them, which may (perhaps) by further meditation, be improved. Let there be a fmall Furnace made, of a Temperate heat; let the beat be fuch as may keep the Metal perpetually Molten, and no more; for that, above all, importeth to the Work. For the Material, take Silver, which is the Metal that in Nature Symbolizeth moft, with Gold; Put in alfo with the Silver, a Tenth part of Quick Silver, and a Twelfth part of Nitre by Weight; both thefe to Quicken and Open the Body of the Metal: And fo let the Work be continued by the space of fix Months at leaft. I wish alfo that there be, at fome times, an Injection of fome Oyled fubftance; fuch as they use in the recovering of Gold, which by vexing with Separations hath been made Churlish: And this is to lay the parts more Clofe and Smooth, which is the main Work: For Gold (as we fee) is the Clofeft (and therefore the Heavieft) of Metals: And is likewife the moft Flexible and Tenfible.

Note, That to think to make Gold of Quick-Silver, because it is the heaviest, is a thing not to be hoped; For Quick-filver will not endure the Manage of the Fire. Next to Silver, I think Copper were fittest to be the Metal..

Concerning the Nature of GOLD.

Gold hath thefe Natures: Greatness of Weight; Closeness of Parts; Fixation; Pliantness, or Softness; Immunity from Rust; Colour or Tinure of Yellow. Therefore, the fure way (though most about) to make Gold, is to know the Canfes of the feveral Natures before rehearfed, and the Axiomes concerning the fame: For if a Man can make a Metal that hath all these Properties, Let Men difpute, whether it be Gold or no?

Of Incombuftible Flax, or a Substance which will not confume by Fire.

HAving in the foregoing Section fpoken of Subterranean Lamps, I will here fay fomething concerning a Subftance which will not confume by Fire: There was anciently a kind of Flax which the Grecians called Asbeftinum, the Latines Linum vivum: Hereof were made whole Pieces of Linnen Cloath, and Garments, which were not only not confumed by any Fire, but being caft into the fame, the Soil and Filthinefs being confum'd and burn'd away, taken out again, it became more white than any Water could wash it. The Bodies of Emperors and Kings were buried in Sheets of this Linnen, left the Afhes of their Bodies burned, fhould mingle with the Afhes of the wood wherewith the Body was burned. This Flax, faith Pliny, is hard to be found, and as difficult to be Woven, by reafon of the fhortnefs thereof; and being found, in price it equalled the most excellent Pearls. Nero is reported to have had a Linnen Garment of the fame; but at this day it is not any where to be found. Yet I remember, (faith my Author H. P.) I had given

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given me by an Arabian in the year 1618. a pretty quantity of a Stuff like Flax, which he bad me put into the Fire, but it confumed not: Whither it were of this Flax or no, or that Flax of Cyprus, which Pondecatarre, a Knight of Cyprus, who wrote an Hiftory of Cyprus, Anno 1566. brought to Venice, and the Fire could not confume it, I know Now this Flax of Cyprus proceedeth from no Plant, as our Flax, but from the Stone Amiantus, which being found in Cyprus, and broken with an Hammer (the Earthy Drofs being purged from it) there remains fine Hairy Threads like unto Flax, which are Woven into Cloath. This Flax was feen in the Houfe of the faid Pondacatarre by many Men of Worth and Credit, as Porcatio witneffeth, Tab. 2. Euneralium. Wherefore Linnen being made of the Flax or Threads of this Stone,muft needs be incumbuftible.-Conftantine the Emperor ordained that it fhould ever burn in Lamps in his Chappel, at Rome: This Reports Damafcus in the Life of Pope Sylvefter. Moreover Ludovicus Vives, in his Commentaries upon St. Auguftins de Civitate Dei, Lib. 21. c. 6. faith, That he faw Lamps at Paris whofe Lights never confumed. Also at Lovain, a fowl Napkin taken from the Table at a Feast, and thrown into the Fire, and being quite Red as a Coal, was taken out again, cooled, and restored to the owner, more White than if it had been washed with Water and Soap: And the like my felf have heard, That a Cook dreffing of a Dinner at a Nobleman's Houfe, whofe Lord was to Dine there; The Noble-Man feeing this strange Cook with a Greafie Apron and fowl Sleeves, faid to him, That if the Perfons that were to Dine with him should fee his Beaftly Accoutrements, they would loath to eat the Meat that he should dress; whereupon the Cook pulls off his Apron and Sleeves, and throws them into the Fire, which in a very fhort time were made Red-hot, and being taken out and cooled, became White as Snow. And now to conclude this matter, I remember that about the year 1648, or 9, I was in company at a Tavern with fome Gentlemen, and one of the Company took out of his Pocket a piece of a kind of a Stone, about the bignefs it was of a Wall-nut, the outfide whereof was of a dirty Earthy Colour; but the infide of a bright Ashcolour, not much unlike Steel when a Bar of it is new broken; and for weight it did ponderate equal with Steel: Off of the infide of this piece of Stone, feveral of the Company (my felf for one) did with our Knives fcrape off a kind of Woolley, foft Flax, and putting it to the Candle, there burning, it became immediately Red-hot, but no way confumed or diminished, but came out of the Fire White, whereas it was in the Stone of a bright Afh colour, as I faid before.

CHAP. IX.

Some Relations concerning Subterraneous Lamps.

T.

which was always expofed to the open weather, and could never be confumed or extinguished.

2. Puncirollus mentions a Lamp found in his time, in the Sepulchre of Tullia, Cicero's Daughter, which had continued there for above 1550 years; but was prefently extinguished upon the admiffion of new Air.

