CHAP. I.

POlverine, or Rochetta, which comes from the Levant and Syria, is the ashes of a cer­tain herb growing there in a­bundance: there is no doubt but that it makes a far whiter salt than Ba­rillia of Spain, and therefore▪ when you [Page 2] would make a Crystall very perfect and beautifull, make it of salt extracted from Polverine or Rochetta of the Levant. For though Barillia yield more salt, yet Cry­stall made therewith alwaies inclines to a blewness, and hath not that whiteness and fairness as that made of Polverine hath.

The way often by me practised to ex­tract the salt perfectly from both of them, is this which follows.

Powder these ashes, and sift them with a fine sieve, that the small pieces go not thorow, but onely the ashes; the finer the sieve, the more salt is extracted. In buying of either of these ashes, observe that they abound in salt; this is known by touching them with the tongue, and tasting what salt they contain: but the sa­fest way of all is, to make an essay of them in a melting-pot, and to see whether they bear much sand, or Tarso, a thing common in this Art, and which the Conciators very well know.

Set up brass coppers with their furna­ces like those of the Dyers, greater or lesser, according as you have occasion to make a greater or lesser quantity of salt: [Page 3] fill these coppers with fair and clear wa­ter, and make a fire with dry wood, and when the water boyleth well, put in the sifted Polverine in just quantity and pro­portion to the water, continue the fire and boyling till a third part of the water be consumed, alwaies mixing them at the bottom with a scummer, that the Pol­verine may be incorporated with the wa­ter, and all its salt extracted; then fill the coppers with new water, and boyl it till▪ half be consumed, and then you have a lee impregnated with salt. But that you may have salt in greater quantity, and whiter, put into the coppers when they boyl, be­fore the Polverine is put in, about 12 pound to a copper of Tartar of red wine, calcined▪ only to a black colour, dissolve it well in the boyling water, mingling it with a scummer, then put in the Polverine. This way of Tartar is a secret, and makes more, and whiter salt, and a more beautiful Cry­stall. When two thirds of the water is eva­porated, and the lee well impregnated with salt, slacken the fire, under the cop­per, and have in order many earthen pans, at first filled with common water for six daies, that they may imbibe less lee and [Page 4] salt, and then with great brass ladles, take the lee out of the copper, and put it into the said pans, take out also the ashes from the copper, and put them all into the same pans, and when they are full, let them stand so ten daies, for in that time the ashes will be all at the bottom, and the lee re­main very clear, then with brass ladles, take gently (that the bottom be not raised, and troubled) the clear lee, and put it in­to other empty pans, and so let the lee stand two daies, which by the setling of more terrestriety at the bottom, becomes very clear, and limpid, let this be thrice re­peated, and you shall have the lee most limpid, and discharged of all terrestrie­ty, wherewith a very fine and perfect salt is made. Let the coppers be filled again, and boyl with the same quantity of Tartar, and then the Polverine as before; con­tinue this work till you have materials e­nough.

To strain the said lees, and extract the salt, first wash the coppers well with clear water, then fill them with the said refined and clarified lees, and make them boyl softly, as before, and observe that you fill the coppers with the said lee, till you see [Page 5] it thicken, and shoot its salt, which is wont to be about the beginning of 24 hours, for then in the superficies of the copper, you will begin to see white salt appearing like a spiders web, or white threed, then hold a scummer full of holes at the bottom of the copper, and the salt will fall upon it, and now and then take it out, suffering the lees to run out well off it into the copper, then put the salt into tubs, or earthen pans, that the lee may be better drained, the liquor that drains must be saved, and put into the copper, then dry the salt. Continue this work till all the salt be gotten out of the copper: but you must observe, when the salt be­gins to shoot, to make a gentle and easie fire, for a great fire makes the salt stick to the copper, and then the salt becoming strong, alwaies breaks the copper, which thing hath sometimes hapned to me; wherefore observe this chiefly, using great patience and diligence. The salt in the pans, or tubs, being well drained, must be taken, and put into wooden tubs, or vats, the better to dry out all the moysture, which happens in more, or fewer daies, according to the season in which it is [Page 6] made. The secret then of making much, and good salt, consists in the Tartar, as is before demonstrated. From every three hundred pound of ashes, I usually get from 80 to 90 pound of salt. When the salt is well dryed, beat it grossly, and put it into the Calcar to dry, with a most gentle heat, and with an iron rake it must be broken, and mixed as the Fritt is; when it is well dryed from all its moisture, ob­serving alwaies that the Calcar be not very hot, but temperate, take it out of the Calcar, and pound it well, and sift it so, that the greatest pieces which pass tho­row, exceed not the bigness of a grain of wheat.

This salt thus pounded, sifted and dryed, must be kept by it self, in a place free from dust, for to make Fritt of Cry­stall: the way to make this Fritt is this which follows.

CHAP. II.

WHen you would make fair, and fully perfect Crystal, see you have the whitest Tarso, which hath not black veins, nor yellowish like rust in it. At Moran they use the pebles from Tesino, a stone abounding in that River. Tarso then is a kind of hard, and most white mar­ble, found in Tuscany, at the foot of the Verucola of Pisa, at Seraveza, and at the Massa of Carara, and in the River Arnus, above and below Florence, and it is also well known in other places. Note, that those stones which strike fire with a steel, are fit to vitrifie, and to make glass and Crystall, and those which strike not fire with a steel, will never vitrifie, which serves for advice to know the stones that may be transmuted, from those that will not be transmuted into glass.

Take then of the best Tarso, pounded [Page 8] small, and serced as fine as flower, 200 pound; of salt of Polverine pounded, and fifted also, about 130 pound, mix them well together, then put them into the Calcar, which at first must be well heated, for if they be put into the Calcar when it is cold, Fritt will never be made of them. At first for an hour, make a temperate fire, and alwaies mix the Fritt with the rake, that it may be well incorporated, and cal­cined, then the fire must be increased, al­waies mixing well the Fritt with the rake, for this is a thing of great importance, and you must alwaies do thus for 5 hours, still continuing a strong fire.

The Calcar is a kind of calcining fur­nace, the rake is a very long instrument of iron, wherewith the Fritt is continually stir­red; both these are very well known, and used in all glass furnaces. At the end of 5 hours, take the Fritt out of the Calcar, which in that time (having had sufficient fire, and being well stirred) is made and perfected. Then put this Fritt in a dry place on a floor, and cover it well with a cloath, that no dust nor filth may fall upon it: for herein must be used great diligence, if you will have good Crystall. The Fritt [Page 9] thus made, becomes as white as snow from Heaven. When the Tarso is lean, you must add somewhat more than ten pound of the salt to the quantity aforesaid. Wherefore let the experienced Conciators alwaies make tryal of the first Fritt, by putting it into a chrysible, which being put into the furnace, if it grow clear, and suddenly, they know whether the Fritt be well prepared, and whether it be soft, or hard, and whe­ther the quantity of salt is to be increased, or diminished. This Crystall Fritt must be kept in a dry place, where no moisture is, for from moist places, the Fritt suffers much, the salt will grow moist, and run to water, and the Tarso will remain a­lone, which of it self will never vitrifie: neither is this Fritt to be wetted, as others are. And when it is made, let it stand 3 or 4 months, and it will be much better to put into the pots, and sooner waxes clear. This is the way to make Crystall Fritt, with the dose and circumstances, which I have oft times used.

CHAP. III.

TAke Polverine of the Levant well ser­ced, and put it into great glass bodies, luted at the bottom, with ashes, or sand, into the furnaces, filling them at first with common water, give them a temperate fire for some hours in the furnace, and let them stand till half the water be evaporat­ed; the furnace being cold, gently decant off the water into earthen pans glased, putting new water upon the remainder of the Polverine, and let it boil (as before) this is to be repeated till the water hath extracted all the salt; which is known, when the water appears to the tast not at all saltish, and to the eye when it is void of colour. Take of these Lees what quanti­ty you will, let them be filtred, and stand [Page 11] in glased pans four or six days to settle, which by this means will leave a great part of their terrestriety, then put them to filtre anew, thus will they be purified, and se­parated from a great part of their terre­striety, then let these Lees be set to eva­porate in great glass bodies, luted at the bottom, in furnaces, in ashes, or sand, at a gentle fire, and at last when the stuff is dryed, observe that ye fire be very gentle, that the salt be not burned nor wasted. When the salt is dried, take out the glass bodies and see if they be broke at the bot­tom, which is wont to happen often, in which case put the said salt into other good glasses, well luted at the bottom, and fill them at the top with common pure and clean water, which set in the furnace, in a­shes or sand, at a gentle fire, and always evaporate an eighth part of the said water, then, the furnace being cold, empty this water fully impregnated with salt into earthen pans glased, and when the water is setled 24 hours, filtre it with diligence, that the salt may be separated from the rest of the terrestriety and dregs, let this lee be evaporated in glass bodies with a gentle fire, and at last more gentle, that the salt [Page 12] be not burned, put this salt again into glass bodies to be dissolved in common water, in every thing as before repeat this work, till the salt yields no more terrestriety, or dregs, then shall you have a pure and per­fect salt wherewith a Fritt made with Tarso as before, will make a Crystall, which in fairness, whiteness, and cleerness, will excel natural Crystall.

CHAP. IV.

OBserve that when salt of Tartar is mixed with salt of Polverine, Fritt made of the said salt is not good to make, nor can make, a Gold yellow, although it make all other colours. But to make your Gold yellow, you must make Fritt with salt taken from Polverine alone, first puri­fied as above, for otherwise this yellow will not arise. Although this process be somewhat laborious, and a small quan­tity of salt made therewith, yet not­withstanding [Page 13] it will make a Crystall wor­thy of all great Princes, being fit to make all sorts of vessels and works. This was my invention, whereof I have many times made trial with happy success and my great content.

CHAP. V.

IN Pisa I made experience of Fern­ashes which groweth in great abundance in Tuscany, which herb must be cut from the earth, when it is green, from the end of May to the midst of June, and in the Moons increasing, when it is near it's op­position with the Sun; for then the said herb is in it's perfection, and will then make more salt, and of a better nature, strength and whiteness, than at other times: for when it is suffered to dry of it's self upon the ground it yields little salt, and of little goodness. This herb be­ing thus cut and laid together, soon [Page 14] withereth, then let it be well burn­ed to ashes, with these ashes, and with the rules, observations, and diligence given before for the salt of the Polverine of the Levant, is extracted a pure and good salt, wherewith I have made Fritt with good and well serced Tarso, the which Fritt melts well in the pot, and yieldeth a fair Crystall, and much better than the ordina­ry Crystall, because it had more strength and bended much better, which the ordi­nary Crystall doth not, it is drawn into fine threds, such as I caused to be drawn, and to this Fritt may be given a wonderful yellow Gold colour, observing that there be in it no salt of Tartar, for neither from this will the Gold yellow arise, and the Gold yellow which is given to this Cry­stal is much fairer and pleasanter than can be wrought▪ with the Crystall made with the salt of the Levant Polverine, and with that Crystall cannot be made all sort of works as with the other.

CHAP. VI.

LEt there be made ashes after the man­ner aforesaid, of the Cods and Stalk [...] of Beans, dried in the summer, when ye husbandmen have thrashed and separated the Beans, with which ashes, with the rules and pains abovesaid in the salt of Polverine, a marvellous salt is extracted▪ wherewith is made a very noble Fritt with white and well serced Tarso, which in pots will make most beautiful Crystall; the same may be done with the ashes of Col [...] ­worts, Bramble Berry bush, and also with stalks of Millet, Rushes, and fen Reeds, and many other herbs which yield a salt, where­with (making Frits after ye accustom­ed manner) will be made most beautiful Crystall, as every noble and curious spirit may try by experience, for thereby more is learned than by long study.

CHAP. VII.

TAke the salt of Lime which serves for building, and this salt purified and mixed with the ordinary salt of Polverine of the Levant about two pound to a 100. that is two pound of salt of Lime to a 100 pound of the salt of Polverine purified and well made (as abovesaid) with this salt so mixed is usually made ordinary Fritt, and is put in the pot to clarifie, as shall be hereafter declared in the way of making of Crystalline, Crystall, and common glass, and so thus made a very fair and beautiful Crystall.

CHAP. VIII.

FRitt is nothing else but a calcination of those materials which make glass, and although they may be melted, and make glass without calcination, yet this would succeed with length of time and weariness, and therefore this calcination was invented to calcine the Fritt in the Calcar, which, when it is calcined, and the proportion of the materials is adjusted agreeable to the goodness of the Barillia, presently melts in the pot, and wonderfully clarifies.

Fritt made of Polverine makes ordi­nary white glass; Fritt from Rochetta of the Levant makes the fairest glass called Cry­stall; Barillia of Spain, though it be u­sually fatter than the former, yet it makes not a glass so white and fair as that of the Levant, because it always inclines a little to an azure colour.

[Page 18]To make then Fritt, serce the Polverine thorow a fine serce, the small pieces which pass not, let them be pounded in stone mottars, the like is to be done with the Rochetta and Barillia, to wit every one by it's self, and be sure that they be well pounded, and serced thorow a fine serce; for as the common proverb in this art saith, A fine serce, and dry wood, bring honour to the furnace. Now whatsoever the quan­tity of the Barillia be, for example, a 100 pound of it commonly requires, from 80 pound to 90 of Tarso, which must be finely beaten, and then finely serced, more or less, according to the goodness of the Barillia, and it's fatness, whereof you need not make an essay, how much it holds as is known by art. Then with sand, and espe­cially with that from Tuscanie found in the vale of Arnus, being much fatter, and having in it more plenty of salt, than Tar­so hath. There is never added more than 6 or 8 pound to the hundred. Now this sand must be washed from all it's unpro­fitable terrestriety, and serced, and then this will make a white and good glass; for Tarso always makes much fairer glass than any sand that is in Tuscany. The due quan­tity [Page 19] of sand or Tarso, being found out, mix and unite them, first well together with the Barillia or Polverine well sifted, and so put them into the Calcar when it is hot, & at first mix & spread them well in the Cal­car, with a rake, that they may be well calcined, and continue this till they begin to grow into lumps, and come into pieces as big as small nuts. The Fritt will be well and perfectly wrought in the space of 5 hours, being stirred all that time, and a sufficient fire continued, and when you would see whether it be well made, take a little of it out, when cold, if it be white, yellowish and light, then 'tis made. The calcining of it more than 5 hours is not amiss; for by how much more it is wrought and calcined, the better it is, and the sooner it melteth in the pot, and by standing a little longer in the Calcar it con­sumeth and loseth the yellowness and foul­ness which glass hath in it self, and it be­comes more clear and purified. When the Fritt is taken out of the Calcar thus hot, let there be thrown upon it 3 or 4 pails of cold water, then set it under ground, in a moist and cold place, and the filth which arose when the salt was made (as is a­bove [Page 20] said) is wont to be put into the same pans, with the lee from Polverine; fill them with common water, having tubs under the pans to receive the water, which by little and little drops thorow the said filth and setlings, and hence comes a very strong pure and clear lee to be kept apart, and herewith now and then water the Fritt abovesaid, which being heaped together in a moist place the space of 2 or 3 moneths or more (the longer the better) then the said Fritt grows together in a mass as a stone, and is to be broken with mattocks. Now when it is in the pot it soon melteth stupendiously, and maketh glass as white as Crystall. For this Lee leaves upon the Fritt it's salt which worketh this effect. When this Lee is not to be had it must be water­ed with common water, which although it doth not work this great effect as the said lee, yet it doth well, and maketh it ea­sier for melting. Wherefore Fritt should stand, when made, some moneths▪ which thus made alway causeth less wood to be consumed, and the glass clear and sweeter to work.

CHAP. IX.

