Chapter II: Part 2

Let there be provided a deepe vessell of earth, or any thing else, that will hold water, as A, B, C, D, provide also a glasse made after the fashion of the figure marked with the letters E, F, G. It must bee open at the bottom, and haue also a small hole at the top, thorow which if you can but put the point of a needle, it is sufficient. This glasse must not bee so long as the vessell is deepe, by about two inches. Then take a iust measure of the length of the glasse E, F, G, and set it on the inside of the vessell A, B, C, D, from the bottom towards the top, and then make a rase round about the vessell; there must bee fitted unto this earthen vessell, a pipe reaching from the top of the outside thereof, (where there must bee a cock unto it) and going to the bottom, where it entreth the same, and againe extendeth it selfe almost unto the circle or mark rased on the vessell A, B, C, D. Fill then the vessell with fayre water up to the rase, or circle, and turne the cock, and put the glasse into the water, and you shall see that the glasse by reason of its heavinesse, will tend toward the bottom of the vessell, but very slowly, by reason that the ayre contained therein hath so small a vent: turne an houre-glasse, and at the end of each houre make a mark upon the glasse equall with the water, and it is done. When the glasse is quite sunke to the bottom of the water, turn the cock, and with one blast of your mouth at the pipe, it will ascend againe.

_Another fashioned one._

Prepare a vessell, as A, B, C, D, having a very small cock unto it, whose passage ought to bee so small, as that the water might issue out but by drops. Prepare likewise a vessell, as E, F, G, H, having at one end of it a piller of a foot and a halfe, or two foot high: let there be fitted unto this vessell a board, so that it may freely without stay, slip up and down: towards one side of this board, there must be a good big hole, which must bee placed under the cock of the other vessell. Then fasten unto the top of this board, the image of Time or Death, and pointing with a dart upon the piller aforesaid: turn then an houre glasse, and at the end of every houre make a figure on the place of the piller that the image with his dart pointeth at, and it is made. For note, the dropping of the water out of the cock thorow the hole of the board whereon the image standeth, causeth the same to ascend by little and little. Mark the figures.

_Another artificiall Water-clock, which may bee set
conveniently in a double Weather-glasse._

First prepare a cestern, as A, B, C, D, partition in the middle, let there bee made two pipes, the one whereof must reach out of the upper cestern, and descend almost to the bottom of the lowest cestern, as I, K; the other must be a short one, and haue a very small hole, that the water may thereby issue out of the upper cestern but by drops; also at the side nigh the bottom of the upper cestern, let a small pipe enter. To the upper cestern fit a board, (with a peece of lead nayled upon it to make it somewhat heavy) so that it may easily slip up and downe in it; this board must haue a loop to fasten a rope unto, and you must so poyse the said board, that it being hung up by a line, may hang even, and levell. Then prepare a box to put ouer the cestern, which ought to stand about six inches aboue the cestern. In the top of this box let there be fastned a long pulley with a creuice to put a small rope ouer, in this creuice it were fitting to fasten small pins, to the end that the rope might turn the sayd wheele as the water faleth from under the board: let the spindle of this pulley come out at one side of the box whereon there is a Dyall drawn, contayning so many houres as you would haue it go for; unto this end of the spindle let there bee fitted a needle, or director, to shew the houre, then put a small cord ouer the pulley in the box, fasten one end thereof to the loop of the board, and at the other end let there bee tied a waight not quite so heauy as the board, then fill the upper cestern with water, and the board will presse it out into the lower vessell, at the pipe O, drop by drop, and as the board sinketh lower, it will by meanes of the rope upon the pulley, turne the index fastned unto the spindle of the pulley about the dyall; you may set it by an houre-glasse or Watch: when it is quite downe, if you doe with your mouth blow into the pipe at the side of the cestern, the water will all mount up againe into the upper cestern.

_A wheele which being turned about, it casteth
water out at the spindle._

Let A, B, be a tub hauing in the bottom a brasse barrell, with a hole open quite through one side of it: let D, E, F, be a wheele, whose spindle must bee also hollow, and haue a hole through one side of it, so that being put into the hollow barrell, both the holes may be equall together. Note then, that so long as these holes are equall together, the water will run out at the spindle of the tub, but if you turne the wheele to another side, it will not run.

_A water-presser, or the mounting of water
by compression._

Let there bee prouided a barrell of brasse, of what length and widenesse you please, let it bee exactly smooth within, and very tight at bottom; unto this barrell fit a plug of wood leathered about, and let there bee made diuers small holes quite through it, wherein fasten diuers formes and shapes of birds, beasts, or fishes, hauing very small pin-holes through them, for the water to spin out at: you shall do well to make this plug very heavy, either by pouring molten lead into certaine holes made for the purpose, or else by fastning some waight unto the top: fill the barrell with water, and put the plug into it, which lying so heavy upon the water, it will make it spin out at the pin-holes of the images placed thereupon.

