THESIXTHand LastPARTOF THEProsperity ofGERMANY.
In which theArcana’salready 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 theTurks: 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 saidArcana’sare 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 theTurks, 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 ofGermany, 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 allGermany, 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 DissolvingMenstruumfrom 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.
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 inGermany. 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.
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 theDistillation 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.
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 forAqua Fortisrequisite 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 andAqua Regisdo not do.
N. B.When therefore you would make anAq. Fortis, you must make you another twining Pipe or Worm of some other Metal which will not be preyed on by theAqua 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 strongAcetumof 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.
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.
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.
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 theGermanscallStichofen. 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, Boraxand 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.
First of all, it would be no small or meanCompendium, [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 poorerMinera’swhich 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 theTurk, 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 theTurk. 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 theTurksby 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 theTurks, that are the sworn Enemies of the Christians.
I judge it altogether necessary to treat of them somewhat more clearly.
First of all, the concentrated Spirits of Salt may bring most great advantage, by concentrating the poorer sort of Wines, the which they make better,as is shown in the second Century: when the superfluous Water is removed from them, insomuch that they do not onely keep their goodness constant and durable, but may likewise be far more commodiously and easily transported out of one place into another, so that necessity requiring, they may be more easily transported out of such places as are more remote from Cities and fenced places into the stronger holds and fenced Cities, and so be conserved.
It is as yet fresh in every ones Memory how miserably the case stood with Men in the foregoing War, which lasted thirty years. If any Farmer had his Cellars full of Wines, and the Soldiers break in to the Countrey, did horribly abuse the gifts of God, that which they could not consume by their detestable Gluttony, they wickedly spilled upon the ground; the Soldiers I say, and such Men as profest themselves Christians, and durst boast of the Christian Religion. From hence may it easily be conjectured what it would be, if such a multitude ofTurksshould over-run our Countrey, which imminent evil, God of his mercy turn away from us.
In the days ofNoah, the Men then lived in all security, and not at all regarded the Preachings and Admonitions of that godly Man, by which he exhorted them unto Repentance for 120 years together, they did Eat, they Drank, Married and gave in Marriage, till the Floud swept them all away, and there was no more room for Repentance left, as sacred Writ testifies.
We reade ofSodomandGomorra, that the Inhabitants of those Cities being even drown’d in Leachery, did so despise the reproofs and warnings of the godly ManLot, untill a Fire was sent upon them from the wrath of God and consumed them.
Who is there that in this Season feareth God, and lives piously? He that is the strongest oppresseth the weaker, nor does at all think on this, that there is one far more powerfull than he himself is, who comes when he pleaseth, and punisheth such powerfull Oppressours. But these things, and such warnings of this nature are plainly mockt at.
Did not God sufficiently enough warn us the last year 1660, and shewed unto us his wrath, by those dreadfull Tempests and Storms, and Earthquakes, wherewith almost allEuropetrembled. Doth he not also this very present year (1662) shew us his self-same displeasure? What portends that Comet that was seen in the Heaven, any one may easily guess what it means. Verily it threatens nothing else but evil, especially because it extended its Tail contrary to the usual wont of other Comets, towards the upper part of the Heaven, just as if it should say, I will show unto the Men, that ’tis not this or that Countrey, this or that Enemy that shall chastise you, but ’tis the King himself of all Kings, who is in Heaven, that hath purposed to punish you for your Wickedness; whose Rod ye may [yet] divert from you that is stretcht out to punish you, if you apply your selves to him by serious Prayers, true Repentance, and unfeigned amendment of your Lives, now whilest you have time allotted ye to repent in, if such admonitions as these can but find entertainment with you. And what I pray will this warm Winter bring upon us, the which being destitute of all cold Ice and Snow hath permitted the Trees to flour in the very month ofFebruary, and the Medows to be clad in Flowers, and ripe Cherries to be seen? Without doubt, nothing else but all kinds of poysonous Diseases and which will speedily kill Men, and with which mankind will be afflicted; and if so be that an intense cold should yet follow, which may easily be, there would doubtlesly follow a great Dearth of Grain and Provision by spoiling the Wine and Corn, whose buddings are already come so far forth, as that the cold may easily destroy them. And now are we not sufficiently enough admonished by these fore-runners and signs of the wrath of God coming on us, and hanging over our Heads?
Besides all this, let us consider that great Conjunction of all the Planets inSagitary, such as hath never been since that time in which all the Planets were in Conjunction inAquarius. And this Conjunction [inAquary] preceded the deluge, which destroyed all mankind by the breakings in of the Waters,Noahand his onely excepted. But as concerning what that great Conjunction inSagitarythe next year 1663 will show us, and bring upon us God knows.Sagitaryis a martial sign, and deadly, and portends nothing but Dissentions, Seditions, and uproars of War; and therefore prophesieth unto us nothing but bloudy Wars, insomuch that it is much to be feared that this ungratefull World will be consumed, and blotted out as ’twere by Fire, and the Sword, and the anger of God: which evil, God of his mercy turn away from us. Certainly these Conjunctions are not wont to fore-signifie or bring along with them any good. But I heartily wish I may prove a Liar in this case, though I fear me, that there is more evil coming upon us than will be welcome unto us.
