Page:History of the Royal Society.djvu/324

 as may appear by the easy change which so small a quantity of acid liquor makes upon it. A drop of Spirit of Vitriol turnest the infusion of Brasil into a purplish violet-colour, even although it hath been made yellow before, by the addition of juyce of Lemons or Vinegar; and is the same effect which Pot-ashes also produce, as we said before.

'Mather is a Root cultivated much in Flanders: There be of it two sorts; Pipe-Mather, which is the coarseth; and Bale-Mather, otherwise called Crap-Mather: This Mather used to the best advantage, dyeth on Cloth a colour the nearest to our Bow-dye, or the new Scarlet; the like whereof Safflowr doth in Silk, insomuch as the colours called Bastard-Scarlets are dyed with it. This colour indures much boyling, and is used both with Allum and Argol: it holdeth well. The brightest colours dyed with this material are made by over-dying the same, and then by discharging part of it by back-boyling it in Argol.

'Mather is used with Bran-liquor, instead of White-liquor, or ordinary Water.

'Cochineil is of several sorts, viz. Silvester and Mestequa: This also is used with Bran-liquor in Pewter-Furnaces, and with Aqua-fortis, in order to the Scarlet dye. It is the colour whereof the like quantity effecteth most in Dying; and Colours dyed with it, are said to be dyed in Grain. Rags dyed in the dregs of this colour is called Turnsole, and 'tis used to colour Wines; Cochineil being counted so far from an unwholesome thing, that it is esteemed a Cordial. Any acid Liquor takes off the intense Redness of this colour, turning it towards an Orange, Flame, or Scarlet colour: With this colour Rh