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. IV. How the Lees or Suds shall be made out of the above∣mentioned Earths.

[Section. 1] * 1.1IF you will make a Lee of Salt-Petre Earth, then boyl it▪ if▪ you have a great quantity, and let it be cut open, as deep as it is found good after your Proof, and put it among one another in a dry place, then cause Tubs to be made, of the bigness that one may contain 10 Wheel-barrows of Earth, so that you may have Lees enough, according to the bigness of the boyl-work, or greatness of the Kettle; now know that there usually appertains to a common great boyl-work, (when the Kettle weighs two Centners of Copper) eight Tubs, set them in such order, that on every side 4. (and so the eight one over against the other) must stand so far from one another, that one with a Wheel-barrow may run betwixt them, and the Tubs must stand an half Ell high from the ground, and every one shall have a Tap∣hole below, and on the side, in which may be put a Tap of Wood, to be pulled out, and there must lay below under the Tubbs a Channel in which the Lee may run to∣gether into Tubs or Sinks, placed in the ground, so as the ground may be higher than the tops of the Tubs.

[Section. 2] * 1.2When the Tubbs are set, then lay in every one a bot∣tom of Wood, full of holes▪ which doth not lye up from

the bottom above two fingers high, and upon the same lay a bottom made to it on purpose of Sticks or Reeds (which grows by Rivers or Ditches (bound together a quarter of an Ell thick) but if such stuff cannot be had, then put upon the bottom full of holes, some chopt Straw▪ a span long, and upon the same Straw, lay small little Boards, that it may remain together, thus the Tubs are prepared, then run the Earth with a Wheel-Barrow into it, and when you can have old long-layen Tanners or Soap-boylers Ashes, from old holes▪ put two or three Wheel-barrows full of them below in the bottom, then put the other Earth (which you have proved and brought in also upon it) and so do untill the Tub be full to a span breadth, then lay it upon an hurdle or frame of Reeds, and tye it fast, and let water be poured upon it (so much that it may remain standing a good square hand above the Earth) but if one could have a convenience of letting the Water upon it with a Channel, it were better) and do this so long, until the Water may▪ remain a good square hand above the Earth, and that it may be poured upon the Reeds or Hurdle, that no hole may be caused in the Earth, but remain even; then let the Water stand upon the Earth near 8 hours, then let the Lee run gently off below through the Tap-hole, till it doth run muddy, then pour the first Lee again upon the Earth, and so do till it runs clear, then run the Lees quite off and retain it, and this Lees is called the Weak-Lees.

[Section. 3] * 1.3Then pour upon the once extracted Earth, common Water again, and let it draw out the other Water, which the first Water hath left in the Earth, and this that then comes the second time, is the after▪Water▪ and is called watering out, and such Water one may use instead of fresh Water, upon new Earth, and that which runs from it is cal∣led raw Lees (which is strong enough to boyl) and a Cent∣ner made of this common Earth, doth usually contain 3 to

4 pound of Salt-Petre, or above, then put the extracted Earth out of the Tubs and renew it again constantly, that one may have Lees enough to boyl day and night, and need not delay boyling for want of Lees.

[Section. 4] Also there must be set above near the Kettle, a Tub, out of which may run so much Lees into the Kettle, as is boyled, that the Kettle may remain continually boyling, and always full; then boyl this one day and night, until a Centner of Lee may be taken out of the Kettle, and may contain in the like Proof a quarter of a Centner, or 25 pounds of Salt-Petre, which may be done in two daies, and one night.

[Section. 5] Then take two Tubs more, prepared with bottoms full of holes (and the sticks or red bottoms as aforesaid) only above the stuff must be laid again a bottom full of holes, and put straw upon it, and then Ashes of good Wood (of the best Elm) mingle it together, and moisten it with good warm Lees, before it be put into the Tubs, then being prepared, put it into the Tubs, an Ell high above the straw, but if you can have the Ashes for a small price, 'twere better to put them together in it, and then pour upon them the boyled Lees (containing 25 pound) boyling hot water, let it run gently off, and it will first come muddy, therefore put in more till it run clear.

[Section. 6] * 1.4When all the Lees is gone through both Ashes, which is done that the Ashes may take the fatness of the Lees and become fit for washing, and so retain of that which runs first off a part, and put upon the extracted Ashes, com∣mon hot raw Lees, and let the Ashes be watered out with the same Lees which goes the second time through the A∣shes, and is called strong Lees, then water it out the third time with hot Lees (and this is called weak Lees) after this the Ashesmay be watered out with common Lees, untill the strength comes out of it.

By the following Sculpture you are taught how the Tubs are to be set, and the Lees made and boyld from it.

[illustration]

Sculpture XXXIX.

Deciphered.

• 1. The eight Tubs into which the Petre-Earth is to be put.
• 2. The Pipe with a Brass Cock, by which the Water is let into the eight Tubs.
• 3. The Channel by which the Lees falls from each Tub, and so into the Receiver.
• 4. The Sink or great Receiver of the Lees.
• 5. The ninth Tub, from which the Lees runs into the Kettle.
• 6. The Oven wherein the Kettle stands.
• 7. The Kettle on the top of the Oven.
• ...

[illustration]

• ... 8. The Iron Door by which the Wood is to be put into the Oven under the Kettle.
• 9. The Wind-hole in the bottom of the Oven.
• 10. The Hole where the Oven may be seen into.
• 11. The Iron Grate on which the Wood doth lay.
• 12. The form of the Door by which the Oven may be lookt into (being more largely Described than in Fig. 10.)

Notes

• * 1.1

  Lee Tubs.
• * 1.2

  Of the reeds or sticks, to be used.
• * 1.3

  Of weak Lee.
• * 1.4

  Strong Lees