For when God sheweth us any thing with his Finger, it should be of more concernment unto us than all humane Writings, for they may err. But God never does any thing in vain and without cause. Never did there at any time a Comet shew it self in the Air but many Calamities succeeded it. That old Proverb may very likely prove true, which the Ancients have pronounced,viz.that it will come to pass in the year 1660, that Alchymy will begin to flourish, but will bring along with it such changes for [some] years following, and such dreadfull changes too, that the third part of Men will perish with Famine and Pestilence, the third part will perish with Fire and Sword, and there will be but a third part onely left.
But yet I would not that you should take or look upon this my prognostication on such wise as if all these things should infallibly come to pass as I have predicted. No, I was willing onely to open to you my Meditations upon the years to come. For all things are seated in Gods power alone, in whose hands onely and alone we know our firm helps and assistance to be ready for us, and therefore do not in the least confide in our own strength and power, which are more vain than are all fading things.
But forasmuch as there are natural means granted us, of driving away our Enemies, we may well use them as far as in us lies, for that it belongs unto every Christian Man, to do his utmost to repell with all his power the common Capital Enemy of all Christendom.
And now therefore that I my self may not be found to be the least in defending my Countrey, I have determined to exhibit in this Book the help and assistance that I can afford, and this is not Money and Wealth which I have not, but by offering such artificial inventions, and disclosing them, whereby the Enemies may be valiantly resisted. For in all things we see, that many times far greater things may be done with Wisedom and Prudence, than with Strength and Fortitude, and this is clearly evidentin the most efficacious Operations of Gun-powder, which produce far greater effects than Mens hands, though never so strong, could ever bring forth.
’Tis well known, that the use of Gun-powder was not always known, but was first found out by a certain Monk inGermany, in the year of our Lord 1380, who by chance lighted on the finding of its dreadfull strength. Neither is there any one ignorant, what great Victories they that well knew its use, obtained over their Enemies afore it was made manifest. But when it became publickly known, then it served both Parties, so that neither part had more advantage by it than the other, and then the deciding the Controversie consisted (next the blessing of God) in the multitude of the Men, of which their power was composed, and not in Art. And like as it seemed a meerly incredible thing at first when it was heard of, that a Powder of such mighty force could be made of such vile Subjects,viz.Brimstone, and Salt-peter, and Charcoals: Even so will it at first exceed all belief, when it shall be heard say that Waters may be prepared out of such Subjects, which said Waters can doe such wonderfull, and so many great things.
It is also reported [or Chronicled] that the said Monk did not search after Gun-powder purposely, but being addicted to Chymistry, and occupied about Operations upon Salt-peter and Sulphur, endeavoured to distill a Water from them. Now these being mixt, and by chance taking fire, he perceived them to break every thing, and rend it into pieces: And hence came that man to know the unheard-of Virtues of Salt-peter and Sulphur, which being so thoroughly contrary to each other, made such great concussions or shakings. The same thing hapned even unto my self, for purposing to make sharp Waters out of Sulphur, Salt-peter, and other Salts fit for my purpose; I perceived in such Operations, that far greater things mought be brought to pass by such firey Waters than could be done by Gun-powder. Nevertheless, I buried these Secrets in great silence, nor manifested I them to any man, though I knew them above these twenty years; fearing this, that should they be known, they might be as Instruments in the hands of the Christians to torment one another with.
But now seeing God hath vouchsafed to bestow a peace upon the whole Christian World, and that theTurksdoe begin more and more to persecute and vex the Christians by their Tyrannical Persecutions, and endeavour even thoroughly to root them out, as they have already made a beginning inHungaryof their detestable attempts, I advised with my friends whether or no it would not be expedient to detect and lay open those Secrets to the Christians, that so they may be used against theTurks, and I was advised by these my friends to proceed on in the revealing of them. Upon this account (all other businesses laid aside) I wholly betook my self to this very one thing, to get great store of those kind of firey Waters in readiness, which may be made use of as most substantial bucklers or defence both offensively and defensively against theTurks. Now I have done this the more willingly and readily, because they kill no man, but doe onely so far debilitate them, that they may be overcome, and easily taken and made Captives. For were this invention of mine such as would kill men, I would never have at any time produced it in publick, and thus divulged it. And therefore I am even yet of this mind, that that MonkBartholddid not well in divulging the preparation and use of Gunpowder, by which such a multitude of Men are destroyed and slain.
But by this Invention of mine, no man is slain, and yet the victory wrested out of the Enemies hands. And the Enemies being taken alive and made Captives, may be constrained to work, and in my opinion may bring more benefit than if they were slain.
I doubt not but that the things I here propound may seem impossible even to the wisest [sort of] men of this World; nor indeed is it to be wondred at if it be so; for they are unheard-of Secrets, and unseen, and so exceed all belief. I dare not here trust my Pen too much, though I could disclose them in a few words, and so, as to bring every one to acknowledge the truth hereof, and to feel it as it were with his hands. But I must deal warily, lest such sharp, and yet not killing, weapons fall into the Enemies hands.
