Emblems of rarities: or Choyce observations out of worthy histories of many remarkable passages, and renowned actions of divers princes and severall nations With exquisite variety, and speciall collections of the natures of most sorts of creatures: delightfull and profitable to the minde. Collected by D.L.

Of Gold and Silver.

GOld through heate and fire is resolved, but not consumed or wasted. For of all kind of mettalls it loseth nothing of his magnitude and substance, but the more often and longer that it burneth with heate, or is altered with fire, the better, and more pure, and excellent it is made. And therefore hath it alwayes bin accounted the most precious kinde of mettall: The weight of it neither is diminished, or eaten away by any sharpe things, as Salt, Vinegar, Ni∣trum, and the juyce of un∣ripe Grapes: It is not defor∣med, nor made worse by rust, nor in handling of it, or hands doe gather any filth or

••ncleannesse as in other kindes of mettalls; the which things may easily proove Gold far to ••urmount all other mettalls. ••t is more flexible and soft ••hen Silver, whereby it is lesse ••raile, and not so soone broken: being beaten with a Mallet, it may be driven so thinne, and so much dilated, that of every denary of it may be made fifty, or more thinne leaves or rayes of Gold. It may be framed and wrought as small as thred, as it appeareth in Gold Wyre and Gold twist. And sometimes it is woven and wrought with Silke, Wooll, and sometimes without. Of it many and goodly ornaments bee made, and for many uses, as Rings, Bracelets, Chaines, Crownes, Tablets, Jewels, and divers kindes and fashions of Plates, and such like,

yea (that which is scantly ho∣nest to be spoken) of Gold some have made vessels to receive the superfluous burden of the Belly,* 1.1 the which thing Heli∣ogabalus the Emperour, being a Monster and spectacle of all beastlinesse, is reported of di∣vers authors to have used.

Silver will melt and be resol∣ved with fire, but if it remaineth any long time therein, it loseth some thing of his substance. Sharpe things also have power to waste and eat it, and therefore it is not so pretious as Gold: but yet it is of an harder substance then Gold. And that kinde of Silver which is more flexible and soft,* 1.2 is the better, because it is not so easie to be divided, and to bee broken, it is lesse ponde∣rous then Gold, and cannot so well bee dilated. Gold of all

other mettals is the most weigh∣tie; then Silver, and the next Quick-silver, then Brasse and Copper, then Lead, and last of all Tinne.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Heliogaba∣lus had his Chamber∣pot of Gold.
• * 1.2

  Silver.