The Fifth Book

[f. 84v] THE FIFTE BOOKE.

☞To make perfyt Asure, such as commeth from beyond the seas.

TAke fyrste a pounde of Lapis Lasuli, spotted like Marble, and somewhat of the colloure of Asure, with some veynes of Golde, or greene, of the whiche you shall make this profe folowynge. Take a little piece of it, and put it vpon hote coales, blowinge it with a payre of bellowes, the space of an houre, than let it coole agayne and touche it with your hande, if it breake, and vndoe lyke earth, it is nothinge worth, but if it abyde fyrme and harde together, and keepe his colour of Asure, it is good. Than take a pounde of the same, and breake it into small pieces, whiche you shall melte in the fyre the space of a good houre, blowinge it continuallye. This doen, take good Vyneygre distilled, in some kynde of vessell, wherein you shall quenche the sayed pieces, and let them drye: than take water made as foloweth. Take a panne leaded, and putte in it a quarte of cleere water, and a lytle rawe whyte honnye. Boyle it, and skymme it well, vntyll there be no more skumme, and so let it coole. Than take of Dragons bloude wel stamped, the quantitie of a Walnutte, and wette it lyttle and little with the sayed water, and it beynge wel dipt, strayne it thorowe a linnen cloth, into some vessell leaded. And you muste note, that the water may not be to rodde, nor to cleere, but betwene both, that is to saye, betwene cleere and redde, to the ende that the Asure [f. 85r] may take a Violette coloure. After this, braye well the sayde Lapis lasuli, so molten and burned, with the sayed water (as vermilleon is commonly brayed) by the space of an hour or more: thā assemble it together in a glasse, or some other vessell leaded, ample and large, drying it in the shadowe, and not in the Sunne: for it would lose his colour. And whan it is drye, beate it well to poulder, and keepe it in some cleane lynen cloth wel 〈◊〉 than make this past folowinge. Take two vnces of the cosin or gomme of a white pine tree, two vnces of Pigraeca two vnces of Mastick, two vnces of y^e oyle of line, two vnces of Turpentine, two vnces of newe Ware: stampe well that must be stamped, and cutte the Ware into small pieces, than put all in a newe panne, and boyle it till it come to his perfection, whiche maye be knowen, by castinge a droppe of it into cold water, and if in takinge it with your wette hande, it cleaue not to your hande, it is parfecte: and therfore you shal straine it thorowe some cleane cloth, into a vessell full of colde water, but this must you do while it is yet hote, for if it be cold, it will not straine, and leaue it so longe in the water, vntyll it be harde, than take it and set it to drye. Nowe, whan you will incorporate it with the poulder, do thus: Cut the sayde confection in smal pieces, which you shall put into some kettle tinned within, and set it so on the fyre, and whan it beginneth to bubble vp, put to it an vnce of the oyle of bytter Almondes, lettyng it so boyl the space of two Miserere, and in the meane time make ready your poulder of Lapis lasuli in a vessel, with some little sticke made for the purpose: than take the kettle, and poure it by little and lyttle, into the vessell vpon the sayed poulder, not ceassinge to sturre it alwayes with the lyttle sticke, vntill it be all well incorporated with the sayd poulder of Lapis lasuli, This doen let it cole, than annoinct your handes with oyle Oliue, and take the sayd substaunce, and tosse it vp and downe with youre handes, to thende to incorporate it well together. And after you haue broughte it to the fourme [f. 85v] and fashion of breade or paste, put it in a vessell leaded, and keepe it so the space of tenne dayes at the leaste.

And whan you will take out of it the Asure, make fyrst cleare lie, with the asshes of vynes, of the whiche you shall set a kettle full to the fyre, seethinge it as hote as you may endure your hande in it: than after, putte the saied confection or paste in a vessell leaded, and adde to it as muche of the saied lie as you shall thinke good.

Than styre the saied substaunce fayre and softlye, vntyll you see the Asure come out, and whan you see it issued out, poure the saied lie with the Asure into a vessell leaded, of the which vesselles you must haue a good nomber, than put to it againe of the other hote lie, doinge as before, puttinge it afterward againe into another vessell, and do thus vntill there be no more Asure. And here you muste note, that of a pounde of Lapis lasuli if it be fine, there is loste but an vnce, and is had oute of it in the whole, eleuen vnces, that is to say: fiue vnces of good and fine, three vnces of a mean sorte, and three vnces of courser. The fine is worth at the leaste twoo crownes and a halfe the vnce, the meane, a crowne an vnce, and the other halfe a crowne. Nowe, after you haue gotten out all the Asure, loke well whiche is like the one the other, for to put eche of them by them selues into three partes, as we haue saied. Than washe it wel with fayre and cleere lye, pouringe it out of one vessell into another, vntil it be come to a good colour, and purified from all ordure and fylth. And whan you thinke it is cleane inough, drie itin the shadowe, in a chaumber, and whan it is drie, take a glassefull of fine Aqua vite, and stiepe in it a little good brasill, & than trimme and dresse your Asure with the same Aqua vite, and let it drie, continuinge so the space of three dayes, vntil the Asure be participant, and haue taken parte of suche lycoure, and than it shall be of an excellent fyne coloure. Keepe eche sort by it selfe in bagges of leather well sowed and bounde.

[f. 86r]

☞To make a fyne confection of graine, called Laeca of grayne.

TAke a pounde of the shearinge of scarlette, and put it in a newe panne full of lie that is not to stronge, and boyle it vntyll the lie take the coulour of it. This doen, take a bagge, large and wyde aboue, and narrowe poincted beneth, whereinto you shall powre the sayed shearing of scarlette, and the lye, setting a vessell vnderneth, than wringe and presse the bagge harde, that all the substaunce, and all the coloure may straine and dreane out, after that washe the shearinge and the bagge, in the vessel where the colour is. And if you thinke that the shearinge hath yet more colour in it, boyle it againe with other lie, ordring it as before. This done, you shall heate the sayed couloured lye vpon the fire, but let it not boile, and you must haue ready vpon the fyre some cleane pan, with cleane water, into the whiche beinge hote, you shall put .v. vnces of Roche Alome, beaten to poulder. And as sone as you see it dissolue, take a bagge, like vnto the fyrste, and whan the coloure is hote, take it from the fyre, and put into it Alome, and caste all so together into the bagge, settynge vnder it some vessell leaded, and loke yf vnderneth the coloure come out redde, than take hote water and poure it into the bagge, with all the reste that was strained out of it, into the saied vessell vnder the bagge, and poure that so often, whiche shall straine and renne out vnderneth, vntill the licour that shall issue oute, be no more redde, but cleere as lye: hauinge thus strained all the water, the coloure will remaine in the bagge, which you shal vndoe and seuer a sonder with a sclyse of wood, putting it downe to the bottome of the bagge, and bringe it al into a masse, or lumpe, or into little tablettes, or into what fourme you will, and than drie it vpon a newe cleane pauinge tyle, in the shadow, within your house, or elles abroade where no sunne shineth. And so shall you haue an excellent thinge of it.

[f. 86v]

To dye bones into a greene colour.

