Fleta minor the laws of art and nature, in knowing, judging, assaying, fining, refining and inlarging the bodies of confin'd metals : in two parts : the first contains assays of Lazarus Erckern, chief prover, or assay-master general of the empire of Germany, in V. books, orinally written by him in the Teutonick language and now translated into English ; the second contains essays on metallick words, as a dictionary to many pleasing discourses, by Sir John Pettus ... ; illustrated with 44 sculptures.

CHAP. XXXIV. How good proof Ballances are to be made and fitted.

[Section. 1] APROVER hath not only need that he have clean and just Ballances for pro∣ving, but he must know also when they do fail (or else become changeable or uncertain) how to mend and help them again, so I judge it for a great piece of Ignorance (and it is also not well,) That some who profess themselves Provers of this ART, do often (when a little is amiss in the Ballance, or worn out, or for any other small matter) use to send to Neurembirg and other more remote places in Germa∣ny, to mend their false Proof-Ballances, whereas they themselves should have so much Knowledg as to make and fit them with their Proof-weights, and Proof Instru∣ments, so as they may be certain and sure of their Proofs.

[Section. 2] Therefore, That a fundamental Instruction may be given, I will instruct all who do love this Proof ART (especially the young Provers) because there are not al∣wayes Masters to be had, who know right well to mannage such things: and to teach how the Proof-Bal∣lances and weights, and other Proof-Instruments are to be made, and also (if it be needful) to mend and recti∣fy them: and first I shall begin with the Proof-Ballance, [Section. 3] which is to be made as followeth.

Cause a small Ballance to be forged out of the blade

of an old Sword, that it may have a little broad and thin Tongue, and throughout be pure and well wrought, and nothing ruff or shivery be on it; this formed Bal∣lance make fast with a little Screw, and file the thickest part, and then search the middle on the same place, and make a little hole with a drill through it, and fasten a round point in it, that it may stand out at both ends; fit it in, with thin bits of Brass, and soder it (with Silver∣soder} fast into the Ballance, so the soder will easily flow after the thin Brass.

[Section. 4] Out of this sodered point are filed the little Irons on which the Ballance moves, and afterwards the little Tongue beaten thin upon a smooth Anvil, and glow it often in a small Wood-fire, that it may not crack, then search the middle of the Tongue, from the Wartz or little Iron streight upward unto the end of the same (and its length is to be the same from the Wartz to the end) and mark it with a stroak, then cut upon the one side of the Tongue next to the stroak a bit of the Iron clean off, and on the other side of the Tongue, cut some also close by the Wartz, that the Tongue may rowl over from one side to the other, then may you also cut off the rest of the I∣ron on that side, when this is done, then glow the Tongue and dress it again straight upwards, then file it (upon a soft piece of Wood, very smooth, according to your plea∣sure; you may also pierce (or make holes) neatly in the Tongue near the Ballance for curiosity sake) after∣wards bend a little the two ends of the Ballance alike, be∣fore the Ballance be quite fitted, that the two ends may be of equal length, and then file the Ballance according to shape and form, as a well proportioned proof Bal∣lance, and so make an end; but how the filing and o∣ther Work is to be performed, that cannot be written, but it requireth a dilligent exercise.

The Fork in which the Ballance useth to hang, that must also in like manner be subtilly Filed, also the holes (in which the little Wartz come to lye) may be thin, clean and strait through it, and must be pollisht with a smooth little Stone, that no shivers may remain, which Fork must be so long as the Tongue, that the Ballance may not slide out of it.

[Section. 6] When the Fork is prepared, then take the Fyled Ballance, and hang it in the Fork with the Tongue down∣wards, and see if it be alike weight on both sides, if you find that one side is heavier than the other, you must help it until it does hang even, then make it smooth and clean all over with a gentle Fyle or with a soft Whet∣stone, and pollish it with the hard Bloudstone, (which is called Glasscup) when the Ballance is fully finished, then prove it again, that the Fork may hang even, and that it want nothing. But if there is no Smith, which can forge the Ballance with the little Tongue (because all Smiths cannot make it so well of one piece) then take a clean steel Wyer, or a forged Iron in the form of a of a Ballance without the Tongue) and soder it with sil∣ver soder, and fix the little Tongue upon it, the Tongue may also be garnisht vvith Brass, aftervvards File a Bal∣lance for it, (as hath bin said above) but if you vvill not take the pains to Garnish it with Brass, then may you take Gold-soder and soder all vvhat is necessary about the Ballance very cleanly, because this soder vvill flovv upon the Iron vvithout any addition or increase, and if any thing doth break upon it, it may be neatly so∣dered with Gold soder, as experience vvill teach.

[Section. 8] The proof scales are used to be made blew, (that they may not rust so easily) and is done thus, cause a pretty thick Iron to be warm in the fire, but do not suffer it to be quite brown, lay the Ballance with one end upon it, and draw it a long as it takes colour and becomes blew,

which is soon done, only take notice the more a place is thin, so much sooner doth it heat and cool, therefore it is soon seen, that such places do turn white a∣gain in fair Weather, and clear shining, and these Bal∣lances become of a fairer blew, then if they were done in dull Weather, as experience does manifest. Now how that forged Ballance, as also the Filed Scales are to be formed, is to be seen in the following Sculpture thus

[illustration]

Deciphered.

• 1. The forged Ballance.
• 2. The Fork of that Ballance forg'd.
• 3. The half forg'd Fork.
• 4. Filed Scales with the half Fork.
• 5. The Pearl and Pendula's, the one fastned on the top of the Fork, the other fastned to the bottom of the Tongue and Fork.
• 6. One end of the Beam, (and the like is to be suppos'd at the other end of it.
• 7. How the Ballance the Pearch and Pendula are to hang, on the Wartz (or little Filed pieces of Iron,) on each side of the bottom of the Tongue.
• 8. The Holes in each end of the Fork.
• 9. The little Hole at the end of the Ballance, (and the like is to be supposed at the other end of it.)
• 10. The Scales like small dishes.
• 11. Pincers to take up small Weights or pieces.

[illustration]

Sculpture XI.

Notes

• An Assayer able to make Ballances,
• And how to help their Defects.
• The Bal∣lance of the Proof∣seales.
• Tongue.
• Wartz See the Di∣ctionary.
• How the fi∣led Ballance is to be pro∣ved.
• Haemathite.
• Golden sol∣der.
• To cause the proof Bal∣lance to be blew.
• ☞