TAke Crystall Fritt diligently made, set it in pots in the furnace, where there are no pots with colours, for the fumes of metalls whereof the greatest part of co­lours are made, make the Crystall pale and foul, but that it may come forth white, shining, and fair, when you put the Fritt into the pots in the furnace, then cast in such a quantity of Manganese prepared as is needful, according as the pots are, greater or less. For this lieth in the pra­ctice of the able and diligent Conciatore, and belongs to his office. The quantity of the Manganese and of all other colours to be put into the Fritt and metalls cannot be precisely determined either by weight or measure, but must be wholly left to the eye and judgement, tryal and experience of the Conciatore. To make a fair Crystal, when it is well melted take it from the pots, and cast [Page 22] it into great earthen pans, or clean bowls ful of clean water (for it requireth to be cast into water) to this end that the water may take from it a sort of salt called Sandever, which hurteth the Crystall, and maketh it obscure and cloudy, and whilst it is a working still casteth forth Sandever, a thing very foul. Then put it again into a clean pot, and cast it into water, which is to be re­peated as often as is needful, until the Crystal be separated from all this salt, but this is to be left to the practice of the Conciator, then set it to boil 4 or 6 days, and let as little Iron be mixed therewith as is possible, for it gives it always a black­ish tincture. When it is boiled and clear, see whether it hath enough Manganese, and if it be greenish, give it Manganese with dis­cretion. Wherefore to make good Crystall put in the Manganese by little and little at a time, for it makes the Crystall of a murry colour, which afterward inclines to black, taking from it it's splendor; mix the Man­ganese, and let the glass clarifie till it be­comes of a clear and shining colour. The property of Manganese is, being put in just quantity to take away the foul greasines which Crystall always hath, and to make a [Page 23] resplendent white, when the Crystall is clear limpid & fair, work it continually into vessels and works that most please you, but not with so great a fire as common glass is wrought with. Be careful that the Irons wherewith you work be clean, and that you put not the necks of the glasses where the Irons touch (for there always remaineth Iron) into the pots of Crystall, for they make it become black. But this glass where the Iron rods touch may be put in to make glass for vulgar works.

CHAP. X.

FRitt of Polverine makes a white and fair common glass, Fritt of Rochetta makes the fairest glass called Crystall, which is between ordinary glass and Cry­stall. As much Manganese prepared must be used in common glass as is in Crystalline; cast the Crystalline or common glass once at least into water, that you may have them [Page 24] fair, clear, and in perfection. Although glass may be made without this casting into water, yet to have it fairer than ordi­nary, this is necessary to be done, and may be repeated according to your pleasure, as you would have them more resplendent and fairer, and then you may work them into what vessels you need. And to make them yet whiter, Calcine them that they pu­rifie well and have but few blisters. And a­bove all observe, that if to each of them, by themselves, you put upon the Fritt, the proportion of 12 pound of salt of Tartar pu­rified to a 100 weight of Fritt, it makes them without comparison fairer, and more pliable to work than ordinary. The salt of Tartar must be put in when the Fritt is made, and then be mixed with Tarso, or sand, together with the Polverine or Rochet­ta sifted, and then make thereof Fritt as before.

CHAP. XI.

TAke Tartar of red wine in great lumps, and not in powder, Calcine it in earthen pots between live coles till it be­come black, and all it's unctuosity be burned away, and till it begins to grow white, but let it not become white, for then the salt will not be good. Put the said Tartar thus Calcined into great earthen pans full of common water heat­ed, as also into earthen pots glased, & make it boil with a gentle soft fire in such sort that a quarter of the water may be exha­led in two hours, then take them from the fire, and suffer the water to cool, and be­come clear, which decant off, and it will be a strong lee, then put in more common water into the said pans after the same manner, and upon the remainder of the Tartar, and let them boil as before, repeat this until the water become no more sal­tish [Page 26] then Filtre these waters impregnated with salt, and put the clean Filtred lee into glass bodies to evaporate in the ashes of the furnace at a gentle heat, and in the bottom there will remain a white salt, dis­solve this salt in warm water, let it settle two days, then evaporate it in glass bodies at a gentle heat, and there will remain at the bottom a salt much whiter than at the first time, dissolve this salt again, and af­ter two days setling, Filtre and evaporate it in every thing as before. Repeat this manner of dissolving, Filtring, evaporating this salt of Tartar four times, which then will be a salt much whiter than snow, and purified from the greatest part of it's Terrestriety, which salt mixed with Polverine or Rochetta serced with a dose of Tarso or sand will make a Fritt, which in the pot will yield Crystalline and common glass much fairer than that that is made without the addition of this salt of Tartar, and although a fair notwithstanding a much fairer may be made with it.

CHAP. XII.

TAke Zaffer in gross pieces, put it into earthen pans, let it stand half a day in the furnace, & then put it into an Iron ladle to be heated red hot in the furnace, take it thence thus hot and sprinkle it with strong vineger, as soon as 'tis cold grind it fine on a Porphyrie stone, wash it in earthen pans glased, with much warm water, always suffering the Zaffer to settle to the bottom, then decant it gently off; this will carry a­way the foulness and Terrestriety from the Zaffer, and what is good, and the tincture thereof will remain at the bottom, which thus prepared and purified will tinge much better than at first, making a limpid and clear tincture, which dry and keep in vessels closed for use.

CHAP. XIII.

TAke Manganese of Piemont, for this is the best of all the Manganeses at this day known in the art of glass. At Venice there's not alwayes plenty, and at Moran none other is used. In Tuscanie and Liguria there's enough; but that holds much Iron, and makes a black foul colour. That of Piemont makes a very fair murry, and at last leaves the glass white, and takes away the greenness and blewness from it. Put this Manganese in pieces into Iron ladles, and proceed thorowout as in preparing Zaffer.

CHAP. XIV.

TO make Ferretto is nothing but a simple Calcination of Copper, that the metall being opened, may communi­cate it's tincture to glass; which Calcina­tion when it is well made without doubt makes divers and very beautiful colours. This Calcination is made many ways, I shall set down two of them, not only easie but of times used by me, with effects very fair, in glass, whereof the first is this that fol­loweth, to wit, Take thin Copper-plates of the bigness of a Florentine, and have one or more melting pots of the Goldsmiths, and in the bottom of these pots make a layer of brimstone powdered, then a layer of the said plates, and over them another layer of powdered brimstone, and another of Copper-plates, as before, and in this or­der fill the pot, which is otherwise said to make a S S S. cover and lute well, and [Page 30] dry this pot, and put it into an open wind furnace amidst burning coals, and a strong fire must be given to it for 2 hours, let it cool, and you shall find the copper Cal­cined, and it will be broke in pieces by the fingers as if it were dry earth, and will be raised into a black and reddish colour. This Copper being beaten small and serced in a fine serce is kept well closed for use.

CHAP. XV.

THis second way of making burnt Cop­per, though it be more laborious than the first, yet it will do it's effects in glass more than ordinary.

Th [...] Copper then (instead of making a SSS with Brimstone) must make a SSS with Vitriol, and then Calcine it, letting it stand three days in the floor of the furnace, neet the occhio, then take it out & make another SSS with new Vitriol, keep it in reverberati­on as before, & this Calcination with Cop­peras [Page 31] must be repeated six times, and then you shall have a most noble burnt Cop­per, which in colours will work more than ordinary effects.

CHAP. XVI.

CRocus Martis is nothing else but a sub­tilising and Calcination of Iron, by means whereof it's tincture (which is most red in glass) is so opened that it communi­cateth it's self to glass, & not only manifest­eth it self, but makes all other metalline co­lours (which ordinarily are hidden and dead in glass) appear fair and resplendent; I will set down four ways to make it, and the first is.

Take filings of Iron (if you can have them, those of steel are better) mix them well with three parts of powdered brim­stone, and keep them in a melting pot in a furnace to Calcine, and burn well off all [Page 32] the brimstone, which soon succeeds, let them stand four hours in burning coals, then take and powder, and serce them thorow a fine serce, and put them in­to a Chrysible covered and luted at the top, & set them in the Leer of the furnace neer the occhio or the cavalet 15 days or more which then gains a reddiss Peacock-like colour, as if it were purple, this is kept in a close vessel, for the use of glass colours, for it worketh many fair feats.

CHAP. XVII.

THis second way of making Corcus Mar­tis, with so much ease, ought to be much esteemed of, since the Crocus made in this manner makes appear in glass the true red colour of blood, and the manner of ma­king it is thus,

Take filings of iron (steel is better) mix them well in earthen pans with strong vineger, onely sprinkling them so much [Page 33] that they may be wet thorowout, spread them in pans, and set them in the sun till they be dry, or in the open air when the sun is cloudy. When dry, powder them, and if they be any whit in lumps, sprinkle them with new vinegar, then dry and pow­der them as before, repeat this work 8 times, then grind and serce them fine, and you have a most fine powder of the colour of brick powdred, which keep in vessels to colour glass.

CHAP. XVIII.

THis third way of making Crocus Mar­tis, is a way by which the deep co­lour of Iron is made more manifest than may seem credible, and in glass is seen the truth and proof thereof. Sprinkle filings of steel with Aqua-fortis, in glased pans▪ see them in the sun to dry, powder them, wet them again with Aqua-fortis and dry them, repeat this several times, and you shall [Page 34] have a red powder, as is said of Crocus made with Brimstone, then powder, serce, & keep it for your use to colour glass.

CHAP. XIX.

THis is the fourth and last way to make Crocus Martis, and perhaps the best of all, though each of the ways shown by me, are not onely good and perfect in their operation, but necessary also for divers co­lours necessarily & daily made in glass; & to make this, dissolve in Aqua-fortis made A­qua-Regis, with Sal Armoniack (as shall be said in our rules of Calcidony) filings of Iron or steel in a glass vessel well closed, keep them so 3 days, & every day stir them well. Observe, when the said water is put upon the filings, that it be done leasurely, & wari­ly, because it riseth much, and endangereth the breaking of the glass, or else all to run out: at the end of 3 days let the water be gently evaporated away, and in the bot­tom [Page 35] will be found a most noble Crocus Martis for the most stupendious tinctures of glasses, which keep for use.

CHAP. XX.

BRass (as it is well known) is Copper, which by Lapis Calaminaris becomes of the colour of gold, the which Lapis Cala­minaris, doth not only colour the Copper, but also incorporating with it increaseth much it's weight 3 the which augmenta­tion gives a colour to glass, when it is well Calcined, which is a thing very delightful to see, keeping the medium between a Sea­green and a skie-colour, when the Skie is clear and serene, wherefore be diligent in well Calcining it; to make it punctually, this is the way.

Take Brass, and to save charges, buy that which is in works, and Festoons, cut it in small pieces with a pair of Scisers, then [Page 36] put it into a Chrysible covered and luted at the top in coals on a strong fire. I put it in the burning coals of the furnace where they are stirred, there let it then stand four days in a great, but not in a melting fire, for if it be melted, all the labour is lost, in that time it will be well Calcined, pow­der it into a most subtil powder, and serce it, and grind it fine upon a porphyrie stone, and there will come forth a black powder, which spread on tiles, and keep it on the burning coals in the leer, near to the round hole, four days, take from it the ashes that fall upon it, powder, serce, and keep it for use. The sign that it is well Calcined is, that if it be put into glass it makes it swell, and when it makes not the glass arise and boil well, it is a sign, either that it is not well Calcined, or that it is too much burnt, in which two cases, it makes not the glass boil, neither doth it colour well.

CHAP. XXI.

TAke Brass and cut it small with sheers, and put it in a melting pot, make a S S S. with powdered Brimstone, and set it on kindled coals, put it in the burning coals of the furnace to Calcine for 24 hours, then powder, serce, and put it covered upon tiles of earth into the furnace, for 12 days, to reverberate, then grind, powder, and keep it for use.

CHAP. XXII.

SEa-green is one of the principal co­lours given to glass, and if you would have it fair, and to hold at all trials, you must always make it in glass called Arti­ficial Crystal; for in ordinary metall it ari­feth not fair: and though in Crystalline it ariseth fairer than in common glass, yet in the said Crystal, onely in perfection. Ob­serve, that when ever you would make this colour, you in no wise add any Manganese at first, because this being added (although the fire afterwards consumes it,) yet it leaves a quality in the glass, which makes the colour black, and gives it great imper­fection and foulness. Now to make a fair Sea-green, take of Crystal Fritt, and put it in a pot, not allowing it any Manganese at all, and as soon as it is melted and clear, it yields a salt which swims at the top like oyl, let this be taken off with Iron ladles, [Page 39] by the Conciators, take it out with much diligence, for what remains thereof, will make a foul, and oyly colour, and when the glass is well and perfectly clarified, take a pot of about twenty pound of Crystal, six ounces of Brass prepared as is aforesaid, and to this Brass calcin'd, add a fourth part of Zaffer prepared, and let these two pow­ders be well mixed, and put to the said Crystal at three times, but at first this powder will make the metall swell very much, and you must well mix the glass with the long squares. Then let the metall settle, that the colour may be incorporated for three hours, then mix them again with the long square, then take a proof thereof, in doing whereof, put in rather too little than too much, for the colours may be ea­sily heightned, which is to be done accord­ing to the works for which it is to be em­ployed, for gross tubes for counting houses require not so deep and full a colour, and tubes to make beads of, must not have too light a colour. At the beginning of twen­ty four hours (after it hath had the due colour) it may be wrought, and before you work it, mix well the metall from the ve­ry bottom of the pot, that the colour may [Page 40] be well united, mixed, and spread tho­row all the metall, otherwise it settles to the bottom, and the metall at the top be­comes clear. This manner of making Sea­green, I have tried at Florence in the year 1602 and made pots for tubes for count­ing houses, always of a most fair colour. At Moran for the said tubes, they take half Crystall Fritt, and half Rochetta Fritt, from whence notwithstanding proceeds a fair Sea-green, although in Crystall alone it a­riseth most fair.

CHAP. XXIII.

SEt in the furnace a pot of pure metall of Fritt from Rochetta, or Barillia of Spain. The Rochetta of the Levant does best. As soon as the metall is well purified, then take to a pot of 20 pound six ounces of Brass calcin'd of it's self, as in 20 Chap. put it into the metall as is said in the Skie-colour in every particular; observing that this metall be skummed very diligently [Page 41] with a ladle. At the end of two hours the metall must be very well remixed; take thereof a proof, and leave it so 24 hours, then it is mixed, and wrought, and this will be a most fair and marvellous Skie-colour varied with other colours, which are made in the art of glass. This colour tinged ma­ny pots in Pisa in the year 1602 and there came out a fair colour bearing all proofs.

CHAP. XXIV.

TAke Brass in small plates, and put them on the arches of the furnace, leave them there closed until they are well Calcined of themselves with a simple fire, but not to melt. As soon as it is Calcin'd & powder'd it will become a red powder, for many, and those all necessary uses in the art of glass.

CHAP. XXV.

PUt the said Brass into the Fornello, or on the Lere of the furnace neer to the occhio, into earthen tiles or pans baked, Calcine it four days together, and it will become a black powder, and stick toge­ther, powder it again, serce it fine, and Re­calcine it as before four or five days, for then it will not stick together, nor become so black, but russet, and powders of it self, wherewith is made a Sea-green, and Emeral'd-green, the Arabian colour called Turcois, a very beautiful Skie colour, with many others. Wherefore observe that it be not too much nor too little Calcined at the third Calcination, for in this case it co­lours not the glass well, & the sign, that it is done perfectly is, that being put upon purifi­ed metal it makes it swell & boil suddainly, and when it doth not so it is not good nor well Calcin'd.

CHAP. XXVI.

TO a pot of Crystal Fritt containing 40 pound not charged with any Manga­nese, but well scummed, For when you would make a Sea-green, never cast the Crystal into water, but onely scum it care­fully, when this Fritt is melted and well purified, take 12 ounces of thrice Calcin'd brass, and therewith mix half an ounce of Zaffer prepared, unite these two powders well together, and put this mixture into the pot at four times, for so the glass receiveth it better. Mix the glass and powder with diligence, let them stand two hours, then remix them & take a proof, & if the colour be full enough, let them stand; And al­though the Sea-green appears too full, yet the salt which is in the glass will eat up and consume the said greeness, and will always incline it to a blewishness. And at the be­ginning of 24 hours it may be wrought.

I have many times experimented this [Page 44] way of making Sea-green without ever er­ring. And if a moytie of Rochetta first be mixed with Crystal Frit, there will arise a fair Sea-green, and in Crystal alone 'tis marvellous fair.

CHAP. XXVII.

