Metallographia, or, A history of metals wherein is declared the signs of ores and minerals both before and after digging ... : as also, the handling and shewing of their vegetability ... : gathered forth of the most approved authors that have written in Greek, Latine, or High-Dutch ... / by John Webster ...

CHAP. XXI. Of the description of Lead, its Ores, Mine, Con∣dition, and striking passages.

NOw we come to the softer Metals, of which Lead is the most soft of any that is in an hard and co∣agulated form (not to mention Quick-silver that is fluid) and is by the Latines called Plumbum nigrum, to distinguish it from Tin, which they called Plumbum album; and from Bismuth or Tin-glass, which they called Plumbum Cinereum, because of its colour. And many accounted these three sorts to be all but Lead, and so to differ but in some degrees, accidents, and the like: but omitting this opinion, we shall handle them as distinct Metals.

And this Metal which they called Plumbum nigrum, the Germans call simply Bley, and we Lead, without any other addition,* 1.1 and of Rulandus is thus largely de∣scribed. Lead is a metallick body, livid, earthy, and

ponderous, participating of a little whiteness, and hath much of an earthy substance, and is turned into Tin by lavation, or washing. From hence it is manifest that Tin is a certain thing more perfect then Lead. And Lead hath more of the substance of fixed sulphur to its composition then Tin hath. For Lead is an impure body, imperfect, procreated of Argent-vive, not fix∣ed, earthly, and feculent, a little white in appearance, but red in secret, and compounded of such a like adu∣stible sulphur in some part. It wants purity, fixation, colour, and ignition. And to this doth Eucelius agree word for word, as though Rulandus had transcribed it from him,* 1.2 as in likelihood he did. Wormius descri∣beth it thus: Lead is an imperfect Metal, soft, livid, ponderous, not sustaining the fire long, infecting the hands of those that handle it with blackness, generated of much crude Mercury, and impure and foetid sul∣phur, and comes nearest unto Gold in weight and gra∣vity. And Caesalpinus saith:* 1.3 For Lead doth imitate Gold in heaviness, and giveth forth no sound, therefore they call it mute. I desire those that have opportuni∣ty, exactly to try whether it come near to Gold in weight or not, for I much doubt of it.

It is not amiss here to give the differences betwixt white Lead, or Tin, Bismuth, Tin-glass, or ash-co∣loured Lead, and this common Lead, which they call black Lead; according as Agricola hath set them down:* 1.4 who saith; The white Lead or Tin, before it be polished, doth shine much; but polished, much more; the ash-coloured much less, the black not at all. The white is more perfect and precious then the black, the ash-coloured holds the mean betwixt them. The black is most easily melted, and doth not long indure

in the melting-pot, nor conserve its species, but is partly changed into that which we call the Spume of Silver, partly into that we call the foam of Lead, or Molybditis. The black is soft, and therefore most ea∣sily handled, and dilated with the hammer; the white is more hard, the ash coloured most hard of all. The white is tough, the black fragile, the ash-coloured most fragile of all. The black doth not give forth any sound, the ash-coloured doth sound, the white doth make a noise or crash. The white is light, the black is ponderous, the ash-coloured keeps a mean betwixt them. The vapour of Vinegar doth make Ce∣russ both of the white and black, being corroded. That white is made of the white, or of Tin, is called Spanish White, that which is made of the black, is called white Lead, or Ceruss. Also of the black being burned, or calcined, is made a sort of artificial Minium, some∣times of an high red colour, which we call red Lead; and sometimes of a lower yellowish red, which we call Calx Saturni. The white hath more of driness, the black more of moisture. Therefore of the ash-coloured and the white, without the mixture of the black, ves∣sels, or utensils can hardly be made; but with the mix∣ture of the black they may be made easily, as are many and sundry sorts, and all our common Pewter. There is also made of Tin by calcining, a Powder which the Artificers call Putty, of great and excellent use for bur∣nishing or polishing any instruments made of Iron, Steel, Copper, Brass, Glass, and the like. As also a very fine curious powder of a yellow colour, called Masticot,* 1.5 of singular use for Painters. Also that which we commonly Litharguron; adding, because that some of it is of a white silver colour, and some of a

more red-goldish colour, that it is Litharge (and that, to speak in English, is but stone-silver, or stone of sil∣ver) of Gold and Silver, when it is known to all expe∣rienced persons, that it is nothing of Gold or Silver, but onely the Lead, that in the separating of the Sil∣ver from it, is by the force of the fire, and the Bellows blown into, and (being cooled) hardened into those lumps like stones, and may all or the greatest part of it, be again melted down into Lead as it was before. Now we shall shew something what Basilius Valen∣tinus saith of this Metal,* 1.6 its Ores, and the manner of their passages in the earth.

