BEfore I diſcloſe the matter and maner in this new compoſition of Cole-balles, I thinke it verie neceſſarie, firſt (in the behalfe of thoſe poore and miſerable wretches, for whoſe good I do principally intend this Treatiſe) to intreat all ſuch Magiſtrates, vnto whom the care and prouiſion of fewell doth any way appertaine, that they ſo farre forth, as either their authoritie, skill, or trauell may giue anie furtherance hereunto; would be verie prouident and careful not to ſuffer anie ſeacoles to be ſold or landed at anie wharfe or key, vnleſſe the ſame by good experience ſhall be found to be of the beſt mines: or at the leaſt of ſuch kind and qualitie as will cake and knit together, and ſo make a hot and durable fire. For the better performance wherof, I hold it the plaineſt and moſt euident triall of all other, firſt to cauſe a conuenient fire to be made of ſome parcell of the coles of euerie ſhip, before the owner be ſuffered to vnlade, with a ſpeciall charge giuen, that if the whole bulke do not fall out to be of the ſelfe ſame and equall goodneſſe with the ſample, that the reſt ſhould either be returned or confiſcated, if any law or cuſtome of that place will beare it. For herein I my ſelfe haue beene a feelnig witneſſe, who at the firſt (not hauing any skill in the choice of my coles) haue ſometimes bought ſuch, as I haue beene forced euen freely to giue to thoſe which could make any vſe of them, at which time no doubt many poore & vnskilfull men did likewiſe to their great hinderance, and ſome of thē almoſt to their vtter vndoing, make a moſt miſerable prouiſion for thēſelues & their poore wines and childrē. And if happily the Magiſtrat ſhal either grow negligent, or deale corruptly herein, then do I aduiſe euerie man to make the like triall for himſelf. And becauſe I will no way be wanting in good will to the furtherance of ſo generall a commoditie as I haue now in hand, I will here ſet dowe ſome few examinations of mine owne, which may happily ſerue for the inſtruction of all ſuch buyers, as haue no better experience then mine to direct them.

Firſt I do hold it an infallible rule to know a good cole by, viz. if the ſame being held ouer a candle, or rather ouer a flaming fire, do melt, & as it were drop or frie: for this is an argument of his fattie and ſulphurious nature, which miniſtreth ſtore of foode for the fire; but if the ſame grow hard & drie ouer the flame, it is a ſigne of a leane and hungrie cole, and ſuch as will not cake or knit in the burning: of which kind are the Sunderland coles, whereof the poores wharfe in London can giue a ſufficient teſtimonie; which haue lien one winter already without anie great decreaſe, ſauing that ſome parcell thereof hath rather beene tranſlated to another place, to make the bulke ſeeme leſſe, then ſold and diſtributed amongſt the poore, for whom that charitable prouiſion was firſt meant. Here xviii. pence or fiue grotes in the price of a chaldron was ill ſaued.

Secondly, the brightneſſe and gliſtering of the cole both within & without, is ſome argument of his goodnes (although I haue heard that ſome kind of bad ſeacole newly digged out of the mine, and brought drie in ſommer time, will both ſhow and breake faire) but moſt commonly if it breake in the colour and luſtre of pitch, it proueth a good cole to the buier: but without all queſtion, if the ſame be of a darke, duskiſh, and dead earthly colour, it is vtterly vnprofitable for him that ſhal ſpend it.

