Moisten the Oars with their due Waters, cast them in by little and
little upon the live Coals, and that in such a manner as we taught thee
about distilling Spirit of Salt. By this Distillation the Spirits pass
into the receiving Vessels, and the Gold and Silver are dissolved and
stay behind with the _Sal Mirabilis_, and is to be washt out of the
Oars with Water, and to be molten with _Saturn_. Thus is gotten the
Gold and Silver that was in the Minera’s or Oars, without any expences,
and the Spirits quit all the Costs.
46. _How Gold and Silver may plentifully be extracted out of Fat
Clay._
Although that the Extraction of Gold and Silver by moist waters is a
sordid operation, as was aforesaid at the beginning, yet is it not done
without profit; because the Gold and Silver may be gotten out of the
Waters by precipitation, and of the used Waters may Salt-peter be made.
But now the case is far otherwise with fat Clay, for that, it being
fat, the Spirits hide themselves therein, that the one half thereof can
hardly be recovered, unless such an Earth be freed of its fatness by
heating it red-hot: and this requires some labour to effect it.
But seeing that in all places of the World, wheresoever any Earth is,
there is such a kind of Earth, and that in no small quantity, that
contains Gold and Silver: and there hath not as yet been any body that
hath endeavour’d to reduce it to any profit, and bring it into use,
but especially when it contains not in it so much Gold and Silver as
to defray the charges of separating it by Lead. But I have found out
a very easie way of doing it with profit, and I think it my duty to
disclose that Artifice for the publick good; and it is thus:
Mix such an Earth as contains therein Gold and Silver with the Water
of Vitriol, which I have afore described, and make it up into balls
somewhat bigger than ones fist, which throw orderly and by little and
little into my first Furnace, or into my second distillatory Furnace,
and draw off the Spirit by Distillation. The dissolved Gold and Silver
remaining in the _Sal-Mirabilis_ is to be extracted out of those balls
broken small, with warm water, and to be reduced by Lead, after the
afore described manner.
47. _By what Artifice Gold may be plentifully and easily extracted
out of Granates, Agates, Saphires, Rubies, Sand, or other hard
Minerals which suffer not themselves to be tamed neither with
Lead, nor with sharp Waters._
It is certain that all Granates, what Colour soever they are of, or
what place soever you meet with them in, whether you have them out of
Rivers, or wash them out of Sand or fat Clay, or that you find them in
the high Mountains and Rocks; they always contain in them much Gold:
but by reason of their Glassy nature, they cannot by any means be
extracted with _Aqua Fortis_ or strong Waters, nor can they by reason
of the hardness of their bodies fusion be molten with Lead. Hence
it is, that as hitherto they have never been so handled as to have
their Gold extracted out of them with profit, and therefore are they
neglected as unprofitable, unworthy, abject, and contemptible Minerals,
whereas notwithstanding it is a thing feasible for a man to enjoy
their Gold and Silver with a little labour, and as it were without any
trouble. But now what course must we take to doe this, seeing they
elude the sharpest powers or efficacy of all strong or sharp Waters,
whereby their heart may be penetrated, and Gold may be extracted out
of their bowels? I answer; They are to be overcome by Concentrated
Spirits, and which are reduced to the form of Salt, as also by a fusile
Salt of Lead, and be so divested of the Gold they contain in them, and
without this will the victory over them hardly be obtained. For Spirits
being reduced to the form of Salt, doe abide the fire most patiently,
and perform a double labour; one by their Acrimony, the other by
a strong fire, insomuch that nothing can escape their power, and
therefore all things are tamed and subdued by them, and doe afterwards
readily obey the virtues or power of Saturnine Salt, and yield forth
their Gold by fusion.
48. _A Demonstration, above the reach of any Confutation, shewing
that more Gold and Silver may be gotten out of the Oars or
Minera’s of Gold and Silver, by the hitherto prescribed ways, by
sharp Waters or Salts, and in a manner without Costs, than is
wont to be done by many Expences, and by the fire of Melting._
I believe it is not unknown to any one that is but a little acquainted
with the knowledge of the Minera’s of Gold, that the Gold cannot be
gotten out of them without the addition of Lead, or the help of some
matter rendring the fusion more easie. And now when such Oars contain
but little Gold, and contrariwise much Lead, or matters requisite to
promote fusion are of necessity to be thereto used, how can it be,
that that little portion of Gold or Silver should recompense or defray
such great expences? Therefore such poorer Oars have hitherto lain as
cast-aways, as being uncapable of bearing the Expences of reparation,
and so are not put to any use, nor are at all profitable.
