The Boke of Cokery

The British Library has a manuscript, A Boke of Kokery, dating from about 1440, which draws heavily on earlier published work.

[7] The opening sentence sets out the purpose of the work: The historian Stephen Mennell describes the book as "essentially medieval in character",[8] focusing on the banqueting at aristocratic residences.

[9] The book gives details of numerous historical royal feasts, drawing on an early manuscript of recipes now at Holkham Hall, Norfolk.

An example is "The feste of kynge Harry the Fourth to the Henawdes [men of Hainaut] and Frenchemen when they had justed [jousted] in smythefelde", which comprised three courses of exotic game and meats, including "Creme of Almondes; larks, stewed potage; venyson, partryche rost; quayle, egryt; rabettes, plovers, pomerynges; and a leache of brauwne wyth batters".

[6] It appears to have had the market to itself for many years; Pynson's rival Wynkyn de Worde brought out The Boke of Kervynge (carving) in 1508, which overlaps to the extent of describing princely and lordly banqueting, but focuses on the serving rather than the cooking of such feasts.