Before the _Caster_ begins to _Cast_ he must kindle his _Fire_ in the _Furnance_, to _Melt_ the _Mettal_ in the _Pan_. Therefore he takes the _Pan_ out of the Hole in the Stone, and there lays in _Coals_ and kindles them. And when it is well kindled, he sets the _Pan_ in again, and puts _Mettal_ into it to _Melt_. If it be a small _Bodyed-Letter_ he _Casts_, or a thin _Letter_ of Great _Bodies_, his _Mettal_ must be very hot; nay, sometimes Red-hot to make the Letter _Come_. Then having chose a _Ladle_ that will hold about so much as the _Letter_ and _Break_ is, he lays it at the _Stoking-hole_, where the Flame bursts out to heat. Then he ties a thin Leather cut into such a Figure as is described in Plate 20 at B with its narrow end against the _Face_ to the _Leather-Groove_ of the _Matrice_, by whipping a Brown Thread twice about the _Leather-Groove_, and fastning the Thread with a Knot. Then he puts both Halves of the _Mold_ together, and puts the _Matrice_ into the _Matrice Cheek_, and places the _Foot_ of the _Matrice_ on the _Stool_ of the _Mold_, and the broad end of the _Leather_ upon the _Wood_ of the upper half of the _Mold_, but not tight up, lest it might hinder the _Foot_ of the _Matrice_ from _Sinking_ close down upon the _Stool_ in a train of Work. Then laying a little Rosin on the upper _Wood_ of the _Mold_, and having his _Casting Ladle_ hot, he with the bolling side of it Melts the Rosin; And when it is yet _Melted_ presses the broad end of the _Leather_ hard down on the _Wood_, and so fastens it to the _Wood_. All this is Preparation. Now he comes to _Casting_. Wherefore placing the under-half of the _Mold_ in his left hand, with the _Hook_ or _Hag_ forward, he clutches the ends of its _Wood_ between the lower part of the _Ball_ of his Thumb and his three hind-Fingers. Then he lays the upper half the _Mold_ upon the under-half, so as the _Male-Gages_ may fall into the _Female-Gages_, and at the same time the _Foot_ of the _Matrice_ place it self upon the _Stool_. And clasping his left-hand Thumb strong over the upper half of the _Mold_, he nimbly catches hold of the _Bow_ or _Spring_ with his right-hand Fingers at the top of it, and his Thumb under it, and places the point of it against the middle of the _Notch_ in the back-side of the _Matrice_, pressing it as well forwards towards the _Mold_, as downwards by the _Sholder_ of the _Notch_ close upon the _Stool_, while at the same time with his hinder-Fingers as aforesaid, he draws the under-half of the _Mold_ towards the _Ball_ of his Thumb, and thrusts by the _Ball_ of his Thumb the upper part towards his Fingers, that both the _Registers_ of the _Mold_ may press against both sides of the _Matrice_, and his Thumb and Fingers press both Halves of the _Mold_ close together.