inches over, the bottom lower then the brims about half an inch, pierced
with thirty, forty, or more small holes; the smaller the holes are, the
smaller the shot will be; and the brim is to be thicker then the bottom, to
conserve the heat the better._

_The bottom of the Trencher being some four inches distant from the water
in the Pail, lay upon it some burning Coles, to keep the Lead melted upon
it. Then with the hot Ladle take Lead off the Pot where it stands melted,
and pour it softly upon the burning Coles over the bottom of the Trencher,
and it will immediately run through the holes into the water in small round
drops. Thus pour on new Lead still as fast as it runs through the Trencher
till all be done; blowing now and then the Coles with hand-Bellows, when
the Lead in the Trencher cools so as to stop from running._

_While one pours on the Lead, another must, with another Ladle, thrusted
four or five inches under water in the Pail, catch from time to time some
of the shot, as it drops down, to see the size of it, and whether there be
any faults in it. The greatest care is to keep the Lead upon the Trencher
in the right degree of heat; if it be too cool, it will not run through the
Trencher, though it stand melted upon it; and this is to be helped by
blowing the Coals a little, or pouring on new Lead that is hotter: but the
cooler the Lead, the larger the Shot; and the hotter, the smaller; when it
it too hot, the drops will crack and fly; then you must stop pouring on new
Lead, and let it cool; and so long as you observe the right temper of the
heat, the Lead will constantly drop into very round Shot, without so much
as one with a tail in many pounds._

_When all is done, take your Shot out of the Pail of water, and put it in a
Frying-pan over the fire to dry them, which must be done warily, still
shaking them that they melt not; and when they are dry you may separate the