Friendly Reader,
Although there are very many Causes that might disswade me from Publishing this Third and the Fourth following Part of the Prosperity of Germany in Print, (because of the inconveniencies and hurt done me by the perfidious Farnner, against whom no body hath hitherto opposed himself; but all have connived and wink’d thereat; and consequently have every one left such a perfidious Treachery unpunish’d) and incourage me to leave Germany, a most ungrateful Germany as it is. Yet notwithstanding, the Love to my Neighbours (amongst whom there are many honest and good Men to be found, who lead a troublesome kind of Life to get their daily food) hath compelled me. To such therefore as these are, would I willingly give [or hand forth] a Torch [so to direct them] that they may for time to come fare better and more easily get things necessary to uphold Life withal; but yet after such wise, as that they set their Hands to the Work, for the Gods sell not ought to those that Labour not, but all good things are sought, and found out by daily Labour and diligent search.
Now albeit, that all those things which are throughly handled in this book are true, and so confirmed by experience as that any one may easily understand and imitate them, yet notwithstanding, I am certain that there will be a very many who by reason of their ignorance, cannot understand them, and apply them to use; because the greatest part of mankind are too much addicted to laziness, and do for the most part refuse to apply their Limbs to work, but would rather walk abroad, and discourse of Arts when they are in their cups.
I say that these secrets of mine will no ways profit such kind of Men, for such must first learn in what manner the [necessary] Instruments are to be handled, and how the Operations are to be rightly instituted and managed in seemly Order.
There are abundance of Men who (if they hap to read some Chymical Writings, or hear others talk of the profitableness of them, (they) are presently inflamed with such a love, that they will even wholly devote themselves to Chymistry on the hopes of growing rich. And now when they have proposed any thing to themselves, and attempt to do it, if they hap to have a sparkle of Fire light on their hands, or that by reason of some other obstacle, all things do not immediately fadge to their minds, they throw away the Tongs, and the Crucibles upon the Ground, and detest (or curse) the Author, because he hath not Written clear enough, and that they do not presently extract great store of Gold.
Let not such as these at all perswade themselves that they can receive any instruction from these my Writings; for my Writings require Men that are diligent, whose minds are never wearied with labour, and who are not sloathful, and impatient of Labour. Now to the studious (searchers) and especially to such Children (or Disciples) adopted or chosen by God, all these things will be unto them clear, manifestly evident, and easie to be imitated.
For as much therefore as I have spoken many things in the First and Second Part of the Prosperity of Germany, concerning the making and use of Nitre, I do now go on in God’s Name, and do teach in this third part, by what easie ways Nitre may be variously made, and be fruitfully and profitably used both by Noble Men and common Men; so that there is not a man in the whole World, but may (if he please) get great benefit thereby.
The Omnipotent God, the Author and giver of every good thing, bestow upon us to be able to enjoy and make use of his Gifts, that all things may tend to the Honour of his most Holy Name, and to the Safety and Preservation of us all. Amen
I shewed in the First Part of the Prosperity of Germany, the way whereby Wood may be concentrated and turned into excellent Nitre, and which otherwise is every where for the most part consumed by lying rotting in the Woods, and yields no benefit at all unto any Man.
This Operation is to be done with the help of a certain Press artificially contrived for that particular business, the due (or right) description of which, we gave you in the Continuation of Miraculum Mundi. But the circulatory Vessels by which the Lixivium of the wood (or the distilled Liquor out of the wood) is to be excited and heated by the Air, have not as yet been described; and therefore we have determined to do it in this Third Part. This Figure therefore represents them, and its use; and is as follows.
There must be two Boxes (as ’twere) made of Boards, each of them of like bigness and capacity, as the Figure (or Letter) A shews. These Boxes are to be so placed, that a Vessel may be set under one end of each Box, to receive in it (if need be) the Lixivium poured into them: Let one of the Boxes or Vessels be filled top full of Horse-dung, Hens, or Pigeons-dung; or else with the Leaves of the Trees, amongst which Fir-tree Leaves are best; then pour thereupon so much of this Lixivium which we shall make a description of by and by, so much as may suffice to moisten the Dung or Leaves contained in the Box or Vessel, and a little to over-top it. The next day (after you have so done) when you judge that all the matter is throughly wetted, let the Lixivium run out by a Tap, the which said Lixivium you must pour into the other Box filled with the like matters, and which stands just against it. Let these things stand thus wetted for some days; In the mean time, the matter contained in the first Box, grows hot, and the useless moisture being most plentifully resolved into Vapours out of the Lixivium, the said matter doth daily get more and more efficacy. As long as you observe the heat of this Box to continue, and the evaporation of moisture to last, so long must it be left in the same positure whereby the Lixivium, thus poured on, may by its notable power consume and dissolve the Dung, or the other matters contained in the Box, and turn them into Water. And here you are to observe this direction. You must always put in new matter instead of that which is turned into Liquor, and so one Box may be always at all times kept full of the matters. But now when your materials being put in the first Box, begin to cool, the Lixivium which now lies in the second Box or Vessel, must be poured upon the matters yet warm, in the first Box, that so it may again contract a heat thence-from by little and little, and so may dissolve those matters. And now whilst these things are thus detained in the first Box or Vessel, the materials that are in like manner put in the second Box do heat each other, and the unprofitable Phlegm evaporateth: Now as long as this second Box vaporateth, the Lixivium must not be drawn out of the first Box and be poured thereinto, but all the matters are to be left to heat or burn (as it were) themselves. And when you perceive that the materials cool, then the Lixivium must be drawn off from the matters in the first Box, and be poured upon them in the second Box; and hereby the matters contained in the first Box will again wax hot, be burnt, and be turned into Liquor. By how much the oftner and longer this repeated pouring on of Lixivium is done, so much the more, and sooner are the materials consumed; from which matters thus consumed, a most excellent Salt-petre may afterwards be made, for the heat makes the matters rot. Now then to make trial (if it be well enough done) take some of this Lixivium boil it away to a sufficient height for Chrystallization, set it in a cold place to shoot, dry the salt you find, being dry, put it on a live Coal, which if you find it burn up, it is a sign that it is full time to draw off, and take all your Lixivium to the intent that Salt-petre may be thereof made by due evaporation and coagulation. But if you chance to find it otherwise, and that the salt does not flame up, the Lixivium must lie longer in the Boxes to be heated and animated by the Air which is magnetically attracted by means of the heat: This labour being rightly ordered, there may be made excellent Salt-petre out of the said matters by the help of a convenient Lixivium, in ten or twelve Months space without any costs, save some small trifle about the Lixivium; neither is the Work so grievous or troublesome, for there is nothing more required but that the Lixivium be several times poured out of one Box into the other.
