into a sound well luted glass Bottle or Culb and add 8 Loths of melted Salt which Salt in flowing must not run over but as soon as it floweth must be put out that it may remain in its strength and virtue and only come off from the flegm or superfluous moisture now as soon as the Salt comes in it then lay the luted glass Bottle with the Aqua fort and Salt side-wayes in the Oven in which one useth to distil Aqua fort but thus That you may lay to the Bottle the Recipient also and lute it well then it will soon begin to go off by its own Virtue then draw the flegm over with a small fire and strengthening the fire more and more at last force the spirits to come over as is usual in distilling the Aqua fort and you must drive the spirits much longer because of the Salt Section 2 Then you may finde that by this way of distilling by degrees there will be a fine yellow and stronger water because the spirits will not ascend too high as over the Alembeck But it requires good diligence and observation to prevent the water from running over This Aqua Regis when 't is thus burnt may presently be used and hath no need to be purified from its feces Deciphered 1. The Tower of the Athanor in which the Coals are to be put 2. The Oven in which the Bottle is to be plac'd 3. How the Bottle is to ly in the Oven 4. The Glassy Helmet made for it 5. The Recipient or Receiver 6. The Pot full of Materials prepared 7. The empty Pot. 8. The Person that tends the Athanor and By-Ovens Sculpture XXII CHAP. XXIX To distil Aqua fort in Retorts with other Advantages Section 1 DISTILLING Aqua fort in Retorts is no old Invention and no long Labour but a short way if Retorts may be had which are made of one piece and will hold Aqua fort and Oyl then lute such over with good and sound Clay let it be well dry put in it the Ingredients or stuff which shall be calcin'd and mingled with Calx viva and lay the Retort in an Oven made on purpose whose Description shall follow hereafter and fill a Receiver with water before it then make a fire in the Oven and speedily Section 2 increase it then the stuff because it is mingled with Calx viva will not run so soon over because the spirits and water are to go over together at last force the spirits with Fire so that the Retort may glow bright near two hours at least In such a Retort you may distill the Aqua fort in 5 or 6 hours but it will not yield so much water as through the Alimbeck but it will be strong and good for use Section 3 If you cannot have a great Receiver as it often happens to the distilling of the Aqua fort then take a great Waldenburgish Jug or one made of the like Clay that it may hold Aqua fort lay that before as a Receiver and make the Process as now is signified such an one I esteem better to the distilling of Aqua fort in Retorts than in a glazed Receiver But when you will use it in stead of the glazed Receivers to lay before the Jug and Helm then you must have a neck of a glass Bottle Lute it well over in the Jug so that the Neck may reach out of the Jug near a Span in the same Neck lay the nossel of the Helm and lute it also well over so you may see in the neck of the glass Bottle how the drops do fall and govern the fire accordingly Section 4 Some who distil Aqua fort do make on purpose for the Receiver great Jugs with great Bellies of good and solid Clay so that near the Jug s neck are to be cut in it square holes then they fit to it square Glasses of good Venetian Glass and then they lute over the Jugg with a thin Clay made of Varnish and Bole Armoniack and cause it to be dryed well and when they will lay the Jug before then they place the Glasses to the Jug and Nossel of the Helm so that they may see the drops fall well and that they may govern the fire as it Section 5 should be Also it often comes to pass that the Helms have not always right spouts they are either too high or too low Now these you may make your self as followeth viz. slake a Coal-fire upon a Test hold the spout so as that it may be only warm then nearer and nearer at last lay it on the glowing Coals and the nosel will glow then bow it in the fire as you wouldst have it but you must not take it so quickly out of the fire again lest it break in pieces according to this way others are to be bent and fitted like Pellicans Section 6 I have taught before how the Ovens are to be made and prepared in which Aqua fort is to be distilled if it now should happen that one would at once resolve to distil more than two at a time then for such the Athanor must be made somewhat greater and larger than for others but not much yet may serve three or four By-Ovens which are to be governed with one fire only the Instruments which in other Athanors are drawn on the sides in this must be drawn upwards and hang them on the wall by nails as the following Sculpture doth shew Section 7 Besides this one may make another Oven to distill Quantities in which four or more Jugs may be set in length one after another so that the Oven standeth free and you may alwayes come to lay one Receiver on one side and also another on the other side for this Reason not only that it may not hinder one the other but also that on the backside under every Jug may be laid wood and that the spirits may be forced strongly Besides such an Oven must have on the lowest part but one hole in which the fire upon a grate is to be stored with wood and under the grate one wind-hole more and the same must not be opened till the water is almost over that one may strengthen the heat likewise on the upper part as on the head must be placed wind-hole that the fire may have its draught in the length Section 8 If then you would distill Aqua fort in such an Oven then first calcine and prepare the stuff afterwards put it into the Jugs and the first Jugg which stands next the fire mingle with Calx then there will not be so much danger that the stuff will run over After this when the water is almost over then open the wind-holes which are alwaies to be behind by the Jugs and force the spirits over according to every stuffs necessity by this you will have also good Aqua fort and maist distil much of it at once but how the Oven is to be formed you may
flegm go over 9 or 10 beats or times as before and when the water or flegm is almost over then shut all the Instruments on the Athanor and take off the Helm again and fill more silvery water through the long Tunnel warm into the Bottle else it may break and do hurt and put the Helm on again and lay the Receiver before it but lute it not too strong as at the beginning and let the water go over again gently In this manner 't is to be done the second and third time with the silvery water and when you think it be silvery enough in the Bottle or hast no more to put in and the flegms are over then take off the Helm again and cast into the Bottle to the Silver or Stuff a piece of Tallow as big as half a hazel Nut then the Silver will not ascend in the Bottle put on the Helm again and lay the Receiver before it and lute it all over well and the best thou canst then let the fire go on the stuff again and make the fire fiercer as you see convenient At last give it a strong fire and force the spirits near 12 hours pretty well yet not too high in the beginning but by degrees increase it that the spirits may go over with great force and that the Culb may glow very bright let it stand in the fire near two hours that the Silver may almost melt in it then the spirits will come all into the water and the Silver freed of them for if they were not clean forced from the Silver but remained by it they would hurt it in the casting together and draw it away which may be seen apparently upon the Coals that there will lye thick leaves upon it They therefore who are ignorant of this do many times work with danger and great loss of Silver Section 2 One may also put the silvery Aqua fort into the glass Bottle luted over upon the Athanor in deep Sand and draw the flegm as now is mentioned gently over by which may be seen how it governs it self in the Bottle and how the water decreaseth and so have more care in putting in more water finally the spirits will be forc'd over and the Silver be glowed out in the Bottle yet the last out-glowing is better to do in my mind as above in the Athanor Section 3 When the water is thus drawn over then let all be cold and take off the Aqua fort in the Receiver which you may use again very well to separate especially to the Gold-proof and hath no need of further cleansing then take out the Silver which was left in the Glass and put it into a Crucible and cast it together Section 4 Some of the Gold-Separators have also this manner in drawing over the water that they do add to the silvery Aqua fort in the separating Bottle if it be six pounds then one pound of the stuff of the Aqua fort viz. of Nitre and calcin'd Vitriol as above is signified and do not put it into the Bottle untill the water be almost gone over and if the spirits begin to go over they lute it again very diligently and keep the Fire as is necessary in burning of the Aqua fort that the spirits at last may come over too and yet they do think that the Aqua fortis will receive a virtue and strength again from the added stuff and is better for use in separations then they force the Silver with the Caput Mort. which yet is but little into a Crucible and cast it together Whether now this way be better than the first Experience must teach So then you will have a good and right Instruction concerning the Silver and Gold separation in the vvater and 't is a compleat vvay of separating especially if one be provided vvith all things necessary to it CHAP. XXXV How to separate Gold and Silver by Fusion Section 5 AS it is an excellent piece of Art to sepapate Gold and Silver in Aqua fort viz. The rich Gold containing Silver so is also the Separation by Fusion upon the poor Golden Silver where the Mark contains one peny and an half of Gold to two or three drams which is an handsome and profitable separation so that I know no better way but upon the rich Goldish Oar that way is not to be used Section 2 But this separating by Fusion is to be understood thus That because the Gold in the poor Content of Goldish Silver is largely distributed through the Addition of Gold in the Fusion in a little Silver it may be brought into a narrowness namely as when the Goldish Silver is thirty Mark and one Mark contains a dram of Gold then the thirty drams of Gold which are in the thirty Mark of Silver will bring in two Marks of Silver and then separate it in the Aqua fort which is a very great profit because that one hath not need to refine all the thirty Marks of Silver and then to separate them in Aqua fort Section 3 If you have a goldish Silver which is poor of Gold put it in a Crucible let it flow and grain it in the water and if it be but wrought Silver and not fine 't is nothing then weigh the graind Silver and prove it upon fine Silver and Gold how much it contains that you may keep this Account that there remaineth nothing behind on Gold or Silver and also canst certainly know how much the waste hath been in the Silver by the separation Section 4 After such proving and weighing make the grain a little wet again and take to every Mark of Silver four Loth of yellow small beaten Sulphur put also the grains wet into a glazed Pot and put the Sulphur upon it mingle it well together and cover the Pot with a Cover then lute it well over and make a gentle fire round about so that the sulphur may melt on the grains When this is done Let the Pot cool and break it in pieces then you will find the grains and the Sulphur burnt very black together beat it asunder and take heed that nothing of it spring away After this put the grains thus with the Sulphur prepared into a good Crucible and upon the Grains put also a Mark of wrought Silver and half a Loth of Copper but if it be burnt silver then take to every Mark two loths of Grain'd Copper and set the Crucible in a Wind Oven which is made taper-wise with good and sound Clay under the Iron grate before towards the wind hole that if the Crucible should run over yet the scoria's or dross of all the stuff may flow out of the Oven into the hole under the wind-hole then there is no need to gather it so largely dispersed and that also the Grates may be taken out and laid in again After such Crucibles are set in then cover them with an Iron-cover very close let the stuff flow well and
understand and therefore he must have the Knowledge of the righ stroak from great Practice But as to the hard Section 2 Gold they do not give a right stroak but they do touch all of a smaller content than they have in fine Gold therefore such stroaks are to be judg'd false and uncertain CHAP. XV. How the Gold is to be proved by Aqua fortis Section 1 IF you have Pieces of Gold either in Plates or Ingotts and wouldst assay them then first cut Pieces or Plates above at one end of it and below at the other end and beat the Bits thin that you may weigh so much as you have necessity to use for a tryal but if it is a cast Ingot then beat it thin only at one end and weigh of it for thy Tryal Section 2 To such a Tryal of Gold and Gold-Gilders you must have a particular Carat-weight fitted for it and it must be small because of the Silver-cut otherwise the Ballance cannot carry the Cut concerning which shall be treated of hereafter the dividing of the Carat weight is as followeth Division of the Carat-weight 24 Carats is one Mark 12 Carats 6 Carats 3 Carats 2 Carats 1 Carats 6 Grains is half a Carat 3 Grains 2 Grains 1 Grain ½ Grain ¼ Grain ¼ Grain If you would prove the Gold see if it be of a rich or poor Content and would also certainly judge how much a Mark of it hath of fine Gold then you must know first and before the nearest Content of the Gold according to which you are to make your Tryal as shall follow That for such contents you shall have two sorts of wayes to inform your self First by the Touch with the before made Golden Touch-Needles Secondly One may make a nearer Trial of the Gold for although the Proof do not remain whole in the Aqua fort yet you may see very near what the Gold doth hold Therefore it is best to use the Assay-proof upon Section 3 it by which one may also find what the Gold containeth both in white or fine Silver When now you have found by these waies the nearest content of the Gold then make the cut of fine Silver which must be without Gold take then the Gold and beat it with a Hammer upon an Anvil fine and thin and make thy cut so that the white or Silver which is already with the Gold may be counted with the Tryal or fourth part for it must contain three times as much Silver as of fine Gold To comprehend this the better the following Example shall demonstrate it which I have found by the tryed Proof that of the Gold which containeth 14 Carats 8 grains of fine Gold and 7 Carats and four grains of white I weigh it with the small carat weight to two alike half-Marks then there will be in every half Mark 7 carats and four grains of Gold and 3 Carats and eight grains of white to which I add three times the weight of fine Silver as the gold containeth of fine gold this is my Proportion Now I do multiply Section 4 the seven carats and four grains which containeth the half Mark of fine gold with three and there will come 22 carats of white or Silver to the Addition or to the Cut from this I reckon That of three carats and eight grains of white there will be as much as the half Mark had of Silver with it before so there will remain 18 carats and 4 grains and thus much fine Silver you must add in an half Mark Section 5 As this Silver or Cut and the half weighed Mark do make together 30 carats and 4 grains so much also must be the inweighed gold of the other half Mark cut Put every one of these with its Cut upon a well nealed Copel and add nine weights of pure Lead into it let it go off together and see whither the grains come alike then lay one of the grains in the Scale and as much as it now weigheth less than thirty carats and four grains so much containeth a half Mark of Gold-Red-Copper but to the fine Silver because it looseth upon the Copel if it goeth off upon it with Lead as much as the Lead hath carryed away may by a grain weight be accounted for understand it thus In case every grain did weigh after it was gone of 29 carats and 4 grains also a grain wast of fine Silver there would be wasted one Carat upon the half Mark then there will come upon the whole Mark two carats thus much Copper or red containeth a Mark of mixt Gold Section 6 If the grains are diligently drawn and weighed then beat out of every grain a fine and clean piece or Roll not too thin and glow it often that it may not be shivery and that nothing may go off at the last glow the little Roll and roll it gently over that you may see whether by the often glowing and beating somewhat be come off When now the Rolls are clean prepared glow them once more and if they from the glowing and rolling be come hard let such things be mended Section 7 But the glowing must be done in a golden little half Pipkin made on purpose that nothing unclean may come in it put then the Rolls together in a little separating Glass put to it near so much Aqua fortis made for Goldproofs that it may go an half finger broad over the little Rolls stop the Separating Glass above with a hard twisted paper that no vapors may go out and put it thus into a little Vessel of Iron or brass made on purpose over a few live Coals that the Aqua fort may begin to work so will the separating-Glass become brown but let it not work too much or too fast yet take it a little while from the fire and then put it on again untill the Aqua fortis hath done its working and the Glass become white again Then put off the Aqua fortis again and put fresh Aqua fortis upon it set it again with the Vessel over the fire and let it work this is done because if the first Aqua fort were grown too weak and had lost somewhat of Silver by the Rolls that the other Aqua fort might touch it again and make it clean Take notice also That you may cause the last Aqua fort to work in great Bubbles that the Roles may become very clean and put in the second Aqua fort which hath not beenused for it hath its strength as before Section 8 Then put clean sweet warm water upon the little Rolls Rain Water is the best for it let it stand a little and put more warm or rain Water upon it again and set the Glasses with the Rolls over a coal fire let it boil and work in great Bubbles then take it off and casting the water again away this do three times with warm or rain water that the silvery Aqua
