A compleat history of the most remarkable providences both of judgment and mercy, which have hapned in this present age extracted from the best writers, the author's own observations, and the numerous relations sent him from divers parts of the three kingdoms : to which is added, whatever is curious in the works of nature and art / the whole digested into one volume, under proper heads, being a work set on foot thirty years ago, by the Reverend Mr. Pool, author of the Synopsis criticorum ; and since undertaken and finish'd, by William Turner...

CHAP. XLIV. Mettals, Gold, Silver, Copper, &c.

THis at first sight appears to be one of the most pleasant Subjects I have treated of yet; but to my mind 'tis as barren as any, like the Ground that the Gold grows under; excepting only the Value which Man himself hath put upon Gold, and some Physical uses it serves for, the Excellency is not great; but however there are many other Metals very useful and commodious, and such as we cannot well live without, and such as we are willing to rifle the Secrets of Nature for; but which is remarkable, where∣as our God is above, Man is such an Earthly Creature, that he commonly seeks for him below; and consequently sinks down in his Soul and Affections beneath his own Orb, when he ought to soar upward and flie above the Skies.

1. Gold, is the most perfect of all inanimate Bodies, out of the Power of any of the Elements, to corrupt or destroy, and the greatest Cordial in the World; an excellent Medicine against Me∣lancholy. It hath the least variety of regular Figure in the Ore, of any Metal. 'Tis a rare Spe∣cimen, mentioned by Georgius de Septibus, which calls Aurum Ramescens.

The Ductility of Gold is admirable; one Grain, in Leaves, is extended to above 50 Inches square; and one Ounce employed in Gilding small Hair-Wire, will be extended to almost an Hundred, Miles in length, as Mr. Boyle hath observed. The uses of gold for Vessels, Coins, Ar∣mour, Garments, &c. are infinite. Some Painters hang plated Gold over Vinegar, whereby is produced a pure blue. Galienus the Emperor, Powdered his Hair with Gold dust. The Prin∣cipal use of it in Physick is, to Correct Mercurial Medicines. At Tockay in Hungary, where there are Mines of Gold, the very Kernals of the Grapes appear Gilt over, as if it were with Leaf-Gold. Robt. Boyl, of the Insalubrity and Salubrity of the Air. p. 44.

At Cremnitz, in Hungary, there is a Gold-Mine, in which they have worked these 950 years; the Mine is about 9 or 10 English Miles in length, and there is one Cuniculus or Horizontal passage, which is 800 Fathoms long, called the Erbstal; the depth of it above 170 Fathoms; into this Mine they are let down by a Cable and Sling, or Seat of Leather; there are 6 of these Schachts or Perpendicular Pitts, known by their proper Names. The Cable is fastned to a large Wheel, by the taining of which, they make a descent. Of the Gold Ore, some is white, black, red, yellow; that with black spots in white, is esteemed the best; there have been pieces of Virgin Gold found here. Where they Pound the Gold Ore, they lay a Foundation three yards deep of Wood, upon which they pace the Ore. over which there are 24 Beams, armed at the bettom with Iron, which break and grind the Ore, it being covered all the while with Water, These Beans are moved by 4 Wheels 1. Wheel to 6 Beams the Water which cometh out from the Pounded Ore, is let into little Pits or Chests, commonly 7 or 8 one after another, and after∣wards into a large Pit of almost half an Acre of Ground, and then after setling, let out. The Gold Ore Pounded, is called Slick. of which that is the Richest, which is nearest to the Beams, where it is first Pounded. They work thus day and night continually, making use of Fir-Wood for Candles. They wash the Slick so long, as perhaps in 100 pound weight, there may be half an Ounce or an Ounce of Gold or Silver, the greatest part ordinary Gold. To this Slick they add Limestone and Slacken, and melt them together in the Melting Furnace; the first Melting produces a Substance called Lech; this Lech they burn with Charcole, to make it lighter and

more porous, and then it is called Rost; to the Rost they add Sand as they see occasion, and melt it again in the Furnace, and then let it out into the Pan, and proceed as in the Melting of Silver. Brown's Trav. in Hungaria, &c. p. 98. &c.

