the upper ends first showing a faint yellow, than a dusky green which is the worst symptom of rainting: The Leg flabby, clammy, or the Veins appearing dusky or green, I bid you beware of such a purchase:  
The flesh of a Bullcalf, is more redder and firm grained than that of a Cow-calf, the fat more curdling and firmer,   

Mutton young or old, fresh or stolen, Wether, Ewe or Ram Mutton, Rot, &c:  
IF young the flesh will pinch up tender and full again; but if old, it will remain so, especially in the skinny part. if young the fat will easily part from the flesh; if old not but with difficulty as being skinny and fiberous. Ewe-mutton is of a close grain, the fat white and oily, if pinched the flesh of a lightish red; if Wether, the grain is more open, the fat some what more firm, the skinny falling sooner when pinched up: If Ram-mutton the flesh will be a very deep yet dusky red, the Fat spongy, pinched up it soon wrinkles, the flesh, pressed rises presently, is brawny and tough; the fat rubbed between your Fingers cast a scent Ravenish.  
Pig new or stolen. Turn out the leaf of the belly, if the fat be clammy or inclining to greenish it is stolen; if of a bright clean white colour new, if the nose or mouth slaver or be clammy, it is stolen, if clean and dry new, if the hindhoches be stiff it's new, if very limber stolen  
Pork and Brawn. In Pork the flesh pinching and breaking; the fat soft and oily, denotes it young, the contrary old; if the Skin hip tender with your nails, it is young, if hard and ruckling then old, or of a Hog that has not been gelded till well grown.  
If the flesh of a Boar, or Hog, gelded when well grown, the flesh will be hard, the fat tough, and in scenting have a different smell from other Pork, rawish and strong, the fat be full of fibers, etc.  
To know the legs or hands, whether new or stolen, put your finger between the bone and flesh, and if upon smelling there be any ill scent, it is turning, or if the skin be clammy, the bending of the joint over limber, the like is to be feared. If you find many knots like hail shot, in the fat the Pork is measly, the fore-line, hind-line, etc. may be known the same way.  
Brawn young or old, is known by the thinness or thickness of the skin, if young the fat will be oily and crumble, if old rough and moulder as it were between your finger and thumb.   

To discover defects in dried Hams, or other Bacon.  
FOr the first, thrust a sharp pointed Knife under the bone, and if it come out without much greasing, and presently scented, cast a pleasant Savour, the Ham is good, if the contrary not; then try the fat on the edges, raise a sliver, if it be white, firm and well scented, it is good; if yellowish, and of a greasy softness, it gins to be rusty there, and thus you may try other Bacon.  
To recover tainted flesh Venison, etc. Have an Earthen vessel with a cover all over full of little holes, lay in the flesh with sweet herbs on the top & bottom, cover all them with a cloth, dig a hole in the ground, and cover the vessel in it with earth, let it lie twenty four hours, and it will take away the ill scent, this especially for Venison is very proper, & will recover it when much tainted, & to know if Venison be tainted, try it under the bones with a knife, as you do the Hams, for there it first gins to taint.   