a Glass and stopt it with wax thus you have good Aqua fort You may also be instructed That when you are distilling of Aqua fort and that the Coals in the Athanor are almost gone out which happens hardly in 10 or 11 hours then lift up the Cover from the Athanor make it full again with Coals and cover it else the Fire will go out and all will be cold as Oportunity it self will teach thee and make thee to remember CHAP. XXV How to distil Aqua fort in 4 or 5 Hours Section 1 IF one in haste would distil Aqua fort and cannot have such an Athanor then must be made a little Oven on a wall three quarters of an Ell square and two Ells high and put in it an Iron-Grate so that below there may remain a Wind-hole and on this little Oven make another little Oven in which may be put the Jug with the stuff cause an Hole to go out of the Oven which is set first into the By-Oven lay also a Grate in it as you have done in the Athanor and you may in stead of the earthen Instrument before noted with Figure 1. use a smooth Pan-tile and it will do the same thing or if you will not spend so much time about an Oven then make but one square Oven which hath a grate below and under it a windehole in which you may set the Jug or Bottle with the stuff take then of the above-mentioned stuff four pound of Nitre and three pound and an half of calcined Vitriol Grind both very small and among it put six pound of Calx viva and let all be well mingled together but put not so much water in the Receiver as above is taught Section 2 Now therefore when all things are well luted over and become dry then make a fire under it and let the water go strong over it so that at all times the water and spirit may come over together and because the stuff is mingled with Calx viva therefore you need not take care for running over then strengthen the fire immediately untill the water and spirits are come over Section 3 And lastly the stuff in the Jug will glow so well through this Labour that you may distil in 5 or 6 hours an Aqua fort to which else you must have 24 hours but you will have but little water yet 't will be very good to use for Separation CHAP. XXVI Another good way to distil Aqua fort Section 1 TO use uncalcin'd Vitriol for Aqua fort it must be dryed in the Sun till it be white then take thereof four pound and two pound of Salt-Petre beat it small mingle it together and set it in the Oven as is done with the first stuff put no sweet or clear water into the Receiver this also yields good Aqua fort only you must as abovesaid do very gently in going on that the stuff may not run over Section 2 Take to such Aqua fort good Hungarian or Goslarish Vitriol or which is boyled out of a flint and of a fine and high colour and not of such Vitriol of which Alum is made for the pale Alumish Vitriols do not yield good strong Aqua fort Some take also one part of Copper water and burn Alum among their Additions which is left to every ones freedom This only is needful to be mentioned That if one take much Vitriol among the stuff such Aqua fort which cometh out of it doth very well work in separating and gives much brown spirit nor do they improve in the separation as other Aqua fort for they hold not fast on in separation Section 5 Likewise some take to their Aqua fort four pound of Nitre and as much Vitriol which of the two is the best you may like my self and others learn by Experience CHAP. XXVII How to make an Excellent strong Aqua fort Section 1 YOU must for the making of strong Aqua fort Take three pound of calcined Vitriol 3 pound of Nitre one pound of burnt Bruxish Alum out of Belgia and two pound of burnt flints burn these to a water the first water let go untill the Helm begins to be colored cast it away lay the Recipient again before it and lute it all over vvell again and let the other vvaters go over as I have taught above at last force all the spirits over vvith a strong fire this water keep in a good Vessel and put to it in an over-luted glass Bottle 6 Loths of Nitre 4 Loths of Vitriol and tvvo Loths of burnt flints and one Loth of Verdigrease and one Loth of roasted Antimony and one Loth of filed Iron and half a pound of white Lead and let all these be beaten to small pouder and put upon it of the Water now distill'd a little and a little at a time for it useth to make a Noise until 't is all put in then cover it very vvell let it stand some dayes in a Celler and stir it every day tvvice then set it in and distill it as an Aqua fort only that the Helm may soon come upon it and let it go as long as ' t vvill go for it vvill begin of its ovvn accord to go then give it very gentle fire and dravv it most gently over so long till all the water is brought over then augment the fire the fiercer the better until the spirits vvith great heat are all come over which hardly is done in two dayes and two nights like as you have done before with the Aqua fort then let the Oven be cool and take of the Aqua fort and cleanse it from the feces and preserve it in a sound Vessel which holdeth well for 't is an exceeding strong water and use it Section 2 Some will say of this Water That by it somewhat more of Gold in the Separation is to be obtain'd than by common Aqua fort Experience will manifest it for my part I believe it not and for such Hopes without ground I was neither willing to except nor to try in distilling Section 3 You may also be instructed That to this Water you had need of a great Recipient wherein the spirits may have room and if you will take off the Recipient and lay it before again then you may lute over the Joynings with lute made of two parts Clay and one part of Quick lime and moistned with Rape Oyl and lute it such a Clay the spirits do not touch but the other which is used by some to lute with they touch and thereby are made alwayes leaky and never holds well CHAP. XXVIII How to distil an Aqua fortis called Aqua Regis which dissolveth Gold Copper Iron Lead and Tin also Mercury sublimate and Arsnick Section 1 PROVIDE good Aqua fort which is distilled only from Salt-Petre and Vitriol and purified with Silver from its dregs and faeces and in which one may dissolve Silver as necessity requires put it
The Side-Ovens upon which the Copels are placed on Sand. 3. The Glass Bottle for Separation covered with Helmets 3. 3. 4. The Receivers which are laid to the Helmets 5. How Aqua fortis is by them to be drawn from the Silver 6. An Iron Instrument by which the Glasses are to be taken out and in 7. The Person that attends the Operation of the Glasses in figure 5. 8. Another person to take off and put on Glasses upon the shelves 9. The Ingredients prepared in a dish or pan CHAP. XXXIII When the Gold is abstracted how the Silver is to be brought again out of Aqua fort Section 1 IF one have dissolv'd Silver from the Gold through Aqua fortis and the Aqua fort hath suck'd the same into it self and if one would bring it again out of the Aqua fortis this may be done several wayes The common Method is this which is used by most Goldsmiths if they separate but a little silver and require no great pains then they take the settled water with which they have purified the Gold as is said before and put it in an half Bottle made of Copper to the silvery Aqua fortis only observe the right measure for if the setled water be but little and on the contrary if the silvery Aqua fort be too much then it will begin to work too hard in the Copper Bottle to prevent this put into the Copper Bottle to the settled water and to the inweighed Aqua fort a little more warm common flowing water and then it will not so much hurt the Copper-bottle and the Silver will quickly and apparently fall down in the Copper Bottle Let it stand a while then put the Copper Bottle together with the water and fallen Silver over the fire let it boyl a little then the Silver will the better and closer come together When this is done then cause it to settle and pour the clean water off which will be fair clear and transparent put the silver Calx into an half Glass bottle or if it be much then into a clean Kettle and pour clean warm water upon it two or three times until the silver Calx be clean and pure and see that the Silver alwayes settle well and preserve it carefully together that nothing be lost Section 2 The Reason why the silver Calx must be dulcified is Because the sharpness which the Aqua fort hath left in it may come out of it for the sharpness doth rob some of the silver in the fire by drawing over the Helm as shall be shewn Now when the water is drain'd from the silver Calx then put it in a clean Copper half Bottle and let the water of it boil off and evaporate that it may be very dry then put it in a Crucible set it in the fire in a wind-Oven or before the bellows according as it is more or less make it not too suddenly hot that if there be left by the silver Calx any Spirits of the Aqua fort that they may evaporate before the silver Calx floweth and the waste of the silver may become the smaller which waste is not often small and comes all from the spirits for if they could be retained in the separating Glass then little would go off from the Silver Section 3 After the melting together of the Silver in the Crucible then grain it or cast it in an Ingot as you please this is the old manner of the Goldsmiths and common Separators to cleanse the silver out of the Aqua fort and this silver which is thus settled out of the Aqua fort is not fine silver but it worketh on the Copper from which it is to be cleansed and the stronger the water is in cleansing the more it will touch and mingle among the silver Calx and it holds commonly a Mark of cleansed silver and this thus cast holds near 15 Loth of fine silver Section 4 The settled blew water is to be used again with profit when you distil Aqua fort and have put the prepared stuff into a Jug whereof Iron ones are best then put of this blew water two pound upon ten pound of calcin'd stuff as soon as this is done set the Helm upon it for it will presently go off it self without any fire and lay the Receiver before without any sweet Water lute it well every where and let it first go over the flegm then increase the fire till all the spirits are driven into the water as is said when we spake of burning the Aqua fort then you may put this blew Aqua fort into a great Culb glass which is cut off in the Neck and luted over and evaporate the moist flegm with the fire then it will become stronger and so put it to the stuff in the distilling But the Aqua fort which comes of it when the blew water is put upon the calcined stuff hath not so much feces in cleansing and seething down and is not so unclean as other common Aqua fort which is burnt of other stuff because the blew water becomes Metallick by the Copper in the precipitation and hath purified it self in the Jug or Bottle Section 5 Know also That one may in a glazed or earthen Vessel if it be good and will hold Aqua fort and Oyl cleanse the used silvery Aqua fort and the silver precipitated in it namely one must put such Aqua fort together with the clear water as aforesaid mixed in the glazed or earthen Vessel and lay in it red hot pieces of Copper and set the Vessel warm then the silver will quickly fall to the Bottom but 't is better to cleanse it in a Copper Vessel which may be done in a coppery or Section 6 earthen vessel yet in the cleansing of it put iron Lamins then the silver will come clean out of the water as Experience teaches CHAP. XXXIV How Aqua fortis drawn from Silver may be used again Section 1 THE Second manner of bringing the Silver out of Aqua fort and to draw off Aqua fort so that it may be used again for Separation is a singular ART and Dexterity 't is thus Put the Silverish Aqua fort in a good glass Bottle which is luted over and wherein Aqua fort may be distilled set it in one of the Ovens which are for distilling and luted over but in an Athanor is the best and not so dangerous as in a common Oven let it be dry then put the silverish Aqua fort through a long glazed Tunnel warm and not cold into the Bottle then set a Helm upon it but not so strong luted over lay the Receiver before and lute the Joynings over so that you may take the Helm off again as you will hear hereafter And being thus set in then dress the Athanor and put fire and Coals in it And by the Instruments of which we have spoken above first give it a gentle fire and let the
of the try-proof in the little work Take a common proof of the light oars beat it small Section 2 and mingle it well weigh of it by the Proof-weight 20 centners more or less and draw it into a Tub to a clean Oar and gently separate this from the light and weigh how many centners of clean oar the wash'd common oar will yield and then you may easily reckon how many centners of common oar will yield a centner of good oar and this pure oar may come to be so by the beating sifting or washing it and do waste and prove as above but the good clean and bright oar is proved upon lead thus you have the content of the Lead Now concerning the beating in the great work the Section 3 lead Oar you know is a heavy Oar yet 't is subtile and easy to be beaten into dust which swims upon the water and goeth forth especially if the same be in a glimmery or flinty or horny stone which Quarryes or horn-stones do afford to which add the glimmer in beating and make it dust and this subtile dust which is the best of the Oar doth oft times yield a blew dust which will lay it self on the great walls or stones in the washing and comes to no profit Section 4 But some use the Beaters or Workers which build the Beat-works to prepare thus the wet-works viz. That the hindmost stamping Pestel which beates the light or rocky Oar from behind and beats against the lamins or plates understand it in this manner That the hindmost Pestel may fall first then the middle one and at last the first next the Plates This beating is not profitable because it causeth great dammage by reason that the beaten stuff or rocky Oars set themselves before the Plates so that the graind Oar cannot well come through but beats it self into a small or subtil dust and goes away in the beaten or wash'd Section 6 stuff therefore many Washers esteem the dry-beat Works better where one may work over the Seeve and have the great and small Oars asunder and also make more sorts than with the wet work which is found that if the wet-beaten work is built and prepared thus the poor or rocky Oars will be beaten back from the plates viz. that the Pestle nearest the plates will fall first then the middle one and at last that which is behind thereby the plates will remain clear and the holes will not be stop'd but the water will carry the pure Oar through without hindrance whereby not only more Oar will be preserv'd but also the Oar may be made great or small and so to greater profit and having found this in the work I would not leave it unmentioned being so fit for every Mine-worker and Assayer to know CHAP. V. How to try common Lead-Oars for Lead in a little Oven LIKE as the Copper Oars mentioned in the Third Book are to be try'd in a little Oven so may it be done with the Lead Oars especially if they are very clean right and good let them be thus beaten raw as small as half an Hazel nut then set them upon a little Oven but it were better 3 or 4 pounds of such small beaten oar might be laid first upon a Test and gently roasted and then beaten and roasted again that its great wildness may come off and so the lead will easily separate from the slacks without other Additions CHAP. VI. How the inseparable and light Lead Oars are to be assayed in a little Oven CONCERNING the light-common-Lead-Oars Section 1 which do not separate in the water they must be beaten in like manner as is spoken of the separable only they must be roasted somewhat better and when they are thus prepared then melt them through the little Oven but when the lead is not come altogether then beat the slacks very small again and take the clean lead from it as you separate the stone Now when the Lead oar is flinty if one be diligent then weigh the lead which is cleanly separated and make your account how many centners of Oar may yield a centner of Lead but if the lead oar be very coppery 't is to be roasted whereby in the proof melting the Copper will come among the lead therefore it must be separated upon a very flat harth and you must cause the lead as above in the Copper proof direction to run off with a gentle fire and so the lead will become clean and the Copper will remain setled and this makes clean work as you are taught before But the little oven for proving the lead oars must be prepared like to the Copper Oars and flints that you may bring out the slacks and lead very clean as such practise will shew Section 2 But in the Assay Crucibles the proof must be thus Take the light lead oar grind it small weigh two Centners of it with thy Proof-weight set it upon a proof Test in the Oven let it roast till it stink no more of Sulphur then grind it small put it in a little Crucible with four centners of the fluss which is used to the deft lead Oar put in it also melted Sandiver and cover it with Salt lute it with clay and let it boyl in the little Oven before the Bellows blow more strongly to this proof than to the clean bright proof and thus you have the Content right Section 3 You must also know That every lead Oar may be proved unroasted thus Grind it small weigh two centners use the fluss to it according to Instruction given only with the Sandiver take among-it raw Argol mingle it together cover it with Salt and the crucible with a covering Lute the joynings with clay and set it in one of the little Ovens blow strong to it like to a Copper proof as above thus you will find the Content of the Lead CHAP. VII How to make a Lead-Proof on a Table or in a Stove THE Lead oar to this proof must be very clean and good take and roast it a little then make a fluss of two parts of good clean Salt-Petre and one part of small ground Coals mingled together put two parts of this fluss and one part of the roast Lead Oar also well mingled into a Crucible cast a little glowing coal in it then it will begin to burn and the Lead which is in it will flow together and although this is an uncertain proof not to be trusted to yet thereby one may learn to know the property and nature of Minerals CHAP. VIII How to make Lead Oars though they will not separate in the water to be profitable ALTHOUGH I intend not to write much of the smelting and thus to mingle what pertains to the smelting and lesser proving yet I could not but leave somwhat to signify of smelting of the light lead Oars because 't is necessary and no common labour but to many unknown Section 1 The Lead-Oars
