To colour or dye Wool, or Woollen Cloth a curious red.

Take a considerable quantity of Alum, and dissolve it in Water, wherein bran has been boiled and strained out, putting the Cloth, Wool, or Yarn, to steep in it, which being well steep­ed, put it into other clear water, heating it o­ver a gentle fire, putting thereto greening-Weed, two pounds, to four gallons of water, stirring it about; but not suffering it to boil; add more, a handful of unslaked Lime, and as much Wood-Ashes, stirring about the materials, adding yet a like quantity of Lime, Ashes, and a pound of the Powder of Log-Wood, or red-Wood, and the like of Braziel, and so in three or four hours time, a very fair colour to your sa­tisfaction will be taken.

To dye Linen Thread, or Cloth red, &c.

Take a pound of Sam-fleure; and suffer it, for the space of twenty four hours, to soak in two Gallons of water, heating over a gentle fire; then add, half a pound of the powder of Braziel, two Ounces of Vermilion, and an Ounce of A­lum, dissolved in a pint of fair water.

To dye a clear, or pleasant light Red.

Take Wheat Bran, half a Peck, two Oun­ces of Alum, and boil them in four gallons of fair water, then through a fine hair fieve, strain out the liquid part, then dissolve in it half a pound of Alum, and the like quantiy of white Tartar, and put in the Stuff, Cloth, &c. inten­ded for colouring, adding three pound of Madder, and perfect the colour at a moderate heat with­out boiling.

To dye Silk a Sanguine Colour.

Take a pound of Alum, and two pound of Greening weed, bruise them well and pour up­on them fair water, add then half a pound of Ground-Braziel, heat them over the Fire, and put the silk in some part of the liquid matter, suf­fering it to seeth therein; and so renew it with the remainder, till you find your Colour take, and having so done three times, rinse it in Lee [Page 4]of Oak-bark, or Wood ashes, and afterward in Water.

To dye a fair Blue.

Take white Silk, Stuff or Cloth that is white, and soak it in water, then having wrung the water out, add two pound of Woold or Woad, a pound of Indico, and three ounces of Alum, and then gently heat and dissolve them in the water, and so dip your materials, till you perceive the Colour has taken.

To dye a purple Colour.

Take the Silk, Stuff or Cloth, that has alrea­dy taken a blue, and dip it in Braziel and Alum­water, at moderate heats; and you will soon perceive your Colour answer your Expecta­tion.

To dye Carnation.

Take a dry purper, and soak it a night in Man's Urine; then take your Cloth, that has been soaked in Alum-water, and dryed again, and put it therein, suffer the purper before hand to be twice seethed in fair water; then set another Vessel by the Fire, and suffer the Cloth to take the dye therein.

To dye a deep red Carnation.

Take Linen and woollen white, Gall, and a­lum it well, and take the herb call'd by the Dutch Foli, which is to be found on the banks of Ditches, to the quantity of a pound well dryed; Indian Lake, four ounces, Spanish red, two ounces; make of these and Alum-water a hot Liquor, and dip your materials therein, at gen­tle heats three or four times, and it will afford a curious Colour.

To dye silk Quoins a curious red.

Steep first your Silk in Alum-water, giving it a gentle heat, adding thereto in the heating, Bran­water; then take a pound and a half of greening weed, and so heat it up, and put the Silk there­in, but let it not seeth, then take it out and rinse it in Ley, and after that in water, adding some Powder of Log-wood; and so heating it up a se­cond time, the business will be perfected.

To dye a fair yellow.

Take the Stalks, Leaves and Seeds, &c. of Wood, the roots being cut off, and lay them in soak in Ley of wood Ashes, for the space of three hours, after that seeth them, till you think they are sufficiently sodden; then put them into hot water and Urine, and heat them up in­different [Page 6]different well straining the liquid part through a sieve, adding to every two pounds of woad, two pounds of Verdigrease, with the Ley already sod, stirring and well mixing it together in your Liquor, for the space of three hours, and so dip into it very hot at three or four times what you intend to colour.

Another way to dye a curious Purple, viz.

In case, it be silk you intend to dye, you must to one pound of it take four ounces of Alum and a gallon of water, dissolving the Alum therein o'er a gentle Fire; putting then the Silk therein, and suffering it to lie, for the space of four hours; then take of Indian Lake and Indico, each a quarter of a pound, add likewise a quart of Urine, and so heat them up into a dye, ad­ding more about a handful of Cochinele.

A curious green water to make.

Take half an ounce of Verdigrease, bruise it well, put thereto the yolk of an Egg, and a few blades of Saffron; then take of the Leaves of Spurge half a handful, bruise them with a quar­ter of a pint of Vinegar, straining the liquid part through a cloth, and mingle it with the ma­terials before mentioned, so thin that it may take, either in dying or painting.

To make a black water to dye Silk Cloth, &c.

Take half a pound of Nut-galls, add to them a pottle of water, and an ounce of Lamb-black, with a handful of the rust or filings of Iron, heat them up, adding half a pound of coperas, seeth them to a half Consumption, adding then a pint of Gum-water, and so set it by for your use, &c. and it will prove excellent good, the longer it is kept, it being the better.

To dye Linen or Silk a Rose red.

Take to every four yards and a half, a pound of Nut-galls, and seeth them in fair water unbru­sed, for the space of two hours, when pouring out the liquid part into another Vessel or Fatt, put your Linen, &c. into it, and suffer it to soak for the space of four hours; then wring it dry, and heat it again in Alum and fair water, ad­ding half a pound of Braziel powder, and a pound of Greening-weed, and so by gentle heats make up your colour to the heighth.

To dye a fair green.

Take Bran-water and Alum, a Gallon of the former, to a pound of the latter, and seeth them up, till the Alum is dissolved; then for about a quarter of an hour, let your Silk or Cloth lie therein; then take more Bran-water and a few [Page 8]handfuls of woad, and put it therein, till it be­come a dark yellow; then add Verdigrease and Indico of each half a pound or more, or less of the one or the other, as you would have it ligh­ter or darker.

To dye a good black.

Take two pounds of Galls, and half a pound of Coperas, seeth them in water over a gentle Fire, putting your Silk, Stuff or Cloth therein, and stirring it about; then hang it to dry, and prepare your dye in this manner, viz. Take a large Fatt, and put therein three or four hand­fuls of Rye Meal, and half so much of swarf of the Grind-stone or Smiths water, with two handfulls of elder bark, and the like quantity of the rust of Iron, and having suffered it to stand for the space of three days, heat it up and put your materials therein, &c.

To make a thick water to work on yellow Silk the best way.

Take two quarts of the best Varnish, add to it an ounce of the Flower of Sulphur, half an ounce of Camphire; then seeth it a while, and suffer it to cool, straining it through a Cloth, to take away the grosser part; and when you use it, let it be mixed with a small quantity of Gum-Arabick water.

To make a curious red Water.

Take two quarts of fair water, four ounces of Gum-Arabick, a pound of faucet Woad, seeth them together, till half be consumed; and then taking it off, put into the remainder half an ounce of Spanish green, and about thirty grains of Cochinele, and so use it as you see conveni­ent.

To make a curious blue Water for Silks, Stuffs, or Woollen.

Take three parts of Soap boilers Ashes, and one part of unquenched Lime, make of them a Ley, and suffer it well to settle, then add to the thinner part taken off, a pound of Bolo­emen, stirring them well together over a gentle fire, adding a pound of Woad, and half a pound of Indico, dipping what you intend to colour therein when it is very hot.

To work on yellow Silk, white, grey, or Azure Colour.

Take a pottle of fair water, and a fourth part of Gum-Arabick, and half a pottle of faucet Woad, an ounce of Arshick, and the like quan­tity of Turmerick ground small, and seeth them over a gentle Fire, putting a small quantity of Grains therein, and so apply it to your use, as you see convenient.

To make a red Water for white Silk or Wool, green, yellow, Violet or Azure.

Take two quarts of running water, and an ounce of Braziel, heat them up till half be con­lumed, then take it off the Fire, and put in an ounce of Grains, and a quarter of an ounce of Gum Arabick, with a quarter of a pound of Alum Powder, and suffering it to stand all night, in the Morning you may use it.

To make grey Florey.

Take Florey, and soak it twenty four hours, at the end of which, wring it through a Cloth, then take the Ashes of the Vine, and make a Ley with them, and spread the Florey for the space of two hours upon a Table, and having put the Ley into three Vessels, take the Florey, and put it into one of the said Vessels, and so shift it to the rest, putting before you dip your Linen, &c. Vinegar to it, and your Colour will be good.

To dye Linen with Crampmede.

Use in this a pound of Crampmede, to three Ells of Linen, and put it to a gallon and a half of water, or so proportionable to the quantity, and warm it over the Fire, till it appears ready to seeth; then add to it two ounces of Galls, and so put your Linen into it, and as often as you [Page 11]take it out, which must be frequent, wring it, when having a pot of fair water ready heated with Alum dissolved in it, put the Linen well wrung into it; and so rub it over at the taking out, and dry it; but if you would have it the darker Colour; then is it requisite to have a Ley made with Lime-Stones, or unslaked Chalk, &c.

To dye Velvet, or other things requiring it, the most curious of Blacks.

Take of Galls two pound, Coperas half a pound, Smiths water a G [...]llon, the powder of burnt Ivory an ounce, and of Oak bark, and Shooe-makers black ground to powder, the like quantity, and two gallons of fair water, mix them well together, and suffer them to stand in the Sun or some other warm place for the space of thirty days, with often stirring about, then put your materials therein, and as often as you di [...], hang them to dry, and your expectation will be an­swered.

To make Bran water much used in dying, &c.

Take half a peck of Wheat Bran, and two gallons of fair water, set them on the Fire, giv­ing them a gentle heat, which being done, put half a pound of Alum powder into it, and suf­fer it to stand a week or more, with sometimes stirring it about before you use it.

To dye Wooll or woollen Yarn.

Take four pound of Wooll or yarn, two pound of Woad, putting the Woad into a Ket­tle to two gallons of water; then throw in two handfuls of Wood-Ashes, and when it seetheth, put your Wool or Yarn into it, and let it remain there about half an hour, at what time take it out and wring it and put it in again, and let it seeth as long as before; and then if it be be­fore a brown blue, it will be a dark green, or if it was white, it will be a yellowish colour. And thus much at present, in relation to Colours for dying Silks, cloth, &c.

To colour Skins green.

TAke the Leaves of Night-shade, bruise them in a Mortar, strain out the juice, and dissolve in a pint two ounces of Alum, add half [Page 13]an ounce of Verdigrease, and heat them gently over the Fire, and then suffering it to stand for twenty four hours, strike over the Skin with it warm, and suffering it to dry, do it again till it has taken the Colour, which will be very lively.

To colour black Leather after the Order in Germa­ny, &c.

Take of the Bark of Elder two pounds, of the filings or rust of Iron the like quantity, put to them two Gallons of Rain-water; and stop them up close in a Cask or other Vessel, and so suffer them to stand for the space of two Months; then put to the liquid part a pound of Nut-galls beaten to Powder, and a quarter of a pound of Coperas, heating them over the Fire, and suf­fering them to stand twenty four hours after, and so use them with a brush, till the Skin has taken an excellent black.

To colour white Leather the best way.

Having hung your Skins in Chalk, or Lime­water, till they are grown supple, that the Hair or Wool may be stripp'd off, stretch them on Tenters or by Lines, and smooth them over; then take your colouring mixed, according to the Purport of what you intend they shall take, and having first brushed them over with Alum-wa­ter very warm, give them the Tincture, and [Page 14]dry them in the Sun or in some warm house, and they will be useful on sundry occasions, without any further trouble.

To make white Leather blue.

Take the Berries of Elder a quart, strain out the juice and boil it with an ounce of the powder of Alum, and half an ounce of Indico, or smalt blue, and brush over the Leather with a fine brush dipped therein three or four times, suffer­ing it to dry between whiles, and the business will be effected.

To colour Leather a fair Red.

Having rubbed your Leather well with Alum­water or alumed it, take stale Urine, seeth it and scum it till half be wasted; put then to it an ounce of the finest Lake with the like quantity of Braziel in Powder, an ounce of Alum, and half an ounce of Sal-armoniac, mix them well and keep them stirring over a gentle Fire about two hours, and so use the liquid part, and your expectation will be answered.

To colour your Leather a curious French yellow.

Take one part of Chalk, and another of Wood-Ashes, and make thereof a good Ley; then strain out the fine or Liquid matter, put it into a Vessel over the Fire, and put into it Tur­merick [Page 15]in Powder, and a little quantity of Saf­fron, and so suffer it to simper, till it becomes pretty thick; then set it to cooling, and as you have occasion use it, as before mentioned.

To colour Spanish Leather, &c.

Take that which the Dutch call Pomplemelch, warm it, and rub the Leather therewith, then take of Venis tot Appelen, and having beaten it small, put a considerable quantity of fair water to it, and let it soften over a gentle Fire; then press out the water, and so in the liquid part rub or wash the Skin, doing it so often; and after that, take Shooe makers black the sinest, and rub over the Skin with it, having in the wetting added to it a little Vitriol or Coperas, and suffering it to dry, take Goose or Hogs-grease in a Woollen Cloth, and rub the Skin over for a good space, where there is a good Fire to supple it in; and then rub it over with your hands, till it disappear, or instead of Grease, Line-seed, or train Oil may be used, and so in case of any other Colour, ac­cording as the Colours are designed.

To dye Bristles a c [...]rious r [...]d for Br [...]shes.

Take an ounce of Braziel-Wood in Powder, half an ounce of Alum, a quarter of an ounce of Vermilion, and a pint of Vinegar, boil them up to a moderate thickness, and dip the Bristles in when it is very hot, suffering them to continue [Page 16]or sometime in the Liquor, and they will be of a curious Red.

To dye Bristles or Feathers a curious green, &c.