NB. There are yet, besides the other aforenamed several sorts of matters that offer themselves, out of which, Salt-petre may be made by the help of the Boxes, & a due Lixivium far speedilier & plentifullier; but I judge it not needful to divulge every thing: Likewise there may be made a convenient Lixivium to prepare Salt petre sooner, by and after another manner, to wit, in a dry form, without such putrifying as is done in the Boxes or Circulatories; but even this Artifice too, will I reserve yet a little longer for my Friends.
Nay yet more, there may be (by a yet secreter and shorter method) excellent Salt-petre extracted by the means of such a Lixivium in three hours space, and that with most great profit: And this way of preparing Salt-petre, I do preferr before all the others, and have found it the most excellent (Petre) of them all.
Make you a strong Lixivium of Wood-ashes, and when you burn the unprofitable Wood in the Woods into ashes, make by the same labour of your Fire some good Lime of stones fit for such a purpose; Then quench this Calx or Lime with Water, that so it may fall into powder, then pour thereon as much of the Lee of the Wood-ashes now spoken off, as is sufficient, mixt it with a wooden Spatula, and repeat this mixing and stirring it very often, some days following, that so the Lee may be made the stronger by reason of the Lime, and be like Fire, the which has an excellent virtue to putrefy the vegetables and animals, and to turn them into burning Salt-petre. (See the foregoing Figure belonging to this Operation noted at the top page, 1.)
Here the Cock fits that hatches the Basilisk, by the top of the Chest.
Take the aforesaid Lime and Wood-ashes, of each as much as you will; and twice as much Horse-dung or Cows-dung, mix these matters exactly in a wooden Vessel or Tub, with Mans Urine or beasts Piss, and make it of the thickness as the thicker sort of Mortar that the Masons use, is wont to be of. You must have good store of this Paste made. Then make a certain arch of boards, which said arch must be some three, four, six or more feet broad, and deep or high, and the length of it must be double to that (or twice as much, as broad, and deep, or high) according to the conveniency of the place, and the quantity of Salt-petre you would make. The arch thus made, must be all over dawbed with the aforesaid mixture, the thickness of an hands breadth, just as we see Vaults, or Arches built up, of Stones and Lime upon wooden arches. Now when all is duly ordered, there must be put some Fire in under the vault of the arch, at first it must be very gentle, least the arch (of wood) as being the very foundation and supporter of the (other) arch should presently kindle and be burnt, which must not be, but be kept whole rather, untill the arch or covering thereon which is made of Lime, Ashes, and Dung, be perfectly dried. This done, there must be dawbed on, upon the said arch formerly made, more of the aforesaid prepared Calx, of about an hands-breadth thickness, and you will find that the humidity of this latter mass or second arching will be in a short time attracted by the first arch, and that this second pargetting will soon be dried: When this is done, there must be again the third time made another dawbing on, after the afore-prescribed manner. And this Operation is to be so long and so often repeated untill the arch be a foot or two in thickness, which when so, it is strong enough, nor needs it any more its wooden prop, and therefore now the Fire may be put thereto, and it may be burnt. And thus have you a vault or arch prepared, which is a most commodious instrument to make a quantity of Salt-petre by: And now if occasion require, and the condition of the place will permit, there may be built or made three or four arches after the same manner; though it be better to have them placed one by another, and to be of less magnitude or capaciousness; for so they are more convenient for Operation, as any one that practiseth hereabouts will easily apprehend and find.
Likewise it is better to build this arched Vault which we have called an Arch, long and narrow, than short and broad, because the Fire being put under one part of such a long Chimney-like Vault, will very well diffuse its heat to every place thereof, and so keep the arch continually hot.