Instrument laid before it in water or other moistness thus the vapours or spirit will presently resolve it self in the coldness or wetness into Quick silver But if one hath no Retorts he may use a well luted glass Bottle and set upon the Bottle a Helmet which hangs over in which water is to be put and the joynings every where well luted that no spirit may go out then let the Retorts on the Bottle in a little Oven and make first a gentle fire with wood then stronger thus the Quick silver will drive it self from the Oar in the coldness or wetness for the Quick silver loves coldness and moistness and avoideth the heat as its Enemy Now when you have found Quick silver in the proof weigh it and then you may see how much the Oar was which was set in whereby your reckoning may be made accordingly But concerning melting of Quick silver in the great Work do thus beat the Oar small as a little nut put it into Juggs made on purpose in each about four pound then prepare a flat harth of moistned Coal-Ashes on which set round Tests three square fingers deep after one another and turn upon it the Jugs fill'd with Oar stop it well with the moistned dust about the Tests and Jugs then make a wood fire upon it and the Quick silver will avoid the heat and seek the cold which it finds in the Test below This Labour in the great Work is to be seen in Germany and in many places upon the Mine-works CHAP. XX. Of Iron and Steel-stone how to know and prove them IRON-STONE is brown and its colour is so that commonly it looks like roasted Iron but the best and richest Iron-stone its colour is blewish like to a dug Iron and some of these Iron-stones are Magnetish and draw the Iron apparently which proceeds from their hidden heat as shall hereafter be discoursed of CHAP. XXI How to prove whether the Iron-stone be rich in Iron Section 1 SO this by the Loadstone therefore if you will try the Iron-stone roast it though some take it unroasted grind it small and take a good Loadstone turn or draw it about with it and the good will hang all on the Magnet stroak it off with an Hare's foot and lift the Iron-stone up again with the Magnet as much as it can bear and if at last any remains that will not be drawn up that stone is drossy and not good Thus you may see whether a Mine hath Iron or whether the Iron-stone in it be rich or poor in Iron for the Magnet as is said lifteth up no other Metal but Iron and Steel The Steel-stone and Iron-stone are alike though not in colour some look like yellow sparr this the Magnet will Section 2 not lift up raw nor some Iron stone at all but if you roast the Steel stone it colours it self and is like the colour of the rich Iron stone and then the Magnet will lift it very easily and sooner than the Ironstone and then the Iron may be made with a long and strong heat and with hard Coals in a Secret glow without dammage to good Steel and the common Steel by Smith-working will turn into Iron again Section 3 When such proof is found by the Magnet that the Ironstone is good and rich then the Hammer-smiths with their Additions use further to prove and try it in the great fire Section 4 The Iron stone being of an hot Nature will not flow or melt with a small fire as Gold and Silver will but it must be a great and strong fire and when 't is forced to flow out of the Iron-Ovens many Instruments may be cast and its hot Sulphur will flow from it also upon melting of it somwhat of its substance will come out and though it be refreshed in the fire with fresh Ironstone yet so much of its substance will go from it as it hath lost in the first melting But when the Iron stone is to be melted in the high Ovens or in the running work with a true Addition as every Ironstone requires then let it force it self yet the twice melted Iron is best for use and most deft for to work Thus much of the Ironstone how to prove what it yields in the little work But how the Iron may be boyled into Crocum Martis as also to get Vitriol out of the roasted Iron of which the Philosophers write much and how the Iron is to be wrought after several Manners and Methods and hardned But all this belongs not to proving of Metals and so it falls not under my Instructions but the Reader is left to find out other wayes CHAP. XXII Of Magnets LOADSTONES or Magnets being mentioned in BOOK II. CAP. II. and in this IV. BOOK I will discourse something of its Nature and wonderful Properties because there is none amongst all Jewels which doth so naturally shew its Virtues as this Jewel or Magnet and therefore I will let the Reader understand what Serapion an old Philosopher writes of it in his Book De Simplicibus Mineralibus where he sayeth thus Take the Magnet lay it in an earthen Vessel and add much of Calx viva lute the Vessel well about with Plaster and make a great fire under it and let it stand in the heat till the fire goes through the earthen Vessel that it may well glow then set the earthen Vessel with the matter to burn in a Potter's Oven till the overluting be consumed on the Test then take the Loadstone out of the Vessel and mingle it again with Calx viva three or four times and let it burn as before and when 't is taken out of the Oven the fourth time then hold the Magnet in such a place that neither the Wind Water nor Dew may come to it nor any other Moistness till it be cool then beat it small and add yellow Sulphur in like weight Thus the Magnet is prepared and if one do drop Water only upon it a great fire will spring out of the Magnet which would burn all that it toucheth This was Serapion's Opinion against which I have nothing to say whence the Magnet doth so vehemently love the Iron and the Iron the Magnet as though they were both of one Nature and created one for the other the Magnet being very desirous of Iron and draws it to it self with its whole Power and the Iron presently shews it self by springing to it and so remains hanging on it The Magnet is also called the Sail-stone for the Sailors look upon it as their Chief Instructor in their way upon the Water far and near namely after they have touch'd the little tonge or Needle in the Compass with the Loadstone Also the Magnet is used to the Compass Needle in the Mine-work and to direct their Glass and Audits and also in the famous and worthy Art of Separation and also with common Miners the Sun-Compass is very useful
Emeralds c. and Counterfeits of Gross Stones as Marble and other common Stones but I speak of such as are done by Nature and those of what I have seen which I conceive are only performed by a peculiar Water ordained for that purpose as at Poolls-Hole in Darbyshire where are great grey Stones like our Free-stones made by the cadency of Water and some of those stones also cemented by Water so as there are two or three large Arches of those stones cemented by Water and where they were not perfectly joyned by the light of Candles I could see through one Arch to the uppermost and so they lay promiscuously in the Vault as big as a little Church the lesser Stones are in the nature of Icicles but not bright and so encreased in hardness length and dimension according as the Water descends on them so as at the points are drops of Water still condensing into Stone The next which I saw was at Oky-Hole near Mindip-Hills in Sommersetshire where the nature of that constant dropping petrefy'd it self into a Christaline Form and so seem'd by the light of Candles of which I had store as so many Christal Icicles After this I had occasion to Visit Sir Robert Coke at his House called Durdans in Surry now belonging to the Honourable Earl of Berkly where I found an Artificial Groto made of Flint Stones and looking up to the top I perceived many little pendent Stones like Icicles hanging on the Arch Flints and calling Pool's and Okey Holes to mind I broke off some of them and found them to be congealed Stones and as the others were of a Free-Stone and Christaline temper these were Flinty drops of Water hanging at the ends like the other almost congealed stones These Observations I made of Lapidinous Waters condensing themselves from the matter through which they pass The next are of the like Waters penetrating other Substances so petrefying them and one of them is near Knasborrough Castle in Yorkshire where there is a Well which turnes pieces of Wood and Leaves into Stone and other things of a complying nature But I had a Honey-Comb presented to me from thence which was made perfect Stone by that Well which I the more wonder at because things of cerasious tempers are usually Resistables to Water The other is that at Deepham in Norfolk there is a Tree 13 yards about near the root and at least 80 Foot high which bears a flower very pleasing to the Ey and Smell Sir Tho. Brown Doctor of Physick eminent for universal knowledg call'd it while he lived a Teasle Tree and said That he never saw but one of them about the further part of Germany and that many had try'd to graft or inoculate part of it but without success Now at the bottom of this Tree there is a Spring of the like nature with that in York-shire for Petrefaction now I wish that a Graft might be carryed from thence into York-shire and planted near that petrefying Well by which it might be seen whether the Tree gave any such Virtue to the Spring or the Spring to the Tree from which and other Inquiries I have still been diverted by publick Imployments The last which I shall mention is of Earth which hath a petrifying quality and this I was only inform'd of by Mr. Castle a known person both for Integrity and Estate in one of whose Mannors near Cambridge there is an Earth where as he told me He had taken up several pieces of Wood which were turned into perfect stone and this is confirmed in Cambden's Brit. p. 401. of a Ladder turn'd to stone which he saith was taken out of the Earth at Asply Gowish I suppose in the same Mannor which was kept in the Cistertian Monastery near Asply as a great Rarity and I have both read and heard of the like Earth in other places But it is an Error to attribute this to the Earth whenas it is only a lapidinous Water which is in the Earth and infuseth it self into such porous Bodys and so makes it become stone and that which confirms me herein is That near this there is a Quarry of stone or Earth and water turn'd to stone but it is of that nature as Mr. Castle inform'd me That if it be digg'd by the Rule of the Compass and mark'd N. for North and S. for South c. and laid in any structure as it was digg'd from the Quarry it proves a very durable stone but if laid otherwise it moulters to sand which is of late years not only observ'd in digging and placing other Stones though more consolidated but also in removing Plants derived from Water and Earth Now I observe in the whole matter That this Water that thus petrefies it self or other substances is adapted with a lapidinous Nature not only to condensate it self but such other substances as may imbibe that quality so that it is not properly called cold as is commonly said that turns water into Icicles but a volatile lapidinous water that flyes about which as cold or coldness doth improve to petrefaction so Heat or other warmths do hinder from condensation and this petrefying water is of a salt and frigid nature as we may see that if Snow and Salt be put into a silver tin or pewter Pot and set on a Board wherein fresh water is to be pour'd and then move the liquor about in the Pot with a Stick and in less than half an hour the water under the Pot will be congealed to an Ice and so will glew or freeze the Pot and Board together of which you may read more in Berkley's Argenis So I shall referr the further Discourse of Petrefying to the word Waters PEWTER T. Speauter but the Pewterer or maker of it is called Kanngiesser L. Plumbus Cinereus Holliock and Argentanus Minsh but the Italians call it Stagnaro from Stannum Tin for it is properly an Art derived from the Stanniries or Tin Mines because the best Pewter is where all or the greatest part is Tin yet they put with it sometimes Silvery Lead but for want of that a little poor Lead or the Ashes or Dross of Lead but when it is much adulterated with Lead it is quickly discerned by the weightiness of it but the T. calls a Pewter Dish Dish Zienen schueshel which is a Dish made of Tin l. 2. c. 20. s 2. PIBBLES T. Keisel-steine from Kisel a Flint L. Calculus à Calcando because it may be kick't up and down and as they are little of themselves so they are of little use about Metalls otherwise then as they are beaten and mixt with Metallick Flints l. 1. c. 4. s 2. PICTURES T. Bilden-Geinaild-a-maklen L. Pictura and Imago the Makers of these are called Picture-Drawers Limners and Painters and these are of several sorts but the chief Composition of their Colours are from Metalls especially the Effigies on Coyns which may be numbred amongst Picturas solidas and this admirable Art of Picturing is
the Veins of its body but of the nature of Metallick Veins G. Agricola gives the most exact account VENETIAN Glass l. 2. c. 16. s 5. T. Venidischem-glassz L. Vitrum Venetianum from the City Venice where Erckern speaks that the best Glasses for Metallick use are made and probably so in his time but now that Art in Venice is thought to be equall'd in England See Glass VERDIGREASE l. 2. c. 27. s 1. T. Gruen-span A. Spanish green L. Aerugo or the Rust of Copper by hanging plates of it over the fumes of Wine from whence a Crocus will arise which we call Verdigrease See Brass Copper and in Colours Blew Green VIAL or Glass Bottle l. 2. c. 30. s 1. T. Roelblein Fiale and Angster according to the proportions L. Phiala and Ampulla A. Vial to distinguish it from the Musical Instrument call'd Violl VINEGAR l. 1. c. 33. s 1. T. Essig L. Acetum A. Vinegar now the various ways of making and using it in Metallick experiments may deserve a large Discourse as being one of the great secrets of Nature VITRIOL l. 2. c. 33 c. T. Schuster-schwaeitz L. Vitriolum and Calcanthum which latter makes a black colour Now of Vitriol there are many natural sorts but the three chief are 1 of a Saphire colour which comes from Hungary and Cyprus 2. of an Emeral or green colour from Swethland and Goslar often mentioned by Erckern 3. a white from Denmark c. there is also an Artificial Vitriol made from Copper or Iron or both which is called Roman Vitriol or Lapis Coelestis from its transcendent vertues of which besides what Sir Kenelm Digby writes I could add many from my own experiments but must refer them also to my intended Essays on Agricola See Brass Copper and in Colours Black ULTRAMARINE which the Italians call Azuro ultramarino and is a Gem found in Mines sometimes called Lapis Luzuli often mentioned by Erckern l. 1. c. 2. s 11 c. and is of a pure blew and of which either considered as a Gem Oar or Stone the Italians do make a pretious Blew for Painters sold beyond the price of Gold VOLATILE l. 1. c. 10. s 9. T. Flutch-tigon L. Volatilis which signifies a Bird Holiock according to Paracelsus it is used for any light matter either ascending from Metals or other light substances See Quicksilver UPBUCKING l. 4. c. 14. signifies some extraordinary washings of Metals and so the word upboyling is more than ordinary boyling URINE l. 2. c. 8. s 2 c. T Dertlarne and Bruntz L. Vrina from Vro because it is of a scalding and burning nature of great use about Metals it is distill'd and extracted by a natural heat and internal Furnace in all Creatures by which natural extraction we learn the method of all salous productions See Salt c. UTENSILS T. Brauchers L. Vtensillia A. Instruments useful tools or houshold necessaries but I must refer