The Mhene near Bamberg is occupied with Vessels or Ships, and I my self have sailed along the Mhene, and on both sides of the Mhene from Bamberg even to Wirtzberg, did light upon various kinds of Metals (or Ores) which were not void of ☉ and ☽, out of which much ☉ and ☽ may be extracted by the help of this invention of mine, by the moist way by Nitre water, if men would but only apply themselves to the work.
But indeed the Corn and the Wine which God hath so abundantly vouchsafed to those Countries, is the cause that no body minds any thing else, for they have enough to suffice them, and therefore leave the Metals (or Ores) of ☉ and ☽ untoucht.
Without doubt, the whole Wood that reacheth from Wirtzberg or Kitzing, even almost to Bamberg, is full of Metals (or Ores) and yet (as far as I know) there is not digged any of the Metal (or Ore) of Sol or Luna therein.
It is reported that there was Sol and Luna digged up heretofore at Cassel; at the other side of the Mhene, towards the Town which the Germans call Koningshoefen, in the Mountain they call Hasbergh, there was heretofore, Copper digged, which now is left of, because the Copper is not fusile enough, nor hath it any sulphureous flint joined with it, by the help of which it is made fluxile (but is) inclosed in a Sandish Stone. Now out of 100 weight of this, there can hardly be extracted, by the help of a strong melting fire iiij. ℔. for the Sandy Stone being destitute of a sulphureous flintiness, doth in the melting turn the Copper it self together into Scoria; yet notwithstanding we are able by the help of Vinegar to extract above xij. or xvj. ℔. of Copper, and this I have tryed more than once. But whether or no that Metal (or Ore) of Copper, contains in it any Volatile Gold, I never tryed, but that there is some ☽ therein, is true; yea, and the Copper is very malleable, and we can thence extract by the help of Vinegar, that which is most fair, and this I humbly declared to the most noble Moguntine Elector, he being at this time Bishop of Wirtzberg; but by the Tryers (or Refiners) of that place, it is haply accounted of as unprofitable because it yields but little by the help of Fusion.
I must needs confess that but little can be gotten out by melting, but such Copper may be profitably extracted by the Acetum of the Wood, which Grows in the places all about in abundance, and may be had for nothing.
The Mhene doth every where yield such kind of Flints as are endued with Gold. Near Carlstadt there offers it self in a Wood a certain white and fat Earth, and after some sort silverish, otherwise firm (or strong,) and is fit for making of Crucibles, and other Instruments (or Vessels) to be used about the Fire.
You may likewise find such conditioned Earth at Klingenberg upon the Mhene, where most excellent Wine grows, which the Glass-makers of Spechart use to make the Crucibles or Pots in which they melt their Glass.
It hath not as yet been known that there hath been any Ore found in the County of Wertheimen where great plenty of Russellein Wine is gathered; yet nevertheless I have proved several Earths, which I found about Breiberg, which is the inexpugnable Castle of the Lord Charles Ferdinand the Count of Wertheimen, in which I found there was contained much Gold.
Besides these, I found opposite to Wertheimen where there are Vineyards, an Iron stone (white like snow, covered over with other stones,) which is endued with ☽ and ☉: as to the external shape it resembles a white Flint, very weighty, so as that it scarce yields to the weight of a piece of Iron of like bigness: But it is nothing regarded, and is accompted of as a common stone.
The County of Erbach doth indeed yield plenty of Iron, but there is nothing at all found of other nobler Metals; yet my opinion is, that even in this Iron are contained both ☉ and ☽: because that there is sand found in several places thereof which yields good Gold, as I have observed more than once; the extraction of which may be excellently well performed by the benefit of Salt-petre.