When this Chimney like vault is wholly dry, it must be again moistned with Mans or Beasts Piss, that it may thence contract more new humidity, which we observe will easily be, seeing we know that it is made up of Horse or Cows-dung, and not barely of Lime, for then it would not so readily and easily receive the humidity, as when Dung is mixt with it; the wetted Chimney-arch must be dried by the force of Fire put thereunder, the which may also be a little augmented proportionable to the bigness and thickness of the vault or arch.
NB. You must take good heed, that the fire you put under be not too much augmented, and so hurt your arches, but let it always be such as may suffice to dry your arch by little and little, or else the Dung will be burnt up, and the already generated Salt-petre will be spoiled, for the Fire can easily endamage the Petre.
But now when we shall have often thus moistned the said arches with Piss, and shall take notice that they (viz. the arches) do attract no more thereof (viz. of the Piss) as being already filled with the Salt of the Urine, the which may be done in some four or six Weeks time, there must be little bits broken off with an Iron Instrument in several places of the arch, and these bits must be powdered and be dissolved in Water so to make a Lixivium of it, be filtred, and after a due evaporation made, must be Chrystallized and dried; the dried Salt matter must be put upon the Fire to see if it will flame or not: If we shall find it thus to be and to burn like Salt-petre, we must break down all the arch, and by the help of a certain Mill, reduce it into powder very fine, and pour hot Water thereupon, to extract the Lixivium with, then evaporate it as much as is convenient, and set it by in a cool place to Chrystallize; this artifice of Boiling and Chrystallising shall be declared in proper Figures or Cuts in the end of this Work. But now if so be we perceive that the Salt extracted out of those little bits of the arch do not as yet flame up, ’tis a sign that it is not as yet sufficiently animated by the air: For the air gives life, which the Fire strongly attracteth, so that by the help of the Fire the air and life are attracted, whereby the Salt is animated and made inflammable. The Fire therefore here, is to be again administred (or put under) and the arched matter to be continually moistned with Rain water; and that Rain water is best, which (if it may be had) falls down when the Wind is in the North; though when there is no Rain water to be had, other water may be substituted in its stead. This pouring on of water is to be so long continued (always, permitting the Furnace or Arch to be rightly dried afore it be sprinkled with new water) untill the Salt, sticking in the arch, be found to be sufficiently animated by the benefit of the fire and air, and be inflammable when you make trial thereof by the aforesaid method.
This is a compendious way of making good Salt-petre in quantity enough, by only Lime, Wood-ashes, and Mans or Beasts Piss. If you proceed rightly on, you may get you a great quantity of Salt-petre in a most short space of time, and that for small costs, & in a manner no labour at all. The Lime and Ashes from whence the Petre is extracted, may be mixed again with new lime and new ashes, and other arched vaults be made thereof, upon which Urine must be continually poured in like manner as we taught afore, that so they may be animated by the help of fire and air into Salt-petre. But if you have always at hand new Calx, or Lime and ashes, it is better to make new arches, thereof in the place of those you have pulled down, and to imploy the residue of that, out of which the Salt-petre hath been already extracted about dunging some barren Soil, especially the moister sort of Ground, because it is impossible so thoroughly to separate all the Salt that nothing abides behind in the reliques.
This way I communicate to all, but I reserve for my Friends only the way by which, with the help of other Waters that cost nothing, and may be had in every place, a far greater quantity of Salt-petre may in a yet shorter time be prepared by the said arches, than is done by the help of Mans or Beasts Urine. Nay more, there are some waters which in eight days time, we have observed to have been coagulated into burning Salt-petre, which secret verily may be practically improved with most notable benefit in all parts of the World that Men live in.
Besides the subjects already mentioned, here offer themselves to our Hands many others which are obvious to all, of which such arches may be made, and which will yield more Salt-petre than the afore recited matters will; but let what has already been delivered, suffice. I cannot here forbear, but must tell you that there are some subjects to be found which (without the making the aforesaid arches, though there lie notwithstanding abundance of secrets therein) will bring a most notable benefit, and that belong not to this place, and which may be changed in three hours space into excellent Petre; which labour (or operation) I keep for my Friends, and should it be divulged, it would bring nothing but hurt, and therefore it is better to be silent: There shall more secrets be delivered in the following discourse, where we speak of the Northern Monarche.
To the intent therefore that it may be sufficiently evidenced, and that I may prove it to be true, that Salt-petre is an universal Salt or Subject, and is consequently contained in all the things the World possesseth, I judge it a thing worth while to set down here some proofs or trials thereto accommodated.
It hath been sufficiently enough already shown in the first part of the Prosperity of Germany, that good Salt-petre may by Art be extracted out of all the subjects of the World: But the way of so doing was not at all disclosed. For as much therefore as all Men do so greedily desire it, I determined with my self to describe first of all, the Presses requisite to the extraction of Salt-petre out of Wood, to the end that so it may evidently appear unto all Men, that it is a thing agreeable to nature, and that it is most easily accomplishable, to press a juice out of any Wood, which may be turned by the air into good Salt-petre. But as for the circulatory Vessels, I was not willing (then) to communicate them, but rather kept them a little longer for my Friends, which said Vessels I have notwithstanding set down in this Third Part.