those which are mentioned by Erckern to the Contents of the Sculptures placed immediately before his first Book where you will find most of them recited and referr'd to their pages as also in the second part to their Capitals only there is an omission of the T and L. words for them which will be rendred in Agricola WA W WA WARDENS l. 1. c. 1. T. Gwardeins L. Guardianus A. Guardian and Warden I intended an addition herein to shew that the Original of this word as to an Official duty was first given to the Warden of Mines and that all other Offices which bear the Title of Wardens were derivatives from thence viz. of the Mines Mint Stanneries Church Ports Fleet Colledges and Companies which I shall hereafter inlarge and place according to their Antiquities WARM T. Warme and waerm L. calidus A. warm that is to bring Metals into a moderate warmth or heat WARTZ l. 1. c. 35. T. Wartz A. the Pin of the Beam and these are little pieces of Iron like Excrescencies filed out of the Centre of the Ballance on each side of it which are fitted for the two little holes of the Fork whereby the Ballance is made capable to move and from hence our English word Warts for excrescencies on the hands or other parts is used WASHING l. 3. c. 2 c. T. washein L. Lavare A. Lavations and Washings Now you may have a full account of the manner of washing Metals in N. N. before recited WASTE T. Vermuesten L. Vastare A. to waste consume or lessen the bulk of Metals WATER T. Wasser L. Aqua ex qua omnia as Scaliger and other more antient Philosophers define it See Erckern in many parts and this subject of Waters might afford many pleasing Discourses of ours in England and of such also as are of great natural uses in Metallick Operations besides Artificial yielding curious varieties especially from some Waters in those Countreys which do not consist of Mines where the waters only by heat of the Sun without their fire do yield a perfect sediment of Gold Sands WAVER T. Schwenneken L. vagilare A. to wag to and fro See Trembling WAX T. Wachz L. Cera A. Wax See Cement and Glutination WEATHER l. 1. c. 34. s 8. T. Wetter L. Aether this hath great operation in Metals for as the Weather so Metals are hard or more ductile c. WEIGHT l. 1. c. 36 c. on which subject I did intend to enlarge See Measures and Agricola de mensuris WELL T. Brun L. Puteus A. Wells for Springs of Water and called Shafts for Metallick Wells See Mines WHEEL for waters l. 4. c. 8. T. Wasser-Radst L. Haustrum used for the raising of Waters out of Springs or Wells with which the Miners wash and purge the Oars from the earth or rubbish and then the Miners may say well the Oars are well wash't with Well-water but of the description of the several sorts of Wheels you will see more in Agricola WHETSTONE l. 1. c 34. s 9. T. Wetzsteine L. Cos which is used to Metallick Instruments and to rub Metals WHITE T. Wize and blank L. Albus See in Colours White WINE T. weine L. Vinum of various sorts and uses in Erckern See Pliny WINE stone See Argol Tartar WOOD T. Wald and Haltz L. Lignum A. Wood of several sorts for Metals See Charcoal Coals WOOL T. Wolt L. Lana used about Metals WRINCLE T. Runtzel L. Ruga that is Metal not polite but shriveled distorted and full of contracted parts unusual to its natural smoothness as in hands faces c. WYRE T. Kufforn dratt or Copper drawn L. Aurum netum i. e. Gold Wire or Gold drawn or spun out of Gold and Filum Auricalcum or a kind of Thread drawn from Copper A. Wyre but I find no Monosyllable for it in any other Language XA X XE XANTHUS a pretious stone which Pliny l. 37. calls also Henui of great virtue to give success in Mens Imployments and consequently to Metallick Works Erckern doth not mention this but speaks of Hazel-Nuts
The outward parts compleated 3. The holes next the Wind-Holes 4. The Pots in which the Sulphur and grained Metals is to be prepared with a Fire under it and a Man attending it 5. A single Crucible and cover to it 6. The Iron Tongs by which Crucibles are put in and taken out of the Fire 7. The Frame on which the Crucible is to be set 8. The Iron Vessel into which the stuff or melted matter is to be cast 9. The Man attending the Wind-Ovens Page 203. SCULPTURE XXVI Represents 1. THE lower part of a wooden Frame of a Press for making Crucibles 2. The shape of the whole Press and how the Crucibles are to be forc't under it 3. The Iron Rings or Hoops about the Frame 4. The shape of the Crucibles which are to be made in the Press 5. The handle by which the Scrue of the Press is to be turned Page 207. SCULPTURE XXVII Represents 1. THE Athanor and lower Mouth-hole of it 2. The upper Mouth-hole 3. The Edge on which the Iron Plates do lay on the Iron Grates 4. The registers or air-holes above the Grates 5. The little air-holes near the top of the Athanor 6. The stopples for the registers or Air-holes 7. A Test fitted for the Athanor 8 9. Cement-Pots 10. An Hook to stir the Coals 11. The man that stirs the Furnace and works Page 222 SCULPTURE XXVIII Represents 1. THE form of a common Cup cast in Brass 2. The Cup of Smiths Work 3. A Crucible for the Work 4. A Flat Test for it 5. The Ingot 6. The Plates of Antimony with the Gold Regulus 8. The Antimony when the Gold Regulus is beaten from it The CONTENTS of the SCVLPTVRES In the third Book of COPPER OARS Page 235. SCULPTURE XXIX Represents 1. THE inside of the little Oven made with Tiles 2 The same when it is closed 3. The foot of the Crucible upon the Grate 4. The little Oven of Potters Clay strengthned by Iron Hoops and Bars 5. The foot of it 6. The Iron Grate in it 7. The Crucible on the Grate with the Proof in it 8. The wind-hole wherein the Bellows are put 9. The whole Oven open with the Bottom 10. The Iron Hoop which goes about it 11 12 13. The Bellows Brush and Instruments Page 247. SCULPTURE XXX Represents 1. THE Melting-Oven to try Copper Oars from Copper-Stone 2. The luting it with Clay 3. The buck't or washt Oar. 4. The little Ovens in which the Copper-Oars are to be proved with ordinary Bellows and a Man to attend them 5. The Bellows as they are used 6. A Copper Instrument with a Neck in which water is put and set over the Fire and used instead of Bellows called Philosophical Bellows see Lib. 1. Sculp 2. 7. The Pot in which the Fluss is to be made 8. The Assay Crucibles 9. The Block Hammer and Pieces to be beaten Page 265. SCULPTURE XXXI Represents 1. THE Copper and Lead Pieces weighed and a Man that attends them 2. The Oven for melting fresh Oars 3. The Copper Pan into which the fresh pieces are to be cast 4. The form of the fresh pieces melted 5. The Melter 6. The Vault which receives the dust and smoak 7. The little Door out of which the dust is to be cleansed 8. The Wheel that brings in Water with the Tub to receive it Page 274. SCULPTURE XXXII Represents 1. THE Assay Oven for Copper 2. The supporters to be made of Copper 3. The Assayed pieces as they stand in the Oven 4. The VValls or four sides of the Oven with the fire in it and how the Oven is braced with Iron Hoops 5. The stampt pieces and Coals on the top of the Oven 6. The Copper or Iron little Pans with a man putting the melted stuff into them 7. The Kinstocks 8. The Crane or draught by which the Assay pieces are to be lifted out of the Assay-Oven or otherwise disposed of 9. Instruments viz. Ladle Pitcher Fork and Hook 10. The Trough or place to cool the Instruments in water Page 278. SCULPTURE XXXIII Represents 1. A Drying Oven 2. An Oven soon made according to the Hungarian way 3. A common ready Harth attended with two Men. 4. The Kinstocks which are to be pickt with an Iron Tool and beaten by a Man 5. An Harth for spizing according to the Hungarian way 6. 6. 6. The Copper Cakes quench't in a Cistern of Water by a Man Page 284. SCULPTURE XXXIV Represents 1. A Fresh Oven 2. A little By-Oven for Lead 3. A fresh piece with a Man lifting it 4. The separation of roasted and weighed Lead brought by a Man with a VVheel-barrow and laid in heaps 5. The Vault for the smoak and dust 6. The Tunnel for the Smoak 7. The fresh Oven without a fore Wall 8. 8. The Assay-Oven 9. The little Pans for the melted Work Page 288. SCULPTURE XXXV Represents 1. AN Oven in which Brass is to be made the shape of it in the inside and how the Pots and Crucibles are to be placed in it 2. How the Brass Ovens are to be placed in the Work 3. The shapes of the Pots and Crucibles 4. The Shovel for the beaten Calaminaris Stone which is to be mixt with Copper for the making Brass 5. The Tongs by which the Pots are to be set in and taken out 6. The Wind-holes in the Oven 7. The Pieces of Britain Stone or Lapis Calaminaris unbeaten 8. The place for the Master that sets-in the Pots The CONTENTS of the SCVLPTVRES In the fourth Book Of Lead OARS Tin Antimony and Quick-silver Iron and the Load-Stone Page 303. SCULPTURE XXXVI Represents 1. THE Walls of the Furnace 2. The Lines on them shews the Gradations of the Metal descending 3. The Man that manageth the Metal in the Furnace 4. The back of the Furnace with the Coals and Pieces of Metal flowing 5. The grand Test 6. The Oven for that Test 7. The pieces from the Test 8. The Man that beats the Oar. 9 The pieces of Oar and Cinders 10. An heap of Charcoal 11. The Water-Troughs to wash the Oar in 12. The Pipes by which the foul water is cast out 13. The Instruments for the Furnaces and Tests Page 307. SCULPTURE XXXVII Represents 1. THE little Iron Pans for Spelter or Wismuth Oar 2. The Wood Fire for them 3. The melted Spelter that is to be made clean in the Iron Pans and the workman that tends it 4. He that draws the Oar out of the Mine The CONTENTS of the SCVLPTVRES In the fifth Book of Salt-Petre Vitriol and Allum Page 325. SCULPTURE XXXVIII Represents 1. THE Tub in which the Lees is made for Salt Petre and out of which it is to be extracted and the Can or vessel to put water into the Tub. 2. The greater Tub into which the Lees doth run 3 4. The Master and the Ballance by which he proves the goodness of the Lees. 5. The Lamin 6. The Candle 7. The Pincers Page 329. SCULPTURE
XXXIX Represents 1. THE 8 Tubs into which the Petre-Earth is to be put 2. The Pipe with Brass Cocks into which the water is let into the 8 Tubs 3. The channel by which the Lees fall from each Tub and so into the Receiver 4. The Sink or great Receiver of the Lees. 5. The ninth Tub from which the Lees run into the Kettle 6. The Oven wherein the Kettle stands 7. The Kettle 8. The Iron Door by which the wood is to be put into the Oven under the Kettle 9. The wind-hole in the bottom of the Oven 10. How the Oven may be seen in the inside 11. The Iron Grate on which the wood lays 12. The door into the working-House Page 332. SCULPTURE XL. Represents 1. THE long narrow Tubs wherein to cool the Lees. 2. The Oven wherein the Kettle is placed 3. The Master which makes and lets out the Salt Petre and puts it into separating Baskets 4. The separating Baskets 5. The Tub out of which the strong Lees run into the Kettle 6. The Melting Vessels in which the Salt-Petre improves 7. The 4 Kettles standing on the ground wherein the Salt-Petre also improves it self 8. A strong Tub into which the Salt-Petre is to be be cast as it improves Page 341. SCULPTURE XLI Represents 1. THE fore-part of the Salt-Petre-House wherein the Lee Tubs do stand 2. The back part of it wherein the Kettle and the Oven are placed and wherein the Salt-Petre is to be boyled 3. The old pieces of Earth out of which Salt-Petre is to be made 4. The wood used for boyling it 5. The Servant that shaves and fits the Earth for boyling In the second Part of ESSAYS THERE are the Twenty four English Letters artificially Cut in Wood and two more SCULPTURES Engraven in Copper viz. under the Word Limbeck one and Load-stone the other THE best Artists may commit Mistakes or Errors but they are Pardonable when they proceed not from a willful and careless Neglect and therefore 't is hoped that the Ingenious Reader will connive at the want or misplacing of Comma's Periods or Parenthesis and for the rest they are here set down that there may be no Mistake in the Sense of the Author PAge 12. Line 24. for Essay read Assay-Oven p. 38. l. 15. r. Petre. p. 63. l. 13. r. Needles p. 72. l. 2. r. Blink p. 75. Fig. 7. r. a compleat unused p. 89. Fig. 7. r. the Fork and Pendula p. 103. l. 24. r. a black Hair Sieve dele Sicher Troy p. 114. l. 27. r. rough Stones p. 118. l. 15. r. Sandiver p. 154. l. 3. for washeth r. weighed p. 167. l. 16. r. which you p. 171. l. 15. for Rape r. Linseed p. 181. l. 14. r. Silver p. 186. l. 14. r. hath p. 189. l. 2. r. put in p. 242. l. 17. r. with which p. 252. dele 12. Necessary r. Profitable p. 280. for Loths r. pounds p. 287. Fig. 2. r. How the. ibid Fig. 6. r. Wind-holes p. 313. l. 2. r. Tin by p. 333. dele 3 4 5 6 7 8. r. 4 5 6 7 8. Lazarus Erskerus CAP. I aliàs Erckern BOOK I. CHAP. I. Of Silver Oars Sculpture I. Section 1 Deciphered The Assayer 1. the Scales 2. the Cases for Weights 3. Glasses for Aqua Regis Aqua Fortis Aqua Vitrioli Aqua Argentea or Quicksilver c. 4. CAP. I Section 2 Sculpture II. Deciphered 1. The form of an Athanor or great Furnace 2. The Forceps or Tongs and Fork 3. The Coppel or Test with Philosophers Bellows 4. The Digestive Pot with its Cover and Fire about it 5. A cover'd Crucible 6. The long Bell or Matras-Glass on a Sand Furnace 7. The Wind Furnace with a Blow-pipe 8. A Furnace with a Copper head and its Receiver 9. A Furnace with a naked and open Fire 10. The Pestel and Mortar with one beating the Metals 11. The Owl's Head or another form of a Cover to the Figure 8. 12. A Retort CAP. I Section 3 THIS first Book speaks of Silver Oars how they may be distinguished by their several Sorts and afterwards by Assay-Scales and Assay-Tests Of Muffles Coppels and of Clar for Lead of Lead-Glass of Fusion-Pouder of Ballances and Weights and how a Lead Grainer may be made and then how every particular sort may be certainly assay'd or tried as also of Slake and Slake-stone Flakes and Hard-Work of Laech-Speize Black Copper Pagment and of Granulations as also of Planches or Plates of Silver and burnt Silver with a fundamental Information how to burn Silver in the common way and under the Muffle as also the preparing and making Tests and how to cast Silver which is Tuff or hard as well as that which is not tuff or more ductile also how to assay Tin Iron or Steel for Silver and to know what any Silver or coined Mony is worth and to make stroking or touching Needles or Ingots of Silver for distinguishing the fine from the less fine Silver Section 4 Now because I have in this Treatise first begun with the Description of Silver Oar and its Tryals some may wonder why I did not rather begin with Gold which is treated of in the Second Book and why I did not give Gold the Preheminence it being the highest and chiefest Metal of the Earth and so by right it should have been first treated of Therefore I think fit to inform the READER that I have not done this without good Reason For from Silver Tryals all other Assays and Preparations of Instruments do flow as out of a Fountain and have their Rise from thence for which cause I have judg'd it necessary in the first place to give information of the same and to place it in this first Book because it is CAP. I to the Honour of the Crown of Bohemia and bordering Countrys in Germany viz. Miechfin Sachsen Shesren Manhren and other Countrys where there are many Mines containing good Quantities of Silver and many Miners Gardians of Mines Refiners Provers Smelters and Melters who exercise themselves in proving of Silver-Oars and of such Metals as contain Silver in them and yet because there are many in these parts who have not gained the true Knowledge thereof or have not in all things pertinent to this Science obtained a fundamental Information I have proposed to my self to be serviceable to such and therefore I have more largely treated of Silver and its Tryals than of any other Metals and am not willing to leave this unmentioned in this entrance of what I am to write CHAP. II. How Silver Oars are distinctly known Section 1 SIlver Oars are found to be of many sorts and Colours yet if they be not very fine they are not to be judged by their Looks how rich soever they are in Silver and therefore 't is proved by Artists who have diligently search'd into this Science and by them found out many years past as also by others who have since improv'd this Art that the worth of
