ese, and so very lately as that dreadful storm
happening 26 Nov. 1703, when after so many thousand oaks, and other
timber-trees were quite subverted, a most famous and monstrous, oak
growing at Epping in Essex, (blown down) raised it self, and withstood
that hurricane. These (amongst many others) are the infirmities to which
forest-trees are subject, whilst they are standing; and when they are
fell'd, to the worm; especially if cut before the sap be perfectly at
rest: But to prevent or cure it in the timber, I commend this secret as
the most approv'd.

23. Let common yellow sulphur be put into a cucurbit-glass, upon which
pour so much of the strongest _aqua-fortis_, as may cover it three fingers
deep: distil this to dryness, which is done by two or three
rectifications: Let the sulphur remaining in the bottom (being of a
blackish or sad-red colour) be laid on a marble, or put into a glass,
where it will easily dissolve into oil: With this, anoint what is either
infected, or to be preserved of timber. It is a great and excellent
_arcanum_ for tinging the wood with no unpleasant colour, by no art to be
washed out; and such a preservative of all manner of woods; nay, of many
other things; as ropes, cables, fishing-nets, masts of ships, &c. that it
defends them from putrefaction, either in waters under or above the earth,
in the snow, ice, air, Winter or Summer, &c. It were superfluous to
describe the process of the _aqua-fortis_; It shall be sufficient to let
you know, that our common _coperas_ makes this _aqua-fortis_ well enough
for our purpose, being drawn over by a retort: And for sulphur, the Island
of St. Christophers yields enough, (which hardly needs any refining) to
furnish the whole world. This secret (for the curious) I thought fit not
to omit; though a more compendious, three or four anointings with
linseed-oyl, has prov'd very effectual: It was experimented in a
wall-nut-table, where it destroy'd millions of worms immediately, and is
to be practis'd for tables, tubes, mathematical-instruments, boxes,
bed-steads, chairs, rarities, &c. Oyl of wall-nuts will doubtless do the
same, is sweeter, and a better varnish; but above all, is commended oyl of
cedar, or that of juniper; whilst oyl of spike does the cure as effectual
as any.

But after all these sweeping plagues and destructions inflicted on
trees, (braving all humane remedies) such frosts as not many
years{332:1} since hap'ned, left such marks of their dead