Cucurbit
A Curcurbite, or Gourde, or Bozia glass body with a long
neck, haueing its Head or Limbeck Luted thereon. These
curcurbits ought to haue very long necks, for their onely
purpose of distilling the quintessence of things, that the
spirits and more subtiller parts may ascend from the bottom
of the glass, and the more grosser and earthy part remaine
behind. Se C.11. n.6. 7.
Cooling the limbeck
The Head or Limbeck of a distillatory, or Helmett (for
so the Germanes name it) being couered with a round
copper vessell, with a hole on the top, this is for to coole
the head of Glass or Limbeck, that liquor may the sooner
thicken and fall down into the gutter about.
a. The couer of copper.
b. The Limbeck or head of glass or Helmett.
c. The Hole on the top of the couer, to poure could water into it.
d. The Nose of the Limbeck or Head, which goeth through the neck of the couer.
e. The cock fastned to the bottom of the cover, by which the water is drawn out when it groweth hot through long distilling.
Cooling the limbeck
This is an other way of cooling the Limbeck or head of
the distillatory, by tying an Oxe Blader ouer the Helmet,
about the neck; and so pouring water into it, will keep the
head coole, which as the water heats, it is drawn out by a
Tap fastned in the Blader as the figure itselfe will further
and more plainely shew.
Sun still
The Italian distillary, or Sun Still: this is formed of two
round bodied glass bottles, one filled with the flowers or
herbs to be distilled and set with the mouth of it downwards
into an other with it mouth vpwards, well Lute or clay or
other like Matter, that no aire, vapour, or vertue of the substance may breath forth: this done, set the two glasses in
the heat of the sun; which as it is heated and decocted in the
heat will distill a liquor into the Neither bottle.
Gold still
This Instrument or distillatory was devised for the seperation of those quintessence or secret spirits,
is onely by one
distillation attained and may be termed the Aurum Portabile
Still, or Portable Gold still, whose parts are these.
a. The curcurbite, which containeth the substance to be distilled.
b. The head or Helmett, whose nose went into the Vessell, c.
c. The vessell into which the secret spirit of the quintessence fall.
d. The Receiuer into which doth the simple wine or Flewme of the Quintessence fall.
These vessells are generally Luted and stopped close together by a certaine morter, clay or simmond, called the Lute of wisdome, or the common Lute. The first made of the pouder of Tyles or well burnt bricks, the pouder of Iron scales and fine sand, all well searsed and of each a like quantity, mixt with fat Lute or clay well cleansed from stones, as much as all the other, diligently temper them vp into a past with Lye, and in beating of them together with a staffe, mixe therein a third part of shorn floxe.
The vessels made of this Lute or Morter, or Glasses Pargetted and couered therewith will well abide the violence of the fire, without breaking or cracking at all: It is good also to conioyn and vnite the clefts of vessells that gap, or are chapt; the same is good to stop and fence the cracks and clefts in glasses.
The Common Lute is made of chalk, or Potters clay, or fat earth or Marle, a little sand or gravell, wollen Flox and Horse dung, all together baiten into a consistence as soft as Morter or Plaster.
Limbeck
This the maner of the Ancient Apothecaries fashion of
distillings of water or oyles, that the virtue doe not evaporate or fly away, by hanging the vessells ouer water boyling:
for this cause only, that the heat may be lessened and made
more Mild, and the Ingredient therein may boyle more
softly and gently or otherwise as the Chymist thinks fitt.
Limbeck
This is an apt kind of Lymbeck or Instrument for the
drawing of oyles, out of Roots, Hearbs, Seeds or Spices,
whose seuerall parts are these:
a. The vessel in which the matter is put, which the Author calls a Bladder.
b. The Belly, that is fastned to the neck.
c. The long neck, that hindreth the head that it heat not too fast.
d. The Head.
e. The Vessell or Buckett, compassing the head wherein could water is put to cool the head.
f. The long Receiuer.
g. The Cock or Tapp, letting out the hot water
Separating vessels
Separating vessells by the devise whereof oyle is seperated
from water that is distilled therewith. The one being a glass
bottle with at the mouth, and neck as almost the belly,
into which the mixt liquor being put they will seperate
themselues, which by long and short pipes put therein may
seuerally be drawn out, as the figure sheweth.