_How to compose a great or little peece of
Water-worke._

First prepare a table, whereupon erect a strong frame, and round about the frame make a moat with a leaden cestern to be filled with water; let the leaden moat somewhat undermine as it were the frame, which ought to be built in three stories, one aboue another, and euery one lesser than another. Within the middle story fasten a very strong Iack that goeth with a waight, or a strong spring, the ending of whose spindles ought to be crooked, thus Z, whereby diuers sweeps for pumps may bee moued to and againe, whose pumps must go down into the moat, and haue small succurs unto them, and convayances towards their tops, whereat the water may be mounted into diuers cesterns, out of some wherof there may be made convayances in their bottoms, by small pipes running down into the riuer or moat again, and there breaking out in the fashions and formes of Dragons, Swans, Whales, Flowers, and such like pretty conceits: out of others the water may fall upon wheeles, out of whose spindles, the water turning round, may bee made to run. In the uppermost story of all, let there bee made the forcer by ayre, as I taught before, or else a presser, hauing at the top, Neptune riding on a Whale, out of whose nostrils, as also out of Neptunes Trident, the water may be made to spin through small pin-holes; you may also make diuers motions about this work, but for that the multitude of figures would rather confound than instruct the Reader, I haue of purpose omitted them.

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THE
SECOND BOOKE,

Teaching most plainly, and withall
most exactly, the composing of all
manner of Fire-works for Triumph
and Recreation.

By _I.B._

_LONDON_,

Printed by _Thomas Harper_ for _Ralph Mab_. 1634.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

To the Reader.

_Courteous Reader, there hath a desistance been occasioned since the inception of this work, by reason of the occurrence of certaine Authours, that contrary unto my knowledge had laboured so fully herein; but after consideration had (that for the most part they were but translations) I thought it might bee no lesse lawfull and commendable for mee than for others, to communicate unto such as are yet desirous of further information, that wherein I haue bestowed both cost and paines. Notwithstanding, I haue so used the matter, as that I might not derogate from the estimation had of others to increase mine owne. Read it throughly, iudge indifferently, and if thou likest it, practise considerately. If thou art ignorant herein, I am sure it will instruct thee, and though well experienced (which perhaps thou art) I make no question, but that thou mayst finde somewhat which thou hast not heard of before; So farewell._

Your Welwiller
_I.B._

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Of Fire-workes.

I haue euer found (in conference with diuers desirous of instruction in any Art or Science whatsoeuer) that the summe and chiefest end of all hath been, to know the reasons and causes of those things they were desirous to be informed in. Wherefore I thought good, before I came to the matter it selfe, to set down some few Præcognita or Principles (as I may so call them) whereby such as are ingenious, upon occasion, may informe themselues, if they stand in doubt of the cause of any thing that is heereafter taught.

_Certayne Præcognita or Principles wherein are contayned
the causes and reasons of that which is
taught in this Booke._

1 The foure Elements, Fire, Ayre, Earth, and Water, are the _prima principia_ (I meane the materialls) whereof euery sublunary body is composed, and into the which it is at last dissolued.

2 Euery thing finding a dissolution of those _naturæ catenæ_, that is, meanes whereby their _principia_ are connected, and ioyned together, their lighter parts ascend upward, and these that are more grosse and heauy, doe the contrary.

3 It is impossible for one and the selfe same body to possesse at one time two places; It followeth therefore, that a dense body rarified, and made thin, eyther by actuall or potentiall fire, requireth a greater quantity of room to be conteyned in, then it did before. Hence it is, that if you lay your hand upon a glasse, hauing a straight mouth reuerst into a dish of water, it rarifieth the ayre contayned therein, and makes it breake out thorough the water in bubbles. Also, that gunpowder inclosed in the barrell of a gun, being rarified by fire, applied unto the touch-hole, it seeketh a greater quantity of roome, and therefore forceth the bullet out of the barrell. This is called violent motion.

4 According unto the strength and quantity of a dense body rarified, and according unto the forme and length of its inclosure, it forceth its compresser further or neerer at hand.

Thus much shall suffice to haue spoken concerning the _Præcognita_: Now I will passe _ad majora, & ad magis necessaria_: to wit, those necessary Instruments, and seuerall sorts of Ingredients, that ought to be had in readines.

As for the instruments they are these; Morters and Pestles, Serces, also seuerall sorts of Formers, Paper, Parchment, Canuas, Whipcord, strong binding thread, Glew, Rosin, Pitch, with diuers vessells meet to contayne and mingle your compositions in. The ingredients likewise are chiefly these, Saltpeter, Rochpeter, Sulpher, Charcoale, good Gunpowder, Filings of steele, oyle of Peter, and Spirit of wine.

_Instructions for chusing your ingredients._

Saltpeter is very good, if that being layd upon a board, and fire put to, it rise with a flamed ventosous exhalation, raysing no scum, nor leauing no pearle, but onely a blacke specke burnt into the boord.

The best brimstone, is quick brimstone, or liue sulphur, and that sort is best that breaketh whitest; if this cannot be gotten, take of the whitest yellow brimstone.

The best Coales for use are the sallow, willow, hazel and beech; onely see they be well burnt. Euery of these ingredients must be powdred finely and searsed.

