For Nidda Ridda..relli!
Heh, ok, I finished the translation. It was a challenge! But fun!
For those who don't know, Nidda needed a recipe translated for her upcoming entry at Candlemas. She gave me a copy of it (its from the Mappae Clavicula); a picture/scan of the original manuscript. It's in early Gothic with about a million (ok, maybe not that many) ligatures, weirdnesses, parts of words elided, etc. A challenge! Not to mention, Gothic script. Bleh. All the upbits, as I call them ('i', 'm',' n', etc) look the same. And if you have a word like 'imminent' you might as well hang it up right away.
But after a bit of looking, lip chewing and thought, I got it transcribed. Bits in parentheses are notes to myself about words I might not have right.
Sisami compositio
Mel album et purum stannato id modicum igne appositum incessant spatula exagita. intersisiti sibi ad igne et ab igne depositim et spationibus exagitatum istum itaque istum igni apone et depone sine intermissione et agitans quo ad spissum fiat. Et exglutinosum exg: satis spissatum fuerit suppone marmor effusum paulispone infrigerare ponmitte. . po(ligature, probably post or posle) ad clavum ferreum suspensii et crebro iminicule extensii et replicarii donec albefert ut oportet: suppone retortum et formatum marmor colloca iusui ministra.
Now, my translation:
"Sesame mixture
White and pure honey in a tin vessel placed near a moderate steady fire should be stirred up by a vigorous spatula. Placing it at the fire and from the fire and agitating with the spatula, back and forth put it on the fire and take it off the fire without intermission until it becomes dense and glutinous (paste/glue). When it has become paste/glue and dense enough, place it, letting it flow out, upon a marble (stone) to cool for a little while. After, suspend it on a spike/nail of iron and frequently extend it and fold it until it becomes white as is good. Then put it upon the marble and twist and form it, gather it and order it to be served."
Interestingly, the recipes after this one in the Mappae Clavicula are for the same thing but made with zuchara (sugar). Yum.
Edited to Add:
I found another transcription on the net, done by people with far more authority than I: Society of Antiquaries of London. It's in Archaeologia vol 32, 1847. I wasn't far off with mine, although I got one elision wrong. It doesn't change the meaning drastically at all. One thing I did note, that the definition of 'albescat' is not only 'turns white' but also 'gleams, brightens, glows'. This could explain why honey, which isn't normally super white, would be expected to 'albescat'. Another explanation is that vigorously stirring would incorporate a lot of air, which would make the candy turn white when it's stretched.
Anyway, the superior transcription:
Sisami compositio
Mel album et purum in stannato id modicum igne appositum incessanter spatula exagita. intercisis vicibus ad igne et ab igne depositim et spatiosius exagitatum iterum atque iterum igni apone et depone sine intermissione exagitans quo ad spissum fiat et conglutinosum. Cumque satis spissatum fuerit super marmor effusum paulisper infrigerare permitte. Post ad clavum ferreum suspensum et crebro et minutule extensum et replicarum donec albescat ut oportet: Tunc retortum et formatum super marmor colloca et usui ministra.
And my corresponding translation:
Sesame mixture
White and pure honey in a tin vessel placed near a moderate steady fire should be stirred up incessantly by a vigorous spatula. Placing it at the fire and from the fire and agitating with the spatula, cutting it and turning it, back and forth put it on the fire and take it off the fire without intermission until it becomes dense and glutinous (paste/glue). When it has become paste/glue and dense enough, place it, letting it flow out, upon a marble (stone) to cool for not very long. After, suspend it on a spike/nail of iron and frequently extend it and fold it until it becomes white (or 'until it gleams/brightens') as is good. Then put it upon the marble and twist and form it, gather it, and enjoy it to be served.
For those who don't know, Nidda needed a recipe translated for her upcoming entry at Candlemas. She gave me a copy of it (its from the Mappae Clavicula); a picture/scan of the original manuscript. It's in early Gothic with about a million (ok, maybe not that many) ligatures, weirdnesses, parts of words elided, etc. A challenge! Not to mention, Gothic script. Bleh. All the upbits, as I call them ('i', 'm',' n', etc) look the same. And if you have a word like 'imminent' you might as well hang it up right away.
But after a bit of looking, lip chewing and thought, I got it transcribed. Bits in parentheses are notes to myself about words I might not have right.
Sisami compositio
Mel album et purum stannato id modicum igne appositum incessant spatula exagita. intersisiti sibi ad igne et ab igne depositim et spationibus exagitatum istum itaque istum igni apone et depone sine intermissione et agitans quo ad spissum fiat. Et exglutinosum exg: satis spissatum fuerit suppone marmor effusum paulispone infrigerare ponmitte. . po(ligature, probably post or posle) ad clavum ferreum suspensii et crebro iminicule extensii et replicarii donec albefert ut oportet: suppone retortum et formatum marmor colloca iusui ministra.
Now, my translation:
"Sesame mixture
White and pure honey in a tin vessel placed near a moderate steady fire should be stirred up by a vigorous spatula. Placing it at the fire and from the fire and agitating with the spatula, back and forth put it on the fire and take it off the fire without intermission until it becomes dense and glutinous (paste/glue). When it has become paste/glue and dense enough, place it, letting it flow out, upon a marble (stone) to cool for a little while. After, suspend it on a spike/nail of iron and frequently extend it and fold it until it becomes white as is good. Then put it upon the marble and twist and form it, gather it and order it to be served."
Interestingly, the recipes after this one in the Mappae Clavicula are for the same thing but made with zuchara (sugar). Yum.
Edited to Add:
I found another transcription on the net, done by people with far more authority than I: Society of Antiquaries of London. It's in Archaeologia vol 32, 1847. I wasn't far off with mine, although I got one elision wrong. It doesn't change the meaning drastically at all. One thing I did note, that the definition of 'albescat' is not only 'turns white' but also 'gleams, brightens, glows'. This could explain why honey, which isn't normally super white, would be expected to 'albescat'. Another explanation is that vigorously stirring would incorporate a lot of air, which would make the candy turn white when it's stretched.
Anyway, the superior transcription:
Sisami compositio
Mel album et purum in stannato id modicum igne appositum incessanter spatula exagita. intercisis vicibus ad igne et ab igne depositim et spatiosius exagitatum iterum atque iterum igni apone et depone sine intermissione exagitans quo ad spissum fiat et conglutinosum. Cumque satis spissatum fuerit super marmor effusum paulisper infrigerare permitte. Post ad clavum ferreum suspensum et crebro et minutule extensum et replicarum donec albescat ut oportet: Tunc retortum et formatum super marmor colloca et usui ministra.
And my corresponding translation:
Sesame mixture
White and pure honey in a tin vessel placed near a moderate steady fire should be stirred up incessantly by a vigorous spatula. Placing it at the fire and from the fire and agitating with the spatula, cutting it and turning it, back and forth put it on the fire and take it off the fire without intermission until it becomes dense and glutinous (paste/glue). When it has become paste/glue and dense enough, place it, letting it flow out, upon a marble (stone) to cool for not very long. After, suspend it on a spike/nail of iron and frequently extend it and fold it until it becomes white (or 'until it gleams/brightens') as is good. Then put it upon the marble and twist and form it, gather it, and enjoy it to be served.