4. Descensories: vessels for distillation “per descensum;” they
were placed under the fire, and the spirit to be extracted was
thrown downwards.
Croslets: crucibles; French, “creuset.”.
Cucurbites: retorts; distilling-vessels; so called from their
likeness in shape to a gourd — Latin, “cucurbita.”
Alembikes:stills, limbecs.
5. Seared pokettes: the meaning of this phrase is obscure; but
if we take the reading “cered poketts,” from the Harleian
manuscript, we are led to the supposition that it signifies
receptacles — bags or pokes — prepared with wax for some
process. Latin, “cera,” wax.
6. Argoil: potter’s clay, used for luting or closing vessels in
the laboratories of the alchemists; Latin, “argilla;” French,
“argile.”
7. Citrination: turning to a citrine colour, or yellow, by
chemical action; that was the colour which proved the
philosopher’s stone.
8. Ingots: not, as in its modern meaning, the masses of metal
shaped by pouring into moulds; but the moulds themslves into
which the fused metal was poured. Compare Dutch,
“ingieten,” part. “inghehoten,” to infuse; German,
“eingiessen,” part. “eingegossen,” to pour in.