The 3\(aturaU andMoratt 



that to (horten the time fire did much' helper to incor 

 porate filver the (boner with quickc-filver, they inven 

 ted thefe furnaces , whereon they fct veflels to put in 

 their mettall , with faltand quicke-filver ^ and vnder- 

 neath they put fire by little and little, in furnaces 

 made for the nonce vnderneath^fo as in five or fix dales 

 the quicke-filver is incorporare with the filver. And 

 when they finde that the mercuric hath done his part, 

 and aflembled all the filver, leaving nothing behinde, 

 but is well imbrued as a fpunge doth water,dividing it 

 from the carthjead, and copper , with thewhichitis 

 engendered. Then aFtcrthey leperate it likewife from 

 thequicke-filvcr, the which they do in this fort ; they 

 put the mettall in caldrons , and veii'ells lull of water, 

 wherewith certaine wheeles they turne the mettall 

 round about,as iftheyfliould make muftard,andfo the 

 earth and drofTe goes from the mettall with the water 

 that runs away:The filver & quicke-filver as nioft pon 

 derous remaining in the botome- the mettal which re- 

 maines,is likevn'co fandrthen they take it out and wafli 

 it againe in great platters of wood,or keelcrs full of wa 

 ter, ftill drawing the earth fromit,vntill they leave the 

 filver and quicke-filver well clenfed. There flippes a- 

 wayalfofomefmall portion of filver and quicke-filver 

 with the earth and drofle , which they call wafhings, 

 the which they after wafli againe and ^3i5\v out the 

 remainder. When the filver and quicke-filver are clen 

 fed and beginne to fhine, and that there remaines no 

 carth,thcy put all the mettall into a cloth , which they 

 ftraine J out very tercibly^To'as all the quicke-filver 

 palTeth out, being not incorporate with the filver, and 

 the reft remaines as a loafe of filver ? like to a marke of 

 alnapnds prcfled to draw oyle. And being thus preiied, 

 the 



