reasonable to pass into the Air and to elevate it self on high without any difficulty and in such a sort that those bundles may not by any means give hinderance or stoppage to their rising in a streight line and take care most exactly that the Fuzee be not so big but that they may retain as near as you can a Pyramidal or Conical form when all its weight that may be is adjoyned to it 20. Men ought to shun as much as possible those nights that are rainy moist and when the Sky is darkned with black clouds as being very incommodious and offensive to the Fuzees And more than that avoid impetuous Stormy winds and the Whirl-winds hinder no less than the first 21. You may not reject above other causes the different effects which are produced by sundry Fuzees although they be charged with one and the same Composition no otherwise than thus that they were not made with an equal diligence either in the Charging or Peircing or in the other Circumstances which you were obliged to observe or in this that it may be some may have been kept in a more moister place than the others where they have acquired too much moisture which causeth to them effects much different one from another as well in Rising as in Consuming 22. If you would make appear in the Air streams of fire or a quantity of burning sparks or stars or long large rayes to dart from the Fuzees there is accustomed to mix with the Composition some small quantity of powdered Glass grosly beaten filings of Iron Sawdust One may also represent fire of divers colours as we have shewed before in the fifth Chapter but more particularly thus if you put a certain portion of Camphire in your Composition you will see in the Air a certain fire which will appear white pale and of the colour of Milk if you put Greek Pitch which is a light yellow Pitch used in Plaisters called Pix Burgundy it will represent unto you a red flame and of the colour of Brass if you put in Sulphur the fire will appear blew if Sal-Armoniack the fire will appear Greenish if from Crude Antimony the flame will be Red Yellowish and of the Colour of Honey if the filings of Ivory be added they will render a Silver-like White and shining flame yet something inclining to a Livid Plumbous colour if the powder of Yellow Amber be added the fire will appear of the same colour with the Citrine lastly if black Pitch be added it will throw forth an obscure smoaky fire or rather a smoak that is black and thick which will darken all the Air. CHAP. XIV Of Odoriferous Aquatick Balls CAuse to be made by a Turner Balls of wood hollow within about the bigness of a Wild Apple which you must fill with some one of these Compositions hereunto annexed and they being all prepared and charged you may throw them into the water after they are lighted but it ought to be done in a Chamber or close place that the fume may be the better kept together and this must be done with some small end of our Match made of prepared Flax or Hemp to the end that the Composition which is shut up in the Globe may take fire with the greater facility The Compositions are these that follow viz. Take Salt-Peter Storax Calamite one Dram Incense one ounce Mastick one ounce Amber half an ounce Civet half an ounce of the Sawings of Juniper wood two ounces of the Sawings of Cypress wood two ounces Oyl of Spike one ounce Make your Composition according to the Art and Method given Or Take of Salt-Peter two ounces of Flower of Brimstone Camphire half an ounce powder of yellow Amber half an ounce Coals of the Teile tree one ounce Flower of Benjamin or Assa sweet half an ounce Let the matters that may be beaten be powdered afterwards well mingled and incorporated together CHAP. XV. Compositions to Charge Globes or Balls that will burn as well under as above water FIrst take Salt-Peter reduced into fine meal 16 l. Sulphur 4 l. of the sawings of wood which hath been first boyled in a Nitrous water and afterwards well dryed 4 l. Of good Corned powder half a pound of the powder of Ivory 4 ounces Or thus Salt-Peter 6 l. Sulphur 3 l. of beaten powder 1 l. Filings of Iron 2 l. of Burgundy pitch half a pound Or thus Salt-Peter 24 l. of beaten powder 4 l. Sulphur 12 l. of Sawdust 8 l. of yellow Amber half a pound of Glass beaten in gross powder half a pound of Camphire half a pound For that which concerns the manner of preparing all these Compositions it differs nothing from what we have prescribed in the making of Rockets only 't is not necessary that the materials be so subtilly beaten powdered nor sifted as for those Fuzees but nevertheless to be well mixed one among another Care must be taken that they be not too dry when you charge the Globes or Balls and for that purpose they may be moistned with Linseed-oyl Oyl of Olives Petrole Hemp-seed Nuts or any other fatty humour that is receptible of fire Note that amongst all these Compositions of matters that will burn in the water which I have here proposed from my own particular experience every one may make them as pleaseth himself best provided he always take the materials in proportion one to the other as they ought But nevertheless I shall counsel you to experience from time to time your Compositions for the greater surety before you expose them to the publick view of the world It is also amongst the rest very necessary that you learn the force and strength of every material you put into the Compositions whereby you may at your pleasure know how to alter and vary your proportion as you shall judg fit CHAP. XVI Of Stars and fiery Sparks called by the Germans Stern-veuer and Veuerputzen I Have shewed the Composition of Stars in Chap. 5. I have also shewed the way of making them up and their use and also I have shewed the