But admit that the Oars do contain as much Gold and Silver, as that the
Costs of melting may be repaid by them; yet such a fusion, compared
with this invention of mine of Extracting Gold and Silver with Waters
and Salts, is as if you should compare Water with Wine, or the night
with the most brightsome day, which have no comparison.
For, first of all, the common melting of Metals is accompanied with far
greater Expences, than that Extraction of mine with Salts, which verily
needs but a very little charge. Then farther, it can never be, that all
the Gold should be so perfectly Extracted out of the Oars, but that
some of the same will abide in the Scoria’s; besides, the volatile Gold
and Silver, which must necessarily be blown off by the vehement blast
of the bellows, and the acuteness of the fire, and so be lost.
Now amongst all the conveniencies that arise from the Extracting of
Gold and Silver out of the poor Mines, that is none of the meanest,
_viz._ that not onely all the fix Gold and Silver are conserved by
the Salts, but also the Volatile too, and this latter is made fix and
constant in the fire, together with that former fixt part, whereas by
the Fusing fire it is all of it lost.
_N. B._ For the Waters of the Salts doe make the volatile Spirits
of Gold and Silver, and which otherwise would vanish away fix and
constant; for by a strong blast and force of fire are they rendred
yet more fugacious. Hence comes it to pass, that [there is but the]
one half part of that Gold extracted by the fire of the usual way of
melting, that the Waters of Salts get out of the Oars. Upon this
account my Invention doth not onely yield this commodiousness as to
get both the fix and volatile Gold and Silver together, without any
detriment out of the Oars, but also gets not a little in sparing Coals,
(not to mention this, that one man does more in the Extraction of Gold
and Silver by Salts, than three men are wont to doe in the common way
of Fusion.
* * * * *
By what hath now been said, it is evidently apparent, what a deal
of benefit and profit this invention will bring in all places of
_Germany_. For this Extraction may be used commodiously and profitably,
not onely in all Minera’s or Oars both rich and poor ones, but also may
be used in Extracting the Gold and Silver out of all colour’d Flints,
wherewith all Rivers, Brooks and Fields do abound.
But some or other may haply say here, by what means can it possibly be,
that Gold and Silver should be extracted out of the Stones that lie
too and agen every where in the Streets? I answer such, that indeed it
is very rare to find fix Gold and Silver in such Stones, but yet they
have in them a spiritual, unripe and volatile Gold, which is not onely
made fix and constant in the extraction made by Salts, but it doth
likewise turn some of the Lead it self that is added in the fusing and
separating it into its own nature by Graduation. Hence ’tis evident,
that in all places of the Terrestrial Globe wheresoever Stones are,
good Gold and Silver may be gotten with profit, by a little labour and
small costs. Praise and glory be eternally given to the most bountifull
Lord God for such Inventions. _Amen._
* * * * *
These are the Secrets which I publickly demonstrated and divulged [or
communicated] in my Laboratory, for the benefit of my Countrey. And I
do now again affirm and witness that if even the very bare Letter be
observed, no body can err. And if so be that any one should change this
or that order, and so think to better the Operations, and should err,
let him not lay the fault upon me who have Written the naked truth, but
let him blame himself.
I had several other things of no small moment, to have spoken to here
at present, the which I shall God willing very suddenly dispatch in my
second Century, for the present time does not permit it.
And in the said Century will I declare with a yet clearer and easier
manifestation, those Secrets here disclosed, the which could not at
present be done because of my too much hast.
And now I wish to all the pious Students after this so great an Art, a
large and plenteous blessing from the mercifull Lord God, as to this
so very excellent a Work, that the poverty and want of abundance of
miserable People may be supplied in many places. Which if it be (as I
hope it will) it will exalt the honour and glory of the most high, and
will encrease the Prosperity of the Countrey, and withall will check
and keep under the most base attempts of mine Enemies. But especially
if the counsel that I have proposed in my first Century, (_viz._ that
every one may have liberty to exercise such Operations,) takes place.
This being granted, it cannot be, but that Gold and Silver and Copper
will every where be gotten out of the Earth, with the help of these my
Writings, to the great profit and benefit of all the whole Countrey.