Separating vessel
The other [separating vessel] is a Glasse wide at top and sharp towards the
bottom wherein there is a small hole, stopt with wax: which
is opened for the liquors to run out when they are separated.
Distillation by filter
A distillation by fylter. This is a devise
[to] draw the pure liquor of oyle or water
from grosser substance mixt therein, whose
parts and members are thus named:
a. The glass or earthen vessell wherein the thick water or Juyce is put.
b. The fylter, being a peece of wollen cloth or List, more then a span long and cut broad at one end and sharp at the other, like a tongue, which must be wholly wet in water, then laid with the broad end into the glass or vessell so as it may ly halfe wett in the water or Juyce; and the other end hangs over the edge of the vessell without.
c. The Receiuer or Vessell into which the liquor will drop by degrees out of the glass in a short tyme.
I have seen this devise used to refresh and cool tender and choise flowers in the Gardens, in the hot sunshine, and in tyme of drought.
Distillation of oil of turpentine
The oyle of Turpentine Still: it consisteth
of two round furnaces standing one by an other
of which one serueth for the fire, and the other
for the Retort to be heated in; the Retort
being heated by an hole framed into it placed
in the middle between both, which is shut or
opened, according to the necessity of the work,
by the help of an Iron doore set or hid between
both furnaces.
Distillation of oil of cinnamon
Doctor Crato his stillatory for the prepareing and drawing of water or oyle of Cynamon,
or other spices, whose parts are these:
a. The couer of the pott in which the spices are hanged by a pinne or hook fixed within it.
b. The hollowness or empty Vessell.
c. The bagg filled with the Spices, hanging within the hollow Vessell.
d. The Tunell pipe by which the water may be poured in, which is after close stopped.
e. The Great Pott full of water, which contains the vessell in it.
Distillation of antimony
The Antimonie still, this is for the sublimation of it, and to make it of diverse colours as
white, yellow, and Red last of all. The
seuerall parts are as follows:
a. The furnace, or place of the fire.
b. The place in which the Curcurbites are set within ouer the fire on the Iron Barrs.
c. The vent holes on the top of the furnace.
d. The neck of the curcurbites tending vpwards which carrieth forth the fume of spirit of the Antimonye into the receiving Vessells.
e. The Receiuing Curcurbites, which are raised vpwards, and their mouths tending something downwards.
f. The Peggs or Tapps of wood, which are to be put in and drawn out, whereby the colour of the Antimony sublymed may be seen, and Judgment had, whether the fire must be moderated or encreased.
g. The Stayes on which the Receiuers rest, which may be Stooles or Shealves or Stands made for the height and purpose.
Distillation of oil of brimstone
The forme of a distillatory for the oyle of Brimstone,
whose parts are these:
a. Is the earthen pott, into which the Powder of Brimstone is put and by a hot Iron set on fire.
b. The glass couer like a Bell, or the form of a Lamp, which is hanged ouer the fired Brimstone, yet to touch the mouth of the Pott, that the fume or oyle may distill round about. Some of these Heads (as some name it) or Bell is made with a Pipe or Nose, and pargeted with Lute, that it may receiue the fume, which within it is Thickened into an oyle, and by the pipe or nose is distilled forth into a Receiuer standing vnder.
c. The earthen platter or Vessell, into which the oyle droppes from the skirts of the bell.
Distillation of oil of brimstone
This is the other way of distilling the oyle of Brimstone,
wherein the Bell is hanged vp by a rope ouer the fire to what
distance the Chymist pleaseth, and the fire all along preserved by supplying it with fresh Brimstone.
