Section 77

if of Hj&nas siztn a piece you take^ And wear /f , iU yon for fake ; As fr'ghted they rvtllfie^ and nevermore Barl^atyoU) though they barked mnch before.
That a ^og may not run.
If you anoynt him with Oyl under the fhoulders, he cannot ruu.
To make a Hawke coitragiottt. You fhall animate ycur Hawk againft the prey, that he may affail and flee at great Birds; Whenyouhawk, wee the Hawks meat with Wine. If it be a Buzzard, add a little Vinegar to it when you would have him flie : give him three bit* of fleft*
wet
Of Hunting, Fowling, Fifhing, Sec. ft?
wet in wine : or, pour Wine in at his mouth, with a yong Pidgeon : fo let him fi.e.
To make Tartridge more bold to fight. Give them Maidenhair with their mcar. Pliny.
That dung-hill Cocks may fight the better. Give them Garlick to eac foon before they fight : whence , in the old Comedy , a Cock ready and earnert to fight is wittily called l*y.oyfKrlati&9 fed with Garlick.
'That a Bird may not flic high. I
Take dm the Feathers of his tail , that make him flie upwards ; fo he will whirl a- bout, and flic downward. If you will have
That a Bird jhaUnotfiie^
cut the upper and lower nerves of his Wings, and it will not hurt him ; yet he can-* not flie out of your Bird-cages, or places you keep them ho*
&'A&s&s&sfi^s&s&& &&&&&&&&&&
Zzi THE
THE
SIXTEENTH BOOK
O F
Natural Maonck :
v
Wherein are handled fecret and undifcovered Notes.
The Proem i.
€ Make two forts of fecret marks, which they vulgarly callSyfers ; one of vifjble marks* J. and u worthy of a treatife by it felf: another of fecret marks, whereof I have attempt, d to fay fomething in this prefent Volume , and what are the confefuents thereof, for the ufe of great Men, and Princes, that take care for things abfent > and write to fame man that knows the invention. 1 fhaUfet down plainly fome examples : but the fe things and the con- ferences of thtm muft be faithfully concealed , left by growing common ametigft ordinary people, thej be difrefpeUed. This is that I (hall puhUfft.
Chap. L
How a writing difd in divers Liquors may be read.
Here are many, and almoft infinite ways to write thing? of necefluy, that the Chara&ers (hall not be feen , unlcis you dip them into waters, or pot them neer the fire, er rub them with du(t, or imeer them over. I (hall begin with them that are read by dipping them into waters. Therefore
If you defire that letters not feen may be read, and fuch ai are [ten may be hid, Let Vitriol foak in boyling water : when it is diflblvcd, drain ic fo long till the water gro/v clear ; with that liquor write upon paper : when they are dry,they are not feen. Moreover, grinde burnt ftraw with Vinegar ; and what you will write in the fpaces be: ween the former lines, defcribe at large. Then boylfowre Galls in white Wine, wet a ipunge in the liquor : and when you have need, wipe it upon the paper gently, and wet the letters fo long until the native black colour difappear , but the former colour, that was not feen,miy be made apparent. Now I will ftiew in what liquor^ paper mult be foaked to make letters to be feen. As I faid,Diflblve Vitriol in wa- ter : then powder Galls finely, and foak them in water ; let them flay there twenty four hours : filtrc them through a linen cloth, or femething elfe, that may make the water clear, and make letters upon the paper that you defire to have concealed; fend it to your Friend abfent t when you would have them appear , dip them in the firft liquor, and the letters will prefently be feen.
That dipping a linen rag in water, the letters may appear. Diffolvc Alom in water, and wiih it make letters upon white linen, fheets, napkin?, and the like ; for when they are dry,they will prefently vanifli. When you will hav« them vifiblc,foik them in water, and the linen will teem to be darkned : but only where the Alejn hath written, it will not : for the letters will grow fo clear , thac yon may read them : for where Alom, Vitriol, and all aftringents are dhtblved, tbofe pans will admit wi;er laR. So
White letters are made with waters*
Li-
Of invifible Writing. 34.1
Litharge is firft powdered and caft into an earcbenpot that hath water and \inegar mix'd;boyl it,and ftrainit,andkeep it: then write letters with Citron Lemons joce t thefe are added to them when they begin to dry. If you dip them in the liquor kept, they will appear clearly and very white. If womens brefts or hands be wet in it,and you fprinkle the faid water upon them, they will grow white as Milk. Ufe it. If ac any time you want thefe, if you plcafe,
A ftone dipped in vinegar will (hew the letters. Make letters with Goats fat upon a ftone • when they are dry. they will not be feen.. If the ftone be dipt into vinegar they prefently come forth, and fecm above the ftone. But if you would have letters writ with water only, appear black , that you may the better be provided,and more fpeedily for a voyage ; beat Galls and Vitriol fir ely ,and ftrew this powder on your paper : rub it with a cloth ^and polifh it well,that fo it may ftick faft to the paper, and be like it. Powder Juniper-gum , which Scriveners call Vernifh, and add it to the reft : when you would ufe it, write with water or fpittle, and they will be black letters. There are many fuch Arts, too tedious to relate.