And so I conclude this so much hastned Appendix, wrested from me
occasionally by perverse Men. Those things that I have not in such
or such a place clearly and evidently enough expressed for want of
time, I will express God willing in my second Century with a clearer
Explanation, and thither do I refer the well-minded Reader.
_The End of the_ Appendix.
THE
SIXTH and Last PART
OF THE
Prosperity of GERMANY.
In which the _Arcana’s_ already revealed in the Fifth Part are
not onely illustrated with a clearer Elucidation; but also such
are manifested as are most highly necessary to be known for the
Defence of the Country against the _Turks_: Together with an
evident Demonstration, adjoyned [shewing] That both a particular
and universal Transmutation of the imperfect Metals into more
perfect ones by Salt and Fire is most true; and withall, by
what means any one that is endued with but a mean knowledge in
managing the Fire, may experimentally try the truth hereof in
four and twenty hours space.
To the Friendly READER, Health.
_I taught in the First Part how the over-abounding quantity of Wine and
Corn is to be Concentrated, that it may abide uncorrupt for a very many
years, and when necessity requires it may be an help to many in need._
_In the Second, Third, Fourth and Fifth Parts I taught the Extraction
of both fix and unfix Metals, to great profit, and almost without any
Costs, out of the bodies of vile, poor Minerals and Metallick Earths,
which will not quit the Costs of a Fusing-fire, and this to be done by
no costly Waters; and withall, how to bring them into use, which no
body afore me ever did. And did not I disburse a great deal of Monies
in building a convenient Laboratory, in which I produced such most
profitable things to the view of every one, and demonstrated them to
be true? And what have I reaped for these so great benefits I have
done, but a most ungratefull casting off their remembrance? Have not
all the things I have taught been accused of falsity and deceit both to
the high and low, by those who have so audaciously dared to deny the
Melioration of Metals by Fire and Salt? These have also asserted, that
the making of Salt-peter of Common Salt is altogether impossible; and
they have affirmed it to be a thing quite contrary unto nature, that
Metals should be gotten out of the poorer sort of Metallick Earths by
the help of a Water made of Salt-peter; but yet that even this is most
certainly true, the Appendix of my Fifth Part, and my Second Century,
doe demonstrate by indubitable Experiments._
_And albeit that the three said =Arcana’s= are evidently enough
delivered and described, so as even to be palpably felt by the hands of
those that know how to manage the Fire, yet notwithstanding they have
brought but very little benefit as yet, because that although they are
most true, yet are they contemned and disregarded by unskilfull Men,
out of meer Envy and most perverse hatred, and doe even yet stick in
contempt._
_However, not regarding these [base dealings] and that I may mete them
all things in full measure, I have a mind yet farther to detect some
secrets, by which there may redound to the Country very notable fruits:
And that not onely by converting the many Metallick Earths that contain
in them Gold and Silver, and which have not hitherto been profitable
to any unto a gainfull and a beneficial use; but also by defending the
Country against the most dangerous invasion of the =Turks=, who are the
Capital Enemies of the whole Christian World, and that by so strong and
efficacious a defence, as never any mortal man did yet contrive the
like of._
_As to what belongs to Mineral Treasures, I have exhibited a
sufficiently clear and manifest description of them in the second,
third, fourth and fifth Part of the Prosperity of =Germany=, and also
in the Appendix to the fifth Part, and in the second Century. But yet
there is nothing so perfect and absolute but that in process of time
there may be added and adjoyned thereto some new thing, and somewhat
of perfection: Witness my Instrument which I mentioned in the second
Century, by the help of which, Gold, Silver and Copper are easily and
plentifully extracted out of their Metallick Earths, and that on such
wise, as that there are requisite no other Costs but the bare Charges
of the fire. And farther, this way would bring no small profit even
from those Metallick Earths which are ranked amongst the poorest sort
of Oars; if it were well known, and exercised in many places, there
would flow thencefrom most mighty profit throughout all =Germany=, and
the said Instrument would by its assistance wonderfully promote the
same._
_For although I have heretofore publisht several ways of preparing
sharp Waters, and of extracting the Metals with them out of the poor
Minerals; (and yet even these ways bring no despicable gain) yet they
perform not that which is wont to be accomplished by the help of the
said Instrument. For this Instrument serves not onely to extract those
sharp Waters in a greater quantity, but is also far fitter and more
convenient for the Extraction even of the Metals themselves out of
their Earths, and for the separation of the Dissolving =Menstruum= from
the Metals, than those Glass Vessels are, which have been commonly used
about this Operation._
_Therefore it much concerns him that employs himself about these kind
of Operations, well and thoroughly to know its Use. I made indeed some
mention of the same in my Second Century, but yet not so clearly as
for any one thoroughly to understand its Use by what I there spake.