The laſt and moſt aſſured proofe of all the reſt (except the making of a fire with them, wherein no man of any ſenſe can eaſily be deceiued) is the lightneſſe of the coles in weight. This weight, as in manie other bodies, ſo eſpecially in water, doth argue either his purenes, or his impuritie: for the lighter & clearer water, is euer held the better & more wholſom, as leaſt participating with earth or minerals. Now if you haue but halfe a peck of the beſt & lighteſt coles, finely powdered alwayes remaining by you, with this you may examine the goodneſſe of any other cole, and by how manie degrees it differeth from the ſame (the lighteſt coles being alwayes the beſt) the neerer your cole commeth in lightneſſe to the patterne (both being equally meaſured, & brought to fine powder) you may aſſure your ſelfe that it is ſo much the better; and the more that the ſame meaſure of any other coles exceedeth the other in weight, ſo much the more earthie & worſe burning cole you ſhal find it. And thus much concerning the goodnes of the cole, wherein if the buyer happen to faile, then ſhall he labour in vaine, either to ſweeten, or multiply the ſame; the ſeacole it ſelfe being the baſis & foundation of the whole work, which muſt giue both ſtrength and ſubſtance to the bals. And becauſe it is not impertinent to the ſubiect which wee haue in hand, to know the places of our beſt mines already diſcouered, &c. I haue thought good heere to name the principall places or mines, from whence the beſt ſeacole is brought, viz. Durrham, Blaidon, Stillow, Redhew, and Bourne; the reſt being ten or eleuen more, are of a worſer kind, and the worſt of all are thoſe of Sunderland. I would the owners of theſe pits or mines, would deale ſimply & truly with vs: for by the report of many, that are acquainted with their practiſes, there is ſuch a medley made of theſe mines, as no man can tell which is the predominant cole in the whole bulke.

I haue here alſo a fit occaſion offered me to moue the right Honorable the Lord Maior of the Citie of London, and the right worſhipfull the Aldermen his brethren, that if this new fire of mine proue a ſubſtantial and profitable inuention, according to that ſhewe and countenance which (prima facie) it ſeemeth to carie, that they would immediately vpon good proofe thereof, gather vp all the idle and vagrant perſons, & all the maimed & vnpenſioned ſouldiers, which (notwithſtanding all our new taxations & contributions) do ſtill peſter the ſtreets and ſuburbs of this citie, and imploy them in their profitable labors in that vnprofitable peſt houſe. And that which is here ſpoken for London, I hope wil alſo ſerue for all the houſes of correction within this realme, where there ſhal bee found ſufficient ſtore of matter to worke vpon.

The laſt petition or requeſt which I do here make in the behalfe of the poore, is that at ſuch time as by the ſlender prouiſion of the Magiſtrate, and by an extreme hard, and froſtie winter enſuing, whereby great ſtore of feacole is ſpent (which doth oftentimes happen) that the Magiſtrats of all places would neuer ſuffer or permit the cole it ſelfe to be ſold aboue the rate of three ſhillings gain vpon the chaldron to any colemonger, which commonly falleth out (reſpecting the time of the forbearance of his money) to be at the leaſt 20. or 30. in the hundred, & vpward, if you adde herevnto that fiue in the hundreth, which he gaineth by ouer meaſure, when he buyeth a whole ſhips lading in the poole together.

And if vſurie bee ſo dangerous a trade, as both the word of God and al the miniſters therof do daily publiſh and proclaime vnto vs, the ſame for the moſt part being drawne from men of good eſtate & credit (for the vſurer will ſeldom truſt any other) what ſhall wee thinke of a double and treble vſurie, may of a doubling the principall it ſelfe (whereof there hath beene a miſerable & wretched experience of late memorie within this honorable citie of London) & that wrung out euen from the backs and bellies of the pooreſt ſort of people.

I had thought alſo to haue ſpoken ſomwhat for reformation of the cole ſacks, which (by the opinion of diuers men) do in drie and wet weather differ greatly from themſelues, and by that meanes cannot produce ſo certaine a meaſure to the buyer as the buſhel or fat doth, which is alwayes of one and the ſelfe ſame content: but I doubt not (if the allegation be ſound) but yt the wiſdom of the Magiſtrate will ſoon reforme this fault. But now to mine own part: wherein becauſe no Author of any new inuention (though hauing Lincius eyes, or enioying the piercing ſpirit of Mercurie himſelfe) is able truly to foreſee all the future effects & accidents that in time may happen to croſſe a matter of innouation or noueltie: I do here (expecting nothing els but a thankfull acceptation of my painefull and coſtly labours at your hand, if the ſecret proue rich and beneficiall to the poore, which is my hope and deſire, or els your gentle pardon if it fall out otherwiſe, which is the leaſt that I can deſerue) freely offer and publiſh the greateſt part of my knowledge in this kind, and ſo I proceede to the compoſition.

