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Brown:

Nim abfeilinch und rostiges eisen und waiches pech und lazze das lange under einander sieden; das wird schön prawn auf rotem tuch.

Take filings and rusty iron and soft pitch, and let it boil long together; that makes a good brown on a red fabric.*

Black:

Nim grün nusschaln vnd stozz die vnder einander vnd lazze das siben tag vaulen in einem hevelein vnd da mit verb schwarcz varb.

Take green nutshells and grind them together and let them rot seven days in a (stoneware?) pot, and therewith make a black dye.*




Swer swarcz varb machen welle, der nem aychephel vnd stozze die wol ze puluer vnd alaun dar vnder vnd siude das in perchweis mit alaun vnd in harn vnd verb da mit; wil er tunchel machen, so mische swarcz varb dar vnder.

Whoever wants to make black dye, he takes oak galls and pulverizes them and adds alum thereto and boils it in a skillful way with alum and in urine and dyes therewith; if he wants to make it darker, add black dye thereto.

Red:

Nim kalch in ein hevelein vnd giuzz wazzer dar an vnd misch es vast vnder einander vnd lazz es gevallen, das das wazzer lauter werde vnd nim enne das selbe wazzer vnd siude die presilig gar wol dar inne, vnd so es danne gesoten sei, so misch alaun dar vnder vnd verbe da mit roten zendel.

Take chalk in a pot and pour water thereon and mix it well together and let it sink to the bottom of the pot so that the water becomes clear and and take that same water and boil the brazilwood well therin, until it is cooked and then mix in alum and with it dye red zendel (a thin silken material).




Wie Man varbe machet. Das ist, das man varb machet auf welherlai man wil, der nem zynober vnd reib das wol auf einem herten stain mit alaunwazzer vnd damit verb. Wil er rot varb tunchel machen, so mische si mit swarczer varb oder mit grünspat vnd se alaun da pei; das sol alles gesoten werden in ezzeich vnd presilig sol man nemen vnd sol die sieden in menschenharn vnd auch presilig mischen mit alaun, daz gemachet wirt mit ezzeich oder mit harn.

Whoever wants to dye whatsoever he wills red, takes cinnabar and rubs it well on a hard stone with alum-water and uses that to dye with. If he wants to make a red color darker, he mixes it with black dye or with verdigris and adds alum therto; then he cooks everything in lime water (vinegar?) and takes brasilwood and boils everything in human urine. Also, brasilwood mixed with alum, mixed with lime water (vinegar?) or with urine [makes a red color darker].*




Man sol nemen minig vnd sol die sieden mit ezzeich, die varb wirt ziegelvar vnd sol das michen mit alaun, vnd ein plum stet auf dem velde, diu ist zindlot, die sol man auch sieden in alaunwazzer vnd durch ein tuch trucken vnd damit verben.

One should take lead oxide and should boil it with lime water/vinegar, upon which the colour becomes the colour of tiles (reddish?), and should mix it with alum, and a flower in the field named "zindlot" (Serratura tinctoria) should also be boiled in alum-water and strain it through a cloth, and dye therewith.




Man sol nemen chrebsen vnd sol die gar wol sieden in wazzer vnd aus dem potich werffen, was dar inne sei vnd alles dar nach sieden vnd sol si dar nach stozzen in einem morscher vnd durch ein tuch trucken vnd sol das mischen mit alaun, so wirt diu varb ziegelvar; ob er die varb dunchel wille machen, so nem grünspat dar zu.

One should take crabs and boil them well in water and throw out of the pot everything within the shells and boil the rest. Grind [the crabshells] well in a mortar, and strain through a cloth and mix it well with alum, upon which the color becomes reddish; or if one wishes to make the color darker, add verdigris thereto.*




Nym presilig vnd massaltereins laup halbes als vil vnd siude gar wol in ezzeich vnd nim danne alaun vnd gumi under einander, so di presilig vnd daz massalterein laup wol gesoten sei, do lazze die alaun vnd gumi dar vnder erwallen, so verbest du röt auff weisses.

