Book XII, chapters 7–13: Artificial fires

CHAP. VII.

How Balls are made of Metals that will cast forth fire and Iron wedges.

I Shall shew you how to make brittle Balls of Metal, that being filled with Gun-powder, and all the places of vent stopt, with the violence of the flame will flie into many pieces, and strike through those they meet with, and on all sides they will pierce through those who are not onely unarmed but armed men; and these are to be used in besieging of Cities: for cast amongst multitudes, they will wound abundance. The danger is seen among Herds of Cattle. Make then

Balls that will cast pieces of Iron a great way off.

Let a Ball of Metal be made a hand-breadth diameter, half a finger thick: the Metal is made of Brass three parts, Tin one part, to make it so brittle, that by force of fire it may flie in small pieces. To make the Ball more easily, make it of two half circles, for the charge is the less, and let them joyn together like a box, or let them screw one within another: let it be equally thick, that it may break in all parts alike. Then with a Nail drove through the middle, let it be fastened the better together, a finger thick, that it may break in all parts before it do in the joynts. Then make a little Pipe as big as a finger, and as long as ones hand, that it may come to the Centre of the Ball, and so stick forth beyond the Superficies, like a Pyramis, the Basis outward, the Point inward: sodder it fast to the Ball. The nail, as I said, must come forth on both sides; and to this fasten wires, that runs through iron piles, that have a large hole through them, that every wire may have thirty of them; that when the ball is broken by force of the fire, the wires of iron may break also, and the piles of iron may be thrown about, a great way, with such force, that they may seem to be shot forth Guns and Ordnance. Lastly, let the Ball be filled with the best Gunpowder onely, but the pipe with that mixture that burns more gently, that when fire is put to it, you may hold it so long in your hand, until that slow composition may come to the centre; and then throw it amongst the enemies, for it will break in a thousand pieces; and the iron wires and pieces of iron, and parts of the Ball will fly far, and strike so violently, that they will go into planks or a wall a hand depth: These are cast in by Souldiers, when Cities are besiged, for one may wound two hundred men: and then it is worse to wound then to kill them, as experience in wars shews. But when you will fill the pipes, hold one in your hand without a Ball, full of the composition, and try it how long it will burn, that you may learn to know the time to cast them, lest you kill your self and your friends. I shall teach you how with the same Balls

Troops of Horsemen may be put into confusion.

There are made some of these sorts of Balls, that are greater, about a foot in bigness, bound with the same wire, but fuller of iron piles, namely with a thousand of them. These are cast amongst Troops of Horsemen, or into Cities besieged, or into ships with slings, or iron guns, which they call Petrels; and divers ways: for if they be armed with iron pieces, when they break they are cast forth so with the violence of the fire, that they will strike through armed men and horses, and so fright the horses with a huge noise, that they cannot be ruled by bridle nor spurs, but will break their ranks. They have four holes made through them, and they are filled with this said mixture, that being fired they may be cast amongst Troops of Horsemen; and they will cast their flames so far with a noise and cracking, that the flames will seem like to thunder and lightning.

CHAP. VIII.

How in plain ground, and under waters, mines may be presently digged.

TO dig Mines to overthrow Cities and Forts, there is required great cost, time, and pains, and they can hardly be made but the enemy will discover it: I shall shew how to make them in that champion ground, where both armies are to meet, with little labour, and in short time.

To make Mines in plain grounds where the Armies are to meet.

If you would do this in sight of the enemy (for they know not what you do) I shall first teach how. A little before night, or in the twilight, where the meeting shall be, or passage, or standing, there may pits be made of three foot depth, and the one pit may be distant from the other about ten foot: There fit your Balls about a foot in bigness, that you may fill the whole plain with them; then dig trenches from one to the other, that through them cotton matches may pass well through earthen pipes, or hollow ca[…]es; but fire the Balls at three or four places: then bury them, and make the ground even, leaving a space to give fire to them all at once. Then at the time of war, when the enemy stands upon the ground, then remove at your pleasure, or counterfeit that you fly from them; and cast in fire at the open place, and the whole ground will presently burn with fire, and make a cruel and terrible slaughter amongst them; for you shall see their limbs fly into the air, and others fall dead pierced through, burnt with the horrible flames thereof, that scarce one man shall scape. You shall make your Match thus: In a new Test let the best Aqua vitae boyl with gunpowder, till it grow thick, and be like pap; put your matches into it, and role them in the mixture: take the Test from the fire, and strew on as much gunpowder as they will receive, and set them to dry in the Sun: put this into a hollow cane, and fill it full of gunpowder: or take one part refined salt-peter, brimstone half as much, and let it boyl in a new earthen pot, with oyl of linseed: put in your Match, and wet them well all over with that liquor, take them away and dry them in the Sun. But if you will make

