CHAP. LXIII. Of Cementation, and its Causes.

I. WE now come to the Examen of Cement: And whereas some Bodies are more, and others Page  464 less burned by the Calcina∣tion of fire, i. e. they which contain a greater quantity of burning Sulphur more, but they which contain less, less: Therefore seeing Sol, has a lesser quantity of Sulphur, than other Metal∣lick Bodies, it is not (in the midst of all Mineral Bodies) burnt by the force of fire.

II. And seeing Luna also, next to Sol, partakes of a less quantity of Sulphur, than the other four Bodies; yet has more Sulphur than Sol; therefore it can less bear the strong Ignition of a violent Fire for a long space of time, than Sol can: And by consequence, less bear things burning by a like nature, but Venus less than it, because it consists of more Sulphur still, and of greater Earthiness than Luna, and so can less bear the violent force of Fire.

III. Jupiter also less than Sol or Luna, because it partakes of greater Sulphu∣reity, and Earthiness, than either of them; yet it is less burnt by violence of Fire than Venus, but more than Sol, or Luna.

IV. Saturn in its Com∣mixtion by nature, holds more of Earthiness and Sul∣phureity, than either of these before named; and there∣fore is more burnt, by Infla∣mation or violence of Fire, and is sooner, and more ea∣sily inflamed; than all the said Bodies; because it has Sulphureity more nearly conjoyned, and more fixed than Jupiter.

V. Mars is not burnt by it self but by Accident; for when it is mixed with Bo∣dies of much humidity, it imbibes that Humidity, by reason of its own want of the same; and therefore being conjoyned, it is nei∣ther inflamed nor burned, if the Bodies with which it is joyned or united, be neither Inflamable nor Combusti∣ble.

VI. But if Combustible Bodies be mixed with it, it necessarily happens (accor∣ding to the nature of the Combustion) that Mars is Page  465 burnt and inflamed. Seeing therefore, that Cement is made of Inflamable things, the necessary cause of its Invention is manifest, viz. that all Combustible things might be burned.

VII. And since there is but one only body incom∣bustible, that alone, or what is prepared according to the nature of it, is kept safe in Cement. But which abide more, and which less, are known with their Causes: Luna abides more, but Mars less, Jupiter yet less, and Venus less than Jupiter, but Saturn least of all.

VIII. The way of Exa∣mination by Cement is thus. You must compound it of Infla mable things, of which kind are all blackening, flying, pe∣netrating things, viz. Vitriol, Sal Armoniack, Verdigrise, Alum, or Plumous Alum, and a very small quantity of Sulphur, with Humane U∣rine, and other like acute, and penetrating things: All which are made into a Paste, with the Urine aforesaid, and spread upon thin plates of that Body, which you intend to ex∣amine by this way of Proba∣tion.

IX. Then the said plates must be laid upon a Grate of Iron, included in an Earthen Vessel; but so as not to touch one another, that the power of the Fire may have free and e∣qual access to them. Thus the whole must be kept in Fire, in a strong Earthen Vessel for the space of 3 days, but with this Caution, That the plates may be kept Red Fire hot, but not melt.

X. After the third day, you will find the Plates cleansed from all impurity, if the Body of them was perfect; if not, they will be wholly corrupted and burnt in the Calcination.

XI. Some expose Plates of Metal to Calcination, without a Composition of Cement, and they are pu∣rified in like manner, if the Body be perfect: If not, they are totally consumed: But in this kind of Examen they must have a longer space of time, (for that Page  466 they are purified by the only force of Fire) than if they were Examined by the help of Cement.

XII. And for that the nature of Luna differs not much from the nature of Sol, therefore of necessity it rests with it in the Tryal by Cement, and there is no separation of Bodies one from another in these two kinds of Tryal, unless that be caused by reason of the Diversity of the Composi∣tion of their substances.

XIII. For from thence results the Diversity of Fu∣sion, and Thickness, or Thinness or Rarity, which are indeed the causes of Se∣paration; for that, by rea∣son of the strong Compo∣sition of some, their sub∣stance is not corrupted by the substance of the Extra∣neous Body, in as much as a mixtion of them, cannot be made through their least parts.

XIV. Therefore in such a commixture, they must necessarily be separated each from other, without the total corruption of their Essences. And the perfect∣ing of imperfect Bodies is discerned, when they are by Ingenuity of preparation found to be of the same Fusion, Ignition, and Soli∣dity.