All kindes of gunpowder are made of these ingredients imposed, or incorporated with vineger, or aquauitæ, and afterward grayned by art. The Saltpeter is the Soul, the Sulphur the Life, and the Coales the Body of it. The best sort of powder may be distinguished from others, by these signes:

1 If it be bright and incline to a blewish colour.

2 If in the handling it proue not moyst but auoydeth quickely.

3 If being fired, it flash quickly, and leaue no dregs nor setlings behinde it.

_A device to try the strength of divers sorts
of Gunpowder._

If so be you haue at any time diuers sorts of Gunpowder, and it is your desire to know which of them is the strongest, then you must prepare a box, as A, B, being foure inches high, and about two inches wide, hauing a lid ioynted unto it. The box ought to be made of iron, brasse, or copper, and to bee fastned unto a good thick plank, and to haue a touch-hole at the bottom, as O, and that end of the box where the hinge of the lid is, there must stand up from the box a peece of iron or brasse, in length answerable unto the lid of the box: this peece of iron must haue a hole quite through it, towards the top, and a spring, as, A, G, must bee screwed or riueted, so that the one end may couer the sayd hole. On the top of all this iron, or brasse that standeth up from the box, there must bee ioynted a peece of iron (made as you see in the figure) the hinder part of which is bent downward, and entreth the hole that the spring couereth; the other part resteth upon the lid of the box. Open this box lid, and put in a quantity of powder, and then shut the lid down, and put fire to the touch hole at the bottom, and the powder in the box being fired, will blow the box lid up the notches more or lesse, according as the strength of the powder is: so by firing the same quantity of diuers kindes of powders at seuerall times, you may know which is the strongest. Now perhaps it will bee expected that I should speak of the making of Saltpeter, Gunpowder, Coales, with the refining of Sulphur: but because they are so commonly to bee had, and to bee bought at better rates than I know they can bee made by any that intend it for their priuate use, I haue forborne it: There are diuers I am sure that would willingly bee in action: I haue thought fitting therefore to set downe the collection of naturall Saltpeter, which is a kinde of white excrescence growing upon stone-wals, and (as I haue seene great store) in the arches of stone-bridges. First therefore gather this white excrescence, and adde unto it Quick-lyme, and Ashes, mingle them, and put them into a halfe-tub that hath a hole to draw the liquor out at; then put into this halfe-tub warm water, and let it stand untill all the peter be dissolued; let it then drain out at the hole by little and little, and if the liquor be not cleere, double a brown paper, and put it within a tunnell, and straine the liquor through it. Then boyle it and scum it untill it bee ready to congeale, neither too hard, nor yet too tender: then take it from the fire, and put it into shallow vessels, either of earth or brasse; set them in a cold place two or three dayes, and it will shoot into isicles, and this is called Rochpeter. Thus much for the ingredients. Now I am come unto the Formers, the number whereof I cannot certainly determine, because it dependeth upon the variety of each particular persons inuention. Now that I may formally proceed, I will first make some distinction of each kinde in generall; and then I will speak of euery particular contained in each generall. Fire-works are of 3 sorts.

1 Such as operate in the ayre, as Rockets, Serpents, Raining fire, Stars, Petards, Dragons, Fire-drakes, Feinds, Gyronels, or Fire-wheeles, Balloons.

2 Such as operate upon the earth, as Crackers, Trunks, Lanterns, Lights, Tumbling bals, Saucissons, Towers, Castles, Pyramids, Clubs, Lances, Targets.

3 Such as burn in or on the water, as Rockets, Dolphins, Ships, Tumbling bals.

Part of either of the three kindes are simple, and part are compounded; part also are fixed, and part moueable. First I will treat of the diuers compositions, and then of the Formers, Coffins, and manner of composing euery of them.

_Of the divers compositions of fire workes._

First of the compositions of fire workes, for the ayre; and therein first I will speake of the compositions for rockets, because that all moueable fireworkes haue their motion from the force of them accordingly applied.

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_Compositions for Rockets of all sizes according unto
the prescription of the noted Professors,
Mr _Malthus_, Mr _Norton_, and the
French Authour, _Des recreationes
Mathematiques_._

_A Composition for Rockets of one ounce._

Take of gunpowder, saltpeter and charcoale, of each one ounce and a halfe, mingle them together, and it is done. Note heere, as I told you before, that all your ingredients ought to be first powdred by themselues, and afterwards mixed very well together.

_A Composition for Rockets of two and three
ounces._

Take of gunpowder fowre ounces and a halfe, saltpeter one ounce, mixe them together.

_A Composition for Rockets of foure ounces._

Take of gunpowder fowre pounds, saltpeter one pound, charcoale fowre ounces, mingle them together.

_A Composition for Rockets of fowre ounces._

Take of gunpowder fowre poundes, saltpeter one pound, charcoale fowre ounces, brimstone halfe an ounce, mingle them together.

_A Composition for all middle sized Rockets._

Take of gunpowder one pound, two ounces of charcoales; mingle them.

_A Composition for Rockets of five or six ounces._

Take of gunpowder two pound fiue ounces, of saltpeter halfe a pound, of charcoale six ounces, of brimstone and yron scales, of each two ounces, mingle them.

_A Composition for Rockets of ten or twelve ounces._

Take of gunpowder one pound and one ounce, saltpeter fowre ounces, brimstone three ounces and a halfe, charcoale one ounce, mingle them.