TAke a panne full of cleare water, and put into it a good greate piece of quicke lyme, leauinge it so the space of a daye. The next daye morninge mingle it well together with a sticke, and so let it reste, and at none styrre it agayne, and likewise at night. The nexte morninge folowinge, you shall straine it cleane oute and kepe it, in the meane time haue the bones that you will die in a readinesse, and boile them well in other common water, wherein Roche Alome hath ben dissolued, and whan it hath boyled a good space, you shall take them out, and let them drie, than scrape them wel with a knife, and put them into the sayde lime water, and addinge to it some Verdegrise, you shall let them seeth well, and than take them out. And after you haue wyped and dried them, do with them what ye will, for thei will be very fayre: And in stede of the saied lyme water you may vse pisse, whiche wyll be of the like operation.

Another maner howe to die bones, or Iuorye, into the coloure of an Emeraude.

TAke Aqua fortis separatiua, and put therin to fret and dissolue, as muche copper or brasse, as the water is hable with her force to dissolue and leuse: this doen, put in what peece of woorke you will, beynge fyrste cutte in the fourme that you will haue it, as beftes for kniues, penkniues, ynckhornes, images, or anye other thinge to youre fantasie, leaue them in it the space of a night, and thei shall be of the colour of an Emerande. Nowe, if in steede of copper or brasse, you didde put in Syluer, it woulde be the better.

☞To die bones redde, blewe, or of anye coloure you wyll.

[f. 87r] FIrste boyle your bones in Alome water, than take quicke lyme water, or pisse, and in this water or pysse, you shall put Brasyll, Azur, or an herbe called Rub•a, which the Apoticaries call Rubramaior, and Rubra tinctorum, or Rubea tinctorum, wherewith they coloure wolle or skinnes, in Englishe Chickweede, or what other colour you wyll, and than seeth your bones or Iuozie therein, and they wyll take suche coloure as you put in.

❀A very goodlie secrete to dye or colour woode, of what colour a man will, which some Ioyners do vse that make tables and other thinges of diuers colours, and do esteme it amonge them selues to be of suche excellencie, that one brother will not teache it another.

TAke early in the morninge, newe and freshe horse donge, made that night, and take of the moysteste ye can gette, with the strawe or lytter and al, and laye vpon some little stickes layde a crosse one ouerthwart another, and set some vessell vnderneth, for to receaue that shall droppe or fall from the sayde donge. And yf you can not haue inough in one morninge, doe the like two or three times, or as ofte as you wyll: than whan you haue wel dreamed out the water of this dong you shall put into euery pot of the sayed water, the bignesse of a beane of Roche Alome, and as much gomme Arabick. Than stiepe what colour you will in it, vsing dyuers vessels, if you will haue diuers colours, and put in what pieces of wood you will, holdinge them at the fyre, or in the Sunne: and at eche tyme plucke out some pieces and laye them apart, leauinge the other in, for the lenger ye let them lie in the water, the more wyll the colour alter. And in this manner you shall haue a greate quantitie of diuers colours, the one cleerer, the other darker, and maye vse it to youre commoditie, so [f. 87v] what vse you list, for they shall be coloured both within and withoute, so that they will neuer lose theyr colour, neither by water or any other thinge.

☞To counterfeyte the blacke woode called Hebenus, or Hebenum, and to make it as fayre as the naturall Hebene, which groweth no where but in India.

ALl kynde of woode that is lyke vnto this Hebene, may be dyed black: but the hardest and the massiuest (as boxe and other lyke) are meetest for it,¹ and will be bryghter, and aboue all, the wood of a Mulbery tree, as well the white as the blacke, is the beste to be couloured, albeit the blacke be muche more for the purpose. Take than the saied wood, and let it lye the space of three dayes in Alome water, either in the Sunne, or a pretye waye of frome the fyre, vntill the water waxe somewhat warme: than take oyle Oliue, or Oyle of lyne seede, and put it in a little panne, wherein is the bygnesse of a nutte, of Romaine Vitriole, and as much Brymstone. This doen, seeth your woode in the sayde Oile a certaine space, and so shal you haue a thinge very darke of colour. And the lenger you let it boile, the blacker it will waxe, but to much boylinge burneth it, and maketh it bryttle, therfore both in thone and other you must be circumspecte, and vse discretion.

To die skynnes blewe, or of the colour of Asure.

HAuinge fyrst well washed the skinne, and than wronge him, take the berries of walwort, and elder berries, and seeth them in water, wherein Roche Alome was dissolued, passe him once thorowe this water, & let him drie, than passe him again thorow the same water, and being wiped and dried againe, wash him with [f. 88r] cleere water, than scrape out that water with the back of a knife, & once again passe it ouer w^t the same colour, and let it dry, so shal it be of a very blew or Asur colour.

To die skinnes in chickweede, called in latin Rubra maiore, or Rubra tinctorum, into a redde colour.

HAuing anoincted, washed, wronge, & layd abroad the skin, as is aforesaied, wete it with water that white wine lees and baye salt hath ben boiled in, and than wring him. Take than creuises or crabbe shelles (be they of the sea or of the riuer) burned into ashes, the whiche you shall temper with the said water of the lees and salt, and rubbe well the skinne therwith, than washe him well with cleere water, and wringe hym. This done, take ruddle tempered in water of lees, and rubbe the skinne well ouer and ouer with it, and than with the foresayde ashes, wasshinge, and wringinge it thre times. Finallye, after you haue wasshed him, and wronge him, if you thinke it be not well ynoughe, you shall geue him one dienge with Brasyll. The paste or masse of Rubra tinctorum, must be made with water that lees or tartre hath bene boiled in, and the sayed water must be luke warme, whan you make the paste of ruddle, than leaue it so the space of a night. After this, put vpon the sayd Rubra tinctorum, a lyttle Alome, dragges, or lees, or Alome catinum, stieped in water. You maye also adde to it the colour of the shearing of scarlet, whiche hath bene taken oute boylinge in lye, whiche is a goodly secrete.

To die skinnes Greene.²

ANnoint the skinne, and wash him well with cold water, and than in hote water, and so wipe & drie him. This doen, take of the graines wherw^t men [f. 88v] the sappe (the decoction wherof shall be put in thende of this boke, with them of all other necessary thinges) and the sayde graynes or berries muste be verye rype, than put them in cleare water, couered a fingar heigth, put therein also Roche Alome, and geue theim onelye one wawlme on the fyre. This doen, strayne them out into some vessell, than take the skinne, and folde him in the middle, rubbinge him well on both sydes, with the said sodden graines, or berries, whiche remaine in the pan, and after with rawe Alome poulder. This doen, take the ashes of shepes donge burned, and wete it with the saied coloure that you strained into the sayde vessell, and rubbe the skinne wel on euery side, than cleere him againe of the saied graines, and washe him with cleere water, and set him to drie withoute wipinge him. Fynally cast on him two glassefulles of the sayde coloure, and it will be a perfecte greene.

Another waye to dye skinnes greene.

LEtte the skinne be annoincted, well wasshed, wronge, and stretched oute as before, than take of the same graines and berries ye toke before, which you shall stampe and seeth in Roche Alome water, and geue the skynne twoo wypes ouer with this coloure, and so let it dry. After this you shal geue him one dying or colouringe of yellowe, made with the graynes, or berries of Nerprum, sodden in water and Alome, and a lyttle Saffron, and you shall haue an excellent greene.

