Chapter XLIII: Front Matter (43)

And therefore I cannot forbear but must needs teach all pious Housholders (whether they have their Houses in Cities or in Villages) a certain easie Artifice, by the help of which they may gather a Treasure for their Children, without any labour and costs, and such a one as Thieves can never rob them of.

And now, seeing I have revealed in this small Book, for the benefit both of Rich and Poor, high and low, three Artifices or Workmanships by which, Wine, Corn, and Wood may be made more profitable; but yet have not brought any assisting help to such as want both Wine, Corn, and Wood, I have judged it worth the while (that so even they who have nothing, and yet nevertheless desire to provide for their Wives and Children in some honest way) to bestow on them a secret Art, whereby they may seek their advantage or profit. And I hope the thing will redound to the Honour of God, and to all our Healths.

Besides, I will shew a way to such as have no inheritance left them from their Parents, nor have any thing come to them by Marriage, by what means they may without labour and trouble get a Treasure for their Children.

First of all, Let such a one take care to have some shade or hovel made, to join to that side of his dwelling that lies in the middle ’twixt the North and the East part of Heaven, or some other more convenient place, so as to admit the Sun and Air to it, but to keep off the Rain. Under this Pent-house or Hovel, let him dig a large Pit, and with the Earth he digs out let him make banks round the Pits-mouth that so it may keep the Rain off of every side. This done, let him each day in every year, or whensoever he can conveniently carry and throw into that Pit these following matters, so long till his necessity forceth him to dig all out again, and to see how much Treasure he hath gotten, even whilest he slept. Now these matters are, All sharp and bitter Herbs, growing in by places, amongst bushes, and in the way sides, and such as the Beasts feed not on, as _Esula_, _Cicuta_ or Hemlock, Hen bane, Fumitory, the thick stalks of Tabaco that are thrown away in those places where it is planted, the hard stalks of Colwort, which the Beasts eat not of, and likewise all those things they leave in their Troughs; likewise Firr tops or Apples if you have them at hand; also the Leaves that fall from the Trees in Autumn are to be gathered; also Pigeons-dung, and Hens-dung, Birds and Hens Feathers; all the Ashes which Women usually make their Lees with, and other Ashes that are not fit for that use, as also such out of which the Lixivium or Lee is already extracted; the soot of Chimneys, Hogs hairs, the horns of Oxen and Cows, and the bones which the Dogs eat not of. All these matters may he throw into his Pit, and that he may the sooner fill it, he may gather as much as ever he can from the bordering places, and throw it therein, that so in one or two years time he may with all those things fill up his Pit. Mean while he must pour into the Pit the piss gathered in his House, and that he may have enough he must also get as much as he can from his Neighbours, so as to keep the things thrown in the Pit in a continual moisture, whereby they may the sooner putrefy. In want of Urine, common Water may be taken; if Sea-water or other Salt-water can be had, it will be the better. Also the Brine of Fishes-pickle, and the salting or salt-water that Flesh is macerated (or pickled) in are of good use in this business; likewise the Blood of Oxen, Cows, Calves, Sheep, which you may easily have at the Butchers; all these things putrefying together do put on the nature and property of Salt-petre.

If now, all those matters in your full pit shall have well putrefied, then cease from pouring on any more moisture, and all the things are to be left so long till they are dried. And then if you need Money, let a Salt-petre maker be sought for, and bargain with him about the price of drawing out your Salt-petre by water, of making it, and selling it. This done, cast the remaining Earth again into the Pit, together with the remaining Lixivium that shot not into Nitre, and there leave it for a year or two, and moisten it sometimes with Urine, or if you have not this, with common Water. This Earth will again yield Salt-nitre, but not above half so much as at first.

NB. If you stand not in need of Money, let the matter lie, and as oft as it dries, so often moisten it again with the aforesaid moisture, that so the Nitre may more and more grow and increase. By this means shall such a one gather a secret Treasure, & shall not know almost how he came by it. If he needs it not himself, his Children will find it. Thieves & Souldiers will not steal it away. If one Pit be full then another may be made, that so nothing at all of those matters, which otherwise are most base, (but in this case most suitable) may be lost. Now if there were but only one in every Village that were appointed to exercise this Labour, there would be found out as it were in a small Country many thousand hundreds of Salt-petre, and so these matters still serving for the same use, there would never be any scarcity of Salt-petre. And now, Nitre being present, Gold and Silver are not far off. Let every one observe this, and esteem it. Men will sometime or other at last, become thrifty and wise, and will see what blindness they have been possessed with.

Give GOD the thanks, and be helpful to thy Neighbour. GOD hath bestowed on me, I bestow on thee, do thou likewise bestow somewhat upon thy Neighbour, and it will be well with us all.

THE SECOND PART
OF
The Prosperity of Germany,

Wherein is shewn,

By what means Minerals may be Concentrated by Nitre, and turned into
Metalick, and better Bodies.

