Of counterfeiting precious Stones. 185 ?

into it, and yonr copper rays: presently the water will be troubled, and will stickupon the copper like silver fleeces: cast away the water , and wash the silver, anddry it in the Son; and when it is dry, lay it upon a marble, and mix with It an ounceof Tartar , and as much ordinary salt. griade them together, till they be well mix-ed. This being made into powder, lay it on copper, and rob it with your fingers,and it will make it shine like silver: then spread the rays upon the round wood, andthe copper. wet them with the water , lay the powder oa them, and rub themwith your thumbs, that they may become of a silver colour; steep them in water,and levigate them with the blood-stone Upon the foresaid copper; then set them inthe smoke, and they will shine with a sky-colour.

How to make them of tkt colour of em Emerald.

It is very difficult, and there scarce is one of very many that will prove right. First,make your rays of a sky-colour, as before ; then take those which have not tookthat colour rightly, and lay two of them upon the hole of the fornace; and throughthe vault of the little door, fling some leaves of Box upon red hot plates of iron,where they will crackle like bay-leaves, and fend up a smoke through the hole,which will col our the rays. Butbefore they come to be of a green colour, they mustpass through many other colours, as yellow, red, and sky-colour; but they must con-tinue some time before they obtain a perfect green.

How to make them red , like a %jtby,

Fling some flocks of Scarlet upon the live coles, and lay the thin plates over the hole,and the arising smoke will colour them red.

How to make them of the colour of the Amethtft.

When it is made of a sky-coloor, it passeth through the colour of the Amethist; takeit therefore off in time, and you have your wish.

Chap. XIII.

How rajs are to be coloured by a mixture of Metals.

I Will now shew how rays may be coloured by mixture with other metals; whichis of more difficulty, but of longer continuance. The former cost but little labour,but they easily lose their colour: these are harder to be made ; but keep their co-lour longer. T ake half a pound of copper, and melt it in a melting pot, put there-unto half a crown of gold; and when it is well melted , and mixed, adde some tar-tar, that when it cooleth, the top of it may be plain and smooth • after it is cold, setit aside. Then take another half pound of copper, and melt it in the same manner ;mix a drachm of silver with it, and let it cool; take it ©ut of the pot, and file theout-side of it smooth ; for the least crack, or chap, would spoil the work. You mayknow whether there fie any crack within side or without, by this sign ; place it inan even poise upon a piece of iron,and strike it with another piece • if it sound equal-ly, and ring clearly, it is whole; if it do jar, it is cracked somewhere. Let yourpieces of metal be about a finger in bigness; beat them gently upon theanvile, lestthey break somewhere: set them in the fire and season them, and when they are cold,beat them with the hammer into thin rays, as I have said before: if they chance tocrick,file ©st the flaws; and when they have been seasoned twice or thrice,in the fire,have your pot of water ready,prepared with salt and tartar, to whiten them, that youmay more exactly find out the craks.

To make them of the colour of a Ruby.

The plates being finished, if you would make them of a ruby colour, do it with flock*of scarlet, as before; but then the rags must be of the mixture of copper and gold.

To make them of the colour of A Saphire or Emerald.

Let the plates be of copper aud silver: the Saphire colour is made with goose feithess,but the Emerald with box-leaves, holding them somewhat longer over the fire. Andthese ate the experiments which I have made concerning Gems. tor