Of the Structure of the First Furnace

As for the first Furnace, it may be built greater or lesser as you please, a regard being had of the quantity of the Matter to be distilled, and also either round or square; either of Bricks, or by a Potter with Potters Clay. Now when the Diameter is of one span, viz. withinside, the height must be of four, viz. one from the bottom to the grate, another from the grate to the hole made for putting in of Coals, and two from thence to the top of the Pipe, which must at least go forth out of the Furnace one span, lest the receivers should by the neerness of the Furnace be heated. The Pipe also must have on the fore part a Diameter, answering the third part of the intrinsecal Diameter of the Furnace; also a little larger on the hinder part than the forepart. Let the grate be such an one, as may be taken out at your pleasure and made clean, being stopt by the Matter that is cast in and distilled: for it is easily stopt in distilling of Salts melted with the coals, whereby the aire is kept from coming to the fire, and the distillation by consequence hindred: Or let there be put into the Furnace cross-wise two strong iron bars, upon which lay four or five lesser, distant the one from the other the breadth of a finger, going a little out of the Furnace, by which when they are stopt, you may take them out with a pair of Tongs, and cleanse them from the burnt Matter, and then again put them into their own places: wherefore also the Furnace must on the fore part be open under the grate, that you may the better order the grate.

Also the grate must have above, a covering of Iron or Stone, with a hole in the middle thereof with a certain distinction, which is to be filled with sand, that the cover may the better and more fitly shut the hole, and prevent the exhaling of the spirits which by this means will, being forced, go forth thorow the Pipe into the receivers, after you have cast in the matter which is to be distilled.

Of the Receivers.

Let the Receivers be made of glass, or of strong earth, which may retain the spirits, and such is the Waldburgick, Hassiack, Frechheimensian, Siburgic earth, &c. They are better that are made of glass, if they are to be had, and those especially which are made of strong and firm glass, which may be smoothed about the joints with a Smiris stone, and so fitted that they may the better be joyned together, and then they need not luteing (but how they shall be smoothed with the Smiris stone, and be fitted, shall be taught in the Fifth part, which treats of Manuals) because by this means they are joyned so close, that no spirits can go through the joynts: otherwise you must close the joynts with the best Lute, such as will not let the spirits exhale, which shall be taught in the Book treating of Manuals. The form of the recipient you may see in the delineation thereof. As for the quantity thereof, know that by how much the greater they are, so much the better they are, for then you need the fewer, but the more, by how much the lesser they are. Let the superiour orifice be larger than the inferiour, so that alwaies another receiver may with its inferiour orifice be joyned to it, and let the inferiour orifice have a Diameter of three fingers breadth, or thereabouts; I mean in case the Diameter of the Furnace be of one span. For a greater Furnace requires greater holes, as also orifices of the receivers, by which means a sufficient and due proportion of air may be given to the fire: or if the Diameter of the Furnace be more than a span, it must also have two or three pipes (which being considered together, should have a wideness answering the wideness of the third part of the Furnace, for so great a wideness, and so much air is required, if the fire burn freely and do its office) to which vessels of the aforesaid proportion must be applyed, that the fire be not choaked.

Now, the Figure that is annexed will teach the conjunction of the Receivers, as also their application to the Furnace. And, in the first place, the Receiver stands in a three-foot stool bored thorow in the middle, that the neck of the first Receiver may pass thorow, to which is applyed a dish with a pipe receiving the dropping Spirits: To the first there is joyned a Second, and to that a third, and so consequently (viz. near unto a wall or ladder) so many as you please. Let the upper Receiver, and indeed all the rest, be left open: To the lower as hath been said, is joyned a dish with a pipe, by which the distilled Spirits run down into another certain glass vessel added thereunto, which being filled, is taken away, and another is set in the place of it, because that is set under it without luting, and therefore may easily be changed. And if you please to distil any thing else, you may take away that dish with a pipe, and make it clean, and then joyn it close again (that no spirit may breath forth) to the neck of the lower receiver. And if that dish cannot be so closely joyned, that nothing exhale, pour in a spoonful of Water, for that doth astringe, neither doth it hurt the spirits, because in the rectifying it is separated.

Of the subliming Vessels.

