-*eis fid, that per of glafle, which made it pliable and flexible to wind and turne without breaking : but the*ar- 
598. The fix and thirtieth Booke 
_ ching theantique maiiner of making plaffe, Bur now adaies there isa glaffe made in Italie of a 
certaine white fand, found in the river Vulturnus for fix tniles{pace along the fhore towns from 
the mouth where he difchargeth himfelfe into the fea,and this is betweene Cumes and the lake — 
Lucrinus. This {and is paffing foft and tender,wherby it may be reduced very eafily into fine pov- 
der,cither to be beaten in morter or ground in mill :to which pouder the manner is to put three 
parts of nitre, either in weight or meafure;and after it is the firft ime melted, they ufe to let it paffe 
into other furnaces,where it is reduced into a certaine mafle,which, becaule it is compounded of 
fand and nitre,they call Ammonitrum:This muft be melted again,and then it becommeth pre 
glaffe,and the very matter indeed of the white cleare glafles. And in this fort throughout France 
and Spaine the manner isto temper their fand,and to prepate it for the making of glaffe.More- 
over, it is faid, That during the reigne of Tsberias the Emperor, there was devifed a certaine tem- 
eeu tificer who devifed this,was put downe,and his worke-houfe, for feare leaft veflels made of fuch 
peror camebe- glafle fhould take away the credit from the rich plate of braffe,filver,and gold,and make them of 
fore him, and no price:and verely,this bruit hath run cutrant a long time(but howtrue, itis nor fo certain.) But 
eae what booted the abolifhing of glafle-makers, feeing that in the daies of the Emperour Nerothe 
whole & found art was growne tofuch perfection, that two drinking cups of glafle(and thofe norbig which they 
Ene called Prerotos)were fold for 6000 fefterces, conyihs 7 
Peabctore- hee There may be raunged among thekinds of glafles;thofe which they call Obfidiana, for that 
H 
caufedhim pre: they carie fome refemblance of that f{tone, which one Ob/idiws found in Asthyopia; exceeding . 
ev mai! ny 
parte Wee blacke in colour, otherwhiles alfotranfparenc : howbeit, the fight therein is butthicke and dus- 
cal Rhody, kifh. It fervech for a mirroirto ftand in awall,and in ftead of the image yeeldeth backefhaddows, - 
420.430 OF thiskind of glaffe many have made jewels in manner of precious ftones: and I myfelfe have 
feene maffive pourtraicures made thereof,refembling 4uga/tws late Emperor of famous memo- 
tie, who was wont to take pleafurein the thickneffe of this ftone, infomuch as hee dedicated in’ 
thé temple of Concord for a ftraunge and miraculous matter, foure Elephants made of this Ob- 
fidian ftone.Alfo,7 iberius Ca/ar fent backe againe to the citizens of Heliopolis a certain image 
of prince cMenzlaus,found among the meveable goods of one who had been lord governorin 
fEgypt,which he had taken away out of a temple,among other ceremoniall reliques: & the faid 
ftatue was all of the Laier,calledOdfidianus. And by this itmay appeare, That this matter began’ 
long time before to be in ufe, which now'feemeth to be renued again and counterfeited by glaffe 
thacrefembleth it fo neare. As for tine faid Obfidian ftone,Xemecrates writeth, Thatitis found na- 
turally growing among the Indians; within Samnium alfo in Italie,and in Spain along the coaft 
ofthe Ocean. Moreover, there is akind of Obfidian glaffe,with a tin@ture artificiall,as blacke as 
Taiet,which ferveth for difhes and platters to hold meat: likeas other glaffe,red throughout,and 
not tran{parent,called for that colour Hematinon. By art likewife there be veflels of glafle made 
white and of the colour of Caffidonie,refembling alfo the Iacin@ and Saphire, yea,& any other. 
colours whatfoever. In fumme, thereis not any matter at this day more tractable and willing ei- 
ther to receive any forme or take a colour, than glaffe: but of all glaffes,thofe be moft in requeft 
and commended above the reft, which be white,tranfparent,and cleare throughout,comming as 
neare as itis poflible to Cryftall. And verely,{uch plealure doemen take now adaies in drinking: 
out of faite plaffes,that they liave in manner put downe our cups and boules of filveror gold. Buc 
this I moft tell you, that this ware may not abide the heat of the fire,unlefle fome cold liquor were 
put therein before: and indeed, holda round ball or hollow apple of glaffe full of water againft 
the Sunne, ie will be fo hot, that it is ready to burne any cloth that ittoucheth.As for broken gla 
fes,well may they be glued and fodered againe by a warme heat of the fire, buc melted or caft a- 
gaine they cannot be whole;unlefle aman make a newfurrnace of peeces broken one from ano- 
ther :like as we {ee there be made counting rundles thereof, which fome call Abaculos, whereof 
fome are of diverfe and fundrie colours. Moreover this would benoted, Thar if glafle and fulphue 
be melted together, they will fouder and tinite into'a tard ftone, Toconclude,having thus dif- 
courfed of alfthingsthat are knowne to be done by wit or art,according tothe direction of Na. 
M 
ture I cannot chife burmarvell at fice and the operations thereof,{eeingthat nothing inamane 
xX 
neris brouglit to’perfetion but by fire and thereby any thing maybedone. 
ca Gaummedal .2at goa) o¢l wanortiin olls b3live J AOE IG 1 22 Crap, 
Le ———— 