Chap. II. How letttrs are tn.ide vifible in the fire,
1 Shall fhew the ways how letters are not made vifible but by fire ; or not> unlefs- light interpofe, or may be read when they are burnt. But
To make letters vifible by fire.
So we may bring forth letters written between the verfes , and in the clofe fett ing together , or larger diftances of fyllables. Let the Epiftle contain fome void fpacc, that the letters may not be feen ; and if this be intercepted, it will hardly be read. If ycu write with the juice of Citrons, Oranges, Onyons,or almoft any fharpthingr, if ycu make it hot at the fire , their acrimony is prefently difcovered : for they are undigefted juices, whereas they are deie&ed by the heat of the fire , and then they Chew forth thofe colours, that they wouldfticw if they were ripe. If you write with a fewre Grape that would be black , or with Cervices j when you hold them to the fire, they are conceded , and will give the fame colour they would in due time give upon thcrree, when they were iipe. Juice of Cherries, added to Calamus, will make a green ; to fow-bread, a red : fo divers juices of Fruits, will fhew divers colours by the fire. By thefe means,Maids fending and receiving love- Lett ers,efcape from thofe that have the charge of them. There is alfo a kinde of Salt called Ammoniac j this powdered and mingled with water , will write white letters , and can hardly be di- Uinguifhcd from the paper : but hold them to the fire,and they will fhew black. Alfo,
Letters that cannot be read unlefs the paper be burnt. For the mixture will be white, and nothing willbe feen ; but when it is burnt , the paper will be black, and the Characters will be whire : Take the fharpeft vinegar and the white of an Egg : in thefe heep Quick filver, arid ftir it well ; and with that mix- ture make Letters on the paper; burn ihc paper in the fire,and the letters will remain unburnt; or make letters on the paper with Gum, or any kind of Salt or Lime ; thefe, being they cannot be feen at the fire , when the paper is burnt and made black, they will appear white. If you will,you may
Write letters that cannot be feen but by inter pofit ion of fire. Do it thus : Mingle Cerafs, or feme other white colour, with GumTragantb, foaked, and of this mixture is made a matter of the fame colour with the paper, that it cannot be difcemed from it,ncrcanfe fufpicion : then this being put between the eye and the light of a candle, the eye cannot pafs through where the letters are writ- ten , and youfhall fee them darkly. This is by reafon of theOpticks : for that part of thick matter oppofed againft outward light , hinders it, that the rays cannot ccme to our fight j and fo the pruts of the letters are feen as a fhadovv,
Chap.
N A TUR A L MagICK, 2>00^ l6m
Hew Lett its rub d with dttfi may be (een.
NOw I will ufe another artifice, that Letter? rubbed with daft may be read , thai were before iaviable, which I read was tiled by the Ancients : wherefore do
thus :
That Litters rubbed with mill- daft way be read.
That as in paper , fo on fome unfeen parts of the Body, Letters written may lie hidj and be opened when need is ; write lecretly on your Back cr Arms, or other Limbsj with Vinegar or Urine, and dry it that nothing may appear : now , to have it read,
rub it over with foot or burnt paper ; fc r fo the Letters will fhine fsrth. Or ,
Otherwise ,
If you make Letters with rat , Tallow or any other fatty lubftance , or with Gum, or Miik of a Fig-tree, and drew them with the dull of cole or burnt paper , they will appear. It may be by this craft , as Poly anus the Greek faith , Attaint ufed the im- printed infeription in a Beaft for a facrifice. He, to raiie the valour of his Souldiers^ to make them fight valiantly with their Enemies, the French, that were far more in number ; fuppofing it would be no little advantage to put them in hopes before- \ hand of the affurance of the victory, invented a trivial bufinefs ; but otherwile pro- ^ fitable , with the Priefi that was to effer the faaifice. Before the day they were to fight, he prepares for the victory : for Sudinut the Southfaycr, being to offer facrifice, pray'd unto the god? , and cuts the Sacrifice in two. But the King ufed powder- ed Gum , and from the right to the left fide, he drew thefe words : Regis Vi&vria% The Victory is the King's : acd when the Entrails were drawn forth , he thruft his band into the hotteft and molt Ipungy place , and wiped clean the infeription. But the Augur? changing the Other parts , and doing his Office, turns the part where this inferiptien was contained, Regis ViEloria. This matter was no fooner publifh- * ed , but the Souldiers generally rejoyced, and fhouted exceedingly , to (hew how ready they were to fight ; fo geingenwirh a certain aflurance of the ViSory, and depending on this promife frern the gods , they fought couragieufly , and fubdued the French. But to the matter Milk of the Fig-tree Will do the fame , if it be written on white paper, and afterwards lent from a friend, be rubbed with cole-duft Hrewed upon it , and made clean again . fo will the Letters prefently appear black. P//»7 faith, the Miik of Tithynals will do the like , to make the Letters , anddult Hrewed on them rofcowrethem: and thus women, a3 he fays, had rather fpeakwiih Adulterers., then by Letters. Ovid confirms this , admonifhing Maids in his Arte Amandi^how they miy fafely write to their Sweet-hearts.