manner of giving to them various Colours as in the 22 Rule of the 13 Chapter where I had an intent to say no more of these things But finding in Master Cazimier's Artillery these Compositions which I judge may prove very excellent therefore I thought good to insert them that I might leave out nothing that might make more perfect any thing we treat of First you must know that between fiery Sparks and Stars there is this difference that the Stars are greater and are not so soon consumed by the fire as the Sparks are but do subsist longer in the Air and do shine with greater substance and with such a light that by reason of their great splendor they are in some manner comparable with the Stars in the Heavens They are prepared according to the following Method Take Salt-Peter half a pound Sulphur two ounces Yellow Amber powdered one Dram Antimony Crude one Dram
leave the most terrestial part and such as is useless in the Sand which water again put into the Cauldron and boyl it up as formerly until it may be fit to congeal and in the end pour it into wooden long flat Vessels as before and in two or three dayes 't will be shot into Christals as formerly which if you would have purer you must reiterate this work once more or you may put upon this Peter Lyme-water filter it and boyl it up according to Art and it will be pure Salt-Peter may be purified thus put your Salt-Peter in a Vessel of Copper Iron or Vernish't Earth I like a Crucible best which being put to a small fire augment it gradually until all the Salt be melted and boyl'd then take common Sulphur finely pulverised and throw it upon the liquified Salt-Peter which will quickly take fire and burn and by the same means consume all the gross and viscous humours with the terrestrial Salt remaining useless amongst the Salt-Peter before the rectification besides you may reiterate this work by putting on fresh Sulphur many times until such time all the strange humours be quite consumed in the end the Salt-Peter being well melted and well purified pour it upon well polished Marble or Plates of Iron or Copper or glazed Earth and let it cool and you will have a Salt-Peter congealed almost resembling in colour and hardness the true Alabaster CHAP. XI How Salt-Peter Meal is made without any beating for the making of Gun-powder SAlt-Peter well purified must be put in a Kettle upon a furnace over a fire then moderately increase the fire with Bellows to such a degree of heat until it begin to smoak and evaporate until the Salt begin to lose its humidity and obtain a whiteness and so keep continually stirring it with a wooden or Iron Ladle for fear it should return into its pristine form and hereby will be taken away all its fatty greasiness that may be commixt This being done pour so much water into the Kettle as will cover the Salt-Peter and when it shall be dissolved and it has obtained the consistence of a thick Liquor then with a wooden stick or Ladle keep continually stirring it without any intermission until all its humidity be evaporated and all be reduced into most dry white Meal CHAP. XII To make Salt-Peter with the flower of Did Walls of Caves Cellars Uaults c. GAther together a good quantity of this Flower which you may find upon the Surface of Old Walls which are in moist places under the Earth you may also make provision with a certain Salt which sticks to Lyme or upon ruinated Walls which Peter one Sardi a Roman took notice of was alwayes well practised at Bruxells in Brabant as he confesseth in his fifth Book of Artillery Chap. 49. First see how much Salt-Peter matter you have then take one fourth part so much of quick Lyme pour upon it warm water boyl it well and clarifie it according to custom then put your Salt-Peter matter into a Tub with a tap in it and a little Earthen Dish before the hole of the tap within pour into this Tub the Lye and stir it well with a stick until all the Salt Peter be dissolved in the Water then let it distil leisurely into a Vessel that stands under the tap and at last being all dissolved and run out put this water into a Kettle and boyl it over the fire until so much be consumed that the remainder being dropped upon a Tyle-stone or Board do congeal and be of hardness but not too hard for if it be very hard the water is burnt but if too soft not enough When 't is well boyled and scummed take it from the fire and proceed with it as in the tenth and eleventh Chapters CHAP. XIII How to examine the goodness of Salt-Peter PUt upon a Wooden Table or any clean and smooth Board a little Salt-Peter then give fire to it with a live coal and observe these Rules following viz. If it make the same noise in burning as the common Salt doth when it is thrown upon live coals it is a sign it holds yet much common Salt If it hold a thick and fat scum it is a sign 't is fatty and viscous If after the Salt be consumed there resteth yet crass and filthy matter upon the board it is an infallible sign that the Salt contains yet a quantity of earthy matter and so much the more if you see much dregs after the combustion of the Salt-Peter is past and therefore the less powerful and active But by contraries if it render a cleer long flame divided into many streams and that the superficies of the board remain neat without any filth or that it be consumed so that nothing is left but a white clean ash without making much noise or great trembling you may then conclude that the Salt-Peter is good and well cleansed and in its perfect preparation CHAP. XIV The true way to purifie Salt-Peter and separating it from all offending and superfluous matter as common Salt Uitriol Allum and all fatty and viscous humours TAke Two pound of Quick-Lyme Two pound of common