Likewise it seemed not expedient unto me to reveal unto such as are enemies, the transformation (or changing) of Animals, much less of Minerals into Salt-petre. Yet however I have done so much by my Manuduction, as for any wise Men easily to understand the same by what hath been exhibited, and I have in some sort opened it, that such things are possible to be done. But I have not so clearly shown the way of effecting the same, least I should take away the occasion of other Mens exercising their ingenuity in bethinking themselves how it is to be done: Otherwise, it is not prohibited any one to seek a fuller information, from those that have knowledge in these affairs.
Therefore forasmuch as the way of extracting Salt-petre out of Stones, is look’d on as a most impossible thing by such as are not skill’d in this Art, I have determined to describe the same, for the sake and benefit of such as succeed us; The knack of this Artifice consisteth more in the knowing of the Stones, than in the extracting of the Salt-petre out of them, for the extraction is not any other way to be done, than as the making of their Lee out of the common Nitrous Earth is wont to be, concerning which thing, Lazarus Ercker hath written at large. The knowledge therefore of the Stones, and the preparation of them whereby they may communicate (or let go) their Nitre unto Water, is the principal thing, and without that, there cannot be any thing done in this Operation.
First of all therefore ’tis necessary that the lover of Chymistry knows, that there are various Stones to be found that yield Salt-petre, viz. all such Stones of which (being commonly calcined by the force of the fire) they make Lime for to build houses withal. For there lies hidden in these kind of Stones, abundance of Salt-petre, which cannot be gotten out thence by the help of common Water by any kind of way or method: But when they are burnt with a violent Fire, they yield an hot Salt, extractable by the benefit of common water; which Salt indeed is not Salt-petre, but yet may most easily be turned by the air into Petre, like as it was formerly Salt-petre afore the Stone was burnt, and now first got another nature by the burning.
The truth of this thing, viz. That there resides natural Salt-petre in all Stones, which may be burnt into Lime, may be proved on this wise following:
Take of these Stones which Lime may be made of, ℥ ss. or ℥ j. powder it very fine, pour thereupon as much of the best Aqua-fortis: Place the Glass in which this matter is contained, in a warm place upon ashes or sand, that the stone may be dissolved in the Aqua-fortis: After it hath thus stood for about one quarter of an hour, take out your Glass out of the ashes or sand, though the stone be not wholly dissolved as yet, and pour thereon drop by drop, some Lixivium of wood, untill the ebullition of the Lee or Lixivium poured upon the dissolved stone ceaseth, and (the noise ceasing) you shall perceive some kind of Salt produced from them thus commixt, viz. from the dissolved stone and the Lixivium. Pour some common Water upon this Salt, so much as may serve to dissolve the Salt in a warm place, the solution being made let the Liquor be filtred, or be strained through some thin Linen cloth, that so the part of the stone undissolved, and the fæces may abide behind in the Filter or Linen cloth: The filtred Liquor must be coagulated into Salt by evaporating it away in a brass Vessel, then you are to weigh it: And now that we may exactly know, how much Salt-petre was in that ℥ ss. of the stone, you must proceed on farther thus:
Take the same quantity of Aqua-fortis as you used but now, about the solution of the Lime-stone, and pour thereon likewise the same quantity of Lixivium, that you used about the precipitation of the dissolved stone, and let there be made a precipitation, let the precipitated matter be coagulated into the substance of a salt, and then also weigh how much this quantity of salt is: and now, as much less weight, as you observe to be in this salt than in the first Salt in which the Lime-stone is, so much Salt-petre was there in that half ounce of Lime-stone. This is a most certain trial, and by this means may we most easily find how many pounds of Salt-petre, are contained in an hundred weight of stones.
NB. To the end that the proof you make, may be most certain, we must use the lesser Centenary, or hundred weight, as being more usual, and more accommodate for the trying of Metals.
And albeit, that the using of Aqua-fortis to this Operation, is altogether without profit, where you would extract that salt in great plenty out of the stones, yet notwithstanding, it is not so slight or trivial a thing to know a certain way of trying what stones do most abound with Salt-petre, that so if we have a mind to extract Salt-petre out of them, we may take those, in which it lies in a plentiful manner.
Besides, those stones which do commonly yield a Calx or Lime by Calcination, and which the Bricklayers use; there are found other stones, out of which there cannot be made any Lime by Calcination, and yet nevertheless, abundance of Salt-petre may be thence extracted without any previous Calcination. He that delights himself in this work, must exactly know aforehand such kind of stones: Forasmuch as no body would easily perswade himself that Salt-petre is contained in them. Nor do I think that ever afore this time the way of extracting Salt-petre out of these kinds of stones was used; but whether there was no body that knew that there was Such a Salt contained in them, or judged it a thing not to be regarded, this I know not. But this I know well enough that that way of extracting Salt-petre out of them was never observed and used in Germany, though there lies a most notable quantity of Petre in them, and easily extractable thence, did we but know the way.
Therefore, forasmuch as there is plenty enough of such stones in all places, and that Salt-petre may easilier be made of them, than of wood, I could not forbear, but must needs open and disclose this artifice for the good of the Country, and clearly explain it in this place.
