Black dye

Black is not a simple colour to obtain in fabric in during period - few things make true black dyes, and many black dyes are either not colourfast (fade quickly) or are corrosive (eat through the fabric). Often black dye was made by taking a very dark blue dye, green dye, red dye or brown dye and adding oak galls to make it blacker.

Sources of period recipes for red dyes

• A Profitable Booke, 1586