THat the colours may arise in full beauty and perfection, observe that every pot great or small, that is new, and put the first time into the furnace, leaves a foulness in glass from it's terrestriety, so that all the co­lours that are made in them appear bad and foul; wherefore those pots that are very great may be glased with white melted glass, as the Conciators well know, but the second time the pots lose this foulness. Observe secondly, that those pots which serve for one colour must not be used for another, for example, a pot which hath been used for yellow, is not good to make a grain colour▪ and that which makes a [Page 45] grain-colour is not good to make a green­colour, and that which serves for a red is nor good to make a blew, and so of all other colours. Therefore every colour must have it's own pot, for in this manner the colours will become more perfect. Thirdly, that the powders be well Cal­cin'd (that is) neither too much, nor too little; for in either of these cases they do not colour well. Fourthly, that a due pro­portion, and dose be used, and the mix­ture be made in proportion, and the fur­naces be hot, and fed with dry and hard wood. Fiftly, that the colour must be used dividedly, to wit, one part in the Fritt, and the other in the metall, when it is melted and purified. There are other observations also which shall be treated of in their places, when we treat particularly of colours.

CHAP. XXVIII.

TAke the Scales which the Brafiers make when they hammer pans, ket­tles, or other works of brass, which being often put into the fire the workmen ham­mer them, and these scales fall off, which cost much less than solid brass, wherewith is made the stuff hereafter described. And to Calcine it, you need not open and shut again the arches of the furnace (as in the aforementioned way) a thing of much dis­advantage and disturbance to the furnace. Take then those scales that are clean, and free from all earth and foulness, wash them with warm water many times from their filth and uncleaness, and then let them be put into pots and pans of baked earth, and be kept in the leer near the Occhio, or in furnaces made for this purpose. I made at Pisa a little furnace in the fashion of a little [Page 47] Calcar, where were calcin'd 20 or 25 pound of these scales in few hours. Now let them stand in the said place four days, then renew them, powder and serce them fine, then again put them in the pans and pots of earth as before, with the same fire and heat as aforesaid for four days more, and they will come into a black powder, and run into lumps, beat, and serce those lumps fine, and repeat this process again, and a third time, then the scales will be prepared with much less charge than the former, and will thorowly have the same effect as the former; these scales rise much, wherefore use the prescribed care.

CHAP. XXIX.

TAke a pot of sixty pound of Crystal Fritt well scummed, and not cast into water. I made a Sea-green without wet­ting the Crystall metall, and thought that it came out better. But we may make tryal [Page 48] of both ways, and stick to the best. Then take of metall well purified the said 60 pound, and one pound and a half of the said scales made with less charges, four ounces of Zaffer prepared, mix well these two powders together, put them to the Crystall at four times, mixing well the powder with the metall for two hours, than put it again to be well remixed as 'tis usual, and take a proof. Herewith I have made many times a most fair Sea-green with happy success. Mix half Crystall with Rochetta, and you shall have a Sea­green every way beautiful.

CHAP. XXX.

TAke the same Brass prepared (as before) with the same quantity of Zaffer, put them in the same manner and form to the Rochetta of the Levant, and also to that of Spain, neither of which hath had any Manganese, and which hath been well skummed, and not passed thorow water, [Page 49] using the rules as abovesaid in Crystal; for by this means it will receive a very fair Blew for all sorts of works, and will cost much less than Crystall: for the Rochetta is of much less value than the Crystall, as it is known. In this manner have I often made it at Pisa, and always with good suc­cess.

CHAP. XXXI.

LEt the Caput mortuum of the spirit of Vi­triol of Venus Chymically made without corrosives stand in the air some few days▪ draw from it of it self without any artifice a green pale colour, this material being pulverised with the addition of Zaffer pre­pared, and with the same porportion (as is said in the other prepared Brass) the metall being added (as in the other Sea­green) it will make a Sea-green, so fair and marvellous, that 'twill seem a very strange thing: I have often made it at [Page 50] Antwerp to the wonder of all the specta­tors that saw it. The manner of making Vitriol of Venus, without corrosives, Spa­girically, is to take little thin pieces of Brass of the bigness of half a Florentine, and to have one or more pots (as it is needful) and in the bottom of them to put a layer of common Brimstone powdr'd, and above it little pieces of the Brass a­foresaid, and than a layer of Brimstone, and after that pieces of Brass, work in this manner till all the Brass that you have be set to work, this being done, let the Brass be baked as followeth in the 140 Chap. then prove it, and to your content you may see a thing of astonishment. I know not whether any have tried this way, which I have found wonderful, wherefore I say 'tis my own invention.

CHAP. XXXII.

IN making Green you must observe that the metall have not much salt, with me­tall that hath much salt as Crystall and Ro­chetta have, you cannot make a fair Green, but onely a Sea-green, for the salt consumes the Green, and always inclines the colour to a Blew. Wherefore when you would make a fair Green put common metall made with Polverine, into small or great pots, and in no wise have any Manganese. When it is melted and well purified, add to this metall a little Crocus Martis cal­cin'd with vineger, about three ounces thereof to a hundred weight, let the me­tall be well mixed, and remain so an hour until the metall incorporate the same tin­cture of the Crocus, which will make the glass come out Yellowish, and takes away the foulness and Blewness, which the me­tall always hath. This process will give the metall a fair Green. Put of thrice cal­cin'd [Page 52] Brass, made with scales (as before) two pound to every hundred pound of metall, and this must be added at six times, mixing well the powder, with the metall, then let them settle two hours, and the metall incorporate with it, then mix again the metall, and take a proof, and if the Green enclines to a Blew, add a little more Crocus Martis, so you shall have a very fair Sea-green, called Leek green, which at the end of twenty four hours may be wrought: This Green I have many times made at Pisa, which came forth sufficiently fair. And so it will to every one that shall observe punctually what is abovesaid.

CHAP. XXXIII.

BUt if you would have a Green much fairer and shining than the former, put into a pot of Crystalline which hath not had any Manganese, and which hath passed thorow water once or twice, till all the saltness be gotten out, and to this [Page 53] Crystalline, let half of common white metall made of Polverine be put in at se­veral times, as soon as this metall is well mixed and purified, take to every hun­dred pound, two pound and a half of thrice Calcin'd brass, made with plates of Brass in the arches of the furnace, and with this mix two ounces of Crocus Mar­tis Calcin'd with Brimstone, and reverbe­rated, put these two powders well mix­ed together to the abovesaid metall, using the rules as before in the said Green, if the metall hath any Blewness give it a little of the said Crocus Martis, which takes it away, and then work it as the other Greens, and there shall be made the wonderfull Green of the Burnet. I have thus made it ma­ny times at Pisa with very good success, for works more exact than ordinary. If you will have a fair colour, see that the Brass be well prepared.

CHAP. XXXIV.

TAke Brass thrice calcin'd as before, then in stead of Crocus Martis, take the scales of iron which fall from the Smiths anvils, powder them finely, sift them clean from the coals and ashes, and with the quantity aforesaid, mix them well with the Brass, and put them to the common glass metall of Polverine, without any Manganese, with the rules aforesaid in the Green, and with this Crocus Martis, or scales, you shall doubtless have a more marvellous Emerald Green-colour, which will have wholly lost it's Azure and Sea-colour, and will be a Yellowish green, after the Eme­rald, and will have a shining and fairer lustre than the aforesaid Greens. The put­ting in of scales of iron was my own inven­tion. In the rest of the work let the rules and doses as in other Greens be observed, and you shall have a strange thing, as expe­rience hath often shown me.

CHAP. XXXV.

TO a pot of 10 pound of metall to wit half of Crystalline passed thorow wa­ter several times, and half of common white metall of Polverine, take four pound of the common Frit of Polverine, where­with mix three pound of red Lead, unite them well together, and put them into the same pot, and in few hours all of them will be well purified, then cast all this me­tall into water, and take out the Lead, then return the metall which hath passed thorow the water into the pot, & let the metall pu­rifie for a day, then if you put in the colour made Chymically with the powder of the Caput mortuum of the Spirit of Vitriolum Ve­neris, adding a very little Crocus Martis, there will arise a marvellous Green, fairer than ever I made any, which will seem to be a very Emerald of the ancient Oriental rock.

CHAP. XXXVI.

PUt sea salt which is called black or gross salt (for the ordinary white salt which is made at Volterra is not good) into the Calcar or Fornello till all the moisture be evaporated, and it becomes white, then pound it well, to a small white powder. This salt so calcin'd, keep to make a Blew or Tur­cois colour. Put into a small or great pot of Crystal metall died with the colour of Sea­green (made, as hath been said many ways.) But let the colour be fair and full (for this is of great importance to make a fair Skie colour) according as you would have the Sea-green fair and excellent. To this metall so coloured, put of the said salt calcin'd into the pots, mixing it well with the metall, and this is to be put in by little and little until the Sea-green lose it's [Page 57] transparencie, and diaphanietie, and takes opacity, for the salt being vitrified makes the metall lose it's transparencie, and gives it a little paleness, and so by little and little makes the said Skie colour, which is the colour of a Turcois-stone; when the colour is enough it must be wrought speedily, for the salt will be lost and evaporated, and the metall returns again to be transparent and foul-coloured. But when the colour is lost in working add new burnt salt (as be­fore) that the colour may be reduced, and so you shall have your desired colour. Let the Conciators well observe that this salt always crakcles when it is not well calci­ned, therefore let him have a care of his eyes and sight, for it endangers them. The quantity of salt must be put in by little and little, leaving some distance between each time, till he see the desired colour. But in this I used neither dose nor weight, but my eye onely. I have often made this colour, for it is very necessary in counting houses, and the most prised and esteemed colour that is in the art. Wherefore to make a Blew for counting houses, take [Page 58] the Green of Crystal metall, and half Sea-green made of half Rochetta, which will become a fair colour, although it be not all Crystall metall.

CHAP. XXXVII.

SInce I am to shew the manner how to make Calcidonies, Jaspers and Oriental Agats, it is necessary first to teach the [Page 60] preparation of some mineral things, for such compositions, and although some of them may be publiquely bought, yet not­withstanding, I being desirous that the work should be perfect judged it perti­nent to my purpose to shew the most ex­quisite Chymical way, that the skilful may make every thing of themselves, both more perfect and with lesser charge. For there is no doubt that when the materials are well prepared, and the colour of the metalls is well opened, and separated from their im­purity and terrestriety which usually hin­der the ingress of their tincture into glass, and their union in their smallest parts, that then they colour the glass with lively, shi­ning and fair colours, which very far sur­pass those that are vulgarly, and usually made in the furnace. And because the colour of Calcidony, or rather it's com­pound (which is nothing else, but as it were a reuniting of all the colours, and toyes that may be made in glass, a thing not common nor known to all) if they be not well prepared, and subtilised as is ne­cessary, they give not the beauty and splen­dor to glass as is required. Wherefore it is necessary that the metalls be well cal­cined, [Page 61] subtilised, and opened with the best Aqua-fortis, Sulphurs, Vitriols, sal Armoniak and the like materials, which in length of time, and at a gentle heat, are opened and well prepared, but a violent fire herein hurteth much. Tartar and Rosichiero (be­sides their being very perfect and well calcined) must be also put in proportion and in fit and due time, and you must also observe, that the metall be well boiled, pu­rified, and perfected, and in working of it some such care is to be used, as the dili­gent masters are wont to use, and by thus doing the true Jasper and Agat, and Orien­tal Calcidonies, with the fairest and beauti­fullest spots of wavings, and toyes, with divers lively and bright colours. Hence it truly appears that nature cannot arrive so high in great pieces, and although it is said and may be made to appear true, that Art cannot attain to Nature, yet experience in many things shews, and in particular in this art of the colours in glass, that art doth not onely attain to and equal nature, but very fair surpasses and excells it. If this were not seen, hardly would you believe the beauty, the toyes and wavings of divers colours, variously disjoyned one from the [Page 62] other with a pleasing distinction, which is seen in this particular of the Calcidony. When the medicine is well prepared, and the glass wrought at a due time, the effect that cometh thence passeth all imagina­tion and conceit of man. In the three ways to make it, which I teach, I believe you may see how far the art of glass ari­seth in this particular, where I demon­strate every particular so distinctly, that any practitioner, and skilful person, may understand and work without errour, and he that works well may find out more than I set down.

CHAP. XXXVIII.

TAke of Salt-peter refined one part, of Roch-alum three parts; but first ex­hale in pans all the humidity from [Page 63] it; to every pound of this stuff add an ounce of Crystalline Arsnick (this is a secret and no ordinary thing) which besides it's giving more strength to the water, helps to extract better the spirits from the ma­terials, which are the true nerves and strength of the Aqua-fortis, without which the water perhaps would be no better than well-water. Powder and mix them well together, adding thereunto the tenth part in the whole of Lime, well powdred, mix them well, and put so much of this stuff into glass bodies, that about three quarters of them may be full, let them be luted with strong lute, which I remit to the Ar­tist as a common thing: but one not vulgar I will declare. Take some lome for example of the river Arnus (which is a fat earth known to all) one part, of sand 3 parts, of common wood-ashes well sifted, of shearings of woollen cloath, of each one half; mix them well together, and incor­porate them into a past with common wa­ter, work them well together, for the more 'tis wrought the better 'tis, therefore see that your past be a little hard, to all these add a third of common salt, w ^ch incorporate well with the lute, 'tis a business of impor­tance. [Page 64] then lute the glasses with this perfect lute, and set them in wind furnaces, fitting to their bottoms, baked earth which will bear the fire. Under the bottom of these bodies, let there be four fingers of sand, & thick Iron bars to bear the weight, & fill'd round about with sand, put receivers of glass to them, large and capacious within, lute the joynts well with lute made of fine flowre and lime, of each a like quantity, powdred, mixed, tempered, and impasted with the whites of Eggs well beaten, with this lute, binde and lute the joynts with roulers of fine linnen, which, when well dryed and rould about three or four times, make a very strong lute, rouling but once at a time, and letting it dry a little before the second rouling. And then this will bear all the violence, fury, and force of the spirits of the Aqua-fortis, and to this end fit exactly a very large receiver to every glass body. And when they are well dryed make a fire in the furnace onely with coal at first, and that a very temperate one, for three hours, for in that time the windy moisture distilleth off, which endangers the breaking of the glasses, and continue for six hours a moderate fire, afterwards [Page 65] encrease it gently, adding billets of dry oaken wood to the coals, and so proceed by little and little, augmenting it for six hours more, and then the head will be tin­ged with Yellow, a sign that the spirits be­gin to rise; continue this degree of fire un­till the spirits beginning to condensate co­lour Red the receiver and head, which will always grow deeper colour'd like a Rubie. Then encrease the fire for many hours, till the head and receiver become Red, which sometimes lasteth two whole days. Continue the fire by all means till all the spirits of Aqua fortis be distill'd off, w ^ch is known, when the head & receivers by little and little, begin to grow clear, and be­come white as at first, and wholly cold; yet notwithstanding continue the fire one hour more. Then let the furnace cool of it's self. Observe, that when the head and re­ceivers are Red, and the fire strong, you admit no wind, nor cold air into them, nor touch them with any cold thing, for then they will easily crack, and your pains, cost and time will be lost, wherefore when they are in this state, let them be kept hot in the fire. Now, when all is cold, put up­on the head and receiver linnen cloaths [Page 66] wetted and well soaked in cold water, that the spirits which are about the head and receiver may the better sink into the Aqua­fortis, leave them thus for 12 hours, then bath the joynts and lutings with warm water, till they being moistned you may take off the bandage, and the head from the receiver, which usually are safe. The bodies may be broke and thrown away, for they will serve no more, powder the dregs and residences of the Aqua-fortis, to wit, about their third part, and to every pound of them add four ounces of Salt-peter re­fined, and put them into another body lu­ted, and pour on them the said Aqua-fortis, lute and distil them as before in every thing. Keep the Aqua-fortis in earthen jugs well stopt that the better spirits may not evaporate. This parting water is good for the following uses. Some there are that instead of Roch Alume take as much more of the best Vitriol, such as the Roman or the like is. The sign that Vitriol is good for this use, is, that being rub'd upon polished Iron it colours it with a Copper colour. This Vitriol purified after the following manner, will make a stronger Aqua-fortis than Alume.

CHAP. XXXIX.

DIssolve the best Vitriol (the better, the stronger the Aqua-fortis) in common warm water, let the solution stand three days being impregnated with salt, then filtre and evaporate in glass bodies two thirds of the water, and put the remainder into earthen pans glased, which set in a cold place, in 12 hours the Vitriol will shoot into pointed pieces, appearing like natural Crystall of a fair Emerald colour. Dissolve this same Vitriol again and do as before, and repeat it thrice, at each solution there will remain at the bottom of the glass a Yellow substance, which is it's unprofitable Sulphur, and is to be cast away. At the third time the Vitriol will be purified, and fit to make a good and strong Aqua-fortis, much stronger than the ordinary, especially if the Nitre be well refined.