Take of Verdigrease an ounce, Verditur the like quantity, Gum-water a pint, mix them well together, and dip the Bristles or Feathers, they having been first soaked in hot water into the said mixture.

To dye Bristles or Feathers blue.

Take an ounce of Indico, as much of Bisse, as much Alum as a Hazle-nut, put them into Gum water, and dip the materials into it hot, hang them up to dry, and clap them well, that they may open. And so changing the Colours, you may in this manner dye the aforesaid materi­als of any Colour, as for black use Log-wood, and Galls for Purple, Lake and Indico; for Car­nation. Vermilion and Smalt, for yellow, yel­low Berries and Saffion with a little Tartar mingled or dissolved in your Gum-water.

To dye Ivory, Bone, or Hern a curious red.

Take the materials and soften them in water wherein Tartar has been dissolved; then take Vermilion and Braziel, temper them well in wa­ter, boil them up in a Liquor, and put your Horn, Ivory, or Bone into it, and suffer either [Page 17]of them to be there, it being hot, for a convenient time, and taking them instantly, out cast them into cold Alum-water; and if they have not taken the Tincture at first, use them in the like manner a second time; and so proportioning the Colours, you may in this manner proceed to make them take what Colour you please.

To marble Books or Paper the best way.

Take four ounces of Gum-Arabick, dissolve it in two quarts of fair water; then provide se­veral Colours mixed with water in pots or shells, and with peculiar pencils to every Colour, sprinkle them by way of inter-mixture upon the Gum-water, which must be in a Trough, or some broad Vessel; then with a stick curl them and draw them out in streaks, to as much varie­ty as may be; which done, hold your Book or Books close together, and only dip the Edges in on the top of the water, and Colours, very light­ly; which done, take them off, and the plain Impression of the Colours in mixture will be upon the Leaves, doing as well the ends as the Front of the Book in like manner: and in this case, you may do paper by dipping it on the flat, as also Linen Cloth, &c.

To dye or colour Horse hair, or any hair, &c.

Steep the water, wherein a small quantity of Turpentine has been boiled for the space of [Page 18]two hours; then having prepared your Colours very hot, boil the Hair therein, and any Colour, black excepted, will take, but that will only take a dark red or dark blue, &c. And after this manner with Colours cold, or but like-warm, you may dye the feathers upon the backs of Poul­try, wild fowl, hair on Dogs, Horses, or the like, in as much varieties as your Fancy can suggest.

Another fair red for Skins, &c.

Wet your Skins or Fells in Alum water, in which has been dissolved a like quantity of Salt with half as much Lime, when being again stretched and dryed, take the last of Brewers drink a quart, put into it an ounce of Braziel powder, a quarter of an ounce of Vermilion, and an ounce of Alum-powder, thicken them over a gentle Fire, by continual stirring, and so with a brush or Cloth, rub over the Skins at an even­ness, not laying it thicker on one place than ano­ther, and so do three times successively, suffer­ing them only to dry the mean while, and your expectation will be answered.

To dye Skins a crimson Colour, &c.

Scrape hard soap three ounces, and dissolve it in fair water, add to that three ounces of A­lum, boil [...]hem over a gentle Fire; till the wa­ter grow clammy, or a little inclining to thick­ish; then put in a few grains of Cochinele, [Page 19]half an ounce of Lake, two ounces of red lead, and a quarter of an ounce of Vermilion, and a small piece of Indico, mix them well by stirring together, and keep them upon a gentle Fire, till they are about the thickness of the white of an Egg; then having first rubbed your Skin over with Alum-water, and suffered it to dry, apply this colour, as has been directed in the former.

To colour Skins a light blue or Turkey Colour.

Take Smalt two ounces, red wine a quarter of a pint, Alum two ounces, Vinegar half a Pint, and white starch half an ounce, put them over a gentle Fire, not suffering them to become over thick; and then soaking the Skins with Alum-water, and suffering them to dry as usually, add to this colouring half a pint of Gum­water tolerably thick, and lay it on, glazing it over when dry with a polisher.

To colour a light green.

Take the Herb called Horse Tail, bruise it, and add to the juice a small quantity of Verd­grease, Alum and Coperas, and over a gentle Fire, make it into a colour; which will prove very pleasant and delightful.

To dress, or cover Leather with Silver or Gold.

Take that which is called brown red, and grind, or move it on a stone with a muller, ad­ding [Page 20]water, and chalk, the latter being dissolved, and with it rub, or lightly dawb the Skins over, till they look a little whitish; and then, before they are quite dry, lay on your Leaf-Silver or Gold, placing the Leaves a little over each other, that no Intermission be found; and when they have well closed with the Leather, and are suf­ficiently dried on, rub them over with a po­lisher made of smooth Ivory, or of a Horses Fore-tooth, and you will perceive it very splen­did.

Another way of gilding Leather more lasting than the former, viz.

Take Gleer made, or consisting of the whites of Eggs, or you may for want of the former make Gum-water, and with a brush run over the Leather with either of them; which done, lay on your Gold or Silver, and burnish it over as the former.

To make Leather shine without any Gold, &c.

Take whites of Eggs, Gum-water, and pow­der of Antimony, mix them well together, by beating, and having your Skins well dried, lay the mixture on them, and do it often, till the Leather be quite hid; which done, let the mix­tures dry; and then burnish them over; and for want of Antimony, you may use black Lead.

To make Cloth that has lost its Colour recover it and look fresh and bright.

TAke of unquenched Lime two ounces, of the Ashes of the Bark of Oak, the like quantity, and put them into a quart of fair wa­ter, mixing them well, and suffering a settlement for the space of an hour, drawing off the clear part, and therewith wash or carry over with a hard brush the Cloth, and by twice or thrice carrying it over, it will look fair and bright.

To wash Scarlet that is soiled or greasie.

Take two ounces of white Tartar, beat it finely, and heat it over a Fire in a pint of fair water, till it be thoroughly dissolved and very hot, then suffering it to cool a little, take an in­different hard brush, and dip into it, rubbing it [...]ightly over with the same, and by so doing in [Page 22]a short time it will return to its first Estate and Colour.

To restore Silks of any Colour in the like nature as the former.

Take an ounce of unslaked Lime, and the like quantity of the Ashes of Vine Branches, and as much of Oak-Bark, mix them well together in fair water, and make a kind of a Ley with them over a gentle Fire; which being setled, take the clear part, and with a brush or spunge rub over the faded part, and it will in a short time restore it.

To make a Soap to take Grease, Spots, or Stains out of Cloth, Stuffs, Silks, &c.

Take a pound of Roch-Alum, burn it well, and beat it into Powder, add to it the powder of the roots of Florence-flame, an herb so called, about half a pound, and to these add a new laid Egg, and two pound and a half of Cake Soap, make them up with fair water into round balls; and when you are desirous to take out any Spot or Stain, wash well the place first with warm water, and then lay a laying of this Soap upon it for three or four hours; and then wash it off with other warm water, and in often so doing they will disappear.

An other excellent and approved way.

Take Wood Sorrel and distil it in an Alim­beck with Fumitory, and wash the damaged place therewith, and it will in frequently so do­ing restore it.

A way to take Spots out of Linen or Woolen, if coloured.

Take of the juice of a Limon, two spoon­fulls, one Spoon full of the Juice of an Onion, and warm them over the Fire, and with them often wash the Spots, and they will no more ap­pear.

How to make a good Ley to take out Spots and Stains, viz

Put into three pints of Water half a pound of Soap-boilers Ashes, and suffer them with daily stirring, to remain in it for the space of four days, then pour off the clear water; then mix it, as you see convenient with Fullers Earth, and lay it hot on the place, and it will with often using effect your desire.

A very good way to take Spots of Oil out of Cloth.

Take Oil of Tartar, and mixing it with the [Page 24]powder of a burnt bone, apply it to the spot, and hold over or upon it a spoon wherein is a live coal, and the heat thereof will attract the grease and render the spot invisible.

To take Pitch, Tar, Ros [...]n or Bees wax out of any Stuff, Silk or Cloth.

Take Oil of Turpentine, warm it a little, and apply it to the place, suffering it to soak in for the space of an hour; and then gently rub it, and you will perceive the Rosin, &c. losened and instantly to crumble away.

A Soap water to take out any manner of spots, how to make it.

Boil Straw-berries, or the Leaves thereof in a quart of fair water, and a pint of Vinegar; then add two pounds of Casteel Soap, and half a pound of Chalk finely scraped, boil them till the moisture is consumed, and when you have Occasion, wet the place with sharp Vinegar, and rub it over with this Soap, drying it af­terward against a Fire or in the Sun.

A speedy way to take all manner of Spots, or Stains, out of Scarlet, or out of Velvet, of what Colour soever, not changing it.

Take Soap-wort, an herb so called, strain out the Juice, it being bruised, add to the Juice a [Page 25]small quantity of black Soap, if the Scarlet be [...]t dyed in clear grain, and these being made [...]in, wash the place with the liquid part, suf­ [...]ring it to dry between whiles, and by this means in a day or two, you will perceive the Spots to disappear.

To take Iron Moulds or Stains out of Linen.

Take the Juice of a Limon, warm it with a little Powder of Alum dissolved in it, wet it, and as it is wet, dry it with a spoon, wherein is a live coal, and so continue to do for the space of two hours, and the Spot or Iron-mould in a washing or two will disappear. This likewise will take out Spots of Ink, &c.

To take out oily Spots out of parchment or oily Pa­per the manner.

Take the Powder of burnt Bone, finely fifted, [...]nd place between two boards, pressing it hard, [...]ome of the powder on either side the Spot, and [...]n two days it will be quite vanished.

An excellent way to take Spots or Stains out of Linen, viz.

Take fair water, and dissolve it in Bay-salt, [...]nd steep the Linen therein; then take juice of [...]rrel and sharp Vinegar, and [...]ub the Spot with [Page 26]them, suffering it likewise to soak in, and in so often doing it will disappear.

To take away Ink-Stains, Stains with Fruit, &c.

Take the powder of Alum half an ounce, the juice of Housleek or Sengreen two ounces, and apply them, the Alum being dissolved very hot, and the business will be effected.

Instructions how to keep Silks from staining in the washing.

Heat rain-water, and when it is very hot, put into it casteel Soap, dissolve it well; then suffer it to be almost cold, after which, sprinkle in a small quantity of fulling Earth, and so scowre out your Silks; then suffer them not to lie on heaps, but spread them, and clap them between clean dry Cloaths, and they will be fresh and fair.

Directions to keep Linen layed up without using from Damage for many Years.

Having washed, and well dried your Line [...] the Sun, fold it up, and scatter in the foldin [...] the Powder of Cedar wood or Cedar sma [...] ground, having first perfumed your Chest wi [...] storax; by which means, not only dampness [...] prevented, but Worms or Moths, &c.

Further Directions, to keep Woollen or Linen sweet and pleasant, as likewise from being damaged by Moths, Worms, &c.

Take Orange Peels, dry them in an Oven, and beat them to Powder, add to that Powder of Elicampane roots, the Powder of Arras, and that of Juniper, and air your Cloaths, when you lay them up, over a Fire wherein Bay­leaves are cast and burnt.

A pleasant water to preserve Linen or any other thing a long time, g [...]ving it moreover a curious scent.

Take of Spike flowers two pound, Costmary one pound, Balm an handful, penny-royal as much, Mace two ounces, Arras Powder an ounce, soak these in White-wine, and distil them, and sprinkle your Cloaths in a fair day, suffering them afterward to dry, and then lay them up.

A good way to wash any Linen or Woollen in­ter woven with Gold or Silver, and not to impair it.

Dip the part you design to favour in Urine and Alum, and suffer it well to be soaked; then soap the rest, but not that place, and having washed it, hang it to dry in the shade, and your expectation will be answered.

To remove stains occasioned by Wine or Vinegar.

Take new Milk, and steep the thing stained therein a night; then take Runnet, and apply to the Stain, rubbing it in; and by so doing twice or thrice, you will find it fair as at first.

To make Linen that is turned yellow, very white.

Heat Milk over the Fire, and add to a Gallon a pound of Cake soap scraped in, so that it may dissolve, and when the Cloaths have boiled therein, take them out, and clap them into a La­ther of hot water, and wash them out speedily.

To whiten Cloth the best way.

Take your Cloth, and buck it well; then spread it upon the Grass, and sprinkle it with Alum-water, suffering it to continue abroad for three or four days; then buck it again with Soap and fullers Earth, and use it as before, and so it will be both thick and white.

To scowre Silver, and Gold Lace, and to restore it to its first Lustre, as also Imboss, or Im­broid [...]ry.

TAke the Lace, and lay it as smooth as may be upon a dry Woollen Cloth; then burn Alum, and beat it to Powder, sifting it after­ward through a very fine fieve; then with a brush, rub it gently over the Lace, and by so doing, and often turning it, the business will come to Perfection. And thus,

To scowre, and take Stains out of any Silver Plate, &c.

Steep you Plate in Soap-leys for the space of four hours; then run it over with whiting wet with Vinegar, so that it may stick thick upon it, and dry it by a Fire; after which, rub off the [Page 30]whiting, and pass it over with dry bran, and the Spots will not only disappear, but it will look exceeding bright.

To boil up Plate, that it may look like new.

Take of unslaked Lime a pound, of Alum the like quantity, Aqua vitae and Vinegar of each a pint, and of Beer grounds two quarts, boil the P [...]ate in these, and they will set a curious gloss upon it.

To make any Linen at the first appearance look like Diaper.

Take it when new washed, spread it upon a Table somewhat damp, and sprinkle it over with a brush dipped in Alum and Rose-water, in form and manner, as best shall suit with your fancy.

To whiten any piece of Ivory, that is turned yellow, as also Bone, &c.

Take a pound of Quick-lime beat small, and place it on the Ivory, till it be covered; then pour gently, and by degrees Vinegar thereon, and so suffering it to lye for the space of twenty four hours, take it out, and rub it with Alum-Powder, and the first whiteness will be restored and in the like manner Bone may be used and or­dered.