Mines under the Water,

use this rare invention: You shall make your Mines where the enemies Galleys or Ships come to ride; you shall upon a plain place fit many beams, or pieces of timber, fastned cross-wise, and thrust through, or like nets; according to the quantity in the divisions, you shall make fit circles of wood, and fasten them, and fill them with gunpowder; the beams must be made hollow, and be filled with match and powder, that you may set fire to the round circles: with great diligence and cunning, smeer over the circles and the beams with pitch, and cover them well with it, that the water may not enter, and the powder take wet (for so your labour will be lost) and you must leave a place to put fire in; then sink your engine with weights to the bottom of the water, and cover it with stones, mud and weeds, a little before the enemy come. Let a Scout keep watch, that when their Ships or Galleys ride over the place, that the snare is laid; for fire being put to it, the sea will part, and be cast up into the air, and drown'd the Ships, or will tear them in a thousand pieces, that there is nothing more wonderful to be seen or done. I have tried this in waters and ponds, and it performed more then I imagined it would.

CHAP. IX.

What things are good to extinguish the fire.

I Have spoken of kindling fires, but now I shall shew how to quench them; and by the way, what things obnoxious to the fire, will endure it and remain. But first I will relate what our Ancestours have left concerning this business. Vitruvious saith, That the Larch-tree-wood will not burn, or kindle by it self, but like a stone in the furnace, will make no coles, but burn very slowly. He saith the reason is, That there is in it very little air or fire, but much water and earth, and that it is very solid, and hath no pores that the fire can enter at. He relates how this is known, When Caesar commanded the Citizens about the Alps, to bring him in provision, those that were secure in a Castle of wood, refused to obey his commands: Caesar bade make bundles of wood, and to light torches, and lay these to the Castle: when the matter took fire, the flame flew exceeding high, and he supposed the Castle would have fallen down; but when all was burnt, the Castle was not touched. Whence Pliny writes, The Larch-tree will neither burn to coles, nor is otherwise consumed by fire, then stones are. But this is most false: For seeing it is rosiny and oyly, it presently takes fire and burns; and being one fired, is hard to put out. Wherefore I admire, that this error should spread so far, and that the Town Larignum, so called from the abundance of Larch-wood, compassed about with fire, should suffer no hurt. Moreover, I read that liquid Alom, as the Ancients report, will stand out against fire: For wood smeered with Alom, and Verdignease, whether they be posts or beams, so they have a crust made about them, will not burn with fire. A[…] laus the General, for Mithridates made trial of it in a wooden Tower against […], which he attempted in vain to set on fire: which I find observed by […], in his Annals. But this liquid Alom is yet unknown to many learned men: our Alum wants this property. But many say, that vinegar prevails against fire. Plutarch saith, That nothing will sooner quench fire them vinegar: for of all things, it most puts out the flame, by its extreamity of cold. Poli[…] reports, […], when he was besieged by his enemies, poured out of brazen vessels, melted lead upon the engines, that were set to scale the place, and by this were the engines dissolved; but the enemies poured vinegar upon it, and by that they quenched the lead, and all things else that fell from the walls: and so they found vinegar to be the fittest to quench fire, and an excellent experiment, if things be wet with it. Pliny prayseth the white of an egge to quench it, saying, that the white of an egge is so strong, that if wood be wet with it, it will not burn, nor yet any garment. Hieron, to cover scaling engines, used the raw hides of beasts new killed, as having force to resist fire; and the joynts of wood they fenced with chalk, or with ashes tempered with blood, or clay molded with hair or straw, and with sea-weeds wet in vinegar; for so they were safe from fire. Carchedonius was the first that taught men to cover engins and rams, with green hides. I have heard by men of credit, that when houses were on fire, by a peculiar property, the menstruons clothes of a woman that had her courses the first time, cast over the planks, would presently put out the fire. Thick and muscilaginous juyces are good against fire, as of Marsh-mallows. Therefore Albertus writ not very absurdly, that if a man anoint his hands with juyce of Marsh-mallows, the white of an egge and vinegar, with alom,

He may handle fire without hurt.