a live Coal into it so it will burn out to a Fluss mingle also Salt Petre melted Salt and Sandover and crude Argol with it then is the Fluss ready CHAP. VII How Gold may be separated very clean from the Quicksilver Section 1 AFTER Gold is quickned and the Quicksilver press'd through a leather and forc'd from it yet there will remain commonly a little Gold with it especially when the Gold-slicks and Gold Oars have been poor and that the Quicksilver did not become rich such Quicksilver may be preserved for other Work of the like nature But if there were no more such slicks to be done yet the Gold which did go with the Quick silver through the Leather must be separated from it very clean by an Artificial Separation and such Quicksilver doth commonly contain two or three Loths of Gold in the Centner especially when the Quicksilver came from poor slicks and Section 2 such separation is done thus Cause an Iron Jug to be made which may be taken asunder at the belly lute the lower part of the inside about half a finger thick with very good and weighty Loam that will hold well in the fire and not crack cause it to dry set the upper part upon it and bind them both very fast and close together with an Iron Wyer and then do it all over on the outside with good Clay and when it is dry then set it in an Oven which is called an Athanor with which one useth to burn Aqua fortis and put in it fifty pound of Quick silver if you have such a quantity of it and place an Helmet upon it and also an earthen Jug before it in which there must be full three quarts of Water and all must be luted well on the outside and cause it to dry then let the fire burn by degrees to be stronger from one hour to the other untill at last the Jug be very red yet make it not suddenly hot that the Jug may not burst nor the Quick-silver fly out so the Quick-silver will all come over into the water in the Receiver which when the fire is kept in good order is done in seven or eight hours when all is come over then let the Jug cool well and take it out of the fire and open it so will you find all the Gold in the bottom then take it from the Loam and let it flow together After this manner now directed the Gold which remaineth in the Leather which hath Quick silver with it may be put in and drawn off and the Quick silver may return to Advantage Section 3 But because the Quick-silver will become a little weak from the drawing over so that it will not attract so soon as in the beginning and if you would have it fresh again then put it into a Vessel of Wood draw warm salt Water upon it grind it with your hand well together and dry it with a Spunge then it is as good again as it was before and you may use it again also there is no great loss by it in the drawing it off if the Pots and Glasses be well luted Section 4 In case you cannot have always in readiness an iron Jug cause one to be made of earth which will endure the fire and lute the same likewise with good and firm Clay as you did to the iron Jug so put the Quick-silver into it and Helmet upon it and set before it the Jug with water and lute it well altogether then force the Quick silver over it and you may have it again for use but such Labor is performed with Sorrow and danger because if such an earthen Jug should crack or spring then the Quick silver will be lost and will evaporate to smoak therefore there must not be so much Quick-silver put in it as into an iron Jug or Pot. Section 5 Some use to put upon such a Jug an earthy blind Limbeck that on both sides hangeth over and therein they put water and draw the Quicksilver from the prest Gold in it and when it is a little cool they put it out through the Pype which is above on the Helmet and then the Gold will remain on the Jug Now which of these that is found most serviceable and convenient to any one he may use only take notice That if you let the smoak away and the remaining Quicksilver from the Gold without distillation take heed the smoak or vapour go not into thy Belly because it is a poysoning and cold Vapour which lameth and killeth for he will find that it will there congeal and afterwards spoil his body Now that the Reader may know how the Jug and Instruments are to be made which are to be used for quickning and attracting he may find exactly in the following Sculpture which is thus Deciphered 1. The Athanor or great Furance 2. The Ovens on the sides of it 3. The earthen Receiver for it 4. The earthen Helmet for it 5. The blind Helmet with a Pipe by which water may be pour'd in 6. He that fitteth the matter 7. He that presseth the Quicksilver through a Leather 8. The lower part of the iron pot or Receiver 9. The upper part of it 10. The Leather purse for the Quicksilver 11. He that causeth the Gold to melt by help of the Bellows 12. The Pieces of Metal Sculpture XVII CHAP. VIII How Gold-Oars are to be proved for Gold Section 1 GOLD Oars are of two sorts one is partly flowing the other partly harsh as is discours'd in the first Book Now from the silver Oars the common Assayers have had in their proving two Processes namely upon the mild and flowing Oars viz. the Iron-streamy and bright Oars and such as are without flints their Process was thus They used to grind their Oar or slick very small and have weighed a Centner of the Fluss which they had prepared for the Gold-Oars as we shall discourse hereafter and have mingled altogether and did put it into a clean Crucible and covered it with Coals and have set it before the Bellows and did blow about it and when the Fluss was melted then have they put fifteen Centner of clean Lead into it and when it did begin to slack then they take the Crucible out of the fire and suffer it to cool then beat the Regulus with the slacks out of the Crucible and put it together upon a proof Test in an Assay Oven and have caused it to boil up and slack again as other silver Oars and have stirr'd it about with a clean Iron-hook and when it was vvell boyld up they did let it cool finally they have beaten off the slacks from the Work and upon a well nealed Coppel caused it to go off but they have made their fluss for such proving of one part of Litarge and one part of Antimony well ground together and melted them and when they did intend to use it with such Oars as were not Iron-streamy
grains be also that one may number all the little grains of Gold after the number of the little pieces of Silver how many there be laid in the Aqua fort and no splitting will go off from it as in the other proofs yet if the grains should be weighed in also raw the Gold will remain the better whole but this proving is to be done thus when you have weighed off the Silver put upon it a very weak Aqua fort which the Silver cannot well touch and put it in a Culbe to dissolve over a little Coal-fire as is usual and let it be very hot that the Aqua fort may work with great Bubbles and almost boyl over this dissolution do so long until thy inweighed Silver be almost dissolved but that it may have the better help put if the Silver be dissolved a little more than half of new and a somewhat stronger Aqua fort into the Culbe and the Silver will dissolve it self clean out and will split no more although the second time there be put to it the stronger Aqua fort but what it doth will be done at first This is a fine way through which the Gold remaineth together in grains close but 't will have somewhat more time than the other common proof there are also other wayes to such proofs as follows CHAP. XVIII To prove Goldish-Silver by the Water-weight Section 1 I MUST further signify That the old Artists have also proved the Silvers through common flowing Water and known in the Weight whether they have been rich or poor with Gold This their Invention because it proceedeth from natural Reason doth please me and is an inductive Meditation to many other serviceable things Now the Water-weighing with the Silver is done thus Take a Ballance and put in one of the Scales the Goldish-silver and in the other Scale so much Silver which containeth no Gold as that they may be equal weight then let down both Scales just together into a Vessel full of clean water so you shall find and see clearly that that Silver which is Goldish shall have in the water greater weight but not so much as the Silver which hath Gold with it The Reason of this Difference is because the Gold in a like greatness excelleth all other Metals in weight and is the heaviest Metal Therefore such as every one himself may judge cannot swim so easily in the water but must much sooner sink down on the ground than they which are lighter as the like is to be seen in the Lead which goeth much before Tin and other Metals in the Water Section 2 But that I may give the Reader to understand That 't is possibly by such Water-weighing to reckon how much may properly be in the Silver therefore know that such in my thoughts may be done and found out in this following manner First Take fine grain'd Silver which is without Gold lay to it good pure Gold put it in one of the weigh-Scales and in the other Scale lay fine grain'd silver also so that it standeth just even then sink both together in the water and so much as the Silver goeth before with the Gold so much you must supply with good Gold to the weigh-Scale in the vvater then take the Ballance out of the water again dry it well and weigh it and take so much from the Silver as the Gold hath drawn to it in the water until the Ballance standeth even in Aequilibrio then sink it in the Water again and supply again the difference with good Gold and then take off from the Silver this do as long until both weigh-scales stand just both within and out of the water then you shall find that in one scale will lye so much Gold as in the other and by this way if you do it carefully you may also prove in weighing a goldish silver whose content you did not know Section 3 Secondly The water-weighing may also be done by Arithmetical Proportions to which the Demonstrations will be serviceable but they are not to every one known namely thus That if the Gold as I have tryed it weigheth against the silver in a like quantity 405 Marks and 8 Loths and the fine silver also the like quantity with the Gold two hundred twenty sev'n Marks 4 Loths this observe well Then take the silver vvhich contains Gold lay it in one of the weight-scales and weigh it against the Weights which are made of pure silver that you may know the weight to be proper then sink them together into the water now as much as it doth go for the Goldish silver so much you must supply of with the silver weights then make an account and observe the Proportions how the Gold and Silver stand together as you have been instructed before and I doubt not but you may come to a right proof by this Example CHAP. XIX To find without such water-Proof whether Silver contains Gold Section 1 BECAUSE the Metals have divers Quantities of like greatness one against the other as has been spoken of the Gold and silver if then you would know and finde the difference of the mixture in the Goldish silvers you must draw the Gold through an Iron plate wherein an hole is made into which a thin and subtil wyer is to be put and do the good silver also through the same hole then cut a piece of both equally in one length as near as possible and weigh one against the other with a Proof-weight upon a quick Ballance and so you will soon finde the difference betwixt the Gold and Silver Now if you have a Goldish-silver and do draw it through the mentioned hole and doth take the right length of it like the aforesaid former Wyer and doth weigh it likewise upon the proof Ballance against the silver-Wyer then you will finde a difference in the weight out of vvhich you may count the weight of the Gold as much as is in the wyers which you have weighed then also weigh such with the proof-weight how much it weigheth and you may compute after this thy Account how much Gold is in the whole weight of the Goldish-silver After this manner all other Metals may also be proved and accounted because they have one against the other divers Quantities in like Greatness likewise in the coyn'd Money if it be drawn to a Wyer in the same thickness with the Wyers before mentioned you may find in it the Copper and fine silver by this Rule Section 2 Also this I would not leave unmentioned as an Instruction for further Consideration and it is necessary to be known That there is a difference in weight betwixt Tin and Lead if they be mixed together as also in other Metals which I have found in my diligent searching For one Copper against another and one Tin against another hath a difference also in the weight else I would have proceeded further and surer with such reckoning Sculpture XIX
go well over the Gold and put it over again let it boyl well with the Gold calx then put it off in a particular Vessel clean and Section 3 pure that nothing come off from the Gold and put upon it another clean hot water let it boyl with it do this until the water goes off from the Gold very clean and clear and hath no sharpness at all in it and that it take to it self the remaining Silver which the Aqua fort hath left behind with the Gold in the moistness till it cometh clean this is called dulcifying but that you may be sure that you have the Silver sweetned clean prove it thus let fall a drop in a Coppery clean dish and if it do not stain it then 't is dulcifyed clean such sweet waters are all to be put together because of the Silver in it and use it for precipitation of which you shall have an instruction hereafter When the Gold calx after this manner is taken clean off then hold in your hand the Bottle and put the Gold or Gold calx very gently out into an half Glass Bottle with the last clean water together then put it again into the Bottle or Culb and hold your hand before it again and turn the Culb so that all the remainder of the Gold together with the water may flow against the hand then put it finely and gently to the other Gold in the half Bottle Section 4 When all the Gold calx is settled in the half Glass Bottle then drain the water off cleanly and put also the Gold calx being moist into a clean Crucible and set it on the fire and let the water softly evaporate and boyl in then set the Crucible warmer and at the last very hot that the Gold calx may glow clean out then the Gold will receive a fine colour let it be cold and weigh it then in the casting all together nothing will go from it Now if you will cast together the glowed Gold calx then mingle it with a little Borax and put it in a new clean Crucible but rub it at first very clean with chalk and set it in the Fire and when the Crucible gloweth blow to it that the Gold may come to flow of this you may use a little in the Fluss and when you will cast it then lay Section 5 a clean little Paper upon it which is Luted with Venetian Soap and Wax and while the Paper yet burns upon the Gold cast it out under the Flames so it will receive no scum but will casts it self also clean but if you will cast an Ingot then make the Ingot warm and Lute it with Wax and then quench the cast Ingot with Vrine and so the Gold will become fine and deft Section 6 But if one have much to separate if it be Golden grain'd or Gilt Silver and you would separate it in the water then it must be first burnt clean upon a Test and the burnt Silver must be Grained for it would be a hindrance to the Separator if all Silver should be beaten especially in a great quantity yet he who hath time and opportunity will do better to beat the Silver or cause it to be beaten whereby the separation will be done sooner and with less Aqua fort as above is signified but if you want time and opportunity to beat it then take the burnt Goldish Silver and set it in a Crucible in a Wind Oven and grain it with a split or round stick or stir the water with a stick fast about in the Vessel to make the Silver cast it self into Bubbles whereby it will Section 7 grain it self thin and hollow and when 't is drayn'd then dry and glow it and put it in the separating Glass and put Aqua fort upon it that it may go over it pretty well and set an Alimbeck upon it that it may begin to move of it self and when it ceaseth working then set the separating glass upon the Copels in the sand upon the Athanor and let the Alimbeck or Helm stand continually upon it and what Water goeth off from the Aqua fort keep that same by it self for 't is in the distilling of the Aqua fort to be put into the Receiver and is better than common Aqua fort and you must still govern the fire in the Athanor by strengthning and weakning it as the work requires and of this graind Silver put 9 or 10 Mark of it into a bottle at once for it will not take so much room as the beaten yet if there were a quantity to separate of the Golden silver one may prepare more of such Athanors than Section 8 one that divers of the Bottles may be set in at once but you ought to observe this that one must put upon the Graind more than three times fresh Aqua fort for the thick Grains sake that the Gold may be pure Section 9 And if it happens that a Glass Bottle should break and the Silvery Aqua fort run into the sand 't is not quite lost for one may boil most part of the Silver out of the Sand again with warm Water and that which remains in the sand may be mingled with that which is swept off and passes through the melt Oven and be made to profit but of such danger there is little Fear upon the Athanor especially if you have good separating Glasses and also are careful Section 10 When the Silver is separated clean from the Gold then sweeten the Gold Calx well out dry glow and cast it together as often as hath been mentioned and know if you have been diligent in separating and sweetning it the Gold which comes out by the separation will be 23 Carats and one grain but commonly it cometh to 23 Carats and 7 or 8 grains Section 11 Further I add as a Caution That you must not let the Aqua fort evaporate too dry upon the Gold as many times it happens by Negligence whereby the Silver can not set it self on the Gold Calx again which afterwards the other Aqua fort will hardly touch and therefore so soon as one part of the last Aqua fort be poured from the Gold one should quickly cast upon it hot flowing water before it be cold that the Silver Section 12 may not settle it self too hard on the Gold and turn to Cristals and though hot boyling water will dissolve those Crystals yet 't is better it may not be but be soon dulcified Likewise if it be neglected so that the Gold should come too white out of the separation and were not of a high Content then it is by the Cement as in next Sculpture is signified to be perfectly cleansed But that you may understand the Labour of the Separation and how the Ovens and separating Glasses use to stand you will also see in the following Sculpture Sculpture XXIV Deciphered 1. The Tower of the Athanor 2.