Therefore, as concerning those stones which are here mentioned, there is such a plentiful store of them in most places, that they even make whole Mountains; they are in substance like a soft and tender stone, whitish in colour, [or of a shining colour] ashy colour’d or reddish, and are easily broken, and may be fashioned into all kind of shapes, or figures; and therefore they are frequently used about building Houses, for the making various Ornaments about the House, as for the corners of the Houses, the Doors, Windows, Steps or Stairs, or other External Ornaments. As long as they are yet in the Mountain, and not exposed to the air, they are of a considerable hardness enough, and do always hold it. When being used about Buildings, they are put in such places, where they may abide at all times dry, or else always moist.
But if so be they are one while dry, and another while moist, and are always obvious to the air [or weather] they easily become soft, and there scales off from them yearly, a little portion of the back of a Knifes thickness, like Meal, so that they are yearly lessen’d, and are not at all fit to build stable, or durable Houses with. The Stone-Cutters can easily distinguish these kind of stones from others, nor do they willingly use them where there is plenty of others to be had. And now, if you should go about to make your trial with these stones, like as you did with those that they make Lime of, according to the afore delivered Probation, so to know what quantity of Salt-petre is contained in them, it will not succeed so, because the Salt-petre becomes Volatile in the Calcination of it, and doth for the most part fly away into the air: and much less can you with [bare] water extract ought out of the Crude, and not Calcined stones; for such do not yield any Salt-petre at all, unless they have been placed in a moist air for about half a years space, whereby they may of themselves fall in pieces; for being so ordered, they easily yield forth their saltness to the water that is poured on them, and consequently yield plenty of Salt-petre. Of which thing, this is a most certain Testimony, if (viz.) such stones are laid in some dry place, whereto the Rain cannot come, and we do most frequently sprinkle them with common water, and they do thereby turn into a powder. And if it fall out otherwise, ’tis a sign that there is very little Salt-petre to be found in them, and that the labour you shall bestow about them will be in vain. But such stones as grow soft, and fall in pieces, in six or eight Months time, do promise notable Rewards for your Labour, viz. a great quantity of the wisht for salt; an hundred weight of these kind of stones thus fallen in pieces, will easily yield you ten pound of Salt-petre, more or less according to the Condition of the stone. The extracting of the Lee, or salt, is done with common water, in the same manner as the Lixivium is otherwise extracted out of that Earth which is digg’d up in the Stables where Beasts stand; which way of extracting Salt-petre, of coagulating and perfecting it, is clearly and perfectly enough described by Lazarus Ercker, heretofore the Emperours chief Overseer of the Metallick Affairs, in his most experienced Book of his Art of the proving of Metals; insomuch, that I esteem him to have rendred the hardest, or most difficult part, very clear, and therefore I will referr the well minded Reader thither.
But for as much as every one cannot buy himself a Book of such great bulk, only to get thereby the knowledge of the way of extracting and evaporating Salt-petre, I have judged it worth while to set down here for the sake of the Chymical Students, such directions as the aforesaid Lazarus Ercker hath delivered us hereabouts. For I was never of the mind to cast off such things as have been well delivered by other men; I only add unto them, those things that are mine: Let others do the like, that are the Authors of any new thing, that so there may arise some benefit thereby unto our Neighbours, for whose sake, that we may (viz.) serve them, the most great and blessed God hath bestowed on us such various knowledge.
But that we may get a certain knowledge of distinguishing the said stones, I think it altogether necessary to treat of them more at large.
Therefore although this kind of stones are plentifully enough, to be found every where in the World, yet they are not known, or regarded, because we cannot perswade our selves, that there is any the least portion of Salt-petre contained in them; for albeit, that an hundred pounds of such stone should contain in it ten pound of Salt-petre, and we should reduce the same into a most subtile powder, and should labour to extract from thence a Lixivium or Lee, with either cold or hot water, yet should we not hereby get so much as one Ounce of Salt-petre. The reason is this, because there is not to be found in such a stone as soon as ever it is digged out of the earth, any Corporal Salt-petre, which may be extracted by means of water, but there lies hidden only a certain Soul or Magnet of Salt-petre, by the virtue of which, that which gives a Corporeity thereunto is to be first attracted out of the air, to the end that Salt-petre may arise thencefrom. And this is hereby evident, for were it otherwise, and were there in that stone any Corporeal Petre at the first digging, it must necessarily be extracted thencefrom by the help of water; but we find it impossible to make any such extraction, unless that stone be before laid for some certain time in the air, and doth, together with its softness, acquire (or make) Salt-petre in a Magnetical manner.
But for all this, we know that this our reason so exceedingly well founded, will not yet satisfie the unskilful, unless we make it yet more clear unto them with other Expressions, and various Examples; but I pray how is it possible to declare all such Circumstances to one that is utterly ignorant. ’Tis too much labour to boil Meat for another, and to thrust it into his Mouth too. It is surely sufficient enough to have shown the truth, and discovered the way by which the operation is to be contrived, though all things be not founded on such palpable Reasons.
But forasmuch, as the work, which I treat at present of, is an altogether new thing, and unknown to any men, the necessity of the thing requires, that we do a little more openly and clearly exhibit (and set down) the whole knack.
We presuppose, that it is a thing well known already, even to all, that each thing hath in it its peculiar magnet, by the benefit of which, it attracteth unto it self from the air, or earth, whatsoever is profitable for it; and especially, because we have largely treated thereof in our Works; insomuch, that we deem it altogether needless to repeat the same here. However ’tis requisite that I add thus much, viz. That the Minerals do abound with a certain Magnetick Virtue, more than other things do; and that they do attract their Life, Figure, or Shape, and Essence, out of the air, like as the Animals do, that so they may be nourished, and encrease; but being destitute, or deprived thereof, they are observed to be as it were dead, and bound, or wholly void of vigor.
