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.

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EARTH, T. Erd, L. Terra. A. Earth, from the Saxon: Now, in every Territory there are differences of Earth, so there are accounted sixty eight sorts: but of those which are esteemed the best in England (which other Nati∣ons make use of more than our selves.) some of them are ra∣ther lapidious than fragile, as yellow Oker (of which I have seen a Pit or Quarry in Mr. Whorewood's grounds at Hal∣ton in Oxford-shire:) also red Oker (which some call Marking∣stone) in many places, and both of these are improved by artificial Okers: and of Fullers Earth there is store, and ve∣ry good, in a Lordship of the Earl of Bedford's, near Oburn-Abby; also in Sir John Warren's ground in Suffolk, and in many other parts of England; (of which the Dutch make good use, though there is a Law to the contrary.) As for Chalk which is burnt into Lime, and White Earth for Dishes, there is very good in a Mannor of the Lord Abergaveny's, near Norwich, in Norfolk, and Potters-Clay for Pots, and Marl in most Counties, with which they manure and much improve their Grounds; also earth for making Brick and Tile for Hou∣ses, &c. of which there is plenty in most Counties, and com∣monly they burn to a red Colour: but there is a sort of Brick-Earth in many parts of Suffolk and Norfolk, and in other Counties, which burn white, and are more lasting and dura∣ble than the red, and these, other Countries borrows from us; and we borrow from them the Terra Sigillata, Terra Lemnia and Terra Armenia, and many more of great use and Virtue:

but that which is common to us all, is Sand, and this is parti∣cularly used for those Ovens which are called Sand-Ovens, Scul∣pture II. and XXIV. for separating Metals: Now these have their several Names and Natures, as Pit-Sand, drift-Sand, Sea-Sand, &c. which may be experimented in Chimical Ope∣rations, viz. what kind of Sand is most proper for Metals, and what for Mortar, &c. But before I pass this Discourse, I cannot but speak of the Sands at Icklingham in Suffolk (yet spreading into Norfolk) having their rise from an Hole in that Village, therefore they are called Icklingham-Sands, or rather Mowing's Sands, but their Motion is different from all others, for these do not move but by a Western Wind, and then they go East, and lie still and compact in any other Wind, and yet it hath walk'd from thence above Eight Miles to Brandon and Downham, two Towns East of it, covering the ground at least a foot deep for more than a Mile in breadth; and whilst the ground is so covered it produceth not the least sprig of any green thing: Now Brandon and Downham are two Towns scituate on Suffolk-side, by the edge of the river Ouse, which runs from Thetford to Lyn-Regis: and the Inhabitants did make very high Banks to defend their Meadows, and to prevent the stopping up of the River, so that you might see good Meadow-ground on the East-side of the Bank, worth 20 s. an Acre; and on the West-side, sandy ground, the In∣heritance not worth two pence an Acre to be sold. But the Inhabitants being not able to defend their River or Meadows any longer, left the Sands to act their pleasure: and then they fairly march'd over the River, and are gone about three miles in∣to Norfolk, still keeping the same point of motion. Now, whether this proceeds from any extraordinary attraction of the Sun, or inclination of the Sands to the Sea-shoar, by way of sympathy, being about twenty miles East-ward, I shall leave it to further Consideration: and my reason of writing this was, that in sand Ovens for Metals the different sorts might be tryed, some being of a very fresh, and some of a very salt, and others of a very dry Nature.

And I cannot but further observe, that the Western parts do as much admire at the Eastern sandy Grounds producing pre∣gnant Crops, as we at their mountainous Crops, both having their Fertility from the artificial and laborious Mixtures of other Earths, with their stones and sands: see Sculpture XLI. Clay, Sand, &c.

EGG, T. Eye. L. Ovum: l. 1. p. 20. this word hath as much diffe∣rence in our Neighbouring Languages as any I meet with, and therefore I shall set them down; the Greeks call it Ooen: the Saxons, Eghe: the Belgick, Eye; like the Teut, the French, Oeuf: the Italian, Novo: the Spanish, Huevo, &c.

In the Egg there are three parts, the white, the yolk and the tredle: the white of an Egg is called in L. Albumen, T. Eye∣clar, and by Pliny, Ovi Albus Liquor, and this is called Eye clar, from the bright spots in it, by whose delatation the Coliqua∣mentum, which is made from it, is stiled (by that Learned Dr. Harvy,) the Oculus or Eye of the Egg, agreeable to the Ger∣man word Eye; the Yolk is called in T. Totter, L. Vitellus, from Vita; the Treddle is called Chalazae.

