must be as well seen also in the nature of Metals Minerals Gems and Stones Furthermore what cunning he must have in the art of Distillation which follows and resembles the showers and dew of heaven as the daughter the mother I think no man will doubt of it for it yeelds daily very strange inventions and most witty devices and shews how to finde out many things profitable for the use of man As for example to draw out of things dewy vapours unsavoury and gross sents or spirits clots and gummy or slimy humours and that intimate essence which lurks in the inmost bowels of things to fetch it forth and sublimate it that it may be of the greater strength And this he must learn to do not after a rude and homely manner but with knowledge of the causes and reasons thereof He must also know the Mathematical Sciences and especially Astrologie for that shews how the Stars are moved in the heavens and what is the cause of the darkning of the Moon and how the Sun that golden planet measures out the parts of the world and governs it by twelve Signes for by the sundry motions and aspects of the heavens the celestial bodies are very beneficial to the earth and from thence many things receive both active and passive powers and their manifold properties the difficulty of which point long troubled the Platonicks mindes how these inferiour things should receive influence from heaven Moreover he must be skilful in the Opticks that he may know how the sight may be deceived and how the likeness of a vision that is seen in the water may be seen hanging without in the air by the help of certain Glasses of divers fashions and how to make one see that plainly which is a great way off and how to throw fire very far from us upon which sleights the greatest part of the secrecies of Magick doth depend These are the Sciences which Magick takes to her self for servants and helpers and he that knows not these is unworthy to be named a Magician He must be a skilful workman both by natural gifts and also by the practise of his own hands for knowledge without practice and workmanship and practice without knowledge are nothing worth these are so linked together that the one without the other is but vain and to no purpose Some there are so apt for these enterprises even by the gifts of Nature that God may seem to have made them hereunto Neither yet do I speak this as if Art could not perfect any thing for I know that good things may be made better and there are means to remedy and help foward that which lacks perfection First let a man consider and prepare things providently and skilfully and then let him fall to work and do nothing unadvisedly This I thought good to speak of that if at any time the ignorant be deceived herein he may not lay the fault upon us but upon his own unskilfulness for this is the infirmity of the scholar and not of the teacher for if rude and ignorant men shall deal in these matters this Science will be much discredited and those strange effects will be accounted hap-hazard which are most certain and follow their necessary cause If you would have your works appear more wonderful you must not let the cause be known for that is a wonder to us which we see to be done and yet know not the cause of it for he that knows the causes of a thing done doth not so admire the doing of it and nothing is counted unusual and rare but onely so far forth as the causes thereof are not known Aristotle in his books of Handy-trades saith that master-builders frame and make their tools to work with but the principles thereof which move admiration those they conceal A certain man put out a candle and putting it to a stone or a wall lighted it again and this seemed to be a great wonder but when once they perceived that he touched it with brimstone then saith Galen it ceased to seem a wonder A miracle saith Ephesius is dissolved by that wherein it seemed to be a miracle Lastly the professor of this Science must also be rich for if we lack money we shall hardly work in these cases for it is not Philosophy that can make us rich we must first be rich that we may play the Philosophers He must spare for no charges but be prodigal in seeking things out and while he is busie and careful in seeking he must be patient also and think it not much to recal many things neither must he spare for any pains for the secrets of Nature are not revealed to lazie and idle persons Wherefore Epicharmus said very well that men purchase all things at Gods hands by the price of their labour And if the effect of thy work be not answerable to my description thou must know that thy self hast failed in some one point or another for I have set down these things briefly as being made for wrtty and skilful workmen and not for rude and young beginners CHAP. IV. The opinions of the antient Philosophers touching the causes of strange operations and first of the Elements THose effects of Nature which oft-times we behold have so imployed the antient Philosophers minds in the searching forth of their causes that they have taken great pains and yet were much deceived therein insomuch that divers of them have held divers opinions which it shall not be amiss to relate before we proceed any farther The first sort held that all things proceed from the Elements and that these are the first beginnings of things the fire according to Hippasus Metapontinus and Heraclides Ponticus the air according to Diogenes Apolloniates and Anaximenes and the water according to Thales Milesius These therefore they held to be the very original and first seeds of Nature even the Elements simple and pure bodies whereas the Elements that now are be but counterfeits and bastards to them for they are all changed every one of them being more or less medled with one another those say they are the material principles of a natural body and they are moved and altered by continual succession of change and they are so wrapt up together within the huge cope of heaven that they fill up this whole space of the world which is situate beneath the Moon for the fire being the lightest and purest Element hath gotten up aloft and chose it self the highest room which they call the element of fire The next Element to this is the Air which is somwhat more weighty then the fire and it is spread abroad in a large and huge compass and passing through all places doth make mens bodies framable to her temperature and is gathered together sometimes thick into dark clouds sometimes thinner into mists and so is resolved The next to these is the water and then the last and lowest of all which is scraped and compacted together out of the
is reverberated on the top and below too Stop it close and set a large Receiver under it for if it be too narrow the strong Spirits will break out with a great bounce crack the Vessel and frustrate your labour Distil it six hours if you calcine the Alome-fire the VVater will be stronger A Water for Separation of Gold Mix with the equal parts of Salt-Peter and Alom as much Vitriol and distil it as before there will proceed a VVater so strong that it will even corrode the â—iâ—cture of Gold Wherefore if this seem too violent take nine pounds of the former Salts being dissolved in VVater and two ounces of Sal Ammoniacum when they are melted set them two days in Fimo and with hot Ashes you may distil a VVater that will corrode Gold If you refund the VVater upon the Foeces let them macerate and distil it again the VVater will be much stronger How to purge the phlegm from these Waters without which they are of no force cast a little Silver into a litle of this VVater which being overcharged with phlegm will not corrode it But set it to heat over the fire and it will presently do it pour all this VVater into another Pot and leave the Foeces behinde in the former so the VVater will be clarified Oyl of Vitriol Dissolve Vitriol in an earthen Pan with a wide mouth let the phlegm evaporate then encrease the fire and burn it till it be all red and the fourth part be consumed Put it into a Glass-Retort luted all over thrice double and well dried and set in igne reverberationis continually augmenting the fire and continning it for three days until the Vessel melt and an Oyl drop out without any VVater Every three pounds will â—ield one ounce of Oyl Put it into a Glass-bottle and set it in hot Embeâ—s that the VVater if any be in the Oyl may evaporate for so it will be of greater strengh The sign of a perfect extraction is if it make a piece of VVood being cast into it smoak as if it burned it Oyl of Sulphur This is the proper way to extract Oyl of Sulphur Take a Glass with a large mouth in the form of a Bell and hang it up by a wire place a large Receiver under it that it may catch the Oyl as it droppeth out of the Bell. In the middle between these hang an earthen Vessel full of Sulphur kindle the fire and make the Sulphur burn the smoak of which ascendeth up into the Bell condenseth it self and falls down in an oyly substance When the Sulphur is consumed put in more until you have the quantity of Oyl which you desire There is also another way to extract it in a greater quantity Prepare a great Glass-Receiver such as I described in the Extraction of Oyl of Tartar and Aqua Fortis cut a hole thorow it with an Emerauld and indent the edges of it that the smoak may pass out set this upon an earthen Pan in which you burn the Sulphur Above this set another Vessel of a larger size so that it may be about a handful distant from the first cut the edges of the hole in deeper notches that the vapor ascending thorow the first and circulating about the second may distil out of both so you may add a third and fourth Pour this Oyl into another Glass and let the phlegm evaporate over hot Embers it will become of that strength that it will dissolve Silver and I may say Gold also if it be rightly made The fume of Sulphur is congealed in Sal Ammoniacum for I have gathered it in the Mountains of Campania and condensed it into Salt nothing at all differing from that which is brought out of the Eastern Countries Thus Sal Ammoniacus which hath so long lain unknown is discovered in our own Country and is nothing but Salt of Sulphur and this Oyl is the Water of Sal Ammoniac or Salt of Sulphur I would fain know how Learned Men do approve this my Invention I take the Earth thorow which the smoak of Sulphur hath arisen and dissole it in warm Waters and purge it thorow a hanging Receptacle described before then I make the Water evaporate and so finde a Salt nothing different as I hope from Ammoniacum CHAP. XXI Of the Separation of the Elements IN every Compound there are four Elements but for the most part one is predominant the rest are dull and unprofitable Hence when we speak of separating the Elements of a Compound we mean the separating that predominant one In the Water-Lilly the Element of Water is chief Air Earth and Fire are in it but in a small proportion Hence there is but a small quantity of heat and driness in it because VVater overwhelms them all The same must be understood in other things also But do not think that we intend by the separation of the Elements to divide them absolutely the Air from the VVater and the VVater from the Fire and Earth but onely by a certain similitude as what is hotter then the rest we call Fire the moister VVater Stones participate more of Earth VVoods of Fire Herbs of VVater VVe account those Airy which fill the Vessels and Receivers and easily burst them and so flie out VVhen the Elements are thus separated they may afterwards be purified and attenuated The manner of extracting them is various according to the diversity of natural things for some must be calcined some sublimated others distilled I will set down some examples How to separate the Elements of Metals Lay your Metal in Aqua Fortis as I shewed before till it be dissolved then draw out the Aqua Fortis by a Bath and pour it on again and so again until it be turned into an Oyl of a light Red or Ruby-colour Pour two parts of Aqua Fortis unto the Oyl and macerate them in a Glass in Fimo for a month then distil them on Embers till the VVater be all drawn out which you must take and still again in Balneo until it ascend so will you have two Elements By the Bath the Air is elevated the VVater and Earth remain in the bottom the Fire continueth in the bottom of the former Vessel for it is of a fiery substance this Nature and the Affusion of Water and the Distillation in Balneo will reduce into an Oyl again in which you must correct the Fire and it will be perfect You may lay Metal in Embers then by degrees encrease the fire the VVater will first gently ascend next the Earth In Silver the first Oyl is blewish and in perfect separation settleth to the bottom and the VVater ascendeth but in Balneo the Elements of Fire and Earth for the substance of it is cold and moist in Balneo the Elements of Fire and Earth remain first the Earth will come out afterwards the Fire So of Tin the first Oyl is yellow in Balneo the Air will remain in the bottom the Fire Earth and
VVater will ascend which is proper onely to Tin for in no other Metal the Air remaineth last but in Tin the VVater is first elevated next the Fire last of all the Earth Of Iron is made a dark ruddish Oyl Of Quick-silver a white Oyl the Fire settleth to the bottom the Earth and Water are elevated and so of the rest How to separate the Elements in Herbs In Herbs there is alwayes one Element which reigneth in chief Take the Leaves of Sage bruise them macerate them in Fimo and then distil them the Fire will first ascend until the colours be changed next the VVater then a part of the Earth the other part will remain in the bottom not being volatile but fixed Set the VVater in the Sun six dayes then put it in Balneo the VVater will ascend first then the colour will alter and the Fire ascendeth next till the taste be changed at length a part of the Earth the rest being mix'd with the Air tarrieth behinde in the Bottom In VVater-Plants the Air ariseth first next the VVater and Fire How to finde out the Vertues of Plants There are no surer Searchers out of the Vertues of the Plants then our Hands and Eyes the Taste is more fallible for if in Distillation the hottest parts evaporate first we may conclude that it consisteth of hot and thin parts and so of the rest You may easily know by the separation of the Elements whether a Plant have more of â—ire or VVater or Earth by weighing the Plant first then afterward when the VVater and Oyl are extracted weighing the Foeces and by their proportion you may judge of the degrees of each Element in the Composition of it and from thence of their Qualities But the narrow limits of this Book will not give me leave to expatiate farther on this Subject Wherefore I will leave the Discourse of it to a particular Treatise which I intend to set out at large on this matter How to extract Gum out of Plants There are some Plants out of which we may extract Gum some Plants I say because many have none in them and nothing can give more then it hath Fennel and all other kindes of it Opoponax and such-like Herbs are full of it Nature is the best Director in extracting them for when the Sun shines very hot and the Stalks of these Plants are swelled with sap by reason of the continual encrease of their juice they open themselves in little clefts like a Woman when her labour approacheth and thence doth the Plant bring forth as it were in travel that Noble Liquor which partly by the heat of the Sun partly by a natural Inclination grows clammy and is condensed into a hard Body Hence we may learn How to extract Gum out of Opoponax In the Summer Solstice gather the Roots in the night-time that the heat of the Sun may not exhaust the moysture slice it long wayes and put it into a well vernished earthen Pipkin then set it upside down in a descending Furnace with a Receiver underneath to catch the falling-Liquor make a Fire about the upper part of the Vessel which will drive down a Noble Gum which must be purged in other Vessels and may be meliorated by Diâ—â—illation The same may be effected on Sagapene wâ—ose Roots must be gathered at the same time and sliced and being put into a Vessel with a gentle fire will drop out a glutinous Liquor into the Receiver which being clarified will harden like Gum and is kept for Medicinal uses How to extract Gum out of Fennel Gather the stalks of Fennel when it is in its vigor and the Flowers begin to blow about the full of the Moon for then they are more succulent slice them into pieces of a hand-long and put them into a Glass-Tub of a hand in wideress and a handful and a half in length fill it full and set the bottom of it being full of little holes into a Tunnel fit to receive it and the lower part of the Tunnel into a Receiver Then make a gentle fire about the Tub at a handful distance which may beat upon the stalkes on every side with its heat like the Sun-beams The Tub thus growing hot will exclude some drops which flying from the violence of the heat slide down thorow the hoâ—es of the bottom into the Tunnel and from thence into the Receiver where they will condense into Gum participating of the Nature of Fennel of no contemptible vertues THE ELEVENTH BOOK OF Natural Magick Of Perfuming THE PROEME AFter Distillation we proceed to Unguents and sweet smells it is an Art next of kin to the other for it provides odors of the same things compounds and mingles Unguents that they may send forth pleasant sents every way very far This Art is Noble and much set by by Kings and great Men. For it teacheth to make Waters Oyls Powders March-panes Fumes and to make sweet Skins that shall hold their sent a long time and may be bought for little money not the common and ordinary way but such as are rare and known to very few CHAP. I. Of perfuming Waters I Have in the former Book shewed how sweet Waters may be distilled out of Flowers and other things as the place dedicated to Distillation did require here now I will teach how to compound sweet Waters and Flowers that may cast forth odoriferous sents as first To make a most sweet perfumed Water Take three pound of Damask-Roses as much of Musk and Red-Roses two of the Flowers of Orange as many of Myrtle half a pound of Garden-Claver an ounce and a half of Cloves three Nutmegs ten Lillies put all these in an Alimbeck in the nose of which you must fasten of Musk three parts of Amber one of Civet half a one tied up together in a clout and put the Nose into the Receiver and tie them close with a cloth dip'd in Bran and the white of an Egg mixed set a gentle fire under it until it be all distilled Another Take two pound of Rose-water of Lavender half one of Certan-Wine thirteen drachms of the Flowers of Gilliflowers Roses Rosemary Jasmine the Leaves of Marjoram wilde Betony Savory Fennel and Basil gentle half a pound an ounce of Lemmon-peel a drachm of Cinnamon Benjamin Storax and Nutmegs mix them and put them in a Glass and set them out in the Sun for four dayes then distil them with a gentle fire and unless you put Musk in the Nose of the Alimbeck tie it up in a rag hang it by a thread in the Water whilst it standeth sunning for a month Set it in the Sun to take away the scurvy savor of the distilling if by chance it conceive any Aqua Nanfa Take four pound of Rose-water two of Orange-Flowers one of Myrtle three ounces of sweet Trifoil one of Lavender add to these two ounces of Benjamin one of Storax the quantity of a Bean of Labdanum as much Mace and Cloves a drachm of Cinnamon
purer Elements and is called the Earth a thick and grosse substance very solid and by no means to be pierced through so that there is no solid and firm body but hath earth in it as also there is no vacant space but hath air in it This Element of earth is situate in the middle and centre of all and is round beset with all the rest and this only stands still and unmoveable whereas all the rest are carried with a circular motion round about it But Hippon and Critias held that the vapours of the Elements were the first beginnings Parmenides held that their qualities were the principles for all things saith he consist of cold and heat The Physitians hold that all things consist of four qualities hear cold moisture drouth and of their predominancy when they meet together for every Element doth embrace as it were with certain armes his neighbour-Element which is next situate to him and yet they have also contrary and sundry qualities whereby they differ for the wisdom of nature hath framed this workmanship of the world by due and set measure and by a wonderful fitnesse and conveniency of one thing with another for whereas every Element had two qualities wherein it agreed with some and disagreed with other Elements nature hath bestowed such a double quality upon every one as finds in other two her like which she cleaves unto as for example the air and the fire this is hot and dry that is hot and moist now dry and moist are contraries and thereby fire and air disagree but because either of them is hot thereby they are reconciled So the Earth is cold and dry and the water cold and moist so that they disagree in that the one is moist the other dry but yet are reconciled in as much as they are both cold otherwise they could hardly agree Thus the fire by little and little is changed into air because either of them is hot the air into the water because either of them is moist the water into the earth because either of them is cold and the earth into fire because either of them is dry and so they succeed each other after a most provident order From thence also they are turned back again into themselves the order being inverted and so they are made mutually of one another for the change is easie in those that agree in any one common quality as fire and air be easily changed into each other by reason of heat but where either of the qualities are opposite in both as in fire and water there this change is not so easie So then heat cold moisture and drouth are the first and principal qualities in as much as they proceed immediately from the Elements and produce certain secondary effects Now two of them namely heat and cold are active qualities fitter to be doing themselves then to suffer of others the other two namely moisture and drouth are passive not because they are altogether idle but because they follow and are preserved by the other There are certain secondary qualities which attend as it were upon the first and these are said to work in a second sort as to soften to ripen to resolve to make lesse or thinner as when heat works into any mixt body it brings out that which is unpure and so whilst it strives to make it fit for his purpose that it may be more simple the body becometh thereby smaller and thinner so cold doth preserve binde and congeal drouth doth thicken or harden and makes uneven for when there is great store of moisture in the utter parts that which the drouth is not able to consume it hardens and so the utter parts become rugged for that part where the moisture is gone sinking down and the other where it is hardened rising up there must needs be great roughnesse and ruggednesse so moisture doth augment corrupt and for the most part works one thing by it self and another by some accident as by ripening binding expelling and such like it brings forth milk urine monethly flowers and sweat which the Physitians call the third qualities that do so wait upon the second as the second upon the first and sometime they have their operations in some certain parts as to strengthen the head to succour the reins and these some call fourth qualities So then these are the foundations as they call them of all mixt bodies and of all wonderful operations and whatsoever experiments they proved the causes hereof rested as they supposed and were to be found in the Elements and their qualities But Empedocles Agrigentinus not thinking that the Elements were sufficient for this purpose added unto them moreover concord and discord as the causes of generation and corruption There be four principal seeds or beginnings of all things Jupiter that is to say fire Pluto that is to say earth Juno that is to say air and Nestis that is to say water all these sometimes love and concord knits together in one and sometimes discord doth sunder them and make them flie apart This concord and discord said he are found in the Elements by reason of their sundry qualities wherein they agree and disagree yea even in heaven it self as Jupiter and Venus love all Planets save Mars and Saturn Venus agrees with Mars whereas no Planet else agrees with him There is also another disagreement amongst them which ariseth from the oppositions and elevations of their houses for even the twelve signs are both at concord and at discord among themselves as Manilius the Poet hath shewed CHAP. V. That divers operations of Nature proceed from the essential forms of things ALl the Peripatericks and most of the latter Philosophers could not see how all operations should proceed from those causes which the Antients have set down for they find that many things work quite contrary to their qualities and therefore they have imagined that there is some other matter in it and that it is the power and properties of essential formes But now that all things may be made more plain we must consider that it will be a great help unto us for the making and finding out of strange things to know what that is from whence the vertues of any thing do proceed that so we may be able to discern and distinguish one thing from another without confounding all order of truth Whereas one and the same compound yeelds many effects of different kinds as we shall find in the processe of this Book yet every man confesseth that there is but one only original cause therein that produceth all these effects And seeing we are about to open plainly this original cause we must begin a little higher Every natural substance I mean a compound body is composed of matter and form as of her principles neither yet do I exclude the principal qualities of the Elements from doing their part herein for they also concur and make up the number of three principles for when
Likewise the pulse called Lupines still looks after the Sun that it may not writhe his stalk and this watcheth the Suns motion so duly that like a Dial it shews the Husband-man the time of the day though it be never so cloudy and they know thereby the just time when the Sun setteth and Theophrastus saith that the flower of the herb Lotum is not onely open and shut but also sometimes hides and sometimes shews her stalk from Sun-set to midnight and this saith he is done about the River Euphrates So the Olive-tree the Sallow the Linden-tree the Elm the white Pople-tree they declare the times of the Suns standing when it turns back again from the Poles for then they hide their leaves and shew only their hoar-white backs In like manner winter-Cresses or Irium and Penyrial though they begin to wither being gathered yet if you hang them upon a stick about the time of the Solstice they will for that time flourish The stone Selenites as much as to say the Moon-beam called by others Aphroselinon contains in it the Image of the Moon and shews the waxing and waining of it every day in the same Image Another stone there is that hath in it a little cloud that turns about like the Sun sometimes hiding sometimes shewing it self The Beast Cynocephalus rejoiceth at the rising of the Moon for then he stands up lifting his fore-feet toward heaven and wears a Royal Ensign upon his head and he hath such a Sympathy with the Moon that when she meets with the Sun as betwixt the old and new Moon so that she gives no light the male or He-Cynocephalus never looks up nor eats any thing as bewailing the losse of the Moon and the female as male-content as He all that while pisseth blood for which causes these beasts are nourished and kept in hallowed places that by them the time of the Moones meeting with the Sun may be certainly known as Oruâ— writes in his Hieroglyphicks The star Arcturus at his rising causeth rain Dogs are well acquainted with the rising of the Canicular star for at that time they are commonly mad and so are vipers and serpents nay then the very standing pools are moved and wines work as they lye in the Cellar and other great and strange effects are wrought upon earth when this star riseth Basil-gentle waxeth whiterish and Coriander waxeth dry as Theophrastus writeth The rising of this star was wont to be diligently observed every year for thereby they would prognosticate whether the year following would be wholesome or contagious as Heraclides Ponticus saith for if it did rise dark and gloomy it was a sign that the Air would be thick and foggy which would cause a pestilence but if it were clear and lightsome it was a sign that the Air would be thin and well purged and consequently healthful In ancient times they much feared this Star so that they ordained a dog to be offered in sacrifice to it as Columella saith that this star is pacified with the blood and entrails of a sucking whelp and Ovid likewise saith that a dog bred on the earth is sacrificed to the Dog-star in Heaven The Beast or wilde Goat which in Egypt is called Oryx hath a sense or feeling of this Star before it riseth for then he looks upon the Sun-beams and in them doth honour the Canicular star Hippocrates saith it is good either to purge or let blood before or after this star riseth and Galen shews that many very necessary operations of this Star must be observed in Critical dayes and likewise in sowing and planting Moreover the greater stars and constellations must be known and at what time they go out of the signs whereby are caused many waterish and fiery impressions in the Air. And whosoever is rightly seen in all these things he will ascribe all these inferiours to the stars as their causes whereas if a man be ignorant hereof he loseth the greatest part of the knowledge of secret operations and works of nature But of this argument we have spoken in our writings of the knowledge of Plants CHAP. IX How to attract and draw forth the vertues of superiour Bodies WE have shewed before the operations of celestial bodies into these inferiours as also the Antipathy and Sympathy of things now will we shew by the affinity of Nature whereby all things are linked together as it were in one common bond how to draw forth and to fetch out the vertues and forces of superior bodies The Platonicks termed Magick to be the attractions or fetching out of one thing from another by a certain affinity of Nature For the parts of this huge world like the limbs and members of one living creature do all depend upon one Author and are knit together by the bond of one Nature therefore as in us the brain the lights the heart the liver and other parts of us do receive and draw mutual benefit from each other so that when one part suffers the rest also suffer with it even so the parts and members of this huge creature the World I mean all the bodies that are in it do in good neighbour-hood as it were lend and borrow each others Nature for by reason that they are linked in one common bond therefore they have love in common and by force of this common love there is amongst them a common attraction or tilling of one of them to the other And this indeed is Magick The concavity or hollownesse of the Sphere of the Moon draws up fire to it because of the affinity of their Natures and the Sphere of the fire likewise draws up Air and the centre of the world draws the earth downward and the natural place of the waters draws the waters to it Hence it is that the Load-stone draws iron to it Amber draws chaff or light straws Brimstone draws fire the Sun draws after it many flowers and leaves and the Moon draws after it the waters Plotinus and Synesius say Great is nature everywhere she layeth certain baits whereby to catch certain things in all places as she draws down heavy things by the centre of the earth as by a bait so she draws light things upward by the concavity of the Moon by heat leaves by moisture roots by one bait or another all things By which kind of attraction the Indian Wisards hold that the whole world is knit and bound within it self for say they the World is a living creature everywhere both male and female and the parts of it do couple together within and between themselves by reason of their mutual love and so they hold and stand together every member of it being linked to each other by a common bond which the Spirit of the World whereof we spake before hath inclined them unto For this cause Orpheus calleth Jupiter and the Nature of the World man and wife because the World is so desirous to marry and couple her parts together The very order of the Signs
making the Winter to be as the Summer and the Spring-time as the Winter Amongst other means engraffing is not a little helpful hereunto Wherefore let us see how we may by engraffing Produce Grapes in the Spring-time If we see a Cherry-tree bring forth her fruit in the Spring-time and we desire to have Grapes about that time there is fit oportunity of attaining our desire as Tarentinus writeth If you engraffe a black Vine into the Cherry-tree you shall have Grapes growing in the Spring-time for the Tree will bring forth Grapes the very same season wherein it would bring forth her own fruit But this engraffing cannot be without boring a hole into the stock as Didymus sheweth You must bore the Cherry-tree stock through with a wimble and your Vine growing by it you must take one of the next and goodliest branches thereof and put it into the aâ—ger-hole but you must not cut it off from the Vine but place it in as it grows for so the branch will live the better both as being nourished by his own mother the Vine and also as being made partaker of the juice of that Tree into which it is engraffed This sprig within the compasse of two years will grow and be incorporated into the Cherry-tree about which time after the skar is grown over again you must cut off the branch from the Vine and saw off the stock of the Cherry-tree wherein it is engraffed all above the boring place and let the Vine-branch grow up in the rest for so shall neither the Vine be idle but still bring forth her own fruit and that branch also which was engraffed doth grow up together with it being nothing hurt by that engraffing We may also by the help of engraffing procure A Rose to shew forth her buds before her time If we pluck off a Rose-bud from the mother and engraff by such an emplastering as we spake of before the same into the open bark of an Almond-tree at such time as the Almond-tree doth bud the Rose so engraffed will bring forth her own flowers out of the Almond bark But because it is a very hard matter to engraffe into an Herbe and therefore we can hardly produce flowers sooner then their time by that means we will shew another means hereof And namely How Cucumbers may hasten their fruits Columella found in Dolus Mendesius an Aegyptian an easie way whereby this may be done You must set in your Garden in some shadowy place well dunged a rank of Fenel and a rank of Brambles one within another and after the aequinoctial day cut them off a little within the ground and having first loosed the pith of either of them with a wooden puncheon to convey dung into them and withal to engraffe in them Cucumber-seeds which may grow up together with the Fenel and the Brambles for by this means the seeds will receive nourishment from the root of the stalk into which they are engraffed and so you shall have Cucumbers very soon But now let us shew how we may accomplish this thing by counterfeiting as it were the seasons of the year and first how we may procure that Cucumbers shall be ripe very timely The Quintiles say you must take panniers or earthen pots and put into them some fine â—â—â—ed earth mixed with dung that it may be somewhat liquid and preventing the ordinary season you must plant therein Cucumber-seeds about the beginning of the Spring and when the Sun shines or that there is any heat or rain they bring the panniers forth into the Air and about Sun-setting they bring them into a close house and this they do daily still watering them as occasion serveth But after that the cold and the frost is ceased and the Air is more temperate they take their panniers and digge a place for them in some well-tilled ground and there set them so that the brims thereof may be even with the earth and then look well to them and you shall have your desire The like may be done by Gourds Theophrastus sheweth that if a man sow Cucumber seeds in the Winter-time and water them with warm water and lay them in the Sunne or else by the fire and when seed-time cometh put whole panniers of them into the ground they will yield very timely Cucumbers long before their ordinary season is to grow Columella saith that Tiberius the Emperour took great delight in the Cucumbers that were thus ripened which he had at all times of the year for his Gardners every day drew forth their hanging Gardens into the Sun upon wheels and when any great cold or rain came they straightwayes carried them in again into their close hovels made for the same purpose Didymus sheweth Roses may bud forth even before Winter be past if they be used after the like manner namely if you set them in hampers or earthen vessels and carefully look unto them and use them as you would use Gourds and Cucumbers to make them ripe before their ordinary season Pliny sheweth How to make Figs that were of last years growth to be ripe very soon the next year after and this is by keeping them from the cold too but yet the device and practice is not all one with the former There are saith he in certain Countries as in Maesia Winter Fig-trees a small tree it is and such as is more beholding to Art then to Nature which they use on this manner After the Autumn or Fall they lay them in the earth and cover them all over with muck and the green Figs that grew upon them in the beginning of Winter are also buried upon the Tree with them Now when the Winter is past and the Air is somewhat calmer the year following they dig up the Trees again with the fruit upon them which presently do embrace the heat of a new Sun as it were and grow up by the temperature of another year as kindly as if they had then new sprung up whereby it cometh to passe that though the Country be very cold yet there they have ripe Figs of two years growth as it were even before other Fig-trees can so much as blossom But because we cannot so well practise these experiments in the broad and open fields either by hindering or by helping the temperature of the Air therefore we will assay to ripen fruit and flowers before their time by laying warm cherishers as lime or chalk and nitre and warm water to the roots of Trees and herbs If you would have A Cherry ripe before his time Pliny saith that you must lay chalk or lime to the root of the Tree before it begin to blossom or else you must oftentimes pour hot water upon the root and by either of these means you may procure the ripening of Cherries before their time howbeit afterward the Trees will be drie and wither away If you would procure the ripening Of a Rose before his time Dydimus saith you may effect it by covering the
of brass you may make Iron to become white If you put amongst it some silver though it be not much it will soon resemble the colour of silver for Iron doth easily suffer it self to be medled with gold or silver and they may be so thoroughly incorporated into each other that by all the rules of separation that can be used you cannot without great labour and very much ado separate the one of them from the other CHAP. V. Of Quick-silver and of the effects and operations thereof IN the next place it is meet that we speak something concerning Quick-silver and the manifold operations thereof wherein we will first set down certain vulgar and common congelations that it makes with other things because many men do desire to know them and secondly we will shew how it may be dissolved into water that they which are desirous of such experiments may be satisfied herein First therefore we will shew How Quick-silver may be congealed and curdled as it were with Iron Put the quick-silver into a casting vessel and put together with it that water which the Blacksmith hath used to quench his hot Iron in and put in also among them Ammoniack Salt and Vitriol and Verdegrease twice so much of every one of these as there was quick-silver let all these boil together in an exceeding great fire and still turn them up and down with an Iron slice or ladle and if at any time the water boil away you must be sure that you have in a readiness some of the same water through hot to cast into it that it may supply the waste which the fire hath made and yet not hinder the boiling thus will they be congealed all together within the space of six hours After this you must take the congealed stuff when it is cold and binde it up hard with your hands in leather thongs or linnen cloth or osiers that all the juice and moisture that is in it may be squeesed out of it then let that which is squeesed and drained out settle it self and be congealed once again till the whole confection be made then put it into an earthen vessel well washed and amongst it some spring-water and take off as neer as you can all the filth and scum that is upon it and is gone to waste and in that vessel you must temper and diligently mix together your congealed matter with spring-water till the whole matter be pure and clear then lay it abroad in the open air three days and three nights and the subject which you have wrought upon will wax thick and hard like a shell or a tile-sheard There is also another congelation to be made with quick-silver Congeailng of Quick-silver with balls of Brass thus make two Brass half circles that that may fasten one within the other that nothing may exhale put into them quick-silver with an equal part of white Arsenick and Tartar well powdred and searced lute the joynts well without that nothing may breathe forth so let them dry and cover them with coles all over for six hours then make all red hot then take it out and open it and you shall see it all coagulated and to stick in the hollow of the Brass ball strike it with a hammer and it will fall off melt it and project it and it will give an excellent colour like to Silver and it is hard to discern it from Silver If you will you may mingle it with three parts of melted Brass and without Silver it will be exceeding white soft and malleable It is also made another way Make a great Cup of Silver red Arsenick and Latin with a cover that sits close that nothing may exhale fill this with quick-silver and lute the joynts with the white of an Egg or some Pine-tree-rosin as it is commonly done hang this into a pot full of Linseed Oyl and let it boil twelve hours take it out and strain it through a skin or straw and if any part be not coagulated do the work again and make it coagulate If the vessel do coagulate it slowly so much as you find it hath lost of its weight of the silver Arsenick and Alchymy make that good again for we cannot know by the weight use it it is wonderful that the quick-silver will draw to it self out of the vessel and quick-silver will enter in Now I shall shew what may be sometimes useful To draw water out of Quick-silver Make a vessel of potters earth that will endure the fire of which crucibles are made six foot long and of a foot Diameter glassed within with glass about a foot broad at the bottom a finger thick narrower at the top bigger at bottom About the neck let there be a hole as big as ones finger and a little pipe coming forth by which you may fitly put in the quick-silver on the top of the mouth let there be a glass cap fitted with the pipe and let it be smeered with clammy clay and bind it above that it breathe not forth For this work make a furnace let it be so large at the top that it may be fit to receive the bottom of the vessel a foot broad and deep You must make the grate the fire is made upon with that art that when need is you may draw it back on one side and the fire may fall beneath Set therefore the empty vessel into the furnace and by degrees kindle the fire Lastly make the bottom red hot when you see it to be so which you may know by the top you must look through the glass cap presently by the hole prepared pour in ten or fifteen pounds of quick-silver and presently with clay cast upon it stop that hole and take away the grate that the fire may fall to the lower parts and forthwith quench it with water Then you shall see that the water of quick-silver will run forth at the nose of the cap into the receiver under it about an ounce in quantity take the vessel from the fire and pour forth the quick-silver and do as before and always one ounce of water will distil forth keep this for Chymical operation I found this the best for to smug up women with This artifice was found to purifie quick-silver I shall not pass over another art no less wonderful than profitable for use To make quick-silver grow to be a Tree Dissolve silver in aqua fortis what is dissolved evaporate into thin air at the fire that there may remain at the bottom a thick unctious substance Then distil fountain-fountain-water twice or thrice and pour it on that thick matter shaking it well then let it stand a little and pour into another glass vessel the most pure water in which the silver is adde to the water a pound of quick-silver in a most transparent crystalline glass that will attract to it that silver and in the space of a day will there spring up a most beautiful tree from the bottom and hairy as
made of most fine beards of corn and it will fill the whole vessel that the eye can behold nothing more pleasant The same is made of gold with aqua regia CHAP. VI. Of Silver I Shall teach how to give silver a tincture that it may shew like to pure gold and after that how it may be turned to true gold To give Silver a Gold-colour Burn burnt brass with stibium and melted with half silver it will have the perfect colour of gold and mingle it with gold it will be the better colour We boil brass thus I know not any one that hath taught it you shall do it after this manner melt brass in a crucible with as much stibium when they are both melted put in as muâ—h stibium as before and pour it out on a plain Marble-stone that it may cool there and be fit to beat into plates Then shall you make two bricks hollow that the plates may be fitly laid in there when you have fitted them let them be closed fast together and bound with iron bands and well luted when they are dried put them in a glass fornace and let them stand therein a week to burn exactly take them out and use them And To tincture Silver into gold you must do thus Make first such a tart lye put quick lime into a pot whose bottom is full of many small holes put a piece of wood or tilesheard upon it then by degrees pour in the powder and hot water and by the narrow holes at the bottom let it drain into a clean earthen vessel under it do this again to make it exceeding tart Powder stibium and put into this that it may evaporate into the thin air let it boil at an easie fire for when it boils the water will be of a purple colour then strain it into a clean vessel through a linnen cloth again pour on the lye on the powders that remain and let it boil so long at the fire till the water seems of a bloody colour no more Then boil the lye that is colour'd putting fire under till the water be all exhaled but the powder that remains being dry with the oyl of Tartar dried and dissolved must be cast again upon plates made of equal parts of gold and silver within an earthen crucible cover it so long with coles and renew your work till it be perfectly like to gold Also I can make the same Otherwise If I mingle the congealed quick-silver that I speak of with a cap with a third part of silver you shall find the silver to be of a golden colour you shall melt this with the same quantity of gold and put it into a pot pour on it very sharp vinegar and let it boil a quarter of a day and the colour will be augmented Put this to the utmost trial of gold that is with common salt and powder of bricks yet adding Vitriol and so shall you have refined gold We can also extract Gold out of Silver And not so little but it will pay your cost and afford you much gain The way is thiâ— Put the fine filings of Iron into a Crucible that will endure fire till it grow red hot and melt then take artificial Chrysocolla such as Goldsmiths use to soder with and red Arsenick and by degrees strew them in when you have done this cast in an equal part of Silver and let it be exquisitely purged by a strong vessel made of Ashes all the dregs of the Gold being now removed cast it into water of separation and the Gold will fall to the bottom of the vessel take it there is nothing of many things that I have found more true more gainful or more hard spare no labour and do it as you should lest you lose your labour or otherwise let the thin filings of Iron oak for a day in sea-sea-water let it dry and let it be red hot in the fire so long in a â—rucible till it run then cast in an equal quantity of silver with half brass let it be projected into a hollow place then purge it exactly in an ash vessel for the Iron being excluded and its dregs put it into water of separation and gather what falls to the bottom and it will be excellent Gold May be it will be profitable to Fix Cinnaber He that desires it I think he must do thus break the Cinnaber into pieces as big as Wall-nuts and put them into a glass vessel that is of the same bigness and the pieces must be mingled with thrice the weight of silver and laid by courses and the vessel must be luted and suffer it to dry or set it in the Sun then cover it with ashes and let it boil so long on a gentle fire till it become of a lead colour and break not which will not be unless you tend it constantly till you come so far Then purge it with a double quantity of lead and when it is purged if it be put to all tryals it will stand the stronger and be more heavy and of more vertue the more easie fire you use the better will the business be effected but so shall we try to repair silver and revive it when it is spoil'd Let sublimate quick-silver boil in distil'd vinegar then mingle quick-silver and in a glass retort let the quick-silver evaporate in a hot fire and fall into the receiver keep it If you be skilful you shall find but little of the weight lost Others do it with the Regulus of Antimony But otherwise you shall do it sooner and more gainfully thus Put the broken pieces of Cinnaber as big as dice into a long linnen bag hanging equally from the pot sides then pour on the sharpest venegar with alom and tartar double as much quick lime four parts and as much of oaken ashes as it is usual to be made or you must make some Let it boil a whole day take it out and boil it in oyl be diligent about it and let it stay there twenty four hours take the pieces of Cinnaber out of the oyl and meer them with the white of an egge beaten and role it with a third part of the filings of silver put it into the bottom of a convenient vessel and lute it well with the best earth as I said set it to the fire three days and at last increase the fire that it may almost melt and run take it off and wash it from its faeces that are left at the last proof of silver and bring it to be true and natural Also it will be pleasant From fixt Cinnaber to draw out a silver beard If you put it into the same vessel and make a gentle fire under silver that is pure not mixed with lead will become hairy like a wood that there is nothing more pleasant to behold CHAP. VII Of Operations necessary for use I Thought fit to set down some Operations which are generally thought fit for our works and if you know them
it and press her between your hands that no Wine remain and then adding two Cups of white-Wine distil her in a Chymical Vessel then distil the Flowers of Bindeweed Citrons Oranges together and keep this water by it self Then open Lemmons and press out the juice And also take water of Bean-flowers then distil six cups of Asseâ— milk and as many of Cows-milk You shall do the same with water of Gourds and of Milk well boyled and of water of Bean-flowers and of Rosin of Turpentine Then provide a glazed Vessel put into it Camphire two drachms four ounces of Ceruss finely powdered mingle them with the aforesaid waters and set it in a soft Vessel in the open Air fifteen days and nights When you would use it wet a Linen-rag in it and wash your Face CHAP. XVII How to make the Face Rose-coloured I Have made the Face white now I will make it red that the wise may be made wholly Beautiful for her husband And first To make a pale Face purple-coloured And to adorn one that wants colour use this Remedy Take Vinegar twice distilled and cast into it the raspings of red Sanders as much as you please boyl it at a gentle fire adding a little Allom and you shall have a red colour most perfect to dye the Face If you would have it sweet-smelling add a little Musk Civet Cloves or any Spices Now Another Take Flowers of Clove-Gilliflowers bruise the ends of the sprigs and draw forth the juice if they be so ripe that they are black add juice of Lemmons that they may shine with a more clear red With this paint your Face and you shall have a pleasant red colour without any stinking smell or wet the sprigs of Clove-gilliflowers in juice of Lemmons and set them in the Sun Take away the old and put in fresh until it be as red as you would have it let the juice dry and the color will be most glorious But I draw a quintessence from Clovegill flowers Roses Flower-gentle with Spirit of Wine then I add Allom and the juice of a Citron and I made an excellent colour to beautifie the Face Take Another If you add to the best Wine one tenth part of Honey and one ounce of Frankinsenceâ— and then distil it and steep in it the raspings of red Saunders until it is coloured to your minde and then wash your Face with it it will make your Face white and well-coloured Also A Fucus that cannot be detected And it is so cunningly made that it will delude all men for a cleer water makes the Cheeks purple-coloured and it will last long and the cleerer the part will be the more your wash it with it and rub it with a cloth of Woolen You shall draw out a water from the Seeds of Cardamom which the Apothecaries call Grains of Paradise Cubebs Indian Cloves raspings of Brasil and Spirit of Wine distilled when they have been infused some time draw forth the water with a gentle fire or corrupt Dung and wet your Face often with this There are also Experiments To colour the Body If you boyl Nettles in water and wash your Body with it it will make it red-colored if you continue it long If you distil Straw-berries and wash your self with the water you shall make your Face red as a Rose But the Ancients dyed their bodies of divers colours partly for ornament partly for terrour as Caesar writes of the Britans going to war for they painted themselves with wood Theophrastus calls it Isatis and we call it Guado The Grecian-women painted themselves with wood as Zenophon writes And in our days the West-Indians crush out in Harvest-time a blood-red juice from the Roots of wilde Bugloss which the women know well enough whereby they cover their pale colour with a pleasant red and so change their over-white colour with this Experiment CHAP. XVIII To wash away the over-much redness of the Face I Have shewed you how to colour the Face now I shall shew how to uncolour it when the Face is too red and women that are very red desire this The way is To wash away the too-much redness of the Face Take four ounces of Peach-Kernels and Gourd-Seed two ounces pown them and crush them out strongly that you may draw forth an oyly Liquor with this morning and evening anoynt the red Carbuncles of your face and by degrees they will vanish and be gone Another Take Purple-Violets Egg-shells Saunders Camphire mingled with water set the water in the open Air and wash the redness therewith Also I know that the distilled water of white Lillies will take away the redness CHAP. XIX How to make a Sun-burnt Face white WHen women travel in the open Air and take journeys in Summer the Sun in one day will burn them so black that it is hard to take it off I found out this Experiment Beat about ten whites of Eggs till they come to water put them in a glazed Vessel adding one ounce of Sugar-Candy to them and when you go to bed anoynt your Face and in the morning wash it off with Foutain-water Pliny also saith thus Another If the Face be smeered with the white of an Egg it will not be Sun-burnt With us women that have to do in the Sun to defend their Faces from the heat of it that they may not be black they defend it with the white of an Egg beaten with a little Starch and mingled and when the Voyage is done they wash off this covering with Barley-water Some do it Another way rubbing their foul Skin with Melon-Rindes and so they easily rub off Sun-burnings and all other spots outwardly on the Skin The Seed also bruised and rubbed on will do it better Also a Liquor found in little bladders of the Elm-Tree when the Buds first come forth makes the Face clear and shining and takes away Sun-burnings CHAP. XX. How Spots may be taken from the Face OFt-times fair women are disgraced by spots in their Faces but the Remedy for it is this to use Abstergents and Detergents in whiting of their Faces Therefore To take off spots from the Face anoynt the Face with Oyl of Tartar and let it dry on and wash it not at all do this for ten days then wash it with a Lixivium and you shall see the spots no more If the part be not yet clean enough do it once more If this please you not take Another Put Quick-Lime into hot water mingle them and stir them for ten days After two days pour forth the clear water into a Brazen Vessel then take Salt-Ammoniac between your Finger-tops and rub it so long at the bottom of the Vessel until you see the water become of a blew-colour and the more you rub it the better colour it will have and it will turn into a Skie-colour or Purple-colour very pleasant to behold Wet Linen-cloths in this water and lay them on the spots till they be dry and wet them again till
Traganth Mastick and Champhire it is good also for flagging Brests For a wrinkled Face When Eggs are boyled hard in water cut them in the middle fill the holes where the yelks were with Powder of Myrrh then cover one with the other half and binde them with a Thread that they come not asunder then take a glazed earthen Vessel with a broad mouth and lay sticks across it that the Eggs may lie upon them hanging neer the bottom let the cleft of the Eggs hang toward the bottom put the earthen Vessel into a chest of Osiers and set it in a Well let it hang one foot from the water by the moysture whereof the Myrrh will dissolve into Oyl of water anoynt your Face with it The juice of the green Canes of the Pine-Tree but it is weaker then the distilled water being applied to the Face with a Linnen-cloth wet therein will take away all wrinkles from the Face excellently well You have Another Steep Kidney-Beans in Malmsey one day then take away the black whence they sprout and distil them with Lemmons and Honey Take a quantity of old Cow-Beef and distil that also mingle the waters and set them in the open Air in a Glass-Vessel in the Sun for fifteen days and wash your Face morning and evening therewith Another Crop in the morning the Flowers of Mullens and steep them in Greek-Wine with the Roots of Solomons-Seal then receive the water distilled in Glass-stills and if a woman when she riseth out of her bed wash her face with this she will be very fair and if you would take off the wrinkles with the same water add distilled water of Lemmons thereunto and it will make you glad to see the effect But this is the best Water to whiten plain and beautifie the Face Take equal parts of the Root of Solomons Seal greater Dragons and lesser Sparagrass Bryony and white Lillies as much as you please bruise them a little and cast them into an earthen pot with a large mouth let it be glazed pour on Greek Wine that may cover all add to these juice of Lemmons a fourth part ten new Eggs bruised with their shells and Land-Snails without shells let them infuse a while then distil them at a gentle fire and keep the first water a part then augment the fire and keep the second that will be stronger for this wipes all spots and red pimples from the Face Some mingle with this water of Bean-Flowers Elder Poppy Honey-Suckles and the like so do they take away all wrinkles and spots coming from the Sun and all the rest But you may thus take off The wrinkles of the Belly after child-birth Untipe Services are long boyled in water with these mingle whites of Eggs and water wherein Gum-Arabick is dissolved wet a Linen-cloth in such water and lay on the Belly or mingle the Powders of Harts Horn burnt the Stone Amiantus Salt-Ammoniac Myrrh Frankincense Mastick with Honey and it takes away all wrinkles CHAP. XXV Of Dentifrices DEntifrices are used amongst things to beautifie women for there is nothing held more ugly then for a woman to laugh or speak and thereby to shew their rugged rusty and spotted Teeth for they all almost by using Mercury sublimate have their Teeth black or yellow and because they stand in the Sun when they would make their Hair yellow their Teeth are hurt thereby and grow loose ready to fall out and do oft-times I shall shew first how to make black Teeth white as Pearls then how to make flesh grow about such as are weak and bare of Gums and to make them strong But of old were made Dentifrices of the shells of Purples and others like trumpets burnt The Arabian-stone it is like the spotted Ivory burned it is good for Dentifrices Also of Pumex-Stone very profitable Dentifrices were made Pliny So with the Powder of Ivory rubbed on the Teeth were made as white as Ivory Ovid. That Teeth may not grow black forborn With Fountain-water wash them every morn I shall add Another that I use The Crums of Barley-Bread burnt with Salt sprinkled on and Honey will not onely make the Teeth white but makes the Breath sweet Also with red Coral Cuttle bone Harts Horn and such-like whereof every one will well polish and wipe the Teeth clean so doth also the Grains of Cochinele Also there is made a water of Allom and Salt distilled that whiteneth the Teeth exceedingly and confirms them but the Oyl of Sulphur doth it best for it smooths them and wipes away all spots and if any one think it is too strong it may be qualified with the water of Myrtle flowers Make a Tooth-scraper after the fashion of a Tooth and pour on Oyl and rub the spots therewith but he careful it touch not the Gums for it will whiten and burn them rub so long till the spots be gone and they be very white I have now described the most perfect Remedy CHAP. XXVI To hinder the brests from augmenting AMongst the Ornaments of women this is the chief to have after Child-bearing round small solid and not flagging or wrinkled Brests So we may Hinder the augmenting of the Brests if we will Bruise Hemlock and lay a Cataplasm thereof with Vinegar to womens Brests and it will stay them that they shall not increase especially in Virgins yet this will hinder milk when it should be seasonable But if you will Curb soft and loose Brests Powder white Earth the white of an Egg sowre Galls Mastick Frankincense and mingle them in hot Vinegar and smeer the Brests therewith let it stay on all night If it do not effect it do the same again The Stones of Medlars are good for this also unripe Services Sloes Acacia Pomegranate Pills Balanstia unripe Pine-nuts Wilde Pears and Plantain if they all boil in Vinegar and be laid to the Brests or some of them The Antients commended for this purpose a Whetstone of Cypress that we sharpen Iron upon to restrain Virgins Brests and not let them grow big Dioscorides But Galen saith That it not onely stops the encrease of the Brests but will hinder childrens Testicles from growing but I use the juice of Ladies Mantle from the Leaves of it and I wet Linen in it and lay it on the Brests and renew it for it will not onely hinder Virgins Brests from increasing but will fallen the loose Brests of Matrons and make them firm It is more effectual to use the decoction of the Herb and if you joyn any of the forementioned thingâ— therewith as Hypocistis Pills of Pomegranates and the like So water distilled from green Pine-Apples will draw in loose Brests and make them like the round hard solid Brests of Virgins CHAP. XXVII How the Hand may be made white THe Hands must not be forgotten but we must make them white also smooth and soft that are Ornaments of the Hands to be desired But how whiteness and smoothness may be obtained I have shewed already
