and carrieth away therwith much of the good the which minding to remedy you must take three partes of Oke ashes and one of Lime and moreouer in euery hundred pounde waight of water there must be dissolued foure poundes of Roch Alume and when the Cauldron boyleth take of the said water with a pot and power into it once or twise specially when you see the Saltpeter water rise in skumme and so doing within a little while you shall see it alay and be both cleere faire an of an azure colour and it must be boiled so long till all the thinne watrinesse be vapoured away and the substance of the Saltpeter thickened so that it being taken out and put in chestes or tubbes and cooled may congeale the which is best done when the water is brought to a small quantitie taking it out and putting it into a lesse Cauldron wherein it will sooner congeale the which water being tasted and seen to be readie to congeale you may take it out and put it into vessels of wood or of earth that are rough within with certaine stickes of wood to congeale and so you shal let it coole and rest three or foure dayes so as it may droppe and be strained through some little hole in the bottome of the vessell and all the water which is not then congealed you must take out and saue for to seeth againe and the Saltpeter which is in any quantitie congealed you shall finde to be according to the vertue that was in the water or in the earth but the cleerenesse and fairenesse thereof will come of the master vertue of the water which is put into it in the boyling which hath strength to purge it and to make it come as it were refined in the first seething Now this being taken from the sides of the vessel where it congealed and in the water thereof washed you must lay it vpon a Table to drie throughly and the same seeming vnto you to haue neede or neuerthelesse minding to haue it aboue the common vse for some purpose more refined and purified from all maner of earthie grossenesse fatnesse and saltnesse which for to make exceeding fine powder or aquam fortem is most requisite so to be I counsell you to refine and purifie after one of the wayes taught in this Appendix Saltpeter may also be made of earth in this sort folowing The second way to make artificiall Saltpeter of earth digge such earth out of floores in sellers vaultes stables oxestaules gote or sheepe coates pigen houses or out of the loermost roomes in other houses as is blacke or that throwne into a fire will sparkle or that is of a sharpe biting and meane salt taste But digge not for any such earth more deeper than the length of 3 ynches vnder the face and vppermost part of the floore or ground out of which it shal be taken except you shall see in the earth vnder that depth such white things or veines as the Italian mameth Fiocchi To know whether or no any Saltpeter is in earth do this make a woodden pin of a foote in length and with a mallet driue it vp to the head into the ground where you meane to seeke for Saltpeter Then taking the pinne out of his hole thrust an yron naile made redde hot with fire and equal in length and bignesse to the saide pin into the said hole After this couer the same hole quickly suffer the naile to stād in it til it shal be thorow cold This done pull the naile out of the saide hole and note well the culler of the naile For as when the naile so taken out of the hole shall haue a pale yelloe culler you ought to thinke that the earth in that place wil yeeld plentie of Saltpeter so when the naile taken out of the hole shal haue the naturall culler of yron you must knowe that no Saltpeter will bee made of the earth in that place Hauing gotten a sufficient quantitie of Saltpeter earth made fine and small and a competent number of halfe buttes hogsheaddes or barrels that haue one hole made with an Augar in the bottome of euery of them you must first couer euery of the said holes on the inside with an earthen porenger and stoppe the saide holes on the outside of the vessels with tappes and spiggets This done fill vp the said halfe buttes hogsheads or barrels with the said earth within a spanne of their brimmes and remember that although the earth about the sides of euery vessell must be rammed downe yet that part of earth which lyeth in the midst of the vessell must lie loose and vnpressed After this powre a bucket or pale of cleane water by little litte vppon the saide earth When the earth hath drunke vp this water powre one other bucket or pale of cleane water in the same sort vpon that earth and continue in so doing till all the earth in the said vessels is well moistened with water which ought to lie in the saide vessels for the space of a day and a night one handbreadth in heigth aboue the earth Then pull the said tappes or spiggets out of the holes in the vessels and suffer all the saide water to droppe out into other tubbes placed directly vnder the said holes when you shall see that no more water will come or droppe into the vndermost tubbes emptie the dropped water into the vessels out of which it did droppe before and out of the same let it drop againe so long and so much as it will into the said vndermost tubbes This water which hath so soked thorow the earth in the said vessells hath twise dropped out of the higher vessels into the tubbes that are placed vnder them is called among the Italians water of the foote also the washe of earth which ought to be saued by it selfe After you haue done all this powre some other cleane water as you did before vppon the earth in the vessels and when the same water hath dropped out of the higher vessels into the tubbes standing vnder them take all the said earth out of the vessels and fill them againe as you did before with other like earth and then powre vppon this earth in the vessels the first water called water of the foote and wash of earth suffering it to droppe thorow the same into the vndermost tubbes so often till the same water tasted in your mouth will byte your tongue Note and that an egge put into this water will swim vppon the toppe of the same The first water being brought by this meanes to this perfection and strength powre the second water vppon the same earth or on other such like earth if neede bee that it may by often dropping thorow the same bee made also of a biting taste like vnto the first water and able to beare vppe an egge put into the same like as the first water called water of the foote and wash of earth
did before Now this second water being a very strong water must be boyled in a Cauldron and after it hath wel boiled abate the fire vnder the Cauldron till you haue taken of from it all the scumme which must be saued in a pot or other vessell When you haue so done make a good fire vnder the Cauldron to cause the water that is in the same to seeth or boyle quickly againe and as the water shall diminish or seethe away put more of the said first water vnto the same and as you were before willed to do scumme the said water and keepe the scumme when the scumme shall be thicke To know whē the maister water of Salt-peter is enough boyled and hard and of a French russet colour take some water with the scummer out of the Cauldron let it drop vppon a peece of yron for if the water be well and enough boyled the droppes of water will congeale vppon the same yron and if the said droppes doe not congeale it is a signe that the water in the Cauldron is not boiled enough When you shall perceiue by this signe that the water is well and enough boiled take it of from the fire and preserue it because it is the master water So soone as you haue made an end of boyling the second water you ought to boile and scumme the first water called water of the foote To know whē the first water of Saltpeter called water of the foote and wash of earth is enough boyled How water of the foote and wash of earth when it is burned may be made good againe Salt peter water must be suffered to cōgeale in a dankish close and darke place and wash of earth as you did the second water till it shall cast vp a scumme of a French russet colour vnto which if it shal happen to cleaue vnto the sides of the Cauldron you must put of the other French russet scumme that was made and saued by you before to boyle with it vntill the droppes of this water falling vppon yron wil congeale If this congealed water shall be very soft it is a signe that the water in the Cauldron is not boyled enough but if this congealed water shall be very hard it is a signe that it is burned To amend this fault which the very hard congealed water hath and to make the same water good againe put some freshe and cleare water thereunto and then hauing extinguished all the fire vnder the Cauldron and made the same Cauldron to stand a slope so that the lies and dregges which being congealed are the very salt whereof Saltpeter is made may not with any water runne ouer the brimmes of the vessell you must if you will make good Saltpeter suffer the water to settle in the same vessell and to congeale in a dankish close and darke place and after the water which will not congeale hath for the space of two or three dayes dropped out of the vessell into some other tubbe take the Saltpeter out of the saist vessell and preserue the same water because it being the master water may afterwardes be vsed when you shall haue neede of the master water The 3 Chapter How you may make an excellent kind of artificiall Saltpeter of the flowre which groeth on walles how Saltpeter water must bee boyled howe you may knowe when Saltpeter water hath boyled enough how Saltpeter water which is burned may bee made good againe and how Saltpeter in his refining doth waste TAke of flowre which groeth on walles foure partes of vnslaked Lime one parte This one part of lime must bee well boyled in water ouer a fire and after it hath boyled enough it must be taken from the fire and suffered to settle and then it must be strained into another vessell This done put the same foure parts of the said flowre into such a halfe but tubbe hogshead or other barrell as before you haue been willed to prepare for earth whereof Saltpeter shal be made powre vppon the same flowre so much of the said strained water which is named Lie or Lime water as will dissolue the same flowre When the flower is dissolued let the Lie or Lime water which hath dissolued the flower droppe out at the bottome of the sayd vessell into another tubbe set vnder the same vessell and boyle those droppes of Lie or Lime water ouer a fire till they being put vppon yron wil congeale and be of a temperate hardnesse that is to say neither too soft nor too hard It is a signe as before I haue told you that the water hath not boyled enough when the congealed droppes are too soft and it is a token that the water is burned when the congealed drops are too hard But as you haue learned the water which is burned may be made good againe with a little fresh and cleare water put vnto it After this Lie or Lime water is well and enough boyled take it of from the fire scumme it with a scummer and doe vnto it all that you haue been taught in the precedent Chapter to doe vnto the Saltpeter water that first droppeth out of vessels filled with earth So this Saltpeter will bee good with the first boyling and serue for some vses without any other refining But for to make gunpowder it ought to be refined againe though thereby it will waste a little The 4 Chapter How good Saltpeter may be knowne PVT a handful of Saltpeter vppon an oken boord or vppon a drie Walnut tree boord lay vppon the Saltpeter a quicke cole of fire and when the Saltpeter is well kindeled take the cole away from it for now if the Saltpeter be good it will burne of it selfe and ray much the table But if the Saltpeter shall as it doth burne giue any crackes it is a token that the same Saltpeter hath in it Salt and that it was refined for vnrefined Saltpeter will neuer cracke and when many dregges do remaine vppon the table after the Saltpeter is so burned they shew that the same Saltpeter had much grease in it and that it was naught The 5 Chapter How Saltpeter may be made to groe where none did groe before and how earth which hath made Salt-peter may be made after the end of fiue or sixe yeeres to yeelde more Saltpeter than it did yeelde at the first time DIssolue Saltpeter in water and wet well therewith a couered peece of ground where you will haue Saltpeter to groe then suffer that peece of ground to lie still for a certaine space of time and by so doing you shall see that the Saltpeter will groe and multiplie wonderfully in that place Also it is truth if the earth which hath made Saltpeter be heaped vp in a couered place where no raine may fall vppon the same that after the end of fiue or sixe yeres you may labour the same earth againe and finde in it more Saltpeter than it did yeeld at the first time The 6 Chapter