CHAP. XL.

TO every pound of the said Aqua-fortis, put two ounces of sal Armoniack powdered, into a glass body, which set in a pan full of warm water, and let the Aqua­fortis be often stirred, w ^ch will soon dissolve the sal Armoniack with it's heat, w ^ch will be tinged with a Yellow colour, put in more, sal Armoniack, as long as the Aqua-fortis will dissolve any, when it dissolves no more let it settle a little, when it is clear decant it leasurely off, and in the bottom there remains the unprofitable terrestriety of the sal Armoniack. Now this Aqua Regis is strong and fit to dissolve Gold, and other metalls; but silver it toucheth not at all.

CHAP. XLI.

PUt Tartar of Red-wine which is in great pieces, and appears full of spots (lay by that which is in powder, for it is not good) into new earthen pots, and let it burn in kindled coals until it smoaks no more, and when it is calcin'd, and in lumps of a black purplish sustance then it is burned and prepared.

CHAP. XLII.

PUt of Aqua-fortis, two pound, into a glass body not very great, but with a long neck, four ounces of fine silver, in small and thin pieces, and set them near the fire, or in warm water, which as soon as the Aqua-fortis begins to be hot 'twill work and dissolve the silver very quickly, and continue so until it hath dissolved, and taken it up, then take a pound and a half of Aqua-fortis, and in it dissolve (as you have before done with silver) six ounces of Quick-silver, when all is dissolved let these two waters be well mixed in a greater bo­dy, and powr upon them six ounces of sal Armoniack, and dissolve it at a gentle heat, when it is dissolved put into the glass one ounce of Zaffer, and half an ounce of Manganese, each prepared, and half an ounce of Ferretto of Spain, a quarter of an ounce of Crocus Martis calcin'd with Brim­stone, [Page 71] thrice calcin'd Copper, Blew smalts of the Painters, and Red-lead, of each half an ounce, powder all these well, and put one after another into the body, which then stir gently that the Aqua-fortis may be incorporated well with the said powder, keep the body close stoped for ten days, every day stirring it well several times, and when they are well opened, then put it into a furnace on sand, and make a most temperate heat, so that in 24 hours all the Aqua-fortis may be evaporated. Ob­serve that at last you give not a strong but a gentle heat, that the spirits of the Aqua­fortis may not evaporate, and in the bot­tome there will remain a Lion colour, which being well powdered, keep in a glass vessel. When you would make a Calcidony, put into a pot very clear metall and made of broken pieces of Crystall vessels, and Crystalline, and white glass which hath been used. For with the Virgin Fritt which hath never been wrought, the Calcidony can never be made, and the colours stick not to it, but are con­sumed by the Fritt. To every pot of a­bout 20 pound of glass, put two ounces, or two ounces and a half, or three ounces [Page 72] of this powder, or medicine, at three times, and incorporate, and mix them, that the glass may take in the powder, in doing whereof it raiseth certain Blew fumes, as soon as it is well mixed let the glass stand an hour, then put in another mixture, and so let it alone 24 hours, then let the glass be well mixed, and take thereof an essay, which will have a Yellowish A­zure colour, this proof being returned many times into the furnace, and taken when it begins to grow cold, will shew some waves, and divers colours very fair. Then take Tartar eight ounces, soot of the Chimny well virrified two ounces, Crocus Martis calcin'd with Brimstone half an ounce, put by little and little all these well powdered and mixed into this glass at six times, expecting a little while at each time, still mixing the glass that the powder may be well incorporated. As soon as all the powder is put in, let the glass boil, and settle 24 hours at least, then make a little glass body of it, which put in the furnace many times, and see if the glass be enough, and if there be on the outside toyes of Blew, and Sea-green, Red, Yel­low, and all colours with toys, and it [Page 73] hath some waves, such as Calcidony, Jaspers, Oriental Agats have, and that the body kept within be as to the sight as red as fire. Now as soon as it is made and perfected, it is wrought into vessels always variegated, which are not to be remade, for they do not arise well. These vessels may be made of divers sorts, and drinking glasses of many fashions, broad drinking cups, salts, flower pots, and the like toyes, still observing that the master workman pinch off well ye glass (that is wrought) with pincers, and anneal it sufficiently, that it may make waves and toyes of the fairest colours. You may also make with this pot dishes, pretty large in Oval, triangular, quadrangular form, as you will, and after­wards work it at the wheel (as Jewels) for it takes polishing, and a fine lustre, and it may serve for little tables, and cabinets; so that those little Jewels will represent the Oriental Agat, Jasper, and Oriental Calcidony, and when it happens that the colour fadeth, and the glass becomes tran­sparent, and no more Opacous as it ought to be for these works, then cease from working, put to it new Tartar calcin'd, soot [Page 74] and Crocus, for thus (as before) it takes a body and Opacousness, and makes the colours appear; set it then to purifie many hours, that the new powder put in may be incoporated, as 'tis usual, then work it. This was my way to make Calcidony in the year 1661 in Florence, at Casino in the glass furnaces; at which time I caused to work in the furnace, the brave Gentleman Nicolao Landiamo my familiar friend, and a man rare in working Enamels at the lamp, in which furnace I made many cups of Calcidony at the same time, which always were fair to all essays, never departing from the a­foresaid rules, and having the materials well prepared.

CHAP. XLIII.

1. IN a pound of Aqua-fortis dissolve three ounces of fine Silver cut small in a glass body well closed, set this aside.

2. In another glass body, put one pound of Aqua-fortis, wherein dissolve 5 ounces of Mercurie well purified, close the body well and set that aside.

3. In another little glass body, put one pound of Aqua-fortis, wherein dissolve two ounces of sal Armoniack, then put into this dissolution of Crocus Martis made with A­qua-fortis, Ferretta of Spain, Copper calcin'd Red, as in Chap. 24. Brass calcin'd with Sulphur, of each half an ounce, put all these materials well ground, and powdered by themselves, and then one by one, into the bodies by little and little, with pati­ence, because they all arise much.

4. In another little glass vessel let there [Page 76] be put one pound of Aqua-fortis, and there­in dissolve one ounce of sal Armoniack, and in the dissolution of crude Antimony pow­dered, Vitriol purified, of Azure, or Blew Smalts, of each half an ounce, one ounce of Red-lead, grind them all well and set the vessel by.

5. In a like body, dissolve in one pound of Aqua-fortis, two ounces of sal Armo­niack, then put in one ounce of Zaffer pre­pared, and a quarter of an ounce of Man­ganese prepared, and half an ounce of thrice calcin'd Copper, and one ounce of Cinaber, put in warily every one of these things (well powdered) by themselves, into the body, avoiding those things that swell up arise and fume, set this aside.

6. In another small glass body, dissolve in one pound of Aqua-fortis two ounces of sal Armoniack, and then add of Cerus, Painters Red-lake, Verdigreas, the Skales of iron that fall from the anvil, of each half an ounce, these swell very much. Let all these 6 bodies stand 12 days, & shake them well six times every day, that the water may pe­netrate & subtilise the ingredients and me­talls, to communicate their tincture to the glass.

[Page 77]After this time take a great glass bo­dy, luted at the bottom, into which you shall empty all the materials of these six bodies by little and little, that they may not run out, nor make the glass crack, in this great body mix well the waters, that the materials may be well united, and mix­ed together, set this glass in ashes at a very gentle heat, for twenty four hours, that the water may evaporate. Observing that the fire be gentlest at last, lest the powder be wasted with too much heat. He that will regain the Aqua-fortis may joyn the head & receiver & lute the jonts (as is usual) and the water being evaporated, there remains at the bottome a reddish powder, which is kept in a glass closed for use.

Put this powder or medicine into metall made of broken pieces of glass, and old glass, but not made of Virgin Fritt of Cry­stall, or Crystalline, as in the first Cal­cidony hath been said. Give the metall the same quantity, and use the said di­stance of time as in the other, then give it the body of burnt Tartar, and soot of the Chimny Vitrified, and Crocus Martis made with vinegar, then let them settle [Page 78] twenty four hours, and cause a vessel to be made thereof, and put it in the fire, and observe whether it take body and opa­city, and if it shew the variety of colours with toyes and wavings, work all of it into vessels of divers sorts, framing there­with all sorts of workmanship, and variety of toyes.

With this sort of Calcidony, I made ma­ny cups, all which were fair, and besides with this past of Calcidony may be made many hundred crowns for gentle men, as fair as can be uttered. These were seen by Ferdinando the great Duke, of blessed memory, and by many other Princes, and Lords, and this was done by me in Flanders.

CHAP. XLIV.

1. IN a glass body in strong Aqua-fortis, dissolve four ounces of fine leaf Sil­ver, that is to say, round cuttings of leaf silver, stop the body and set it aside.

2. In another body of like glass dis­solve in one pound of Aqua-fortis five ounces of Quick-silver purified with vine­gar and common salt, in a wooden dish with a wooden pestle stir the Mercury suffici­ently round with strong vinegar, and wash it with clear common water, until 'tis dis­solved, and carry away all the common salt, together with the blackness of the Mercurie, repeat this many times. Then strain this Mercurie through canvas, and dissolve it in the abovesaid Aqua-fortis, as before, close the glass vessel, and set it a­side.

3. In another glass body, dissolve in a pound of Aqua-fortis, three ounces of fine [Page 80] Silver calcin'd after this manner, to wit, amalgamate the silver with Mercurie, mix the amalgama with as much more com­mon salt well prepared from all 'its ter­restriety, by dissolving it in common water, and boyling it a little, and then let it settle two dayes that the terrestriety mixed with the salt may sink to the bottome, then filtre the water, and in the bottome will remain the grossness and terrestrity of the salt, evaporate this water filtred from the ter­restriety of the salt in a glass vessel, and dry it well, repeat this till the salt sends no more dregs to the bottom, and then it will be perfect and fit for the work. This puri­fying of the salt is made that it may be more efficacious to open the silver, other­wise it will be hard to separate them. Put all these things amidst the coals, in a pot, that all the Mercurie may be evaporated away, and the Silver remain at the bottome calcin'd and powdered, and add unto it it's weight of new common salt prepared (as before) mix them well, and put all in a chrysible or a pot to calcine six hours in the fire. Wash this stuff in a glased pot many times with warm water till all the saltness be well gone; then put this silver [Page 81] into a glass body full of common water, boil it till a quarter of it be evaporated, then let the silver grow cold and settle, and decant the water, repeat this fresh water thrice, and the fourth time put it in a body of Aqua-fortis, stir it well, and set it a­side.

4. In another like body, dissolve in a pound of Aqua-fortis, three ounces of sal Armoniack, decant off the clear solution, the remainder at the bottome cast away. In this water dissolve a quarter of an ounce of gold, keep this last solution apart.

5. In another glass body, dissolve in one pound of Aqua-fortis, three ounces of sal Armoniack. Then put into the solution, of Cinaber, of Crocus Martis, of ultramarine, of Ferretto of Spain, of each half an ounce, put them (well powdered) leasurely into the body, which being done close the ves­sel, and set it aside.

6. In another body, dissolve in a pound of Aqua fortis, three ounces of sal Armo­niack. Then put in Crocus Martis calcin'd with vinegar, calcined Tin, a thing com­mon in potters furnaces, Zaffer prepared, and Cinaber, of each half an ounce. Put gentlie each of them (ground by themselves) [Page 82] into the Aqua-fortis, then keep this in a ves­sel, and set it aside.

7. In another body of glass, dissolve in a pound of Aqua-fortis two ounces of sal Armoniack. Then put leasurely into the so­lution, Brass calcin'd with Brimstone, Brass thrice calcin'd, as in Chap. 28. Man­ganese prepared, and the scales of Iron, which fall from the Smiths anvil, of each half an ounce. Put each of these well ground by themselves, by little and little, then close the vessel, and set it aside.

8. In another body, dissolve in a pound of Aqua-fortis, two ounces of sal Armo­niack, whereto put of Verdigreas one ounce, Red-lead, crude Antimony, and the C [...]put mortuum of Vitriol purified, of each half an ounce, put these powdered leasurely in, close the vessel, and set it aside.

9. In another body, dissolve in a pound of Aqua-fortis, two ounces of sal Armo­niack, then put in leasurely Orpiment, whit [...] Arsnick, Painters Lake, of each half a [...] ounce, each powdered, and ground by self, close the vessel, and set it aside.

Keep these [...]nine bodies (well closed in the furnace fifteen days, and every [...] stir it well many times, that the Aqua­fortis [Page 83] may work, and the materials be sub­tilised, and their tinctures well opened, else they will not work well, then put all the materials with their waters into a great and strong body, by little and little; the things being united together, let alone the great body (whereinto you have powred the materials of all the lesser bodies) closed for six dayes, and every day stir it, then put it in ashes, giving it a gentle heat for twenty four hours, that the water may onely evaporate, observing that the body must be well luted at the bottome, even unto the midst of the body, and at the last of all the heat must be made so gentle that it onely evaporate the water, and that the better spirits of the Aqua-for­tis may remain inclosed in the same pow­ders, for so the powder will work fair, and strange things in glass. In the bottome of this body, will remain a powder of a pur­plish Green, whereof I gave the glass such a dose and quantity as is said in the first Calcidony. Then in due times (as is said in the first Calcidony,) give it it's body, to wit, Tartar burnt, the foot of the Chimny, and Crocus Martis made with vinegar, using the same dose, and diligence, times, and [Page 84] intervals throughout, as is said in the first Calcidony, then at the end of twenty four hours, work it with diligence, and ac­cording to art, and set it to the fire again, as hath been most punctually said in the first Calcidony.

This third way of making Calcidony, I performed at Antwerp, a City of Bra­bant, Anno 1609. in the Moneth of January. At which time, and for many years, there was in the house Signor E­manuel Nimenes a Knight of the No­ble Religion of Saint Steven, a Por­tughes, and Citizen of Antwerp, a gentile Spirit, and Universal in all knowledge, as any in the Low-Countries, whom I saw or knew. With this powder I made a Calcidony in the furnace of Antwerp, which I caused Signor Philippo Ghiridolpho a ve­ry Courteous Gentleman to work, which Calcidony came forth so fair, and beauti­ful, that it imitated the true Oriental Agat, and in fairness and beauty of co­lours far surpassed it. Many Portughes Gentlemen well Skilled in Jewels admi­red it, saying, that nature could not do more. This was the fairest Calcidony that ever I made in my life, which al­though [Page 85] it be laborious, and long a work­ing, yet notwithstanding it doth real things. Of this Calcidony two vessels were given to the most Excellent Prince of Orange, which pleased him very well.

CHAP. XLV.

THis third Book teacheth various wayes, and one better than another, to make all the abovesaid colours; As al­so [Page 88] a particular way to make Fritt of natu­ral Crystal, which will melt as ordinary Crystal metall, and will make vessels very white, beautiful, and sightly. There is no doubt but some of those colours are known to Artists, though not to all persons. For few they are that know how to make well Gold Yellow, and a Deep Red, being hard and nice colours in this Art. Since in ma­king them 'tis necessary you be punctual in the dose, time, circumstances, and ma­terials: for if you err but a very little in any of them whatsoever, all the whole la­bour and business is lost and comes to no­thing. I describe these two colours, and all other, in so clear and intelligible a stile, that every body may understand, and make them to their gust and satisfaction.

You must be exact in the time, quantity, cir­cumstances, purifying, powdering, sercing, fire, materials, if you err but a little in any of them whatsoever, all the labour is lost, and the colours come to nothing.

2. Tartar must be of Red-wine well vitri­fied in the vessel, in gross pieces, not in powder, Vitrified na [...]urally of themselves. That of white wine is not good.

3. To Manganese our author still subjoyns of Pi [...]mont.

[Page 89]4. The colour must be made fuller or lighter according to the works you employ them for, and to heighten them, put in more of the colour, but to make them lighter, put into the pot more Fritt. Take some metall out of the pot, and you shall see whether you have your desired colour; put in your colours by little and little lest they overdo.

5. Put your colour to the Fritt, and not to the metall, when melted, for then it neither takes the colour so well, nor so good a co­lour.

6. Mix the colours well with the metall in the pots, when 'tis melted, that both may be well incorporated, and this is to be done as often as you work the metall.

CHAP. XLVI.