it self straitned in the narrow cavities it will seek some other vent and so tear the Vessels in pieces which will flie about with a great bounce and crack not without endamaging the standers by and being at liberty will save it self from further harm But if the things be hot and thin you must have Vessels with a long and small neck Things of a middle temper require Vessels of a middle size All which the industrious Artificer may easily learn by the imitation of Nature who hath given angry and furious Creatures as the Lion and Bear thick bodies but short necks to shew that flatulent humours would pass out of Vessels of a larger bulk and the thicker part settle to the bottom but then the Stag the Estrich the Camil-Panther gentle Creatures and of thin Spirits have slender bodies and long necks to shew that thin subtile Spirits must be drawn through a much longer and narrower passage and be elevated higher to purifie them There is one thing which I must especially inform you of which is that there may be a threefold moysture extracted out of Plants The Nutritive whereby they live and all dried Herbs want it differeth little from Fountain or Ditch-water The Substantial whereby the parts are joyned together and this is of a more solid Nature And the third is the Radical humor fat and oyly wherein the strength and vertue lieth There is another thing which I cannot pass over in silence it being one of the Principles of the Art which I have observed in divers Experiments which is that some mixt bodies do exhale thin and hot vapors first and afterwards moyst and thick on the contrary others exhale earthy and phlegmatick parts first and then the hot and fiery which being fixed in the inmost parts are expelled at last by the force of the fire But because there can be no constant and certain Rule given for them some I will mark unto you others your own more quick ingenuity must take the pains to observe CHAP. II. Of the Extraction of Waters THe Extraction of Waters because it is common I will dispatch in a few words If you would extract sweet Waters out of hot Plants and such as are earthy and retain a sweet savour in their very substance these being cast into a Stillatory without any Art and a fire made under them yield their odors as you may draw sweet Waters out of Roses Orange-flowers Myrtle and Lavender and such-like either with Cinders or in Balneo Mariae but onely observe to kindle the fire by degrees lest they burn There are also in some Plants sweet Leaves as in Myrtle Lavender Citron and such-like which if you mix with the Flowers will no way hinder the savour of them but add a pleasantness to the Waters and in places where Flowers cannot be gotten I have seen very sweet Waters extracted out of the Tendrils of them especially when they have been set abroad a sunning in a close Vessel for some dayes before There is a Water of no contemptible sent drawn out of the Leaves of Basil gentle especially being aromatized with Citron or Cloves by the heat of a gentle Bath heightened by degrees and then exposing it to the Sun for some time There is an odoriserous Water extracted out of the Flowers of Azadaret or bastard Sicamore very thin and full of savor The way to finde out whether the odor be settled in the substance of a Plant or else in the superficies or outward parts is this Rub the Leaves of Flowers with your fingers if they retain the same sent or cast a more fragrant breath then the odour lieth in the whole substance But on the contrary if after your rubbing they do not onely lose their natural sent but begin to stink it sheweth that their odour resideth onely in their superficies which being mixed with other ill savoured parts are not onely abated but become imperceptible In distilling of these we must use another Art As for example To extract sweet Water out of Gillâ—flowers Musk Roses Violets and Jasmine and Lillies First draw the juice out of some wilde Musk Roses with a gentle heat in Balneo then remove them and add others for if you let them stand too long the sent which residâ—th in the superficies is not onely consumed but the dull stinking vapour which lieth in the inward parts is drawn forth In this water let other Roses be infused for some hours and then taken out and fresh put in which the oftner you do the sweeter it will smell but stop the Vessel close lest the thin sent flie out and be dispersed in the Air and so you will have a most odoriferous Water of Musk-Roses The same I advise to be done with Jasmine Gilliflowers Lillies and Violets and Crows-toes and the like But if you are not willing to macerate them in their own waters the same may be done in Rose-water By this Art I have made Waters out of Flowers of a most fragrant smell to the admiration of Artists of no small account But because it happeneth sometimes by the negligence of the Operator that it is infected with a stink of burning I will teach you How to correct the stink of burning Because that part which lieth at the bottom fâ—eleth more heat then the top whence it cometh to pass that before the one be warm the other is burnt and oftentimes stinketh of the fire and offendeth the nose Therefore distil your Waters in Balneo with a gentle fire that the pure clear Water may ascend and the dregs settle in the bottom with the Oyl a great cause of the ill savour How to draw a great quantity of Water by Distillation Fasten some Plates of Iron or Tin round the top of the Stillatory set them upright and let them be of the same height with it and in the bottom fasten a Spigget When the Stillatory waxeth hot and the elevated vapors are gathered into the Cap if that be hot they fall down again into the bottom and are hardly condensed into drops but if it be cold it presently turneth them into Water Therefore pour cold Water between those plates which by condensing the vapours may drive down larger currents into the Receiver When the Cap and the Water upon it begin to be hot pull out the Spigget that the hot Water may run out and fresh cold Water be put in Thus the Water being often changed that it may always be cold and the warm drawn out by the Spigget you will much augment the quantity of your Water CHAP. III. Of extracting Aqua Vitae IT is thus done Take strong rich Wine growing in dry places as on Viseuvius commonly called Greek-wine or the tears or first running of the Grape Distil this in a Glass-Retort with Cinders or in Balneo or else in a long necked Still Draw out the third part of it and reserve the rest for it is turned into a perfect sharp Vinegar there remaining onely the carcase of
pour as much Fountain-water on as will cover them a handful or five large fingers over then set on the head and stop the joynts very close Put the other end of the Pipe into the other Pot and joynt them exactly then set on the other head and fasten the lower end of its crooked Pipe into that straight one which passing through the Barrel runneth into the Receiver If the joynts be anywhere faulty stop them with Flax and paste them with Wheat-flour and the white of an Egg then rowl them about and tie them close with Fillets cut out of a Bladder for when the vapors are forced by the heat of the fire they are so attenuated that they will break forth through the least rime or chink in spite of all your endeavors Fill the Barrel with cold water and when it beginneth to grow hot draw it out through a Cock at bottom and supply fresh water that the Pipe may always be kept cool At length make the Pot boyl at first with a gentle fire then encrease it by degrees until the vehemency of the heat doth make the vapors hiss as it were ready to break the Pipes as they run thorow them so they will be elevated thorow the retorted Pipes and leave the phlegmatick water in the lower Vessel till passing through the cold Pipe they be condensed into Liquor and fall down into the Receiver If the water do consume away in the boyling pour in more being first warmed thorow a little Pipe which the Pot must have on one side with a Spigget to it for this purpose but be sure to stop the Spigger in very close that there may be no vent Afterwards separate the Oyl from the Water sublime and purifie it in another Vessel Of all the Instruments that ever I saw not any one extracteth a greater quantity of Oyl and with less labour and industry then this Thus you may without any fear of burning draw Oyl out of Flowers Leaves Spices Gums and VVood with the vehementest fires as also out of Juniper and Laurel-Berries CHAP. IX The Description of a Descendatory whereby Oyl is extracted by Descent I Cannot refrain from discovering here an Instrument found out by my own private experience which I hope will be of no small profit to the Ingenious by which they may draw Oyl out of any the least things without any fear of burning For there are many tenuous oyly Flowers as of Rosemary and Juniper and other things as Musk Amber Civet Gum and such-like out of which may be drawn Oyls very sweet and medicinable but they are of so thin a substance that there is a great hazard of burning them when they are forced by the heat of the fire without which neither fat things will be elevated nor Oyl extracted Therefore to remedy these inconveniences I have invented an Instrument by which Oyl shall descend without any labour or danger of burning Let a Vessel be made of Brass in the form of an Egg two foot high and of the same breadth let it be divided towards the top of which the upper part must serve for a cover and be so fitted to be received into the lower part that the joynts may closely fall in one another and be exactly stopt In the lower part towards the middle about half a foot from the mouth let there be a Copper-plate fitted as it were the midriff so that it may easily be put and taken out in which must be made three hollow places to receive the bottom of three retorted Vessels the rest of the plate must be pervious that the boyling VVater and hot Spirits may have passage to rise upwards Out of the sides of the Vessel there must be three holes through the which the necks of the Retorts may pass being glued and fastned to their Pipes with Flax and tied with Fillets of Bladders so that not the least Air much less any VVater may flie out VVhen you prepare to work fill the Glass-Retorts with the things you intend to still thrust the necks thorow the holes outward and lay their bodies in the prepared hollowness of the cross-plate somewhat elevated If there remain any void space between the necks and the sides of the holes they pass through stop it with Flax and tie it about with Fillets of Bladder and fill the Vessel with with water within three fingers up to the cross-plate The Vessel being covered and the joynts well stopt and glued and bound about so that the force of the vapours arising may not burst it open and scald the Faces of the by-standers kindle the fire by degrees until it become very vehement then wil the vapors make a great nose almost sufficient to terrifie one and first VVater then VVater and Oyl will distil out I cannot contain my self from relating also another Instrument invented for the same purpose Make an oval Brass-Vessel as I advised before with a hole bored thorow the bottom to which fasten a pipe that may arise up to the mouth of the Vessel let the mouth of it be wide like a trumpet or tunnel so that the long neck of a Gourd-Glass may pass through the Pipe of it and the wide mouth of the Vessel under may by degrees receive the swelling parts of the neck Adapt a cover to this Vessel that it may be close stopt and luted as we said before You must make a Furnace on purpose for this use for the fire must not be made in the bottom but about the Vessel The use is this Fill the Glass with Flowers or other things put in some wire Lute-strings after them that they may not fall out again when the Glass is inversed Thrust the neck thorow the Brass-Pipe set the Vessel on the Furnace and fill it with Water round about the arising Pipe put on the Cover and plaister it about set the Receiver under the Furnace that it may catch the dropping Water and Oyl then kindle the fire about the sides of the Pot the violence of which will elevate vapors of burning water which beating against the concave part of the Cover will be reverberate upon the bottom of the Gourd-Glass whose fervent heat will turn the Water and Oyl into vapor and drive it down into the Receiver I will set down some examples of those things which I made trial of my self As How to extract Oyl out of Rosemary Flowers Fill the Retorts with the Leaves and Flowers of Rosmary and set them in the Brass-Furnace the fire being kindled will force out first a Water and afterward a yellow Oyl of a very strong and fervent odor a few drops of which I have made use of in great sicknesses and driving away cruel pains You may extract it easier if you macerate the Flowers or Leaves in their own or Fountain-water for a week In the same manner Oyl of Citron-Pill is extracted When Citrons are come to perfect ripeness shave off the peal with a gross Steal-File put the Filings into a Pot
with the best Gunpowder onely but the pipe with that mixture that burns more gently that when fire is put to it you may hold it so long in your hand until that slow composition may come to the centre and then throw it amongst the enemies for it will break in a thousand pieces and the iron wires and pieces of iron and parts of the Ball will fly far and strike so violently that they will go into planks or a wall a hand depth These are cast in by Souldiers when Cities are besiged for one may wound two hundred men and then it is worse to wound then to kill them as experience in wars shews But when you will fill the pipes hold one in your hand without a Ball full of the composition and try it how long it will burn that you may learn to know the time to cast them lest you kill your self and your friends I shall teach you how with the same Balls Troops of Horsemen may be put into confusion There are made some of these sorts of Balls that are greater about a foot in bigness bound with the same wire but fuller of iron piles namely with a thousand of them These are cast amongst Troops of Horsemen or into Cities besieged or into ships with slings or iron guns which they call Petrels and divers ways for if they be armed with iron pieces when they break they are cast forth so with the violence of the fire that they will strike through armed men and horses and so fright the horses with a huge noise that they cannot be ruled by bridle nor spurs but will break their ranks They have four holes made through them and they are filled with this said mixture that being fired they may be cast amongst Troops of Horsemen and they will cast their flames so far with a noise and cracking that the flames will seem like to thunder and lightning CHAP. VIII How in plain ground and under waters mines may be presently digged TO dig Mines to overthrow Cities and Forts there is required great cost time and pains and they can hardly be made but the enemy will discover it I shall shew how to make them in that champion ground where both armies are to meet with little labour and in short time To make Mines in plain grounds where the Armies are to meet If you would do this in sight of the enemy for they know not what you do I shall first teach how A little before night or in the twilight where the meeting shall be or passage or standing there may pits be made of three foot depth and the one pit may be distant from the other about ten foot There fit your Balls about a foot in bigness that you may fill the whole plain with them then dig trenches from one to the other that through them cotton matches may pass well through earthen pipes or hollow caâ—es but fire the Balls at three or four places then bury them and make the ground even leaving a space to give fire to them all at once Then at the time of war when the enemy stands upon the ground then remove at your pleasure or counterfeit that you fly from them and cast in fire at the open place and the whole ground will presently burn with fire and make a cruel and terrible slaughter amongst them for you shall see their limbs fly into the air and others fall dead pierced through burnt with the horrible flames thereof that scarce one man shall scape You shall make your Match thus In a new Test let the best Aqua vitae boyl with gunpowder till it grow thick and be like pap put your matches into it and role them in the mixture take the Test from the fire and strew on as much gunpowder as they will receive and set them to dry in the Sun put this into a hollow cane and fill it full of gunpowder or take one part refined salt-peter brimstone half as much and let it boyl in a new earthen pot with oyl of linseed put in your Match and wet them well all over with that liquor take them away and dry them in the Sun But if you will make Mines under the Water use this rare invention You shall make your Mines where the enemies Galleys or Ships come to ride you shall upon a plain place fit many beams or pieces of timber fastned cross-wise and thrust through or like nets according to the quantity in the divisions you shall make fit circles of wood and fasten them and fill them with gunpowder the beams must be made hollow and be filled with match and powder that you may set fire to the round circles with great diligence and cunning smeer over the circles and the beams with pitch and cover them well with it that the water may not enter and the powder take wet for so your labour will be lost and you must leave a place to put fire in then sink your engine with weights to the bottom of the water and cover it with stones mud and weeds a little before the enemy come Let a Scout keep watch that when their Ships or Galleys ride over the place that the snare is laid for fire being put to it the sea will part and be cast up into the air and drown'd the Ships or will tear them in a thousand pieces that there is nothing more wonderful to be seen or done I have tried this in waters and ponds and it performed more then I imagined it would CHAP. IX What things are good to extinguish the fire I Have spoken of kindling fires but now I shall shew how to quench them and by the way what things obnoxious to the fire will endure it and remain But first I will relate what our Ancestours have left concerning this business Vitruvious saith That the Larch-tree-wood will not burn or kindle by it self but like a stone in the furnace will make no coles but burn very slowly He saith the reason is That there is in it very little air or fire but much water and earth and that it is very solid and hath no pores that the fire can enter at He relates how this is known When Caesar commanded the Citizens about the Alps to bring him in provision those that were secure in a Castle of wood refused to obey his commands Caesar bade make bundles of wood and to light torches and lay these to the Castle when the matter took fire the flame flew exceeding high and he supposed the Castle would have fallen down but when all was burnt the Castle was not touched Whence Pliny writes The Larch-tree will neither burn to coles nor is otherwise consumed by fire then stones are But this is most false For seeing it is rosiny and oyly it presently takes fire and burns and being one fired is hard to put out Wherefore I admire that this error should spread so far and that the Town Larignum so called from the abundance of
Larch-wood compassed about with fire should suffer no hurt Moreover I read that liquid Alom as the Ancients report will stand out against fire For wood smeered with Alom and Verdignease whether they be posts or beams so they have a crust made about them will not burn with fire Aâ—â—â—â—laus the General for Mithridates made trial of it in a wooden Tower against 〈◊〉 which he attempted in vain to set on fire which I find observed by 〈◊〉 in his Annals But this liquid Alom is yet unknown to many learned men our Alum wants this property But many say that vinegar prevails against fire Plutarch saith That nothing will sooner quench fire them vinegar for of all things it most puts out the flame by its extreamity of cold Poliâ—â—â—â— reports 〈◊〉 when he was besieged by his enemies poured out of brazen vessels melted lead upon the engines that were set to scale the place and by this were the engines dissolved but the enemies poured vinegar upon it and by that they quenched the lead and all things else that fell from the walls and so they found vinegar to be the fittest to quench fire and an excellent experiment if things be wet with it Pliny prayseth the white of an egge to quench it saying that the white of an egge is so strong that if wood be wet with it it will not burn nor yet any garment Hieron to cover scaling engines used the raw hides of beasts new killed as having force to resist fire and the joynts of wood they fenced with chalk or with ashes tempered with blood or clay molded with hair or straw and with sea-weeds wet in vinegar for so they were safe from fire Carchedonius was the first that taught men to cover engins and rams with green hides I have heard by men of credit that when houses were on fire by a peculiar property the menstruons clothes of a woman that had her courses the first time cast over the planks would presently put out the fire Thick and muscilaginous juyces are good against fire as of Marsh-mallows Therefore Albertus writ not very absurdly that if a man anoint his hands with juyce of Marsh-mallows the white of an egge and vinegar with alom He may handle fire without hurt And it is a thing that hath much truth in it But I think that quick-silver killed in vinegar and the white of an egge and smeered on can preserve any thing from fire CHAP. X. Of divers compositions for fire I Shall speak of divers compositions for fire to be used for divers uses But men say M. Gracchus was Author of this invention To make a fiery composition that the Sun may kindle It consists of these things Oyl of Rosinous Turpentine of Quick-silver otherwise then I shewed in distilling of Juniper of Naphtha Linseed Colophonia Camphire let there be Pitch Salt-peter and Ducks-grease double to them all Aqua vitae refined from all flegm Pound them all and mingle them put them up in a glazed vessel and let them ferment two moneths in horse-dung always renewing the dung and mingling them together After the set time put it into a retort and distil it thicken the liquor either with Pigeons-dung finely sifted or with gunpowder that it may be like pap Wood that is smeered over with this mixture and set in the summer Sun will fire of it self Pigeons-dung easily takes fire by the Sun beams Galen reports That in Mysia a part of Asia a house was so set on fire Pigeons-dung was cast forth and touched a window that was neer as it came to touch the wood that was newly smeered with rosin when it was corrupted and grew hot and vapoured at Midsummer by heat of the Sun it fired the rosin and the window then other places smeered with Rosin took fire and by degrees part of the house began to take hold and when once the covering of the house began to flame it soon laid hold of the whole house because it hath a mighty force to inflame all Ducks-grease is very prevalent in fire-works and Physitians praise it extremely that it is most subtile penetrating and hot it makes other things penetrate and as it is most subtile and hot so it takes fire vehemently and burns I shall shew how to distil A most scalding Oyl When I would prepare the most excellent compositions of burning oyl I distilled common oyl in a retort but with great labour yet what was distilled was thin combustible and ready to fire that once kindled it was not to be put out and it would draw the flame at a great distance and hardly let it go But oyl of Linseed is stronger than it for if you distil it often it will have such a wonderful force to take fire that it can hardly be shut up in a vessel but it will draw the fire to it and the glass being opened it is so thin that it will fly into the Air and if the light of a candle or of fire touch it the Air takes fire and the oyl fired by it will cast the flame afar off so vehemently that it is almost impossible to quench it It must be distilled with great cunning lest the vessel over-heat it should take fire within Moreover Fire that is quenched with oyl is kindled with water It is thus made I said that Naphtha will burn in water and that Camphire is a kind of it Wherefore if you mingle brimstone with it or other things that will retain fire if you cast in oyl or mud it will quench it but it revives and flames more if you cast in water Livy relates That some old women in their plays lighting Torches made of these things passed over Tyber that it seemed a miracle to the beholders I said it was the property of Bitumen to take fire from water and to be quenched with oyl Dioscorides saith That the Thracian stone is bred in a certain River of Scythia the name of it is Pontus it hath the Force of Jet they say it is enflamed by water and quenched with oyl like as Bitumen Nicander speaks of this stone thus If that the Thracian stone be burnt in fire And wet with water the flame will aspire But oyl will quench it Thracian shepherds bring This stone from th' River Pontus Poets sing Torches that will not be put out by the winds They are made with brimstone for that is hardly put out if once kindled Wherefore Torches made with wax and brimstone may be carried safely through winds and tempests These are good for Armies to march by or for other necessary things Others use such They boil the wick of the Torches in Salt-peter and water when it is dried they wet them with brimstone and Aqua vitae of this mixture then they make their Candles with brimstone and then with half Camphire and Turpentine two parts Colophonia three of Wax of this they make four Candles and put them together in the middle that is empty they cast in quick-brimstone
and they will forcibly resist all things Or thus Boil wicks of Hemp or Cotton in water with Salt-peter take them out and dry them then melt in a brass pot equal parts of brimstone gunpowder and wax when they are melted put in your wicks to drink up part of the mixture take them out and to what is left in the kettle add Gunpowder Brimstone and Turpentine of each a like quantity of which mixture make your Torches and joyn them together Also there is made A cord that set on fire shall neither smoke nor smell When Souldiers or Hunters go secretly by day or night they use sometimes to make a Match that being lighted will neither smell near hand nor far off nor make any smoke for wild Beasts if the Match smell will sent it and run to the tops of the Mountains Take a new earthen pot and put into it a new cord so handsomely that the whole pot may be filled so laid in rounds that no more can go in cover it and lute it well three or four times that it may have no vent for the whole business depends on this Then make a fire round about it by degrees that first it may grow hot then very hot and lastly red hot and if sometimes the smoke come forth stop the chinks with clay still then heaped up under the coles let it grew cold of it self and opening the Pot you shall finde the Cord black like a cole Light this Cord and it will neither smoke nor smell CHAP. XI Fire-compositions for Festival days I Have shewed you Terrible and Monstrous fire-works it is fit to shew you some to use at Solemn Times not so much for use as to give you occasion to find out higher matters I shall shew then how to make one That when a man comes into his Chamber the whole Air way take fire Take a great quantity of the best refined Aqua vitae and put Camphire into it cut small for it will soon dissolve in it when it is dissolved shut the Windows and Chamber-doors that the vapour that exhales may not get forth when the vessel is full with water let it boil with coles put under without any flame that all the water may resolve into smoke and fill the Chamber and it will be so thin that you can scarce perceive it Let some man enter into the Chamber with a lighted Candle in his hand and the Air by the Candle light will take fire all about and the whole Chamber will be in a flame like an Oven and will much terrifie one that goes in If you dissolve in the water a little Musk or Amber-greese after the flame you shall smell a curious sent Also there is made Exceeding burning water Thus Take old strong black Wine put into it quick Lime Tartar Salt and quick-Brimstone draw out the water of them with a glass retort This will burn exceedingly and never cease till it be all consumed If you put it into a vessel with a very large mouth and put flame neer it it will presently take fire if when it is on fire you cast it against a wall or by night out at the window you shall see the Air full of sparks and kindled with fires It will burn held in your hands and yet will not scald you Distil it once again and it will burn the less But if you take equal parts of quick Lime and Salt and shall mingle them with common Oyl and make little Balls and cast them into the belly of the retort at the neck and then shall draw forth the Oyl by a vehement fire and mingling this Oyl again with Salt and quick Lime shall distill them again and shall do the same four times an Oyl will come forth that will burn wonderfully that some deservedly call it infernal Oyl A Solemn Pleasant fire is made for the Theater If Camphire be dissolved in Aqua vitae and with that Fillets Papers or Parchments be smeered and being dried again be lighted and shall fall from a loft as they fall lighted through the Air you shall see Serpents with great delight But if you dessire To cast flame a great way Do thus Beat Colophonia Frankincense or Amber finely and hold them in the palm of your hand and put a lighted Candle between your fingers and as you throw the Powder into the Air let it pass through the flame of the Candle for the flame will fly up high If you will have that Many Candles shall be lighted presently on Festival Days as I hear they are wont to do amongst the Turks You shall boil Brimstone and Orpiment with Oyl and in them let thred boil when it is dry bind it to the wicks of Candles and let them pass through for when one head is lighted the flame will run to them all and set them on fire Some call it Hermes his Oyntment Any man may Eating in the dark cast sparkles out of his mouth It is pleasant for the Spectators and it is thus Let a man eat Sugar-candy for as he breaks it with his teeth sparkles will seem to fly out of his mouth as if one should rub a fire-brand CHAP. XII Of some Experiments of Fires I Will set down some Experiments that are without the ranks of the rest I held it better to conceal them but they may give you occasion to think on greater matters by them If you will That Bullets from Brass Guns may enter deeper you may easily try this against a wall or plank set up Let the Ball rather go into the hollow of it streight then wide but wet it in Oyl before you put it in and so cast it in this Bullet shot off by force of fire will go in twice as far as otherwise The reason is easie for the Oyl takes away the occasion of the Airs breathing forth for all vents being stopt the flames striving within cast forth the Bullet with more violence as we shall shew more at large So also will the Bullets of Brass Guns penetrate with more force and if you lard the Bullets they will penetrate through Arms of proof I can also by a cunning Artifice Shoot a man through with a Bullet and no place shall be seen where it went in or came forth The minde of man is so cunning that it hath invented a way to shoot a man quite through with a Bullet and yet no mark of the Bullet shall appear though all the inward parts be bruised and beaten through Consider that what things are heavy are solid and so subtile that they will penetrate and leave no marks where they entred or came out and they will do the same though they be united as if they were disjoynted and every part will act by it self alone as it would do being united I have said thus to take away all occasions from ignorant and wicked people to do mischief I saw A Gun discharge often and yet no more powder was put in Famous Souldiers use
if they sink it is mingled with water But if you seek to know If new wine have any water mingled with it it will be the contrary for the contrary reason For wine that is pure and sincere is thin but new wine at first is thick feculent gross clammy because the feces are not yet sunk down but in time it will grow clear and thin Wherefore if you put Apples or Pears into new wine and the new wine be most pure the Apples will flote above it but if there be water mingled with it â—he Apples will sink to the bottom for freeze-water is thinner than new wiâ—e and lighter iâ—â—â—useth the Apple to sink which is excellent well described by Sotion and very curiously He saith That we may know whether new wine be mingled with water cast wilde Pears that is green ones into new wine and if there be any water they will sink to the bottom For when you fill the vessel with new wine if you cast in Services or Pears they will swim the more water you put to it the more will the Apple sink But we shall adde this for an addition When new wine is mingled with water to know which part is the best the upper or lower part The Country people use after the pressing forth of the wine when the clusters are pressed forth to caâ—â— in a certain quantity of water and so they make drink for laborers in the Countrey This new wine they divide the Country man hath half and the Landlord the other half The question is which part is the best the first or last that runs forth of the press But if you well remember what I said before the wine being the lightest will come uppermost and the water being heaviest will always sink to the bottom Wherefore the first that comes forth is the wine that which remains and is pressed from the clusters is watry When water is cast on the clusters it goes into the inmost parts of the Grapes and draws forth the wine that is in them and so they mingle but being lighter it chooseth the upper place therefore the upper part is best because it contains most wine but if you turn the Cock beneath the water will first run forth and the wine last CHAP. VII Other ways how to part wine from water THere are other ways to do it as by distilling For in distilling the lightest will ascend first then the heaviest when the fire is not too strong and that is but reason wherefore that the liquor may ascend it must first be attenuated into thin vapours and become lighter therefore wine being thinner than water if it be put in a still in Balneo the lightest vapour of wine will ascend by degrees and fall into the receiver You shall observe the Aqua vitae that distills into the vessel and by the quantity of that you may judge of the proportion of water mingled with the wine Also note that when the lightest part of the wine is ascended the heavy feces remain as water or as part of the wine Oft-times in our distillations when Aqua vitae was distilled in Balneo by chance the vessel brake that contain'd the Aqua vitae and mingled with the water in the kettle I put the mingled liquor into a Glass vessel and putting a soft fire to it first came forth the pure Aqua vitae simple without any water the water stayed in the bottom and kept not so much as the smell of the Aqua vitae By the veins running in the cup I knew the water ascended I will not omit though it be for another reason for pleasure and ingenuity to shew The manner to part water from wine that by this means we may know how much water is mingled in the vessel Take the quantity of the wine and put it into a Glass Vial and put the Vial into very cold water that all that is in the Vial may freeze as I shew'd If the wine be sincere and pure it will be the harder to freeze and longer if it have much water it will freeze the sooner When the wine is frozen break the Vial upon a dish the ice must melt by degrees first the wine because that is hotter than the water will remain frozen Part the wine from it for it will be longer thawing by proportion of this you may know what part of water was put into the vessel CHAP. VIII How the levity in the water and the air is different and what cunning may be wrought thereby NOw I will speak of heavy and light otherwise than I spake before namely how it is in the air and how in the water and what speculation or profit may rise from thence And first how we may know whether a Metal be pure or mingled with other Metals as Gold and Silver as in Gilded cups or else in moneys where Silver or Gold is mingled with Brass and what is their several weights which speculation is useful not onely for Bankers but also for Chymists when they desire to try Metals in fixing of Silver or other operations which I will attempt to declare plainly But first I will see whether the Antients speak any thing hereof Vitruvius saith Archimedes did write of this For when Hiero purposed to offer a Golden Crown to the Gods in the Temple he put it to the Goldsmith by weight he made the work curiously and maintain'd it for good to the King and by weight it seemed to be just but afterwards it was said that he had stoln part of the Gold and made up the Crown with Silver to the full weight Hiero enraged at this this bad Archimedes to consider of it He then by chance coming into a Bath when he had descended into it he observed that as much of his body as went into the Bath so much water ran over the Bath when he considered the reason of it he leaped forth for joy running home and crying Eureka Eureka that is I have found it I have found it Then they say he made to lumps of equal weight with the Crown one of Gold the other of Silver then he filled a large vessel to the very brims with water and he put in the lump of Silver the bigness of that thrust into the water made the water run over wherefore taking out the lump what flowed over he put in again having measured a sixt part and he found what certain quantity of water answered to the quantity of the Silver then he put in the lump of Gold into the full vessel and taking that forth by the same reason he found that not so much water ran forth but so much less of the body of the Gold was less than the same weight in Silver Then he filled the vessel with water and put in the Crown and he found that more water ran forth by reason of the Crown than for the mass of Gold of the same weight and from thence because more water run over by reason of
end of the Pipe and he that is at the other end shall do the like the voice may be intercepted in the middle and be shut up as in a prison and when the mouth is opened the voice will come forth as out of his mouth that spake it but because such long Pipes cannot be made without trouble they may be bent up and down like a Trumpet that a long Pipe may be kept in a small place and when the mouth is open the words may be understood I am now upon trial of it if before my Book be Printed the business take effect I will set it down if not if God please I shall write of it elsewhere CHAP. II. Of Instruments Musical made with water OLd Water-Instruments were of great esteem but in our days the use is worn out Yet we read that Nero took such delight in them that when his Life and Empire were in danger amongst the seditions of Souldiers and Commanders and all was in imminent danger he would not forsake the care of them and pleasure he took in them Vitruvius teacheth us how they were made but so obscurely and mystically that what he says is very little understood I have tryed this by many and sundry ways by mingling air with water which placing in the end of a Pipe or in my mouth where the breath of the mouth strikes against the air and though this made a pleasant noise yet it kept no tune For whilst the water bubbles and trembles or warbles like a Nitingale the voice is changed in divers tunes one note is sweet and pleasant two squele and jar But this way it will make a warbling sound and keep the tune Let there be made a Brass bottom'd Chest for the Organ wherein the wind must be carried let it behalf full of water let the wind be made by bellows or some such way that must run through a neck under the waters but the spirit that breaks forth of the middle of the water is excluded into the empty place when therefore by touching of the keys the stops of the mouths of the Pipes are opened the trembling wind coming into the Pipes makes very pleasant trembling sounds which I have tried and found to be true CHAP. III. Of some Experiments by Wind-Instruments NOw will I proceed to the like Wind-Instruments but of divers sorts that arise by reason of the air and I shall shew how it is dilated contracted rarified by fire condensed by cold If you will That a vessel turned downwards shall draw in the water do thus Make a vessel with a very long neck the longer it is the greater wonder it will seem to be Let it be of transparent Glass that you may see the water running up fill this with boiling water and when it is very hot or setting the bottom of it to the fire that it may not presently wax cold the mouth being turned downwards that it may touch the water it will suck it all in So such as search out the nature of things say That by the Sun beams the water is drawn up from the Concave places of the Earth to the tops of Mountains whence fountains come forth And no small Arts arise from hence for Wind-Instruments as Heron affirms Vitruvius speaks the like concerning the original of Winds but now it is come to be used for houses For so may be made A vessel to cast forth wind You may make Brass Bowles or of some other matter let them be hollow and round with a very small hole in the middle that the water is put in at if this be use the former experiment when this is set at the fire it grows hot and being it hath no other vent it will blow strongly from thence but the blast will be moist and thick and of an ill savour You may also make A vessel that shall cast forth water There is carried about with us a Glass vessel made Pyramidal with a very narrow long mouth with which it casts water verâ— faâ— off That it may draw water suck out the air with your mouth as much as you can and presently thrust the mouth into the water for it will draw the water into it do so until a third part of it be filled with water When you will spouâ— the water afar off fill the vessel with air blowing into it as hard as you can presently take it from your mouth and incline the mouth of the vessel that the water may run to the mouth and stop the air and the air striving to break forth will cast the water out a great way But if you will without attraction of Air make water fly far with it heat the bottom of the vessel a little for the air being rarefied seeks for more place and striving to break forth drives the water before it Thus â—runkard making a little hole in a vessel of wine because the wine will not run out the mouth beinâ— stopt whereby the air might enter they will blow hard into that hole then as they leave off the wine will come forth in as great quantity as the air blowed in was Now I will shew How to make water ascend conveniently We can make water rise to the top of a Tower Let there be a leaden Pipe that may come from the bottom to the top of the Tower and go down again from the top to the bottom as a Conduit let one end stand in the water that we desire should rise the other end that must be longer and hang down lower must be fastned into a vessel of wood or earth that it may take no air at all let it have a hole above the vessel whereby the vessel may be filled with water and then be stopt perfectly Set a vessel on the top of the Tower as capacious as that beneath and the leaden pipe now spoke of must be fastned at one end of the vessel and go forth at the other end and must be in the upper part of the vessel and let the pipe be divided in the middle within the vessel and where the pipe enters and where the pipe goes out they must be joynted that they take no air when therefore we would have the water to ascend fill the vessel beneath with water and â—â—op it close that it take no air then opening the lower hole of the vessel the water will run forth for that part of water that runs out of the vessel will cause as much to rise up at the other end by the other leaden pipe and ascend above the Towâ—r the water drawn forth is filled up again we may make out use of it and the hole being stopt the lower vessel may be filled again with water and so doing we shall make the water to escend a ways We may also By heat alone make the water rise Let there be a vessel above the Tower either of Brass Clay or Wood Brass is best let there be a pipe in the middle of it that may
descend down to the water beneath and be set under it but fastned that it take no air let the vessel above be made hot by the Sun or fire for the air that is contained in the vessel rarefies and breathes forth whereupon we shall see the water rise into bubbles when the Sun is gone and the vessel grows cold the air is condensed and because the air included cannot fill up the vacuity the water is called in and ascends thither CHAP. IV. A discription of water Hour-glasses wherein Wind or Water-Instruments for to shew the Hours are described THe Antients had Hour-Dials made by water and Water-Dials were usual and famous Heron of Alexandria writ Books of Water-Dials but they are lost I have writ a Book of them and that this part may not be deficient I shall shew two that are made by contraries one by blowing in the air the other by sucking it out This shall be the first A Water-Dial Take a vessel of Glass like a Urinal it is described by the letters AB On the top is A where there is a very small hole that the point of a needle can scarce enter it at the bottom neer the mouth let there be set a staff EF that in the middle hath a firm Pillar going up to the very top of the vessel let the Pillar be divided with the Hour-lines Let there be also a wooden or earthen vessel GH full of water Upon the superficies of that water place the Glass vessel AB that by its weight will press toward the bottom but the air included within the vessel keeps it from going down then open the little hole A whereby the air going forth by degrees the vessel will gradually descend also Then make by another Dial the marks on the staff CD which descending will afterwards shew the Hourmarks When therefore the vessel goes to the bottom of the wooden vessel the Dial is done and it is the last Hour But when you would have your Dial go again you must have a crooked empty pipe OK the upper mouth K must be stopt with the finger K so K being stopt with the finger that the air may not enter sink it under the water that it may come within the vessel AB then put your mouth to K and blow into it for that will raise the vessel upward and it will come to its former place and work again I shall also describe for my minds sake Another Water-Dial contrary to the former namely by sucking in the air Let there be a Glass vessel like to a Urinal as I said AB and being empty set fast on it the vessel CD that it cannot sink down then fill it with water as far as B Let there be a hole neer the top E wherefore sucking the air by the hole E the water comes into the vessel AB from the vessel CD and will rise as high as FG when therefore AB is full of water stop the hole E that no air enter and the water will fall down again In the top of the vessel AB let there be another very small hole that the air may come in by degrees and so much as there comes in of air so much water will go forth On the superficies of the vessel make Hour-lines that may snew the Hours marked 1 2 3 c. or if you will let the Still fastned to a Cork swim on the top of the water and that will shew the Hours marked on the outside of the vessel CHAP. V. A description of Vessels casting forth water by reason of Air. NOw I will describe some Fountains or Vessels that by reason of air cast forth water and though Heron ingeniously described some yet will I set down some others that are artifically found out by me and other men Here is described A Fountain that casts forth water by compression of the Air Let there be a vessel of water-work close every where AB make a hole through the middle and let a little pipe CD go up from the bottom of the water-work vessel D so far from the bottom that the water may run forth Upon the superficies of the Tympanum let there be C a very little hole with a cover to it or let it have as the Greeks call it Smerismation to shut and open it handsomely and in the upper surface of the Tympanum bore the basis quite through with a little pipe which enters into the hollow of the Tympanum and having in the hole beneath a broad piece of leather or brass that the air coming in may not go back wherefore pour in water at E that it may be three fingers above the bottom then blow in air as vehemently as you can when it is well pressed in shut the mouth then opening the mouth A the water will fly up aloft until the air be weak I at Venice made a Tympanum with pipes of Glass and when the water was cast forth very far the Lord Estens much admired it to see the water fly so high and no visible thing to force it I also made another place neer this Fountain that let in light and when the air was extenuated so long as any light lasted the Fountain threw out water which was a thing of much admiration and yet but little labor To confirm this there is An Artifice whereby a hand-Gun may shoot a bullet without fire For by the air onely pressed is the blast made Let there be a hand Gun that is made hollow and very smooth which may be done with a round instrument of lead and with Emril-powder beaten rubbing all the parts with it Then you must have a round Instrument that is exactly plained on all parts that may perfectly go in at the mouth of the wind Gun and so fill it that no air may come forth let it be all smeer'd with oyl for the oyl by its grossness hinders any air to come forth So this lead Bullet being put into the Guns mouth and thrust down with great force and dexterity then presently take away your hands but you must first shut the little hole that is in the bottom of the hole and the bullet and little stick will fall to the bottom and by the violence of the air pressed together it will cast out the Bullet a great way and the stick too which is very strange Also I will make A Vessel wherewith as you drink the liquor shall be sprinkled about your face Make a vessel of Pewter or Silver like to a Urinal then make another vessel in the fashion of a Tunnel or a round Pyramis let their mouths be equal and joyn'd perfectly together for they must be of the same bredth let the spire of it be distant from the bottom of the Urinal a fingers breadth and let it be open then pour water into the vessel and fill the Urinal unto the hole of the spire end and fill the Tunnel to the top and the rest of the Urinal will be empty
because the air hath no place to get forth when therefore any man drinks when the water is drank up as far as the hole of the spire end by the air pressed within is the water thrust violently forth and flies in the face of him that drinks Also there is a vessel that no man can drink out of it but he who knows the art Make an earthen or metal vessel in form of a Bottle or Flagon and make it full of holes from the neck to the middle of the belly From the bottom let a pipe ascend by the handle of the vessel and the handle being round about it let it come above the brims of the vessel empty under the handle in a place not seen make a little hole that any man holding the vessel by the handle may with his finger stop and unstop this hole when he please under the brim of the vessel where you set it to your mouth let there be another secret hole Then pour water into the vessel if now any man put the bottle to his mouth and raiseth it to drink the water will run forth at the neck that is open and at the belly but he that knows the trick taking the vessel by the handle shuts the hole with his thumb and not moving the vessel he draws the air with his mouth for the water follows the air and so he drinks it all up but if any man suck and shut not the hole the water will not follow CHAP. VI. That we may use the Air in many Arts. VVE may use Air in many Artifices I shall set down some that I may give a hint to others to invent more And chiefly How wind may be made in a chamber that guests may almost freeze Make a deep pit and put in a sufficient quantity of river or running water let the pit be close stopt onely let a pipe convey it through the walls that it may be brought into the chamber Let the water be let down into the pit by a kind of Tunnel lest the air should come forth at the place where it goes in by the water is the air of the pit expelled and comes by the pipe into the chamber that not onely those that sleep there but such as converse there are extream cold and benummed I will shew How Air may serve for Bellows I saw this at Rome Make a little cellar that 's close on all sides pour in by a Tunnel from above a quantity of water on the top of the wall let there be a little hole at which the air may break forth with violence for it will come so forcibly that it will kindle a fire and serve for bellows for Brass and Iron-melting furnaces the Tunnel being so made that when need is it may be turned and water may be put in THE TWENTIETH BOOK OF Natural Magick The Chaos wherein the Experiments are set down without any Classical Order THE PROEME I Determined at the beginning of my Book to write Experiments that are contain'd in all Natural Sciences but by my business that called me off my mind was hindred so that I could not accomplish what I intended Since therefore I could not do what I would I must be willing to do what I can Therefore I shut up in this Book those Experiments that could be included in no Classes which were so diverse and various that they could not make up a Science or a Book and thereupon I have here heaped them altogether confusedly as what I had overpassed and if God please I will another time give you a more perfect Book Now you must rest content with these CHAP. I. How Sea-water may be made potable IT is no small commodity to mankinde if Sea-water may be made potable In long voyages as to the Indies it is of great concernment For whilst Sea men by reason of tempests are forced to stay longer at Sea than they would for want of water they fall into great danger of their lives Galleys are forced all most every ten days to put in for fresh water and therefore they cannot long wander in enemies countries nor go far for enemies stop their passages Moreover in sea Towns and Islands when they want water as in our days in the Island Malta and in the Syrses Souldiers and Inhabitants endured much hardness and Histories relate many such things Hence I thought it necessary to search curiously whether Sea-water might be made potable But it is impossible to finde out any thing for this how it may be done unless we first finde out the cause of its saltness and what our Ancestors have said concerning that matter especially since Aristotle saith That the salt may easily be taken from the Sea because the sea is not salt of its own Nature but by the Sun that heats the water which draws out of it cold and dry earthly exhalations to the top of it and these being there burnt cause it to be salt when the moist subtile parts are resolved into thin vapors We therefore imitating Nature by raising the thin parts by Chymical Instruments may easily make it sweet For so the Nature of the Sea makes sweet waters for the Rivers There are also veins of the Sea in the deep parts of the earth that are heated by the Sun and the vapours are elevated to the tops of the heighest Mountains where by the cold superficies they meet with they congeal into drops and dropping down by the vaulted roots of Caves they run forth in open streams We first fill a hollow vessel like a great Ball with Sea-water it must have a long neck and a cap upon it that live coles being put under the water may resolve into thin vapors and fill all vacuities being carryed aloft this ill sented grossness when it comes to touch the coldness of the head or cap and meets with the Glass gathers like dew about the skirts of it and so running down the arches of the cap it turns to water and a pipe being opened that pertains to it it runs forth largely and the receiver stands to receive it as it drops so will sweet water come from salt and the salt tarryeth at the bottom of the vessel and three pound of salt water will give two pounds of fresh water but if the cap of the limbeck be of Lead it will afford more water yet not so good For Galen saith That water that runs through pipes of Lead if it be drank will cause an excoriation of the intestines But I found a way How to get a greater quantity of fresh water when we distil salt water Make a cap of earth like to a Pyramis all full of holes that through the holes Urinals of Earth or Glass may be brought in Let their mouths stick forth well luâ—ed that the vapor may not exhale the cap after the fashion of the limbeck must have its pipe at the bottom running round and let it crop forth at the nose of it Set this upon a
NATVRAL MAGICK in xx Bookes by IOHN BAPTIST PORTA a Neopolitane R. Gaywood fecit Lond 1658 I. BAPT PORTA Fire Ayre Art Nature Earth Water NATURAL MAGICK BY John Baptista Porta A NEAPOLITANE IN TWENTY BOOKS 1 Of the Causes of Wonderful things 2 Of the Generation of Animals 3 Of the Production of new Plants 4 Of increasing Houshold-Stuff 5 Of changing Metals 6 Of counterfeiting Gold 7 Of the Wonders of the Load-stone 8 Of strange Cures 9 Of Beautifying Women 10 Of Distillation 11 Of Perfuming 12 Of Artificial Fires 13 Of Tempering Steel 14 Of Cookery 15 Of Fishing Fowling Hunting c. 16 Of Invisible Writing 17 Of Strange Glasses 18 Of Statick Experiments 19 Of Pneumatick Experiments 20 Of the Chaos Wherein are set forth All the RICHES and DELIGHTS Of the NATURAL SCIENCES LONDON Printed for Thomas Young and Samuel Speed and are to be sold at the three Pigeons and at the Angel in St. Paul's Church-yard 1658. The Preface to the READER COURTEOUS READER IF this Work made by me in my Youth when I was hardly fifteen years old was so generally received and with so great applause that it was forthwith translated into many Languages as Italian French Spanish Arabick and passed through the hands of incomparable men I hope that now coming forth from me that an fifty years old it shall be more dearly entertained For when I saw the first fruits of my Labours received with so great Alacrity of mind I was moved by these good Omens And therefore have adventured to send it once more forth but with an Equipage more Rich and Noble From the first time it appeared it is now thirty five years And without any derogation from my Modesty be it spoken if ever any man laboured earnestly to disclose the secrets of Nature it was I For with all my Minde and Power I have turned over the Monuments of our Ancestors and if they writ anything that was secret and concealed that I enrolled in my Catalogue of Rarities Moreover as I travelled through France Italy and Spain I consulted with all Libraries Learned men and Artificers that if they knew any thing that was curious I might understand such Truths as they had proved by there long experience Those places and men I had not the happiness to see I writ Letters too frequently earnestly desiring them to furnish me with those Secrets which they esteemed Rare not failing with my Entreaties Gifts Commutations Art and Industry So that whatsoever was Notable and to be desired through the whole World for Curiosities and Excellent Things I have abundantly found out and therewith Beautified and Augmented these my Endeavours in NATURAL MAGICK wherefore by most earnest Study and constant Experience I did both night and day endeavour to know whether what I heard or read was true or false that I might leave nothing unassayed for I oft thought of that Sentence of Cicero It is fit that they who desire for the good of mankinde to commit to memory things most profitable well weighed and approved should make tryal of all things To do this I have spared no Pain nor Cost but have expended my narrow Fortunes in a large magnificence Nor were the Labours Diligence and Wealth of most famous Nobles Potentates Great and Learned Men wanting to assist me Especially whom I name for his Honour the Illustrious and most Reverend Cardinal of Estings All which did afford there Voluntary and Bountiful Help to this Work I never wanted also at my House an Academy of curious Men who for the trying of these Experiments chearfully disbursed their Moneys and employed their utmost Endeavours in assisting me to Compile and Enlarge this Volume which with so great Charge Labour and Study I had long before provided Having made an end thereof I was somewhat unwilling to suffer it to appear to the publike View of all Men I being now old and trussing up my Fardel for there are many most excellent Things fit for the Worthiest Nobles which should ignorant men that were never bred up in the sacred Principles of Philosophy come to know they would grow contemptible and be undervalued As Plato saith to Dionysius They seem to make Philosophy ridiculous who endeavour to prostitute Her Excellence to prophane and illiterate Men. Also here are conceived many hurtful and mischievous things wherewith wicked and untoward men may mischief others What then must I do let Envy be driven away and a desire to benefit Posterity vanquish all other thoughts The most Majestick Wonders of Nature are not to be concealed that in them we may admire the Mighty Power of God his wisdom his Bounty and therein Reverence and Adore him Whatsoever these are I set them before you that you may discern my Diligence and Benevolence towards you Had I withheld these Things from the World I fear I should have undergone the reproach of a wicked man for Cicero derives this from Plato we are not born for our selves alone but our Countrey will challenge a part our Parents and our Friends require their parts also from us Wherefore such Things as hitherto lay hid in the Bosome of wondrous Nature shall come to light from the Store-houses of the most ingenious Men without fraud or deceit I Discover those Things that have been long hid either by the Envy or Ignorance of others Nor shall you here finde empty Trifles or Riddles or bare Authorities of other men I did not think fit to omit any thing by erring Honestly or following the best Leaders But such as are Magnificent and most Excellent I have veil'd by the Artifice of Words by Transposition and Depression of them And such Things as are hurtful and mischievous I have written obscurely yet not so but that an ingenious Reader may unfold it and the wit of one that will throughly search may comprehend it I have added some things that are Profitable and rarely Known because they are most true Sometimes from Things most Known and meanly esteemed we ascend to Things most Profitable and High which the Minde can scarce reach unto One's Understanding cannot comprehend High and Sublime Things unless it stand firm on most true Principles The Mathematical Sciences rise from some trivial and common Axioms to most Sublime Demonstrations Wherefore I thought it better to Write true Things and Profitable than false Things that are great True Things be they never so small will give occasions to Discover greater things by them The infinite multitude of Things is incomprehensible and more than a man may be able to contemplate In our Method I shall observe what our Ancestors have said Then I shall shew by my own Experience whether they be true or false and last of all my own Inventions That Learned Men may see how exceedingly this later Age hath surpassed Antiquity Many men have written what they never saw nor did they know the Simples that were the Ingredients but they set them down from other mens traditions by an inbred and
