Fiery Globes or Comets, to make them.
Take half a Pound of Powder, two onces of Brimstone, an ounce of Salt-peter, bruise these Grosly, and wet them; Aqua-Vitæ and Oyl of Petrolum, that they may be moulded like a Paste, that so they may be made up into Balls, as big as ordinary Wash-Balls; then dry them very hard, and wrap them up in Cerecloaths made of Brimstone, Rosin, and Turpentine, in which make a little whole, and prime with Wild-fire: Put the Ball then into a Sling, and the Wild-fire being Touched, throw it up as high as you can into the Air, and when the body of the Ball fires, it will appear to the Beholders like a fiery Globe, with a Stream or Blaze, like as if a Comet or Blazing Star were Ascending or Descending, according to its height or Declination,
To try the goodness of Powder, that you may know its strength.
Observe whether it be well dryed and corned, which you have taken notice of, and approved; lay a few Corns scattered on a sheet of white Paper, and fire them; when if they leave a black and sooty mark behind them, with a noisom smell, and sindg the Paper, then is that Powder gross and earthy, and will fail your Expectation, if you use it in your Fire-works: But if in the sprinkling and firing there appear few or no marks, or those of a clear bluish Colour, then it is airy and light, well made, full of fire, and fit for Service; half a
Pound of it having more strength than a Pound of the other.
And thus Reader, have I given you an Insight into the making Fire-works, &c. Such as are very pleasing, and now used on occasions in all Christian Countries, in making which, by a little you may soon be perfect.
St. George and the Dragon fighting &c. Also Mermaids, Whales, &c.
Form your Figures of Paste-board, Strengthen'd with Wicker, small Sticks within pasted to the Board to keep it hollow, tight, and bearing out; and place a hollow Trunk in the Body for a large Line to pass through, and likewise for a smaller to draw them too, and from each other, that they may the better seem in Combats, which must be fattened at the Dragons Breast, and let one end of the Cord be tied, which must pass through the Body of St. George, turning about a Pully at the other end, and fastning it to his Back, and tye another at his Breast, which must pass through the Body of the Dragon, or a Trunk at his Back; and so returning about a Pully at that end, it must be drawn streight, and fastened to the Dragons Tail; so that as you turn that Wheel, they will run furiously at each other, and as you please you may make them retreat and meet again, Soaping the Line to make them slip the easier; at the Dragons Tail, in his Mouth and Eyes you must fix Serpents, or small Rockets, which being fired at their setting out, will cause a dreadful sight in a dark Night.
Thus a Mermaid, or a Whale, may be made to float on the Water, but then the Figure must
be fixed on a convenient piece of Board, with two fire Wheels fixed on an Axle, run through the poised part of the Body, by the force of which it moves in a swift Line in the Water; the Wheels must have little Rockets or Serpents tyed round them, as the Girondel before mentioned.