Selected quad for the lemma: water_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
water_n	let_v	put_v	strain_v	4,592	5	10.4585	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A09740	A discovery of subterraneall treasure viz. of all manner of mines and mineralls, from the gold to the coale; with plaine directions and rules for the finding of them in all kingdoms and countries. And also the art of melting, refining, and assaying of them is plainly declared, so that every ordinary man, that is indifferently capacious, may with small change presently try the value of such oares as shall be found either by rule or by accident. Whereunto is added a reall experiment whereby every ignorant man may presently try whether any peece of gold that shal come to his hands be true or connterfeit [sic] ... Also a perfect way to try what colour any berry, leafe, flower, stalke, root, fruit, seed, barke, or wood will give: with a perfect way to make colours that they shall not stayne nor fade like ordinary colours. ...	Plattes, Gabriel, fl. 1638-1640.	1639 (1639)	STC 20000; ESTC S100866	25,150	76

again upon the silver till such time as that it had carryed up all the silver from the bottome of the glasse into branches like trees then I melted downe the silver and sined it and parted it with Aqua-fortis and had divers graines of pure good gold abiding all tryalls but the quantity would not pay for halfe the charges and labour I made the Regulus thus I took 4. ounces of Iron in stub nailes and made them red hot in a crusible and then I put to it 8. ounces of crude antimony and melted it downe and when it was well and thin melted I let it coole in the pot so knockt off the regulus from the lop or cynder which lay upon the top of it then I did the like with 4. ounces of Copper in thin plats then I mixed equall parts of these two and melted them 3. or 4. times every time casting into the pot halfe an ounce of salt peter as it was in melting to purifie it till it was pure bright almost like silver but yet brittle so that I could beat it in a Morter to fine powder The yellow silver that was like yellow horn did Amalgam with much difficulty grinding with salt and vinegar and some of it was lost doe what I could but the first silver was water silver which I bought at the refiners out of which they had taken all the gold before this did Amalgam very easily then I strained it to a Ball through a Leather skinne and so mixed it with the yellow sublimate that was tincted yellow with the tincture of Iron and Copper The proportion of the quick-silver to the silver was 5. or 6. parts to one If any one doubt the truth of Alchimy he may be satisfied by this triall but in stead of gaine he shall pay for his learning by going away with losse I doe not deny but there are workes of lesse losse and charge yet none of them lucrous by reason of the change of times For if any one will uphold me as good a lease or purchase of land as I can prove by credible records hath bin had in former times for an ounce of gold I will undertake to make an ounce of gold by Art to pay for it and yet have a good bargaine But the difference of times hath confounded this Art as may appeare more plainly beneath First in ancient times a mans worke was not worth above a penny a day which now is worth two shillings sixe pence a day as may appeare by ancient records for buildings and the like so that there is thirty to one losse in the workmanship Secondly then coales vessels other things necessary for these affaires did cost little in respect of the charge now Thirdly when the gold was made it would then have bought thirty or forty times as much either lands leases victuals or workmanship as now So that I conclude that then the owners of this Art might gaine 30. or 40. for one and yet now they shall lose extreamly The cause that moved me to search so much into these affaires was because I saw by the bookes that so divers men in divers ages and in divers Countries did agree in one tale wherby I conceived it unpossible to be a lye now I conceive it might be true but that the times have made an alteration CHAP. 10. Wherein is shewed the operations for some of the inferiour Mineralls AS for these base Minerals viz. Cinabar naturall Antimony Sulphur Auripigment Arsenick Talcum Muscovy glasse Emery and many other things of like nature because they are of small value and not worth the seeking for on set purpose I will omit further to discourse of them if any man shall find them or any of them by accident let him use his owne pleasure skill and industry in the proceeding of them Neverthelesse because Cinabar naturall may containe much quick-silver which is very usefull for many things may prove as beneficial as a good mine of mettal especially if it shall be found in great plenty I wil therfore shew the refining separating purifying of the same in smal proportion so that if it shal be found a profitable work then the finder thereof may proceed to a greater work The first thing then to be done is to consider of the weight therof if it be very ponderous reddish in colour and ful of cleare streakes shining almost like the streaks of Antimony then it is a good