How Saltpeter meale is made and how Saltpeter meale without any beating will serue among other materiall things to make gunpowder HAng a kettle with a wide bottome ouer a good fire and put into that kettle a conuenient quantitie of Saltpeter when the Saltpeter shall begin to bloe frie and smoke stirre it about the kettle with a woodden ladle pulling backe the Saltpeter which shal shew white and putting forward the other Saltpeter which hath not had so much fire as the said white Saltpeter and cease not to stirre and mingle all the Saltpeter well together so as it may not melt vntill it shall waxe drie and be like a comfette for by so doing you shall take away out of the Saltpeter all the grease and Salt that was in it Then powring so much water into the kettle as will couer all the Saltpeter that is in it you must melt the same Saltpeter ouer a good fire and sturre it well about the kettle with a bigge and rounde staffe vntill it shall waxe drie againe be like meale which without any beating will serue among other materiall things to make gunpowder The 7 Chapter How Saltpeter may be refined with water by two sundrie wayes and how Saltpeter refined with water ought to be dried The first waie to refine Salt-peter with water TAke of the mixture made of Lime Ashes and Allum dissolued whereof mention hath been made in the second Chapter of this booke and in the first way to make artificiall Saltpeter of earth and into euery barrell of water that you haue put into the Cauldron for to dissolue the Saltpeter powre sixe pots full of the strong water that is also mentioned in the said first way to make artificiall Saltpeter and in the same quantitie of water so prepared put so much Saltpeter as you thinke may well be dissolued and with boyling make it to dissolue very well Then seeing it in boyling to haue cast vp scumme you shall take it out of the Cauldron and put it into a tubbe in the bottome whereof you must first put fine sand foure fingers thicknesse cleane washed couered with a linnen cloth and by a little hole made into the bottome of the tubbe you shall suffer it to droppe by little and little in some other vessell set vnder to receiue it and so this water thus strained you must afterwards put into the very same or into another Cauldron to boyle againe and to make the greater part of the same water seethe away Finally make it boyle so much vntill you shall see it readie to thicken powring now and then into the same water a little of the aforesaid strong water especially when it swelleth casteth vp scumme This done powre the said water out of the Cauldron into chestes or other vessels of wood to congeale which though it shall be a great quantitie within three or foure dayes will congeale But if any part of that water doe not within that time congeale then taking it out of the vessel boile it againe do it vnto all that you did before to the other water that is congealed And so you must doe from time to time as it gathereth together and congealeth and by this meanes you shall make the Saltpeter most white and faire and much better than at the first seething The second way to refine Saltpeter with water Saltpeter may also be refined with water in this manner put Saltpeter with Lime well slaked into a cleane Cauldron and powre vppon the Saltpeter and slaked Lime so much faire water or rather so much of the aforesaide Lie or Lime water as will couer and lie foure ynches in heigth aboue the same Saltpeter and slaked Lime Moreouer make a good fire vnder the Cauldron that the things in the same may quickly boile and bee readie as scumme shal rise to take it away with a scummer When you shal see that no more scumme will rise then take the Cauldron from the fire and setting it somewhat aslope let the boiled water coole settle and cleare in the same if the boiled water will not waxe cleare by this meanes put ashes into it aad boyle the same water againe for a while This done take the Cauldron from the fire setting it aslope sprinkle faire water vpon the boyled water for by so doing you shall make the same water cleare This water being cleare must by little and little be powred into some other vessell so as the lies dregges or grounds may not goe out with the same Saltpeter refined with water ought to be dried against the Sun or with heate of fire For of the water which lyeth aboue in the vessell Saltpeter is made and in the water at the bottome of the vessell are the lies or dregges of Saltpeter After you haue in this sort powred out the saide water into other vessels and haue suffered the same for two dayes space and more if need be to congeale in the same vessels you must take the same congealed water which is Saltpeter out of the vessels and drie the same against the Sunne or with heate of fire To know whē the water in which Saltpeter is refined hath boyled enough After you haue taken the said Saltpeter out of the vessels in which it did congeale boyle again ouer a good fire the vncongealed water which remaineth in the said vessels so long as this water doth boile scumme it if it shall cast vp any scumme let this water boile vntill the same water dropping vppon yron stone or such like things from a peece of wood put into the water will congeale for then is that time to take it from the fire Nowe this being done if you shall see a thinne skin to lie vppon the water scumme the same away and more doo vnto the same water all that you haue bin willed to doo vnto the other water which did before congeale into saltpeter Although this saltpeter made of the water which did lie in the bottome of the vessels is not so good as the Saltpeter which came of that part of water which did lie vppermost in the vessels yet may it be made as good as the other with so much labour as you are willed to bestowe vppon the other and by putting so much water vnto it as you did vnto the other for through lacke of water it will be burned Saltpeter being thus refined with water will make good gunpowder How Saltpeter refined with water ought to be dried in a Cauldron ouer a fire if it shall afterwards passe thorow a boulter or searse But to drie this Saltpeter so as it may passe thorow a fine boulter or searse put it into a Cauldron ouer a fire of Coles whereby the Saltpeter will yeeld a water fall into the flowre and melt and being well stirred in a Cauldron that all the Saltpeter may feele the heate of fire it will be a lumpe like a comfet When you shall see that this Saltpeter
mingle them togeather for to vse This kinde of gunpowder is of so great force as that it wil cause any peece of Artillerie full charged therewith to breake in peeces with a great noyse therby put them in danger of their liues that shal be then neare vnto the same peece But whosoeuer doth put into this kinde of gunpowder 24 parts of burned paper or so much of hay seede very well pounded and mingle well the same burned paper or hay seed with the said gunpowder shall so abate the force of that powder as that it will not make so vehement a flame nor giue so great a bloc as otherwise it would haue done with this kinde of gunpowder the ingenious Gunner may doe wonderfull experiments To make an other kinde of gunpowder 14 If you mingle three poundes of good gunpowder and one pound of Brimstone and Greeke pitch togeather you shall make a kinde of gunpowder which will bee a fire quickly and burne very vehemently A censure of Mute gunpowder 15 Mute gunpowder was first inuented as Brasauolus saith by a Duke of Ferrara and insomuch as it will make no noyse when it shall be shot out of a peece the saide powder is named Mute gunpowder and some men fearing it more than any other sort of gunpowder doe iudge the same powder an vnlawfull thing to bee vsed But knowing by the reasons alleaged in the first booke and 22 Colloquie of Nicholas Tartaglia his Colloquies that it is an impossible thing for gunpowder of any force to make no noise when it shal be shot out of a peece Also considering that diuers Authours namely Hieronymus Cardanus and Ioan Iacobus Weckerus doe affirme in their bookes that Mute powder is alwaies of so litle force as that it will shoote a pellet scarse twelue paces from the mouth of his peece I esteeme that feare of Mute powder as a vaine conceite and doe verily beleue vnder reformation that Mute gunpowder which as before you haue heard is weake in force and not much hurtful in effects may among all men of vnderstanding be more tollerable then any other sort of gunpowder The 17 Chapter To renue and make good againe any sort of gunpowder that hath lost his strength or vertue by moisture long lying or by any other meanes WHen you haue dried all the gunpowder which shall be renued put so much thereof as you will into a canuasse sachell or linnen bagge and then tying a corde very hard about the mouth of the bagge thrust the same into a cleane Cauldron and powre so much water into the Cauldron as will couer the bagge this done make the water to boile in the Cauldron till a droppe of it laid vppon yron or stone will congeale and while the water boyleth remember to scumme it as neede shall require After this remoue the Cauldron from the fire and setting it a slope let that bagge drop into the Cauldron and when you shall see that the water in the Cauldron is cleare poure it out by little and litle into an other vessell so as no lies or dregges may runne out with the water into the same vessell because the water must there congeale After the water is congealed take the Saltpeeter out of the vessell and as you did before boyle and scumme the water which shall then remaine in the said vessell till a droppe of it laid vpon yron or stone will congeale Also doe vnto it all that you did before vnto the congealed water and let it not greeue you to worke thus so long as any saltpeter may by this meanes bee founde in the vncongealed water The saltpeeter and Brimston which were within the said bagge did dissolue and soke into the boyling water yea the dissolued saltpeter turned into water the dissolued brimstone sunke downe to the bottome of the water where you may finde it But the coles which were mingled with the said dissolued saltpeter and brimstone remaine still within the bagge among the lies and dregges of the decayed gunpowder therefore when you haue gathered together by the meanes aboue rehearsed all the saltpeter that was in the sayd boyling water and haue well dried the said saltpeter brimstone and coles poise euery of them by it selfe and then seeing how much the part of saltpeeter so gathered doth want of the quantitie which it should haue for the sayd parts of cole and brimstone adde thereunto the portion of saltpeeter which wanteth That done beate mingle and incorporate them together as you haue bene taught to beat mingle and make nwe gunpowder The 18 Chapter How you may by taste feeling colour and burning know good and il gunpowder and how among many sortes of gunpowder you may know the best sorte of gunpowder GVnpowder that hath so mylde a taste as that you shall scant feele it on your tongue is of good receite and well wrought By how much gunpowder is in feeling more harder by so much it is more better Gunpowder of a fayre azure or french russet colour is very good and it may be iudged to haue all his receites well wrought and sufficient of the master well refined Lay 3. or 4. cornes of gunpowder vppon a white peece of paper the one three fingers distant from the other and put fire to one of them Now if the gunpowder be good and strong you shall see them all at one time a fire and that there will remayne no refuse or grosenesse of brimston or of saltpeeter nor any other thing except a white smokie colour in the place where they were burned neither will the paper be burnt or defiled therewith If good gunpowder be layde vppon the palme of your hande and set on a fire it will not burne your hande Gunpowder that hath a very sharpe taste hath abundance of the master not wel refined and will geue againe If white knottes or knottes of a french russet colour shall remayne after gunpowder is set on a fire it is a signe that the saltpeeter in that sorte of gunpowder was not wel refined but lefte full of salte and grease especially when the same knottes shall hisse in burning be dankish and leaue moysture in the place where the gunpowder was burned If harde dry and white knottes or pearles shall remayne after gunpowder is set on a fire it is a signe that this sorte of gunpowder was not well wrought An admonition And it behooueth euery Gunner to beware of such gunpowder because if it doe lie long dry in a peece it will waxe so fine with long and dry lying that if you take it not out of the peece it will in his discharge with fire put the same peece in danger of breaking If small black knottes which will burne downwards in the place where proofe is made shall remayne after gunpowder is set on a fire they doe shewe that the same sorte of gunpowder hath not enough of the maister and that it is of little force or strength and slowe in fiering If
a little heape of gunpowder set in a fire doth make a noyse rise vp with great speede and yeelde little smoke it is a signe that the saltpeeter in that heape of gunpowder was well refined and well wrought and that the materials in the sayde heape were well incorporated If the flame of fiered gunpowder shall rise vp slowly continue long make little noyse yeelde much smoke it is a signe that the same gunpowder had in it much cole brimston and a little quantitie of saltpeeter If gunpowder burned vppon a boorde shall black the same boorde it is a signe that too much cole was in the same gunpowder When gunpowder is moyste or full of the earth of saltpeeter it is naught for to be shot out of great ordinance because it putteth him in perill which shooteth with the same in time of neede shaming the Gunner which doth occupie it serueth to no effect If gunpowder be very black it is a signe that it was made with very much cole or that it is moyste and when you rubbe it vppon a peece of white paper it will black the same paper more than it should doe Among many sortes of gunpowder to know which sorte is best make a little heape of euery sorte of gunpowder and then setting those heapes one from another marke well when you put fire vnto them which of the heapes did soonest take fire For that sorte of gunpowder which will soonest be a fire make least smoke leaue least refuse is the best gunpowder The 19 Chapter To make diuers sortes of gunmatches and other matches which will serue to discharge great small peeces of artillerie and geue fire to trunkes pykes mines dartes arrowes all other firewoorkes Make small ropes or cordes of bumbas or of cotton wooll put the same into an earthen pot or pan which must haue in it so much strong vineger or rather aqua vitae brimstone and saltpeeter or in steade of saltpeeter grosse gunpowder mingled together as will couer the same ropes and seeth all those things together in the same pot ouer a fire vntill the aqua vitae brimstone and saltpeeter or grosse gunpowder shall waxe thicke and incorporate and then pull the same ropes well soked in that composition one after another out of the pot and hang one of them from another vppon a pole to dry in the sunne so as when they are thorow dry you may winde or role them vp for gunmatches to geue fire vnto great smal peeces of artillerie mynes trunkes pikes dartes arrowes pottes hollow pellettes and all other firewoorkes An other way to make Gunmatches Take cordes made of hempe that is not very fine or of toe which is better although it will sooner consume and let euery corde be so big as a mans great finger Also choose such cords for this purpose as are nor much wreathed this done boyle the same cords in strong lie ashes and a little of saltpeeter til all the lie shal be consumed An other way to make Gunmatches Take cordes made of toe and beate them with a woodden hammer vppon a quicke stone â—unmatches â—hich will â—…rne in moyst â—…aces in waâ—…r vnder snoe â—…d yce â—ou may also â—…arne to â—…ake an vnâ—…enchable â—…nmatch by â—…e lxxxviii â—hapter of â—is appendix â—atches â—hich will â—…ne conâ—…me very â—…ickly and â—…rne his â—…ote that shal â—…ade vppon â—…em Also take of turpentine nwe waxe and common oyle of each an equall parte couer and boyle the cordes in the turpentine waxe and oyle till the sayd liquide composition shall be consumed and then take the cordes out of the vessel in which they did boyle and beate them againe a little