TAke Crystal Fritt two parts, Rochetta Fritt one part, both made with Tarso, (which is much better than sand) mix and remix well these two Frits, and to eve­ry hundred pound of this composition, take [Page 90] of Tartar in lumps well beaten and serced fine, of Manganese prepared, of each one pound, mix these two powders well, first together, and then with the Frits. Then put them into the furnace, and let them stand four days at an ordinary fire, because they rise much. When the metall is puri­fied and well coloured (which usually is at the end of four days) work it into vessels and works. This quantity of the materials makes a most fair colour, which you may make deeper or lighter by adding or di­minishing the powders or Frits. You must put the powder in at several times, and not into the metall, for then it colours not. With these rules and observations you shall make a very fair Gold Yellow. But if you would have it fairer and a more graceful Yellow, take all Crystall Fritt. And thus I have frequently made this colour and al­wayes very fair.

CHAP. XLVII.

TAke of Crystall and Rochetta Fritt, of each a like quantity, mix them well, and to every 100 weight, add of Man­ganese one pound, Zaffer prepared an ounce, mix well these two powders toge­ther first, then with the Frits, then put this powder into the pot by little and lit­tle. Mix well the Manganese with the Zaffer, for this quickens the colour, ma­king it shining, beautiful and fair. At the end of 24 hours (when 'tis pure and well coloured) work it.

CHAP. XLVIII.

TAke onely Crystal Fritt made with the most perfect Tarso, Manganese prepared one pound, Zaffer prepared one ounce and a half, mix these two powders well together, and then with the Fritt, and not with the metall in the pots. The pro­portion is one ounce of the mixed powder to one pound of the Fritt. When the metall is pure and well coloured work it into vessels, &c.

CHAP. XLIX.

TO every hundred weight of Rochetta Fritt, add one pound of Zaffer prepa­red, & to every pound of Zaffer one ounce of Manganese, mix these two well together first, and then with the Fritt, put them all mixed into the surnace to melt and pu­rifie, and when 'tis pure, and well colour­ed work it, &c. This small quantity of Manganese makes a most fair colour of a double violet, which I have often made at Pisa and always well.

CHAP. L.

INstead of Rochetta Fritt, take Crystal Fritt, whereto add the same quantity of the foresaid powder, with the same rules, and you shall have a fair, and shining Sa­phyre colour.

CHAP. LI.

TAke pieces of broken glasses of many colours, grind them small, and put to them Manganese & Zaffer, to wit, not more than half of Manganese to the Zaffer. This glass purified will be of a most fair Black, shining like velvet, and will serve for tubes and all kindes of works.

CHAP. LII.

TAke of the Frits of Crystal and Polve­verine, of each 20 pound, Calx of Lead, and Tin four pound, mix all together, set them in a pot in the furnace well heated, and when the metall is pure, take steel well calcined and powdered, scales of Iron which fall from the Smiths anvil, of each a like quantity, powder and mix them well, put six ounces of this powder to the said metall that they may both strongly boil, let them settle 12 hours, and sometimes mix the metall, and then work it. This will be a most fair Velvet Black, and pleasant, to make all sorts of works.

CHAP. LIII.

TO a hundred weight of Rochetta Fritt, give two pound of Tartar, and of Manganese six pound, both pulverised, mix them and put them in the furnace leasurely, let the metall purifie, which will be about the end of four dayes, then mix, and wash the said metall, which will make a more marvellous black than all the former.

CHAP. LIV.

TAke of Crystal Fritt twelve pound, of calcined Lead and Tin two pound, mix them well, of Manganese prepared half an ounce, unite them all together, and put them into a pot heated, let them stand twelve hours that the materials may be melted, and at the end of eight hours you may work it. This will be a fair White which I have often made.

CHAP. LV.

TAke 400 weight of Crystal Fritt, and 60 pound of calcined Tin, and two pound and a half of Manganese prepared, powder and mix them all with the Fritt, and set them in a furnace in a pot, let them refine, and at the end of 18 hours this stuff will be purified, which cast into wa­ter, purifie it again in the furnace▪ and make a proof, and if it be too clear add 15 pound of the aforesaid calcined Tin, mix well the metall many times, and at the end of one day it becomes marvellous white, and in whiteness surpasseth any snow, then work it. I have often made it and always with good success. This white may be also made with Rochetta, but not so white as with Crystal.

CHAP. LVI.

PUt Crystal Fritt in a pot, and when 'tis melted (before 'tis purified) work it. This is a fair Marble colour.

CHAP. LVII.

MAnganese prepared will make in Lattimo the colour of a Peach­flower. But work it in time because it loseth colour.

CHAP. LVIII.

TAke of Crystal Fritt 20 pound, bro­ken pieces of white glass one pound, calcined Tin two pound, mix these well together, put them into a pot to run and purifie, when these are melted, take steel calcined, scales of Iron from the an­vil, both well ground, of each a like quan­tity, mix them together, put leasurely of this mixture, about an ounce, to the a­foresaid metall when purified, and mix them well, and let them incorporate, which succeeds commonly in five or six hours. Too much powder makes the me­tall black, whereas the colour ought to be transparent and not opacous, of an obscure Yellow; when 'tis so, put in no more powder, but then put about three quarters of an ounce of Brass calcined to redness (as in the 24 Chap.) and ground, [Page 101] to this metall, and mix them many times, and at about three or four times it will be­come as red as blood, wherefore make es­says often, and see whether this colour be good, and when so, work it speedily, else 'twill lose it's colour, and become black. Besides leave the mouth of the pot open, else▪ the colour will be lost. Let not the pot stand above 10 hours in the furnace, and suffer it not to cool as much as is pos­sible. When you see the colour fade (which sometimes happens) put in some scales of Iron, which reduceth the colours. And, because this is a nice colour, use all diligence in making it by putting in the steel and scales, as also in working it.

CHAP. LIX.

CAlcine natural Crystal in a Chrysible, extinguish it in common cold water eight times, cover the Crysible that no ashes nor filth get in, Dry the calcined Crystal, and grind it to an impalpable powder, mix this powder with salt of Polverine made in a glass body, as in Chap. 3. with these make a Fritt, observing the quantities, rules, and portion of Manganese, setting it in the furnace, & at due, and often times casting it into the water, purifying and working it as in other Crystal. And thus you will make a marvellous thing.

CHAP. LX.

PUt at 3 or 4 times to Crystal melted and purified, of Tartar well calcin'd to whiteness, and continue to put in the Tartar 4 or 6 times, always mixing it well with the metall, till the Crystal hath got­ten a Pearl colour. Then work it speedily, for this colour fadeth. This I have often practised and experimented.

CHAP. LXI.

THe glass of Lead known to few in this Art, as to colours, is the fairest and noblest glass of all others at this day made in [Page 106] the furnace. For in this glass the co­lours imitate the true Oriental gems, which cannot be done in Crystal, nor any other glass. 'Tis very true, that unless very great diligence be used, all sorts of pots will be broken, and the metall will run into the coals of the furnace. Observe my rules in all these glasses made of Lead exactly, and you shall avoid all danger. This business principally consists in knowing well how to calcine Lead, and to recalcine it also a second time; For by how much 'tis better and more calcined, by so much the less it returns to Lead; Again, and by consequence the less breaks out the bottom of the pot. Secondly, cast the metall into water, and separate carefully the Lead from the glass, even the least grains of it. This glass of lead must be cast into the water by lit­tle and little, to make a better separation, for the least Lead remaining breaks out the bottom of the pots, and lets all the me­tall run into the fire.

These two rules our Author repeats almost in every Chapter of this Book, and these following also,

The pots and Lead must not have too much heat in the furnace, neither must the [Page 107] metall be wrought too hot, and the Marble whereon 'tis wrought must be of the hardest stone; and must be wetted, else the marble will break and scale.

CHAP. LXII.

AT first Calcine Lead in a Kil as the potters do, and in great quantity. U­sually in two days they calcine many a hundred pound of Lead. In calcining ob­serve that the Kil be not too hot, but suf­ficiently heated onely to keep the Lead in fusion, for otherwise 'twill not be calcin'd. When the Lead is melted it yields at the top a Yellowish matter. Then begin to draw forwards the calcined part with an Iron fit for the purpose, always spreading it in the internal extremity of the Kils bottom, which should be of soft-stone, which will bear the fire. And the Kil must have a declivitie towards the mouth, which I pass by as a thing well known. When 'tis calcined once it must be put, and [Page 108] spread a second time in the Kil, to rever­berate in a convenient heat, always stirring it with an Iron, and that for many hours, till it come this second calcination to a good Yellow and be calcined. Then serce all in a fine serce, and what passeth not the serce recalcine it with new Lead. This is the way to calcine Lead in great quantity to make thereof store of Potters ware.

CHAP. LXIII.

TAke of this calcined Lead 15 pound, and Crystall or Rochetta or Polverine Fritt, according as you would make the colours, 12 pound, mix them as well as possibly you can, put them in a pot, and at the end of 10 hours, cast them into water, for by that time they will be all well melt­ed, separate the Lead, and return the me­tall into the pot, which in 12 hours at most you shall have most fit to work.

CHAP. LXIV.

TO work glass of Lead into divers drink­ing or other vessels, 'tis necessary before 'tis taken upon the Iron to be a little raised in the pot, and then take it out, and [...] it to cool a little, and then work it on the Marble being clear. At first let the Mar­ble be well wetted with cold water that this glass may not draw away with it the Marble, and scale it; which it always doth when the marble is not wetted, and incor­porates it into its self. This sticking of the marble makes a foul colour in the works. Wherefore continually wet the marble whiles this glass is wrought, otherwise all the fairness and beauty will be taken from it, Do thus as often as you take the metall out of the pot. This sort of glass is so ten­der, that if it be not cooled in the furnace and taken a little at a time, and held on the Irons, and the Marble continually wetted, [Page 110] 'tis impossible to work it. Which pro­ceeds from the calcined Lead, which makes it most tender as a caudle.

CHAP. LXV.

TAke of Polverine Fritt 20 pound, Lead calcined 16 pound, serce these two powders first by themselves, then, when well mixed, put them in a pot not too hot, and at the end of 8 or 10 hours they will be melted, then cast them into water, and separate the Lead. Put them a second time into the pot, and in 6 or 8 hours they will be melted, then cast them into water and separate the lead. This being twice done the metall will be freed from all the Lead, and all the unctuosity which cale [...]ned Lead and Polverine give it, and will acquire a most bright and shining co­lour, and in few hours 'twill run and be­come very clear, then give it brafs thrice calcined (made as in Chap. 28.) fix oun­ces, [Page 111] and therewith mix a peny weight of Crocus Martis made with Viniger, put in this mixture at six times, alwayes mixing well the glass, and taking at each time the intervall of saying the Creed. Let this glo [...]s settle an hour, then mix and take a proof thereof. When you like the colour let them incorporate 8 hours then work them into drinking glasses, which will appear in a colour proper to the Emerald of the old Oriental rock with natural shining and glittering.

Let this glass, stand in a pot when suffi­ciently coloured, till it hath consumed all the dregs▪ and till it be perfectly▪ refined and▪ then 'twill be so like the natural E­merald that you can hardly know one from the other▪

CHAP. LXVI.

THis is made in every thing as the E­merald-green, in Chap. 65. but with this difference, that this onely takes six ounces of the powder of the Caput mor­tuum of Vitriolum Veneris, made as in Chap. 131. 132. and the other the same quantity of Brass prepared. This happily is the rarest Green that can be made any way whatsoever, which I have often made to my content.

CHAP. LXVII.

TAke Crystal Fritt instead of Polverine Fritt 15 pound, Lead calcined 12 pound, mix and serce them both together, set them in the furnace not too hot, at the end of 8 hours, cast them into water, se­parate the Lead from the pot and glass, and repeat this twice, then hereto add half glass of a Gold Yellow colour, let them incorporate, and purifie for an Ori­ental Topaz.

CHAP. LXVIII.

TAke Crystall Fritt 16 pound, Lead calcined 10 pound, mix and serce them well together, set them in the furnace, in [Page 114] 12 hours the stuff will be melted, cast both it and the pot into water, separate the lead, let them stand in the furnace 8 hours a second time, then cast them into water a second time, and separate the lead, put them in the furnace, and in 8 hours your metall will be most clear, then take of Brass calcined 4 ounces, of Zaffer pre­pared a quarter of an ounce, mix these well, and put in this mixture at 4 times to the glass of lead, and at the end of two hours mix well the glass and take a proof, then let the glass stand 10 hours, in which time the colours will be well incorpora­ted, and the glass be very well perfected, and be fit to be wrought in any works.

CHAP. LXIX.

MIx 20 pound of Crystall Fritt with 16 pound of calcined lead, serce and put them into a pot, and to them of Manganese three ounces, of Zaffer half an ounce, both prepared, let them stand 12 [Page 115] hours, cast them into water and separate the lead, put them again into the furnace, and let them purifie 10 hours, then mix them, and take a proof, when the colour is perfect, and of a fair Granat, work the glass as before.

CHAP. LXX.

TAke 15 pound of Crystal Fritt, and lead calcined 12 pound, mix and serce them well together, then add to them two ounces of Zaffer, and of Manganese a peny weight, both prepared, let them stand in the furnace 12 hours, cast them into water, and separate the lead, repeat this a second time, and you shall have the co­lour of an Oriental Saphyre, very beauti­ful and fair, with the mixture of a double Violet colour.

CHAP. LXXI.

TAke of Crystall Fritt, and calcined lead, of each 16 pound, mix and serce them well, and add to them of Brass thrice burn­ed six ounces, Crocus Martis made with Vinegar 2 peny weight, put them well mix­ed in the furnace, let them stand 12 hours, then cast them into water, separate the lead, set them in the furnace other 12 hours, and in that time 'twill be clear, mix them and take a proof. If it wax green, give it a little Crocus Martis (which takes away the greeness) till it become a most fair Gold Yellow colour, often made by me.

CHAP. LXXII.

MElt the fairest Lattimo made, as in Chap. 55. with the whitest Cry­stall and most tender, in a pot, when 'tis [Page 117] well melted, give it of▪ Blew Painters Smalts, by little and little, and when the colour is good, let it stand in the fire two hours, and make a proof, and when 'tis good let it stand 12 hours, mix them, and work them. If the metall rise put in a piece of leaf Gold to diminish the ri­sing. This will be very like the natural Lapis Lazuli.

CHAP. LXXIII.

TAke natural Crystal of a good water, and very clear, free from Terrestriety, in several pieces of divers Magnitudes, crude Antimony, Yellow O [...]piment of each powdered two ounces, sal Armoniac one ounce, powder and mix well these three last, put this mixture in the bottom of a Crysible that wiil bear the fire, and above this mixture the Crystalls in pieces, then cover this Chrysible with another, mouth [Page 118] to mouth, lute them well, and when they are dry, set them in coals, which kindle by little and little, and when they begin to fire, let them flame of themselves, and then they will smoak much, do this operation in a large Chimney, and avoid the dan­gerous and deadly fumes, when all these fumes are gone, let the Chrysible stand till the pot cool, and the fire go out of its self. Then unlute the Chrysibles, and take out the pieces of Crystal, and those which are at the top will be tinged with a good Yellow colour, with a red Rubie, and Balass colours with fair spots, those which lay at the bottom upon the powder, and the residence, into the Wavie colour of a Viper. These pieces of Crystall may be wrought as Jewels at the wheel, and will receive a good polishing, lustre and shew­ing beauty, such as is in the Topaz, Rubie and Balass, if you give them foils suitable to their colour they make a fair shew, be­ing set in Gold. Of these Crystalls you may colour a good quantity, since the charges and labour is but small, and in co­louring a competent quantity there always come forth some beautiful and fair.

CHAP. LXXIV.

