Section 70

Haute
304. Natural Magic k. 2?eo/^ u.
flame were (hut up in a glafs, and ill vent-holes ftopt dofe, if it could laft one mo- ment, it would laft continually, and it were not poflible for it to be put our. There are many wonders declared in this Book , aod many more (hall be fee down, that have no other caufe. But how the flame fhould be lighted within fide, this is worth the while to know ; It mult be a liquor or fome fubtile fubftance , and that will evaporate but little ; and if then it can be (hut up in the glafs , when the glafs is (hue it will laft always : which may eafily be performed by barBiog-glafics,fire,induftry,and cunning. It cannot be extingnifhed , becanfe the Air can cone in nowhere to fill Dp the emptinefs of the Vial : The Oyl is always turned into fmoke, and this, being it cannot be diflblved into Air , it turns to Oyl, and kindleth again , and foic will always by conrfe afford fuel for the light. Yo» have beard the beginnings j now (carcn, labour, and make trial. '
THE
3©?
THE
THIRTEENTH BOOK
O F
Natural Masick :
Of tempering Steel.
#' Thi Proems.
I Have taught y oh cowering monftrout Fires ; and before I part from them , Ifhdtreai of Iron Mines ; for Iron is wrought by Fire : not that I intend to handle the Art of it ; but onely to fetdown fome of the choicefi Secrets that are no lefs neceffary for the ufe of me»y in thoje things J have fpoken of already, be fides the things I jpakf of in my Chy~ mteal works. Of Iron there are made the bejl ana the worfi Ir.firuments for the life of tnan , faith Pliny. For we ufe it for works of Husbandry and building of Houfes ; and we ufe tt for Wars ar.d Slaughters : not onely hard by j but to (hoot with Arrows , and Darts, and Bullets, jar off. For, that man might die the fooner, he hath made it fwift, and hath put wings to Iron. / (had teach you the divers tempers of Iron , and how to matte it [oft and hard tb*t it (hall not onely cut Iron and other the hardeft fubfiances , but (hall engrave the bar deft Torphyr and Marble Stones. In brief, the force of Iron conquers all things.
Chap. f.
That Iron by mixture may be made harder,
T is apparent by moft famous and well-known Experience* that Iron will grew more hard by being tempered , and be made !oft alfo. And when I bad fought a long time whe- ther tt would grew Toft or hard by hot, cold, moiftordry things • I found that hot things would make it hard and foft, and fo would cold and all the other qualities: wherefore fom- thing elfe muft bethought on to hum cur thecaufec. I found that it will grow hard by its contraries , and foft by things that are friendly to it j and fo I came to Svmpathy and Antipathy. The Ancients thought it was done by fome Superftitious Woifhip, and that there was a Chain of Iron by the River Euphrates , that was called Zeugma, wherewith Alexander the Great had there bound the Bridge ; and that the links of it that were new made, were *rown tufty , the other links not being fo. TUny and others think, That this proceeded frcm fome d iff rent qualities ; it may be forac juices or Minerals might run underneatb,that left leme qualities, whereby Iron might bv. made hard or foft. He faith. But the chief difference is in the water that it is oft plun°ed into when it is red hot. The pre-eminence of Iron that is fo profit- able, hat h made fome places famous here and there ; as Bilbilis and Turaflio in Spain, Ccmum in Italy : yet arc there no Iron Mynes there. But of all the kindes , the Seric Iron bears the Garland ; in the next place , the Parthian : nor are there any other kindes of Iron tempered of pure Steel : for the reft are mingled, fnfiine the Hiftorian reports, That in Gallicia of Spain, the chicfeft matter for Iron is found ; but the water there is more forcible then the Iron : for the tempering with that, makes the Iron more fiiarp • and there is no weapon approved amongft them, that
T c is
^06 Natural Magick. 2?0o^i 3.
is not made of the River Bilbiiis , or tempered with the water of Chalybes. And hence are thofe people that live necr this River called Chalybes ; and they are heid to have the bert Iron. Y^t Strabo faith , That the Chalybes were people in Pcntus ncer the River Thertnodoo. Virgil ipeaks,
And the naked filybes Iron,
Then , as Pliny faith , Tc is commonly made foft with Oyl, and hardened by Water. It is a cutlomc to quench thin Bars of Iron in Oyl , that they may not grow oriitic by being quenched in Water. Nothing hath put me 'oiwird more to leik higher matters, then this certain Experiment , That Iron may be made fo weak and loft by Oyl , that it may be wrefted and broken with ones hands : and by Water it may be made fo hard and ftubborn, that it will cut Iron like Lead*
Chap. II.