To cement broken Glass, or China ware a good way.

Take the whites of two Eggs, half an ounce of Quick-lime beaten to Powder, a dram of the Powder of burnt Flint, and the like quantity of Gum-sandrick, temper them well together, and, add for the better moistening a little Lime juice; then with a Feather anoint the edges of the bro­ken Vessels, and clap the pieces together by a warm Fire, and if your hand be light and stea­dy in the Performance, the Fracture will hardly be discerned.

To remove Spots and Stains out of very thin Silks, &c.

Take White-wine Vinegar a pint, make it in­different warm, then dip a black Cloth into it, and rub over the Stains, then scrape Fullers-Earth on it, and clapping dry Woollen Cloaths above and beneath, place an Iron indifferently hot on the uppermost, and it will draw out the Spot, &c.

To make an excellent Perfume preventing pesti­lential Airs, &c.

Take Benjamin half an ounce, Storax the like quantity, as much of Galbanum, temper them being bruised into Powder with the Oil of [Page 32]Myrrh, and burn them in a Chasing-dish, or for want of these, take Rosemary, Balm and Bay­leaves, heat them in Wine and Sugar, and suf­fering the moisture to consume, let them like­wise burn by the heat of the pan, and they will cast a curious scent.

To perfume Cloths.

Take the best Cloves an ounce, dry them in an Oven, and beat them to Powder, do the same by a like quantity of the Wood of Rheu­barb and Cedar, and sprinkle them in your Box or Chest, and they will not only cast a curious scent, but likewise preserve them against Worms and Moths.

A curious Scent, or Perfume, to carry with one, when going abroad in damp Airs, or to visit sick or infected Persons, and is wonderful good for all Pains in the head.

Take Orange-flower Butter an ounce, Oil of Nutmeg, a quarter of an ounce, Amber­grease a dram and Civet a scruple, mix them well together, and carry a small box of it about you, smelling to it as you have occasion.

To make a sweet scented Powder very pleasant.

Take Rice-grounds, and the small of white [...]arch a like quantity, pound them in a Mortar, [Page 33]and sift them well through a fine sieve, dry the dust in an Oven or before the Fire; then infuse to each pound a grain of Civet, and half an ounce of Rose scent, and keep it close looped up, till it be well infused; and then use it for your Hair, or otherways at your discretion.

To make scented Wash-balls the best way to keep, &c.

Take Casteel Soap, scrape it into new milk, and heat it over the Fire, till it melt and again become thick, then put a small quantity of Am­ber grease, Lavender cotten flowers beaten, and dryed, till they are as fine as Meal, and a little Spirit of Cloves or Cinamon, and so make them up into balls, and lay them a drying in a warm place, but not in the Sun.

A Perfume to drive Vermine out of a House, &c.

Take Burgundia-Pitch an ounce, Brimstone half an ounce, Storax the like quantity, the Pow­der of Mother-Amber a dram, beat and mix them well together, and burn them upon a Cha­sing-dish, and where the scent comes, the Mice and Rats will fly with much speed to avoid it.

An Ointment or Perfume to remove an evil scent that has tainted the brain, &c.

Ta [...] of the Oil of Bay-berries, half an [Page 34]ounce of the Powder of Frankincense a dram; the Oil of Mace or Spirit a scruple, as much of the Oil of Turpe [...]tine, mix them well together, and keep them in an Essence bottle.

An Essence that will immediately perfume the place. How to make i [...].

Take Cinamon an ounce, Camphora half an ounce, Opopanax a dram, Roses clean picked a handful;, Rue and Rosemary flowers the like quantity, the Gum of Myrrh a dram, bruise them well, and put them into a small Alembick or glass retort, and take the Essential part in a Bottle, stopping it close, unless when occasion requires it, and then by opening it, you will suddenly find the Effects answer your Expecta­tion.

For drawing the face, general Rules, &c.

IN this case curiously observe the face in its motion, whether upward, forward, down­ward, or side-ways, touching lightly the features, where the Eyes, Nose, Mouth, and Chin ought to stand; then more perfectly go over them, for the Circles, Squares and Triangles, that are used in this matter, may serve well enough, to guide your Judgment where to place them. And in this case, observe diligently the principal Muscles of a Face, appearing most in aged Men or Women. And there is usual a threefold pro­portion [Page 38]observed in a Face, as first from the top of the Fore-head to the Eye brows. Secondly, from the Brows to the bottom of the Nose, and Thirdly, from thence to the bottom of the Chin, but in some the Fore-head is lower, and in o­thers the Nose longer.

The distances between the Eyes consist in a full Face of the length of one Eye, but in a three quarter, or side-face, that distance is les­sened answerable to the proportion. As for the Nostril, it ought to be exactly placed against the corner of the Eye. And in a fat face, you will perceive the cheeks to swell, when on the contrary, in a lean face, the Jaw-bones stick out, and the cheeks fall in.

You may discern a smiling countenance, by perceiving the corners of the Mouth to turn up a little, and a frowning or sowre countenance, by the Fore-heads bending and somewhat wrink­ling on the top of the Nose.

To draw a fore-right Face, make the form of a perfect Oval, divided into three equal parts, by two Lines. In the first part, place the Eyes: In the second, the Nostrils: And in the third, the Mouth, observing to keep the Eyes distant from each other, the length of one Eye, and that their inward corners be perfectly over the out side of the Nostrils.

To draw an upright head, it must be made e­qual with three Lines, every way, either up­wards, downwards, higher or lower, and that must, as the former, be divided into three equal parts.

To draw the Inclining, or fore-shortened face, observe how the Lines concord or agree toge­ther, and with ease, you may draw, in their proper places, the Nose, Mouth, and other parts, with a little Practice, and in these forms it is requisite that you are very perfect as being rules of frequent use; for of the many parts of Man's Body, the face is most difficult; but having got the true proportion, with your measures, you will be capable, let the face turn which way it will, to form it; and further note, that what­soever proportion the Face you are to imitate bears, your out stroaks must be formed accord­ingly.

As for the Nose, it requires to its due pro­portion much care and diligence, as being the most eminent part of the Face; in which, especi­ally, observe the hollowness, roundness, and indenting of the Nostrils, &c.

The next thing, especially where the body is to be covered, is to be considered of the Hands, in their several postures and positions, as well by measure, as without, as also Hands, and Arms of whose postures, as well as the former, it would not be unnecessary for the Learner, to get draughts for his better imitation, which may be had at most Picture Shops, for a small matter ready done.

When you have practised, and are a little expert in drawing the Hands and Arms, &c. pro­ceed to the drawing of Feet in their several Po­stures, as well without, as with measure; [Page 40]which having attained separate, exercise your skill in drawing Legs and Feet conjunct or join­ed together, that so understanding the frame and particulars of the whole body, you may be the better understanding in drawing the Figures in their due proportion and right Postures, in doing which there is no small difficulty. And in this manner, having proceeded to form the Members, draw the other parts of the body, as the Shoul­ders, Back, Breast, Belly, Secrets, Thighs, and the like, and lastly take care in due proportion to join them, that they may appear firm and com­pleat.

Coming to practise upon an entire body the best way is to begin with those of Children; and my reason is, because they are generally fat and plump, and rounder than the Bodies of Men and Women, and consequently require so much curiosity in the observation of Muscles and other Features, which render the drawing less diffi­cult.

As for your further Direction in drawing, ob­serve ever to begin at the Head, and so proceed by degrees, running the whole lightly over at the first, and encreasing more fully, as you see occasion, ever being careful to take notice, that your parallel Joints, Muscles, Sinews, &c. be rightly proportioned, and exactly opposite; also that the motions of the Body be answerable to each other, and that the Parts and Limbs have a due Symmetry, not being faulty in the indecen­cy of having one great Arm or Leg, and ano­ther [Page 41]small one, nor a great Finger upon a small Hand, neither further than the proportion re­quires, suffer one Limb, or Member to be lon­ger than another; and although it so happen, which it frequently does, that at first you commit Errors of this nature, yet be not discouraged, for frequent practice will redress them.

Having thus far proceeded with Success, and being indisterent perfect herein, you must con­sider what it is to shadow; and in this case, ob­serve the following Rules, viz.

The out Lines of the draught of any Picture, give the symmetry or proportion, which ought to be sufficient to a good Judgment, but the Lines and Shadows produce to the less curious, the lively likeness in shadowing; therefore of any Picture, you must take notice to cast your sha­dow always one way, viz. on which side soever you begin to shadow your Figure, whether on the right or left Hand, as in the Figure of a Man, if you first proceed to shadow his left Cheek, the left side of his Neck, Body, and all other parts must be shadowed, unless the light side of the Figure be dark, by reason of some other Body standing between the Light and it, as sup­pose three men were standing together; then must the Body, or Figure in the middle be dar­kened by the foremost, unless the light by facing it come between them.

Further, note, that all shadows must conse­quently grow fainter, as they are further remo­ved from the opacous Body from whence they [Page 42]proceed. But in case of Storms, where Clouds, or Waves, by contending Winds are driven one against another, contrary shadows are allowed, as striving for Superiority, and so you must be sure to supply the greatest first, and according to your Judgment, supply from them the lesser.

All circular Bodies must have a circular sha­dow, as they have a circular form, and as the object of Light which causeth the shadow is cir­cular.

And now for your further Information of this kind, observe that a Man standing from the top of the head, to the bottom of the feet, is in due proportion eight times the length of the Head. The Arm when it hangeth straight down, reach­eth within a span of the Knee; the Hand must be the length of the Face, and spread broad, must cover it, and no more; and further note, that in drawing a Figure standing, you must in the first place draw that Leg, which the Body stands firm upon, or else your Figure will unde­cently decline one way more than another, as if it were falling. The Arms of a Man extended are his full length; and so of a Woman in the vari­ous particulars. Thus having directed you in the drawing and proportioning naked Figures, I now proceed to give directions about Garments, &c.

As in naked Figures, it is observed you draw the out-Lines first; so you must do in Drapery or Cloathing, leaving space within for your grea­ter or lesser folds; then first draw the greater folds, and break them into lesser [Page 43]contained within them, and the closer the Gar­ment sits to the Body, the narrower and smaller must be the folds, and in shadowing, the inner­most must be the harder, and the outermost softer.

Continue always throughout your Garment the great folds, but as for the lesser, break them off, as you see convenient, and the finer your drapery is, the fuller, and sharper must your folds be, and the shadow the stronger, yet more pleasant to the Eye, ever taking notice, that that part of any Garment that sits close, as the body Coat of a Man, the Breasts of a Wo­man, and the like, must not at all be folded, but rather with a sweet shadow represent that part of the Body, that the Garment appears to cover, as Woman's Breasts, with a sweet found shadow, &c. And thus much for the body of Man in drawing.

The Operation of the first sitting, &c.

Having laid your ground for the general Complexion, the next work must be to draw the out Lines, which you must effect with Lake, and white mingled drawing very faintly; so that if you chance to miss your proportion, you may al­ter it with a deeper mixture of the same Colour.

Having drawn the proportion of the Face, add to the former Colour a small proportion of red Lead, tempering it faintly to the Colour of the Cheeks, and Lips, at the tips of the Chin, and Ears, about the Eyes, and the roots of the Hair, placing the red shadows, and as for the shadows, they must not be put in with the flat of the Pencil, but with small touches after the man­ner [Page 52]of hatching, and in this manner going over the Faces, you will cover your ground with these and the like Shadows, and in these dead Colours, your curiosity need not be great, only strive to imitate Nature, as near, as may be, for the roughness of the Colours may be mended at the second Operation.

Having duly placed, and proportioned your red shadows; in the next place, put in your faint blue shadows about the Corners of the Eyes, and Balls, &c and your greyish blue under the Eyes, and about the Temples, working them sweetly and faintly over by degrees, heightning the shadow, as the Light falls; as likewise the hard shadows in the dark side of the Face un­der the Eye brows, Nose, Chin, and Neck, with some stronger touches on those places, than on the light side of the Face, and so bring all your work together to an equal roundness, giv­ing Perfection to no particular Part, at this time, but take a ful view of your object; and consi­der, how near you hit the Life, not only in seem­ing likeness but roundness, boldness of Posture, colouring, and such like. And having by this time wrought your fainter shadows into the red shadows, you may venture to take a touch at the hair, disposing it in such curls, folds, and forms, as you shall see convenient for Grace and Orna­ment, only drawing it with some Colour suitable to the Life, and fill up the empty space with Co­lours, deepening it somewhat more strongly, than before in the deepest shadowed pla­ces, [Page 53]and this may suffice for the first Opera­tion.

The second Operation or sitting.

In this sitting, the party must take the same Place, and Posture, as before, and then be curious to delineate with your Pencil, the parti­cular varieties of Nature; and as you drew them over but rudely before, you now must sweeten them with the same Colours, by working, and driving them one into another; so that no rough edge, nor lump of Colour may appear, and this must be done, with a Pencil sharper than the for­mer, by which means the shadow may be soft and smooth.

Thus having done, proceed to the back-side of your Picture, and if there a Curtain, as is the usual manner, be required, we will sup­pose it to be blue Sattin, and to do it, temper as much Bise in a shell, as will cover a small Card, suffering it to be moist and well bound with Gum; then draw with your Pencil the out­lines of your Curtain, as also of your Picture, and so lay it over very thin, and airy with a large Pencil, that it may be the whole ground, you intend to do with blue; and then lay it over again with a substantial body of the same Co­lour; in doing which, you must be swift, keep­ing your Colour moist, and not suffering any part to be dry till all be covered.

If it happen that your Curtain is to be Crim­son, you must trace it out with Lake, and lay the ground with a thin Colour, observing where your strong Lights and Reflections fall, there lay the Lights with a thin, and waterish Colour, and the Ground being yet wet, lay the strong and hard shadows close by the other Lights, with a dark Colour temper'd reasonably thick.