TAke Orpiment of a Yellow-oringe­tawney colour in powder, Crystalline with Arsnic, of each two ounces, crude Antimony, sal Armoniac, of each one ounce, put this powder well mixed, into a very capacious Chrysible, and upon the pow­der, scales, and little pieces of Crystall, and upon these small pieces larger and grosser pieces of Crystall of a fair water, without spots, if you would have a plea­sing thing, let them be very large. And so fill the Chrysible, to which lute well ano­ther mouth to mouth, make a hole at the bottom of the uppermost of the bigness of a Tare, that the air may draw thorow this hole the fumes of the materials which pass thorow the pieces of the Crystal. [Page 120] Which tingeth the Crystall well, and bet­ter than when they pass thorow the joynts of the Chrysibles. When the lute is dry­ed, set them in the coals, so that all the lower most, and half the uppermost be buried in the coals. Then kindle the fire by little and little, do as in the former, and avoid the deadly fumes. The ma­terials fume long, keep constantly a strong, and good fire. See you let not in any wind or cold air by windows or other places, for the pieces of Crystall being then hot, will become brittle, will split, and not be good. When the fire is gone out of it's self, unlute the Chrysibles, and you shall find the greatest part of the Crystall tinged with the true colours of Topaz, Chrysolite, Balass, Rubies, Gira­sole, and Opal with wonderful beau­ty. Those of the best colour may be wrought by the Jewellers, at the wheel, and appear natural jewels, and the Crystall holds it's natural hardness, which is great. At Antwerp I made good store, and amongst them, some of them were of a fair Opal colour, and some of the Girasole. You may set them in Gold with foiles. Be [Page 121] sure the Orpiment be good, for therein consisteth all the sectet. If the work pro­ceeds not well the first time, repeat it a second, and with practice you shall always do it without failing.

CHAP. LXXV.

I Believe there are few who desire, and seek not with all earnestness the know­ledge [Page 124] to imitate perfectly Emeralds, To­paz, &c. And in a manner all sorts of Jewels, which in colour, splendor, plea­santness and clearness, excepting hardness, excel the natural and Oriental, a thing ve­ry delightful and pleasant.

Wherefore in this present Book I de­scribe the means to make them, with the circumstances and diligence necessary to be used. There is no doubt but he who shall set himself to the work with dili­gence, shall do much more than what I publish. The way lately practised by me, and taken from Isaac Hollandus, maketh pasts of incredible, and seemingly impos­sible beauty and perfection. 'Tis true the work is somewhat long and wearisome, yet I that have many times performed it, say 'tis very facil and plain, and (that which is above all) this way is true. Wherefore all pains, expences, and char­ges employed in such a like work, ought to seem small and light.

CHAP. LXXVI.

TAke natural Crystall the clearest that is possible, and put by firestones, Cal­cidonies, and Tarso and other hard stones, which though they Vitrifie, yet they make not so clear, lucid and shining stones as na­tural Crystal doth. The said stones used to make counterfeit Jewels, though they take polishing wonderfully, yet they al­ways have something earthy, and obscure in them. But Crystall hath always some­thing, that's aerial and transparent, and draweth near to the quality and nature of Jewels, especially those which are natural and Oriental. For they work far greater effects than the Italian or Dutch. Take then works made of Crystal, put them in Chrysibles covered at the top, set them in burning coals till they be both well heated & fired, then suddenly cast the Crystall into a very large pan, full of cold clear water. When the Crystal is cold recal­cinè [Page 126] and heat, and cast it into fresh clean water, repeat this 12 times, and be sure the ashes and filth be kept out of the Chrysible, and that the water be always ve­ry clean. When the Crystal is well cal­cin'd grind it to an impalpable powder as fine as the best wheaten flour, and that on a Porphyrie-stone, with a muller of the same, and then 'twill crumble and come to a flour, like refined Sugar. If you pow­der the Crystall in Brass mortars, with an Iron Pestle, you can make nothing there­with but a green Emerald colour. Grind not above a spoonful at a time, and this grinding, and sercing must be often repeat­ed, so long till no roughness remains, nor can be felt in the powder. For otherwise a past made thereof will give onely a durty and imperfect work, and will never be like natural Jewels. But if the Crystall be well ground 'twill make artificial gems, far excelling true natural stones in beauty, colour, clearness, splendor and po­lishing. Make a good quantity of this ma­terial that you may make all colours, for this is the prime material to make all Arti­ficiall jewels, and shall be called hereafter Crystal prepared.

[Page 127] These rules often repeated by the Author take together.

1. That the whole be done cleanly, to this end lute all the pots wherein the Cry­stall is calcin'd, and wherein the pasts are baked with lute well dryed, before they be set to calcine or bake.

2. Take pots that will bear the fire.

3. Grind all on Porphyrie-stone, and not in metal, to a most implapable powder, first singly, and then together.

4. Keep a just proportion in the dose of the Ingredients.

5. Mix the materials well before you bake them, and if the past be not sufficient­ly baked the first time, bake it again a se­cond time in the potters furnace, and never break the pot till you see 'tis baked, for if you do the pasts will be foul, and full of blisters.

6. Leave the vacuity of a fingers thick­ness in the top of the pot, especially where 'tis said it swels much, or that you must put it in leasurely, lest the materials run out into the fire, or stick to the cover, and so make a foul colour.

CHAP. LXXVII.

TAke of Crystall prepared two ounces, ordinary Red-lead four ounces, mix and incorporate them well together, good Verdigreas two peny weight, Crocus Martis made with Vineger eight grains, Mix all well and set them in a potters furnace, in the hottest place thereof, as long as the fire lasts. To see whether the past be sufficiently baked and purified, clear and transparent, take onely off the cover made of lute, and if the past be pure and transparent to the bottom 'tis a sign 'tis baked enough. Other­wise relute, and bake it again, without breaking the pot, for then the past will be full of points and blisters. Let the fire be continued 24 hours with dry wood.

I set up a furnace at Antwerp a purpose, wherein I kept 20 pots of divers colours, and with a fire in 24 hours melted and purified all of them, and to be the more secure, continue the fire six hours more, [Page 129] and by this means the past will be very well baked, and little wood wasted. These pasts may be cut and wrought, in every thing, as ordinary Jewels, they wholly re­ceive the same polishing and lustre, and are set in Gold with foiles, as the other commonly are. This past is harder than ordinary.

CHAP. LXXVIII.

TAke of Crystall prepared an ounce, of Ordinary Red-lead six ounces and a half, mix them, and add, of Verdegreas a­bout three peny weight, and 13 grains, of Crocus Martis made with vineger 10 grains. Proceed according to the rules, and you shall have a marvellous Emerald colour for small works, and to be set in Gold. This past must be baked more than ordinary, to wast that imperfection which Lead usu­ally gives; this past is britler, but fairer than the former.

CHAP. LXXIX.

TAke of Crystall prepared two ounces, Ordinary Red-lead seven ounces, mix and add to them of Verdegreas about ten grains to every ounce, and of Crocus Martis made with Vinegar ten grains onely at a time, mix them and proceed according to rule, and you shall have an Emerald past for small works, very fair and beautiful, but not hard, by reason of the plenty of lead. Wherefore bake it more than ordinary to take away the blackness, and unctuosity Lead naturally yields.

CHAP. LXXX.

TAke of Crystall prepared two ounces, ordinary Minium six ounces, mix them, and add of good Verdigeas well ground 80 grains, mix and bake them for a most fair Oriental Emerald.

CHAP. LXXXI.

TAke Crystall prepared two ounces, or­dinary Minium seven ounces, mix them, and bake them, for a marvelous Oriental Topaz, to work any kind of work you please.

CHAP. LXXXII.

TAke of prepared Crystall two ounces, ordinary Minium eight ounces, mix them, and add of Crocus Martis made with Vineger 12 grains, mix and bake them more than ordinary by reason of the great quantity of lead.

CHAP. LXXXIII.

TAke of Crystall prepared two ounces, ordinary Minium five ounces, mix them, and add 21 grains of Zaffer prepa­red and ground, remix and bake them for a most beautiful Sky colour.

CHAP. LXXXIV.

TAke of Crystall prepared two ounces, ordinary Minium four ounces and a half, mix them, and add about four grains of Painters Blew smalts, mix and bake them, this past will be a most fair Violet, and pleasant Sky-colour.

CHAP. LXXXV.

TAke of Crystall prepared two ounces, or­dinary Minium six ounces, mix them well, & add of Zaffer prepared five grains, mix with the Zaffer of Manganese prepared seven grains, remix and bake them for an Oriental Saphyre, which will have a most beautiful Violet colour.

CHAP. LXXXVI.

TAke of Crystall prepared two ounces, ordinary Minium five ounces, of Zaffer prepared about 42 grains, add to the Zaffer of Manganese prepared eight grains, mix and bake them well, and they will make a deeper Oriental Saphyre, with a Violet colour of notable fairness.

CHAP. LXXXVII.

TAke of Crystall prepared two ounces, ordinary Minium six ounces, mix them and add about 16 grains of Manganese prepared, wherewith mix three grains of Zaffer prepared, mix them all together, and bake them for a most fair & sightly Garnat.

CHAP. LXXXVIII.

TAke of Crystall prepared two ounces, ordinary Minium five ounces and a half, of Manganese prepared 15 grains, where­with mix four grains of Zaffer prepared, mix them all, this swells much, bake them for an Oriental Garnat, which hath in it a very fair Violet colour.

CHAP. LXXXIX.

TAke of Crystall prepared two ounces, ordinary Minium five ounces, mix them, and add 52 grains of Manganese prepared, wherewith mix six grains of Zaffer prepa­red, mix them all well and bake them for an Oriental Garnat fairer than any of the former.

CHAP. XC.

OBserve, that the colours in the afore­said pasts, may be made deeper, or lighter, according to the works they are to be used for, and also the will and humour of the maker. Small stones for rings, pen­dants, and ear-rings require a fuller, but greater stones, a lighter colour. No rules can be herein given, though those given by me will give some light to the curious Artist, to whose judgement it must be left, and who may find out and invent more and better colours. Besides I set down here onely colours from Verdigreas, Zaffer, and Manganese. But a curious person and practical Chymist may extract a wonder­ful Red from Gold, and another fair Red from Iron, from Brass an exceeding fair Green, from Lead a Gold colour, from Sil­ver a Sky-colour, and a much fairer from Granats of Bohemia, which are low-priz'd, [Page 137] for being small you may draw a tincture from them, as I have often done in Flan­ders, and this doth notable effects. The same may be done with Rubies, Saphyres and other Jewels. To write of these things would be a business too long for me, who speak so clearly in this present work. But the colours abovesaid will make pleasant works.

CHAP. XCI.

THis way which I have taken from Isaac Hollandus, when I was in Flanders, to imitate Jewels, is not much used, and known perhaps to few persons, and though it be somewhat laborious, Yet by how much 'tis more laborious 'tis so much the fairer; and beautiful, than any made in any place whatsoever to this day, or at [Page 138] least not shewn to me by any person. Wherefore I will shew the manner to make them, so clearly, and with so many circumstances and observations, that any one versed in Chymistry will be easily ca­pable thereof, and will do the work per­fectly. Take Ceruss, otherwise call'd white lead, grind it very fine, and put it into a great glass body, and pour therein as much distil'd Vineger as will rise a palm above it. Observe that at first the vineger boils and swels, wherefore put it in by lit­tle and little, till all the fury and noise is gone. Then set the Vineger on a hot fur­nace in sand, and evaporate away the eighth part of it, take it from the fire, and when the body is cold, decant leasurely the Vineger coloured enough, and impregna­ted with salt, which set aside in a glass vessel, then pour more fresh distild Vine­ger on the Ceruss, and evaporate and de­cant as before. Repeat this till you have extracted all the salt from the Ceruss, which is when the Vineger is coloured no more, nor hath any more taste of sweetness, which usually succeeds the sixth time. Then Filtre these coloured Vine­gers [Page 139] mixt together, evaporate and dry them in a glass body, and the salt of Lead will be at the bottom of a white co­lour. Which set in sand in a glass bo­dy from the neck downwards well luted, but the mouth of the glass must be open, and the furnace heated for twenty four hours continuance. Then take the salt out of the receiver, powder it, and if it be Yellowish and not Red, set it twen­ty four hours in the fire, till it become as Red as Cinaber. Make a good fire▪ but not to melt it, for then all your la­bour and pains will be lost. Pour di­stilled Vineger on this Red-lead cal­cin'd, repeating this work as before till you have extracted all the salt from it, and separated all the dregs and terrestrie­ty in whole or in part. Keep these co­loured Vinegers in earthen pans glased six days, that all the terrestriety and imper­fection may sink to the bottom. Then Filtre them, leaving the grosser part at the bottom as unprofitable, then cover the Vinegers in a glass body, and there will remain at the bottom a most white salt of lead, and sweet as Sugar, which dry [Page 140] well and dissolve in common water, let the solution stand six days in glased pans, separate the terrestriety at the bottom, Filtre and evaporate as before, and there will remain at the bottom of the glass a salt as white as snow, and sweet as Sugar, Repeat this Solution, Filtration, and eva­poration thrice. This salt is called Sac­charum Saturni. Which put into a fur­nace into a body of glass in Sand, and at a temperate heat for many days, and it will appear calcin'd into a colour much redder than Cinaber, and as subtile and impalpable as the finest serced wheaten flour. This is call'd the true Sulphur of Saturn purified from all terrestriety, foul­ness, and blackness which Saturn had at first in it self. Now when you would make pasts for Emeralds, Saphyres, Garnats, To­paz, Chrysolite, Sky or any other co­lour, take the same materials, colours, quantities as abovesaid in the former re­ceipts, except that instead of ordinary Red-lead, you shall take Sulphur Saturni, working exactly in every thing as before And you shall have Jewels of marvel­ous fairness in all colours, which very [Page 141] far surpass the forementioned, made with ordinary Red-lead. For this true Sulphur Saturni outgoeth all others, more than I write thereof, as I have seen, and often made it at Antwerp. Pasts made with this Sulphur, have not that un­ctuosity and Yellowness, as the other ordinary ones have, which in time shew their foulness, and the moisture and sweatiness which coming from within men much soil them, which happens not to those made with the said Sul­phur. Wherefore think not that pains much, which will be well recompensed with the work and effect.

CHAP. XCII.

TAke of prepared Crystall ten pound, salt of Polverine six pound, made as in Chap. 3. well dryed and ground on a Porphyrie, mix and serce them well toge­ther, Sulphur Saturni two pound, mix these three powders in earthen pans glased and clean, and with a little common water make with them a hard past, and of the past little cakes, each weighing three ounces, with a little hole in the midst of them, dry these in the sun, & then calcine them in the highest part of the potters fur­nace, or in other like fires, then powder and grind these cakes on a porphyrie, and serce them fine, then set them in pots in glass fur­naces, to purifie three days, and cast them into water, and return them to the furnace for 15 days to purifie, that all the foul­ness and blisters may vanish, and the past remain most pure, like natural Jewels. And [Page 143] moreover this sort of purest glass will be tinged into all colours you desire. For ex­ample into an Emerald with Brass thrice calcin'd, as is done in ordinary glass, into a Sea-green, with Brass calcin'd to redness, made as in Chap. 24. and with Zaffer into a Topaz, into a Saphyre with Manganese and Zaffer, into Yellow w ^th Tartar & Manganese, putting them in by parts, and into a Garnat also, with Manganese and Zaffer dividedly put in. And indeed this past imitates all Jewels and colours, and hath a wonderful shining and lustre, And in hardness too it imitates the jewels, Especially the E­merald, which will be made most fair and almost as hard as the true.

CHAP. XCIII.

TAke of fine Lead 30 pound, of fine Tin 33 pound, Calcine them toge­ther in a Kil, and serce them, Boil this Calx a little in clean water in clean earthen vessels, take it from the fire and de­cant off the water by inclination, which will carry with it the finer part of the Calx, put fresh water on the remainder, then boil and decant as before, repeat this as long as the water carries off any Calx. [Page 147] Recalcine the gross remaining Calx, & then draw off again the more subtile parts, as before. Then evaporate the waters which carried off the finer Calx at a gentle fire, especially at the last, that the Calx may not be wasted, which will remain at the bot­tome much finer than the Ordinary. Take then of this fine Calx, of Crystal Fritt made with Tarso, ground and serced fine, of each 50 pound, of white salt of Tartar eight ounces, powder, serce and mix them well: Then put this stuff into a new earthen pot baked, giving it a fire for ten hours, then powder it and keep it in a dry covered place. Of this stuff are made all the Enamels of whatsoever colours. This shall be call'd the stuff for Enamels.

To avoid our Authors repetitions observe

1. The pots wherein Enamels are made must be glased with white glass and bear the fire.

2. Mix and incorporate well the colours and stuff for Enamels.

3. When the Enamel is refined, and the colour good, and well incorporated, take it from the fire with a pair of tonges for the Goldsmiths use.

4. The way to make Enamels is this, [Page 148] powder, grind, and serce well the colours, and mix them first well one with another, and then with the stuff for Enamels, then set them in pots in the furnace, when they are all melted and incorporated cast them into water, and when dry set them in the furnace again to melt (which they soon do) make a proof, and if the colour be too high, take out some of it and add more of the stuff for Enamels, and if too light add more of the colour at pleasure to your con­tent, then take it out of the furnace.