_For the benefit of my Country, and of all such as affectionately and
industriously follow after Metalick Affairs._

Friendly Reader,

_I have taught in the first part of this Book, by what way the Vegetables, as Wine, and Ale, are to be concentrated, whereby they may yield more profit than hitherto they have done, and also, how Wood is to be reduced into Salt-petre. In this present Second part, shall be taught, how the Salt-petre is to be used, and how, by it Minerals may be Concentrated, and wrought into Metalick Bodies. And as to this Concentration, thus stands the case; that is to say, forasmuch as a good part of Minerals are of very little use, and lie neglected as things of no worth, and prove not profitable to any one, (whereas if there were Men that understood but the Art of it, there might redound a great benefit to the Lands where they are). It hath seemed to me worth while to declare it to my Country, nor doubt I but that there will arise some diligent ingenuities, who will lay the thing to heart, and take care thereabouts, and will even set their hands to the work it self, and thence get much profit; which to me would be very pleasing and acceptable. Therefore (in the Name of God) will I set about the manifestation of the Gifts of God (which lie every where unknown, and wholly disesteemed, and which yield no Man any fruit) and lay them open before the Eyes of the whole World, that so they may be better known hereafter, and be of more benefit to the Country. And I beseech the most Wealthy, and the most Ancient Housholder, our most merciful Father, to bestow a Blessing, and good success on this my endeavour, that it may tend to the Honour of his most Holy Name, and the health of all our Souls._ Amen.

_Of the difference of Minerals, and what is understood by the
Name of Minerals._

As concerning the word _Mineral_, why all Fossile and Metalick Mines are so called afore they have been wrought upon, and brought by the fire into Malleable Metals, I judge it but of small moment to make any tedious Comment thereupon; besides, others have long ago thoroughly treated of that, and yet it makes but little to the thing it self. But my purpose is (at present) to teach, what means such little esteemed Minerals may be made useful, and profitable by; but afore I begin this work, I will recite, and shew the many sorts of Minerals that there be; then next that, I will shew how, by the benefit of fire, and the hands of the Artificer, they may be converted into better bodies, and become useful, and profitable for Mankind.

Under the Name of Minerals are comprehended, or reckoned these following, _viz._ _Antimony_, _Auripigment_, White, Yellow, and Red _Arsenick_, _Cobolt_, _Lapis Calaminaris_, _Zink_, _Bismute_, or the _Silvery Marchasite_, likewise the _Golden Marchasite_, _Pyrites_, or _Copperas_ stones, _Vitriol_ of various kinds; as also, its kindred, may be added to the number of Minerals. And albeit, that some do also referr Alume, Salt-petre, Sal Armoniack, Sal Gem, and others of that kind to the rank of Minerals, yet cannot I acknowledge them for such, or reckon them up amongst the number of the above mentioned, seeing there is nothing Metalline to be found in them: Such only therefore do I call Minerals, that have in them a Metalline nature, and which do admit of being joined with other Metals, and of being molten together with them in the fire, and out of which the known Malleable Metals, may be extracted. These are they which I intend to treat of, and will see, what good is thencefrom extractable.

And first of all we’ll speak of _Antimony_.

_Antimony_ is the noblest Mineral of all, not only because it doth for the most part contain Gold in it, but upon this account too, because more eminent Medicines may be thencefrom prepared for the use of Mankind. In the Mine-pits it has its peculiar Veins; that which is found in _Transilvania_, hath some little bigger portion of Gold in it, and is accompted of as the best in all _Europe_, next that is the _Hungarian_ ♁, which likewise doth sometimes contain no contemptible portion of Gold; next is the _Fechtenbergick_, which is found at a small Town call’d, in the _German_ Tongue, _Gold-Gronack_; the _Polonian_ sort, and that which is found in most places of _Germany_, contains but little Gold, or none at all; but there is some which has much Silver in it, and (for the most part) is neither wont to be used, nor desired, or sought for, save by the Letter Founders, and these use it to make their Matters flow. Also many do use it (_viz._ ♁) in Medicine, and do much good therewith, but it hath certain Enemies who are none of the wisest, and so is hated, and rejected. But yet there lies in it more hidden good, than all its Enemies are able to conceive of, witness my _Panacea_, which is mentioned in the second part of my _Pharmacopœia Spagyrica_.

And _Basil Valentine_, certainly an excellent Philosopher, writ the Triumphant Chariot in its Honour, which is an exquisite Book and profitable to read.

But as concerning the way of making a Regulus out of Antimony, and as to the uses it serves for, that I have described in the fourth part of my Furnaces. Moreover, as to the manner of depurating Gold thereby, and cleansing it from all Heterogeneous mixtures, and as to the graduating of silver, thereby, that it may become Golden, all this have I spoken of in the Explication of my _Miraculum Mundi_; and as to what other effects may profitably be done, therewith in Metalick Operations, shall be shown, partly in this Treatise, partly in the third and fourth ensuing parts. As concerning the way of separating it in quantity out of the Ore, _per descensum_, is to be seen in _George Agricola_’s Book, that he wrote of the Metalick Art, and in others; nor indeed belongs it to this place to speak thereof.

_Of_ Arsenick.