of Magick THere are two sorts of Magick the one is infamous and unhappie because it hath to do with foul spirits and consists of Inchantments and wicked Curiosity and this is called Sorcery an art which all learned and good men derest neither is it able to yeeld any truth of Reason or Nature but stands meerly upon fancies and imaginations such as vanish presently away and leave nothing behinde them as Jamblichus writes in his book concerning the mysteries of the Aegyptians The other Magick is natural which all excellent wise men do admit and embrace and worship with great applause neither is there any thing more highly esteemed or better thought of by men of learning The most noble Philosophers that ever were Pythagoras Empedocles Democrites and Plato forsook their own countries and lived abroad as exiles and banished men rather then as strangers and all to search out and to attain this knowledge and when they came home again this was the Science which they professed and this they esteemed a profound mysterie They that have been most skilfuâ— in dark and hidden points of learning do call this knowledge the very highest point and the perfection of natural Science insomuch that if they could find out or devise amongst all natural Sciences any one thing more excellent or more wonderful then another that they would still call by the name of Magick Others have named it the practical part of natural Philosophy which produceth her effects by the mutual and fit application of one natural thing unto another The Platonicks as Plotinus imitating Mercurius writes in his book of Sacrifice and Magick makes it to be a Science whereby inferiour things are made subject to superiours earthly are subdued to heavenly and by certain pretty allurements it fetcheth forth the properties of the whole frame of the world Hence the Aegyptians termed Nature her self a Magician because she hath an alluring power to draw like things by their likes and this power say they consists in love and the things that were so drawn and brought together by the affinity of Nature those they said were drawn by Magick But I think that Magick is nothing else but the survey of the whole course of Nature For whilst we consider the Heavens the Stars the Elements how they are moved and how they are changed by this means we find out the hidden secrecies of living creatures of plants of metals and of their generation and corruption so that this whole Science seems meerly to depend upon the view of Nature as afterward we shall see more at large This doth Plato seem to signifie in his Alcibiades where he saith That the Magick of Zoroastres was nothing else in his opinion but the knowledge and study of Divine things wherewith the Kings Sons of Persia amongst other princely qualities were endued that by the example of the Common-wealth of the whole world they also might learn to govern their own Common-wealth And Tully in his book of Divinations saith That amongst the Persians no man might be a King unless he had first learned the Art of Magick for as Nature governs the world by the mutual agreement and disagreement of the creatures after the same sort they also might learn to govern the Common-wealth committed unto them This Art I say is full of much vertue of many secret mysteries it openeth unto us the properties and qualities of hidden things and the knowledge of the whole course of Nature and it reacheth us by the agreement and the disagreement of things either so to sâ—nder them or else to lay them so together by the mutual and fit applying of one thing to another as thereby we do strange works such as the vulgar sort call miracles and such as men can neither well conceive nor sufficiently admire For this cause Magick was wont to flourish in Aethiopia and India where was great store of herbs and stones and such other things as were fit for these purposes Wherefore as many of you as come to behold Magick must be perswaded that the works of Magick are nothing else but the works of Nature whose dutiful hand-maid Magick is For if she find any want in the affinity of Nature that it is not strong enough she doth supply such defects at convenient seasons by the help of vapours and by observing due measures and proportions as in Husbandry it is Nature that brings forth corn and herbs but it is Art that prepares and makes way for them Hence was it that Antipho the Poet said That we overcome those things by Art wherein Nature doth overcome us and Plotinus calls a Magician such a one as works by the help of Nature onely and not by the help of Art Superstitious profane and wicked men have nothing to do with this Science her gate is shut against them neither do we judge them worthy to be driven away from this profession onely but even out of Cities and out of the world to be grievously punished and utterly destroyed But now what is the 〈◊〉 and what must be the learning of this professor we purpose to 〈◊〉 in that which floweth CHAP. III. The Instruction of a Magician and what manner of man a Magician ought to be NOw it is meet to instruct a Magician both what he must know and what he must observe that being sufficiently instructed every way he may bring very strange and wonderful things to pass Seeing Magick as we shewed before is a practical part of Natural Philosophy therefore it behoveth a Magician and one that aspires to the dignity of that profession to be an exact and a very perfect Philosopher For Philosophy teaches what are the effects of fire earth air and water the principal matter of the heavens and what is the cause of the flowing of the Sea and of the divers-coloured Rain-bowe and of the loud Thunder and of Comets and firy lights that appear by night and of Earth-quakes and what are the beginnings of Gold and of Iron and what is the whole witty force of hidden Nature Then also he must be a skilful Physician for both these Sciences are very like and neer together and Physick by creeping in under colour of Magick hath purchased favour amongst men And surely it is a great help unto us in this kinde for it teaches mixtures and temperatures and so shews us how to compound and lay things together for such purposes Moreover it is required of him that he be an Herbalist not onely able to discern common Simples but very skilful and sharp-sighted in the nature of all plants for the uncertain names of plants and their neer likeness of one to another so that they can hardly be discerned hath put us to much trouble in some of our works and experiments And as there is no greater inconvenience to any Artificer then not to know his tools that he must work with so the knowledge of plants is so necessary to this profession that indeed it is all in all He
declareth that the World is every-where male and female for the former is the male the latter is the female so also Trees and Herbs have both sexes as well as living creatures so the fire is to the Air and the water to the Earth as a male to the female so that it is no marvel that the parts of the World desire so much to be matcht together The Planets are partly male and partly female and Mercury is of both sexes it self These things the Husband-man perceiving prepares his field and his seed for heavenly influences to work upon the Physician likewise observes the same and works accordingly for the preservation both of our bodies and of universal Nature So the Philosopher who is skilful in the Stars for such is properly a Magician works by certain baits as it were fitly matching earthly and heavenly things together and platting them as skilfully one within another as a cunning Husband-man planteth an old grâ—ffe into a young stock nay he layeth earthly things under heavenly things and inferious so fitly for their superiours everywhere to work upon as if a man should lay iron before the Load-stone to be drawn to it or Christal before the Sun to be enlightened by it or an Egge under a Hen to hatch it Furthermore as some can so cherish egges that even without the help of living creatures they will make them live yea and oftentimes they will prepare such matter so cunningly that even without egges or any apparent seeds they will bring forth living creatures as they will bring forth Bees of an Ox and a Scorpion of Basil working together by the help of universal Nature upon the vantage of fit matter and a seasonable or convenient time even so the Magician when once he knows which and what kinds of matters Nature hath partly framed and partly Art hath perfected and gathered together such as are fit to receive influence from above these matters especially doth he prepare and compound together at such a time as such an influence raigneth and by this means doth gain to himself the vertues and forces of heavenly bodies for wheresoever there is any matter so directly laid before superiour bodies as a looking-glasse before ones face or as a wall right before ones voice so doth it presently suffer the work of the Superiours the most mighty Agent and the admirable life and power of all things shewing it self therein Plotinus in his Book of Sacrifice and Magick saith That the Philosophers considering this affinity and bond of Nature wherewith all natural things are linked each to other did thence frame the Art of Magick and acknowledged both that the superiours might be seen in these inferiours and these inferiours in their superiours earthly things in heavenly though not properly but in their causes and after a heavenly sort likewise heavenly things in earthly but yet after an earthly sort For whence should we suppose it to be that the plants called Sun-followers should still follow the Suns motion and likewise the Moon-followers the Moons motion Wherefore surely even in earth we may behold both the Sun and the Moon but yet by reason of their quality upon earth and so in heaven we may behold all plants and stones and living creatures but yet as following the heavenly natures which things the Antients perceiving did apply and lay some earthly things to some heavenly and thence brought down the celestial forces into these inferiours by reason of their likeness one with the other for the very likenesse of one thing to another is a sufficient bond to link them together If a man do heat a piece of paper and then lay it a little under the flame of a candle though they do not touch each other yet he shall see the paper presently burn and the flame will still descend till it have burned all the paper Let us now suppose the paper thus heated to be that affinity which is betwixt superiours and inferious and suppose we also that this laying of the paper to the candle to be the fit applying of things together both for matter and time and place let us suppose yet farther the flame taking hold of the paper to be the operation of some heavenly body into a capable matter and last of all we may suppose the burning of the paper to be the altering of that matter into the nature of the celestial body that works upon it and so purifies it that in the end it flieth upward like burning flax by reason of some heavenly seeds and sparks which it hath within it self CHAP. X. How the knowledge of secrecies dependeth upon the survey and viewing of the whole World WE are perswaded that the knowledge of secret things depends upon the contemplation and view of the face of the whole world namely of the motion state and fashion thereof as also of the springing up the growing and the decaying of things for a diligent searcher of Natures workes as he seeth how Nature doth generate and corrupt all things so doth he also learn to do Likewise he learns of living creatures which though they have no understanding yet their senses are far quicker then ours and by their actions they teach us Physick Husbandry the art of Building the disposing of Houshold affairs and almost all Arts and Sciences the like may be observed in Metals Gems and Stones The beasts that have no reason do by their nature strangely shun the eyes of witches and hurtful things the Doves for a preservative against inchantments first gather some little Bay-tree boughs and then lay them upon their nests no preserve their young so do the Kites use white brambles the Turtles sword-grasse the Crows Withy the Lapwings Venus-hair the Ravens Ivy the Herns Carrot the Patridges Reed-leaves the Black-birds Myrtle the Larkes grasse the Swans Park-leaves the Eagle useth Maiden-hair or the stone Aeâ—ites for the same purpose In like manner they have shewed us preservatives against poysons the Elephant having by chance eaten a Chamaeleon against the poyson thereof eats of the wilde Olive whence Solinus observes That the same is a good remedy for men also in the same case The Panthers having swallowed up the poisonous herb Aconitum wherewith the Hunters besmear pieces of flesh so to destroy them against the poyson thereof seek out mans dung The Tortoise having eaten a serpent dispels the poyson by eating the herb Origan When Bears have tasted the fruit of the Mandrakes they eat Pismires against the poyson thereof There is a kind of Spider which destroyeth the Harts except presently they eat wilde Ivy and whensoever they light upon any poysonous food they cure themselves with the Artichoke and against Serpents they prepare and arm themselves with wilde Parsneps so do the Ring-doves Choughs and Black-birds use Bay-leaves The little worm Cimex is good against the biting of Aspes as Pliny shews by Hens who if they eat that worm are all day after free from the hurt of Aspes Goats
experiments prove false because that which we work by happily hath lost his vertue being kept too long But there are certain peculiar times to gather them in which the vulgar sort observeth not wherein the heavenly constellations bestow upon them some singular vertue proceeding from the most excellent nature and quality of the stars in which times if they be gathered they are exceedingly operative But there can be no set and just time assigned by reason of the divers situations of divers places in respect of the Sun for as the Sun-beams come neerer or further off so the earth fructifies sooner or later yet we will give some general observations Roots are to be gathered betwixt the old Moon and the new for then the moisture is fallen into the lower parts and that in the Evening for then the Sun hath driven in the moisture and by the stalk it is conveyed down into the root The time serves well to gather them when their wrinkles be filled out with moisture and they chap because they have so much juice as if they were about to break in pieces Leaves are then to be gathered as soon as they have opened themselves out of the sprigs and that in the morning about Sun-rising for then they are moister then in the evening the Suns heat having drunk up their moisture all day long Flowers are then to be gathered when they begin to seed while their juice is in them and before they wax limber Stalks are then to be gathered when the flower is withered for then especially are they profitable And seeds must be then gatherâ—d when they are so ripe that they are ready to fall There are some more peculiar observations Hot and slender herbs should be gathered when Mars and the Sun are Lords of the celestial houses moist herbs when the Moon is Lord but you must take heed that you gather them not in the falling houses thereof These things well observed in gathering plants will make them very profitable for Physical uses CHAP. XVI That the Countries and places where Simples grow are chiefly to be considered MAny are deceived in plants and metals and such like because they use them that come next hand never heeding the situation of the place where they grow But he that will work soundly must well consider both the aspect of the heavens and the proper nature and situation of the place for the place works diversly in the plants according to his own divers temperatures and sometimes causeth such an alteration in the vertues of them that many not onely young Magicians but good Physitians and Philosophers too have been deceived in searching them out Plato makes mention hereof God saith he hath furnished the places of the earth with divers vertues that they might have divers operations into plants and other things according to their kind And so Porphyry saith that the place is a principle of a generation as a father is Theophrastus would have Hemlock gathered and fetch'd from Susa because Thrasias was of opinion that there it might safely be taken and in other very cold places for whereas in Athens the juice of it is poison odious amongst the Athenians because it is given to kill men in common executions and Socrates there taking it died presently yet here it is taken without danger and beasts feed upon it The herb called Bears-foot that which grows on the Hill Oeta and Parnassus is very excellent but elsewhere of small force therefore Hippocrates when he would cure Democritus he caused it to be fetch'd from the Hills And in Achaia especially about Cabynia there is a kind of Vine as Theophrastus saith the wine whereof causeth untimely births and if the dogs eat the grapes they will bring forth abortives and yet in the taste neither the wine nor the grape differ from other wines and grapes He saith also that those Physicall drugs which grow in Euboea neer unto Aege are good but neer to Telethrium which is a shadowed and waterish place they are much worse and drier In Persia there grows a deadly tree whose apples are poison and present death therefore there it is used for a punishment but being brought over to the Kings into Egypt they become wholesome apples to eat and lose their harmfulnesse as Columella writes Dioscorides saith That the drugs which grow in steep places cold and dry and open to the winde are most forcible but they that grow in dark and waterish and calm places are lesse operative Wherefore if we find any difference in such things by reason of the places where they grow that they have not their right force we must seek them out there where the place gives them their due vertue CHAP. XVII Certain properties of Places and Fountains which are commodious for this work DIfference of places works much in the different effects of things For the place of the waters and also of the earth hath many miraculous vertues which a Magician must needs be well acquainted with for oft-times we see that some things are strangely operative onely by reason of the situation of the place the disposition of the Air and the force of the Sun as it cometh nearer or further off If one ground did not differ from another then we should have odoriferous reeds rushes grasse frankincense peper and myrth not only in Syria and Arabia but in all other Countries also Likewise many properties are derived out of Waters and Fountains which otherwise could not be made but that the waterish humor in the earth conveys his scent and such like properties into the root of that which there groweth and so nourisheth up that matter which springs out and causeth such fruit as savours of the place according to his own kind Zama is a City in Africa and Ismuc is a Town twenty miles from it and whereas all Africk besides is a great breeder of beasts especially of serpents about that Town there breed none at all nay if any be brought thither it dies and the earth of that place also killeth beasts whithersoever it is carried In the great Tarquine Lake of Italy are seen Trees some round some triangle as the wind moves them but none four-square In the Country beyond the River Po that part which is called Monsterax there is a kind of Corn called Siligo which being thrice sown makes good bread-corn Neer to Harpasum a Town of Asia there is a huge Rock which if you touch with one finger will move if with your whole body it will not move There are some places of the earth that are full of great fires as Aetna in Sicily the Hill Chimaera in Phaselis the fire whereof Ctesias writes will be kindled with water and quencht with earth And in the Country of Megalopolis and the fields about Arcia a coal falling on the earth sets it on fire So in Lycia the Hills Ephesti being touched with a Torch flame out insomuch that the stones and sands there do burn in the waters
wherein if a man make a gutter with a staff he shall see Rivers of fire run therein The like things are reported of waters For seeing they passe under the earth through veins of allum pitch brimstone and such like hence it is that they are sometimes hurtful and sometimes wholsome for the body There are also many kinds of water and they have divers properties The River Himera in Sicily is divided into two parts that which runs against Aetna is very sweet that which runneth through the salt vein is very salt In Cappadocia betwixt the Cities Mazaca and Tuava there is a Lake whereinto if you put reeds or timber they become stones by little and little and are not changed from stones again neither can any thing in that water be ever changed In Hierapolis beyond the River Maeander there is a water that becomes gravel so that they which make water-courses raise up whole banks thereof The Rivers Cephises and Melas in Boeotia if cattel drink of them as they do continually to make them conceive though the dams be white yet their young shall be russet or dun or coal-black So the sheep that drink of the River Peneus in Thessaly and Astax in Pontus are thereby made black Some kinds of waters also are deadly which from the poisonous juice of the earth become poisonous as the Well of Terracina called Neptunius which kills as many as drink of it and therefore in old times it was stopt up And the Lake Cychros in Thracia kills all that drink of it and all that wash themselves with it In Nonacris a Country of Arcady there flow very cold waters out of a stone which are called the water of Styx which break to pieces all vessels of silver and brasse and nothing can hold them but a Mules hoof wherein it was brought from Antipater into the Country where Alexander was and there his Son Jolla killed the King with it In the Country about Flascon the way to Campania in the field Cornetum there is a Lake with a Well in it wherein seem to lie the bones of Snakes Lysards and other Serpents but when you would take them out there is no such thing So there are some sharp and sowre veins of water as Lyncesto and Theano in Italy which I sought out very diligently and found it by the way to Rome a mile from Theano and it is exceeding good against the Stone There is a Well in Paphlagonia whosoever drinks of it is presently drunken In Chios is a Well that makes all that drink of it sottish and senslesse In Susa is a Well whoso drinks of it loseth his teeth The water of Nilus is so fertile that it makes the clods of earth to become living creatures In Aethiopia is a Well which is so cold at noon that you cannot drink it and so not at midnight that you cannot touch it There are many other like Wells which Ovid speaks of Ammons Well is cold all day and warm both morning and evening the waters of Athamas set wood on fire at the small of the Moon there is a Well where the Cicones inhabit that turneth into stones all that toucheth it or drinks of it Crathis and Sybaris make hair shew like Amber and Gold the water of Salmax and the Aethiopian Lakes make them mad or in a trance that drink of it he that drinks of the Well Clitorius never cares for wine after the River Lyncestius makes men drunken the Lake Pheneus in Arcady is hurtful if you drink it by night if by day it is wholesome Other properties there are also of places and fountains which he that would know may learn out of Theophrastus Timaeus Possidonius Hegesias Herodotus Aristides Meirodorus and the like who have very diligently sought out and registred the properties of places and out of them Pliny Solinus and such Writers have gathered their books CHAP. XVIII That Compounds work more forcibly and how to compound and mix those Simples which we would use in our mixtures NOw we will shew how to mix and compound many Simples together that the mixture may cause them to be more operative Proclus in his book of Sacrifice and Magick saith That the antient Priests were wont to mix many things together because they saw that divers Simples had some property of a God in them but none of them by it self sufficient to resemble him Wherfore they did attract the heavenly influences by compounding many things into one whereby it might resemble that One which is above many They made images of sundry matters and many odors compounded artificially into one so to expresse the essence of a God who hath in himself very many powers This I thought good to alleadge that we may know the Ancients were wont to use mixtures that a compound might be the more operative And I my self have often compounded a preservative against poison of Dragon-herbs the Dragon-fish Vipers and the stone Ophites being led therein by the likenesse of things The herb Dragon-wort both the greater and smaller have a stalk full of sundry-coloured specks if any man eat their root or rub his hands with their leaves the Viper cannot hurt him The Dragon-fish being cut and opened and laid to the place which he hath stung is a present remedy against his sting as Aetius writes The Viper it self if you flay her and strip off her skin cut off her head and tail cast away all her intrails boil her like an Eele and give her to one that she hath bitten to eat it will cure him or if you cut off her head being alive and lay the part next the neck while it is hot upon the place which she hath bitten it will strangely draw out the poyson Many such compound medicines made of creatures living on the earth in the water in the air together with herbs and stones you may find most wittily devised in the books of Kirannides and Harprocration But now we will shew the way and manner how to compound Simples which the Physitians also do much observe Because we would not bring forth one effect only but sometimes have use of two or three therefore we must use mixtures that they may cause sundry effects Sometime things will not work forcibly enough therefore to make the action effectual we must take unto us many helps Again sometime they work too strongly and here we must have help to abate their force Oft-times we would practice upon some certain member as the head the heart or the bladder here we must mingle some things which are directly operative upon that part and upon none else whereby it falleth out that sometimes we must meddle contraries together But to proceed When you would do any work first consider what is the chief thing which your simple or compound should effect then take the ground or foundation of your mixture that which gives the name to your compound and let there be so much of it as may proportionably work your intent for
all their corn wasted And as these mice are generated suddenly so they are suddenly consumed in a few dayes the reason whereof cannot be so well assigned Pliny could not find how it should be for neither could they be found dead in the fields neither alive within the earth in the winter time Diodorus and Aelianus write That these field-mice have driven many people of Italy out of their own Countrey they destroyed Cosas a City of Hetruria many came to Troas and thence drove the inhabitants Theophrastus and Varro write That mice also made the inhabitants of the Island Gyarus to forsake their Country and the like is reported of Heraclea in Pontus and of other places Likewise also Frogs are wonderfully generated of rotten dust and rain for a Summer showre lighting upon the putrified sands of the shore and dust of high-wayes engenders frogs Aelianus going from Naples in Italy to Puteoli saw certain frogs that their fore-parts moved and went upon two feet while yet their hinder parts were unfashioned and drawn after like a clot of dirt and Ovid saith one part lives the other is earth still and again mud engenders frogs that sometimes lack feet The generation of them is so easie and sudden that some write it hath rained frogs as if they were gendred in the Air. Phylarchus in Athenaeus writes so and Heraclides Lembus writes that it rained frogs about Dardany and Poeonia so plentifully that the very wayes and houses were full of them and therefore the inhabitants though for a few daies at the first they endured it killing the frogs and shutting up their houses yet afterward when they saw it was to no purpose but they could neither use water nor boil meat but frogs would be in it nor so much as tread upon the ground for them they quite forsook their countries as Diodorus and Eustathius write The people Autharidae in Thesprtaia were driven out of their Country by certain imperfect frogs that fell from heaven But it is a strange thing that Red Toads are generated of dirt and of womens flowers In Dariene a Province of the new world the air is most unwholesome the place being muddy and full of stinking marishes nay the village is it self a marish where Toads are presently gendred of the drops wherewith they water their houses as Peter Martyr writes A Toad is likewise generated of a duck that hath lyen rotting under the mud as the verse shews which is ascribed to the duck When I am rotten in the earth I bring forth Toads happily because they and I both are moist and foul creatures Neither is it hard to generate Toades of womens putrified flowers for women do breed this kind of cattel together with their children as Celius Aurelianus and Platearius call them frogs toads lyzards and such like and the women of Salerium in times past were wont to use the juice of Parsley and Leeks at the beginning of their conception and especially about the time of their quickening thereby to destroy this kind of vermin with them A certain woman lately married being in all mens judgement great with child brought forth in stead of a child four Creatures like to frogs and after had her perfect health But this was a kind of a Moon-calf Paracelsus said that if you cut a serpent in pieces and hide him in a vessel of glasse under the mud there will be gendred many worms which being nourished by the mud will grow every one as big as a Serpent so that of one serpent may be an hundred generated and the like he holds of other creatures I will not gainsay it but only thus that they do not gender the same serpents And so he saith you may make them of a womans flowers and so he saith you may generate a Basilisk that all shall die which look upon him but this is a stark lie It is evident also that Serpents may be generated of mans marrow of the hairs of a menstruous woman and of a horse-tail or mane We read that in Hungary by the River Theisa Serpents and Lyzards did breed in mens bodies so that three thousand men died of it Pliny writes that about the beginning of the wars against the Marsi a maid-servant brought forth a serpent Avicenna in his book of deluges writes that serpents are gendred of womens hairs especially because they are naturally moister and longer then mens We have experienced also that the hairs of a horses mane laid in the waters will become serpents and our friends have tried the same No man denies but that serpents are easily gendred of mans flesh especially of his marrow Aelianus saith that a dead mans back-marrow being putrified becomes a serpent and so of the meekest living Creature arises the most savage and that evil mens back-bones do breed such monsters after death Ovid shews that many hold it for a truth Pliny received it of many reports that Snakes gendred of the marrow of mens backs Writers also shew How a Scorpion may be generated of Basil. Florentinus the Grecian saith That Basil chewed and laid in the Sun will engender serpents Pliny addeth that if you rub it and cover it with a stone it will become a Scorpion and if you chew it and lay it in the Sun it will bring forth worms And some say that if you stamp a handful of Basil together with ten Crabs or Crevises all the Scorpions thereabouts will come unto it Avicenna tells of a strange kind of producing a Scorpion but Galen denies it to be true But the body of a Crab-fish is strangely turned into a Scorpion Pliny saith that while the Sun is in the sign Cancer if the bodies of those fishes lie dead upon the Land they wil be turned into Scorpions Ovid saith if you take of the Crabs arms and hide the rest in the ground it will be Scorpion There is also a Creature that lives but one day bred in vineger as Aelianus writes and it is called Ephemerus because it lives but one day it is gendred of the dregs of sowre wine and as soon as the vessel is open that it comes into the light presently it dies The River Hippanis about the solstitial daies yields certain little husks whence issue forth certain four-footed birds which live and flie about till noon but pine away as the Sun draws downward and die at the Sun-setting and because they live but one day they are called Hemerobion a daies-bird So the Pyrigâ—nes be generated in the fire Certain little flying beasts so called because they live and are nourished in the fire and yet they flie up and down in the Air. This is strange but that is more strange that as soon as ever they come out of the fire into any cold air presently they die Likewise the Salamander is gendred of the water for the Salamander it self genders nothing neither is there any male or female amongst them nor yet amongst Eeels nor any kind else which doth not generate of
produce Monsters by another way then that which we spake of before for even after they are brought forth we may fashion them into a monstrous shape even as we list for as we may shape young fruits as they grow into the fashion of any vessel or case that we make for them to grow into as we may make a Quince like a mans head a Cucumber like a Snake by making a case of that fashion for them to grow in so also we may do by the births of living Creatures Hippocrates in his book of Air and Water and Places doth precisely set down the manner hereof and sheweth how they do it that dwell by the River Phasis all of them being very long-headed whereas no other Nation is so besides And surely Custom was the first cause that they had such heads but afterward Nature framed her self to that Custome insomuch that they esteemed it an honourable thing to have a very long head The beginning of that Custome was thus As soon as the child was new born whiles his head was yet soft and tender they would presently crush it in their hands and so cause it to grow out in length yea they would bind it up with swathing bands that it might not grow round but all in length and by this custom it came to passe that their heads afterward grew such by nature And in process of time they were born with such heads so that they needed not to be so framed by handling for whereas the generative seed is derived from all the parts of the body sound bodies yielding good seed but crazie bodies unsound seed and oftentimes bald fathers beget bald children and blear-eyed fathers blear-eyed children and a deformed father for the most part a deformed childe and the like also cometh to passe concerning other shapes why should not also long-headed fathers generate long-headed children But now they are not born with such heads because that practise is quite out of use and so nature which was upheld by that custom ceaseth together with the custom So if we would produce a two-legged Dog such as some are carried about to be seen we must take very young whelps and cut off their feet but heal them up very carefully and when they be grow to strength join them in copulation with other dogs that have but two legs left and if their whelps be not two-legged cut off their legs still by succession and at the last nature will be overcome to yield their two-legged dogs by generation By some such practise as you heard before namely by handling and often framing the members of young children Mid-wives are wont to amend imperfections in them as the crookednesse or sharpnesse of their noses or such like CHAP. XIX Of the wonderful force of imagination and how to produce party-coloured births PLutark in his rehearsal of the opinions of Philosophers writes that Empedocles held that an infant is formed according to that which the mother looks upon at the time of conception for saith he women were wont to have commonly pictures and images in great request and to bring forth children resembling the same Hippocrates to clear a certain womans honesty that had brought forth children very unlike their parents ascribed the cause of it to a certain picture which she had in her chamber And the same defence Quintilian useth on the behalf of a woman who being her self fair had brought forth a Black-moor which was supposed by all men to be her slaves son Damascen reports that a certain young woman brought forth a child that was all hairy and searching out the reason thereof he found the hiary image of Iohn Baptist in her chamber which she was wont to look upon Heliodorus begins that excellent history which he wrote with the Queen of Aethiopia who brought forth Chariclea a fair daughter the cause whereof was the fable of Andromeda pictured in that chamber wherein she lay with the King We read of some others that they brought forth horned children because in the time of their coition they looked upon the fable of Actaeon painted before them Many children have hare-lips and all because their mothers being with child did look upon a Hare The conceit of the mind and the force of Imagination is great but it is then most operative when it is excessively bent upon any such thing as it cannot attain unto Women with child when they long most vehemently and have their minds earnestly set upon any thing do thereby alter their inward spirits the spirits move the blood and so imprint the likenesse of the thing mused upon in the tender substance of the child And surely all children would have some such marks or other by reason of their mothers longing if this longing were not in some sort satisfied Wherefore the searchers out of secrets have justly ascribed the marks and signes in the young ones to the imagination of the mother especially that imagination which prevails with her in the chiefest actions as in coition in letting go her seed and such like and as man of all other living creatures is most swift and fleeting in his thoughts and fullest of conceits so the variety of his wit affords much variety of such effects and therefore they are more in mankind then in other living creatures for other creatures are not so divers minded so that they may the better bring forth every one his like in his own kind Iacob was well acquainted with this force of imagination as the Scriptures witnesse for endeavouring To bring forth party-coloured Sheep he took that course which I would wish every man to take that attempts any such enterprize He took certain Rods and Poles of Popler and Almond-tree and such as might be easily barked and cut off half the rine pilling them by white strakes so that the Rods were white and black in several circles like a Snakes colour Then he put the Rods which he had pilled into the gutters and watering-troughs when the Sheep came to drink and were in heat of conception that they might look upon the Rods. And the Sheep conceived before the Rods and brought forth young of party-colours and with small and great spots A delightful sight it was Now afterward Iacob parted these Lambes by themselves and turned the faces of the other Sheep towards these party-coloured ones about the time of conception whereby it came to passe that the other Sheep in their heat beholding those that were party-coloured brought forth Lambs of the like colour And such experiments might be practised upon all living Creatures that bear wool and would take place in all kinds of beasts for this course will prevail even in Generating party-coloured Horses A matter which Horse-keepers and Horse-breeders do practise much for they are wont to hang and adorn with tapestry and painted clothes of sundry colours the houses and rooms where they put their Mares to take Horse whereby they procure Colts of a bright Bay colour or of
haste But let us see How Toad-stools may be generated Dioscorides and others have written That the bark of a white Poplar-Tree and of a black being cut into small pieces and sowed in dunged lands or furrows will at all times of the year bring forth mushromes or toad-stools that are good to be eaten And in another place he saith that they are more particularly generated in those places where there lies some old rusty iron or some rotten cloth but such as grow neer to a Serpents hole or any noisome Plants are very hurtful But Tarentinus speaks of this matter more precisely If saith he you cut the stock of a black Poplar peece-meal into the earth and pour upon it some leaven that hath been steeped in water there will soon grow up some Poplar toad-stools He addeth further If an up-land or hilly field that hath in it much stubble and many stalks of corn be set on fire at such time as there is rain brewing in the clouds then the rain falling will cause many toad-stools there to spring up of their own accord but if after the field is thus set on fire happily the rain which the clouds before threatned doth not fall then if you take a thin linnen cloth and let the water drop through by little and little like rain upon some part of the field where the fire hath been there will grow up toad-stools but not so good as otherwise they would be if they had been nourished with a showre of rain Next we will shew How Sperage may be generated Dydimus writes That if any man would have good store of Sperage to grow he must take the horns of wilde Rams and beat them into very small powder and sow them in eared ground and water it and he shall have his intent There is one that reports a more strange matter that if you take whole Rams horns not powned into small pieces but only cut a little and make a hole in them and so set them they will bring forth Sperage Pliny is of Didymus opinion that if the horns be powned and â—igged into the earth they will yield Sperage though Dioscorides thinks it to be impossible And though I have made often trial hereof but could not find it so to be yet my friends have told me of their own experience that the same tender seed that is contained within the Rams horn hath produced Sperage The same my friends also have reported That Ivy doth grow out of the Harts horn and Aristotle writes of an Husband-man that found such an experiment though for my own part I never tried it But Theophrastus writes that there was Ivy found growing in the Harts horn whereas it is impossible to think how any Ivy seed could get in there and whereas some alledge that the Hart might have rubbed his horn against some Ivy roots and so some part of the horn being soft and ready to putrifie did receive into it some part of the root and by this means it might there grow this supposal carries no shew of probability or credit with it But if these things be true as I can say or see nothing to the contrary then surely no man will deny but that divers kinds of plants may be generated of divers kinds of living Creatures horns In like manner may plants be generated of the putrified barks and boughs of old Trees for so is Polypody and the herb Hyphear generated for both these and divers other plants also do grow up in Firre-trees and Pine-trees and such other for in many Trees neer to the bark there is a certain flegmatick or moist humour that is wont to putrifie which when it abounds too much within breaks forth into the outward shew of the boughs and the stock of the Tree and there it meets with the putrified humour of the bark and the heat of the Sun working upon it there quickly turns it into such kinds of herbs CHAP. II. How Plants are changed one of them degenerating into the form of the other TO work Miracles is nothing else as I suppose but to turn one thing into another or to effect those things which are contrary to the ordinary course of Nature It may be done by negligence or by cunning handling and dressing them that plants may forsake their own natural kind and be quite turned into another kind wholly degenerating both in taste and colour and bignesse and fashion and this I say may easily be done either if you neglect to dresse or handle them according to their kind or else dresse them more carefully and artificially then their own kind requires Furthermore every plant hath his proper manner and peculiar kind of sowing or planting for some must be sowed by seed others planted by the whole stem others set by some root others graffed by some sprig or branch so that if that which should be sowed by seed be planted by the root or set by the whole stock or graffed by some branch or if any that should be thus planted be sowed by seed that which cometh up will be of a divers kinde from that which grows usually if it be planted according to its own nature as Theophrastus writes Likewise if you shall change their place their air their ground such like you pervert their kind and you shall find that the young growing plant will resemble another kind both in colour and fashion all which are clear cases by the books of Husbandry Some examples we will here rehearse If you would change A white Vine into a black or a black into a white sow the seed of a white Garden-Vine and that which cometh of it will be a black Wilde-vine and so the seed of a black Garden-vine will bring forth a white Wilde-vine as Theophrastus teacheth The reason is because a Vine is not sowed by seed but the natural planting of it is by sprigs and roots Wherefore if you deal with it otherwise then the kind requires that which cometh of it must needs be unkindly By the like means A white Fig-tree may degenerate into a black for the stone of a Fig if it be set never brings forth any other but a wilde or a wood Fig-tree and such as most commonly is of a quite contrary colour so that of a white figtree it degenerates into a black and contrariwise a black fig-tree degenerates into a white Sometimes also of a right and noble Vine is generated a bastard Vine and that so different in kind oftentimes that it hath nothing of the right garden-vine but all meerly wilde In like manner also are changed The red Myrtle and the red Bay-tree into black and cannot chuse but lose their colour for these likewise degenerate as the same Theophrastus reports to have been seen in Antandrus for the Myrtle is not sowed by seed but planted by graffing and the Bay-tree is planted by setting a little sprig thereof that hath in it some part of the root as we have shewed in our
no windows be made towards the South because the Southern winde will make your fruit full of wrinkles Let us see therefore What places are fittest to lay up Quinces in Marcus Varro saith that they will be preserved well if they be laid up in some place that is cold and dry Columella also layes them up in a cold floor or loft where there cometh no moisture Palladius likewise would have them laid up in some cold and dry place where there cometh no winde So if you would preserve Apples well Columella teaches you to lay them up in a very cold and a very dry loft where neither smoak nor any noisome savour can come at them Palladius would have them laid up in some close and dark places where the winde cannot come at them And Pliny would have them laid very thin one by another that so the air may come equally at every side of them So Pomegranates may be preserved as Columella reporteth out of Magâ— the Carthaginian if first you warm them in sea-Sea-water and then besmear them with some chalk and when they be dry hang them up in some cold place And Palladius out of Columella prescribes the very same course In like manner you may Preserve the fruit called Ziziphum if you hang them up in a dry place as the same Author is of opinion If you would have Figs to last a great whole Columella teacheth you that as soon as they be thoroughly dry you must lay them up in a very dry room and thereby you shall preserve them for a long time So Damosins may be long preserved If you lay them upon hurdles or grates in some dry place where the Sun may come at them Palladius shews that Chest-nuts may be long preserved if they be raked up in the earth where they may lie dry And I my self have seen in Barry Almonds preserved sound a great while three years or four years together shells and all being laid up in a dry place If you would have Wheat long preserved Varro saith that you must lay it up in high Garners which have a thorough air on the East-side and on the North-side But in any case there must no moist air come at them from any waterish places thereabouts Some have their Garners under the ground as Caves as it is in Cappadocia and Thracia others have their Garners in pits and ditches as it is in the neerer part of Spain only they lay the chaffe under it and take special care that no moisture nor air may come at it except it be when they take it out to use some of it for if the air be kept from it the worm cannot breed in it to devour it By this means they keep their wheat good and sweet fifty years and they preserve their Millet above an hundred years as Theophrastus recordeth If you lay up your wheat with any dust in it it will putrifie for the extrinsecal heat of the dust doth as it were lay siege to the natural heat of the grain and so choaks it up because it hath not as it were a breathing place and by this means it is over-heated and so putrifies Florentinus reporteth out of Varro that Corn may be very well preserved above ground if it be laid up in such places as have the Eastern light shining into them they must also be so situate that the Northern and the Western winds may come at them moderately but they must be safe from all Southerly winds and you must make in them a great many of channels whereby both the warm vapours may have issue forth and also the cooling air may have access in The best way whereby you may Preserve Beans is to parch them reasonably well for so there will be less store of moisture in them which will cause them to last the longer Theophrastus writes that in Apollonia and 〈◊〉 they preserve Beans long without any parching at all Pliny makes mention of certain Beans that were laid up in a certain Cave in Ambracia which lasted from the time of King Pyrrhus until the war which Pâ—â—pey the great wageâ— against the Pirates The same Theophrastus writes also that Pease may be long preserved if you lay them up in high places where the wind hath his full force as in Media and the like Countries but the Bean will be kept there much longer So also the Pulse called Lupines may be long preserved if you lay them up in a loft where the smoak may come at them as Columella writeth for if any moisture do settle upon them presently the worm breeds in them and if once the worm have eaten â—ut the navel as it were of the Pulse that which is in them like a little mouth then cannot the other part which is left be over fit for seed Palladius likewise saith that this kind of Pulse will last very long if it be laid up in dry Garners where no moisture can come at it especially if it may be continually perfumed as it were with smoak But now let us shew how to do that which is the most difficult thing of all in this kind namely How to preserve flesh and fish I have seen flesh and fish preserved from putrefaction for a whole moneth together in very cold place without any other art at all besides the coldness of the place In rooms that are made under the ground and very cold where there cometh neither heat nor any Southerly winde but that they are continually cold and dry almost every thing may be preserved without putrefaction In a certain monastery that is upon the Hill Parthenius neer unto Naples I saw the carcases of men kept whole and sound for many years together The Hill is covered over with snow almost continually and in the tops of the Mountains where the snow lies in ditches and pits conveyed thither of purpose to keep it look what Pears and Cervices and Apples and wilde Chest-nuts have been gathered up by chance together with the snow and put into the same pits after the space of a year that the snow was consumed away we have there found the same fruits so moist and fresh and goodly to the eye as if they had been but then pluckt off from their Trees To conclude there is nothing better and more available for the preservation of any thing then is the dryness and the coldness of such places as they are laid up in to be kept CHAP. IV. What special time there must be chosen for the gathering of such fruits as you mean to lay up in store for a great while after THe principal matter which I would have to be observed in this case is the choosing of your time wherein to gather all such fruits as you would lay up in store that they might last long For if we desire to defeat that heat and moisture which will mar our fruit and cause it to putrifie we cannot take any better course against them then by making choice of such a
and the hole stopt with flax to fourty Sextarii you must pour on three gallons of water and if you will not have the wine so sweet pour on five gallons and it will do After ten dayes the liquor is taken and again the third time also the same measure of water wherein the figs were infused is poured on and in the like manner after four or five dayes it is drawn off Some to six Amphorae thereof adde ten Sextarii of salt that it may not early corrupt others put Fennel and Thyme in the bottom and the Caricae on the top and so in order till the vessel be full also men make Wine of Pears which from the Greek word for Pears is called Apyres and from the Latin Piery Palladius saith it was thus They are bruised and put in a very course bag of Canvas and pressed with weights or in a Press It lasts in the Winter but in Summer comes it sowrer Dioscorides will not have the Pears too ripe the same way is made Wine of Pomegranates Sotion makes wine of the grains of the Pomegranate taking away what is in the middle of the grains Palladius put the ripe grains well purged into a Date pail and press them out with a scrue press then boil them gently to half when it is cold put it into vessels that are pitched or plaistered with Gipsum Some do not boil the juice but to every Sextarius they mingle one pound of honey and put all in the said vessels and keep it There is made Wine of the Lote-tree fruit There is a kind of Lote without any inward kernel which is as hard as a bone in the other kind wine is pressed also out of it like Mead that will not last above ten dayes Nepos saith the same from Pliny Athenaus from Polybius Wine is made of the Lote steeped in water and bruised very pleasant to the taste as the best Mead is it is drunk pure without water also but it will not last above ten dayes wherefore they make but little for use to last onely so long Vineger is made also of it And yet not much or good enough yet there is made Wine of Myrtles berries and Cornels Out of Sotion who of the berries of Myrtles and Cornels when they are fresh pounded and pressed our made wine Now I shall shew how we may make Wine of Corn. Drink is made of Corn. Dioscorides teacheth to make Beer of Barley also a drink is made of Barley called Curmi they use that drink oft-times for wine the like drinks are wont to be made of Wheat In Hiberia toward the west and in Britany whence Pliny of Corn drink is made Beer in Egypt called Zythum in Spain Caelia and Ceria Beer in France and other Provinces In Aristotles book of drunkenness those that drink wine made of Barley till they be drunk fall upon their backs they call that wine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but those that are drunk with any other kind of drinks fall any way on the right or left hand forward or backward but those that drink Pinum fall onely upon their backs Wine made of Barley they call Brytum Sophocles in Triptolemo and Aeschylus in Lycurgo But Hellanicus saith that Brytum is made in Farms out of roots Hecateus saith that the Egyptians grinde Barley to make drink and that the Macedonians drink Brytum made of Barley and Parabia made of Millet and Rice saith Athenaeus Also wine is made of Rice for saith Aelianus when an Elephant fights in war they give him not onely wine of grapes but of Rice also Now the same drink is made in the Northern Climates of Corn and they call it Biera but they put hops to it for it cannot be made without Barley and Wheat are infused in the decoction of it We see that of Barley and Wheat steeped in water a drink is made that tastes like wine and of them I have made the best aqua vitae But these drinks of old were Physical rather then to use as wine But I shall shew how some drinks that are so like wine in taste that you would think they were wine indeed And first Wine of Honey To nine vessels of water put eighteen pounds of Honey into brass Caldrons covered with Tin and let them boil a long time stirring all with wooden ladles and wiping away the froth that riseth with little brushes pour it out put it into a wine vessel then take two pounds of red wine Tartar and boil them in water till they be dissolved to which add an eighth part of a vessel of vineger that the loathsome and unpleasing taste of the sweetnesse of Honey may be lost let these be mingled then pour on two vessels of the best wine then let it settle after some days strain it through a hair-cloth strainer or one of cloth to cleanse it from the filth and excrements A liquor will run from this that will serve for sparing and to abate charge in a family and it is good to drink in health and sickness cover it close and drink it I shall shew you another way to make Wine of Raisins Pour into a brass Caldron seven vessels of water put in two pounds of Raisins let them boil till they be wasted in the water and the water be sweet as Mead if your kettle be too small do it at several times then take your kettle from the fire and when the liquor grows cold strain it gently forth put up the strained liquor in a wine vessel and pour into it a measure of the sharpest red wine vineger to abate the sweetnesse of the Raisins then add nine pound of Tartar finely powdered unto it and pouring on a fourth part of the best wine stop the vessel close when it is full after one week use it Another Wine of Quinces Put into brass Caldrons glazed with Tin a vessel of new wine and put thereto about fifty wild Quinces namely such as are full of streeks and wrinkled take out their kernels cut the Quinces in peices like as you do Rape Roots boil all at a gentle fire when they have boild a while take them off and let them cool pound the Quinces in a morter with a wooden pestle press them out with a press put the juice pressed forth of them the new wine and set it up in a glazed earthen vessel for a whole year When wine is scarce and you have occasion to use this put â—nto a vessel four parts of water two of new wine and one fourth part of the aforesaid mixture cover the vessel and let it boil and when it is clear use it Of all these an amphora of vineger a pound of honey as much Tartar in powder let them boil a while in a pot glazed with Nitre and mingle them and for every vessel of water pour on an Amphora of wine and cover all and after twenty dayes use it or take honey one pound as much red wine Tartar half
How the defects of wine may be managed and restored OUr forefathers found out many remedies to preserve wine and in our dayes we have taken no less pains For wine is easily corrupted and takes to it self many strange qualities Paxamus saith wine either grows sowre or dead about the Solstices and when the seven stars set or when the dog star causeth heat and when it is extream cold or hot or rainy or windy or when it thunders We shall shew remedies for all these First we shall lay down out of Africanus the signs to know wines that will last or will corrupt When you have put your wine into a vessel after some time change the vessel and look well on the Lees for thence shall you know what the wine is proving it by smelling to it whether it corrupt or weevils breed in it these are signs it putrifies Others take wine out of the middle of the vessel they heat it and when it is cold they taste of it and they judge of the wine by the favour some by the smell of the cover a strong taste is the best sign a watry the worst sharpness of duration weakness of corrupting The signs must be taken at the times to be feared we mentioned But to come to the remedies we shall shew how To mend weak wine The wine will be weak when it begins to breath forth that force of heat fot when the soul of it is breathed forth the wine grows immediately sowre vineger is the carcasse of wine Then we may presently prevent it by adding aqua vitae to it for by that it may put on a new soul the measure will be the fourth part of a pound for a vessel Another remedy will be That wine may not grow hot In the Summer Solstice wine grows hot by the hot weather and is spoiled then put quick-silver into a glass-viol well stopt and hang it in the middle of the vessel and the coldness of it will keep the wine from heating The quantity is two pound for great vessels for when the air is hot the external heat draws forth the inward heat and when that is gone it is spoiled We That wine may not exhale use this remedy The vessel being full we pour oyle upon it and cover it for oyle keeps the spirits from evaporating which I see is now used for all liquors that they may not be perverted Wines sometimes are troubled But To clear wines Fronto bids us do thus Cast three whites of egges into a large earthen dish and beat them that they may froth put some white salt to them that they may be exceeding white and pour them into a vessel full of wine for salt and the white of an egge will make all thick liquors clear but as many Dolia or such measures as there are in the vessel so many whites of egges must you have to be mingled again with so many ounces of salt but you must stir the mixture with a stick and in four dayes it will grow clear Also it is done That wines may not corrupt I said that salt keeps all things from corrupting wherefore for every Dolium powder one ounce of Allome and put it into the wine vessel with the wine for it will keep it from corrupting The same is done if you put in one ounce of common salt or half one half the other Also brimstone hinders putrefaction Wherefore if you shall adde to eight ounces of Allome or of Salt four ounces of brimstone you shall do well The Antients were wont to peserve wine by adding Salt or sea-water to it and it would continue along time Columella teacheth thus when the winds are quiet you must take water out of the deep sea when it is very calm and boyl it to thirds adding to it if you please some spices There are many ordinary things but we let them pass CHAP. XXIV How Oyl may be made of divers things IT is an excellent thing to shew the diversity of ways to make Oyl That if Olives should ever be scarce yet we might know how to draw Oyl from many kinds of fruits and seeds And some of these ways that came from the Antients yet onely the best and such as are our inventions Wherefore to begin We say that Oyl may be made of Ricinus call'd Cicinum Dioscorides makes it thus Let ripe Ricini as many as you please wither in the hot Sun and be laid upon hurdles let them be so long in the Sun till the outward shell break and fall off Take the flesh of them and bruise it in a morter diligently then put it into a Caldron glazed with Tin that is full of water put fire under and boil them and when they have yielded their inbred juyce take the vessel from the fire and with a shell skim off the Oyl on the top and keep it But in Egypt where the custom of it is more common for they cleanse the Ricini and put them into a Mill and being well grownd they press them in a press through a basket Pliny saith They must be boiled in water and the Oyl that swims on the top must be taken off But in Egypt where there is plenty of it without fire and water sprinkled with Salt it is ill for to eat but good for Candles But we collected them in September for then is the time to gather them with it parts from a prickly cover and a coat that holds the seed in it it is easily cleansed in a hot Caldron The weight of Oyl is half as much as the seed but it must be twice knocked and twice pressed Palladius shews how Oyl of Mastick is made gather many Grains of the Mastick-tree and let them lye in a heap for a day and a night Then put a basket full of those Berries into any vessel and pouring hot water thereto tread them and press them forth Then from that humour that runs forth of them the Oyl of Mastick that swims on the top is poured off But remember lest the cold might hold it there to pour hot water often on For thus we see it made with us and all the Country of Surrentum also so is made Oyl of Turpentine as Damageron teacheth The fruit of Turpentine is grownd in a Mill as the Olives are and is pressed out and so it sends forth Oyl The kernels serve to feed hogs and to burn Likewise Oyl of Bays Boil Bay-berries in water the shels yield a certain fat it is forced out by crushing them in the hands then gather the Oyl into horns Palladius almost as Dioscorides in January boil many Bay-berries that are ripe and full in hot water and when they have boy'ld long the watry oyl that swims on the top that comes from them you shall gently pour off into vessels driving it easily with feathers The Indians make as it is said Oyl of Sesamon It is made as we said before it sends forth excellent Oyl abundantly There is made Oyl of
