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CHAP. LIX.
What Distillation is, and how manie sorts there be of Distillation.
I Will not trouble my selfe here with setting downe the partie which was the first inuentor of Distillation: as namely, whether it were some Phy∣sitian of late time, who hauing a desire to eat stewed Peares, set them a stewing betwixt two dishes vpon the fire, and hauing afterward taken off the vpper dish, and finding the bottome thereof all set with pear••••e sweat, retai∣ning the smell and fauour of the stewed Peare it selfe, inuented thereupon certaine instruments to draw out from all sorts of hearbes cleere and bright airie waters: it is better that we see our selues to worke about the declaring of what Distillation is, a••d what things they be which may be distilled.
Distillation, or the manner of distilling, is an art and meanes whereby is extracted the liquor or moisture of certaine things by the vertue and force of fire or such like heat (as the things themselues doe require:) no otherwise than, as we see here below, that by the force and power of the Sunne manie vapours are lifted into the middle region of the ayre, and there being turned into water, fall downe in raine. True it is, that the word, Distill, sometimes reacheth further, and is taken not onely for things that are distilled by the meanes of heat, but without heat also: as wee see it done in such things as are distilled after a strayning manner, that is to say, when the purer and thinner part of certaine waters or liquid iuices is separated and ex∣tracted from the more muddie and earthie part by the meanes of a Felt, or by the meanes of a piece of Cloth, fashioned like a little tongue, or border: or out of Sand and small Grauell: or out of earthen Pots not yet baked: or out of Vessels made of the wood of Iuie: or out of Glasse made of Fearne. Sometimes likewise things are not only distilled without heat, but with cold: as nemely, when the things which you would haue distilled are set in cold and moist places: as Oyle of Tar••ar is wont to be made, as also Oyle of Myrrhe, Dragons bloud, Otters, and other things. But howsoeuer, yet I would not haue the Mistresse of our Countrey House to busie her braine with all the sorts of Distillation, but that she should content her selfe onely with that which is performed by heat. True it is, that it is meet and requi∣site that shee should know the diuersities of heat, to the end she may procure such a heat as will best fit such matter and thing as shee is in hand withall, or to goe about: for some things craue the heat of a cleere fire, or of coale, or of the Sunne, or of hot ••••••bers, or of small sand, or of the filings of yron, or of the dros••e of Oliues: others craue the heat of Horse dung, or boiling water, or the vapour of boiling water, or of Wine boiling in the fat, or of vnquencht Lime, or of some Barke, or other putrified thing. And for this cause she shall marke and obserue foure degrees of heat: the first whereof shall be called warme, like water when it is halfe hot, or the vapour of boi∣ling water, and in this there is no feare of anie hurt it can doe: the second is a little hoter, but yet so, as that it may be well endured without anie annoyance or hurt, such as the heat of ashes or embers: the third is yet hoter than the second, and so, as that it may annoy and hurt one grieuously, if hee should hold anie part or member therein anie long time, such is the heat of small sand. The fourth is so vehement, as that it cannot without great paine very hardly be endured, and such is the heat of the scales of filings of yron. The first degree is fit to distill fine, subtle, and moist things, as flowers and cold simples, as Endiue, Lettuce, and such other: The second, for distil∣ling of fine, subtle, and drie things: of that sort are all fragrant or smelling things, as Pepper, Cinnamome, Ginger, Cloues, and manie simples, as Wormewood, Sage, &c. The third, for to distill matter that is of thicke substance, and full of iuice, of which sort are manie roots. The fourth is proper for the distilling of mettals and minerall