in that countrie, wherein after sundrie trialls, we attained to some perfection, and found that in our Copper ures, were tenn severall substance's, whereof iiij ar visible, w'ch ar iron, copper, a kinde of black stone, (wherein the copper groweth) and a kinde of white stone named sparr: the other vj humors, w'ch ar in the said ures, and invisible, ar sulpher, arsenique, antimony, vitriall, calcator, and allom; so as in ten substances w'ch ar in our Copper ures, the copper is one, and the other substances by their naturall operation ar all hurtfull and venemous humors to the copper; for some of them by wasteings the copper in smeltinge, and by their drynes make it bretle and black; the other by theire toughe and moiste nature, be a great let to the speedie smeltinge and bringeinge the ure into rough copper. The number, nature, and propertie of w'ch ix hurtfull humors being wholly unknowne to Mr. Daniell [qy. Hockstetter] and his Sonne, or to any other of the Duch workemen w'ch have bin sente from Germany* to the mynes, that have borne our copper ures, had bin the onely cause of the unreasonable charge, and long tyme spent before they could make of those ures perfect rough copper: w'ch copper after the order used in tymes past by Mr. Daniell and his Son, thei never coulde, nether yet can make under xxij tymes passinge thro the fire, and xxij weekes doeing therof ane sometyme more. But now the nature of these ix hurtfull humors abovesaid being discovered and opened by Jochim's way of doeing, we can, by his order of workeinge, so correct theim, that parte of theim beinge by nature hurtfull to the copper in wasteinge of it, ar by arte maide freindes, and be not onely an encrease to the Copper, but further it in smeltinge: and the rest of the other evill humors shalbe so corrected, and their humors so taken from them, that by once rosteinge and once smeltinge the ure (w'ch shalbe done in the space of three dayes), * Which is again evidence that Daniel and Stembarger were "Germans."

the same copper ure shall yeeld us black copper and copper-stone, w'ch nether Mr. Daniell nor his Sonne coulde or yet can do under xvj tymes passinge through the fire, and xvj weeks in doeing thereof: and further, in once rosteinge and once smeltinge the same black copper and copper-stone again, w'ch shalbe done in ij days, after Mr. Jochim's order of workeinge, I will bringe the black copper and copper-stone into perfect rough copper, w'ch Mr. Stembarger cannot make under xxij tymes passing through the fire and xxij weekes in doeinge therof and sometymes more!

I have therfore thought necessarie to sett it downe in writeinge, that y'r Honnor might see the several names of the ix infections w'ch ar in our copper ures, w'th the nature and operation of every of them, by what meanes thei do hurt unto the Copper, before thei be corrected, and being corrected, by what meanes thei be helpfull to the copper.

The Names of the ix infectyve and evill Humors:

1. The first is Sulphur, being a mynerall substance w'ch verie quickly taketh fire, and wilbe consumed in smoke by blast, whereby it goeth away very violently, and in goeing away will not onlly carry w'th it some of the copper or any other mettall it is joyned with, but also maketh the copper black and bretle so that it wilbe broken w'th the hammar, in manner like glasse.

2. The ij corrupt humor is Arsineque, by nature a kinde of poyson, being in like manner a minerall substance, wilbe consumed w'th fire in to Smoke, w'ch is a vere daungerous ayer or savor, and by his force maketh the copper white and brether then the sulpher doeth. This Arsenieque is not onely in great quantitie in our copper ures, but is by nature so forceable of it self, that it is Lorde and Ruller over all the rest, and consumes both ye sulpher, and antimony, so y't thei ar not to be seene: and in my opinion, by his drynese doth so dry and take away the force of the other iij liquid and

tough humors, that thei have no force to let them from speedy smeltinge and departinge from his drosse.

3. The iij corruption is Antimony, w'ch is in like manner a mynerall substance, and by rosteing wilbe consumed into smoke. Itt is in nature much like to sulpher and arsenieque in makinge the copper black and brether; besides it is great let and hinderer to the copper in smeltinge; and by the opinion of some that in refineing, it doeth consume part either of golde, silver, or copper w'ch ar smolten w'th it.

4. The iiij corrupt humor is Vitriall, in like manner a mynerall substance, and if the force therof be not corrected by rosteinge before the ure wherin it groweth be smolten, it fretteth the Copper and maketh it bretle and black coulered; but by stampeinge the copper ure into powder and by rostinge the same powder after Mr. Jochim's rule before it be smolten, and then letting water passe through the same rosted powder, the water doth not onllie carry the vitriall from the powder or ure, but also carrieth w'th it the burnt powder or sinder of the sulphur, arsenicque, and antimony, whereby it so clenseth the ure that when it cometh to the smeltinge the copper cometh forth easelie, w'thout such quantitie of slagges or drosse, as otherwise would be, if the ure were not rosted and the vitriall in this manner taken from it; thus is the vitriall, of an enimye made a freinde.

