To the extent possible under law, the Text Creation Partnership has waived all copyright and related or neighboring rights to this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above, according to the terms of the CC0 1.0 Public Domain Dedication (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/). This waiver does not extend to any page images or other supplementary files associated with this work, which may be protected by copyright or other license restrictions. Please go to http://www.textcreationpartnership.org/ for more information.
I. CEration is the mollifi∣cation, or softening of an hard thing, not fusible, unto Liquefaction; Whence it is evident, that the cause of the Invention of it was, That the matter which had not ingress into the Body
for Alteration, (by reason of Privation of its Liquefacti∣on) might be softned, so as to flow, and have Ingress.
II. Wherefore some thought Ceration was to be made with liquid Oyls and Waters, but that is error, and wholly remote from the Principles of this Natural Magistery, and denied by the manifest Operations of Nature.
III. For we find not, in those Metalick Bodies, that Nature has placed an humi∣dity soon, or easie to be ta∣ken away, but rather one of long duration, for the ne∣cessity of their Fusion and Mollification: For had they been replenished with an humidity easie, or soon to be removed, it would ne∣cessarily follow, that the Bodies would be totally de∣prived of it, in one only Ignition; so that none of the Bodies, could afterwards be either hammered or melted.
IV. Therefore imitating the Operations of Nature, we follow her way in Cera∣ting. Nature Cerates in the Radix of fusible things, with an humidity, which is above all humidities, and able to endure the heat of fire: Therefore it is necessary for us also to Cerate with the like humidity.
V. But this Cerative Hu∣midity is in nothing better, more possibly, or more nearly found, than in these, viz. in Sulphur and in Arse∣nick, nearly; but more nearly in Argent Vive: Whose humidity we see not to leave their Earth, by reason of the strong union which they have, and which nature has bestowed upon them in the Work of their Mixture.
VI. But in all other things having humidity, you may find by experience, that the same is separated in Reso∣lution from their Earthy substance; and after sepa∣ration thereof, that they are deprived of all humidi∣ty: In Spirits aforesaid, it is not so; so that we cannot omit taking them into the Work of Ceration.
VII. The way of Cerati∣on by them, is thus. You must sublime them so often, upon the thing to be Cerated, until remaining with their humidity in it, they give good Fusion: But this cannot be effected before the perfect cleansing of them from e∣very Corrupting thing.
VIII. And it seems bet∣ter to me that these should be first fixed by Oyl of Tar∣tar, and every Ceration, fit and necessary in this Art be made with them.
IX. Our Philosophick Ce∣rative Water is thus made. Take Oyl Distilled from the Whites of Eggs: Grind it with half so much of Sal Nitre, and Sal Armoniack, ana, and it will be very good. Or, Mix it with Sal Alkoli, and distil as before: And the more you reiterate this la∣bour, the better it Incerates. Or, Conjoyn the aforesaid Oyl, with Oyl of Tartar, and thence Distil a White Ince∣rative Oyl.
X. A Red Incerative Oyl is thus made. Take Oyl of Yolks of Eggs, or of Humans Hair, to which adjoyn as much Sal Armoniack; mix and distil: Repeat this Di∣stillation three times, and you will have a most Red Incera∣tive Oyl.
XI. Oyl of Verdigrise is thus made. Dissolve Ver∣digrise in Water of Sal Ar∣moniack, with the same coa∣gulated, mix Oyl of Eggs, and distil the mixture, which Distillation repeat thrice; so shall you have Oyl of Ver∣digrise, fit, and profitable for Inceration.
XII. Oyl of Gall; it is made by Distilling an Oyl from the Gall, as from hu∣man Hair; doing in all things as in the former.
XIII. I do not say, that these Oyls can give a Radi∣cal Mineral Humidity, as in Sulphur and Arsenick: But they preserve the Tin∣cture from Combustion, un∣til it enters, or makes an Ingress; and afterwards they fly in the Augmenta∣tion of the fire.
XIV. After the Matter is Incerated, it may be neces∣sary to melt it, which you must do in a Fusory, or Melting Fornace. This For∣nace is that in which all Bo∣dies are easily melted by themselves: It is a Fornace much in use among Melters of Metals: Also Aurichal∣cum is melted in this For∣nace, and Tinged with Tu∣tia, or Calaminaris, as is known to such as have made Tryal.