and when you haue so done suffer them to dry in the shadowe This sorte of gunmatches will preserue fire in any moyste place and also in water and vnder snoe and yee An other way to make matches which wil serue to geue fire to trunkes pottes pikes darts arrows hollow pellettes and al other such like fireworkes Take cordes made of three or fourethreedes of bumbas spinned coursely boyle them in a nwe nealed pot filled full of strong white vineger till all the vineger shal be consumed then take the cordes out of the pot wring them and dry them in the shadow or at the fire if you haue haste to vse them You may also boyle the same cordes in saltpeeter water or in cleere lie and saltpeeter and when you haue so done you must wring the moysture out of them that done you must wet them in aqua vitae and after wring them againe lightly then role them in fine gunpowder and suffer them to lie in fine gunpowder till they are dry A match thus made doth burne and consume very quickly because it hath beene wet in aqua vitae wherefore you must not wet your match in aqua vitae if you wil not haue it to burne and consume very quickly Also one of these matches after it hath beene thrice boyled in saltpeeter water or in cleere lie and saltpeeter thrice wet in aqua vitae and thrice roled in fine gunpowder will burne your foote if you shall happen to treade vppon it The 20. Chapter To make touchwood and tinder for a Gunners Tinder boxe TAke those great things which are called olde Todestooles growing at the bottomes of nuttrees beechtrees okes and such other like trees drye them with the smoke of fire then cut them into so many peeces as you will and hauing well beaten them boyle theÌ„ in stronglie with waule floure or saltpeeter till all the lie shal be consumed After this laying them in a heape vppon a boorde drie them in an ouen which must not be made verie hotte and after you haue so done beate them well with a woodden mallet and when you shall haue cause to vse any parte of those To destooles now by the meanes aboue declared made touchwood rubbe well that parte betweene your handes for to make it softe and apte to take fire But when you will make tinder for a Gunners tinder boxe take peeces of fustian or of olde and fine linnen clothe make them to burne and flame in a fire suddenly before the flame which is in theÌ„ doth die choke their fire keepe their tinder so made in a boxe lined within with clothe to the ende it may not be moyste at any time The 21 Chapter To make a stone which being wette with water or spittle will flame and be a fire and serue to light candles and gunmatches in such places where by reason of rayne or other moysture you can not light candles or matches by any other meanes PVt a loadestone into a pot or other like vessel then fill the same pot or vessell with Colophonia and vnquenched or vnslaked lime so as the sayde stone may lie buryed in the same Colophonia and lime After this set the sayd pot close stopped with potters clay or with that kinde of
peece called in Italian Schioppo doth shoote more straighter and more farther at a leuell marke than an Harchibuse can do and how an harchibuse will be to more effect and pearce farther into an obiect placed within a common distance than the said Schioppo can do And also how there is a kind of Schioppo which will at an equall distance pearce farther into an obiest than an Harchibuse can doe Interlocutors L. Gabriel Tadino Prior of Barletta Nicholas Tartaglia PRior What is the cause that a peece which is called in Italian Schioppo doth shoote more straighter and more farther at a leuell marke or in a right line than an harchibuse can doe seeing the Harchibuse will be to more effect and pearce farther into an obiect placed within a common distance than that Shioppo can doe Nicho. The cause hereof is for that peraduenture the pellet of the Harchibuse is more greater than the pellet of that Schioppo and that the waight of the Harchibuse pellet doth hinder the swift flying of the same pellet As for example Example suppose that such a Schioppo will shoote a pellet of ½ ounce in waight at length in a right line 400 paces and that an Harchibuse will shoote a pellet of an ounce in waight in a right line but onely 300 paces You must vnderstanst and that in this Colloquie N. Tartaglia doth meane by these words right line an insensible crooked line now I say that in a distance of an hundred or of 150 paces the Harchibuse will pearce farther than the saide Schioppo will doe although at that place the pellet of that Schioppo flyeth more swiftly by the reasons alleaged in the 4. proposition of the first booke of our nwe science than the pellet of the Harchibuse And therefore if it bee so as your Lordship sayeth the pellet of the Harchibuse should by reason be more greater than the pellet of the Schioppo Prior. It is true that an Harchibuse doth generally cary a greater pellet then doth the Schioppo and yet there is a kind of Schioppo which shootes pellets as bigge as any Harchibuse doth Nicolas When a Schioppo doth carye so greate a pellet as an Harchibuse and shootes more straighter or more farther in a leuel line then an Harchibuse doth then without doubt at an equall distance such a Schioppo will pearce farther into an obiect than the Harchibuse will doe Prior. by reason it should be so as you say and you haue spoken enough for this euening The 16. Colloquie How a peece of Artillerie will doe a greater effect against a wall or any other thing standing firme and fast vpon the ground than it will doe against a shippe or Gallie moouing on the Sea And how a peece of Artillerie will doe a greater effect against a shippe or Gallie which doth come towardes it than it will doe against a shippe or Gallie which doth saile from it and how the thing which doth more let a mouing bodie is more thrust stroken and hurt with the said mouing bodie than that thing is which doth lesse let the said mouing bodie Interlocutors L. Gabriel Tadino Prior of Barletta Nicholas Tartaglia PRior What is the cause that when a pellet being shot out of a great peece of Artillerie and hitting a shippe or a Gallye on the Sea doth pearce into the ship or Gallie but a little way in respect of that it vseth to doe when it is shot against a wall for euery shippe or gallie as it is well knowne is made of plancks of wood and therfore when 2 or 3 ships lye neare together it is to be thought that a great peece of Artillery being discharged at thē in respect of that it will doe against a thicke wall should by reason shoot thorow all their sides yet seldom times it happeneth that the pellet doth penetrate thorow both the sides of one ship for oftentimes the pellet resteth within the ship or gallie Nicho. Note It is manifest by naturall reason that the thing which doth more let a moouing body is more thrust strooken and hurt with the saide moouing bodie the walles then standing firme and fast on the ground doe let more the waye or range of the pellet than a shippe or gallie doth when it moueth on the Sea and through that mouing the shippe or gallie yeeldeth somewhat to the stroke of the pellet wherby the pellet worketh not that great effect nor pearceth into it so far as it would haue done if the shippe or gallie had bin well fixed and set fast in the ground as the walles are so that by this reason a peece of Artillery is to more effect against a wall or any other thing standing firme and fast on the ground than against a shippe or gallie moouing on the Sea Note And a peece of Artillerie will be to more effect against a shippe or gallie which doth come towardes it than against a shippe or Gallie that doth saile from it for the shippe which comes towardes the peece comes against the range of the pellet and therfore the pellet doth a more effect against it than it would haue done if the shippe had stoode firme on the Sea And the shippe or gallie which goeth or faileth from the peece yeeldeth more to the stroke of the pellet than that shippe or Gallie doth which standes firme and quiet on the Sea Prior. I do vnderstand you well The 17. Colloquie How you may get out quickely the nayles or any other thing which shall happen by any maner of meanes to be put into the touchholes of great peeces of Artillerie Interlocutors L. Gabriel Tadino Prier of Barletta Nicholas Tartaglia PRior Tell me brieflye if by chaunce in the tyme of any suddaine assault the Artillery should be choked with nayles or otherwise whether it be possible to deuise a waie to vnchoke quickly and vppon the sudden the same Artillery I say vpon the sudden because many know how to do it and doe the same with a certaine water or oyle which being put vppon the touchhole that is choked eates the same choking and so vnchoketh the peece There are other as I vnderstand which do the same with a borer that is to say with such a thing as doth make the touchhole But euery of these waies require some time for to do the same but when a great many peeces are to be vnchoked I would know a waie how if it be possible they might be quickly vnchoked Nicho. Such a thing may be done except I be deceaued by charging all the same Artillerie with such pellets as shal go downe hardlie into their peeces Then after the peeces are so charged lay them against the same place at which you should haue had occasion to shoote if they had beene vnchoked and hauing made a trayne of powder within the concauitie from the mouth of the pece vnto the pellet in euery peece watch for an occasion that you may not shoote in vaine and vpon occasion offered to shoote
Italian Authors Nicholas Tartaglia Vannuccio Biringuccio Girolamo Ruscelli Girolamo Cataneo Francesco Ferretti Cosimo Bartoli Gio Francesco Peuerone Abel Fullone Luigi Collado Latin Authors Daniel Santbech Sebastian Munsterus Ioan Baptista Porta Hieronymus Cardanus Ioan Iacobus Weckerus Anton Maria. Gemma Frisius Hermannus Witekindus Thomas Finck Ioan Demerlierius Christian Vrstisius English Authors M. Robert Recorde Doctor of Phisike M. William Cunningham Doctor of Phisike M. Leonarde Digges Gent. M. Thomas Digges Gent. M. Peter Withorne Gent. The first Chapter The properties office and duetie of a Gunner A Gunner ought to be a sober wakefull lustie hardie patient prudent and quick sprited man he ought also to haue a good eysight a good iudgement and perfect knowledge to select a conuenient place in the day of seruice to plant his Ordinance where he may doe most hurt vnto the enemies and be least anoyed by them and where his Ordinance may not be surprised by the enemie A Gunner ought to be skilfull in Arithmeticke and Geometrie to the ende he may be able by his knowledge in those artes to measure heights depthes breadthes and lengthes and to drawe the plat of any peece of ground and to make mines countermines artificiall firewoorkes rampiars gabbions or baskets of earth and such like things which are vsed in time of warre to be made for offensiue and defensiue seruice A Gunner ought also to procure with all his power the frendship and loue of euery person and to be carefull for his owne safetie and for the preseruation of all those that shal be about him Also he ought to be no surfeter nor a great or sluggish sleeper but he must gouerne him selfe in al times as a wise modest sober honest and skilfull man ought to doe that through want of vnderstanding he may neuer leese his credite nor an vniuersall victorie which oftentimes by the meanes of good Gunners well managing their peeces is gotten Also a Gunner ought at the receite of his charge to make an Inuitorie of al such things as shall be committed to his charge as well to render an account as to consider the want of such necessaries as to the Artillerie apperteineth And when a Gunner shall be appoynted to doe an exployte he ought to want neither a fire stone nor a tyndar box with a good steele nor flintstones nor tindar nor gunmatches nor a flaske full of good touchpowder to kindle his gunmatch and fire when neede shall require Also when a Gunner shall be appoynted to doe an exployte he must lay his powder twenty paces from his Peeces in such a place where no fire water or hurt may come vnto it through any person or by reason of any winde weather or otherwise and keeping his powder alwayes couered he must not be vnmindfull of this that it is a very dangerous thing for a Gunner to trust many because a generall hurt and death may thereuppon followe Also a Gunner that hath a charge ought to haue alwayes in a readinesse all necessarie things for his artillerie that is to say wheeles axeltrees ladles rammers spunges gunpowder pellettes tampions chaineshot crossebarres sustian canuas or paper for cartredges and firewoorkes fourmes for ladles and cartredges needles threed to sowe and binde the cartredges and firewoorkes artificiall torches candles lantornes mattockes shouels crowes of yron handaxes leuers enguines for the mounting and imbasing of ordinance ropes little handbaskets glwe or payst horsecollers horses or oxen to drawe his peeces all manner of cartware carters to guyde and keepe his horses and oxen and a sufficient number of Gunners and assistants to charge discharge mount imbase wadde ramme make cleane scoure and coole his peeces when they are ouer heated and to haue for this purpose vineger and faire colde water Also a Gunner ought alwayes to haue a gunners staffe or a partisant or a halbert sticking by him for a part of his defence and he ought to put into the cocke of his Gunners staffe a gunmatch or wrappe about the lower end of his staffe partisant and halbert a good gunmatch which may geue fire vnto his peeces of artillerie when neede shall require Also a Gunner ought not to sleepe much at any time of the day or night when he is appoynted to serue in the fielde or in any other place nor to eate or drinke in any other roome than where his peeces of artillerie are planted because in his absence the same peeces may be choked poysoned and harmed by diuers wayes and that he may many times vppon a sudden haue good occasion to discharge all his peeces And it is requisite for a Gunner to fixe vppon the tayle of the carriage of his peece a chest to holde his necessary things and to defende him from small shot when he shal serue in a place where no baskets of earth are set to defend him Also a Gunner ought to haue a ruler and a payre of compasses to measure the heigth length of euery peece his concauitie and the length depth and widenesse of euery ladle whereby he may know whether his peece is laden with too much powder or is charged with a lesse quantitie of powder than it ought to haue A Gunner ought to knowe the names length and waight of all manner of peeces and be able to tell readilie how much gunpowder is a due charge for euery peece how manie times in one day euery peece may without harme be shot of how many Gunners and assistants or labourers ought to attend vppon euery peece how many horses or oxen will drawe euery peece what sorte of peeces doe commonly carry pellettes of lead what sorte of peeces doe shoote Pellettes of yron what sorte of peeces are vsually laden with pellettes of stone and what sorte of peeces haue chambers and how euery kinde of peece should be charged with his powder tampion pellet and wadde Also a Gunner must be skilfull to make Saltpeeter to refine and sublime Saltpeeter to make diuers sortes of gunpowder to make coles for gunpowder to purifie brimstone for Saltpeeter to make cartredges to amend and make good agayne euery sorte of gunpowder which by any manner of meanes hath lost his vertue and force and tell how much Saltpeter ought to be put into the sayd vnforceable gunpowder to make it so strōg as it was before and how many times the saltpeeter which shall be put into the sayde gunpowder ought to be refined Also a Gunner in time of seruice ought to forbyd with meeke and courteous speeches all manner of persons other than his appoynted assistantes to come neere his peeces to the ende that none of his peeces may be choked poysoned or hurt and he ought not for any prayers or rewarde to lende any peece of his gunmatch to another person because it may be very hurtfull to him in time of seruice to lacke the same Also a Gunner before he goeth to doe any exployte ought to consider of all thinges which shal be needeful for him to
