And now that there may be as much prevention as is possible, that the Wine, and Corn perish not with lying, but be preserved against a future scarcity, I have published this little Book for every ones view, concerning the Concentration of Vegetables, Animals, Minerals, and Metals, in which, the prosperity and felicity of all Germany, and indeed the Universal Treasure and Wealthiness of the whole World, is seated.
And because such an abundant plenty of all these things begets a nauseating and loathing, as it were, of those Minerals, Metals, Wine, and Corn, wherewith Germany exceeds all the other Countries of Europe; I judged it well worth while to constringe, or concentrate this plenty into a little room, and preserve it from the loss and destruction of the same, arising from Negligence and Contempt. For when such vile, or cheap things are driven into a small compass, the baser and unprofitable part goes off, and the nobler and better part is driven together, and preserved, and doth not so easily become corrupt as afore, when both good and bad are commixed together.
And this is to be understood of the Minerals, and Metals, and of Wine, Corn, and Wood. For where the Water is separated from the Wine and Beer, and the more Noble Parts are concentred, as it were into a Centre, you may even preserve them as long as you list. And when you need either Wine, or Beer, the concentrated parts may be relaxed by the apposition of Water, and be enlarged, insomuch, that one Vessel will hold six Vessels of Wine; and this, taking up but one place, and yet contains six times the quantity, there will not need so much costs, nor will so much Wine be spoiled by vapouring away, as would be by six Wine Vessels, which must always be kept full. Besides, this farther benefit ariseth hencefrom, viz. That out of such concentred Juices (if they be at hand) there may be made every Autumn new Wines sooner than ordinary, 4, 5, or 8 weeks time or more, and be sold at a bigger rate, than in the very Autumn Season, when the Grapes are ripe, and every Body furnished with Wine.
NB. For such a work there is requisite a certain peculiar Instrument, and artificial knack, by the help of which the Must may be holpen to a speedy fermentation; there are also other Conveniences which arise from these thus concentred Musts, which for Brevities sake we here omit. So likewise Beer being after the same manner concentred, doth bring a many more Utilities than ordinary Beer. For that Corn which eight Barrels were scarce sufficient to contain afore, need no more but one here, the which being put in the Beer Vessel, will not turn into Vermin; nor will it flie out of the Barn, but may be used after 10 or 20 years. Such Artificial Factitious Ales, seeing they are (in their condensation) boiled a longer while, are far better than the common sorts which are made of dried Corn, or Malt. Whosoever therefore shall in a great plenty of Grain, buy up Corn, and condense it by such Artificial Concentrations, and so lay it by, till a scarcity comes, will gain abundantly, and will not only get to himself an honest, and to others no ways injurious profit; but will withal (being thus studious of Charity and Mercy) deserve exceeding well of his Neighbour, if he helps him in his great necessity, and he will readily pay him for his Corn, whereby he may get Money to sustain his Family and be a profitable gainer.
So then, no body is injured by this condensation, and concentration of Ale, or Wine, but both the Buyer and Seller are Gainers, and this should of right, be in every Man’s heart, what condition soever he be of. It would be well done of Noble Men, Princes, Kings, Emperors, and other Magistrates and Common Wealths, if they would provide in their Store-houses for Warfare, such kind of condensed Liquors, and Juices, that so the poor may in a time of scarcity be made partakers of that plenty, and they will have no loss thereby, but rather benefit.