❀To die the sayde skinnes greene another waye.

TAke the skinne, being annoincted, wasshed, and spredde abroade, dye and coloure him with the coloure made of sap greene, and put to it a few asshes wette in water, and so rubbe the skinne [f. 89r] all about. And whan you haue washed and wyped hym againe, geue him one wype ouer with and Indian coloure sodden in Roche Alome. And whan it is drye, lay on it of the foresayde yellow, and you shall haue a fayre and liuely greene.

☞Another waye to dye skinnes of Asure coloure, and fayre.

TAke the skinnes of blacke grapes, and rubbe well your leather with all, vntill it waxe somewhat blewe, and alsoo rubbe it well with the poulder of Indicum, then washe it, drye, and polyshe it. Than stiepe the Indicum in thicke redde wyne: and whan the skynne is washed, annoinct him with it, and you shall haue a fayre skinne asured blewe.

¶Another maner to dye skinnes Greene.

TAke rype elder berries, and the berries of walwort, and of sappe greene, and this well stamped, you shall put to it Roche Alome, as muche as you shall thinke good, but rather to muche than to little: than take the lye, and put into it the saied berries of sappe greene, and seeth them one waulme.

This doen, put in the berries of the walwort, or elder, and make them seeth also one waulme, than take them from the fyre, and let them coole, and after rubbe the skinnes with theim. Finallye, ye shall cast vpon them, the ashes of sheepes donge, rubbinge them well with it. After this, geue theim the couloured water that the saied graines or berries were sodden in, than take of the water with a curryers knyfe, and let them drye. And yf you nede to geue theim more coloure, than you maye put in more Indicum boyled, and it wyll be the better.

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☞To die neates leather into a greene colour, as well in galle as in leaues.

POlyshe well the leather with a pommeyse stone, annointe it well with oyle, and washe it: than take an vnce or two of galles stamped, and put it in hote water, leauing it so an hour, than straine it thorow a linen cloth, and put the leather into the same water, rubbinge it well with your handes, and leaue it so the space of an houre: and hauinge taken it out, wring it, and stretch it abroad, & tight it. Than take the graines or berries of Nerprum, gathered in Iuly, whan thei be yet greene: drie them, and stampe them well, adding therto for euery skinne, two vnces of Roche Alom beaten in poulder, and mingled with the poulder of y^• saied berries or graines. Than powre vpon the sayd poulder boylinge water, and let it coole, this doen, poure of the sayd water with the said graines vpon the skinne, rubbinge it well ouer with the palme of youre hande, than stiep the ashes of goates donge, in the water of the said graines, and with the same water rubbe likewise the skin well with youre hande, after this washe him, and scrape out the water with a tanners paring knife, than tight him out, and take other ripe gaines of sap grene and set them to seeth, hole, in water with Roch Alom, and afterwarde let them coole. Than take of the sayde sodden berries or graines, and rub the skin with theim with your handes, and put of the ashes vpon it, which you shall stiep in the same greene water, that the sayed berries were sodden in. Finallye, you shall wasshe the skin, and take out the water with a scraping knife, thā you shall geue it a course ouer of the saied grene water with a brush or clout meet for such a purpose: And than lay him to drie, and trim him, and you shall haue a fair grene. If you will haue the coloure darcker, or sadder, whan you set the said graines to seeth with the Alom, [f. 90r] you shall put to it a little Indicum well brayed. And you must note, that the water must be hote whan you stiepe the ashes in it, with the water of the graines of Nerprū.

¶To die skines greene with the flowres of Ireos.

TAke the fresshe flowres of Raphanitis, ³ or Ireos, and stampe them well, than take the drie graines or berries of Nerprum, and with them stampe roche Alome, a reasonable quantitie, whereof a greate deale can do no hurte: put to it a little raine water, and mingle all this with the foresayd flowres stamped. Kepe this colour in some clene vessel, and than take the skinnes, being annointed, and washed as is aforsaid, and put to them the graines of sap grene with the ponlder, in the same maner that we haue spoken of the other: washe them, and scrape of the water with a knife, and so let them drye, and geue them one wipe ouer finely with the sayed colour that you kept, let them drie again, then dresse them according to the science, and you shal haue fair leather.

❀To die bones in a turkishe or redde colour.

ALl kinde of bones may well be died and coloured, but hartes horne is farre better then anye other. Take than what bone you will, & shape him into what forme you please, and pullish him, and then boyle him in Roche Alome water a good while, letting him afterward drie, than take good grene, and stiep it in goates pisse, and put it in some copper or brasen vessell, well couered, and hide it vnder a dongehil the space of .xv. or xx. dayes, and then shall you finde it verye fayre. You may make the like also with the brine of a man in stede of the goates pysse. And for to make it redde, put in Cinabrium, or Brasyll, in steade of greene: but than you must put it in some vessell of wood or glasse, and not of copper nor brasse.

To die hogges brystels and other things, for to make rubbers and brusshes.

[f. 90v] FIrste wash well the brystels, thē take water wherin Roche Alom hath ben boyled, and put the sayd bristels therin, and let them lye vntill they take a coloure somewhat yellow: than take Chickeweede well stamped, and put it in Vyneaygre. Afterwarde sette a kettle with cleere water on the fyre, wherinto you shal caste the saied Chickeweede, with the Vyneaygre and all, and whan it beginneth to boyle, cast in the brystels, and let them seeth but a very lyttle whyle, than take of the kettle from the fyre, and let it coole, and so shall you haue your bristels of an excellent good colour.

☞To dye the saied bristels yellowe, greene, or blewe, or any other colour.

FIrste you must wasshe them, and let theym boyle in Alome water, as the other before: than take Ligustrum, and saffron, if you will haue them yellowe. Indicum, or the iuyce of elder berries, or walwort, or els of the flowers of Ireos, if you will haue them blew. If you wil haue them greene, take paynters greene, and dresse them as is aboue saied, assayinge sometime if the coloure please you. And by this meanes you maye dye theim what colour you liste.

☞To make a purple, whiche is a coloure wherewith men vse to make a coloure lyke golde, for to paynte and wryte with.

MElt a pounde of fine tinne, and melted as it is, take it from the fire, and put into it. viij or ten vnces of quicke Siluer, mingle well all together vntil it be like as it were dow: than take a pounde of Brimstone, and a pounde of Armoniacke salte well brayed. Incorporate [f. 91r] all this with the sayde dowe of the Tinne and Quicke Syluer, and braye them well together in a morter, or other vessell of wood, or stone, and not of Brasse. Than put al this composition into some violl, which muste be well luted or clayed about the mouth, or so emplaistred that the clayinge or lutinge be higher than the violle a finger height or twayne. Than afterwarde set it so vpon the fourneis, makinge to it a slowe fyre at the first, and after a little bygger, and so you shal maynteyne it, styrringe at tymes with a little sticke that whiche is in the glasse. And whan you see that it wil make a yellow colour, take it from the fyre, and let it coole, and so shall you haue a very fayre purple coloure lyke the colour of golde: Afterwarde braye it with lie, and washe it with pisse, or lie, addinge to it a little Saffron, and stiepe it with gommed water, as you shall see hereafter moore playnely.

