A good way and maner how to make Incke for to carrie about a man in a drie pouder, which (when he will write with) hee must temper with a little wine, water, or vineger, or with some other licour, and then he maie incontinent put it in experience : with the saide pouder all other incke may be amended be it neuer so euill.
‘Ye shall take Peach or Abricot stones, with their kernels, sweete almonds, or bitter, so that they haue their shels hard, and that the almonds be within them. And if in case you can get but the said stones without their kernels. It shall be good inough, but no so good as with the kernels: take then all the said things together, or those that you can get, and burne them upon the coals : and when they be verie redde and inflamed, take them out, and thus being rebacte and made into verie blacke coales, keepe them in a panne : take likewise rosin of a Pine tree, and put it in a panne, and make it flame and burne: then take another little skillet, or els a little bagge holden open, with little stickes. Stickes laid a crosse over it, or otherwise, as you shall thinke good, and hold the mouth of the bagge downward over the flame so that the smoke of the saide rosin may gather together, and sticke round about the saide pan or bag, and when all the rosin is burned and all colde againe, cause all the smoke to fall uppon a paper or table, or some other thing, and keepe it, but if you will not take the paines to make this smoke, buie it of them that make printers inke. Of this blacke or smoke you shall take one parte, or what quantitie you will, of the coales of the saide stones another part, of Vitrioll one part, of fried gals, as is aforesaid, two parts of gum Arabicke four parts. Let all these bee well stamped, sifted and mingled together, and then keepe well this pouder in a linen bag, or of leather, or the older it is the better it will be. When you will occupie it for to make the inke thereof, take a little of it and temper it with Wine, water, or vineger, the which being put into it warme, the inke shall be the better, neuerthelesse being put in colde, it maketh no great matter, and you shall haue immediatlie very good inke, which you maie carrie where you will, without spilling or shedding. If you have naughtie inke, put to it a little of the said pouder, and it will become immediately verie blacke, and haue a good glasse.’