There is little use in Metallick matters of the Yolk or Cha∣laze, but our Author often mentions the use of the white of Eggs, as a chief Ingredient for Lutings.

But upon this occasion of writing of Eggs, I am put in mind of a Camelion, which was bestowed on me by Mr. Fasset (an Eminent and Honest Chyrurgion) which was sent him out of the East Indies, and with it the very Stalk and Cluster of small Eggs, as they were in the Body, and one Egg in its full propor∣tion, as white as Pullets Eggs, and as big, considering the pro∣portion: this Egg from the Camelion was a perfect round shell, whereas Hens are Oval, so as I find this difference, that the Camelions Eggs are Oval within, and are cast out of the Mouth round, but Hens are round within and are cast out of the Fundament Oval; and the reason may be, that the Ca∣melions Eggs comes out of its Throat (the extention of which is of one constant Globular form;) and so Snakes and Fish

(whose Eggs are round) do send them out of their Mouths, and then take them in again, as they perceive any danger to their Spawn or Eggs; but Hens Eggs come out of an Orifice, which opens by degrees, which makes the first part of the Egg narrow (for the little end comes ever first) and so the passage extending gently, the pliable Egg encreaseth in bigness, and at the exclu∣sion doth narrow it again, but not so much as at the first egress.

Now it is to be observed, That when the Egg is unloosned from the Knot or Cluster of the little round Eggs, it soon receives extention into an Oval form, even whilst it remains in the Body, in complyance to its passage through the Fundament; and whilst it is in the Body, it is prepared also with a white Film over the whole Egg, resembling, but is not a shell, because it must endure compressure, and being now ripe to be expulsed, then by a certain spirituous liquid Cementation, or glutinous varnish from its Dung (which passeth out with it) and by the ambient Air (at its coming out) it is crushed in an Instant into a solid shell, which will not endure compression: And this I mention the rather, because I find that the Learned Dr. Harvy attributes the hardness of the shell to the approaching Air, and not to the Cementing Dung, and doth not in the least Discourse of the cau∣ses of oval and round forms of Eggs.

ELECTUARY, of which there are near an hundred men∣tioned in the New London Dispensatory, whereof the chief are from Metals or Minerals.

ELIXAR is exalted Quintessences, made by infusion and Digestion of Metals, &c. whereof there are also 25 sorts in the aforesaid New London Dispensatory. the chief of them also are from Metals. See Quintessence.

ELL, T. Elen & Eblen, L. Ʋlna, Cubitus, A. Ell. Now it is here to be noted, that the English Ell is as long as two Ger∣man Ells: and so it is to be applyed proportionably to the making of Furnaces, &c. See Finger, Hand, Measure.

ENAMEL, See Amel.

EQUILIBRIO, See Weights.

ESSENCES, (Doct. Salmon.) are the Balsamick parts of Metals, or of any other thing clearly separated from their gross parts, whereof 16 are numbred in his London Dis∣pensatory, and the chief of those from Metals or Minerals▪ See Quintessence & Elixir.

ESUSTUM, T. or Copper calcined and then called Calx Veneris. See Products of Metals.

EVAPORATION, and to evaporate, T. Dampffein, or to take away the Dampness or exhaling of the humidous parts of Metals, by a gentle fire, or heat. (D. Salmon) L. Evapora∣re, or to take away vapors. See Fumigation.

EXPRESSION, T. Ansz Trucken, L. Expremere, i. e. a straining or drawing forth Metals or Liquids by pressing, and this done either with Linnen or Leather. See Filtration, and Quick-silver, the word is also applyed to the speaking fluently.

EXTERN. T. Avez wendig, L. Externus, or the out∣ward part of Metals, or things.

EXTRACTION, T. Ausz Zichen, L. Extractio and extrahere, that is, the drawing the Essence, life or vertue out of any Metal, by a fit Menstruum or Liquor from Oyl, Tartar, Calx viva, Vinegar, &c. whereof above 60 are in Dr. Salmon's New London Dispensatory, and have peculiar names, viz. the Extraction from Iron is called Crocus Martis, and so of the rest.