Former pinned together; unto this Former there must be made one Rowler
expressed by the figure A; also two rammers expressed by the figures G
H; they must all of them be turned very even and smooth; let the
diameter of the thicknesse of the rowler expressed by the line on the
top marked I I, be three quarters of an inch, let it be eight inches
long from I, to 2, and have a hole bored in the very midst of the end,
so wide and so deep, that all the broach of the former may enter the
same: this is to rowle the coffin of paper and upon. The first rammer
noted with the figure G, must bee seuen inches and a halfe long, from 3
to 4, and haue a hole at the end of it, as the rowler had; this rammer
is to ram the composition into the former (hauing the coffin in it)
untill it bee raysed aboue the broach. The second rammer noted with the
figure H, must be fiue inches and three quarter long from 5 to 6, and
it must haue no hole at the top as the other had; it serueth to ram the
composition into the coffin, when it is once raysed aboue the broach.
The diameter of the thicknesse of these two rammers must be a thought
lesse than the diameter of the rowler, to the end they may not hurt the
coffin, being driuen in. Now to make the coffins you must take paper,
parchment, or strong canuasse, rowle it hard upon the rowler, so often
untill it will go stiffe into the body of the Former: then thrust it
rowler and all through the sayd hollow body of the Former; put then the
broach of the formers breech into the hole of the rowler, and with a
peece of strong packthred choake the coffin within halfe an inch of the
rowlers end (which you may do best, and with most ease, if you first
dip the end of the coffin into fayre water, so that it may be wet quite
through) after you haue choaked the coffin, you must thrust the breech
of the former, the coffin also with the rowler in it, up into the body
of the former: then pin the breech fast to the body of the former with
the pin, and on the rowler giue one stroak or two with a mallet
lightly, then unpin the breech, and with the rowler thrust the coffin
out of the bottom of the former, lay it by untill the end be dry. Thus
you may at leisure times make diuers coffins ready to use upon any
occasion. The following figure expresseth an empty coffin.
[Illustration]
Take one of these coffins, put it into the Former, and take the
composition for middle-sized rockets (mentioned before) and put thereof
spoonfull after spoonfull, untill you haue filled the coffin unto the
top of the former, after the putting of euery second spoonfull into the
coffin, with a mallet giue two or three blowes upon the head of the
rammer, that the composition may bee well rammed into the coffin: euery
third or fourth driuing M. _Norton_ wisheth (if the rockets are to be
fired in three or foure dayes) to dip the rammer in gum-dragant, and
camphir dissolued in spirit of wine, or good _aquavitæ_: but if it will
bee a month before they will bee fired, then dip the rammer in oyle of
peter, or liquid varnish, and linseed oyle mixed together: If you would
haue the rocket to giue a report or blow, then within one diameter of
the top, driue a bottom of leather, or six or eight double of paper,
pierce and prime either of them through in three or foure places, and
fill the rest of the coffin with whole gunpowder; afterwards driue
another bottom of leather, and then with strong packthred choak the
coffin close unto it: then take the rocket out of the Former, and prime
it at the broach-hole with a peece of prepared stouple, and binde unto
it a straight rod 6 or 7 times the length of the rocket, and so heavy,
that being put on your finger, it may ballast the rocket within two or
three diameters of the same: mark the following figure, which
represents a rocket ready made and finished, A, B, the rocket, C, the
stouple that primeth it, D, E, F, the rod bound unto the rocket with
two strings, G, H, I, the hand that poyseth it.
[Illustration]
_How to make Serpents._
The coffins for serpents are made of paper rowled nine or ten times
upon a rowler not much thicker than a goose quill, and about foure
inches long. The coffins must bee choaked almost in the midst, but so
that there may bee a little hole, through which one may see: the
longest part of the coffins for Serpents must be filled with the
composition specified before: if you would haue it wamble in the ayre,
then choak it not after the composition, but if you would haue it
wamble, then halfe-choak it, as is demonstrated by the following
figure, the shorter end of the coffin must bee filled with whole
gunpowder, and choaked quite up, as appeareth at B, in the figure M, N,
O, which is the figure of a Serpent ready made.
[Illustration]
_How to make rayning fire._
Take diuers goose quils, and cut off the hollow ends of them, and fill
them with the composition before mentioned, stopping them afterwards
with a little wet gunpowder, that the dry composition may not fall out.