which are to be proved either raw or among others or the shiffer apart whereby it may be found what copper the Shiffer doth yield and the melting ordered accordingly Section 6 The other mixt copper-Oars as Lasure Copper green or brown rich copper-Oars cannot be well separated in the water from their mixtures for they are very light and run not in weight like the other flints but go forth in the water therefore such are first to be proved for Silver if they have none as commonly they are poor then t is not much to try but if they contain Silver glow them hard and suddenly quench them in cold water then the insperged or mixt Copper Oars will run together in little Grains as above is signified of the Gold Oars then wash and grind them small and draw it into a slick and when it separates then you may in the great Work according to the quantity of slicks regulate your self But how these copper Oars are to be dryed in the little oven you will be directed hereafter CHAP. VII How light Copper Oars which are mixt and insperged with flint may be brought to profit THE light flinty insperged copper Oars by reason of their hardness and unflowingness cannot well in a great quantity be melted throughly or brought to profit the flint being so hard and before it becoms small enough in the Beating it makes insperged oars subtil and rise in the water therefore there can no surer or better Method be found for such Oars than to roast them in an high roast Oven made on purpose as before is often mentioned And when it burns to a great heat pour water upon it and let it cool suddenly so the frighted Metal will run together in grains in the flints which are heavy and remain fast by setting them in the water and then they may be washed and separated and that which is not clean Copper will be a good and heavy Copper-stone that so the flinty copper Oars when they are roasted and are brittle may very easily in a great quantity be buck'd through and the Metal which is gathered may be washed or so much of it as in one gathering can be melted throughly like raw Oar which is to be made into ten or more equal parts And the roast Oven which is to be used to this Washing may be formed as in the first and second Book of flinty Gold Oars are more fully described CHAP. VIII How to prove Copper Oar from Copper-stone IF one would try and prove Copper Oars especially the flinty containing much or little Copper called raw slack-stones or raw Copper-stones you must doit thus Grind the Copper oars or the flint small weigh from it two Centners put them thus unroasted in an Assay-crucible and weigh to it four Centners of the fluss made of Salt petre and Argol as before with two centners of flowing Glass-galls mingle all in the crucible and cover it like a copper-Oar with Salt and set it in a little Oven and boil it up also before the Bellows and let it be cold then you will find in the bottom of the crucible a copper-stone then separate it from the slacks and weigh it so you may see how many centners of the flint yields a centner of copper-stone But if the flint be very rich in copper-water then there will be no stone with the fluss therefore try the flint in another manner viz. Weigh it raw and put it in a crucible mingle among it three times so much of clean good slacks smooth ground which yield no stone nor contains any Silver but come from poor Oar cover it with Salt and set it in let it flow with strong blowing then you will find as much as the flint hath in it self But the flints that are rich in copper-water do yield a slack-stone which is not good to be melted for in the roasting it will shrink too much and retain no Silver in it self by which many times hurt is caused CHAP. IX How to prove Copper Oar another way Section 1 ALL Copper-Oars that are rich or poor in copper may be tryed upon copper-stone after this manner Take a pound of the Oar or Flint small ground and prepare a little Oven of Tiles square or round of a span wide or let it be joyn'd with Potters-clay bind it about with iron-rings and lay below in it Powder of Coals and Clay as in the Melt-ovens with a hole on the back of the Oven through which the Bellows may go then put in your fire and Coals and blow them well that it may glow and set the raw Oar which is ground in it yet not at once blow continually strong at it that the oar may melt through the Coals down into the little Oven and when it is enough let it cool and take it out of the Oven and beat it so you will see what it yields of copper or copper stone if you finde in the stones either copper or slacks like grains beat them small and draw it into slicks then will the copper and stone separate from the slicks Section 2 This is a fine Tryal upon the copper shiffer and poor inspersed copper Oars but when the Oar doth not yield stone or copper you will see it in the slacks when they are not coppery but all is turn'd to slicks Section 3 Further if you would have such through-proofs of copper and the flint yeild no stone then first roast the flint quite dead and melt it in the little Oven and you will finde a Regulus of black copper or such as the flint or copper Oars do yield which put together and weigh and see what it hath yielded so you may know how many Centners of flinty copper it yieldeth from a Centner of copper for all roasted Oars work themselves fresh and separate better than raw Oars Section 4 But if one will try more than one or two pound in the little Oven then one may slick it off from the copper with a little hot Crucible and separate it from the slacks but what remains in the little Oven together with the Section 5 slacks which are not flown out must be beaten and washed and what is found shall be reckoned the Content Section 6 Also in this wise one may melt raw copper flint unroasted in the little Oven and drive it off and see whether it give good copper-stone or raw slack-stone also whether the stone in the fire be fixt or volatile Only observe that the little Oven must be first very well glowed before it be melted in it or else it will become all cold in the little Oven and will not come together as experience teacheth CHAP. X. How to prove melted Copper-stone Section 1 COPPER STONES are best prov'd like a raw Copper-Oar or flint as hath been formerly shewn viz. if one beat the same very small like Hemp-seeds and then weigh it and in a gentle fire upon a Test let it be roasted and put
upon an Assay-Oven but no more at once than 5 pieces of rich lead that one centner with the other may contain 5 loths and a quarter of Silver and there will remain also upon the Oven Keinstocks and Thornels which are fallen down such Thornels which come of rich lead they separate for they are the best and are to be used again and to be laid among the Litarge-pieces Upon this poor Contenty Copper Assaying meditate with diligence for 't is a profitable Instruction CHAP. XXIV How Silver is to be separated from spizy and unclean black Coppers WHEN the speizy and very unclean Silver Contenty coppers are to be separated from other good coppers then they use the prepared coppers which are deft of themselves though they are brickle and unsmooth and are not to be used to all sorts of Works to avoid this prepare to assay such degenerate black coppers as follows Take such black Coppers and dress them like a black Licbeter Copper with help of the lead by these means they will become clean and deft and brought thus into compass so that oftentimes of three centners hardly remains one yet nothing of the Silver gone off but what hath been before in the three raw centners and this is to be found together and then separate this prepared copper with good copper or by it self as is usual and in Hungary they use this care about the poor Coppers though not very unclean which in their separating is often try'd and the coppers becomes rich by it But that you may see how the copper Ovens are formed and how to assay upon them this following Sculpture will shew Sculpture XXXII Deciphered 1. The separating Oven as it stands fram'd 2. The Supporters to it made of Copper as they are to stand under the Oven 3. The cast pieces as they are to stand in the Oven 4. The Walls of the Oven or the four sides of it and the fire in it and how the Oven is brac'd with iron hoops 5. The stamp'd Pieces and coals on the top of the Oven 6. The copper or iron little pans with a man putting the melted stuff into them 7. The Keinstocks 8. The Crane or draught by which the assayed pieces are to be lifted out of the assay-Oven or otherwise disposed of 9. Instruments viz. Ladle Picker Fork and Hook 10. The troughs or place to cool the Instruments in water CHAP. XXV Instructions for driving Lead and Copper from Silver IF you have enough of that rich Lead of which a centner contains 5 loths and a quarter of Silver then prepare the driving harth formed with a Vault like a great Bakers Oven and lute it with all diligence and lay 100 Centners of this lead upon it and six centners of the richest copper which is to be pick'd out of the harth of the speize Oven of which the Centner contains 10 to 13 loths of Silver which is call'd the stamp'd Copper drive the work but not quite off and if it make lead slacks then quench it and retain the same lead slacks so in this will be near 50 marks of Hungarian Silver But there must be two driving-harths one near the other and while you drive off the one work the other must be prepared with diligence for the other and then put upon it six centners of the richest Copper and an hundred Centners of rich Lead which contains 5 loths and a quarter of Silver and drive off the work as aforesaid and when the Silver will almost go to it then add the said lead slacks in which the 50 marks of Silver are and let the work go quite off thus you have 100 marks of Silver to 15 loths of fine But such works are used to drive them off in 4 or five weeks that commonly one week with another is reckoned to make 125 marks of Silver and 't is needful to such a driving off to have 4 layes of wood and you must not feed the fire upon such driving harths with long split-wood but because the Oven hath a singular Vault it must be fed with good dry faggot-wood and let the Bellows go true upon the work CHAP. XXVI Of driving the Keinstocks and Thornels Section 1 KEINSTOCKS are prepared upon the said Assay-Oven and if it be of rich or poor Lead or Thornels or Litarge pieces put them together in a driving Oven and let there be four such driving Ovens and in every one 4 Rows or lanes upon these you are to set all sorts of Keinstocks near 120 centners then make a fire of dry split wood before and behind the Rows of Litarge and dry the Keinstocks about 12 or 14 hours and that which runs first out into the Litarge rows which will be but little this pour out and it is fresh Lead and what remains of the Thornels will fall down in the rows then they are to be melted to thornels like those which are flowen out under the melting Oven Section 2 Item such Keinstocks which remain above those Ovens are not to be boiled in the great speize Ovens like the raw black Coppers but must be beaten and knock'd that the shiffer and other uncleanness of them may be removed and then put them upon the boyling harth and drive the copper to be pure and when the slacks are clean drawn off then split the plates or cakes one after another this is ready and deft copper and so the remains that are in a centner of such ready copper will be almost a loth of Silver and one doth take to a shich 4 harths to contain near 18 centners there are to be two such harths or copper-ovens in the separating houses or sheds Section 3 wherein you may spleize or work all working dayes The slacks which are to be drawn off from the harths are to be melted again through a melt Oven and a Regulus made of them which is called a copper Regulus which I judge to be like the Copper made at Swatk set them in a dry Oven and dry them off from this the thornels will fall down into the rows these must be melted into thornels as above is mentioned for such copper Regulus must not be wrought by it self for they are speizy therefore you must mingle them among the Keinstocks which are to be dryed and you may make pure copper of them Thus you have sufficient Directions how Coppers Section 4 may be assayed and separated But concerning the reckoning which alwayes in such Section 5 things is necessary to be made known I will not recite here for every ones Practice will teach them and the keeping of the Book is the surest Rule for it The next Sculpture is thus Deciphered 1. A drying Oven 2. An Oven soon made according to the Hungarian way 3. A common and ready Harth for drying 4. Keinstocks as they are to be pick'd and beaten by a man 5. Harths for the Hungarian speizing or working 6. Copper Cake quench'd in a Cistern of Water by a
gratty slacks vvill devour the Iron stones quite in tvvice vvorking which they do not so easily to the Copper yet in time they do consume also so that they must be renevved once in a quarter of a year Section 9 Their time to melt is 23 hours in this they set into one Oven 66 to 70 Centner of roast oar and the oar vvill flovv like vvater and vvorks it self very fresh and there is nothing else to be taken to it but only the burnt Oar. Now when the Melter lifts off the uppermost slacks Section 9 which is very heavy and thick the rest under it will stand very clear and then with a great iron Ladle he pours them out which will run like lead so fresh as they are and the slacks look like a melted slack-stone But the lead creeps through the light dust in the Oven and hides it self under it near 23 hours and therefore the wild Sulphurish slacks cannot reach it nor the long during heat consume or devour it When the Melter hath observ'd his time then he Section 10 opens the Funnel below and takes out the light dust together with the slacks which are settled in it and whilst the Melter is drawing the dust out of the Oven a servant must gently pour water that the Melter may endure the heat and when all the dust is drawn out then the Melter with his fork stirs the Lead in the Oven below so that all the Lead may come together then he casts the Lead into the harth standing by the Oven and it must be kept warm continually Out of this he draws it into Cakes or sows of Lead Section 11 according to the old Fryberish Method and brings out of the 60 or 70 Centner of melted Oar in such a time well melted near three centner of Lead of which one centner contains 4 loths of Silver and the rest of the Lead and Silver will remain in the slacks and though there be almost as much yet remaining it is a Wonder that so much should be produced out of a poor contenty stubborn Oar. But if you would melt other Oars besides this after Section 12 the Goslarish Method you must be careful the Oar may vvork it self fresh for if it do not then you must help it for the light dust cannot suffer the very soft slacks also when the light lead Oar contains pretty much Silver and little Lead then at all times according to the condition of the Oars there may be added hard Lead that the Silver may have a refuge into the lead I must signify that in the melt Oven of the Goslarish Lead oars they lay on all four walls of the Oven a gray with a yellow mingled matter every Row or Lay as Section 13 thick as a straw bredth which they call Galmay used in the brass-melting and adding as you have heard in the end of the Third Book and this matter must be put out of the melt Oven after 8 or 9 Rows or Lays are made else the Oven will be too narrow so that no more can be melted in it with profit Deciphered 1. The The Walls of the Furnace 2. The Lines on them shews the Gradations of the Metal descending 3. The man that manageth the metal in the furnace 4. The back of the Furnace with the coals and pieces of metal flaming 5. The grand Test 6. The Oven for that Test 7. The pieces from the Test 8. The man that beats the Oar. 9. The pieces of Oar and Cinders 10. A heap of Charcoal 11. The water-troughs to wash the Oar in 12. The Pipes by which the foul water is cast out 13. The Instruments for the Furnace and Tests Sculpture XXXVI CHAP. IX Of melting Oars with Moll or Turf BECAUSE some years since the Miners and Smelters have pretended that all sorts of Oars might be melted with Sods or Turff as the Saxons call it I could not omit in this part but give the Reader my Judgment And because the Oars are not all of one sort but partly harsh and hardy and partly mild saft and flowing and that the Turf yields very heavy and much Ashes which in the Melt oven comes to be a slack almost like a Glass I judg it must not be used at all to the weak oars to which this separating Work is unprofitable for through their many heavy Ashes the weak flowing oars are hindered and the Oven thereby stopped and though you use half coals with it yet it would not turn to profit But what are harsh-hot-graty Oars especially roasted lead oars by help of Coals may be melted and it will be serviceable for they will work themselves more separable and deft so that one need not much other addition as aforesaid But if one would melt such harsh Oars with Turf only I fear the Oven will be stopped many times by which the work will be much hindred therefore I conclude it better to melt with Coals than with Moll Sod or Turf CHAP. X. How to prove Spelter or Wizmet Oar which some call Bizmuth SPELTER Oar is a white heavy Oar and Section 1 yields among other Oars the most flowing Metal which needs no singular Pains to melt it down But there are two sorts of melting it in the Wind and before the Bellows as will follow for if you will prove this Oar how much Spelter it may contain then grind it small and weigh a centner of it and two centners of the fluss before spoken of made of Argol and Saltpeter mingle it and put it in a Crucible covered wit Salt and cover it Lute it with Clay and boyl it up in a little Oven before the bellows like to a flowing Lead proof thus you will have the Spelter below in the Crucible like a lead Regulus draw it up after thy proof weight and you will find how much Spelter a centner of Oar yields but till of late we had not the vvay to melt so much out of the Oar as hath been found in the proof and the difference is alike for we finde almost the half part more in the little proof vvhen the Spelter Section 2 is melted out of it But as it hath been mentioned in the Tin-slacks vvhich by a strong fire vvill melt the remaining Tin so it is possible to do vvith the Spelter But to melt the Spelter out of the Oars tvvo methods Section 3 are used one by the wind the other by Bellows the vveakest sort of Spelter Oars are to be melted on the wind vvhich is to be done thus Take of the Oar and beat it to little pieces about the bigness of Walnuts and put it in little iron Pans set in order that they may spread abroad and set them in the field in the winde and make a fire of dry wood so that the wind may bring the flame into the pans upon the Oar thus the Spelter will flow quickly out of the Oar into the pans and when 't is almost