☞To make Lacca of Brasyll.

TAke twoo pailes full of stronge lie, and put in it a pounde of the shearing of sine scarlette, and let it boyle vntill the saied shearinge be all together dissolued and consumed into water: than after poure it into some vessell of wood or stone, and caste into it by little and little, a pounde of Roch Alom, minglinge it well with a sclyser of wood, and poure also to it, by little and little, two payles full of colde water. And after put it in a straininge bagge, and lette it dreane / and trickle out, then put that remayneth in the bagge into some vessell of glasse. This doen, you shall set on the fyre a pounde of Verzine or Brasill cutte in pieces into a payle full of lye, and let it seeth vntill it be diminished the thicknes of a finger, than straine it in another bagge, and let the water that commeth oute be set againe on the fyre, with an vnce of gomme Arabick made in poulder, and let it seeth vntyll it be diminished [f. 91v] halfe a singer: then powre it vpon the sayed composition, that you did put into the vessel of glasse, minglinge well all together with a wodden sclyser, than put it in a bagge, and strame it well. The dowe of Verzine wil remayne in the bagge, whereof you may make rounde apples or balles, and drye them in the shadowe, and it will be parfite.

☞To make white tables to wryte in with the poynt of a wyre, suche as come out of Germany.

TAke plaister called Gipsum, cribled and sifted, and stiepe it, and temper it with hartes glue, or other, and geue your parchment leafe one touch with it, and whan it is dry, scrape it, that it may be euen and bryght, and couer it ouer againe with the sayed plaister, called Gypsum, and scrape it as before: than take Ceruse, well brayed and sifted, and stiepe it with the Oyle of line seed sodden: Annoint your tables with this mixtion, and let it drye in the shadowe, the space of fiue or sixe dayes. This doen, take a cloute, or linnen cloth wete in water, wherewith you shall flicke and make smoeth the saied tables, but the cloth muste fyrste be wronge hard, and the water pressed oute, then leaue it so the space of .xv. or .xx. dayes, vntill it be thorowe drye, than applie it to your vse.

☞To make roset, or ruddle.

TAke an vnce of Brasill broken small, a quarter of an vnce of Ceruse, and a quarter of an vnce of Roche Alome, mixe all these thinges well together, and stampe them well, than poure pysse vpon them, vntil they be al couered with it, leauinge it so the space of. iii. dayes, and mixing it. iii. or. iiii. times a day. Afterward straine it thorowe a linnen cloth, and put it in a pan not leaded, or in a morter of white stone and let it drie in a place where there commeth neyther [f. 92r] Sunne nor day lyght: than scrape the saied roset, and kepe it, and whan you will write withall, stiepe it in gommed water.

☞To gylt ouer parchement, leather or other such work, which men vse in steade of hanginges, or tapistry.

TAke thre pounde of the Oyle of lyne, Vernix, Pixgraeca, of eche a pound, halfe an vnce of Saffron poulder. Boyle all this in a panne leaded, so muche, and soo longe, that puttinge into it a hennes feather, and taking it by and by out agayne, it seeme as it were burned. Than take it from the fyre, and take a pound of Aloe epaticum, of the best, well made in poulder, and caste it in by little and little, styrringe it incontinent well together with a stronge sticke: for otherwise it woulde swell and ryse vp a lofte. And yf in case for al the styrringe it rise vp, take it of the fyre, and let it stande a while, and than set it en the fyre agayne, makinge it boyle a new, styrring it alwayes diligently. And whan all is well incorporated together, take it frō the fyre, and let it rest a while, than straine it thorowe a linnen cloth, into some other vessell wherein you will kepe it, and it is made. Nowe, if in steade of Saffron, ye did put to it of the yellowe seed which is in the flowres of Lillies, you shall make it muche better and fairer. Whan you will gylte the parchemente, you shall geue it a grounde or situation with the white of an Egge, or Gomme, wherevpon you shall laye siluer or tinne leaues, but it shall not be so fayre with the leaues of tinne, as with syluer. Than lay the sayde Vernix hote vpon the parchement, or leather siluered, and you shall see immediately a coloure of golde very fayre. Lette it drye wel in the Sunne, and print it, than paynt it with what colour you wyll.

☞To dye Crimson sylke.

[f. 92v] FIrste cutte in s•nder, or scrape harde Sope small, and melte it in common water, than take your sylke in a lynnen bagge, or of fyne canuesse and thynne, and put it into a kettle with the sayde water & Sope. Let it bosle halfe an howre, slyrringe it that it cleaue not to the kettle, then take it out, and washe it in salt water, and after in fresh water. Take also for euery pounde of Silke, a pounde or more of Roche Alome alayde in colde water, and see there be water ynough, into the whiche you shall put the sayde sylke withoute any bagge, and without settinge it on the fyre, leauing it so the space of eyghte houres: than take it oute and washe it in freshe water, and after in salte water, then agayne in freshe water, and let it not drye, but putte it wete as it is in a kettle with the Crimsen, well stamped and systed, that is to saye, three vnces for euerye pounde of sylke. If you will haue the sylke of a higher colour, take foure vnces of it, and boyle it in as muche water as will couer the sylke, and that the water be aboue it foure or fiue fyngers high, and for eche pounde of the sayde Crimsen, you shall putte in three vnces of small galles of Istria, well beaten into poulder: or in stede of them, you may put in halfe an vnce of Arsenick Cristaline, for euery pounde, whiche wyl make the colour fayrer, but it is daungerous because of the smoke, and all incenueniences that maye happen, where suche water maye fall. And whan it beginneth to boyle, put into it your Sylke, prepared and ordered as is aforesayed, and let it boyle a quarter of an houre. Finallye take it of, and lette it drye in the shadowe, and you shal haue an excellent thinge.

To prepare and trymme Brasyll, for to make of it four diuers colours.

[f. 93r] PVt Brasyll in as muche cleare water as ye will, and seeth it vntill it be diminished of the thyrde parte, or at the leaste vntyll the colour please you, that is to saye, that it be very redde, then deuide this colour into. iiii partes: and if of one of the partes you will make roset, put nothing to it, for the colour will be suche of it selfe. If you will make the other part blewe, put to a lyttle Lime water, and you shall haue very fayre blew: mary the Brasyll muste be luke warme. If you will make it Violet, put lye to it: but if tawny, you shall putte to it Alumen fecis.

☞To make roset of Brasyll another waye.

TAke a potte of water, and put in it the byggenesse of a Walnutte of vnsleaked Lyme, leauinge it so the space of a nighte, then take as muche Brasyll, brused and broken, as will fyll the vessell, that you wyll boyle it in, halfe full: than poure into it the sayed water with the Lyme wel strained, and lette it so stiepe in the sayed water, the space of foure howres, makinge it afterwarde boyle vntyl it be come to halfe, than howe downe faire and softly the vessell that you boiled it in, and drawe oute the coloure into some other cleane vessell, puttynge to it the quantite of a Cyche Pease of Roche Alome, well brayed, and putte it in whan it is verye hote: than shall you haue a goodly thinge to do withall what you will. If you wyll wryte with it, adde to it a little Comme water. If you wyll make it Blewe, putte to it three vnces of Lye, more or lesse, into a vessell, and you shall haue a very sayre blewe.