And it is a thing that hath much truth in it. But I think that quick-silver killed in vinegar, and the white of an egge, and smeered on, can preserve any thing from fire.

CHAP. X.

Of divers compositions for fire.

I Shall speak of divers compositions for fire to be used for divers uses. But men say M. Gracchus was Author of this invention.

To make a fiery composition, that the Sun may kindle.

It consists of these things: Oyl of Rosinous Turpentine, of Quick-silver (otherwise then I shewed in distilling) of Juniper, of Naphtha, Linseed, Colophonia, Camphire; let there be Pitch Salt-peter, and Ducks-grease, double to them all; Aqua vitae refined from all flegm. Pound them all, and mingle them; put them up in a glazed vessel, and let them ferment two moneths in horse-dung, always renewing the dung, and mingling them together. After the set time, put it into a retort, and distil it: thicken the liquor either with Pigeons-dung, finely sifted, or with gunpowder, that it may be like pap: Wood that is smeered over with this mixture, and set in the summer Sun, will fire of it self. Pigeons-dung easily takes fire by the Sun beams. Galen reports, That in Mysia, a part of Asia, a house was so set on fire. Pigeons-dung was cast forth, and touched a window that was neer; as it came to touch the wood that was newly smeered with rosin, when it was corrupted, and grew hot, and vapoured at Midsummer, by heat of the Sun, it fired the rosin, and the window; then other places smeered with Rosin, took fire, and by degrees part of the house began to take hold; and when once the covering of the house began to flame, it soon laid hold of the whole house, because it hath a mighty force to inflame all. Ducks-grease is very prevalent in fire-works, and Physitians praise it extremely, that it is most subtile, penetrating and hot, it makes other things penetrate; and as it is most subtile and hot, so it takes fire vehemently, and burns. I shall shew how to distil

A most scalding Oyl.

When I would prepare the most excellent compositions of burning oyl, I distilled common oyl in a retort, but with great labour; yet what was distilled was thin, combustible, and ready to fire; that once kindled, it was not to be put out; and it would draw the flame at a great distance, and hardly let it go. But oyl of Linseed is stronger than it; for if you distil it often, it will have such a wonderful force to take fire, that it can hardly be shut up in a vessel, but it will draw the fire to it; and the glass being opened, it is so thin, that it will fly into the Air; and if the light of a candle, or of fire touch it, the Air takes fire, and the oyl fired by it, will cast the flame afar off, so vehemently, that it is almost impossible to quench it. It must be distilled with great cunning, lest the vessel over-heat, it should take fire within. Moreover,

Fire that is quenched with oyl, is kindled with water.

It is thus made: I said that Naphtha will burn in water, and that Camphire is a kind of it. Wherefore, if you mingle brimstone with it, or other things, that will retain fire; if you cast in oyl or mud, it will quench it; but it revives and flames more, if you cast in water. Livy relates, That some old women in their plays, lighting Torches made of these things, passed over Tyber, that it seemed a miracle to the beholders. I said it was the property of Bitumen to take fire from water, and to be quenched with oyl. Dioscorides saith, That the Thracian stone is bred in a certain River of Scythia; the name of it is Pontus: it hath the Force of Jet, they say it is enflamed by water, and quenched with oyl, like as Bitumen. Nicander speaks of this stone thus:

If that the Thracian stone be burnt in fire,
And wet with water, the flame will aspire;
But oyl will quench it. Thracian shepherds bring
This stone from th' River Pontus, Poets sing.

Torches that will not be put out by the winds.

