Section 67

Gun-powder that willjboot a Bullet without noife,
he muft make weak the Salt-Peter,bur with feme fat fubftancc ; which is done by the Glew and Butter of Gold , by mingling them according to a certain and due pro- portion ; and fo it will (hoot a Ball with very little or no noife ; for you (hall fcarcehcarit : and though the force be not foftrong, yet it is but little lefs. 1 will not teach the way, left wicked men fhcuid take occafion to do mikebief by it.
Chap. IV. How Pipes may be made to caft out Fire.
THe fame Heron bids the Souldiers when they fcale the Walls , that they (hould fct againft the faces of their enemies that defend the Cities, fuch hand-Guns that they can turn, and that will throw fire a great way : for fo they (hall fo terrifie thofe that defend the VValls,by thefe monftroui Engines that caft Fire- Balls at fuch great diftance,and wlh lu:h furious flames,that they will never endure to behold tbem,nor yet the Souldiers that mount up the Walls j bat will quickly run away. More- over, in fights at Sea, andamongft Horfe-men,men of this later age make great ufe of them : for Horfes are terrified with Fire, as Elephants were; and will cafily run away, and break the ranks. Wncn Antipater befieged the Mcgarenfes, and the Macedonians did fiercely lie upon them , the Mcgarenfes firft anoynted their Hogs with pitch, and fet them on Fire, and fo fent them out amongft their Enemies. The Hogs were mad at it, and ran furioufl/ among the Troops of Elephants , and cried as they burned with theFire ; and,as fo many Furics^thcy extreamly dilcrdercd the Elephants. But 1 (hall defctibe
%ockets that caft Fire a great wayt Make a flick of three foct long , round on the outfide , and with a Turners Inftru- ment make it hollow within : let the hole in the middle be four fingers diameter, and the Wood a finger thick; but within let it be fenced with a thin Iron plate , and without with Iron hoop?, at the mouth, in the middle, and on the end; and let the Spaces between befaftnedand joyned together with Iron-wires, left by the violence of the flames , ftriving within, the Engine (hould break in pieces , and hurt our Friends. Fill the hollow hole with this compofition : Gou-powdcr three parts, Colophonia,Totia, Brimftone, half a part : but you muft btuifeyour Brimftone and Colophonia very well , and fprinklc them with Linfeed Oyl , and work them in your hand?. Then try if your mixture will burn gently or fiercely: fill the (pace between the joynts in a Reed with powder ; put Fire to it : if it burn vehemently, that it break the Cane, add to it Colophonia and Brimftone ; but if mildly , then put more Powder into your Rocker, preflfing it again with a (harp ftick : then ftop the mouth of it, being full, with a Linen-clout, wax and pitch, and cover it, that the Powder fall not out : and making a hole in the clout , faften a Cotton-match to the mixture, that when neceflity is, it may take fire. You (hall learn fhortly after to make the Matchr This is called a fimplc Rocket.
ffi*
Of Artificial Fires.
How to ma\e a Rocket armed.
This by a continual fending forch of Fire-balls and Leaden Bullets , and by the (hooting off of Iron-guns, will ftrikc thorow the faces of thofe chac ftand by. Ic is made of Turpentine- Rofio, liquid Pitch, Vernifh, \ rankincenle and Camphire, equal pares; quick Brimftone a third part and half ; twopartsof Salt-Peter rehned, three parts of Aqua FortU, as much of Oyl of Peter and Gun-powder : pown them toge- ther, and make Fire-balls : put them into the hollow of the Pipe, that is broad e- nough to receive them. Put into the hollow part the firft mixture, three fingers deep,and prefs it down : then put in the little Ball of Gun- powder onely,weighing one ounce, ready made : then put in again the firlt Powder : and do this by courfe one after another, till ic be full ; and flop the mouth , as I faid. Some do not thruft down a Ball,buc Hards wrap'd up in fquare pieces of Iron ; and that is fo pliable, that the fir ft mixture can kindle the Gun-powder. Some put in with the Tow , Glat's grofly powdered. Others, Salt and powder of Lead : for if the Lumps Hick to Ar- mour or Garments>you cannot put them ouc with water or any thing elfe rill they be confumed. Some there are alfo that compafs in the Rockcc with Brafs or Iron-Guns, and at the open paflagc of the Rocket, they put in Gun- powder ; when fire comes at it , with terrible and frequent noifes,~chey caft Leaden Bullets forth upon the ftandcrs by. I faw a Rocket of extraordinary largenefs ; it was ten foot long, and as wide as a mans head might go in: it was full of Fire-balls,Stones, and other matters, and put into a Gun, and bound to the lower part of the Crofs-yard of a Ship, which was-tranfported every way with cords, as the Souldiers would have it ; and in Sea- fights was levelled againft the Enemies Gallies,and deftroyed them all almoft. Yet I will not omit to relate how
A Brafs-Gftn once fired, may difcharge ten times. It is a new Invention, that a great Brafs-Gun,or a hand-Gun , may difcharge ten of more Bullets one after another without intcrmitfion. Make a dirk Powder, fuch as I ufed in the precedent part, and fill it thus : Firft, put in a certain meafure of Gun- powder, that being put in, may difcharge the Ball : then put in the Ball, but a imall one, that it may go in loofely, and that the powder put in upon it) may come to touch the Gun-powder: then pour in this dark powder two or three fingers depth : then put in your Gun-powder, and your Bullet : and thus in order , one after the other, until the Gun fcems to be full to the very mouth. Laftly, pour in fome of your dark clammy powder : and when you have levelled your Gun to the place appointed, put Fire to the mouth of it ; for it willcaft out the Bullets , and then Fire for fo long time as a man may difcharge a hand-Gun at divers fhoots. And thus with one Brafs» Gun you may difcharge many times.