fire and water out of drie and durtie grounde or of the flower that groweth out of walles in sellers or out of that ground which is found loose within vaultes tombes or desolate caues where rayne cannot come in And as some thinke artificiall saltpeeter hath greater vertue and more strength than mynerall saltpeeter But the best artificiall saltpeeter is made of beastes dung conuerted into earth in stables or in dunghilles of a long time not vsed aboue all other of the same dung which comes of gotes and hogges And it is requisite what dung so euer it be that by continuance of time it be well resolued into earth and all the humiditie thereof being dryed that the same earth should be as it were a subtile and fine powder When you shall haue occasion to make of this dung or earth a great quantitie of artificiall saltpeeter The first way to make artificiall Saltpeter of earth it will be necessarie for you to prouide many cauldrons furnaces barrelles or tubbes and likewise wood white lime ashes of olde oke and a sufficient quantitie of the sayde earth and a great barne or other walled house neere to the water that you may haue enough thereof and of euery other material thing But first the furnaces must be made for the cauldrons they must be placed thereō as they are which Diers vse Then there must be prepared ioystes so long as the house and so broade that vppon them commodiously aboue ground may stand buttes with their heads knocked out square chestes barrels or tubbes to the number of 50. 60. or 100. according to the cauldrons and the capacitie of the place and betweene euery two of those vessels there must be set a halfe tubbe to receaue the water that shall runne out Or there would be placed a gutter or canel of wood along vnder the holes of the vessels which are set aboue the ground so that it may conuey all the water which commeth from them into one or two great tubbes sufficient to holde all the water that shall be full of the substāce of Saltpeeter And in the buttes which haue their heads knocked out barrels or tubbes I say in the bottome of euery of them a hole must be made on the one side with an Augar or els three or foure little holes may be made with a good big perser and vppon them you may lay a little thinne linnen cloath or els the sweeping ende of a broome or some strawe for to keepe the yerth vp and to strayne the water that shall be put amongst the same yerth which is to be wrought when it is tasted with the mouth so that it be certaine that it contayneth Saltpeeter Then there must be made in the middest of the house where the sayd Saltpeeter is to be wrought a great hil next vnto which must be made another hil halfe so big which must be made with two partes of vnslaked lime and three partes of oke ashes or other ashes which in taste are very strong and sharpe and then the one hill must be wel mingled with the other and with the same composition the tubbes must be filled which are set aloft vppon the ioystes within a span of the mouth or els minding not to mingle with the yerth the ashes and the lime together you may put first a span thicknesse of yerth in the bottome of the tubbe and then three fingers thicknesse of the aforesayde lime and ashes and afterwardes vppon the same another span in thicknesse of yerth and on that likewise another three or foure fingers thicknesse of lime and ashes and so putting into the sayd tubbes one rew of one thing and another rew of another thing you ought to fill all the buttes and tubbes or other vessels that you haue placed euen as aboue I haue sayd within a span of the mouthes of them and the rest which is then left empty you must fill with water the which running through all the yerth by a little and a little must drop into the tubbes that stande vnder to receaue it or into a gutter or canel or where you list so that it be conueyed into one two or three sundry tubbes or where you thinke good and so you must wel and diligently gather all the water which was powred vppon the yerth after it hath passed through the holes in the bottome of the tubbes in such wise that it may bring with it all the substance and vertue of the saltpeeter which was in the sayd earth whereof by putting some of it on your tongue you may taste and finding it biting and very salte To know good Saltpeter water it is a token that it is good and that you haue done wel if not powre it againe vppon the very same earth or vppon some other nwe earth But finding the first earth full of substance so much as sufficeth you may againe powre vppon it more water to wash better the remnant of the earth albeit this second water would be saued in another vessel and after this the earth may likewise be washed the thirde time to the intent that all the substance thereof may be perfectly gotten But this seconde nor the thirde ought not to be mingled with the first if it happen not to come of the very same taste the which I beleeue that it wil not but it must be put by it selfe in other vessels for that it is good to powre vppon the change of the next earth and so you may proceede gathering a good quantitie of such water taking heede neuerthelesse that it be full of the substance of saltpeeter the which if it seeme vnto you not of the same perfection as you would haue it you may powre it againe vppon the very same earth or vppon other nwe til such time as it shal satisfie you and that you shal knowe it to be ful of the substāce of saltpeeter Besides this there must be made a furnace with one or two cauldrons of brasse wauled thereon which must be so great as those which the Dyers vse these cauldrōs must then be filled with the sayd saltpeter water the which as alredy I haue tolde ought to be so ful of substāce as may be so that it haue about the two third partes and make it faire and softly to boyle so much till it come to one thirde part or there aboutes and after take it of and put it to settle in a great vessel couered which must be wel bound about with hoopes of yron and sure and close in the ioyning thereof to the intent it spill not And thus when the same water is setled cleere and from the earth and grosse matter which in it remayned diligently purged it must be taken out and boyled againe of nwe in the same cauldron or in some other And forasmuch as at euery time that it boyleth if it be not taken heed of it turneth into skumme and sometimes swelleth so much that by running ouer it spilleth
to passe out at and thorowe the saide hole in the bottome of the furnace put fire to the said stickes When the fire hath well burned vpwardes to the middest of the pyle within the furnace stoppe vp the said hole in the bottome of the furnace with a fitte stone well luted so as no smoke may come out at that loâ—rmost hole Note This done the said vppermost hole must also be stopped vp when you shall see that no smoke commeth out of the same hole for the Coles in the said pyle being then burned enough if any one of the saide holes should afterwards be left open all the Coles in the said pyle would burne to ashes Finallie after the said holes haue been closed vp in this maner for the space of two dayes and two nights you may vncouer the toppe of the sayde Furnace and the heate of the fire that was in the Coles being gone pull away the stone below and at your pleasure take all the Coles out of the Furnace To make a small quantitie of Coles for fine gunpowder The third way to make coles for gunpowder take young Hasell wood of a yeere olde without any barke or rines and hauing cut them in short peeces put the same peeces into a great earthen pot or into a vessell of yron or brasse and that pot or vessell being close shut and couered lay lute or clay very well about the pot or vessell so that it may not breath then make fire rounde about the pot or vessell and also vppon it til such time as you shall vppon good aduisement thinke that the heate is well entred in through all partes of the vessell and that the stickes within are well kindeled and only through such heate without firebrandes or flame burned After this the Coles within the pot or vessell being burned enough take the fire from the pot or vessell suffer the Coles within the said pot or vessell to coole before you take them out Also you may make in hast a small quantitie of Coles for gunpowder in this maner The 4 way to make coles for gunpowder Take so many drie Hasell stickes cut in short peeces without any barke or rynes as will be sufficient to serue your purpose and laying them close togeather on a heape set them a fire and after you haue well burned them sprinkle water vppon them with a broome till you haue quenched their fire and in so doing scatter the Coles heere and there that they being so with water throughly quenched may drie well againe The 12 Chapter How you may make a mixture of Brimstone and quickesiluer for gunpowder and how Brimstone which shall serue for gunpowder ought alwaies to be very drie and without any fat MElt scumme and straine your Brimstone as before in the tenth Chapter of this booke you haue been taught After this melt againe the same Brimstone and then taking it from the fire put thereunto so much quicksiluer as you will stirring them together with a sticke vntill they are incorporated When you doe put quicke siluer into the melted Brimstone hold your face so farre as you may from it An admonition because if any quicksiluer or Brimstone should leape vp out of the pot hit your face it would doe you much hurt Also you must vnderstand that the Brimstone which shal serue for gunpowder ought alwayes to be very drie for that the fatte of Brimstone doth make dregges in gunpowder and is offensiue to the Saltpeeter that is in any sort of gunpowder The 13 Chapter How the makers of gunpowder doe mingle togeather the simples and materiall thinges of which they doe make gunpowder and how gunpowder must be kept in drie vessels of wood and laide in high roomes of houses and how an emptie caske of wood ought to waie 12 poundes and euery caske filled full of gunpowder ought to waie one hundred waight of Auer de poize waight and how euery last of gunpowder ought to waye 24 hundred waight of the said Auer de poize waight SOme vse to waie euery of the simples and materiall things whereof gunpowder is made by it selfe and afterwardes they do mingle beate all the same things togeather Others hauing beaten and searsed euery simple wherof gunpowder is made by it selfe doe mingle the same togeather But the best most readiest way is to put all the Saltpeeter which you will occupie into a Cauldron that must haue so much water in it as will when the same is made hot with fire suffice to dissolue the said saltpeter which being so dissolued ought to be washed and laid when it is washt vppon a cleane and firme place or peece of grounde This done beate the quantitie of Cole which is to bee added vnto the mixture into very fine powder and putting the same powder vnto the dissolued Saltpeeter stirre and incorporate them well togeather and as you doe stirre and turne togeather with a staffe the Saltpeeter and Cole you must cast vppon them a due quantitie of Brimstone finely beaten and well searsed and continue in stirring of them togeather till the sayd Saltpeeter Coles and Brimstone shall be well mingled After this lay foorth that mixture to drie a little and when the same mixture somewhat dried by beating the Cole till it bee subtile and inpalpable is made a very fine incorporate substance sift it well thorow a Sâ—eue or rather a searse then casting water and vineger vppon it corne the gunpowder and when you haue so done drie it well againe or after it is drie put all the same gunpowder into cleane and drie vessels of wood which ought to be laid in high roomes of houses where little comming is for other reasons than that it may lie there drie And forsomuch as in England we do vse to put our gunpowder into woodden vesselles called Caskes 16 ounces doe make 1 pound of Auer de poize waight and 112 pouÌ„ds doe make one huÌ„dred waight of the same Auer de poize waight note well that an emptie Caske of wood ought to waie twelue poundes and that euery such Caske filled full of gunpowder ought to waie one hundred waight of auer de poize waight Also note that 24 such Caskes of gunpowder are named a Last of gunpowder and that euery Last of gunpouder ought to waie 24 hundred waight of the said auer de poize waight The 14 Chapter How you may grinde or beate gunpowder by sixe sundrie waies how gunpowder ought not to be beaten drie and how you may know whether or no gunpowder is well beaten or enough grounde MAny men doe grinde gunpowder in such milles as doe serue to grinde crabbes to make vergys appels to make sider And some stamp the powder in a stone morter large in the mouth with a woodden pestell like vnto a hammer or maule And some cause the powder to be stamped in morters with a water mill or a horse mill which way is the best of all other and
