In the Canon’s Yeoman’s Tale from The Canterbury Tales, the alchemist’s man tells the story of their road to ruin. False alchemists would conceal silver or gold in the tip of a hollow wand and seal it with wax. They would then use the wand to stir a crucible of hot material to be transmuted. The wax would melt and the gold or silver shavings would fall into the crucible and melt into a lump to be found at the end of the process.
A hollow stick – take heed, sirs, and beware! –
The Canon’s Yeoman’s Tale. From The Canterbury Tales (by Geoffrey Chaucer, c. 1343 – 25 October 1400).
In end of which an ounce was, and no more,
Of silver filings put, all as before
Within the coal, and stopped with wax, a bit,
To keep the filings in the hole of it.
And while the priest was busy, as I say,
This canon, drawing close, got in his way,
And unobserved he threw the powder in
Just as before the devil from his skin
Strip him, I pray to God, for lies he wrought;
For he was ever false in deed and thought;
And with his stick, above the crucible,
Arranged for knavish trickery so well,
He stirred the coals until to melt began
The thin wax in the fire, as every man,
Except a fool, knows well it must, sans doubt,
And all that was within the stick slipped out,
And quickly in the crucible it fell.