SC - OT: Catalan Perfume Recipes

[Robin Carroll-Mann]

And it came to pass on 8 Apr 00,, that Seton1355 at aol.com wrote:

> My high school Spanish is not up to snuff.  Do you be chance have this in
> English? Many thanks! P. Seton

I don't, but I can take a stab at a paraphrase.  (I don't dare call it a 
translation, but it should provide the relevant info.)
 
>  Here it is, in Catalan.  Although the title says "perfume", it appears to
>  be solid pellets which are used as we would use incense.  I hope that it
>  is still of interest to you.
> 
>  Source: _LIbre de Totes Maneres de Confits_ (Catalan, 14th century)
> 
>  CAPITOL XXX.  PER FER UN PERFUM MOLT MERAVELLOS
> 
>  Per fer perfum molt meravellos, tu prendras guoma dregant .ii. oz. e sia
>  remullada dos dies ab ayguas fines e benjuhi mige ll. e almesc una draume
>  e ambre una drauma e estorac .ii. oz.  E sia be molt, e puys pendras una
>  poca de siveta, e, com tot aso sia prest, tot ho pesteras e com sia
>  pestat be, ab un cano de canya o ab so que volras que sia ben lis tu ho
>  pleneras liscant liscant fins que tu conexeras que romaqua de bona cruxa.
>   E com ho auras aplenat, auras un guanivet e fer n as tauletes, e, com n
>  auras fetes tauletes, aredonir les as en forma de panets axi fet com mig
>  cruant.  E con  ne volras perfumar, pendras del panets e fer n as trosets
>  e axi lansar n as sobre lo bresquet e perfumeras so que voldras.  E si
>  pahvets ne volras fer en lo pestar, metras lo terchs de carbo de salser e
>  fer n as los dits pahvets.

To make a very marvelous perfume, you will take 2 ounces of gum 
dragon and it shall be soaked for two days in fine waters, and half a 
pound of bezoin and a drachm of musk and a drachm of amber and two 
ounces of storax.  And it shall be very good and then take a little of 
civet, and when all this is ready, (grind? powder?) all this and when it is 
well (ground? powdered?), with a cane of reed or whatever you wish, let 
it be quite smooth, you will flatten it very smoothly until you know that 
(?).  And when you have flattened it, take a knife and make slices, and 
when you have made slices, round them into the form of little rolls made 
like half a (?).  And when you wish to perfume, take the little rolls and 
make little pieces and leave them upon the (?) and you will perfume as 
you wish.  And if (?) you don't wish to make it in the (mortar?), put the 
(?) of coal for (incense??) and make the said (?).


As I said, I can't really call this a translation.  I don't know Catalan; I'm 
working with a couple of dictionaries and my knowledge of Spanish and 
French.  However, I think this would be a decent starting place for 
someone who is familiar with scent-making.

I apologize to the list-members who are not interested in non-edible 
recipes.  I should shortly have some paraphrases and redactions of 
some recipes for candied nuts.  The candy recipes have more familiar 
vocabulary, and should be easier to turn into something comprehensible.
Lady Brighid ni Chiarain
Settmour Swamp, East (NJ)
mka Robin Carroll-Mann
harper at idt.net