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 them almost to their vtter vndoing , make a most miserable prouision for themselues & their poore wines and children . 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 downe 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 that 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 them 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 satisfaction 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 pleasant 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 men 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 grounds , 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 them 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 them ) 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 fire-wood , 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 .