☞To make beyonde sea Asure, without Lapis La•uli.

[f. 93v] TAke an vnce of Siluer, calcined or burned with Aqua fortis, and an vnce and a halfe of salt Armoniack, mixe all well together with vynayger, and lette it clarifie a lyttle. If the Vynayger be more than the sayd thinges, take away that is to much, and put the rest in a vessell well leaded, and well stopte, that the substaunce haue no vente oute, leauinge it so xxv. dayes, and at the ende you shall finde verye fayre Asure.

☞To make a grene colour to write or paynt with.

TAke Verdegrise, Litarge, Quicke Syluer, and braye all this together with the pisse of a younge chylde: and than write or painte with it, and you shall see an excellent colour, as it were an Emeraulde.

☞To braye fyne golde, wherewith a man maye write, or paynt with a pensyll.

TAke golde leaues beaten, and foure droppes of hony: mixe it wel together, and put it in a glasse. And whan you wyll occupie it, stiepe and temper it in Gommed water, and it will be good.

☞The same another waye.

TAke as muche as you will of the leaues of golde or syluer beaten, and laye it abroade in a large cuppe or glasse, as euen as you can, and wette it with cleare water, than braye it with your fingar, wetinge sometyme your fyngar, but spreade it not to muche abroade in brayinge it, and continue thus doynge vntill it be well broken, puttinge vnto it alwayes water. And whan you thinke it is broken and brayed ynoughe, fill the cuppe with cleane freshe water, and styrre it well, than let it repose halfe an houre: After this strayne the water, and you shall finde the golde in [f. 94r] the bottome of the cuppe, the whiche you maye drie at youre pleasure. Whan you wyll putte it in 〈◊〉, stiepe and temper it with Gommed water: also you must kepe it well couered, that it take no fylth. This is the beste waye that is, to make brayed or pow••ed Golde.

☞Another waye with Purpurine.

TAke Purpurine, which you shall fynde to be sold, or that you haue made youre selfe in the manner aforesayde, than put it in a dysh, with pysse or lie, and dippe it well with your fingar little and lyttle: afterwarde fyll the dyshe with pysse or lie, and let all setle downe into the bottome. This doen, styrre it agayne, chaunging often the sayd lie, vntill all be as you would haue it, and finelye beynge broken and pounned, and that the last pysse or lye be as cleare as whan you dydde put it in, and after you haue strained it oute, you shall put to it a lyttle Saffron, and temper it with Gommed water. Than maye you wryte, paynt, or do any thinge elles with it.

¶To make a grounde to gylt vpon, with burnished golde.

TAke Gipsum, the quantitie of a Walnut, Boale Armenicke, the byggenesse of a Beane, Aloehepaticke, Sugre candy, of eche of theim the quantitie of a Beane, stampe them by them selues, and puttinge the one vpon the other, you shall put to it laste of all a little Ciuette, or honny.

☞To laye or settle golde with a single grounde.

TAke fine Gipsum, Aloe Epaticum, Boale Armenick of eche like quantitie, and temper it with the whites of new layd egges, which you haue strained thorow a linen cloth, & if your ground be to stronge [f. 94v] you maye temper it with water.

❀Another waye to laye on golde.

TAke Gommed water, and with the same onely put golde, and the sayed grounde will be good vpon parchemente, or vppon skinnes, the lyke maye you make with the whites of newe layed Egges, and with the milke of figges alone.

To make colours of all kynde of metalles.

TAke Cristall, or paragon stone, and braye it well with the white of an Egge, and than write with it, and whan it is drye, rubbe the writynge with golde, or any other metall, and you shall haue the same coloure that the metall is of.

To laye golde on a blacke bottome or grounde.

TAke the smoke of a Lampe, and powne or braye it well with the Oyle of line, or of Walnuttes. And whan you will laye the golde vpon the sayd ground, se that it be neither to moist nor to drye.

☞To make letters of the colour of golde, without golde.

TAke an vnce of Orpimente, and an vnce of fyne Cristall, and braye theim eche one by him selfe, than mingle theim together with the whites of Egges, and wryte with it.

❀To make syluer letters without syluer.

TAke an vnce of Tynne, two vnces of quicke syluer, and melte theim together, than braye theim with Gommed water, and write with it.

[f. 95r]

❀To make greene letters.

TAke the iuyce of Rue, Verdegrise, and Saffron• braye them well all together, and wryte therewith with Gommed water.

To make white letters in a blacke feilde.

TAke the pure mylke of a fygge tree, in a glasse, and set it in the sunne the space of halfe an hour: than alaye it, or temper it with Gommed water, whan you will occupie it. And whan you haue written with it blacke the paper with incke, as muche as you wyll if the paper be greate: and whan it is drye, rubbe it well with a linnen cloth. Than the letters that you made with the mylke of the fygge tree, will go of all to gether, and the paper wyll remayne written white, because it was kept and preserued by the same mylk, from the yncke, where the letters were. The lyke maye you make with the yelke of an Egge, tempered in water, with the whiche you maye wryte also: And whan the writinge is drye, rubbe wel the paper ouer with incke, as before. And whan it is drye, rubbe the sayde letter, made with the yelke of the Egge, with some lynnen cloth or knyfe, and they will goo of, and leaue a whyte space, whereby you shall haue fayre white letters in a blacke paper.

To make a greene colour for to write and paynt withall.

TAke greene byse, and stiepe it alone in Vynaigre, and passe it thorowe a linnen cloth, and braye it well vpon a Porphire stone, with cleare water, and put to it, in brayinge it, a little honny, and lette it d•e well, than braye it againe wel with Gommed water, and it will be perfecte.

☞To trimme and dresse Asure.

[f. 95v] AZure is brayed with hony, as greene, but ye nede not purge it otherwise: temper it with y^e whites of Egges beaten, or with the water of glewe, and not of Gomme. The water of glewe, is made with parchement glew, cleare and mollified, and strained as Gomme is.

☞To dresse or trimme Cinabrium, for to wryte or paynt with.

BRay well the Cinabrium vppon a Porphyre stone, with cleare condite water, than let it drie, and putte it in an ynckehorne, or glasse, but it is better in an inckhorne in winter. After this poure pisse into it, minglinge it well together, and leauinge it so vntyll nyght, vntyll all the Cinabrium be gone to the bottome: than chaunge the pysse, and do as before, leauinge it so vntyll the nexte morninge, chaunginge so the vrine or pysse foure or fyue dayes, vntyl al be wel purged. Than take the white of an Egge well beaten, vntyll it be brought into cleare water, whiche you shal poure vpon the Cinabrium, so that it be more than a fingar aboue it: After mixe well al together with some sticke of a Walnutte tree, or elles with some little bone, than lette the Cinabrium descende downe to the bottome, and do with this as before with the pysse, the space of two or three dayes, and this will take awaye all the sauoure of the pisse. This doen, ye shal put another whyte of an Egge and mingle all well together, and than it will be perfyt: you must kepe it well stopped. At euerye time that you will occupie of it, styrre it well: and whan the white of the Egge is so dressed, as is declared, it neuer corrupteth.