most surest for the powder is thereby more finely beaten and with lesse labour Some which haue not the commoditie of water make a great wheele after such sort that the cogges thereof shall raise vppe many heauie pestels which in falling downe doe beate the powder lying within diuers morters of wood made in a beame of Oke Among which there bee some that haue their bottomes of brasse Some stampe gunpowder with pestels which they holde in their handes and tie to the ende of a poole with a corde right ouer a morter of wood or brasse and so they beate with lesse paine And some grinde gunpowder with handmilles as they vse to grinde corne which is a painefull and dangerous way You shall kindle fire by rubbing two Bay stickes togeather with violence An admonition because such a composition ground togeather with stones will soone catch heate and bee a fiar euen as by rubbing together with violence a couple of Bay stickes you shall straight way kindle fire Wherefore in grinding and beating gunpowder after this last way or any other way it behooueth all men to take heede that they doe not grinde or beate the same drie but wet with water to a certaine degree of moistnesse so that taking it vp in one hand it may cling togeather Some for this purpose doe moysten it with vineger and some with Camphored aqua vitae and they say that the powder will therewith be made more stronger But neither vineger nor aqua vitae will be better than water to make gunpowder forceable and strong because they vaporing away little of their substance can remaine Note By drawing gunpowder with your finger and in like maner by breaking or cutting with a knife a part thereof you may know whether or no it is well and enough grounde or beaten For if in the said broken part you shall see all blacke within and no Saltpeeter or Brimstone in the same then vndoubtedly that sort of gunpowder is well and enough beaten And contrariwise if you shal perceiue any Saltpeeter or Brimstone within that broken or cut part then it is certaine that the same sort of gunpowder is not beaten enough The 15 Chapter How you may corne gunpowder FIrst prepare a Seeue with a bottome of thicke parchment made full of round holes and then moystening the Gunpowder which shall be corned with water put the same and also a little bowle into that Seeue and when you haue so done sift the powder so as the said bowle rolling vp and downe in the Seeue may breake the cloddes of powder and make the same powder by running through the holes of the Seeue to corne The 16 Chapter How you may make diuers sorts of gunpowder and how you may make gunpowder of diuers colours and how you may abate the force of gunpowder and how for want of aqua vitae and vineger to moisten gunpowder you may vse the water of Saltpeeter or if you will the vrine of a man how Mute gunpowder is of little force To make grosse gunpowder for great Ordinance 1 Take of Saltpeeter 4 partes Fine Brimstone 1 part Cole of Willoe Hasell or some other soft wood 1 part out of euery pounde waight that is in the same part of Brimstone take away one ounce of Brimstone and then hauing beaten and sifted thorow a Searse euery of the said materials or simples by it selfe you shall moysten them with very strong white Vineger and incorporate them togeather for through that moystnesse the powder will be made more stronger and beaten more finer An admonition yet take heede that you doe not stampe this powder so much as you shall be willed to stampe the two sortes of gunpowder next following for handegunnes because it may thereby be made too strong and able to breake any great Peece of Artillerie that shall be charged with an ordinary charge thereof You may know whether or no this mixture is enough beaten by breaking or cutting a part thereof for after you haue broken or cut a little part or peece of the powder if you shall perceaue that the Brimstone is finely beaten and that no Saltpeeter can bee seene within the same broken peece then you may know that this mixture of gunpowder is enough beaten After this mixture hath been so beaten sift it thorow a Seeue or searse to make it to corne and all that part thereof which will not passe thorow a Seeue or searse beate againe in a morter and by such meanes make it to passe thorow the Seeue or searse that it may also be corne gunpowder which being dried will as I haue tolde you before be best kept in close and drie vesselles of wood To make fine gunpowder for Handgunnes 2 Take of Saltpeeter fiue partes of Coles made of young Hasell twigges or of the wood of a young Willoe tree one part of Brimstone one part lacking one ounce in euery pounde waight that is in the same part of Brimstone 672 partes of this sort of gunpowder are equall in force to 720 parts of that sort of gunpowder which is before marked with the figure of 1. beate during the space of sixe houres euery of the said simples and materiall thinges by it selfe into fine powder and sift each of those powders by it selfe twise or thrise thorow a fine Seeue or searse and then incorporate them togeather Moreouer hauing moystened the same mixture with strong vineger you ought to beate it well againe and in so doing to remember that the mixture is beaten enough when by cutting or breaking a peece thereof you shall see it all blacke within and no Saltpeter or Brimstone within the same After the said mixture hath been enough beaten fift it againe thorow a fine Seeue and corne it that when it is drie the same may be kept in vessels of wood for to charge Handgunes To make more finer gunpowder for Handgunnes 3 Take of Saltpeeter sixe partes of Cole made of the twigges or bowes of a Nut tree of one yeeres groth one parte of Brimstone one part lacking one ounce in euery pounde waight that is in the same part of Brimstone 640 partes of this sort of gunpowder are equall in force to 672 parts of that sort of gunpowder which is before marked with the figure of 2. beate euery of the said simples and materiall thinges by it selfe into very fine powder and sift each of those powders by it selfe three times at the least thorow a searse or fine Seeue and remember alwaies to beate againe that powder which remaining in the searse or fine Seeue can not passe thorow the same to this end that euery part thereof may be sifted thorow the searse or fine Seeue When you haue in this maner sifted all these powders thorow the searse or fine Seeue mingle them togeather and sift them againe altogeather thorow that searse or Seeue This done moysten the same mixture with strong vineger or Saltpeeter water and beate it in a
clay which is called Lutum sapientiae in a hotte furnace vntil it be throughlie baked and then hauing taken the sayde pot out of the furnace put the sayde loadestone Colophonia and vnslaked lime in an other pot and set this pot likewise stopped with the sayd potters clay or with the clay named Lutum sapientiae in a hotte furnace and doe this so many times togeather one after an other till the sayd stony mixture shall be made very white and be dry burned for then the sayde stone is perfect and being wette with water or spittle wil flame and be a fire This stone being agayne quenched must be kept in a hotte or warme place and it is a needefull thing for many purposes though in this place I doe teach you to make the same for no other cause than to light your candles and gunmatches and to kindle fire in such places where by reason of rayne or other moysture you cannot light nor kindle such things by any other meanes 2 An other way to make a like stone which being well wette with water or spittle will flame and be a fire Take of quicke brimston and of saltpeeter refined of each a like quantitie of camphire double so much as you tooke of brimstone or saltpeeter whereunto adde nwe lime made of the stone before mentioned in the first way of this Chapter Beate all these thinges togeather in a morter vnto so fine powder as you may possiblie doe Then the sayd powder being straightly wrapped and bound harde together in a linnen clothe must be put into an earthen vessel closely stopped with potters clay or with clay named Lutum sapientiae after the same shal be well dryed with the heate of the sunne set the sayde vessell in a potters furnace for so long time as his pottes are baking and when the pottes are baked wherein you must be very circumspect take your sayde vessel out of the furnace and vse the stone which you shall finde in the vessell made of the sayde powder as you haue before beene taught to vse the stone mentioned in the first way of this Chapter 3 An other way to make a like stone which being wette with water or spittle will flame bee a fire Take of the stone which you haue learned to make in the first way of this Chapter one pound of saltpeeter oftentimes refined fowre poundes of camphire quicke brimstone which hath neuer beene set ouer a fire oyle of turpentine and tartar of each of these a like quantitie Beate all these things togeather in a morter vntil you haue made thereof a fine powder Then sifte the same powder thorow a very fine seeue or searse If any parte of that powder shall be so grosse beaten as that it wil not goe thorowe but remayne in the seeue or searse you must put againe that remaynder into the morter and hauing beaten it into fine powder sifte the same thorow the sayde seeue or searse vppon the other powder After this put all the same things into a glasse and powre vppon the same mixture so much burning water made of sower wine as will drowne and couer it When you haue so done stoppe the mouth of the glasse with potters clay or with Lutum sapientiae that no ayre may come out of the glasse Then bury the sayde glasse in dung for 2. or 3. monethes space and at euery 10. dayes ende during that time take the glasse out of the dung and hauing shaken well together the sayde thinges which are in the sayde glasse bury the same glasse in fresh dung that the mixture in the same dung may incorporate waxe thicke like hony and appeare to be a substance made of one thing All this being done set the sayde glasse ouer a hotte fire vntill all the moysture within the same shal be cleane dryed vp and the mixture within the glasse shall be turned into a stone After a stone is so made of that mixture breake the sayde glasse and take the sayde stone out of it and when you will vse this stone to light your candle or gunmatch or to kindle a fire beate some of it into powder which being wette with spittle or water will flame and be a fire This kinde of stone as Ioan Baptista Porta and Iacobus Weckerus haue written is to be commended aboue all other stones which being wette with water or spittle wil kindle and flame 4 An other way to make a like stone which being wette with water or spittle will flame and be a fire Take quicke lime and saltpeeter refined diuers times dry Tutia Alexandrina vnprepared calaminte stone as much of the one as of the other quick brimstone and camphire of each of thē 2 parts beate all these things into very fine powder hauing sifted this powder thorow a seeue or searse binde it vp hard within a nwe peece of linnen clothe and put it I meane the powder so bound into a couple of Goldsmithes crosettes or melting pots and set one of them vppon the other mouth to mouth bynding them fast with wire and couering them all ouer where neede shall require with Lutum sapientiae so that it may take no manner of ayre This done drie them in the sunne till the powder within the sayd crosettes shall be yeallowe and then set the crosettes in a furnace of bricke or lime and leaue them there till the fire in the sayd furnace shall be extinguished and then taking the sayde crosettes out of the furnace you shall finde within them a stone which when you shall vse of it for to light a match or candle or to kindle a fire you must wette with water or spitle and put it to your match or candle And when you will quench your stone agayne you shall blowe it out as you will blowe out a candle 5 An other way to make a like stone which being wette with water or spittle will flame and be a fire Take the Loadestone that hath vertue to drawe yron to him on the one side and to put it away on the other side put the same stone into a potte leaded and put to it 4. poundes of pytch and one pounde of brimstone then lute and lay claye well vppon the potte setting it in a furnace geue it a small fire for the space of a day and a night but augment the fire in the seconde day and in the thirde day more vntill the stone be a fire After the stone is a fire and hath in such manner burned you shall quench it and suffer it to coole and keepe it safe to vse for the stone is now prepared and wetting it with water or spittle you may make it flame and be a fire to light your candle or gunmatch The 22 Chapter How you may make a stone which being wette with aqua vitae wil kindle and flame and how you may make an other stone which being rubbed well with a woollen clothe will suddenly burne TAke of drie gumme of a pyne