Chap. V.
How Fire -Balls are made that are (hot off in BrafiGuns.
NOW 1 will {hew how to make fome Pot-compofitions of Fire-balls that are {"hoc out of Brafs-Guns ; for divers ufes : either to burn Chips , or to give light to feme men in the night* or at Solemnities to caft up into the Air, that they may feem to dream along like falling Stars.
Firr balls flying in the Air, that are made at Feftival times. Grind one pound of Gun-powder , one third pare of Salt-Peter, two ounces of Brimftone, and as much Colophonia : mingle all thefe; fow them up in Coffins made of thick Cloth in fafhion of Balls , and put them into hollow half circles made in Wood, and ftrike them with a wooden Hammer thac tbey may be hard as ftones; then binde them about with cords,and dip them in Tar three or four times, they that may be well fenced about , left being dilcharged by the vio- lence of a Brafs-Gun, they fliould break in pieces. Laftly , pierce them thrice tho- row with a (harp ftickin the centre, and fill them with Gun-powder , and dry them
to
ipfy Natural Magick* Soo^u.
to be fenc aloft. When you would ufe them, raife your Brafs-Guns, or more con- veniemly the but end of your Guns , and take the Ball in a pair of Iron Pinchers, and give Fire to the holes,f hat ic may take : when your are certain that it is lighted, with your right hand caft it into the hollow of the Gun ; and with your left , give fire to the lowett touch-hole of the Gun : when it is hied, ic rebounds ; and be- ing carried up by force of the Fire, it feems to run up and down in the Air,as I oftea faw it at Rcme, and prepared it. They are made aifo
^Another waj.
Take Sea-pitch three parts, Turpentine-Rolin two parts, as much Brimrtohe , one part Goats fuet : powder what mutt be powdered ; and melt in a Brat's Vcffel whac will melt : put them together, and ftir tbera with a wooden tti.k. Then cah in Hards of Hemp or Flax, fo much as will drink up all the mixture : then take the Brafs Kettle from the fire , and with your hands make Balls asbig as you will, that they may be fh-t forth of Brafs-guns; and before they grow hard , thruft them through with Wooden fticks,makirgfmall holes: then put in Gun-powder broken with Brimttone, and row 1 them about upon a Table ftrewed with Gun-powder,and through the holes fatten cotton Matches rolled in the Powder, as I fhallfliew : let theie dry and grow hard in the Sun. The way to difcharge them from a Brafs Gun is this : Chufe iuch as are commonly called Petri!*, that are fitteft for thisnfe. The weight of the Gnn- p- wrier to be put into the VetTel , mull be one firth part cf the Ball , or a little mote or lefs ■ for if you put in much, they are either call down by the too great vk> lence of the Fire, or elfe they are put our a tion. The Powder hein^ pnt into the Veflel, lay neither Hards nor Hemp upon it ; bui fit the Ball upon the Powder, that as that fires, it may fire the Ba 11, and fend it forth. Here is a more noble Compofuion
Another way.
Take five parts of Gun-powder, three of Salt-Peter refined, Brimftone two, Colo- phonla one half part, beaten Glals, common Salt, of Oyl of Peter, andcf Linfeecf Oyl,and rehned Aqua VttA as much : powder what mutt be powdered , and pafs it through a fine Cievc: then melt it in a new earthen pot with burning coals, without flame: let them not fparklc ; for fo theCompofition may take fire, Thencaftin the Powders, th:t they may incorporate well together : then make round Coffins of Linen cloth as 1 faid, and fill them with the Gun-powder alone , and binde tberri with cord j about : then wrap your Tow in the Corapofition, and make a Ball of the bignefs yon would have it ; and if you will (hoot it out of a Brafs Gun, binde it the thicker with litcle cord.: then pierce your Ball through in many places with wooden pricks , that they may come at the powder that lieth ia the middle : then put cotton Match through , that when it flies in the Air fo violently , they may preferve the fire. In another earthen Pot, melt Pine-Tree- Gum , Gun-powder and Brimftone, and dip in your Ball into that liquor, that it may be allover-caft with it. When you take it oat , lift up your cotton Matches with a flick , and ftrew them with Gun- powder. This Ball will lorely punifh the Enemies with a great noife, cracking and breaking afunder : the Fire cannot be put out : it will burn all kinde of Furniture, Garments and what elfe , till it be all confumed ; for it will burn Armour fo migh- tily, that unlefs they be taken off, they will burn the man.
Chap. VI.
Of Completions with burning Waters.
