After that he held it up against the candle, to see if it was written with the juice of white onions.
Then he rubbed one part of it with oil of nuts, to see if it were not written with the lee of a fig-tree, and another part of it with the milk of a woman giving suck to her eldest daughter, to see if it was written with the blood of red toads or green earth-frogs.

Afterwards he rubbed one corner with the ashes of a swallow's nest, to see if it were not written with the dew that is found within the herb alcakengy, called the winter-cherry.

He rubbed, after that, one end with ear-wax, to see if it were not written with the gall of a raven.

Then did he dip it into vinegar, to try if it was not written with the juice of the garden spurge.

After that he greased it with the fat of a bat or flittermouse, to see if it was not written with the sperm of a whale, which some call ambergris.