_Arsenick_ likewise is a good Fossile, or profitable Mineral, and is put to many Uses. It also hath its singular, or distinct Veins in the Earth, whence it is taken; it is forced out of the Ore by Ascension, and Descension, and is purified for use: It is found white, yellow, and red. Also some silvery Minerals or Ores do in their solution, or melting; yield much Arsenick, which the Melters of the Ores do catch in Chimneys or Funnels made for that purpose, and keep it for use; concerning which, you may read in _George Agricola_’s Writings. So likewise, _Cobolt_ yields Arsenick, and so do some Golden Minerals, or Ore; that which is separated from a Minera of Gold, _per descensum_, is very red, and auriferous; and this, those that deal with Metals, have experience of; which, if they separate not from the Gold Ore afore they melt it, it carrys away a great part of the Gold, and hides it in its Belly in the melting, so that they would not have so much Gold as there is in the Ore. For indeed, such a kind of Arsenick, is an unripe Gold, as shall be hereafter proved: So then, there lies more hidden in that Contemptible, and Venomous Arsenick, than any one will easily perswade himself to believe. There are also Medicines prepared out of it, but such, as serve only to be externally applied, in inveterate, and virulent Evils, as the Cancer, and Fistula. It is also used in Colouring and Dying Cloaths, concerning which, you may peruse my other Writings.

_Of_ Auripigment.

This Mineral is in a manner of the same Essence that Arsenick is of; but this does not come forth of Minera’s, or Metalline Ores, but hath peculiar Veins of its own, in which it is generated; it is an unripe Mineral, and doth for the most part also contain Gold. It is exceedingly Poisonous and Volatile, and therefore it is but little used, save only by Painters. It can be fixed by Nitre, and it makes Copper white, and brittle, as Arsenick doth: And it suffers it self to be sublimed out of its yellowness, into Transparent Rubies, which are used for Ornaments sake.

_Of_ Cobolt.

Amongst all the Minerals that are to be found _Cobolt_ is the most poisonous; it’s an unripe silver, and it ofttimes yields in melting good silver, yet one sort more than other; some also there is which hath not any Silver at all, and is used about the sky-colour’d Smalt, to help make it, with an addition of Fusile Sand, and Potters Ashes. But when they meet with that which has Silver in it, they separate it thencefrom by Fusion; besides, it may be so fixt by the help of Salt-petre as to yield permanent Silver, as shall anon be spoken of.

_Of the_ Silvery Marchasite.

The silver Marchasite, or Wismuth, is a known Mineral; it’s every where found to and again in the silver Mine-pits, as well as Cobolt is, but yet it is much more fixt than Cobolt; neither is it of so poisonous a Nature. It is gotten out of its Ore, or Minera, most easily by a small flame of wood fire, and is used by the Pewterers to make their Pewter hard, sounding, and fluxile. Likewise, out of its scoria or drossy parts, is the blue Smalt also prepared, which the Potters use to glaze their Pots, and the Glass-men to make sky-colour’d Glasses. It doth very frequently abound with much silver, and ’tis rare to find any that is wholly void of silver: And if it holds so much silver, as is of more value than the Marchasite can be sold for (as ’tis barely _Bismute_) they separate it, if not, they leave it in it. For if an hundred weight doth not contain 20 or 30 Lots, or half Ounces they do not separate it, because the Marchasite will yield so much. But now, the Silver may be gotten out of the Marchasite, by Salt-petre, so as that the remaining Marchasite shall lose nothing of its goodness nor be at all spoiled, as I have shewed in the Explication of my _Miraculum Mundi_.

_Of the Golden_ Marchasite.

The name of _Marchasite_ is proper to every unripe Metallick matter (and is) of as many sorts as there are Metals; hereupon the matter which has Gold in it, is called the Golden Marchasite; that which has Copper, the Coppery; that which has Iron, the Irony, and so that which abounds with Sulphur, is called the Sulphureous Marchasite. But now there is Sulphur in all the Marchasites, and sometimes Arsenick too, but (the Golden ones) have more of Gold than the other Marchasites have; Besides, out of all kinds of Marchasites proceeds (for the most part) a Vitriol, which shews the nature of that Metal, which the Marchasite contains; one while Copper, sometimes Iron; ’tis rare to find a Marchasite that hath no Metal at all in it; if it hath nothing of Gold, Silver, or Copper, yet has it Iron, and gives out of it self a Vitriol useful for Dyers, and which such as prepare _Aqua-fortis_ cannot be without.

_Of_ Zink.