and be first throughly boiled it turneth into Lead This experiment is observed by Dioscorides who saith That if you take Antimony and burn it exceedingly in the fire it is converted into Lead Galen sheweth another experiment concerning Lead namely How to procure Lead to become heavier then of it self it is For whereas he had found by his experience that Lead hath in it self an aethereal or airy substance he brings this experiment Of all the Mettals saith he that I have been acquainted with only Lead is encreased both in bigness and also in weight for if you lay it up in sellars or such other places of receipt that are under the ground wherein there is a turbulent and gross foggy air so that whatsoever is laid up in such rooms shall straightways gather filth and soil it will be greater and weightier then before it was Yea even the very clamps of Lead which have been fastened into carved Images to knit their parts more strongly together especially those that have been fastened about their feet have been divers times found to have waxed bigger and some of those clamps have been seen to swell so much that whereas in the making of such Images the leaden plates and pins were made level with the Images themselves yet afterwards they have been so swoln as that they have stood forth like hillocks and knobs very unevenly out of the Christal stones whereof the Images were made This Lead is a Mettal that hath in it great store of quick-silver as may appear by this because it is a very easie mastery To extract Quick-silver out of Lead Let your Lead be filed into very small dust and to every two pounds of Lâ—ad thus beaten into powder you must put one ounce of Salt-Peter and one ounce of ordinary common Salt and one ounce of Antimony Let all these be well beaten and powned together and put into a sieve and when they are well sifted put them into a vessel made of glass and you must fence and plaister the glass round about on the outward side with thick loam tempered with chopt straw and it must be laid on very fast and that it may stick upon the vessel the better your glass must not be smooth but full of rigoles as if it were wrested or writhen When your vessel is thus prepared you must settle and apply it to a reflexed fire that is to a fire made in such a place as will reflect and beat back the heat of it with great vehemency to the best advantage and underneath your vessels neck you must place a large pan or some other such vessel of great capacity and receipt which must be half full of cold water then close up all very fast and sure and let your fire burn but a little and give but a small heat for the space of two hours afterward make it greater so that the vessel may be throughly heated by it even to be red hot then set a blower on work and let him not leave off to blow for the space of four whole hours together and you shall see the quick-silver drop down into the vessel that is half full of water being flighted as it were out of the Mettal by the vehement force of the fire Commonly the quick-silver will stick to the sides of the vessels neck and therefore you must give the neck of the vessel a little jolt or blow with your hand that so the quick-silver may fall downward into the water-vessel By this practice I have extracted oftentimes out of every pound of Mettal almost an whole ounce of quick-silver yea sometimes more then an ounce when I have been very diligent and laborious in performing the work Another experiment I have seen which drew me into great admiration Lead converted into quick-silver A counterfeiting practice which is the chief cause that all the quick-silver almost which is usually to be had is but bastard stuff and meerly counterfeit yet it is bought and sold for currant by reason of the neer likeness that it hath with the best Let there be one pound of Lead melted in an earthen vessel and then put unto it also one pound of that Tinny mettal which is usually called by the name of Marchasite and when they are both melted together you must stirre them up and down and temper them to a perfect medley with a wooden ladle In the mean space you must have four pounds of quick-silver warmed in another vessel standing by to cast in upon that compounded Mettal for unless your quick-silver be warm it will not close nor agree well with your Mettals then temper your quick-silver and your Mettal together for a while and presently after cast it into cold water so shall it not congeal into any hard lump but flote on the top of the water and be very quick and lively The onely blemish it hath and that which onely may be excepted against it is this that it is somewhat pale and wan and not all things so nimble and lively as the true quick-silver is but is more slow and slimy drawing as it were a tail after it as other viscous and slimy things are wont to do But put it into a vessel of glass and lay it up for a while for the longer you keep it the quicker and nimbler it will be CHAP. III. Of Brass and how to transform it into a worthier Mettal WE will now alledge certain experiments concerning Brass which though they are but slight and trivial yet we will not omit to speak of them because we would fain satisfie the humour of those who have a great desire to read of and be acquainted with such matters And here we are to speak of such things as are good to stain the bodies of Mettals with some other colour then naturally they are endued withal Yet I must needs confess that these are but fained and counterfeit colourings such as will not last and stick by their bodies for ever neither yet are they able to abide any trial but as soon as ever they come to the touchstone they may easily be discerned to be but counterfeits Howbeit as they are not greatly to be desired because they are but deceivable yet notwithstanding they are not utterly to be rejected as things of no value And because there are very few Books extant which Treat of any Argument of like kind as this is but they are full of such experiments and sleights as here offer themselves to be handled by us for they are very common things and in every mans mouth therefore we will in this place speak onely of those things which are easily to be gotten and yet carry with them a very goodly shew insomuch that the best and sharpest censure may be deluded and mistaken by the beautiful gloss that is cast upon them and it may gravel the quickest and skilfullest judgement to define upon the suddain whether they are true or counterfeit Yet let them be esteemed no better then they deserve
be this set the pot in a Centre as it were that the fire may lye as it were in the circumference round about it to the distance of one foot from the Centre a little after this move you fire neerer to the pot that there may not be above the distance of half a foot betwixt them then within a while lay the fire a little neerer and so by little and little let the fire be brought close to the pot yea and let the pot be covered all over with hot burning coals within the space of one hour and so let it stand hidden in the fire for the space of six whole hours together And after the six hours you must not take away the coals but let them go out and die of themselves and let the pot so stand under them until it be stark cold and when it is thoroughly cold break it into pieces and there you shall find your little thin plates so brittle that if you do but touch them somewhat hard with your fingers they will soon be crumbled into dust When you have taken them out of the pot you must afterward put them into some casting vessel that is very hard and durable and there within half an hour it will be melted then put into it some of your powder by little and little till all of it be molten together then cast it all forth into some hollow place into some form or mould that it may run along into rods and the metal will be as brittle and as easie to be broken into small crumbs as any Ice can be After all this you must melt two pounds of brass but you must first purifie it and cleanse it a little by casting upon it some broken glass and Lees of wine and Salt-ammoniack and Salt-peeter every one of them by turns and by little and little When you have thus cleansed it you must put unto it one pound of that metal which you made of the Copper and powder before spoken of and you must still sprinkle upon theâ— some of that powder and after all this you must take half so much of the best silver that may be gotten and melt it amongst the metals before spoken of and cast them all togeâ—her into some hollow place like a mould and so you shall obtain your purpose But that the surface and the utmost out-sides of the metal may appear whiâ—e you must throw it into the fire that it may be burning hot and then take it forth and cast it into that water wherein the Lees of wine and ordinary salt have been liquefied and dissolved and there let it boil for a certain time and so shall you make it very white and moreover so pliant and so easie to be framed and wrought to any fashion that you may draw it thorough any little hole yea even thorough the eye of a needle Furthermore this is not to be omitted nor buried in silence for it is a matter of great use and special force in the colouring of metals that they be inwardly cleansed and purged of their dross that they may be thoroughly washed and rid of all such scum and â—ffals as are incident unto them for being thus handled they will be more serviceable and operative for all experiments As for example let brass be molten and then quenched in vineger and then reduced into powder with salt so that the more gross and infectious parts thereof be extracted from it and let it be so handled oftentimes till there be nothing of its natural uncleanness remaining within it and so shall it receive a deeper dye and be changed into a more lively colour Let the vessel wherein you melt your metals to prepare and make them fit for your turn be bored thorough in the bottom with sundry holes that the metal being melted may strain thorough but the dross and scum and offals of it may be left behind that there may be nothing but pure metal to be used in your experiments for the less drosse and offals that your metal have they are so much the more serviceable for your use in working Let this therefore be a general rule alwayes to be remembred and observed that your metals be throughly purged and rid from their dross as much as may possibly be before ever you entertain any of them into your service for these intendments There is yet also another way whereby we may bring to pass that Brass should resemble silver and this by Arsnick Orpine which is an effectual means to accomplish this matter and whereas in tract of time the metal will somewhat recover it self to its own former paleness and dim colour we will seek to remedy it and prevent it Take the best Arsnick Orpine that may be gotten such as yawns and gapes as though it had scales upon it it must be of a very orient golden colour you must meddle this Orpine with the dust of brass that hath been filed from it and put into them some Lees of wine but they must be each of them of an equal weight and quantity when you drench them together within the liquor and so shall it bear a continual orient colour and glister very brightly without ever any fading at all After this take you some silver and dissolve with that kind of water which is called Aqua-fortis but it must be such as hath in it very little store of moisture for the most waterish humour that is in it must be evaporated in some scalding pot or other such vessel which you must fill up to the brim six or seven several times with the same water after the vapours of it have been extracted by the heat of the fire that is under the vessel when you have thus done you must mingle your silver that is so dissolved with the brass filings and the Arsnick Orpine which we spake of before and then you must plain it and smooth it all over with the red marble-stone that the clefts or scales before spoken of may be closed up and withal you must water it by little and little as it were drop after drop with the oyle that hath been exprest or extracted out of the Lees of wine or else out of the firmest Salt-ammoniack that may be had And when the Sun is gotten up to any strength that it shews forth it self in very hot gleams you must bring forth this confection and let the force of the heat work upon it even till it be thorough dry afterward you must supple it with more of the same oyle again and then let it be dryed up again so long till that which is remaining do weigh just so much as the silver weighed before it was dissolved Then closâ— it up in a vessel of glass and lay it under some dunghil till it be dissolved again and after the dissolution be gathered together into a Gelly then cast into it ten or eight pieces of brass and it will colour them all that they shall most lively counterfeit
silver But if you desire To make brass shew it self of a silver colour by rubbing it betwixt your hands as boyes and cozening companions are oftentimes wont to do that if they do but handle any vessels of brass they will make them straightways to glitter like Silver you may use this devise Take Ammoniack-salt and Alome and Salt-peeter of each of them an equal weight and mingle them together and put unto them a small quantity of Silver-dust that hath been filed off then set them all to the fire that they may be thoroughly hot and when the fume or vapour is exhaled from them that they have left reaking make a powder of them and whatsoever brass you cast that powder upon if you do withal either wet it with your own spittle or else by little and little rub it over with your fingers you shall find that they will seem to be of a silver colour But if you would whiten such brass more handsomely and neatly you must take another course You must dissolve a little silver with Aqua fortis and put unto it so much Lees of wine and as much Ammoniack-salt let them so lie together till they be about the thickness of the filth that is rubbed off from a mans body after his sweating then roul it up in some small round balls and so let them wax dry when they are dry if you rub them with your fingers upon any brass or other like metal and still as you rub them moisten them with a little spittle you shall make that which you rub upon to be very like unto silver The very like experiment may be wrought by Quick-silver for this hath a wonderful force in making any metal to become white Now whereas we promised before to teach you not onely how to endue brase or such other metal with a silver colour but also how to preserve and keep the bodies so coloured from returning to their former hiew again you must beware that these bodies which are endued with such a silver colour do not take hurt by any sharp or sowre liquor for either the urine or vineger or the juice of limons or any such tart and sowre liquor wâ—ll cause this colour soon to fade away and so discredit your work and declare the colour of those metals to be false and counterfeit CHAP. IV. Of Iron and how to transform it into a more worthy metal NOw the order of my proceedings requires that I should speak somewhat also concerning Iron for this is a metal which the Wizards of India did highly esteem as having in it self much goodness and being of such a temperature that it may easily be transformed into a more worthy and excellent metal then it self is Notwithstanding some there are which reject this metal as altogether unprofitable because it is so full of gross earthly substance and can hardly be melted in the fire by reason of that firm and setled brimstone which is found in it But if any man would Change Iron into Brass so that no part of the grosse and earthly substance shall remain in it he may easily obtain his purpose by Coppresse or Vitriol It is reported that in the mountain Carpatus an Hill of Pannonia at a certain Town called Smolinitium there is a Lake in which there are three channels full of water and whatsoever Iron is put into those channels it is converted into brass and if the Iron which you cast into them be in small pieces or little clamps presently they are converted into mud or dirt but if that mud be baked and hardened in the fire it will be turned into perfect good brass But there is an artificial means whereby this also may be affected and it is to be done on this wise Take Iron and put into a casting vessel and when it is red hot with the vehement heat of the fire and that it beginneth to melt you must cast upon it by little and little some sprinkling of quick brimstone then you must pour it forth and cast into small rods and beat it with hammers it is very brittle and will easily be broken then dissolve it with Aqua-fortis such as is compounded of vitriol and Alome tempered together set it upon hot cinders till it boil and be dissolved into vapours and so quite vanish away and the subsidence thereof or the rubbish that remains behind if it be reduced into one solid body again will become good brass If you would Make Iron to become white you may effect it by divers and sundry sleights yet let this onely device content you in this matter First you must cleanse and purge your Iron of that dross and refuse that is in it and of that poysoned corruption of rust that it is generally infected withal for it hath more earthly substance and parts in it then any other metal hath insomuch that if you boil it and purge it never so often it will still of it self yield some new excrements To cleanse and purge it this is the best way Take some small thin plates of Iron and make them red hot and then quench them in strong lye and vineger which have been boiled with ordinary Salt and Alome and this you must use to do with them oftentimes till they be somewhat whitened the fragments or scrapings also of Iron you must pown in a morâ—er after they have been steeped in salt and you must bray them together till the salt be quite changed so that there be no blackness left in the liquor of it and till the Iron be cleansed and purged from the dross that is in it When you have thus prepared your Iron you must whiten it on this manner Make a plaister as it were of quick-silver and lead tempered together then pown them into powder and put that powder into an earthen vessel amongst your plates of Iron that you have prepared to be whitened close up the vessel fast and plaister it all over with morter so that there may be no breathing place for any air either to get in or out then put it into the fire and there let it stay for one whole day together and at length encrease your fire that it may be so vehement hot as to melt the Iron for the plaister or confection which was made of lead and Quick-silver will work in the Iron two effects for first it will dispose it to melting that it shall soon be dissolved and secondly it will dispose it to whitening that it shall the sooner receive a glittering colour After all this draw forth your Iron into small thin plates again and proceed the second time in the same course as before till you find that it hath taken so much whitenesse as your purpose was to endue it withal In like manner if you melt it in a vessel that hath holes in the bottom of it and melt with it lead and the Marchasiâ—e or fire-stone and Arsnick and such other things as we spake of before in our experiments
not you will not easily obtain your deâ—â—re I have set them down here that you might not be put to seek them elswhere First To draw forth the life of Tinne The filings of Tinne must be put into a pot of earth with equal part of salt-peter you shall set on the top of this seven as many other earthen pots with holes bored in them and stop these holes well with clay set above this a glass vessel with the mouth downwards or with an open pipe with a vessel under it put fire to it and you shall hear it make a noise when it is hot the life flies away in the fâ—me and you shall find it in the hollow pots and in the bottom of the glased vessel compacted together If you bore an earthen vessel on the side you may do it something more easily by degrees and you shall stop it So also From Stibium we may extract it Stibium that Druggists call Antimony is grownd small in hand-mills then let a new crucible of earth be made red hot in a cole fire cast into it presently by degrees Stibium twice as muâ—h Tartar four parts of salt-peter finely powdred when the fume riseth cover it with a cover lest the fume rising evaporate then take it off and cast in more till all the powder be burnt then let it stand a little at the fire take it off and let it cool and skim off the dregs on the top and you shall find at the bottom what the Chymists call the Regulus it is like Lead and easily changed into it For saith Dioscorides should it burn a little more it turns to Lead Now I will shew how one may draw a more noble Metal To the out-side As foolish Chymists say for they think that by their impostures they do draw forth the parts lying in the middle and that the internal parts are the basest of all but they erre exceedingly For they eat onely the outward parts in the superficies that are the weakest and a little quick-silver is drawn forth which I approve not For they corrode all things that their Medicament enters the harder parts are left and are polished and whitened may be they are perswaded of this by the medals of the Antients that were within all brass but outwardly seemed like pure silver but those were sodered together and beaten with hammers and then stamp'd Yet it is very must to do it as they did and I think it cannot be done But the things that polish are these common Salt Alom Vitriol quick Brimstone Tartar and for Gold onely Verdigrease and Salt Ammoniack When you would go about it you must powder part of them and put them into a vessel with the metal The crucible must be luted with clay and covered there must be left but a very small hole for perspiration then set it in a gentle fire and let it burn and blow not lest the metal melt when the powders are burnt they will sink down which you shall know by the smoke then take off the cover and look into them But men make the Metal red hot and then when it is hot they drench it in or otherwise they put it in vinegar till it become well cleansed and when you have wrapt the work in linnenrags that was well luted cast it into an earthen vessel of vinegar and boil it long take it out and cast it into urine let it boil in salt and vinegar till no filth almost rise and the foul spots of the ingredients be gone and if you find it not exceeding white do the same again till you come to perfection Or else proceed otherwise by order Let your work boil in an earthen pot of water with salt alom and tartar when the whole superficies is grown white let it alone a while then let them boil three hours with equal parts of brimstone salt-peter and salt that it may hang in the middle of them and not touch the sides of the vessel take it out and rub it with sand till the fume of the sulphur be removed again let it boil again as at first and so it will wax white that it will endure the fire and not be rejected for counterfeit you shall find it profitable if you do it well and you will rejoyce if you do not abuse it to your own ruine CHAP. VIII How to make a Metal more weighty IT is a question amongst Chymists and such as are addicted to those studies how it might be that silver might equal gold in weight and every metal might exceed its own weight That may be also made gold without any detriment to the stamp or engraving and silver may increase and decreasâ— in its weight if so be it be made into some vessel I have undertaken here to teach how to do that easily that others do with great difficulty Take this rule to do it by that The weight of a Golden vessel may increase without hurting the mark if the magnitude do not equal the weight You shall rub gold with thin silver with your hands or fingers until it may dâ—ink it in and make up the weight you would have it sticking on the superficies Then prepare a strong lixivium of brimstone and quick lime and cast it with the gold into an earthen pot with a wide mouth put a small fire uâ—der and let them boil so long till you see that they have gain'd their colour then take it out and you shall have it Or else draw forth of the velks of eggs and the litharge of gold water with a strong fire and quench red hot gold in it and you have it Another that is excellent You shall bring silver to powder either with aqua fortis or calx the calx is afterwards washt with water to wash away the salt wet a golden vessel or plate with water or spittle that the quantity of the powder you need may stick on the outward superficies yet put it not on the edges for the fraud will be easily discovered by rubbing it on the touch stone Then powder finely salt one third part brick as much vitriol made red two parts take a brick and make a hole in it as big as the vessel is in the bottom whereof strew alâ—m de plume then again pour on the powder with your work till you have filled the hole then cover the hole with another brick and fasten it with an Iron pin and lute the joynts well with clay let this dry and let it stand in a reverberating fire about a quarter of a day and when it is cold open it and you shall find the gold all of a silver colour and more weighty without any hurt to the stamp Now to bring it to its former colour do thus Take Verdi rease four parts Salammoniack two parts salt-peter a half part as much brick alom a fourth part mingle these with the waters and wash the vessel with it then with iron tongs put it upon burning coles that it
may be red hot take it off and plunge it in urine and it will regain the colour If it shine too much and you would have it of a lower colour the remedy is to wet it in urine and let it stand on a plate red hot to cool But thus you shall make vitriol very red put it into a vessel covered with coles and boil it till it change to a most bright red take it out and lay it aside and do not use it for an ill purpose We may with the fragments of brass Do this business otherwise That shall supply the place of silver and it shall become too weighty Or otherwise melt two parts of brass with silver then make it into small thin plates in the mean while make a powder of the dregs of aqua fortis namely of salt-peter and vitriol and in a strong melting vessel put the plate and the powder to augment gold fill the vessel in a preposterous order Then lure the mouth of it and set it in a gentle fire half a day take it off always renewing the same till it come to the desired weight We have taught how to increase the weight and not hurt the fashion or stamp Now I shall shew how without loss in weight nor yet the stamp being hurâ— Gold and Silver may be diminished Some use to do it with aqua fortis but it makes the work rough with knots and holes you shall do it therefore thus Strew powder of brimstone upon the work and put a candle to it round about or burn it under your work by degrees it will consume by burning strike it with a hammer on the contrary side and the superficies will fall off as much in quantity as you please as you use the brimstone Now shall I shew how To separate gold from silver Cups that are gilded For it is oft-times a custome for Goldsmiths to melt the vessels and cast them away and to make new ones again not knowing how without great trouble to part the gold from the silver and therefore melt both together To part them do thus Take salt Ammoniack brimstone half a part powder them â—ne and anoint the gilded part of the vessel with oyl then strew on the powder and take the vessel in a pair of tongs and put it into the fire when it is very hot strike it with an iron and the powder shaken will fall into the water in a platter under it and the vessel will remain unaltered Also it is done Another way with quick-silver Put quick-silver into an earthen vessel with a very wide mouth and let it heat so long at the fire that you can endure the heat of it with your finger put into it put the gilt plate of silver into it and when the quick-silver sticks to the gold take it out and put it into a Charger into which the gold when it is cold will fall with the quick-silver Going over this work again until no more gold appears in the vessel Then put the gold with the quick-silver that was shaken into the Charger into a linnen clout and press it out with your hands and let the quick-silver fall into some other receiver the gold will stay behind in the rag take it and put it into a cole made with a hole in it blow till it melt make it into a lump and boil it in an earthen vessel with a little Stibium and pour it forth into another vessel that the gold may fall to the bottom and the Stibium stay atop But if you will Part Gold from a vessel of Brass wet the vessel in cold water and set it in the fire when it is red hot quench it in cold water then scrape off the gold with latin wire bound together CHAP. IX To part Metals without aqua fortis BEcause waters are drawn from salts with difficulty with loss of time and great charges I shall shew you how to part gold from silver and brass and silver from brass without aqua fortis but by some easie operations with little cost or loss of time And first I shall shew how To part Gold from Silver Cast a lump of gold mixt with silver into an earthen vessel that will hold fire with the same weight of Antimony thus when the vessel is red hot and the lump is melted and turned about with the force of the fire cast a little Stibium in and in a little time it will melt also and when you see it cast in the rest of the Stibium and cover the vessel with a cover let the mixture boil as long as one may repeat the Lords-prayer take away the vessel with a pair of tongs and cast it into another iron Pyramidal vessel red hot called a Crucible that hath in the bottom of it rams fat shaking it gently that the heavier part of gold separated from the silver may fall to the bottom when the vessel is cold it is shaken off and the part next the bottom will be gold the upper part silver and if it be not well parted refuse not to go over the same work again but take a less quantity of Stibium Let therefore the gold be purged again and let the Stibium be boiled and there will be always at the bottom a little piece of gold And as the dregs remain after the same manner purge them again in the copple and you shall have your silver without any loss of the weight because they are both perfect bodies but the silver onely will lose a little But would you have your silver to lose less do thus adde to two pound and half of Stibium wine-lees two pounds and boil them together in an earthen vessel and the mass will remain in the bottom which must be also boil'd in a copple then adding pieces of lead to it purge it in a copple wherein the other things being consumed by the fire the silver onely will remain but if you do not boil your Stibium in wine-lees as I said part of the silver will be lost and the copple will draw the silver to it The same may be done Another way Take three ounces of brimstone powder them and mingle them with one ounce of common oyl and set them to the fire in a glazed dish of earth let the fire be first gentle then augment it till it run and seem to run over take it from the fire and let it cool then cast it into sharp vinegar so the oyl will swim above the vinegar the brimstone will fall down to the bottom cast away the vinegar and let the brimstone boil in strong vinegar and you shall see the vinegar coloured you shall strain the vinegar through a wisp into a glased vessel to which adde more brimstone boil it again and again strain out the lye into the vessel doing this so oft till the Lixivium comes forth muddy or of a black colour Let the Lixivium settle one night again strain it through a wisp and you shall
find the brimstone almost white at the bottom of the vessel adde that to what you had before and set it again to boil with three parts as much distilled vinegar till the vinegar all evaporate and dry the brimstone take heed it burn not when it is dry put it again into distilled vinegar working the same way so often until putting a little of it upon a red hot plate of iron it will melt without flame or smoke Then cast it on a lump of gold and silver and the gold will sink to the bottom presently but the silver will remain on the top For if brimstone be boil'd in a Lixivium so strong that it will bear an egg until it will not smoke and will melt on a fire-cole if it be projected on a mass of gold and silver mingled when they are melted it will part the gold from the silver Also there is an ingenious and admirable way To part silver from brass with certain powders The best are those are made of powdred lead half so much quick brimstone and arsenick and common salt double as much salt-peter one half powder those fine each by themselves then mingle them Take the mixt metal with half so much more of the powder and in a vessel that will endure fire strew it in by turns and set the vessel fil'd at a strong fire till all melt take it out and cast it into another vessel that is broad atop narrow at bottom and hot as we said and smeered with ram or sowes grease clarified let it cool for you shall find the silver at the bottom and the brass on the top part one from the other with an iron rasp or file if you will you may purge your silver again in a copple But the silver must be made into thin plates that when it is strewed interchangeably with the powders they may come at it on all sides then cover the vessel with its cover and lute it well But the salt must be decrepitated that it leap not out and the brimstone prepared and fixed But we may thus Part gold from brass Make salt of these things that follow namely Vitriol Alom Salt-peter quick Brimstone of each a pound Salt-ammoniack half a pound Powder them all and boil them in a lye made of ashes one part as much quick lime four parts of beech-ashes melt them at the fire and decant them and boil them till the Lixivium be gone then dry it and keep it in a place not moist lest it melt and mingle with it one pound of powder of lead and strew on of this powder six ounces for every pound of brass made not in a melting vessel and let them be shaken and stirred vehemently with an iron thing to stir it with when the vessel is cold break it you shall find a lump of gold in the bottom Do the rest as I said CHAP. X. A compendious way to part gold or silver from other Metals with aqua fortis WE shall teach thus compendiously to part gold from silver and silver from other metals and it is no small gain to be got by it if a man well understood what I write for I have known some by this art that have got great wealth For example take a mixture of brass and silver dissolve it in common aqua fortis when it is consumed cast fountain-water into it to remove the sharpness of the water and that it can no more corrode the metal Put the water into a great mouthed earthen vessel and plunge plates of brass therein for the silver will stick to them like a cloud the brass is best in the water put the water into a glass retort with a large belly and make a soft fire under and the fountain-water will distil forth by degrees When you know that the whole quantity of fountain-fountain-water is distilled out or the belly of the retort looks of a yellow colour and the sent of the salts pierceth your nostrils take away the receiver and put another that is empty to it and lure it well that nothing break forth Augment the fire and you shall draw off your aqua fortis as strong as before and the brass will be at the bottom of the retort The aqua fortis will be as good as it was and you may use it oft-times THE SIXTH BOOK OF Natural Magick Of counterfeiting Precious Sones THE PROEME FRom the adulterating of Metals we shall pass to the counterfeiting of Jewels They are by the same reason both Arts are of kin and done by the fire And it is no fraud saith Pliny to get gain to live by and the desire of money hath so kindled the firebrand of luxury that the most cunning artists are sometimes cheated They are counterfeited by divers ways either by cutting Jewels in the middle and putting in the colours and joyning them together or else by giving a tincture to Crystal that is all one piece or counterfeiting Crystal by many ingredients or we shall attempt to make true Jewels to depart from their proper colour and all of them to be so handsomly coloured that they may shew like natural Jewels Lastly I shall shew how to make Smalt of divers colours CHAP. I. Of certain Salts used in the composition of Gems WE wil first set down certain operations which are very necessary in the making of Gems lest we be forced to repeat the same thing over again And first How to make Sal Soda The herb Kali or Saltwort is commonly called Soda grinde this Soda very small and sift it into powder put it into a brass Cauldron and boil it pouring in for every pound of Soda a firkin of water Let it boil for four hours till the water be consumed to a third part Then take it from the fire and let it stand twelve hours while the dregs settle to the bottom and the water becomes clear then drain out the water with a linnen cloth into another vessel and pour fresh water into the Cauldron Boil it again and when it is cold as before and all the dross setled filtrate the clear water out again Do as much the third time still having a care to try with your tongue whether it be still salt At last strain the water and set it in an earthen vessel over the fire keeping a constant fire under it until the moisture being almost consumed the water grow more thick and be condensed into salt which must presently be taken out with an iron ladle and of five pound of Soda you will have one pound of salt How to make Salt of Tartar Take the lees of old wine and dry it carefully it is commonly called Tartar put it into an Alimbeck made in such sort that the flame may be retorted from the top and so augment the heat There let it burn you will see it grow white then turn it with your iron tongs so that the upper part which is white may be at bottom and turn the back up to the
flame when it hath ceas'd smoaking take it out and break part of it to see whether it be white quite through for that is an argument of the sufficient burning because it oftentimes happens that the outside onely is burned and the rest of it remaineth crude Therefore when it hath gained the colour of chalk it must be taken out and when it is cold grinde it and lay it in water in some wide-mouth'd vessel a quarter of a day When the water is grown clear filtrate it and strain it into another vessel and then pour water again unto the settlement observing the same things we spoke before until the water have taken out all the salt which will come to pass in the third or forth time Pour your waters which you saved into a vessel of glass and all things being ready put live coles under it and attend the work until the water be consumed by the force of the fire which being done the salt will stick to the bottom it being thus made preserve it in a dry place lest it turn to oyl CHAP. II. How Flint or Crystal is to be prepared and how Pastils are boiled THe matter of which Gems are made is either Crystal or Flint from whence we strike fire or round pebbles found by river sides those are the best which are taken up by the river Thames white clear and of the bigness of an egge for of those are made best counterfeit Gemms though all will serve in some sort Some think that Crystal is the best for this purpose because of the brightness and transparency of it but they are deceived The way of making Gems is this Take riverpebbles and put them into a fornace in that place where the retorted flame is most intense when they are red hot take them out and fling them into water then dry them and powder them in a mortar or a hand-mill until they are very fine put them into a wide-mouthed vessel full of rain water and shake it well in your hands for so the finest part will rise to the top and the grossest will settle to the bottom to that which swims at top pour fresh water and stir the dust again and do this oftentimes until the gross part be quite separated and sunk down Then take out the water and let it settle and in the bottom there will lie a certain slimy matter gather together and reserve the refined powder But whil'st the stone is ground both the morter and the mill will lose somewhat of themselves which being mixt with the powder will foul the Gem wherefore it will be worth the labâ—r to wash that away to which end let water be often poured into the lavel and stirred about the dust of the morter will rise to the top by reason of its levity and the powder of the pebbles will retire to the bottom by reason of its weight skim the lavel and separate them with a spoon till all that sandy and black dust be taken off then strain out the water and reserve the powder dry These being done we must teach How Pastils are boiled Artificers call those pellets which are made of the salts and the forenamed powder and water Pastils Take five parts of salt of Tartar as many of salt of Soda double the quantity of these of the forespoken powder of pebbles and mix them very well in a stone morter sprinkle them with water wet them so that they may grow into a past and make Pastils of them in bigness of your fist set them in the sun and dry them well Then put them into a fornace of reverbaration the space of six hours encreasing the fire by degrees that at last they may become red hot but not melt wherefore use no bellows when they are baked enough let them cool and they will become so hard that they will endure almost the hammer CHAP. III. Of the Fornace and the Parts thereof NOw the Fornace is to be built which is like to that of glass-makers but less according to the proportion of the work Let your fornace be eight foot high and consist of two vaults the roof of the lower must be a handful and a half thick the vault it self must have a little door by which you may cast in wood to feed the fire there Let it also have on the top and in the middle of its roof a hole about a foot in breadth by which the flame may penetrate into the second vault and reach to the upper roof whence the flame being reverberated doth cause a vehement heat In this upper vault there must be cut out in the wall small holes of a handful in breadth which must open and shut to set the pots and pans in on the floor and to take them out again Artificers call these pots Crucibles they are made of clay which is brought from Valencia and doth very strongly endure fire They must be a finger thick and a foot and a half deep their bottom somewhat thicker lest they should break with the force of the fire All things being thus provided cast in your wood and fire and let the fornace heat by degrees so that it may be perfectly hot in a quarter of a day Your workmen must be diligent to perform their duty then let the Pastils being broken into pieces about the bigness of a wall-nut be put into crucibles and set in the holes of the fornace built for that purpose with a pair of iron tongs to every pot When they melt they will rise up in bubbles and growing greater and greater must be pricked with sharp wires that the vapor passing out the bubbles may sink down again and not run over the mouth of the crucibles Then let other pieces be put in and do as before until the pots be filled to the top and continue the fire for a whole day until the matter be concocted Then put an iron hook into the pots and try whether the matter have obtained a perfect transparency which if it have take it out of the pots with iron instruments for that purpose and cast it into clear water to wash off the filth and stains and to purge out the salt for when the Gems are made on a suddain the salt breaks forth as it were spued out and overcast them like a cloud Yet there must be a great deal of diligence used whilâ—st you draw out this vitrified matter lest it touch the sides of the fornace for it will cleave thereto like birdâ—ime hardly to be pulled off without part of the wall as also lest it fall into the vessels for it is very difficult to separate it and it prejudices the clearness of the glasâ— When it is cold put it again into the crucibles and let it glow for two days until it be concocted into perfect glass When this vitrified matter hath stood so for two days some to make it more fine and bright lest it should be specked with certain little bubbles
to which glass is very subject put into the crucible some white lead which presently groweth red then melts with the glass and becomes clear and perspicuous Make your tryal then with an iron hook for if it be clear of those bubbles it is perfected and so will be a perfect mass of Gems Now we will teach the several Colours Yellow Green or Blue wherein we will cast our Gems CHAP. IV. To make Colours WHile the Crystal is preparing in the fornace by the same fire the Colours may be also made And first How to make Crocus of Iron Take three or four pounds of the limature of Iron wash it well in a broad vessel for by putting it into water the weight of the iron will carry that to the bottom but the straws and chips and such kind of filth will swim on the top so you will have your filings clean and wash'd Then dry it well and put it into an earthen glazed pot with a large mouth and pour into it three or four gallons of the best and sharpest vinegar there let it macerate three or four weeks stirring it every day seven or eight times with an iron rod then giving it time to settle pour out the vinegar into another pot and put fresh vinegar into the iron and do this till the vinegar have consumed all the filings Then put all the vinegar into an earthen vessel and set it on the fire and let it boil quite away In the bottom there will remain a slimy durty mattter mixt with a kind of fatness of the iron which the fire by continuance will catch hold of let it burn and the remaining dust will be Crocus Others file your rusty nails and heating them red hot quench them in vinegar then strain them and dry the rust and set it again to the fire till it be red hot then quench it again with vinegar this they do three or four times at length they boil the vinegar away and take the remaining Crocus from the bottom Next remains to shew How to reduce Zaphara into Powder A litâ—le window is to be made out of the side of the fornace nigh to which must be built a little cell or oven so joyned to the mouth of the oven that the flame may be brought in through a little hole Let this cell have a little door without to admit the workmans hand upon occasion Let this cell be a foot in length and breadth Set the Saffron upon a Potters tile into the cell and shut the door let it be red hot and after six hours take it out and put it into water so will it cleave into pieces let it be dryed stamped and so finely seirced that it may scarce be felt But if it cannot be effected with a pestle and morter pour water upon the powder and stir it with your hands and let it settle for a while then strain it into another vessel and pour fresh water into the powder and reiterate this so often till that which setleth being beat and brayed do pass through with water then dry it and it will become very fine powder How to burn Copper Set the filings of Copper with an equal quantity of salt mixt in an earthen pot over the fire and turn it about three or four hours with an iron book that it may be burned on all sides There let it burn a whole natural day then take it out and divide it into two parts lay the one part aside and set the other with salt on the fire again for an artificial day do the same three or four times that it may be more perfectly calciâ—ed always having a care that it be as hot as may be but that it melt not Waen it is burnt it is black CHAP. V. How Gems are coloured ALl things being thus prepared there is nothing more I think remaineth to make an end of this work but to know how to colour them And we will begin with the way How to dye a Saphire Artificers begin with a Saphire for when it is coloured unless it be presently removed from the fire it loseth the tincture and the longer it remains in the fire the brighter it groweth Put a little Zaphara as they call it into a pot of glass two drachms to a pound of glass then stir it continually from top to bottom with an iron hook when it is very well mixed make tryal whether the colour please you or no by taking a little out of the pot If it be too faint adde some more Zaphara if too deep put in more glass and let it boil six hours Thus you may Colour Cyanus or sea-water another kind of Saphire Beat your calcined brass into very fine powder that you may scarce feel it for otherwise it will mix with the Crystal and make it courser the quantity cannot be defined for there are lighter and deeper of that kind for the most part for one pound one drachm will be sufficient How to counterfeit the colour of the Amethist To a pound of Crystal put a dram of that they call Manganess and so the colour is made If the Gem be great make it the paler if small make it deeper for they use such for rings and other uses To counterfeit the Topaze To every pound of glass adde a quarter of an ounce of crocus of Iron and three ounces of red-lead to make it of a brighter red First put in the lead then the crocus The Chrysolite When you have made a Topaze and would have a Chrysolite adde a little more Copper that it may have a little verdure for the Chrysolite differeth from the Topaze in nothing but that it hath a greater lustre So we are wont To counterfeit an Emerald This shall be the last for we must let our work be as quick as possible because the copper being heavy when it is mixed with the Crystal doth presently sink down to the bottom of the pots and so the Gems well be of too pale a colour Therefore thus you must do when you give the tincture to a Cianus you may easily turn it into Smaragde by adding crocus of iron in half the quantity of the copper or brass viz. if at first you put in a fourth part of copper Now you must adde an eighth part of crocus and as much copper After the colours are cast in let it boil six hours that the material may grow clear again for the casting in the colours will make them contract a cloudiness Afterwards let the fire decrease by degrees until the fornace be cold then take out the pots and break them wherein you shall find your counterfeit precious Stones CHAP. VI. How Gems may otherwise be made THe manner which I have set down is peculiar and usual to our Artificers and by them is also accounted a secret But I will set down another way which I had determined always to keep secret to my self for by it are made with less charge less time and less
labour much more refulgent bright and livelier Gems whose superficies and lustre the salt shall not deface in a much longer time Although those old counterfeits which are found at Puteoli in the mortar of ruined houses and on the shores are yet very bright and of a perfect clearness so that they seem beyond the imitation of our age Yet I will endeavour by this way not onely to equal them but to make much better Wherefore give ear and believe the materials are thus made Take the comb of a Cock and cutting his gullet in two keep the head and the neck Put it into a pot and set it in a hard fire stop iâ— close that no coles or ashes arising with the smoke or soote fall in and spoil the lustre of it When the fire is kindled you will hear it hiss when it is red hot take it up with an iron tongs and quench it in clear water and dry it Do this three times changing the water lest there should be any filth then grinde it on a marble till it be so fine that you may blow it about and reserve it for use Thence have you the Philosophers Stone most fragrant in fire and chief in the triplicity If thou art ignorant of the Philosophers Stone learn it from these verses which I found in an old Manuscript Arctus est hominis qui constat sex elementis Cui p si addideris s. in m. mutare si bene scis Hoc erit os nostrum constans lapis Philosophorum Now we have advertis'd you of the materials let us advise also about the colour And first of all I will shew you How to counterfeit a Topaze Put your material into a pot and cover it with a lid full of holes over which there must be laid another that it may exhale and yet receive no hurt from the smoke let it stand in its fornace to the middle the space of a whole day and it will be a Topaze Now To counterfeit a Chrysolite cram the Cock and for every ounce give him to eat two grains of the beloved flower of Venus stroak him and in due time thou shalt see To make an Emarald Feed the Cock again and for every ounce give him four grains of wheat and he will shine with a most bright lustre But To make a Jacinth give the Cock graines of the bloody Stone instead of wheat and he will easily lay hold of them CHAP. VII Of Several Tinctures of Crystal I Have declared divers tinctures of glass and those no vulgar and common ones but such as are rarely known and gained and tried with a great deal of labour Now I will relate some ways of staining Crystal and especially those that are choice and known to very few if not onely to my self To stain Crystal with the colour of a Jacinth or a Ruby without breaking or wearing it Take six parts of Stibium four of Orpin three of Arsenick as much of Sulphur two of Tutty beat them all asunder and sift them through a fine seirce put them into a pot hang your Crystal by wires or cover it over with the powders and so set it on the fire that it may be hot four or five hours but use no bellows lest it break in pieces or melt It is a certain sign of being perfectly coloured if you take out a piece and that be of a bright and shining colour otherwise deliver it to the fire again and after some time try it again But you must have a great care lest it cool too suddenly when you take it off the fire for it will crumble and fall to pieces If a violet-colour pleaseth you take it soon from the fire if you would have a deep purple let it stand longer we can make a violet with Orpin onely To turn a Saphire into a Diamond This stone as all others being put in the fire loseth his colour For the force of the fire maketh the colour fade Many do it several ways for some melt gold and put the Saphire in the middle of it others put it on a plate of iron and set it in the middle of the fornace of reverberation others burn it in the middle of a heap of iron dust I am wâ—nt to do it a safer way thus I fill an earthen pot with unkill'd lime in the middle of which I place my Saphire and cover it over with coals which being kindled I stop the bellows from blowing for they will make it flie in pieces When I think it changed I take a care that the fire may go out it self and then taking out the stone I see whether it hath contracted a sufficient whiteness if it have I put it again in its former place and let it cool with the fire if not I cover it again often looking on it until the force of the fire have consumed all the colour which it will do in five or six hours if you find that the colour be not quite vanished do again as before until it be perfect white You must be very diligent that the fire do heat by degrees and also cool for it often happeneth that sudden cold doth either make it congeal or flie in pieces All other stones lose their colour like the Saphire some sooner some later according to their hardness For the Amethist you must use but a soft and gentle fire for a vehement one will over-harden it and turn it to dust This is the art we use to turn other precious stones into Diamonds which being cut in the middle and coloured maketh another kind of adulterating Gems which by this experiment we will make known And it is How to make a stone white on one side and red or blew on the other I have seen precious stones thus made and in great esteem with great persons being of two colours on one side a Saphire and on the other a Diamond and so of divers colours Which may be done after this manner For example we would have a Saphire should be white on one side and below on the other or should be white on one side and red on the other thus it may be done Plaister up that side which you would have red or blew with chalk and let it be dryed then commit it to the fire those ways we spoke of before and the naked side will lose the colour and turn wâ—ite that it will seem a miracle of Nature to those that know not by how slight an art it may be done How to stain glass of divers colours I will not pass by a thing worth the relation which happened by chance while we were making these experiments The flower of Tinne taketh away the perspicuity of Crystal glass and maketh it of divers colours for being sprinkled upon Crystal glasses that are polished with a wheele and set to the fire it doth variously colour them and maketh them cloudy so that one part will look like a stone and another like an Opale of divers colours But
let it heat and melt then remove it with iron tongs into the hottest flames of the glass-makers fornace for three or four days Afterwards the pot being taken out and cold break it and in the top you will find glass of a saffron colour not clear but the longer it standeth in the fire the perfecter it will grow neither have I known better in this kind of those many that I have tryed It must be reduced into fine powder for the which not onely a morter and mills will be requite but also a Porphyrian stone If it be too florid you may make it of a more faint colour by adding glass to it Another way to make it This is onely for friends Take nine parts of burnt Tinne seven of Lead two of Cinnabaris of Spanish-soder and Tartar one part and a half of the Blood-stone one part of Painters red a fourth part And do with it as in the former CHAP. X. Of leaves of Metal to be put under Gems THere are certain leaves of Metal laid under Gems which being perspicuous are thereby made paler or deeper as you will for if you would have them of a fainter colour you must put under them leaves of a more clear brightness if of a deeper leaves of a darker hue Moreover Gems being transparent are seen quite through and discover the bottom of the ring which taketh much of their beauty off This is an invention of later times who by terminating the transparency of stones with leaves of a most bright and pleasant colour do fit and make up and mend the colour of the stones I have been very much delighted in this kind of work and therefore will deliver it particularly The leaves are to be made either of Copper alone or of Copper Gold and Silver mixt together I will speak of those which are made of Copper alone You must buy at the Brasiers-shops some thin plates of Copper of the thickness of strong paper that they may be the easier made thinner which you must cut into pieces of three fingers in length and two in breadth so that a sheet of two pound will be divided into a hundred and thirty parts these we must divide again into two parts that they may be hammered more easily Take fourty and heat them as Artificers do gold when they beat it out into thinne rays Let the anvile and hammer be smooth and polished lest the heavy stroaks should make dents in the Copper and break it Discontinue your work by turns so that you may hammer the Copper while it is hot and prepared by the fire and put it into the fire when it is cold for if you do otherwise it will break in pieces which you must presently remove from the rest for those that are broken will break others But that they may be the more easier prepared when they begin to be exâ—eruated I make use of this invention There must be prepared two plates of iron of a hand square and the thickness of paper Double one of them that it may receive the other within the folds of it so that they may receive the plates of Copper in the middle and enclose them on all sides that they can neither slip out nor any dust or ashes fall in so stick to them When you have thus enclosed the Copper plates put them into the fire and heat them then take them out with iron tongs and shaking off the ashes beat them with your hammer till they are cold and so they will become thin and fine rays But while you are beating one set others to heat and do this eight times over until you have hammer'd them very thin and made them fit for your purpose It will be worth your labor to look often upon them to see if any be broken in the working for they will break their fellows But because they are wont to grow black in the working and foul so that they oftentimes deceive the eye therefore it is fit that you have a pot of water ready with an equal quantity of Tartar and salt in it and let it boil over the fire Put into it your rays and stirre them about continually till they be boiled white Then take them out and wash them in a pot of clear water till they be very clean then dry them with a linnen cloth and then heat them and beat them on the anvile again as before until they spread into rays as thin as leaf-gold When this work is to be done the hammer and anvile must be as smooth and polished and bright as a looking-glass which you may effect in this manner First of all hold them to the grinde-stone wherewith they grinde knives until they be smoothed and planed then rub them with fine sand and Pumice-stone afterwards glaze them with a wheele and polish them with a plate of lead and powder of emerald if you use any other art you will but lose your labour Thus in two days your work will be finished that is by heating your plates eight or ten times and preparing them and by whiting them four times at least Finally examine them all whether they be whole and of a sufficient thinness so that if any remain too thick they may again be brought to the hammer and perfected But I must advertise you that the thinner they grow the less time they must lye in the fire because they will presently melt and so also in the water because the salt will eat into them At last cut them with sheares into square pieces that they may be more convenient for use CHAP. XI How leaves of Metals are to be polished THe plates being thus thinned and finished we will fall to polishing of them But first we must provide tools wherewith to perform it Take a plate of Copper of a foot in length and a hand in breadth most exquisitely burnished that it may be as smooth as a looking-glass bow it either with your hand or a hammer by little and little into the form of a semicylinder Then turn a piece of wood so that it may be equal and fit for it in every part and be received into the convexity of it where being fastned with four nails at the corners of the plate it may remain stedfast Fix this wood upon a little frame with two bars of a foot height fastned to the ends of it Now we will begin to burnish the plates which must be thus done provide chalk made into fine powder after this sort take some beaten clay wrap it in a clean and indifferently fine cloth and put it into a washing-bowl full of water stirre it about here and there in the water that the finest part may be washed through and the courser remain in the cloth then put the new chalk into the cloth again stirre it and strain it till it all pass through the cloth and then suffer the water to settle and seirce it through a strainer onely changing the water until no gross settlement
Neither can any one deny but that the diseases of the minde do distemper the body and that the good disposition of it doth strengthen and corroborate the same and it doth not work this alteration onely in its own body but on others also by how much it stirreth up in the heart inward desires of love and revenge Doth not covetousness grief or love change the colour and disposition Doth not envy cause paleness and meagerness in the body Doth not the longing of the mother imprint the mark of what she desired upon the tender Embryo So when Envy bends her fierce and flaming eyes and the desire of mischief bursts thereout a vehement heat proceedeth from them which infecteth those that stand nigh especially the beautiful they strike them through as with a sword set their entrails on fire and make them wast into a leannness especially if they be of a cholerick or sanguine complexion for the disease is easily fed where the pores are open and the humors thin Nor is it the passions of the mind onely that affecteth the body thus but the body it self as Avicenna proveth may be endued with venimous qualities many are so by Nature so that it cannot seem a wonder if sometimes some are made so by Art The Queen of India sent to Alexander a very beautiful maid anointed and fed with the poyson of Serpents as Aristotle saith and Avicenna from the Testimony of Rufus Galen Writeth of another who eat Henbane without any harm and another Woolf-bane so that a Hen would not come near her And Mithridates as old Histories deliver it to us King of Pontus had so strengthened himself against poyson that when he would have poysoned himself lest he should fall into the hands of the Romans nothing would do him any hurt If you give a Hawk a Hen fed with snakes or lizards flesh or with barly boiled in the broth of them it will make him mew his feathers betimes and many other such things are done which are too long to be recounted So many men are of such a nature that they will cure some diseases onely with their stroaking Many eat Spiders and wilde Olives and care not for the biting of Serpents nor suffer any wasting or consumption if they be of such a nature that their looks or breath will not onely blast men but plants and herbs and any other thing and make them wither away and oftentimes where such kind of creatures are you may find blasted corn poysoned and withered meerly by the contagion of their eyes the breath that cometh from them Do not women in the time of their courses infect cucumbers and melons by touching or looking on them so that they wither Are not children handled with less prejudice by men then women And you will find more women then men witches by reason of their complexion for they are farther distant from a right temper and eat more unwholesome food so that every moneth they are filled with superfluities and purge forth melancholy blood from whence vapors arise and flie out through their eyes poysoning those that stand nigh them and filling them with the same kind of blood Hence sanguine complexioned men and somewhat cholerick who have large shining gray eyes and live chastly for too often copulation exhausteth the moisture who by frequent glances and continual imagination encounter point to point beams to beams eyes to eyes do generally stir up love But why a man is taken by this Fascination with one and not another appeareth by the former and this reason for it happeneth from the intention of the Inchantor who by those spirits or vapors is transmitted into the bewitched person and he receiving them is made like unto him For the infection seizing on his mind and fixing in his imagination becomes a permanent habit and maketh the spirits and blood obedient to it and so bindeth the imagination and inflameth them with the thing beloved Although the mind which opinion is fathered upon Avicen neither doth it want his authority can of its own will and power produce such passions Musaeus will have the eyes to lay the foundation of Love and to be the chief allurements of it And Diogenianus saith That Love is begotten by looks affirming that it is impossible for a man to fall in love unawares So Juvenal placeth that Lover among prodigies Who burnt with Love of her he never saw For the bright glances of the eyes driveth the Object into a kind of madness and teach the rudiments of Love The other parts are scarce any cause of Love but provoke and entice the beholder to stay and gaze a while upon their beauty whilst the eyes wound him for there they say Cupid lieth in ambush with his bowe ready to shoot his arrows into the beholders eyes and set his heart on fire For thy eyes slide in through my eyes saith Apuleius and raise a cruel fire within my heart Now I have discovered the original of it unto you unless you are quite mad you may many ways fortifie your self against it But many one may well wonder considering those diseases which come by infection as the itch scabbiness blear-eyes the plague do infect by sight touching or speaking and presently cause putrefaction why Love's contagion which is the greatest plague of all doth not presently seize upon men and quite consume them Neither doth it infect others onely but sometimes it returneth upon it self and the persons will be ensnared in their own charms It is reported by the Antients of Eutelides that he bewitched himself by reflection in water looking-glasses or fountains which returned his own shadow upon him So that he seemed so beautiful unto himself that falling in love with that wherewith he used to entrap others he lost his former complexion and died a Sacrifice unto his own Beauty So children oftentimes effascinate themselves when their parents attribute it to haggards and witches Now take Some Preservatives against Love There are many prescribed by wise antiquity If you would endeavor to remove the â—charms of love thus you may expel them Turn your face away that she may not asten her eyes on yours nor couple rays with you for you must remove the cause from the place where it useth to make its impression forsake her company avoid idleness employ your mind in business of concernment evacuate blood sweat and other excrements in a large quantity that the infection may also be voided with them A Preservative against Envy If it be the witchcraft of Envy you may know it thus The infected loseth his colour hardly openeth his eyes always hangeth his head down sighs often his heart is ready to break and sheddeth salt and bitter tears without any occasion or sign of evil To disencharm him because the air is corrupted and infected burn sweet persume to purifie the air again and sprinkle him with waters sweetned with cinnamon cloves cypress lignum aloes musk and amber Therefore the old custome is continued