be proved the Sculpture following shews Sculpture XXXVIII Deciphered 1. The Tub in which the Lee is to be made out of which Salt-Petre is to be extracted and the Can or Vessel to put water into that Tub. 2. The lesser Tub into which the Vessel doth run 3. 4. The Master with his Ballance by which he proves the goodness of the Lee or Suds 5. The Lamin 6. The Candle 7. Pincers CHAP. IV. How the Lees or Suds shall be made out of the above-mentioned Earths Section 1 IF you will make a Lee of Salt-Petre Earth then boyl it if you have a great quantity and let it be cut open as deep as it is found good after your Proof and put it among one another in a dry place then cause Tubs to be made of the bigness that one may contain 10 Wheel-barrows of Earth so that you may have Lees enough according to the bigness of the boyl-work or greatness of the Kettle now know that there usually appertains to a common great boyl-work when the Kettle weighs two Centners of Copper eight Tubs set them in such order that on every side 4. and so the eight one over against the other must stand so far from one another that one with a Wheel-barrow may run betwixt them and the Tubs must stand an half Ell high from the ground and every one shall have a Tap-hole below and on the side in which may be put a Tap of Wood to be pulled out and there must lay below under the Tubbs a Channel in which the Lee may run together into Tubs or Sinks placed in the ground so as the ground may be higher than the tops of the Tubs Section 2 When the Tubbs are set then lay in every one a bottom of Wood full of holes which doth not lye up from the bottom above two fingers high and upon the same lay a bottom made to it on purpose of Sticks or Reeds which grows by Rivers or Ditches bound together a quarter of an Ell thick but if such stuff cannot be had then put upon the bottom full of holes some chopt Straw a span long and upon the same Straw lay small little Boards that it may remain together thus the Tubs are prepared then run the Earth with a Wheel-Barrow into it and when you can have old long-layen Tanners or Soap-boylers Ashes from old holes put two or three Wheel-barrows full of them below in the bottom then put the other Earth which you have proved and brought in also upon it and so do untill the Tub be full to a span breadth then lay it upon an hurdle or frame of Reeds and tye it fast and let water be poured upon it so much that it may remain standing a good square hand above the Earth but if one could have a convenience of letting the Water upon it with a Channel it were better and do this so long until the Water may remain a good square hand above the Earth and that it may be poured upon the Reeds or Hurdle that no hole may be caused in the Earth but remain even then let the Water stand upon the Earth near 8 hours then let the Lee run gently off below through the Tap-hole till it doth run muddy then pour the first Lee again upon the Earth and so do till it runs clear then run the Lees quite off and retain it and this Lees is called the Weak-Lees Section 3 Then pour upon the once extracted Earth common Water again and let it draw out the other Water which the first Water hath left in the Earth and this that then comes the second time is the after Water and is called watering out and such Water one may use instead of fresh Water upon new Earth and that which runs from it is called raw Lees which is strong enough to boyl and a Centner made of this common Earth doth usually contain 3 to 4 pound of Salt-Petre or above then put the extracted Earth out of the Tubs and renew it again constantly that one may have Lees enough to boyl day and night and need not delay boyling for want of Lees. Section 4 Also there must be set above near the Kettle a Tub out of which may run so much Lees into the Kettle as is boyled that the Kettle may remain continually boyling and always full then boyl this one day and night until a Centner of Lee may be taken out of the Kettle and may contain in the like Proof a quarter of a Centner or 25 pounds of Salt-Petre which may be done in two daies and one night Section 5 Then take two Tubs more prepared with bottoms full of holes and the sticks or red bottoms as aforesaid only above the stuff must be laid again a bottom full of holes and put straw upon it and then Ashes of good Wood of the best Elm mingle it together and moisten it with good warm Lees before it be put into the Tubs then being prepared put it into the Tubs an Ell high above the straw but if you can have the Ashes for a small price 't were better to put them together in it and then pour upon them the boyled Lees containing 25 pound boyling hot water let it run gently off and it will first come muddy therefore put in more till it run clear Section 6 When all the Lees is gone through both Ashes which is done that the Ashes may take the fatness of the Lees and become fit for washing and so retain of that which runs first off a part and put upon the extracted Ashes common hot raw Lees and let the Ashes be watered out with the same Lees which goes the second time through the Ashes and is called strong Lees then water it out the third time with hot Lees and this is called weak Lees after this the Ashesmay be watered out with common Lees untill the strength comes out of it By the following Sculpture you are taught how the Tubs are to be set and the Lees made and boyld from it Sculpture XXXIX Deciphered 1. The eight Tubs into which the Petre-Earth is to be put 2. The Pipe with a Brass Cock by which the Water is let into the eight Tubs 3. The Channel by which the Lees falls from each Tub and so into the Receiver 4. The Sink or great Receiver of the Lees. 5. The ninth Tub from which the Lees runs into the Kettle 6. The Oven wherein the Kettle stands 7. The Kettle on the top of the Oven 8. The Iron Door by which the Wood is to be put into the Oven under the Kettle 9. The Wind-hole in the bottom of the Oven 10. The Hole where the Oven may be seen into 11. The Iron Grate on which the Wood doth lay 12. The form of the Door by which the Oven may be lookt into being more largely Described than in Fig. 10. CHAP. V. How to Boyl Lees or Suds TAKE the weak Lees and put it in the Kettle and
boyl it and then let the strong be gently put into the Kettle and so boyl the first strong Lee which did run off with it till all comes in the Kettle and the Lees be strong enough and you must sometimes with a great Copper-Spoon full of holes stir the Lees about in the bottom of the Kettle for when the Lee yeilds Salt it will fall on the bottom of the Kettle then lift it out with the great Ladle and always take the scum from it then prove the strong Lee by droping one two or three drops upon a cold Iron and when the drops stand upon it like Butter that is when they flow not off when you turn the Iron then the Lees is strong enough or set the Lees in a little Copper Vessel upon cold water till it becomes cold then the raw Salt-Petre will show it self whereby you may see alwayes whether the Lee be strong enough which may be seen also upon the great Spoon wherewith you scum it for if the Lees draw it self into a Body like an Oyl the proofs are right now when the Lee is thus prepared then a hundred pound of it will contain in the proof very near seventy pound of Salt-Petre CHAP. VI. How to prepare Lees for the crude and raw Salt-Petre WHEN the Lee is prepared as above Section 1 put it out of the Kettle into a very strong Tub of good Wood let it stand in it till it cool a little and the dirt settles then the Salt will fasten it self in great Grains on the Wood and when the Lees is cool so that you may hold your finger in it then draw it off through a Tap which is to stand a span high from the bottom and put it into great deep Wooden Troughs or into Copper Kettles which must stand in the ground the colder they stand the better till the Salt-Petre grows and in this the raw Salt-Petre will grow almost two fingers thick partly white partly yellow and partly very black-brown When the Lee hath stood in the growth two daies and two nights draw off the Lee from the Salt-Petre and put it the second time over Ashes again with other strong Lee else it will be too fat and will not grow but when the Ashes are not good so that the Lee cannot grow then put strong Lee with other Lee over new good Ashes and boyl it again to grow as above likewise when the strong Lee in the making is very muddy in the Kettle and the Salt cannot fall because of the muddyness if this happen then only take out the Lee to the growth and let the remaining Lee purify through the Ashes Now how the Salt is to be taken out and how the strong Lee stands growing this following Sculpture will shew Sculpture XL. Deciphered 1. The long narrow Tubs wherein to cool the Lees. 2. The Oven wherein the Kettle is placed 3. The Master that makes and takes out the Petre and puts it into separating Baskets 3. The separating Baskets 4. The Tub out of which the strong Lee runs into the Kettle 5. The Melters in which the Salt Petre Improves 6. The four Kettles standing in the Ground wherein the Salt-Petre also improves it self 7. A strong Tub into which the Salt-Petre is to be cast as it improves CHAP. VII How to purify and cleanse the raw Salt-Petre WHEN the Salt-Petre is thus made and Section 1 the rest of the Lees drawn off lift up the Kettles or Trays and turn them to one end that the remaining Lee may run clear off then take a great Iron Spoon such as Bricklayers use and lift out the Salt-Petre with it out of the Kettles or Trays put it into a Tub with a hole below that the Lees may run clean off Section 2 Some Salt-Petre Boylers who sell the raw unpurified Earth-Petre they pour clean Well-Water upon it that it may be well washed from the most part of its redness and become white what is run off they put again to other strong Lee and boyl it the next boyling But if you will purify the raw Salt-Petre right and well Section 3 from its Salt and uncleanness to become fair and white do it thus When the raw Salt-Petre is a Centner or four cause the purifying Kettle to be cleansed and dryed pour in it so much Well-Water that the Salt-Petre may be dissolved in it then make a fire under it let the water be boyling hot and then put the Salt-Petre gently and easily in it and turn it about with the scumming Spoon that the Salt-Petre may be the sooner and easier dissolved But while you are pouring it into the Kettle let there Section 4 be but little fire under that the cleansing may remain warm and when the Salt Petre is almost all put into the water and melted and the cleansing begin to boyl then with the scumming-Spoon put some upon the ground and when the Salt-Petre hath set great Grains of Salt then lift it out which is better for it Section 3 When this is done and the cleansing begins to boyl then it brings up a black scum take that off and take a Copper Vessel which holds near 8 Loths of strong Lees and make it half full of the cleansing put it in cold water to cool it suddenly so the Salt-Petre will begin to shoot and this is called a Proof made then you will see whether the cleansing be yet too strong if it be there will come a skin over the Proof in the Vessel and if so then fill more warm water into the Kettle and keep it in such a strength that the cleansing in the Kettle may bubble then make a Proof out of the Vessel and when the cleansing shoots in it and in the midst do remain open so that it doth not close together then the Proof is right but if it grows together then fill more water till the Proof remain open and pour near a pint of Vinegar in the cleansing into the Kettle which will bring up a black scum for the cleansing will purify it self of it and when the scum is thick take it off and when the cleansing hath bubled a while longer pour in it so much good Vinegar as may keep it in continual bubling and then take the black off as at first this you may do the third time and pour on Vinegar till the cleansing be very clean and do cast up no more black scum Then take 3 or 4 loths of burnt-Allum beaten small and put it in the cleansed water stir it about and of this the Salt-Petre useth to yield fine long slacks and it hurts not the Salt-Petre then pour the cleansing in the before mentioned high slender Tub and cover it that it be not cold in the Tub let it stand an hour or two at most thus the yellow dirt will settle it self in the bottom then let the cleansing run out while 't is hot and pour it into a great wooden Tray or
