CHAP. VIII.
How Iron may be made hot in the fire to be made tractable for works.
MAny seek most diligently, how by a secret Art Iron may be so tempered, that it may neither break, not be shot through with Guns. But these men do not take care of what they have before them, and seek for what they have not; for would they consider whilst the Iron heats, the thing they seek for so eargerly, is before their eyes. I say therefore, That the reason why Swords break and flie in pieces, and brests of Iron are shot through with Guns, is, because there are flaws in the Iron, and it cleaves in divers places, and the parts are ill united; and because these clefts are scarce visible: this is the cause that when they are bended or stricken they break: for if you mark well, whenever Knives or Swords break in pieces, you shall alwayes finde these craks and flames, and the solid parts are not broken; and being bended, resist. But when I sought for the cause of these flaws, I found at last, that in Smiths Shops, where Iron is made hot, they heap up coals over the Iron, and the refuse of coals; saying, The Iron will not heat so easily, if some rubbish of the coals and dust be not heaped over it: and with this trumpery-cust, there are always mingled small stones, chalk, and other things gathered together in pieces; which, when they meet in the fire, they cause many knots outwardly, or cavities in ward∣ly, and cracks, that the parts cannot well fasten together. Whence, though the bu∣siness be trivial and of small regard, yet this is the cause of so great inconveniences that follow. Wherefore, to avoid this impediment, I thought on this course to be taken: I cast my coals into a wooden bowl full of water: for they will swim on the top, (but the filth and bricks will fall to the bottom) those that swim, I take out and dry them; and those I use for my works. What a blessing of God this profitable Invention is! for thus men make Swords, Knives, Bucklers, Coats of Male, and all sorts of Armour so perfect, that it were long and tedious to relate: for I have seen Iron brests, that scarce weighed above twelve pound, to be Musket-proof. And if we should add the temper to them, they would come to far greater effects.