until this day and observed by our women to smoke their children and rowl them about in frankincense Keep him in an open air and hang Carbuncles Jacinthes or Saphires about his neck Dioscorides accounteth Christs Thorn wilde Hemp and Valerian hung up in the house an amulet against witchcraft Smell to Hyssope and the sweet Lilly wear a ring made of the hoof of a tame or wilde Ass also Saâ—vâ—ion the male and female are thought the like Aristotle commendeth Rue being smelt to All these do abate the power of witchcraft THE NINTH BOOK OF Natural Magick How to adorn Women and make them Beautiful THE PROEME SInce next to the Art of Physick follows the Art of Adorning our selves we shall set down the Art of Painting and how to beautifie Women from Head to Foot in many Experiments yet lest any man should think it superfluous to interpose those things that belong to the Ornaments of Women I would have them consider that I did not write these things for to give occasion to augment Luxury and for to make people voluptuous But when God the Author of all things would have the Natures of all things to continue he created Male and Female that by fruitful Procreation they might never want Children and to make Man in love with his Wife he made her soft delicate and fair to entice man to embrace her We therefore that Women might be pleasing to their Husbands and that their Husbands might not be offended at their deformities and turn into other womens-chambers have taught Women how by the Art of Decking themselves and Painting if they be ashamed of their foul and swart Complexions they may make themselves Fair and Beautiful Something 's that seemed best to me in the Writings of the antients I have tried and set down here but those that are the best which I and others have of late invented and were never before in Print I shall set down last And first I shall begin with the Hairs CHAP. I. How the Hair may be dyed Yellow or Gold-colour SInce it is the singular care of Women to adorn their Hair and next their Faces First I will shew you to adorn the Hair and next the Countenance For Women hold the Hair to be the greatest Ornament of the Body that if that be taken away all the Beauty is gone and they think it the more beautiful the more yellow shining and radiant it is We shall consider what things are fit for that purpose what are the most yellow things and will not hurt the Head as there are many that will but we shall chuse such things as will do it good But before you dye them Preparing of the Hair must be used to make them fit to receive a tincture Add to the Lees of White-wine as much Honey that they may be soft and like some thin matter smeer your Hair with this let it be wet all night then bruise the Roots of Celandine and of the greater Clivers Madder of each a like quality mingle them being bruised very well with Oyl wherein Cummin-Seed Shavings of Box and a little Saffron are mingled anoynt your Head and let it abide so twenty four hours then wash it with Lye made of Cabbage-Stalks Ashes and Barley-Straw but Rye-Straw is the best for this as Women have often proved will make the Hair a bright yellow But you shall make A Lye to dye the Hair thus Put Barley-Straw into an Earthen-pot with a great mouth Feny-Graec and wilde Cummin mingle between them Quick-lime and Tobacco made into Powder then put them upon the Straw beforementioned and pour on the Powders again I mean by course one under the other over till the whole Vessel be full and when they are thrust close pour on cold water and let them so stand a whole day then open a hole at the bottom and let the Lye run forth and with Sope use it for your Hair I shall teach you Another To five Glasses of Fountain-water add Alume-Foeces one Ounce Sope three Ounces Barley-Straw one Handful let them boyl in Earthen-pots till two thirds be boyled away then let it settle strain the Water with the Ashes adding to every Glass of Water pure Honey one Ounce Set it up for your use You shall prepare for your Hair An Oyntment thus Burn the Foeces of Wine heaped up in a Pit as the manner is so that the fire may go round the Pit when it is burnt pown it and seirce it mingle it well with Oyl let the Woman anoynt her Head with it when she goes to Bed and in the morning let her wash it off with a Lye wherein the most bitter Lupines were boyled Other Women endeavour To make their Hair yellow thus They put into a common Lye the Pills of Citrons Oranges Quinces Barley-Straw dried Lupines Foeny-Graec Broom-Flowers and Tartat coloured a good quantity and they let them there lie and steep to wash their Hair with Others mingle two parts Sope to one part Honey adding Ox-Gall one half part to which they mingle a twelfth part of Garden-Cummin and wilde Saffron and setting them in the Sun for six weeks they stir it daily with a wooden-staff and this they use Also of Vinegar and Gold Litharge there is made a decoction very good to dye the Hair yellow as Gold Some there are that draw out a strong VVater with fire out of Salt-Peter Vitriol Salt-Ammoniac and Cinaber wherewith the Hairs dyed will be presently yellow but this as wont to burn the Hair those that know how to mingle it will have good effects of it But these are but ordinary the most famous way is To make the Hairs yellow draw Oyl from Honey by the Art of Distillation as we shall shew First there will come forth a clear VVater then a Saffron-colour then a Gold-colour use this to anoynt the Hair with a Spunge but let it touch the Skin for it will dye it Saffron-colour and it is not easily washed off This is the principal above others because the Tincture will last many dayes and it will dye Gray-Hairs which few others will Or make a Lye of Oak-Ashes put in the quantity of a Bean of Rheubarb as much Tobacco a handful of Barley-Straw and Foeny-Graec Shells of Oranges the Raspings of Guaiacum a good deal of wilde Saffron and Liquorish put all these in an Earthen-pot and boyl them till the water sink three fingers the Hairs will be washt excellently with this Hold them in the Sun then cast Brimstone on the Coals and fume the Hairs and whilst it burns receive the smoke with a little Tunnel at the bottom and cover your Head all over with a cloth that the smoke flie not away CHAP. II. How to dye the Hair bed BEcause there are many men and women that are ruddy Complexions and have the Hair of their Heads and Bearbs Red which should they make yellow-coloured they would not agree with their Complexions To help those also I set down these Remedies The
Ancients used the decoction of the Lote-Tree raspt which we call Melo Fiocco and so they made their Hair Red. Or else by burning me Foeces of the old Wine as I said they added Oyl of mastick thereto which they provided thus to the purpose They heaped up the ripe Berries of the Mastick-Tree for some dayes till they might wither the they poured on water and boyled them so long in Brazen Kettles until they brake they put them in Bags and pressed out the Oyl with a press With this Oyntment they kept their Head anoynted all the night and so made them Red. But how we may Dye the Hair Red I shall teach you There is a Powder brought to us from Africa they commonly call Alchena if we boyl it in a Lye till it be coloured and anoynt our Hair with it it will dye them red for many days that is indelible but whilst you handle it take heed you wet no your Nails therewith for they will be so died you cannot easily make them clean So also we dye the Tails and Mains of white Horses red But I can easily do it with Oyl of Honey for when the clear and Saffron-coloured waters are drawn off increase the fire and the Oyl will come forth the red This is exellent to make the Hairs red and it will dye white Hairs red for many dayes and when that tincture is worn off the Hairs will shine of a golden colour But when we anoynt our Heads with a Lye we take a wet sponge with nippers that we may not stain our Hands or skin of our Heads With Herbs a woman dy'd her hoary Head Arts Colours better'd Natures as 't is said CHAP. III. How the Hairs are dyed Black IT is worth the while to shew such as are ashamed to seem old how to dye their hoary Hairs black as if they might grow young again by it And if we provide for young women we must do as much for aged Matrons especially if it fall out that they grow hoary too soon Of old they made a decoction of Sage-Leaves the green Husks of Walnuts Sumacts Myrtle-berries Black-berries Cypress-nuts Rindes of the Roots of Halm-Tree and such-like for the Rinde of the Root of Halm-Tree boyled till it be sort and consumed and then smeered on all night blacks the Hair first made clean with Fullers Earth Learn therefore How Gray Hairs and dyed Black Anoynt your Hair in the Sun with Leeches that have lain to corrupt in the blackest Wine sixty daies and they will become very black Or else Let a sextary of Leeches stand in two sextaries of Vinegar in a Leaden Vessel to corrupt for sixty daies and as I said anoynt your Hair Pliny saith It will dye so strongly that unless they hold Ovl in their mouths when they dye the Hair it will make their Teeth black also But if you would have Long and Black Hair Take a green Lizard and cutting off the Head and Tail boyl it in common Oyl and anoynt your Head with it You shall have also Another Yet you may thus dye your Hair and Beard handsomely if they be grown Gray Froth of Silver burnt Brass must be mingled with four times the quantity of strong Lye and when it bubbles on an easie fire wash your Hair with it and when they are dry wash them with hot water I used this as the Ancients taught it and I made a Lye of Quick-Lime and Oak-Ashes that they commonly call the Capitel in that I boyled Litharge of Silver then I tried it on white Wool for if it be dyed black as I would have it then I took it from the fire or else I boyled it longer If it burnt the Wool I put water to it or else dyed with it Add Lytharge Wash your Hair or Beard with this and it will dye them with a shining black colour and it will not be discerned for the more you wash it the better it will shine CHAP. IV. To make Hairs part smooth BEcause sometimes a part is deformed with abundance of Hair or for lack of Hair I shall shew how to make a smooth part thick with Hair and a hairy part smooth by depilatories A common Depilatory which men use commonly in Baths It consists of Quick-Lime four parts made into Powder Orpiment one part boyl them Try with a Hens Feather when that is made bare with it it is boyl'd take heed you boyl it not too much or that it stay not too long upon your skin for it will burn but if it chance to burn your skin take Populeum and Oyl of Roses or Violets and anoynt the place and the pain will be gone This must be done in a Bath but if you cannot have one let the Woman be covered with cloths very well and let it be cast on burning Stones or Tiles that she may receive the fume of it and swear After she hath sweat let her wash her self with her water and wipe it off then let her anoynt her self all over for the parts anoynted thus will presently grow smooth And thus may all parts be kept free from Hair The Ancients used these as Saserna as Varro reports teacheth in his Book of Husbandry If saith he you would make any one smooth from Hair cast a pale Frog into water and boyl it to a third part and with that anoynt the Body But by pale Frog we must understand a Toad for a Frog hath no such faculty A Salamander soaked in Oyl will pull out the Hair Dioscorides But it will be stronger if you steep it long in Oyl and dissolve it The filthy matter that is white as Milk and is vomited up at the mouth by the Salamander if it touch any part of the Body all the Hair will fall off Dioscorides saith That the Sea-Scolopendra boyled in Oyl and smeered on the part will pluck off the Hair by the Roots But To make Hair grow slowly If you press Oyl out of Henbane-Seed with a Press or do often anoynt the places with the juice of it they will grow again very slowly The same is done with the juice of Hemlock Or to take off the Hairs men added to Ants Eggs red Orpiment and Ivy-Gum with Vinegar and they rubbed the place where the Hair was taken away In former times they rubbed the down-parts of children with the Roots of Hyacinthus and the Hair would never grow there And therefore it is well known in trimming Medicaments sold here and there that being smeered on with sweet Wine keeps back the Bread and will not let it break forth But if you would That Hair should never grow again In which business I have taken great pains and tried many things that I found to be false First foment the part with hot water and pull out the Hairs one by one with womens nippers then dissolve Salt-Peter in water and anonynt the holes where the Hairs grew It will be better done with Oyl of Brimstone or of Vitriol and so they will never
grow again or if they do after one yeer they will be very soft do then the same again and the parts will be bare alwayes So I have made womens Fore-heads longer and have taken off Hair from parts hotter then the rest CHAP. V. How Hair may grow again BUt for those that would have Hair grow where it should these Remedies will do it sometimes womens temples use to be deformed for want of Hair I shall teach you how Hair falling off before old age may be held fast And if any Hair hath fallen off to make it grow again torrifie Gith upon the Coals when it is torrified powder it sift it and mingle it with water and anoynt your Head The Ancients made their Hair grow again with these Remedies with the Ashes of a Land Hedge-hog or of burnt Bees or Flies or the Powder of them deied also with Man's Dung burnt and anoynted on with Honey to which they added well the Ashes of Small-nuts Wall-nuts Ches-nuts and other Bean-like substances for by all these mingled together or by them single Hair will be made to grow But if you will That Hair shall grow quickly I know that by often washing the place with that water that first distils from Honey by the fire much Hair will soon grow or if you do but moysten the place with wet cloths and not wipe it but let it alwayes continue wet Also Noble Matrons may use this To make the Hairs grow softer Augustus was wont to burn his Legs with a burning Nut that the Hair might grow softer But That Hair may grow longer and quickly Bruise Marsh-Mallow Roots with Hogs-grease and let them boyl long in Wine then add Cummin-Seed well bruised Mastick and yelks of Eggs well boyled first mingle them a little and then boyl them strain all through a Linen-clout and let it stand and settle then take the fat that swims on the top and anoynt the Head first wash But to make them grow quickly take Barley-Bread with Salt and Bears Grease burn the Bread and with such a mixture anoynt the place Some besmeer a glazed Pot with the fat of a Horse Neck and they boyl a River-Eel that is fat and cut into pieces in it till it dissolve into Oyl and they anoynt the part with it CHAP. VI. To take away Sores and Worms that spoil the Hair THere is a certain plague of the Hair that befals them and breaks cuts and takes the Hair quite off from the Head I will add the Remedies presently whereby to take them away It is healthful in these Diseases to apply bitter things to kill these Worms called Tiners or Syrens take the Flowers of Myrtle-Trees Broom-clary boyl them in Vinegar till the Vinegar be consumed and then rub the ends of the Hair continually with it Also grinde bitter Lupines into fine Meal boyl them in Vinegar and then rub the Hairs between your hands for this will kill these Sirens and drive them away But I used very hot Bread newly taken forth of the Oven cut in the middle and putting the Hair between them till they grow â—old CHAP. VII How to make Hair Curl CUrl'd Hair seems to be no small Grace and Ornament to the Head and women that use painting do all they can to curl the Hair If you will know how To Curl the Hair Boyl Maidenhair with Smallage-Seed in Wine adding a good quantity of Oyl for this wil make the Hair curl'd and thick Pliny Moreover if you put the Roots of Daffidils into Wine and pour this often on the Head being shaved it will make the Hair curl the more as the same Author saith or else bruise the Root of Dwraf-elder with Oyl and anoynt the Head therewith and binde the Leaves of the same upon the Head Some say that Camels Dung will curl the Hair or else poun the Ashes of a Rams Horn with Oyl and with that anoynt the Head often being first shaved So also will the Ashes of Chef-nuts or Hedge-hogs do if you with Honey smeer the Head with it CHAP. VIII Remedies to make the Eye brows black BEfore we leave off to speak of Hair I shall shew how to make the Eye-brows black because women are as desirous of this as of the rest The Greeks call them Calliblephara that is Fair Eye-brows wherefore the Antients used To dye the Eye-brows with black Earth like Bitume or Sea-Cole being burnt it is a very fine black and it is added to those Remedies that serve to dye the Eye-brows and the Hair black or else the Marrow of an Ox bone taken out of the Right-Leg before and beaten with Soot is good to dye the Hair and faulty Eye-brows and the corners of the Eyes Also Soot is tempered for this purpose with the smoak of Paper and Oyl of Sesama the smoot being wiped off of a new Vessel with a Feather The Kernels of Dates burnt in a new earthen Pot and the Ashes washed serve instead of Spodium and they are mingled with Eye-salves and they make Calliblephara adding Spikenard thereunto And if they be not well burnt burn them again Also Rose-Leaves are fit burn for the same use Also you may amend your Eye-brows thus Take Labdanum and beat it with Wine and mingle Oyl of Myrtles with it and make a very thick Oyntment or infuse in Oyl the black Leaves of the Myrtle-Tree with a double quantity of Galls bruised and use that I use this Galls are fried in Oyl and they are ground with a little Salt-Ammoniac and then mingled with Vinegar wherein the Pills of the Mulberry and Bramble have been boyled with these anoynt the Eyebrows and let it abide on all night then wash it off with water But if you would Change the colour of childrens Eyes you shall do it thus anoynt the fore part of their Heads with the Ashes of the shells of Hazel-nuts and Oyl it will make the white eyes of children black if you do it twice There are many Experiments to make white and gray Eyes black and to alter the colours But I shall let them pass because those that want them will not so lightly endanger their Eyes nor do they answer the expectation as some have tried them CHAP. IX How to make the Face white I Taught formerly in my Book of Plants That with white cleer Silver-coloured Herbs Shel-Fish and Stones the Face might be made white polished and Silver-coloured I shall now set down some examples by which you may invent many more I shall first speak of Simples then of Compounds Simples that are white make the face white The Lilly is a complete white colour the bulbous tops of it like Onyons boyled in water or the distilled water of them will make the Faces of Maides white if they wash them therewith morning and evening Withwind bears a Flower like to the Lilly without any smell but within like Saffron it is onely white and is as it were the Rudiments of Nature when she goes about to frame a Lilly The
distilled water from the flowers will wonderfully make the Face whole Also with the decoction of Ivory one may make the Face like Ivory Melanthinm makes the Face beautiful Dioscorides But it shews its excellency when it is thus prepared Pown it and sift out the finest of it take the juice of Lemmons and let the Meal of Gith lie wet in it twenty four hours take it out and let it dry then break an Egg with the Shell and mingle it with it then dry it in the shade and sift it once more In the morning when the woman riseth out of her bed let her put this into a white Linen-clour that is not too fine and wet it with water or spittle and let her rub her Face with the clour that the moysture alone and not the Meal may come on the Face If you will have Your Face white it may be made as white as Milk many ways and chiefly with these that follow Let Litharge of Silver half an ounce boyl in a Glazed Earthen Pot with strong Vinegar until the thinner part be evaporated set it up for use Then in another Pot let half a pound of clear water boyl then mingle both these waters together and shake them and it will become like Milk and sink to the bottom when it is settled pour it off water being plentifully poured in and leaving it a while to settle pour it off again and pour on fresh shake it and leave it to settle a short time and so forbear That which is settled set in the Sun and when it is grown stiff as thick pap make small balls of it and lay them up You may use these with water to make the Face white Or else powder Lytharge of Silver eight ounces very fine pour on the Powder of the strongest Vinegar five pints distil them and keep them for your use Then take Allome de Plume Salt Gemma one drachm Frankincense one ounce and a half Camphire two drachms Oyl of Tartar six ounces Rose-water one pound powder what must be powdered and pour it in distil the water in Chymical Vessel and set it up When you would use them mingle a little of both waters in the palm of your hand and it will be like Milk rub your Face with it and it will be white Or else take off the Pills of about twenty Cirton Lemmons infuse the Pills in one pound of the best Wine and one pint and an half of rose-Rose-water for six days then add one ounce of white Lilly and Mallow-Roots and let them stay as many days then add Rosin of Turpentine four ounces white Mercury sublimate two ounces Boxan half an ounce ten whites of Eggs made hard at the fire and mingle all these together let them stay one night The next day put a cap upon the Vessel and luting the joynts well that nothing may breath forth let the water drop into a Vessel to receive it set it aside for use I me this that is easie to make and doth the business completely Take the white of an Egg and stir it so long with an Iron that it froth well let it stand to turn to water then take half an ounce of the best Honey and beat with that water and â—ingle them until they unite add to them the quantity of two Corns of Wheat Mercury sublimate finely powdered when you go to bed take some of the water in the palm of your hand and wash your Face and so let it dry in that it may not slick to the Linen in the morning wash it off with Fountain-water and you shall have your Face cleer and white CHAP. X. How women shall make their Faces very clean to receive the Colour BEfore any thing be used to make the Face beautiful it must be made very clean and fit to receive it for oft-times women have excellent Waters and Remedies brought them but they have no operation wherefore the matter is that they must first prepare their Face This is the best Preparation of the Face Bind Barley-Meal-Bran in a Linen-cloth and let it down into a Pot full of water and let it boyl till a third part be remaining and press out the juice with this decoction wash your face and let it dry then bruise Myrrh and mingle it with the white of an Egg and burn it on hot Fire-sticks or red hot Tiles and receive the fume by a tunnel let the narrow part of it be toward the Face and the broad to the fire cover the head with a Napkin that the smoak flie not away and when you have received sufficient of the smoak rub your Face with a Linen-cloth then use your Remedy to anoynt your Face I shall shew you One that is stronger When the skin must be cleansed or made white you must cleanse some parts of your Face from skins that will not let your painting Oyntment stick Powder an ounce of Sublimate very finely put it into a Pot that is glazed and cast into it fix whites of Eggs so beaten that they are turned into water then boyl them on hot Embers till they grow thick put them into a Linnen-cloth that is loosly weaved and press the water out of them with your hands and wash your Face with it then mingle Honey whites of Eggs and the aforesaid water together equal parts put some in your palm and rub the place you would make white with the palms of your hands then boyl spelt and when it is boyl'd take the fume of it by a tunnel then rub your Face with a course Linnen-cloth Others wash their Face with water wherein fine flour is boyled CHAP. XI How the Face may be made very soft THe next Beauty of the Face and Hands is Tenderness which is procured by fat things and chiefly by Milk and principally of Asses for it takes off wrinkle and makes the skin white and soft And therefore it was not for nothing that Nero's wife had always five hundred Asses with her and in a Bath with a â—ear she soaked all her body with that Milk Wherefore if you would have Tour Face made soft and white Steep crums of Bread in Whey or in Milk then press it out and with that water wash your Face for it will wonderfully white your Face and make the skin fair Or take six Glasses of Milk steep crumbs of Bread in it five hours take ten Lemmons make clean the Pills and cut the Body of them into thin slices then shake ten whites of Eggs bruise an ounce of Camphire Allom Sauharinum two ounces mingle them all and distil them and set it in a glazed Vessel close covered in the Sun and then set it up for your use Here is one stronger For the same purpose Boyl two Calfs Feet in water first make them clean then boyl the water till half be consumed put it in Rice one pound and boyl it well let crums of Bread steep in Asses Milk or Goats Milk with ten whites of Eggs bruised with
their Shells distil all at a gentle fire add to the water a little Camphire and Borax put into a glazed vessel two yong naked Pigeons with their guts taken forth and put in as much Milk as will cover them and add one ounce of Borax Turpentine three ounces Caâ—phire one ounce five whites of Eggs put on the cover and distil them for it is fat things that make the Face soft I shall say more when I come to speak of making the hands white and soft the reason is the same for both CHAP. XII How to make the face clear and shining like silver THe face is not onely made clear but white as silver by those things that I said were white as silver yet not exactly as silver but they shine as clear as silver There is an herb commonly called Argentaria or Argentina or wilde Tansey whose leaves are green above but on the backside they shine of a silver colour the distilled water of it is drank by women against spots in their faces and to make them white as silver The snails that are found in moist places and leave behind them as they creep a silver cord Dioscorides saith will cure the spots in the face women much desire them for they put them in a still and draw out water from them that polisheth the skin exceedingly and makes it contract a silver gloss And the seashell-fish like an ear whose shell is of a silver colour within or pearl colour and many kinds of shells that being steeped in vinegar will grow pure casting off the outward crust as the Oystershel doth that brings forth pearl There are also shells we call the Mothers of pearl that inwardly are shining and of a silver colour like pearls all which women use for their art of beautifying themselves for they make the face smooth and to shine as white as silver But pearls do it best of all things when they are dissolved in sharp juyces and soaked in rotten dung till they send forth a clear oyl that is the best thing to beautifie the face as I shall shew elsewhere For the same use is a glass-stone used that shines like silver But no better water is prepared then from Talk or Quick-silver as I shall shew in that which follows CHAP. XIII How to dissolve Talk for to beautifie women THough I shall speak in a work on purpose more at large how Talk may be dissolved into water or oyl We shall here onely set down how it may be fitted for womens use Of all such ways as are used I shall set forth such as I have tried to be good Beat Talk in a mortar of metal then put it into a pot of the strongest clay and cover it and bind it in with strong iron wyer lute it well all cover and stop the joynts that nothing breathe out and set it in the Sun to dry Then put this stone in an oven that flames strongly or in some other place where the fire is most vehement When the fire of the oven is out take it forth and break the vessel and if it be well calcined it is enough Otherwise do the same again until the calx of it be as white as it ought to be When the calcined body of it is white as it must be grind it on a porphyry-stone and put it into a little bag or upon a marble in a very moist place or deep well or cistern and let it lie there long and with much moisture it will drop forth at last It will more easily and perfectly dissolve into water if it were burnt long enough and turned into a calx For the parts being turn'd to lime and made exceeding dry by force of fire they attract moisture It is also done Another way that is good Calcine the Talk and put it in an earthen pot and set it in the hottest part of a potters oven to stay there six days When the Talk is thus turn'd to a calx put it into a gourd-glass which you shall first make clean and make a hole at the bottom of it and setting a vessel under it you shall have the moisture of it drop forth and the calx will resolve into water put this into a glass vial and let the water evaporate in Balâ—eo take the sediment out for your use I use also Another way Put snails in an earthen vessel in the open air that they may be kept hungry three days and pine for want of meat and be purged then take a silver Loadstone or Talk most finely powdred mingle it with the white of an egge and make an ointment anoint the earthen vessel with it and put the snails into it for they will eat up all the Talk When they have eaten all and voided their excrements bruise the snails with their shells and putting them into a retott draw out their moisture with a gentle fire the humour that drops forth will exceedingly adorn the face CHAP. XIV The preparation of Sublimate I Said that there was nothing better than quick-silver for womens paints and to cleanse their faces and make them shine Wherefore I shall set down many ways to Prepare it that you may have the use of it to your desire Take one ounce and half of pure quick-silver not falsified with lead for if there be lead mingled with it all your labour is lost How it must be purged and known I taught elsewhere Mingle this with half a pound of Mercury sublimate and put it into a marble mortar and with a new wooden pestle stir it well turning it round about First it will be black in six hours it will grow white if you cease not to beat it Then adde one ounce and half of white salt always turning it about with the pâ—stle for the more you grind it the perfecter it will be When it is very well ground it must be washt Sprinkle boiling clear water into the mortar and stir it and then stay a while until the muddy part may sink down and the filth that was lighter and swims on the top laying the vessel on one side pour out the water gently and pour in fresh do this five or six times in the same manner until the pure and onely powder remain without dregs make little cakes of it and dry it in the sun Some whilst they bruise it sprinkle water on lest the powder by grinding should be made so small that it should fly away into the air The chief business is to purge it and grind it well that it be not troubled when it is strain'd forth that which is gone to the bottom and so part of it be lost some open a hole in the belly of a pot that when it is settled the hole being opened the water with the dregs may run forth Others to sublimate adde a third part of quick-silver and grind it in a wooden mortar and in the â—â—an while they chew four grains of mastick in their mouths and they spit the clammy spittle
out of their mouths into the mortar until it be white as I said then they boil it in one pound of the distilled water of Bryony-root till it be consumed then they put a linnen cloth to receive it at the mouth of the vessel and so they strain it forth and set it in the sun they make â—roches of it with gum Traganth others to sublimate add a sixth part of quick-silver bruising it round about then they adde camphir borax and ceruss half as much and mingle all together The principal matter is it is the best way to sprinkle it with water whilst you grind it lest by grinding it the powder become so light that it fly away also when the water is poured on all the filth will come on the top and more easily be poured off then when the sublimate is washed it is left to settle down then again pouring off the former water they pour on fresh and they wash it oft till they see it is enough and no black swims on the top But there is no better as we said than Water of quick-silver But some will not away with quick-silver by reason of the hurt it commonly doth to the teeth but they use other water Yet there is no better water then that which is extracted from quick-silver it is so clear and transparent and the face anointed with it shines like silver it draws the skin handsome and makes it soft by and by and I never saw a better the manner was shewed before CHAP. XV. How white-lead is prepared for the face BEcause sublimate is so dangerous there is a private way to do it with ceruss but not the usual way that women may have their desire without hurting their skin or their teeth I am now come to the business of ceruss Take of swines grease well washed and cleansed in common water at least ten times put it in to a lye of sweet water and after fifteen days into a pot or earthen vessel with a broad mouth pouring in the sharpest vinegar put in your swines grease that the vinegar may swim three fingers above it then fasten a plate of lead on the mouth of the pot well luting the joynts with linnen cloths that the vinegar may not evaporate Every fifteen days take off the cover and see how it is if the lead be dissolved and scrape the cover of all that hangs upon it and put in the cover anoint it all about and let it stand so long till all the rest be performed as I said before and the whole lead be turned to ceruss Ceruss must be washt thus Pour water into a vessel put the ceruss into it stir it up and down that what dregs there is may swim on the top the ceruss is heavy and will sink to the bottom Pour forth what swims above in the vessel and pour on fresh water and do this so often until the pure ceruss be found without dregs dry it and lay it up If you will do it Another way Take two handfuls of cleansed barley let it steep all night in fair water then dry it on a linnen cloth spread abroad in the sun When it is dried poun it in a marble mortar when it is bruised put it into a glazed vessel which is full of vinegar and cast upon this four whole eggs with their shells then stop the vessel with a plate of lead that is arched or not very even and let there be no place that gives vent Set it half in the sand and let it stand in the open sun after ten days take off the covering of the vessel that you stopt it with strike down the ceruss that is in it with a feather and scrape it off then take the eggs out and put in new and do as you did and after so many days scrape it off until the whole plate be consumed Let down the ceruss you have stricken off into a vessel full of water bound up in a linnen cloth that is clean and moderately fine and stir it in the water carrying it about here and there until the muddy part of it run forth and the sediment remain in the cloth let the water settle and strain it and pour it forth changing the water so long until no dregs remain Lastly strain forth the water and lay up the powder when it is dry This alone with fountain water will make the face white mingled with the white of an egge and will make it shine Some Another way wash ceruss and make it pure Mingle hards of hemp with whites of eggs well stirr'd role up the ceruss in the middle of it and wrapping a cloth about it boil it one hour in a new earthen pot putting water to it as it boils take off the skum then take it from the fire and if any Lead be sunk down cast it forth afterwards make Troches of it with Gum-Traganth that it may keep the better Some bid boyl in water of white Lillies Ceruss very finely powdered tied up in a skin and fastned in a Linen-cloth over it to the handle of the Vessel The manner of boyling is the same as I first shewed Then pour it forth into an earthen dish and strain it gently from all its moysture dry it fifteen days in the Sun and keep it CHAP. XVI The best Sopes for women I Shewed in particulars how you might procure whiteness lustre and softness to the Face now shall I speak of waters made of these that will at the same time make if it be first rub'd clean The Face white clear ruddy and soft These I speak of can do it being composed together and distilled Take Ceruss ready washed one ounce half as much Mercury sublimate Gum-Traganth as much Tartar one ounce powder all these and put them into a young Pigeon washed and unbowelled and sow them in put it into a new Earthen Pot full of water distilled by a Retort boyl it till the flesh part from the bones then distil it when you go to bed wash you Face and in the morning wash it with Fountain-water so you shall have it white clear soft and well-coloured Also you may do it Another way Bruise three pound of Bean-Cods the shells add two pounds of Honey and one of Rosin of Turpentine put them into a Vessel and close it that nothing vent forth and let it ferment eight days in dung then add four pound of Asses milk and in the Vessel draw forth Oyl at the fire use this water morning and evening If you will have Another way do it thus Distil all these severally Elder-flowers and Flowers of wilde Roses Broom Honey-snâ—kles Solomons-seal and Briony-Roots sowre Grapes and Sarcocolla mingle equal parts of each or distil them again and set them in the Sun This will be the best I shall shew Another for the same Pull of a Hens Feathers without water take out her Entrals cut her in pieces let infuse one night in white-Wine in the morning wash her in
softness remains which is onely given to fat Hands To make the Hands as white as Milk Take things that are Milk-White as Almonds Pine-Kernels Melon and Gourd-Seeds and the like Therefore bruise bitter Almonds Pine-Kernels and Crums of Bread then make Cakes of them with Barley-water wherein Gum Traganth hath been soaked You may use this for Sope when you wash your Hands for they scowre them and make them white I For the same use oft-times bitter Almonds half a pound put them in hot water to blanch them then beat them in a Marble-Morter Afterwards take the lesser Dragons two ounces Deers Suet and Honey of each as much mingle them all in an earthen Pot with a large mouth set them at the fire and let them be stirred gently with a wooden-stick that they mingle well put it up in Boxes for your use If you will have Your hands white wash fresh Butter nine times in sweet water and last of all in sweet-sented Rose-water to take off the ill smell and that it may look as white as Snow then mingle white wax with it and a good quantity of Oyl of sweet Almonds Then wash your gloves in Greek-Wine as the manner is and smeer on the foresaid mixture put on these when you go to bed that all night they may grow soft by the help of fat things Then take Peach-Kernels with the skins picked off Seeds of Gourds Melons white Poppy Barley-meal of each one ounce and half the juice of two Lemmons rosted in the Embers mingle these with as much Honey as will make them thick as an Oyntment and to make them smell well you may add a little Musk or Civet when you go to bed but in the morning wash them with Fountain-water and for Sope use the Lees of Oyl of Nuts well pressed forth or Lees of Oyl-Olive Others use this Liniment onely Press the Cream out of Lemmon-Seeds with two ounces of it mingle one ounce of Oyl of Tartar and as much Oyl of Almonds When at night you go to bed wash your Hands in Fountain-water dry them and anoynt them with this Liniment and put on your Gloves Take Another For one weeks-time infuse the Marrow of Ox-bones in cold water but change the water four or five times a day and for every pound of Marrow take six excellent Apples and cut them in the middle and cast forth the Seeds and Core then beat them small in a Marble-Morter and put them into a new Morter that they may smell the sweeter adding a few Cloves Cinnamon Spikenard let them boyl in rose-Rose-water When they are all very soft take them forth and strain them and again add a sharp Lixivium and let them boyl at a gentle fire until all the water be washed Then set them up in a Glass-Vessel for your use or make them into morsels That which follows is good For the same Make a hole in a Lemmon and put into it Sugar-Candy and Butter and cover it with the Cover wet Hards of Hemp and wrap it up in and boyl it in hot Embers and that it grow soft by rosting when you go to Bed anoynt your hands with it and put on your Gloves CHAP. XXVIII How to correct the ill sent of the Arm-pits THe stink of the Arm-holes makes some women very hateful especially those that are sat and fleshy To cure this we may use such kinde of Experiments The Ancients against the stink of the Arm-pits used liquid Allome with Myrrh to anoynt them or the Secrets and Arm-holes were strewed with the dry Leaves of Myttles in powder The Roots of Artichoaks smeered on doth not onely cure the ill sent of the Arm-pits but of the whole Body also But Zenocrates promiseth by Experiment That the faultiness of the Arm-pits will pass forth by urine if you take one ounce of the pith of the Root boyled in three Lemina's of Muskadel to thirds and after bathing fasting or after meat drink a cup thereof But I am content with this I dissolve Allome in waters and I wash the Feet and Arm-pits with it and let them dry so in some days we shall correct the strong smell of those parts But it will be done more effectually thus Pown Lytharge of Gold or Silver and boyl it in Vinegar and if you wash those parts well with it you shall keep them a long time sweet and it is a Remedy that there is none better CHAP. XXIX How the Matrix ovar-widened in Child-birth may be made narrower TRotula saith we may honestly speak of this because Conception is sometimes hindred by it if the Matrix be too open and therefore it is fit to lend help for such an impedient For some women have it stand wide-open by reason of their hard labour in Child-birth and if their Husbands be not content with it that the men may not abhor the women it is thus remedied Take Dragons-Blood Bole-Armeniac Pomegranate-shells white of an Egg Mastick Galls of each one ounce powder them and make them all up with hot water Put some of this Confection into the hole that goes into the Matrix Or Galls Sumach Plantain great Comfrey Allome Chamaelaea take equal parts of them all and boyl them in Rain-water and foment the Privities Or beat sowre Galls very finely mingle a little of the Powder of Cloves with them Let them boyl in sharp red Wine wet a woollen cloth in it and apply to the part Or thus may you restrain that part of common whores with Galls Gums whites of Eggs Dragons Blood Acacia Plantain Hypocistis Balanstia Mastick Cypress-nuts Grape-skins Akorn-cups Or in that hollow part where the Glans breaks forth and gaping shews the Nucleus with Mastick and Terra Lemnia If all these be boyled in red Wine or Vinegar and the Matrix be often wet therewith it will come very close and be much straighter Or else powder all these and cast them in through a Reed or make a fume under them Great Comfrey will be excellent for this purpose for flesh boyl'd with it will grow together And the other also if it be boyl'd will very well glew together fresh Wounds The Decoction of Ladies Mantle or the juice or distilled water of it cast into the Matrix will so contract it that Whores can scarce be known from Maids or if they sit in the Decoction of it especially if we mingle other astringent things with it and wet the Secrets therewith The distilled water of Starwort being often injected into the Matrix will make one scarce know which is corrupted and which is not But if you will have A woman deflowred made a virgin again Make little Pills thus Of burnt Allome Mastick with a little Vitriol and Orpiment make them into very fine Powder that you can scarce feel them when you have made them Pills with Rain-water press them close with your fingers and let them dry being pressed thin and lay them on the Mouth of the Matrix where it was first broken open change it every
six hours always fomenting the place with Rain or Cistern-water and that for twenty four hours and it will here and there make little Bladders which being touched will bleed much blood that she can hardly be known from a Maid Midwives that take care of this do it another way They contract the place with the Decoction of the forementioned things then they set a Leech fast on upon the place and so they make a crusty matter or scab which being rub'd will bleed Others when they have straightned the part inject the dried Blood of a Hare or Pigeon which being moistned by the moysture of the Matrix shews like live fresh Blood I found out this noble way I powder Litharge very finely and boyl it in Vinegar till the Vinegar be thick I strain out that and put in more till that be coloured also then I exhale the Vinegar at an easie fire and resolve it into smoak CHAP. XXX Some sports against women THus far I have shewed how to beautifie women now I shall attempt some things against their decking of themselves and make some merriment after those things that I seriously discovered to adorn them To make a painted Face look pale If you would know a painted Face do thus Chew Saffron between you Teeth and stand neer to a woman with your mouth when you talk with her your breath will foul her Face and make it yellowish but if she be not painted the natural colour will continue Or burn Brimstone in the room where she is for if there be Ceruss or Mercury sublimate on her Face the smoak will make her brown or black The painted Women that walk at Puteoli in the Mountains of Phlegra are made so black as Silver-money is shut up in bags We may also know thus Whether she be painted with red Chew Grains of Cummin or a Clove of Garlick and speak close by her if it be natural it will remain but counterfeit with Ceruss or Quick-silver it presently decays To make a woman full of red pimples Of a Stellio is made an ill Medicament for when he is dead in Wine all the Faces of those that drink of it will be red-spotted Wherefore they that would disfigure Whores kill him in an Oyntment The Remedy is the yelk of an Egg Honey and Glass Pliny To make the Face green Avicenna saith That the Decoction of Chamaeleon put into a bath will make him green-coloured that stays long in that bath and then by degrees he will recover his former colour To make the Hair fall off the Head and Beard Touch any part of mans body with a matter white as milk that the Salamander vomits up out of its mouth and the Hairs will fall off and what is touched is changed into the Leprosie Pliny THE TENTH BOOK OF Natural Magick Of Distillation THE PROEME NOw I am come to the Arts and I shall begin from Distillation an Invention of later times a wonderful thing to be praised beyond the power of man not that which the vulgar and unskilful men use for they do but corrupt and destroy what is good but that which is done by skilful Artists This admirable Art teacheth how to make Spirits and sublime gross Bodies and how to condense and make Spirits become gross Bodies and to draw forth of Plants Minerals Stones and Jewels the Strength of them that are involved and overwhelmed with great bulk lying hid as it were in their Chests and to make them more pure and thin and more noble as not being content with their common condition and to lift them up as high as Heaven We can by Chymical Instruments search out the Vertues of Plants and better then the Ancients could do by tasting them What therefore could be thought on that is greater It is Natures part to produce things and give them faculties but Art may ennoble them when they are produced and give them many several qualities Let one that loves Learning and to search Natures Secrets enter upon this for a dull Fellow will never attain to this Art of Distilling First we shall extract Waters and Oyls then the Essences Tinctures Elixirs Salts and such-like then we shall shew how to resolve mix'd Bodies into the Elements and make them all more pure to separate their divers and contrary qualities and draw them forth that we may use them at pleasure and other things that will never repent us to know and do CHAP. I. What Distillation is and of how many sorts WHether the Art of Distillation were known to the Learned Ancients or no I will not undertake to dispute yet there is another kinde of Art to be read in Dioscorides then what we use He saith thus There is an Oyl extracted out of Pitch by separating the watry part which swimmeth on the top like Whey in Milk and hanging clean flocks of Wool in the vapor arising from it while the Pitch boyls and when they are moyst squeezing them into some Vessel This must be done as long as it boyleth Geber defineth it thus Distillation is the Elevation of moist vapors in a proper Vessel but we will declare the true definition of it elsewhere He maketh three sorts of it by Ascent by Descent and by Filtration But I cannot but confess that Filtration is not properly a species of Distillation But I say by Ascent by Descent and by Inclination which is a middle between both and is very necessary for when a thing is unwilling to ascend we teach it by this to rise by degrees by inclining the Vessel and raise it by little and little until it become thinner and know how to ascend The Instructions for Distillation shall be these First Provide a Glass or Brazen Vessel with a Belly swelling out like a Cupping-Glass and sharpened upward like a Top or a Pear fit it to the under-Vessel like a Cap so that the neck of that lower Vessel may come into the belly of the upper A Pipe must run about the Bottom of the Cap which must send forth a Beak under which there must stand another Vessel called the Receiver from receiving the distilling water Stop all the vents close with Stawmortar or rags of Linen that the spirituous Aery matter may not pass out The fire being put under this Stillatory the inclosed matter will be dissolved by the heat of the fire into a dewy vapor and ascendeth to the top where meeting with the cold sides of the Head it sticketh there being condensed by the cold swelleth into little bubbles bedeweth the roof and sides then gathereth into moyst pearls runneth down in drops turneth into water and by the Pipe and Nose is conveyed into the Receiver But both the Vessels and the Receiver must be considered according to the Nature of the things to be distilled For if they be of a flatulent vaporous Nature they will require large and low Vessels and a more capacious Receiver for when the Heat shall have raised up the flatulent matter and that finde
the Wine for the life and tenuous part is taken out Then distil the same again an the third time alwayes drawing off but a third part Then prepare a Vessel with a longer and straighter neck of three cubits and distil it again in this at last put it into the mouth of the Vessel cover it with Parchment and set on the Cap of the Stillatory and kindle the fire the thin spirits of the Wine will pass through all and fall down into the Receiver and the phlegm which cannot get passage will settle to the bottom The note of perfect deputation from phlegm will be if a rag being dipt in it and set on fire do burn quite away or if some of it being dropt on a plain boaâ—â— be kindled into flame doth leave no moysture or mark of it But all the work dependeth on this that the mouth of the Vessel be exactly stopped and closed so that the least Spirit may not finde vent and flie into Air. The fittest thing to stop them with is an Ox's Bladder or some other Beasts for being cut into broad fiâ—â—ets and while they be wet rolled and tied about where the mouths of the Vessels meet it will alone keep in the expiring vapors You may observe this in the Distillation of it The Coals being hot the Vessel boyleth and a most burning Spirit of the Wine ascendeth through the neck of the Vessel it is hot below and cold on the top till it getteth up into the Cap then encountring with cold it turneth into water and runneth down by the nose into the Receiver and what was a long time ascending then in a small interval of time flows down again to the under-placed Glass Then the Cap being cold sendeth down that quality through the neck into the very belly of the Stillatory until the Spirit being separated from the phlegm worketh the same effâ—ct again I use to suffer the Wine to ascend so long as the Spirit runneth invisible into the Receiver for when the phlegm ascendeth there will appear bubbles in the Cap and streams which will run into the water through the nose Then I take away that dead carcase of the Wine and pour in fresh VVine and extract the Spirit out of the same way To do the same a more compendious way Those who desire to do this in a shorter time must make a Brass Vessel of the bigness of an ordinary Barrel in the form of a Gourd but the nose of the Cap must be made of Glass or Brass of fifteen or twenty foot winding about with circling Revolutions or mutual crossings or as it were with the circling of Snakes which they must set in wooden Vessels full of cold water that passing through it may be received into the Receiver For when it hath distilled the third part of the VVine in three hours they must cast out the residue and put that which is distilled into the Stillatory again and the second time diâ—â—ill out a third part so also the third time in the same day At length they put it into a Stillatory with a longer neck and separate the phlegm from it Some make the Cap with three or four heads setting one upon another all being pervious but the uppermost and every one having his nose and his particular Receiver They fit them to the Vessel with a long neck set them on binde them and lute them that they have no vent the water which distilleth out of the uppermost head is cleerest and most perfect that out of the lowest more imperfect and must be reserved asunder for they will be of different estimation the highest will be cleere from all phlegm the lower full of it the middle in a mean between both How to make Aqua Vitae of new Wine It may be done without the charge of Coals and VVood for it may worthily be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neither doth it require the attendance of a learned Artist but of an ignorant Clown or a woman for this Spirit is drawn out meerly by the vehement working of Nature to free her self without any other help whatever When the VVine is run out of the press into the Ho shead and other Vessels and beginneth to purge place an earthen neck or one of wood being two cubits in length upon the bung-hole of the Vessel set the Cap upon the neck and lute the joynts very close that there may be no vent set the Receiver under the nose to take the Water which floweth down Thus thine exhaltations being elevated by the working Spirits of the Wine are converted into Water meerly for the work of Nature without the help of fire which therefore hath his particular vertues which we will pass over now and mention them in another place CHAP IV. How to distil with the heat of the Sun WE may distil not onely with fire but with the Sun and Dung But the last tainteth the distilled Waters with a scurvy sent The Sun extracteth the best Water and very useful for many Medicines The heat of the fire changeth the Nature of things and causeth hot and fiery qualities in them Wherefore in all Medicines for the eyes we must use Waters extracted from the Sun for others do fret and corrode the eye these are more gentle and soft The Sun extracteth more Water then the fire because the vapours do presently condense and drop down which they do not over the fire because they are driven up with a force and stick to the sides of the Stillatory and fall down again into the bottom There are other advantages which shall be explicated in their proper places Besides it is good Husbandry for the work is done without wood or coals or labour It is but filling the Vessels with the Ingredients and setting them in the Sun and all the pains is past Therefore to explain the manner in a few words Prepare a Form of three foot in height two in breadth and of a length proportionable to the number of the Vessels you intend to set to Work if many make it longer if a few let it be shorter Board up that side of the Form next the Sun lest the heat do warm the Receivers and make the Water ascend again In the middle of the upper plank of the Form make several holes for the necks of the Glasses to pass down through When the Sun hath passed Gemini for this must be performed in the heat of Summer only set your form abroad in the Sun Gather your Herbs before Sun-rise pick them and cleanse them from dust and durt of mens feet from the urine and ordure of Worms and other Creatures and such kind of fiâ—th and pollutions Then lest they should foul and soil the Water shake them and wipe them with clothes and lastly wash your hands and then them and dry them in the shade when they are dried put them into the Glasses take some wire-Cittern strings and winde them into round clues so that being let go they may
untwine themselves again put one of these into the mouth of each Glass to binder the Herbs from falling out when the Glasses are turned downwards Then thurst the necks through the holes of the Form into the Receivers which are placed underneath and admit them into their bellies fasten them together with linen bands that there may be noâ—vent and place the Receivers in dishes of water that the vapor may the sooner be condensed All things being thus provided expose them to most violent heat of Sun-beams they will presently dissolve them into vapors and slide down into the Receivers In the evening after Sun-set remove them and fill them with fresh Herbs The Herb Polygonum or Sparrows-tongue bruised and thus distilled is excellent for the inflammation of the eyes and other diseases Out of S. Johns-wort is drawn a water good against cramps if you wash the part affected with it and others also there are too long to rehearse The manner of Distilling this Figure expresseth CHAP. V. How to draw Oyl by Expression VVE have treated of Waters now we will speak of Oyls and next of Essences These require the industry of a most ingenious Artificer for many the most excellent Essences of things do remain in the Oyl as in the radical moysture so close that without the greatest Art wit cunning and pains they cannot be brought to light so that the whole Art of Distillation dependeth on this The cheifest means is by Expression which though it be different from the Art of Distillation yet because it is very necessary to it it will not be unnecessary to mention here The general way of it is this Take the Seeds out of which you would draw Oyl blanch them and strip them of their upper Coats either by rubbing them with your hands or picking them off with your nails When they are cleansed cast them into a Marble-Morter and beat them with a wodden Pestle then sprinkle them with Wine and change them into a Leaden-Morter set them on the fire and stir them with a wooden-Spoon When they begin to yield forth a little Oyliness take them from the fire and prepare in readiness two plates of Iron of a fingers thickness and a foot-square let them be smooth and plain on one side and heated so that you can scarce lay your finger on them or if you had rather that they may hiss a little when water is cast upon them wrap the Almonds in a linen-cloth being wetted squeeze them between these plates in a press save the Expression and then sprinkle more Wine on the pressed Almonds or Seeds allow them some time to inbibe it then set them on the fire stir them and squeeze them again as before until all their Oyl be drawn out Others put the Seeds when they are bruised and warmed into a bag that will not let the Oyl strain thorow and by twining two sticks about press them very hard and close then they draw the Oyl out of them when they are a little settled To draw Oyl out of Nutmegs Beat the Nutmegs very carefully in a Morter put them into a Skillet and warm them and then press out the Oyl which will presently congeal Wherefore to make it fluide and apter to penetrate distil it five or six times in a Retort and it will be as you desire or else cast some burning Sand into it and mix it and make it into Rolls which being put into the neck of a Retort and a fire kindled will the first time remain liquid To extract Oyl out of Citron-seed we must use the same means Blanch and cleanse them an Oyl of a Gold-colour will flow out they yield a fourth part and it is powerful Antidote against Poyson and Witchcraft and it is the best Menstruum to extract the sent out of Musk Civet and Amber and to make sweet Oyntments of because it not quickly grow rank Oyl of Poppy-Seed is extracted the same way and yields a third part of a Golden-colour and useful in dormitive Medicines Also thus is made Oyl of Coloquintida-Seeds The fairest yield a sixth part of a Golden-colour it killeth Worms and expelleth them from Children being rubbed on the mouth of their Stomach Also Oyl of Nattle-Seed An ounce and a half may be extracted out of a pound and a half of Seeds being picked and blanched it is very good to dye womens Hair of a Gold-colour Oyl of Eggs is made by another Art Take fifty or sixty Eggs boyl them till they be hard then peal them and take out the yelk and set them over warm Coals in a tinned Posnet till all their moysture be consumod still stirring them with a wooden-spattle then encrease the fire but stir them uncessantly lest they burn You will see the Oyl swet out when it is all come forth take away the fire and skim off the Oyl Or when the Oyl beginneth to swet out as I said put the Eggs into a press and squeeze then very hard they will yield more Oyl but not so good CHAP. VI. How to extract Oyl with Water NOw I will declare how to extract Oyl without Expression and first out of Spices Seeds Leaves Sticks or any thing else Oyl being to be drawn out onely by the violence of fire and very unapt to ascend because it is dense considering also That Aromatick Seeds are very subtile and delicate so that if they be used too roughly in the fire they will stink of smoak and burning therefore that they may endure a stronger fire and be secure from burning we must take the assistance of water Those kinde of Seeds as I said are endued with an Airy thin volatile Essence and by the propriety of their Nature elevated on high so that in Distillation they are easily carried upward accompanied with water and being condensed in the Cap of the Stillatory the oyly and the waterish vapours run down together into the Receiver Chuse your Seeds of a full ripeness neither too new not too old but of a mature age beat them and macerate them in four times their weight of water or so that the water may arise the breadth of four fingers above them then put them into a Brass-pot that they may endure the greater fire and kindle your Coals unto a vehement heat that the Water and Oyl may promiscuously ascend and flow down separate the Oyl from the Water as you may easily do As for example How to draw Oyl out of Cinnamon If you first distil Fountain-water twice or thrice you may extract a greater quantity of Oyl with it for being made more subtile and apt to penetrate it pierceth the Cinnamon and draweth the Oyl more forcibly out of its Retirements Therefore take CXXXV pound of Fountain-water distil it in a Glass-Alembick when forty pound is drawn distil that until fifteen flow out then cast away the rest and draw five out of those fiftteen This being done macerate one pound of Cinnamon in five of Water and distil them in a
