If you make a mixture of one part of Saw-dust made of Tilia or Linden-wood, and two parts of good sulphur, and nine parts of purified and well dryed salt nitre, and cast it in by little and little, there will come over an acid spirit, which may be used outwardly, for to cleanse wounds that are unclean. But if you mix with this composition minerals or metals made into fine powder, and then cast it in and distill it, there will come not only a powerful metallical spirit, but also a good quantity of flores, according to the nature of the mineral, which are of no small vertue: for the minerals and metals are by this quick fire destroyed and reduced to a better condition, whereof many things might be written: but it is not good to reveal all things. Consider this sentence of the Philosophers. _It is impossible to destroy without a flame, The combustible Sulphur of the Calx, which the digged Mine doth doe._ Also fusible minerals and metals may not only be melted, therewith, but also cupellated in a moment upon a Table in the hand or in a nut-shell; whereby singular proofs of oares and metals may be made, and much better, than upon a Cupel, whereof further in the fourth part of this book. Here is opened unto us a gate to high things; if entrance be granted unto us, we shall need no more books to look for the Art in them. _To make metallical spirits and flores by the help of salt-nitre and linnen cloth._ If metals be dissolved in their appropriated Menstruums, and in the solution (wherein a due proportion of salt nitre must be dissolved) fine linnen rags be dipt and dryed, you have a prepared metal, which may be kindled, and (as it was mentioned above concerning the saw-dust) through the burning away and consuming of their superfluous sulphur, the mercurial substance of the metal is manifested. And after the distillation is ended, you will find a singular purified calx, which by rubbing coloureth other metals, as that of gold doth guild silver, that of silver silvereth over copper, and copper calx maketh iron look like copper, _&c._ which colouring though it cannot bring any great profit, yet at least for to shew the possibility, I thought it not amiss to describe it; and perchance something more may be hid in it, which is not given to every one to know. _Of Gun-powder._