Von dem herten

Von dem herten
"On Hardening"
Author(s)	Unknown
Date	15th century
Language	Early New High German
Manuscript(s)	MS 3227a (ca. 1390) Cgm 824 (1400)

Von dem herten ("On Hardening") is a treatise on metallurgy and alchemy written in the late 14th century. Its anonymous author identifies himself as "Master Alchemy".

Treatise

Esoterica

Complete Translation (Nuremberg only) by Jeffrey Hull	Nuremberg Version (ca. 1400)  Transcribed by Jeffrey Hull	Munich Version (1400)
[1] Regarding Hardening Now speaks Master Alchemy, that the first hardening is most always in cold water—and that is common. And recognise the hardening thusly—when the edge is blue, then it has rightly hardened.	[11r] Von dem herten etc nNU spricht meister alkaym / das dy erste herte / ist allermeist yn kaldem wasser und dy ist gemeyne / Und dy herte irkenne alzo / wenne dy sneide blo ist zo hat is eyne rechte herte	[77v] Page:Cgm 824 77v.png
[2] In glue-water the edges becomes annealed.	¶ In laem wassere werde dy linden sneiden
[3] Scythes—those one shall differentially temper.	¶ Senszcn dy sal man in uenslete herten
[4] Files—one shall harden those in urine or in linseed oil or in buck's blood/ram's blood.	¶ Ffeilen sal man in harne / ader in leyn oele / ader in buckes blute
[5] The Hammers—wherewith one smites the files or all weaponry from billets and wherewith one smites scrap into steel billets those will harden thusly: Take one part white radish, and one part horse-radish, and one part earthworms, one part cockchafer-grubs, and one part buck's blood from when that buck goes to rutting. That hardening has the Four Elements indeed. So mash that together and squeeze out the liquid, and then what you would harden therein, rough-grind it and then harden it in that liquid.	¶ Dy hamer do man dy feilen mete hewet ader alle wofen und do man stol niete schroten wil / dy herte alzo / Nym eyn teil rueberetich und eyn teil merretich und eynteil regenwuerme / engerlinge / und eyteil buckes blut / won der bok czu bruonsten / got / dy herte hat dy vier elementen gar / Das stos und eyn nander / und druecke das wasser aus / und was du denne dorynne herten wilt das sleiffe vor / und horte is denne dorynne
[6] Whatever then you indeed would have tempered, that then indeed will become tempered with two parts refined sand and with one part refined resin turpentine.	¶ Was du denne gar herte haben wilt / das welle mit gerebenem sande czweiteil / und mit sweuel eyn teil auch gereben / das wirt denne gar herte /
[7] Would you then indeed make a great hardening of steel? Then take dragon wort with herbs and with ale/eels and likewise much vervain and sow that into lukewarm water and when that is well-boiled, then put it aside and let it lower, indeed, become cold, and then harden therein what you will. And that hardening is good for all hand-weapons.	¶ Wiltu denne gar eyne grosse herte machen so nym trachenwortz mit krawte und mit al / und alzo vil eyserkrawtes / und sewt daz in lawterm wasser / und wenne das sere gesoten ist / zo setcze is abe / und laz is lawtern und gar kalt werden / und herte denne dorynne was du wilt / Und dy herte ist czu aller hande wofen gut /
[8] Also, you may harden things in mustard. And for vining of steel—do it with good vinegar.	¶ Auch magstu herten yn senfe czu reben mit gutem essieg
[9] Would you harden steel and make really good edges? Then take borage—its leafless roots—with ale/eels, and sow that into cold water, and harden what you will.	[11v] ¶ Wiltu stol herten / und gar gute sneiden machen / zo nym buglossam blateloze mit worcze und mit al / und sewt das in kaldem wasser / und herte was du wilt.
[10] Would you harden hammers, wherewith one hews heaps of stone? So take grub-juice and quench the glowing hammer therein.	¶ Wiltu hemer herten do man steyne mete mach hewt / so nym rupen saff / do lesche dy hemer gluende / dorynne
[11] One other good hardening: Take the worms—two parts cockchafer-grubs and three parts earthworms and squish those and press the juice through cloth. Thereto add juice of rock-fern roots. Then thrust a glowing iron therein, or whatever else you would harden.	¶ Eyne ander gute herte Nym der wuerme engerlinge czweiteil / und regenworme das dritteteil / und czu stos sy und drucke das saff durcheyn tuch Dorczu tu auch saff von steyn krawtes worczel / und stos doryn eyn glueende eizen ader was du herten wilt	[78r] Page:Cgm 824 78r.png