Salt One pound of Verdigrease One pound of Roman Vitriol One pound of Sal-Armoniack beat them all together after put them into an Iron Vessel and pour upon them a good quantity of Vinegar or in default of them good clear water and make a Lixivium which you shall let rarifie and clarifie of it self standing the space of three dayes after put your Salt-Peter in a Kettle and pour upon the same as much of this Lixivium as will well cover the Salt-Peter put it upon a fire sufficiently moderate at first increasing it until it boyl to the consumption of half take it then away from the fire and pour it by gentle inclination into a wooden Vessel and throw away all the dregs and Salt which remaineth in the bottom of the Kettle That done let the Salt-Peter water cool and continue your preparation as we have given before where we treated of refining Salt-Peter CHAP. XV. How to clarifie common Sulphur and to know its goodness WE experience often and without contradiction that not only Salt-Peter is filled with terrestrial qualities but Brimstone also which is not only of a fatty certain oleganious humour but likewise a noysome quality which is in the compound common to one and the other of its matters from hence if we desire to be curious in our work we judge it may be necessary to purifie Sulphur and to procure to it by power of clarification a nature most sublime subtile fiery and volatile The order and method that ought to be used in this is thus in Vessels of Iron or Copper melt your Sulphur with a very gentle fire over Coals well lighted and not flaming and when it is melted with a Ladle skim neatly off all that riseth on the top and swimmeth upon the Sulphur then not long after let
How to prepare Match or Low for Artificial Fires MAke Cords of Tow Hemp or Cotton which you please of two or three twists not made too hard put them in a new Earthen pot Vernished pour upon them Vinegar made of good white Wine four parts of Urine two parts of Aqua vitae one part of Salt Peter purified one part of Cannon Powder reduced to Meal one part Make all these Ingredients boyl together upon a great Fire to the Consumption of all the Liquor then spread upon a great smooth Plank or Board the Meal or Flower of the most excellentest Powder that you can get Having drawn your Match out of the Pot roul them in the Powder and then dry them in the shade or Sun for it matters not which and the Cords or Match that are thus prepared will burn very quick Francis Jouchim Prechtelin in his second part of his Fire-works Chap. 2. describes a certain Match which is extream slow in burning and is thus made take Mastich two parts Colophonia one part Wax one part Salt-Peter two parts Charcoal half a part then having melted all and mixed them well upon the fire take a Match made of Hemp or Flax of a sufficient bigness and draw it through this Composition making it go down to the bottom of the Vessel drawing it often through until it hath gotten the bigness of a Candle and when you desire to use it light it first and when it is well lighted blow it out and there remains none but a burning Coal CHAP. VIII Of certain Antidotes excellent and approved against the burning of Gun-powder Sulphur hot Iron melted Lead and other like accidents drawn from the particular Experiments of Cozimu Nowicz SECTION I. BOyle Hogs grease in common water over a most gentle fire the space of some time then take it from the Fire and let it cool and after expose it to the fair and clear weather three or four nights after having put it into an Earthen pot melt it again upon a small fire and being melted strain it through a Cloath into cold water after wash it many times with good clean and fresh water until it come as white as snow this done put it into a glazed pot to serve you at your occasions The use is thus you must annoint the burnt part as soon as you can and you will see a quick and admirable effect SECT II. Take Plaintain water Oyl of Nuts of Italy of each as much as you please SECT III. Take Mallows water Rose water Plume Allum of each as much as is necessary and mix them well together with the white of an Egg. SECT IV. Take a Lixivium made of Calx Vive and common water add to it a little Oyl of Hempseed Oyl Olive and some whites of Eggs mingle all well together and annoint the burnt place with this Composition All these Oyntments cure burnings without causing any pain These I have often experimented upon my self Some Receipts from divers Authors Take Oyl of Olives Oyl of sweet Almonds Liquid Vernish each one part juice of Onions two parts with these chafe the part affected If there be already blisters raised and Ulcerations in the parts this following Oyntment is most excellent Boyle a great quantity of the second Rind of Elder tree in Oyl of Olive then pour it through a Linnen cloath add to it a little after two parts of Cerus or burnt Lead of Lytharge of Gold of each one part put them into a Leaden Morter and then stir them about and mix them so that they become in the form of a Linament Take melted Lard pour it into two Ounces of Morrel water and one Ounce of Oyle of Saturn then mingle them well together ' this Remedy is soeveraign Take the Mucilage of the Roots of Henbane and of the Flowers of Poppies of each one Ounce Salt Peter one Ounce mingle them all with Oyl of Camphire and make a Linament according to Art Or take the juyce of Oynions rosted in embers two Ounces Nut Oyle one Ounce mingle them all well together Or take of the Leaves of Ivy two m. or handfuls well beaten up with Plaintain water Oyl Olive one pound make all boyl with four Ounces of good white Wine until the Consumption of the whole Wine at the end of the decoction add Wax as much as is necessary