CHAP. XCIV.

TAke of the stuff for Enamels six pound, of Manganese prepared 48 grains, cast it thrice into water when refined and melted.

CHAP. XCV.

TAke of the stuff for Enamels six pound▪ mel [...] refine and cast it into water, set it in the furnace again; when 'tis melted, and refined, put in of th [...]ic [...] calcin'd Brass three ounces, Zaffer prepared 96 grains, wherewith mix well 48 grains of Manga­nese prepared, mix them well and put them into the stuff at four times, mixing them well every time, let them incorpo­rate, make a proof with your eye that you may know by the eye when the colours are good, as I have always done, because sometimes the powders colour more and sometimes less. Thus I did at Pisa, and by mine eye without weights coloured all sorts of Glass.

CHAP. XCVI.

TAke of the stuff for Enamels four pound, wherewith mix of Zuffer pre­pared two ounces, and mix with it at first of thrice calcin'd Brass 48 grains, mix these two powders well with the stuff for Enamels, set them in the furnace, and work according to the rules.

CHAP. XCVII.

TAke of the stuff for Enamels four pound, put it in the furnace, and in ten or tewlve hours 'twill be melted and refined, cast it into water, and put it again into the furnace in it's own pot, when 'tis refined, give it of Brass thrice calcin'd two ounces, wherewith mix of scales of Iron [Page 151] well ground two ounces, put them in at three times, mixing and incorporating them every time, and ever and anon see whether the colour please, when 'tis well take it from the fire.

CHAP. XCVIII.

TAke of the stuff for Enamels six pound, wherewith mix well Ferretto of Spain well ground three ounces, and mix with it 48 grains of Crocus Martis, put them into the furnace, &c. These furnaces are made from about four to six inches for all Ena­mels.

CHAP. XCIX.

TAke of the stuff for Enamels four pound, which in few hours will be refined, then cast it into water, and put it [Page 152] again into the furnace, and let it refine, then add these two powders well mixed at three times, to wit, of Brass thrice calcin'd two ounces, of Crocus Martis made with Vine­ger 48 grains, put them in the furnace, and when they are well incorporated, take them from the fire: This is a fair and good Enamel.

CHAP. C.

TAke four pound of the stuff for Ena­mel, of Zaffer and Manganese, of each two ounces prepared, and well mixed, in­corporate the stuff and colours, put them in the furnace in a large pot, and when re­fined cast them into water, then put them in the furnace again, and they will soon re­fine, and make a Velvet Black.

CHAP. CI.

TAke of the stuff for Enamels six pound, of Zaffer prepared, of Crocus Martis made with Vineger, of Ferretto of Spain, of each two ounces, grind and mix well toge­ther these three powders, with the stuff for Enamels, put them into the furnace, and when refined cast them into water, put them in the furnace again, and take the En­amel out when tis incorporated, and the colour pleaseth you. This is a fair Black.

CHAP. CII.

TAke of the stuff for Enamels four pound, Tartar four ounces, Manganese prepared two ounces, grind and mix these two powders well with the stuff for Ena­mels, [Page 154] set them in the furnace in a large pot, when melted and refined, cast them into water, and put them into the furnace again, let them refine. This is a most fair Velvet Black to Enamel upon metalls ordi­narily.

CHAP. CIII.

To four pound of the stuff for Enamels, add two ounces of Manganese prepared, mix them well, and set them in the furnace in a large pot, when 'tis refined and melted cast them into water, set them again in the furnace, and when refined take them out. This is a fair Purplish Enamel.

CHAP. CIV.

TAke of the stuff for Enamels six pound, of Manganese prepared three ounces, of Brass thrice calcin'd six ounces, mix them all well together, set them in a furnace, and let them refine, then cast them into water, and put them into the same pot, let them boil, and when refined take them from the fire. 'Tis a good Enamel.

CHAP. CV.

TAke of the stuff for Enamels 6 pound, of Tartar three ounces, of Manganese prepared 72 grains, grind and mix well these powders together, and then with the stuff for Enamels, put them into the fur­nace in a large pot, when refined cast them [Page 156] into water, and set them again in the fur­nace. This Enamel is of a fair Yellow to Enamel on Gold, where it shews not well, if you add not Enamels of other colours.

CHAP. CVI.

TAke of the stuff for Enamels 4 pound, Brass calcin'd to make a Sky colour, as in Chap. 21. of Sea-green made as in Chap. 23. of each two ounces, of Zaffer prepared 48 grains, mix first these pow­ders well together, then with the stuff for Enamels, when they are refined cast them into water, return them into the pot, let them melt and refine. This is a very fair and beautiful Sky colour.

CHAP. CVII.

TAke six pound of the stuff for Enamels, of Manganese prepared three ounces, of thrice calcin'd Brass 48 grains, mix these two powders well together, then remix them with the stuff for Enamels, put them into the furnace, and cast them into water, put them into the furnace again, and do as before.

CHAP. CVIII.

MAke a Lee of Barillia, and of Lime, reasonable strong; and in this Lee, [Page 161] boil at a gentle fire fresh Broom Flowers, that the Lee may draw to it all the tin­cture of the Flowers, which you shall know by taking the Flowers our and seeing them white, & the colour well taken out, and the Lee will be yellow like good Trebian wine: then take out these Flowers, and put this Lee in earthen dishes (glased) to the fire, that the Lee may boil, and put into it, so much Roch-Alum, that with the fire, all the Alum may be dissolved; then make a fire, and empty this Lee into a ves­sel of clean water, and it will give a Yel­low colour at the bottom: let them settle, and decant off all the water, and again put upon them other fresh water, and decant it off; let the tincture first sink to the bottom, and do this so long, till you have taken out all the salts of the Lee and Alum from the tincture; observing that by how much the more you wash this tincture from the salt of the Lee and Alum, by so much more will the tin­cture of the colour be fairer, and more beautiful, washing it always with water to carry away the salt of the Lee and Alum, and at each time before you decant the water, let the Yellow tincture settle to the [Page 162] bottom. Repeat this process, until you perceive the water run out sweet and with­out saltness as 'twas first put in, and then at the bottom will remain a beautiful and fair Lake: which spread, when wet, upon pieces of white cloath, and dry it upon new ba­ked Bricks in the shade, and you shall have a beautiful Lake of a Yellow co­lour, for Painters, and also for glass.

CHAP. CIX.

GEt what quantity of the leaves of Flowers of what colour soever they be, let every colour be by it self, fair Green Herbs by themselves: proceed with them as in Chap. 108. and you shall have a Lake & true tincture & colour from every Flower, and Herb, which will be a fair, and beautiful thing for Painters, and with­out doubt, worthy to be much esteem'd.

CHAP. CX.

TAke of whatsoever Herb, or Flower, of whatsoever colour you will, which being bruised green upon a leaf of white Paper, tinges it with it's colour, these are good, but the Herbs and Flowers which do not so, are not good, then put into a glass body ordinary Aqua vitae, the head must be as large as possible, and in the top thereof put the leaves of whatso­ever Flower or Herbs, from which you would draw a tincture, then lute the joynts of the head, and thereto fit a receiver, then [Page 164] give a temperate heat, that the thinner parts of the Aqua vitae ascending to the head, and falling upon the leaves and Flow­ers, may suck out the tincture, and distill thence into the receiver coloured Red, and full of the tincture of the Flowers, making all the subtile part of the Aqua vitae to ascend so long as it comes coloured, and then distill this Aqua vitae coloured in a glass vessel, which will come over white, and may serve at other times, and the tin­cture will remain at the bottom, which must not be dried too much but moderate­ly, and thus you shall have the tincture or Lake from all Flowers, and Herbs, singular for Painters.

CHAP. CXI.

TAke Quick-silver two parts, flour of Brimstone three parts, sal Armoniack eight parts, grind them all upon a Por­phery, and with the Quick-silver, put them in a glass with a long neck luted at the bot­tom [Page 165] in sand, make a gentle fire till the moisture rise, then stop the mouth of the glass, and increase and continue the fire, as in sublimation, till the end, and you shall have a Blew, most fair and excellent.

CHAP. CXII.

PUt Turcoises discoulored, and becom [...] white, into a glass, pour upon them oil of sweet Almonds, keep this glass upon temperate ashes, and warm, and in two days at most the stones will have acquired a most beautiful colour.

CHAP. CXIII.

TAke of Tin well purified and purged, three pound, Copper well purified one pound, melt these two metalls, first the Brass, then the Tin, and when they are well melted cast upon them six ounces of Tar­tar of Red wine onely burnt, and one ounce and a half of Salt-peter, then a quarter of an ounce of Alum, and two ounces of Arsnick, let them evapo­rate, then cast it into the form of a sphear, and you shall have a good mate­rial, the which you shall cause to be bur­nished and polish'd, which will shew well, and this is the mixture called steel to make sphears.

CHAP. CXIV.

TAke a Ball, or other sort of glass that is white & fair, & Isinglass which must be infused two days in common water, then put this infusion into a white pan with fair water, and boil it till all be well tempe­red, observing that the Isinglass will be very tender with much water, then take it from the fire, and when it is warm, put it into a Ball of glass, & turn the glass round, that the Isinglass may fasten and wet every where the glass within, this being done let the moisture drain and run out, then have in order these colours powdered, to wit Red­lead; and casting it into the glass it will make the said colour stick (which will run in waves) cast it into many places through a tube, then throw in blew smalts making [Page 168] it stick in waves, within the Ball. Then do the same with Verdigreas, then with Orpi­ment, next with Lake, all well ground, always casting the colours in many places in waves, which by means of the Isinglass which hath moistned the glass within, those powders will every where stick to the glass; and so shall you do with all colours. Then take Gesso well powdered, and put enough thereof into the Ball, and suddainly turn it about, that it may stick every where to the glass within. Do this work nimbly whilst the moisture of the Isinglass glass lasteth, that the powder may stick well, then empty by the hole of the glass the Gesso which is within the Ball, which shall then appear of divers colours with a most fair appearance like the na­tural Toies of hard stones, and at last these colours (when the Isinglass is well dryed) stick so that afterwards they will not fall off, and alwayes their colour is most fair without. Fit to these Balls a foot of wood, or of other stuff painted, and they are held for beauty before Cabinets, and for Mer­chants counting houses very fair.

CHAP. CXV.

TAke fragments of Lapis Lazuli, found plentiful at Venice at a low price, let these fragments be well coloured with a fair Skie colour, lay aside those that are not coloured, calcine them well in a Chry­sible, and so heated, cast them into cold water, repeat this twice, then grind them upon a Porphyrie, to an impalpable powder as fine as wheaten flour sifted.

Take then three ounces of the Rosin of the Pine, Black Pitch, Mastick, new Wax, Turpentine, of each three ounces, Linseed Oyl, Frankincense, of each an ounce, dis­solve them in a new earthen Pipkin at a gentle heat, stir and incorporate them with a Spatula, then cast them into cold water, that they may cleave in a lump for your need.

Take for every pound of Lapis Lazuli ground as before, ten ounces of the afore­said past of gums, which dissolve in a [Page 170] Pipkin at a gentle fire, and when it is well dissolved, cast in by little and little, the said powder of Lapis Lazuli, and incorporate it with the gum with a Spatula, I cast all the materials thus hot being incorporated suddenly into cold water, and bathing my hands with Linseed Oyl, made a round pastill hereof long and proportionally thick. Of these pastils you may make one or more according to the quantities of the materials, keep these pastils fifteen days in a great vessel full of cold water, changing the water every two days, then shall you boil in a Kettle common clean water, the pastils in clean and well glased earthen pans, and cast upon them warm water, and so leave them till the water is cold, the said water being emptied out, cast upon them new warm water, and when it is cold empty it out, putting in again warm water, and when it is cold, empty it out, putting in again warm water, repeat this so many times till the pastils be dissolved by the warmth of the water, then put in new warm water, and you shall see the water will be coloured of a Sky colour, decant the water into a pan well gl [...]sed and clean­sed. This casting on of warm water upon [Page 171] the pastils, must be repeated till it be no more coloured, but observe that the water be not over hot, but luke warm onely, for too much heat makes the ultramarine grow black. All these coloured waters strained into pans, have in them the un­ctuosity of the gums, therefore they must be left to settle 24 hours, that all the co­lour may sink to the bottom, then the wa­ter with it's unctuosity must be leasurely decanted off, put upon the pastils clear wa­ter, and then strain the cold water thorow a fine strainer, stirring the colour that it also may pass the strainer, and by this means a great part of the foulness and unctuosity will remain in the strainer, wash the strainer always with fair water. And with new water pass the ultramarine thrice thorow the serce, washed every time, and then usu­ally all it's filthiness will remain in the strainer. Put the ultramarine into clean pans, decant the water softly off, which dry of it's self, and you shall have a most beauti­ful ultramarine, as I have often made it at Antwerp. The quantity from a pound of L [...]pis Lazuli shall be more or less accord­ing as the stone is of a fuller and fairer co­lour. Then grind it to an impalpable pow­der [Page 172] on a Porphyrie (as is abovesaid) and 'twill arise most beautiful. If you take common Blew smalts ground on a Por­phyrie to an impalpable powder, and incorporate it with the gumm pastils with the foresaid quantities, keeping them in­digestion in cold water 15 days with Lapis Lazuli, and work thorowout as in Lapis Lazuli, you shall have a very fair and sight­ly Blew Bice, which will seem to be an ul­tramarine. These Blews not onely serve for Painters, but to colour glass excel­lently.

CHAP. CXVI.

INsuse one pound of the shearings of the finest Woollen Cloath in cold water a day, then press them well to take away the unctuosity the Wooll hath from the Skin, then Alum these shearings after this manner.

Take four ounces of Roch-alum, two [Page 173] ounces of crude Tartar powdered, put them into a small pipkin with about three flagons of water, when it begins to boil put in the Flox, and let them boil half an hour at a gentle fire, then take them off to cool for six hours, after take out the Flox and wash them with fair water, let them stand two hours, then press the water well from them, and let them dry.

CHAP. CXVII.

COld water four gallons, wheaten bran four pound, Saline of the Levant, Fenugreck, of each a quarter of an ounce, put them into a pipkin over the fire till the water become so hot one may hold his hand in it, take them from the fire, cover the pipkin with a cloath, for twenty four hours, to preserve well the colour, then de­cant the Magistrie for use.

Put into a clean pipkin three gallons of [Page 174] cold water, and one of the said Magistery, when it boils, of Cochineel powdered, af­ter this manner, in a Brass Mortar, powder and serce one ounce of Cochineel, so ma­ny times, till all pass the serce, at last take 2 little crude Tartar, pound it in the mor­tar, and twill take up all the tincture stick­ing to the bottom of the Mortar, and to the Pestle, mix this Tartar with the Cochineel serced, and as soon as the water in the pip­kin boils put in the Cochineel, and let it colour the water whil'st you can say a Mi­serere.

Then take the Flox Alumed as before, which must first stand in a pan of cold water for▪ half an hour, and when the wa­ter is well coloured, press well the water from the Flox, put it into a pipkin, and stir it about very often, with a little stick, that the Flox may be well tinged, let it stand half an hour over the fire that it may boil gently, then take the pipkin from the fire, and take out the Flox, mixing it with a clean stick, put it into pans full of cold wa­ter, and in half an hour let all the water drain off, and put more cold water, let that drain, and press it well, and set it to dry in a place where no dust falls, spread it a­broad [Page 175] that it may not become musty, and heat again. Take heed that the fire be al­ways very gentle, for with two strong a fire the colour becomes Black. Then shall you make a Lee in this manner, to wit,

Take ashes of Vine branches, or of Willows, or of other soft wood, put them upon doubled Canvas, and pour gently on them cold water, let the water run into a pan, pour twice this strained liquour upon the ashes, and let the Lee settle 24 hours, that the ashes may sink to the bottom, and when 'tis pure and clear, decant it off into other pans, putting by the terrestriety which is not good.

Put the said coloured Flox, into a clean and cold pipkin, with the Lee, boil them at a most gentle fire, for so the Lee will be tinged with a Red colour, and will draw the tincture from the Flox, and at first take a little Flox and press it well, and if the colour be discharged, take the pipkin from the fire, and this is a sign that the Lee hath drawn the tincture of the Cochineel from the Flox.

