The Formers are instruments wherewith the coffins for the fireworkes are made and formed, whereof in order; and first for Rockets that operate in the ayre. The Formers for Rockets consist of two parts, represented by the two next figures following, the uppermost whereof representeth the body of the Former, which must bee made of Maple, Walnut tree, or of other close & well seasoned wood, seven inches, wanting halfe a quarter in length, turned equally, and exactly hollow quite through, the diameter of whose hollownesse, represented by the line at the top marked at each end with a, e, must bee one inch and a quarter; the breech of the former is represented by the lowest figure, the upper part wherof, must be made to enter the body of the Former; the height of the whole breech, beside the broach is 3 inches and a halfe; it entreth the body of the Former, one inch and three quarters; the top of it must be made like a halfe nutmeg, in the midst whereof (as Mr. _Malthus_ and _des recreationes Mathematiques_) there must bee fastned an yron broach two inches and a halfe long: then put the breech into the body, and pierce them both quite through as the figures doe represent at G and H; then make a pin as K, L, to pinne them both together, which must bee made to take out at pleasure: then marke both the body and breech neere the said hole with this ★ or any other marke, that you may thereby know how to fit them afterwards. [Illustration] [Illustration] The next figure marked with M, N, doeth expresse both the parts of the Former pinned together; unto this Former there must be made one Rowler expressed by the figure A; also two rammers expressed by the figures G H; they must all of them be turned very even and smooth; let the diameter of the thicknesse of the rowler expressed by the line on the top marked I I, be three quarters of an inch, let it be eight inches long from I, to 2, and have a hole bored in the very midst of the end, so wide and so deep, that all the broach of the former may enter the same: this is to rowle the coffin of paper and upon. The first rammer noted with the figure G, must bee seuen inches and a halfe long, from 3 to 4, and haue a hole at the end of it, as the rowler had; this rammer is to ram the composition into the former (hauing the coffin in it) untill it bee raysed aboue the broach. The second rammer noted with the figure H, must be fiue inches and three quarter long from 5 to 6, and it must haue no hole at the top as the other had; it serueth to ram the composition into the coffin, when it is once raysed aboue the broach. The diameter of the thicknesse of these two rammers must be a thought lesse than the diameter of the rowler, to the end they may not hurt the coffin, being driuen in. Now to make the coffins you must take paper, parchment, or strong canuasse, rowle it hard upon the rowler, so often untill it will go stiffe into the body of the Former: then thrust it