_A Composition for Rockets of one pound,
or two._

Take of saltpeter twelue ounces, gunpowder twenty ounces, and charcoale three ounces, quicke brimstone and scales of yron, of each one ounce, mingle them.

_A Composition for Rockets of eight, nine and
tenne pounds._

Take saltpeter eight pounds, charcoale two pounds twelue ounces, brimstone one pound fowre ounces. Note that no practitioner (how exact soeuer) ought to relie upon a receipt, but first to trie one rocket, and if that be too weake adde more gunpowder, if it be too strong let him adde more charcoale untill hee finde them flie according unto his desire. Note that the charcoale is only to mitigate the violence of the powder, and to make the tayle of the rocket appeare more beautifull. Note also that the smaller the rockets be, they need the quicker receipts, and that in great rockets, there needeth not any gunpowder at all.

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_The Composition for middle sized Rockets may serve
for Serpents, and for rayning fire, or else the receipt
for Rockets on the ground, which
followeth heereafter._

_Compositions for Starres._

Take saltpeter one pound, brimstone halfe a pound, gunpowder fowre ounces, this must be bound up in paper or little ragges, and afterwards primed.

_Another receipt for Starres._

Take of saltpeter one pound, gunpowder and brimston of each halfe a pound; these must be mixed together, and of them make a paste, with a sufficient quantity of oile of peter, or else of fayre water; of this paste you shall make little balles, and roll them in drie gunpowder dust; then drie them, and keepe them for your occasions.

_Another._

Take a quarter of a pinte of _aqua vitæ_, and dissolue therein one ounce, and a halfe of camphire, and dip therin cotten bumbast, and afterwards roule it up into little balles; afterwards rowle them in powder of quick brimstone, and reserue them for use.

_Another receipt for Starres, whereof you may make
fiends and divers apparitions according unto
your fancie._

Take gum dragant, put it into an yron pan, and rost it in the embers; then powder it, and dissolve it afterwards in _aqua vitæ_, and it will become a jellie, then straine it; dissolve also camphire in other _aqua vitæ_. Mixe both these dissolutions together, and sprinkle therein this following powder.

Take saltpeter one pound, brimstone halfe a pound, gunpowder three pound, charcoale halfe a pound; when you have mingled and stirred them well together, mixe them well with the aforesayd jelly, and then make it into little balles, or into what fashion else you please, then cool them in gunpowder dust, and keepe them for use.

_Compositions for receipts of fireworkes, that
operate upon the earth._

For Rockets there needeth onely gunpowder finely beaten and searced.

Likewise for all the other sorts, searced gunpowder will serue, which may be abated, or alayed with charcoal dust at your pleasure.

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Compositions for fireworkes that burne upon,
or in the water.

_A Receipt for Rockets that burne upon the water._

Take of saltpeter one pound, brimstone halfe a pound, gunpowder halfe a pound, charcoales two ounces. This composition will make the Rockets appeare with a great fiery tayle. If you desire to have it burne cleare, then take of saltpeter one pound, three ounces of gunnepowder, brimstone halfe a pound.

_A Receipt of a composition that will burne, and feed
upon the water._

Take masticke halfe a pound, white Frankincense, gum sandrake, quickelime, brimstone, bitumen, camphire, and gunpowder, of each one pound and a halfe, rosin one pound, saltpeter fowre pounds and a halfe, mixe them all together.

_A Receipt of a composition that will burne
under water._

Take brimstone one pound, gunpowder nine ounces, refined saltpeter one pound and a halfe, camphire beaten with Sulphur, and Quicksilver; mixe them well together with oyle of peter, or linseed oyle boyled, untill it will scald a feather. Fill a canvas ball with this composition, arme it, and ballast it with lead at the bottome, make the vent at the top, fire it well and cast it into the water, and it will fume and boyle up slowly.

_A Receipt of a Composition that will kindle with
the water._

Take of oyle of Tile one pound, Linseed oyle three pounds, oyle of the yelks of egges one pound, new quick lime eight pounds, brimstone two pounds, camphire fowr ounces, bitumen two ounces; mingle all together.

_Another._

Take of Roch peter one pound, flowre of brimstone nine ounces, coales of rotten wood six ounces, camphire one ounce and a halfe, oyle of egges, and oyle of Tile enough to make the mixture into a paste.

Or take callamita one pound, sal niter and asphaltum, of each fowre ounces, quicke brimstone three ounces, liquid varnish sixe ounces; make them all into a paste. Put eyther of these compositions into a pot wherein is quick lime, so that the lime come round about the past; then lute it fast, binde it close with wires, and set it in a limekiln a whole baking time, and it will become a stone that any moysture will kindle.

_Another._

If you make a little hole in the top of an egge, and let out all the meat, and fill the shell with the following powder, and stop the hole with wax, and cast it into a running water, it will break out into a fire.

Take of salt-niter, brimstone, and quick-lyme, of each a like quantity, mix them.

