"We have also engine-houses, where are prepared engines and instruments
for all sorts of motions. There we imitate and practise to make swifter
motions than any you have, either out of your muskets or any engine that
you have; and to make them and multiply them more easily and with small
force, by wheels and other means, and to make them stronger and more
violent than yours are, exceeding your greatest cannons and basilisks.
We represent also ordnance and instruments of war and engines of all
kinds; and likewise new mixtures and compositions of gunpowder,
wild-fires burning in water and unquenchable, also fire-works of all
variety, both for pleasure and use. We imitate also flights of birds; we
have some degrees of flying in the air. We have ships and boats for
going under water and brooking of seas, also swimming-girdles and
supporters. We have divers curious clocks and other like motions of
return, and some perpetual motions. We imitate also motions of living
creatures by images of men, beasts, birds, fishes, and serpents; we have
also a great number of other various motions, strange for equality,
fineness and subtilty.
"We have also a mathematical-house, where are represented all
instruments, as well of geometry as astronomy, exquisitely made.
"We have also houses of deceits of the senses, where we represent all
manner of feats of juggling, false apparitions, impostures and
illusions, and their fallacies. And surely you will easily believe that
we, that have so many things truly natural which induce admiration,
could in a world of particulars deceive the senses if we would disguise
those things, and labour to make them more miraculous. But we do hate
all impostures and lies, insomuch as we have severely forbidden it to
all our fellows, under pain of ignominy and fines, that they do not show
any natural work or thing adorned or swelling, but only pure as it is,
and without all affectation of strangeness.
"These are, my son, the riches of Salomon's House.
"For the several employments and offices of our fellows, we have twelve
that sail into foreign countries under the names of other nations (for
our own we conceal), who bring us the books and abstracts, and patterns
of experiments of all other parts. These we call merchants of light.
"We have three that collect the experiments which are in all books.
These we call deprepators.
"We have three that collect the experiments of all mechanical arts, and
also of liberal sciences, and also of practices which are not brought
into arts. These we call mystery-men.
"We have three that try new experiments.
"Such as themselves think good. These we call pioneers or miners.
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