As for Example. Let the Minera, or Ore of Vitriol, or Alum, be digg’d out of the Earth, that the Vitriol, or Alum in this Minera, be already duly digested and ripened, the salt may even presently be extracted thereout of, with common water. But if they have not as yet attained their full maturity, there is no salt extracted thence, unless the Minera be first torrified, or calcined. Nay more, a Minera, or Ore, that is yet less ripe, will not yield any Salt, neither by the force of the fire, nor without it; but must be yet farther exposed to the air for some time, that so it may first attract that out of the air, that is requisite to make Vitriol or Alum of, and thus (these things being first done) the Alum, or Vitriol, is most easily gotten thereout of, by a convenient Extraction and Evaporation.
We made mention in the second part of the Philosophical Furnaces, of a certain Minera, or Ore of Vitriol, which is plentifully found at [Herckeroda in Hassia] sticking in that Earth, which in that place they make their Crucibles or Pots, in great quantity with; and we shewed a way of making a red and sweet Oil of Vitriol thereof, yet with this Caution, viz. That we shall not have from the said Minera, not the least portion at all of this Oil, if we do not expose it, broken in bits, to the cold air, for half a year, that so it may fall into powder. Such as have heeded this going to work, have made thereof amost sweet Oil; but such as have neglected the doing this, which I published out of a sincere heart, and have reduced the said Mineral into fine powder, and laboured to extract a salt thencefrom, by boiling it in simple water, bestowed their labour in vain, because of their refusing to expose that Minera for a while to the air, and they received not so much as one Grane of Vitriol; and thereupon they took occasion to slander me, and to accuse me of Lying.
But now, when they have observed that this Mineral that they cast away, being exposed to the air, had attracted therefrom a salt by its Magnetick Virtue, when it had lain so long as to mould into powder of its own accord, and that thereout of a Vitriol doth proceed, they were enforced to believe that there lay hidden some Vitriol in those stones; which notwithstanding, could not be extracted by means of water, and so they have afterward publickly confessed, that what they afore gainsay’d, or oppos’d, was agreeable to the truth.
Thus likewise, there are various sorts of Copper (Ores) endued with an attractive power, and upon that account, there cannot be separated any Metal, by fusion, when it is first taken out of the Earth, unless we have first exposed it for some Months unto the Air.
Every Nitrous Earth, out of which Salt-petre hath already been extracted, doth (when it is again exposed to the air) attract Salt-petre anew, and this we observe to happen in all Wood-ashes, but especially in Lime-stones Calcined; for, it attracteth more salt out of the air, than its weight was afore its being Calcined. For, at the first time, you will scarce get ij. or iij. ℔. of salt out of a centenary, or hundred weight; now by how much the longer it lies exposed to the air afterwards, so much the more plenty of salt doth it yield, as is sufficiently well known already. He that is ignorant of that we speak, or else cannot understand it, let him make trial, and he shall find that what we say is a truth. Such as are Ideots do extreamly need these kind of Admonitions, that so, the business being the better understood, we may take from them all occasion of ignorantly detracting from my Writings.
I say again, that if the stones which we here treat of, are but well known, though they do not at the first yield any salt, by endeavouring to extract it with simple water, yet is there no difficulty at all therein, nor should we at all mind that, but let them only be left in the air for some due time, and by this means they will plentifully enough attract, and yield us, by a convenient extraction, good Salt-petre. The Ancients did extract Salt-petre, chiefly out of stones, which way of Extraction is now wholly lost, or out of use. All the Europeans do now extract their Salt-petre out of the Earth of the Stables where Beasts stand; albeit, that the very Name it self of Salt-petre, doth declare, what matter it was first produced out of, viz. out of Rocks and stones: For ’tis as much as to say, salt educed out of Rocks.
Nay, even to this day there is Salt-petre extracted out of Rocks in the East-Indies, the which they transport thence in Ships into our Lands: Our Commonwealth of Amsterdam only doth yearly receive some thousands of hundreds of that Salt, which is extracted out of the bare Rocks without the addition of any other thing; I wonder what the reason is, that, that way of extracting is unknown to us Germans; surely I impute it meerly to the want of skill to manage this business.
Thus therefore do we think we have sufficiently declared that Nitre may in very deed be extracted out of stones; and that so clearly that I cannot see what reason any have to misbelieve my words.
But now that the certainty of the thing may be the more apparent, and that no body may think it a fable, that Salt-petre may be extracted out of stones, we will shew some places in which Salt-Petre lies in the stones in a most plenteous manner: And although that there are sundry such places that offer themselves unto us, where the stones contain Salt-petre in them, we will demonstrate the verity of this in those places we have lived in, for ’tis impossible for us expresly to pronounce such or such a Mountain in this or that Country full of Salt-Petre, which places we never saw. ’Tis not given us to search all places of the Earth, but such places as we have seen and come to, we have left but few things in them untoucht, whose nature we have not throughly examined.