3. It is related of Cedrenus, that in Juftinian's time there was a Lamp found in a Wall at Edeffa, which had remained fo for above 500 years, there being a Crucifix placed by it; from whence it should feem, that thefe Lamps were of ufe amongst fome Chriftians.

4. Olybius his Lamp, which had continued burning for above 1500 years; the Story is this: A Ruftick digging the Ground in Patavia in Italy, he discovered a very Ancient Monument, and in it an Urn, or Earthen Pot, in which there was another Urn, and in this leffer, a Lamp clearly burning; on each fide of it there were two other Veffels, each of them full of a pure Liquor, the one of Gold, the other of Silver: And the moft Learned of that Age coming to the Monument, af firmed the fame to be that Perpetual Fire invented by the wonderful induftry of the Ancient Philofophers, which would indure fo many years. In which Opinion they were confirmed by Verfes written in either Urn, which feemed to be of great Antiquity by their vein:

These were in the Bigger Urn:

Plutoni Sacrum munus, ne attingite fores;
Ignotum eft vobis, hoc quod in Orbe latet.
Namq; elementa gravi, claufit digefta labore,
Vafe fub hoc modico, Maximus Olibius;
Adfit facundo, cuftos tibi copia cornu,
Ne pretium tanti, depereat laticis.

These were in the Leffer Urn.

Abite hinc peffimi fures,

Vos, qui voltis veftris cum oculis emififciis;
Abite hinc, veftro cum Mercurio petafato, caduce
Atoq; Maximus, maximo domum Plutoni, hoc
Sacrum facit:

One Matarants had the poffeffion of these after they were taken up.

5. Baptifta

5. Baptifta Porta tells us of another Lamp burning in an old Marble Sepulchre, belonging to fome of the Ancient Romans, inclofed in a Glafs Vial, found in his time, about the year 1550. in the lile of Nefts, which had been buried there before our Saviour's coming.

6. In the Tomb of Pallos the Arcadian, who was flain by Turnus in the Trojan Wars, there was found another Burning Lamp, in the year of our Lord 1401, whence it fhould feem it had continued above 2600 years, and being taken out, it did remain burning, notwithstanding ei ther Wind or Water, with which fome did ftrive to quench it ; neither could it be extinguished till they had fpilt that Liquor which was in it. 7. Ludovicus Vives, tells us of another Lamp, that did continue burning for 1500 years, which was found a little before his time.

8. There is a relation of a certain Man, who digging fomewhat deep in the Ground, did meet with fomething like a Door, having a Wall on each hand of it; from which having cleared the Earth, he forced open the Door; upon this there was discovered a fair Vault, and towards the farther fide of it, the Statue of a Man in Armor, fitting by a Table, leaning upon his Left Arm, and holding a Scepter in his Right-hand, with a Lamp burning before him: The Floor of his Vault being fo contrived, that upon the first step into it, the Statue would erect it felf from his Leaning Pofture; upon the fecond step it did lift up the Scepter to strike: And before a Man could approach near enough to take hold of the Lamp, the Statue did strike, and beat it to Pieces.

9. Cambden relates in his defcription of Yorkshire, fpeaking of the Tomb of Conftantius Chlorus broken up in these later years, mentions fuch a Lamp to be found within it.

10. In most of the ancient Monuments, there is fome kind of Lamp, tho' of the ordinary fort: But those Perfons that were of greatest Note and VVifdome, did procure fuch as should laft without fupply, for fo many Ages together. And,

II. Pancirollus tells us, that it was ufual for the Nobles among the Romans, to take fpecial care, in their Laft wills, that they might have a Lamp in their Monuments.

12. St. Auguftine tells us, that in the Temple of Venus was a Lamp that never went out, which he fuppofed to have been done, either by Art Magical, or by induftry of fome Man, who had put Lapidem Asbeftum, or the unquenchable Burning-Stone within the fame Lamp.

Concerning thefe Lamps found burning in Graves, I wonder, (1.)How by the help of Art (for Chymifts fay this Oyl is made of Gold) Gold may be refolved into a Fatty fubftance! (2.) How the Flame fhould endure fo many years! (3.) How within the Ground, all Air being excluded.

RECREATIONS
Automatical.

CHAP. I.

Of the Nature and Making of Watches, Clocks, and other Movements.

T

HE Precepts following are fuch as were by Sir Jonas Moor, Extracted out of a Manufcript of Mr. William Oughtreds, by him made for his Sons private Ufe, he being of that Profeffion. The Greal Wheel whereon the Fufe or String with Weights are fixed, divides the Nature of the Work in any Movement: That is to fay, All the Wheels and Pinions from that Great Wheel to the Ballance or Fly, only prepare the Motion, but the other way effect it: In pursuance whereof, two things are to be noted.

1. The Fufie, and how many Turns it hath.

2. The Number and Names of the Wheels, Teeth and Pinions.

Example: In a Watch of Four Wheels: Suppofe the Numbers following to be the Teeth:

First, The Great Wheel [Number 55. Teeth] Turning the Pinion [Number 5.] fixed to the fecond Wheel.

Secondly, The Second Wheel [Number 45.] turning the Pinion [Number 5.] fixt to the Contrat Wheel.

Thirdly, The Contrat Wheel Number 40.] turning the Pinion [Number 5.] fixt to the Crown Wheel.

Fourthly, The Crown Wheel [Number 17.] having Odd Teeth, working upon the Pallots of the Ballance [Number 2.]

Thus for Watches of four Wheels: But for Watches with five Wheels, there will be a Third Wheel before the Contrat Wheel.

Fifthly, The Pinion of Report, fix'd to the Arbor of the Great Wheel [Number 4.] which lies hid betwixt the Plates in Watches, and turns the Hour-Wheel [Number 36.] which carries the Hand about upon the Face; divided into 12 or 24 Hours.

For

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