signe of a rich Mine The first trial to be made thereof is to weigh a peece thereof and so put it into a gentle fire for an houre or two in such sort that it may onely be red hot then to let it coole and to weigh it againe so by the lightnesse thereof being compared with the former weight you may iudge somewhat of the richnesse thereof Then take a pound thereof beat it into fine powder mingle it well with as much unslect Lime put it into a retort of glasse luted with Potters clay and some horse dung well beaten and tempered together then set it in a little furnace in your Chimny corner force it with fire 12. houres let it be kept red hot the last 4. houres and let the nose of the glasse enter into another glasse filled almost full of water in such manner that the vapours of the Cinabar must needs enter into the water for the better condensation thereof into quick-silver This done separate your quick-silver in the bottom of the water and drie it and weigh it if you find the quantity considerable then you may proceed in this manner First make an hole in the earth with very good tempered clay that wil hold water and let it be narrow in the bottome and wider and wider above to the toppe to the breadth of 2. or 3. or 4. yards then fill the Pit with water lay over it barres of iron of sufficient strength and thicknesse to beare the burden that must lye upon it and let them lye so neare together that the stones wood cannot fal through then lay thereupon a leere of drye wood and a leere of your red stone not broken small and so doe againe till it be a yard thick or more then give fire to it on the wind side and goe away out of the danger of the fumes till you see a far off that the fire is finished and burned quite out Then repaire to your worke and let out the water through a pipe of Lead which should be formerly laid almost at the bottome of the Pit into another pit neare to it made so deepe that it may receive the water and in the bottome you shall finde great store of Quick-silver if the Mine was good The water may be pumped up againe to serve the next day for the same use and you need but to take up a few of the bars of Iron every day to goe downe into the pit to take out your Quick-silver

weight of Allom 12. graines of Tartar finely beaten put all into a Tinne vessel which is better than earth lead or copper set it on a Trivet to dissolve the Allom upon a gentle fire as soone as it beginneth to boile take a peece of white wollen cloth well scoured with Sope fullers earth or Lee or altogether to take out the grease of it being wel washed out with faire water then dryed in the aire or Sun not by the fire the cloth must weigh but halfe an ounce then tie a thrid to the end of the cloth when the liquor beginneth to boile then put in the cloth let it boile an houre then take out the cloth let it coole wash it in two or three waters then take any berry leafe flower stalke root fruit seed barke or wood and bruise them wel put them in faire water and boyle them with a gentle fire to extract the tincture then put in the cloth formerly prepared which wil shew what Colour they will give To make the Float Boyle an Hogs-head of water then cast in a Bushell of wheate Branne then draw the fire then let it stand three or foure dayes till it grow sowrish But for small tryalls a little will serve observing proportion betweene the Water and the Branne A proportion must be observed in the allowing of all stuffes before they receive their colours First the proportion of Allom to the water which is one of Allom to 16. of water and floate Secondly the proportion of the Tartar to the Allom which is one of Tartar to 4. of Allom Thirdly the proportion of Allom to the Cloath which is one of Allom to five of the Cloath Note that all silkes must be Allomed cold or else they will lose their luster The way to finde what tincture is hidden in any vegetable or in any part thereof Take the vegetable being cut green stamp and grind the same as if it were to make iuice thereof then presse out the superfluous moisture the remainder make up in Balls and lay them up together that they may gather a little heat but let them not heat too much for then they will turne to dung these being sufficiently fermented must be dryed and afterwards used as Oade is used Another way as Indico is made Make a pit with Timber and boards about a foote deep and as wide and as long as you please being well clayed in the bottome and sides then fill this pit with any vegetable cut greene then put as much water to it as wil cover the herbes let it stand exposed to the Sunne two or three daies then with a plugge at the bottome draw out all the water and cast it away then fill the pit againe with fresh water and when it hath stood the like time draw it away as the former this do so often till you find that the herbe will be easily brought into a mussilage then it must be trod and beaten with wodden instruments like rammers til it wil come al to a mussilage then it must be taken and wrung through haire Sives like Cassia Fistula extracted to keepe the stalkes and great Fibres for passing through afterwards the Mussilage or pappe that passeth through must be dryed