Thus having layed your back-side, which in the same manner you may do with any Colour. Your next work is, to lay your Linen of a fair white, and your Drapery flat with the Colour you intend it. Then take another view of the Face, and mark well what shadows are too light, or too deep, and endeavour to reduce each shadow to its due Perfection; then shadow the enterance into the Ear, and draw the Lines of the Eye lid, the deepness of the Eye brows, and all the most eminent Notes and Marks in the Face, doing them with a very curious sharp Pencil, and then heighten the Hair, deepening it, as it appears in the Life, casting over the ground some loose Hairs, which will look very pleasant, and make the Picture seem to stand at some di­stance from the Curtain.

In the shadowing your Linen, which ought to be very curious, use black, white, a little yellow, and a small quantity of blue. The black being deepened with Ivory-black; to which add a small quantity of lake, or Indico: And thus much for the second Operation, from whence I proceed to the third and last.

The third Operation, &c.

In this, only observe to give strong touches, where you see Cause, or find any Defect, ta­king more perfect observations for the rounding of the Face, which at this sitting is better done than before, noting diligently, whatever may conduce to similitude, which is the principal in the work; as Scars, Moles, cast with the Eyes, drawing the Mouth, &c.

In case of Ornaments, as Garments, &c. the ground being laid with Bise; then the deepening must be Lake, and Indico, the Lightning, white, very fine, faint and fair; and in the extreme light places, let what has been said of the blue Drapery suffice, and may be understood of all other Colours; and for the greater Ornament, you may mix the Light with Gold, or Sil­ver, &c.

If the Body is to be in Armour, lay liquid Silver for your ground, and when it is well dried and burnished, shadow it with Silver, Umber, and Indico, and work the shadow upon the Silver, as the life directs, &c.

For Gold Armour, lay liquid Gold for the ground, and shadow it with English Oker, Lake, and a mixture of Gold.

For Pearls, or that colour your ground must be Indico, and white, and the shadow Pink, and black.

For Diamonds, lay a ground of liquid Silver deepened with Ivory and Cherry stone-black. And thus much for the Face, Body, &c. as to the laying in water Colour, and the next that pre­sent themselves are Landskips.

Directions for laying Landskips, &c.

In this case, always begin with the Sun Beams and Sky, the lightest part first; and then the yellow, which must be composed of Masticote, and white, the next your blue Skies with Smalt only leaving no part of your ground at first un­covered; but lay the Colours smooth all over, working the Sky downward toward the Horison, still suffering it to grow faint, &c. as it draws nea­rer the Earth, and work the tops of Mountains, and other objects very remote, so faint, that they may appear, as lost in the Air, and as for your lowest and nearest ground, it must be an Earth Colour of dark brown, inclining a little to yel­lowish, and green, as the matter requires, and the next a lighter green, and so successively, as they lose in their distance, you must abate their Colour, nor must you make any thing, you see at a great distance, perfect, or absolute, what it really is; because it is altogether conjecture, you cannot absolutely discern it, but express it in Colours weakly, and faintly, as your Eye judges it may be. And ever observe in this case to place the light against the dark; and so conse­quently, the contrary, which is an excellent [Page 57]way, to extend the Prospect far off, yet do it so, as the shadows may lose in their proportion of distance, by degrees, their force, as they remove from the Eye, observing further, that the strongest shadow must ever be nearest. And thus much may suffice for limning in water Co­lours, which if duly observed, and practised, will wonderfully help the Learner: And in this manner, you may paint upon Glass, by laying on the fairest Colours if it appear through the Glass first; but if otherwise, lay first a ground, and especially upon Copper.

For a fair Complexion.

Take a small quantity of white, and twice as much Vermilion, and Lake, temper these with the flat of a Knife's Blade upon your Pal­let, or Hand-board, and use it for the deepest Carnation of the Face, adding moreover to a small part of it more white, and reserve that for a lighter Carnation. And yet another part being reserved, add more white to it, till it come to the lightest Colour in the Face: And then pro­ceed to prepare the faint shadows, and in doing it.

Take Smalt, and mix it with a little white, which may conveniently serve for the Eyes; then laying aside the greatest quantity, add to the rest a little Pink, and these well tempered, will serve for the faint greenish shadow in the Face; then proceed to prepare your deep shadows: And in order to it, take Lake, Pink, and Ivo­ry-black a like quantity of each, and temper them together. And if the Face of the Party, or the Figure you are to copy require redder sha­dows, than what you have tempered, add more Lake, if yellower, more Pink, if bluer, or grey­er, then add more black.

Thus having prepared your Pallet with Co­lours suitable to a fair Face; consider again, in case the Complexion be more brown, or swarthy, you may temper the Colours, as before, putting moreover a little quantity of burnt Oker a­mongst your Lake, Vermilion, and White, that it may look somewhat tawny amongst your heightned Colours: In this case, temper a lit­tle Oker, so much only, as will just turn it, and for your very deep, and very faint shadows, you may use the same, as for the former Com­plexion.

For a tawny Complexion, use the same, in the general, as before, only let the shadows be prepared of burnt Oker, and Umber.

For an absolute black Complexion, your dark shadow must be as the fore going, but as for your heightnings, you must take burnt Oker, Lake, with black and white, yet but a little of [Page 61]the latter must be put in at first, that you may the better work it up by degrees: And note, that the single Colours laid at first upon your Pal­let well tempe [...]ed, according to the fore-going Directions, serve for shadows for all Complex­ions.

As for cutting in Wood, in relation to Pictures or the like.

YOU must prepare your Wood in the manner of a Plate, though an Inch thick, or ac­cording as the design requires, either Box, or Pear-tree, rendering it by plaining as smooth, and level as a piece of Paper; which done, hav­ing a d [...]aught of your design, you must rub the Wood gently over with a ground of paste made of the finest flower; and then fix your draught, or copy upon it, when suffering it to dry, rub the back side of the paper, which must be upper­most, with your wet finger, till you crumble it off so thin, that the Print plainly appears upon the Wood, as if it had been pa nted, or drawn thereon with a p [...]n, or pencil.

Having thus prepared your Wood, if it be small, fasten it up with coins, that it move not, unless there be occasion, or as the stroaks re­quire [Page 76]and then having a fine small knife in the na­ture of a Pen-knife, but much less and thinner, especially for the fine stroaks, cut out all the white stroaks, and ground, and suffer the black ones to stand, sharpening the fine stroaks, and bringing them to an edge, that they may not print black, or dull; and above all, be sure to do it with so light, and curious a hand, that you break none of them; for if so, you much de­face, and injure the Work, they not being to be repaired, and further observe to leave a good foundation to the stroaks, though never so fine at the top, least by the force of the Press, they break in working.

You may have your Pattern, or Advice, if it be new drawn upon the Wood with black, or­red Lead, though the former way is the securest from being rubbed out, or injured, &c.

To write, or gild with Gold, and Silv [...]r, an ea­sec, and curious method, &c.

If you would have fair Letters appear in Gold, or Silver, take Gum-armoniack, and grind it with a little juice of Garlick, and put thereto a few drops of the weak water of Gum-arabick; and so make it to the thickness of Ink, that you may conveniently write with it; and so write, or draw what you think convenient, and suffer it to dry a little, but not too much, lest it take not the Gold, or Silver, nor too little, lest it drown them. Then lay your Gold, or Silver in Leaf [Page 77]upon a Leather Cushion, being a piece of Calves skin stuffed, with the [...]ough side outwards; and so with a sharp knife, cut it into what proportion you will, suitable to what you have written, and taking it up with a loose piece of Cotton Wool, on which you have breathed, cover with it the place intended, pressing it down hard, and where the Gum-water is, it will take it; then brush a­way with other Cotton, what it has not taken, and being dry, burnish it with a piece of polished Ivory, and it will appear very splendid.

To write, or gild with liquid Gold, or Sil­ver, &c.

Take shell Gold, which is made of the raggid edges, or c [...]ttings of Leaf Gold; and when you are desirous to use it, put in a little fair water, tempering it up with a clean Pencil, and lay it on with a Pen, or Pencil in what form you please, either by way of writing, or gilding, and when it is dry, rub it over with a Dog's, Call's, or Horse's Fore-tooth, and it will be very shin­ing, and pleasant. And of this, as of the for­mer, you may lay on more, or less, either fo [...] the gilding P [...]cture Frames, Coaches, Rooms, or the like. As for lacquering, it only consists of carrying a Pencil dipped in rectified Spirits over Leaf Silver, which changes it to a gold Colour.

How to prepare Colours to colour printed Pictures, and thereby render them beautiful.

For a curious Violet Colour, take Turnsole, being a dye infused into a piece of a linen rag, heat it in Vinegar, and it will give you the Co­lour desired, after which dissolve in it some Gum-arabick, and use it, as you see occa­sion.

For a curious yellow, take Gum-booge, and dissolve it in fair Spring water over a gentle fire.

To make a transparent red, take Braziel, grind it, and heat it over a Fire, with small Beer, and Vinegar, put in a little Powder of A­lum, and Gum-arabick, and suffer it to boil, till it taste strong, &c.

For a transparent purple Colour, grind Log­wood, and boil it in all respects as the for­mer.

For a curious blue, take fine Litmos, and cut it into small peices, lay it for the space of twen­ty four hours in a weak Lake, Gum-water; to make which, you have been before directed, and it will answer your expectations.

To make a curious green, take the juice of rue, and a little Verdigrease.

For a light green, take Sap green flower de Biss, or tawny green, and steep them in fair water.

To shadow greens, sleep Indico, and yellow Berries.

To shadow blues, take Litmos, and Indico, steeping them in the Lees of Sope ashes, and use them with Gum water.

To make a good brown, take Ceruse, red Lead, Pink, and English Oker, mixing them, with Gum-water.

For an Orange Colour, take red Lead, and yellow Berries, and mix them with Gum-wa­ter.

For a curious flesh Colour, take white Lead red Lead, and Lake with Gum-water.

To make a Colour for precious stones, take Verdigrease, and Varnish for an Emrald, Flo­rence Lake, for a Ruby, and Ultramarine, for Sapphire.

How to colour Map, and what is to be observed therein.

In this case as well as in other printed Pi­ctures, is no more than to set them out in their proper Colours, which you must accordingly con­sider, as the nature of the thing requires, it be­ing impossible to direct in particulars; however observe that water must be a faint blue, Sky some­what deeper, Trees green, Houses in Maps are usually red and ways yellow, and green: And to these, and the rest, suit any water Colour, you think suitable mentioned in this Book.

Colouring for Landskips, and building at large, very proper.

In Landskips, for the saddost Hills, use burnt Umber, for the lightest, put some yellow to it, and for other Hills, lay Copper green thickened on the Fire, or in the Sun, and for those fur­ther off, mix with it some yellow Berries, and let the fourth part be done with green Verditer; and the furthest, and faintest Places with blue Bise, for the lightest places, use white, and sha­dow it with blue, as for the High ways, do them with white, and red Lead, using for Variety yellow Oker, shadowing it with burnt Umber; and it may likewise be used for sandy Rocks, and Hills; and as for other Rocks, you may lay them with several Colours; but at a distance, they must appear, blue, as in the Air; as for the water, do it with black Verditer, and white shadowed with green, and with blue Verditer, when the banks cast a green shadow upon the wa­ter; but when the water is dark in the shadows, shadow it with Indico, blue Verditer, and green, &c.

How to colour Building, &c.

In colouring Buildings, you must use much variety the better to set them off, yet not so, as they may appear extravagantly adorned, or contrary to the use of this kind; but for Walls, and Con­duits, [Page 81]use a mixture of white, and black; as likewise for other materials, but if a Brick-house, use red Lead, and white, and where the Hou­ses stand thick together, there use sundry Co­lours suitable to the occasion.

T [...] cleanse old Pictures, and render them fair and pleasing.

Take Wood-Ashes, the whitest that may be had, sift them through a fine lawn sieve, and with a Spunge, and fair water, wash the Picture gently over not rubbing it hard, least you im­pair the shadows, which being done, and the Picture dry, take distilled Varnish, and rub it thin, and gently over, and it will create a lasting freshness, or for want of this, you may do it with the whites of Eggs exceeding well beaten, or with Gum-water: But note, the Pictures to be thus used, must be such as are laid in Water-Co­lour Oil.

To refresh Hangings, or Tapestry, Carpets, or Chairs,

BEat the dust out of them in a dry day, as clean as may be; then rub them over well with a dry brush, and make a good Ladder of [...]asteel, or Cake Sope, and rub them well over with a hard brush; then take fair water, and with it wash off the froth, and make a water with Alum, and wash them over with it, and you will find, when dry most of the Colours restored in a short time; and those that are yet too faint, you must touch up with a Pencil dipped in suita­ble Colours; and indeed you may run over the whole piece in the same manner, with water Co­lours mixed with weak Gum-water, and it will cause it, if well done, to look at a distance like new.

To make Flock Cloth Hangings, &c.

To do this, take a course Canvas, spread it even upon a Flour, or Table; then take flocks, or shreads of Woollen, grind them as small as dust, and having sized over your Cloth with a good strong size, sift whilst it is wet the flocks on through a sieve very fine, and having done it e­ven in all places, run a rowler of wood, or Iron over the piece to press them down close, and so suffer them to dry in the shade, lest the Sun, or Fire parch, and make them crack, and when dry, brush them lightly over with Alum-water; and so draw your design with black Lead, red Lead, Char [...]coal black, or any other Colour you fancy, and it will at a distance look like Ta­pestry, and be very lasting in a room, where no great Fires are made.

How to thicken Linen Cloth for Screens, Bed-tea­sters, and the like.

Grind whiting with size, and to prevent its cracking, add a little Honey to it; then take a soft, and smooth brush, and lay it upon the Cloth, and so do two, or three times, suffering it the mean while to dry between layings on, and for the last laying, smooth it over with Spanish white laid with Line-seed Oil, the Oil being first heated, and mixed with a small quantity of the [Page 84]Litharge of Gold, the better to endure the wea­ther, and so it will be lasting.

Spanish white, how to make it.