_Zink_ is a Volatile Mineral, or a half ripe Metal when it is drawn out of its Ore. It is much clearer and brighter than Tin, yet not so malleable and fluxile as Tin is, and it is usually put to Tin to make it brighter and harder. We have it not much growing in _Germany_, but great quantity of it is every year brought us by the Merchants out of the _East-Indies_. The way how to prepare it for Medicinal uses, have I described in the first part of the Philosophical Furnaces. It is a golden but an unripe Mineral, it gives Red Copper a Yellow Colour and turns it into Brass, as _Lapis Calaminaris_ doth; and indeed that same Stone is nothing else but unmeltable _Zink_, and this _Zink_ may properly be called a fusile Lapis Calaminaris; for as much as both of them partake of one nature. But with _Zink_, there is most an end conjoined Lead too, and then it is not fit to make Brass of, unless the Lead be first taken thereoutof; so it is at _Goslaria_, where together with the Minera or Ore of _Zink_ is Lead also digg’d out mixt amongst it, and is called a Lead Ore, though there be contained in that Ore, four times more of Zink than there is of Lead, and yet they burn up the Zink for to have the Lead, which Lead hath some Silver in it. In the melting it flies away in fume, and it is a volatile and combustible Mineral, and sublimes it self up into the holes of the Furnace, whereupon the Melters or Founders are constrained to knock it off frequently, least it should too much lessen the Furnace; this matter they knock off, they call Calmei (which is Lapis Calaminaris) and which turns red Copper into Brass, with encrease (of its weight); and so verily by means of the not-knowing or being skill’d in this Ore, a great quantity is yearly burnt up and lost. Sometimes the founders do gather somewhat of the Zink, which is most excellently excellent; but that Ore might be melted with far greater profit, if they did not so burn up the Zink, and force it into fume, but seeing men are hardly drawn back from an old custom, it must be born with.

But yet (I say again) if that Ore were handled in a due manner, there would redound far greater profit thencefrom than now doth. Such a kind of Mineral as this is doth Westphalia also yield, which the founders there accompt for a Leaden Ore, because it has some load mixed with it, but when it comes to be freed or molten it goes (all) away in fume, and therefore they say, it is also a Calmei or Calaminaris Ore, and so it lies unused.

_Of =Calmei= or =Lapis Calaminaris=._

_Calmei_ Ore is digged out in many places in _Germany_, but there is none of such note as that which is found at _Aquisgrane_, for that is wholly void of all kind of Leadyness, and much different from that of _Goslaria_, or _Westphalia_; and therefore it is also very fit to make Brass of, which is there made in plenty, and farther, this has Gold in it, though not so much as to quit the Costs of separating it. But there is no Mineral richer with Gold than this, and could it but be ripened (and I doubt not at all of the possibility of so doing) a good deal of Gold might be drawn out from thence.

As concerning what else may be performed with that Mineral, I have formerly told you in my First and Second Part of Furnaces, nor is it needful to treat of the same thing more at large in this place.

_Of Common_ Sulphur.

_Sulphur_ or _Brimstone_ is the most known, most used, and most combustible Mineral of all. As touching its uses in Medicine, and in Alchimy, about the separation of Metals; may you find something mentioned by my self, in the writings I formerly published, and in the writings of others too.

But at present we will only mind you of this, _viz._ That it is the very Foundation and Root of all the Metals; for tis rare to find any mine wherein _Sulphur_ does not shew it self. Very many places in the World, is _Sulphur_ both made and digged out of the Earth, in very great quantity, & that chiefly in _Island_, and in _Italy_, nigh to those always burning Mountains, _Heckla_ and _Vesuvius_; it is also drawn out of Marchasites _per Descensum_ in many places of _Germany_, so that enough of it may every where be had for a little money.

These are the chiefest Minerals that I ever knew of, and these are they which are commonly sought after, and applied to use. But now, besides these, there are so many various kinds of Fossiles and Minerals to be met withal, that one cannot reckon them all up, or give them peculiar Names. One contains Sulphur, and Arsenick, another, Cobolt and Sulphur; another Antimony, and Arsenick, and of that kind are there very many more. But yet those that we have reckoned up, are the most known, and most in use, and therefore shall at present be sufficient for us to speak of.

Having now taught what Minerals are, and which of them are most known & used; I will now teach, in the next place, by what means they may (by the help of Salt-petre, & of other Subjects) be fixed, concentrated, imbodied, or brought into Metals, so as to be rendred profitable for the use of Mankind, and which otherwise lie every where to and again neglected and, are wont to be of no esteem.

And as to the Concentration of Minerals, thus stands the Case with them; they are either to be fixed & subdued, as ’twere by the help of Salt-petre, that so they may not so suddenly fly away in fume in the fire, and be burnt up, but may abide the fire and suffer themselves to be molten; or they are to be reduced into bodies by the help of Metals, that so they may come in use, and that by augmenting the Metals, as Lapis Calaminaris does, or they are to be purifyed, separated, and made better, as shall be mentioned of _Sulphur_, _Antimony_, and the others, that so those kind of Minerals of which there lies to and again, at present, great quantities, wholly neglected, and profitable to no body, may hereafter be of use and benefit.

