Another.
Take of calcined flints, quicke lyme, and common salt, of each a like quantity: mingle them all together with the whites of Egges; then take a linnen cloth and spread it over with this mixture, and put it upon the fracture, and let it dry; afterwards annoint it with Linseed oyle.
How to cause that the same quantitie both of powder and shot discharged out of the same peece shall carry closer, or more scattering.
Take the quantitie of a pease of Opium, and charge it amongst the shot; and this will make the shot to flie closer together then otherwise it would. This I had of a Sea-man, who had made triall hereof, as he said, and unto whom I sold some for the same purpose.
A Baite to catch Fish with.
Take Cocculus Indiæ ℥ ss, Henbane-seeds, and wheaten flower, of each a quarter of an ounce, hive honey as much as will make them into paste. Where you see most store of Fish in the River, cast of this paste into it in divers little bits about the bignesse of barley cornes, and anon you shall see the fish swimme on the top of the water, some reeling to and fro as drunken, others with their bellies upwards as if they were nigh dead; so that you may take them either with your hands, or a small net at the end of a sticke made for the same use. Note here, that if you put the Fish that you thus take, into a bucket of faire and fresh water, or if it raine after that you have cast this your bait into the water, they will revive and come to themselves to your admiration; and this was told me by a Gentleman of good credit, that hath often made use thereof.
I have heard that the stinking oyle drawne out of the roots of Polipody of the oake by a retort, mixed with Turpentine, and hive-honey, and being anointed upon the bait will draw the fish mightily thereto, and make them bite the faster: and I my selfe have seene fishes, as Roches, and taken in the dead time of Winter with an angle, bayted onely with paste made of Wheaten flowre, but it hath beene in the morning, and when the Sunne hath shined.
How to write without inke that it may not be seene, unlesse the paper be wet with water.
Take some Vitriol, and powder it finely, and temper it with faire water in any thing that is cleane, when it is dissolved, you may write whatsoever you will with it, and it cannot be read, except you draw it through water wherein some powder of galls hath beene infused, and so it will shew as blacke as if it had beene written with inke.
How to make white letters in a blacke Feild.