In the winter ſeaſon after ſome few froſts, gather ſo much lome as will ſerue your houſe for one whole yeares ſpending (for then it will crumble and diſſolue more eaſily in water then at other times, although at all times with a little more labour in ſtirring the ſame it may be made ſeruiceable enough for this purpoſe) half a peck, & happily a leſſe proportion of this lome, diſſolued in a little tub of water, is a ſufficient quantitie for the knitting vp of a buſhel of ſeacole into balles, and your water and lome incorporated and well laboured together muſt be like a very thin pap.

Then take a buſhel of the beſt ſeacole, which beeing ſtrewed vpon a ſtonie or paued floore, you muſt breake or bruiſe with a hammer, mallet, or ſome other apt toole or inſtrument, or otherwiſe you may ſufficiently powder them vnder your feete, which I haue found the readieſt and cheapeſt way of all other. This is entended of the greater ſort of coles; but if your coles be of the ſmaller kind, then are they ſufficiently prepared for this worke to your hand.

Spread theſe coles abroad ſome handfull thicke, or thereabouts, equally vpon the floore, then ſprinkle ſome of your thinne pap all ouer the heape: then turne them with a ſhouell or a ſpade, and ſpread thē againe as before, throwing more of your lomy liquor vpon them. Continue this courſe till you haue made the whole maſſe or lumpe of your coles ſoft enough to be wrought vp into balles, betweene your hands, according to the maner and making of ſnowbals: then place them one by one, ſo as they touch not ech other til they be thorough drie, which will be in a few dayes. Then may you pile or lay them vp in heaps in any conuenient place, where they may bee defended from raine, which if it ſhould fall in any great quantitie vpon them, they would be in danger to be diſſolued againe. And ſo you haue ſeacoles wrought vp into bals ſimply of themſelues, according to the maner of Lukeland in Germanie: which forme of firing hath been in vſe with them for many yeares paſt, and doth as yet continue to this day, as I am credibly enformed.

Heere happily the workeman may be taxed of a needles and vnprofitable labour, in that a conuenient fier may be made of ſeacoles only according to our vſuall manner without any further charge or labor, and it is an auncient and approoued Maxime aſwell amongſt ſound Lawyers as alſo amongſt al good Polititians. Quod fruſtra fit per plura quod fieri poteſt per pauciora. But to giue ſome reaſonable ſatiſfactiō herein, I do firſt preſume that thoſe frugal & thriftie Germans haue found ſome good vſe of their labours, or els they woulde long ſince haue diſcontinued the ſame. Secondly, I haue found in mine owne experience, that ſuch fiers as conſiſt of bals be neither ſo offenſiue in ſmel, nor yet in ſoile, as the ordinary ſeacole fires are. And if experience the vndoubted mother of truth will not ſerue to ſatiſfie doubtfull wittes in this point, but that they will alſo call for reaſon at my hands (quia turpe eſt philoſopho quidquam ſine ratione proferre) I will giue you my conceit freely either to be controlled or confirmed at your pleaſures. And therefore my opinion is, that the ſmoke which in our vſuall fiers dooth immediatly aſcend from the ſeacoles vnprepared, muſt needs according to the foule and groſſe matter of the cole, be alſo foule and ſmooty it ſelfe. But when the ſmoake doth paſſe, and become as it were ſearſed thorough the lome (which is the band that knitteth the coles together) it is then ſo refined and ſubtilated before his penetration, as that it either conſumeth and ſwalloweth vp, or els leaueth behinde it the groſſe reſidence of his owne nature, whereby that black kind of pepperingor ſeacole duſt (if I be not greatly deceiued) is either wholy or for the moſt part auoided: being a matter of ſo great offenſe to al the pleaſāt gardeins of Noblemen, Gentlemen, and Marchants of this moſt honorable Citie and the ſuburbes therof, beſides the diſcoloring and defacing of al the ſtately hangings and other rich furniture of their houſes, as alſo of their coſtlie and gorgeous apparell, as that I preſume though theſe my charitable and well intended labours ſhould only produce a remedie for this long and hitherto inauoideable miſchiefe, that yet they would be receiued with a ſufficient applauſe and liking of all men. Alſo the ſtirring vp of common ſeacole fiers after they are once caked and knit together dooth make a helliſhe ſmoke and ſmoder, diſperſing the ſmootie ſubſtance & ſubtile atomies abroad into the aire, which in a fire of balls doth neuer happen, becauſe after they are once piled in ſuch artificiall manner as is hereafter expreſſed, they continue a ſtrong and laſting fier without any touch or remouing of them. Beſides the beautie of this fire dooth greately commend it ſelfe, whoſe forme and ſhape in my opinion doth far ſurpaſſe all other fiers whatſoeuer; whoſe bals being round and all of one equall bignes, when they are all truely placed together, they do much reſemble the piles of ſhot as they ly in a moſt beautifull manner within the tower of London.