But yet that I may in some sort satisfie the desirous Reader, I doe signifie unto him in brief, that all the whole Art lyes coucht in this knack, that vast quantities of those artificial Waters may be gotten without great Expences; and being prepared, may be afterwards applied to use by some certain secret Instruments both offensively and defensively. For those watry Fires, or firey Waters which I speak of, are of such a burning nature, that neither Men nor Horses whom they touch are able to resist [or endure] them; And yet they doe not kill, unless one be minded to slay others, and then they must have a more peculiar preparation. But as they are by themselves, they kill none, but doe extreamly disturb both Horse and Man, that it makes them even impatient of the pains, and so forceth them upon one another, whereby their order being broken, they ruine themselves. This done, the victory is as it were given into the adverse parties hands, whereby they can without any labour vanquish and take their Enemies Captives. I dare not to say any more hereabouts, this onely I add by way of overplus, that even Women (where Men are wanting) may not onely (by this invention of mine) drive off the Enemies from any fenced place, but they may force them out again out of the place, or o’erwhelm the Company of them that are entred with Stones. Though this seems an incredible thing, yet is it most true, and will without doubt, after it shall come to light, in a short time serve as a most notable defence for the Countrey.
And as touching the easie, and not at all costly preparation of the moist Fires and their due use, together with the Instruments hereto requisite; all this shall be shown and detected to those onely who both can and will use them against theTurks. But to others not, and this we were willing to signifie by way of admonition or advice.
This little, but yet exceeding weighty Secret, and which may be used against our Countries Enemies with most notable benefit, I have revealed enough of at this time. Mean while I hope, that even this very year the Enemies of the Christian World will be notably endamaged by it, which God of his grace and mercy grant, that it may be a solace and help to the Christian World so dreadfully persecuted by theTurk, even for the honour and glory of his holy Name.Amen.
As for such things as concern the true and indubitable melioration of Metals by Salt and Fire, I have already sufficiently enough demonstrated in thefifth part of the Prosperity ofGermany, and in the Appendix thereunto.
But seeing my true demonstration there made, seemed not sufficiently clear and evident to not a few, and that therefore they have most lyingly dared to aver, that there is no such thing as a true transmutation of Metals, and that such like Affirmations as these are meer fables, meer falsities, and meer dreams: Therefore I could not choose but (to stop the mouths of such wicked Men, and shame them,) to lay open and publish an evident and palpable truth.
And this is no great task for me to do, for I was many years ago certain of the truth hereof, and therefore can easily set it afore the Eyes of others, and that not onely particularly [or a particular transmutation] but also universally, insomuch that even the blind may see and palpably feel, that the transmutation of Metals is not an old Wives Fable, but is a certain and firm Science, and what is risen even from the foundation of nature her self. If now I shall prove it to be thus, I have then I hope secured my affairs, and have not onely defended the Writings my self have sent abroad, but withall the most true assertions of other honest Men, and so shall have evidently demonstrated those things which to the greatest part of Men seems a thing impossible to be done.
Albeit that there are many who have left us the truth in their Writings, yet are they so involved in obscurity, that such as know not the Fundamentals of the Art, can never learn ought of certainty from them. Whence it comes to pass, that so many Men have vainly attempted the Art, and therefore the Art it self hath been mightily despised.
The Transmutation of Metals is not a thing of so small a moment (as that eminent PhilosopherSandivogiuswitnesseth) in his Preface prefixed to his Writings; where he also tells us, that he that obtains the knowledge of the same, so as to transmute any imperfect Metal into a more perfect one, though it be done without benefit, hath met with an open Gate, and entrance leading to greater matters, and this is also exceedingly agreeable with the truth. For if any one shall take some imperfect Metal, and by handling or dealing with it with such or such matters, shall find that it is advanced to a golden or silvery nature, may more deeply look into the business with fuller and more accurate Meditations, and [at length] wholly search it out,viz.whence that bettering proceeds, and by what means or in what manner his labours are to be contrived.
And now when such an one doth make fix and constant, such or such a Metal by the benefit of the Fire, and useth no other matter about the Operation but Salt, and doth really find a true melioration of the Metal, certainly he cannot ascribe it to any other thing but the Fire and Salt: and now whereas he assuredly knows, that the melioration of Metals can be perfected by the help of no other thing but of Fire and Salt, he will not need to search for any other, but will rather wholly apply himself thereunto, whereby he may most commodiously deal with the Metals by the means of Fire and Salt, and better them with profit. And if now he be once Master of his desire, he will gain sufficiently thereby. But if not, he cannot blame the Art but himself, who indeed sees the possibility of the Art but hath not (yet) entred in by it, or through it to the great Treasures it discloseth, so as to take to himself a due or competent part. But forasmuch as such happy Men are very seldom found, who find the Key that opens the Doors to such Mysteries, I judged it a thing worth while if I did here detect this very Key, and show by what means the Gate (by which the closest of Arts is made fast) is wont to be opened. And if now it shall please the Studious Artist to enter thereinto, he may with all my heart, and so enjoy those Treasures. I will not pass the bounds I have intended to observe: it is sufficient for me to have shown the right and kingly way, wherein every one may go that listeth, that so he may arrive to his wisht for end.
But as for the Key that unlocks the Closet of Art in true Alchymy, I do confidently affirm, that Salts are such Keys, and especially Salt-peter, and also common Salt and Vitriol, each of which is of it self efficacious enough to open the Door which shuts the Parlour or Closet of Arts in Alchymy. But one Salt joyned with another as is expedient and in convenient wise as Art requires, does effect more and show greater power than if it abode alone, and this my Writings do too and agen largely shew. But those Salts are in an especial manner more excellent as to power and virtues than others are, those I say which being first made volatile or spiritual are afterwards made corporeal, like as the following example doth evidently demonstrate.