Distillation of oils
A Distillation of Seperation or a Vessell shewing the maner
of seperating of oyles:
a. signifieth the Curcurbite or body, which is made of Venice glass, with its nose or pipe; into which the oyles are powred.
b. The Limbeck or head, with its nose or pipe through which the Liquor doth distill into a Receiuer, all are to be Luted close, that noe matter goeth forth, &c.
Distillation of oil vitriol
An Oyle of Vitrioll Still, being a Furnace for the distilling
of Vitrioll into an oyle, whose description is as followeth.
The Furnace is foure square, a foot high to the fire grate, a
foot and halfe higher place Iron Barrs, for the glass Body to
stay vpon, and a foot and halfe to the top: which must be
open for to put in and take out the Retort, but in the tyme of
the distillation is to be couered and close Luted as the figure
sheweth; whose seuerall parts and members are these:
a. The doore by which theare entreth into mantaine the fire, and take out the ashes that falls from the fire.
b. The Body or out part of the Furnace.
c. The Grate, on which the coales ly to burn.
d. The slow Harry, by which coales are put into the Furnace.
e The body of Glass or Retort, whose neck cometh through the wall of the furnace and turneth downward.
f. The Receiuer, annexed and Luted to the neck of the Retort.
g. The stay or stand on which the Receiuer Resteth.
h. The couer of the Furnace.
i. The foure vent hole on the top of the couer.
Still for distilling amber
The Furnace and Instruments therein contained Necessary
for the distillation of Amber, which in the outside is made
round two feet and halfe high, and about two spannes in
breadth, with two holes in the same, for the pipes of the
Instruments set therein to come through whose other parts
are as followeth.
Parts of amber still
a. The curcurbite, or upper Instrument into which the
Amber with flint stones is filled.
b. The round copper plate full of holes that couers the Amber and keeps it from falling out of the curcurbite.
c. The Nether Instrument, which must be filled with water till it run out at the nether pipe.
d. The Tub, or vessell filled with cold water.
e. The Tyn or copper pipe, which passeth throw the Tub of water, to coole the oyle as it runeth through it, whose end is fixed in a large Receiuer within.
f. The Receiuer which hath in it also a pint of cold water: and is made of glass, or earth well glased within. These seuerall Instruments Joyned altogether and set in the foresaid furnace, is by degrees set on fire with coales, and encreased little and little, vntill the whole curcurbite be hid with burning coales, and be red hot, &c. by meanes of this extreame heat an oyle wilbe carryed through the pipe into the receiuer, and swim on the water.
Still for distilling spirits of wine
An Instrument or still for the drawing of
strong waters out of Lees; or the Spirit of
Wynnes. Contrary in forme to that formerly
mentioned in cha.11, numb.2, and indeed
things of this use I haue seen seuerall fashions
as the distiller pleaseth to make and frame
them, yet the conclusion all tend to one and the
same proposed operation. Se Mr Bakers his
fourth book of distillations. Chap: 3. 4. 5. 6.
The parts of this distillatory is thus described:
a. Sheweth the place where the ashes fall from the fire and rest.
b. The place wherein the fire is made.
c. The Barrs or Grate on which the coales burn.
d. The Furnace made high and narrow.
e. The long and big Vessell, or Pan, in which the wyne is put.
f. The cover or ioynt.
g. The pipe by which the wine is powered.
h. The way by which the vapours ascend into the head.
i. The nose of the head by which the spirits distill into the mouth of the Receiver.
k. The Lead or Limbeck.
l. The Buckett or Cooler, which compasseth the Head, and is filled with cold water.
m. The nose or pipe of the Buckett, by which the water is drawn out when it is hot.
n. The cane or pipe, by which the water ascendeth or riseth vp into the Buckett.
o. The Barrell or Hoggeshead made long and filled with cold water.
An Instrument or pipe (as saith my Author) made of this forme, will cause the water by sucking to rise vp and run forth: as the like hath bine practised in pits of water and wells.
Previous section
Next section