in the Sunne and so formed into Cakes like to Indico Another way Take the vegetable cut greene and stampe and grind it then take an Hogs-head and fill it with halfe water and halfe bruised herbes set it out of the Sunne with the bung hole open two or three inches till it firment and worke like Wine or Beere after it hath done working the Herbes will sinke which at the first did swimme and the liquor will grow a little sowrish then let it be set abroad in the Sunne and brought into vinegar as wine and Beere is brought into vinegar and then that colour can never bee stained with other Vinegar or Vrine because it is sufficiently impregnated and his appetite satisfied with his owne proper Vinegar when his substance is thus turned into Vinegar the cleare Vinegar must be drawne from it the remainder must be used as the former Indico and some water to that to bee sure to fetch out all his tartarous mussilage must be put to the Vinegar and dryed away in the Sunne and so they come like Indico In tincturamtartarizatam fixam Ide occulto in manifestum And whereas Barkes Woods and Rootes are of a drye composition and will not ferment of themselves with water like greene Herbes or vegetables therefore they must be well ground or thinne shaven and there must bee added in stead of Water Iuice of Grapes Peares Apples or Wort made of Malt or other graine into which the Wood Barke or Rootes must be put let them ferment together and afterwards be turned into Vinegar then the cleare Vinegar must be extracted be residue of the tincture must bee extracted with fresh water and both of them must be breathed away in the Sunne as before and so brought in his perfect tincture By this which hath beene declared in this Chapter it may appeare to every one having an inquisitive disposition what is the true naturall cause why some colours are fixed and wil not staine with vinegar urine nor yet fade with the Aire which hath in it a certaine acetosity or sharpe aiery salt of the nature of vinegar which those tinctures draw to them which have not their appetites fully satisfied before with such spirituall or aiery salts and this is further manifest for that all such tinctures which are most firme fixed are not subiect to staining or fading being tasted upon the tongue may be felt somewhat sharpish or sowrish And the cause of this appetitive and attractive vertue in colours is no other but the very same which is betwixt the Load-stone and Iron for take the Load-stone and burne it till all his blew vapour be exhaled and then he will draw no more Iron thereby shewing plainely that it was that aiery salt tincted with the venereall or vegetable greennesse which the iron thirsted after to satisfie his thirsty and drye nature and constitution which he got by his calcination and fusion And the like attraction may be discerned by the intellectuall eyes in anything that is strongly burnt so that all his spirits are exhaled as Lime will draw the aiery substance to him and thereby quench himselfe Also Tartar burned and laid in the Aire will draw the sharper part of the aire to it and thereby dissolve it selfe and in summe all corporeal substances the more they have lost their spirituall parts by naturall or artificiall operation the stronger is their Attractive vertue Now in stead of filling the Readers head with Proclamations I will conclude my Booke with giving case to his memory by prescribing what necessaries he is to provide for the accomplishing of his severall designes in his Voyages or Plantations whither his occasions shall draw him And first for him that will onely trie his fortunes in the searching for Mineralls He will neede nothing but two or three Pipkins two or three Vrinalls an Iron Picke-Axe wel steeled a Spade and a Crow of Iron if he will be at the charge thereof but there is no great necessity also if he bee not acquainted with the severall Oares of mettalls it will be convenient that he take with him a little peece of every sort of Oares or so many severall kindes as he can get And for him that would proceede further to trye the value of them himselfe he must provide these things following A Grate of Iron of a foote broad some Bricks two paire of good hand-bellowes a paire of Tonges some Lead Salt-Peter Sandiver Borax Flanders melting Pots a ring of Iron for the Test an hatcher or hand-saw to cut wood some good Aqua fortis Weights and Scales and if any man be not active handed he may have a man for a trifle to shew him the Manuell practice in a day before he goe his voyage And for him that will search for Dying stuffes hee may see in the last Chapter what things he shall stand in neede of Also the other Chapters may be perused whereby every one may be the better accommodated for their severall enterprises FINIS