☞A grounde to laye golde vpon anye mettall or yron.

[f. 96r] TAke Vernix liquida, a pounde, Turpentine, Oyle of lyne, of eche of theym an vnce: myre well all together, and it is made.

☞To gylte the edges of bookes.

TAke the quantitie of a Walnut of Boale Armenicke, the byggenesse of a Cyche pease of Sugre Candye: braye them drye the one with the other, and putte to it a little of the white of an Egge well beaten, than mingle well all together. This doen, take the booke that you will gylte, whiche muste be wel bound, well glewed, euen cutte, and well polished, set him fast in the presse, and that as euen and as righte as you can possible. Then with a pensill geue him a wype ouer with the white of an Egge well beaten, and let it drye, than geue him also another with the sayd composition. And whan it is well dryed, scrape it, and pollish it wel. Last of all when you will laye on the Golde, wette the sayde edges with a little cleare water, with a pensill, and than incontinent put on the golde leaues, cutte in that biggenesse they ought to be, and whan it is drye, pollyshe it with a dogges tothe. This doen, you maye make what worke you will vpon it.

☞To kepe whites of egges as longe as a man will without corruptinge, and without putting Arsenick to it. A secrete not muche knowen.

TAke the whites of Egges, not breakinge them in any wise, and put to them as muche white Vynaygre as shall suffise, that is to saye, a reasonable quantitie, leaue it so the space of twoo dayes, than passe it thorow some linnen cloth, without breakinge or beatynge the white of the Egges, leauinge it so the space of eight dayes, than strayne it agayne, and put it in a violle well stopped, for to occupy whan you haue nede.

[f. 96v]

❀ The maner howe to make the grounde or foundation for Indicum.

TAke Gomme Armoniacke three partes, Gomme Arabick one parte, Serapinum, a fourth part, stiepe these in Vynaygre, vntyll they be very softe, than mixe them well, and straine them thorow a linen cloth, and it wyll be verye good to occupye whan you haue neede.

Another perfyt grounde for the same thinge.

TAke Gomme Armoniack an vnce, Gomme Arabicke thre vnces, and stiepe it in Vyneaygre the space of a daye and a nighte, than take the biggenesse of a Walnutte of good yellowe Honnye, and a Garlyke heade, well pilled and made cleane, and well stamped. Boyle all these thinges together in stronge Vynaigre, puttinge to it a little Aloe Epatic, and lette it boyle a good while, than straine it thorow a linen cloth and wringe out well all the substaunce of it. And if you thinke it be liquide or soft, or to cleare, boile it agayne, vntill you thinke it is thicke inoughe, than kepe it in a glasse, or vessell of earth leaded, or of bone. Whan you wil gilt any thinge, anoint it fyrst with this composition, with a pensill, and rub it wel, so that the ingra•ing be not filled, & leaue it so as long as you wil: than, whā you will lay on the leaues of gold, blowe a little youre breath vpon the saied foundation or ground, and set on the saied leaues of gold, disposing and orderinge theim as is requisite, pressing them wel downe with a pensil, or with a little wol or bombase, and than shal you haue a very excellente giltyng.

☞A goodlye waye howe to make Golde and Syluer in poulder, a thinge easye to be done, and there wyll come of it an excellent coloure. This is a verye rare secrete, whiche hath not bene vsed nor knowen vntyll this present.

[f. 97r] TAke leaues of golde a crowne weighte, or as muche as you will, and set it to the fyre in some little cleane pan or pipkin, and in another vessell you shall put foure times as muche in weighte of quicke siluer, a good waye of from the fyre, so that it may but onely warme a litle, for otherwise it mighte vanishe awaye. Let not the leaues of golde take so muche heate, that thei melt, but let them waxe almost redde. This doen, take them from the fyre, and the quicke syluer lykewise, whiche you shall poure hote vpon the leaues of golde, and incontinent mingle them well together with a litle stick, the space of a Paternoster, and poure it afterwarde into a dyshe full of cleere water, and you shall haue a dowe of the saied golde and quicke syluer, but the coloure of the golde will be so darkened and obscure, that a man shall perceaue and see nothinge at all. And this is the dowe that the Goldsmythes call Amalgama, and the learned men Malagma, whiche is a Greke word, and being corrupted of the Arabians, was chaunged into Amalgama. Also you may make this colde, in brayinge the leaues a good whyle with the quicke syluer vppon a Porphyre stone, vntyll all be mixed and ioyned together.

And braying it also with stronge Vinagre, or the iuyce of Lemons, it will soner be made, and wyl incorporate and come together the better, than muste you wasshe it wise or thrise with cleare water. Nowe, how soeuer you haue made this dowe, or Amalgama, you must strain it thoroughe a lynnen cloth, fyne and thicke, to the intente that a parte of the quicke syluer maye go thorow: or elles straine it thorough a wylde goates skynne, or a lambes skinne, whiche is farre better, and presse it harde, to thintente there may come out as much quicke syluer as is possible. Than take that remayneth in the cloth or skynne, and put to it halfe as much fayre quick Brymstone citrine. Fyrste stampe well the Brymstone and mingle it with the saied paste or dowe: and beynge so myngled, sette it on the fyre in a dysshe or yron lad•e, [f. 97v] leauinge it so vntyll all the Brymstone be burned, and all the rest yellowe. Than let it cole, and put it in a dish washynge it so often with cleare water, tyll you haue a fayre colour of Golde. Than kepe it in some glasse or earthen vessell leaded, as you do the other punned and brayed Golde, and whan you will put it in experience, stiepe it in Rose water, or other, wherin you shal haue mollified or dissolued some cleare gomme Arabicke.

Than dresse and order it to write or paynte with, and you shall haue an excellent thinge. Whan you haue written or painted, beynge once drye, you maye burnishe it with a dogges toeth, whiche you can not do to the other brayed or punned golde, that Scriueners and Painters nowe a dayes do vse. This secrete hath bene practised of the olde and auncient writers, as we see in some of theyr bokes. But nowe you must vse the practise to burnish it, layinge a white paper vpon the gold, and rubbinge fyrste vpon the saied paper with the dogges toeth. And if you thinke that it is not yet burnished ynoughe, you maye burnishe it once agayne, with the toeth vpon the Golde without the paper betwixt.

☞To make a verye fayre Vernix, to vernishe the saied golde, and all other workemanshippe.

TAke Bengewine, and bray it the beste you can betwixt two papers, than put it in some violle, and poure vpon it good Aqua vite, that it be aboue the Bengewyne three or foure fingars hygh, and leaue it so a day or twaine, than put to it, for halfe a violle of suche Aqua vite, fine, or sixe blades of Saffron slenderly stamped, or elles whole. This doen, straine it, and with a pensill Vernishe therewith anye thynge gylted that you will, which wil become bright, and fayer, dryenge it selfe immediatelye, and will continue many yeares. Nowe, if you will dresse Syluer in suche a manner, do euen with the siluer leaues as you did with the Golde, if not, in steede of Brimstone you [f. 98r] shall take white commun salte, then dresse the Vernish in the foresaied manner, puttinge to it the Almonde or Bengewine, that is to saye, the white that is founde in the middes of Bengewine, and put in no Saffron at all. And the saied Vernishe of Bengewine, and Aquavite, without any other thinge, is very good to vernish all thinges, as well painted as not painted, and also to make tables and coffers of Walnutte tree, and Nebene to glister and shine, and of all other thinges: Lykewise workes of Copper gilted, and not gylted: for it maketh bright, preserueth, aydeth the colour, and drieth incontinent, without takinge any dust or fylth, but that you may make it clene with a linnen cloth, or with a foxes taile, whiche is better, as if it were not vernished at al.

