ceruse, white lead

Ingredients

C3R6SE (ceruse), white lead, potages (soup or stew), iuce of fynelle or fyngkille (fennel juice), vyneger

Preparation Steps

Original Recipe Text

To make a person appear like a leper (m3sel): 'Take C3R6SE and doo hit in his potages whiles hit is hoote and eete hit and he schalle seme m3sel'. To remove the effect: 'take the iuce of fynelle or fyngkille and leete hym dryngke hit 3 dayes and also anoynte his face therewithe and vyneger togeres' (p. 168).

Evidence

"the name of the crucial ingredient in this recipe—ceruse, white lead—is partially obscured through the use of a simple code."

Remarks

The ingredient name 'ceruse' was partially obscured using a simple numerical code (3 for e, 6 for u) to create mystery or intrigue around the recipe. This fifteenth-century remedy collection suggests the use of white lead to simulate leprosy for those wishing to secure donations while begging (p. 168).