craggy Rocks and Mountaines in the beginning but this appeareth to bee an Opinion whereby great dishonour may reflect upon the Creator who besides his Omnipotent power doth continually make use of his admirable Wisdome and exquisite Artifice in all his Workes and made nothing deformed or unfit for the use for which it was created Now the Earth being ordained to beare Fruits for the use of Men and Rocks are not fit for that purpose it plainely appeareth that they came by accident Some others have thought that they came by accident but yet that they were produced by accretion in length of time even as Warts Tumours Wenns and Excrescences are engendred in the superficies of mens bodies and of this Opinion I my selfe was in my minority till such time as by practicall experience I found out a more probable opinion Now for a plaine demonstration let this Experiment following bee tryed and I make no question but that it will satisfie every one that hath an inquisitive disposition Let there bee had a great retort of Glasse and let the same be halfe filled with Brimstone Sea-coale and as many bituminous and Sulphurious subterraneall substances as can bee gotten then fill the necke thereof halfe full with the most free earth from stones that can be found but thrust it not in too hard then let it bee luted and set in an open Furnace to distill with a temperate Fire which may onely kindle the said substances and if you worke exquisitely you shall finde the said Earth petrified and turned into a Stone you shall also finde cracks and chinkes in it filled with the most tenacious clammy and viscous parts of the said vapours which ascended from the subterraneall combustible substances Whereby it appeareth that the same thing is done by Nature and that the Rocks and craggy Mountaines are caused by the vapours of Bituminous and Sulphurious substances kindled in the bowells of the Earth of which there bee divers so well knowne that they neede not bee heere mentioned Also it appeareth that the veines of Mettalls are engendred in the crackes and crannies of the said Mountaines out of the most clammy and glutenous part of the said vapours there adhering where the cold gave them leave to bee congealed and condensed Now concerning the exaltation of the Mountaines above the Vallies it appeareth to come to passe by the water in former times whose property is to weare away by its motion the most loose earth and to leave the more firme ground and rockie places highest but whether this was done by Noahs Flood or by the Sea in former Ages is doubted As for my opinion I referre the Reader to my Booke formerly mentioned and if any man be in doubt of this let him take the Stone formerly made by Art and place it so that the motion of the water may worke upon it and you shall finde it worne most in the loosest places and least in the more firme compacted places thereby shewing the naturall cause of Mountaines and Valleyes Also if a River should bee turned out of its course and the bottome thereof accurately considered upon how the water by his motion hath worne away the Earth most in the loosest Earth and least in that which is more firme it doth evidently demonstrate the naturall cause of Hills and Vallies and the unevennesse of the Earth caused by the motion of the Sea in former Ages CHAP. 2. Wherein is shewed the signes of Mines and Minerals with the manner how to worke to find the same WHen we come to the Rocky and Craggy Mountaynes the first thing we are to observe is the barrennesse of them For the more barren they are the greater probability there is that they containerich Mines and Minerals The next worke is to finde out the Springs of Water issuing out of the said Mountaynes and those being found a quantity of the sayd water is to be boiled in a new cleane pipkin to the consistency of thinne Oyle but not so thicke as a Syrrup and when it is almost cold then to put it into an Vrinall and to set it in the coldest place that can be found for 3 daies then to play the Physitian and to observe it exquisitly what residence it yeeldeth if nothing settle but a black earth or mudde it is a signe of Coales if some part thereof shoot into Ice or a substance like Ice or Vitrioll then to observe the colour thereof if it be greene or blewish it is an evident signe of Copper if whitish then it may signifie any other Mettall without exception The next worke is to goe to the bare Rocks and there to finde out the clifts cracks and cranies this done to goe to the toppe or till you finde some Grasse growing right upon the top of the said Cranies and then to observe diligently the kinde of that Grasse and how it differeth from other Grasse ordinarily growing in the same Mountaine not onely in forme but also in colour which colour sheweth the greatest difference in the heat of Summer for the subterraneall Vapours issuing out of the Orifice of Mines differ from those which issue out of the more solide places of the Mountaines The next worke is to see if there bee any marcasites to be found in the superficies of the said Mountaines which though they are usually of divers colours and seldome good for any thing yet they are strong signes of Mineralls within being themselves the spume and froth of the better Mettals breathed forth even as Drinke breatheth up his Yest or Froth to the Superficies And these if they be put in an ordinary fire they will turne blacke and yeeld a smell of Brimstone Arsnicke Antimony or some other thing commonly called or knowne by the name of a middle Minerall The next worke is to trie the operation with the Virgula divina as