Hijlorie of the Indie?, lik^, 237 



thing in a maner that may confume it. And theifpre P//- 

 nie calles it the eternall fweate. It hath yet another pro- 

 pcrtie, that although it depth feparate gold from cop 

 per, and all other met talles, yet they that will guildc 

 copper, brafle, or filver, vfe quicke-filvcr as themcancs 

 of this vnion ; for with the helpe thereof they guilde 

 mettalls. Amongeft all the woonders of this Orange li 

 quor that feemes to me moft woorthy obfcrvation.that 

 although it be the weigh tieft tiling in theworlde, yet 

 is it converted into the lighteft of the worlde, which is 

 fmoake, and fodainely the fame fmoake which is fo 

 light a thing , turnes againe into io heavy a fubftance, 

 as is the proper liquor of quicke-filver , whereinto it is 

 diflblved; for this fmoake ^countering the mettall on 

 high, beingafolidebodie, or comming into acolde 

 region , fbdainely it thickens and is converted into 

 quickefilver , and ifyou fet him once againe to the fire, 

 hee dooth likewife returne into fmoake, to be refolved 

 againe into quicke-filver . Aftrange tranlmutation of 

 fo heavy a fubftance into fo light a thing^and of fo light 

 into fo heavy, the which we may hold for a rare thing 

 in Nature. And therfore the Author of Nature is iuft- 

 ly to be glorified in thefe and all other ftrange proper 

 ties of this mettall , feeing that all things created doe 

 properly obey their fecretand vnknownelawes. 



i-flfoer, and how they 

 dtfiovmdtheferich mines in Guanc&* 

 vile*. CHAP. u. 



Vicke-filverisfoundin akinde of ftone, which 

 clooth likewifeycdde Vermillion, which the An- 



tients. 

 \ 



