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 that nature After you have found a proper Earth to draw Salt-Peter from and that by some of these proofs you have testimony of its goodness and worth let be taken of it a great quantity or as much as you please let it be carried to a place appointed for this purpose then prepare to burn a good quantity of Wood either of Oak Ash Elm Maple or other sorts of hard Wood that you may have Ashes then take two parts of these Ashes one part of quick Lime mix them well and put this mixture by it self for such uses as I shall shew you anon Take then Vessels of Wood or Pipes or Hogsheads cut in two parts for they must be able to hold a good quantity of Water make a hole at the bottom about one or two fingers breadth put into the hole a small wicker thing or you may whelm over it an Earthen Dish after put Rushes all over the bottom not excepting the hole or in its place clean straw this Vessel being thus fitted dispose of it in this manner Set it so that under may stand a lesser Vessel of Wood to receive the Liquor that shall distil down from the upper Vessel after put into the upper Vessel about the height of a hand of this Salt-Peter Earth which has been before for some time dryed in the Air upon this Earth put the height of three or four fingers of the mixture made of Ashes and quick Lime and then again of the Salt-Peter Earth after of the Ashes about the same height as before and continue this fashion putting Earth upon Ashes and Ashes upon Earth until the Vessel be full within a hands breadth at the top to hold the Water that is put in this done put upon it fresh Water as much as shall be necessary viz. so much as must surmount the Earth two or three fingers breadth and look that it pass through all the Earth and run drop by drop through the hole at bottom of the Vessel into the Tub standing under and you shall have a Nitrous Lixivium according to the quantity of Water as you poured into the Vessel which if you judge is too little you must reiterate the infusion and the second time also the water passing through the Earth will carry with it a substance And so the third time This done put all the Lixivium into a â—ettle of a sufficient bigness and let it be boyled upon the fire very easily and moderately at first after increase the fire to the consumption of the Liquor or a little more keeping continually skimming it all the time it boyls And when 't is thus consumed pour it into wooden Vessels that are broad and cover them over with Cloaths and let them stand until the pure part Christalize into white Salt and the feculent or more terrestial part settle to the bottom In the mean time continue pouring in of the Lixivium again into the Kettle boyling and skimming it as before and this do until all your Lixivium be boyled up and poured into wooden Vessels to Christalize Then from the wooden Vessels inclining them gently pour all the Lixivium leaving the settling at bottom by it self into your Copper as before and boyl it up again with a good fire until half be consumed or until it begin to thicken or until by putting a little upon a stone or peece of board it do immediately congeal Then take it from the fire and when 't is a little cooled pour it as before into wooden Vessels or Boles and put into each about a hand in height then cover each Vessel with course cloaths put it into a cool place and two or three dayes after you will find your Salt-Peter congealed and thrust together in small Christals like transparent Ice sticking to the sides of the Vessel and likewise upon some sticks for that purpose provided the rinds being taken off and placed in the wooden Vessels before the pouring in of the Liquor get diligently together the Peter as well that which sticks to the sides of the Vessel as that to the sticks in a Vessel of wood proper to receive it and cover it and keep it dry The remaining water you must boyl up as before not forgetting to separate it from its residence Whilst 't is boyling it happens sometimes that the Liquor may rise and boyl over the Cauldron to prevent that danger have in readiness other Lixivium made of three parts of Ashes and one part of quick Lyme as we spoke before in which is dissolved Roch Allum allowing to every hundred weight of Lixivium four pounds of Allum and when it begins to rise pour in a little of this from time to time And by this means you will see that the water that was hastning to come over will fall down and that the common Salt and more terrestrial part will settle to the bottom The Earth remaining in the Wooden Tubs from whence the salt was drawn must be put in some cover'd place made for that purpose where neither Sun Rain nor any other water may come and there it must be spread all abroad about a foot high Then you must have in readiness Horse dung or the Excrements of all sorts of Beasts great and small and put off this upon the other about the height of three or four foot then take all that was skum'd from the Lixivium in boyling and the water that is left and will not shoot and the bottoms that are left in the wooden Vessel where the Salt-Peter did shoot and throw them away as hurtful and useless upon the Dunghil throw likewise every day or as often as you can the Urine of men and let it lye two years and you shall have your Earth filled with Salt-Peter as before with a greater aboundance You may likewise throw upon your Dunghill the Horns Claws and Hoofs of Beast and then from this Earth it will be very easie to draw good Salt-Peter by the method we have prescribed CHAP. X. To Clarifie and Refine Salt-Peter TAke as much Salt-Peter as you please and being put in a Copper pour upon it so much fair water as will dissolve it that is about eight of Water and three of Salt and pour upon the same of the former Lixivium prepared of Ashes Quick-lyme and Roch Allum boyl it upon the fire until all the Salt-Peter be dissolved that being done have in readiness a Vessel of Wood sufficiently big and so disposed that another may stand under the same which must before it be so set be peirced in the middle and the hole covered over with an Earthen Dish Let the uppermost Tub be filled five or six inches with fine clean sand then let the Tub be covered over with a course cloath and pour through the same into your Sand-Tub your dissolved Salt-Peter and so it will distil by little and little into the Vessel which stands under and so passing through the Sand it will be discharged of all its superfluities and will
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
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