_How to make starres._
I haue sufficiently taught the making of these in describing their
compositions, wherefore I will now onely present the figures of them
unto your view; A, A, signifieth two that are bound up in paper or
cloth, and peirced, and primed with stouple: the other two, E, E,
signifie those that are made up without paper, and need no priming more
than the powder or sulphur dust that they are rowled in.
[Illustration]
_How to make Petards._
You must make the coffins for them either of white yron, or else of
paper, or parchment rowled upon a Former for the purpose, and
afterwards fitted with a couer, which must be glewed on: these coffins
must be filled with whole gunpowder, and peirced in the midst of the
broad end, and primed thereat with prepared stouple; the paper ones
must be couered all ouer with glew, and the peirced. The figure of a
Petard ready made, and primed, is signified by the figure E.
[Illustration]
_How to make compounded
Rockets._
First you must make the Rocket I taught you before; you must not choake
the end of it, but eyther double downe halfe the coffin, and with the
rammer and a mallet, give it one or two good blowes: then with a bodkin
pierce the paper unto the composition, or else drive a bottome of
leather fitted unto the bore of the Rocket, and pierce it through in
two or three places; then pare or cut off the coffin equall thereunto;
to this end of the rocket you must binde a coffin wider a great deale
then the Rocket is; strew into it a little gunpowder dust, that it may
cover the bottome of this coffin, and put therein with their mouthes
downeward eyther golden rayne, or serpents, or both; also starres, or
petards; you must put some gunpowder dust among these; when you have
filled the coffin with these or such like, cover the top of it with a
peece of paper, and paste upon that a picked crowned paper, balast it
with a rod, and it is finished; the figure followeth.
[Illustration]
_How to make fiends, or fearefull
apparitions._
These must bee made of the compositions for Starres, wrought upon
cotton weeke dipped in _aqua vitæ_, wherein camphire hath beene
dissolved, and after what fashions your fancy doth most affect.
_How to make fire Boxes._
You must make the coffins for fire Boxes of paste-board, rowled upon a
Former, of what bignesse you list; then binde them about with
packthread, and glew over the cords; also glew bottoms unto them, which
must be pierced with a bodkin to prime them at. In these boxes you may
put golden rayne, starres, serpents, petrars, fiends, devils. The tops
of these fire boxes must bee covered with paper as the compound
Rockets. Note that you must strew gunpowder dust a pretty thicknesse on
the bottome of the fire-boxes, and prime the hole at the bottome with
prepared stouple.
[Illustration]
_How to make Swevels._
Swevels are nothing else but Rockets, having in stead of a rod (to
ballast them) a little cane bound fast unto them, where through the
rope passeth. Note that you must be carefull to have your line strong,
even & smooth, and it must be rubd over with sope that it may not burn.
If you would have your Rockets to returne againe, then binde two
Rockets together, with the breech of one towards the mouth of the
other, and let the stouple that primeth the one, enter the breech of
the other; both kinds are expressed by the figures, the uppermost
whereof representeth the single one; A B signifieth the Rocket; D E,
the cane bound unto it, through which a rope passeth. The lowermost
representeth the double Rocket; A B signifieth one Rocket, and C D
another; E the stouple that primeth the one, and entreth the breech of
the other; the cane that the rope passeth thorough is supposed to be
behinde the two Rockets.
[Illustration]
_How to make Gironells, or fire wheeles._
The making of fire wheeles consisteth onely in the placing of Rockets,
with the mouth of one towards the tayle of another, round about
certaine moveable wheels; wherefore I thinke it sufficient only to
describe the diversity of their fashions which follow.
[Illustration]
_How to make flying Dragons._
The flying Dragon is somewhat troublesome to compose; it must be made
eyther of dry and light wood, or crooked-lane plates, or of thin
whalebones covered with Muscovie glasse, and painted over. In the body
thereof, there must bee a voyde cane to passe the rope through; unto
the bottome of this cane must bee bound one or two large Rockets,
according as the bignesse and weight of the Dragon shall require; the
body must bee filled with divers petrars, that may consume it, and a
sparkling receipt must be so disposed upon it, that being fired, it may
burne both at the mouth and at the tayle thereof; then hang the wings
on in such wise, that they may shake as the Dragon runnes along the
line; you may dispose divers small serpents in the wings; marke the
figure.