Hew Iron will wax foft,
I Shall firft fay how Iron may grow foft , and become tradable ; fo that one may make Steel like Iron, and Iron foft as Lead. That which is hard, grows tofi by fat things as I f*id ; and without fat matter, by the fire onely,as flmj affirms. Iron made red hot in the fire , nnlefs yon beat it hard , it corrupts : as ir he fhould fay, Steel grows foft of it lelf, if ic be oft made red hot-, and 1-ft to cool of it feif in the fire : and fo will Iron grow fofter. I can do the lame divers; wayes.
That Iron may grow foftt
Anoynt Iron with Oyl, Wax, Afafac ida ; and lute it over witb ftraw and dun?, *^d dry is : then let it for one ni^ht be made red hot in burning coils. When it gr cold of it felf,voufhall findc it foft and tradable. Or, take Brimflone ihr e parts, four parts of Potter1; Earth powdered : mingle thefe with Oyl to make it foft. Then cover the Iron in this well, and cry it , and bury it in burning coals ; and, as I frid, you may ufe Tallow and Butter the fame way. Iron wire red hot , if i; cooi alone, it will be ft foft and du&ible, that you may ufe them likr Flax. There are alio fofc juices of Herb«, and fat, as Mallons, Bean- Pod«, and 'uch -like, that can foften Tron ; but they mult be hot when the Iron is quen;hed, and Juices, not diliilled Waters : for Iron will grow hard in ail cold waters, and in liquid Oyl.
Chap. III.
The ttntfer of Iron mttft be nftd Uftn foft Irons.
J Have faid how Iron may be made fofter, now I will fhew the tempering o^ ir, how it may be made tocut fharper. For the temper of it is diver? for divers ufes. For Iron requires feveral tempers, if it be to cur Bread, or Wood, or Stone, or Iron, thatisof divers liquors j and divers ways of firing it, and the time of quenching it in thefe Liquors : for on thefe doth the bufinefs depend. When the Iron is fparkhng red hot , that it can be no hotter, that it twirk es , they call it silver $ and then it muft not be quenched , for it would be confnmed. But if it be of a yellow or red colour, they call it Gold or Rofe-colour : and thenquer cbed in Liquors , it grows the harder : this colour requires them to quench it. Bm obferve , That if all the Iron be tempered , the colour muft be blew or Violet cole ur , as the cd e of a Sword , Rafor or Lancet : fcr in thefe the temper will be loft if they arc made hoc again. Then you muft obferve the fecond colours ; namely, when the Iron is quenched, and fo plunged in, grows hard. The laft is Afh eclcur : and after this if it be quenched, it will be the leaft of all nude hard. For example:
Of tempering Steel.
The temper of a Knife to cttt Bread.
j have feen many ingenious men that laboured for ibis temper, who, having Knives fit to cut ill hardlubHanccs , yet they could l'carce fail Uuon a temper to cue Bread for the Tabic I fulfilled their defire with fuch a temper. Wnerefore to cut Bread, let the Steel be loftiv tempered thus : Heat gently Steel, that when its broken iecmS to be made of very (mall grains ; and let it be excellent well purged from lion : then ftrike it witn a Hammer to make a Knife of it : then work it with the Fiie, and frame it like a Knite, and polifti it with the Wheel : then put it into the Fire, till it appear Violct-coicur. Rub it over with Sope, that it may have a better colour from the Fires then take it from the Fire, and anoy nt the edge of it with a Linen-cloth dipt in Oyl of O ivc gentienelsof the Oyl,and a moderate heat. Not much differs from this,
The temper of Iron for Wood,
Something harder temper is fit to cut wood • butitmu* be gentle alfo : therefore leE your Iron c it out . and when it appears Afti-colour, call it into cold water. Nor is there much difference in
The temper for Inflrnmehts to let blood.
It is quenched in Oyl, and grows hard ; becaufe it is tender and fubtile : for fhould k be quenched in water, it would be wrefted and broken.
The temper of Iron for a Sythe.
A'ter that the Iron is made into* Sythe, let it grow hot to the colour of Gold, and then quench it in O/l , orlm-erii with Tallow, becaufe it is lubtile Iron ; and (houid it be quenched in waters, it would either crumble or be wrefted.
Chap. IV. Hoiofor all mixtures, ron may be tempered m»Jf bard,
NOw T will fhew fome ways whereby Tron may be made extream hard : for that Iron that muH be ufed for an In rumcnt to hammer, and poliflti, and fit other Iron, muff be much harder then that.