Poulterer's ware, to know whether new or stolen, young or old, fat or lean, with Eggs or not:  
A Wild Duck. If a true wild Duck, it has a reddish small Foot? If fat it is hard and thick on the belly, if lean the contrary, if limber footed new, if dry footed stolen.  
A Capon. If young the spurs are short and blunt, his Legs smooth, but see they be naturally so, and not so ordered by the Poulterer's knavery, if this be suspected, pinch the breast, and if your thumb and fingers goes in easily, it is young, if not, it is old, if a true Capon, it will have a fat vein on the side of the breast, and a thick rump and belly, if stolen it will have an open and lose vent, if new a close and hard one.  
A Pullet. If a true one her legs and breast are smooth, & in the breast she pinches very tender, if with Egg the belly will feel soft, but if not more straight, or if with Egg, the vent will be open, if not hard and close, if new a hard vent, if stolen an open one.  
Turkey Cock, or Hen, Turkey Pouts. A Turkey Cock young is known by the smoothness and blackness of his Legs, and a short spur, If new the Eyes will appear lively, the Foot limber; if stolen the Eyes sunk and the foot dry; The same observe by the Turkey Hen; but if she be with Egg, she will have a fast open vent, but if not, her vent will be close and hard, and so for newness and staleness the Turkey-pout is known as the Cock.  
A Cock. If his spurs naturally are short and dubed he is young; if horny and sharp old, if his ven● be hard and fast he is new if open and lose stolen.  
Of a Goose. If the tame Goose has but a few hair and her bill and foot yellowish she is young; bu● full of hairs and the bill and foot red denotes he 〈…〉 old: if new she has limber foot, if stolen a dry one.  
A wild Goose, if red footed and full of hairs she is old, but if white footed & without hairs young. A braved Goose when pulled if smooth is young but hairy old; their newness or staleness to be known as the first.  
Chickens, Goslings, young Ducklings. If dry pulled they are stiff, if new and a close vent; if stolen limber and their vent greenish, if water pulled rub● their breasts with the tip of your finger, if new they are rough, but if stolen they are slippery and clammy, so of Goslings, green Geese, young Ducklings, etc.  
A Swan. If old full of hairs, if young smooth, if new limber footed, if stolen dry footed.  
Pheasant Cock or Hen. The first, if young has dubed spurs, but old small and sharp: If new a close and firm vent, if stolen an open and flaby vent.  
The second, if young has smooth Legs, and a curious fine grain of flesh, if old hairy and rough legged, if with Egg a fast open vent; if not a close vent, as for new or stolen the same with the Cock.  
Heath and Pheasant-pouts. Heath-pouts, if new will be stiff and white in the vent; if fat hard in the vent, if stolen dry footed and hard in the vent and touched hard on the breast will peel, and the same tokens are to know the Pheasant-pout.  
The Bustard, This in all respect is to be noted, and known as the Turkey.  
The Partridge, If old their Bills will be white, and Legs of a bluish Colour; if young their Bills black, and Legs yellowish, If new a fast vent, if stolen a green and open one, and if touched will peel. Yet by feeding on green wheat their crops may be tainted though these marks discover it not, and to know it smell at the mouth.  
Wood Cock and Snip. The Woodcock, shows its farness by its thickness and hardness, Youngness by the smoothness of its Legs, staleness by the running of its Nose, Morishness of its throat and dry footedness.  
The Snipe if fat, has a fat vein on the inside under the wing, and handles thick in the vent: The other marks observe as in the Woodcock.  
Of Doves. Pigeons, Plover, etc. To distinguish these and not be cheated. The Turtle Dove has a bluish Ring about its neck, and the other part mostly white:  
The Stock Dove, is larger than the wood Pigeon.  
The Ring Dove, is less than the Stock Dove.  
The Dovehouse Pigeon is of a moderate size.  
When old they are red Legged, if new and fat they feel full, and fast in the vent; and are limber footed, but if stolen have a flaby vent.  
And by this rule you may know the goodness or badness of grey or green Plover, Thrush, Tielfare, Mavis, Larks, Woodlarks, Blackbirds, and all small Birds whatsoever,   

To know the Hare, Laveret, Rabbit, or Coney.  
THe Hare. If new and clean killed it will be white and stiff, but stolen the the flesh blackish in many places and limber, if the cleft of her Lip spread much, and her claws are blunt she is old, but if the contrary she is young.  
The Leveret: The Marks to be observed for the staleness and newness is the same with the Hare: But to know whether it be a true Leveret feel the near foot, and if there be a small bone or knob it is a true one, but if that is wanting 'tis a Hare.  
The Rabbit or Coney. If new she will be stiff and the flesh white and dry, but if stolen limber, the flesh bluish and slimmy: If it be a right Coney, it will have a small gristly knot, on the outside of the forefeet, a little above the Joint, if old the claws will be long and rough, and long grey hairs stand out amongst the wool; if fat your Eyes may inform you by looking into her belly, if diseased the Liver will be waterish or putrified.   