PMilofophers feeking the Reafon of Waters that lie hid above and under the earth* and arc always hot, they fay, Bitumen is the caufe thereof, which being once oa hre, hath this propertyi that k will not only act be put out, but if you calt o» water h will burn the more. The Mountain Chimarra burns always in Phafelis,both night and day, (jnidiM CteJtM faith, The fire of it is kindled by water, and is put out with
Earth
Of Artificial Fires. 29?
Earth or Hay. In the fame Lycia , Vulcan's Mortmains , touched with a burning Torch, wiii lo burn, that the very It nes and land in Rivers are conmrhed by them, and wiii bura in the midlt of the waters ; and that fire is maintained by w?.t?r. The hollow Cave iu Nymptmim forefhews terrible things to the men Apoilonia : as Thtjrom^m writes; it encreafeth by fhowres, and ic calis torth Bitumen, that muft be tempered wkh that Fountain that cannot betaited, otherwifeitismorc weaktnen aa, Bitumen is. Now 1 fhall fearch out the kindes of Bitumen. The firft kinde is liq id, cailed Naphtha, we call it Oy 1 of Peter, which remains in ftonets and Ki.ram. This haih great affinity with Fire , and the fire will take hold of it every way at a great dnfance. So fome fay, That Medea burnt a whore, who, when rhe came tola- entice at the Altar, the fire laid hold on her Garland. Another kinde is , that men ca:l Miltha ; for in the City of Comagenes bamolata , there is a Lake fends forth burning mud: when any folid thing toucneth i;,it will (tick to it ; and being icurh'd, ir will follow him that runs from ic. So they defended the Walls , when Lucullm befieged them, and the Soldier burned in his Armor. Waters do kindle it, and only E ;rth can quench ic, as experience fhews. Camphire is a kinde or it : as Bitumen, ic draws fire to it and burns. Piflaphiltum is harder then Bitumen : both Amber and Jet are of this fort ; but thel'e burn more gently, and not fo much in the waters* Moreover, in regard it burns in the Water,it is Brimftone ; for no fatter thing is du^ forth of the Earth. To maintain this fire, it ielf is diffident :it neither burns in the waters, nor is it put out with water, nor doth it lail long ; but, ;'oyn'd with Bi- tumen , the fire will lad always, as we Ice, in the Phlegrean Mountains at Puteoli : and as fire, if Oyl be caftio, burns the more ; fo whenBitumrn i« kindled, war er cad on, mikes the flame the greater. Wherefore I fhill make ule of thofe fires that burn in and above the waters. Buc I fhall bring fome examples how is made
A B*ti that will burn under ' Water, Firft prepare youF Gun-Powder; for this muftbe one Ingredient in all Competitions, and • fves force to the reft to burn vehemently. If it be in great corns,pown it well, and leirce it fine : to feven parts of this, add two parts of Colophonia, three of Salt- Peter, one of Brimrtoner pown them all together,and mingle them; (prinklingonof Na htha,or of liquid pitch Kitram \ moyftning them fo long,until the powder preffed in your hand will day together. When thefeare well mingled, make trial by them : it it burn too vehemently,add mere Colophonia,Salt-Peter and Brimfionejbut if buc weaklv, more Gun- powder. This mixturemuft be wrapt in ftraw or lineri»rags,or put into coffins mide of the fame things ; and binde it as clofe as you can with ftraw, or little cord s round abooc : then dip it into fcalding pitch, and fo let it dry: then wrap it again with liraw,and fmeer ic over with pitch, to keep it fafefrem water, and thac it may not break afnnder by the violence of the fire When it is well dried, and a lit- tle hole m ide in it,put in Gun-powder,and put fireto it : and when it begins to burn, day but very little, and caft ic into the water. If will by us weight fall to the bot- tom, and rhe flames will ftrive with the water, a'rid drive them far from it : fo it will appear to bnrn above, and i« oblcured with a black imoak, that you will think you fee the fnlphrreous waters at Pnteoli burning there/ Being then made liqhter bv many turnings and windings, it willfcemto afcend to the iuperficies of the vr^er.which is a moli pleafant fight : for yon will think that the water burns ; and y ou fhall fee two contrary Element? fighting together, yet/ftp unite friendly until the matter be fpenr. Others wrap in cloth nothing but Guh-powa'er a whole hancful; andthis they bindein wiih cords : therithey dip it in inched fcaldingpuch, and bound very fad, and wrapt in'many linen rags j they make a fma.U hole through it, ard they pla .ethis in theCemrc of the Ball weeverincw fpakc of , that when it ccmesto the fuperficies of the water, the fire taking hold on thepowder within , breaks the Bail in pieces ; and with a mighty ncife , wounds all thole that ftan$ neer ir. Some make it
Otherivife.
They make a Cc mpofirion of Brimftcne , Colophonia, Salt-Peter, Vernifh; and to chis they add a fourth part of Gun-powder ; and they add Venice- Tut-
296 Natural Magick. 'Boofai.
Turpentine-Rofin , Oyl of liquid Vernifh, Petroleum, Linieed Oyl, and the befi re- fined A this take hie more vehemently, and to cart the Barnes farther. To do