Therefore I have thought it expedient to give here somewhat a clearer
and more perspicuous description of the same, that so I may not seem to
be at all wanting in my diligence unto any one, but may be said to have
done all things with a due candour and openness._
_The Description of the Instrument, serving for the plentifully
preparing of Spirits, and for the easie extraction of Metals out
of their Oars, without much Cost._
This Instrument is to be made of good Earth, that can sustain both
the Fire and the Spirits; Metals are unprofitable to make it with,
because they doe not long resist the Corrosion of the Spirits; But
now, that the said Instrument may the longer abide in the Fire, its
outside superficies must be fenced with Iron bonds. This Earthen
Vessel therefore must be made of such an Earth as abides the violence
of the Fire, and resisteth the Corrosivity of the Spirits, so as that
it breaks not nor chaps with too much heat, nor be corroded and eaten
thorough by the Corroding Spirits. Such Earths there are enough of
too and agen in _Germany_. Moreover, this said Instrument may be made
greater or lesser, according as you are minded to prepare a greater or
lesser quantity of Spirits; But however, it must not be made too big,
for then (if it exceeds a due magnitude) it will not abide the fire so
well. Therefore is it necessary to have several of these Instruments
made, if a man be minded to make at one and the same time a great
quantity of Spirits. But if any be minded to set about this Operation
so as to have huge quantities of Spirits, it will be his best way to
have his Instrument made of Iron plates, such as the Armourers use, and
to strengthen them with Iron rods, and so fence it both in the inside
and on the outside every-where with Lute or strong Clay. For by this
means the Instrument being made of a sufficient bigness for the work
you would put it to, will in its inward superficies hold the Corroding
Spirits, and in its outward superficies undergo the violence of the
fire without detriment, and be far more commodious than so many little
Instruments that are made onely of Earth.
_Of the Form and Figure of this Instrument._
The matters out of which the sharp Spirits are to be drawn, are not to
be put nakedly in [as I may say] into the Instrument it self, but are
to be put in some strong Earthen-pots and so put in, that after the
Spirits are distilled off they may be again taken forth, and other Pots
fill’d with new matter may be put in, in their room; and this to be so
often done as need requires.
And seeing the Salts that are to be distilled are not put naked into
the Instrument, but are put in, in Earthen-pots; the Instrument must
necessarily be so prepared, as that those Pots may be put in as often
as need is, and be again taken forth, when the Distillation is done,
and new ones be put in, in their stead.
The Instrument therefore must be of a like bigness both above and
below, and ’tis no matter to have it much exceed the heighth of your
Pots you put in.
One side of it must have a Door to put in the Pots at, and to take them
out again, the which Door must be made to shut handsomly after your
putting in and taking forth.
To the other side must be fitted a Pipe somewhat large, by which the
Spirits may have a passage forth into the Receiver. And the Instrument
must be on such wise placed in the Furnace, as that the Door and Pipe
may lie without the said Furnace. To the Pipe must be added another
Leaden Pipe, twining round like a Serpent, and therefore is by the
Chymists called a Serpent [or a Worm:] the which must be set in a
Vessel full of Water, that so the Spirits passing out may be cooled and
be caught in the Recipient.
_Of the use of the Instrument._
When you will distill your Spirits, you must put thereinto so many Pots
filled with your prepared Salts as your Instrument can hold, then close
the Door well, and put Fire in the Furnace. This done, the Spirits will
ascend out of the Pots thus heated in the Instrument, and finding no
other out-let but by the Pipe and Worm, they will enter into them, and
being there cooled will run down into the Receiver. You shall know if
all the Spirits are forced out of the Salts or not, when they cease
to flow out through the Worm into the Recipient. Which when you shall
perceive, you must open your Door and take out the Pots in order, and
then put in new, that so the Distillation may be continued on without
any delaying. But now, those Pots that are to be put a-new into the
Instrument, must be set nigh the Furnace a while, that they may grow
hot: for else being put in cold, they would not brook the sudden heat,
but chap and break. When all the Spirits are distilled off, then you
may put in other new Pots in the room of them you took out, and the
Operation is to be so long and so often repeated as need shall require,
or as any one has a mind to do. The Salts that remain behind in the
Pots you take out, are to be moistned and macerated with some Phlegm or
weak Spirit, and they do again, sometimes emit Spirits by Distillation,
but yet not in such quantity as at first they did.
