The same also is to be understood of small wines that are neither durable nor vendible, but after one Hogshead is strengthen’d by another, it becomes not only durable, as good Wine, but vendible, and will yield as good a price as two small Hogsheads. And this Secret is both very noble and profitable in those places, where the wines are seldom brought to maturity, and for that cause are not durable nor saleable. For there is a lamentable Complaint among Vintners, that immature wines are not vendible, and they can get no money for them. Thus they say, Have we labour’d in vain with our wines a whole year? Look there the wines lie, and no man buys them: in the mean while we suffer want and can’t make our selves merry with our wines, for they neither profit us nor others; unless we have presently some other better wine, wherewith to mingle this, and so render it vendible, it will strait be corrupted, and turn’d to water. These and the like Complaints I have often heard from Vintners; but if they had the wit of Taylors, that can make one new Garment of two old ones, their affairs would be in a better condition, for after this manner they might preserve their acid wines, and there would be no need of mixing better wine with them. For which excellent Invention, all men that deal in wines, ought to thankGODand me.
I pray, who would not have communicated these things to a man that had given himself for a pledge? But if he must not stand to these Obligations, I can’t see whom we may trust. I curse the unhappy hour wherein this unprofitable subject and that perverse man (if he may be call’d a man) came first in my sight: which troubles and molestations he brings upon me in my old Age, which might spend its time much better, than by refuting his detestable Calumnies. Neither does his wickedness to me hurt me only, but my Children also.
In his last Obligation he promises, That if by premature death I should be taken out of the world, that he, for the kindnesses I had done him, would adopt my Children for his own, and make them his Heirs: but here, in his most false writing, endeavours all he can to deprive my (yet young) Children of their own, and convert their Goods to himself, as indeed he has done.
Further, He in his last Obligation also saies, he humbly pray’dGODto prolong my Life and Health, but in this place he endeavours by his Cavils and Calumnies to kill me, and if he could do it with his own hand, (which God forbid) I believe he would not stick at it: It is a small thing with him to spill Man’s blood, for he has experienc’d his ability that way.
I indeed esteem it the Goodness of God to me, that it is His will, perhaps, that this should rather turn to my profit than disadvantage; for hereby I am taught to be wiser another time, and to shun humane Frauds.
Here any wise man may judge whether or no this thing deserves to be sent into Foreign Countries, and there to be sold at a price; when there is no Country-man that does not know that Wine assumes the relish of the Herbs, Flowers,&c.which are steeped in it.
ThatFarnnerbrags of this knowledge, he owes it toGODand me, from whom he had it: For when at first he complain’d to me, that he could not keep the Corn from burning in the Still, and so make the Brandy-wine stink, I upon his intreaty communicated this Secret to him. But becauseFarnnerso much glories of this knowledge, he shall not enjoy it long. I must confess, indeed, that this Secret is not of less value than that whereby wines are meliorated; neither does he get less by it: but forasmuch as I resolve to buy all his Wares every where of him, I will neither leave him this, that he should be free from the trouble of informing others in this thing, and that otherwise would be forced to make long Journeys to buy them of him, may leave off those Journeys, and take this way of preparing it: Take as much Corn as you will, whether Barley, Rye, Oats, or Wheat, steep it in sweet water for some days, then place it that it may sprout after the same manner as Corn is Malted for the making of Beer; turn it well for a certain time, lest it be corrupted by too much heat: then when it is well sprouted, spread it abroad, that it may presently cool, and it will never sowre.
But if you would use it presently, then take as much of it as your Destillation will require, and in a Kettle full of water, boil it so long, till the grains are broken, then pour it into a wooden Vessel, and when it is luke-warm, add to it the fresh dreggs or grounds of Beer, and let it ferment; when it has fermented enough, which is usually at the end of two or three daies, then Brandy-wine is made in a common Still, by destillation from that Corn; what remains in the Still will serve to feed Oxen, Cows, Hoggs, or other Cattel.
But the Brandy-wine which proceeds from thence, must be rectified, as the way is, and by this means it is render’d more sweet and grateful to the relish, than any other Brandy made of Corn: the reason is this, That all Bread-Corn, of which Brandy-wine ought to be prepared, if it be put to ferment presently after softening, it is necessarily in the still, by boiling,reduced into a pap, and so being corrupted by a dustion, produces a stinking Brandy-wine.
But this protuberating and burst Corn cannot be burnt, and therefore makes good Brandy.