They are made with brimstone, for that is hardly put out, if once kindled. Wherefore Torches made with wax and brimstone, may be carried safely through winds and tempests. These are good for Armies to march by, or for other necessary things. Others use such: They boil the wick of the Torches in Salt-peter and water; when it is dried, they wet them with brimstone and Aqua vitae: of this mixture then they make their Candles, with brimstone, and then with half Camphire, and Turpentine, two parts Colophonia, three of Wax; of this they make four Candles, and put them together: in the middle that is empty, they cast in quick-brimstone, and they will forcibly resist all things. Or thus: Boil wicks of Hemp or Cotton in water, with Salt-peter; take them out and dry them: then melt in a brass pot equal parts of brimstone, gunpowder, and wax; when they are melted, put in your wicks to drink up part of the mixture; take them out, and to what is left in the kettle, add Gunpowder, Brimstone, and Turpentine, of each a like quantity, of which mixture make your Torches, and joyn them together. Also there is made

A cord that set on fire, shall neither smoke nor smell.

When Souldiers or Hunters go secretly by day or night, they use sometimes to make a Match, that being lighted, will neither smell near hand, nor far off, nor make any smoke; for wild Beasts, if the Match smell, will sent it, and run to the tops of the Mountains. Take a new earthen pot, and put into it a new cord so handsomely, that the whole pot may be filled; so laid in rounds, that no more can go in; cover it, and lute it well three or four times, that it may have no vent; for the whole business depends on this. Then make a fire round about it, by degrees, that first it may grow hot, then very hot, and lastly red hot; and if sometimes the smoke come forth, stop the chinks with clay still; then heaped up under the coles, let it grew cold of it self; and opening the Pot, you shall finde the Cord black, like a cole. Light this Cord, and it will neither smoke nor smell.

CHAP. XI.

Fire-compositions for Festival days.

I Have shewed you Terrible and Monstrous fire-works, it is fit to shew you some to use at Solemn Times: not so much for use, as to give you occasion to find out higher matters. I shall shew then how to make one,

That when a man comes into his Chamber, the whole Air way take fire.

Take a great quantity of the best refined Aqua vitae, and put Camphire into it, cut small, for it will soon dissolve in it: when it is dissolved, shut the Windows and Chamber-doors, that the vapour that exhales, may not get forth: when the vessel is full with water, let it boil with coles, put under, without any flame, that all the water may resolve into smoke, and fill the Chamber, and it will be so thin, that you can scarce perceive it. Let some man enter into the Chamber with a lighted Candle in his hand, and the Air by the Candle light, will take fire all about, and the whole Chamber will be in a flame, like an Oven, and will much terrifie one that goes in. If you dissolve in the water a little Musk, or Amber-greese, after the flame you shall smell a curious sent. Also there is made

Exceeding burning water:

Thus: Take old strong black Wine, put into it quick Lime, Tartar, Salt, and quick-Brimstone; draw out the water of them with a glass retort. This will burn exceedingly, and never cease till it be all consumed. If you put it into a vessel with a very large mouth, and put flame neer it, it will presently take fire: if when it is on fire you cast it against a wall, or by night out at the window, you shall see the Air full of sparks, and kindled with fires. It will burn, held in your hands, and yet will not scald you. Distil it once again, and it will burn the less. But if you take equal parts of quick Lime, and Salt, and shall mingle them with common Oyl, and make little Balls, and cast them into the belly of the retort at the neck, and then shall draw forth the Oyl by a vehement fire; and mingling this Oyl again with Salt and quick Lime, shall distill them again, and shall do the same four times, an Oyl will come forth that will burn wonderfully, that some deservedly call it infernal Oyl. A Solemn Pleasant fire, is made for the Theater. If Camphire be dissolved in Aqua vitae, and with that Fillets, Papers, or Parchments, be smeered; and being dried again, be lighted, and shall fall from a loft: as they fall lighted through the Air, you shall see Serpents with great delight. But if you dessire

To cast flame a great way,

Do thus: Beat Colophonia, Frankincense, or Amber finely, and hold them in the palm of your hand, and put a lighted Candle between your fingers; and as you throw the Powder into the Air, let it pass through the flame of the Candle; for the flame will fly up high. If you will have that

Many Candles shall be lighted presently,

on Festival Days, as I hear they are wont to do amongst the Turks: You shall boil Brimstone and Orpiment with Oyl, and in them let thred boil; when it is dry, bind it to the wicks of Candles, and let them pass through; for when one head is lighted, the flame will run to them all, and set them on fire. Some call it Hermes his Oyntment. Any man may

Eating in the dark, cast sparkles out of his mouth.