These you need not make of glass, or of such earth as may retain the spirits, as hath been above mentioned; it is sufficient, if so be they be made of good common Potters earth, and be well glazed within, viz. of such a form and figure, as appears by the annexed delineation.

Yet you must chuse good earth that will endure the fire, for the lower pots are so heated by the fire, that they would be broken if they should not be made of good earth.

Now I will shew you in general the manner it self of distilling; as also, the manual necessaries in every distillation.

The manner of Distilling.

In the first place, let there be some burning Coals put in, which afterwards must be covered with more until the Furnace be full almost to the pipe, which being done, let not the uppermost cover be laid over its hole (that the heat and smoak may pass that way, and not thorow the pipe, and receivers, which will thereby be red hot; and this will be a hindrance to the distillation) until the fire be sufficiently kindled, and the Furnace be throughly hot; then cast in, with an Iron ladle, of the matter prepared for distillation as much as will cover the Coals, which being done, stop the Furnace very close, by pressing down strongly the upper cover upon its hole or sand, which is put in the lower part of the hole, being a place made for that purpose. Now let him that casts in any thing thorow the middle hole, presently stop it with a stopple of stone, and that very close, for by this means all those things which were cast in, will be forced, after the manner of a thick Cloud, to break forth through the pipe into the receivers, and there to condense themselves into an acid spirit or oyl, and thence to distil into the dish set under, through the pipe whereof they do yet distil down further into another glass receiver. The Coals being burnt out, and all the spirits being come forth, you must cast in more Coals, and more materials, until you have got a sufficient quantity of Spirits. In this way of distilling, you may at your pleasure cease, and begin again without any danger.

When you will make clean the Furnace, you need do nothing else, then draw out the Iron bars that lye on the cross bar, that the Caput Mortuum may fall down, which afterwards may be taken away with a Fire-shovel, which being done, you must put in the bars again, and lay them on the cross-bars as before, upon which you must cast burning Coals, and upon them others, until there be enough, then on them all, being well kindled, cast your materials.

When you go to make clean the receivers, and to begin to distil another thing, you need not remove them, but only pour pure Water into them, viz. by their upper receiver, by the descending whereof the other are purified.

And by this way, not only out of Vegetables, and volatile Minerals (incombustible) but also out of fixed Metals and Stones, spirits, oyls, and flowers, are drawn forth wonderfully, easily, and in good quantity, which otherwise could never have been done by the vulgar art of distilling.

Now, in this Furnace are distilled only such materials, which being distilled, yield an incombustible humidity, as common Salt, Vitriol, Allom, and other Minerals and Metals, each of which doth yet require their peculiar manuals, if operated upon.

Now, because this Furnace doth not serve for every matter, because the materials to be distilled are cast upon burning Coals, which are things Combustible, I have determined in the second part to give another, viz. a lesser, unlike to this, yet convenient to distil all combustible things that are endued with volatile spirits, as Tartar, Harts-horn, Amber, Sal Armoniack, Urine, &c. There are, by the help hereof, made most subtile, volatile, sulphureous spirits of Salts, and Minerals, as of common Salt, Vitriol, Allom, Nitre, Antimony, and of all other Minerals and Metals, which otherwise, without this Furnace, could not have been made, with which spirits, wonderful things are performed in Medicine and Alchymy, as in the Second Part shall be demonstrated more largely.

Now I will shew you a way to make other Receivers belonging to the first Furnace, and indeed, such as are more fit for some Operations, as the former were more fit for others: wherefore let him that will operate, chuse these, or the other, as he pleaseth.

As therefore the former being erected upwards by a wall, or ladder, by which means the spirit might ascend from one into another so long, until being refrigerated and condensed might again drop downward into the dish that is annexed thereto: so these are a contrary way set and placed collateral in a vessel filled with cold Water to condense the spirits, by which means you need not so many receivers; also they must not be fashioned like the former, as to be open above, and below, but only above like pots that serve for boyling: but this you must observe, that by how much the deeper and larger they are, by so much the better they are.

Also you must joyn them together by the help of earthen pipes, being so distinct, that the spirits may be kept back, being yet hot (and not refrigerated) from passing out of one into the other, but being forced through the middle of the separation of the pipes, may go to the bottom of every receiver, and thence arise by another pipe into another receiver that hath a double cover like the former, where again descending to the cold bottom, remain refrigerated and condensed. Now three or four of these are enough (whereas of other, thirteen or fifteen are required) a regard being had of their Greatness.