Take fine Chalk, with a tenth part of Alum, grind them with fair water, till very soft; and then bring them to a thickness, and make them up into Balls, lay them to dry leasurely; and then heat them well in the Fire; and so use them.

To make a very good Size useful upon sundry Oc­casions, &c.

Take glue a pound, steep it in four gallons of water, till it be dissolved; then take a pound of the shreds, or cuttings of Gloves, or other the like Leather, and boil them in the water, wherein the glue has been dissolved over a gentle Fire, till it feel very clammy between your fin­gers, and when that is done, strain the liquid part through a sieve, and keep it for your use.

To make Alum water the best way.

Take a pound of Alum, bruise it, and put it into two gallons of water, adding a small piece of Gum; arabick; and having scumed it after a gentle heating from the froth, or scurf strain the water, and keep it for your use; and especially, to [Page 85]wash over printed Pictures lightly before you paint, or colour them, by which means, they being afterward suffered to dry, the Colour will be prevented from sinking, or soaking in unseem­ly.

To make Gum-arabick water for all Occasions.

Take of the transparent, or white Gum two ounces, half an ounce of Alum, and two quarts of Spring water, dissolve the former in the lat­ter over a gentle Fire, scum it, and take away the dross; and so use it with Colours, or in ma­king Ink, or the like, and if you perceive it too strong, you must put more water; but if too weak, then more Gum, taking out the dross as before.

And thus much may suffice for the first part of this Book, and past all peradventure prove useful to the Reader, and Practitioner, in such a man­ner, that I can scarcely believe he ever will, or at least will never have cause to repent of, or re­pine at the cost, and labour so necessary a Trea­tise, fill'd with so much variety puts him to.

To soften Steel, or Chrystal.

TAke of unquenched Lime a pound, and as much of Soap-boilers Ashes, and having made a Ley therewith, put your Steel, or Chry­stal into it for the space of twenty four hours, [Page 92]and it will easily be cut, or other ways order­ed, &c.

To soften brittle, and stubborn Iron.

Take the juice of Colts-foot, and Hemlock, and when your Iron is hot, steep it therein, and it will become ductil, or you may do it by often quenching in Line-seed Oil.

How to make a Powder to soften Metals.

Take your Metal, and heat it well; then take ground, or beaten Glass, common Salt, and Brimstone, and sprinkle them upon your Metal, whilst it is red hot, and afterward burn them off in the Fire.

To make Iron, or Steel, as soft as Copper the better to ingrave upon, &c.

Take Chalk, and Alum, bruise them well together, and being wet with the juice of an Onion, dawb it over your Metal a finger thick, and thrust it into the Fire, suffering it to burn, till it become clear, and it will answer your ex­pectation.

To make Iron, or Steel so soft, that you may t [...]is [...] it at Pleasure.

Take the Gall of an Ox, mix it with Oil o [...] [Page 93]Turpentine, and Urine, heat your Metal, and strow upon it Powder of Vitriol; then wash it over with the materials before mentioned, till it comes to be somewhat cool, and it will be very flexible.

Instructions to harden soft Iron.

Take the concoction of Vervein, Housleek Juice, the juice of Hore hound, Radish, or Rue, dissolve in them some Alum-powder, and the bu­siness will be effected, if you anoint your Metal when hot with the liquid part.

To harden all manner of Iron Tools, or Instru­ments.

Take the Leaves, or juice of Pentefole, or five leaved Grass, the juice of a Limon, or White-wine Vinegar, and dip the pieces of Metal, or Tools in it, when hot; and do so often, and you will find the advantage.

To make Iron as hard as Steel.

Take the juice of Roman Nigrel, and Mouse-ear, herbs so called, and strike over the Metal being hot; and by this means Tools may be made of it that will cut Iron.

To harden Metal, so that it shall not crack, nor flaw, &c.

Take Oil of Spike, and Mutton Suet, and dawb over the Metal hot; then plunge it sud­denly in cold water, and the business will be ef­fected.

To harden Augres, Files, Chizels, Mattocks, &c. for use.

Take the Juice of Radish, or Cole-worts, mix it with Ley made of Soap-ashes, heat it over the Fire, and when your Tools are well heated, or red hot in the Fire, quench them in it.

To make Tools so hard, that they will cut Iron, Copper, &c.

Take Salt Peter, and Copperas, strew them in Powder upon the Tools, when red hot; and then quench them in the destilled water of Shell­snails, and your expectation will be answered.

To colour, or varnish Tin, Copper, or the like metals.

Take half a pint of Line-seed Oil, warm it over the Fire, and scum it; then put therein bruis­ed Amber, and Aloepaticum, of each a quar­ter of an ounce, and suffer them to boil up to [Page 95]the thickness of an Ointment; after that, set them in a close earthen Vessel under ground for the space of four days, and when you use it, strike over your Metal with a brush, or Pencil, it being at the same time hot over a pan of Small­coal, and it will be of a curious Amber, or golden Colour.

The manner of gilding upon Metals, viz.

Take Wine-stone, Verdigrease, and Sal-ar­moniack, seeth them in White-wine with some common Salt, strike over the Metal indifferent warm with the liquid part, and suffering it to dry a little, take Water or Leaf Gold, and lay it on, which by the Virtue of the washing will stick fast; so that with a burnisher of Ivory, you may finish it in its proper Luster.

How to make a water for the gilding Metals.

Take three pints of Spring water, two pound of Roch Alum, an ounce of Roman Vitriol, and as much Verdigrease, and Orpiment, boil, and deum them; and then put in water of Tartar, and Bay Salt, of each two ounces; and when [...]he Ingredients are well dissolved, and come to a [...]hickness, strike over your Metal therewith, dry [...]t against the Fire, and burnish it.

How to gild Iron, or Steel with Quick-silver, and Gold Foil.

Take Vitriol, and Sal-armoniack, of each an ounce, and of Alum two ounces, beat them fine, and boil them to a thickness in fair water; add a dram of Verdigrease, and half an ounce of Sublimatum, and sperce over your Metal with it, when having mixed your Gold, and Quick­silver together, lay them on with a Leather Spa­tula, as smooth, and even as may be, then suf­fer the Varnish to take it, and burnish it o­ver.

To make Iron, or the like, a curious blue, or Steel Colour.

Burnish your Metal to a brightness, and take Cows-hools, burn them, and hold the Metal o­ver the smother, or smoak of it, and it will an­swer the end designed, &c.

To make Copper, &c. a Silver Colour.

Take Bay-salt, Alum, and Wine-stone, grin [...] them to Powder, adding in your grinding some leaves of Silver, and put them into an earthe [...] pot, close stopped with your Copper amongst it, and then taking it out, ru [...] it over with some [...] the Powder, and burnish it.

A very good way to burnish Iron, or other Metals.

Take of Aloepaticum, Citrinum, and Amber, each an ounce, make them into Powder, and place them over a gentle Fire in a well glazed pot; and when you perceive it melted, put to it a quantity of scalding Oil; and when the mix­ture is well made, let it cool; and so your Me­tal being glowing hot, lay a little piece upon it, and rub it over.

To make a good solder for Iron, or any hard Metal being cold.

Take of Sal-Armoniack two ounces, two oun­ces of common Salt; the like quantity of Wine­stone in Powder, six ounces of thick ground Glass, two ounces of Clock-spike, bruise and mingle them wall together, and so put them into a linen Cloth, and suffer the Cloth to be laid a finger thick with soft Clay, encompassing it on the out-side, and put them in [...]o a well glazed earthen pot, with a lid, or cover, and put that into another larger not of Earth well covered, and suffer [...] to stand over a gentle Fire, that the heat may e [...]creasie by degrees, to all be red hot, and r [...]; then suffer it to cool, and break it small, and grind it to Powder: Then in case of soldering, make your Iron, &c. fast, and the joints close laid, lay a paper under [Page 98]them, and upon it some of the Powder; as also between the Joints; then wrap it round with Clay; except the upper part, which you must leave open to solder at; then take the Powder of Burras, and put it into Wine or Aqua-vitae, and suffer it to dissolve, when dipping a feather therein, strike over the upper part of the Joints, and it will begin to smoak and hiss; the which ended, you may uncase it, and find it perfectly soldered.

A way to solder warm, or rather, hot on Iron, Steel, &c.

Take Gum-water, beat it up with green herbs of any kind, till it become a Paste, or of that thickness, and strike it on your Metal, or lay it on the Joint rubbing Soap over, at what time heat it, and it will prove a good Cement, &c.

To solder on copper, &c.

Take of Copperas an ounce, half an ounce of Orpiment, or white Arsnick, dividing it into two parts; and then make your Copperas run with Fire, then add one part of the Arsenick, or Orpiment; and after you have spread it thin on a fine stone, add the other part, then beat it into Powder, and use it as the solder for Iron, &c.

To solder Latten, a Metal, or mixture of Metals so called.

Take a File, and make the parts to be joined very smooth; then put them together, and being hot, scrape your Powder of Burras, and keep it close till cool, and the Joints will be fastened, or fixed.

To varnish like Gold on Tin, Silver, or Cop­per, &c.

Take an earthen Pot well glazed with a close Lid to shut in; and put into it six ounces, or half a pint of Lin-seed Oil, an Ounce of Aloe-paticum, and the same quantity of Mastick, make them into a fine Powder, and put them into the Oil, and cover the former pot with a bigger; the first having a small hole in the top through both lids, the better to stir the materials, and having closed the outward pot about with Clay, and suffer it to stand over the Fire, till it boils up to the hole, then cool it; and when you would experiment it, polish your Metal, and strike it over the Metal, being indifferently warm; and so do it over twice, suffering it to dry between either time, and the business will be effected.

To lay Gold on Iron, a brief and easie way.

Take liquid Varnish one pound, and of Oil [Page 100]of Lin-seed, and Turpentine, each an ounce, mix them well together over a gentle Fire; and lay them as a ground whereon to gild with Leaf Gold, &c. laying the Varnish very thin, and suffering it to dry.

Another easie way to gild on Metal, &c.

Take of Gum-arabick, and Bole-armoniack, each an ounce, put them into an earthen pot with a good close cover, set it over a gentle Fire; and when they are warm, put in two ounces of Lin-seed Oil; and when they come to a Var­nish thickness, lay them for a ground as the for­mer, and on them the Gold, &c. observing for the better splendor, when it is dry to polish it.

To make the best common or black Ink.

TAke a Gallon of Rain-water or clear Spring or running water, and put twelve ounces of Nut galls bruised, or broken into it, and of Gum-arabick and Copperas of each two ounces, suffer it with once a day stirring to stand for the space of twelve days in a warm place; and so use it as you have occasion: And in this manner you may make a greater or lesser quantity; but if you want Ink of this kind for present occasion, you may boil your Ingredients in Vinegar and Water; but the Ink will not prove as the for­mer.

To make red Ink.

Take the Powder of Braziel an ounce, white Lead and Alum of each two drams, Gum ara­bick a dram, put these into a pint of Urine, and stopped close in a bottle, and often shake them together, and the business will be effected.

Another way for red Ink.

Take of Gum arabick half an ounce, Vermi­lion an ounce and a half, Lake a quarter of an ounce, and Vinegar indifferent strong a quart, mix them well together over a gentle Fire, and then suffer them to stand a while, shaking the Ves­sel when you come to use it.

To make white Ink to write on Black Paper or the like: As in case of Consolatory Letters to those whose Friends are deceased.

Take an ounce of chalk, as much Quick-lime, and a quarter of an ounce of Egg-shell with half an ounce of burnt Ising-glass, grind them well together, and put them into Gum water of any kind to a thickness of writing, and the Ink by Candle-light especially will appear like Sil­ver.

To make Ink for the conveniency of Carriage in Powder, &c.

Take Lamp-black half an ounce, the Powder of Galls an ounce, Vitriol or Copper, as half an ounce, Gum-arabick a quarter of an ounce, Ivory black a quarter of an ounce make them into balls with water, adding if they stick not well together more Gum; and when you have occasion to use it, scrape a little into a small quantity of Wine, Water and Vinegar, and stir it about, and it will be exceeding black Ink immediately; and so you may be always provid­ed with it without fear of spilling, or want of it in places of travelling, where there is none to be had, and instead of Lamp-black, you may use burnt Cherry-stones ground to Powder.

To make a red Ink to carry to any Place as the former.

Take the Powder of Braziel finely ground or heaten one ounce, mix with it the juice of Mul­berries or Black berries, or for want of them, water, wherein a little Lake has been dissolved, add Gum-arabick half an ounce, to two oun­ces of the Powder, wet them to a thickness, and making them up in Balls, use them as the for­mer.

To make green Ink.

Take the filing of Copper an ounce, Verditer half an ounce, G [...]m-arabick half an ounce, and Vinegar half a pint, put them together in a stove or warm Oven, and suffer them to stand three or four days; then stir them together, and use the liquid part.

To make Ink that will make an Impression, as that of Printers, &c.

Take of Lamp black an ounce, or for want of it Shooe-makers black, half an ounce of Vi­triol, an ounce of fine ground Char-coal; to these add a quart of Line-seed Oil, boil them up with stirring over a gentle Fire, till they be­come of a sufficient thickness; then take out the substance, and move it upon a stone or on an Ink-block with your Muller, till it is very fine; and so it will take the Impression as of Letters, &c. in the nature of Prints or Pictures, &c.

Red Ink of the foregoing kind,

Is made with Vermilion and Line-seed Oil well tempered upon a stone with a Muller.

To write Letters invisible but by Fire.

You must take the Juice of Limon and Onion, [Page 108]temper them well together, and let your Paper be very dry; then write what you think conve­nient, and send it to the Party you design, who knowing the Mystery before-hand shall no soo­ner hold it to the Fire, but those Letters which were blank before will fairly appear.

To make Letters appear by water.

Take welld ried Paper, and having dissolved a quantity of Alum in Gum-water, write there­on, and suffering the writing to dry, dip the whole Paper under water, and the Letters will appear so much whiter than the rest, that they may be plainly distinguished and read.