7 making by reduction 616 ynches which doe expresse the superficiall measure of the same supposed pellet method 3 Also by deuiding the square of the circumference of any pellet or sphericall body by 22 7 you shall finde in the quotient number the superficiall measure of the same pellet or sphericall body as for example 1936 being the square of 44 which is the circumference of the supposed pellet must be deuided by 22 7 and so the quotient number will be 13552 22 making by reduction 616 which sheweth the superficiall measure of the same supposed pellet The 26 Chapter How you may measure the solide content or crassitude of any rounde pellet or sphericall body by three sundry wayes method 1 MVltiplie the cube of the diameter of any pellet or sphericall body by 11 deuide the product thereof by 21 and note the quotient number for the solide content or crassitude of that pellet or sphericall body as for example multiplie 2744 the cube number of 14 which is the diameter of the supposed pellet by 11 so thereof will come 30184 deuide the sayde number 30184 by 21 and the quotient number shal be 1437 and â…“ which sheweth the solide content of the supposed pellet method 2 Likewise if you wil multiplie the square of the circumference of any pellet by 49 and diuide the product thereof by 66 you shal haue in the quotient number the solide content or crassitude of that pellet as for example multiplie 1936 the square of 44 which is the circumference of the supposed pellet by 49 and the product thereof will be 94864 which diuided by 66 yeeldeth in the quotient 1437 and â…“ for the solide content of the same supposed pellet Also if you will multiplie the cube of the semicircumference of any rounde pellet or sphericall body by 49 and diuide the product by 363 you shall haue in the quotient number the solide content or crassitude of that pellet as for example the semicircumference of the supposed pellet is 22 and the cube of 22 is 10648 which multiplied by 49 produceth 521752 and this number 521752 being diuided by 363 will yeelde in the quotient number 1437 and â…“ for the solide content of the supposed pellet The 27 Chapter How a pellet which sticketh so fast within the concauitie of a peece of Artillerie as that it can not be driuen home vnto the powder may be shotte out of the peece without danger to the Gunner or hurte to the peece and how any rusty pellet which for a long time hath stuck fast within a peece may be shotte or taken out of the peece without danger to the Gunner or hurte to the peece WHen a peece of Artillerie is charged with a pellet that will not be driuen home vnto the powder then the Gunner to saue this peece from breaking must so much imbase the mouth of the peece as that fayre and cleere water being at diuers and many times put into the touchhole may for two or three dayes togeather soke through the powder which is within the peece and droppe out at the mouth of the peece into a tubbe set vnder the same for to receaue and saue all the saltpeeter that was in the sayde powder And after all the Saltpeeter is by this meanes soked out of that powder the Gunner pryming the touchhole with so much fresh powder as will suffice to driue out that pellet may geue fire to the peece and without any danger to him selfe or hurte to the peece shoote out of it the sayde pellet But when a rusty pellet hath for a long time stuck fast within a peece put strong vineger into the concauitie of the peece with a woodden râ—mmer strike harde vppon the pellet till it doth moue then powre the vineger out of the peece and hauing powred thorow the touchhole into the peece somuch powder as will suffice to dryue out that pellet fill vp the touchhole with good gunpowder and geue fire to the peece so as the sayde rusty pellet may thereby be expelled out of the concauitie in which it did sticke But if the sayde pellet after all this hath beene done shall still remayne within the peece then powre hotte scalding oyle thorowe the touchhole into the peece and with a long yron rodde made at that ende which shall goe into the Peece like vnto a hogges nayle rubbe away the ruste lying betweene the pellet the peece and afterwardes imbasing much the mouth of that peece strike harde thereon I meane vppon the mouth of the peece with a great beetle or yron hammer and by so doing you shall force the sayde rusty pellet to role out of the peece The 28 Chapter To make rounde pellettes of vnrounde yron pellettes by two diuers wayes IN winter when it doth snowe and freeze couer yron pellettes which are not rounde all ouer with frozen snowe and so let them lie in frozen snowe for the space of one night This done vncouer the pellettes and with a steele hammer which must be well tempered somewhat heauie and like vnto a Playsterers or Tylers hammer beate or cut away the superfluous yron from the vnround yron pellettes while you doe so woorke vpon the vnrounde pellettes powre often times colde water vppon them By this meanes you shal as Luigi Collado wryteth take away the superfluous yron from the vnrounde pellettes and perceaue that it will be no more harder to doe Yron is more brickle in winter than in summer The lathe of a crossebowe is apte to breake in winter except it be first well rubbed with a clothe than to cut a softe stone For yron is more brickle in colde weather than in a warme season and by that reason yron pellettes shotte in the winter against an harde stone wall doe sometimes breake in peeces and the steele lathe of a Crossebowe which is not made somewhat warme with the rubbing of a cloath doth oftentimes in winter breake at his first shoote Also you may make rounde pellettes of vnrounde yron pellettes by this way following Take an yron pellet which is not rounde if it be a pellet for a Minion put the same pellet into the rounde moulde of a pellet for a Saker and when you haue so done fil vp the emptie places in the sayde moulde with melted lead and so you shall make thereof a rounde pellet for a Saker Likewise if a pellet for a Saker be not rounde you may put the same vnrounde pellet into the round moulde of a pellet for a Culueringe and by filling the empty places in the moulde full of melted lead make thereof a rounde pellet for a Culueringe And after this manner you may make a rounde pellet of any vnrounde yron pellet whatsoeuer The 29 Chapter How you may make a modell or forme for any Gunladle that shall appertayne vnto any Fanconet forreine peece that is not so high as a Faucon Faucon Minion Saker Culueringe Basiliske Cannon or to any other like made peece
said Hipothenusa or Index representing the way of the shot would be marked with so many of such like equall partes as may shew the number of paces which the peece wil shoote at the best of the randon to be numbred from the center downewardes Now when a fireworke or a great stone is to be shot out of a morter peece vnto an appointed place the gunner hauing in a readinesse such a Quadrant and knowing how much ground his said peece wil shoote at the best of the randon also what distance is betweene the peece the place to be Burned or beaten downe must mooue vpwardes or downewardes the said Hipothenusa or Index vntill that part of the Hipothenusa which is equall to the number of paces which the peece will shoote at the best randon doth touch the Cathetus or perpendiculer line of the said triangle And theÌ„ he must note the degree vpon the QuadraÌ„t which is touched with the fiduciall line of the sayde Hipothenusa or Index and mount the sayd morter peece to that degree for to shoote the fireworke or the great stone to the appoynted place The 76 Chapter How you may make an yron dart which being shot out of any great peece of artillerie or out of the inguine called Balista or throne out of your handes against any woodden obiect will burne and consume the same obiect if it shall strike and sticke in the same obiect MAke an yron dart of two foote in length more or lesse at your pleasure with yron winges placed a little below the vpper end like the feathers of an arrow or Butshaft and aboue or vnder the said winges pearce a hole thorow the stem of the dart Also make a round pype of yron plate about foure ynches in length and in compasse a little lesse than the compasse of the concauitie in the peece which shall shoote the same dart and hauing pearced a little hole thorow both sides of this pype put the pype filled full of the mixture following vppon the dart aboue the said winges or if you wil below the said wings so as his hole may lie directly vppon the other hole which was first made in the stemme of the dart because you must driue a naile thorow both these holes from one side of the saide pype vnto the other side of the same pype to fasten it and the dart togeather that when the dart shal be shot out of a peece of artillerie the saide yron pype may not flie from it Likewise I would haue you to pearce one hole at the vpper end â—f this pype and diuers other holes thorow the sides of this pype and to put into the side holes short yron pypes like vnto the Canons of pocket dagges and to set fast these short pypes within the said great pype so as their mouthes may lie a little without the said holes according to the picture next following and that their other endes may rest vppon a part of the dart For these short pypes charged with powder and pellet as dagges ought to be will shoote out their pellets when the mixture in the said great pype shall burne about them and astonish all those that shall then be neare vnto them especially if the dart bee shotte from an high place downewardes Moreouer put vppon the dart neare vnto his point a bagge wide in the middest and narrow towards both his endes according to the picture next following with a mixture made of 12 parts of Saltpeeter eight partes of Brimstone brused grosselie like pepper cornes and foure partes of grosse gunpowder mingled togeather fill that bagge and also the said great pype of yron as full as you can binding well togeather both the endes of the said bagge so filled and nailing the full bagge vnto the dart with a naile driuen thorow a hole which for that purpose ought to be in the dart according to the picture next following to the ende that the said bagge may not mooue from his place when the dart shall be shot out of a peece of great Ordinance or throne with your hande Also you shall dippe hempe in the mixture which you learned to make in the nineteenth Chapter of this Appendix for gunmatches and binde the same with pack threede when it is drie rounde about the dart from the said yron wings vnto the said bagge laying the loose ends of the hempe towardes the great pype of yron or in steede of hempe binde a gunmatche rounde about the dart betweene the said yron wings and the said bagge that the mixture in the said great pype of yron being a fire may giue fire to the saide hempe or gunmatche which will carrie fire vnto the mixture in the bagge And forasmuch as these dartes touched with mens handes or wet with raine will waxe worse and marre therefore cote them with canuas and winde packthreede very hard vppon the same canuas and then couer the said canuas all ouer with paste made of meale sod in water and when the said couer of paste is thorow drie make a close and hard binding net of wiar round about vppon the saide couer of paste according to picture next folloing When you will shoote this dart put into the said hole at the vpper end of the saide great pype a peece of a gunmatch and charge not the peece out of which this dart shall be shot with so much gunpowder as is his ordinarie charge nor with any tampion or wadde The 77 Chapter To make balles or pellets of fire which being shot out of great ordinance or throne out of mens hands will sticke fast and burne the obiect in which they shall strike PRepare three sharpe pointed barres of yron a little lesse in their lengths than the heigth of the peece his concauitie in which they shal lie This done lay 2 of those barres crosse-wise in their middle parts one vppon an other binding the contingent partes of the same crosse fast about with an yron wier Also lay the middle part of the 3 barre ouerthwart and crossewise vpon the middle and contingent parts of the other 2 crosse barres tying them in like maner fast togeather with an yron wier so as one point at the least of the same double and ouertwart crosse may sticke fast in euery obiect that shal be strooken with the same Moreouer winde a gunmatch round about the contingent partes of the the said crosse till you haue made vppon the same a round bottome as bigge as an Orrange then weauing the rest of the gunmatch in and out vppon the said crosse barres you shall make certaine void and emptie roomes like vnto birdes neastes which must be filled with a mixture that ought to be made after this maner Take of Saltpeeter 12 parts of Brimstone grosly bruised like pepper cornes 8 partes of grosse gunpowder 4 parts with all these things mingled togeather fill the said emptie roomes so as your worke may bee a rounde body like a pellet Furthermore winde round
done dippe toe or linnen clothe in the sayd mixture and make a round baule fitte for your Morter peece or for an other peece of Ordinance of the same toe or linnen clothe wel dipped and imbrued in the sayd mixture 2 You may also if you will take a small pellet of yron or stone and winde about the same so much of that toe or linnen clothe well dipped and imbrued in the sayd mixture as will suffice to make the same a fitte shotte for your great peece of Ordinance or Morter peece But when you will throe the sayd ball of toe or linnen clothe with your handes you shall hang a ringe about the same and tie vnto that ringe a cord ¾ of a yarde in length which corde you shall take in one of your hands and with the same tosse the ball after it is set on a fire rounde about you till you shall perceaue by casting it about that it is readie to departe from you and then with all your strength throe it into the appoynted place Also Canes holloe staues and pottes may bee filled with this mixture or you may fill bagges therewith and after you haue set them on a fire throe them with slinges or such like instruments whether you will 3 An other kinde of firewoorke which may be throne out of mens handes among enemies set in battell ray and which may be shotte out of great Ordinance and Morter peeces into Townes Castles Campes and Shippes TAke of the vernish which is occupied to guilde leather an hundred twenty partes of quick brimstone forty eyght parts of the oyle of rozen or gumme twenty foure parts of Saltpeeter eyghteene parts of the oyle called Oleum Olibani twelue parts of Camphire sixe parts of very good Aqua vitae fourteene parts Mingle all these thinges togeather in a pot or some other vessell set ouer a softe fire then dip or imbrue toe or linnen clothe in that mixture and keepe the same imbrued toe and linnen clothe in pottes to throe after it is kindled with a gunpowder match among enemies standing or marching in battel ray or make of the same imbrued toe and linnen clothe fitte pellets for to be shot out of great Ordinance and Morter peeces into Townes Castles Campes and Shippes For this kinde of firewoorke being well kindled can not be quenched wheresoeuer it falles 4 An other firewoorke which may be shotte out of great Ordinance and Morter peeces or throne out of mens handes TAke of the vernish which is occupied to guilde leather 120 parts of the oyle of rozen or gumme 12 parts of the oyle of waxe 12 parts of the oyle of turpentine 8 parts of quick brimstone 24 parts of saltpeeter 48 parts of camphire 12 parts of very good Aqua vitae 24 parts of greeke pitch beaten into fine powder 36 parts Mingle all these things togeather in a pot or some other vessel set ouer a softe fire then dip and imbrue toe or linnen clothe in that mixture and keepe the same imbrued toe in pottes to be throne with slinges after it is kindled into any place that you will burne or make of the imbrued toe and linnen clothe rounde balles which may be shotte out of great Ordinance and Morter peeces into Townes Fortes Campes and Shippes for this firewoorke being kindled can not be quenched 5 An other firewoorke which will burne in water and may be shotte out of great Ordinance and Morter peeces in holloe balles of mettall throne with slinges out of mens hands TAke of good gunpowder 72 parts of colophonia 24 parts of common oyle of Oliues 18 parts of brimstone 12 parts of Naphra or stone