Therefore for Examples sake, we will take some part out of our own Country, and exhibit or shew unto all Men, those stones which are therein found to participate of Salt-petre, any one that is studious in these affairs may do the same in other places, and make a diligent inquiry into them, and he will find that almost all Mountains are filled therewith, and yet is known to none or at least-wise to but a very few. In Francia, (or Franconia) and indeed at Kitzing where I dwelt before I came to Holland, I often went into the Field in clear weather, with an intent to search out Minerals, and although that sundry Men ignorant of (such) businesses, do report that there are not any Minerals at all to be found in Franconia, and that never any Veins of Gold or any other Metal have been found there, because all the Inhabitants do live contentedly with the plentiful provenue of Wine and Corn; nor do they labour about finding out any other Treasures (for there is not any Country in all Germany in which is gathered more abundance of Wine, and of a better sort, than in Franconia aforesaid; which gathering of Wine is to be accompted to the Franks or Franconians instead of Mine-pits, and yield them imployment enough) yet nevertheless forasmuch as my mind was ever bent that way, and I was naturally inclined to search very inwardly into those things which offer themselves unto us, amongst the wonderful works of the most great and glorious God, I could not omit the visiting such places, which seemed to all Men as unfit for bringing forth Minerals, and which were judged to be clearly void of the same, as being willing to try whether or no some things that others knew not of might not offer themselves unto me. Nor was my hopes in vain, for I found far more than my expectation was, and if necessity required I could shew those very places.
But forasmuch as I have proposed to my self, here to shew such places only in which Salt-petre may be plentifully made, I will at this time pass by the other Minerals in silence: Yet so, as not wholly to leave such things, as offer themselves in the way, untoucht. I will therefore take in hand some part of the Rhine, which is between Kitzing and Aschaffenberg, and will very briefly (for my purpose is not to write a Chronicle) shew what treasures the most Great and Blessed GOD hath vouchsafed unto those places, besides Wine and Corn so plentifully abounding there.
Kitzing is an Eminent I own and well built, belongs to the Bishoprick of Wurtsburg, and is founded upon Lime-stone, and therefore the soil is very fruitful; and yields Wine and Corn in abundance. But as soon as ever we are past over the Bridge of the Mhene, the Earth begins to be sandy, and has abundance of Flints in it, which contain in them some Gold as well as Iron. The manner of extracting it is described in the second Part of the Prosperity of Germany, and is confirmed in this third Part.
About a mile distance opposite to the said City is situated an high Mountain, very full of huge Trees, in this Mountain are various Castles (or Houses) the chief of which is the Cossel Castle, which is the House belonging by succession to the Lords of the County de Cossel: At the bottom of the Mountain there is a Village of the same name, belonging to the said Castle (or Palace.) In this Village there are abundance of Springs, the Waters of most of them I have often times tasted, and have perceived them to be mightily impregnated with Salt-petre, insomuch that the Beasts do altogether shun the drinking of them, much less can Men use them about the boiling of their Victuals: Yet some of them yield sweet water very fit for domestick affairs. These Nitrous Fountains are of no use, nor do they effect ought, save that they drive some Mills, and run through the Village a particular way afore they fall into the Mhene.
And forasmuch as the aforesaid Earls have known that the chief part (or most part) of the said Fountains are wholesome by reason of the plenty of Salt-petre in them; they have therefore taken care to have a great House built, that so the place may be rendred commodious for those that by reason of some disease should come unto this place for the sake of washing their sick bodies; and there are abundance known to come, that are ill, in the Summer time, from places far remote; several of them too by a due using this Bath are restored to their former health.
They know not any other use of these nitrous Fountains than what is aforesaid; whereas if they did but know how to add some Virtues to the said waters by the benefit of the Juice of the wood, of which there is great store in that place, they would find by the use of them then, many wonderful effects in the curing of Diseases.
Being therefore earnestly intent upon the search hereof, viz. from whence these nitrous Waters should chiefly proceed, I found that the Mountain nigh that place, extending it self for some miles, was every where full of Salt-petre, and that it stuck in the Rocks themselves, out of which whatsoever is on the Mountain grew. I did therefore diligently search out, what condition those Stones were of, which the workmen dig’d out in these places, and I knew that there was a great quantity of Salt petre contained in them, insomuch, that as many Mountains as here (abouts) seem to be replenished with the same: Nay more, if you shall break one or two of those Stones with which the Houses of the Village of Cossel are built, you shall find every where in them abundance of Salt-petre. I went to visit the place it self where those Stones are digged out, but found not any Salt-petre among the digging, because the Air had not as yet displaied its Virtues thereupon: But I observed that in those stones exposed a while to the Air, there was plenty of Salt-petre. He that would see it with his own Eyes, let him go into any House of the Cossel Village, whose Walls are of ancient standing, and he shall find that there is abundance of Salt-petre in those stones, and withal, that the Pillars belonging to the Bath-house do yearly wax less, for as much as scalings of the thickness of the back of a Knife do still fall off, by the power of the separated Salt-petre, as I have often very accurately and curiously observed. If the Earls or Counts did but know the true use of this excellent and o cult Treasure, they would get far greater riches out of that bare Mountain only than by all the County. I doubt not but that seeing I have in this place detected this Treasure, there will some be found that will labour for their own profits sake to find it out.