And first of all, as to the fixation of the Minerals, the way of proceeding is thus, _viz._ The Mineral is to be powdered, and to be mixt with equal weight of burning Salt-petre, and so to be fired, that the combustible and volatile part of the _Sulphur_ may be forc’d away, and the Mineral may afterwards brook the fire the better, and be molten and forced downwards (_per descensum_); which operation I have treated of in the explication of my _Miraculum Mundi_, and therefore think it needless to repeat the same thing again here. By this mean therefore may _Arsenick_, _Auripigment_, _Cobolt_, _Zink_, _Bismute_, and other Volatile Minerals be in some sort fixt by the inflaming and burning up with Salt-petre, so as afterwards to endure the fire, and to yield forth the good they have in them. There’s also another way of imbodying Volatile Minerals, _viz._ by the benefit of Metals; if the Metals and Minerals are joined together in a due measure, and be likewise united together by the virtue of a Cementing fire; then doth the volatile Mineral penetrate it self into the Metal, and becomes Metalline, and doth also encrease the Metal, as is evident in Calmei or Lapis Calaminaris, which being joined with red Copper and cemented, enters into it, augments and encreaseth it, and turneth it into Brass; whereas there cannot be any Metal educed out of the Calmei by the usual way of melting. In like manner may all Arsenical minerals be (by cementation) introduced into Copper, & made corporeal; and these do not colour the Copper yellow as Calmei doth, but make it white, nor is the Copper rendred maleable thereby but britle; but yet ’tis not without profit; for if that white Copper be handled after a convenient manner of taming or over-mastering it, then the Gold and Silver that was in the Arsenick, betakes its self into Regulus’s, which are to be depurated in a Test or Cupel, or else by the help of Salt-petre; but there cannot any metalline body be made out of Arsenick, Auripigment, or Cobolt, by bare melting. The way of proceeding with it is thus; The Copper is to be cut into small bits, and to be moistned over with _Linseed_ Oil, and the Arsenick, Auripigment, Cobolt or any other Realgar is to be powdered and strewed thereupon, and so a bed of Copper, and a bed of Arsenick to be put one a top of another in a melting Pot; then the Pot is to be well covered and fenced with Lute, and placed in a circulatory fire, and the fire is to be put nearer and nearer to it, until the Pot is through red hot, then let it cool, and you shall find that the Arsenick hath gotten ingress into the Copper, and makes it black and brittle. The Copper thus burnt, may be reduced into powder, and burnt with good Salt-petre, whereby the Volatile Gold and Silver which was contained in the Arsenick, is made corporeal, and abides as constant upon the Test as other fixt Metals do; so that by this means permanent and good Gold and Silver may be gotten out of every sort of Arsenick, Auripigment, Cobolt, and the other volatile, venomous and base minerals.

NB. This kind of operation is very dangerous to those that are unskilful, and who being unversed in the Chymick Art, have not learned to take heed to themselves. And therefore it behoves every one to beware of doing ought rashly or heedlesly. He that knows not how to carry himself (or his business) warily, let him forbear to meddle at all with this labour or process: But as for one who is better versed, and pretty well experienc’d, he may set about this work safely and will gain by it: Because there is oftentimes found Arsenick and Auripigment that hath in it much hidden volatile Gold and Silver, and which cannot be retained in the common way of melting by Fire, but will totally fly away: But now if it be imprinted in the Copper by Cementation, and fixt in the same by Salt-petre, and then precipitated by means of Lead or Iron into Regulus’s, it will render all that fixt which afore was unfixt and flying. But as concerning such a Cementation and Fixation to be done by Nitre, will be manifested by the following process.

NB. But you are carefully to observe, that one mineral must help another in the separation of their Gold and Silver (if you would undertake this Labour for profit): For so each will produce what it has in more abundance, and thou wilt have a greater reward for thy pains and costs. For example, I prove and try Auripigment or Arsenick, and find that it is auriferous, and I have a mind to perfect it and turn it unto my use; hereupon do I look for such Copper as is likewise auriferous, (and indeed there’s plenty enough of such every where): Into this Copper do I introduce my auriferous Arsenick by Cementation, and that I may not need to cupellate (or blow off) the same upon a Test (for the very Labour of so doing will cost more than the gains will be of that separation) I do precipitate the Gold that is therein into a Regulus, which Regulus being purified, I obtain the Gold that was contained in that Arsenick and Copper, neither is there any need of cupellating all the Copper. But that the precipitation of the Regulus may be the more commodiously done, I proceed on this wise. I find out some Antimony of a good sort, and which is of a Golden nature; likewise such Iron as hath Gold in it, both which, _viz._ the Iron and the Antimony, may easily be gotten, and then I set on the separation which I thus institute.

First of all I implant the auriferous Arsenick into the auriferous Copper (if such may be had) then reduce I these into powder, and fire them with an equal admixt weight of burning Salt-petre; by this means the Arsenick is made a little more fixt, and suffers it self to be the better dealt withal in the fire, but if you are well skilled in this kind of labour you may spare your Salt-petre and may melt down your Copper (burnt with the Arsenick and powdered) with an equal weight of Antimony. And if of its own accord it lets fall a Regulus out of it self, then there needs no precipitation, the Regulus may be laid by, and that which remains may be likewise precipitated into a Regulus with common Iron; and this (last Regulus) is also of use, as shall hereafter follow: But if not (that no Regulus falls) then that Mass may again be put into a Crucible, be molten, and a little Iron filings be cast in to make it settle; the which must be stirr’d about with a red hot Iron rod, and when it’s well molten, ’tis to be poured out into an Iron Cone; which being cool, the Regulus may be knockt off, in which Regulus will you have the Gold that was in the Arsenick, Copper, Antimony and Iron. This Regulus must be cupellated either by Salt-petre in a Crucible, or with Lead upon a Test; which done, you will have the Gold that lay hid, and shut up in the afore-mentioned Minerals.