THE Compleat Gunner IN THREE PARTS PART I. Shewing the Art of Founding and Casting Pieces of Ordnance with the composition of Metal thereunto necessary The Composition and Matters of Gunpowders the Several Sorts Colours and Operation PART II. Discovers the necessary Instruments and variety of Instructions to the compleating of a Gunner with a Table of Squares and Cubes serving for the Resolution of Questions of Gunnery and other Arts. AS ALSO The way of taking Heights Distances and Profundities either with or without Instruments PART III. Shews the Nature of Fire-works the manner of Composing many that are Excellent and Useful both for Sea and Land for the defence of our selves as well as the offence of our Enemies Translated out of Casimir Diego Vffano Hexam and other Authors To which is added the Doctrine of Projects applyed to Gunnery by those late famous Authors Galilaeus and Torricellio now rendred into English TOGETHER WITH Some Excellent Observations out of Mersennus and other famous Authors LONDON Printed for Rob. Pawlet Tho. Passinger and Benj. Hurlock 1672. TO THE READER Courteous Reader AMong Arts and Sciences Mathematical Gunnery will not deserve the least respect which has been practised for many years as you may read in the first Chapter of this Book where we treat of its Original and from time to time Necessity and Art together have produced many new Invention so that some may judge it almost impossible to add more unto this Art and are ready to say of this as of other Studies Nil dictum quod non dictum prius But we have not only indeavoured the inquisition into the most knowing Professors of these Arts both German Italian Frenchmen Netherlander c. from whence we have drawn the more Excellent and useful parts which were never before in our English Tongue but may boldly adventure to call some things in it new And finding the great Occasion which these present times do require in the knowledge of these things made me the readier to compose this Work adjudging it a very great injury to our Country-men to be deprived of the knowledge of such things which are of so great importance in this very juncture of time I did therefore incourage my self in this Work hoping my endeavours in the same will shew my willingness to serve my Countrey-men And as it is the part of wise men not to censure any thing without a good consideration and a perfect knowledge of the subject upon which they ought to ground their judgment So also I hope you will not blame my Indeavours when you have judiciously examined the same I have divided it into three Parts endeavouring that it might be imperfect in nothing that is necessary to this Art or useful for a Gunner to know I will assure you that I have no other end in publishing this Treatise than what I have mentioned before I shall only crave your pardon for the faults that may be committed in the Printing as being not there present at the Correction of any part of it my occasions calling me other wayes yet I hope their care was so much that the faults are not material or at most not so much but your Courtesie may supply that defect So I recommend this Work to your good reception and bid you farewell W. T. THE Compleat Gunner CHAP. I. Treating of the Earth necessary in making of Molds for the Casting of Pieces of Ordnance with the manner of Casting c. WE will not dispute of the first Invention of Guns that is whether it came from Archimedes as the Italians do report or from an Englishman or from a Monk for this knowledge matters not much to the Art nor is it of any profitable signification to the Artist especially considering that Authors do not really consent in this thing Our intent is therefore not to trouble the ingenious Students with vain uncertain repetitions but to composea compleat Piece of Gunnery and therein to discourse from the beginning to the end all that is necessary to be known or learned after the knowledge of common Arithmetick by one that intends to be a perfect Proâ—icient in the said Art We do suppose it therefore necessary for a Master Gunner to know first the making of Molds and casting of Pieces Therefore I shall first begin to discourse of the property and Nature of the Earth fit for casting or making Molds for this is of great moment considering that many or indeed most Earths are not for this purpose for the Earth â—â—t for the casting of Pieces of Ordnance must be such as will not be melted or fuse although it be put into a very great fire but must remain firm and hard and these Earths are generally of a Reddish or Iron-like colour which is well known to many Potters especially such as make Chymical Vessels The Earth being obtained it must be sifted and cast up after the usual manner as men do in the making of Morter then let it be moistned with an Alchalated Water especially such as is made of Niter for that purpose and make it like paste then as is usual let it be beaten up strongly with an Iron Bar the more 't is beaten the better it is in the beating add one sixt part of Horse dung and a proportionable part of Flox or Hair and let it again be well beaten and incorporated alwayes keeping a Moity of this Earth without Hair or Flox which is for Ground-work and these Compositions or Earth thus incorporated you must reserve for the making your Molds for Pieces of Ordnance according to the Rules prescribed in the next Chapter CHAP. II. Of making Molds and Casting Pieces of Ordnance with the â—â—â—ture of Metals and allowance of Powder for proof AS a Master Builder when he intends the Building a Ship makes first a Mold or Moddel of the same so the Master Gunner or he that takes in hand the business of Casting Guns must have a form or Model of his Piece intended made of wood or such other matter he may think most convenient which then being brought to the Founder with an intent to be Cast must first be smeered all over with Palm Oyle or instead of that our Lard or Hogs-grease then first cover it over with the said earth thinly and let it dry leisurely then lay on more encreasing it to such a thickness as you may judge convenient for your purpose and it must be so made that it may be taken into several parts so that the pattern may be taken out and the Mold again exactly closed and the outside strengthned with Iron plates as long as the Chace of the Piece is and hooped together with Iron hoops to knock on and off Then must there be made with the same earth upon a square Bar of Iron bound round with a Cord that the clay may stick well a form exactly round of the fashion of the concave of your Piece whether you intend it a Cylender or a Chamber-board Piece proportioned
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