Take of Vitriol two parts, and of good Salt-peter one part, mix them well, and being mixt distill anAqua Fortistherefrom, with this Water, dissolve Silver or Lead, and pour into the Solution some Spirit of Salt, or else some common Salt onely dissolved in Water, that so the dissolved Metals may be turned into white Powder, and precipitate to the bottom of the Vessel. This done, wash off theAqua Fortisfrom theCalxof Silver or Lead, with Rainwater, and you shall find it to be one quarter part encreased, and this augmentation cannot be washt off with any Water. Now these saline Spirits do make theLuneandSaturnso very volatile, fusile, and flying, that they melt in a small heat and penetrate all hard Bodies. Upon this account I called those fugacious and fusile Metals, by the name of aMercury, which saidMercuryofLune, or ofSaturnhath assumed to it self onely so much of the Salts as it needed, to amend it self in the Fire, when they mutually act upon each other, and the Salt maturates the Metal.
But what course shall we now take with these Metals, seeing they are so very volatile, that they cannot resist the indifferently strong force of Fire, and therefore go away in fume? And forasmuch as they abide not the Fire and do not die, by what means can they be amended?
There is no better way to be taken with them here, than (for prevention of their volatility) to add to them some metallick body, into which, the fugacious exceeding fusile, and Salt Metal may hideit self, and so brook the Fire. And amongst these six metallick Bodies, I know not as yet of any better than Tin reduced into Ashes, which is most fit for this Operation, because it is the most unfit or hard to melt of any theCalx’sof the rest of the Metals.
If therefore you will make experiment of this Operation, adjoyn to one part of theMercuryofLuneorSaturntwo parts of the white Ashes of Tin, which being well mixt and put into a Glass Cucurbit well fenced with Lure, set it into Sand, put Fire thereinto by little and little untill the matter in the Glass be well heated; in this darkish red hot heat, leave it so long untill some part of the matter doth ascend by sublimation up into the Alembick placed at top, and up the neck of the Cucurbit. Then you must put on another Alembick, and take out all the sublimate out of the former Alembick, and put it back upon its matter in the Cucurbit, and it is to be again left so long in the Fire, untill there doth again ascend some part by sublimation into the Head. This being taken out of the Head is to be again put into the Cucurbit, and to be added to its own matter, (and to be proceeded with) till again some portion sublimes up out of the matter into the Alembick. Now these labours are to be so often repeated, untill there ascends no more matter up into the Head, and all the matter abides behind in the bottom of the Cucurbit fixt. This being done, a stronger Fire is to be administred, that the Metals may be operated upon by the Salts. For by how much the more and longer they endure the violence of the Salts, so much the better do they grow, which being taken forth and reduced by the adding unto them their due matters and being separated by a Cupel do yield forth a notable encrease of Gold and Silver.
This undoubted Experiment and evident Demonstration, doth (by its evident Operation) clearly and perspicuously teach and prove the melioration and transmutation of the Metals into better and more pure; but if this way seems to any very laborious and full of troubles, I will show him a more compendious way and such as is of less labour, for the sake of searching out the truth.
Fill a Hassiak Crucible (one of the best make) with the self same mixture,viz.one part of theMercuryofSaturn, and two parts of Tin-ashes, and squeeze in the matter thereinto with your Thumb pretty hard, and fit at top of this Pot, another somewhat lesser, so as that they may shut close and tight at their mouths, and one may not fall off from the other, if they be turned (topsie turvy:) Now in this upper Pot, put some Plates of Copper in, afore you place it on the lower one, yet on such wise that in the turning the Pots (up and down) they fall not out of their places. Each Pot likewise is to be well fenced with Lute such as will not chap when it is dried, and yet it may be mended if it should a little cleave by dawbing some more on, and this is done, that no fume at all get out. The Lute being dried, place this double Pot or Crucible in a circular Fire, and augment the Fire more and more, and move it nearer and nearer it untill it be well heated. Then put thereto larger Coals, and cover the Pot all over with them, that it may be every where red hot, in which great heat of the Fire it is to be left some two or three hours. Then being cool, take out and open your Pot, and you shall find the Copper Plates in some sort tinged with a white colour, but yet this colour is not so constant and fix as to abide in the Cupel or on the Test with its Body. Therefore necessity requires that those Plates be dissolved inAqua Fortis, and be precipitated by pouring thereon Salt dissolved in common Water, in which precipitation the SilverCalxsettles to the bottom. ThisCalxbeing freed of its Saltness by pouring Water thereon, and being dried, is to be wrapt up in a Plate of Lead, or some sheet Lead made as thin as Paper, and be put on a red hot Test, in which there must be a little Lead in Flux, which may the more readily receive the silveryCalxwrapt up in the leaden Paper, and which is volatile, and may hinder it from going away in fume; the Lead being consumed, there will be a grain of Silver abiding on the Test, which being dissolved inAqua Fortis, will let fall some Gold to the bottom. If any of the remaining matter in the Crucible be to be reduced, then boil it with Lead, and let it be reduced intoScoria’s: out of theReguluswill there also remain on the Test a grain of Silver containing Gold in it. But this way brings no profit, as being here taught for this onely end to demonstrate the possibility of the thing. But if you would get any profit by such an Operation, it will be altogether necessary to use such Vessels in which nothing at all may go away in fume, but all the matter may abide together, and may so get a fixity and constancy: and this cannot be done in Crucibles, but it will bring a profitable melioration by the said way.