durable than those which are done with oyl or gums l. 2. c. 4. s 1. see Nealing AMONIACK see Armoniak ANTIMONY T. Speiz and Speiz-glass which is properly Glass made of Antimony L. Stibium and it is also called by some Mineralists Red Lion Wolf and Proteus in respect of its various qualities It is a heavy bright Oar like Lead but more speizy and porous and less ponderous and some give it the name of white stone or imperfect Metal because they say it is the beginner or producer of Silver or Lead and the extracts made out of it are of singular Virtues of which his late Highness Prince Ruperts red drops were chimically made and given with good success for most Diseases l. 4. c. 17. AQUA FORTIS which for brevity is printed Fort. T. Scheid-wasser called by Lat. Chimists Aqua separatoria and is a composition of Nitre and Vitriol c. and this liquor is used for dissolving and separating Gold and Silver and hath many other excellent properties as may be collected from the 5 Books l. 2. c. 16. to c. 34. AQUA regis is a water made of Aqua fort and other compositions and is of a more strong and corrosive nature than aqua for t and it is observable the aqua for t is a specifick for silver and this aqua regis for gold for it will touch only gold and not silver l. 2. c. 28. Aqua argentea see Quick silver and metals Aqua Vitrioli see Vitriol and minerals Aqua dulcis see common water Aqua fontis see Spring water ARGOL T. Weinstein L. Tartarum and in English Tartar or the Lees of Wine which sticks to the sides of wine-Vessels hard and dry like a crust and therefore sometimes called Argol-stone from its compacted hardness and this is of great use in metallick Operations l. 1. c. 10. s 17. and other places l. 1. See Feces ARITHMATICK T. Rechenkunst L. Arithmatica the Art of Numbring or Reckoning according to the T. and this Art of all others is the most assisting to the Metallick Science in judging of the goodness of Metals after Fining and Refining them l. 1. c. 1. ARMENICK See Armoniack ARMONIACK T. gives it the Latine Name Bolus Armeni and we Bole Armoniack and I find these words of kin both in their Orthography and Pronuntiation viz. Amoniack Armenick and Armoniack The first Pliny tell us l. 24. is a Gum which he calls Gumma Amoniaci of a glutinous nature like other Gums and so may be used for Metallick Vessels The second viz. Armenick I find the word Sal always joyned with it and so called Sal Armenicus and this Salt was antiently accounted a natural Salt but that being now unknown to us we use the Armenicus which is made of the Vrine of Elephants or Camels as 't is said boyled to a Lixivium or Salt and called Sal Armenius or Armeniacus and this is of great use for purifying and refining of Metals To the third Armoniacus the word Bole is added I suppose for distinction sake Pliny c. 35. mentions a Stone which he calls Lapis Armeni of which he counts several sorts but the best of those he saith are of a blew colour and calls it verd de Azure being of great price and esteem with Painters but the common Armoniack he calls Synoper and we Synople from a City of that name where it was plentiful and 't is probable this is the same which we call Bole Armoniack being of a reddish colour and this is oft used by our Author and for distinction the word Gum is put to the first Salt to the other and Bolus to this which I write to prevent Errors in Medicines or Metallick Experiments l. 2. c. 20. ARSNICK T. Arsenick L. Auripigmentum We Orpine or Orpiment and commonly Rats-Bain being used to kill Rats of Arsnick there are two sorts yellow and red which some by mistake esteem to be red Oker Pliny l. 34. saith it is of the same substance with Sandarack and inclines to that Colour the best of which saith he resembleth Gold and therefore I suppose called yellow orpiment There is also a white or Christalline Arsnick which is compounded of Salt and the yellow Orpiment so becomes transparent like Christal and from thence is made the white Rats-bane and it may be observ'd this white consists of two parts viz. a crusty or external part and a Christaline or internal part and this makes metal brickle the other solid and of the Regulus of this mineral a good metal may be made l. 1. c. 14. s 1. See Sulphur ASHES T. Ashen L. Ciner A. Ashes and these are made so by the power of Fire from metals minerals stones bones earth and wood which puts me in mind of those trees which plentifully grows in England call'd Ashes T. Esschen or Asschen-Baum quod optimos cerneres efficiant Minslaw but the L. calls it Fraxinus and of this Ashen-wood I have seen the great effects of it at Yarmouth and Laistoff in Suffolk for with this wood and no other they dry their Herrings which is a profitable commodity to them and it seems that the Salt and drying Vapours of that Wood do cure for so is their term their Herrings of all malignities and doubtless that wood is most proper where it is to be used for dissolving metals and the ashes of it rather than any other for metallick uses except Bone-ashes and especially for Salt-Petre which is the Subject of the 5th Book l. 2. c. 20. s 5. See Dust Bone-Ashes Pulveration c. ASSAYER T. Probirer L. Probator A. Assayer or Tryer. To ASSAY T. Probiren L. Probare Which we call also to Assay Prove or Try Metals all intending the same thing though different in Dialect but there is another Word of the like signification which is written with an E. as Essayer and to Essay c. both are rendred by Dictionarys to Try L. Tentare Probare Now I think some have committed an Error herein and ought to have made a more clear distinction for I take Assaying to have relation only to things of Weight as Metals c. from the word As or Assis which signifies a pound Weight or 12 Ounces or the whole of any substance which may be divided into parts and especially applicable to the greatest or smallest Coins that are made of any Metal which many times were and still are of Copper or Brass which the L. call Aes and thereupon I suppose it is sometimes writ Essaying without a diphthong and so confounded these two words in their applications and to confirm my just distinction of them We read in the Stat. of H. 6. c. 12. that the Kings Officer of the Mint who as the Statute saith is indifferently appointed between the Master of the Mint and the Merchant which brings Silver thither to be minted is called the King's Assayer and not Essayer and in the Records Assaisiator not Essaisiator See Goldman 's Dict. And some latin Records render it metallorum prebendorum
Metals See Calcine and Ashes INCORPORATE or Incorporation that is when Metals are mixt they are called Incorporated or their Bodies joyned together and from hence Bodies Politick or a number of Men joyned in a Fraternity are called Incorporations because they consist of all sorts of Tempers and Metals l. 2. c. 1. s 2. INFUNDING Infusing and Infusion lib. 1. that is a pouring or putting in but the Infusion of Metals and of Plants have two ways of proceedures See Fusions INGOT called by that name in the Teutonick and English and is a little long Vessel wherein Gold is cast which Vessel is called an Ingot and the piece of Gold taken out of it hath the same Name l. 2. c. 47. and Sculp XXVIII Fig. 5. INSPERG is oft used in Erkern from Inspergo when one Metal hath certain parcels or sprinklings of other Metals whereby their goodness is seen before proving l. 4. c. 1. INSPISSATION is the method of Fixation of Metals INSTRICK is a Term of Art used to signify the first work in separation of Metals l. 3. c. 22. IRON and Steel see Metal T. Eysen Iron-man L. Ferrum and Chalybs l. 2. c. 20. s 2. See Oars JUG T. Krug Heb. Chug A. Jug or Pot so it seems we do retain the Word which is of little difference from the Hebrew KE K KE KETTLE T. Kessel L. Cacubus See Utensils KELL or Kiln or Kill for metallick Matters T. Kalck-Ofen L. Fornax and Calcaria A. Kill they are also used by that name for drying Malt c. See Furnaces and Ovens KEINSTOCKS I retain the word as very proper and is fully explained l. 3. c. 22. See Thornels LA L LA LADDER See Utensils LEACH l. 3. c. 26. this word I retain signifying hard work often mentioned by Erkern and the Etimology may be because such hard Work do occasion Le Ach on the Ach in the Joynts of the Operators LAMINS T. Bleck L. Lamina A. the Plates of Metals l. 4. c. 4. LAPIS LAZULI l. 1. of which Blew Vitriol is made LAPIS CALAMINARIS L. Cadmia see Cadmia Calaminaris and Stones LAPIS TUTIJ a Compound made of Calaminaris good for sore Eyes See Calaminaris and Stones LATTEN T. Latton Auri Chalcum and Orichalcum also Coronarius and is a Compound of Copper and Lapis Calaminaris and so cast into Forms and not wrought with Hammers in respect of its friableness or brittleness that which is also made of thin Plates of Iron and so Tin'd over is vulgarly called Latton See Plates Iron Tin LEAD T. Bley L. Plumbus it is called also Howel Aurum Philosophorum because it doth as it were govern Gold and other Metals in their Precipitations and from thence wee use this word to lead or conduct because this Metal doth as it were lead and conduct us to the knowledge of all other Metals l. 4. and several other parts see Metals and certainly no Metal hath more excellent effects in Chyrurgery than the Artificial Leads made of it under the names of white and red Lead and therefore it is put under the highest Planet Saturn slow in motion and sure in operation and of this virtual metal we have as good and as great quantities in England and Wales proportionably as in any parts of Europe besides the great quantity of Silver contained in it But before I close this Discourse because it was omitted in the word Ceruse I must inform you that for this common Lead which is a natural Metal and plentiful in all our Mine-Countries there are Mills erected such as the Society for the Mines Royal have in Wales where they make white Lead which is only a product of that Metal Lead corrupted with Vinegar or Vrine and afterwards being ground in the Mills and formed into a white colour is called white Lead and after that Refined and then hath the name of Ceruse which yields the best and most perfect white and at these Mills there is made also red Lead of the common Metal Lead and is brought to that colour only by the Art of using Fire to it and both being thus made as well the red as the white are of excellent use not only for Painters c. but to all Chirurgeons as I have said There is also a mineral Lead which we call Black Lead something like Antimony but not so shining or sollid of which sort I know but of one Mine in England and this yields plenty both for our selves and other Nations and this Mine is in Cumberland which they open but once in seven years I suppose the reason is least they should dig more then they can vend this also is used by Painters and Chyrurgeons c. with good success especially being mixt with the products of Metals and of late it is curiously formed into cases of Deal or Cedar and so sold as dry Pencils something more useful than Pen and Ink. There is also a white Mineral in England called white Chalk tending to a transparency but of a Leadish quality and therefore I place it here rather than under Earths or Stones LEAD GLASS See Fluss LEATHER See Utensils LIMBECK T. Alimbick L. Alimbicus quia extrahendo materiam lambit Minshaw and also called sublimatorium quia materiam evehat in sublime and he saith it is an Arabian word but in short it is a kind of an Oven or Furnace made of Metals vulgarly called a Still and used more for distilling Waters than Metals and is sometimes mentioned by Erckern but chiefly as an Helmet to the Athanor or great Furnace l. 2. c. 32. s 7. Now of these Stills I deny not but those which we commonly use are very fit for their purposes but I have contrived one whereof I have made often Tryals which perform the like with much less fire and less trouble because the fire need not to be tended but once in 10 or 12 hours and the Waters of several sorts which I have Distilled in it are every way as effectual but the manner and way of Distilling therein doth every day improve in my Experiments and when it is fitted to effect all the intents and purposes of the common Stills with some additions which they cannot perform I shall divulge the Invention without Patent or any expected Reward but thanks See Quick-silver LIMETS See Files LIME CALX I have writ something of this under the word Calcine but now I shall speak of Lime or the Calx of Lime-stone or Chalk-stone which Calx is used both in Cementings Lutings and in melting of Metals with other Ingredients but the great use of this Lime is to make Mortar for Buildings and therefore I shall refer it to the word Mortar only observe this That when Lime-stone or Chalk whilst it is immediately from the Pit or Quarry because it is properly a Stone though of a soft nature is called unslack't or unburnt Lime but when it is burnt called slack't and so all Metals unburnt or burnt may be also called unslack't or slack't and the
dig'd a pretty large stone which we tumbled in and the noise of its motion pleased us then they dig'd a second stone as much as six of us could well roul in for the mouth of the hole was declining and presently laid our ears to the ground and we could tell eight score distinctly before the noise of its motion ceased and then to our apprehensions it seemed to plunge it self into water and so we tryed a third stone of more than the former Magnitude with the like Observations which pleased the Labourers with the Addition of our Gratuity From thence we went to Buxton's Wells bath'd our selves that night and the next morning of which I shall speak more in the word Waters we went to the Devils Arse of Peak saving your Reverence as the learned Mr. Cambden expresseth his Civilities where we saw a large hole in the bottom of a steep hill on the top of which stood an antient decay'd Castle of which you may read more in his Britania We had Candles and saw as much as we could till we were hindered by running Streams Now of these two Holes there are many fabulous stories but some years after upon viewing other Mines and their Shafts and Audits to them I apprehended that this Eldon-hole vvas an antient Shaft made in the Roman's time to a Mine and that the Devils arse was the Mouth of an Audit to that Mine and I am the rather of that Opinion because I conceive That the Level of the Water vvhich stopt our further passage into that Audit Arse or Fundament of the Mine is level with the Water at the bottom of Eldon-Hole and the word Arse may be applyed upon two accounts first that upon a Mistake of the word Arse for the Latine word Ars or Art where the Romans when they brought out their Oars of Lead and probably made Silver of it and did thereby shew their Ars Metallica which the British not being latiniz'd cal'd Ars and as an Art which they did not understand they as the Vulgar do yet attribute it to the Devil and so call'd the Devils Arse or Ars diabolica as we see in the Weapon Salve or Sympathy Pouder the knowledg of which two great Secrets were attributed to the Devil as we may see by Godelmanus and other Books till they were convinc'd of their Error or it might come from Arce the Ablative of Arx Latine for a Castle and probably this Castle was originally built to protect the Treasure which came out of the Hole under it or to keep the Miners in aw there being the like Castle at the Roman Mines on the Darren Hills in Wales and possibly the Governour of it being severe in his Duty the Vulgar as they are apt to do in any regular Government might call him and it Diaboli Arx and since opprobriously the Devils Arse but I have said enough as an Apology for the Word and for my Opinions therein I conceive they are not so fabulous as those which are told in the Country about these two Holes Here my Friend interrupted me and ask'd how Eldon Hole from the usual proportion of a Shaft came to be so large as I described it I answered That Gutta cavat lapidem and if one drop by often cadency will make a hole in a stone it is easy to be credited That the fall of Clouds of Waters from the time that this was a Shaft being about 2000 years might well widen it from Virgil's dimension of 3 ulna's yards or ells square for I conceive he meant the Shaft of a Mine to this great Dimention at which he smiled and so I went on Sir said I the next two Summers we made a further Insight to several mines Caves with no little danger which I refer to other Discourses and also their several wayes in their operations at those Mines Some few years after the Wars came on where my Speculations were improv'd by the information I had at Oxford that the Royal Mines in Wales were very helpful to his late Majesty during those Civil Wars as I have shewn And after the Wars viz. 1650. telling these Stories to Mr. W. B. he told me He had a share in the Society for the Mines Royal and desired to transferre it to me in trust which I accepted and did execute it for near 10 years after and then resign'd it but the Societys finding my Diligence and Insight into that Affair were pleased to bestow two quarter parts on me to continue me and as a Testimony of my Gratitude in Anno 1670 I writ a Book of their Priviledges and Rules which I called Fodinae Regales and dedicated it to them with a promise to proceed in the publishing of Erckern which now I have done and some other pieces which I hope to do And thus Sir said I to my Friend I have given you an Account of several Links of this Chain which guided me into this Laborinth of Metals But to get out of it that which I aim at is to write a little more of their Products and to offer some Expedient how the Mines may be made more profitable to his Majesty and to other Proprietors with some Advantages to the Societies which God willing I shall perform in due time and then we parted he wishing me good Success to my Endeavours And so I went on where I left namely to Acquaint the Reader that Erckern doth tell us of several Mines in Germany p. 28. especially in Austria p. 285. Bohemia Belgia Flanders p. 170. Hungary p. 103. and Saxony p. 77. he also mentions the particular Cities and Villages to which they belong and where they are refined viz. at Brussells p. 170. Cracow p. 208. Cuttenburgh p. 142. Friburgh p. 6. Galmay p. 285. Goslar p. 78. Hessen p. 285. Holland p. 170. Joakims-Valley p. 34 Islenburgh p. 285. Caufingen p. 285. Knien p. 100 where he saith the Mines contain good Duke-Gold Lick-beter Manhren p. 4. Meichsen p. 4. Misâ—ia p. 6. Norimberg p. 86. Saxen p. 4. Schwath Slackenward p 83. Shesron p. 4. Sorath Suevia p. 285. and Suabem Tyrol p. 285. Villach and Waldenburg and many other places which he and Geographers do mention See Heylen and therefore I think fit also to mention the Counties of England Wales wherein Royal Mines have been discover'd to us viz. in Bedforshire Cheshire Cornwal Cumberland Darbyshire Devonshire Dorsetshire Durham Essex Glocestershire Hereford-shire Kent Lancashire Monmothshire Notinghamshire Northumberland Rutland-shire Shropshire Somersetshire Staffordshire Sussex Warwickshire Westmorland Worcestershire Yorkshire and in all the twelve Counties of Wales so as of the 52 Counties there are 38 of them Metallick Counties but in many of the rest viz. Barkshire Buckinghamshire Cambridgshire Hampshire Hartfordshire Huntingtonshire Leicestershire Lincolnshire Middlesex Norfolk Northamptonshire Oxfordshire Suffolk Surry Wiltshire there are good Minerals but in some of them neither Metal Mineral or good Quarries and yet they are recompenced some other wayes Now though Germany