_How to make stouple, or prepare cotten-week to
prime your fire-works with._

Take cotten-week, such as the Chandlers use for candles, double it six or seuen times double, and wet it throughly in saltpeter water, or aqua vitæ, wherein some camphire hath been dissolued, or, for want of either, in faire water; cut it into diuers peeces, rowle it in mealed gunpowder, or powder and sulphur; then dry them in the Sun, and reserue them in a box where they may lie straight, to prime Starres, Rockets, or any other fire-works.

_How to know the true time, that any quantity of fired
Gun-match that shall doe an exployt at
a time desired._

Take common gun-match, rub, or beat the same a little against a post to soften it; then either dip the same in salt peter water, and drie it againe in the Sunne, or else rub it in a little powder and brimstone beaten very small, and made liquid with a little _aqua vitæ_, and dried afterwards; trie first how long one yard of match thus prepared will burne, which suppose to be a quarter of an howr, then fowre yards will be a iust howre. Take therefore as much of this match as will burne so long as you will haue it to be ere your worke should fire, binde the one end unto your worke, lay loose powder under, and about it lay the rest of the match in hollow, or turning so that one part of it touch not another, and then fire it.

_A Water called_ Aqua Ardens.

Take old red wine, put it into a glased vessell, and put into it of orpment one pound, quicke sulphur halfe a pound, quicke lime a quarter of a pound; mingle them very well, and afterwards distill them in a rosewater still: a cloth being wet in this water will burne like a candle, and will not be quenched with water.

The Formers are instruments wherewith the coffins for the fireworkes are made and formed, whereof in order; and first for Rockets that operate in the ayre. The Formers for Rockets consist of two parts, represented by the two next figures following, the uppermost whereof representeth the body of the Former, which must bee made of Maple, Walnut tree, or of other close & well seasoned wood, seven inches, wanting halfe a quarter in length, turned equally, and exactly hollow quite through, the diameter of whose hollownesse, represented by the line at the top marked at each end with a, e, must bee one inch and a quarter; the breech of the former is represented by the lowest figure, the upper part wherof, must be made to enter the body of the Former; the height of the whole breech, beside the broach is 3 inches and a halfe; it entreth the body of the Former, one inch and three quarters; the top of it must be made like a halfe nutmeg, in the midst whereof (as Mr. _Malthus_ and _des recreationes Mathematiques_) there must bee fastned an yron broach two inches and a halfe long: then put the breech into the body, and pierce them both quite through as the figures doe represent at G and H; then make a pin as K, L, to pinne them both together, which must bee made to take out at pleasure: then marke both the body and breech neere the said hole with this ★ or any other marke, that you may thereby know how to fit them afterwards.

The next figure marked with M, N, doeth expresse both the parts of the Former pinned together; unto this Former there must be made one Rowler expressed by the figure A; also two rammers expressed by the figures G H; they must all of them be turned very even and smooth; let the diameter of the thicknesse of the rowler expressed by the line on the top marked I I, be three quarters of an inch, let it be eight inches long from I, to 2, and have a hole bored in the very midst of the end, so wide and so deep, that all the broach of the former may enter the same: this is to rowle the coffin of paper and upon. The first rammer noted with the figure G, must bee seuen inches and a halfe long, from 3 to 4, and haue a hole at the end of it, as the rowler had; this rammer is to ram the composition into the former (hauing the coffin in it) untill it bee raysed aboue the broach. The second rammer noted with the figure H, must be fiue inches and three quarter long from 5 to 6, and it must haue no hole at the top as the other had; it serueth to ram the composition into the coffin, when it is once raysed aboue the broach. The diameter of the thicknesse of these two rammers must be a thought lesse than the diameter of the rowler, to the end they may not hurt the coffin, being driuen in. Now to make the coffins you must take paper, parchment, or strong canuasse, rowle it hard upon the rowler, so often untill it will go stiffe into the body of the Former: then thrust it rowler and all through the sayd hollow body of the Former; put then the broach of the formers breech into the hole of the rowler, and with a peece of strong packthred choake the coffin within halfe an inch of the rowlers end (which you may do best, and with most ease, if you first dip the end of the coffin into fayre water, so that it may be wet quite through) after you haue choaked the coffin, you must thrust the breech of the former, the coffin also with the rowler in it, up into the body of the former: then pin the breech fast to the body of the former with the pin, and on the rowler giue one stroak or two with a mallet lightly, then unpin the breech, and with the rowler thrust the coffin out of the bottom of the former, lay it by untill the end be dry. Thus you may at leisure times make diuers coffins ready to use upon any occasion. The following figure expresseth an empty coffin.

