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.

FEFFI

FECES, T. Trusen, L. Feculae, or certain setlings which remain at the bottom of melted Metals, which may be reduced to a profitable Pouder; and we also call faeces from facere, or that which is made to flow or float on the top, or sink to the bottom of metals; and the word Dross, seems to come from Ros, or thick dew, which ariseth from Me∣tals, and condensed bodies: also the word slacks T. is Slacken, L. Scorias, which signifieth also Dregs; and these are so cal∣led before the Metal it self is by Praecipitation cleared from them; and it may be observ'd, that Argol (the Dregs of Wine) which is faeces of another Nature, for it hath this Property, that as the scum, dregs or faeces of Metals fly to the top or bottom, this betakes it self to the sides of Vessels, as if it scorn'd to be called either Scum or Dreg.

FERMENTATION, T. Saurmachen, L. Ferment or to leaven, raise or improve; but as to Metals, it is used for rarification, ripening or flowring them by addition of Ingredi∣ents, as our Bread is ripened by Leaven, and Beer is flowred by Yeast, and in many parts of our Author it is used: See Dregs, Dross, Scoria's, Yest, &c.

FILE, T. Feile, L. Lima, A. File or Rasp, to file me∣tals to a Pouder, and the filings are called Limations, but we use the word File in three other senses, viz. File, from filum Thread; a File of Souldiers; which may also come from filum, because they stand in a direct Line, like an extended piece of Thread.

FILTRATION, also from Filum a Thread, because Cloths woven of Thread, are used for straining Quick-silver, &c. but that is more properly called Expression (as before) for this Filtration is done two ways, either by brown Paper, or Pendent Lists of Cloth, whereby the liquid Water may drop guttatim, from one Vessel into another. See Expression.

FINGER, T. Finger. See Measure.

FINING, Refining and Clarifying, T. Saeuberung and Re∣inguns, L. Purgare, Mundare, and are only the making the Metals more perfect in their Species or Kinds, by often melt∣ing them from their Dross or Dregs, l. 1. p. 18.

FIRE T. Fewr, L. Ignis, is the chief Operator in the Dis∣solving of Metals, still shewing its power and activity on the sulphurous part of Metals, and makes it fly away or sub∣mit.

FISH-BONE, T. Fisck bein, L. Os piscis. See Bone-Ashes.

FIST. T. Taust. L. Pugnus. See Measures.

FIXATION, to Fixt. T. Hesten. L. Figere, is the ma∣king of that which is volatile in Metals to be Fixt and endure the fire, and not fly away; and this is done by sublimation, still adding some fixt Metals; as Lead-Glass, Lead, &c to the Vo∣latile.

FLAME, T. Flam, L. Flamma, or the Oyly part of Wood, or combustibles, impregnated by fire, for the more easy passing it self into all the porous parts of Metals.

FLEAKY, Flakes, flaky, T. Floken, L. Floccus, Frag∣men and Strictura, A. Flaky. See Shivery and Shivers.

FLEGM, T. Rhoden, L. Flegma, Pituita, or the waterish, volatile and unfixt part of Metals, and as in Man it is of a thicker substance than spittle, so in Metals it is of a thinner than the Scoria's or Dross, and that which ariseth from Sulphur or Vitriol, is commonly acid, sharp and salt.

FLINTS, T. Fewerstein, and sometimes in the T. they are called Hornestein, from the colour: L. Silix, there are such store of these in Norfolk that it makes a City in Spain

accounted one of the wonders of the World, being encompassed with fire, that is Flints, to be no wonder: but the Metalick Flints are such as accompany the Veins of Metal, and from whence Metal is made; but whether the Norfolk Flints, though full of Ignitous matter, will afford the like, may be tryed, by such as do not value the charge of Experiments; and then the great Labour and Expence of digging in Mines might be saved. l. 1. p. 7. &c. See Stones.

FLOCKS (of Wooll) L. Floccus, the same with Flakes, Flocks of Wooll, T. Ein Loken Wull (l. 2. c. 20.) and A. cal∣led Locks of Wooll, by lasily using l for f, for it hath its name from a number of Sheep which bears the Wooll, which makes Flocks (being the remnants of the Wooll after Combing and Dressing it) for spinning; the like is made of the remnants of Flax after Dressing, called Hards, and both of these are much used for Lutings, and it may be a Quaere, whether the Flocks of Lemster Wooll, which is the finest in all England, or Norfolk Wooll the worst, be the best for use? but I prefer Leimster Flocks, because its Wooll is called Leimster Oar, oftner than Leimster Wooll, because the feed of the Sheep consists of those Hearbs and Plants which have their Virtue from the me∣talick Oars under them; so as I know, that the Sheep of Leimster, being removed to places where there are not such sub∣terranean Oars, their Wooll in one year will be adulterated by their Feed, the word Flocks is also metaphorically used for Socie∣tys of Men, and Beasts or Birds, &c. l. 1. p. 9. &c.

FLOWERS. L. Flores. T. Blum, from whence we have our Word Blossom; this word in natural Plants signifies such parts, as are extracted by the Sun into delicate shapes and co∣lours, and as they are the last Works of Nature upon Plants, so that which Chymists calls, Floss Auri (or of any other Metal) is, as it were, the last sublimation or extraction by fire from any Metal; and as the Flowers of Plants have their vertues su∣perior to all the other parts, as leaves, stalks, &c. so the Flowers of Metals, which some also call Pouders, are superior to the

Gold, Silver, or any Metal in their substantial Bulks, or multi∣farious ways of Extracts or Magisteries.

FLUS, T. Fluez, I retain the Word Flus, because it comes from the L. fluere to flow, as that which is fluid or flowable, and and sometimes (as it is a Composition of the Glass of Lead) it is called Lead-Glass, which being put into dissolvible metal, it gives expedition to their Dissolutions (l. 1. c. 8. c. 26. so l. 2. c. 5. &c.) and from hence may come the Word flushing or flowing of the Blood to the Face, from other parts, &c.

FORCEPS. T. Tangs. L. Forceps. A. Tongs. See Utensils.

FORGE. T. Einschuide. L. Fabrica. See Utensils.

FORREIGN. See Outlandish.

FORMS Chimical. See Salt.

FRESH, T. Frisch, L. Recens. See Oars.

FUMIGATION, from L. Fumus, A. Smoak, T. Rauch, but as to Metals it is used when they send up sharp and sti∣fling Spirits: see Evaporation, but note that Fumigation is ap∣plyed to dry bodies; Evaporation to liquid, to shew the dif∣ference between Fumes and Smoaks.

FUNNEL. See Utensils.

FURNACE▪ See Utensils and Ovens.

FUSION, T. Geissig; the Word is oft used by our Au∣thor, and by Metallists, but more by Distillers; sometimes signifying putting in; from infundere and fundere, and some∣times in metals called fusile or fusible, being so meltable as it may be poured in or out.