Tell me briefly whether men in olde time hauing knowledge of naturall Saltpee∣ter & of artificiall Saltpeeter (as before you haue prooued by the authoritie of ancientPage  69Phisitions) had also knowledge that the same woulde kindle and burne so forceably as it doth.

The said ancient Phisitions and naturall Philosophers doe make men∣tion of the propertie which they found in it to be necessary for medicine, and of nothing els concerning the same: But many other auncient Authours knew that it would burne,* for they did vse to make certayne fireworkes with the same for to burne the Snaile, Ramme, and portable Towars which were vsed at that time in the assaultes of Ci∣ties: and also to fire a Nauie. But in the making of these fireworkes some did call Saltpe∣ter by the name of burning salt, some did call the same stonie salt, some did call the same salt practike, and others did call the same properly Saltpeter.

Concerning this mat∣ter I would aske you an other doubt, but because my head doth now ake, I will deferre to doe it till to morrow in the euening.