Get a small live turtle weighing about twenty-five pounds, hang it by the hind legs or fins, cut off the head and let it bleed all day; then with a sharp knife part the two shells; remove the intestines; take all the meat from the shells, bones, and fins; cut each shell in four pieces and plunge, for a moment only, into boiling water to take the horny skin off.

For soup for twelve persons: Thicken three quarts of the broth  with four ounces of flour browned in butter,; boil half an hour, skim well; add half a pint of sherry wine, a gill of port wine, a pinch of red pepper, and enough of the turtle; boil ten minutes, skim again and serve with slices of of pared lemon on a plate.