[12] Thus cook human hair in water until it has a bloody colour—if iron be quenched therein, then it mutates it to a good hardness.	¶ Item capillos humanos coque in aqua donee sangwinis colorem habeat in qua si ferrum extingwetur / mutatur in bonum calibem
[13] Thus to harden iron: Take mashed radish and vervain and earthworms, and distill that, let the stuff thereby mix equally, pour in equal part of donkey-mare's milk and quench glowing iron in that confection.	¶ Item ad indurandum ferrum / sumatur succus raphani el verbene et regenwuerme / et destilletur que libel res per se / et componantur equali pondere / et tantum de lacte asine / el candens in tali confectione ferrum extingwatur
[14] Thus a recipe: Mash equal parts radish and turpentine and vinegar and wild celery and extract therefrom, and quench fiery iron and copper, so that each becomes as hard as stone.	¶ Item recipe raphanam et colophoniam et apium et ex hijs (!) extrahe succum equali pondere / el intrude ferrum ignitum / et erit durum ut lapis /
[15] Take buck's tallow, from when he is rutting lustily, and quench glowing iron therein, and it becomes maximally hardened.	¶ Item accipe sepum hircinum / cum vritur in amore / et ferrum candens extingwe in eo / et vertitur in maximam duritiam /
[16] Would you anneal the hardness of steel? Then take human blood and let that stand until the water becomes evaporated, thus reduced. Then put that liquid/slurry into a glass and hold that and when you then would anneal hardness. So then take the hardened weapon and put that to the fire until that is become so hot that it gulps water when quenched. Then brush the water with a feather, thus the edge releases its hardness and becomes annealed.	[12r] ¶ Wiltu dy herte von dem eizen entloezen so nym menschen blut / und los das sten bis das wasser dorof stet und wirt / zo seige denne das wasser in eyn glas und halt das / und wen du denne dy herte entloesen wilt / zo nym das geherte wofen und halt das czu dem fewer bis das is zo heis werde das is das wasser slinde / Zo strich das wasser mit eyner veder an dy sneide zo entlet sich dy herte und wirt linder /
[17] Thus you would make steel pliable and malleable: So take one part chamomile blooms, and one part cranesbill that has blue blossoms, and one part Mary's thistle, and put all that together into hot water. So do it in a pot. and cover it so that the steam may not get out, and let it simmer well. Quench glowing steel therein -that becomes quite pliable and malleable.	¶ Item wiltu eisen weich machen und czehe / zo nym comomillen blumen eynteil / und eyn teil kranches snabel das hat bloe bluten und eynteil veitbomes / und das lege alles mit eynnander / in heis wasser / und tu is in eynen top / und decke is / das der brodem nicht aus moege gen und las is wol siden Dorynne lesche glueende eisen / das wirt gar weich und czehe /
[18] Thus you would make steel pliable: So take horn and scrape off the leather, and mix that with sal ammoniac, and piss thereupon, and wind that around the steel, and so let that chemical-soaked leather scorch the steel, thus it becomes pliable.	¶ Item wiltu eizen weich machen / zo nym horn und schabe das of eyn leder und menge das mit sal armoniaco / und seiche dorof / und winde das uem das eisen und laz das leder alzo of dem eisen vorbrueen zo wirt is weich /

Copyright and License Summary

For further information, including transcription and translation notes, see the discussion page.

Work	Author(s)	Source	License
Translation	Jeffrey Hull	"Fight-Book Clues to the Quality and Build of Knightly Weaponry"
Transcription	Jeffrey Hull	Index:Pol Hausbuch (MS 3227a)
Transcription		Index:Arzneibuch, kunsttechnische und Hausrezepte (Cgm 824)

Additional Resources

The following is a list of publications containing scans, transcriptions, and translations relevant to this article, as well as published peer-reviewed research.

None.