Also the Corn may be broken on a Mill-stone, water poured upon it, and distilled out of a Still, placed within another, or in a Kettle full of water, so also it cannot be burnt; yet this way it will yield but little.
NB. But if any man will give this Brandy a relish, like that made of the Lees of Wine, then he must rectifie it upon the Lees of Wine, for this way by the Oil of Wine, which is plentiful among the Lees, he acquires his ends, and in all things he may use this instead of that.
NB. Also, he that will, may, without this previous coction and fermentation, pour the budding Corn hot into a vessel of luke-warm water, for by this means the Corn begins to ferment of it self, and needs no other Lees to its fermentation; yet it does not produce so sweet a Brandy, as if it had first been boiled: for by coction the ill taste is taken from the Corn, which the Brandy otherwise retains. Further, also it produces much more Brandy, if the Corn is so boil’d, that it may be broken. And this, good Reader, is a most excellent and profitable Secret, and will bring you in much wealth, if you use it rightly, and you may make great quantities of it.
Farnnerdid no man wrong, by taking (according to his own estimation) a Hundred Duckets for it, for it is worth much more, especially if the residue of the Corn pays the charge. Yet no man hereafter will give him so much for it now ’tis made publick.
Indeed it is injurious to me to divulge it, but because it is now in the foul hands ofFarnner, ’tis better that others also enjoy it, than that he only should reap the benefit of it. But though by my communicationFarnnershould put on a Lyons skin for his defence, yet he can’t hide his Asses ears under it; as appears from this Paragraph, where he writes, that he had sent four measures cross the Seas, to try if they wou’d bear the Sea-water; for then he thinketh he hath made his Port. Good God! how resplendant is the Wisdom and Philosophy of thisFarnner! Certainly, if he shall make one or two Experiments of this kind, that his Brandy-wine will bear the water, he’ll duly merit to be created the chief Professor in the Academy of Idiots, for that will befit him, seeing that the reason is not hid to him, as he writes; wherefore Drinks are alter’d by the Sea-waters.
But he will make his first Experiment in these four measures, and if it proves well, then he promises to teach this Art at a price.
O the blindness of this perverse World swelling with Pride! Who ever heard that a good burning spirit, whether made of Wine or Corn, will be corrupted by the sea-water? I grant it may be corrupted, if it be invalid before: But a good and firm burning spirit will never be corrupted by sea, for all wines bear the water, those only excepted which labour with a defect of spirit, but strong wines very seldom, for the more spirits there is in any Liquor, whether Wine, Beer, or Metheglin, it is in the less danger of being corrupted.
But if the spirit which is in wine, be its preserver, and defender from Corruption, How comes it to pass that Brandy-wine, which if well prepar’d, is nothing but spirit, should be corrupted? If the Spirit in wine be the Preserver and Defence of the wine, which yet is weaken’d by a great quantity of water, so as the wine remains good, and is safe from the corruption of water: Why then should not it defend it self, since it is so strong and free from water? Who doubts that a concentrated Life is able to perform greater things than a diffuse and weak life?
Hence you may see how great knowledgeFarnnerhas drawn from the light of Nature, that he should boast so.
In this placeFarnneragain shews his Asses ears, when he writes, That he can strengthen Beers, that they shall not be inferiour to Rhenish wine. Here every wise man may discern how great and stupendious this man’s folly is.
Behold, he attributeth the goodness of Rhenish Wine to its strength, which indeed is a great errour; for the goodness of Rhenish-wines consists not in their strength, but sweetness. French Wines are far more fragrant than Rhenish, yet in sweetness and soundness it comes not near it. So likewiseHungarian,Greek,Italian, andSpanishWines,&c.are much stronger, but for sweetness, as well as goodness and wholsomeness, Rhenish wine, far better, although the other excell it in strength. And so this is a great absurdity: Indeed Beer may be strengthen’d, by adding a burning spirit to it in fermentation, whereby it may endure the longer; which thing I can’t deny, and it ought to be done: but that a Vinegar may be drawn from them like Wine-Vinegar, is a pure story; for though it may happen that Beer may give a strong Vinegar, yet it never yields Wine-Vinegar, for a great difference may be discern’d between Wine and Beer-Vinegar, though they have both the same strength, if you make trial of both: Whence it appears, thatFarnneris ignorant what Vinegar is, because he knows not the difference of it.
