Pettus, Sir John, of Suffolk, Knight of the Society for t...

Fleta Minor. The Laws of Art and Nature, in Knowing, Judging, Assaying,Fining, Refining an Inlarging the Bodies of confin'd Metals. In Two Parts.The First contains Assays of Lazarus Erckern, Chief Prover ( oe Assay-Master General of the Empire of Germany)...The Second contains Essays onMetallick Words, as a Dictionary to many pleasing Discourses

London: Printed for and sold by Stephen Bateman, 1686 Pettus was deputy governor of the royal minesfor over thirty-five years. The first part is translated from the German of Erckern, but the second part is Pettus' own contribution to the lexicography of metals - and wonderfully anecdotal and original it is as this from his entry on "DUNG": "...among the Indians it was usual, that when they intended Homage to their Superiors, or welcome too their Friends, they did evacuate their Dung into their Hand, and so daub it on the Face of whom they intended to honour or pleasure, and was ever accepted by them, as the first and best of the Welcoming Ceremonies: for Agricola tells us of Mans-Dung made as sweet as Civit. But to return nearer home, when I remained in London, during the great Plague in 1666, Dr. Glisson (famous in his time) being my old Friend and Acquaintance, perswaded me to take a piece of his constant Antidote, which was only the Dung of one that had dyed of the Plague, dryed, and so kept in a foraminous Box, for the best Antidotical Perfume; but I thank God I escaped without it..." Engaging, too, are the delightful engravings which embellish the work Second edition. Folio. Frontispiece & Illustrated with 44 sculptures. Contemporary quarter calf and boards, rebacked, later endpapers; corner of title page torn away, first three leaves waterstained at lower edge. A good sound copy. Wing P-1907

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