A Discovrse of Fire and Salt: Discovering Many Secret Mysteries as well Philosophicall, as TheologicallVigenère, Blaise de
Religion
A Discovrse of Fire and Salt: Discovering Many Secret Mysteries as well Philosophicall, as Theologicall
Vigenère, Blaise de
Alchemy -- Early works to 1800; Fire -- Early works to 1800; Salt -- Early works to 1800
The best salt then that may be, and the wholesomest, is that which is
made with sea-water in _Brouage_. And after the example thereof, that
the trough throughout, where the salt water is made of clay or glue,
as potters earth: and that whereof tiles is made; furthermore you must
_courry_ this trough by Artifice that it drink not, nor suck up the
water which men draw therefrom, which is done by beating it with a
great number of Horses, Asses, and Mullets, tied one to another that
they may trample thereon, so long that it be firme and solid, as a
certain barns flore to thresh wheate. This done, and having hollowed
the channels, to put in the water, then we must have a care that the
salt-pans be something lower then the Sea (_Plinie_ in his 2. Book
_Chap._ 106. sets downe that salt cannot be made without fresh water)
they set in the first place a great receptacle where they draw the
water which is called the (_a_) _Jard_: and at the end thereof a
sluce by which having applyed thereunto below a hanch with a stopple
called the (_b_) _Amezau_, they make the water run from the Jard into
_Parquets_, which they cal _Couches_, & of these _Couches_ giving
thereto a requisite hanging, by other stopples, 2. in number, called
the gate of the _Poelles_, which are therein enchased within other
Parquets called soldering or planching with boord, windings and means
to make the water turne, by divers windings and channels almost after
the manner of a Labyrinth, which it doth for a great way before it come
to render it self at last, within the _Parquets_ and hollowes where the
salt must be congealed: alwayes diminishing the quantity of water, that
the Sun-beames have therein more action, and that it be better warmed
before it enter the floores, where it makes its finall congelation.
But to come thereunto by certaine degrees, and proportionate measures,
there are throughout the _Palles_ which they lift up and downe as
those of a mill. All the earth that remaineth, which men draw by the
_Parquets_ and the flores they _Arrange_ about them as a _Trench_ or
rampart, which is called _Bassis_ of the convenient breadth, to passe
two horses a front; which serves as well to retaine the water, as to
put upon the heaps of salt, made and congealed, called _Vaches_, and
to come and goe as upon a dike, or causway from one marish to another,
to lade and carry upon the beasts of carriage of the vessels which
attend there neer to the shore: In the winter they content themselves
with bulrushes which they sell afterwards very well for the profit they
draw from them: and that for fear of rains and snows, and other aereall
moistures, that moisten then anew. And all the risings are so oblique,
and turning, that for a mile travers of right way, wee must make 7. or
8. so that being therein once cast a little on, one may lose himselfe,
which knew not the addresses, or had not a good guide, by reason of
the turnings and bridge-ponts, that men must goe to make choice of,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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