Take one of these coffins, put it into the Former, and take the composition for middle-sized rockets (mentioned before) and put thereof spoonfull after spoonfull, untill you haue filled the coffin unto the top of the former, after the putting of euery second spoonfull into the coffin, with a mallet giue two or three blowes upon the head of the rammer, that the composition may bee well rammed into the coffin: euery third or fourth driuing M. _Norton_ wisheth (if the rockets are to be fired in three or foure dayes) to dip the rammer in gum-dragant, and camphir dissolued in spirit of wine, or good _aquavitæ_: but if it will bee a month before they will bee fired, then dip the rammer in oyle of peter, or liquid varnish, and linseed oyle mixed together: If you would haue the rocket to giue a report or blow, then within one diameter of the top, driue a bottom of leather, or six or eight double of paper, pierce and prime either of them through in three or foure places, and fill the rest of the coffin with whole gunpowder; afterwards driue another bottom of leather, and then with strong packthred choak the coffin close unto it: then take the rocket out of the Former, and prime it at the broach-hole with a peece of prepared stouple, and binde unto it a straight rod 6 or 7 times the length of the rocket, and so heavy, that being put on your finger, it may ballast the rocket within two or three diameters of the same: mark the following figure, which represents a rocket ready made and finished, A, B, the rocket, C, the stouple that primeth it, D, E, F, the rod bound unto the rocket with two strings, G, H, I, the hand that poyseth it.

_How to make Serpents._

The coffins for serpents are made of paper rowled nine or ten times upon a rowler not much thicker than a goose quill, and about foure inches long. The coffins must bee choaked almost in the midst, but so that there may bee a little hole, through which one may see: the longest part of the coffins for Serpents must be filled with the composition specified before: if you would haue it wamble in the ayre, then choak it not after the composition, but if you would haue it wamble, then halfe-choak it, as is demonstrated by the following figure, the shorter end of the coffin must bee filled with whole gunpowder, and choaked quite up, as appeareth at B, in the figure M, N, O, which is the figure of a Serpent ready made.

_How to make rayning fire._

Take diuers goose quils, and cut off the hollow ends of them, and fill them with the composition before mentioned, stopping them afterwards with a little wet gunpowder, that the dry composition may not fall out.

_How to make starres._

I haue sufficiently taught the making of these in describing their compositions, wherefore I will now onely present the figures of them unto your view; A, A, signifieth two that are bound up in paper or cloth, and peirced, and primed with stouple: the other two, E, E, signifie those that are made up without paper, and need no priming more than the powder or sulphur dust that they are rowled in.

_How to make Petards._

You must make the coffins for them either of white yron, or else of paper, or parchment rowled upon a Former for the purpose, and afterwards fitted with a couer, which must be glewed on: these coffins must be filled with whole gunpowder, and peirced in the midst of the broad end, and primed thereat with prepared stouple; the paper ones must be couered all ouer with glew, and the peirced. The figure of a Petard ready made, and primed, is signified by the figure E.

_How to make compounded
Rockets._

First you must make the Rocket I taught you before; you must not choake the end of it, but eyther double downe halfe the coffin, and with the rammer and a mallet, give it one or two good blowes: then with a bodkin pierce the paper unto the composition, or else drive a bottome of leather fitted unto the bore of the Rocket, and pierce it through in two or three places; then pare or cut off the coffin equall thereunto; to this end of the rocket you must binde a coffin wider a great deale then the Rocket is; strew into it a little gunpowder dust, that it may cover the bottome of this coffin, and put therein with their mouthes downeward eyther golden rayne, or serpents, or both; also starres, or petards; you must put some gunpowder dust among these; when you have filled the coffin with these or such like, cover the top of it with a peece of paper, and paste upon that a picked crowned paper, balast it with a rod, and it is finished; the figure followeth.

_How to make fiends, or fearefull
apparitions._

These must bee made of the compositions for Starres, wrought upon cotton weeke dipped in _aqua vitæ_, wherein camphire hath beene dissolved, and after what fashions your fancy doth most affect.

_How to make fire Boxes._

You must make the coffins for fire Boxes of paste-board, rowled upon a Former, of what bignesse you list; then binde them about with packthread, and glew over the cords; also glew bottoms unto them, which must be pierced with a bodkin to prime them at. In these boxes you may put golden rayne, starres, serpents, petrars, fiends, devils. The tops of these fire boxes must bee covered with paper as the compound Rockets. Note that you must strew gunpowder dust a pretty thicknesse on the bottome of the fire-boxes, and prime the hole at the bottome with prepared stouple.

_How to make Swevels._

Swevels are nothing else but Rockets, having in stead of a rod (to ballast them) a little cane bound fast unto them, where through the rope passeth. Note that you must be carefull to have your line strong, even & smooth, and it must be rubd over with sope that it may not burn. If you would have your Rockets to returne againe, then binde two Rockets together, with the breech of one towards the mouth of the other, and let the stouple that primeth the one, enter the breech of the other; both kinds are expressed by the figures, the uppermost whereof representeth the single one; A B signifieth the Rocket; D E, the cane bound unto it, through which a rope passeth. The lowermost representeth the double Rocket; A B signifieth one Rocket, and C D another; E the stouple that primeth the one, and entreth the breech of the other; the cane that the rope passeth thorough is supposed to be behinde the two Rockets.

_How to make Gironells, or fire wheeles._

The making of fire wheeles consisteth onely in the placing of Rockets, with the mouth of one towards the tayle of another, round about certaine moveable wheels; wherefore I thinke it sufficient only to describe the diversity of their fashions which follow.