[Illustration]
_How to make fire Drakes._
[Illustration]
You must take a peece of linnen cloth of a yard or more in length; it
must bee cut after the forme of a pane of glasse; fasten two light
stickes crosse the same, to make it stand at breadth; then smeare it
over with linseed oyle, and liquid varnish tempered together, or else
wet it with oyle of peter, and unto the longest corner fasten a match
prepared with saltpeter water (as I have taught before) upon which you
may fasten divers crackers, or Saucissons; betwixt every of which,
binde a knot of paper shavings, which will make it flie the better;
within a quarter of a yard of the cloth, let there bee bound a peece of
prepared stoupell, the one end whereof, let touch the cloth, and the
other enter into the end of a Saucisson: then tie a small rope of
length sufficient to rayse it unto what height you shall desire, and to
guide it withall: then fire the match, and rayse it against the winde
in an open field; and as the match burneth, it will fire the crackers,
and saucissons, which will give divers blowes in the ayre; and when the
fire is once come unto the stoupell, that will fire the cloth, which
will shew very strangely and fearefully.
[Illustration]
_How to make Balloones, also the morter Peece
to discharge them._
The diameter of the hollownesse of the morter Peece must be one foot,
the longer it is the further it will carry. Let the diameter of the
hollownesse of the sacke be the third part of a foot, and halfe a foot
deepe: it must have a square foot, and a portfire to strew into the
bottome of the sacke on the side of it; this portfire is to be made
like a cane about three inches long, and have a bottome sodered unto
the inside of the screw, which bottome must be pierced with a small
touch hole. This morter peece may be made of yron, red copper, or for a
neede with pastbord, armed with cord, and glewed ouer, but the sack,
and foot of it must bee made of wood, and the pastbord morter must bee
nayled fast upon it. A Balloone must be made of canuasse rowled eight
or nine times upon a Former, it must bee made so, that it will easily
go into the morter peece; into this Balloone you may put Rockets,
Serpents, Starres, Fiends, Petards, and one or two Saucissons to breake
the Balloone; then choak it up with cord, and prime it with a little
cane rammed full of a slow composition; fill the stock of the morter
peece full of whole gunpowder, then screw on the portfire, O, then put
the Balloone down to the bottom of the morter with the cane that
primeth it, downward into the stock; then with tallow or grease stop
the chinks between the Balloone and the morter, and it is ready to bee
discharged, which you may do by putting fire to the portfire, and while
that burneth, retreat out of harmes way.
[Illustration]
A, the figure of the morterpeece with its portfire, O. B, C, a Balloone
ready made. D, an empty coffin for a Balloone.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Of Fire-works for the earth.
_How to make Rockets for the earth._
The moulds for these Rockets for the earth are not made like those for
the ayre, because that it is required that these should last longer,
and haue a more gentle motion: obserue therefore the following
directions for the making of them, which may serue for all occasions,
without any alteration for bigger or lesser. Let the diameter of their
hollownesse bee halfe an inch, let their hollownesse be five or six
inches long, let the rowler for to rowle the coffins on, bee the third
part of an inch thick, and let the rammer to charge it bee a thought
lesse, let the breech bee three quarters of an inch long, and let the
breech enter halfe an inch into the mould, then fill it with the
composition proper for it, obseruing those rules in the ramming it, as
you did in ramming rockets for the ayre; when you haue filled it within
an inch of the top of the mould, double down a quarter of the coffin,
beating it with three or foure strokes of the mallet; then with a
bodkin peirce it in two or three places, and then put in the quantity
of a pistoll charge of whole gunpowder, then double down the halfe of
the coffin, giuing it a gentle blow or two with the mallet, and with a
strong packthred choak the rest of the coffin, and what remaineth after
the coffin is choaked, cut it of, and it is made.
_How to make Crackers._
It is well known, that euery boy can make these, therefore I think it
will be but labour lost, to bestow time to describe their making: only
thus much, if you would make a Cracker to giue forty, fifty, a hundred,
or two hundred blowes, one after another, then binde so many Crackers
upon a stick, so that the end of the one may joyne to the mouth of the
other.