Hang an Hyprocras bag of Linnen, over a great and capacious pan, strain thorow this bag all the tincture from the pipkin, [Page 176] and let the Flox also go into the bag, when the Lee is drayned, press the bag where the Flox are, that you may have all the tincture: Then wash the bag from the hairs of the Flox, turning them inside out­wards, that they may come forth pure and clean.

Then take 12 ounces of Roch-alum powdered, put it into a great glass of cold water, let them stand till all the Alum is dissolved, then fitly place the said bag well washed from the hairs of the Flox betwixt two sticks in the air. The bag must be large at the mouth, and narrow at the bot­tom, sowed in the manner of a round pyra­mid, and under the bag set a clean pan, then cast all the Alum water into the pan where the tincture of Cochineel is, and you shall see the Alum water suddenly se­parate the tincture from the Cochineel like as a Coagulum doth. Then with a clean dish cast into the bag all the said tincture and Lee, which will run clear out of the bag, but the tincture will stick to the bag. And when all the water is well neer out, if happily any strain through somewhat co­loured, pour it again into the bag, and then this second time 'twill leave all the tin­cture [Page 177] in the bag, and the Lee will then run white and discharged of tincture. Then take clean sticks, and therewith mix the tincture which sticks on the bag in gross pieces, and have in readiness new baked bricks, whereon spread little pieces of lin­nen, and on the linnen small pieces of Lake which you shall take out of the bag, let them dry well, spread them not too thick that they may soon dry, for when the Lake stands long wet it grows musty and makes a foul colour. Wherefore you may, when the brick hath sucked out much moisture take another new brick, and so you shall soon dry it. When 'tis dry take it from the linnen, and this is a good Lake for painters, which I have oftentimes made at Pisa. Ob­serve, that if the colour be too deep, you must give it more Rock-alum, but if too light less Roch-alum, for so the colours are made according to you gust and will.

CHAP. CXVIII.

IF you would make a Lake of these mate­rials each of them by themselves, you shall do in every thing as is before said of Cochineel, colouring the water with one of these materials, but you shall not use so much Alum by an ounce as you did in Cochineel, for Cochineel hath it's tincture deeper than Brasil, & Madder have. Wher­fore you shall give them their proportion, which you shall find by practice. And also to one pound of Flox you shall use more Brasil or Madder, for they have not so great a tincture weight to weight as Co­chineel hath. And in this manner you shall have a very fair Lake for Painters, and with less charge than that from Co­chineel, and that from Madder in particu­lar will arise most fair and very sightly.

CHAP. CXIX.

IN this way invented by me at Pisa, you meet not with Flox nor Magisterie, nor Lee, nor dying the Wooll, nor so many things as go the former, which indeed is a very laborious way, though most true. But this way is most easie, and worketh the same effect, and 'tis this which followeth.

In a pottle of Aqua vitae of the first run­ning, put one pound of Roch Alum well powdered, when it is all dissolved, put in an ounce of Cochineel powdered and sisted in every thing as before, put all this in a glass body with a long neck, and shake it well, and the Aqua vitae will be wonder­fully coloured, let them stand four days, then empty this stuff into a clean earthen glased pan, then dissolve four ounces of Roch-alum in common water, cast this into the pan of Aqua vitae coloured with [Page 180] Cochineel, and put this into the Hyppocras bag, and so proceed throughout as in the 117 Chap. This is a most noble Lake from Cochineel, made with small pains, and in much greater quantity. All this was tryed at Pisa.

CHAP. CXX.

TAke Manganese ground to an impal­pable powder, mix it with as much more refined Salt-peter, set it to the fire in an earthen pan to reverberate and calcine 24 hours, then take and wash it with common warm water from it's saltness, the salt be­ing separated, dry it, and it will be of a Red colour, hereto add it's weight of sal Armoniack, and grind them together on a Porphyrie, wet them with distill'd vinegar, let them dry, then put them in a Retort which hath a large body, and a long neck, give them a subliming fire in sand for 12 hours, then break the glass, and take all that is sublim'd to the neck, and body of [Page 181] the Retort, & mix it with the bottom & re­maining residence, weigh them and add as much sal Armoniack as shall be wanting in this first sublimation, grind them all toge­ther on a Porphyrie, imbibing them with distilled Vinegar, then sublime them in a retort as before, and this sublimation is to be repeated after the same manner so long till the Manganese remain all at the bottom fusible.

This is the medicine that colours Cry­stal and past into a Red Diaphanous co­lour, and into a Rubie colour, there are used of this medicine 20 ounces, to one of Crystall or glass, but more or less may be used thereof according as the colour re­quires. The Manganese must be of the best from Piemont, to colour glass of a fair, and very sightly colour▪

CHAP. CXXI.

PUt six pound of glass of Lead, com­mon glass ten pound, into a pot gla­sed with white glass, when the glass is boil­ed and refined, give it Copper calcined to redness according to discretion, let them in­corporate, mixing well the glass, then give it so much Tartar powdered that the glass may become as Red as blood, if it be not so much coloured, add Copper calcin'd to Redness, and Tartar, till it come to this co­lour.

CHAP. CXXII.

PUt Crystall Fritt in a pot into a furnace, cast it thrice into water, then tinge it with Manganese prepared into a clean purple, then take Alumen Catinum fift­ed fine, put in thereof so much as will make the glass become purple, and this you shall do eight times, and know that Alum makes the glass grow Yellow, and a little Reddish, but not blakish, and it al­ways makes the Manganese flie away; and the last time that you add Manganese, give not the glass more Alum except the co­lour be too full, and so you shall have a most fair Ballas colour.

CHAP. CXXIII.

PUt Litharge well ground into an earthen pan well glased, pour upon it distilled Vinegar, which must be higher than it four fingers, let them stand till the Vinegar is coloured into a milkie colour, which it will suddenly be, decant off this coloured Vinegar, and put new upon the Litharge, repeat this work till the Vi­negar becomes no more coloured. Then let these coloured Vinegars stand in earthen pans glased that the milkie substance of the Lead may sink to the bottom, decanting off the clear Vinegar, this milkie material is the Anima Saturni, to wit the most noble part, which serves for enamells, and glass in many things, and if this white stuff preci­pitate not well, cast upon it cold water, which is wont to make it fall to the bot­tom, [Page 185] and when it doth not precipitate evaporate the Vinegars and waters, and the more subtile part remains at the bottom good for many things in this Art.

CHAP. CXXIV.

TAke Crystall Fritt made in this man­ner, to wit, salt of Polverine ten pound, white Tarso finely ground eight pound, make a solid past with this stuff, and water, and make thereof as it were small and thin wafers. Put these on earthen pans in a little furnace made in the fashion of a calcar, that they may be calcin'd with a good fire ten hours, and in defect there­of put them in the furnace, near the Occhio, for three or four days till they be well cal­cin'd. Take calcined Lead, and Tin pre­pared as in Chap. 93. Tartar of white wine calcin'd, of each two pound, mix them well together, and put them into a pot glased with white glass, let them melt, and refine well, then cast them into water, [Page 186] do this twice, then put them in the furnace, and when well refin'd in the pot give them of Copper calcin'd to Redness ten ounces. Let the colour purifie well, then give it Crocus Martis made with Aqua-fortis, put­ting it in by little and little, as you do with Manganese, then let it settle six hours, and see whether the colour be good, if not give it Crocus by little and little, till you have the desired colour.

CHAP. CXXV.

TAke Crystall Fritt, made as in Chap. 124. four pound, melt it in a clean pot glased, cast it, when refined, into water, and refine it again in the furnace, cast it into water a second time, and refine it again, then put in by little and little of calcin'd Lead and Tin purified, half an ounce at a time, let the Calces incorporate, and when the glass becomes of an ash colour, put in no more Calces, For too much of them [Page 187] makes the colour white and not good. Let the glass refine with the calces, then put into the glass fine Red Lead two oun­ces, and when incorporated and refin'd well, cast them into the water, and set them in the furnace eight hours, then take of the Copper calcin'd to Redness, and of white crude Tartar of each half an ounce, put them and mix them well in the pot, then add of Lapis Haematites, wherewith the Cutlers burnish, and of fixed Sulphur, of each one Drachm, mix and incorporate these powders, and see if the colour be too deep, give it a little Manganese, which makes it lighter, and if it be too light a co­lour give it fixed Sulphur, and Lapis Hae­matites, and a little of Copper calcin'd to Redness, and a little Tartar of white wine with discretion, and do this till it come to the desired colour.

CHAP. CXXVI.

BOil Flowers of Brimstone in com­mon oil an hour, take them from the fire, and cast upon them the strongest Vi­negar, and the Sulphur will suddainly sink to the bottom, and the oyl will swim upon the Vinegar, empty the oyl and Vinegar, and put new oyl upon the Sulphur, repeat this thrice, and then you shall have a fixed Sulphure, for the work abovesaid.

CHAP. CXXVII.

MElt in a pot of glass of Lead six pound, Crystall Fritt ten pound, cast them when refined into water, put them again into the pot, when they are well re­fin'd give this glass four or six ounces of Copper calcin'd to Redness, let them boil, and refine well, then give them Red Tartar powdered, w ^ch incorporate with the glass, let them refine, and see if the colour please you, and if it be not heightned with the Copper, and Tartar, put it again to an­neal till it come to be sufficiently Red, this is done to heighten the colour.

CHAP. CXXVIII.

TAke of Crystall Fritt, boil it as in Chap. 124. six pound, refine it well in a glased pot, and give it fine Calx of Lead and Tin prepared, as in Chap. 113. four ounces at four times, when well refin'd and incorporated cast them into water, and then melt and refine them well again in the furnace, and give this glass at three times one ounce and a half of Copper calcin'd to redness, which makes the deep Red, mixing the glass well, and let this powder incorporate, and refine well in the glass, and within two hours give it Crocus Martis made as in Chap. 16. one ounce & a half at three times, let it mix and incorpo­rate well in the glass three hours, then add six ounces of Tartar burn'd, with one ounce of the soot of the Chimny well vitrified, and with these powders mix half an ounce of the said Crocus Martis, put these pow­ders [Page 191] well ground into the glass at four times, mixing them well, and interpose a little space between each time, for they make the glass swell and boil exceeding­ly, when all the powder is put in, let the glass refine three hours, then remix them, and take a proof, to wit, a little Bowl of glass, and scall'd it well, if it take a transpa­rent Red, as blood, it's well, if not, give it new Tartar burnt with soot, and Crocus Mar­tis, by little and little, till it come to the de­sired colour, let the glass stand to settle, and an hour after you put in the powder, take another proof as before. This is good to Enamel, and proved often times at Pisa.

CHAP. CXXIX.

CAlcine Gold with Aqua-regis, many times, pouring the water upon it five or six times, then put this powder of Gold in earthen pans to calcine in the furnace till it become a red powder, which will be in ma­ny days, then this powder added in sufficient quantity, and by little and little, to fine Crystall glass which hath been often cast into water, will make the transparent red of a Rubie as by experience is found.

CHAP. CXXX.

MAke a strong Lee of Lime, and Oa­ken ashes, boil sufficiently Sulphur in this Lee, which takes away a certain unctuous and combustible colour which Sulphur hath in it; by changing the Lee the Sulphur becomes white and incom­bustible and fixed, good to make this Rose­red for the Gold-smiths to Enamel upon Gold.

CHAP. CXXXI.

SEt Chrysibles luted and covered in an open wind furnace with burning [...] over them, let them stand two hours, and then at last let the furnace cool of it self, then take out the Chrysibles, and you shall find the Copper calcin'd to a blackish co­lour, having an obscure purple, which pow­der, and serce well, then take a round ves­sel of baked earth plain at the bottom, which will bear the fire, set these pans in an open wind furnace, on iron bars set across, fill the pans with kindled coals, and put in the aforesaid calcin'd Brass, wherewith you have first mixed to every pound weight there of six ounces of common Brimstone powdred, & when the fire begins to heat the pans, and the Brimstone to flame and burn, continually stir the Copper with a long Iron having a hoock at the top, that it may not stick, nor cleave to the pans; continue [Page 195] this till all the Sulphur, be burnt and smoak no more, then take the pans from the fire thus hot, and all the Copper, with an Iron ladle or like thing, powder it well in a Brass morter, and serce it, which will then be a black powder, proceed thrice with the same quantity of Copper and Brimstone in every thing as before. Ob­serve, that at the third calcination you let the pans stand over the fire, so long that the Copper acquires a red Lion colour, then take it from the fire, and powder it in a B [...]ss mortar, and you shall have the said colour to make the said Vitriol as we are a­bout to say.

CHAP. CXXXII.

TO make then the Vitriolum Veneris a­bovesaid, take one or more very capa­cious Glass bodies, according to the quanti­ty of the Copper calcin'd, and prepared, to wit, to a pound of Copper take a body which will hold six pints of water, put this common clean water into the body with calcin'd Copper into a sand furnace, give them a temperate fire for four hours, until of the six pints of water, there be evapo­rated about two, which is seen by the eye; let the furnace cool, and gently de­cant off the water into earthen pans glased, and the Copper which remains at the bot­tom put into pans in a furnace to evapo­rate all the moisture, and the water which is decanted into the pans will be coloured [Page 197] with a full and wonderous fair blew, let them stand thus in the pans two days to settle, and part of the Copper will sink to the bottome in a Red substance, then Filtre the said water with usual linguets into glass vessels, and evaporate from the said Copper all the moisture, and with six ounces of Sulphur calcined, powder and serce it to a black powder, as in Chap. 131. and then as in the beginning of this pour in water and extract the Blew co­lour. Consider that in this work many pots will be broken, wherefore as often as the pots are broken or cleft take a new one, lest they break in the furnace, and all your labour be lost; when the humidity is eva­porated put the same quantity of Sulphur powdered and serced, and do as before. The reason why the Copper is to be taken out whil'st it is hot, is, because then it is bet­ter separated from the pots, & it is impossi­ble to separate it, if you suffer it to be cold, although you break the pots. Repeat this process not onely four but five or six times in every thing as before, Then the Copper will remain as a soft earth, and the better and most noble tincture of it will be in the Filtred waters, all which mixed [Page 198] together must be Filtred with the usual lin­quets, and the setlings and dregs may be cast away as unprofitable, then you shall have a most limpid water, and coloured with a most marvellous blew colour.

CHAP. CXXXIII.

SEt then a great glass body that will hold three Flasques of liquour in ashes or sand in the furnace, and with a tempe­rate fire evaporate the said colour'd wa­ters, and neer to the furnace keep other glass bodies full of these colour'd waters, that they may be warm, and now and then fill the great body, which is in the sand with glass ladles, do this that the co­lour'd waters may be put in warm, for being put in cold they will make the great glass body break; evaporate the colour'd liquour from ten Flasques to two and a half or three, then these waters will be deep and full of tincture, which put into [Page 199] earthen glased pans in a cold and moist place for a night, and you shall finde the Vitriol shot into points like Crystals, which will appear like true Orientall Emeralds, decant oft all the water that is in the pans, dry the Vitriol, and let it not stick to them▪ then evaporate half this water, which will yield you new Vitriol as be­fore, Repeat this till you have gotten all the Vitriol. Put this Vitriol in a Retort well luted with a strong lute, see you put no more than one pound of Vitriol in a Retort, which must not be very large, and have a large and capacious receiver; make for 4 hours together a most temperate fire, for if it be too strong the moist and windy Spirits w ^ch first arise from this Vitriol, are so powerful, and arise with so great force, that no receiver is able to hold them; let the joynts also be very well luted. At last make a strong fire when the dry Spirits be­gin to rise in a white form, continue the fire till the Receiver begins to wax clear, and to be quite cold, then make no more fire, and in twenty four hours let the joynts be unluted, and the liquor which is in the Receiver must be kept in glass very well sealed. This is the true lively Azure, with [Page 200] which marvellous things are done, as you may well perceive by it's smell, which is as powerful and sharp as any this day known in nature. Many things might be said, which are passed over as being not pertinent to the Art of glass, which happily you may judge upon better occasion; the feces then which remain at the bottom of the Retort will be black, which left some days in the air of themselves will take a pale blew, powder and mix this with Zaffer, and put it to Crystall metall as before, and with the said quantity will be made a marvellous Sea-green. Wherefore I have here set down the way to make this powder with much clearness, presupposing that I have not pub­lished an ordinary way to make it, but a true treasure of nature, and that to the con­tent of noble and curious Spirits.