beneath is declared and where it sheweth the strongest signes as is likewise beneath taught and also the place is most accompanyed with the other signes formerly mentioned there by digging or boaring to try your fortunes The operation with the Virgula divina is thus to be performed some observe a set day and houre with certaine words and Ceremonies at the cutting up of the same which I have found to bee little to the purpose thus I wrought about Midsomer in a calme morning I cut up a rod of Hasell all of the same springs growth almost a yard long then I tyed it to my staffe in the middle with a strong thred so that it did hang even like the Beame of a Ballance thus I carryed it up and downe the Mountaines where Lead growed and before Noone it guided mee to the Orifice of a Lead mine which I tryed having one with me with an hacke of Iron and a Spade and within two houres we found a veine of Lead Oare within lesse than a foot of the grasse the signes that it sheweth is to bow down the root end towards the earth as though

augmentation you shall know the worth of the royall mettall contained in the Copper If you will trye whether the Copper contained any gold in it put the assay viz. the little Bead or pearle of silver into good Aqui-fort is well purified before and if all dissolve then the Coppcr held no gold but if it leave a black powder undissolved that is gold for Lead holdeth no Silver that hath any gold in it at all therefore it is evident that the Gold came out of the Copper But if it happen as often it doth in the refining of base Mettals especially Tinne Iron and Copper that the little Bead or Pearle remaining in the middle of the Test is not bright and shining like the eye of a Bird or Fish but rough blacke and full of scurfe then if it be but a little in quantity an I that the Test be not cracked not ●●ll of lifts then put to it some more of the same Lead whereof you know the goodnesse and drive it off againe as you did at the first and re-iterate this worke till the assay be pure and cleane like a little Pearle or Bead as it ought to be But if it happen that the Test is very foule as often it commeth to passe in the Refining of strange Minerals as Marcasites and especially those which the Minerallists call by the name of Divells Dirt Then there is no way but to let all coole and then to digge it out and with more Lead to melt it anew in a Pot and then to let it coole and then to breake the Pot and to beate off the Cynder with an hammer till you come to the malleable Mettall and you may be assured that no royall Mettall will stay in the Cinder but sinke downe into the Lead through an attractive vertue betwixt them CHAP. 7. Wherein is shewed the Operations of Silver AS for the melting thereof when it is found in the Mine of Lead the Operation is taught in the Chapter of the Lead but if it be found by it selfe or mixed with Gold without Lead as many times it commeth to passe then it is to be beaten to powder and mixed with Sandivere and Salt-Peter without any filings of Iron and so melted downe like the Lead Oare only the fire must be somewhat stronger Then it is to be melted with foure times as much Lead whereof you know the goodnesse and so to be refined as before is declared But whereas sometimes this Oare is so strongly mixed with Sparre and stony substances that it cannot be separated therefrom by any common manner of worke used by the refiners then this course is to be taken with it First beate it into small powder then wash away with water the greatest part of the terrestreity and filth then drye the powder and use it in this manner First melt foure ounces of Lead and when it is melted put to it foure ounces of quick-silver made hot in another melting pot but let the Lead be almost cold before you put to the Quick-silver but yet it must be done whilst that the Lead is liquid This done cast it into an Iron Morter set warme before upon Embers and it will be like Pap then presently with a Pestell labour in one ounce of your powder or two at the most till it be incorporated or so much thereof as will incorporate for the strong and earthy substance will not incorporate with the Lead and Quicke-silver by any Artifice whatsoever but the silver if any there be will forsake the Earthy and stony substance and ioyne it selfe with the Lead and Quick-silver by an attractive vertue This done put it altogether into a melting Pot with a little Sandivere and Salt Peter and melt it downe as you did the Lead Oare onely this must be observed that the sire must be more milde at the fitst a great deale till the Quick-silver be evapourated and more strong at the last that all may slow well together Then take out the Pot and let it coole then breake it and with an hammer beate off all the Cynder and Scurfe till nothing be left but malleable mettall Then refine it according to the common manner before declared and cast up with your Penne the augmentation that is more than the Lead yeelded of it selfe and if there be no augmentation then that Minerall stone contained neither gold nor silver for this is the most exquisite way in the world to reduce gold or silver which is hard to be reduced to a mettallicall