The Renaissance brought about a revival in classical cookery, including a 1541 edition of a classic Roman cookbook. A 1905 issue of The Strand describes it:
One of these bears the date 1541, and amongst the dishes herein enumerated we may find hot-pots of cowheel, pickled broom buds, and Tetrapharmacon, of which the latter delicacy we are told that it was made of pheasant, peacock, a wild sow's hock and udder, with a bread pudding over it.
The manuscript also contained a recipe for yummy dormouse sausages and this handy if vague chart for butchering an elephant.
We dish up more neat food posts at the Neatolicious blog
http://www.eatliver.com/i.php?n=9847