Take brasil wood and maple (Acer Campestra, a small maple that grows to 30 feet and is drought resistant) as much as you wish and boil it well in lime water/vinegar and take then alum and gum arabic thereto, so the brasilwood and the maple are well cooked, then let the alum and gum arabic seeth together, and therewith color red upon white.*

Yellow:

Swer gelbiu varb machen welle, der nem auripigmentum vnd mische si mit alaun, gesoten in ezzeich vnd verb damit.

Whosoever wishes to make yellow dye, takes orpiment and mixes it with alum, cooked in lime water (vinegar?), and dyes therewith.




Man sol peizzelpaum nemen vnd die obern rinde abschaben; dar nach sol man abschaben das grün vnd sol das sieden in alunvazzer vnd presili dar vnder mischen vnd auripigmentum vnd verb damit.

One should take barberries (Berberis Vulgaris) and peel the outer rind off; then one should peel off the green and boil it with alumwater and add brasilwood thereto and orpiment and dye therewith.

Green:

Swer grün varb welle machen, der nem grünspat vnd siede daz in harn vnd alaun misch dar vnder vnd gumi ein tail; vnd verb damit; wil er die varb lichter machen, so nem selbiu varb, dar zu auripigmentum vnd mische si mit alaun, gesoten in ezzeich vnd verb damit.

To make a green dye, take verdigris and boil it in urine and mix alum thereto and a portion of gum arabic, and dye therewith; to make the color lighter, take the same color and add orpiment and mix it with alum, cooked in lime water (vinegar?) and dye therewith.




Man sol nemen holdern vnd sieden in alaunwazzer, da wirt grün varb oder swarcz varb aus, ob man es ein teil mischet mit swarczer verb.

One should take elder and boil it in alumwater, that makes a green color and also a black, if one mixes it with a bit of black color.*

Blue

Swer plawe varb machen welle, der nem Lasawr in ezzeich vnd siede daz mit gumi vnd mit alaun vnd verb da mit; wil er si tunchel machen, so nem swarcz varb dar vnder, vnd plawe plumen stent in dem roggen, vnd stozze die wol vnd siude si in harn vnd mische daz mit alaun vnd verb da mit.

Whoever wishes to make a fast blue, take ground lapis lazuli pigment in lime water (vinegar?) and boil it with gum arabic and with alum and dye therewith. If he wishes to make it dark, add black dye thereto and blue flowers (cornflowers, or "Centaurea cyanus") which stand in the field, and mash it well and boil it in urine and mix it with alum and dye therewith.

Nim attichpleter vnd reib die vnd nim indich vnd reib die dar vnder vnd lazze das lang vnder einander dorren vnd nim ezzeich vnd es alles dar inne erwallen vnd nim danne alaun vnd reib den dar vnder, die weil es haizze sei vnd streich das auf weizzes, so wirt es schön plauwe.

Take the leaves of a dwarf elder and mash them and take indigo and add thereto and grind it together and let them dry together for a long time and take lime water (vinegar?) and let it seethe together and then take alum and grind it thereto while it's all hot. Paint it on white fabric, and it will become a good blue.

Notes:

Note 1: It dulls down a bright red as well as being a brown dye on its own. According to Ploss, What these documents term "brown" varied from a true, deep brown to a brownish-violet. Back to Text

Note 2:The nutshells in question are most likely walnut shells, which are famous for their rich brown and black dyes. Because of the tannin in the hulls, they do not require a mordant . The black they produce is more of a very dark brown than a pure black, however. (Back to Text)

Note 3: This is one of the few medieval recipies extant which shows how to dye with water-insoluble dyes. According to Ploss, it was most likely used for dying wool, which holds the non-water-soluble colours the best. (Back to Text)

Note 4: This is the least believable recipe in the manuscript; although crabshells have been used to dye foodstuffs pink, Emil Ploss states that they had no discernable effect on fabric when he tested the recipe. (Back to Text)

Note 5: Brasilwood is dark red in hue: mixing acer campestre to it brings an orangish hue to the dye, notes Ploss. (Back to Text)

Note 6: The mention of black dye in this recipie is both obvious and confusing; obviously, if one took a substance and added black dye to it, one would then have a black dye. Elder leaves, however, also contain tannin and can be used as a mordant to fix other colours. It could be used to make the black dye colorfast. (Back to Text)