Of Graving.
It is possible for one to be a good Painter, and yet not to be able to draw well with the pen, because there is not required in a Painter such a curious and exact carriage of the hand: but it is impossible for one ever to Grave or Etch well, except he can draw well with the pen. First therefore presupposing you can doe the first before you attempt the second, you must provide divers graving tooles, both long and short: some for hard worke, some for sweet worke, some for smaller worke, and some for greater: also a peece of a Beaver hat, and a good oyle stone, smoothed on one side, and free from pin holes, and plates of Copper or Brasse exactly polished.
Of Gravers.
There are two principall sorts of Gravers, the long and the short: the long are straight, and for to engrave Plates withall, especially the greater, and these are to be held as the figure following doth expresse: where you may note that the pummell of the Graver resteth against the ball of the thumb, and the point is guided with the forefinger. And there ought to bee a little bagge of sand under your Plate, to the end that you might turne your plate upon it as your worke doth require.
The second sort is a short Graver, and turneth up somewhat at the end, and that is to engrave Letters and Scutchions in plate seales, and smaller plates, being fastened in some convenient instrument: this must be held likewise according unto the expression of the figure following: where it is to be noted, that the pummell of the Graver is stayed against the further part of the hand, and is guided by the inward side of the thumbe. It were needfull that there were a piece of leather like a Taylors thimble, about the end of the thumbe, waxed or glued, whereby to guide the Graver more steadily, and stay it upon occasion.