To make Letters that cannot be seen or read, but by reading them through the Paper, &c.

Take white Lead finely ground with very weak Gum-water, and with it as thin as the tempe­rature of Ink, write upon exceeding white Pa­per, not very thick; and by that means when it is dry, it cannot be discerned from the Paper, but by looking at a light placed on the other side of the Paper; and then the Letters will plainly appear by denying your Eyes to penetrate them, though the Paper be transparent.

Foul Gloves to cleanse without wetting.

TAke your Gloves, and lay them upon a clean board, and make a mixture of Fulling­earth and Powder of Alum very dry, and pass them over on every side with an indifferent stiff brush; then sweep of that and sprinkle them with dried bran and whiting a considerable time; and so dust them well, the which if they be not extraordinary greasie, will render them clean as at first; but if they be greasy, you must take out the grease with crumbs of toasted bread, and powder of burnt bone; then pass them over with a woollen cloth dipp'd in Fulling earth or Alum­powder; and so you may cleanse them without wetting, which many times shrinks and spoils them.

To colour Gloves.

Take your Colours suitable to your intention, if dark take Spanish brown and black Earth, if lighter, yellow Oker and whiting; and so of the rest; mix them with a moderate size, and daub the Gloves over with the Colour wet, and so suffer them to hang, till they dry by degrees; then beat out the superfluity of the Colour, and smooth them over with a stretching or sleeking stick, re­ducing them to their proper shape.

To make an excellent Perfume for Gloves.

Take Amber-grease a dram, Civet the like quantity, Orange flower-Butter a quarter of an ounce; and with these well mixed and ordered, daub them over gently with fine Cot­ton-wool, and so press the Perfume into them.

Another good Persume on the like Occasion.

Take of Damask or Rose-scent half an ounce, the Spirit of Cloves and Mace of each a dram, Frankincense a quarter of an ounce, mix them to­gether, and lay them in Papers between your Gloves, and being hard pressed, the Gloves will take the scent in twenty four hours, and hardly lose it afterward.

To cleanse cast Bibbands, &c.

Take your Ribbands and smooth them out, having sprinkled them a little before with fair water; then lay them on a Carpet or clean Cloth at full breadth, and having made a thin Ladder of Casteel soap, go over them gently with a brush or fine woollen Cloth; then having in readiness water, wherein a little Alum, and white Tar­tar has been dissolved, go over them, till you see them clean; and so they will not only be clean, but the Colour will be fixed from further fading, if you suffer them to dry in the shade, and then smooth them out with a Glass Sleek­stone.

To wash black and white Sarcenet the best and su­rest way.

Lay these smooth and even upon a Board, or Car­pet, spreading a little Soap over the dirty places; make a Ladder then with Casteel Soap, and having an indifferent fine brush, dip it therein, and pass over the Silks the right way, viz. long­ways, and repeat your so doing, till you per­ceive that side is sufficiently scowred; and then turn the other, and use it in the same manner; whereupon take it up, and put it into fair water scalding hot, suffering them to lie, till such time as you have prepared cold water, wherein a small quantity of Gum-arabick has been dissol­ved, [Page 112]as also, if for white Sarcinet, Smalt, into which you must put them and rinse them well, that done, take them out and fold them, clapping or pressing out the water with your hands on a Carpet that is dry, keeping them under your hands in the like manner, till you find them in­different dry; at what time in case of the white, you must have Brimstone ready to smoak or dry it over, till it is ready for smoothing, which must be done on the right side with a moderate hot Iron.

To wash and starch Tissanies, &c.

In this case, the hems of your Tiffanies must in the first undertaking be only soaped a little; as also the Lace if any be on them; then having a Ladder of Soap, put them into it hot, and gently move them with squeezing them only, and not too roughly rubbing them, lest they break or crumple over much; and when you find they are pretty clean, rinse them in warm water, in which a little Gum arabick has been dissolved, keeping them as much from the Air as possible; this done, make Starch of a reasonable thickness, blewing it as you think convenient, adding a lit­tle lump of Alum to be dissolved therein; and when it is boiled to a convenient thickness, strain it, and during its being hot, wet your Tiffanies therewith gently, doing it with a soft Linen rag, and fold them up in a clean Linen cloth, pressing them therein, till they are somewhat dry, after [Page 113]which, clap them between your hands near a good fire; and so finish the drying them over Brim­stone, and shape them to your purpose, and either sleek them over, or gently Iron them.

Lawns may in the manner of the former be ordered. Only observe to Iron them on the wrong side, and using Gum arabick water instead of Starch; and according to what has been di­rected for black Sarcenet any coloured Silks may be ordered abating, or augmenting as you think fit, according to the stiffness or limberness intended, your Gum-water.

To wash and starch Point-Lace.

Have a Tent prepared, fix the Lace in it, and draw it pretty streight; then having a Ladder of Casteel soap pretty warm, and with a fine brush dipped therein, rub over your point gently; and when you perceive it clean on the one side, do the like on the other; then cast fair water, in which a little Alum has been dissolved to take off the Suds; at what time having very thin Starch, go over with the same on the wrong side, and on the same side Iron it when dry; and so with a Bodkin open it, and set it in order.

To clean Point Lace, if not over dirty with­out washing, six it in a Tent as the former, and go over with fine Bread, the Crust being pared off, and when it is done, dust out the Crumbs, &c.

Wax work its Nature, and how to be managed and performed.

IN this case you must provide your self with the finest Virgin Wax, raresie it by often melt­ing over a fire, till it become exceeding pliable, and render it the better, so put in a quantity of clarified Turpentine; and having considered your Figure, you must work it in water a little Warm, and move it into a curious flatness, then imboss it in Moulds, or as some will have you, cast it, especially where a curious resemblance of a Head or Face is required, working the rest of the Body proportionably upon sticks or wiers, ruffling as you see convenient the Garments, or pleating them; then having your suitable Co­lours, paint each part as the property with Wa­ter Colours prepared according to what has been directed in painting or limning with those Co­lours, and with a small Ivory Polisher go gent­ly over those parts you would have to shine; and [Page 115]then having prepared Glasses to cover them, which will give them the greater Luster, place them where you please for Ornament.

As for Birds, Beasts, Trees, Fruits and the like, they must be tempered after their former manner, and reduced in their sundry shapes, not forgetting every one to have its proper and natu­ral Colour; and for the adornment of any Land­skip, represent of this kind the Ground, where Grass is required may be Moss, which may in like manner serve for shrubs: But in case of the Leaves of green Trees, they may be Paper or Horn, thin and finely coloured, shaped and wisted upon wiers; in order as you shall see convenient: But as to every particular of this kind, 'tis only practice can perfect you.

To imboss Plate as Powter, Silver, or other Metal.

Having your device drawn upon the piece you intend to imboss, you must lay the right side up­on a Bed of Bees-wax covered over with a fine Cloth; and so proceed to punch out the Metal with punchers or tools for that purpose, going o­ver every stroak and Line as in case of etching or graving, which done, you must turn the right side, and fill the imbessments with war, that the hollows may bed close and not sink, then with your fine Tools and Graver polish and work the shapes in their due order by correcting and a­mending the roughness made by the punching out, [Page 116]and giving fine touches and stroaks where you see it needful, and the Figures will appear very plea­sant, being a Performance of great Anti­quity.

To work Flowers, &c. in Silk or Silver.

Take raw or fleasy Silk of sundry Colours comb out the dross or ravel, laying each Colour, by it self; then twist and mingle the Colours by placing upon wires, according to the natural form of the flower intended, then comb them out, and fashion them more exactly with your scis­sors and Needle; then dip them in Gum-water; and by drawing them through it, and whilst wet, open and shape them with your Fingers; that done, set them to drying in the shade; and in that form they will remain very pleasant and de­lightful: And thus you may perform them sin­gle, or on Branches with the stalks suitable, &c. You may in this manner form Fruits and other things very material.

Carving of Images, &c. what is to be materi [...]lly observed therein.

Resolving to carve any [...]urious Rigure you must provide your self with a si [...]ilitude or likeness▪ either in Statue, or Porctraiture; whether it be for Wood, Ivory, or any thing tractable in this nature; and before you proceed to your rough carving with a black or red Lead Pencil, or piece [Page 117]of Coal draw as well as may be the true Propor­tion, Posture and Features, having before redu­ced the Wood or Stone to some set form; then cut them out as you see it convenient, or let them swell as curiously as may; then with smaller Tools proceed to polish them yet finer; and so working by degrees, till you have brought your matter to a proportion; and then remains the Curiosity of fashioning to the Life, and in this you must be curious in eying your Copy, begin­ning with the head or upper part; and so de­scend by degrees, running it over three or four times before you come, either to washing or po­lishing, that no unseemly knob or other defor­mity may appear, &c. And in case any Statue or Image, either cast or carved require to be painted in lively Colours, the rule for paint­ing in Oil ought as well in the mixtures as laying on, to be observed.

In casting of Images or Figures, the curiosity lies in forming the Mould, and bringing the stuff to a fineness, which if done in beaten Chalk, Ter­race, Plaister of Paris or the like, they must be mixed with Gum-water, the better to strengthen them, but in case of Lime, &c. it needs not; and then no more is required than bringing the stuff to a fit temper or stiffness of dough; and the Mould being to clasp in the middle, and take asunder, fill it with the Material, and squeeze it hard in a Vice, having rubbed the out-side of the Mould before with dry whiting or chalk finely beaten, to prevent the sticking, then take it out, [Page 118]and set it to dry in a place where there is a stove; and when it is thoroughly dry, you may glaze or colour it at Pleasure.

If you design any Figure in Metal, and will not be at the trouble of imbossing it in the expanse; and so soldering it together, thereby rendering it hollow as in fine Metals 'tis often done; then must you make your Mould of Brick, Chalk, fine Clay, or the like, and place it, when dry and firm in a Bed of Sand, or in the Ground, keep­ing it close together; have then your Metal rare­fied or purged from dross by well refining, and a trough or spout layed from the Plug of your Mel­ter, and when the Metal is melted and skimmed, suffer it all at once to run with what speed it may into the Mould, that every part taking hold of each other whilst liquid, the whole Mass may the better incorporate and render the thing designed without flaw or scaling; suffer it then to be tho­roughly cold before you take it out, which done, polish it by taking off the rough outside, and proceed with your tools to rectifie what is un­seemly.

To polish Marble or any curious Stone.

Take fine Sand, and the Powder of Alabaster, polish it with a Polisher; and then suffer it to be laid over for a time with Oil; after that cal­cine, or burn Egg-shells, and with the calcina­tion thereof, rub off the Oil and polish it, and it will be of a lasting gloss, &c.

To make any Writing on Parchment or from Pa­per, decay and become unlegible in a short time.

Take Quick-lime, and mix with it the white of an Egg, and rub over with the said mixture the Parchment or Paper, when you intend to write; and although the writing for a time will seem fair, it will in a short time decay, and look so faint, that it can by no means be read.

To make new writing look old, and of a long standing.

Take a dram of Saffron, and infuse it into half a pint of Ink, and suffer it to warm over a gentle fire, and it will cause whatever is written with it to turn yellowish and appear as if of many years standing.

To make a curious Purple Ink.

Take a quarter of an ounce of Lake and half an ounce of Indico, and bruise them small; which done, warm half a pint of water, and infuse into it an ounce of Gum-arabick; then put the Colour in, and shake them well toge­ther.

Take Blots, or Letters out of Paper or Parch­ment.

Take an ounce of Alum, dissolve it in a quar­ter of a pint of water over a gentle Fire, and drop a drop of it warm as you see occasion upon the spot, and suffering it to lie for a time, take it up again with clean Cotton Wool on which you have breached to moisten it, and the business in once or twice doing will be effected.

To render Writing very fair.

Take Gum sandrick, bruise and sift it very fine, dip into it Cotton-Wool, and gently rub therewith your Paper or Parchment, and this is called the pouncing it, and is often used by School Masters to set of their Copies to advan­tage.

To write Letters like Gold without the help of Gold.

Take of Vermilion half an ounce, Gum-ar­moniack the like quantity, bruise and mix then with the whites of a couple of Eggs, and tem­per them in water to a thinness, that you may write therewith; and then your writing being dry, glaze it over with a Polisher.

To write Letters that will appear like Silver, with­out any Silver.

Take of Block-tin, Quick-silver, and the whites of Eggs, each an ounce, melt the two former, and having ground them fine and small, put them to the latter, and mix them with Gam­water to the thinness of Ink; and so proceed to write, polishing your writing, when dry.

How to prepare your Shell-Gold, and write with it.

Take the ragged cuttings of Leaf Gold, grind them upon a curious smooth and clean stone with Gum-water, and a little Alum Powder; and when they are well incorporated, drop of the substance into small shells; and when you use it, temper a little fair water to bring it to a thinness; and hav­ing written with it your Pleasure, suffer it to dry, and then polish the writing, &c.

To make a good red sealing wax.

Take of Bees-wax a pound, fine Turpentine three ounces, red Lead, or Vermilion finely ground an ounce and a half, Olive Oil an ounce, melt well the Wax and Turpentine, adding an ounce of Rosin fine in Powder; and when they [...]re well melted, and the dross taken off, put in [...]he Lead or Vermilion, and stir them well toge­ther [Page 122]her, till they are well incorporated; and so make them into what form you please for your use.

To make black Wax.

Take of Lamp-black or black Earth an ounce and a half, Turpentine and Rosin of each four ounces, of Bees-wax a pound, incorporate them as the former with Oil.

To make green wax.

Take Verdegrease an ounce, and all the o­ther Ingredients, except the colouring as the for­mer, ordering it in the like manner.

To make golden or transparent Wax.

Take clarified Rosin four ounces, Turpentine two ounces, Bees-wax four ounces, Olive Oil two ounces, melt them well together; and scat­ter in the melting disordered or shattered Lea [...] Gold, and suffer it to mix and incorporate; the [...] polish it over, when made into form, and th [...] Gold will appear in the transparency.