But now, if one hath a mind to make that separation yet more compendious, and to have greater benefit thereby, he may add to that Copper burnt by the Arsenick, some Silver burnt with Brimstone, and so melt it with the Antimony, and by the means of _Mars_ precipitate them into a Regulus, then the Silver will so much the better draw to it self the Gold out of the Arsenick and Antimony, and yield (in the separation) greater benefit.

NB. If so be a man be not skilful in this operation, let him forbear his Silver a little, and add some Silver to the Regulus by melting them, and then afterwards purifie the Regulus by Salt-petre; for so the Gold that is in the Regulus associates its self to the adjoined Silver, and inricheth it with no little increase, _viz._ according as the Minerals have had more or less Silver, in the making their separation.

And this is such a work as seems sufficiently able commodiously to sustain life; but it requires an experienced Artist, not a giddy headed fellow. Neither have I written this process for those who are not as yet well versed in Pyrotechny, but for such who are well skill’d and dexterous; and although this kind of operation needs no great store of Art, yet notwithstanding, every one will not rightly perfect it, and therefore do I warn such as are not well skill’d in Pyrotechny to desist from this labour, and betake themselves to some other, and set themselves about doing such things in which haply they are better skill’d, and not to lay the blame on me, when they are frustrated of their expectation, as if I had not dealt faithfully and sincerely in my writing, but let them rather impute it to their own preposterous rashness and unskilfulness; and what loss soever they bring upon themselves, let them impute it only to their own (misconceptions).

To deal plainly with you, that labour is conjoyned with some difficulty; but yet if any one be diligent and well exercised in the Pyrotechnical Art, the operation will succeed in such an ones hands very pleasantly; nor will he want a worthy profit, especially if he takes such Minerals as are richest, and use them about this separation. But some perhaps will say, Whence shall I have those so good Minerals? Who demonstrates to me, which are auriferous, and which are not auriferous, which are good, and which are to be rejected, that so least being deluded in this, I should lose all my labour? I would have such a one know, that if he has not gotten so much skill and experience as to prove a Mineral, whether it be auriferous, or not, he is not at all fit to take upon him this Labour of separation, and he were far better advised, if he wholly abstained from setting about it. But yet that I may not omit ought which may seem to be desired from me, I will over and above add here in this place, what way Minerals may be proved by, whether they be auriferous or not, and ’tis on this wise to be done; all Realgars, as Arsenick, Auripigment, Cobolt, and others of that kind, are first of all to be implanted into Copper by cementation, then are they to be molten, or throughly purged and subdued with Lead (like as you do with a crude Mineral); after this, there comes out a certain little silvery Pellet, and this you are to prove as you would for Gold. Now according to the moreness or lessness of the same, so is the business to be ordered, and compute to be made, whether or no the said Mineral is worth the pains of separation as aforesaid. Likewise the Copper it self may be cupellated with Lead alone, and then the remaining silver Pellet be proved for the Gold, with Aqua-Fortis; but as for the Antimony, and Iron, they may be well melted jointly together in a Test under a Cover or Muffel, or in a clean Crucible in a Wind Furnace, with this observation, that there be used twice as much Antimony as Iron, and so a Regulus will settle, which is to be purged or tried with Lead in a Test, and kept flowing till all the fugacious parts are evaporated, which done, there is found a silver Pellet, which is to be proved with Aqua-fortis, how much Gold it has.

NB. This probation, or trial is to be accounted of as a certain and lawful trial, but such though as you may easily err in the doing of, and so may have nothing, though it had in it a good part of Gold; for the Antimony will not easily suffer it self to be vanquished, or go off, but it will break the Test, or Cupel, and the little Pellet which is the probatory Globulus betakes it self (by reason of the fierceness, or eating penetrativeness into the Test) so that the Proba or trial it self, may most easily become fallacious, and yield no certain discovery. Which to remedy, the business is to be thus managed, after that your two parts of Antimony shall have been well melted in the Crucible, with your one part of Iron, there must be put thereinto a little dried Salt-petre powder, and the Pot, or Crucible must again be covered over, and care taken to make them melt well together; then are they to be poured out into an Iron Cone first smeared over with Wax, and when ’tis cold, the Regulus is to be knockt off from the Scoria, to which must be added twice or thrice the weight thereof of Lead, and the Regulus of the Antimony doth in the melting-pot separate it self by Salt-petre from the Lead, and the Lead is to be afterwards cupellated, and so that goes all off, and the true weight is had. But albeit, that this description be clearly enough delivered, yet certain I am, that one in ten will not understand it aright, and therefore it is behoveful, more fully to inform, and clearly to shew the Reduction of that Regulus into scoria by Salt-petre. To make this trial or proof ’tis not needful to take a huge vast pot to fill with Iron, ’tis sufficient to take of Iron 100 _l._ of the smaller probatory weight, and 200 _l._ of Antimony, both which are to be molten together, and to be precipitated with a little Salt-petre, for so the Regulus doth the better separate it self from the scoria’s, the which is then to be washt and purified by Lead and Salt-petre. This Regulus that comes from the Antimony and Iron, put with three times its weight of Lead in a clean Crucible, and make them well to flow in a wind Furnace, but cover your pot close that no Coals fall in, and so hinder the work, then take off the cover and throw in a little powdered Salt-petre, and again cover the Crucible, and above all things have a care that there fall not in any Coals, and let them lie and operate a little upon each other, then the Salt-petre imbibes all the Antimony, Iron, and Lead, and thereby becomes hard. This being done, some more Salt-petre is to be again cast in, and you must make them flow together, and so all the whole parcel of Antimony, Iron, and Lead, betake themselves into the Salt-petre, and pass into scoria, but part of the Lead remains whole or free, and is not scorified, and therein will the Gold be, which the Antimony and Iron had immixed in them, which if it be blown off on a probatory Cupel, or Test, under a Muffel, there will then remain the true weight.