to give him the form and consistency of a Linament Again take old Lard let it be melted over the flame and poured into two Ounces of the juyce of Beets and Rue of the Cream of Milk one Ounce Mucilage of Quince-seeds and Gum Tracanth of each an Ounce and a half mix them well together and make thereof a Linament This remedy is none of the worst we took it from Joseph Quercetanus in libro Sclopetrio CHAP. IX Of Hand Granadoes THe Hand Granadoes respecting their form are Globically or perfectly round and hollow in their interior part in manner of a Sphere they are called Hand Granadoes or Handy Granadoes because they may be grasped in the hand and thrown to the Enemies and if we should dwell upon the denominations of the Latine we may call them as they do Granades Palmares they are commonly of the bigness of a Bullet of Iron of 5 6 and 8 l. they weigh sometimes 1 l. and sometimes one pound and a half some are of two pounds and others of three pounds there is given to these sort of Globes the names of Granadoes by reason of the great resemblance they have with the Fruit Punique which we call Pom-granad for as these do shut up in their rinds a great quantity of grains so our Military Globes are filled with a number of Grains of Powder almost innumerable the which having received the Fire do break into a thousand and a thousand shivers leaping against the Enemy and piercing if it could all such things as it meets opposing its violence They are generally made of Iron or Copper carrying in its Diameter about three Ounces being about the length of a Barly Corn in thickness of Metal they are filled commonly with Gun-Powder and sometimes of other Compositions there is added to its Orifice a small Pipe commonly called a Fuse which is filled with a matter or Composition that is slack or slow in burning but nevertheless very susceptible of the Fire and capable to hold fire some time for fear that it should break in the hands of those that mannage it and intend to throw it There is amongst Fire-Masters accounted three sorts of Hand Granadoes the first and most common are made of Iron others are made of Brass allayed with other Metals in the melting the third sort is of Glass If you cause them to be made of Iron take such as is most fragile and as little wrought as possible you can get if you will cast them of Copper you must allay six pound of Copper with two pounds of Tyn and half a pound of Marcasite or you may put one part of Tyn with
of beaten Powder three Drams Or Take Sulphur two ounces and a half Salt-Peter four ounces Powder subtilly powdered four ounces Olibanum Mastick Christal Mercury sublimate of each four ounces White Amber one ounce Camphire one ounce Antimony and Orpiment half an ounce All these materials being well beaten and well sifted they must be mixt together with a little Glue or gum-Gum-water made with Gum-Arabick or Tragacant then make them into small Balls about the bigness of a Bean or small Nut which being dryed in the Sun or in a Pan by the fire may be kept in a convenient place for such uses as we have spoken of in the fifth Chapter of this Book You must only remember that when you would put them into Rockets or Recreative Balls they must be covered on all sides with prepared Tow of which we have shewed the way of preparing in the seventh Chapter of the first Part of our Fire-works Sometimes Fire-Masters are accustomed to take in the places of these little Balls a certain proportion of melted matters of which we have spoken in the first Part of Fire-works But if these do not please you by reason of their swarthy colour but you rather desire to see them yellow or inclining somewhat to white then take of Gum-Arabick or Tragacant four ounces powder it and pass it through a Sieve of Camphire dissolved in Aqua-vitae two ounces Salt-Peter a pound and a half Sulphur half a pound Glass grossy powdered four ounces White Amber an ounce and a half Orpiment two ounces make all these Ingredients into one mass and make Globes of them as before I Learned this saith my Author from Claude Midorge For the method of making Sparkles in particular it is thus Take Salt-Peter one ounce of this Liquid matter half an ounce of beaten Powder half an ounce of Camphire two ounces after you have beaten all these materials into powder every one by it self put all of them into an Earthen Pan and put upon them the Water of Gum Tragacanth or Brandy-wine wherein you have dissolved some Gum Tragacanth or Arabick until it be of a good consistency that done take an ounce of Lint which has first been boyled in Brandy-wine or Vinegar or in Salt-Peter and after dryed again and the threads drawn out then put it into the Composition and mix them well together so well and so long until it has drank up all the matter of these Compositions make little Balls in the form of Pills and of the bigness of great Peas which you must roul in mealed Gun-powder and dry them whereof you may serve your self according to the method we have prescribed Besides these there are certain odoriferous Pills prepared which are employed in small Engines and fiery Inventions which are shewed in Chamber Roams or close Cabinets these are commonly prepared of Storax Calamite Benjamin Amber white and yellow and of Camphire of each one ounce Salt-Peter three ounces of Coals made of the Teil Tree four ounces beat all these Ingredients to powder then incorporate them well together and moisten them with Rose Water in which is dissolved Gum-Arabick or Tragacanth to make thereof little Balls at last having fashioned them expose them to the Sun or to the fire to dry THE DOCTRINE OF PROJECTS APPLYED TO GUNNERY By those late famous Italian Authors GALILAEUS AND TORRICELLIO