_How to make Trunkes._
These you may make of paste-board, paper, or wood, and of what bignesse
and length you please, and ram them full of the composition of Rockets
for the earth; if you would have them to change colour, then alter the
composition that is, put in two or three spoonfulls of the composition
of Rockets for the water, and ramme that in, then put in two or three
spoonfulls of the composition of Rockets for the ayre, and ramme that
in, then put in two or three spoonfulls of gunpowder dust, and ramme
that in, doe so till you have quite filled it, then tie a bottome of
leather upon it, and pierce it and prime it with stoupell; after the
same manner may you make lanternes and lights.
_How to make tumbling balls._
Make a ball of canvas, and fasten in it a double Rocket for the earth;
you may stuffe the rest of the ball with a slow composition of two
parts charcoale dust, and one part of gunpowder dust, mingled together,
and put divers petrards amongst it.
_How to make Saucissons._
Saucissons are of two sorts, eyther to be placed upon a frame, or such
like, and so to bee discharged with a trayne of gunpowder, or else to
bee discharged out of the morter-peece. The standing Saucisson is thus
made; you must roll paper or canvas, nine or ten times upon a roller as
A, B, and choake the one end of it: fill it then with whole gunpowder,
and then choake the other end also, then cover all the Saucisson with
cord, and glew it over; then pierce one end of it, and prime it with a
quill filled with gunpowder dust; place it upon a forme having a hole
for the quill to passe thorough; then fire it by a traine of gunpowder
layd under the frame, it will give a report like a canon: marke the
figure F F.
[Illustration]
_How to make the flying Saucisson to be delivered out
of the morter peece._
Make a coffin for this, as you did for the former; first, fill it
almost with whole gunpowder, then put upon that gunpowder dust, which
you must ramme hard into the coffin, so that it may bee one finger
thicke; then choake it close, and arme, and prime it as you did the
former. It is represented by the figure, K M.
[Illustration]
_How to make a fire sword._
You must make a sword of woode, having a deepe channell in the backe of
it, wherein place first a Rocket for the ground; then two or three
serpents upright; (with their mouthes inward) let the stoupell that
primeth the Rocket come under the mouth of the serpents, so that being
kindled, it may set them on fire, and enter the breech of the next
rocket, so fill the channell quite full with rockets and serpents,
binde the rockets fast into the channell, but the serpents must be
placed so, that being once fired, they may fly out of the channell, and
it is made: mark the figure G, P.
[Illustration]
_The description and making of three sorts
of Fire-lances._
To make the first Fire-lance, whose figure is noted A, you must make a
hollow trunk of what length or bignesse you please, either of wood,
paper, or pastbord rowled on a rowler, and armed with some cord and
glew: first put into the bottom of whole gunpowder about one or two
fingers thick; then ram upon it a pastebord peirced with a little hole
in the middle, hauing a quill fastned in it, which quill must be filled
with a slow composition, or else with gunpowder dust: this quill must
stand up in the lance two or three inches; then fill the coffin up to
the top of the said quill with starres, and strew among the starres
some gunpowder dust, then put pastebord ouer them, having a hole for
the quill fastned in the former bottom of pastebord to passe; then upon
this pastebord ram gunpowder dust one or two fingers thick, then put a
row of serpents in, and in the midst of the serpents put a cane open at
both ends, and filled with gunpowder dust; this cane must be somewhat
longer than the serpents, and it must passe through a pastebord, which
must bee put ouer: then put some more gunpowder dust, and ram it in
upon it, and upon that put another row of serpents, with a cane in the
midst of them filled with a slow composition, and upon them put
gunpowder dust, or else a slow composition, ramming it in till the
lance bee full; then put a pastebord upon it, and in the midst of the
pastebord put a little cane filled with a slow composition, then fasten
it upon a staffe of what length you will, and it is made.
[Illustration]
To make the second Fire-lance, you must prepare a trunk like unto the
former, first ram in the bottom of it some of the composition of
rockets for the earth about two fingers thick, then put a pastebord
upon it, having a petard fastned in the middest; this pastebord must
bee pierced in three or foure places, round about the petard, that
thereby the powder that is rammed ouer the paste-bord may take fire:
then ram in some more composition upon the petard, about two or three
fingers thick, then another petard, then more composition, so doing
untill you have filled the trunk: then fasten it upon a staffe, and
prime it as you did the former, it is represented by the figure noted B.