It is pleasant for the Spectators; and it is thus: Let a man eat Sugar-candy, for as he breaks it with his teeth, sparkles will seem to fly out of his mouth; as if one should rub a fire-brand.

CHAP. XII.

Of some Experiments of Fires.

I Will set down some Experiments, that are without the ranks of the rest. I held it better to conceal them: but they may give you occasion to think on greater matters by them. If you will

That Bullets from Brass Guns, may enter deeper,

you may easily try this against a wall, or plank set up. Let the Ball rather go into the hollow of it, streight then wide: but wet it in Oyl, before you put it in, and so cast it in: this Bullet shot off by force of fire, will go in twice as far as otherwise. The reason is easie: for the Oyl takes away the occasion of the Airs breathing forth; for all vents being stopt, the flames striving within, cast forth the Bullet with more violence, as we shall shew more at large. So also will the Bullets of Brass Guns penetrate with more force: and if you lard the Bullets, they will penetrate through Arms of proof. I can also by a cunning Artifice

Shoot a man through with a Bullet, and no place shall be seen where it went in, or came forth.

The minde of man is so cunning, that it hath invented a way to shoot a man quite through with a Bullet, and yet no mark of the Bullet shall appear, though all the inward parts be bruised and beaten through. Consider, that what things are heavy, are solid, and so subtile, that they will penetrate and leave no marks, where they entred or came out; and they will do the same, though they be united, as if they were disjoynted; and every part will act by it self alone, as it would do being united. I have said thus, to take away all occasions from ignorant and wicked people, to do mischief. I saw

A Gun discharge often, and yet no more powder was put in.

Famous Souldiers use this, not onely for Brass Cannon, but for small hand-Guns. It is thus: wrap a paper three or four times about the rammer that is put into the hollow mouth of the Gun, and drawing out the Gun-stick, fill that hollow place with Powder and Bullet; here and there let the Bullets be stopt in, and glewed fast, that no scissure or vent may appear in the paper. First, let it be put into the Gun, but loosly, that the Powder put in above, may come to the vent-hole beneath: then put your measure of Powder in atop, and stamp in your Bullet, putting Gunpowder to the touch-hole; and putting fire to it, the upper Ball shall be shot off with its Powder: presently thrust in a sharp instrument at the vent-hole, and make a hole in the Carteridge, and feed it with Powder, and put fire to it again; and in short time it will discharge twice. I can

Blind your eyes with the smoke.

This may much profit, when enemies come to storm a City. But first we must consider the wind, that it may be on the backs of our men, and may carry the smoke into the faces of our enemies. Let there be measures made like lanthorns, so wide that they may go in at the mouths of the Brass Guns: fill them with Powder of Euphorbium, Pepper, quick Lime, Vine-ashes, and Arsnick sublimate; and put them into the hollow of it, after the Gunpowder: for by force of the fire, will these paper-frames break; and the smoke of the Powder, if it come at the eyes of the enemies, will so trouble them, that casting away their weapons, they can hardly save their eyes.

CHAP. XIII.

How it may be, that a Candle shall burn continually.

