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. X. How to prove Spelter or Wizmet Oar, which some call Bizmuth.

SPELTER Oar is a white heavy Oar, and [Section. 1] yields among other Oars the most flow∣ing Metal, which needs no singular Pains to melt it down: But there are two sorts of melting it, in the Wind, and before the Bellows; as will follow: for, if you will prove this Oar, how much Spelter it may contain, then grind it small, and weigh a centner of it, and two centners of the fluss (before spoken of, made of Argol and Saltpeter) mingle it, and put it in a Crucible, cove∣red wit Salt, and cover it, Lute it with Clay, and boyl it up in a little Oven before the bellows, like (to a flowing Lead proof) thus you will have the Spelter below in the Crucible like a lead Regulus; draw it up after thy proof weight, and you will find how much Spelter a centner of Oar yields: but, till of late, we had not the vvay to melt so much out of the Oar, as hath been found in the proof, and the difference is alike, for we finde almost the half part more in the little proof, vvhen the Spelter [Section. 2] is melted out of it: But, as it hath been mentioned in the Tin-slacks (vvhich by a strong fire vvill melt the remaining Tin) so it is possible to do vvith the Spelter.

But to melt the Spelter out of the Oars tvvo methods [Section. 3] are used: one by the wind, the other by Bellows: the vveakest sort of Spelter Oars are to be melted on the wind, vvhich is to be done thus; Take of the Oar, and beat it to little pieces, about the bigness of Walnuts, and put it in little iron Pans (set in order) that they may

spread abroad, and set them in the field in the winde, and make a fire of dry wood, so that the wind may bring the flame into the pans upon the Oar; thus the Spelter will flow quickly out of the Oar into the pans, and when 'tis almost flown out, stir the Oar about, that what the flame hath not touch'd yet, may be melted all out.

[Section. 4] This is the true proof for the Spelter oar (and the right melting) because after this, can nothing more be melted out of it; then lift the pans off the fire, and put out the oar, and make the spelter clean, let it be cold, and put fresh oar into the pans, and melt continually; this spelter so melted is the best and cleanest, and some centners may be made at a melting, which melting is clearly to be seen in the following Sculpture.

[Section. 5] The other way of Melting it, is thus, make the Oar clean and beat it small, and prepare a little Oven, a good span wide below, and four spans high, and above two spans square, then place a weak Bellows (like a little Smiths Bellows) behind, and in this melt the spelter Oars or slicks with wood and soft Coals; and before it be all slacks, draw it out of the Oven into a trough of wood, made on purpose, and in this stir the glowing Oar to and fro, and so the spelter will flow together, then separate it and make it clean; what remains at last of the dross (by either way of Melting) makes a blew colour in great quantity, and may be used for glass to give it a blew, 'tis here and there sold to the Glass-houses.

[illustration]

Sculpture XXXVII.

Deciphered.

• 1. The little Iron Pans for Spelter or Wismet Oar.
• 2. The fire of vvood for them.
• 3. Melted Spelter that is to be made clean in the iron Pan, and the work-man that tends it.
• 4. He that draws the Oar out of the Mine.

Notes

• Two sorts of spelter Mel∣ting.
• The Differ∣ence of the Content.
• To melt on the wind.
• To melt in the Oven.
• Zevar Co∣lour.