Retort or Alembick First a Milky water will flow out with Oyl next cleer Water cast the Water in over the Oyl and separate them as we shall teach you Of a pound of Cinnamon you will scarce receive a drachm of Oyl How to draw a greater quantity of Oyl out of Cinnamon I do use to do it in this manner to the wonder of the best and subtillest Artists Provide a Descendatory out of the Bath the making of which I will shew hereafter and put your Cinnamon being grossly beaten into a Glass-Retort set it in its proper place and put water into the Bath the heat of the fire by degrees will draw a little water in many days receive it careful and pour it again into the Cinnamon that it may re-imbibe its own water so let it remain a while afterwards kindle the fire and you shall receive a little Water and Oyl Do this third and fourth time and you will gain an incredible quanity You may try the same in other things Oyl of Cloves may be extracted in the same manner To every pound of Cloves you must add ten of Water distil them as before so shall you have both Water and Oyl It will yield a twelfth part The Oyl is good for Medicines and the VVater for Sawces So also is made Liquid Oyl of Nutmegs If you bruise them and put them with the VVater into a Vessel and distil them as before they will yield a sixth part Oyl of Mace and Pepper is drawn in the same manner much stronger but in less quantity Oyl of Aniseed may be thus extracted an ounce out of a pound It congealeth in VVinter like Camphire or Snow in the Summer it dissolveth Let the Seeds be macerated in the VVater for ten days at least for the longer they lie there the more Oyl they will yield Oyl of Fennel is extracted in the same quantity when the Seeds are ripe and fresh they have most Oyl for they yield as much more Oyl of Coriander yieldeth but a small quantity and is of very hard extraction there is scarce one drachm drawn out of a pound new Seeds yield most And to be short in the same manner are extracted the Oyls out of the Seeds of Carrot Angelica Marjoram Rue Rosemary Parsely Smallage and Dill and such-like Oyl of Rosemary and Lavender-flowers and such-others which being dried afford no Oyl may be thus extracted Put the Flowers into a Receiver and set it close stopt in the hot Sun for a month there will they dissolve into Liquor and flie up to the sides of the Glass then being condensed again fall down and macerate in themselves at a fit time add VVater to them and distil them as the former so shall you draw forth with the VVater a most excellent sweet Oyl Oyl of Juniper and Cypress-Wood may de drawn out by the same Art if you macerate the dust of them in their own or in Fountain-water for a month and distil them in the same manner the Oyl will come out by drops with the water of a strong sent and excellent vertue These I have tried the rest I leave to thee CHAP. VII How to separate Oyl from Water VVHen we extract Oyls they run down into the Receiver together with the VVater wherefore they must be separated left the flegm being mixed with the Oyl do weaken the vertue of it that it may obtain its full vigour it must be purified by Distillation and Separation for being put into a Retort or broad Still over a gentle fire the VVater will run out the remaining Liquor will be clear Oyl This work of Separation is very laborious yet there are very artificial Vessels invented by the help of which all the VVater may be drawn off and the flegm onely pure Oyl will remain Prepare a Glass-Vessel let it be broad and grow narrower by degrees downwards until it come to a point like unto a Tunnel Put the distilled VVater which consisteth of the flegmatick VVater and Oyl into this Vessel let it stand a while the Oyl will swim on the top and the VVater will sink down to the bottom But stop the mouth of it with your finger so that removing it away the VVater may first run out and the Oyl sink down by degrees VVhen it is descended into the narrow part so that the Oyl becometh next to your finger stop the hole and let the Orifice be but half open for the VVater to pass out when it is all run out empty the Oyl into another small Vessel There is another very ingenious Instrument found out for to separate Oyl with a great belly and a narrow neck which a little nose in the middle Pour the Oyl mixed with Water into the Vessel the Water will possess the bottom the Oyl the neck Drop Water gently into it until the Oyl ascend up unto the nose then encline the Vessel downward and the Oyl will run out pure and unmix'd When you have emptied out some drop in more Water until the Oyl be raised again unto the nose then stop it down and pour out the rest of the Oyl But if the Oyl settle to the bottom and the Water swim on the top as it often hapneth filtrate it into a broad dish or any other Vessel with a cotten-cloth the Water will run out and the Oyl will remain in the bottom very pure CHAP. VIII How to make an Instrument to extract Oyl in a greater quantity and without danger of burning VVE may with several sorts of Instruments use several kindes of Extractions among the rest I found out one whereby you may draw Oyl with any the most vehement fire without any danger of burning and a greater quantity then by any other and it is fit for many other uses also Prepare a Vessel in the form of an Egg of the capacity of half an ordinary Barrel let the mouth of it be of a convenient bigness to receive in your arm when there shall occasion to wash it or to fill it with several sorts and degrees of things to be distilled Let it be tinned within then set a brass head upon it of a foot high with a hole in the bottom fit to receive the neck of the lower Vessel and stop the mouth of it exactly Out of the top of the head there must arise a pipe of Brass fifteen or twenty foot long bended into several angles that it may take up less room and be more convenient to be carried The other end of this Pipe must be fastened into the belly of another Vessel which must be of less capacity then the former but of the same figure Fix a head upon this also with a Pipe of the same length and bended like the former whose lower end shall be received into another straight Pipe which passing through the middle of a Barrel at last falls into the Receiver The manner of using it is this Put your Leaves Stalks or Seeds being beaten small into the Brass-pot and
and set them to macerate ten days in dung being close stopt up then accomodate them to the Furnace and kindle fire an Oyl mixt with water distils out of a most pleasant sent The same may be done with Orange and Lemmon-peal In places where Flowers and Fruits are not to be had they cut off the tops of the Branches and Tindrils and slice them into four-inch-pieces and so distil them Oyl of Roses and Citron-Flowers is drawn after the same sort a most excellent Oyl and of an admirable savour But because the Oyl is very hardly distinguished from the Water pour the Water into a long Glass with a narrow neck and expose it to the Sun being close stopt the Oyl will by little and little ascend to the top which you must gather off with a Feather or pour out by inclining the Glass Sweet Oyl of Berjamin is to be made by putting Benjamin into a Glass-Retort and fitting it to the Furnace then encrease the fire without any fear of combustion and you will obtain a fragrant Oyl to be used in precious Oyntments So Oyl of Storax Calamite and Labdanum and other Gums So also Oyl of Musk Amber and Civet cannot be extracted more comodiously by any Instrument Art or Labour then by the aforesaid for they are of so thin a substance that they can hardly endure any the least heat without contracting a scurvy base stink of burning yet by this Artifice it may be drawn out very safely I see nothing to the contrary but that we may extract Oyl out of Spices also very securely by the same Artifice CHAP. X. How to extract Oyl out of Gums THere is a peculiar Extraction of Oyl out of Gums which although they require the same means almost as the former that is the mixing them with Waterâ— and macerating them for many days then putting them into a Brass pot and by a vehement fire forcing out the Oyl with the Water yet doth it come out but in a small quantity of an excellent odor and free from the stink of the fire as thus they usually deal with Opoponax Gaâ—â—anum Storax and others But they are distilled also another way by Ashes which doth require the diligent attendance of the Work-man and a singular judgement and provident dexterity in him for it is rather an ingenious then painful Operation I will set down an example How to extract Oyl out of Benjamin Macerate the Benjamin in rose-Rose-water or omitting that put it into a Retort set the Retort into a Pot full of Sand so that it may fill up the space between the side of the Pot and bottom of the Retort put the neck of it into a Receiâ—er with a wide belly kindle the fire by little and little and without any haste or violence of heat let the Water distil by and by increase the fire that the Oyl may flow out yet not too intensely for fear of burning but moderately between both the oyly vapors will straight fill all the Receiver then will they be condensed and turn into flakes like Wool and sticking to the sides and middle of the Glass present you with a pleasant spectacle by and by they are turned into little bubbles so into Oyl and fall down to the bottom keep the fire in the same temper until all the Feces are dried then remove it or fear of ustion Oyl of Storax is drawn in the same manner but if the Storax be liquified it will run with a gentle fire it is of a strong and quick odâ—r Calamites requires a more lively fire such as was used in Benjamin and a diligent attendance for too much fire will cause adustion in it Oyl of Ladanum Beat the Ladanum and macerate it fifteen days in Aqua Vitae or Greek-Wine at least ten for the lonâ—er it infuseth the sooner it will run into Oyl draw it with a gentle fire it will distil out by drops after the Water Oyl of Turpentine is extracted easily for it floweth with a gentle fire but beware in the operation that no smoak do evaporate out of it for it presently will take fire and with a magnetick vertue attract the flame and carry it into the Retort where it will hardly be extinguished again which will happen in the extraction of Oyl of Olives and Linseed Oyl If you distil common Oyl it will hardly run yet en reasing the fire it will come out in six hours you must be very careful that the Ashes and Pot do not wax too hot for if the Oyl within take fire it will break the Vessels and flie up that it can hardly be quenched and reach the very cieling so that it is best to operate upon Oyls in arched Rooms From herce Artificers of Fire-works learned to put Oyl in their Compositions because it quickly taketh fire and is hardly extinguished CHAP. XI Several Arts how to draw Oyl out of other things THe Nature of things being diverse do require divers ways of distilling Oyl out of them for some being urged by fire are sublimed and will not dissolve into Liquor others cannot endure the fire but are presently burned From which variety of tempers there must arise also a variety in the manner of Extraction I will set down some examples of these that ingenious Artists may not despair to draw Oyls out of any thing whatever Oyl out of Honey is hard enough to be extracted for it swells up with the least heat and riseth in bubbles so that it will climbe up thorow the neck of the Retort though it be never so long into the Head and fall down into the Receiver before it can be dissolved into Liquor or Oyl There are divers remedies found out to help this Take a Glass with a short wide neck put your Honey into it and stop it in with Flax quite over-laid two fingers thick This will repress the Honey when it swelleth and froaths and make it sink down again Clear Water will drop out at first but when it beginneth to be coloured take away the Receiver and set another in the place so keep the Waters severally Or put Honey into any Vessel so that it may fill it up four large fingers above the bottom and cover it close as the manner is then dig a hole in the ground and set the Vessel in as far as the Honey ariseth then lute it and plaister it about four fingers above the Ground and drie it well kindle your Coals round about it then will the Honey grow hot and by degrees stick to the Pot but because the heat is above it it cannot swell up but very easily distilleth Water and Oyl first yellow next reddish until the Honey be turned into a very Coal There is another way which may be performed by any Woman Pour the Honey into a new Pipkin and cover it dig a hole and bury it abroad about a cubit under Ground there let it putrifie for ten days then take it up and there will swim on the top of the
of any Metal be to be extracted by Corrosives separate the Salt from the Waters after the work is done and use those Salts only which will easily be taken out again Vitriol and Allom are very difficult to be separated by reason of their earthy substance Moreover use not a watry menstruum for a watry Essence nor an oyly menstruum for an oyly Essence because being of like natures they are not easily separated but watry Menstruums for oyly Essences and so on the contrary I will set before you some examples in Herb fat of Flesh and other things by which you may learn of your self how to perform it in the rest There are an infinite number of Essences and almost many ways of Extraction of them some I shall shew unto you whereof the first shall be How to extract the Essence out of Civet Musk Ambar and other Spices Take Oyl of Ben or of Almonds mix Musk Ambar Cinnamon and Zedoary well beaten in it put it in a Glass-bottle and set it in the Sun or in Balneo ten dayes then strain from it the Dregs and the Essence will be imbibed into the Oyl from which you may separate it in this manner Take Aqua Vitae and if it be an odoriferous Body Fountain-water three or four times distilled mix with the aforesaid Oyl and stir it about and so let it digest for six dayes then distil it over Cinders the hot Water and the Essence will ascend and the Oyl remain in the bottom without any sent Afterwards distil the Aqua Vitae and the Essence in Balneo until the VVater be evaporated and the Essence settle to the bottom in the form of an Oyl If you will do it with Aqua Vitae alone slice the Roots of Zedoary beat them and infuse them in so much Aqua Vitae as will cover them three fingers over in a Glass Bottle let them ferment for ten dayes according to Art then distil them over Cinders or in Sand until nothing but VVater run out yet have a care of burning it Take the distilled Liquor set it in Balneo and with a gentle fire let the Aqua Vitae evaporate and the Quintessence of Zedoaay will settle in the bottom in a liquid form Next To extract Essence out of Flesh. Out of three Capons I have oftentimes extracted an Essence in a small quantity but of great strength and nutriment wherewith I have recovered life and strength to sick persons whose Stomacks were quite decayed and they almost dead for want of nourishment having not been able to eat any things in three dayes Take Chickens or Hens or Capons pluck them and draw their Guts out beat them very well and let them boyl a whole day in a Glass-Vessel close stopt over warm Embers until the bones and flesh and all the substance be dissolved into Liquor then strain it into another Vessel through a Linen-cloth and fling away the Dregs for the remaining Bones are so herest of Flesh sent or any other quality that a Dog will not so much as smell to them which is an assured Argument that their goodness is boyled out Pour the strained Liquor into a Glass-bottle and dissolve it into vapor in a gentle Bath the Essence will remain in the bottom either hard or soft like an Oyntment as you please of a most admirable vertue and never sufficiently to be commended To extract Essences out of Salts Take Salt and calcine it according to Art if it be volatile burn it and grinde it very small lay the Powder upon a Marble in a moyst Cellar and set a Pan under it to receive it as it dissolveth let it ferment in that pan for a month then set it in Balneo and with a gentle fire let it distil cast away the sweet Water that comes from it and set that which remains in the bottom to ferment another month then distil out the sweet Water as before and do this while any sweet VVater will run from it keep it over the fire until the moysture be all consumed and then what remains settled in the bottom is the Quintessence of Salt which will scarcely arise to two ounces out of a pound To extract Essences out of Herbs Beat the Herbs and set them to ferment in dung for a month in a convenient Glass-Bottle then distil them in Balneo Again set them in dung for a week and distil them in Balneo again and thus macerate them so long as they will yield any Liquor then pour the distilled Water upon the Herbs again and distil them in this Circulation for six dayes which will make it of a more lively colour draw of the VVater by Balneum and the Essence must then be expressed out in a press ferment it in dung for five days and it will yield you the sent colour and vertues of the Herbs in perfection A way to extract The Essence of Aqua Vitae It is a thing bragged of by thousands but not effected by any I will not omit the description of it which I have found out together with a Friend of mine very knowing in Experiments by the assistance of Lulius Provide some rich generous old VVine bury it in dung for two months in large Bottles close stopt and luted that they may not have the least vent The whole business dependeth on this for if this be not carefully look to you will lose both your cost and your labour the month being past distil it in an ordinary Stillatory reserve the Spirits by themselves The Dregs and Faeces of the Wine must be buried again and the Spirits be distilled out as before and reserved by themselves Distil the Faeces until they settle like Honey or Pitch then pour on the phlegm upon them wash them and lay them to dry then put them into a Porters or Glass-makers Furnace and with a vehement fire burn them into white Ashes wet them with a little VVater and set them in the mouth of the Furnace that they may be converted into Salt There is no better mark to know the perfection of your work then by casting some of it on a red hot Plate of Iron if it melt and evaporate it is well done otherwise you must rectifie it Mix the Salt with water and put it into a Glass bottle with a long neck stop it with Cork and Parchment then set on the Head and kindle the fire the force of which will carry it up thorow all the stoppage into the Head and there it sticks to the sides like durt the VVater will remain quiet in the bottom in which you must again mingle the Salt and so by a continual Circulation draw it out of it self until it be divested of all its Grosness and obtain a more thin and subtile Essence CHAP. XIV What Magisteries are and the Extraction of them I Said That Quintessences do participate of the Nature of mixt Bodies on the contrary a Magistery taketh the temper of the Elements so that it neither extracteth the
Spirits nor the Tincture but a certain mean between both A Magistery therefore is what can be extracted out of things without separation of the Elements Essences do oftentimes keep the colour of the Bodies out of which they are extracted Tinctures always do it Magisteries never The means of extracting Magisteries is various according to the diversity of Natures in things I will set down for an example and pattern How to extract a Magistery of Gems Coral and Pearl Beat the Gems and set them in igne reverberationis till they be calcined mix them with an equal quantity of Salt-Peter and dissolve them in Aqua Vitae pour out that which is liquified and let the remainder of the Powder be calcined better then lay it in Aqua Vitae again and do this till it be all dissolved Set this water in a hot Furnace until the moysture be all evaporated and what shall remain in the bottom is the Magistery of Gems Pearls must be dissolved in Vinegar and if possible in juice of Lemmons You may augment the strength of the Vinegar by those things which as I shewed you in Aqua Vitae do quicken the Vertue of it that is it s own Salt being dissolved and macerated in Balneo or in Fimo for a month then distil the Menstruum and in the bottom will remain the Magistery of Pearls Of Charabes I will deliver to you the way that I use for the Paracelsians do either conceal it or not know it Beat your Gum very small and dissolve it in Aqua Vitae when it is liquified pour that out and put in fresh let them macerate for a month and when all is dissolved mix the waters all together and let it evaporate over a fire so in the bottom will remain the Magistery of Charabe It will take away scars in the Face and cure the Vertigo The Magistery of Guaiacum is an excellent Remedy against the Pox and is thus extracted Take the shavings of Lignum Guaiacum or the dust of it which Turners work off for the File by continual Frication heats it and exhausteth the best Spirits Lay it in clarified Aqua Vitae a whole day when the water hath contracted a red colour which will be when it hath sucked out the oyliness and substance of it strain it out and pour in fresh Then stir it about until the water become coloured again strain that out also and put in as much more until the water do not alter its colour any more Then strain it in a press and distil the juice through Linen-cloth and then boyl it till the moysture be consumed the Oyl or Gum or Magistery will remain of a bright colour and most sweet sent which you would think impossible to reside in such Wood. You may extract the same in a shorter time but it will not be of the same value for if you lay the dust of Guaiacum in distilled fountain-Fountain-water boyl it for half a day strain it distil it thorow a cloth and let the moisture evaporate over a fire the same Gum will settle in the bottom You must chuse the most Gummy Wood which being held neer a Candle will sweat out a kinde of Oyl The Magistery of Lignum Aloes Take the shavings of the Wood worked off as the former with a Turners wheel lay it in Aqua Vitae till it colour it then strain it out and let the moysture evaporate over a fire and in the bottom of the Glass you will finde a most odoriâ—erous Oyl excellent to be used in sweet Oyntments The Magistery of Wine commonly called the Spirit of Wine I will first set down the Paracelsian way of extracting it and afterwards my own because we cannot use that in our Countries Pour some strong generous good Wine into a Glass-Bottle so that it may fill two parts of it stop the mouth of it very exactly either with Hermitis Sigillum or a strong Glue which I shall hereafter describe unto you and so set it in Fimo three or four months with an unintermâ—tted fire In the Winter set it out in the Frost for a month and let it freeze the Spirit or Magistery will retire into the Centre because its fiery Essence maketh it uncapable of conglaciation Break the Vessel cast away the congealed part and reserve the liquid which being circulated in a Pelican for a month will yield you what you seek for My way is to put the aforesaid Wine into a round Glass-Vessel let it ferment in Fimo conglaciate it as I shall shew you and then breaking the Vessel to reserve the unfrozen liquor in which you will finde a great deal of vertue but if you desire to have it better you may perfect it by Circulation CHAP. XV. How to extract Tinctures A Tincture is the purest and most active part of a coloured body extracted the noblest Essence in a Compound It is extracted out of Gems Flowers Roots Seed and such-like It differeth from a Quint essence in this that it especially draweth the colour of the Body from whence it is extracted and requireth Arâ— and Cunning and diligent Attendance more then labour It is separated by Distillation clear from any oyliness or matter free from the commiâ—â—ion of other Elements or any impure substance it imitateth the clearness and perspicuity of the Air and in that brightness represents the colour of the Gem or Flower from whence it was drawn of so pure a substance that in many yeers it will not have any dregs in it but will continue in a perpetual cleerness subtilty and strength After the exâ—ractiâ—n the matter remaineth discoloured and useless for any thing I will present some examples to you how to extract the Tincture out of Metals and Flowers c. How to draw out the Tincture of Gold If the Vertues of this never-sufficiently-praised Metal were known as well for the health of the Body as the conveniency of mens living it would be adored with a greater devotion then it is already The Apes of wise Nature cunning Inquirers in Experiments perceiving a certain Glory and Brightness in Gold and an attractive or magnetick Vertue if I may so say which at first sight draws every mans eye to look upon its Majesty and Beauty and tempts our hands to touch and handle it and even our mindes to desire it so that even Infants do rejoyce and laugh at the sight of it and reach their arms out after it and catch it and will by no means part from it presently conjectured that there was some extraordinary Vertue in it for the health of man Astrologers seeing it contend with the Sun in Beams Brightness and Glory and to have a Praerogative of Majesty among Metals like the Sun among the Stars do therefore set it down for a Cordial and a Destroyer of Melancholy and all the ill Companions of it Refiners say That the Elements are so proportionably mixt in the Composition of it so pure and compacted that they account it a most exactly
tempered body and free from corruption in which there is nothing deficient nor superfluous so compact and close that it will not onely endure the fire without consumption but will become more bright and refined by it It will also lie under Ground thousands of yeers without contracting any rust neither will it foul the hands like other Metals or hath any ill sent or raste in it Wherefore say they being taken into our Bodies it must needs reduce the Elements and humors into a right temper allay the excessive and supply the defective take away all putrefaction refresh the natural heat purge the blood and encrease it and not onely cure all sicknesses but make us healthy long-lived and almost immortal Rainoldus Raimundus and other Physitians of the best esteem do attriâ—ute to Gold a power to corroborate and strengthen the Heart to dry up superfluities and ill humors to exhilarate and enliven the Spirits with its Splendor and Beauty to strengthen them with its Solidiry temper them with its Equality and preserve them from all diseases and expel Excrements by its Weight by which it confirmeth Youth resâ—oreth Strength retardeth old Age corroborateth the principal Parts openeth the Urinary Vessels and all other passages being stopt cureth the Falling-sickness Madness and Leprosie for which cause Osiander the Divine wore a Chain of Gold about his neck and also Melancholy and is most excellent against Poyson and Infections of the Plague We will now examine whether the old or new Physitians knew the way to prepare it aright to perform these admirable Effects Nicander doth mightily cry up for an Antidote against Poyson Fountain-water in which Gold hath been quenched supposing that it imparteth some of its Vertue to the Water in the extinction Dioscorides Paulus Aegineta and Aëtius affirm the same Avicenna saith That the filings of it helpeth Melancholy and is used also in Medicines for the shedding of the Hair in liquid Medicines or reduced into very fine Powder it is used in Collyriums or Medicines for the Eyes for the pain and trembling of the Heart and other passions of the Minde Pliny useth it burnt in an earthen Pipkin with a treble quantity of Salt whereby it will communicate its Vertue but remain entire and untouched it self He also makes a Decoction of it with Honey Marsilius Ficinus saith It is of a solid substance and therefore must be attenuated that it may penetrate the Body But he is ignorant of the way of it onely he adviseth to give it in Cordial-waters being beaten out into thin Leaves for so the Water will suck out the Vertue of it or else by extinguishing it in Wine There are some of Pliny's Scholars who would have the parts of a Hen laid in melted Gold until it consume it self for the parts of a Hen are Poyson to Gold Wherefore Ficinus mixeth Leaf-Gold in Capon-broath Thus far the Grecians Latines and Arabians have discoursed concerning the Extraction of the Tincture of Gold but they have erred far from the Truth for what a vanity is it to imagine that quenching it in Water can extract the Vertue of it or that the heat of Man's Body though it be liquified and be made potable can draw any thing from it when the force of the most vehement fire is ineffectual and cannot work upon it I have made trial of it in a most violent fire for the space of three months and at last I found it nothing abared in weight but much meliorated in colour and goodness so that the fire which consumeth other things doth make this more perfect How then can it be concocted by the heat of Man's Body which is scarce able to concoct Bread And how can it impart its Vertue by Extinction when neither Aqua Vitae nor any strong Waters can alter the colour or taste of it I will set down what I have seen The later learned Men and curious Inquirers into Nature affirm That the Magistery Secret and Quintessence of Gold consisteth in the Tincture so that the Vertue Power Life and Efficacy of it resideth in the Colour Wherefore it will be no small Secret to know how to extract the Tincture no small labor and pains for those who pretend to speak of it do it so intricately and obscurely that they rather seem to obscure it or not to understand it then to discover or teach it Know therefore that the Tincture cannot be extracted but by perfectly dissolving it in Strong Waters and that it cannot be dissolved as the work requireth in common Aqua Fortis or Royal Waters because the corrosive Salts in them are not perfectly and absolutely dissolved into Water Wherefore you must learn by continual solution and immistion so to distil them that the whole substance of the Salt may be melted which must be done by reiterating the Operation I have informed you what Salts are easie to be separated the which must onely be used in this Work After perfect solution cast in that Menstruum or Water which I have often mentioned for the Extraction of Essences or Colors I have with great joy beheld it attract to it self the Golden Yellow or Red-colour and a white dust settle down to the bottom We must then separate the Salt from the Menstruum dissolve it and let the liquor evaporate away and there will remain true potable Gold the right Tincture and that great Arcanum of Philosophers disguised with so many Riddles so thin that it will easily penetrate the Body and perform those wonders which Antiquity could only promise Tincture of Roses Cut Red Rose-Leaves with a pair of Shears into small pieces lay them in Aqua Vitae and they will presently dye it with a sanguine color After three hours change those Leaves and put in fresh ones until the water become very much coloured then strain it out and let the Liquor evaporate quite away and in the bottom will remain the Tincture of Roses The same may be done with Clove-Gilliflowers We may also do it another more perfect way without Aqua Vitae Fill a wide-mouthed Glass with Red-Rose Leaves set iâ— into a Leaden-Limbeck and fill it with other Roses then set on the Head and kindle the fire whereupon the vapours will arise and fall into the Glass of a sanguine-colour This is a new way of extracting Tinctures which may be used in any coloured Flowers So the Tinctures of Marigolds Violets Bugloss and Succory-Flowers If you extract them the former way the Tincture of Marygolds will be yellow of Bugloss Violets and Succory-Flowers Red because the colours of those Flowers is but thin and superficiary so that it expireth with a little heat and is red underneath Tincture of Orange-Flowers of an excellent sent Cut the Orange-Flowers into small pieces macerate them in Aqua Vitae and when the Water is turned yellow and Flowers have lost their sent change them and put in fresh until the Water become very sweet and well-coloured and somewhat thick then strain it and
the whole work depended on it let it circulate in Balneo a whole month take off the yellow Oyl or Quintessence of all with a Silver-Spoon and add to it a drachm of Musk and Amber and set it by for your use in a Glass-bottle close stopt Distil the remainder and it will afford a yellow cleer water but you cannot extract the Oyl without a stink of burning I have very exactly extracted Oyl of Gums Roots and Seeds of the forementioned and mixing them together have effected strange things with them Most of their operations are against Poysons and Pestilential Contagions especially those that are apt to seize on the Spirits for a drop of it being anoynted on the Lips or Nostrils reviveth the Soul and keepeth it in perfect Senses at least six hours CHAP. XVIII Of a Clyssus and how it is made THat there may nothing be omitted I will now shew what a Clyssus is and how it may be made A Clyssus is the Extraction of the Spirits of every part of a Plant united in one common entity There are in a Plant the Root Leaf Flower Fruit and Seed and in every one of these parts there is a peculiar Nature The Operation is thus Dig the Roots when they are full of juice the Leaves when they are fresh and green the Flowers when they are blown the Fruit and Seeds in their due time Extract the Spirits or Essences out of all these by Distillation Maceration or Calcination or any other of the former wayes But when they are all extracted severally one in the form of Oyl another of Salt or Liquor then mix them all together so that the may be conjoyned and united in one body which is called a Clyssus Some mix them in Distillation in Vessels made for the purpose in this manner They put the Water Salt and Oyl in three several Curbicles of equal height and bigness and tying their three necks together and put them into one common Head which may be fit to receive them all close them lute them and kindle the fire under The heat will elevate the thinnest substance in all of them which will meet and mix in the Head and run down by the Nose or Spout into the Receiver so set them by for use This Congregation of Essences doth penetrate and search all the remote passages of the Body and is very useful in Physick CHAP. XIX How to get Oyl out of Salts I Have declared many ways of extracting Oyl now I will shew how to draw it out of Salts that they may be more penetrative and work more powerfully which can be done no other way They seem to have some kinde of fat in them yet will not burn so that it cannot be called a perfect Oyl How to extract Oyl of Tartar Burn the Tartar and reduce it into a Salt as I shewed before then lay it on a Marble in a moyst place and in a few days it will turn to Oyl and run down into a dish which you must set underneath to receive it Thus you may easily make it into Salt Beat the Tartar into Powder and mix an equal quantity of Salt-Peter with it when they are mixt in Iron Mortar set them in the fire until they be quite burned grind the remaining Foeces and dissolve them in a Lye strain it and let the Lye evaporate away and the Salt will settle to the bottom then boyl some Eggs hard take ouâ— the yelks and fill up their place with Salt and in a little time it will dissolve into Oyl Oyl of Sal Sodae Dissolve the Salt in Water and strain it through a cloth then dry it lay it on a Marble and set it in a moyst place and it will run down in an Oyl So The famous Oyl of Talk is extracted onely by the vehement heat of fire yet I knew not at first what it was useful for But I perceive it is much accounted of by women in their Fâ—cus Beat it into fine Powder in an Iron-Morter and put it into a very strong thick Pot fasten the cover on with wire plaiâ—â—er it with Potters Clay and set it in the Sun for three days then thrust it into a Potters Furnace where the flames are most violent After three or four days take it out break open the Pot and if you finde it not sufficiently calcined make it up and set it in again When it is burned perfectly white lay it on a Marble and place it in a moyst room or in a hole dug in the earth and there let it stand for a good while until it dissolve into Oyl then reserve it in a Glass-bottle So also is made Red Oyl of Sulphur Grinde live Sulphur into a small Powder and mix it with an equal quantity of the former Oyl of Tartar boyl it three hours in a Glass-bottle and when it is dissolved strain it through a Linnen-cloth into another Glass and set it over a Gentle fire till it thicken like clotted blood and so dry Then powder it and lay it on a Marble in a moist Cellar there it will dissolve and run down into the under-placed dish Set this Liquor being first strained thorow a cloth in a Glass-bottle over warm Ashes until the moysture be consumed and there will remain a red Oyl of Sulphur Oyl of Myrrh Boyl some Eggs hard cut them in the middle take out the yelks and fill their places with Myrrh powdered and seirced lay them in an earthen Pan upon long cross-sticks that the Eggs may not imbibe the Oyl again and shut them in a moist Cellar so the Oyl will drop down into the Pan. CHAP. XX. Of Aqua Fortis NOw I will recite those Distillations which draw out neither Water nor Oyl but a middle between both for the terrene parts are forced up turned into Water by the vehemency of the fire from whence they do acquire so great a heat that corrode and burn most violently They are extracted onely in igne reverberationis and with great care and labour How to draw Aqua Fortis or Oyl out of Salt It is a piece of Art discovered to very few Take Pit-Salt put into a Glass-Retort treble luted over and dried set it in igne reverberationis where the flames do struggle most violently the first time you will get but little moysture Break the Retort and remove the Foeces into another and pour the extracted Water into them and distill them again the second time thou wilt get more Do the same a third time and so to the tenth until the Salt be all turned into Liquor which is a most precious Jewel and worth thy labor Some quench hot Bricks in the liquified Salt and then distil them with a most intense fire as in Oyl of Bricks A Water for the Separation of Silver Take Salt-Peter and Alom in equal quantity beat them in a Morter and put them into a Glass-Retort luted over three double when it is well dried set it in the circulating-circulating-fire that is which
Sanders and Lignum Aloes an ounce of Spikenard let these all be grossly beaten and boyled in a vernished earthen Pipkin over a gentle fire for the space of an hour then let them cool Strain them through a Linen-cloth and set it up in a Glass close stopt But tye up the Cinnamon Cloves Lignum Aloes and Sanders in a thin Linen-cloth and so put them into the pot and boyl them as I said before and afterwards take out the bundle for after the boyling of the water the remaining dust may be formed into Pills and made into Cakes which may be used in perfuming as I shall teach hereafter This Water is made divers ways but I have set down the best yet in the boyling it will turn coloured and become red so that Hankerchiefs or white Linen if they be wetted in it are stained although they are made wonderfully sweet which maketh many forbear the use of it Wherefore if we would have Aqua Nansa clarified Take the former Water and put it into a Glass-Retort and set it in Balneo over a gentle fire the VVater will become clear and almost of the same sent onely a little weaker keep the Water and lay aside the rest of the Foeces for sweet Cakes CHAP. II. To make sweet Water by Infusion NOw I will teach how to make perfumed Liquors and what Liquors they are which will receive odors best for VVater is unapt to keep sent Oyl is better and VVine we may assign the reason out of Theophrastus for VVater is thin â—oid of taste or sent and so fine that it can gather no sent and those Liquors which are thick savory and have a strong sent VVine although it be not sweet of it self yet being placed nigh any odour it will draw it because it is full of heat which doth attract VVater being cold by Nature can neither attract nor receive nor keep any sent for it is so fine slender and thin that the odour flieth out again and vanisheth away as if there were no foundation whereon it could fix and settle as there is in VVine and Oyl who are more tenacious of sent because they are of a denser and callous Body Oyl is the best preserver and keeper of sent because it is not changeable wherefore Perfumers steep their perfumes in Oyl that it may suck out their sweetness We use Wine to extract the sent of Flowers and especially Aqua Vitae for Wine unless distilled infecteth the Water too much with his own senâ— Musk Water This VVater setteth off all others and maketh them richer wherefore it is first to be made Take the best Aqua Vitae and put into it some Grains of Musk Amber and Civet and set them in the hot Sun for some dayes but stop the Vessel very close and lute it for that will very much add to the frangrancy of it A drop of this put into any other water will presently make it smell most pleasantly of Musk. You may do the same with Rose-water and Fountain-water often distilled that it may obtain a thinness and heat which is very necessary for the extraction of Essences Water of Jasmine Musk-Roses Gilliflowers Violets and Lillies is extracted the same way for these Flowers send forth but a thin odour which dwelleth not in the substance of them but onely lieth scattered on the superficies so that if they remain too long on the fire or in their Menstruum their sweetness degenerateth from its former pleasantness and is washed off by the mixture of the stinking ill-savoured part of their substance VVherefore we must lay their Leaves onely in the best Aqua Vitae that is the Leaves of Lillies Jasmine Musk-Roses and the rest hanging them on a threed that when the VVater hath sucked out their odour we may pluck them out because their odour lieth onely on their superficies so that if they should remain long in the Aqua Vitae it would penetrate too deep into them and draw out a sent which would not onely destroy their former sweetness but taint them with an ill savour which accompanieth those inward parts After these Leaves are taken out supply them with fresh until you perceive their sent is also extracted But take out the Violets and the Gilliflowers sooner then the rest lest they colour the VVater This VVater being mixt with others taketh away the scurvy sent of the VVine A sweet compounded Water Take a great Glass-Receiver and fill the third part almost of it with Aqua Vitae put into it Lavender-Flowers Jasmine Roses Orange and Lemmon-Flowers Then add Roots of Iris Cypress Sanders Cinnamon Storax Labdanum Cloves Nutmegs Calamus Aromaticus with a little Musk Amber and Civet Fill the Glass and stop it well But after you have filled the Glass with the Flowers they will wither and sink down wherefore fill it up with more Set it in a very hot Sun or in Balneo until their sweetness be all extracted Then strain out the Water and one drop of it in Rose-water or of Myrtle-Flowers will perfume it all with a most fragrant smell CHAP. III. How to make sweet Oyls HOw to extract Oyl out of Spices and sweet things is declared before now I will shew how to draw sents out of other things with Oyl or as I said before to make Oyl the ground in which odours may be kept and preserved a long time which is done either by imbibing the Oyl with odors or the Almonds out of which we afterwards express the Oyl How to make Oyl of Ben which is the sweetest Oyl of all used by the Genois take an ounce of Ben a drachm of Amber as much Musk half a drachm of Civet put them in a Glass-bottle well stopt and set it in the Sun for twenty days then you may use it But be sure that it be close stopt for the Nature of odors being volatile and fugitive it quickly decayeth loseth his fragrancy and smelleth dully A way to make odoriferous Oyl of Flowers it is a common thing but very commodious for Perfumers and may be used for other things he that knoweth how to use it rightly and properly will finde it an Oyl very profitable to him Blanch your Almonds and bruise them and lay them between two rows of Flowers When the Flowers have lost their sent and fade remove them and add fresh ones Do this so long as the Flowers are in season when they are past squeeze out the Oyl with a press and it will be most odoriferous You may draw a sent with this way out of those Flowers from whom you cannot draw sweet Water Oyl of Jasmine Violets Musk-Roses Lillies Crows-foot Gilliflowers Roses and Orange-Flowers and of others being made this way smelleth most fragrantly Oyl of Amber Musk and Civet may be thus made also Cut the Almonds being blanched from the top to the bottom into seven or eight slices and enclose them in a Leaden Box with these perfumes for six days until they have imbibed the sent then press
them and they will yield a most sweet Oyl and yet perhaps not make the Musk much worse CHAP. IV. How to extract Water and Oyl out of sweet Gums by Infusion VVE may extract sweet VVaters by another Art that we spoke of before out of Gums by Infusion and Expression as for example A sweet Water of Storax Benjamin and Labdanum which affordeth a most sweet savour and is thus extracted Infuse Storax or Benjamin being bruised in as much Rose-water as will cover them two fingers over set them in Balneo or a warm place for a week then distil them in Balneo and you will have a very pleasant Water from them which you must expose to the hot Sun that if there should remain any stink of the smoak in it it may be taken away We may also put Gums into Glass-Vessels and make a slow fire under it there will sweet out a very little water but of sweet savour and the Gum will settle to the bottom which will be useful for other things To extract Oyl of Benjamin Storax and other things We may do this by beating and mixing these Gums with Oyl of Almonds or of Ben and macerating them in Balneo for a month then draw out the Oyl either by a Retort or by Expression which is better it will yield a most fragrant odour that you can hardly perceive whether it were drawn out of the Gums themselves by a Retort Ben called in Latine Glans Unguentaria is used in precious Oyntments in stead of Oyl Pliny calleth it Morobolane So also Martial What not in Virgil nor in Homer's found Is of sweet Oyl and Acorn the compound It is without any sent and therefore fitter to receive them and when it doth receive them to reserve them for it never groweth rank CHAP. V. How to perfume Skins NOw we will discourse of the perfuming of Skins which is performed several ways either by sweet Waters or rubbing them with Oyls or laying them in Flowers so that they may attract their odor And first How to wash Skins that they may lose the sent of the Beasts and of Flesh. The manner is this First wash them in Greek-Wine and let them lie wet for some hours then dry them and if the sent continueth in them still wash them again that being taken away wash them in sweet Waters Take four parts of Rose-water three of Myrtle or Orange-Flowers two of sweet Trifoli one of Lavender half one mix them and put them into a wide mouthed earthen Vessel and steep the Skins in them for a day Then take them out and hang them up in the shade to dry but when they are almost dry stretch and smooth them with your hands that they may not be wrinkled Do this thrice over till they savour of the sweet Waters and lose their own stink Next How to perfume Skins with Flowers They must first be rub'd over with Oyl for as I have told you that is the foundation of all sents both to attract them and retain them in a greasie body It may be done with common Oyl but better with Oyl of Ben because it is without any sent of his own best of all with the Oyl of Eggs which I have taught before how to make The manner is thus Anoynt your Gloves or Skins with a Spunge on the inward side and especially in the Seams when that is done you may thus make them attract the sent of any Flowers Violets and Gilliflowers blow first in the Spring gather them in the morning and lay them on both sides of your Skins for a day When they grow dry sooner or later fling them away and lay on new stirring or moving them thrice or four times in a day lest they make the Skins damp and grow musty When these Flowers are past lay on Orange-flowers and Roses in the same manner and last of all Jasmine which will continue until Winter I mean Garden-Jasmine for it flourisheth two or three months Thus your Skins or Gloves will become very sweet in a yeers space The odour will quickly fade and die but if you do the same the second time it will continue much longer and preserve their pleasantness It very much preserveth their fragrancy to keep them in a close place in either a Wooden or Leaden Box but if you lay them among Linen it will suck out their odour and dull their sent How to perfume Skins If you add Musk Amber and Civet to the aforesaid Skins they will smell much more sweet and gratefully Or take four parts of Western Balsam one of Musk as much Amber and rub it on your Gloves with a Spunge and they will smell very sweet I will add one more excellent Composition Take eight parts of Iris one of Sander two of Benjamin four of Rose-Powder one and a half of Lignum Aloes half a one of Cinnamon or rather less soften them all with Rose-water and Gum-Tragacanth and grinde them on a Porphyretick Marble then anoynt your Gloves with it in a Spunge and take three Grains of Musk two of Amber one of Civet mingle them and rub them also on How to take the sent out of Gloves If you repent your self of perfuming them or would make sport with any one boyl a little Rose-water or â—qua Vitae and while they be hot put the Gloves in and let them remain there awhile This will take away their sent and if you steep other Gloves in it and dry them they will imbibe it CHAP. VI. How to make sweet Powders NOw we come to making sweet Powders which are either Simple or Compound they are used in stuffing sweet Bags in perfuming Skins and Compositions Learn therefore How to make Cyprian Powder Take Moss of the Oak which smelleth like Musk gather it clean in December January or February wash it five or six times in sweet Water that it may be very clean then lay it in the Sun and dry it Afterwards Steep it in Rose-water for two dayes and dry it in the Sun again This you must iterate oftentimes for the more you wash it the sweeter it will smell When it is dried grinde it into Powder in a Brass-Morter and seirce it then put it into the ceive and cover it make a fire and set some sweet waters to boyl over it or cast on some perfumed Cakes and let the fume arise up into the ceive The more often you do this the stronger and more lasting sent will be imbibed by the Powder When you perceive it to have attained a sufficient odour take one pound of the Powder a little Musk and Civet powdered and a sufficient quantity of Sanders and Roses beat them in a Brass-Morter first putting in the Musk and then by degrees casting in the Powder so mingle them well At last put the Powders into a Glass close stopt that the sent may not transpire and grow dull There are several Compositions of this Powder which would be too tedioâ— to recount It may be made
either white or black or brown The white is made of Crude Parâ—er washed in Rose-water or other sweet Water and adding Musk Amber Civet and such-like it will smell at a good distance CHAP. VII How to make sweet Compounds THere may be made divers kindes of sweet Compounds of which are made Beads which some use to reckon their Prayers by and others to trim their clothes with also wash-Balls to cleanse and sweeten the hands And first How to make sweet Balls with small charge which yet shall seem to be very costly and sweet Take one ounce of Cyprian Powder and Benjamin of the best mixture which is brought out of Turky half an ounce of Cloves a sufficient quantity of Illyrian Iris. First melt some Gum Tragacantha in Rose-water then with the former powder make it into a Mass and rowl it up in little Balls bore them thorow and fix every one on a several tent upon the Table then take four Grains of Musk dissolve it in Rose-water and wash the outside of the Balls with it then let them dry afterwards wet them again for three or four times so will they cast forth a most pleasant sent round about which they will not quickly lose But if you would bestow more cost and have a greater sent I will shew How to make them another way Take one ounce of Storax of Amber half one a fourth part of Labdanum cleansed one drachm of Lignum aloes and Cinnamon an eighth part of Musk. Beat the Gum Storax and Amber in a Brass Morter with an Iron Pestle being both hot when these are well mixed cast in the other powders and mix them all together at last add the Musk and before they grow cold from what you please of them I will add also Another Compound very necessary in a time of Plague which will not onely refresh the Brains with its sweet odour but will preserve it against infection Take three ounces of Labdanum as much Storax one of Bejamin an ounce and a half of Cloves an ounce of Sanders three of Champhire one of Lignum Aloes Calamus Aromaticus and juice of Valerian a drachm of Amber mix all these in the juice of Balm Rose-water and Storax dissolved But to wash the Face and Hands I will set down a most Noble Composition Of washing Balls or Musk-Balls Take the fat of a Goat and purifie it in this manner Boyl a Lye with the Pills of Citron in a Brass Kettle let the fat remain in it for an hour then strain it thorow a Linen-cloth into cold water and it will be purified Make the Lye of two parts of the Ashes of the Ceruss-Tree one of Lime and half a Porringer of Alom mingle them and put them in a wooden Bowl with two holes in the bottom stopt with Straw then pour in water that it may cover them three fingers over and strain it out thorow the holes when the first is run out add another quantity of water and so the third time whilst the water doth receive any saltness Keep these several runnings asunder and add some of the second third unto the first while a new Egg will swim in it for if it sink and go to the bottom it will be too weak therefore add some of the first running If it swim on the top and lie upon the surface of the Water put in some of the second and third running until it descend so that scarce any part of it be seen above the Water Heat twenty pound of this Water in a Brass Kettle and put into it two of the fat then strain it out into broad Platters and expose it to the hot Sun mixing it often every day When it is grown hard make Pomanders of it and reserve them You may thus perfume them Put two pound of the Pomanders into a Bowl and with a VVooden Spoon mix it with Rose-water till it be very soft when it hath stood still a while and is grown hard add more water and set it in the Sun do this for ten days Then take half a drachm of Musk somewhat less Civet and as much of Cinnamon well beaten mix them and if you add a little Rose-powder it will smell much sweeter then judge of it by your nose If the sent be too weak add more of the Perfumes if too strong more of the Soap How to make Soap and multiply it Since we are fallen upon the discourse of Soap we will not pass it over this Take Soap Geta and reduce it into a small Powder set it on the fire in a Brass Kettle full of Lye of a moderate strength so that in three hundred pound of Lye you may put fourscore of Soap When the Water beginneth to boyl up in bubbles stir it with a wooden Ladle and if the Lye do fail in the boyling add new When the Water is evaporated take the Kettle from the fire and cast in six pound of ordinary Salt well beaten and with an Iron Ladle empty it out and let it cool all night In the mean time prepare a brine so sharp that it will bear an Egg. In the morning cut the Soap into slices and put it into a broad Vessel and pour the brine on it there let it stand one quarter of a day and it will become very hard If you put some Sal Alchali into the brine it will make it much harder CHAP. VIII How to make sweet Perfumes IT remaineth that we speak of Perfumes for they are very necessary for the senting of Skins Clothes and Powders and to enrich Noble mens Chambers with sweet odors in Winter they are made either of Waters or Powders How to make Perfumes of Waters Take four parts of Storax three of Benjamin of Labdanum Lignum Aloes and Cinnamon one an eighth part of Cloves a little Musk and Amber Beat them all grossly and put them in a Brass Pot with an ounce and a half of rose-Rose-water Set the Pot over the fire or hot Ashes that it may be hot but not boyl it will cast forth a pleasant odor when the Water is consumed put in more You may also add what you have reserved in the making Aqua Nanfa for it will send out a very sweet fume Another way Take three parts of Cloves two of Benjamin one of Lignum Aloes as much Cinnamon Orange-Pill and Sanders an eight part of Nutmeg Beat them and put them into a pot and pour into them some Orange-flower-water Lavender and Myrtle-water and so heat it Another way Express and strain the juice of Lemmon into which put Storax Camphire Lignum Aloes and empty Musk-Cods macerate them all in Balneo for a week in a Glass-Bottle close stopt When you would perfume your Chamber cast a drop of this Liquor into a Brass Pot full of Rose-water and let it heat over warm Ashes it will smell most pleasantly Excellent Pomanders for perfuming Take out of the Decoction for Aqua Nanfa Lignum Aloes Sanders Cinnamon and Cloves and of the
remaining Powders make a mass which you may form into cakes which being burnt on hot Ashes smell very sweetly I take out the Cinnamon and the Woods because in burning they cast forth a stink of smoak Another way Take one pound and a half of the Coals of Willow ground into dust and seirced four ounces of Labdanum three drachms of Storax two of Benjamin one of Lignum Aloes mix the Storax Benjamin and Labdanum in a Brass Morter with an Iron Pestle heated and put to them the Coal and Lignum Aloes powdered Add to these half an ounce of liquid Storax then dissolve Gum Tragacantha in Rose-water and drop it by degrees into the Morter When the powders are mixed into the form of an Unguent you may make it up into the shape of Birds or any other things and dry them in the shade You may wash them over with a little Musk and Amber upon a Pencil and when you burn them you will receive a most sweet fume from them Another Perfume Anoynt the Pill of Citron or Lemmon with a little Civet stick it with Cloves and Races of Cinnamon boyl it in Rose-water and it will fill your chamber with an odorifeous fume CHAP. IX How to adulterate Musk. THese Perfumes are often counterfeited by Impostors wherefore I will declare how you may discern and beware of these Cheats for you must not trust whole Musk-Cods of it there being cunning Impostors who fill them with other things and onely mix Musk enough to give its sent to them Black Musk inclining to a dark red is counterfeited with Goats blood a little rosted or toasted bread so that three or four parts of them beaten with one of Musk will hardly be discovered The Imposture may be discerned onely thus The Bread is easie to be crumb'd and the Goats blood looketh clear and bright within when it is broken It is counterfeited by others in this manner Beat Nutmegs Mace Cinnamon Cloves Spikenard of each one handful and seirce them carefully then mix them with the warm blood of Pigeons and dry them in the Sun Afterward beat them again and wet them with Musk-water and Rose-water dry them beat them and moysten them very many times at length add a fourth part of pure Musk and mix them well and wet them again with Rose-water and Musk-water divide the Mass into several parts and rowl them in the hair of a Goat which groweth under his Tail Others do it Another way and mingle Storax Labdanum and Powder of Lignum Aloes add to the Composition Musk and Civet and mingle all together with Rose-water The Imposture is discovered by the easie dissolving of it in water and it differeth in colour and sent Others augment Musk by adding Roots of Angelica which doth in some sort imitate the sent of Musk. So also they endeavour To adulterate Civet with the Gall of an Ox and Storax liquified and washed or Cretan Honey But if your Musk or Amber have lost their sent thus you must do To make Musk recover its sent hang it in a Jakes and among stinks for by striving against those ill savours it exciteth its own vertue reviveth and recovereth its lost sent THE TWELFTH BOOK OF Natural Magick Of Artificial Fires THE PROEME BEfore I leave off to write of Fire I shall treat of that dangerous Fire that works wonderful things which the vulgar call Artificial Fire which the Commanders of Armies and Generals use lamentably in divers Artifices and monstrous Designs to break open Walls and Cities and totally to subvert them and in Sea-fights to the infinite ruine of mâ—rtal men and whereby they oft-times frustrate the malicious enterprizes of their Enemies The matter is very useful and wonderful and there is nothing in the world that more frights and terrifies the mindes of men God is coming to judge the world by Fire I shall describe the mighty hot Fires of our Ancestors which they used to besiege places with and I shall add those that are of later Invention that far exceed them and lastly I shall speak of those of our days You have here the Compositions of terrible Gun-powder that makes a noise and then of that which makes no noise of Pipes that vomit forth deadly Fires and of Fires that cannot be quenched and that will rage under Water at the very bottom of it Whereby the Seas rend asunder as if they were undermined by the great violence of the flames striving against them and are lifted up into the Air that Ships are drawn by the monstrous Gulphs Of Fireâ—Balls that flie with glittering Fire and terrifie Troops of Horse-men and overthrow them So that we are come almost to eternal Fires CHAP. I. How divers ways to procure Fire may be prepared VItruvius saith That it fell out by accident that sundry Trees frequently moved with Windes and Tempests the Bows of them rubbing one against another and the parts smiting each other and so being ratified caused heat and took fire and flamed exceedingly Wilde people that saw this ran away When the Fire was out and they durst come neerer and found it to be a great commodity for the Body of man they preserved the Fire and so they perceived that it afforded causes of civility of conversing and talking together Pliny saith It was found out by Souldiers and Shepherds In the Camp those that keep watch found this out for necessity and so did Shepherds because there is not always a Flint ready Theophrastus teacheth what kindes of Wood are good for this purpose and though the Anger and the handle are sometimes both made of one sort of Wood yet it is so that one part acts and the other suffers so that he thinks the one part should be of hard Wood and the other of soft Example Wood that by rubbing together will take Fire They are such as are very hot as the Bay-Tree the Buck-thorn the Holm the Piel-Tree But Mâ—estor adds the Mulberry-Tree and men conjecture so because they will presently blunt the Ax. Oâ— all these they make the Auger that by rubbing they may resist the more and do the business more firmly but the handle to receive them is to be made of soft Wood as the Ivy the wilde Vine and the like being dried and all moisture taken from them The Olive is not fit because it is full of fat matter and too much moysture But those are worst of all to make Fires that grow in shady places Pliny from him One Wood is rub'd against another and by rubbing takes Fire some dry fuel as Mushroomes or Leaves easily receiving the Fire from them But there is nothing better then the Ivy that may be rubbed with the Bay-Tree or this with that Also the wilde Vine is good which is another kinde of wilde Vine and runs upon Trees as the Ivy doth But I do it more conveniently thus Rub one Bay-Tree against another and rub lustily for it will presently smoak adding a little Brimstone put your fuel