Now rendred in ENGLISH LONDON Printed in the Year 1672. THE PREFACE GALILAEUS in his 4th Dialogue of Motion hath largely treated of aequable and accelerate or increasing Motions as also of that of Projects or things shot and thence derived several Propositions or Conclusions and hath likewise made several Tables touching the Amplitudes or Base Lines and the Altitudes or Heights of the Semiparabola's or Curves described by the Motion and Ranges of Projects The which Doctrine the late Famous Torricellio of Florence having with great Judgment much advanced and facilitated applying the whole to the Art of Gunnery that the benefit of his pains might redound to the English Reader that is especially Delighted or Exercised in the Affairs of Mars it was thought fit to render the same into English THE DOCTRINE OF PROJECTS APPLYED TO GUNNERY PROPOSITION The Impetus B A that is as much as is that of the moveable naturally falling from B to A by the * Which Definition is when we name an Impetus given we determine it in spaces according as Galilaus useth Exemp Grat. When we say let the Impetus given be A B then we mean let the Impetus given be so much as is requisite to throw the Project from A to the highest point of the perpendicular B or which is the same as much as is the Impetus of a moveable naturally falling from B to A. Definition as also the Direction A I according to which the Projection is to be made with the said Impetus being given it is required to find the Amplitude Altitude and the whole future Parabola of this Projection Again I say that this Parabola is described by the Impetus given for AE EF and EB or those three lines equal to DG the Altitude GF the Semi-base and GL are in continual proportion Wherefore GL is the sublimity by the V. Proposition De metu Projectorum of Galiaeus and its Corollary Then thus the Impetus of the Parabola AG in the point A is as much as that of the Cadent naturally falling from L to D by X. of Galiaeus that is from B to A or of the Project ascending from A to B therefore the Parabola hath in the point A the Impetus that was given wherefore that is done which was required But because this Proposition is of great moment for clearing of those that follow we will prove it another way First it is manifest that the point P cannot be in the line LD because since the line AC toucheth each Parabola that ID the common Axis should be cut into two equal parts in two points by the Vertex's of the Parabola is absurd Nor can it be in the line EG for drawing the Diameter suppose MN thorough the â—â—rtex that MN should be cut into two equal parts by the line EG is absurd for only ID of all the lines parallel unto it in the angle CAD can be cut into two equal parts Now let the point P fall any where at pleasure and draw the Horizontal line PR for as much as PN and PM are equal by the II of * this NR and RA PR and RS Which second Proposition is that the sublime point of the Range of any Project P doth cut the Perpendicular M intercepted betwixt the Horizon and line of direction into two equal parts shall be equal And because the Parabola AP hath the Impetus BA that is OM the Point O shall be its sublimity and for that reason the lines OP PR and PM shall be in continual proportion and the Rectangle OPM equal unto the square PR and changing the lines
weight of that which is new made and then with their hand or wooden Shovel they mingle it well together then they dry it in the Sun and put it up into a Barrel again and keep it in a dry and proper place Yet there is another way may be allowed but this is almost the same with making new Powder and it is thus Take what quantity of decayed Powder you please put it into Earthen or Wooden Vessels pour upon the same three times so much hot water stir it well about and when it begins to be cold or hath stood one hour or two strain the water away and to the feces put more water stirring it well about then let it stand and settle as before and strain it from the feces this do a third time and you will have drawn out all the Salt-Peter put these waters in a clean Kettle and boyl it away until so much be consumed as that a drop dropped upon a Stone or Iron do congeal then pour it into some wooden Vessel that it may congeal into Salt-Peter and that water as remains you must boyl up again as before and if need be you must in the boyling skum what riseth on the top of the water Having by this Art obtained the Salt-Peter out of the decayed Gun-Powder you may according to the proportions given in the Composition of Powder mix it with its remaining Sulphur and Coal or fresh Sulphur and Coal which is better and after 't is well mixed Corn it according to the given Rules then let it be well dâ—yed and put up into dry Powder Barrels and let it be conseâ—ved in a dry place from Air or any Moisture Some do mend their Powder in this nature they moisten it with Vinegar or fair water beat it fine and sift it and dry it and to every pound of Powder they put one Ounce of Mealed Salt-Peter then moisten and mix them well so that neither may be discerned one from the other but that they be perfectly incorporated which you may know by cutting the Mass with a Knife or breaking it When it is well compounded let it be Corned in manner as we have before prescribed If your Composition of Powder be made up with Aqua vitae and so made up into great Balls and well dryed in a Stove or in the Sun and put into glazed earthen Pots and close covered you may keep it as long as you please for age will not decay it There ought alwayes a care to be taken by Gunners or Fire-Masters or such as have the charge of Gun-powder to chuse if they can such places as are dry and stand upon the best ground