The Mysteryes of Nature and Art / Conteined in foure severall Tretises, The first of water workes, The second of Fyer workes, The third of Drawing, Colouring, Painting, and Engraving, The fourth of divers Experiments, as wel serviceable as delightful: partly Collected, and partly of the Authors Peculiar Practice, and Invention

by John Bate

Take Copper plates, put them in a copper pot, & put distilled vineger to them: set them in a warme place till the vinegar become blew, then put it out into another leaded pot, and poure more vinegar into it again; let it stand so till it become blew; this do so many times till you thinke you have enough: then let it stand till it be thicke.

To make good Inke.

Take two handfuls of gauls, cut each gaul into three or foure peeces, poure into them a pint of beere or wine, then let it stand eight houres; straine it from the gauls, and put vitreoll therein, and to the vitreoll a third part of gumme, set it on the fire to warme; but let it not seethe, and it will be good Inke, and of these gauls you may make Inke foure or five times more.

To seethe Brasill.

Take an ounce of Brasill, twelve ounces of beere, wine, or vinegar, put it in a new pot, let it stand a night; and in the morning set it on the fire, and let it seethe till halfe be consumed: then put into it two peny worth of allum beaten together, and as much beaten gum-Arabicke: stirre them well together, and let them seethe againe; if you desire to have it somewhat darke, then scrape a little chalke into it when it seetheth: let it not seethe over the pot: when it is cold straine it through a cloth, and put it into a glass well stopt.

Aurum Musicum.

Take one ounce of Salarmoniack, one ounce of quicksilver of counterfein, halfe an ounce of brimstone, bruise the brimstone, and set it on the fire, but let it not be over hot (lest it burne) then take the Salarmoniacke, and the quicksilver being in powder: mixe them well together, then mingle with them the brimstone: stirre them well, and quickly with a sticke till the brimstone become hard, then let it coole, grinde it on a stone, and put it in a glasse well stopt with waxe, and set it in a pan with ashes; make a fire under it, and let it stand halfe a day in that manner (but not over hot) till a yellow smoke riseth on it, and when the yellow smoke is gone it is prepared.

Argentum Musicum.

Take an ounce of Tynne, melt it, and put thereto one ounce of tartar, and one ounce of quicksilver, stirre them well till they be cold: then beat all in a morter, and grinde it on a stone; temper it with gumme-water, and write therewith, and afterward polish it.

To write a gold colour.