5. The vth corruption is * Calcator, beinge the mother or corpus of vitriall, and a mynerall substance; this will not be consumed with smoke, but gathereth into a body and substance, and very forceablie abideth the fire, although in nature it be not fullie so hurtfull to the Copper as vitriall is, but carrieth away corrupt humors w'th it as vitriall doth.

* I have not yet come across the modern term for "Calcator," nor can I find the word itself in any of our old books; but my friend, Mr. R. Hunt, F.R.S., at Jermyn Street, has since drawn my attention to his 6th Edn. of Ure's Dicy. p. 854, where he has stated that "Calcother" (Calc-okre) is an antiquated name for oxide of iron, doubtless another form of the same word.-G. G. F.

6. Allom is the vjth corrupt humor, a mynerall substance, and by nature a let to ye smeltinge of the Copper; it also hindreth ye vitriall, and of all the rest of the ix infections is least hurtfull to ye copper.

7. The vijth humor is Iron, beinge one of the vij mettalls but no mynerall, w'ch being engendered and bred up in the earth w'th the copper ure, will not lightlie be gotten from it, and especiallie when the copper ure is smolten greene as it cometh from the myne, w'thout rosteinge, then the iron doth joyne and incorporat himself w'th the copper, by reason of the other ij moist humors hereunder written as shall plainely apeire unto yo'r Honnor by samples that I have to shewe, w'ch is onely the greatest cause of so many chargable fires and longe tyme w'ch Mr. Daniell and his Sonne do spende before thei can make rough copper. And accordinge to Mr. Jochim's order of workeinge the nature and substance of the iron yt is our copper ure being beaten into powder, and rosted as aforesaide, the drosse and corruption that is in the iron is so dryed up, that when it cometh to smeltinge it is not able to runne or gether itselfe together like a slagge as it doeth being smolten greene before the ure be rosted: and the best substance w'ch is the right iron ure, beinge by rosteinge brought into the perfection of iron, is, by the water and strength of vitriall, converted into copper, as I have proved sundrie tymes: so as this cheefe of the hurtfull humors beinge thus corrected, it is made of an enemye a freinde and helper of the copper.

8. The viijth hurtfull humor that is in our copper ure, is a kinde of Black Stone, * wherin the copper is bred and doth growe, and is incorporated w'th the copper, as shall plainely be shewed unto yo'r Honnor, w'ch stone beinge a liquide and tough substance, and smolten before it be rosted, doth

Evidently alluding to the native matrix in which the ore was found in Cumberland.-G. G. F.

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so joine itselfe w'th the iron and copper, being bred up together, that thei will hardly be parted but by great charges and long tyme; but as is before declared, beinge rosted before it come to smeltinge (what by force of the fire and of the venemous arsenicque) this hurtfull stone is so dryed up, that when the ure cometh to smelteinge, it cannot incorporat itself to any substance to become a slagge or drosse, but is like a sinder consumed w'th the force of the fire, wherby it can no way hinder or lett the copper.

9. The ixth and the last corrupt humor is a kinde of White Stone, named Sparr, w'ch in all respects is like to the black stone, and if in the same sorte it be not corrected, it is no lesse prejudiciall to the smeltinge then the other

Thus, Right Honnorable, I have so breefly as I coulde, rudely sett forth the nombre, nature, and operation of the hurtfull Humors that be in our Copper ures, and how by arte thei may be so corrected that such of them as be moste hurtfull enemyes, shalbe made freindes; and the hurtfull force of the rest so overcome and taken away that thei shall not hurt or hinder the copper makeinge. Moste humblie beseecheinge yo'r Honnor to pardone my boldnes in troubleing you, and to accept my goodwill herein and hearafter (as occasion and tyme shall serve) I do purpose by Godde's Grace to sett forth a more ample discourse, and by the help of Mr. Jochim not onely to dissipher ye hurtfull Humors that be in any ure (groweing in this realme) be it copper or lead, but also a remedie so to correct or kill the same, as the same ures ither of copper or leade shalbe smolten to benefitt without the hurt of those humors. [Endorsed.]

NOTES touching that which was don at ye Copper Mynes by Mr. Nedham and Joachim Gaunse, with offers of Joachim Gans for the Melting of Copper and making of Vitryol.

Having so far (I hope) interested the reader in the general