REFINING WITH QUICKSILVER. 221 



into a violent fire, which they cover with an earthen Ln 



vessel, like to the mold of a sugar loafe, or vnto a capuchon 

 or hoode, the which they cover with coales, and set fire vnto 

 it ; whereby the quicke-silver exhales in sinoake, the which 

 striking against the capuchon of earth, it thickens and 

 distills, like vnto the smoake of a potte covered ; and by a 

 pipe, like vnto a limbecke, they receive the quicke-silver 

 which distils, the silver remaining without changing the 

 forme, but in weight it is diminished five partes of that it 

 was, and is spungious, the which is worthy the observation. 

 Of two of these loaves they make one bar re of silver, in 

 weight 65 or 66 markes ; and in this sorte they carry it to 

 the touch, custome, and marke. Silver drawne with mer- 

 curie is so fine, that it never abates of two thousand three 

 hundred and fourescore of alloy, and it is so excellent, 

 that the worke men are inforced to allay it, putting some 

 mixture to it, as they do likewise in their mints, whereas 

 their moiiy is stampt. Silver indures all these martire- 

 domes, if we may so call it, to be refined, the which if we 

 consider well, it is a bodie framed where they grinde, sift, 

 kneade, lay the leven, and bake the silver; besides all this 

 they wash it and wash it againe, they bake it and bake 

 it againe, induring the pestells, sives, troughes, furnaces, 

 caldrons, presses, and finally by the water and fire, I 

 speake this, for that seeing this art in Potosi, I did consider 

 what the Scripture speakes of the iust, Golabit eos et purga- Mat. m. 

 bit quasi argentum. And that which they speake in another ^ccies. 11 

 part, Sicut argentum purgatum septuplum. So as to purifie Psal- X1&amp;gt; 

 silver, to refine and dense it from the earth and stone where 

 it ingenders, they purge and purifie it seven times ; for in 

 effect it passeth their handes seven times, yea oftener, vntill 

 it remaines pure and fine ; so is it in the word of God, 

 where the soules must be so purified that shall injoy the 

 heavenly perfection. 