free from dampness of the Air or any water possibly coming near Every Gunner c. ought to take care that his Barrel be turned upside down or any Carthredge ready filled for if the Powder attract air the Peter with the moisture it hath attracted will in time seperate from the other matters and sink to the bottom so that the Powder in the upper part will loose its strength which is prevented by turning and shaking them every fourteen dayes and airing them at the Sun at convenient times And as 't is necessary a Gunner should have Carthredges filled for present Service those ought also to be turned out and filled again every fourteen dayes more or less as the Gunner in his judgment shall allow of CHAP. XXII Of the property and particular office of every Material in the Composition of Gun-powder WE ought infallibly to believe that Gun-Powder was not found out casually or by fortune but invented by a true knowledge and by reasonable speculation in Natural Philosophy considering that to this day no man hath opposed notwithstanding many persons have made it their endeavour or could find any other Materials like unto these or of such a nature which being well united and incorporated together they are able to produce a fire so vigorous fearful powerful and above all so inextinguishable that the whole Universal matter is consumed in a moment which is the more to be believed since we make not much difficulty particularly in this our Age wherein we live to add many things to the invention of others and that as the Physitians say all that had a beginning doth pass from imperfection to perfection We desire therefore it may be permitted since the Inventors have left us nothing in Writing to propose here some Observations of Speculative truths drawn from Experiment which have been made about the strength nature effects and Office of all the matters comprehended in the Composition of Gun-Powder as well of the particulars as all made up into one body For I believe that having insinuated into a perfect knowledge of the properties and the affections as well specificated as general of all its Ingredients no body more will fall into those Errors which are too often committed in the Art of Pyrotechny We must therefore know that Gun-powder was not without reason composed of these three materials to wit Salt-Peteâ— Sulphur and Coal but to the end that one might remedy or supply the defaults of the others And this is it which is easie to be comprehended in the effect of Sulphur for this is naturally the very aliment of the fire seeing it joyns with it so willingly and freely and having once taken fire is most difficult to put out being no otherwise rightly than a flaming fire or to express it better a pure flame and therefore hath an aptitude to enflame the Salt-Peter by its activity more than any other kind of fire But as the Salt-Peter lighted doth go promptly into certain windy exhalations it hath thereby such a strength in it that it would by its ventosity put out the flame which the Sulphur hath conceived and by consequence deny it self of that which the Sulphur communicateth to it hereby you may see if one had made a simple composition of these two things only that is of Sulphur and Salt-Peter compounded well together if fire were then applyed they would in truth be suddenly enflamed but they would soon after go out that is the fire will not continue to the Conflagration and Consumption of the whole matter the reason whereof we have given a little before It was therefore by good reason adjudged that Coal well dryed and powdered being adjoyned to these two materials in a certain proportion was an excellent remedy for the supplying of this defect seeing that Coal is of such a property and of such a nature that if it be held to the fire it will soon light and be reduced to a fire without any flame And from hence it comes to pass that the more it is agitated by the Air or by wind the more the fire augments and will not go out but conserve it self until the matter that nourisheth it is totally consumed a little ashes only excepted From hence it was concluded that a Composition made of these three Ingredients such as is our
half a pound of Sal-armoniac 4 ounces Above all this the Chymists know how to prepare a certain oyl of Sulphur which they call a Balsam of which the virtues are so admirable that they admit not any body either living or dead to be touched with putrification but will conserve it in so perfect and entire state that neither the pernicious Influences of the celestial bodies nor that corruption which the Elements produce nor that which reduces things into their Principles can any way damnifie it if anoynted with it There is also from it prepared a certain fire as Tritemius teacheth with flowers of Sulphur Borax and Brandy-wine which will remain many years without extinguishing of it self Others that are knowing do attest that a Lamp may be filled with such like Oyl from whence all that are within the Light of it will appear as if they had no heads There is another way of making Oyl of Sulphur which is very admirable and excellent which is prepared thus Incorporate well together an equal proportion of Sulphur and Salt-Peter reduce them into most subtile Powder and pass it through a fine sieve then put them into an Earthen Pot that hath never been used and pour upon them Vinegar made of White-wine or Aqua-vitae as much as will cover the Powder Close the Pot in such manner that no air may any wise enter and put it thus in any hot place so long time until all the vinegar be digested and vanished Lastly take that matter which rests in the Pot and draw from thence an oyl by Chymical Instruments proper to this work CHAP. II. The