NB. But it is expedient, that there be a just proportion observed in this kind of Work, that you take not overmuch Salt-petre to this ablution, or converting it into scoria, and so bring all the Lead into scoria, but the business is so to be managed, that there be left remaining one third part at least, of those three parts of Lead you took, which is not reduced into scoria with the Antimony; then may it be poured out into a Cone, and when ’tis cool, the Regulus is to be knockt off from the scoria, and Cupellated.

NB. He that is minded to wash Metals after this manner by the help of Salt-petre, and to reduce them into scoria, must have an especial care that not a Coal falls into the Crucible, for they will much hurt, and will again precipitate them, which the Salt-petre hath already imbibed, and so render the operation invalid. Besides, it is worth the while to admonish, and tell you that all Arsenick, and Antimony is auriferous, but yet so, as that one sort is richer than another, and that abundance of Copper and Iron hath likewise in it Gold, which no body finds out, nor can it be separated by that old beaten way of Cupellating it with Lead. But some, or other might here say, Where shall I find Arsenick, Antimony, Copper, and Iron, which have Gold in them? Had they any thing of worth in them, others would doubtlesly have extracted it, and not have suffered it to come to my hands whole and sound? To satisfie such an one, I answer thus, tho’ those that work on the Metals, do for the most part know, that there is in Arsenick and Antimony, a Volatile Gold, yet know they not how to extract it thencefrom with profit, for the separating way they take would cost more than the Gold they should have would yield, because (according to their usual way and custom of working) all of it would vanish away with fume. And this is to be understood of Arsenick, Auripigment, Cobolt, and Antimony, all which may (by the way we have here mentioned) be tamed and introduced into Copper, and be made permanent and fixt.

But now, that there should sometimes be Gold implanted, naturally in Copper, and should there also be left remaining untoucht, is so done on this account, because there is not in it so much as to pay the Costs of the separating it by Lead (for verily the Cupellating it with Lead on a Test, requires great expences.) This is the reason why Gold lies immixed in the Copper oftentimes, and cannot be thence extracted with profit.

The same is to be understood of Iron, for a Vein of Iron doth oftentimes offer it self, which is very much impregnated with the more precious Metals, and yet no body either knows, or observes it. For the Ore of Iron is for the most part wont to be forced out by unskilful Men who have no care at all of the Gold, but only of such an Ore as contains a good portion of good and malleable Iron; and suppose they did certainly know, that there were in 100 _l._ of Iron, some Lots of Gold, by what means (I pray) would they extract it thencefrom? For Iron cannot be dealt withal by Cupellation on the Test, much less can it be separated (as Copper is) by the means of Lead; so that there’s no reason for any one to wonder that there are so few to be found, that promise themselves, or seek after much good out of Iron, seeing it is not so apt a Subject to be separated, and subdued as Copper is. But by the help of Arsenick, Auripigment, or Antimony, ’tis no difficult matter to tame, and bring it under, so as to make it yield forth what it has: And ’tis thus. This Iron, which is auriferous, may first be cemented with Arsenick, as we have afore taught of doing so with Copper, then is it to be precipitated into Regulus’s by means of Antimony, which Reguli being imbued, or mixed with Lead, and reduced by Salt-petre into scoria, and cupellated, the Gold doth at last offer it self (which was hidden in the Minerals, or Ores, and so despised) and that with no contemptible profit. But now if any hath a mind to have the business yet more perfect, he may instead of Lead, add some Gold, and then reduce the Regulus into scoria’s, by Salt-petre, and abstract it from the Gold; for so the Gold you put thereto doth the better hold that other Gold which it has attracted out of the Regulus, and there is made a much more plentiful encrease, than if the Regulus had been scorified upon Lead. Nor are the scoria to be thrown away, but they may be precipitated by throwing in live Coals, whereby the Salt-petre doth again let fall the Regulus which it hath swallowed up, and which Regulus you may separate from the dross when ’tis cold. This Regulus may be afterwards commodiously used in other Metalick Operations, that so it may yield anew out of it self the Gold; concerning which business there will a place fall in to speak of by and by. And besides, those drossy Offals (which for the gratest part are fixt Salt-petre) are also of good worth, which may be reserved for the subsequent Metallick Operation, which may be stiled a perpetual Metallick-working artifice; so that there is nothing at all wasted, but all things are of use. And this way of the separation of Metals is so very profitable, as that any one may get himself sufficient gain for to supply the necessities of Life. But if you have no fansie to meddle with Arsenick, or Auripigment and would willingly shun them by reason of their poisonous nature, they may even be omitted, and you may cement that auriferous Iron, with the Golden Marchasite, melt it with Antimony, and precipitate it into Regulus’s. For even by this means too, the Gold that was in the Marchasite, is brought in use, and yields an increase to that Gold which is extracted out of the Iron and Antimony. But if so be there be no Golden Marchasite to be gotten, that separation may be ordered, even with Iron and Antimony, and if the Iron be but auriferous, the Labour will not be without profit.