Some may now demand from whence that Gold and Silver should come? whether out of the Lead or out of the Tin? doubtlesly it comes from both. And therefore seeing the Copper Plates in this Cementation, as likewise the cementing powder it self have put on a golden and silvery nature, can any one doubt that this is a true Transmutation by Fire and Salt? And this is especially manifest even from the Copper Plates, which had nothing at all toucht them, save the saline Spirits ascending up out of the Cementatory Powder, which in the heat of the Fire penetrated the Copper, and amended it in so short a time. Is there any one now so blinded as that he cannot here see, that this bettering the Metals proceeded from Salt and Fire. Certainly no body will be able to heal him that is blinded with such a darkness of his sight, and therefore must he even lie all his lifes time in such obscure mists. For this Operation is set down so clearly and evidently that it may be even felt and perceived with the hands.
N. B.If so be any one is desirous of getting more Gold and Silver by the help of this Operation, he may use theMercuryofLuneinstead of theMercuryof Lead, for it will yield far more thanSaturnwill.
I could exhibit no small variety of these kind of Experiments, but that the shortness of time bids me stop, and forbear their description; those that cannot learn ought from these things, greater ones will not be at all usefull unto them. Thus have I a-new evidently demonstrated, that a particular melioration of the Metals is done by, and proceeds from Salt and Fire alone.
Recipeone pound of theMercuryof Lead, or rather ofLune, of the Ashes of Tin two pounds, mix these matters together and put them into a GlassRetort coated, and put it in Sand, or rather in an open Fire, and give a Fire by degrees. In this Operation, the Salts inhering in theMercuryofSaturnorLune, do display or exercise their virtues uponJupiter, and seize upon it and leave theLuneor Lead, and ascend up into the neck of the Retort likeMercurysublimate, and are very heavy and ponderous, and do very rarely fall down into the Receiver, because they presently settle assoon as ever they feel any Refrigeration. Therefore it is needfull that the neck of the Retort be somewhat wide, that so theMercurysublimate may meet with space and room enough, and may not by wanting room break the Retort. Now when the Retort has been kept three hours in a red hot heat, which time is requisite for theMercurysublimate to ascend in, then cease from continuing or keeping on your Fire, that so it may cool. Then take out the sublimate out of the neck of the Retort when cold, and you shall find about some eight Lots 4 Ounces, and proceed with it the way following, as we shall by and by tell you.
Mix the Reliques or what is left, with two parts ofRegulusof Antimony made with Iron, and melt it into a body: Wash off theRegulusand Tin from the Silver with Salt-peter, and you shall have your Silver not onely encreased by theJupiter, but also indued with somewhat of a golden nature; as much as the Salts could maturate in so short a time, which is indeed a speedy Transmutation. But if you useMercuryofSaturn, there will not follow much amendment in so short a time. Yet nevertheless, that even the truth it self may even by this means be searcht out, there may be added a little Lead, and be boiled and reduced intoScoria’s, in which there will remain a grain of Silver, which will give you information, how much melioration the saline Spirits are able to bestow in three or four hours space.
But this is not the right way of getting profit, for as much as it shows onely the possibility of the thing.
But if you would have any profit by such an Operation, you must get you a Cucurbit for this sublimation made of good and vitreous or glazefying Earth; and the sublimedMercurymust be taken forth of the Alembick, and be again added to the dry matter lying in the bottom of the Cucurbit, and this Operation of subliming it must be so often repeated, till there ascend up no more, and that all abides fix with the Tin. Then is a stronger Fire to be put thereto, and theJupiterandSaturnwill be maturated by the Salt as we taught afore. And if now any be minded to take that same sublimated matter, as it ascended in the first sublimation, and would make it fix and constant (per se) in a Glass, he would get a Tincture that will in projection tinge with a white and red colour, but yet I never have as yet tried the latter of these. However I doubt not, but it may be done. For seeing that this sublimed matter, doth (though it be so volatile) penetrate the Plates of Copper, by three or four hours time cementation, and turns somewhat of the said Plates into the nature of Gold and Silver by graduation, how much more would it do, if being brought to a due fixity and constancy, it should be projected into some molten and flowing Metal? For that in such a white sublimate (principally in that which proceeds fromLune) there lies hid also an occult redness, and may be manifested by the Fire, this I say, mine Eyes have seen, and mine hands have felt, but have not as yet brought the Operation to its compleat end, by reason of various lets and want of time.
Farther, by such a sublimateMercurymay likewise be wrought various Transmutations, which I think not fit to divulge. It is in its nature fugacious and volatile, and yet notwithstanding doth it in process of time make all other volatile and fugacious matters, such as are Arsenick, Auripigment, Cobolt, and even the most flying of all,viz.commonMercury, fix and constant, which effect is to be attributed to the Salt onely. He that knows rightly to manage this Operation, will not labour in vain, but will be rendred a partaker of great secrets, which thing I leave to the Sons of Art, as a Testament or Will.
But yet that I may kindle some little Torch for to guide the desirous Reader, and may make him more certain of a true Tincture, which this abjectMercurysublimate showing it self in a white colour hides in it, I have thought good, yet farther to add this following way.