To make the third Fire-lance you must haue a trunk also, which must bee
rammed full of a slow composition, of two parts charcoale dust, and one
part gunpowder dust well mixed, prime it as the former, then bore
divers holes round about it, from the top to the bottom, into every of
which holes glew a saucisson, or a serpent, or a little ball filled
with gunpowder dust, and having a petard in the middle: either of these
must bee well primed, and their primed ends must be towards the inside
of the lance, so that as the lance burneth downward, it may orderly
give fire unto the saucissons, bals, and serpents: the figure D
representeth a lance having three rowes of serpents, three rowes of
bals, and three rowes of saucissons, fastned round about it.
_The description and making of two sorts
of Fire-clubs._
To make the first you must make an ovall ball of paste-bord, canvasse,
or parchment glewed together, which you must first fill with a slow
composition, ram it in, and then bore divers holes round about it, and
put therein serpents, fire bals, or what you will: fasten it upon a
staffe, and prime it in the top with a cane filled with a slow
composition: this is represented by the figure A, A.
[Illustration]
To make the second you must fill divers canes open at both ends (and of
a foot long, or more, or lesse, as you think fit) with a slow
composition, and binde them upon a staffe of foure or five foot long;
prime them so that one being ended, another may begin: you may prime
them with a stouple or match (prepared as before) make an osier basket
about it with a hole in the very top to fire it by, and it is done.
The figure F, F, representeth the staffe, with the canes bound upon it.
The figure marked G, representeth the staffe having a basket wrought
over it.
_How to make a Fire-target._
Make a Target of osier twigs, or else of light wood, & binde it upon it
divers canes filled with a very slow composition: the canes must bee
open at both ends, and primed with stouple, that one may give fire unto
another: in the midst of all you may set up a large cane also, if you
please, which you may fill with the same composition as you did the
others. Mark the figure L, M, N, O.
[Illustration]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Of Fire-works for the water.
_How to make Rockets for the water._
The diameter of hollownesse of the mould for Rockets that swim on the
water, must be one inch, and eight inches long: let the breech enter
into the body of the Rocket one inch, and it must have no broach at all
in it. Let the diameter of the thicknesse of the rowler bee three
quarters of an inch, the rammer must be a thought lesser; then ram it
full of the composition of Rockets for the water; joyne to the upper
end of it a Saucisson: then couer it all over with melted pitch, rosin,
wax, or tallow, to the end that the water may not spoyle the coffins;
and to make it float along the water, binde a rod about two foot long,
as you did unto the rockets for the ayre: now if you would have the
rocket to change his actions, (that is, to swim one while above the
water, and one while under the water) then put into it in the filling,
one spoonfull of composition, and ram that in; then one spoonfull of
whole powder, and ram that in; and then another of composition, and
after that another of whole gunpowder, so do untill you have filled it
quite. If you would have it change colour, then shift the composition
divers times, (that is, put in one spoonfull of the composition of
rockets for the water, then another spoonfull of the composition of
rockets for the ayre, or rochpeter and gunpowder mixed) untill you have
filled it.
_How to make a Rocket that shall burne a good
while in the water, and then mount
up into the ayre._
First you shall make a rocket for the water, and binde unto the lower
end a stick about two foot and a halfe long, having a large hole in the
end thereof: then tie unto it (but loosly, so that it may easily slip
out) a rocket for the ayre, and let the stouple that primeth for the
rocket for the ayre, enter into the breech of the water rocket, then
let the end of the rod of the rocket for the ayre enter into the hole
of the rod of the rocket for the water: besmeare then both the rockets
with tallow, grease, or wax, or any oyle colour that the water may not
spoyle the coffins of the rockets; then hang a stone at the bottom of
the stick that hath the hole in it, to make it sink down into the
water; then fire the water rocket, and cast them into the water; the
fired rocket will burne in the water, and being consumed, will giue
fire unto the other rocket, which being loosly tyed, will slip the
bond, and mount up into the ayre. This is represented by the figure G,
G. The floating rocket mentioned before, is expressed by the figure
noted I, K.
[Illustration]
_The description and making of two sorts of fire bals
for the water._