Not far off from the said Mountain the whole Earth abounds with Iron, not in the form of Veins but of Reins, insomuch that the Metal of Iron offers it self in various particles or pieces of diverse magnitudes; for in some places it is found as big as an Hazle-nut, or an Acorn; in other places as big as an Egg, or ones Fist, yea and as big sometimes as ones Head, which by the force of the Fire is made facile and yields abundance of Iron; nor did I ever yet meet with any Metal of that sort more excellent than that is, but no body knows it, though it may be commodiously prepared or fitted for the use of Man, because there is in this place plenty enough of Wood and Water to be had [for such a purpose.]
This Mountain stretcheth out it self some miles, reaching as far as Iphovia, and the jurisdiction of the City of Wurtzburg; so that the chiefest and greatest part thereof is seated in the Bishoprick of Wurtzburg: And therefore might immense and vast Treasures be gotten, were there but such as were lovers of Art and would make themselves skill’d in the Operation.
Besides, this Mountain yields abundance of white and red Gypsum, which may be reduced to an exceeding whiteness by the force of the Fire.
Besides this too, we have known Marble and Alabaster digg’d out hence, and yet it has not been very durable, for it becomes nitrous after it hath lain exposed a while to the Air, and falls to powder, and yields plenty of Salt-petre, were it but rightly managed, for there’s no want of Wood here.
There is yet moreover found in the said Mountain another Castle which is called Swansburg, and belongs to the Bishoprick of Wurtzburg, where the Soldiers did heretofore use the Metallick Rods, to search after, and to see if they could find (by the using them) some Treasures; and they tried whether or no (the Castle being burnt by the occasion of the War) any such Treasures lay any where hidden. What they found I do not yet know: But this I know, that the said Rods did shew good Metal to be every where (thereabouts) The which thing gave occasion of explaining or unfolding the said matter in its proper places. Besides this, they digged up nothing else but such nitrous stones for some fathoms depth. I once viewed this place, and found that the stones extracted some years afore out of this Mountain were altogether brittle, and is a manifest token that the whole Mountain is fill’d with Salt-petre.
There is besides this Mountain, another nitrous one that I know of, of the like condition in the mid-way ’twixt Kitzing and Wernfeld (and is about a miles distance from Carlstadt) but that which is here had, differs from the former in this, viz. that the stones which it exhibits are of a red colour, nor are they so much impregnated with Salt-petre, as those of Kitzing aforesaid, for they are richer in Petre, and are of a more ashy colour.
There are likewise such kind of stones also that they cut or dig forth at the Mhene near the City Rotenfeldt, but they have not in them so much Salt-petre as those have that are found in the Cossel and Swansburg Mountain.
There’s abundance of such stones in several places in France, but my purpose is not to mention them all, for I was minded to mention such only as my self have seen, and that are near bordering upon the Mhene.
They that have a mind to deal with them may make their search, and they will find in all Countrys of the Earth fit stones for their purpose, the which we may hereby know, if being kept a while in the Air, they wax soft, and scale off in most thin leaves, and there sticks to your Fingers in rubbing them off, a reddish Meal.
Besides this too, you may have a most certain sign of such Petry places by those Spiders that have a small body and round, and long feet, for they stick to those stones in abundant measure: For such Spiders do not feed upon hearbs, grass, flies or other insects, but on old Walls, and they seat themselves chiefest of all on those aforesaid stones. They are not all venemous as the common house Spiders are, and therefore the Children do gather them, and are much delighted with them. Now they sticking on to the softer sandish stones do most certainly demonstrate that Salt-petre is contained in them; for tis that which they are nourished with, and conserve their life by, and this I was willing to signify unto you. But put case that no such nitrous stones were to be found, yet however there is not the opportunity denied us of making Salt-petre of the common Lime-making stones, and of them there is every where plenty enough, if they are calcined by the benefit of Wood, and made nitrous with the juice of wood.
What shall I say of the Calcined fæces of Tartar which are yearly gathered up and thrown away in vast quantities, in all that tract which lies on the River Mhene, between Bamberg and Franckfort, whereas notwithstanding some hundreds of hundreds weight of Salt-petre might be extracted thence-from, did they but mind it. For whatsoever Tartar is therein contained, is all of it Salt-petre when ’tis duly boiled with a Lixivium of Lime, and being hence strained, and a sufficient evaporation made, it be set by to Chrystallize. For it attracts the soul after a magnetick manner, which Operation if rightly instituted, there may be prepared thence from a most inflammable nitre in three days space, the which is likewise of far greater profit than the getting out the Tartar by the help of a Press, and with a great deal of labour; or else than the making Potashes, as we see usually done.
Besides too, there are found other stones that being burnt do yield abundance of Salt-petre, such as are the Tophi (or soft sandy stones) which may be abundantly gathered near Triefelstein, which is a Monastery situate on the Mhene, in other places of Germany they make even whole Mountains: So that it is evident that there is no where any want of convenient matter to gather Salt-petre from, if Men would but set their hands to the work. These stones are obvious unto all; and who knows what Treasures the Woods (which we do not at all search into) abound withal? Would time permit me I could shew that various kinds of Metals are conserved in the Mountains situate between Kitzing and Franckfort, and especially in the Speshardensine (Mountain,) the disclosing of which, some other more commodious place will admit of.