In some places they Fish for Grains of Gold in Rivers, which are carryed down thither from the Hills, by the great Rains; in other places they dig for it in Mines; these Mines are either pendant in the Tops of Hills, or settled in the bottom upon plain firm Ground. The places where Gold is found are generally naked and bare, without any verdure; here they first wash the place very clean, then dig about 8 or 10 foot in depth, and as much in length and breadth; then in a certain Vessel they still wash the Earth, as it is digged up; if thus by washing they find any Gold, they continue digging deeper, till they find out the Rock, which they break and pierce through with their Instruments, Vaulting it as they go on with Engines of Wood, that the Earth or Stones may not fall upon them. In the Water, the Slaves stand up above the Knees, washing the Earth, as it is brought unto them, in Sieves or Sierces, the Earth glides away, and the Gold remaining behind in the Sieve, &c. Sometimes Gold in Grains is found in Rivers. Treat. of Anc. and Mod. times. l. 8. c. 30.

2. Silver, the most perfect Mettle next to Gold, therefore Silver may be turned into Gold, be∣cause the Colour only being wanting, the Fire and Artificial Concoctions can supply that, where∣of there be many Experiments. It endures the Fire with little waste, and is tough and mallea∣ble, and endures the drawing out into very thin Leaves, and smal Wyre; an Ounce of Silver may be drawn out into Fourteen Hundreds yards of Wyre, and all that shall be made Gilt Wyre, with only 6 Grains of Gold; so that although Silver can be extended to admiration, yet gold is an Hundred times more ductile than it. Barba of Mettals, ch. 27.

The Silver Mines of Potezi, discovered Anno. 1545, the fifth of which payable into the King of Spains Exchequer, amounted in 40 years to One hundred and eleven Millions of Pezoes, every Pezo being valued at 6 s.6 d., and yet a third part of the whole was discharged of that Payment. Peter Heylin.

The Ore, is as hard as a Stone, is cut out with Pick-axes, beaten in pieces with an Iron Crow, and carryed upon their Backs on Ladders made of Leather, each Ladder hath 3 fastnings about the thickness of a Cable, stretched out by Sticks, so that one goes up on one side, while another comes down on the other, each Ladder being 10 Fathom long; the Labourers carry the Ore in Bags, fastned before on their Breasts, and falling back over their Shoulder, three and three to∣gether, therefore, most whereof ties a Lighted Candle to his Thumb, and thus they help them∣selves with both Hands; Thus the Peruvians scramble up and down, continually 150 Fathom, The Silver runs for the most part between two Rocks, of which one side is as hard as Flint, and the other much softer; it is of different value; the best called Cacilla, or Tacana, resembles Am∣ber in colour; the worser sort are blackith, and sometimes of an Ash-colour. The pieces of Ore are carryed on the backs of the Sheep Pacos, to the Mill, where being ground to Powder, they are put into Furnaces to Melt: Of which there were once above 6000 on the Top of Potozi, but since the Quick-Silver was found to cleanse the same, not a third part remains, Ogilby's Ame∣rica. p. 464, 465.

Silver is dug out of several places in Germany; so much was dug out of the Mine at Sueberg as was worth 2000000 Rhevish Nobles, that at Abertham 150000. Agricol. &c.

3. Quick-silver, Mercury, is either Natural, or Artificial: The Natural is a Volatile Mineral Juice, greedily cleaving to, and devouring Metals, principally Gold: The Artificial is drawn out of Metals, and is called The Mercury of Bodies. the best is that which is taken from Mines near Gold or Silver; for which Cause, the Spanish and Hungarian Quick-silver is counted the best, having less of Antimony, Cadmia, Arsnick Lead, or other Poisonous Matter; by means of which Things also it is adulterated. Salm. Disp. l. 3. p. 298.

If it be in the Body, 'tis drawn forth by drinking of Gold. Silver can't be gilded without it. If one be anointed for the French Pox, a Gold Ring rolled up and down the Mouth will draw all the Quick-silver to it, which being taken out like Silver, is recovered by putting of it into the Fire. Lemn. de Occult. l. 2.35.

When all other Things swim upon it, only Gold sinks into it. It so flies the Fire, that if it cannot go downwrd, it will fly upward; and being shut in, it breaks the Cover. Ʋnzer. l. de Marc. c. 1.

Put into a Ring, and put to the Fire, it makes it leap. Bread in the Oven, Pease in the Pot, Eggs at the Fire, touched with a Drop of it, will dance so as to provoke Laughte••, Water wherein Quick-silver hath been infused, being strained and drank, wonderfully drives forth Worms. Johnst. Nat. Hist. clas. 4. ch. 28.