But now to come to our newe and Engliſh fiers, ſuch as neither Germany nor any other forrain kingdome or country, did euer to my knowledge as yet either vſe or inioy, being alſo more ſweete by many degrees (as being wrought vp with mixtures of leſſe offence) yea ſome very pleaſing and delicate, and fit for Ladies chamber, and alſo more profitable (their multiplication being of leſſe price by a great deale then ſeacole it ſelfe) I wil here firſt begin with the moſt profitable and laſting compoſition of all the reſt that euer I could find, and ſecondy I will proceede to the ſweeteſt fire, and after that to ſome other cheape and worſe compoſitions, yet al being ſuch as in the dearth and ſcarſitie of other fewell may be commendably vſed and ſpent.

1. The firſt and principall fire that I will commend vnto you, is a compoſition of ſeacole, and ſmall cole, or thorne cole eyther in equall proportion (which will make a reaſonable good fire) or els taking only a third part of ſmall cole to your ſeacole (which maketh the beſt and moſt durable fire of all the reſt) working them into balls and knitting them with lome as is formerlie ſet down in your ſeacole bals that haue no other mixture: but if your thorne coles be of the biggeſt ſort you muſt firſt bruſe them a little vnder your feete, or els they will require ſome more paines in balling them. Theſe thorne-cole with carefull prouiſion may be had in the ſummer for three halfepenſe the buſhel, farre vnder the price of ſeacole, beſides the addition of halfe a pecke of lome which giueth ſome increaſe to the bulke. Now leaſt ſmal coles by this meanes ſhould grow to a higher rate, al mē may eaſily iudge how ſuddenlie by the planting or pricking in of ſmal twigs of willow, ſallow, alder and ſuch other ſpeedy growing plants, in al ſuch places as may beſt bee ſpared and are fitteſt to increaſe them, what great ſtore and quantitie of this fuel may be had yeerly, without any feare of ſcarſitie; ſo as vnleſſe we wil be wanting vnto our ſelues, we ſhal not need to want this part of our new firing. Alſo to eaſe the charge of your ſmal coles, you may take one parte of earth, and one part of ſmall-cole, and the reſt ſeacole; but this maketh not altogether ſo bright a fire as the former.

2. The ſecond and ſweeteſt fire of al the reſt, but not ſo laſting as the firſt, is a mixture of the ſaw duſt of deale or firre boords amongſt your ſeacoles, either in a third, or a moitie, as you did in ſmall cole: vſing ſtil the firſt band of lome both in this and al the other compoſitions following. And the ſawduſt likewiſe of elme or oke may bee mixed with ſeacole and made vp into bals, and this maketh a verie good and ſweet fire.

3. Many haue thought my fire to conſiſt of ſeacole and Cowdunge, and one among the reſt hath ſo aduentured to publiſh the ſame, as beeing aſſured of my compoſition: but now you may ſee that raſh pens do ſoone run riot. Yet I do not vtterly diſlike this mixture, becauſe it may alſo haue a place amongſt my cole-bals: but the matter thereof not being ſubſtantial enough to match with a ſeacole, cannot bring forth ſo laſting a fire as my firſt is, and the ſame hauing alſo ſome vſe already in the enriching of groūds, can hardly be ſpared in ſome places to be conſumed into firebals. Yet (to ſpeake truly of it) it maketh a ſweete and pleaſing fire: and if you beſtow labor enough therin you may make colebals, with it and ſeacole, without any other bande.

