_The way or manner to perform the Distillation._ When you intend to distil, then first make a fire in the Furnace, that the distilling vessel come to be very hot. But if it be not fastned to the Furnace, then set it upon a grate, and lay stones about it, and coals between, and so let it grow hot, and lay melted lead in the space between the two edges or brims, to the end, that the lid, when it is put on, may close exactly, so that no spirit can get through. This done, take a little of the matter you intend to distil, and cast it in, and presently put on the lid, and there will be no other passage left but through the pipe, to which there must be applyed and luted a very big receiver. As soon as the species cast in come to be warm, they let go their spirit, which doth come forth into the receiver: and because there was but little of the matter cast in, it hath no power to force through the lute, or to break the receiver, but must settle it self. This done, cast in a little more of your matter, cover it and let it go till the spirit be settled: continue this proceeding so long, until you have spirits enough: but take heed, that you cast in no more at once, than the receiver is able to bear, else it will break. And when your vessel is full, the distillation not being ended, then take off the lid, and with an iron ladle take out the Caput Mortuum; and so begin again to cast in, and still but a little at a time, and continue this as long as you please. Thus in one day you may distil more in a small vessel, than otherways you could do in a great retort; and you need not fear the least loss of the subtile spirit, nor the breaking of the receiver by the abundance of the spirits: and you may cease or leave off your distilling, and begin it again when you list: also the fire cannot be made too strong, so that it might cause any hurt or damage; but by this way you may make the most subtile spirits, which is impossible to be done by any Retort. But if you will distil a subtil spirit by a Retort, as of Tartar, Harts-horn, Salarmoniack, or the like, you cannot do it without prejudice (though there were but half a pound of the matter in it) the subtlest spirits coming forth with force, seek to penetrate through the lute, if that be not good, but if that be good, so that the spirits cannot pass through it, then they break the receiver, because it cannot possibly hold such a quantity of subtle spirits at once. For when they are coming, they come so plentifully, and with such a force, that the receiver cannot contain them, and so of necessity must flye asunder, or must pass through the lutum; All which is not to be feared here, because there is but a little cast in at once, which cannot yield such a quantity of spirits, as to force the receiver to break: And when there comes forth no more spirits, and the former is settled, then more of the matter is to be cast in; and this is to be continued so long, until you have spirits enough.