body through being strongly mixed with either corrosive substances or any other filth which hindreth his reduction therefore if this way faile you may set your heart at rest for the seeking out of any other devices whatsoever though the glistering sparkes contained in the said Minerall doe never so strongly invite you and you may conclude with the old saying that all is not gold that glisters But if it prosper and yeelds any augmentation that is considerable then if you desire to know whether there was any Gold mixed with the Silver as oftentimes there is where silver is sound without lead then put the little bead or pearle of silver which remained on the Test into Aqua-fortis and if all dissolve then there is no glold in that Mineral but if a black powder remaine then that is gold and the quantity may be found by further triall CHAP. 8. Wherein is shewed the Operations of gold and reall experiments whereby any man may presently trye whether any peece of gold bee true or counterfeit without defacing or altering the forme thereof As for the melting of it if it be found mixed with silver Oare as oftentimes it commeth to passe then it is to be melted refined and parted from the silver with Aqua-fortis as is before declared and if there bee not five times as much silver as there is gold in the composition then you must put to so much or else the Aqua-fortis will not dissolve it But if it be found in graines or powder as often times it is then you must put to it Borax in stead of Sandiver and Salt Peter and so melt it downe as you did the other Oares before mentioned Now for so much as this mettal is the most rich of all the rest and most thirsted after I wil enlarge my Discourse for the gaining of means to find it out also I wil shew the reason why this royal Mettal is many times found pure of it selfe with little or no mixture of other base mettal with it And first whereas it is oftentimes found in the sand in Rivers let no man thinke that it could be generated there but that the swift motion of the water from the high Mountaines brought it thither with earth and altogether till such time as the motion of the Water grew more slow and so according to its property being not able to carry forward stil both the substances did still carry the earth with it and let the heavier body sinke Therefore

I would have those that have occasion to deale in the hot Countries where gold is usually generated to make triall in all such Rivers which runne from great Mountains with a swift course in such places where the motion of the water beginneth to grow slow And for this purpose he may have a little Bucket of Iron that will not lie in the bottom but on one side which side must have a shooe like a shovell so that being drawne a little forward as it lyeth in the bottome it will fill it selfe with sand which you may try by grinding it with Quick-silver whether it containe any gold for if there be any gold in the sand it will mixe with the quick-silver willingly then you may wash away all the sand and streine the quick-silver through a skinne of leather and if any gold be gathered into it there wil remaine a Ball in the Leather then you may evapourate the Quick-silver from the Ball in a melting pot and so melt downe the gold with a little Borax Also sometimes gold is found in Rivers in powder and graines farre distant from any mountaines of swift motion of water this plainly demonstrateth that the earth therabout containeth gold a thing usually in hot Countries and that the water in that place had a convenient motion to weare away the earth and to leave the gold behind and this is manifestly seene by experience where they wash whole mountains of earth with water thereby to separate the gold from it Now whereas I have formerly affirmed that al mettals in general are generated of the clammy and gluttenous part of the subterrancall vapours arising from from Bituminous and Sulphurous substances kindled in the bowells of the earth it behooveth me to shew how gold such a sixed substance can be found pure of it selfe and not mixed with other base mettals And the reason of this can be no other but because that all other mettalls whatsoever will putrifie in the earth in length of time turne to earth againe but gold wil never putrifie by reason of his excellent composition being made of a Balsamick Sulphure or fatnes which is incombustible and distereth from the Sulphure or fatnes contained in the other mettalls even as naturall Balsome differeth from all other oyles fat substances so that though it be an oyle in shew yet it wil sink in water whereas all other oyles wil swimme upon the top of the water And this is the cause why gold sinketh so eagerly in water which may be proved by weighing a 20. shillings peece of gold against his Brasse weight and then letting his scales sink in a Bason of water 3. or 4. inches deep the gold wil there over-weigh the brasse about 9. or 10. grains by reason that the brasse is more enclined to swimming through the cumbustible fatnes or sulphure in its composition and as for the 20. shillings peece so for any other peece of gold whatsoever according to its several brasse weight you may in