BEfore we end this Book, I shall discover, whether it may be that a Candle once lighted, should never be put our; which seems very contrary to the reason of the corruptible things of this world, and to be past belief. But let us see first whether the Antients ever attempted it, or did it. We read in the Roman Histories, that there was at Rome, in the Temple of the goddess Vesta; and of Minerva, at Athens; and of Apollo, at Delphi, a perpetual fire kindled. But this seems to be false; for I remember that I have read in many Authors, that this perpetual fire was always kept so by the Vestal Nuns, that it should never go out: as we find it in Plutarch, in the Life of Numa; and then in the time of the Civil War, and of Mithridates, it went out. At Delphi it was watched by widows, who took care, by always pouring in of Oyl, that it should never go forth: but this failed, when the Medes burnt that Temple. Of the same sort was that fire, God appointed by Moses in the Scriptures. The fire shall always burn upon mine Altar, which the Priest shall always keep lighted, putting under wood day by day. Wherefore, the fire was not perpetual in the Temples of the gods of the Gentiles. Yet I read that about the Town Ateste neer Padus, there was found an earthen Pitcher, in which there was another little Pitcher, and in that there was found a little light still burning, which by the hands of some ignorant fellows, pouring it rudely forth, was broken, and so the falme was put out. And in our time, about the year 600. in the stand Nesis that stands in Naples, there was a Marble Sepulchre of some Roman found, and that being opened, a Vial was found within it, in which there was a Candle: when this was broken, and it came to the light, it went out: it was shut in before the coming of our Saviour. Some others I have heard of, by report of my friends, that were found and seen with their eyes. Whence I collect this may be done, and was done by our Ancestors. Let us see if we can do the same. Some say that Oyl of Metals may last long, and almost perpetually. But this is false: for Oyl of Metals will not burn. Others say, Oyl of Juniper from the wood will last long, because the coles of that wood may be kept a whole year alive under ashes. But this is most false, because I kept a cole under ashes, and it would not last two, nor yet one day; and the Oyl of the wood burns most vehemently, and is sooner wasted then common Oyl. Some boast they have drawn Oyl from the incombustible stone, thinking that flame cannot consume that: for a wick made thereof, will never be burnt; and yet burns always, if you put Oyl always to it: But if that be true, that the wick is not consumed by fire, yet that follows not […] And no man yet was ever seen to draw Oyl from the stone […] that would burn. Others think that Oyl drawn from common Salt, will last always; for if you cast Salt into Oyl, it makes the Oyl in the Lamp last twice as long, and not be consumed, which I affirm to be true; therefore if Oyl be distilled from it, it will burn always and never waste. Yet this follows not that Oyl drawn from Salt will burn continually; and Oyl distilled from it will burn no more than a stone of Aqua fortis, that parts Gold and Silver, of which kind it is. But it is an ignorant thing to imagine, that an Oyl may be made that shall burn always, and never consume. Wherefore some other thing must be thought on. Some say (and they do not think foolishly) that fire in a Vial doth not always burn; but in the Vial there is some composition laid up, that so soon as it comes to the Air, presently takes fire, and seems to burn onely at that time, yet it never burned before. This may be true: for as I often have laboured in Chymical matters, a glass well stopt, and forgot by me after the things were burnt in it; and being so left for many moneths, I may say, many years: at last, being opened, hath been seen to flame, and burn, and smoke. What I had burnt I had forgot, but they might be the same things, that I heard of by my friend, that had the same chance: for when he had boil'd Litharge, Tartar, quick Lime, and Cinnaber in Vinegar, until it was all evaporated; and then covering and luting the Vessel well, he set it into a vehement fire, and when it was enough, he set it by till it was cold: after some moneths, when he went to open it to see his work, a flame suddenly flew out of the Vessel, and set fire on some things, when as he thought of no such matter: and the same hath happened to many more. Moreover, when I boiled Linseed Oyl for the Press, when the flames took within, I covered the pot with clothes to put it out: after some time I opened the Vessel, the Oyl at the Air coming to it flamed again, and took fire. But experience is against this opinion: For who saw a Candle shut up close in a glass Vial, and to keep its flaming quality, and to give light? For the Ancients thought that the souls of the dead did always rest in the grave, as the ashes do; and that they might not lye in the dark, they endeavovred all they could to send out this light, that their souls might enjoy light continually. Therefore we must think on another experiment, and make trial of it. But this must be held for a rare and firm principle in Natures shop, that the cause of wonders is because there can be no vacuum; and the frame of the work will sooner break asunder, and all things run to nothing, then there can be any such thing: Wherefore if a flame were shut up in a glass, and all vent-holes stopt close, if it could last one moment, it would last continually, and it were not possible for it to be put out. There are many wonders declared in this Book, and many more shall be set down, that have no other cause. But how the flame should be lighted within side, this is worth the while to know; It must be a liquor or some subtile substance, and that will evaporate but little; and if then it can be shut up in the glass, when the glass is shut it will last always: which may easily be performed by burning-glasses, fire, industry, and cunning. It cannot be extinguished, because the Air can come in nowhere to fill up the emptiness of the Vial: The Oyl is always turned into smoke, and this, being it cannot be dissolved into Air, it turns to Oyl, and kindleth again, and so it will always by course afford fuel for the light. You have heard the beginnings; now search, labour, and make trial.