The temper of Iron for Files. It muft be made of the beft Steel, and excellently tempered, that it may polifh, and fit o her Iron as it (hculd b : Take Ox hoofs,and put them into an Oven to dry,thac they may be powdered fine : mingle well one part cf this with as much commofl Salt, beaten Glals, and Chimney-foor, and beat them together, and lay them up for your u:c in a wooden Veffel hanging in the imoak ; for the Salt will melt with any moifture of the place or Air. The powder being prepared, make your Iron like to a file : then cut it chequerwife, and crofsw*yc*,with a (harp edged tool : having made the Iron tender and 10ft, as I faid, then make an Iron chert fit to lay up yoar files in, and put them into it brewing on the powders by courfe,that they may be covered all over : then put on the cover, and lute well the chinks with clay and raw, that the fmcak of the powder mav not breath out • and then lay a heap of burning coals all over it,that it may be red-hot about an honr: when you think the powder to be burne and con umed, take t he cheft out from the coals with Iron pinchers, and plunge the files into very cold water, and fo they will become extream hard. This is the ufual remper for hies ; for we tear not if the files ftiould be wrefted by cold waters. But I fliali teach you to temper them excellently
Anoth r way.
Take the pith out of Goats horns, anddrv it, and powder it : then lay your files in a little Cheft ftrewed over with thi« Powder , and do as you did before. Yet obl'erve this , That two files fupemumerary muft be laid in , fo that you may take then forth ac plcafnre : and when yon think the Cheft , covered with burning coals,
It i hath
JC8 NaTURAI: MagTICK. 2>00^
bath taken in the force of che Powder, take cut one of the fupernumersry Files, *nd temper it , and break it ; and if you finde it to be very finely grain "d within, and r© be pare Steel, according to your defire, take the Chert from the fire, s nd tem- per them all the fame way : or elfe,if it be not toyonr mindr,letthem ftay in longer* and refting a little while , take out the other fupernumerary File, and try it, till yon have found ic perfect. So we may
'temper Knives to be mefl hard. Take a new Ox hoof, heat it, and ftrike it with a Hammer on the fide ; for the pith will conde forth : dry it in an Oven; and, aslfaid, put it into a pot , alwayej putting in two fupernumeraries , that may be taken forth, to try if they be come to be pure Steel ; and doing the fame as before , they will be moft hard. I will (hew
How an Haberveon or Coat of Arms is to be tempered.
ajsaVi^flJ « fHljfcsilfttfc *ff 'i '**d * b'»c v iuo •'■>• r.i . jm>nsii't r,fjirii9fl!SjJ'4 Take foft Iron Armour of fmall price , and put ir into a pot , fire wing upon ic the Powders abovefaid ; cover it, and lute it over, that ic'have co vent, and make a good Fire about it : then at the time fit , take the Pot with iron pinchers ; and Rriking the Pot with a Hammer, quench the whole Hernefs, red hot, in the foresaid water : for fo it becomes molt hard , that it will eafily refift the flrokes of Poniards.. The quantity of the Powder is, that if the Harnefs be ten on welve pounds wcighc , lay on two pounds and a half of Powder, that the Powder may Rick all over : Wet the Armour in water, and rowl it in the Powder, and lay it in the pot by courfes. Bur, becaulc it is moft hard, lert the rings of a Coat of Male (hould be broken, and flie in pieces , ihc'fe mull be ftrength added to the hardnefs. Workmen call it a Return, Taking it out of the Water , fhake it up and down in Vinegar , that it may be po- lifhed, and the colour be made perfpicuous : then make red hot a plate of1 Iron, and lay part of the Coat of Male, or all of it upon the fame : when itfhewsan A&- colour, workmen call it Berotinnm j catt it again into the water , and that hardnefs abated ; and will ic yield to the ftroke more eafily : fo of a bafe Coat of Male , you fhall have one that will refift all blow*. By the mixture of Sharp things,iron is made hard and brittle ; but imlefs Hreo^th be added,ic will rlie in pieces with every blows therefore it is needful to learn perfectly how to add ftrength to it.
Chap. V. Liquors that will temper Iron to be exceeding hard.
J Said that by Antipathy Iron is hardened, and foftened by Sympathy : it delights in fat things, and the pores are opened by it, and it grows foft : but on the contrary^ aftringent thing?, and cold , thatfhut up the pores , by a contrary quality, make it extreme hard ; they leem therefore to do it : yet we mull not omit fuch things as do it by their property. If you would have
tA S aw tempered to [aw Iron, Make yonr Saw of the beft Steel, and arm it well that it be not wrefted byex- tinguifhing it. Then make a wooden Pipe as long as the Iron of the Saw, that may contain a liquor made of Water, Alom, and Pifs ; Plunge in the red hot Iron, and take it out, and obferve the colouts : when it comes to be violet , put ill into the liquor, till it grow cold. Yet I will not conceal, that it may be done by a Brafs wire bent like a bow, and with Powder of Emril and Oy 1 : for you fhall cut Iron like Wood. Alfo, there are tempered
Fifli'kookj to become extream hard. The Hook ferves for a part to catch Fifh;for it muft be fmall and ftrongrif it be grear, the Fifh will fee it, and will not fwaliow it ; if it be too fmall , it will break with great weight and motion • if it be foft, it will be tmdeftraight, and the Fifh. will get
off,
Of tempering SteeL 309