like manner try whether it be true or counterfeit Now whereas the substance of gold is not subiect to putrifie in the earth by any length of time it is probable enough that other mettalls might be generated with it at the first and afterward putrified consumed from it in length of time leaving the gold pure For I have drawne Iron or a substance much like to filings or attoms of Iron out of graine gold that was brought from Gynnie with a Load-stone which seemed to bee Iron not fully putrified and turned into earth And the reason why the hotter the Country is the richer the Minerals are can be no other but the same that roasted meates are sweeter than boyled meates or raw meates the reason whereof is plaine for that the rawish and unsavory part is exhaled by the heate of the fire leaving the sweeter part behind Even so in hot Countries all that part of the subterraneall vapours which here is condensed into Lead and other base mettalls can there have no leave to congeale by reason of the heate but is all or most part thereof exhaled out of the Mines leaving behind the royall mettals whose property is to coagulate with heat whereas the property of the base mettalls is to evapourate with heate and to congeale with cold The contrary opinion to this namely that the substance of the best metals are convertible into royal mettals by heate and digestion hath filled the world with false Books and receipts in Alchimy and hath caused many men to spend much money labour study and charges to no purpose For I know by good and long experience and by many accurate trialls that Quick-silver the most friendly mineral to the royall mettalls can by no meanes or Artifice whatsoever be fixed and coagulated into either of the Royal Mettalls also I have found since that no Author of any credit or Reputation teacheth any such thing but contrarily condemneth all such operations to be false vaine and frivilous For the matter or substance of the Royal mettals is quite contrary to that of the base mettals even as the fixed salt of any vegetable is different from the volatill or fugitive salt of the same Yet I deny not but that by Art there may be drawne some smal fixed part out of the base mettalls and may be converted into Royall Mettall though with much labour charges and losse For as a Tree or other vegetable being burned doth yeeld a fixed salt or Ashes so the base mettalls doe containe in them some small quantity of matter of the same nature that the royall mettals are compounded of And for the further satisfaction to the Reader I will shew in the next Chapter a true receite to make reall and true gold abiding all tryalls and having all properties active and passive which true naturall gold hath but in stead of gaine losse will be ready to follow the worke CHAP. 9. Wherein is shewed how true and perfect gold may bee made by Art with losse to the workman Thus I wrought I Tooke eight ounces of Regulus of Iron and Copper made as beneath is declared and 16. ounces of common Sublimate bought at the Apothicaries made these ingredients into line powder first severally and then I ground them well together upon a Marble stone and so put them into a a retort of glasse and drew from them first an Oile then a substance like a Butter and lastly a yellow Sublimate tincted with the tincture of Iron and Copper which yellow Sublimate I rectified three or foure times till it was very pure then I mixed it with equal parts of an Amalgam of silver and quick-silver made as beneath is taught and put it into another retort of Glasse and forced away all but the silver which remained like yellow horn this yellow silver I amalgamed againe with new quick-silver and set it in gentle heat about a week then in very strong heat for 6. houres so that the quick-silver rose up and fell downe

and so lay them downe againe CHAP. II. Wherein is shewed the waies to find out Pit-coales also the naturall cause of the generation of them by a plaine demonstration THough this Minerall be of small value yet if a good Mine thereof shall be discovered in some particular places of this land the benefit thereof will farre exceed the profit of any mettall Mine usually found in these Northerne Countries by reason that wood is so greatly decayed of late yeares that were it not for this helpe many people would be in danger to be starved The first thing therefore which I would have to be diligently observed is that this Mineral is usually found in ground that is proane to beare wood and thornes and not in the very fertile grounds nor yet in the extreame barren grounds but of an indifferent fertility and in grounds that are usually flower in their growth in the Spring time than the fertile Champion countries by a week or a fortninght Also the said grounds are proane to bring forth large Cattell and well horned but not to feed the said Cattell without a long time nor yet will they ever be very fat upon the same ground Also the springs issuing out of the said grounds are apt to colour the earth ruddy at their Orifice like unto the rust of Iron Also the said spring water being boiled as before is taugh doth usually yeeld a black residence Also if you burie a new bowle of pure