preparation of the Flowers of Benjamin TAke Benjamin a certain quantity of ounces put it into a Gourd or a Limbeck glass and close it well with a blind head as they call it then have in readiness an earthen vessel set it upon a Tresfoot or for the more certainty upon a small Furnace place it in your glass body and compass it well about with fine Sand or ashes so high as the matter is in the glass after make a moderate fire under it for fear the Limbeck heat too soon and be too hot for that will make the flowers become citrine or yellow when they ought to be as white as Snow Observe when you see the flowers begin to raise a vapour or small fume continue your fire in that same degree the space of one quarter of an hour after you shall see the flowers risen unto the internal Superficies of the blind head then take it away carefully and put to it another that shall be quite cold and put that which you have taken off upon a white paper until it be cold then gently with a Feather or wooden Spatula cause the flowers to come forth of the blind head and gather them together carefully thus you may add a third or fourth blind head and in time many until all the Benjamin cease to fume Benjamin may be made into flowers another way thus put into a glazed pot a certain quantity of ounces of Benjamin and place it upon warm ashes and when you see it begin to fume cover the vessel with a Cornet of paper made in the form of a Cone and a little larger than the orifice of the pot leave it there about one quarter of an hour after take off the Cornet and take the flowers and gather them together then put upon the vessel another Cornet of paper and let it stand as long as before take it off and gather the flowers to the former and continue thus putting Cornet after Cornet until your flowers be entirely evaporated CHAP. III. The preparation of Camphire TAke Juniper Gumm which is called somtimes Sandarach white varnish or Mastick most subtilly powdered 2 l. white distilled vinegar as much as is necessary to cover the Gumm in a glass set it deep in horse-dung the space of 20 days then take it and pour it forth into another glass Vessel with a wide mouth and let it stand thus in digestion a whole moneth and in it you shall have Camphire congealed in form of a Crust of bread and which hath in some measure the resemblance of the verâ—able or true Camphire The Camphire hath such a love for the fire that being once lighted it goeth not out until it be quite consumed The flame that comes from thence is very clear and of a very agreeable odour after it hath remained suspended in the air some time it vanisheth insensibly The cause that produceth all these rare effects from Camphire is by reason its parts are extream subtil and airy I do add to all this that it may be easie to reduce Camphire into Powder to make it useful in artificial fireworks if a man crumbles it and beats it gently rouling it with Sulphur The oyl of Camphire which serves also for the same effect is made by adding a little of oyl of sweet Almonds and stir them well together in a brass Morter and pestle of the same metal until all be converted into oyl of a greenish colour Or a man may put it into a Glass Viol which must be close stopped provided also that the Camphire be true and natural and not a Cheat then put that Glass into a warm Furnace and draw it out when you shall see all the Camphire turned into a pure clear oyl which will burn with an admirable vivacity CHAP. IV. Water of Sal-armoniac TAke Sal-armoniac 3 ounces Salt-Peter 1 ounce reduce them into a most subtil Powder and mix them well together after put them into a Limbeck and then pouring on them some of the best and strongest Vinegar you may distil the same into a water with a small fire CHAP. V. Of a certain artificial water which will burn upon the Palm of your hand without doing any harm TAke Oleum Petroli and of Terebinthi and of Calx vive of Mutton fat and of Hogs Lard of each equal parts beat them well together until they be well incorporated then cause them to be distilled in warm ashes or upon burning coals and you shall draw from thence an excellent oyl CHAP. VI. To prepare Fire-Spunges TAke of the oldest and greatest Toad-stools which grows at the Root of Ash Oak Birch and Fir-tree with many other Trees which produce them freely get a good parcel string them and hang them in the Chimney and leave them to macerate being well mortified and macerated take and cut them in pieces and then beat them with a wooden Mallet this done boyl them over a small fire in a strong Lye and a sufficient quantity of Salt-Peter until all the humidity be evaporated At last having put them upon a Plank or even board put them in a warm Oven and let them well dry there having drawn them from thence you must beat them with a wooden Mallet as before until it become wholly subtile and soft being thus prepared you must keep them in a commodious place to serve you upon occasion CHAP. VII