This kind of separation or eduction of Gold out of the volatile Minerals, and baser Metals will be an egregious aid or benefit to such as have learned rightly to operate in the Fire, and whom (otherwise) a grievous want of things and small estate afflicts; for there is enough of the aforesaid Minerals, every where obvious, but they cannot be well handled, or wrought upon by reason of their unfixedness and immaturity, and therefore do they lie neglected and as it were wholly useless, and are not made beneficial to any. I know that some do well understand the way of fixing Cobolt, and Bismuth by Salt-petre, and do thence get an abundance of Silver; and likewise there are some that know how to tame and subdue Arsenical Realgars by the help of Salt-petre, so that they suffer themselves to be molten, and yield forth their hidden Gold and Silver. But he that shall so manage the business as to adjoin thereto the auriferous imperfect Metals, such an one will make a more successful work thereof; especially if he gets himself some auriferous Iron, the which he may get for a small matter: And besides, if he makes his Salt-petre himself, then all that whole operation of fixing or separating the volatile Minerals would be done with very little costs, and yield much gain.

NB. But now if any one would yet get more profit by this separatory operation, then he must contrive the doing it not in Crucibles or Pots, but in hearths (or furnaces) where a great heap of the volatile Mineral may by fixing Nitre melt together, and be precipitated into Regulus: then the Regulus may be separated from the Scoria, and be depurated by Nitre in other Furnaces, and be fitted for use; and so by this means may there be so much gain gotten, the like whereof, the great heaps of Ores which Men are necessitated to dig out of the bowels of the Earth with so much expence and charges, will scarce afford.

Likewise all Minerals may by the help of Salt-petre be fixed by the moist way, so as to yield permanent Gold and Silver; whereby (without doubt) full as much, if not more, is obtained, as is by the dry way. The way of operating is this. Dissolve a volatile Mineral, be it Cobolt, or Zink, Wismuth, Calmei, Arsenick, Auripigment, or any other the like mineral, in a strong _Aqua-fortis_; the solution being made, separate the _Aqua-fortis_ again; then shall you have remaining a white Calx, which is fixed by the virtue of the _Aqua-fortis_: So that now it will admit of being molten with Lead, of being separated from the Scoria, and of being cupellated. But he that knows how to melt that Calx with Antimony and to precipitate it with auriferous Copper and Iron, gets more Gold than by that operation with Lead. But haply, every one can’t perform that separation; for the excoction or melting, the reduction into Scoria, and Cupellating upon the Test, are operations more known and easier to be done.

Moreover, there are also some Minerals, which may be fixed with the moist fire, that is, with a most strong _Aq. fortis_, so as to yield their Gold and Silver in the _Scoria_, but especially Tin, Quick-silver, and Lead: If a vehemently-strong _Aq. fortis_ be but once abstracted from Tin, it makes it so fixt, as that it will not fly away in the greatest Fire, but will melt into a white Glass. But now, if you would have it to yield forth its Gold, you must melt other Metals with it, into which the Gold may insinuate it self, and be made corporeal, such as are Silver and Lead. Lead, if it be dissolved in _Aq. fortis_, and precipitated by Urine, it gets such a hardness, that it will scarce melt in a Crucible; if you precipitate it with a Lixivium, it becomes glassy; if with Salt-water, it is rendered exceedingly volatile; for common Salt makes all Metals volatile, and on the other hand, Nitre fixeth them both by the moist and by the dry way, binds them, and constrains them to abide in the Fire; and this you are to know aforehand. Now, for the better confirmation of this thing, see how easily the common Mercury is made to abide the fire, if _Aq. fortis_ shall have been several times drawn off therefrom, insomuch that it will suffer it self to be made wholly red-hot. But now, if the same be sublimed with Spirit of Salt, it becomes more and more volatile, so amongst all Salts there’s not one that fixeth Minerals, save this most noble Nitre, and this hath a natural aptness to do it both by the moist and dry way, as hath been even now demonstrated.