4. Some would haue my multiplication to conſiſt of chopt ſtrawe and ſeacole, but that conceit I hold not to be worth a ſtraw: for what doth ſooner conſume with fire then ſtubble and ſtraw, which are apt to catch, but vnapt to continue the flame which poſſeſſeth them.

5. The Tanners barks broken and incorporated with ſeacole, are very like to proue a good fire, but this ſecret will haue no great extenſion for want of matter.

6. The remainder of an olde fire may be wrought vp into new bals, or els piled in the middeſt of a new fire to kindle the bals the ſooner, ſo that in this kind of firing there is no loſſe of coles at all.

7. How turfe in his own nature may be mixed with ſeacoles, I haue made no experience: but if the ſame be firſt charcoled, no doubt it will make both a ſweet and a laſting fire.

8. What the oozes will do either for the multiplying or binding of our colebals, I can not certeinly determine, only I haue thought good to mention them, and ſo leaue them to other mens labors.

The laſt circumſtance which wee are to obſerue in this our new fire, is the manner of making the ſame; which though a man without direction might eaſily aime at, yet ſeeing I haue bin liberal in the matter, I will not be niggardly in the forme thereof. And therefore for the better placing or piling of theſe bals, I do firſt lay bricks edge wiſe on my hearth one by one, each bricke diſtant a full inch from the other, according to the breadth or compaſſe of the fire which I intend to make (theſe bricks doe both ſaue the harth from burning, as alſo are in ſteed of an iron grate to draw wind to the bals, to make thē burn the better:) then do I place a rowe of faucon or ſaker ſhot for the neathermoſt rank (& they which haue no iron bullets, may lay colebals in ſteed of thē) and then an other row of theſe bals vpon the neather moſt, and ſo I frame my fire to what hight and compas I thinke beſt; but I haue alwaies vſed to place each ranke in the forme of a ſemicircle; but within toward the middeſt of my fire, I conuey a few ſhorte cleft peeces of a faggot ſtick, and a few charcoles with them, or charcoles alone, and there I begin to kindle my fire. It may bee this fire will beare an artificial core of ſtone, brick or iron, wherby the fewer bals may ſerue the turne: heere euery man wil pleaſe himſelfe with his owne fancie, and ſo I leaue him to his beſt conceite.

Theſe bals may alſo be mingled among billets and charcole being wiſely placed, and though the aſhes bee this way loſt, yet I doubt not but they wil eaſily be requited in the ſauing of the fire.

And thus I haue diſcouered the beſt part of my skil in this new fire of colebals; whoſe good entertainement may happily one day drawe matters of greater worth from me, tending as wel to the inriching as the ſtrengthning of this little Iland, whoſe Lady and virgin Queene the great and mighty Iehouah long maintaine and bleſſe, with al his heauenly fauors and glorious benedictions, to his honor, hir delight and our comfort.