This is that way of preparing sharp Waters usefull for the extractions
of Copper and Gold. But as for _Aqua Fortis_ requisite for the
extracting of Silver, it cannot be prepared by this same Instrument,
because it will corrode the Worm or Leaden Pipe, if it should pass
through it, which the Spirit of Salt and _Aqua Regis_ do not do.
_N. B._ When therefore you would make an _Aq. Fortis_, you must make
you another twining Pipe or Worm of some other Metal which will not be
preyed on by the _Aqua Fortis_, or else set some other Stone Vessels to
the Nose of the Pipe that goes out of the Furnace.
It is also a thing possible to be done, to make such strong _Acetum_
of Corn and Honey by the addition of some Salts, as that it shall
not onely extract Gold and Silver, but also Copper and Lead out of
metallick Veins or Earths.
Thus much may at present suffice to be spoken concerning the
preparation of sharp Waters needfull for the extraction of Metals out
of the Oars. The preparation [or Operation] it self follows.
_How Metals are to be extracted out of their Earths or Oars, by the
help of this Instrument._
The preparing or fitting of the Minera’s or metallick Earths for
extraction, hath been described in the Appendix of the fifth part, and
therefore needs not be repeated here.
But as we there showed, that the roasted [or calcined] and powdered
Oars were to be put into Glass or Stone Cucurbits, that so they might
be moistned with the sharp Waters, and be macerated [setting the
Cucurbits] in warm Sand; so the very same thing is to be done here,
this onely excepted, that [_viz._] the earthen Pots supply the place
of Glass and Stone Cucurbits, and the Instrument it self in which the
extraction is made, performs the office of Sand: After the extraction,
the Water impregnated with the extracted Metals is poured off, and the
remaining matter it self is washt by pouring common Water thereupon,
after such a manner as hath been prescribed in the Appendix of the
fifth part.
_By What means the Metals extracted by the dissolving Water out of
the Oars are to be separated from that same sharp Water without
any Detriment, nay rather with an augmentation of the said Water._
We have taught in the Appendix of the fifth part, that if a Man be not
minded to precipitate the Metals out of the Solution by the contraries,
_viz._ by Alkalizate Liquors, then there is no commodiouser and nearer
way than that which separates the dissolving Water from the extracted
Metal, by Distillation in Glass or earthen Vessels.
If now any one is minded to encrease his dissolving Water in this
separation he may be Master of his desire by adding thereto common
Salt, and drawing off the Water from it, which said Water will by this
means be encreased and rendred stronger. And now there will come no
inconvenience to the Metals themselves that are held up in that Water,
in that some Salt remains with them, (no,) for in the reducing them,
the said Salt gets them an easier and readier Fusion and Flux.
But yet it is not necessary to leave the Salt with the Metals, seeing
it is better to separate it from the Metals with common Water, and so
use it again to the same labours rather than let it be lost in the
melting.
_The Reduction of the Metals from which the dissolving Water is
separated._
Albeit that that Reduction hath been already described in my second
Century, yet I thought it worth while here again to repeat the same in
a few words.
It is to be done two manner of ways, and that partly in Crucibles, and
partly in the melting Furnace which the _Germans_ call _Stichofen_.
The pure Metals, as the Gold and Silver are wont to be molten and
reduced in Crucibles: the Copper may be reduced in the said Furnace,
and needs nothing to be added about its Reduction. But for the reducing
of Gold and Silver, fix Salts, the Glass of Lead, Borax and other
additions of that kind, (of which we have made mention in the second
Century) may be made use of. And as touching the addition of those
matters which are wont to be used to promote the easier Fusion, this
is primarily to be regarded, whether or no the Metals are pure and
alone [by themselves] or else have other Metals mixt with them, that
(so acordingly) convenient additions may be applied. For if the Gold
should also have Copper or Iron in it, then there cannot be any better
thing added than Antimony, which reduceth the Gold by one and the same
labour [or Operation] and also separates the Copper and Iron therefrom,
which thing, other such like matters that are used to make the Fusion
the easier, do not perform. Therefore it is necessary that he who would
set himself about such Operations, do well understand the Artifice of a
metallick Fusion, and so administer or order his labours by adding or
taking from, according as the subject requires and as is best. It is
impossible to prescribe such things to any one in such a manner as to
make him presently understand, learn, and imitate the same.