oyle 12 parts These things being well mingled togeather will burne all drie things and as by adding vnto the same mixture a greater quantitie of gunpowder you may increase the strength of this firewoorke so by putting vnto that mixture somewhat more of Colophonia and brimstone you may abate the strength of the same firewoorke After you haue made a mixture of the said things wrap the same in little bags of linnen as well and as straight bound about as may be then hauing tied a corde vnto euery of the said bags holde fast the endes of the cordes in your handes that by the same you may dip and imbrue the said bags in hote pitch which done let the said bags imbrued with pitch drie When they are drie wrap them in linnen clothe as before you did the said mixture afterwards dip and imbrue the said wrappers in hote pitch as before you did the bagges through which they shall not onely be defended from the moysture of water but also from breaking asunder with the force of fire After this drie the said wrappers in the sunne hauing so done pearce a little hole quite thoroe the said imbrued wrappers bags into that hole put fire After the fire is kindled and hath burned a while in the said hole throe the aforesaid composition into water and by so doing you shall see the said firewoorke to go downe to the bottome of the water and to rise vp againe to the top of the water and to flame and burne both on the toppe of the water also in the bottome of the water and neuer to be quenched with water Some vse to shoote this kinde of firewoorke in holloe balles of mettall out of great Ordinance and Morter peeces and for that purpose they put a quantitie of gunpowder in toe and after they haue imbrued the said toe in the aforesaide mixture of Gunpowder Colophonia oyle of Oliues oyle of brimstone oyle of stone or naphra they fill therewith hollow balles of mettall which being also couered on the outside with the sayde mixture and shotte out of great Ordinance or Morter peeces with other gunpowder will for a while flie burning in the ayre and at the length breake in many peeces to the spoyle and destruction of all those that shall be strooken with any peece of the same ball That this firewoorke may burne the longer and be more stronger some put vnto the sayd mixture Swines grease Goose grease brimstone that hath neuer beene on any fire oyle of brimstone oyle of naphra oyle of lintseede Saltpeeter oftentimes refined Aqua vitae or burning water oyle of turpentine Iuniper oyle liquide pitch or vernish oyle of the yolke of egges and for to thicken and incorporate those liquide thinges sawe duste of a Bay tree And after they haue well mingled all these thinges togeather and haue put the same in a glasse well stopped with waxe that no ayre may breathe out they bury the sayde glasse in a doonghill for two or three moneths space and at euery tenne dayes ende within that time they take that glasse out of the dunghill and hauing shaken well togeather the mixture in the same they bury it againe in fresh dung After the sayd mixture hath beene so buried in dung by the sayd space of two or three monethes it
may be vsed for a firewoorke which being a fire with gunpowder or with a gunpowder match will burne and not be quenched with water till all his substance shal be consumed and yet with drie durte drie earth drie sande and with such other drie thinges may be choaked and cleane put out If this kinde of firewoorke shall happen to fall vppon a mans helmet corslet target sworde or other weapon it will make the same redde hote and force the man armed with the same to throe his sayde armour and weapon away for to saue him selfe from burning 6 An other vnquenchable firewoorke which may be shotte out of great Ordinance and Morter peeces and may be throne in pottes out of mens handes with slinges TAke of Turpentine twelue poundes of liquide pitch twelue poundes of pitch vernish twelue poundes of Frankensence twelue poundes of Camphire twelue poundes of quick brimstone sixe poundes of Saltpeeter refined twenty foure poundes of burning water thirtie sixe poundes of the oyle of naphra thirtie sixe poundes of coles made of willoe beaten into fine powder three poundes and ½ pound Mingle all these thinges togeather and make thereof with toe or linnen clothe imbrued in the same round balles which may be shotte out of great Ordinance and Morter peeces or if you will you may throe certayne pottes filled with the sayd mixture among enemies for this kinde of firewoorke is vnquenchable 7 An other firewoorke which may be shotte out of great Ordinance or out of Trombes or Trunkes or throne in pottes and which will serue for Pykes Dartes Arrowes or any other kinde of firewoorke and may be kept good for a very long time TAke of fine gunpowder well beaten one parte of Saltpeeter refined dry and well beaten one parte of brimstone well beaten fiue partes of softe coles well beaten ten parts of vernish in grayne well beaten two partes of Spanish pitch well beaten two partes of Orpiment well beaten two partes of Camphire well beaten sixe partes Also take of oyle of Lynseede one parte of oyle of bayes three parts of liquide vernish two partes of turpentine three partes Melte the gumme waxe and oyles ouer a sloe fire and when they are melted put all the other thinges into them and sturre them well together till all the oyle is dryed vp With this mixture you may fill Trombes or Trunkes and Pottes and make thereof pellettes which may be shotte out of great Ordinance and also out of Morter peeces Also you may tie this mixture vnto the endes of Pykes Dartes and Arrowes and if you will sprinkle it with Aqua vitae and put it into a nealed potte well and close stopped you may keepe it good so long as you will for such purposes 8 An other kinde of firewoorke which may be shotte out of great Ordinance TAke of Saltpeeter refined with water thirtie sixe parts of brimstone fiue parts of cole sixe parts of Camphire three parts beate euery materiall thing by it selfe moysten them with Aqua vitae incorporate them togeather and make pellets of the same mixture and shoote the same pellets out of great Ordinance 9 An other kinde of firewoorke which may be shotte out of great Ordinance FIrst take of grosse gunpowder sixe partes of Saltpeeter refined two parts of brimstone one parte of ship pitch two parts of gumme of a Pine tree ½ parte Beate well all these things and incorporate them togeather That done take of turpentine two parts of nwe waxe ½ parte of stone oyle one parte of common oyle foure parts Melte the Turpentine Gumme and waxe and oyles ouer a sloe fire and then putting into this liquide mixture the composition which was first made make thereof an other mixture Then hauing in a readinesse certain round bags of canuas fill euery of those round bags with the said composition and binde euery of those bags or pellets so filled rounde about with yron wier That done cote them as the Gunners terme is twise all ouer with a mixture of brimstone and gumme and winde yron wier harde vppon euery cote After this make foure holes in euery pellet from one side to the other let euery hole be so big as a mans finger and putting into euery hole an ende of a gunmatch well roled in gunpowder fill vp the vacant roome of euery hole with good and fine gunpowder When you will charge a peece of Artillerie with one of these pellets put first into the same peece â…” partes of his ordinarie charge in gunpowder Secondly make a hole with a staffe thoroe the middest of the same charge in gunpowder Thirdly of purpose refrayning to thruste a wadde into the peece next after the powder and put the pellet into the peece close vnto the gunpowder and so as his said holes may lie directly against the Gunpowder and then geuing fire to the Gunpowder in the touchhole of the Peece you shall see that the pellette will burne and be a fearefull fire 10 An other kinde of firewoorke which may be shotte out of great Ordinance or throne with mens hands and will burne in water armour stones and euery other thing vppon which it shall fal TAke of Saltpeeter of cole made of willoe of Aqua vitae of brimstone of Greeke pitch or Spanish pitch gumme of a Pine tree Shippe pitch camphire stone oyle liquide vernish and Turpentine of each one parte Mingle all these thinges togeather and boyling this mixture in a Kettle ouer a sloe fire make thereof a paiste which must not bee made too harde nor too softe Then hauing in a readinesse rounde bagges of linnen clothe full stuffed with pure grose gunpowder and well bounde couer euery bagge or pellette all ouer with the saide paiste and winde toe vppon euery couer of paiste to keepe faste the paiste vppon the saide pellettes This done couer againe the saide bags or pellettes all ouer with the said payste and winde toe as you did before vppon euery of those couers and binde the toe fast vppon the pellettes with good packthreede then make a hole uâ—â—…ery of those pellettes euen to the gunpowder which is within them and put into euery of those holes an ende of a gunmatch well roled in fine gunpowder Now if you will shoote any of these pellettes out of a peece of Ordinance you must charge the Peece with no more Gunpowder than with halfe of the gunpowder which is requisite for the same Peece when it shooteth a pellette of yron and you must thrust the hole which is in euery of these Pellettes right against the middest of the peece his charge in gunpowder You may also without hurte to your selfe throe with your handes any of these pellettes among your enemies if you will hurle the pellette away from you so soone as you haue kindled the Gunmatch lying within it for after the Gunpowder within the pellet is a fire with the saide Gunmatch the pellette doth open and bring an vnquenchable fire to the saide paiste which will burne
3 The 3 mixture with which the said pottes may be charged Take of Grosse gunpowder 4 pounds Greeke pitch 1 pound Vernish in graines 1 pound Brimstone 1 pound Saltpeeter 1 pound Oyle of stone 1 pound Stampe wel all these things together and make a mixture of the same as you haue learned to make the other two mixtures 4 The 4 mixture with which the said pottes may be charged Take of Grosse gunpowder 48 partes Greeke pitch 12 partes Drie or leane gumme 6 partes Brimstone 6 partes Saltpeeter 12 partes Stampe wel all these things togeather and make a mixture of the same things 5 The 5 mixture with which the said pottes may be charged Take of Grosse gunpowder 10 pounds Saltpeeter 2 pounds Vernish in graines 1 pound Spanish pitch 1 pound Stampe all these things moystned with Aqua vitae in a morter incorporate theÌ„ together You may also if you will charge the said pottes with square or rounde peeces of yron and lead after this manner Note Melte in a ladle or in some other thing a conuenient quantity of redde or yellowe waxe and with the same liquide waxe line and couer the inside of euery potte this done sticke in the waxe round about the inside of euery potte so many smal square or round peeces of yron and lead as you shall thinke needefull Then hauing in a readines for euery potte a holloe trunke or pipe which in compasse must be equal with the widenesse of the pottes mouth and in length agree with the heigth of the potte within you shall pearce 3 or 4 holes in the sides of euery of the said pipes and fill the saide pipes full of a mixture thus made Take of Grosse gunpowder 10 pounds Brimstone sifted thorow a sercer 2 pounds Vernish in graines 1 pound Saltpeeter beaten to powder 1 pound and sifted thorow a sercer Moysten all these things with common water and mingle them togeather and after you haue put into euery potte so much fine gunpowder as will lie the said pipes being within the pottes betweene the outsides of the said pipes and the insides of the pottes you shall thruste into euery potte one of those pipes filled full of the saide mixture and couer euery potte all ouer with canuasse well bounde about and imbrued in pitch Also when you will thro any such potte among enemies geue fire to the mixture in the pipe of that potte and suffer it for a little while to burne before you doe cast the same potte from you which any man may doe without harme to himselfe The 82 Chapter To make 5 diuers kindes of firewoorkes which may be put into pottes holloe staues canes or other vessels and throne out of mens handes in defensiue and offensiue seruice TAke greeke pitch alchitrean quick brimstone tartar sarcocolla niter stone oyle of euery of these 1 parte and of vnslaked lime 2 parts and somewhat more Incorporate all these things togeather with the oyle of the yolkes of egges then put al that mixture into a glasse or into a glased earthen potte and hauing wel and closely stopped the mouth of the said potte or glasse with waxe bury the same glasse or potte in a duÌ„ghil or in hote dung for the space of a moneth After the ende of a moneth take it out of the dung and set the said glasse or potte wel and closely stopped vppon a softe fire that the mixture in the same may melte be liquide This done fill with that licor holloe staues canes pottes or other vessels made of purpose to receaue the same and in the middest of euery of them put a gunmatch or rather a little good corne gunpowder which will when neede shall require set them quickly in a fire 2 An other firewoorke which may be put into pottes and throne out of mens hands in offensiue and defensiue seruice and may be shotte out of Trunkes or tied to the endes of arrowes or dartes and will serue to burne gates carts all other woodden things that shal be annoynted with the same TO make this liquide kinde of firewoorke put into a Cauldron Hogges grease stone oyle Oyle of Brimstone Saltpeeter twise refined Aqua vitae Greeke pitch Turpentine and some Serpentine gunpowder But first the Pitch Brimstone and Saltpeeter ought to be made liquide and that done put the saide Hogges grease Turpentine Oyle and Gunpowder into the sayde Iâ—cor set ouer a fire that you may well incorporate the sayde mixture by sturring and mingling the same with a sticke in a potte or other vessell prepared for that purpose After this couer the sayde composition all ouer with good Gunpowder that it may take fire quickly when neede shall require After you haue so done let it settle that when you wil vse it you may thro it out of your handes with a sling or with a corde tied vnto the potte or with a chaine or otherwise as you shall thinke best Also you may fill certaine little bagges of linnen with this licor which being bounde about with cordes and made rounde like pellets may be shotte out of yron Trunkes Moreouer you may with this liquide composition anoynte gates of Cities woodden Bridges Cartes Munition and such like thinges which are apte to burne easie to be penetrated with fire and able to maintayne fire And you may tie some of the saide linnen bags about the endes or heades of dartes or arrowes and if you will you may fill certaine linnen purses full of the sayde composition and throe them out of your handes in defensiue and offensiue seruice 3 An other firewoorke which may be put into pottes and throne out of mens handes in defensiue and offensiue seruice YOu ought for this purpose to prepare so many pots or other vessels as you shall thinke needefull and it is no matter whether the same pots or vessels be baked or vnbaked so that the humiditie of their earthie substance be dried vp This done fill those pots or vessels more than halfe full with Serpentine gunpowder and mingle with that gunpowder Greek pitch brimstone wel beateÌ„ to powder in quantitie so much as â…“ part therof at the least After this couer the said mixture a finger thick with hogges grease strayned to the ende that the said mixture when it shal be throne may holde togeather and not fall asunder and that it may cause the fire burning sloely to endure til it shall fall among the enemies at whoÌ„ it was throne When you haue done all this make a hole thorow the said couering of hogs greace into the aforesaid mixture of gunpowder pitch and brimstone and hauing put into the said hole a shorte peece of a gunmatch or a little of good corne gunpowder fire the said gunmatch or gunpowder and keepe the potte of that firewoorke in your hand til you shall perceaue the fire in it to be wel kindled for then is the time to cast it 4 An other kinde of firewoorke which may be put into pottes and