You may see the figure of these receivers, as also their joyning together by the annexed delineation. Now, for the most part, one is sufficient for him that distils a few things, especially if the matter be not pretious, and then let one crooked earthen pipe at least be joyned, one arm with the pipe that goeth forth of the Furnace, the other with the Receiver, but so that it go into the receiver downwards, even to the middle thereof, and then you need not shut the orifice of the receivers, for it is no great matter if somewhat evaporate, viz. if the matter to be distilled be not pretious. And by this way may new spirits and new flowers be made every hour, with the help of one Furnace, and one recipient, but with this caution, that for every new distillation, the recipient be washed with Water before it be put to the pipe; which being put to, you may then cast your species into the Furnace; and this do till you have a sufficient quantity of spirits.

And this way of distillation serves especially for the trying of the natures and properties of many and divers Minerals, such as yield in the fire spirits and flowers. For it would be too tedious in every new distillation to apply a new and distinct receiver: as also many studious of the Chymical art would quit their study, being able to make by retort but one tryal in a day. And no wonder if expences, and loss of time should deter many.

Now here there is no need of many Retorts, nor of luting them, nor of receivers, and such like superfluous things; neither is there here required the constant presence of the operator, the observation of the regiment of fire, the neglect whereof would otherwise endanger the loss of the retorts and receivers, and by consequence the loss of labour. These and such like tedious things are not here to be cared for, because it is sufficient only to cast the Matter upon the coals, and cover the Furnace, and then presently go forth the spirits, and flowers of the same kind with their mineral: of which when thou hast got a sufficient quantity, thou must draw out the Iron bars, upon which the coals lye, that they may fall down, and be taken away; and whilst the Furnace is yet hot, to put in the Iron bars again, and upon them to lay fresh coals, which then will of their own accord be kindled with the heat of the Furnace. In the mean time you must take away the receiver, and make it clean and set it to again, or if you had rather put another clean one, viz. for the new distillation of another Matter.

And by this way, divers things may be in the space of one hour distilled, and sublimed, viz. in a small quantity. But he that will distil, or sublime in a greater quantity, let him take three or four pots that the spirits may pass from one into another, that nothing thereof be lost. Here needs not (as I said before) the continual presence of the operator, for he may be gone, cease, or repeat as he please, because the work is without danger of breaking the retorts, and receivers.

He that knows the use of this Furnace, may do many things in a short time with little cost. For any one may do more by the help thereof in one hour, than in the common way in twenty four, by which way also there is a great saving of coals, because ten pound of coals will do more this way than a hundred the other. As for example, he that will try, shall make a pound of spirit of Salt in one hour with three, four, or five pounds of coals; whereas after the other way are required fifty of sixty pounds, and at least twenty or thirty hours time, viz. in the common way by the help of retorts: which is indeed very tedious.

Also by this way may be made the flowers or minerals, and metals, in a great quantity, very easily, and in a short time without great cost, so as that in one hours space, with three or four pound of coals may a pound of the flowers of Antimony be made. And this is no small help to the Physitian, and Chymist.

Moreover this furnace being once built, endures for many years, and being broken is easily repaired.

And by this way you shall need only materials to be distilled, no retorts and receivers are in danger, by which means much cost is saved.

Besides the aforesaid ways, I have yet another, and that more compendious, viz. of distilling, and subliming, and more easy, by which means in a very little time, an incredible quantity of spirits of Salts, and flowers of Minerals, and metals may be made; which I shall refer till another time, because for the present I have said enough.

Now I do not doubt, but diligent Chymists will follow my steps, and find out those things which are unknown to me. For it is easier to add to things found out, than to find out things unknown.

The construction therefore of the furnace being in my opinion clearly shewed, there now follows the manner of distilling, and subliming with it.

Although haply, and contrary to my hope any obscurity should be met withal, yet one process will explain another: and the diligent operator, and searcher of Nature shall without doubt, by his practise attain the effect after the same manner as I have prescribed: which together with the blessing of GOD, I heartily wish all pious Chymists, Amen.