white Wood in the said grounds from March till Midsummer with the mouth downeward it wil be coloured blackish with the subterraneal vapours Also I had a receipt given me for this purpose by one that for his great experience and excellent skill in naturall causes seemed to be one of Natures Darlings which because I have nor tryed for want of opportunity I will commend it as a very probable signe and give such Cautions that any man may be sure of it before he trye his fortunes by digging or boaring or any chargeable way And this was his direction about the middle of May when the subterraneall vapours are strong which may be discerned by the Firne which about that time will suddenly grow out of the earth in a night or two almost an handful in length then take a pure white peece of Tiffany and wet it in the dew of the grasse which is all of that springs growth and not soyled with cattell nor no other thing then wring out the dew from it and do so five or sixe times and if there be coales the Tiffany will be alittle blacked and made foule with the sooty vapours arising through the Coales and condensed amongst the dew Now to be sure not to be deceived do thus first trye it where there are coales and if ye find the signes above said yet trust not to the experiment till you have tried where there is no Coales in some other place wherein it behoveth you to trye in divers places till you find a place where the Tiffiany is not soyled at all then you may be sure that the experiment is true and unfailable I admonish him that shal trie with the Tiffany upon the dew to let his hands be washed before with sope hot water wiped with a pure white cloth til they wil not foule the cloth at al else if they spend their mony in digging find nothing they may thank their foule fingers for that misfortune As for the naturall cause of the generation of Coales this demonstration following doth make it manifest Take a peece of the blacke fat earth which is usually digged up in the west Countrey where there are such a multitude of Firre trees covered therewith and which the people use to cut in the forme of Bricks and to drye them so to burne them in stead of coales use this substance as you did the other earth in the beginning of the booke to find out the natural cause of rocks stones and mettalls and let it receive the vapours of the cumbustible substances and you shall find this fat earth hardned into a plaine coale even as you found the other Ieane earth hardned into a stone Whereby it appeareth that nature doth the same thing in the generation of coales under the ground by the indurating of a fat earth with the subterraneal vapours which are apt to work a various effect according to the substance which they meet withall Now wheras some of inquisitive dispositions wil desire to know the naturall cause of that fat earth generated in such subterraneall Cavernes let them be pleased to consider that such places in former times have bin the superficies of the earth and afterward have bin covered by the sea with other earth which may be demonstrated by two wayes first it is evident that the mines of Coales doe lye in some places higher and in other places lower lively resembling the superficies of the earth which is never directly equal but every where various Secondly every one may see in the west Country where such a multitude of Firre trees doe lie covered so deepe in the earth that the superficies of the earth was deeper then it is now in former ages when those trees were brought thither by the sea for it is evident that they never grew there first for that there groweth no Firre trees in that Countrey secondly for that they doe lie crosse and in such uncooth manner that no humane strength could ever imitate nor paralell by any device whatsoever Also they may see the power of the sea to alter the superficies of the earth by the multitude of earth there laid so many yards deepe upon the top of the trees Also they may see that the sea doth make the difference of the nature of earthes by its varirious motion as well as the unevennesse therof by hills and vallies for there they may see that some earth will burne and some will not burne being both sorts brought thither by the Sea as appeareth evidently by the former discourses Also the sea never resting but pepetually winning land in one place and losing in another doth shew what may be done in length of time by a continuall operation not subiect unto ceasing or intermission CHAP. 12. Wherein is shewed a perfect way to trye what colour any Berry Leafe Flower Stalke Root Fruit Seed Barke or Wood will give also a perfect way to make colours fixed which will not abide the ordinary way HEre I must confesse a manifest digression from my Subiect yet in regard of the great benefit which this experiment may bring to the Countrey out of the new Plantations and other places where it is very probable that many of these things be hidden and unknowne I wil crave pardon for that my intent was chiefely to prevent the losse of those things which may doe much good were it not through ignorance or negligence First then take halfe a pint of water and halfe a pint of float made as beneath 2. penny