Scaling Wafers to make them.

Take fine Flour fifted or boulted, that [...] bran remain therein, mix with it the Glare [...] Eggs, a quantity of Ising glass so called, an [...] [Page 123]a little Yest, mingle the materials, beat them well together, spread the batter, being made thin with Gum-water on even Tin Plates, and dryed in a Stove, cut them out for your use.

A way always to be provided with Vinegar for Sauce wherever you travel.

TAke the blades of green Corn, when young, beat them exceeding small in a wooden Vessel; then strain out the juice, and take the remaining substance, and steep it in strong White wine-vinegar, or the juice of Limons, and suffer it gently to warm over the Fire; and so let it stand in a warm place, till the Vinegar be consumed; and then make the matter up into balls, and put them into a box and dry them; [Page 124]and so coming into any place where Vinegar is not to be had, scrape a little of the Powder in­to a little water, and it will afford you, when heat over the Fire, or stirred well together, a ve­ry good Sauce.

In case of the firing of a Chimney, the means whereby it may presently be extinguished.

Take an ounce of Gun Powder, and a quar­ter of an ounce of Brimstone fine beaten, wet them with water, and make wild-fire thereof, and throw it in small pieces into a small pan of Char-coal or Coal fire, that the smoak may go directly up the Chimney, and it will cause the Sout the Fire has taken instantly to fall by parcels, till there be none left.

To break, or blow up a Ship or Vessel that is sunk, though lying some Fathoms under Water.

To do this, you must find how the Vessel lies; and if you can conveniently let down a Barrel, or more of Powder in a stench Cask with a Cane or Leather Pipe let into it, and pitched round, so that it may, when the Barrel is funk to the lowest, appear with the uppermost part above water; then having a Boat ready, and a red hot bolt of Iron with a pair of long Pin­cers, drop it into the Cane or Spout, so that it may fall into the Powder, at what time, make off as fast as may be, and you will perceive immediate­ly [Page 125]a trembling of the water, and after that a Smoak to burst out; at what time, Planks, Goods, or any thing capable of floating will rise, the Vessel being broke by the force of the Powder.

To weigh any Vessel that is sunk the best way.

Lash a couple of Vessels together, and grap­ple the Vessel sunk, fastening the grapples, a Pole lying a-cross the two Vessels, the said Ves­sels being filled and low sunk by their weight, then empty them that they may rise, and they will cause the sunk Vessel to rise with them as far as they rise; then tow them as near to the shore as you can at high water, and at low wa­ter the sunk Vessel will appear above it, and you may empty it at your pleasure: And in this case twenty Tun of Vessels, Floats or empty Casks above water will raise a hundred Tuns under water.

To blow up Houses to prevent the Progress of a Fire the bast and safest way.

If so it happen the House be Timber, and you would throw it off from the fire, place your Barrel of Powder under the main Girder on the con­trary side you intend to turn it, and over it a Beam or piece of Timber, and fix in that another up­righ [...] scotch the Barrel, on either side lay a train upon boards covering it with Cloth to prevent its [Page 126]taking Fire before you intend it; and then hav­ing a piece of March fastened upon a Lin-stock, give Fire to your Wild fire at the end of the Train, and so retire.

If you would take a Timber or Brick-house upright, place the Powder in the Cellar under the main beam in the manner aforesaid, just in the middle; or if there be no Cellar, bed it a­bout as much as may be, and it will take it di­rectly up from the Foundation; and then suffer­ing it to fall directly down, it will break in pie­ces; at what time the Timber may be drawn a­way to prevent the Fires over-running it; and so by that means creep to the next building, and render your undertaking fruitless.

To make a Sun-dyal upon the Ceeling of a Room, and convey the beams of the Sun to it.

Prepare the Ceeling exactly level by raifing it with fresh Plaster, if there be any defect; draw your Dyal according to the form of a ho­rizonial Dyal, making the Lines and distance of equal Frame, set up your Gnomen or shadower, so that you may move it and leave blanks for the Figures; this done, conveniently place a Look­ing-glass, or burnished piece of Iron or Steel; so that it may reflect the light of the Sun upon the Dyal intended; then make it by another Dyal, how the Light moves, which it will do with the Sun; and according to that, b [...]ng a true one, place your Figures; then take off the [Page 127]Gnomen or shadower, and lay it aside, fixing the Glass or burnished Steel, that it may remain unsubject to be removed or shaken; and you may at any time without stirring out of the room, know whilst the Sun is upon the Dyal what it is a-Clock.

To make a Dyal in the Glass of any Window, that has the benefit of the Sun.

Take a curious, square, smooth Pane or Qua­rey of Glass, fix it even with strong Borders of Lead in the Window, and set up the Gnomen, siding, slaunting, or direct, according as the Sun has power upon it. Then by a Watch-Clock or other true Dyal, mark how the shadow moves to the time of the day with the point of a Diamond, and accordingly draw the Lines from the Center, and frame the Figures in due proportion and di­stance.

Directions to Measure or Gauge any Round Cark or Vessel, &c.

In the first place multiply the half of the thick­ness in inches, by half the circumference, and that product by the length in the inches; the last product for Ale divide by 288, and the quotient shews the number of Gallons in the Barrel; and to bring these Gallons into Barrels, divide the quotient by 36, for so many in case of Beer a Bar­rel contains. But in case the Vessel very much [Page 128]bellies in the middle, measure but half of it to the Bung, and work as before; and adding the products together, you will have the true ac­count.

To make a Powder upon which you may write with Water, &c.

BRuise to Powder a handful of Galls, half an ounce of Vitriol, and the like quantity of Gum-Arabick, and Gum-Sandrick; mingle them finely sisted together, and when you have occasion to write, rub over your Paper with a little of it laid upon Cotton-Wool; and then ha­ving sufficiently smoothed it, take water and write upon the said Paper; when suffering it to dry, it will take a black impression, occasioned by the Powder, as if it had been written with Ink.

Another curious Powder Ink, fit for Travellers, &c. or the London Powder-Ink.

Take ten ounces of Nut-Galls, bruise them well, three ounces of Roman Vitriol, Gum-Ara­bick [Page 129]and Roch-Alum, of each an ounce, make them into fine powder, sift and dry them; at which time put the Powder up in close Boxes or Papers, and when you have occasion to use it, put a little quantity into a good quantity of water, and shake it well about, and it will instantly change the colour of the water, and at length become good Ink; that is, in less than two hours space; by which means any person without giving him­self considerable trouble of carriage, may be furnished at all times.

Another curious Powder of the like efficacy, how to make, and lately known by the white Pow­der-Ink so much coveted of late, &c.

Take Gum-Sand [...]ick two ounces, beat it well to Powder, and sift it through a fine sieve, and as much of Chalcanth [...], so called by the Latins, of which you may furnish your self at the Drug­gists; mix them well beaten and pulverized; and a quarter of an ounce of this, or lit­tle more, will turn a pint of Water or Vine­gar, into a curious writing Ink in a very short time.

Mathoilus's Direction for making a curious and lasting Ink, &c.

Take five ounces of Galls well bruised, Roman Vitriol three ounces, Gum-Arabick two ounces, Bay-falt a drachm, or instead of it a quantity of [Page 130]Alum; mix them well together in a new glaz'd earthen pot, and pour upon the mixture White­wine, very strong and hot, about five pints, and suffer it, the weather being hot, to stand in the Sun for the space of fisteen days; or it may be done in a stove Oven, or in the Chimney-corner, frequently stirring it about; and so pouring out the dross, an excellent Ink will be had, not sub­ject to change by time, nor alter its colour.

Two excellent ways of speedily making Ink, &c.

1. Take Vitriol and Gum-Arabick of each an ounce, of Galls well broken a like quantity, of sharp Wine or Wine-Vinegar ten ounces, and suffer them to stand together for an hour, some­times shaking them, they will turn the liquid part exceeding black, and render it fit for your use.

2. Take of Galls half an ounce well bruised, mingle with it a like quantity of Gum Arabick, and of Roman Vitriol eight drachms; put these into eight ounces of White wine pretty hot, and in as short a time as the former, a perfect Ink will be made.

How to make a Black that will not only serve for Ingrossing, but Painting, &c.

Take Copperas half an ounce, bruised Galls an ounce, Lamp-black an ounce, Gum-Arabick half in ounce mix them with a pint of Wine or Vine­gar, [Page 131]set them over a gentle fire, and suffer them to simper till a half part be consumed, and what re­mains will render an excellent thick and black Ink.

The famous George Machijus's Receipt for curious Writing-Ink, &c.

Take of Galls three ounces, R [...]man Vitriol two ounces, Gum-Arabick half an ounce, and having well bruised them, infuse the Galls in two quarts of White wine, for the space of eight days, stirring them well about each day; and three days after the putting in the Galls, put the Gum in, dissolved in a little Wine by it self, be­fore it be put in, three days after the Galls and the Vitriol, as long after that, stirring them at sundry times; and at the termination of eight days, the Ink will come to a full and curious per­fection.

To make a kind of Ink to write obscurely, and not to be read, unless the Paper whereon the Wri­ting is, be held to the Fire.

Take that which is vulgarly called Sal-Armo­niack, and Nitre, of each half an ounce, mingle them with the Juice of Limon over a gentle fire; and having refined the liquid part from the dross, use it when cold; and so holding the Paper when it is written on to the fire, the Letters will fairly appear, or otherwise it will not, &c.

To take away spots or defects out of Writing, either on Paper or Parchment.

Take Roch-Alum burnt half an ounce, as much of the Flour of Brimstone; and being fine­ly in Powder, wet the Paper a little, and put a small quantity of the Powder upon the place, rubbing it gently with your finger, and the Ma­culation will disappear. And thus much for the Treating of Inks, &c. wonderful necessary and useful on all occasions, and profitable to those that will undertake to make them for Sale.

A Water to restore a faded Complexion.

TAke the Flowers of Rosemary, Comfrey, and Cammomile, boil them in White-wine, and wash your face and hands therewith morn­ning and evening.

To create a very fair Complexion.

Take two ounces of white Tartar, burn or calcine it, then quench it in the destilled Water of Roses, and wash the face with it.

To render a fresh and comely Complexion.

Take an ounce of the Oyl of Sweet Almonds, the like quantity of the Oyl of Myrrh, bruise in them of the Powder of Gum-Sandrick a grain, and [Page 134]with the whole mixture, rub and anoint the face.

To render the Skin clear, and of a very fair Com­plexion.

Take Bean blossoms, and the Water that de­stilis from the Vine, with the Flowers of Fumi­tory, distill them, and make a Wash with what proceeds there-from.

To make the Skin smonth and shining.

Take of the Marrow of Swines-feet an ounce, Oyl of Nutmegs a quarter of an ounce, Dears suet half an ounce, Oyl of Bay berries two oun­ces, make them into an Oyntment over a gentle fire, and anoint the face, hands, or any part of the body therewith.

To remove Freckles, Tan, or Sun-burn.

Take the Juice of Burdock leaves and Limons, of each a like quantity, mix them together, and add half as much Oyl of Chammomile, a little Rye­meal, and the Gall of a Cock or Capon, make them into an Ointment, and anoint the place therewith, and in a short time the defect will be removed.

To remove Pimples or Redness.

Take an Egg and roast it hard, then take out the Yolk at the top, and fill it with Copperas, and put it close covered in the Embers, till the Copperas is melted or become water; then pour out the water and bath the face with it; but if it be too sharp, you may allay it with the water or juice of Celandine; and in often using it, your Expectations will be answered.

To remove the Redness in a face, &c. occasioned by Scalding, Blasting, &c.

Take a handful of the Bark of Elder, as much Rue and the roots of Scabeous, with an ounce of the Flowers of Chammomile; bruise them toge­ther, and boyl them in a pint of Milk, half a pint of Olive-Oyl, and adding a quarter of a pint of Verjuice, till the liquid part become thick as an Oyntment, and then strein it out; which being cooled, anoint the place therewith morning and evening.

To take away unseemly Warts or Moles not too deep impressed.

Take Rhubarb a drachm, Camphora the like quantity, the Oyl of Petrolium half as much, and an ounce of the juice of Housleek, bruise and beat these in a quarter of a pint of Vinegar over a [Page 136]gentle fire, and anoint the place or part there­with, and in often so doing, you will find your desire effected.

To make a swarthy Complexion fair and clear.

Take the Liver of a Goat, dry it to powder in a Stove or Oven, then steep the Powder in White-wine, adding a quarter of a pint of the Juice of Celandine, an ounce of Coriander-seeds; and as much of Fennel, decoct or boyl them o­ver a gentle fire, and with the liquid part anoint or bathe the face, &c. and so continue to do often, and it will remove the cholerick humour occasi­oning swarthiness.

To brighten and enliven the Eyes.

Take Vervein; Pelitory of the Wall, Sma­lage, and Betony, with the Flowers of Eye-bright, destil them and wash the Eyes with the water morning and evening, and it will not only ren­der them bright and clear, but give a true pro­spect and dimension to the decayed sight.

To make Bloom-water, an excellent Beautifier upon all occasions.

Take the Blossoms of Peaches, Baum, Laven­der, Cotton, and Rosemary, steep them in White-wine, and destil them, and the Water will prove an excellent Beautifier.

To make an excellent Pomatum for the hands and face.

Take Sheeps marrow an ounce, Oyl of Sweet Almonds the like quantity, the Juyce of Sma­lage a quarter of a pint, Bean flour half an ounce, make them up into an Oyntment, and anoint the hands and face warm therewith, and it will make them plump, soft, and free them from cracks, chops, or roughness.

An excellent Paste for the Hands.

Take the Flour of sweet Almonds an ounce, Rye-meal two ounces, white Starch an ounce, and Milk half a pint, with which make these be­fore-mentioned into a Paste, and that Paste into Balls for your use.

To soften the Skin, and render it fresh, an Oyl, &c.