Extract out of this sublimate a runningMercury, vivifying and separating it by apt and magnetick subjects; and evaporate a little portion or particle thereof, of about the bigness of a Pea, in a Silver Spoon; when ’tis all gone, you will find a purple Powder left in the Spoon. If you cast this Powder upon hot boiling Lead, you will find after its blowing off, a grain of Gold on the Test. The Spoon it self will bear the mark of a purple spot in that place, in which theMercurywent away in fume, and it cannot be blotted or rubbed out, because theMercuryhath deeply impressed the Tincture in the Spoon.
Now may some or other say unto me, whence did that little grain of Gold left on the Cupel, and that purple spot which tinged the Silver Spoon, proceed, came it from the Lead or from the Tin, or from the Silver, or out of the saline Spirits? The greatest part of Men will say it proceeded out of the Lead, Tin, or Silver. But I say, that it did indeed come out of the Lead, Tin or Silver, but that the Tincture adjoyned thereunto is for the most part the true Soul of Niter, which theMercurytook unto it self, and again left it and forsook it assoon as ever it was vexed or forced with the Fire. But I doubt not but that if such aMercuryimpregnated with the Soul of Niter, were fixed and made constant in the Fire, it would afford an universal Tincture.
I confess I have tried many a time this Operation in small Experiments, which sometimes answered not my desires, what diligence soever I used thereabouts; but when I attempted it in a greater quantity it never succeeded. This thing seems to be posited in the will and pleasure onely of the Omnipotent God, who will not have those his so great Mysteries and Gifts profaned. I have indeed (like untoMoses) seen the promised Land, but yet I do not know whether or no God will bring me thither in this Life, that so I may enjoy those most precious Fruits.
And if God should not vouchsafe me that benefit, yet do I willingly rest content with this, that I have seen with mine Eyes, and felt with mine hands the truth of the Art more than once, which Art so many thousands of Men do so greedily gape after, but yet not with such good hap and success as to find it out or see it.
I have I say seen the truth, but not the Tincture brought to its end or perfection, but yet have I seen its beginning which makes me certainly assured so far, as that I dare to affirm, and confidently aver, that there is in nature such a thing as a true Tincture, and that it may by Gods blessing be prepared by an Artists hand. I have not yet had so muchquiet and so much time as to undertake this so weighty a Work. Yet now I have a resolution to set aside all worldly cares, solicitudes and businesses, and to attempt and wait upon this kingly Work, and expect what the divine grace will bestow upon me. For we are to look for all good things from above, for else we labour in vain, whatsoever diligence we make use of.
These things I was willing to publish for the Assertion sake of the truth, and to prove that there was in nature a true Tincture, that so it may evidently appear that Metals may be transmuted both universally and particularly. And if by some desperate Men or by a sudden and immature death (which chances God of his mercy graciously keep from me) all theMediumsor means of perfecting so great a Work, and finishing it should be cut off from me, yet notwithstanding the truth it self will be able to bear witness to my sayings when I am dead and gone. For I have by me even yet those Silver Plates tinged with Purple Spots, which can at all times witness the truth of those things I have here delivered. For it is an impossible thing that Silver should be tinged with a purple colour without a Tincture. If therefore there is to be found the truth in that white and fugacious sublimate, what I pray would be found in the fix and Fire-abiding red Tincture? Would it not be, that effects of far greater moment would be produced by such a Tincture. The Ancients therefore that desired firmness of health and a long life, bestowed such labours and sweats upon getting a true Medicine for humane and metallick Bodies, and some of them arrived to their wisht-for end, but the greatest part of them were deceived with vain labours, and frustrated of their conceived hopes.
If any Man did certainly know that there were in some places to be found mighty treasures of Gold, Pearls, and Precious Stones, and it were granted every one to search after them for his own proper advantage, what think you, he would be lazy and slow, and would not set himself to seek after them. But if any should so order his search that like a blind Man, he neither knows nor sees what it is he seeks after, or in what place it is to be sought by him, certainly such an one would labour in vain, and lose both his time, pains, and costs; and this usually betides the greatest part of Men, for they spend their labours in vain in their search after this Work, because (like blind Men) they neither know what they are to seek, nor where. But yet ’tis credible that there would not such a multitude of them have stray’d from the truth, had but any one so clearly and perspicuously shown and pointed as it were with the Fingers at the place where the Treasure lyeth hidden, as I have now done.
And although the envious and lying Devil should oppose the truth even with his greatest power, and should most cruelly rage against it, yet notwithstanding he will not be able to shew us any one Man that hath produced and brought the truth forth to the light with greater perspicuity and evidence thanGlauberhath.
I have therefore yet once more at present shown by a most evident demonstration even before the whole World, and have asserted it for a truth, that not onely the more imperfect Metals do admit of being really transmuted by Salt and Fire into the more perfect ones, but withall, that by them, [viz.Fire and Salt] a Tincture may be made.
And now let all mine enemies visible and invisible ones, open and secret ones, what name soever stiled by, come forth and publickly produce the true Transmutation of Metals, with a clearer and more conspicuous manifestation than I have here done. I acquiesce with what I have hitherto spoken; if God shall please I will divulge admirable things in my next third Century. In this little Treatise there are laid open onely four secrets, but yet so clearly and conspicuously that no body hath as yet manifested such and so eminent things with clearer and more perspicuous expressions.
For that first Instrument is clearly enough described, by the help of which, not onely a great plenty of all sharp Spirits may be prepared with very little costs and easie labour, and the four-fold use of these Spirits is able to bring most great profit to the Countrey.