Strong and right Wine-Vinegar is known by these Trials. First, if it be shaked in a Glass, it by and by receives its clearness, and leaves no scum, dreggs, or bubbles, on the top, as Beer-Vinegar does: for let it be never so strong, it retains its own nature, and causes a scum, if it be shook just as the Beer it is made of: but Wine-Vinegar leaves no scum. Secondly, the longer Wine-Vinegar is boiled, the stronger it is; the reason is this, There is naturally in it an innate sharpness, which is not volatile; but the sharpness of Beer-Vinegar consists in its volatility, which in boiling is abated; so that the longer it boils, the weaker it is. And these are the two chief and most certain trials of Vinegars, whichFarnner’s Vinegar will never bear, and therefore will still be Beer-Vinegar, and does not deserve that it’s Preparation should yield Fifty R. Dollers.
What belongs to this, requires nothing of Art, neither is it worthy to be taught at a price when every Country man can do it, by projecting and well stirring in a vessel of acid beer, two or three handfuls of beech ashes well sifted, made wet with a little beer, and leting them lie in it about eight days, for then the ashes by reason of the Salt which is in ’em takes away the sowreness of the beer, and make it drinkable.
NB. If the beer be not too sowre, a handful of sifted ashes may be sewed up in a linen bagg, and put into the Beer through the bung, and there leftfor this way the Beer may be preserv’d from sowreing and need not be stirred nor troubled. Also some handfuls of wheat put into the beer, draws its sowerness from it, the same also is done by egg shells, Crabs eyes, Tortoise shells, Sea shells, calxviva, and such like things which attract the sharpness, and turn it into sweetness.
But whence is it thatFarnnernow so abounds in the knowledge of wines and beers, when yet but two years since, when he prepar’d and sold brandy wine and beer, that he complain’d to me, that he had sustained much damage in handling them, so that he shou’d perish unless he learn’d how to take away and remedy the burning of Corn in the Still, the ill smell of his brandy wine and the sowreness of Beer. Why cou’d not he then help himself, and beware of those Losses? he will object that at that time a certain light shone upon him, by whose benefit he knew Nature. However true his objection be, it will never induce me to believe that this light cou’d in so great a measure so suddenly help him, which is a great absurdity: for so much knowledge is given to no man in a nights sleep, it is a false story. But that my faithful instruction, with which I instructed him, has enlighten’d him, and like a guiding star led him in the right way, is most true, tho he is unworthy of those precious Pearls which like a wild boar he treads in the dirt under his feet.
What belongs to this Paragraph, is demonstrated in the sixteenth paragraph, that tis impossible to make a vinegar of Corn, like that of wine: wherefore this cannot (as he thinks) deserve fifty R. Dollers.
Indeed I wonder thatFarnneris not ashamed of these things which I have many years since so clearly describ’d or to bring them to light anew, that he might get money by teaching those things to others, which are already published in the first part ofFurnaces, And so he adorns himself with other mens Feathers.
But he will object, I have in the trial found these things true, and therefore describe them, but he does it to this end, and to no other than that he may cheat them of their mony who did not know that I had so long since writ of them. He that desires any of these things, may find ’em in the first part of myFurnaces, and he shall not need to giveFarnner, ten R. Dollers for his instruction herein.
Here he contemns my way of extractingTartarfrom the lees of wine, when yet it was a year since clearly and perspicuously describ’d and published atNorimberg, whichFarnnercou’d never correct. But he bragg’d that he had found by a certain position another compendium, which indeed might be, since it is easier to add something to an Art once found, than to find the Art it self, but it does not become him to disswade men from this Art which is already described, and which may be had gratis, and to despise it and bragge among all men of his own inventing a better. What good men will think of these bold malignities may be easily judg’d: but if I had writ nothing of these things, who would have taught him that there wasTartarin the lees of wine? But I not only found and writ what was in them, but also largely taught how they might be usefully extracted.
Yet this trifler dares as impudently, as falsly say, that he had corrected it, and added to it, and therefore wou’d not let it go without his price.
After the same manner he deals with my other secrets (which, tho he had them of me, he braggs that they are his own) with which he proceeds, as with the lees of wine, namely with my Alkahest, Panacæa, Melioration of wine, compendious distillation of Corn, preparation of vinegar, correction of beer and others in many places.
Whence cou’d he have known what was meant by my Alkahest and Panacæa, or how small wines and and beers should be meliorated, how Corn without adustion shou’d give plenty of burning spirit, and whether there wasTartarin the lees of wine or not, and how it might be extracted thence, except he had seen and learn’d all these things of me? of which also I had many years since publickly made mention in my writings, which is so well known that he cannot deny it, how much soever he opposes the truth.