Fish new or stolen, to distinguish the kinds of a likeness, know their goodness, and of salted and pickled fish. etc.  
A Lobster. If this be new, the Tale will flap too when opened like a Spring, the Fish being boiled: If stolen it will be limber. To know if it be full and not spent, open it on the knuckle or bending the Tail, and if there it fill, the shell be hard and rise again when dented by your Finger it is full; but if papy and soft it is spent, and of no value: If you suspect the clause to be filled with Water, pull out the plugs, and when at any time you buy, trust not to the weight, but to your further search.  
Sturgeon good or bad. If it be bad, having lost its pickle and made up again, it will crumble and grows rough between your Finger and Thumb, the skin be rough and flobby; but if good, it will cut like Wax, feel oylly, have some small blue gristles or sinews like Veins, streaking here and there; which in the bad will look dusky, or of a rusty colour: If good the skin is tough and firm, having a fat oily substance under it, not easily parted from the flesh, which will look white and cast a pleasing scent, the flakes not opening kindly.  
Boiled Salmon. If good the scales will be of a bright azure colour, shining and many standing up, the Fish of a blushing colour, hard or firm, oylly and the flakes parting kindly. If bad, brittle and rough; if long boiled and standing without pickle, clammy and of a faint scent.  
Prawns and shrimps. If new their Tails bending stiffly inward hard and well scented if stolen the Tails limber, of a faint smell, the Eyes lose and sinking.  
Crabs great and small. If new the claws stiff, the Eyes not easily moved, and of a bright red, where the parts are to be red the scent under the Throat pleasant, but the contrary of these Signs denotes them to be stolen boiled and nought.  
Place and Flounder. If they are not alive and you suspect them stolen, it is known by their limberness, the shiruling of their sins, dulness & sinking of their Eyes, & a greenness where the guts lie, a clammyness over them if not just washed; if they are new, they will be stiff, their Eyes look well, and all the contrary appear.  
To know these asunder, the place is spotted with red or orange coloured spots on the Back the Belly of an earthy white, the Flounder is without spots clouded on the Back, and the Belly of a whitish inclining azure.  
Maids and Thorn-back. If stolen their Eyes dull sinking low, their vents flabby and slimmy, and they limber, their Bellies changing to greenish. These are supposed to be one and the same Fish, but the Maid growing old, has knobs and prickles sprouting on her Back; and then is cold a Thorn-back.   

Breem, Pike, Carp. Grayhing, Mullet, Terch, Barble, Trout, Whiteing, Roach, Dace, Smelts, Eels, and the like.  
TO know these or any the like Fish if stolen, look if their Eyes appear dull, and sinking, their fins cripling up their Bodies, particularly their Tails limber, and a clammyness about their mouths, their vents flabby and open; they then are stolen, but the contrary marks show them not to have been long dead, and that however they may spend well enough if not long kept.  
Herrings and Macrel. These growing stale lose the redness about the Gills, and their bright shining colour grows limber, their Eyes dull and sinking, their fins contract and the water succers within their Gills grow blackish or a dusky red, and of an ill scent; their bellies grow lose and their vent Flaby.  
Salt Cod and old Ling. These are good if pinching up the Flakes, they rise well, and feel oylly; when the bone parts clean from the Flesh and they have a true colour and scent: But if the flesh be rough, crumbling the skin crackling or shivering: Then they have been ill cured, or met with some mischance, so that they are good for little and to be rejected.   

Other Marketings, as how to choose Butter, Cheese, Bread; English and outlandish Fruits, and not be cheated.  
OF Butter. When you buy Butter, receive not the taste from the Teller, but with a knife take it yourself, for many times there is a good bit placed to decoy you, when all the rest is bad, perhaps made up of rank salt Butter, by working of it in water, which takes out the Salt and rank smell but leanness little or no nourishment in the Butter, so that melted it turns to greasy oil or wheyish substance.  
If you buy salt Butter, and it be in cask, thrust your Knife in the cloven about the middle of the cask, some hoops being taken off to prevent being cheated by the tops being packed; and smell presently to it, if it has a strong smell it is rank and nought.  
Of Eggs. If you have not an opportunity to caudle them hard, then put against the Sun, if the Whites look of a Muddy or Dusky colour; the Yolk, not lying even in the middle, or broken they once decaying, if not already addled, if you have none of these Advantages; shake them, and if they squash or swag much, they are stolen and wasted if not addled; though indeed, new Eggs may a little shake, though little to be heard or felt.  
Of Cheese, If the larger sort of Cheese be ruged or rough coated, try it well, lest there be Worms or Weavels in it, or little Mites. If it be over moist and spongy, it is subject to Mayots, the effects of ill making; if it appear to be perished, try the extent of it with the Cheese Iron, that you may know what you buy, and not be imposed on.  
Of Bread, If you find little knobs in your Bread, old stolen or musty Bread has been mashed among it: If it taste sweet, it is grown Corn: If gritty, it is made of smotty washed Corn. And none of these are very nourishing, & therefore to be eschewed: If Rye be mixed with Wheat, it will be known by the over moistness and any reasonable  may taste it.  
Of Fruits. If pulling the stalks of Pears o● Apples, they come out without breaking the Fruit, is rotten at core, how sound soever i● appear outwardly, for mustiness small at top and if any, it will there give you the Sent.  
Pricked Oranges and Lemons, are known by the Softness and some Spots, also a fading of the Colour, the fullness and emptyness by the Balance of the Hand; If the Seed in Pomgranets, rather they are wasted: If a Melleon be Hollow, the top end will be rough, and rived.   
FINIS.