_How to make flying Dragons._

The flying Dragon is somewhat troublesome to compose; it must be made eyther of dry and light wood, or crooked-lane plates, or of thin whalebones covered with Muscovie glasse, and painted over. In the body thereof, there must bee a voyde cane to passe the rope through; unto the bottome of this cane must bee bound one or two large Rockets, according as the bignesse and weight of the Dragon shall require; the body must bee filled with divers petrars, that may consume it, and a sparkling receipt must be so disposed upon it, that being fired, it may burne both at the mouth and at the tayle thereof; then hang the wings on in such wise, that they may shake as the Dragon runnes along the line; you may dispose divers small serpents in the wings; marke the figure.

_How to make fire Drakes._

You must take a peece of linnen cloth of a yard or more in length; it must bee cut after the forme of a pane of glasse; fasten two light stickes crosse the same, to make it stand at breadth; then smeare it over with linseed oyle, and liquid varnish tempered together, or else wet it with oyle of peter, and unto the longest corner fasten a match prepared with saltpeter water (as I have taught before) upon which you may fasten divers crackers, or Saucissons; betwixt every of which, binde a knot of paper shavings, which will make it flie the better; within a quarter of a yard of the cloth, let there bee bound a peece of prepared stoupell, the one end whereof, let touch the cloth, and the other enter into the end of a Saucisson: then tie a small rope of length sufficient to rayse it unto what height you shall desire, and to guide it withall: then fire the match, and rayse it against the winde in an open field; and as the match burneth, it will fire the crackers, and saucissons, which will give divers blowes in the ayre; and when the fire is once come unto the stoupell, that will fire the cloth, which will shew very strangely and fearefully.

_How to make Balloones, also the morter Peece
to discharge them._

The diameter of the hollownesse of the morter Peece must be one foot, the longer it is the further it will carry. Let the diameter of the hollownesse of the sacke be the third part of a foot, and halfe a foot deepe: it must have a square foot, and a portfire to strew into the bottome of the sacke on the side of it; this portfire is to be made like a cane about three inches long, and have a bottome sodered unto the inside of the screw, which bottome must be pierced with a small touch hole. This morter peece may be made of yron, red copper, or for a neede with pastbord, armed with cord, and glewed ouer, but the sack, and foot of it must bee made of wood, and the pastbord morter must bee nayled fast upon it. A Balloone must be made of canuasse rowled eight or nine times upon a Former, it must bee made so, that it will easily go into the morter peece; into this Balloone you may put Rockets, Serpents, Starres, Fiends, Petards, and one or two Saucissons to breake the Balloone; then choak it up with cord, and prime it with a little cane rammed full of a slow composition; fill the stock of the morter peece full of whole gunpowder, then screw on the portfire, O, then put the Balloone down to the bottom of the morter with the cane that primeth it, downward into the stock; then with tallow or grease stop the chinks between the Balloone and the morter, and it is ready to bee discharged, which you may do by putting fire to the portfire, and while that burneth, retreat out of harmes way.

A, the figure of the morterpeece with its portfire, O. B, C, a Balloone ready made. D, an empty coffin for a Balloone.

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Of Fire-works for the earth.

_How to make Rockets for the earth._

The moulds for these Rockets for the earth are not made like those for the ayre, because that it is required that these should last longer, and haue a more gentle motion: obserue therefore the following directions for the making of them, which may serue for all occasions, without any alteration for bigger or lesser. Let the diameter of their hollownesse bee halfe an inch, let their hollownesse be five or six inches long, let the rowler for to rowle the coffins on, bee the third part of an inch thick, and let the rammer to charge it bee a thought lesse, let the breech bee three quarters of an inch long, and let the breech enter halfe an inch into the mould, then fill it with the composition proper for it, obseruing those rules in the ramming it, as you did in ramming rockets for the ayre; when you haue filled it within an inch of the top of the mould, double down a quarter of the coffin, beating it with three or foure strokes of the mallet; then with a bodkin peirce it in two or three places, and then put in the quantity of a pistoll charge of whole gunpowder, then double down the halfe of the coffin, giuing it a gentle blow or two with the mallet, and with a strong packthred choak the rest of the coffin, and what remaineth after the coffin is choaked, cut it of, and it is made.

_How to make Crackers._

It is well known, that euery boy can make these, therefore I think it will be but labour lost, to bestow time to describe their making: only thus much, if you would make a Cracker to giue forty, fifty, a hundred, or two hundred blowes, one after another, then binde so many Crackers upon a stick, so that the end of the one may joyne to the mouth of the other.

_How to make Trunkes._

These you may make of paste-board, paper, or wood, and of what bignesse and length you please, and ram them full of the composition of Rockets for the earth; if you would have them to change colour, then alter the composition that is, put in two or three spoonfulls of the composition of Rockets for the water, and ramme that in, then put in two or three spoonfulls of the composition of Rockets for the ayre, and ramme that in, then put in two or three spoonfulls of gunpowder dust, and ramme that in, doe so till you have quite filled it, then tie a bottome of leather upon it, and pierce it and prime it with stoupell; after the same manner may you make lanternes and lights.

_How to make tumbling balls._

Make a ball of canvas, and fasten in it a double Rocket for the earth; you may stuffe the rest of the ball with a slow composition of two parts charcoale dust, and one part of gunpowder dust, mingled together, and put divers petrards amongst it.