neerer or dry matter made of dry Toad-stools or Leaves that are very fine found about the Roots of Colts-foot for they will soon take fire and retain it I have done the same with Ivy-wood cleansed from the Bark and dried and by rubbing one Reed against another or which is better drawing a cord swiftly upon it The West-Indians binde two dry sticks together and they put a stick between them which they turn about with their hands moved from them and so they kindle fire But since the minde of Man seldom rests in the thing once invented but seeks for new Inventions by mans industry there is found out A stone that will raise Fire with any moysture The way to make it is thus Take quick Brimstone Salt-Peter refined of each a like weight Camphire the double weight to quick Lime and beat them all in a Morter till they be so fine that they will flie into the Air binde them all fast together wrapt in a Linen-clout and put them into an earthen pot let it be well stopt lute it well with clay and straw and let it dry in the Sun then put them into a Potters Oven and when the earthen Vessel is perfectly baked they will grow together and be hard as a Stone take them out and lay them up in a dry place for use I went to try this in haste and my experience failed me I know certainly that some of my Friends have done it but the pot must not have any vent for it will all burn away Yet I have seen water cast upon quick Lime and by putting Brimstone to it it took Fire and fired Gun-powder This I can maintain CHAP. II. Of the Compositions for Fire that our Ancestors used BEfore I come to our Compositions for Fire-works I shall set down those that our fore-Fathers used in Sea-fights and in taking or defending of Cities Thucidides saith That those that besieged Plataenenses when Engines would do no good they fell to Fire-works for casting about the Walls bundles of stuff and throwing in Fire Brimstone and Pitch they burnt the wall whence arose such a flame that until that time no man ever saw the like Heron teacheth That in burning of Walls after you have made a hole thorow you must put wood of the Pine-Tree under and anoynt them with dry pitch and powdered Brimstone together with Tar or Oyl and set this on fire And elsewhere he teacheth to burn with a pot Take an earthen Pitcher and binde it about with plates of Iron on the outside and let it be full of small coal let there be a hole about the bottom to put in the Bellows for when the coals take fire by sprinkling on of vinegar piss or any other sharp matter the Walls are broken Vegetius teacheth what combustible matter must be used and he useth burning Oyl Hards Brimstone Bitumen Burning Arrows are shot in Cross-bows into the Enemies Ships and these being smeered over with Wax Pitch and Rosin they quickly fire the Decks with so many things that afford fuell to the Fire I shall add The Fire-Darts the Ancients used Aâ—â—ianus Marcellinus described Fire-Darts a kinde of Weapon made after such a fashion It is an Arrow of Cane joyned with many Irons between the Shaft and the Head and they are made hollow after the fashion of a womans Distaff wherewith Linen-threed is spun in the midst of it it hath many small holes and in the very hollow of it is put fire with some combustible matter and so is it easily shot forth of a weak Bow for a Bow that is strong puts out the Fire and there is no means to put it out but by casting on Dust or Lees of Oyl Livy Some came with burning Torches others carrying Tow Pitch and Fire-Darts and the whole Army shined as if it were all in flames but in the concave part of this Dart there was Glue and Fuel for Fire not to be extinguished of Colophonia Brimstone Salt-Peter all mingled with Oyl of Bays Others say with Oyl of Peter Ducks-grease the Pith of the Reed of Ferula Brimstone and as others think with Oyl Tallow Colophonia Camphire Rosin Tow. The old Warriors called this an incendiary composition Lucan speaks of burning of Ships This plague to water is not consonant For burning Torches Oyl and Brimstone joyn'd Are cast abroad and fuel was not scant The Ships do burn with Pitch or Wax combin'd And elsewhere He bids them shoot their Shafts into the Sails Besmeer'd with Pitch and so he soon prevails The Fire straight doth burn what 's made of Flax And so their Decks were fir'd by melting Wax And tops of Masts were burâ—â— and Sea-mens packs But in compositions for Arrows and Darts that they might burn the more vehemently they put melted Vernish Printers Oyl Petroleum Turpentine made up with the sharpest Vinegar pressed close and dried at the Sun and wrap'd over with Tow and with sharp Irons to defend it wrought together like to a bottom of yarn all which at last only passing over one hole are smeered over with Colophonia and Brimstone after the manner that follows But by the subtilty of the Greeks there was invented A Fire called the Greek Fire To overcome the Ship presently they boyl'd Willow-coals Salt Spirit of VVine Brimstone Pitch with the yarn of the soft VVooll of Ethiopia and Camphire which it is wonderful to speak will burn alone in the water consuming all matter Callimachus the Architect flying from Heliopolis taught the Romans that thing first and many of their Emperors did use that against their Enemies afterwards Leo the Emperor burnt with this kinde of Fire those of the East that sail'd against Constantinople with 1800 Carvels The same Emperor shortly after burnt with the same Fire 4000 Ships of the Enemy and 350 in like manner Prometheus found out that Fire would keep a yeer in the Cane Ferula wherefore Martial speaks of them thus Canes that the Masters love but Boys do hate Are by Prâ—metheus gift held at great rate CHAP. III. Of the divers Compositions of Gun-powder WE should be ill spoken of if that treating of fiery Compositions we should not first say something of that wonderful Gun-powder that is the Author of so many wonderful things for it is an ingredient in all mixtures and all depends upon it not that I have any minde to speak of it because it is so common but of such things that have some new or hidden secret in them It is made of four parts of Salt-Peter Brimstone and VVillow-coals of each one part But the Salt-Peter must be refined from common Salt the fat and earthly parts for that is the Foundation and Basis of the rest All of these must be well powdered and finely seirced and perfectly mingled together Therefore if you would have Gun-powder that shall make a great noise and do much service Put in more parts of Salt-Peter namely to one part of Brimstone and one of Willow-coal put in six or
eight parts of Salt-Peter but excellent well refined and mingled For four parts of Salt-Peter well refined and mingled will do more then ten parts of that which is faeculent and ill mingled From the Salt-Peter comes the force the noise of the flame for Brimstone it takes fire and the sooner for the coal But if one would have Gun-powder that will shoot a Bullet without noise he must make weak the Salt-Peter but with some fat substance which is done by the Glew and Butter of Gold by mingling them according to a certain and due proportion and so it will shoot a Ball with very little or no noise for you shall scarce hear it and though the force be not so strong yet it is but little less I will not teach the way lest wicked men should take occasion to do mischief by it CHAP. IV. How Pipes may be made to cast out Fire THe same Heron bids the Souldiers when they scale the VValls that they should set against the faces of their enemies that defend the Cities such hand-Guns that they can turn and that will throw fire a great way for so they shall so terrifie those that defend the VValls by these monstrous Engines that cast Fire-Balls at such great distance and with such furious flames that they will never endure to behold them nor yet the Souldiers that mount up the VValls but will quickly run away Moreover in fights at Sea and amongst Horse-men men of this later age make great use of them for Horses are terrified with Fire as Elephants were and will easily run away and break the ranks VVhen Antipater besieged the Megarenses and the Macedonians did fiercely lie upon them the Megarenses first anoynted their Hogs with pitch and set them on Fire and so sent them out amongst their Enemies The Hogs were mad at it and ran furiously among the Troops of Elephants and cried as they burned with the Fire and as so many Furies they extreamly disordered the Elephants But I shall describe Rockets that cast Fire a great way Make a stick of three foot long round on the outside and with a Turners Instrument make it hollow within let the hole in the middle be four fingers diameter and the VVood a finger thick but within let it be fenced with a thin Iron plate and without with Iron hoops at the mouth in the middle and on the end and let the Spaces between be fastned and joyned together with Iron-wires lest by the violence of the flames striving within the Engine should break in pieces and hurt our Friends Fill the hollow hole with this composition Gun-powder three parts Colophonia Tutia Brimstone half a part but you must bruise your Brimstone and Colophonia very well and sprinkle them with Linseed Oyl and work them in your hands Then try if your mixture will burn gently or fiercely fill the space between the joynts in a Reed with powder put Fire to it if it burn vehemently that it break the Cane add to it Colophonia and Brimstone but if mildly then put more Powder into your Rocket pressing it again with a sharp stick then stop the mouth of it being full with a Linen-clout wax and pitch and cover it that the Powder fall not out and making a hole in the clout fasten a Cotton-match to the mixture that when necessity is it may take fire You shall learn shortly after to make the Match This is called a simple Rocket How to make a Rocket armed This by a continual sending forth of Fire-balls and Leaden Bullets and by the shooting off of Iron-guns will strike thorow the faces of those that stand by It is made of Turpentine-Rosin liquid Pitch Vernish Frankincense and Camphire equal parts quick Brimstone a third part and half two parts of Salt-Peter refined three parts of Aqua Fortis as much of Oyl of Peter and Gun-powder pown them together and make Fire-balls put them into the hollow of the Pipe that is broad enough to receive them Put into the hollow part the first mixture three fingers deep and press it down then put in the little Ball of Gun-powder onely weighing one ounce ready made then put in again the first Powder and do this by course one after another till it be full and stop the mouth as I said Some do not thrust down a Ball but Hards wrap'd up in square pieces of Iron and that is so pliable that the first mixture can kindle the Gun-powder Some put in with the Tow Glass grosly powdered Others Salt and powder of Lead for if the Lumps stick to Armour or Garments you cannot put them out with water or any thing else till they be consumed Some there are also that compass in the Rocket with Brass or Iron-Guns and at the open passage of the Rocket they put in Gun-powder when fire comes at it with terrible and frequent noises they cast Leaden Bullets forth upon the standers by I saw a Rocket of extraordinary largeness it was ten foot long and as wide as a mans head might go in it was full of Fire-balls Stones and other matters and put into a Gun and bound to the lower part of the Cross-yard of a Ship which was transported every way with cords as the Souldiers would have it and in Sea-fights was levelled against the Enemies Gallies and destroyed them all almost Yet I will not omit to relate how A Brass-Gun once fired may discharge ten times It is a new Invention that a great Brass-Gun or a hand-Gun may discharge ten or more Bullets one after another without intermission Make a dark Powder such as I used in the precedent part and fill it thus First put in a certain measure of Gun-powder that being put in may discharge the Ball then put in the Ball but a small one that it may go in loosely and that the powder put in upon it may come to touch the Gun-powder then pour in this dark powder two or three fingers depth then put in your Gun-powder and your Bullet and thus in order one after the other until the Gun seems to be full to the very mouth Lastly pour in some of your dark clammy powder and when you have levelled your Gun to the place appointed put Fire to the mouth of it for it will cast out the Bullets and then Fire for so long time as a man may discharge a hand-Gun at divers shoots And thus with one Brass-Gun you may discharge many times CHAP. V. How Fire-Balls are made that are shot off in Brass-Guns NOw I will shew how to make some Pot-compositions of Fire-balls that are shot out of Brass-Guns for divers uses either to burn ships or to give light to some men in the night or at Solemnities to cast up into the Air that they may seem to stream along like falling Stars Fire-balls flying in the Air that are made at Festival times Grind one pound of Gun-powder one third part of Salt-Peter two ounces of Brimstone and as much
Colophonia mingle all these sow them up in Coffins made of thick Cloth in fashion of Balls and put them into hollow half circles made in Wood and strike them with a wooden Hammer that they may be hard as stones then binde them about with cords and dip them in Tar three or four times they that may be well fenced about lest being discharged by the violence of a Brass-Gun they should break in pieces Lastly pierce them thrice thorow with a sharp stick in the centre and fill them with Gun-powder and dry them to be sent aloft When you would use them raise your Brass-Guns or more conveniently the but end of your Guns and take the Ball in a pair of Iron Pinchers and give Fire to the holes that it may take when your are certain that it is lighted with your right hand cast it into the hollow of the Gun and with your left give fire to the lowest touch-hole of the Gun when it is fired it rebounds and being carried up by force of the Fire it seems to run up and down in the Air as I often saw it at Rome and prepared it They are made also Another way Take Sea-pitch three parts Turpentine-Rosin two parts as much Brimstone one part Goats suet powder what must be powdered and melt in a Brass Vessel what will melt put them together and stir them with a wooden stick Then cast in Hards of Hemp or Flax so much as will drink up all the mixture then take the Brass Kettle from the fire and with your hands make Balls as big as you will that they may be shot forth of Brass-guns and before they grow hard thrust them through with wooden sticks making small holes then put in Gun-powder broken with Brimstone and rowl them about upon a Table strewed with Gun-powder and through the holes fasten cotton Matches rolled in the Powder as I shall shew let these dry and grow hard in the Sun The way to discharge them from a Brass Gun is this Chuse such as are commonly called Petrils that are fittest for this use The weight of the Gun-powder to be put into the Vessel must be one fifth part of the Ball or a little more or less for if you put in much they are either cast down by the too great violence of the Fire or else they are put out as they flie and do not answer our expectation The Powder being put into the Vessel lay neither Hards nor Hemp upon it but fit the Ball upon the Powder that as that fires it may fire the Ball and send it forth Here is a more noble Composition Another way Take five parts of Gun-powder three of Salt-Peter refined Brimstone two Colophonia one half part beaten Glass common Salt of Oyl of Peter and of Linseed Oyl and refined Aqua Vitae as much powder what must be powdered and pass it through a fine Cieve then melt it in a new earthen pot with burning coals without flame let them not sparkle for so the Composition may take fire Then cast in the Powders that they may incorporate well together then make round Coffins of Linen cloth as I said and fill them with the Gun-powder alone and binde them with cords about then wrap your Tow in the Composition and make a Ball of the bigness you would have it and if you will shoot it out of a Brass Gun binde it the thicker with little cords then pierce your Ball through in many places with wooden pricks that they may come at the powder that lieth in the middle then put cotton Match through that when it flies in the Air so violently they may preserve the fire In another earthen Pot melt Pine-Tree-Gum Gun-powder and Brimstone and dip in your Ball into that liquor that it may be all over-cast with it When you take it out lift up your cotton Matches with a stick and strew them with Gun-powder This Ball will sorely punish the Enemies with a great noise cracking and breaking asunder the Fire cannot be put out it will burn all kinde of Furniture Garments and what else till it be all consumed for it will burn Armour so mightily that unless they be taken off they will burn the man CHAP. VI. Of Compositions with burning Waters PHilosophers seeking the Reason of Waters that lie hid above and under the earth and are always hot they say Bitumen is the cause thereof which being once on fire hath this property that it will not only not be put out but if you cast on water it will burn the more The Mountain Chimaera burns always in Phaselis both night and day Gnidius Ctesias saith The fire of it is kindled by water and is put out with Earth or Hay In the same Lycia Vulcan's Mountains touched with a burning Torch will so burn that the very stones and sand in Rivers are consumed by them and will burn in the midst of the waters and that fire is maintained by water The hollow Cave in Nymphaeum foreshews terrible things to the men Apollonia as Theopompus writes it encreaseth by showres and it casts forth Bitumen that must be tempered with that Fountain that cannot be tasted otherwise it is more weak then any Bitumen is Now I shall search out the kindes of Bitumen The first kinde is liquid called Naphtha we call it Oyl of Peter which remains in stones and Kiâ—ram This hath great affinity with Fire and the fire will take hold of it every way at a great distance So some say That Medea burnt a whore who when she came to sacrifice at the Altar the fire laid hold on her Garland Another kinde is that men call Maltha for in the City of Comagenes Samosata there is a Lake sends forth burning mud when any solid thing toucheth it it will stick to it and being touch'd it will follow him that runs from it So they defended the Walls when Lucullus besieged them and the Soldier burned in his Armor Waters do kindle it and only Earth can quench it as experience shews Camphire is a kinde of it as Bitumen it draws fire to it and burns Pissaphaltum is harder then Bitumen both Amber and Jet are of this sort but these burn more gently and not so much in the waters Moreover in regard it burns in the Water it is Brimstone for no fatter thing is dug forth of the Earth To maintain this fire it self is sufficient it neither burns in the waters nor is it put out with water nor doth it last long but joyn'd with Bitumen the fire will last always as we see in the Phlegrean Mountains at Puteoli and as fire if Oyl be cast in burns the more so when Bitumen is kindled water cast on makes the flame the greater Wherefore I shall make use of those fires that burn in and above the waters But I shall bring some examples how is made A Ball that will burn under Water First prepare your Gun-Powder for this must be one Ingredient in all Compositions
and gives force to the rest to burn vehemently If it be in great corns pown it well and seirce it fine to seven parts of this add two parts of Colophonia three of Salt-Peter one of Brimstone pown them all together and mingle them sprinkling on of Naphtha or of liquid pitch Kitram moystning them so long until the powder pressed in your hand will stay together When these are well mingled make trial by them if it burn too vehemently add more Colophonia Salt-Peter and Brimstone but if but weakly more Gun-powder This mixture must be wrapt in straw or linen-rags or put into coffins made of the same things and binde it as close as you can with straw or little cords round about then dip it into scalding pitch and so let it dry then wrap it again with straw and smeer it over with pitch to keep it safe from water and that it may not break asunder by the violence of the fire When it is well dried and a little hole made in it put in Gun-powder and put fire to it and when it begins to burn stay but very little and cast it into the water It will by its weight fall to the bottom and the flames will strive with the water and drive them far from it so it will appear to burn above and is obscured with a black smoak that you will think you see the sulphureous waters at Puteoli burning there Being then made lighter by many turnings and windings it will seem to ascend to the superficies of the water which is a most pleasant sight for you will think that the water burns and you shall see two contrary Element fighting together yet to unite friendly until the matter be spent Others wrap in cloth nothing but Gun-powder a whole handful and this they binde in with cords then they dip it in melted scalding pitch and bound very fast and wrapt in many linen rags they make a small hole through it and they place this in the Centre of the Ball we even now spake of that when it comes to the superficies of the water the fire taking hold on the Powder within breaks the Ball in pieces and with a mighty noise wounds all those that stand neer it Some make it Otherwise They make a Composition of Brimstone Colophonia Salt-Peter Vernish and to this they add a fourth part of Gun-powder and they add Venice-Turpentine-Rofin Oyl of liquid Vernish Petroleum Linseed Oyl and the best refined Aqua Vitae with these they wet and sprinkle the dry Powders I have seen this take fire more vehemently and to cast the flames farther To do The same Take Mastick one part Frankincense two Grains of Vernish Brimstone Camphire Gun-powder of each three parts of Colophonia six Salt-Peter refined nine pown them all together and fift them onely pown the Camphire mingled with the Salt for that onely will not be powdered strew them all about upon an earthen dish with a large mouth and sprinkle them with Naphtha or Vernish or Linseed Oyl and mingle them with your hands Take out part of the Powder and put it into a hollow Cane and try it whether it will burn to your minde and if it burn too weak put in more Gun-powder if too vehemently more Colophonia always trying if it be as it should be For to these Compositions we add the same things to blunt the vehement burning of the Salt-Peter and the Gun-powder Then make Coffins of Canvas like Balls and fill them with your Composition and stuff it in well and binde them well with cords round about Then melt Brimstone and let there be in it one fourth part of Gun-powder stir them together with a wooden stick and lute the Ball over with that liquor that it may be well fenced and crusted Then with a wooden prick make a hole in it in the middle to the Centre and fill that with powder and so put in fire and it will burn under water it may also be shot forth of brass Engines I will shew you how to make Balls and Pots to be cast forth of Ships The Ancients write That Alexander the Great found out this Composition of Fires to burn Bridges Gates Ships and the like but it will work now more vehemently by reason of the Gun-powder added Take Gun-powder Salt-Peter Brimstone Pitch Pine-Tree-Gum Vernish in Grains Frankincense of each alike Camphire one half beat all these and mingle them Then take Oyl of Peter liquid Vernish Rosinous Turpentine equal parts and with these being liquid mingle all together and fill Pots with them to be cast among Ships and enemies or if you make a Ball of these binde it hard about the head of a hammer whose sharp-tooth'd end must be a foot long and the handle three foot If at a Sea-fight any one with a light Boat strike this into a Ship of the enemies with one blow he shall raise a mighty fire that neither water nor any other thing will put out CHAP. VII How Balls are made of Metals that will cast forth fire and Iron wedges I Shall shew you how to make brittle Balls of Metal that being filled with Gun-powder and all the places of vent stopt with the violence of the flame will flie into many pieces and strike through those they meet with and on all sides they will pierce through those who are not onely unarmed but armed men and these are to be used in besieging of Cities for cast amongst multitudes they will wound abundance The danger is seen among Herds of Cattle Make then Balls that will cast pieces of Iron a great way off Let a Ball of Metal be made a hand-breadth diameter half a finger thick the Metal is made of Brass three parts Tin one part to make it so brittle that by force of fire it may flie in small pieces To make the Ball more easily make it of two half circles for the charge is the less and let them joyn together like a box or let them screw one within another let it be equally thick that it may break in all parts alike Then with a Nail drove through the middle let it be fastened the better together a finger thick that it may break in all parts before it do in the joynts Then make a little Pipe as big as a finger and as long as ones hand that it may come to the Centre of the Ball and so stick forth beyond the Superficies like a Pyramis the Basis outward the Point inward sodder it fast to the Ball. The nail as I said must come forth on both sides and to this fasten wires that runs through iron piles that have a large hole through them that every wire may have thirty of them that when the ball is broken by force of the fire the wires of iron may break also and the piles of iron may be thrown about a great way with such force that they may seem to be shot forth Guns and Ordnance Lastly let the Ball be filled
Return Taking it out of the Water shake it up and down in Vinegar that it may be polished and the colour be made perspicuous then make red hot a plate of Iron and lay part of the Coat of Male or all of it upon the same when it shews an Ash-colour workmen call it Berotinum cast it again into the water and that hardness abated and will it yield to the stroke more easily so of a base Coat of Male you shall have one that will resist all blows By the mixture of Sharp things iron is made hard and brittle but unless strengh be added it will flie in pieces with every blow therefore it is needful to learn perfectly how to add strength to it CHAP. V. Liquors that will temper Iron to be exceeding hard I Said that by Antipathy Iron is hardened and softened by Sympathy it delights in fat things and the pores are opened by it and it grows soft but on the contrary astringent things and cold that shut up the pores by a contrary quality make it extreme hard they seem therefore to do it yet we must not omit such things as do it by their property If you would have A Saw tempered to saw Iron Make your Saw of the best Steel and arm it well that it be not wrested by extinguishing it Then make a wooden Pipe as long as the Iron of the Saw that may contain a liquor made of Water Alon and Piss Plunge in the red hot Iron and take it out and observe the colours when it comes to be violet put all into the liquor till it grow cold Yet I will not conceal that it may be done by a Brass wire bent like a bow and with Powder of Emril and Oyl for you shall cut Iron like Wood. Also there are tempered Fish-hooks to become extream hard The Hook serves for a part to catch Fish for it must be small and strong if it be great the Fish will see it and will not swallow it if it be too small it will break with great weight and motion if it be soft it will be made straight and the Fish will get off Wherefore that they may be strâ—ng small and not to be bended in the mouth you shall thus temper them Of Mowers Sythes make wire or of the best Steel and make Hooks thereof small and fine heat them not red-hot in the Fire for that will devour them but lay them on a plate of red hot Iron When they grow red cast them into the water when they are cold take them out and dry them Then make the plate of Iron hot again and lay on the Hooks the second time and when an Ash colour or that they commonly call Berotinus appears plunge them into the water again that they may be strong for else they would be brittle So you may make Culters extream hard Albertus from whom others have it saith That Iron is made more strong if it be tempered with juice of Radish and Water of Earth-worms three or four times But I when I had often tempered it with juice of Radish and Horse-Radish and Worms I found it alwayes softer till it became like Lead and it was false as the rest of his Receits are But thus shall you make Steel extream hard that with that onely and no other mixture you may make Culters very hard Divide the Steel into very small pieces like Dice and let them touch one the other binding Iron wires over them fastning all with an Iron wire put them into the Fire till they grow red hot and sparkle at least fifteen times and wrap them in these powders that are made of black Borax one part Oyster-shells Cuttle-bones of each two parts then strike them with a Hammer that they may all unite together and make Culters or Knives or what you will for they will be extream hard For this is the most excellent sort of Steel that onely tempered with waters is made most hard There is another but not so good and unless it be well tempered it alwayes grows worse It is this To temper a Graver to cut Marble Make your Graver of the best Steel let it be red hot in the Fire till it be red or Rose coloured dip it into water then take it away and observe the second colour When it is yellow as Gold cast it into the water So almost is A Tool made to cut Iron When the same red Rose colour appears plunge it into the water or some sharp liquor that we shall shew and you must observe the second yellow colour or wheat colour and then cast it into the water These are the best Tempers for Swords Swords must be tough lest whilst we should make a thrust they should break also they must have a sharp edge that when we cut they may cut off what we cut The way is thus Temper the body of it with Oyl and Butter to make it tough and temper the edge with sharp things that they may be strong to cut and this is done either with wooden Pipes or woollen Cloths wet with Liquor use it wittily and cunningly CHAP. VI. Of the temper of a Tool shall cut a Porphyr Marble Stone OUr Ancestors knew well to temper their Tools wherewith they could easily cut a Porphyr Stone as infinite Works testifie that were left to us but the way was shewed by none and is wholly concealed which is a mighty disgrace to our times when we neglect such rare and useful Inventions and make no account of them That we might be freed from this dishonour with great care and pains and cost I made trial of all things came to my hand or I could think of by divers wayes and experiments that I might attain unto it at last by Gods great blessing I found a far greater passage for to come to these things and what exceeds this And I will not be grieved to relate what I found out by chance whilst I made trial of these things The business consiâ—ed in these difficulties If the temper of the Graver was too strong and stubborn with the vehement blow of the Hammer it flew in piece but if it was soft it bowed and would not touch the stone wherefore it was to be most strong and tough that it might neither yield to the stroke nor flie asunder Moreover the juice or water the Iron must be tempered in muâ— be cleer and pure for if it be troubled the colours coming from heat could not be discerned and so the time to plunge the Tools in would not be known on which the whole Art depends So then cleer and purified juices will shew the time of the temper The colours must be chiefly regarded for they shew the time to plunge it in and take it out and because that the Iron must be made most hard and tough therefore the colour must be a middle colour between silver and gold and when this colour is come plunge the whole edge of the Tool into the
that you can scarce know them from Damask Knives Polish a Knife very well as I said and scowre it with Chalk then stir with your hands Chalk mingled with water and touching it with your fingers rub the edge of the Sword that was polished and you shall make marks as you please when you have done dry them at the fire or Sun then you must have a water ready wherein Vitriol is dissolved and smeer that upon it for when the Chalk is gone it will dye it with a black colour After a little stay wet it in water and wash it off where the Chalk was there will be no stain and you will be glad to see the success You may with Chalk make the waving Lines running up and down If any one desires To draw forth Damask Steel for work You may do it thus for without Art it is not to be done Too much heat makes it crumble and cold is stubborn but by Art of broken Swords Knives may be made very handsomely and Wheels and Tables that Silver and Gold wire are drawn through and made even by to be used for weaving Put it gently to the fire that it may grow hot to a Golden colour but put under the fire for ashes Gip calcined and wet with water for without Glp when you hammer it it will swell into bubbles and will flie and come to be dross and refuse CHAP. X. How polished Iron may be preserved from rust IT is so profitable to preserve Iron from rust that many have laboured how to do it with ease Pliny saith That Iron is preserved from rust by Ceruss Gip and liquid Pitch But he shews not how Ceruss may be made Yet those that know how to make Oyl of Ceruss without Vinegar Iron being smeered therewith is easily preserved from rust Some anoynt the Iron with Deers suet and so keep it free from rust but I use the fat substance in the Hoofs of Oxen. THE FOURTEENTH BOOK OF Natural Magick I shall shew some choice things in the Art of Cookery THE PROEME THe Cooks Art hath some choice Secrets that may make Banquets more dainty and full of admiration These I purpose to reveal not that so I might invite Gluttons and Parasites to Luxury but that with small cost and expence I might set forth the curiosities of Art and may give occasion to others thereby to invent greater matters by these The Art consists about eating and drinking I shall first speak of Meats then of Drinks and by the way I shall not omit some merry pass-times that I may recreate the Guests not onely with Banquets but also with Mirth and Delights CHAP. I. How Flesh may be made tender I Shall begin with Flesh and shew hot it may be made tender that Gluttons much desire I shall do it divers ways Some that proceed from the kind of their death others from the secret properties of things and they will grow so tender that they will almost resolve into broth Then how whilest the creatures are yet alive they may be made tender For example How to make Sheeps flesh tender The Flesh of creatures killed by their enemies especially such as they hate and fear will be very tender Zoroaster in his Geoponicks saith that Sheep killed by Wolves and bitten their flesh will be more tender and so the sweeter Plutarch in Symposiacis gives the cause of it Sheeps Flesh he saith bitten by a Wolf becomes the sweeter because the Wolfe by biting makes the Flesh more flaggy and tender For the breath of the Wolfe is so hot that the hardest bones will consume in his stomach and melt and for this cause those things will the sooner corrupt that the Wolfe bites And both Hunters and Cooks can testifie that creatures killed divers ways are diversly affected Some of these are killed at one blow that with one stroke they lye for dead yet others are hardly killed at many blows And which is more wonderful some by a wound given with the Iron weapon have imprinted such a quality upon the creature that it presently corrupted and would not keep sweet one day and others have killed them as suddenly yet no such quality remain'd in the flesh that was killed and it would last some time Moreover that a certain vertue when creatures are slain or dye comes forth to their skins and hair and nails Homer was not ignorant of who writing of skins and thongs A thong saith he of an ox slain by force for the skins of those creatures are tougher and stronger when they dy not by old age or of diseases but are slain On the contrary such as dye by the bitings of Beasts their hoofs will grow black and their hairs fall off and their skins will wither and flag Thus far Plutarch But I think these things are false for how should Sheeps flesh grow tender by the Wolfes breath I understand it not For other creatures that are killed by their enemies and flesh of a contrary nature doth also grow tender where there are no hot vapours But I think that the absence of blood makes the flesh tender for these reasons Quails and Pheasants killed by Hawks are very tender but their hearts are found full of blood and hard within them Deer and Bores killed by Dogs are more tender but harder if by Guns and about the heart the parts are so hard that they can scarce be boiled Fear of death drives the blood to the heart the other parts are bloodless as shall appear by the following experiments As How Geese Ducks Pheasants Quails and other Birds become most tender This is easily done if we hunt them and fly Hawks and other birds of prey at them for whilst they fight they strive to be gone and they are sometime held in the Falcons Tallents and are wounded with divers strokes and this makes them so tender that it is wonderful Wherefore when we would eat crammed Birds we should purposely fly a Hawk at them and being killed by them should grow more tender to be desired So That Ox-flesh may grow tender especially of old Oxen for they are dry and hard and will not easily boil The Butchers set hounds at them and let them prey upon them and they will for some hours defend themselves with their horns at last being overcome by multitudes of Dogs they fall with their ears torn and bit in their skin these brought into the shambles and cut out are more tender than ordinary Some of them fighting openly with Bears and sometimes kill'd by them if any of the body be left it will be so tender that it will melt in a mans mouth We may do the same if we keep creatures sometime in fear of death and the longer you keep them so the tender they will be For To make Hens tender we fright them off from high Towers so we do Turkies Peacocks and when they cannot fly away by the weight of their bodies for fear of death with great pains and shaking of
much because these Cattle feed on binding meats as on the Oak Mastick Olive-boughs and Turpentine-tree But in such places where Cattle eat Scammony black Hellebore Perwincle or Mercury all their milk subverts the belly and stomack such as is reported to be in the mountains of Justinâ—â— for Goats that eat black Hellebore that is given them when the yong leaves come first out their milk drank will make one vomit and causeth loathing and nauseating of the stomack Dioscorides Also there is found Honey that is venemous That which is made in Sardinia for there the Bees feed on Wormwood At Heraclia in Pontus some times of the year by a property of the flowers there Honey is made that they which eat it grow mad and sweat exceedingly Dioscorides There are Eggs laid that stink When there are no fruits nor herbs to be seen then Hens feed on dung and so do other Birds that lay Eggs. But then those raste best that feed on fat things and eat Wheat Millet and Panick but such as eat Wormwood their Eggs are bitter CHAP. VIII How Animals may be boiled rosted and baked all at once I Have thus far spoken to please the palate Now I shall represent some merry conceits to delight the guests Namely How a Hog may be rosted and boiled all at once Athenaeus in his ninth Book of Dipnosophistae Dalachampius translates it more elegantly saying There was a Hog brought to us that was half of it well rosted and half of it was soft boil'd in water and the Cook had used great industry to provide it that it should not be seen in what part he was stuck for he was killed with a small wound under his shoulder and the blood was so let out all his intestines were well washed with wine and hanging him by the heels he again poured wine on him and rosted him with much Pepper He filled half the Hog with much Barley-flouer kneaded together with Wine and Barley and he put him into an Oven setting a brass platter under him and he took care to rost him so leasurely that he should neither burn nor be taken up raw for when his skin seemed somewhat dry he conjectured the rest was rosted He took away the Barley-meal and set him on the Table So A Capon may be boil'd and rosted Put a Capon well pulled and his guts taken out into a silver dish and fill the one half of him with broth and put him into an Oven for the upper part will be rosted by the heat of the Oven and the under part will be boiled Nor will it be less pleasant to behold A Lamprey fried boilâ—d and rosted all at once Before you boil your Lamprey take out his bones to make it more graceful for his flesh is full of bones which you shall do with two little sticks held in both hands and fastning the Lamprey in the middle you shall cut his back-bone in the middle then his head and end of his tail about which the bones are heaped by reason of the bones pulled out being cut off and his entrails taken forth put him on a spit and wrap about three or four times with fillets all the parts that are to be rosted and fried strewing upon the one Pepper and the fillets must be made wet in Parsley Saffron Mint Fennel and sweet wine or with water and salt or broth for the rosted parts for the fried parts with Oyl and so let him be turned always moystning the fillets with strewing on the decoction of Origanum When part of it is rosted take it from the fire and it will be gallant meat set it before your guests CHAP. IX Of divers ways to dress Pullets I Shall here set down divers ways to dress Chickens that will be very pleasant for the guests So that A boiled Peacock may seem to be alive Kill a Peacock either by thrusting a quill into his brain from above or else cut his throat as you do for yong kids that the blood may come forth then cut his skin gently from his throat unto his tail and being cut pull it off with his feathers from his whole body to his head cut off that with the skin and legs and keep it Rost the Peacock on a spit his body being strffed with spices and sweet herbs sticking first on his brest cloves and wrapping his neck in a white linnen cloth wet it always with water that it may never dry when the Peacock is rosted and taken from the spit put him into his own skin again and that he may seem to stand upon his feet you shall thrust small iron wires made on purpose through his legs and set fast on a board that they may rot be discerned and through his body to his head and tail Some put Camphire in his mouth and when he is set on the table they cast in fire Platira shews that the same may be done with Pheasants Geese Capons and other Birds and we observe these things amongst our Guests But it will be a more rare sight to see A Goose rosted alive A little before our times a Goose was wont to be brought to the Table of the King of Arragon that was rosted alive as I have heard by old men of credit And when I went to try it my company were so hasty that we eat him up before he was quite rosted He was alive and the upper part of him on the outside was excellent well rosted The rule to do it is thus Take a Duck or a Goose or some such luâ—â—y creature but the Goose is best for this purpose pull all the feathers from his body leaving his head and his neck Then make a fire round about him not too narrow left the smoke choke him or the fire should rost him too soon not too wide lest he escape unrosted Within-side set everywhere little pots full of water and put Salt and Meum to them Let the goose be smeered all over with Suet and well larded that he may be the better meat and rost the better put fire about but make no too much hast when he begins to rost he will walk about and cannot get forth for the fire stops him when he is weary he quencheth his thirst by drinking the water by cooling his heart and the rest of his internal parts The force of the Medicament loosneth and cleanseth his belly so that he grows empty and when he is very hot it rosts his inward parts Continually moysten his head and heart with a spunge But when you see him run mad up and down and to stumble his heart then wants moysture wherefore take him away and set him on the Table to your Guests who will cry as you pull off his parts and you shall almost eat him up before he is dead If you would set on the Table A yong Pigeon with his bones pulled out you shall take out his bones thus Put a yong Pigeon his entrails taken forth and well wash'd for
to lye a night and a day in strong Vinegar then wash him well and fill him with Spices and Herbs and rost him or boil him as you please either way you shall find him without bones Of old they brought to the Table The Trojan Hog The Antient Gluttons invented how a whole Ox or Camel should be set on the Table and divers other creatures Hence the people had a Tale concerning the Trojan Hog so called because he covered in his belly many kinds of living creatures as the Trojan Horse concealed many armed men Macrobius reports 3. Lib. Satur. That Cincius in his Oration where he perswades to put in practise Fannius his Law concerning Moderation of Expence did Object to the men of his age that they brought the Trojan Hog to their Tables Collers of Brawn and the Trojan Hog were forbidden by the Law of regulating expence The Hog was killed as Dalachampas translates it with a small wound under his shoulder When much blood was run forth all his entrails were taken out and cut off where they began and after that he was often and well washed with wine and hang'd up by the heels and again wash'd with wine he is rosted with Musk Pepper then the foresaid dainties namely Thrushes Udders Gâ—at-snappers and many Eggs poured unto them Oysters Scallops were thrust into his belly at his mouth he is washed with plenty of excellent liquor and half the Hog is filled with Polenta that is with Barley and Barley-Meal Wine and Oyl kneaded together and so is he put into the Oven with a brass pan set under and care must be had to rost him so leasurely that he neither burn nor continue raw for when the skin seems crup it is a sign all is rosted and the Polenta is taken away Then a silver platter is brought in onely gilded but not very thick big enough to contain the rosted Hog that must lye on his back in it and his belly sticking forth that is stuft with diversity of goods and so is he set on the Table Athenaeus Lib. 9. Dipnosophist But That an Egge may grow bigger than a mans head If you would have an Egge so big there is an Art how it may cover other Eggs in it and not be known from a natural Egge You shall part fifty or more yelks of Eggs and whites one from the other mingle the yelks gently and put them into a bladder and bind it as round as you can put it into a pot full of water and when you see it bubble or when they are grown hard take them out and add the whites to them so fitting the velks that they may stand in the middle and boil them again so shall you have an Egge made without a shell which you shall frame thus Powder the white Egge-shells clean washed that they may fly into fine dust steep this in strong or distilled Vinegar till they grow soft for if an Egge ly long in Vinegar the shell will dislove and grow tender that it may easily be thrust through the small mouth of a glass when it is thrust in with fair water it will come to its former hardness that you will wonder at it when the shells dissolved are like to an unguent with a Pencil make a shell about your Egge that is boiled and let it harden in clear water so shall you have a true natural Egge CHAP. X. How Meats may be prepared in places where there is nothing to rost them with SOmetimes it falls out that Men are in places where there want many things fit to provide supper but where convenience wants wit may do it if you want a frying pan you shall know How to fry fish on a paper Make a frying pan with plain paper put in oyl and fishes then set this on burning coles without flame and it will be done the sooner and better But if you will Rost a Chickin without a fire That Chickins may rost whilst we are in our Voyage Put a piece of steel into the fire put this into a Chicken that is pulled and his guts taken forth and cover him well with clothes that the heat breathe not out and if he do smell ill yet the meat is good If you want Servants to turn the spit and you would have A Bird to rost himself do thus For the Bird will turn himself Albertus writes That a Bird called a Ren that is the smallest of all Birds if you put him on a spit made of Hazel-wood and put fire under he will turn as if he turned himself Which comes from the property of the wood not from the Bird and that is false the Philosopher said for if you put fire under a Hazel-rod it will twist and seem to turn it self and what flesh you put on it if it be not too weighty will turn about with it So Eggs are rosted without fire Eggs laid in quick Lime and sprinkled with water are rosted for the Lime will grow as hot as fire The Babylonians have their invention when they are in the Wilderness and cannot have an opportunity to boil Eggs they put raw Eggs into a sling and turn them about till they be rosted But if you Want Salt for your meats the seed of Sumach strewed in with Benjamin will season any thing Pliny If you want Salt and would Keep flesh without Salt Cover what flesh you will with honey when they are fresh but hang up the vessel you put it into longer in winter a less time in summer If you would have That Salt-flesh should be made fresh First boil your Salted flesh in milk and then in water and it will be fresh Apicius You shall learn thus To wash spots from linnen clothes If you want Sope for red wine will so stain them that you can hardly wash them out without it But when it doth fall down and stain them cast Salt upon them and it will take out the spots If there want Groundlings how to make them Suidas saith That when Nicomedes King of Bithynia longed for some of these Fish and living far from the Sea could get none Apicius the glutton made the Pictures of these Fish and set them on the Table so like as if they had been the same They were prepared thus He cut the female Rape-root into long thin pieces like to these Fish which he boil'd in Oyl and strewed with Salt and Pepper and so he freed him from his longing As Aethenaeus saith in Cuphron Comic If there want fire I have shewed already how to make divers sorts of Artificial fires CHAP. XI Of divers Confections of Wines NOw I come to drink for I have spoken of meat sufficiently And I will teach you to make many sorts of wines and that they may be pleasant and odorifetous for I have said already what ways it may be made without pains If you will That you Wine shall smell of Musk Take a glass Vial and wash it and fill it with Aqua vita and
come forth and seem above the stone But if you would have 〈◊〉 writ with water only appear black that you may the better be provided 〈◊〉 more speedily for a voyage beat Galls and Vitriol finely and strew this 〈◊〉 on your paper rub it with a cloth and polish it well that so it may stick fast to the 〈◊〉 and be like it Powder Jâ—niper-gum which Scriveners call Vernish and 〈◊〉 to the rest when you would use it write with water oâ—â—pittle and they will be black letters There are many such Arts too tedious to relate CHAP. II. 〈…〉 in the fire 〈…〉 letters are not made visible 〈◊〉 by fire or not unless 〈◊〉 light interpose or may be read when they are burnt To make letters visible by fire So we may bring 〈…〉 between the verses and in the close setting together or larger 〈…〉 â—â—ables Let 〈…〉 contain soâ—e void space that the letters may not 〈…〉 and if this 〈…〉 â—ed it 〈…〉 be read If you write with the juice of Citrons Oranges Onyons or almost 〈…〉 things if you make it 〈…〉 presently discovered 〈◊〉 they are undigested juic◠〈…〉 detected by the 〈◊〉 of the fire and 〈◊〉 they 〈◊〉 forth 〈…〉 would 〈◊〉 â—f they were 〈…〉 a 〈…〉 that 〈…〉 to the fire they are concocted and will give the 〈…〉 colour they would in due time gâ—ve upon the tree when they were 〈◊〉 Juice of 〈◊〉 added to Calaâ—us will make a green to 〈…〉 will shew divers colours by the fire By these means 〈…〉 love-Letters escape from those that have 〈…〉 of Salt called Ammoniac this powderâ—â— and mingled with 〈…〉 will 〈…〉 letters and can hardly be distinguished from the paper 〈◊〉 hold them to 〈…〉 will shew black Also Letters thâ—â— cannot be read unless the paper be burnt For the mixture will be white 〈…〉 but when it is burnt the paper will be black and 〈…〉 will be 〈…〉 â—â—rpest vinegar and the white of an Egâ—â— in these 〈◊〉 Quick 〈◊〉 stir it well and with that mixture make Letters 〈…〉 and the letters 〈…〉 unburnt or make letters 〈…〉 or any and or Salt or Lime these bring they cannot be see◠〈…〉 when the 〈◊〉 is burnt and made black they will appear white If you will you may Write letters 〈…〉 of fire Do it thâ—â—â— Mingle 〈…〉 with Gâ—m Traganth soaked and of this mixture 〈…〉 that 〈…〉 the 〈…〉 letters 〈…〉 for that 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 matter opposed against outward 〈◊〉 it that the â—ays cannot come to out â—ight and 〈…〉 a shadow CHAP. III. How Letters rub d with dust may be seen NOw I will use another artifice that Letters rubbed with dust may be read that were before invisible which I read was used by the Ancients wherefore do thus That Letters rubbed with mill-dust may be read That as in paper so on some unseen parts of the Body Letters written may lie hid and be opened when need is write secretly on your Back or Arms oâ— other Limbs with Vinegar or Urine and dry it that nothing may appear now to have it read rub it over with foot or burnt paper for so the Letters will shineforth Or Otherwise If you make Letters with Fat Tallow or any other fatty with Gum or Milk of a Fig-tree and strew them with the dust of 〈◊〉 or 〈…〉 they will appear It may be by this craft as 〈◊〉 the Greek saith 〈◊〉 used the inprinted inscription in a Beast for a sacrifice He 〈…〉 Soldiers to make them fight valiantly with their Enemies 〈…〉 number supposing it would be no little advantage to put them 〈◊〉 before hand of the assurance of the victory invented a trivial business but otherwise profitable with the Priest that was to 〈◊〉 the sacrifice 〈◊〉 Before the day they were to fight he prepares for the victoryâ— for 〈…〉 to offer sacrifice pray'd unto the gods and 〈◊〉 the Sacrifice in 〈…〉 King used powdered Gum 〈◊〉 from the right to the left side he dreâ—◠〈◊〉 words Regâ— Victoria The Victory is the King 's and when the Entrails were drawn forth he thrust his hand into the hottest and most spunâ—◠〈◊〉 and 〈…〉 the inscription But the 〈◊〉 changing the outer parts and doing his 〈…〉 the part where this inscription was contained Regâ— Victoria 〈…〉 sooner published but the Soldiers generally 〈…〉 to shâ—w how ready they were to fight so 〈…〉 with certain 〈◊〉 of the Victory and depending on this promise from 〈…〉 they fight to â—â—agiously and subdued the French But to the matter 〈…〉 the 〈◊〉 will do the same if it be written on white paper and afterwards 〈…〉 be 〈…〉 with cole dust strewed upon it and made clea◠〈…〉 presently appear black Pliny saith the Milk of Tâ—hynalâ— will do the like to make the Letters and dust strewed on them to 〈◊〉 them 〈…〉 had rather speak with Adulterers then by Letters 〈◊〉 confirms this 〈…〉 Amandi how they may safely write to their Sweet-hearts 〈…〉 Milk it 's 〈…〉 but 〈◊〉 The writing with cole-dust 〈◊〉 full-right 〈…〉 as if 〈…〉 〈…〉 Also there is an Art that one would not imagine to write upon Chrystal for being all transparent no 〈◊〉 will dream of it and the letters may lie hid within Do it thus That letter◠〈…〉 of fine dusâ— Dissolve Gum 〈…〉 may be clâ—er and when it is well dissolved it 〈…〉 or 〈◊〉 a Cup or Glass for when the 〈…〉 No man will imagine the fraud if a Cup besent to one in 〈…〉 Glass 〈…〉 when he would see the letters rub 〈◊〉 straw 〈◊〉 paper upon it 〈…〉 will presently be seen Here is another secret That letters on the paper may be read not by fire nor water or any other thing but in the dust only This is a secret worth knowing dissolve Goats suet with a little Turpentine rub the paper with this liquor and keep it when you would send some news to your friend lay on the paper 〈◊〉 with the â—at upon a letter you would send to your friend write upon that with an iron point and the suet will make the characters on the letter send this away and if it be intercepted no water will make the words visible or any other Art but only strewing dust upon it Also you may make That upon black paper white letters may appear The reason is this mingle the white and yelk of an Egg together that it may be liquid as ink with this liquer writeth the paper what words you please and dry them when the paper is dry shake a black colour over it and dry it again and send it but that the letters may be visible scrape the superficies of the paper with a broad iron for so it will be that the ink being scraped off where the letters were they will appear white CHAP. IV. How you may write in an Egg. 〈…〉 by the Pâ—pal Inquisition and no 〈…〉 I will shew you how Letters may be writ on the upper shell 〈…〉 of an Egg also for example That letters may be written the Egg-sheâ—â—â—
Wrap the Egg in wax and with an iron point make letters on it as far as to the shell but break it not for 〈…〉 shell with you iron or point or knife it may be detected So aâ—â—â—our Egg one â—ight in strong 〈…〉 depart which separates gold from 〈◊〉 in the morning take away the wax and take off the Egg-shellâ— cover and hold the shell between your eye and the light and the letters will be seen very clear quite through the 〈…〉 The same is done with the juice of Lemons for it softeneth the 〈…〉 not and you shall 〈◊〉 your desire Will you 〈…〉 the white yellow and better when the Egg is boyl'd 〈…〉 Egg hard and rowl it in wax and engrave the letters on the wax with an iron 〈◊〉 that the marks may lie open put this Egg into liquor with Aâ—om and Galls 〈…〉 then put it into sharp Vinegar and they will 〈…〉 and taking off the 〈◊〉 you shall see them in the white of the Egg. 〈…〉 and alom with vinegar till they be as thick 〈◊〉 with this 〈◊〉 what you will 〈◊〉 in Egg and when the writing is dried in the Sun put it 〈…〉 dry it 〈◊〉 it and 〈◊〉 off the shell and you shall read the writinâ—◠〈◊〉 put it into vinegar and 〈…〉 nothing of it Perhaps he means by pickle 〈…〉 The cause is this the Egg-shell is porous and hath large holes which is 〈◊〉 for being set up the fire it will sweat and water will come forth and looking at it against 〈…〉 will 〈◊〉 clear so then 〈◊〉 being subtile peâ—â—rates by the pâ—res and 〈◊〉 the shell 〈…〉 and when it is mingled with the Alom Galls it 〈…〉 them appear on the white and when it is put into 〈…〉 to be hard as it was But observe it must not 〈◊〉 long in vinegar for that will eat off all the shell and will leave the Egg bare having nothing 〈…〉 to cover it and if you put that into cold water the shell will not come again If 〈◊〉 will know How letters writ with water maybe seen in an Egg Dissolve 〈◊〉 in the 〈◊〉 and writ 〈…〉 dry it and nothing will be seen If you will read 〈◊〉 dissolve Galls 〈…〉 steep the Egg therein or 〈◊〉 with Lime-water 〈◊〉 Egg and 〈…〉 Brasil is infused and so the letters will seem to be 〈…〉 upon the shell and steep it in water 〈◊〉 vitriol 〈…〉 is dry 〈…〉 and nothing will be seen when you afterwards steep it in the 〈◊〉 wine white letters will appear in a black shell I will shew How letters may become visible upon an Egg by the fire Write on the Egg with juice of Lemmons or Onyons or Fig-milkâ— when you put this to the fire the Letters will appear yellow and that must be done on a raw Egg for if you boyl it the letters will be seen That letters may be seen on the Egg shell by dust Make letters on the shell with vinegar suet fig-tree milk or of Tithymal or with gums when you would have them seen rub them with cole-dust or burnt straw or paper and they will seem black There is a way How to put a letter into an Egg. Make your letter that you send narrow and long searce broader then your middle-finger write your minde in short characters and with the edge of a knife make a cut in the Egg and break the inward skin and put in your letter at one end by degrees for it will easily take it in were it ten hands breadth then stop the cut with lime and gum mingled that it may not be seen and with Ceruss and 〈…〉 for then it is impossible to discern it But if you will have this done more neatly put the egge in sharp vinegar three or four hours and when you finde it soft 〈…〉 the shell with the edge of your knife put in your roll of paper then soak it in 〈…〉 and the shell will grow as hard as it was CHAP. V. How you may write in divers places and 〈…〉 I Have shewed you diâ—â—â—s ways of writing invisible now I come to those ways that will teach you to write letters on divers things which though they be visible and intercepted yet the Reader will be deceived by their secret device First How to write 〈…〉 Let us see how they did this in elder times 〈…〉 That when the Lacedemonâ—â—â— writ to their 〈◊〉 that their 〈…〉 being intercepted by the enemies might not be read invented this kinde of writing yet it is referred to Archimedes to be the 〈◊〉 of it Twâ— sticks must be 〈…〉 and polished with the Turners in 〈◊〉 they must be equal for 〈…〉 and thickness One of these was given to the 〈◊〉 when he 〈…〉 and the 〈◊〉 was kept at home 〈…〉 Senate 〈…〉 a page 〈…〉 about the stick as large as 〈◊〉 the matter 〈…〉 might make a round volume and the sides of it were 〈…〉 that they were like a collar that exactly fitted the wood and no 〈…〉 that thus was rolled about the stick they writ letters 〈…〉 collar thus written on being long and narrow 〈…〉 and 〈…〉 the General for they thought if it was â—â—â—â—â—scepted by the 〈…〉 when they 〈◊〉 bits of letters and 〈…〉 of words 〈◊〉 at divided they 〈…〉 discern the thing and they were not deceived 〈…〉 fell among 〈…〉 the enemy did not imagine any thing was 〈…〉 let them 〈…〉 as with a thing done as all adventures and insignificant but he to whom it was writ applied this band and rolled it about as it was 〈…〉 upon and 〈…〉 words lay joyn'd as they should be and so be knew the message The Greeks call this khird of writing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plutarch saith 〈…〉 was brought to Lysander by Hellespont But I invenâ—â—◠〈…〉 make two small sticks alike great and round one we give to our friend that 〈◊〉 far from us and hold the other by us let us make them stick so 〈◊〉 together that they may joyn and seem to be as onâ— and the wood not 〈…〉 the 〈…〉 should be and write long-ways on the stick what you please the 〈…〉 more lines will they receive If you first steep 〈…〉 is dissolved the Ink will not spread but the letterâ— will 〈…〉 â—ake your Threed that is about the â—â—ick and 〈…〉 to keep 〈…〉 secret 〈…〉 the edges of napkins or 〈…〉 your 〈…〉 for the curious watch shall discern nothing 〈…〉 our friend winding the Threed about the 〈…〉 to make the points 〈…〉 the tops and agree well shall easily read them I will shew How to write on Parchment that the Letters may not be seen When you have writ on Parchment put it to the light of a candle or to the fire and it will all crumple and run together and be nothing like what it was if a man look on it he will hardly suspect any fraud If he desires to read what is in it let him lay it on moyst places or sprinkle it gently with water and it will be