Take of the Oyl of Nutmegs an ounce, Am­bergrease a drachm, Oyl of Chammomile an ounce, the Juice of Comfrey half a quarter of a pint, make them into an Oyl or Oyntment, over a gentle fire, and supple them into the Skin very hot, and in often so doing, it will wonderfully beautifie and cause an excellent flavour, &c.

An excellent way to sweeten the Breath.

Take Sal Armoniack a drachm, beaten Gin­ger two drachms, the Spirit of Cloves a drachm, Coriander-seeds in fine powder a quarter of an ounce, Oyl of Mastick a drachm, bruise them together, and make them up into a Ball, and each morning scrape about the quantity of a large pea into a glass of Wine or Beer, and drink it off.

To make Hair grow.

Take of the powder of Bithwort-roots a drachm, of the Juice of Fennel half an ounce, Ivy-berries dried and beaten into powder an ounce, the Juice of Housleek half a quarter of a pint, and of White-wine a pint, boyl these over a gentle fire to a half consumption of the liquid [Page 139]part, and wash the place deficient, and in a short time if that part be subject to Hair, it will cause it to grow and increase.

To take away Hair.

Take the Juyce of Hellebore or Bears-foot half an ounce, as much of that of Burdock roots and the roots of Cuckowpintles, and anoint the place with it warm, and by often so doing, the Hair will fall off.

To make any coloured Hair black, or of a dark Colour.

Take burnt Ivory ground to powder a quar­ter of an ounce, Soulters Ink the like quantity, the Juyce of Hemlock a quarter of a pint, incor­porate them over a gentle fire till the moisture be near consumed; then add Black lead powder to dry up the rest, and with this rub your Hair or powder it, and it will be a curious black, as likewise lasting, if before you wash your head with White-wine wherein Plantane-roots have been sod.

To make Hair Curl.

Take the Powder of Elecampane-roots well dryed, and as much of Alum in fine Powder, wet your Hair a little with water wherein Raisins have been steeped, and so sprinkle on the Powder with [Page 140]a fine Sprinkler, that it may be all over, then with a pair of Curling-Irons somewhat hot, turn it up in ringlets under a Cap, &c. and so let it dry, as likewise continue for the space of a night, and next morning comb it out, and th [...] Powder that remains will not only fly away, b [...] the Hair will fall into curious Curls, and so continue without any further trouble for a very long time.

A way speedily to take away the Spots occasioned by the Small-Pox.

Take half an ounce of Copperas, and dissolve it in the Juyce of Limons, and anoint the Spots with it when warm, and their redness will soon disappear.

To prevent Pittings.

When the Distemper begins to appear, rub the face over gently with Honey, Oyl of Roses, and a little Alum dissolved and well mixed toge­ther over a moderate fire, and in so doing every other day, the pits will be prevented if the Party uses no violence to himself by scratching, &c.

To whiten Teeth.

Take a piece of fine Pumice-stone, grind it to powder, adding to that powder a little quantity of Alum-powder, and by often rubbing the Teeth with it, they will if sound be as white as Ivory.

How to separate Gold and Silver from other Metals.

TAke Mercury and put it in a Melting or Re­fining-pot on the fire, adding some Varnish-Glass beaten to powder, and being finely mixed, lay it in powder upon the Metal that is gilded with Gold or Silver, and set some hot coals un­der it, and it will take off the gilding, and render the Metal as if it had never been gilt; and in this case you may save the Gold and Silver; if of value, by putting to it Quicksilver, which will attract it into a body.

To kill or allay Mercury or Quicksilver.

Put which of these you design in a Mortar of Iron or Brass, adding some Olive-Oyl, mix them together as well as may be over a gentle fire, adding more when it begins to bubble strong Wine-vinegar; and in so using the aforesaid Materials, they will become so hard as easily to endure the Hammer.

To boyl Gold and Silver in the way of Cleansing.

Take Tartar bruised to powder, put to it a considerable quantity of Spring-water; and so being boiled up over a quick fire, put in the Plate, and let it continue for a considerable time.

To soften Gold or Silver.

Take sublimate Mercury, Sal-Armoniack, of each a like quantity, and when the Metal of ei­ther sort is melted, put a small quantity of the phwder into it, and so suffer it to operate there­on; if Gold put more; if Silver less.

To soften Bone or Ivory.

Take Bone or Ivory that is hollow, and take the Juyces of Alexand. Milfoyl, Radish roots, Hore-hound, and sharp Wine-vinegar, and fill the cavity; after which, lay it near a gentle fire, that the heat may infuse; and in suffering it so to do, in a little time it will mollifie the hard quality.

Experiments of other Natures, viz. How to keep Grapes fresh al the year.

Cather the Grapes in a fair day; when no wet or moisture is upon them, cleanse them from those that are any ways perished, and [Page 143]let them steep a while in white Muscadine a little warm; after which dry them and stop them up in new earthen bottles, setting them in a cool place free from the Sun or too much Air, and they keep without perishing.

To make Mellons, Cucumbers, or such-like Fruit ripen by Art.

Boil Wheat bran in Water and a little fine Mould, and water the roots of the Plants with it morning and evening, setting them in hot beds, and covering them from cold and blasts with pots, glasses, &c.

To make Trees bear Fruits of any Colour.

Bore a hole in the body of the Tree, at such time as the Sap begins to rise, and plug it up close, and you will perceive what liquid Colour you put in, the same will tincture the Fruit, and give it a participation of its hue.

To kill or drive away Fleas or Buggs.

Take the Juyce of Rue and the Gall of an Ox, mix them together, and anoint the post and frame therewith, and strow in the Mat Powder of Southern-wood and Wormwood.

To make one that is very boarse or speaks inwardly, have a very clear Voice.

Take the Flowers of Elder, dry them in the Sun, and so order it that without taking wet they may be beaten to powder; which done, keep the Powder in a glass, and when you would use it, put as much as will lie upon a six-pence, into a glass of Wine pretty warm, and drink it off.

To make Letters that will soon vanish.

Take Aqua-vitae, dissolve a little Camphire in it, and put to them the Ashes of burnt Straw well mingled or tempered together, which for a time will produce a fair Writing, but at your pleasure you may wipe it off the Paper or Tablet, nor will it be long ere it decays of it self.

To renew Letters decayed.

Boil a few Galls in Wine, and wipe over the faint Letters with a Spunge dipped in the Juyce, and they will appear fresh and in full lustre as when written.

To renew the Marks in [...]nives that are in a man­ner worn.

Polish them well with Powder of Emeril and Oyl; after that, cleanse them with chalk to a brightness, then wet the Blades in Lime Juyc [...] [Page 145]and Tanners water made with Vitriol, and they will cause the marks to appear exact and fair, and this way you may damask them.

How to Grave a Porphory-Marble without an Iron tool.

Take a small quantity of sublimate Mercury, a like quantity of Sal-Armoniacum, with as much Verdigrease, destil them in a Retort of Glass, calcine a small weight of Tin and Fire-stone, and some Sal-Gem, destilling them over three times in sharp Vinegar, and so making a ground of Wax, Rosin, and Turpentine, lay it on the stone as in the case of Etching; and when you have drawn with an Iron point what you intend, pour on the water, and suffer it to continue till it has corro­ded the stone according to what you drew upon it.

How to make Water rise by heat, &c.

Let there be a Vessel above, either of Brass, Clay, or Tin, and a pipe in the middle of it, that may descend into the Water below, so fastned that it takes not Air; then let the Vessel above be made hot, and it will by means of the Air's be­ing rarefied by the heat attract the water to it.

To cause Water (contrary to the nature thereof) to ascend.

PRepare a Bason with a pint of Water in it, or thereabouts, then take an earthen Pot or Jug with a round belly (fitted for this service) and light a piece of Paper, cast it into the Jug flaming, then turn quickly the mouth of the Jug downward, and set it on the midst of the Bason of water, it will suck up all the water, if it be not more than it can receive and contain within the belly thereof.

To carry a Jug or earthen Pot, sticking without any thing, unto the palm of the hand.

Take a piece of Paper, set it on fire, and cast it flaming into the mouth of the Jug, presently clap the palm of your hand on the mouth of the said Jug or Pot, not hollow, but plain and smooth, the Jug will not fall from your hand, but you may walk many paces, and carry the same sticking unto the palm of your hand, unless by violence you pluck it away.

To break a Stick placed upon the brims of two Glasses, and not break the Glasses.

Place the Glasses on a smooth stone of an equal height, and put the stick upon them; then take a battoon or cudgel, and therewith strike upon the midst of the stick perpendicularly, or down­right; so may you break the stick, and not hurt the Glasses.

To take the impression of any Seal.

Melt a little Brimstone, casting in some Ceruse or white Lead, put this mixture on the Seal, strengthening it with a small piece of Paper, a little bigger than the impression is; being cold, take it off, and you will find the print of the Seal thereon.

How to write a Letter secretly, that cannot easily be discovered or suspected.

1. Write your mind at large on one side of the Paper with common Ink, and on the other side with milk, that which you would have secret; and when you would make the same legible, hold that side which is written with Ink to the fire, and the milky Letters will shew blewish on the other side.

2. Rule two Papers of one bigness with lines of an equal distance, make the one full of Glass windows, through which you must write your [Page 148]mind upon the second Paper, then fill up the spaces with other words at your pleasure; but if all were made to hang together in good sence, it would carry the less suspicion. Each friend must have one of these cut Papers to read all such Let­ters, for without the Paper it will trouble a good Decypherer to read the Letter.

Of the Dyal upon the Fingers and the Hand.

Is not a commodity very agreeable, when one is in the field, or in some Village; without any other Dyal, to see only by the hand what of the clock it is, which gives it very near, and may be practised by the left hand in this manner.

Take a straw, or like thing, of the length of the Index, or the second finger, hold this straw very right between the thumb and the right finger, then stretch forth the hand, and turn your back and the palm of your hand towards the Sun, so that the shadow of the muscle which is under the thumb touch the line of life, which is between the middle of the two other great lines, which is seen in the palm of the hand; this done, the end of the shadow will shew what of the clock it is; for at the end of the great finger it is 7 in the morning, or 5 in the evening; at [...] of the ring finger it is 8 in the morning, [...] the evening; at the end of the little finger, or first joynt, it is 9 in the morning, or 3 in the after­noon; 10 and 2 at the second joynt, 11 and 1 at the third joynt, and mid-day in the line fol­lowing, which comes from the end of the In­der.

How to make Water boil and sparkle.

Take a glass near full of Water, or other li­quor, and setting one hand upon the foot of it to hold it fast, turn slightly one of the fingers of your other hand upon the brim or edge of the glass, having before privately wet your finger, and so passing softly on with your finger in pres­sing a little; for then first the glass will begin to make a noise. Secondly; the parts of the glass will sensibly appear to tremble, with nota­ble rarification and condensation: Thirdly, the Water will shake, seem to boil: Fourthly, it will cast it self out of the glass, and leap out by small drops, with great astonishment to the stan­ders-by, if they be ignorant of the cause of it, which is only in the rarification of the parts of the glass, occasioned by the motion and pressure of the finger.

Of the Play at Nine-Pins.

You will scarce believe, that with one Bowl, and at one blow, playing freely, one may strike down all the nine Pins at once; yet from Ma­thematical Principles it is easie to be demonstra­ted, that if the hand of him that plays was so well assured by Experience, as Reason induceth one thereto, one might at one blow strike down all the nine Pins, or at least 7 or 8, or such a number as one pleaseth.

For they are but 9 in all, disposed or placed in a perfect square, having three every way: Let us suppose then that a good Player beginning to play at 1, somewhat low, should so strike it, that it should strike down the Pins 2 and 5, and these might in their violence strike down the Pins 3, 6, and 9, and the Bowl being in motion, may strike down the Pins 4 and 7, which 4 Pin may strike down Pin 8, and so all the nine Pins may be striken down at once.

Any Numbers under 10 being thought upon, to find what Numbers they were.

Let the first Number be doubled, and unto it added 5, and multiply that sum by 5, and add to it 10, and the next number thought upon: Multiply the same again by 10, and add to it the next number, and so proceed.

Now if the last sum be told, mark if one num­ber was thought upon, then substract 35 from it, and the first figure in the place of Tens is the Number thought upon. If he thought upon two figures, then substract 35 also, and the 2 also, the said 35 from the last sum, and the 2 figures that remain, are the numbers thought upon. If he thought upon 3 figures, then substract 350, and then the 3 first figures are the numbers thought upon, &c.

Two persons thinking two numbers, the one an even number, and the other an odd number, to divine and tell who thought the one, and who the o­ther.

Bid the first Man to double his Thought, and the second Man to treble his, then to add both numbers together. Then bid the one of them [Page 152]cast away half; which if he can do, the total is even, otherwise odd.

• 1 Even.
  The Total being Even,
  • The first Man thought odd,
  • The second Man even.
• 2 Odd.
  The Total being odd;
  • The first Man thought even,
  • The second Man thought odd.

Four Men thinking on four Digit numbers, (which are from 1 to 9) to tell what the first, se­cond, third, and fourth Man thought.

This conclusion findeth out any number thought, under 10000.

Four persons standing in rank, admit the first think 8, the second 7, the third 6, and the fourth 5.

Let the first Man double the number of his thought, and add 5 thereto, then multiply the whole by 5, and add 10 to the product, noting the Total.

Bid the second Man demand of the first Man his total number, which being given him, let him add unto the same his Thought, and give the Total to the third Man.

Then bid the third Man to affix or set his Thought by the number given him, and put it one place towards the right hand, and give the total thereof to the fourth Man.

Last of all, bid the fourth Man set his Thought thereby, a place yet to the right hand, in the first place, and add the number of 25 unto it; that done, demand of him the total number, which being given you, substract out of it 3525 the number remaining will discover the four Mens Thoughts.

The Digit on the left hand sheweth the first Mans Thought; the next Digit towards the right hand is for the second Mans Thought; the figure in the second place representeth the third Mans Thought, and the figure in the first place giveth the fourth Mans Thought.