1. All Gold, Silver, and Copper are thereby extracted out of the poorer sort of Oars whichGermanyabounds with every where, and that in a far easier manner than by fusion, and are so brought to a very gainfull improvement, to the great benefit of allGermany, the which hath never been hitherto done.
2. Of the said Spirits is made a Water-attracting Magnet, for the bettering of poorer Wines, that so they may keep good, and be the easilier transported out of one place into another, as I have signified in my second Century. It is a secret which offers gain both to the rich and poor, and may be prepared in great plenty.
3. The imperfect Metals are sundry ways bettered by those saline Spirits, of which may be made vast quantities as I have shown in this Work or Book, and this melioration my Writings do variously teach and treat of.
4. By the help of these fiery Spirits of Salts, preparable in mighty plenty, which is a thing commodiously to be done by the Instrument described in this Book, may theTurkswho are the Enemies of the Christian World be resisted without any Bloud-shed. Concerning these fiery Waters, which being such a notable destruction on the Enemies, this is here to be noted, that immense quantities of them are easily gotten without any Distillation and with very little expences.
For if much be to be effected by them, it is necessarily requisite to have vast quantities of them in readiness, without which, no great matters are in this case to be accomplisht. But as concerning the manner of so greatly endammaging theTurksby these moist Waters I cannot so accurately describe the same here, as being a meer stranger to, and ignorant in military affairs. However I will briefly and in few words shaddow out, what way I think it may be done by,viz.to resist and mightily endamage the Enemies by them.
First of all, this is the nature and property of these moist Waters. As to outward view they are like Water, and may be handled or dealt with as other common Waters, but their inward virtue is nothing but a meer Fire. And because these moist Waters may be thrown not onely with the hands, but with greater Warlike Engines or Guns a good way off, by artificial Instruments prepared for that purpose; therefore is the use of them manifold, and as necessity requires may they be used several ways for the expulsion and overcoming of the Enemies. We will illustrate our meaning by an example. Suppose I am in a City or Castle besieged by the Enemies, and that I have by me some of those kind of Instrumentswhich are accommodated to this use for the moist Fires. If now the Enemy should set upon the Trench, Wall, or a Bul-wark, and I were furnished with that defensive Water of mine, should stand behind the Wall or Bul-wark in that place which the Enemy sets upon, he could not possibly come at me; for those moist Fires may be cast by the said Instruments far without the City, like a fiery showr of Rain, or like a Cloud, which Rain being forced out of but one onely Instrument would dilate it self far and wide upon many hundreds of Men, and whatsoever it touched it would hurt and burn like common natural Fire, and it would especially blind their sight, so that the Men would not be able to look up or see. If now the Enemies should make their attempt upon any place, and there should be shoured down upon them such a fiery Rain, and by hurting their Eyesight make them quite blind, how would they be able being blinded to get over the Walls or Bul-warks? I do believe that if they should have gotten over the Walls or Forts, and be made thus blind, they would be heartily glad if they could but get out again and recover their own party. But it would be better to beat them off, and blind them when they come with their Ladders to scale the Walls, than to permit them to approach any nearer. But yet if it should so happen that the Enemies had gotten even into the City it self, and there were some Houses in the principal places or streets in which the defendants may rally themselves and that such Houses were furnisht with such moist Fires, and that such fiery showers were shot out thence so blinding them that they durst not open their Eyes, what I pray would they be able to do, being blinded and clearly deprived of the use of their sight? Would they not throw away their Arms and solely mind the getting the Fire out of their Eyes, and yet it would hardly be so done in half a days time, nay if it should touch their Eyes in pretty quantity, it would scarse be quencht in two days time, and if they should go to wipe their Eyes with their hands, then would they make their torments much more intolerable, and would add more Fire to their Eyes, because their hands are likewise moistned and plagued with that continual shour. And now may not such unbidden Guests be overwhelmed and slain with Stones cast on them out of the adjoyning Houses? And may not one Single Woman with such a little Instrument onely filled with these moist Fires defend her House against an hundred Soldiers. Verily in my opinion there may be made a better defence with such a little Instrument that one may carry about with him, than with ten or even an hundred Musquets. For 100 Musquets require 100 Men, all which when they have discharged their Guns once, and have slain some ten or twelve Men (and yet it is not wont usually to happen so in such cases neither) they need some time to load their Musquets again, if they would keep on shooting. But this Instrument may be used even by Women, two or three of whom will haply do more hurt to the Enemy than twenty or thirty, yea haply one hundred Men are able to do with their Musquets. And if the Women and other weak Men do but blind their Enemies, the armed Men may take them thus blinded Prisoners; that so not being killed but made Slaves, they may be set to Work and Till the Land, and this would be far more profitable than the killing of them would be. So then, may not an hundred Soldiers by the help of my Instruments defend any Fortress with greater and more certain defence than a thousand Men could otherwise do. Verily I believe they may. For these blinding Fires of mine, or fiery Clouds and Rain being adjoyned to other usual and customary military Weapons, will most mightily endamage the Enemy, nor will there need so many Soldiers, for the Citizens themselves may use the other [customary] Arms, and the Women and Children may use the Instruments, whereby they would haply defend themselves more strongly than if they committed their defence to chosen and registred Souldiers.
