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. XXXVI. How Proof-Weights are to be made and divided, and first of the Grains Pence and Carrat weights.

[Section 1] BECAUSE both the making and parting of the Weights is no small thing, there∣fore * 1.1I am obliged further to demonstrate how, and of what such are best to be made: First, it is better they be of good Silver than of Brass, for the Silver daubeth not, neither coloureth it so soon as Brass

doth, but remaineth all times pure and clean, if now the Silver be cast into an Ingot, then one may cut out four square pieces in the proportion and bigness (as every piece of Proof-weight shall weigh) heavy or light, and file all such pieces pure and clean, upon a Whet∣stone, draw them smooth: also every one in particular (in respect of the Division) is with diligence to be put upon the Proof-Balance, that if it be still too heavy, it may be made lighter, and true; and so lastly, it may stand just. But some Provers think one should make and divide the Proof-weights from above, that is from the greatest still to the smallest; again, some from the smallest to the greatest; but know that it is best to be done in the following manner.

* 1.2 If Proof-Weights are to be prepared anew, they must [Section. 2] be divided from the greatest to the smallest, for this Reason, Because one may better and more easily have the just and certain weight of a Mark, than of one from the smallest, as from the half-Grain or Heller, and should make a Weight out of it, there the Mark would be either much too heavy or much too light, in which an error is easily committed, Therefore use, in such a di∣viding from above, a small Grain of seeved and wash'd Copper, by which may be seen how much must be ta∣ken away and filed off from a piece, which is yet too heavy; when now such Proof-weight is finished, then [ 3] * 1.3shall it be drawn up from below, from the smallest to the greatest with diligence upon a quick and good Proof-Balance, and if there is yet any want, which cannot be great, that it may be compleatly helped.

Now, how the Proof-weights, piece by piece are to be divided, may be seen in the IX Chapter of this first Book.

Notes

• * 1.1

  To be made of Silver or Brass.
• * 1.2

  Weights of a Mark.
• * 1.3

  Proof-Weights.