I hope though the principal ſcope of this diſcourſe doth only conſiſt in the bettering and altering of ſeacole, yet that I may alſo with good leaue diſcouer ſome profitable aduiſe in charcole and other fewel, and that no man wil be offended though I teach him how to raiſe an extraordinary gaine by planting of fire-wood, farre exceeding the vſurers reckoning both in commoditie and lawfulnes: yea I am fully perſwaded, and that not by reaſon only, but by the vncontroulable M • ſtres of al truth, that euery pound laid out in this manner, wil by a natural kind of vſurie at the leaſt treble it ſelfe within the compas of ſeuen yeares; which in the ſecond and third returne (beſides the yeerely benefit after the firſt ſeuen yeers farre exceeding 10. or 20. in the hundreth) is able to giue a good contentment to the moſt miſerable peni-father of this land. The tree which I meane is a willow, whereof one plant in ſeuen yeares commonly bringeth forth ſeuen plants, beſides other boughes and ſpray, that may be conuerted into fagots, charcole and ſmall-cole. This kind of husbandry proueth beſt in moſt vnprofitable and ſurrounded groundes, which may beſt indure a dead rent for ſeuen yeares, ſuch as were of late plentifully to be found in the ouerflowed fennes of Lincolneſhire, wherof Captaine Louel by his skilful and induſtrious labours hath newlie won 33000. acres, beeing a moſt memorable and ingenious worke, and wel deſeruing hir Maieſties moſt gratious priuiledge conferred vppon him. I would that Erith marſhes had twentie yeeres ſince met with ſuch a workeman. It may be they haue bin hitherto reſerued for my Inning, whereat you ſhall ſee me aime vnhappily in ſome of my laſt lines. But me thinks I am now ſo farre entred into water-work, that I haue almoſt quenched the fire which I haue in hand. To returne therefore to our firſt diſcourſe, I ſay, that although there ſhal not bee found ſufficient ſtore of ſuch moiſt ground, whereon to plant whole woods of willowes, yet I doubt not but if the bare and naked banks about all the ditches in Rumney marſh, and all the riuers, brookes, ditches, pooles, and marſh grounds of England beſides, were wel repleniſhed with Willowes, Sallowes, &c. but that in a fewe yeares ſpace we might in ſome good meaſure ſupply the woodfals that haue beene committed in firewood, and ſo bring downe the price both of billet, charcole and ſmall cole.

And thus much as a cole-maker: I will now alter my trade, and play the Cooper another while.

I Haue thought good at this time alſo to touch my wooden veſſell, long ſince mentioned in my Iewell-houſe; not becauſe I would ſort it with a fire of mine owne fancie (as though it could not endure the moſt vſuall and ſtrongeſt fires that other metalline veſſels and kettels are able to beare) but partly for that (being a matter of new inuention) it doth wel become this place; but principally, for that within a terme or two, I purpoſe (God willing) to make a publike ſhew thereof to all commers, vnto whom the ſecret it ſelſe ſhall alſo be reuealed and made good: and therefore I do here labour to prepare their minds to a kind and probable conceit therof, leaſt when it ſhall be offered to a publike view, it may happily bee taken for the ſecond part of M. Venners Tragedie, lately acted at the Swanne on the banke ſide, with better profite to himſelfe then pleaſure to the beholders.

And becauſe ſeuetal men haue conceiued ſeueral and ſtrange opinions herein, ſome expecting a miraculous preparation of the wood, ſome doubting the durabilitie thereof (of the which ſort for the moſt part I find the Copperſmiths, who are vnwilling to beleeue anie thing that maketh againſt their trade and liuing) others charging the Author, as not hauing hitherto diſcloſed anie matter of worth, anie way anſwerable to the glorious titles of his bookes, and ſo (arguing, re ad perſonam) do vtterly condemne this ſecret with the reſt: & ſome imagining the ſame both to be poſſible and durable, but yet ſo curious, as that ſimple wits are neuer able to repaire it, being once out of frame: al theſe, I ſay, are either in ſome meaſure to be ſatisfied, or els they may well conclude, that I haue hitherto told but a tale of a tub. All which obiections (although I haue elswhere ſufficiently anſwered) yet once againe I will curſorily runne them ouer; that I may cleere both my ſelfe and the inuention of all vniuſt, malicious, and ignorant calumniations, And here (not only to relie vpon the graue cenſure of the right honorable the Lord high Treaſurer of England, my good Lord and maſter, who vouchſafed me his honourable preſence at my houſe, when both my fire, tub, portable pumpe, and boulting hutch were made readie for his comming; whoſe good approbation only is able to counterpoiſe and ouerwey the ſhallow and light conceits of all my aduerſaries) to the firſt I anſwer, that my defence is meerely naturall, and not drawne from that chargeable and incombuſtible oyle of Talcum, fitter to bee thinly laid vpon the face of a Ladie, then groſly ſpent or dawbed vpon the ſides of a wooden veſſel, nor yet from the haire of a Salamander, whoſe bodies are rare and hard to come by. Yea it is ſuch, as vpon the diſcouerie wil proue ſo eaſie and familiar, as that I feare the beholders will rather condemne their owne weakneſſe, then wonder at my inuention, and yet the ſame both royally and really performed.

