arcfmall furnaces where they melt their mettall , the 

 which were placed like lightes, ( a ples&nt fight to be 

 hold by night,) caftinga lighta farre offlike aflame of 

 fire. Butat this day there are not above two tfaoufand, 

 for that (as I havefaid,) they vfe little melting , but re 

 fine it by quicke-filver, the which is the greateft profit. 

 And for that the properties of quicke-filver are adrai- 

 rable^ind that this mancr of refining of filver is remark 

 able, I will difcourfe of quicke-filver , of the mines 

 and worke, and what is requifite for that fubiecfr. 



v 



Ofthew&n^rfiillfropcrt^sof^mcke-fihcr. 

 CHAP. 10. 



/~\ Vickefilver, fo called by the Latines , for that it 

 V^junnes and flides fuddcnly from place to place, 

 amongft all other mettalls hath great and wbnderfull 



r Yffurc* The firft ls,although it be a true mettall,yet is 

 it not hard,neither hath it any certaine forme norfub- 

 fiftance like to other metta!Is,but is Iiquide 5 not like vn- 

 to gold and filver molten, but of his owne proper na- 

 ture^and although it be a liquor , yet is it more heavic 

 then any other mettall : and therefore all others fwitri 

 above and finke not to thebottome., being more light. 



*Efiave feene_two poundes ofyjon put into a barrell of 

 quicke-filver, thevvhich did"fwimme aboutJikevnto 



t< t wood or corke vpon the water . Phnie gives an excep 

 tion heerevnto, faying, that gold alone doth finkc and 

 not fwimme above it. I have not feene the experience; 

 but it may be this grovves 5 by reafbn that quicke filver 

 by nature doth inviron gold 5 and covers it , which is 

 one of themoft important properties it hath for it 



ioynes 