For these Instruments, (by which the moist Fires are driven far off upon the Enemies like fiery showers and Clouds of Rain, and that without intermission, and as oft as ever need requires) although they be great, yet a few Men may govern or manage them, so that it will be impossible for the Enemies to effect any considerable enterprize in besieging any City. But it is needfull to place such Instruments that thus squirt forth Fire, behind the Walls and Bul-warks, that the Enemies great Ordinance may not hurt or destroy them. Verily I cannot so very accurately and compleatly show what [the best] way [is] of endamaging the Enemies by the help thereof, for this the practice it self will better shew us. I can furnish forth the Instruments themselves and the moist Fires belonging thereunto. I commend the use of them unto the Souldiers, who may learn to use them as they shall find good by experience I do again repeat what I have hitherto so often spoken, and I do affirm, that with one such Instrument may some thousands of Men be blinded in a moments time, and being blinded what I pray can they then do? If so be that others shall endeavour to come to help them and fetch them off, they may likewise be blinded, nor can they run away, and therefore must necessarily be taken Prisoners. And this in my judgment may be done in Hostile Invasions and Sieges.
But now whether or no there may be any use of such Instruments in Battailes and Conflicts with the Enemies, I do not well know, but that a City, Castle, or House may be defended by their means, and so drive off the Assailants, is a thing evident and undoubted. Should there be a thousand Enemies beset the House of some particular Citizen, yet must they depart if onely such a fiery Cloud or Rain (the Doors and Windows being shut) should be shoured down upon them. For so they would be rendred blind and not be able to see or find the Door, as it was inLotstime, when his Enemies environed his House to have out those two Strangers, they were smitten with such blindness that they were constrained to leave the House, and it was permittedLot, and his, to pass out of the same without any impediment. And is it not lawfull for us to smite our Capital Enemies theTurkswith blindness, and to defend our selves, our Wives and Children?
God himself saith, I will encompass those that are mine, with a Wall of Fire, and defend them against their Enemies. Briefly, this invention of mine, of making such a fiery Mist or Rain, is an incomparable defence and safeguard, the like of which was never as yet known in the World. And now may any one easily conjecture what may be done offensively with this same invention. For example, suppose ’tis necessary to take such or such a place from the Enemy, but now there is not time enough left, nor are there Souldiers enough for the enterprize; and therefore some Stratagem must be used to become Mastersof one of the Gates at least whereby the Souldiers may be let in.
And now in my judgment some Gate may be seized on and that easily by the help of these moist Fires of mine, and ’tis thus, let some Souldier or other fit for such a design, be taught the use of my Fire-spiting Instruments, and when he understands it, he may be clad in Countrey Habit, and so let him go to them upon the Guard, and in the Court of Guardhouses in which they be, let him shour in upon them a fiery, Eye-blinding, and forcibly hissing shour. [This done] how can the Guarders possibly resist those that come to the Gate and are ready to enter in? Nay more, the Souldier thus clad may have a Granadoe given him to carry in a Sack, which being filled with those moist Fires, may of its own accord (without any benefit of Gun-powder) leap assunder and fill all the whole room with his blind making Dew, he may throw into those Watch-houses where they keep Guard, and so make all that are there present unfit to fight. And if so be there should be more of those Houses than one, the same Souldier may likewise have more such Granadoes given him, one of which he may throw into each House. Nay farther, if need be, and that you would have it fadge better and have it more certainly succeed, there may be sent several Souldiers with such Fire-breathing Granadoes to several Gates, to o’erwhelm the Watch-men and possess them. For the Watch-men suspecting no evil from one Countrey-man onely, will not cry out Arm, Arm, but let him in without any impediment. Such Fire-breathing Balls or Granadoes may be made of Iron, Copper or Earth, which however, properly are not Fires as long as they feel not the Air, and they then become Fires onely, when any one is so minded to have them such, breaking every thing in their reach like Gun-powder burning, and depriving all such as are present of their sight, and making them Sick. Granadoes made on this manner, and of about the bigness of a Mans Head, do not of their own accord conceive a flame without Air, nor do they flie assunder, or at all operate. But if you would that the Air be let in whereby they may operate, there must be a little Spicket or Tap to be drawn out of the Granadoe, that so the Air entring in may vivifie the Fire that lies in the Ball or Granadoe. Such a Granadoe being thrown into any Watch house, the Watch men will without doubt presently run and take it up and see what it should be, and what end it was thrown in there for; then as they all of them stand round and contemplate upon the novelty, if any of them hap to draw out the Spicket, which without all question they would do, the Air gets in, and the Fire enkindles and breaks that Granadoe thus stuft with that venemous Fire all to pieces, and so will strike them all down together. And may not now the Souldiers in the mean time hasten and break in to that fenced place without any let, and become Masters of the Gate? Verily methinks it should succeed very well. I tell you my thoughts of the business, I never tried the thing it self nor do I ever desire to try. Such as have a desire to try it, and have occasion and opportunity of doing it, may more accurately contemplate thereupon, and so will they find what way they may most conveniently detriment their Enemies most of all by. I have laid the foundation, others must valiantly proceed on and bring the thing to a most usefull Issue. However I do not doubt but that the most part of Men that shall hear me say, that there may be such effects produced by these fiery Waters, that may equal the dreadfull Operations of Gun-powder, will mock at me, and judge it an impossible thing; nor will it be any thing strange they should, because they have not any knowledge of nature.