And as for the durabilitie thereof, I will make this warrant to all that ſhall haue cauſe to vſe it, that how long ſoeuer anie wooden veſſel wil laſt that is continually employed about cold water, the ſame ſhal endure as long, though in the like maner exerciſed in the heating or boiling of liquor. And ſo I dare boldly conclude, as ſometimes heretofore I haue done, that if my wooden Salamander were not more endangered by the element of water, then it is by the element of fire, we ſhould not need new veſſels but for new ages.

The third ſort of cauillers, becauſe they ſhew themſelues to be only carping Sophiſters, & no ſound logitians, as arguing from the matter to the perſon, & ſyllogizing vpon particulars, in hoc & in illo errauit, Ergo in omnibus. I hold them ſcarcely worth the anſwering: and yet becauſe I wil haue no aduantage taken of my ſilence, though I might anſwer them, as others haue done before me to the like: Carpere vel noli noſtra, vel ede tua. Yet leaſt that great and coſtly Mill in Iremonger lane, where the horſes trampling vpon a moueable floore, did euen with feare and trembling ſpend and waſt their ſpirits: or that monſtrous timber ſtote that ſhould haue blown vp & diſperſed the Spaniſh ſquadrons, but now lieth rotting in his own ruins not worth either the time or timber that was conſumed in it, together with ſome other martiall engines, whereof there hath bin a great and long expectation without anie good & ſeruiceable vſe made of them, (ſo as hitherto they do nothing els but ludere hiantem coruum) I ſay, leaſt theſe & a few other of the like kind and qualitie, ſhould in the gulf of diſgrace drowne all the credit & future hope of other Artiſts; that there are already, both by my ſelfe and other Engliſh-men, manie new, excellent, & moſt profitable deuiſes both by writing, and otherwiſe made knowne to the world: whereof ſome are not ſufficiently as yet vnderſtood, moſt of them not regarded, and in a manner all of them, either not at all, or verie ſlenderly rewarded: I meane not with penſion, for that were chargeable, nor with fauours, becauſe they are not vſual, but with thanks, which is the baſeſt recompence that Arte may looke for. But you require ſome inſtances of particulars at my hands, what ſay you then to ſuch a cariage for a cannon, whereby the peece with the helpe of two men only may be turned, maſtered, and charged at pleaſure in as good ſort as ten men are able to doe at ſea with their vſual cariages? What thinke you of a portable boate, which one man may carie with eaſe, and yet wil hold eight perſons? And of a light, ſtrong & ſodaine bridge to be made by vniting theſe boates, and thereby ſodainly to conuey euen a whole armie ouer a large riuer? What if an inuention bee ſhewed how a ſeruiceable veſſel may chace with ten or twelue great peeces of ordinance as readily, and as aptly, as now any ſhip doth with two or with foure peeces only? What if ſuch new kind of ſailes be deuiſed, as ſhal verie neere double the way which anie ſhip now maketh? Nay, what if ſuch a Pinneſſe were warranted to be made, as ſhould vpon her owne motion, without the helpe of any mariner to direct her, make a ſpeedy way againſt all wind and weather vpon the ſeas for one halfe mile at the leaſt, and being laden with all kind of ſhot and fire-worke, vpon the firſt touch of any other veſſel, ſhal preſently giue fire to a traine, and ſo ſpend her ſelfe, and endanger ſuch ſhips as are then next vnto her? And what would you ſay to a peece of ordinance which one man may ſufficiently manage, and yet twentie of them ſhal make fiue hundred Muſkettiers to abandon the field? But to conclude theſe warlike inuentions with a ſhot of the higheſt execution both for land & ſea. What if a bullet bee deliuered that ſhal breake into a thouſand parts, each part carying both his fire, powder & ſhot with it, ſo as no garriſon vnder the wals of any warlike towne or citie, no band of ſouldiers lying in the ſafeſt trenches they can deuiſe to make, can poſſibly be free from the furie of this bullet: which becauſe it may be ſhot compaſſe at anie reaſonable diſtance, muſt needes force them to forſake their ground.