Write with new UMilk^, it's fafr, rtnfeen. Wt read The writing with cole'dufl laid on [nil-right : Moyft flax will write as if that none had been , And letters on year paper pafr the fight,
Alfo there is an Art that one would not imagine, to write upon Cbryftal : for, being all tranfpsrent, no man will dream of it , and the letters may lie hid within.
Do it thus ;
That letters may appear upon Chryftal by fire wing on of fine dufi.
DhTolve Gum Arabick in water, or Gum Traganth, that it may be cleer $ and when it is well diflolved, ir will not foul the Cryftal, if you write upon it, or upon a Cup orGlafs ; !,or when the Letters are dry,they are invisible. No man Will imagine the fraud, if a Cup be lent to one in prifon,or a Glafs full of wine : when be would fee the letters, rub burnt Hraw or paper Upon it , and the letters Will prefently be feen. Here is another fecrer, That
Of invifible Writing. 3^3
That letters on the paptr m
in the dufi only.
This i? afecrct worth knowing: diflolve Gcats fuet with a little Turpentine : rub the parer with this iiqK>r,and keep it : when you would lend feme news to your friend, lay on the paper imeered with the fat upon a letter you would lend to your tri^ndj write upon that with an iron poinr, and the fuet will make the characters on the let- ter : fend this away ; and if it be intercepted, no water will make the words vifible, or any othec Arr, but only ftrewingdult upon it. A Mb you may make 7 hat upon blackjpzper, white letters may appear.
The rcafon is this : mingle the white and yelk of an Egg together,that it may be liquid as ink: with this liquor, write on the paper what words you peafe , and dry them : when the paper is dry,make a black colour over it,and dry it again,and fend k,but thac the letters may be vifible,fcrape the fuperficies of the paper with a broad iron i for fo it will be,thatthe ink being fcraped orfyvherechc letters were, they will appear white.-
Chap. IV. How y oh may write in an Egg.
BEcaufe when prifons are fhur, Eggs are not Popt by the Papal Inquifkion, and no fraud is fufpe&ed to be in tbem,I will fhew you how Letters may be writ cn the upper (hell and white of an Egg alio : for example,
That letters may be writ on the Egg-[hell,
Wrap the Egg in wax,ind with an iron point make letters on it,asfar as to the fhell; but break it net: for if ycu break the fhell with your iron, or point, or knife, rmiy be detected. Soak your Egg one night inftrong water of depart, which f-parate- g^ld from fi'.vcr : in the morning take away the wax, and rake off the Egc.fhells cover,and hold she (hell between yonr eye and the %br,ard the letters will be feen verv clear quite through thetranfparem (hell. The fame is done with the j ice of I., mtnons : for it fofteneth the fhell; but foul it not, and you fhall have y cur dtfire. Will you
That letters may be fetn upon the white yellow, and better when the Egg is bcyl*d. Boyl an Egc hard and rowl it in wax,and engrave the letters on the wax with an ircn point, that the marks may lie open: put this Egg into liquor with Alom and Galls powdered : then put it irtto fharp Vinegar, and they will penetrate ; and takii g c ft the fhells, ycu fhall fee thesn in the white of the Egg. y fficantu reacheth ic thus: Grinde galls andalcm with vinegar, till they be as thick a^ ink : with this write what you will on an Egg \ and when the writing is dried in the Sun, put it into fharp pickle: dry ir,boyl it, and takeeff the fhell,and you fhall read the writing. I put it into vinegar, and could do nothing ot it. P. rhaps, he means by pickle,capital lees. The caufe is this : the E^fhell is poreu',and hath large holes, which is plain ; for being fet to the fire,it will fweat,and water will come forth ; and looking at it againft the lighr, it will fhew clear : foihen, vinegar being fubtile, penerates by the pore?,and makes the ftiell tender : and when it is mingled with the Aloaa & Galls,it carricth their fubftance with U,and makes them appear on the white; and when ir is put into cold water, it is condenfed, and comes to be hard as it was. But obfefve, it muft cot May long in vinegar 5 for that will eat off all the fhell, and will leave the Egg bare , having nothing but a thin .^kin to cover it : and if you put that into cold water, the fhell will not ccme again. If you will know
How letters writ with water, may be feen in an Egg, Diflolve Vitriol in the warer,and write upon the fhell, and dry ic, and nothing will be feen. If ycu will read it, diflolve Galls in wine, and fteep the Egg therein : or, write with Lime-water upon an Egg , and tfeep it in lye where Brafil is infufed ; and fothe letters will feemtobe of a violet-color : or,write with fuet upon the fhell,acd Peep it in water of vitriol : when it is dry , fcrape off the fuet , and nothing will be feen : when you afterwards fteep it in the forefaid wine, white letters will appearin 1 black fhell. Iwillfhcwv