_How to make Saucissons._

Saucissons are of two sorts, eyther to be placed upon a frame, or such like, and so to bee discharged with a trayne of gunpowder, or else to bee discharged out of the morter-peece. The standing Saucisson is thus made; you must roll paper or canvas, nine or ten times upon a roller as A, B, and choake the one end of it: fill it then with whole gunpowder, and then choake the other end also, then cover all the Saucisson with cord, and glew it over; then pierce one end of it, and prime it with a quill filled with gunpowder dust; place it upon a forme having a hole for the quill to passe thorough; then fire it by a traine of gunpowder layd under the frame, it will give a report like a canon: marke the figure F F.

_How to make the flying Saucisson to be delivered out
of the morter peece._

Make a coffin for this, as you did for the former; first, fill it almost with whole gunpowder, then put upon that gunpowder dust, which you must ramme hard into the coffin, so that it may bee one finger thicke; then choake it close, and arme, and prime it as you did the former. It is represented by the figure, K M.

_How to make a fire sword._

You must make a sword of woode, having a deepe channell in the backe of it, wherein place first a Rocket for the ground; then two or three serpents upright; (with their mouthes inward) let the stoupell that primeth the Rocket come under the mouth of the serpents, so that being kindled, it may set them on fire, and enter the breech of the next rocket, so fill the channell quite full with rockets and serpents, binde the rockets fast into the channell, but the serpents must be placed so, that being once fired, they may fly out of the channell, and it is made: mark the figure G, P.

_The description and making of three sorts
of Fire-lances._

To make the first Fire-lance, whose figure is noted A, you must make a hollow trunk of what length or bignesse you please, either of wood, paper, or pastbord rowled on a rowler, and armed with some cord and glew: first put into the bottom of whole gunpowder about one or two fingers thick; then ram upon it a pastebord peirced with a little hole in the middle, hauing a quill fastned in it, which quill must be filled with a slow composition, or else with gunpowder dust: this quill must stand up in the lance two or three inches; then fill the coffin up to the top of the said quill with starres, and strew among the starres some gunpowder dust, then put pastebord ouer them, having a hole for the quill fastned in the former bottom of pastebord to passe; then upon this pastebord ram gunpowder dust one or two fingers thick, then put a row of serpents in, and in the midst of the serpents put a cane open at both ends, and filled with gunpowder dust; this cane must be somewhat longer than the serpents, and it must passe through a pastebord, which must bee put ouer: then put some more gunpowder dust, and ram it in upon it, and upon that put another row of serpents, with a cane in the midst of them filled with a slow composition, and upon them put gunpowder dust, or else a slow composition, ramming it in till the lance bee full; then put a pastebord upon it, and in the midst of the pastebord put a little cane filled with a slow composition, then fasten it upon a staffe of what length you will, and it is made.

To make the second Fire-lance, you must prepare a trunk like unto the former, first ram in the bottom of it some of the composition of rockets for the earth about two fingers thick, then put a pastebord upon it, having a petard fastned in the middest; this pastebord must bee pierced in three or foure places, round about the petard, that thereby the powder that is rammed ouer the paste-bord may take fire: then ram in some more composition upon the petard, about two or three fingers thick, then another petard, then more composition, so doing untill you have filled the trunk: then fasten it upon a staffe, and prime it as you did the former, it is represented by the figure noted B.

To make the third Fire-lance you must haue a trunk also, which must bee rammed full of a slow composition, of two parts charcoale dust, and one part gunpowder dust well mixed, prime it as the former, then bore divers holes round about it, from the top to the bottom, into every of which holes glew a saucisson, or a serpent, or a little ball filled with gunpowder dust, and having a petard in the middle: either of these must bee well primed, and their primed ends must be towards the inside of the lance, so that as the lance burneth downward, it may orderly give fire unto the saucissons, bals, and serpents: the figure D representeth a lance having three rowes of serpents, three rowes of bals, and three rowes of saucissons, fastned round about it.

_The description and making of two sorts
of Fire-clubs._

To make the first you must make an ovall ball of paste-bord, canvasse, or parchment glewed together, which you must first fill with a slow composition, ram it in, and then bore divers holes round about it, and put therein serpents, fire bals, or what you will: fasten it upon a staffe, and prime it in the top with a cane filled with a slow composition: this is represented by the figure A, A.

To make the second you must fill divers canes open at both ends (and of a foot long, or more, or lesse, as you think fit) with a slow composition, and binde them upon a staffe of foure or five foot long; prime them so that one being ended, another may begin: you may prime them with a stouple or match (prepared as before) make an osier basket about it with a hole in the very top to fire it by, and it is done.

The figure F, F, representeth the staffe, with the canes bound upon it. The figure marked G, representeth the staffe having a basket wrought over it.

_How to make a Fire-target._

Make a Target of osier twigs, or else of light wood, & binde it upon it divers canes filled with a very slow composition: the canes must bee open at both ends, and primed with stouple, that one may give fire unto another: in the midst of all you may set up a large cane also, if you please, which you may fill with the same composition as you did the others. Mark the figure L, M, N, O.

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Of Fire-works for the water.

_How to make Rockets for the water._