In this placeFarnnerteaches that Copper Ores are to be separated, when, yet they are not separated but melted, that thence the Copper may come forth, which Copper if it contains silver being mix’d with a due weight of lead, it is separated: but Mines of copper are never separated, which he does not understand, and so he betrays his ignorance in these terms. This way of separating is sufficiently known, and every where where copper mines are found, is wrought in abundance and cannot be hid. He that possesseth Copper mines, will easily find men that will thence elicite the copper, and afterwards separate it, neither will any man need to go toFarnneron that account. Indeed I wonder at his extream impudence, that he was not afraid to promise that he wou’d teach others so many Sciences, of which if he knew the half part, his village wou’d not hold all the furnaces he wou’d need for the demonstration of them.
Further, for these and the following Sciences, which yet; are the most difficult and laborious of all, he requires no money, but for a certain reward promises to demonstrate them all.
He has drawn this separation also from my writings, that therewith he might fill his calumnious letters: neither do I believe he cou’d do it before he had seen me do it. It is done by the powder of coals, as I have plainly described in my Chymical Colloquie.
This Art LazarusEicherhas described, but because his way is too hard, I have shewn an easier in the explication of the wonder of the world, and there the following melting Furnaces are also described, and therefore I need not say any thing of them here.
All these inventions whichFarnnerbraggs off as his own, are mine; for my unfaithful Servant taughtFarnnerthose Furnaces which he learn’d of me.
And at length,
I have nothing to say to these four last paragraphs, because they don’t concern me as the former doe, andFarnnerhimself exposes them as speculations and not as experiments, as I also believe that they are only fancies and foolish imaginations: yet there is one thing which I must answer, which he mentions in his third paragraph, that the time will come whenGlauber’s Alkahest must be forc’d to hide, altho it is not wholly to be rejected. But if it be so unprofitable that it must hide, why does he expose this to sale at fifty R. Dollers, and the Panacæa which is prepar’d with it, at thirty? and he has already got sufficiently by it: if it be so improffitable, why then does he offer to Sell it to others knowingly and willingly at a price? IfFarnnerhas rightly term’d my Alkahest unuseful and must be forc’d to hide, he has surely deceiv’d many. But I confidently assert, that my Alkahest will never hide, but defend it self in all places: Perfidious calumniators, thieves and their accomplices shall hide, but not my Alkahest. If he has found out better things than I, let him publish them as I have done, that every man may judge whether they be true or false: Why this boasting and wicked vanity in despising others? For truth needs few words and less braging. In his writing in which he sets down the value of every Secret contain’d in the last paragraphs, namely, from the twenty first to the twenty eighth, he promises to teach other men for no certain price, but on courtesy, those secrets which yet are the best, if he cou’d know them. But if he can effect those things and teach ’em to others, he wou’d not certainly teach them gratis, for ’tis impossible for him to build those Furnaces requisite to the making of those things in half a years time.
From which it sufficiently appears how ignorant he is of what he writes: Certainly if his wares which he had of me gratis, should find Chapmen, no doubt but in one year he would get some thousands of ducats.
I thought fit to answer you these things now, that I might shut your foul mouth which was so wide open to lyes, but if after this you don’t cease your lyes and calumnies, you will compel me to use other means to bridle your malice. In the mean while I doubt not, but all good men in this short Apology (in which I have not refuted thy lying calumnies with indecent or contentions words, but from thy own obligations and hand writing) will plainly see how wickedly and perfidiously thou hast behaved thy self towards me. This damage which thou hast done me, neither you nor all yours both present and future faculties, nor all thy servants can ever repair: It remains therefore, that I say with Job, God gave, and God has taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord. But I don’t believe you will escape divine punishment, to which I commit my cause at this time. It is certain that every thing has its time, which I also patiently expecting your downfal (when God shall take upon him the patronage of a just cause,) perhaps with these my eyes shall sooner see than hope. Indeed I wanted not matter to dispute these things more largely, but that for a reason known to my self, I was hinder’d in doing it at this time. But as soon as I can, God assisting me, I shall not be wanting to propose to all impartial men in the world, questions to be resolv’d, from which every ingenious and good man may see, animadvert and give judgment, how ungrateful, perfidious, unjust and inhumane thou hast been to me.