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. XXXI. How weak Aqua fort is to be made stronger.

[Section 1] IF it should be neglected in the distilling of the Aqua fort. as easily may be done, when the Joynings are not well luted over, so that the water will become too weak, and in the separating will not touch the Silver: such weak waters may be made stronger by two wayes: First, set in again a new stuff of Nitre, and calcined Vitriol, and put the weak Aqua fort. in the Receiver before it, and distil the stuff: after this make the spirits to go well over, so the Aqua fort. will become stronger, that it may be used well and safely in separations.

[Section. 2] The other way isshorter: thus, Set the weak Aqua fort. in a glass Bottle or Culb, which must be luted over upon a Coal-fire, heat it till it begin to boil, then the wateriness of it will boil off, which you may often prove while it is boyling, whether the water do become strong enough. Or, set the weak Aqua fort. in a Bottle, which is luted

over in the Athanor, or in another Oven, (in which one useth to burn Aqua fort.) and put an Helm upon it, and draw off from it the Flegm or superfluous wateri∣ness, until the Helm begins to be brown, fo the weak A∣qua fort. will become stronger and is fit for use.

[Section. 3] The Flegm which is dravvn off you may retain, for if you do distil another Aqua fort. then you may use it in the Receiver again, for this flegm is much better than common vvater.

Notes

• To Prepare iron.
• Second pre∣ceeding.
• To draw off the flegm.