Aqua fortis that eats the paper or some decaying liquors that will vanish with any light touch and leave the place where they were without any spot I shall teach How letters are made that eat the paper If you mingle oyl of Vitriol with common ink or any other black colour in few days by corroding the paper or the ink it self the letters will vanish or in a moneth as you put in more or less of the oyl and this you may try before you send away your letter If you would have it work more slowly add but a little oyl if faster put in more you may when it is too strong put some water to it The same is performed if you mix a strong lye they call it the Capital with your ink for first they will be yellow and then they will vanish The same is done by oyl of Tartar or Salt Alkali or Soda and strong water of separation of Gold for these corrode the letters and the paper that nothing of the letters will appear If you desire to know How letters may be made that will soon vanish Make them with the strongest Aqua vitae or use Camphir and burnt straws for the letters in time will decay and vanish the tincture will fall off when the glutinous matter is gone Make a powder of a very fine touch-stone for the Sandy-stone will sooner decay that no letter shall be seen Also it is done Another way Infuse the small filings of steel in water of separation take a treble quantity of this and add thereto liquid Pitch or Soot of Turpentine to make it the blacker and cover the vessel grind this on a Porphyre-stone write and they will vanish and fall away This secret I thought not fit to overpass because it is the principal thing to be considered to make tryal oft-times for if it stay long on the paper add more strong water to it and if you be careful no mark of the writing will remain You shall do it like to this another way If it be good so to counterfeit Take Chrysocolla Salt Ammoniac and Alom all alike powder them all and put them into a Crucible and make a strong lye of quick-lime and laying a linnen cloth over the mouth of the vessel that must receive it strain it boil it a little mingle this with your ink they will remain a while but in short time the letters will vanish away Set it up for you use But contrarily if you will That invisible letters after some time shall become visible and shew themselves I will give you some examples that you may invent more thereby your self If you write with juice of Citrons or Oranges on Copper or Brass and leave this so for twenty days the letters will appear green upon the place the same may be done many other ways namely by dissolving salt Ammoniac in water and writing with it upon Brass the place will sooner appear of verdigreese-colour CHAP. X. How we may take off letters that are written upon the paper IF we would take letters from off the paper or that such as are blotted out might appear again we must use this art As if we would Take letters off the paper or from parchment Take Aqua fortis that is it that parts gold from silver with a pensil wipe some of this upon the letters it will presently wipe off letters written with Gall and Copras If you use Aqua fortis wherein salt Ammoniac is dissolved it will be sooner done But printed letters are harder taken out because that ink hath neither Galls nor Copras Or rub it with salt Alkali and Sulphur making little balls of them and that will eat them out that nothing shall be seen But if you desire to write any thing in the place you have made clean first wet the place with water wherein Alom is dissolved for the ink will not run about If you desire To renew letters decayed or to read such as are vanished Boil Galls in wine and with a spunge wipe over the letters the letters will presently be seen when they are once wet thus and be well coloured as they were at first CHAP. XI How to counterfeit a seal and writing IT may be of great use when places are besieged and in Armies and affairs of great men to know how to open letters that are sealed with the Generals Seal and signed with his Name to know what is contained within and to seal them again writing others that are contrary to them and the like I will shew how To counterfeit the Seal Melt Sulphur and cast it into powder of Ceruss while it is melted put this mixture upon the Seal but sence it about with paper or wax or chalk and press it down when it is cold take it off and in that shall you have the print of the Seal I will do it another way Fill an earthen pot with Vinegar cast Vitriol into it and a good deal of Verdigreese let it bubble on the fire put plates of iron into it after a short time take them out and from the out-side with your knife scrape off a kind of rust it hath contracted that is durty as it were and put this into a dish under it again put them into the earthen pot and scrape more off when you take them out do this so often till you have some quantity of this durty substance cast quick-silver into this and make a mixture and while it is soft and tender lay it on the Seal and press it down and let it remain in the open Air for it will grow so hard that you may almost seal with it for it will become even like to a Metal It may be also done another way Take the filings of steel and put them in an earthen Crucible at a strong fire put such things to it as will hasten the melting of it when it is melted cast it into some hollow place pownd it in a brass Mortar for it will be easily done do it so three or four times then powder it and mingle quick-silver with it and let it boil in a glazed vessel six hours till it be well mingled then press the seal upon it and let it cool and it will become exceeding hard It is possible To make a great Seal less if it should happen that we want a lesser seal we must do thus Take Isinglass and dissolve it in water anoynt the figure with oyl that it may not stick to the glew compass the seal about with wax that the matter run not about put the Isinglass to the fire and melt it pour it upon the seal after three hours when it is cold take it away and let it dry for the seal when it is dry will be drawn less equally If you will Imitate the form of a writing do thus Open the letter upon a looking-glass that wants the foyl upon the letter lay white paper and a light under the glass temper your ink as the writing is
it be CB let it be doubled CA shall be the semidiamiter of the Sphaere whose Centre B must be extended to D and the Diameter will be AD. Divide CA into four points but the more the parts are the more precise will be the description of the line and set the numbers to the divisions so setting the foot of the compass fast in I and the moveable foot in B make the semicircle EF and mark it BI and setting it in the 2. Centre at the same wideness and the other moveable foot in the line BD describe another semicircle and mark it 3. and so to the fourth and mark it 4. Then setting the foot firm in B at the distance of BC or B4 make a circle and the immoveable foot standing on the Centre B upon the distance B3 describe another so there is the third B and the fourth BA as BI Then from the point A draw a line and another from the point B and let them meet in a point where the circled meets with the semicircle 1. for let them be cut in G then draw the second line from circle 2. and another from the same A the Centre and let them meet where the second circle cuts with the second semicircle in H then from the third circle and from B the Centre and where they meet in I by the meeting of the semicircle so from the fourth where the fourth begins in K and from KIHG draw a line which shall be the Section to be described The same may be done on the other part of the circle the reason is this The beam of the Sun LI falling upon the point I of the Glass is reflected to B because B3 and BI are equal from the same circle therefore the Angle B3I is equal to BI3 But B3â— is equal to 3IL because it is subalternate for the ray of the Sun LI is equidistant to the diameter of the circle wherefore the Angles LI3 and 3IB are equal therefore it is reflected upon B. The same is to be said of the beam MH and NG and this Glass is contrary to a Sphaeral Glass From divers points of the circumference the rays are reflected upon different parts of the diameter and all the diameters are from the Centre but in this the reflected beams unite not in one point and the diameter are various from the fourth of the diameter But of this more largely in my Opticks Lastly I will not omit that the Cane doth kindle fire circularly when that as far as this circle it kindles in a point Divide the Parabolical line by sinus versus and let them meet upon contrary parts For example let the Parabolical Section be CEF the sinus versus DE cut this circumference in E and let CF meet together in the manner they stood before that it may be EGFE and about the axis GH turn it round there will be made a round Cane make it of Steel or other Metal and polish it and it will kindle fire round about CHAP. XIX Fire is kindled more forcible by refraction I Have spoken of Burning-glasses by reflection Now I shall speak of those which burn by refraction for these kindle fire more violently I shall shew my reason in the Opticks Wherefore By a Cylindre of Crystal to kindle fire We may do it by setting it against the Sun but very slowly and by leasure for all the beams do not meet in one point but in a line The same way almost are we wont To burn with a Pyramidal Crystal Glass But this burns about a line yet both burn more strongly than a pillar Glass of a Pyramidal in the place of this we may use a Vial full of water But the most violent of them all is with A Crystal Sphaere or portion of it And if a Sphaere be wanting we may supply it with a Vial full of water that is round and of Glass set against the Sun if you set behind it any combustible matter that is friendly to the fire so soon as the rays unite about the superficies it forthwith kindleth fire to the wonder of the Spectators when they see fire raised from water that is extreme cold so will the portions of Sphaeres as spectacles lenticulars and such like which we speak of already A Crystal parabolick-Glass will kindle fire most vehemently of all we shall see it because the beams all meeting it kindles more than a Glass We may also as I said of a Glass By refraction kindle fire afar off And almost to infinite distance as is demonstrated by Obtick reasons and the more by how much as refractions work more forcibly than reflections and I shall perform this many ways as I said before not onely by reason but by experience Almeon said That he made the same way parallel lines cut a cross I have said also that if they be opposed in place Crystal Sphaeres are so perfectly opposite by coition as are Sphaeral and Cylindrical portions Nor do they cast forth fire so far that it is hard to believe it and more than imagination can comprehend Behold I shall shew you a more forcible way to kindle fire It sends forth also unequal and combust parallels Let a uniform Section fall in and it will carry forth oblique beams you shall see the fire by a hidden and open beam falling upon a right superficies and it will come forcibly and uniformly into that place where the beams unite most in a fit combustible matter for if that combustible matter that is opposite be not dry it is in vain to set a Glass against it either a Convex Cylindrical or Concave Sphaerical for the matter will be found almost pierced through with strong fire and if it be not truly opposite it will burn whether it be small or great But it is considerable the portion of which it is It will do also the same thing if the thing be opposite and be small or great if need be CHAP. XX. In a hollowed Glass how the Image may hang without BEfore I depart from a plain Glass it is performed by the later Artists industry that in the same Glass many faces may be seen or likenesses of the same Image without any hindrance to the first for behind it they make the Glass hollow and make a little Concave whence a foil being laid on as I shall shew and fitted well it will hold another forth without Hence comes it to pass by this excellent invention that a man looking in a Glass may see the upright Image of some other thing and wonders at it for catching at it he can catch nothing but Air. I remember that I have often seen it and the matter is thus A Glass being made of Crystal they make a hollow place on the backside like an Image as curiously as they can then they foil it over and set it in its place now as deep as the hollow is with in so much will it shew it self without the superficies and you
no place for the air to come in and that were against the second axiom wherefore by reason of vacuum and because the body is no heavior it falls not into the bowl beneath But should one make a hole in the bottom of the vessel A that the air might come in no doubt the water would not fall down into the bazon Also if the vessel A B were filled with any â—ight liquor and the broad bazon with one that is heavior they would not stir from their places Let therefore the vessel A B be filled with wine and the mouth of it turned downwards into a bazon full of water I say both liquors will keep their places and will not mingle for should the wine descend either vacuum must needs be in the body A or a heavy body must ascend out of the vessel C D which would be against the Nature of Gravity and the second axiom namely that heavy should ascend and light descend wherefore they will not remove from their places Hence comes that which is often done by great drinkers and gluttons who pour by drops into a cuphalf full of water so much wine as will fill the cup they come so close together that onely a line parts those liquors And those that would sooner cool their wine they dip a Vial full of wine into a vessel full of water with the mouth turned downward and hold it down under the water for when the water toucheth the superficies of the wine they cannot mingle and the wine grows sooner cool though it is necessary that the Vial should be lifted up to the superficies of the water and suddenly turned about poured forth and drank then fill them again and set in the bottle as before From this advantage I complain of those who first drink water then pour in wine for wine being the lighter and water the heavior they can hardly mingle wherefore some drink at first the strongest wine then mingled and last of all water At great mens Tables they first bring wine in a Glass then they pour in water that the water by its weight may mingle with the wine and get to the bottom and tast equally Theophrastus bids men first pour in wine then water CHAP. II. How we may by drinking make sport with those that fit at Table with us VVHen friends drink together if we would by such a merry deceit delude the guests that are ignorant of the cause hereof we may provoke them to drink with such a Cup Let there be a great Cup made like a tunnel let the mouth be broad above and beneath narrow Pyramidally and let it be joyn'd to a Glass-Ball by a narrow mouth First pour in water till the whole Ball be filled then put in wine by degrees which by reason of the narrowness of the mouth will not mingle and the water is heavy and the wine lighter He that drinks first shall drink the wine then give it your frind to drink for he shall drink nothing but water But if your friend shall challenge you to drink thus with him and will have you drink first fill the Ball of the Cup with wine and pour water upon it and stay awhile and hold him in discourse for the water will sink down by the narrow mouth and the wine by degrees will ascend as much and you shall see the wine come up through the middle of the water and the water descend through the middle of the wine and sink to the bottom so they change their places when you know that the water is gone down and the wine come up then drink for you shall drink the wine and your friend shall drink the water Hence it is that to great inconvenience of those that drink it when we plunge our wine into a well in vessels of earth or brass ill stopt to cool it the water being the heavior comes in at the least chink and forceth out the wine so in a little time the vessel is full of water and the wine is gone that there is not the least taste of wine in it wherefore stop the mouth very close CHAP. III. How to part wine from water it is mingled with FRom these I shall easily shew two things that a heavy body shut up in a Glass vessel having the mouth of it put within a lighter liquid body they will mutually give place the lighter will ascend the heavior will descend and that without any hindrance one of the other which I shall demonstrate from the former principals Let the Glass be turned downwards and full of water be A B the water is heavior than the wine Let the mouth of it B be put into the vessel C D that is full of wine These are bodies that will mutually yield one to the other as I shewed I say the water will descend into the vessel C D and the wine will ascend into the vessel A B where the water was before For the water because it was contain'd in the vessel A B it being heavy presseth the wine in the vessel C D that is lighter and because there is no body between them the water descends on one side into the vessel C D and the wine ascends on the other side into the vessel AB Now if the wine be red that you may see the difference or their colours you shall see the wine ascend through the middle of the water as far as he bottom of the upper vessel that is put downward into the other and the water to descend hastily to the bottom of the vessel C D and one descend as low as the other riseth high and if the liquors cannot be seen distinguished yet one goes without any hindrance of the other and without mingling into its own place and it will be a pleasant sight to behold the wine going up and the water falling down and when they rest they will be so well parted that not the least wine can remain with the water nor water with the wine Wherefore if you put into a Hogshead full of wine a long neck'd Glass full of water in a short time the vessel turned downwards will be full of wine and the water will go down into the Hogshhad By this any man may easily conjecture How to part water from wine because oft-time Country people and Vintagers use deceit and bring wine mingled with water to be sold to the Merchant we may easily prevent their craft by this Art Let there be underneath a vessel filled with wine that is mixed with water and we would separate the water from the wine But first there must be a vessel that can receive all the wine that is mingled in the other vessel and if we know not the quantity we must conjecture at it how much it may be of something less then fill the said vessel with water and set it with the mouth downwards on the other vessel that is full of wine and water mingled together and let the upper part of the
vessel turned downwards touch the upper part of the lower liquor that no Air may enter for then the water will presently descend into the vessel underneath and the lighter part of the mingled liquor will ascend and the water will sink down and if it be all wine it will all ascend no wine will stay with the water if any thing stay behind you must know that so much water was mingled with the wine which may easily be known by the smell and taste if you do it as it should be done Then take a vessel that will hold more of the same liquor and put it into a vessel underneath till it takes it all in whence by the proportion of the wine ascended and of the water any man may know easily how much water is mingled with the wine But for convenience let the Vial that shall hold the water be of a round belly and the hole not very great and let the vessel under that contains the wine have a narrow mouth that the upper round mouth may the better joyn with the undermost and no Air come in But because it happeneth oft that the upper Ball when it hath drank in all the wine the wine will not fill it and we would part the water from the wine take therefore the round Glass in your hand and turn it about with the mouth upwards then will the wine presently turn about and come uppermost which may be a tongue laid in be all call'd forth Be careful to see when the wine is all drawn out remove the tongue and the water will remain pure CHAP. IV. How otherwise you may part water from wine I Can do this another way not by levity and gravity as I said but by thinness and thickness for water is the thinnest of all liquors because it is simple but wine being coloured and colour comes from the mixture of the Elements it is more corpulent Wherefore to part wine from water we must provide a matter that is full of holes and make a vessel thereof into which the wine poured with the water may drean forth for the water will drean forth through the pores of the matter that is opened by a minglâ—â— and corpulent body And though many kinds of wood be fit yet Ivy is the best because it is full of pores and chinks wherefore if you make a vessel of Ivy wood that is green and pour into it wine mingled with water the water will in a short time drean out Yet I see that all the Antients and modern Writers thought the contrary yet both reason and experience are against them For Gaeto saith If you would know whether there be water put to your wine make a vessel of Ivy put your wine you think is mixed with water into it if there be any water the wine will run forth and the water stay behind for an Ivy vessel will hold no wine And Pliny from him The Ivy is said to be wonderful for proof of wine If a vessel be made of Ivy-wood the wine will run forth and the water will stay behind if any were mingled with it Whereupon both of them are to be noted for a two sold error because they say it comes from the wonderful faculty of the Ivy whereas every porous wood can do the same Again he saith that the wine will run forth and the water stay behind whereas it is the contrary But Democritus thought what was truest and more probable who used not an Ivy vessel but one full of holes saith he they pour it into a new earthen pot not yet seasoned and hang it up for two days the pot saith he will leak if any water be mingled with it Democritas used another Art for the same purpose Some stop the mouth of the vessel with a new Spunge dipt in Oyl and incline it and let it run forth if there be water in it onely the water will run forth which experiment also he useth in Oyl For the Spunge is full of holes and open enough and being dipt in Oyl that hinders that the liquor cannot run forth so easily Africanus adds another reason Put liquid Alom into a vessel of wine then stop the mouth with a Spunge dipt in Oyl and incline it and let it run forth for nothing but the water will run out For the Alom binds the liquors that they drean forth very slowly CHAP. V. Another way to part a light body mingled with a heavy I Have another Art to seperate a light body from a heavy or wine from water or by another way Make a linnen tongue or of bombast and dip it into the vessel where wine is mingled with water and let the tongue swim above without the liquor and ascend above it and so hang pendulous out of the vessel for the lighter liquor will ascend by the tongue and drop on the outside but when the lighter ascends it attracts the heavy also wherefore when you see the colour change take the vessel away for the water runs forth It is evident that the wine being lighter will always ascend to the top of the vessel and run forth by the tongue though all Vintners say the contrary that the water will run forth by the tongue and that the wine will stay within CHAP. VI. How light is mingled in heavy or heavy in light VVE can easily know whether any light matter is mingled with heavy or any heavy matter with light And I will expound the manner out of Archimedes his Book concerning thingâ— that swim above water the cause whereof is that if Wood stone or any heavy Metal be equal in weight to the same quantity of water the utmost superficies oâ— the body will be equal with the superficies of the water if it weigh heavior it will sink to the bottom if it be lighter the lighter it is then the water so much of it will swim above the watâ—â— Since therefore this is true and wine is heavior then water one and the same thing will sink more in wine than in water and in thicker water the less Wherefore vessels are more drown'd in River than in the Sea for Sea-water is thicker and more heavy by reason of its salt mingled with it as also we have it in Alexander If therefore you would know Whether water be mingled with wine Put the wine you suspect to be mingled with water into some vessel and put an Apple or Pear into it if the Apple sink the wine is pure but if it floâ—e the wine hath water mingled with it because water is thicker than wine Which Democritus saith is contrary and false He saith it is necessary sometimes to commit the Care of the wine of new wine to Stewards and Servants also the Merchant hath the like reason to try whether his wine be pure They use to cast an Apple into the vessel but wilde Pears are the best others cast in a Locust others a Grashopper and if they swim it is pure wine but
the Crown than for the Gold lump he reasoned that there must be a mixture in the Crown This was the Greeks invention that is worthy of praise but the operation is difficult for in things of small quantity the theft cannot be discerned nor can this reason appear so clear to the eye where the obsolute fashion of the vessel was wanting Now a way is invented how for all money be it never so small we can tell presently and we want not many instruments that we may cry We have overfounded Vpereureka Vpereureka we have gone beyond Archimedes his Eureka The way is this To know any part of Silver mingled with Gold Take a perfect ballance and put in one scale any Metal in the other as much of the same Metal but the purest of its kind and when the scales hang even in the Air put them into a vessel full of water and let them down under water about half a foot Then will it be a strange wonder for the ballances that hang equal in the Air will change their nature in the water and will be unequal for the impure Metal will be uppermost and the pure will sink to the bottom The reason is because pure Gold compared with that kind is heavior than all impure Gold because pure Gold taketh less place wherefore it will way heavior by the former reason If then we would know how much Silver is in that Gold put as much pure Gold in the other scale as will make the ballances equal under the waters when they are equal take them up and the weight you added under water will be the weight of the mixture If you would know how much Gold is upon a vessel Gilded put the Cup in one scale and as much pure Silver in the other that the scales may hang equal in the Air then put them into the water and the vessel will sink down put into the other scale as much pure Gold as will make them equal under water draw them forth and that is the weight of the Gilt of the plate You shall do the same for Silver Brass Iron white or black Lead But would you know whether in Money Brass be mingled with Silver or Coin be adulterated with Copper put the Money into one scale and as much of the finest Silver into the other ballance them equal then put them under the water the Money will go down adde as much Brass as will make the scales equal then take them forth and it will be the weight of the mixture Now will I set the weighâ—s of Metals how much they weigh more in the waters than in the Air whereby without any other experiment we may know mixtures An Iron-ball that weighed nighteen ounces in the Air will weigh fifteen in the waters whence it is that a Ball of the same magnitude must owe three ounces to the water wherefore the proportion of Iron in the Air to the same in the waters is as fifteen to nineteen A Leaden Bullet of the same magnitude weighs 31 ounces in the Air in the water but 27 A Marble Bullet little less for bulk weighs 7 in the Air and 5 in the water Copper weighs 16 in the Air and 12 in the waters Silver weighs in the Air 125 in the waters 113 Brass in the Air weighs 65 Karats and one grain in the waters 50 Karats and two grains Crown Gold in the Air weighs 66 grains in the waters 6â— Gold called Zechini in the Air weighs 17 Karats under water 16 Karats Tâ—rkish Ducat Gold weighs in the Air 34 under waters 32 Common French Crown Gold weighs in the Air 67 under waters 60 Common Crown Gold of Hungary that is old in the Air weighs 17 in the water 16 Crown Gold of Tartary weighs 16 in the Air and 14 under water THE NINETEENTH BOOK OF Natural Magick Concerning VVind-Instruments THE PROEME I Have spoken concerning light and heavy now follow experiments by wind for these seem to follow the reasons of Mathematicks and of the Air and water and a Philosopher who seeks to find things profitable and admirable for mans use must insist on these things contemplate and search them out in no thing doth the Majesty of Nature shine forth more There are extant the famous Monuments of the most learned Heron of Alexandria concerning wind Instruments I will adde some that are new to give an occasion to search out greater matters CHAP. I. Whether material Statues may speak by any Artificial way I Have read that in some Cities there was a Colassus of Brass placed on a mighty high Pillar which in violent tempests of wind from the nether parts received a great blast that was carried from the mouth to a Trumpet that it blew strongly or else sounded some other Instrument which I believe to have been easie because I have seen the like Also I read in many men of great Authority that Albertus Magnus made a head that speak Yet to speak the truth I give little credit to that man because all I made trial of from him I found to be false but what he took from other men I will see whether an Image can be made that will speak Some say that Albertus by Astrological elections of times did perform this wonderful thing but I wonder how learned men could be so guld for they know the Stars have no such forces Some think he did it by Magick Arts. And this I credit least of all since there is no man that professeth himself to know those Arts but Impostors and Mountebanks whilst they cheit ignorant men and simple women nor do I think that the Godly man would profess ungodly Arts. But I suppose it may be done by wind We see that the voice or a sound will be conveighed entire through the Air and that not in an instant but by degrees in time We see that Brass-guns which by the force of Gun-powder make a mighty noise if they be a mile off yet we see the flame much before we hear the sound So hand-Guns make a report that comes at a great distance to us but some minutes of time are required for it for that is the nature of sounds Wherefore sounds go with time and are entire without interruption unless they break upon some place The Eccho proves this for it strikes whole against a wall and so rebounds back and is reflected as a beam of the Sun Moreover as I said in this work words and voices go united together and are carried very far entire as they are spoken at first These therefore being laid down for true grounds if any man shall make leaden Pipes exceeding long two or three hundred paces long as I have tried and shall speak in them some or many words they will be carried true through those Pipes and be heard at the other end as they came from the speakers mouth wherefore if that voice goes with time hold entire if any man as the words are spoken shall stop the
brass Cauldron that will hold much water fill it with salt water after that the Urinals and putting on their caps when fire is put under both the Urinals will drop and the cap that contains others by its pipe will drop out water also for the vapors rising from the Cauldron of hot water will make the Urinals drop and the cap will drop withal But if at Sea the commodity of such a vessel cannot be had We may Distil salt water otherwise though but little Dioscorides shews the old way of distillation we may that way distil sea water in ships which Pliny shews also Fleeces of wool extended about the ship are made wet by the vapors rising from the Sea and sweet water is pressed out of them But let us see whiter Salt water may be made fresh another way Aristotle saith it and Solomon before him That all Rivers came from the Sea and return to the Sea for by the secret passages under ground the waters that are sent forth leave their earthly and dry parts mixed with the earth and they come forth pure and sweet He saith The cause why the salt water comes not forth is because it is ponderous and settles and therefore onely hot-waters of salt-waters can run forth for they have a lightness that oversways the weight of the salt for what is hot is lightest Adde that waters running through the earth are much strained and therefore the heavior and thicker they are the more do they continually sink down and are left behind and the lighter they are the more pure do they come forth and are severed For as Salt is heavy so sweet water is light and so it comes that they are sweet waters that run forth This is the very cause why salt-water when it moves and is changed is made the sweeter for motion makes it lighter and purer Let us see now if we can imitate Nature Fill then great vessels with earth and set them so one above another that one may drean into another and thus salt-water dreaning through many vessels may leave the salt behinde I tried it through ten vessels and it remain'd still salt My friend said that he made it sweet through twenty vessels Yet thus I thought to warn you of that all earth is not fit for this use Solinus saith That sea-water strain'd through clay will grow sweet and it is proved that the salt is taken away if you strain it often through thin sand of a River Earth that lies in covered places and under roots is naught for that is commonly salt as also where Cattle are sâ—alled which Columella saith is naught for Trees for that it makes salt-water what is strain'd from it Black earth is naught for it makes the waters sharp but clay grounds make sweet waters Paxamus Anaxagoras said That the saltness of the sea came from the Rivers running through salt places and communicating that quality to the sea Some approve River-gravel for this use and their reason is because always sweet waters are found by the shores and they say this happens because they are strain'd through the sand and so grow fresh coming from the salt-sea for the sweet water that is found neer the sea is not of the sea but such water as comes from the tops of hills through the secret channels of the earth thither For waters that drean forth sweet are sweet though they lye even with the sea and in plain places as Apuila where the waters drean not from the hills they are salt So on the shores of Africa But Aristotle brings an experiment from a vessel of wax for if one make a Ball of wax that is hollow and shall dip it into the sea it being of a sufficient thickness to contain he shall finde it full of fresh water because the corpulent saltness cannot get in through the pores of the wax And Pliny by letting down little nets into the sea and hollow balls of wax or empty vessels stopt saith they will draw in fresh water for sea-water strain'd through clay will grow fresh But I have found this to be false For I have made pots of clay as fine and well as I could and let them down into salt-water and after some days I found salt-water in them Also if it were true it is of no use when as to sweeten one pound of water a thousand Balls of wax a day were not sufficient But for this many vessels might be invented of porous wood and stones A vessel of Ivy that parts as I said wine from water will not part salt from water if it drean through it But stones are brought from Portingal made into vessels into which sea water put will drean forth sweet if not the first yet the second time they use it to break the stone also for that many pumex and porous stones may be tried Leo Baptista Albertus saith That an earthen pot well stopt and put into the sea will fill with potable water But I have tried all earthen vessels and I always found salt-water Aristotle in his Problems saith It may be done Another way If salt-water cannot be drank cold yet hot and cool again it is better to drink It is because a thing useth to change from contrary to contrary and salt-water is contrary to fresh and when it is boil'd the salt part is boil'd off and when it is cold stays at the bottom This I tried and found it false and more salt for by heat the thin vapors of the water that are sweet exhale and the salt stay behinde and in lesser water the same quantity of salt makes it salter as I said in my distillations I wonder such a wise man would relate such falsities Florentinus borrowing it from him saith If water be not good nor poâ—able but ill let it be boiled till a tenth part of it be consumed then purge it and it will be good For sea-water so boil'd will grow sweet Let me see whether it can be made so Another way and that in great quantity There is a thing that being cast into large vessels filled with sea-water by fastning the salt will make it fall to the bottom or by curdling it and so it frees the water from it Wherefore we must think on things that have a stiptick quality the Antients tried this the Moderns have effected it Pliny Nitrous of bitter waters if you put Barley-flower dried to them they are tempered that you may drink of them in two hours therefore is Barley-flower put into wine sacks and elswhere Those that go to the Red-sea through the Desarts make nitrous and salt and bitter waters fit to drink in two hours by putting in of Barley-meal and they eat Barley-meal The like force hath the Chalk of the Rhodes and our Clay Also Cooks with Catlings and Meal of Wheat will take salt out of very salt meaâ— I tried this oft but found it false yet some of the saltness was taken away Pliny If you must drink ill
waters strew in powder of Penniroyal Leo Baptista Albertus when they take up the water of Nilus muddy if they do but rub the edge of the vessel with an Almond it presently grows clear I tried this to and found it false when common salt is cast into Aqua fortis that parts Gold from Silver the Silver will presently descend We see also that in the making of that they call read Alac casting but Alom into Lye the salt and colour will presently precipitate to the bottom and nothing will remain but clear water We see that milk will curdle with many Herbs which we speak of elsewhere We shall use therefore for this purpose coagulaters and astringents Cooks say That a Spunge put into a pot of salt-water will draw the salt to it but pressed forth again and cast in once more will take it all out So wood wrapt about with fillets of linnen and put into the pot will draw the salt to it Others binde in a clout Wheat-meal and put it into the pot and draw forth the salt Palladius where he speaks of seasoning of wines saith The Greeks bid men keep sea-water that is clean and taken out of the calm sea the year before whose Nature is that in this time it will lose its saltness or bitterness and smell sweet by age It remains to shew How sweet waters may be mended Leo Baptista saith If you place a glazed vessel full of salt and well stopt with lime putting oyl under that no water may penetrate into it that it may hang in the middle of the waters of a Cistern these waters will in no time corrupt Others adde also Quick-silver If water begin to corrupt cast in salt to purge them and if salt be wanting put in some sea-water for so at Venice they draw water from St Nicolas Well for Marriners that go long voyages because it stands so neer the sea and salt lyes hid in it by communicating with those waters We read in Scripture that Elizeus did this who at Jericho or Palestina cast in salt into a Fountain and made it potable water which was before bitter and corrupt If water breeds worms cast in quick Lime and they will dye When we would make wine clear beat the white of an Egge and the troubled wine will descend if you put it in Others cast in the dust that is on the catlings of small nuts and the Spaniards cast in Gyp to make in clear and all these we may use in waters CHAP. II. How to make water of Air. IF all other means fail we may make water of air onely by changing it into air as Nature doth for she makes water of air or vapors Therefore when we want water we may make it of air and do as Nature doth We know when the Sun heats the earth it draws forth the thinnest vapors and carrieth them on high to that region of the air where the cold is those vapors are condensed into drops and fall down in Rain Also we see in summer that in Glass vessels well rinced and that are full of cold water the air by coming to the outermost superficies will presently clow'd the the Glass and make it lose its cleanness a little after it will be all in a dew and swell into bubbles and by degrees these will turn to drops and fall down which have no other reason for them but because the cold air sticking to the Glass grows thick and is changed into water We see also in Chambers at Venice where there windows are made of Glass when a gross and thick vapor sticks to the Glass within and a cold vapor prevails without that within will turn to dew and drop down Again in winter in Brass Guns which are always very cold and are kept in Cellars and vaulted places where men also use to be that the air will grow thick and lighting upon the cold superficies of them they will be all of a dew and drop with water But to say no more Make a large round vessel of Brass and put into it Salt-Peter unrefined what will fill it men call it Solazzo mingled with Ice for these two mixed as I said in this Book make a mighty cold and by shaking them with the wondeful force of the cold they gather air about the vessel and it will presently drop into a vessel underneath A deligent Artist will adde more that he may get a greater quantity of water It sufficeth that I have shewed the way CHAP. III. How one may so alter his face that not so much as his friends shall know him SUch as are taken prisoners or shut up close and desire to escape and such as do business for great men as spies and others that would not be known it is of great moment for them to know how to change their Countenances I will teach them to do it so exactly that their friends and wives shall not know them Great men do not a little enquire for such secrets because those that can dissemble theirown persons have done great matters and lovers have served their Mistresses and Parents have not suspected it Ulisses attempting to know what the Trojans did clothed in counterfeit garments and his face changed did all he would and was not discovered Homer With many scars he did transform his face In servants clothes as from a beggars race He went to Troy And when he desired to know what Penelope and her suters did he transformed himself again I shall shew how this may be done many ways by changing the Garments Hair Countenance Scars Swellings we may so change our Faces that in some places it may rise in bunches in other places it may sink down And first How to dye the Flesh. But to begin with the colouring of the Flesh. The Flesh may be dyed to last so long or to be soon washed out If you will have it soon wash'd off Steep the shells of Walnuts and of Pomegranates in Vinegar four or five days then press them forth by a Press and dye the face for it will make your face as black as an Ethiopian and this will last some days Oyl of honey makes a yellow colour and red and it will last fourteen days or more The fume of Brimstone will discolour the face that it will shew sickly as if one had long kept his bed but it will be soon gone But if you will have it last many days firm and very hardly to come off Use water of Depart that seperates Gold from Silver made of Salt-Peter and Vitriol and especially if it have first corroded any Silver this will last twenty days until the skin be changed But if you will Change the Hair I taught elsewhere how to do this yet I will take the pains to do it again Oyl of honey dyes the Hair of the head and beard of a yellow or red colour and this will hold a moneth But if they be hoary white or yellow we may dye them black with
him but if he let his ears down he is easily slain Aristotle and Pliny from him When they raise their ears they hear quickly when they let them fall they are afraid and not to go over all Creatures that have large right up open ears I say those that have such ears they raise them and direct them forward when they would hear afar off and they are of most perfect hearing I shall shew now by the contrary that such Creatures which have short small ears and not so visible are of dull hearing Great part of Fishes want ears and such as have onely holes and no ears must needs hear more deafly for the outward ears are made by Nature that the sounds might be conveyed to the ears by them Adrianus Consul of Rome is a most clear witness of this who having this sense hurt made hollow catches to hear better by and these he fastned to his ears looking forward And Aristotle saith That Horses Asses Dogs and other Creatures that have great ears do always stir them about and turn them to hear noise Nature teaching them the use of those parts and we finde that they hear less that have their ears cut off wherefore it is fit that the Form of the Instrument for hearing be large hollow and open and with screws inwardly For the first if the sound should come in directly it would hurt the sence for the second the voice coming in by windings is beaten by the turnings in the ears and is thereby multiplied as we see in an Eccho The sea-Periwinkle is an argument to prove it which being held to the eare makes a light noise Now it remains to speak of what matter it must be made I think of porous Wood for the holes and pores are passable every way and being filled with air they sound with every small stroke and amongst the porous Wood is the Ivy and especially the tree called Smilax or Woodbind for a Dish made with Ivy will let out the water as I said Wherefore Pliny speaking of the Woodbind saith It is proper to this matter that being set to the ears it will make a small noise And in another place I said that the Woodbind-Ivy would sound if set to the ear Therefore fit your Instrument to put into your ear as Spectacles are fitted to the eyes CHAP. VI. How by some Impostures we may augment weight I Have set down some Impostures here that such as handle with wicked men may take heed that they be not deceived As To augment the weight of Oyl water is mingled with the Oyl that the fraud may not be known let it be done with troubled waters as with the decoction of Wood Rapes Asphodills that it may the harder be discerned from it Or else they put the choisest Gumtragant into water for two days then they bray it in a Mortar always putting water to it to melt the Gum adde these to the Oyl dropping forth and they will be turn'd to Oyl By the like fraud almost Silk is made to weigh more They put it upon the vapour that riseth from boiling water and this makes it swell with moisture and grow heavier Others bray one ounce of Gum Arabick and being well passed through a sieve they mingle it with the decoction of Honey they dissolve this mixture into water and wet the Silk with it and then let it dry Others keep it in the green leaves of Walnut-tree If you will Increase the quantity of Honey Adde to it the Meal of Chestnuts of Millet and that augments it and it cannot be known So you may Increase the weight of Wax Adde to the Wax Bean-meal excellent well beaten and this will burn in Candles without any excrement for it increaseth the weight and bigness and the fraâ—d is scarce discerned So you may Augment Sope. If you mingle the Ashes of Oxens shank-bones well burnt it Potters ovens or white Brimstone For you shall augment the weight and quantity without and distinction of it If you would Counterfeit Pepper You may gather green Juniper-berries and let them dry till they shrivel then mix them with grains of Pepper Others gather great black Vetches and first they boil them with wilde Pepper for swelling in the water when they come to be dried they become wrinkled I did sophisticate them so that I deceived in sport the best Apothecaries and afterwards I did in mirth discover the fraud Take the Berries of the ripe red Sanguinaria these when they are dried will be so shriveled and like to Pepper that any man almost may be deceived by it unless he tasts of it So we may Increase the weight of Wheat By setting a vessel of Wood within it full of water or vinegar For as Pliny saith It will drink it in CHAP. VII Of the Harp and many wonderful properties thereof THe Harp hath some properties in it and things worthy to be observed which I shall propound here First I shall mention some wonderful effects that the Antients speak of then how they may be done or how the Antients did then Since Musick is now more Adorned and Noble than it was amongst the Antients for then it was more rude and imperfect and yet in our days it doth not perform those operations It is certain that Musical Tunes can do much with men and there is no heart so hard and cruel but convenient and sweet harmony will make it yield and on the otherside harsh Musick will vex and harden a mans minde Musaeus discovers that Verse and Songs are a most delightful thing to Mortal man and the Platonists say That all things living are charmed by Musick and there are many effects observed of it Drums sound in the wars to provoke those that are slow to fight and we read that the Antients did such like things One Timotheus a Musician as oft he he pleased would play a Phrygian Tune and so enrage the mind of Alexander that he râ—n presently to the wars and when he would do otherwise he changed his tune and took off all his courage making him lasie and would then draw him being grown effeminate to Banquets and Feasts And Plutarch saith That when he heard Antigenida playing Melodies with a Pipe that they called Harmatii he was so inflamed that he rose in his Arms and laid hold of him that sat next to him Cicero reports That Pythagoras made a yong man more calm by a slower tune who was a Tancomonite and was whitled with wine and mad for a whore and spurred forward by a Phrygian tune for being a corrival he sought to set the house on fire where the whore was And the same Author saith If yong men are provoked by the sound of Flutes to commit any wickedness if the Piper play but a slower tune they are called off again for by the gravity of the Musick their petulant fury is alayed Empedocles when one set upon his Host that provoked him with reproaches and ill language turned the burden of his
Chap 31 The Iron rubbed with the Northern point of the load-stone will turn to the south and with the south point to the north Chap 32 Iron touched with the load-stone will impart the force to other Iron Chap 33 The vertue received in the Iron is weakened by one that is stronger Chap 34 To discern in a Stone the South or North point Chap 35 To rub the Iron-needle of the Marriners compass Chap 36 The uses of Marriners Compasses Chap 37 The Longitude of the world may be found out by the help of the Load-stone Chap 38 If the Marriners Needle stand still and the Load-stone move or contrarily they will move contrary ways Chap 39 The Load-stone imparts a contrary form to the Needle Chap 40 Two Needles touching by the Load stone obtain contrary forces Chap 41 The force of the Iron that draws will drive off Iron by diversity of Situation Chap 42 The Needle touched by the Load-stone on one part doth not always receive vertue on both parts Chap 43 The Needle touched in the middle by the Load-stone sends forth its force at both ends Chap 44 An Iron Ring touched by a Load stone will receive both vertues Chap 45 An Iron plate touched in the middle will difits forces at both ends Chap 46 Filings Iron may receive force Chap 47 Whether Garlick can hinder the vertues of the Load-stone Chap 48 A Load-stone astonished may be brought to its self again Chap 49 To augment the Load-stones vertue Chap 50 That the Load-stone may lose its vertue Chap 51 How the Iron touched with the load stone loseth its force Chap 52 That the Diamond hindereth the load-stones vertue is false Chap 43 Goats blood doth not free the load-stone from the inchantment of the Diamond Chap 54 The Iron touched with a Diamond will turn to the North Chap 55 Forces and Remedies of the load-stone Chap 56 The eighth Book Of Physical Experiments MEdicines which cause sleep Chap 1 To make a man out of his senses for a day Chap 2 To cause several kinds of Dreames Chap 3 Excellent Remedies for the eyes Chap 4 To faâ—ten the teeth Chap 5 For other infirmities of mans body Chap 6 That a woman may conceive Chap 7 Remedies against the Pox Chap 8 Antidotes against Poyson Chap 9 the Plague Chap 10 Remedies for wounds and blows Chap 11 A secret medicine for wounds Chap 12 To counterfeit infirmities Chap 13 Of Fascination and preservatives against Inchantments Chap 14 The ninth Book Of Beautifying Women TO dye the hair Yellow or Gold-colour Chap 1 Red Chap Chap 2 Black Chap Chap 3 To make hairs part smooth Chap 4 How hair may grow again Chap 5 To take away sores and worms that spoil the hair Chap 6 To make hair curl Chap 7 To make the Eye-brows black Chap 8 To make the face white Chap 9 To make the face very clean to receive the colour Chap 10 To make the face very soft Chap 11 To make the face shine like silver Chap 12 To dissolve Talk for to beautifie women Chap 13 The preparation of sublimate Chap 14 How White-lead is prepared for the face Chap 15 The best Sopes for Women Chap 16 To make the face Rose-coloured Chap 17 Against redness of the face Chap 18 To make a Sun-burnt face white Chap 19 To take spâ—ts from the face Chap 20 To take off red Pimples Chap 21 To take letters from the face or elswhere Chap 22 To take away Warts Chap 23 To take wrinkles from the body Chap 24 Of Dentifrices Chap 25 To hinder the Brests from augmenting Chap 26 To make the hand white Chap 27 To correct the ill sent of the Arm-pits Chap 28 How the matrix over-widened in childe-birth may be made narrower Chap 29 Sports against women Chap 30 The tenth Book Of Distillation VVHat Distillation is how many sorts Chap 1 Extraction of Waters Chap 2 Extracting Aqua Vitae Chap 3 To distil with the heat of the Sun Chap 4 To draw Oyl by expression Chap 5 To extract Oyl with Water Chap 6 To separate Oyl from water Chap 7 To make an instrument to extract Oyl in a greater quantity and without danger of burning Chap 8 The description of a Descendatory Chap 9 To extract Oyl out of Gums Chap 10 To draw Oyl out of other things Chap 11 To extract Oyl by descent Chap 12 Extraction of Essences Chap 13 Magisteries what their extraction Chap 14 To extract tinctures Chap 15 To extract Salts Chap 16 Of Elixirs Chap 17 Of a Clissus how made Chap 18 To get Oyl out of Salts Chap 19 Of Aqua Fortis Chap 20 Of the separation of the Elements Chap 21 The eleventh Book Of Perfuming OF Perfuming waters Chap 1 To make sweet water by infusion Chap 2 To make sweet Oyls Chap 3 To extract Water and Oyl out of sweet Gums by infusion Chap 4 To perfume Skins Chap 5 To make sweet Powders Chap 6 To make sweet Compounds Chap 7 To make sweet perfumes Chap 8 To Adulterate Musk Chap 9 The twelfth Book Of Artificial Fires DIvers ways to procure fire Chap 1 The compositions for fire our Ancestors used Chap 2 Divers compositions of Gun-powder Chap 3 Pipes made to cast out fire Chap 4 To make fire-balls that are shot in Brass-guns Chap 5 Compositions with burning waters Chap 6 Balls made of Metals to cast forth fire and Iron wedges Chap 7 How in plain ground and under waters Mines may be presently digged Chap 8 Things good to extinguish fire Chap 9 Divers compositions for fire Chap 10 Fire-compositions for feastival days Chap 11 Experiments of fire Chap 12 How a Candle shall burn continually Chap 13 The thirteenth Book Of tempering Steel IRon by mixture may be hardened Chap 1 How Iron will wax soft Chap 2 The temper of Iron must be used upon soft Irons Chap 3 How for all mixtures Iron may be tempered most hard Chap 4 Liquors that will harden Iron Chap 5 The temper of a Tool shall cut a Porphyr Marble Stone Chap 6 To grave a Porphyr Marble without an Iron Tool Chap 7 How Iron by heating in the fire may be made tractable for works Chap 8 How Damask Knives may be made Chap 9 Polished Iron how preserved from rust Chap 10 The fourteenth Book Of Cookery HOw flesh may be made tender Chap 1 How flesh may grow tender by secret propriety Chap 2 How flesh may be made tender otherwise Chap 3 How Shell-creatures may grow more tender Chap 4 That living creatures may be made more fat and well tasted Chap 5 How the flesh of Animals is made sweeter Chap 6 How they are made too bitter to be eaten Chap 7 How Animals may be boiled rosted baked all at once Chap 8 Divers ways to dress Pullets Chap 9 How meats may be prepared in places where there is nothing to rost them with Chap 10 Divers confections of Wines Chap 11 To make men drunk and loath wine Chap 12 To drive Parasites from great mens Tables
Chap 13 The fifteenth Book Of Fishing Fowling Hunting c. VVHat meats allure divers animals Chap 1 How living creatures are drawn on with the baits of love Chap 2 Animals called together by things they like Chap 3 What noises allure Birds Chap 4 Fishes allured by light in the night Chap 5 By Looking glasses many creatures are brought together Chap 6 Animals are congregated by sweet smells Chap 7 Creatures made drunk catcht with hand Chap 8 Peculiar poysons of Animals Chap 9 Venomes for Fishes Chap 10 Experiments for hunting Chap 11 Tee sixteenth Book Of invisible Writing HOw a writing dipt in divers liquors may be read Chap 1 Letters made visible in the fire Chap 2 Letters rubâ—d with dust to be seen Chap 3 To write in an egge Chap 4 How you may write in divers places and deceive one that can reade Chap 5 In what place Letters may be inclosed Chap 6 What secret messengers may be used Chap 7 Messengers not to know that they carry Letters nor to be found about them Chap 8 Characters to be made that at set days shall vanish Chap 9 To take off Letters that are written on paper Chap 10 To counterfeit a Seal and Writing Chap 11 To speak at a great distance Chap 12 Signs to be made with fire by night and with dust by day Chap 13 The seventeenth Book Of Burning-glasses and the wonderful sights by them REpresentations made by plain Glasses Chap 1 Sports with plain Looking-glasses Chap 2 A Looking-glass called a Theatrecal-glass Chap 3 Operations of Concave glasses Chap 4 Mixt operations of plain Concave glasses Chap 5 Other operations of a Concave-glass Chap 6 How to see in the dark Chap 7 An Image may be seen to range in the air Chap 8 Mixtures of Glasses and divers operations of Images Chap 9 Effects of a Leuticular Crystal Chap 10 Spectacles to see beyond imagination Chap 11 To see in a Chamber things that are not Chap 12 The operations of a Cristal-pillar Chap 13 Burning-glasses Chap 14 A Parabolical Section which is of Glasses the most burning Chap 15 That may burn obliquely and at very great distance Chap 16 That may burn at infinite distance Chap 17 A Burning-glass made of many spiritural Sections Chap 18 Fire kindled more forcible by refraction Chap 19 An Image to be seen by a hollow Glass Chap 20 How Spectacles are made Chap 21 Foils are laid on Concave glasses and how they are banded Chap 22 How Metal Looking-glasses are made Chap 23 The eighteenth Book Of Things heavy and light THat heavy things descend and light ascend in the same degree Chap 1 By drinking to make sport with those that sit at table Chap 2 To part wine from water it is mingled with Chap 3 Another way to part water from wine Chap 4 To part a light body from a heavy Chap 5 To mingle things heavy and light Chap 6 Other ways to part wine from water Chap 7 The â—evity of water and air different and what may be wraught thereby Chap 8 The ninteenth Book Of Wind-Instruments VVHether material Statues may speak by an Artificial way Chap 1 Musical-Instruments made with water Chap 2 Experiments of Wind-Instruments Chap 3 A Description of Water-hour-glasses Chap 4 Of a Vessel casting forth water by reason of air Chap 5 How to use the air in many Arts Chap 6 The twentieth Book Of the Chaos HOw water may be made Potable Chap 1 To make water of air Chap 2 To alter the face that ones friends shall not know him Chap 3 That stones may move alone Chap 4 An Instrument whereby to hear at great distance Chap 5 To augment weight Chap 6 The wonderful proporties of the Harp Chap 7 To discover frauds in Impostors that work by natural means and pretend conjuration Chap 8 Experiments of a Lamp Chap 9 Some mechanical Experiments Chap 10 FINIS
let it evaporate it will leave behinde it a Tincture enriched with the sent and vertues of the Flowers Tincture of Coral Beat the Coral to Powder and with a vehement fire turn it into Salt add an equal quantity of Salt-Peter to it then extract the Salt with Aqua Vitae and it will bring out with it the Tincture of a wonderful vertue CHAP. XVI How to extract Salts SAlts do retain the greatest part of the Vertue of those things from whence they are extracted and therefore are used to season the sick persons meat and otherways because they have a penetrative quality It was a great Question among the Ancients Whether Salts retained the vertue of the things or whether they lost some in the fire and acquired others but it is row manifested by a thousand Experiments that the vertues do not onely remain in them but are made quicker and more efficacious Salt of Lemmons Distill the Lemmons with their Peels and Juice reserve the Water and dry the rest in the Sun if the season permit it or in an Oven Put them in a Pot close luted and calcine it in igne reverberationis Then dissolve the Powder in the Water and boyl them in a perfect Lye cleanse it with a Feather that the Dregs may settle to the bottom purifie it and let the Liquor evaporate so the Salt will remain in the bottom which is most excellent to break the Stone in the Bladder Salt of Pellitory of Spain Dry the Roots and burn it in a close luted pot for three dayes until it be reduced into white Ashes pour on its own Menstruum distil it and calcine iâ— again so the third time then cleanse it with a Feather boyl it in an earthen vernished Pipkin with the white of an Egg to clarifie the Salt at length a white grained Salt will appear Salt of Cumine Put the Roots Leave and Flowers in a close luted Vessel and dry them and put them into a Potters Furnace till they be burned to Ashes In the mean while distil the Roots Leaves and Flowers or if you please make a decoction of them and of that decoction a sharp Lye which being strained very clean through a Linen-cloth three or four times must be boyled to a Salt in a Glass-Vessel If you desire it very fine and white strow the Salt upon a Marble and set it in a moist place with a pan underneath to receive it as it dissolveth cleanse the filth still away and do this three times until it become of a Chrystal colour so reserve In this manner Sal Alchali is made Of Saxifrage It is made like the former if you season your meat with it it protecteth from all danger of poysoned bread or meat conserveth from the contagion of pestilential and infections Air. The same may be extracted out of other Alexiphatmacal Bodies which Princes may use at meals instead of ordinary Salt for they scarce differ in taste A Salt may be made of Thapsia very good to remove the Stone in the Bladder or Kidneys and to dissolve the Tartar or viscous Concrescency to kill the Worms and purge the Blood to provoke sweat by being often taken and is admirable in Venereal Diseases The Salt of Pimpernel being taken three days and the third month for a mans whole life-time secureth him from the Dropsie Pâ—hisick and Apoplexy It also preserveth from infection and pestiferous Air and helpeth digestion in a weak Stomack But it is to be observed That these Salts must not be eaten every day left they become too familiar to the Stomack and be taken for food There may be a Salt also extracted out of the filings of Lignum Guaiacum which is excellent in the French Pox being taken as the former By these you may learn to make other Salts CHAP. XVII Of Elixirs ELixirs are the Conservators of Bodies in the same condition wherein they finde them for their Vertue is to preserve from corruption not by meliorating their state but by continuing it and if by accident they cure any Diseases it is by reason of their tenuity They have a double Vertue to preserve from sickness and continue health not onely in Men but to preserve Plants also They imitate the qualities of Balsam and resort chiefly to the Heart Brain and principal Parts where the Spirits reside There are three kinds of Elixirs of Metals of Gems and of Plants as of Roots Herbs Flowers Seeds Woods Gums and such-like An Elixir differeth from Essences Tinctures and the rest because it is compounded of many things void of fatness therefore it cannot be an Oyl because it wanteth perspicuity and clearness not an Essence because it is a Compound not a Tincture but a mean between all and of a consistence most like to Water whence it had its name ab eliquesco to be dissolved or liquified To make Elixir of Pimpernel Dig up the Roots in a convenient time and macerate them in their Water putting some weight on them to depress them under Water when the Flowers are blown gather them and macerate them in the same manner in a peculiar Vessel the same must be done with the Seeds Then put them in an Alimbeck and draw out the Water and Oyl until the Foeces remain dry then separate the Oyl from the Water and circulate it in a Pelican for two months then take it out and reserve it for your use An Elixir of many things Many Compositions of Elixir are carried about which are erroneous and false to my knowledge and of so hard a work to extract the Oyl and Water that you will more probably lose your time and cost then gain any good by them for they are made for pomp and magnificence rather then for the benefit of man Besides I have found them often fail in the performance of what was promised from them and cannot be made according to those descriptions But here I will deliver one to you which will perform far more then is promised Take the Flowers of Sage Origanum Mugwort Savory Elder Sage-Leaves white Mint Rosemary Basil Marjoram Peniroyal Rose-buds the Roots of Betony Pellitory Snake-weed white Thistle Aristolochy Elder Cretan-Ditany Currants Pine-Apples Dates Citron-Pill of each an ounce and a half Ginger Cloves Nutmegs Zedoary Galangal white and long Pepper Juniper-berries Spikenard Mace Cubebs Parsley-seed Cardomoms Cinnamon Staechados Germander Granes Rose of Jerusalem Doronicum Ammoniac Opoponax Spodium Schaeinanthus Bdellium Mummy Sagapenum Champhire Mastick Frankincense Aloes Powder of Ebony Bole-Armenick Treacle Musk Galls Mithridate Lignum Aloes and Saffron of each three drachms of clarified Sugar thirteen pounds of Honey two I exclude Pearl Rubies Jacinths Saphires Emeraulds and Leaf-Gold from the Composition because as I have proved before they have no operation especially thus exhibited and therefore are used in Medicines by none but ignorant Physitians Reduce all these into Powder and put them into a Pelican or blinde Alimbeck with twelve pound of Aqua Vitae very well clarified as though