Of T>iJiillation

-77

Chap. XX.

Of Aqua Fortis.

N Ow I will recite those Distillations, which draw out neither Water norOyl,buta .middle between both i for the terrene parts ate orced up, turned intc Wa-ter by the vehemency of the fire : from whence they do acquire lo greac a heat, thatcorrode and burn most violently. They arc extracted onciy in tgne reverberations ■,and with great care and labour.

How to draw Aqua Ferris, or Oyl, out of Salt.

It is a piece of Art discovered to very few. Tala Pit-Sair, put into a Glass-Retort,treble luted over,and dried : set it in igne reverberations , where the flames do sttog-gle molf violently : the first time you wtllget but littlemoysture. Break the Re-tort, and remove the Fæces into another, and pour the extracted Water into th m,and distill them again : the second time thou wile get more. Do the Umc a thirdtime, and so to the tenth, until the Salt be all turned into Liquor, which is a moltprecious Jewel and worth thy labor. Some quench hot Bricks in the liquified Salt,and then distil them with a molt intense fire, as in Oy I of BiKks*

A Water ser the Separation os Silt/, r.

Take Salt Peter and Alom in equal quantity, beat them in a Morter, and put theminto a Glass-Retort luted over three double : when it is well dried , set it in thecirculating fire , that is, which is reverberated on the top and below too. Stopit close, and set a large Receiver under it t for if it be too narrow, the strong Spi-rits will breakout with a great bounce, crack theViflel, and frustrate your la-bour. Distil it six hours: if you calcine the Alomc*fire, the Water will bestronger*

A Water for Separation of (fold.

Mix with the equal parts of Salt-Peter and Alttn, as much Vitriol, and distil it, asbefore : there will proceed a Water lo strong, that it will even corrode the 1 irctureof Gold. Wherefore, if this seem too violent, take nine pounds of the former Silts,being diffolve din VVattr, and two ounces of Sal f.n.moniacum : when they aremelted, set them two days in Fimo, and with hot Ashes yon may distil a VVuer thatwill corrode Gold. If vou refund the Water upon the Fæces, let them macerateand aistil it again, the Water will be much stronger.

How to purge the phlegm from these W. ttrs,

without which they ate of no force : cast a little Silver into a li'tle of thisVVa-ter; which, being overcharged with phlegm, will not corrode it. But set itto heat over the fire, and it will presently do it : pour all thi Water intoanother Pot, and leave the Fæces behiede in the former : lo ihe Water Willbe clarified*

Oyl of Vitriol.

Dissolve Vitriol in an earthen Pan with a wide mouth j let the phlegm evaporate,then ercreale the fire and burn it, till it he all red. and the fourth part bt coniutmd.Put it into a Glass-Retcrt,luted all cvenhrice double, and well dried, and let in ig-ne reverberations, cmiirually au, merti' g the fire, and continuing it for three day?,-until the Vessel melt, and an Oyl dropout without any Water. Every three poundswill vield one ounce of Oyl. Pur it ir to a Glass-bottle,and fit it in hot Embers thatthe Water, if any he in the Oyl,may evaporate • for so it will be of greater strength*The sign of a perfect extraction , is, if it makeapieccof VVocd,beingcastimoit^ftnoak, as if it burned it.

This

Oyl of Sulphurt