To bray or break golde or syluer easely after the comes maner that the best workmasters do vse.

TAke what golde leaues you will, and incorporate them wel in a cuppe of glasse, with Iulep roset, stir ringe it well with your middle finger, little and little. And when all is incorporated together, braye it well vpon a Porphyre stone, than poure by little and lyttle, clere water vpon the said stone, mixing it alwais: After strain the said gold & Iulep, into a dish, or cup of glasse, and washe well the stone that there remaine nothinge. Than stirre all with your finger in the saied dishe, and let it so repose: after, poure the water out, and putte in other freshe, cleere, and warme, and washe it so, vntyll all the Iulep be washed and clensed oute, and that the water (putting it in your mouth) be in no wise sweete, than let it drie. This d•en, you shall put it in a cuppe of cleane glasse, and rake out a fewe hote embers a good way from the fyre, that the glasse breake not, wherevpon you shall set the saied cuppe, vntyll the gold waxe very hote, and be retourned to his naturall colour. Finally temper it with go•med water, for to put it in experience.

[f. 98v]

To make a lycoure, that maketh a golden coloure without golde.

TAke the iuyce of Saffron flowres, whan thei are freshe vpon the plante, and if you can get none, take Saffron dried, wel made in poulder, and put to it as muche yellowe and glisteringe Orpiment, that is scaly, and not earthy: than, with the gall of a Hare, or of a Pike (whiche is better) braye them well together. This doen, put them in some violle vnder a donghyll certayne daies, then take it out and keepe it, and whan you will wryte with this licoure, you shall haue a fayre coloure of Golde.

❀ Another licour of the colour of Golde, for to wryte and to gylte yron, woode, glasse, bone, and other lyke thynges.

TAke an egge layed the same day that you begin to make this, the whiche egge you shall open at one ende, and take out all the white, than take two partes of quicke syluer, and one parte of salte armoniack, that is cleane, and well beaten: and of these two thinges, you shall put as much vpon the yelk of the egge that remaineth in the shell, as will fyll it vp againe: than mingle well all together with a lyttle sticke. After, stoppe the sayed egge with the piece that you tooke of, closinge it well with a piece of waxe, that nothing may enter into it, nor any thinge issue oute.

Than laye it vnder horse donge, right vp, the open end vpwarde, this doen, take another halfe egge shell, and make as it were a couer or a cappe vpon the sayed broken ende, coueringe it with dunge, and leaue it so the space of twenty or fiue and twentye dayes, and so shall you haue a very fayre coloure of gold, for to write, and to do what you wyll withall. And if the sayed substance be to harde or to thicke, you may breake it, or temper it with gommed water.

[f. 99r]

☞Another goodly licour, to make a golden coloure with little cost, and is a thinge easye to be doen.

TAke the pilles of Citrons, or Orenges very yelow, and cleere thē well of the white that is within syde, than stampe them well in a morter of stone, or woode, well made cleane, and take good yellowe Brimstone, cleare and bryght, and well beaten in poulder, whiche you shall mingle with the saied pilles stamped, stampinge well all together. This doen, you shall putte all this into a violle, and kepe it in a depe sellar or caue, or in some moyst place, by the space of .viii. or .x. days. Finallye, you shall heate it agayne by the fyre, and then write or paint with it, and you shal finde it a very excellent coloure of Golde.

☞To make yncke, or a colour to wryte with, in a verye good perfection.

TAke good Galles, and breake theim in three or foure pieces, that is to say, stampe them slightly, and put them in a fryinge panne, or some other yron panne, with a litle Oyle, frieng them a litle, then take a pounde of them, and put it in some vessel leaded, pouringe into it as muche white wine as wyll couer it ouer, more then a good hand breadth. After, take a pounde of Gomme Arabick, well stamped, and eyghte vnces of Vitriole well made in poulder: myxe all well together, and set it in the sunne certaine dayes, stering it as often as you may: then boyle it a litle if you se that you haue neede, and after straine it, and it will be perfecte. And vpon the lees that shall remayne in the bottome, you maye poure other wine, and boyle it a little, and strain it. You may put wine vpon the same lees as often as you will: that is to say, vntil you se y^t the wine whiche you put in, will staine or be coloured no more. Then, mingle al the saied wine, wherunto you shal put other g••••s, gomme, and vitriole, as at the beginning [f. 99v] thē keping it in the Sunne, you shal haue a better inck then the fyrste, and do so euery day, for the oftener you do it, the better you shall haue it, and with lesse coste. And if you finde it to thicke, or that it be not flowinge ynough, put to it a lyttle cleare lie, whiche will make it liquide and thinne inoughe. If it be to clere, adde to it a little gomme Arabick. The galles must be smal, curled and massiue within, if they be good. The good vitriolle is always within of a colour like vnto the elemēt. The best gomme, is cleere and brittle, that in stamping it, it becommeth poulder easely, without cleaning together.

A good waye and maner howe to make incke for to carry about a man in a drie poulder, whiche (whan he wil write with) he must temper with a little wyne, water, or vynaiger or with some other licour, and than he may incontinent put it in experience. Vvyth the said poulder all other incke maye be amended, be it neuer so euill.

TAke Peche or Abricot stones with their kurnels, swete Almondes, or bitter, 〈◊〉 that thei haue their shelles harde, and that the Almondes be within them. And if in case you can gette but the saied stones without theyr kurnels, it shall be good ynough, but yet not so good as with the kurnels. Take then all the said thinges together, or those that you can get, and burne them vpon the coales: and whan they be very redde and ens•amed, take them out, and thus beinge redacte and made into verye blacke coales, kepe theim in a panne.

Take likewise Rosin of a Pine tree, and putte it in a panne, and make it flame and burne: than take another little scillette, or elles a lyttle bagge holden open, with little stickes layde a crosse ouer it, or otherwise, as you shall thinke good, and hold the mouth of the bagge downewarde ouer the flambe, so that the smoke of the saied Rosin maye gather together, and sticke rounde aboute the saied panne or bagge, and whan al the Rosin to burned, and all colde againe, cause all the sayd smoke [f. 100r] to fall vpon a paper, or table, or some other thinge, and kepe it, but if you will not take the paines to make this smoke, bye it of them that make printers incke. Of this blacke or smoke, you shall take one part, or what quantitie you will, of the coales of the saied stones another part, of Vitriole one parte, of fried galles, as is aforesaied, two partes, of Gomme Arabicke foure partes.

Let all these thinges be well stamped, sifted, and myngled together, and then kepe well this poulder in a linnen bagge, or of leather, for the older it is, the better it will be. Whan you will occupie it, for to make y••ke thereof, take a little of it, and temper it with wine, water, or Vynaigre, the whiche beyng put into it warme, the yncke shall be the better, neuerthelesse, beinge put in colde, it maketh no great matter, and you shall haue immediately very good incke, whiche you maye carrye where you will without spillinge or sheadinge. If you haue naughty inck, put to it a little of the sayd poulder, and it will becomme immediately very good black, and haue a good glosse.

