PROPERTIES OF QUICKSILVER. 211 



by night) casting a light a farre off like a flame of fire, j LlB - &quot; 

 But at this day there are not above two thousand, for that j 

 (as I have said) they vse little melting, but refine it by 

 quick-silver, the which is the greatest profit. And for that 

 the properties of quicke-silver are admirable ; and that this 

 maner of refining of silver is remarkable, I will discourse 

 of quicke-silver, of the mines and worke, and what is 

 requisite for that subiect. 



CHAP. x. Of the wonder/nil properties of Quiche-silver. 



Qvickesilver, so called by the Latines, for that it runnes 

 and slides suddenly from place to place, amongst all other 

 mettalls hath great and wonderfull vertues. The first is, 

 although it be a true mettall, yet is it not hard, neither hath 

 it any certaine forme nor subsistence like to other met 

 talls, but is liquide, not like vnto golde and silver molten, 

 but of his owne proper nature ; and although it be a liquor, 

 yet is it more heavie then any other mettall : and therefore 

 all others swim above and sinke not to the bottom e, being 

 more light. I have seene two poundes of yron put into a 

 barrell of quicke-silver, the which did swimme about like 

 vnto wood or cork vpon the water. Plinie gives an excep- 

 tion heerevnto, saying that gold alone doth sinke and not 

 swimme above it. I have not seene the experience ; but it 

 may be this growes, by reason that quicke-silver by nature 

 doth inviron gold, and covers it, which is one of the most 

 important properties it hath ; for it ioynes with gold in a 

 strange maner, it seekes it where it lies, and invirons it in 

 such sort, as it doth distinguish and separate it from any 

 other body or mettall wherewith it is inixt : for this reason 

 such take gold as will preserve themselves from the dan 

 gers and discommodities of quicke-silver. They had vsed 

 a remedie to those (in whose eares they have put quicke- 



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