throne out of mens hands in defensiue and offensiue seruice TAke of Saltpeeter 5 ounces of grosse gunpowder 4 ounces and of gumme 2 ounces Hauing beaten euery of these simples by it selfe grossely mingle them togeather and incorporate them with oyle of Linseede that done fill a potte with the same mixture and suffer it for the space of one day to lie stil in the same potte After the end of that day make a round hole with a pearcer or an auger beginning at the mouth of the potte thorow the said mixture and also thorow the bottome of the same potte and to close vp the same hole againe put into it a cane or pipe of softe wood which being open at both endes and equall in bignesse with the said hole must in one halfe be filled with grosse gunpowder and in the other halfe with the said mixture When all this is perfourmed couer the mouth of the potte with a peece of canuasse bound round about the same and before you doe cast the potte among your enemies cutte a hole in the canuasse ouer the mouth of the potte putting a suffycient quantitie of good gunpowder within that hole vppon the said mixture geue fire thereunto 5 An other firewoorke which may be throne out of mens hands in defensiue and offensiue seruice can not be quenched with any other thing than with vineger or vrine TAke of quick brimstone 1 parte of orpiment 1 parte of colophonia 2 parts of shippe pitch 1 parte of vernish in graine 1 parte of turpentine 1 parte of that which sticketh like a gumme in the inside of a butte of wine 2 parts of that which in Italian is called Tasso 1 parte of frankencense ½ of a parte of oyle of linseede ½ of a parte and of stone oyle ⅓ of a parte Beate well all these things togeather that done boyle them a little in a vessell of Copper and then put toe or bumbasse into the same confection and after you haue well imbrued the said toe or bumbasse therein make thereof pellettes which being a fire will not be quenched with any other thing than with vineger or vrine The 83 Chapter To make 5 sundrie sortes of firewoorkes which will kindle with water or rayne TAke nwe lime made of Flintstone calamite burned to powder vitrioll grossely beaten 32 parts saltpeeter oftentimes refined 8 parts of camphire asmuch as all the aforesaid things oyle of quick brimstone oyle of turpentine saltpeeter salte armoniack in waight so much as the vitrioll and so much of tartar bay salte salte of vrine and aqua vitae made of strong wine as will suffice to dissolue all the same composition which must be put into an Alcumist glasse named in Italian Boccia so well and closely stopped with waxe that no ayre may breathe out of the same and hauing so done bury the same glasse in hot dung for the space of 2 or 3 moneths how be it within that time you must remoue the saide glasse and change the dung in which it lyeth buryed at the least euery tenne dayes to the ende that the said composition may ripe well and be incorporated and be like vnto a licor of one kinde the which must afterwards be boiled vppon a soft fire til al the oylie moysture and all the other moysture that is in it be vapored away and that the rest of it be drie and harde like a stone When you haue in such manner made that mixture drie and harde like a stone breake the said glasse to take out of it the said drie and stonie mixture That being done grinde the said mixture to powder and when you will vse the same powder strowe it vppon a place where it shall take wette with raine or other water for therewith it will kindle and burne But forasmuch as this kinde of firewoorke may sometimes fayle to kindle with rayne or water it will be expedient for you to put fire vnto the said gunpowder for to make it kindle and burne according to your desire 2 An other firewoorke which wil kindle with rayne or water MAke pellets of vnslaked lime quicke brimstone oyle of linseede or of oyle of Oliues mingled togeather and lay the same pellets where raine or other water may fall vppon them for they being wette with raine or other water will suddenly kindle and burne 3 An other firewoorke which will kindle with water or rayne TAke of the thing which in Italian is called Gloriatto one pound of the oyle of the yolks of egges one pounde of oyle of brimstone one pound of vnslaked lime beaten to fine powder eighteene poundes Incorporate these things togeather and lay a quantity thereof where you will haue it to burne for when any raine or other water shall fall vppon the same quantitie of mixture it wil kindle and burne 4 An other firewoorke which will kindle with water or rayne TAke of baulme or of blessed oyle 1 pound of oyle of linseede 3 pounds of the oyle of the yolkes of egges 1 pound of vnslaked lime 8 pounds Beate well all these thinges togeather and make thereof a confection That done when neede shal require lay the same confection in an open place where raine may fall vppon it or anointe therewith gates woodden bridges cartes and such like things which are apt to burne for the thing so anointed will burne so soone as it shal be wette with raine or other water 5 An other firewoorke which will kindle and burne with water and also with spittle TAke of brimston oyle of the gumme of the tree called in Latin Larix in English Larch of the rozē that runneth out of a Cedar tree of liquide pitch of each 14 parts of saltpeeter 16 parts of the salte of that sweete gumme which is called in Latin Salammoniacum in English Beniemine or of armoniake salte of vitriol of lime made of tartar of each one parte of lime made of the lode stone of vnslaked lime made of flintes lying by the sides of riuers of each 5 parts of tallowe and of duckes grease of each sixe parts Put all these materiall things togeather into a pot and poure into that pot so much Aqua vitae as wil drowne and couer all those things Then bury the same pot wel luted in a dunghil of horsedung for the space of 3 monethes and at euery 4 dayes ende during that time take the pot out of the dunghil and shake wel togeather al the things which are in the pot and when you haue so done bury the pot againe in an other place of the said dunghil and after the end of the said 3 moneths set the said pot ouer a hote fire vntill all the moysture within the same shal be cleane dried vp the mixture within the pot shal be as lies or dregs Then breake the pot and keepe the same lies or dregs which you shall finde there for the powder of the same lies or dregs being wet with spittle or water wil kindle and burne The
84 Chapter To make 2 sundry sorts of firewoorkes which will kindle with the heate of the sunne burne in water THere is a very thinne and burning licor with which if you will anointe in the caniculer daies any wood or other thing apt to burn you shal see that the heate of the sun without any other fire wil make the same anointed things to burn Some say that Marcus Graccus deuised this fireworke to burne the Romanes Nauie and it is also reported that if materiall fire be put into this kinde of oyntment it will sodainlie burne be vnquenchable except it be choked with drie sande or wet with old and long kept vrine or with very strong vineger Also this kinde of fireworke will burne in water and as the saide Marcus Graccus writeth it may thus be made Take Camphire oyle of quicke Brimstone oyle of Turpentine oyle called in Italian Oglio Laterino Iuniper oyle Stone oyle oyle of Lynseede Alchitrean Colophonia finely beaten oyle of the yolkes of egges ship pitch Cera Zagora Duckes greace strained Saltpeeter and twise so much aqua vitae as all the composition and so much of Arsinicke and Tartar as â…› part of the whole composition and some Armoniacke salt and hauing put all these things in an Alcumist pot or glasse well stopped with waxe burie the said pot or glasse that the stuffe within the same may putrifie in hot doung for the space of two monethes Then all the said thinges being in a vessell called Storta which Alcumistes doe vse must bee distilled with a soft fire through which within sixe or eight houres after the said things haue been ouer the fire there will come a very thinne licor into which you must put so much pigens dung or oxe dung dried in an ouen beaten into verie fine powder and searced as will make of it a substance like sope or rather a more liquide thing This liquide mixture may thus bee vsed Anoynt the thing which is to be burned with that liquide mixture and as it is said the heate of the Sunne in the Caniculer daies will set the same in a fire so as it will not onely burne the annointed thing but also euery other thing apt to take fire which is neare vnto it Galen doth report that in Mysia which is a part of Asia the dung of a Pigen fell vppon a part of a woodden windoe painted with rosen and that after the saide dung was drie it did kindle with the heat of the Sunne and burne not only the said windoe but also the whole house where that windoe was by reason that the dung of Pigens being drie is apt and hath power to kindle fire 2 An other fire worke which will kindle with the heate of the Sunne and burne in water and that may be choked with drie sand or earth and can not bee quenched with any other thing than with stale vrine or strong vineger TAke of the refuse or dregges of the gumme of the Larix or Larch tree after the distillation of the oyle of the Larix or Larche tree of the oyle of the Larix or Larche tree of liquide pytch of Cedar pytch of Camphire of the lime or clay named Bitumen of the dâ—ug called Mumia of nwe wax of Duckes greace of Pigens dung of the oyle of quicke Brimstone of the oyle of Iuniper of the oyle of Bayes of the oyle of Lynseed of the oyle of hempseed of stone oyle of Philosophers oyle of the oyle of the yolkes of egges of euery of these things 60 parts of Saltpeeter 120 partes of salt Armoniacke seuen parts all these things being put into a vessell of glasse must be first well moistened and couered with burning water and then buried in horse dung for the space of sixe monethes But at euery three daies end during the saide time the saide vessell must be taken out of the dung and after the things in the same haue been well shaken togeather it must bee buried againe in fresh horse dung When the said time of 6 monethes shall be expired put the same mixture into the Distillatorie vessell which is named a Seraphine and draw out the quintessence of the said mixture in the Seraphine the which quintessence may be thickned with very fine powder of Oxe or Cowe dung This done put the said mixture into pots or other vessels and when you will vse the same fire worke I counsell you to set it in a fire with a gunpowder match or with good corne gunpowder as you haue before been taught to giue fire vnto other fireworkes and to throe the sayd pots with slings after they are well kindled among your enemies The 85 Chapter To make balles of fire which will burne in water MElt in a pot ouer a fire two poundes of cleane Brimstone while it is warme mingle wel therewith one pounde of Saltpeeter and halfe a pounde of fine gunpowder This done take the pot from the fire and put into the said mixture two poundes of grosse gunpowder after that beate in a morter the said mixture moystened with strong and distilled vineger and when you haue so done make thereof rounde balles or pellets Then wrappe euery of the same balles or pellets in canuas binding them rounde about vppon their wrappers as hard as may be with packthreed and imbrue their wrappers so bounde all ouer with hot and liquide pytche and remember after the pytch is colde and drie to make a hole in euery of the said pellets and to put a peece of a gunmatch into euery hole for to fire the pellets when you will haue them burne 2 An other fireworke which will burne in water and consume armor wood and euery other thing that it shall fall on TAke of Saltpeeter two partes of Brimstone two parts of Greeke pitch or Spanish pitch one part of Assa fetida ½ of a part of Camphire three parts and a few graines of Barly brused wet in aqua vitae and roled in good and fine gunpowder Beat well and sift all these materials except the Camphire Assa fetida the graines of Barly which you shall neuer pound well vnlesse you doe first beate a Nutte or two Almondes in the morter where the Assa fetida Camphire and barlie must be pounded This done beate very well so much gunpowder as will counterpease in waight all the said materials hauing sifted the same powder thorow a Seeue mingle it among the other aforesaide materials and moysten the whole mixture with oyle of Lynseed and with oyle of stone then hauing in a readinesse rounde bagges of canuas put into their bottomes lead to make the rounde bagges or balles stand vpright and after fill vp those rounde bagges with the aforesayd mixture pressed hard downe Also take of Brimstone Gumme and of Spanish pyth of each one parte melt them togeather ouer a sloe fire and while this mixture is warme couer the said round balles all ouer with the same and bynde well the said mixture vppon