❀ To make a great deale of yncke quickly, and with litle coste.

TAke of the blacke that Curriers or tanners doo black their skins with, for you may haue much for moneye: than take of a fyshe called a Cuttle, whiche costeth almoost nothinge, and chieflye in places nighe to the sea side, and in eating the saied fishe at diuerse times, you maye keepe the galles together. Than myngle the saied galles with the Tanners colour, and withoute anye other thinge, you shall haue a perfit Incke. To make it yet better, you maye putte to it of the saied poulder made of the coales of Vitriole, of Galles, and of gomme, and the sayd. Incke shalbe very good to print in copper, putting to it a little vernix, & a little oyle of line, so that it may be liquide and flitting of it selfe, for to pearce the better into all manner of [f. 100v] engrauinges, and that it maye abide well vpon the paper, without renninge abroade.

❀To make Printers Incke.

PRinters Incke is made onelye with the smoke of Rosine, as is abouesaid, and is tempered with moist Vernish, you muste seeth it a little, to make it liquide or thicke, as you shall neede. But in Winter moister then in Somer: and alwaies the thicker maketh the letter fayrer, blacker, clearer, and brighter. But in what maner so euer it be, it muste be euer well mixed with the smoke. And to make it liquide, as is saied, you must put to it more oyle of line, or of Walnuttes to the bernyshe. If you wyll make it thicker, put lesse Oyle, and more smoke, lettinge it seeth more. If you wyll Printe redde, in steade of the saied smoke, mingle Vermillion well brayed, with the sayed Vernishe. If you will Printe greene, put in green Bice. If you wyll make it Blew (as men haue done somtime heretofore) take Azure of Almaine, or of that of glasse, whiche is nowe made at Venise, doing in all poyntes as we haue spoken of the blacke incke.

☞To make yncke so white, that although a man write with it vpon white paper, it may easelye and perfytlye be redde. A very goodly thinge.

TAke the shelles of newe layed egges, verye white, and wel washed, then bray them well vpon a cleane marble stone, with cleare water. Put them in a cleane dysh, vntill the poulder descende to the bottome: after dreane oute the water lightlie, and lette the poulder drie of it selfe, or in the sunne, and so shall you haue an excellente white, that [f. 101r] neyther Ceruse, nor any other white in the world may be compared vnto it, if you dresse, and kepe it cleane. And whan you will occupie it, take gomme Armoniac well washed, and mollified of that yellowe skynne that is about it: then stiepe It the space of a night in distilled Vynagre, and in the morninge you shall finde it dissolued, and the Vynagre shall become whiter than milke: the whiche you shall strayne thorowe a cleane lynnen cloth, and with a little of this white licour you shal temper the saied poulder, and than wryte or paynt with it, and you shall haue a whyte, excellente aboue all other sortes. A noble woman of Italye vsed no other thynge to blaunche her face: and kepte her self very white with al, and yet it appeared not that she vsed any such thing. Also the sayd poulder hurteth nothinge at all the face, nor the skinne, nor yet the teeth, as the sublime, the Ceruse, and other like thinges do, whiche gentylwemen ofte vse, to theyr great detriment and hurte. But if you will vse the saied white made of egge shelles vpon your face, you must braye and consume it very fyne, and that it haue almoste no palpable substaunce, and that it may be penetratiue and pearsinge, to thintent it maye continue. In the whiche thinge euery man may proue and assaye what his witte is able to do. But aboue all thinges, whan you will vse it for the face, it is necessary that you put to it the thyrd part of calcined and burned Talchum, as we will shewe you in the booke folowinge.

☞To make a poulder to take of blottes of yncke, fallen vpon the paper, or elles the letters and wrytinge from the paper: whiche is a rare secrete, but yet profytable.

TAke Ceruse well brayed, and make thereof a dowe with the milke of a figge tree, then let it drie: afterwarde braye it agayne, and drye it as before, and so seuen tymes: then keepe it so in poulder. And whan you wil vse it to take out blottes, or [f. 101v] letters out of paper, take a lyttle linnen cloth wette in water, pressinge and wringinge the water oute, then spreade it abroade vpon the place where you woulde haue it, and leaue it therevpon vntill the paper and the incke be moyste with all: than take awaye the wette cloth, and vpon the blotte or letters that you will haue taken awaye, put a little of the said poulder of Ceruse, leauinge it so the space of a nighte. In the morninge, you shall take a linnen cloth cleane and drye, wherwith you shall rubbe of softlye and finelye the saied poulder, and the paper wil remaine exceding white for to wryte vpon agayne, as well as before, and better. And if al be not well rubbed of at the fyrst time, you may do it once againe, and you shall not fayle.

To make a kinde of vernish, but much fayrer, and better than that whiche Scriuenars do vse; and is of lesse cost, and stinketh not as other vernish doeth.

THe Vernishe whiche Scriueners commonlye vse, is nothinge elles but the gomme of Ieniper made in poulder, and of the same is liquide vernishe made, in boylinge the saied gomme in the Oyle of line, and of this poulder do Scriueners vse to cause that the incke runne not abroade, and that the letter be the fairer and cleaner. Now for to make a poulder of like effecte, and verye fayre, with lesse coste, and without any euil sauour, take Egge shelles what quantitie you wil, taking away the little skinne within side: and whan you haue grossely stamped theim, put theim in a panns that will endure the fyre, coueringe it with some couer, then set it in some glasiers or potters furneis, or in a bricke, tyle, or lyme makers kylle, leauing it there vntyll all the shelles be come into a verye white poulder, whiche is called Egge lyme: syfte it, and kepe it. And whan you will occupie it, caste a little of it vpon the paper, or parchement, and spreade the poulder well vpon it, rubbing it wel with a Hares fote, or otherwise [f. 102r] then takinge awaye that is to much, write vpon it, and you shall finde it of better effecte then the vernix. Whan the writinge is drye, if you will take awaye the saied poulder, yea the common vernishe, for feare leaste men shoulde white theyr handes, rubbe the paper or parchement with crommes of white breade, for it wyll drawe to it selfe, and take awaye all the vernishe or poulder that is vpon it.

☞To make incke to rule paper for to write by, wher• of the writinge being drie, the liues maye so be▪ taken out, that it shall seeme ye haue written without lines.

TAke Paragon stone, stampe and bray it wel, then take the bygnesse of a little nutte, of the fayreste tartre or lees of white wine, calcined and burned, settinge it to stiepe and dissolue in a dyshful of clere water, and than straine it oute. And with this water you shall temper the blacke poulder of the Paragon stone, vntill it become like incke, with the whiche you shall rule your paper, or parchement: and wryte vpon those lines what you will with common inck. And whan the writinge is drye, for to take out the saied lynes, you shal take harde crommes of white breade, and rubbe youre paper ouer with them, and the lines that you haue ruled, wyll go out, as cleane as thoughe there had neuer bene line at all. This is a goodly secrete, and very rare.

*The ende of the fyfte booke.