The Lead Ore (he saith) is wrought under that heavenly impression of the black and cold Saturn, by an undigested waterish Sulphur, impure Mercury and Salt. First, there is wrought generally a brittle glit∣tering Lead colour in that Ore, which is called Glass Ore (the Germans call it Glantz ertz, because being broken, it is smooth and shining, though Agricola re∣jects the reason of this appellation of his Countrymen; but without reason, for they call it not by this name because of its transparency, but because it is smooth, and shining, as that which we call Pottern Ore is) breaking in many rocks, containeth Gold and Silver, yields gross and lasting Mine-works. Some Lead-stones are very broad, because Glassie Ores are mixed with it, with flints, or marchasites, partly they are glassie, red-goldish, white-goldish, silvery, Copper-glassie, and of Copper. Some Lead Ores turn to a blue colour, mixed with a white transparency, like unto a shot Bolus; some is like unto the Stone-salt and Allom; some are of a dark green like unto green floats, which lie gritty in a yellow or Glue-coloured clay;

some are of a brown black, some are yellow-red like Minium, some is pure and compact, some is insprin∣kled and moving, some is mixed with Iron, some with Silver and Lead, some are mixed with Marbles and Flowers, some breaks also upon standing and le∣vel moving passages, and some is wrought in pieces here and there in slate Mines, where black Lead lieth along through the whole Mine, some is Glassie in Lime-stones, and some is very rich of Silver in huge marble passages. There is a two-fold Marble; the silver passages have an earthly mixed gross marble, white, red-goldish, red-glassie, and ponderous. But the Lead passages have a subtile light, and glassie brit∣tle marble, which looks like the glass upon Gold Mine-works, is of a curious white glittering qua∣lity.

Lead Ore is wrought several ways, and the colour of it changeth after the manner of the Ores, especial∣ly in the sorts of Glass Ores. For if Saturn lieth below, or is in subjection unto others, then the Glass hath no power to bring Saturn unto Saturn, an imperfect mineral, which either is too hard or else untoward; and the Nodus of Venus is a Mispukel, or a mixture of Lead, and Silver, which is knitted very hard; but if soft, then it is Water-lead glass, of the which is found in Gold juices, and Tin Ores, a kind of Iron-glass, or Iron-mole, but is heavier and more brittle then Iron-glass, by reason of its terrestreity or earth∣liness, which keeps in the Metal, and is neither too soft nor too hard, and is glassie, white-goldish, red-goldish, and falls into the best metalline Ores. True Lead-glasses and Ores afford half, or the third part of Lead, mixed with some other Metal, and if one of the

other Metals be found in the Glass, which keeps the predominancy, then Lead passages are simply good, and Lead is united with Gold, and these are mixed stones; for the Stones of Mine-Ores are more won∣derful in their singular accidents.

Thus is here the Lead also in its fall, and bleak, after the heavenly impression, which the Highest hath so indued, that it is subject to other Metals, and is the supreme Finer in the essential fruits of others. It easi∣ly mingleth naturally with other Metals, and the qua∣lities of other Ores, together with the leaves, bulk and roots, into other stones of Earth. And Saturn in his degree and power is the highest, in a singular divi∣sion of all his Works, in which he sheweth himself in a clarified transparent soul, runneth into Antimony with its sweetness, which should merely imbrace the Gold: This is done so, not without a cause, for in its ponderositie it yieldeth the lightest remedy to all me∣lancholy and heavy bloud. As heavenly Astrals are several, the clouds under them are of all sorts of co∣lours; so the one Lead is purer and more malleable then others, as that in England, and at Villach; it is seen in the Lead-stones also.

For Lead Ores which are mixed with other stones, especially with such as contain Silver, Iron, or Cop∣per, yield much of light stones and Lead work, which are pickt out for separating, and the rather if they be rich of Gold. Such worthy Metals there are in Hun∣gary; less pains are taken about them in their fining mineral flints with their unripe juices in the weak joynings of Lead Ore, unite the Saturnal Glass; if without any mixture, affords to Potters a green gla∣zure, if all be not melted into Lead: but if you get a

brittle mixed flint, there the glass is half upon Iron, and such that are most pliable afford melting glass, for fi∣ning such sturdy wild Ore, which will not melt. Artists may prepare such Saturnal glass, mingling with it a small quantity of metalline flowers, which will look as fair as if it were a natural one. There may be extracted from Lead an effectual medicine for Mans health.

If slate Ores are found with another mixture, there are generated most fix and firm Copper, Vitriol and Calamy also, as they are at Goslar in Harlynia. The best Lead is in England, and at Villach.

Man cannot well be without any of his members; Metals according to Gods Ordinance are of the same quality, if Man knew to make good use of them; for Nature hath provided richly for him in that way: if men work these ignorantly, what utility can they have of them? Of the metalline Soul is made a chain which linketh together the junctures of Gold and Silver: these are indued with a special spirit, which is distilled into a Water, through a transparent head. Nature congealeth under ground in the passages such Water into Ice, for a sign that there is at hand a Vein of Lead, and Silver, or of pure Lead; and if there be a mixture of other Metal about it, it is the better.

The best Lead passages are such Waters, blue, scaly, Talky, slate stones and fluid streaked Marbles at length, or curled insprinkled ones, and not wrapt or wound about with moving passages, almost not un∣like unto Silver Ores. Some Lead Ores are of a white, scaly, Talk-slate, full of wild Granats, in which Lead Ore doth appear, which is rich of Silver.

If the Reader think we have been tedious in tran∣scribing so much forth of Basilius, he may very well

believe it was not done without cause, neither in re∣spect of the common Miner, nor of the mystical Philosopher, for there is matter enough for them both, if they seriously weigh it, and can penetrate the depth of his meaning, which I commend to them both heedfully to ponder and judge of.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Lex. Alchym. p. 263.
• * 1.2

  Mus. Worm. l. 1. Sect 3. c. 7. p. 124.
• * 1.3

  De Metal. l. 3. c. 7. p. 180.
• * 1.4

  Lib. Fossil. 7. p. 644, 645.
• * 1.5

  Vid. Agricol l. Fossil 9 p. 651.
• * 1.6

  Last Will and Test. c. 7 p. 95, 96, &c.