4. Copper, Cuprum, Aes, Orichalcum, Venus, is one of the Base Metals, which consists, accord∣ing to the Opinion of Paracelsus, of a yellow Mercury, Purple Sulphur, and a Red Salt. It is refined thus: Lay Flakes of Brass in an Earthen Vessel, putting Salt or Sulphur between them, and so lay them Flake upon Flake; burn them throughly, and wash the Ashes with warm Wa∣ter till they be sweer. Salnton's Disp. l. 3. c. 3.

Copper is found in several places of Cornwal, and Pure Brass is found both in its own Mines, and amongst Silver Mines. The Lumps are dug forth of divers fashions, like Ice-Sickles, Globes, Rods. In Shops, where they separate Brass from Silver, it is Yellow and Red, which they call Regular; Duskish Red they call Cauldrons Metal, that is softer, and may be dilated, and not melted only; this will melt, but not be drawn: With the Tincture of C••dmia it will look like Gold, and is called Alchymy. It melts and runs in the Fire, but in a great Crucible it will not endure the force of Fire. Johnst. Nat. Hist. cl. 4. ch. 29.

5. Iron, or Mars, purified much in the same manner as Copper, is called Steel; is dug-up in a Mountain of Cantabria, Sicily, Lusatia, &c. The Mine is the greatest of all Metals; in some places it is said to grow again, and the Earth and Stocks of Trees become Iron. First, it is like

a thick Liquor, and by degrees it grows hard; when it is boiled, it becomes moist like Water, afterwards is broke into Sponges. The more tender Iron Instruments are steeped in Oil to quench them; Water makes them too hard and brittle. Plunged fiery hot in Vinegar, it will endure no Hammering, but will sooner break than draw. In Furnaces, where they make it into Bars, there rise such Vapours from it in the Hammering, that certain Powder sticks to the Walls. Ibid.

6. Tin, Stannum, Plumbum Album, or Jupiter, is found and discovered in Cornwal by certain Tin Stones, which are somewhat round and smooth, lyng on the Ground, which they call Shoad. If the Load of the Tin lie right down, the Tinners follow it sometimes 40 or 50 Fathoms; their Labour is so redious, that they cannot work above four Hours in the Day. A good Work∣man will scarce be able to hew above a Foot of hard Rock in a Week.

The Tin Stone being brought above ground out of the Work, is broken in pieces with Ham∣mers, and then stamped in a Mill into smaller Pieces, and then it is ground into fine Sand. Then this Sand being laid in Water that runs over it, hath all the Earth washed from it, and then it is called Black Tin, which is carried to the Blowing-House, where it is melted by Charcoal-Fire, blown by a great pair of Bellows moved by a Water-Wheel, and then it is coined. There is Hard Tin and Soft, but the Soft is most worth: A Foot of Black Tin is in Measure two Gal∣lons, and is in Weight according to its Goodness. A Foot of good Moor Tin will weigh about 80 Pounds; a Foot of Mine Tin 52 Pounds; of the worst 50. Two Pounds of Black Tin melted will yield one Pound of White. Britan. Baconica, Cornwal. p. 8.

7. Lead, Plumbum Nigrum, or Saturn. In the Peak of Darbyshire, Lead Stones lie but just within the Ground, next to the upper Crust of the Earth. Ibid.

It is heavier than Silver, yet will swim upon it being melted. When Silver is boiled out of it, Fire consumes it all.

8. Antimony, or Stibium, is a Mineral Body, consisting of, 1. A Mineral Sulphur, partly Golden, partly Combustible. 2. An undigested Mercury of the Nature of Lead, being more concocted than Quick-silver. 3. Of a Saline and Earthly Substance. It is found in Germany, but the Hungarian and Transilvanian is the best, having a Golden Ore in it of an obscure Red, (from the great quantity of Sulphur,) with bright long Flakes. This has divers Names; Basil calls it Oriental; Paracelsus, the Red Lion; Some, a Wolf, because it devours all Metals but Gold; some, Proteus, because it changes it self into all Colours by Fire; others, the Philosophers Saturn, because like Lead. The crude Antimony is drying and binding; Medicines are made of it of excellent Use.

9. To these might be added, the Native Excrements of Metals, as Chalcilis, Cobalt, Marcasite, Misy and Sory: The Artificial Excrements of Metals, as Litharge, Plumbage, Ceruse and Minium of Lead, Diaphryges, Cadmy, Tuty, Pompholix, and Spodium: Which I mention only, to present the Reader with a General Scheme and Idea, not to satisfie the curious Inquisitor into Natural History.