scarce half a league distant from those Guns And the Sound according to that which hath been before said may pass over a whole league and more in that time Wherefore the Sound of those Guns doth seem to be different from that of lesser Guns The Author having by this discourse argued that the Sound of Guns is heard at the distance of above 16 miles a minute which is almost as swift as the Copernicans suppose the Earth to move in its diurnal revolution about its Axis it was thought fit to subjoyn hereto the Authors latter thoughts of the same Argument published three years after OF THE SWIFTNESS OF SOUND And force of Bullets shot out of Guns WHen I have oftentimes considered that the Sound passes over 230 fathoms in the time of a 2d or sixtieth part of a minute and that there seem to arise someed doubt whether there should be that Swiftness of the Sound of greater Guns as there is of lesser with which I tried at length it was observed that in the space of eleven seconds the Sound of the greater Guns of the Kings Armory have passed from the same Armory after the flash was seen as far as our house or the Vicennian Convent whilst for obtaining the surrender of Pouploon the Guns were shot off by night But when with a fathom I found that it was 3524 fathoms from Port Saint Anthony to the gate of the aforesaid Convent where the ear was and to the wall of the Vicennian Castle first meeting it near 2500 fathoms 't is certain first that it is a just league of 2500 fathoms from the Garden walk of the Armoty from whence the Guns are wont to be shot off to that Castle for if any thing in the passage must be diminished that distance will well enough equal it whereby the corner of the Garden is more distant or the walk by Sequana nearer from the Castle than Port Saint Anthony It is evident therefore that the Sound runs over more than 230 Fathoms in each second to wit 320 in every second which make 1920 foot which since any one can prove by his own experiments I need not say more thereof But some may imagine that hence perhaps must be concluded that greater Sounds pass more swiftly which disagrees with divers observations But when sometimes these experiments shall be repeated that I may number the seconds I shall advertise for as much as I conjecture that there is no swiftness of sound greater than that which I have proved of 230 fathoms for a second for in these small matters I do not approve that common saying He that acts by another seems to act by himself who want not opportunities may observe for their own satisfaction But now we shall add some thing concerning the swiftness of Bullets shot out of Guns When therefore at the Marquesse of Doraisons four leagues from the Sextian waters I commanded a Brasse Gun nine foot long whose name was the Marchioness commonly called la Marquise whose Bullet was two pounds and an ounce but quantity of Powder such as is wont to be in the use of lesser Guns the weight of one pound to be levelled horizontally with a plum line I found that the Bullet shot off Horizonitally in the time of five seconds had passed over 630 fathoms or 3780 foot and had reached the horizon or fell to the ground as was evident by the huge quantity of dust raised by the blow Moreover that point of Earth which was first struck by the Bullet was depressed under the horizon of the Gun 27 fathoms for otherwise the Range should not have been so great before its fall to the earth which meets so much the more slowly by how much it is the more depressed under the Horizon of the Gun shot off and I presume I have attributed a lesser swiftness to the Guns than is just unless yet the Bullets of the greater Guns shot off with very fine powder which we used may exceed the swiftness of Bullets shot from Harquebuzes of which thing I do not yet pass judgement till experiment shall bring some further evidence but I shall propound some things newly observed Now therefore of the Bullet which I made trial of I affirm that the swiftness was so great that at least in each second minute it could pass over 126 fathoms I said at least because the observers know that the force on the Bullet doth go before the excussion or flash of the powder and the perceiving thereof so that half a second may well be attributed to this time Moreover in the first second the Bullet passes more swiftly in which time I doubt not but it passes over 150 fathoms Lastly if by reason of that tarrying which happens betwen the smiting of the Earth until the dust is seen to rise we should augment that swiftness by so many fathoms as it could pass over in half a minute to wit 70 and that the swiftness be supposed almost equal for the time of five seconds and in each second of that time that it passes over 140 fathoms that is if the point of the Earth first struck were 700 fathoms distant from the Gun it would reach it in the time of five seconds Then the swiftness of the Bullet may be determined from what hath been said to be 130 fathoms at least in the time of a second which also agrees with the experiments of Bullets shot from lesser Guns to wit they pass an hundred fathoms in the same time as the Sound of the Gun hath the same passage For if behind a wall that is to be struck by the Bullet the ear be attentive in the same instant the sound and the percussion of the Bullet is heard as if the very Bullet had caused that Sound which doubtless you shall find to be true as I did if you try although it will be worth the labour to prove it not only with that most refined powder which they are wont to use who shoot at a mark for a wager but also with the courser sort of Powder for great Guns that it may be observed whether it causes any sensible difference of the swiftness Whatsoever powder you use the least swiftness of the Bullet may be defined in the first second an hundred the greatest 150 fathoms if you but so much Powder into the Gun as is necessary for a good shot for if you put in but a few grains which can scarce shoot the Bullet off another thing is to be said I add that a Bullet shot vertically or Perpendicularly upright from the aforesaid Gun in its ascent and descent spends 36 seconds which if it spend so much time in its Rise as in its fall and that a heavy body descending in the time of 18 seconds alwayes keeps the same proportion in hastening its descent which it keeps in the four first seconds the Vertical ascent shall be 648 fathoms forasmuch as a Bullet of six pound Weight of that Gun which the