14-15th century soap recipes from The Crafte of Lymming and the Maner of Steyning, O.S. 347, part 2.

[§28 i-viii] Forto make whit sope. [i] Take onqueynt lyme and lye made of bene asken and make hit togeders inne Þe maner of past, and to .vij. galons of Þe lye putte .ij. of swet. [ii] Also inne anoÞer maner. Take .j. li. of poudir of qwent lyme and a li. of blak sope and medele Þem togeder with a sklise, and Þanne make hit up in a for[m]e on a kake and late hit dryen up. [iii] Also inne another maner. Take .j. li. of moltyn talowe and .j. li. blak sope and medel hem togedir with a sklise, and Þanne make hit on a cake. [iv] Also inne another maner. Take Þe .j. li. of faire floure and .j. li. of nesshe sope, and medele Þem togedir with faire clene water, and Þane make hit up inne a cake inne a forme of tre made for Þe nonys. [v] Also another maner. Take .j. li. o whit wode axen, and .j. li. of blak sope, and medele Þem togedir with faire water and make on a cake. [vi] Forto make white Spaynesshe sope. Take .j. li. of gode blak sope, and .iij. quartrouns of a li. of faire whete floure, and a quartroun of a li. of smal salte, and tempre Þem well alle togeders with clene watre inna a corne-disshe with Þi hond, Þanne put hit inne forme made for Þe nonys and late hit drye up on a kake, and qwanne hit is not ful drye / [vertical] ne ful wete, take and sette Þerupon Þi marke, and late hit Þanne drye up at Þe ful ageyn Þe wynde and nouȝt ageyn Þe sonne. [vii] Also anoÞere maner. Take Þe .j. li. of faire whete floure, and .j. li. of blak sope, and a quartroun of smal whit salt, and medele Þem alle togedirs with Þi hand with faire clene water in a vessel; Þanne whanne hit is wel medled put hit inne a forme made for Þe nonys of .iiij. bredis and drye hit up [viii] Also anoÞer maner. Take Þe .j. li. of faire bene floure, and di li. of nesshe sope, and .j. quartroun of salt comoun, and medel hem togedir with clene watre and so ÞerwiÞ as Þou doost with Þi oÞeris.

[§28 i-viii] For to make white soap.

[i] Take unquenched lime and lye made of bean [or good] ashes and make it together in the manner of the past, and to 7 gallons of the lye put 2 of the suet.

[ii] Also in another manner. Take 1 pound of powder of quenched lime and a pound of black soap and mix them together with a whisk, and then make it up in a form of a cake and let it dry up.

[iii] Also in another manner. Take 1 pound of molten tallow and 1 pound of black soap and mix them together with s whisk, and them make it in a cake.

[v] Also in another manner. Take yourself 1 pound of good flour and 1 pound of [nesshe] soap, and mix them together with good clean water, and then make it up in a cake in a form of wood made for the [nonys].

[v] Also another manner. Take 1 pound of white wood ashes, and 1 pound of black soap, and mix them together with fair water and make as a cake.

[vi] For to make Spanish soap. Take 1 pound of good black soap, and 3 quarters of a pound of fair wheat flour, and a quarter of a pound of small salt, and temper them well all together with clean water in a [corn-dish] with your hand, then put it in a form made for the [nonys] and let it dry up as a cake, and when it is not fully dry, nor fully wet, take and set thereupon your mark, and let it then dry up at the full aging the wind, and not aging the sun [let it dry fully in the wind, and not in the sun].

[vii] Also another manner. Take the 1 pound of fair wheat flour, and 1 pound of black soap, and a quarter of small white salt, and mix them all together with your hand with fair clean water in a vessel; then when it is well mixed put it in a form made for the [nonys] of 4 breath and dry it up.

[viii] Also another manner. Take the 1 pound of fair bean [or good] flour, and the pound of [nessche] soap, and1 quarter of common salt, and mix them together with clean water and so therewith as you do with the others.

From Part III Tr Cambridge, Trinity College, MS R.14.45 [#0375]

A publication from EEBO Early English Books Online (p.131-132)