_Some other manual Operations which are needfull to be known in the
use of this Instrument and which may be exercised._
First of all, it would be no small or mean _Compendium_, [or good
Contrivance] if this same Instrument were composed of two or three
parts, taking for the lowermost part a broad Iron Pot, and so to set
on the upper part with its Door and Pipe thereto annexed. And because
the bottoms of the Iron Pots do a little bow rounding, and that yet
notwithstanding the Pots you put therein may not stand leaning or
awry, the bottom is to be made level with calcined Allum, that so the
Pots put in upon that may stand upright. From hence likewise ariseth
this Commodity too, that if your Pots should chance to break, and the
dissolvent run out, it would not be so lost but would lodge it self in
the burnt Allum, and may easily be recovered in the preparation of the
sharp Waters and be applied to use.
Secondly, the Instrument may likewise be so prepared, as that the Pots
may be put thereinto by taking off the upper part, and then the Pots
being put in, the upper part must be adjoyned again to the nether part,
and [so] be again covered with its Cover; for being thus, there needs
not the Door in the side to put the Pots in by.
_N. B._ There must be some Notch or Channel likewise fitted to the
top of that upper part, which being filled with Sand may receive in
it the Cover, and so prevent the out-let of the Spirits that way, by
means of its tight shutting; as we have taught in the second part of
the Furnaces. The Instrument prepared on this wise, will haply be more
commodious to many Men, than if it had a Hole or Door in the side. But
every Man may choose either this or the other way, which he pleaseth.
Thus have I now taught, and opened the use of my more secret way of
easily preparing the sharp Spirits of Salts in great quantity, and the
manner of dealing about the Extraction of Metals out of the poorer
metallick Earths: Away (I say) most easie to do such great things, and
which was never as yet known unto the World.
But yet I doubt not but that the Metals will for the time to come be
plentifully and very profitably extracted (and so applied to common
use) by the help of this Artifice and Instrument, out of the poorer
_Minera’s_ which contain in them Gold, Silver, and Copper, and which
will not quit the costs of the Fire; and forasmuch as by the help of
this Instrument, the sharp Spirits of Salts may be gotten easily and
in large quantity, not onely for the Extraction of the Minerals, but
also for the concentrating of moist Fires, and seeing that wonderfull
things may be done by the help of those Fires; I do therefore commend
it to the Studious of Art, as a thing of better esteem than ordinary,
and have sufficient reason of so doing. For to omit the saying, that
those cold Fires do give an excellent Magnet for Water or Ice, they do
also abound with such virtue as by which they can ripen and better the
Metals; the which we will make a larger description of, in what follows.
Besides too, there may haply be effected far greater matters with those
cold Fires, as to the defence of the Countrey against the _Turk_, that
Capital and Bloud-thirsty Tyrant and Enemy of the Christians, in some
cases than with Gun-powder: if such moist Fires be cast into places a
prety distance off by suitable Instruments, or be forced out of those
lesser and greater Guns and War-like Canes, they will bring far greater
Detriment to the Enemies than Gun-powder is want to do.
By this means, one weak Woman will in some cases be able to repel many
armed Men; but this is a thing which such Men as are unskilfull in
natural affairs, will deny till it be made manifest, and used against
the _Turk_. Therefore I have a mind to set aside all other businesses,
and to make those kinds of admirable Fires to the utmost of my power
in great quantity, forasmuch as I well and assuredly know how great
Detriment may be brought upon the _Turks_ by the help thereof.
Fires they are which any one may carry about with him like Waters; they
will not burn or overthrow Horse and Man sooner than any have a mind
they shall. Nay yet more, if any has a mind to fortifie their Virtues,
he may by adding other Fire-breathing matters, make them far more
vehement and efficacious, and do far greater matters with them as being
much more hurtfull than with those simple Fires.
And now seeing I have so very much commended the concentrated Fires of
Salts, to
1. Diligent and provident Masters of Families, thereby to take away the
superfluous watriness from their smaller Wines, Ales, and other Drinks,
and so to concentrate them, and carry them (in case of necessity) into
the strong and fenced Cities;
2. To the poor Chymists, that they might by them correct and better the
Metals and so help their own poverty and want;
3. And to the Christian Chieftains of War, and faithfull Rulers of the
Countrey, that they may stoutly resist the _Turks_, that are the sworn
Enemies of the Christians.