But the Condensation of Wood, and turning it into Salt-petre or Nitre, is far more profitable than that of Wine or Ale; for wood may be had even as it were gratis, and be with a very small Cost transmuted into Nitre, the which may be kept without hurt in the Storehouses for a long time, seeing it is not wont to corrupt or perish, and be there conserved until it be made up into Gun-powder with Coals and Sulphur, both which are also not subject to corruption; so that it is not so very necessary (nay, rather it is hurtful) to have such vast quantities of Gun-powder in their Castles and fenced places. There are examples enough of Towers in which Gun-powder hath been stirred up, which either through negligence, or else by lightning, being fired, have in less than a moments time o’return’d whole Cities, and slain abundance of men. Now this mighty inconveniency may easily be prevented by this only Remedy, viz. If the Powder be not made up, but the matter thereof (viz. Nitre, Sulphur, and Coals) be only kept in readiness, wherewith the said Powder may be made, as necessity requires: Besides, herein also doth the concentration of Wood exceed (as to profit) the condensation of Wine and Ale, not only because there lie vast heaps of Minerals in Germany, (which not containing a fixt and corporeal Gold, are therefore disesteemed) that admit of a separation of their better part, and fixation of it by Nitre; but withal, the meaner Metals (their superfluous Sulphur being burnt up) may be transmuted into better; and the perfect Metals, viz. Gold and Silver, may (by the help thereof) be destroyed, and be enforced or concentred into a better part; the which thing the following Second, Third, and Fourth Parts treat of.
So then, this Transmutation of Wood into Salt-petre or Tartar, of both which not only great quantities may be sold, but may be also applied to sundry uses, will bring to our noble Country of Germany (in which there is an incredible quantity of Wood to be had almost every where gratis) a most notable encrease of Power and Strength, not only against its future, but its present Enemies.
Whosoever therefore shall have abundance of Wood, shall likewise be enriched with store of Wealth, provided he will but set his hand to the work, and not fear that ever Salt-petre will be such a Drug, as to be of no value, and not vendible: And yet if it should so be, yet in the Explication of my Miraculum Mundi, already published, I have manifested so much, and will, in the three following parts of this Book, manifest such things as concern the use of this Salt, that there will never want such, as penetrating into the knowledge of these Secrets, will not full well know its Use.
He that hath Eyes, let him look about, and use them, for the time comes, yea, and by little and little approacheth, in which Knowledge will be a profitable thing; and it will be well for those who are seasoned with the knowledge of things profitable. Verily, Knowledge is better than store of Goods, for no body can carry them with him, nor (in some cases) help either himself or his Friends with them. Happy is he that can say with the Philosopher, All that is mine do I carry with me: How injuriously do they speak of the most bountiful Lord God, who accuse Him for that He hath forborn the bestowing of Wine, plenty of Corn, Pome-Citrons, and Gold on some Countries, and yet fully as great Treasures are to be found there, if the Eyes of the Inhabitants were not darkened? If there were nothing else, yet certainly there is Wood to be found, which without any labour, costs, or trouble of Rich or Poor, doth grow night and day, and offers it self unto us, and as it were, saith unto us in these words; What! am I of no use? Do not I come forth to thy view, that thou maist by contemplating on me acknowledg the Divine Bounty, and make use of me with thankfulness? There is not therefore any reason why one Country should exalt it self before another, because it is better; or contrarily complain, that the Divine Benediction less regarded it than other Countries; no, each Country hath enough, if it would but be content with what it possesseth. As for those Countries which are even destitute of Wood, they do nevertheless abundantly enjoy the Divine Benediction; witness Island, and other cold Northern Countries, which have their Corn, and other Necessaries for Life, brought them out of other Countries. But now on the other hand, these Countries afford Cod or Stock-fish dried; and so, though they want Trees, Fruit, Corn, and Wine, yet they do not want, and are equally as well nourished by the Divine Bounty as the rest be. Though they want Wood, yet have they Pit-Coals; for the Earth there is very sulphureous, and at the Mountain Hekla it burns perpetually, and casts out fire, smoak, and ashes, and yields to the Inhabitants a great quantity of Brimstone, which they dig out and sell to our Country Mariners and Traffiquers, thereby sustaining themselves.
Some one or other may object to me and say, Seeing that Salt-petre is to be accompted of as an Universal Subject, and to be found in all things, it must necessarily be, that seeing Island has no Wood at all, the Salt-petre is to be found in the dry Stock-fish, for otherwise this Salt can’t be said to be Universal, as being not to be found in such or such a Country.