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8 labour vpon it. There mut therefore bee uch a matter choen, wherein there is Argent-uiue, cleane, pure, cleare, white & red, not fully compleat, but equally and proportionably commixt after a due maner with like Sulphur, & congeled into a olide mae, that by our widome and dicretion, and by our artificiall fire, we may attain vnto the vttermot cleannee of it, and the puritie of the ame, and bring it to that pae, that after the worke ended, it might bee a thouand thouand times more trong and perfect, then the imple bodies themelues, decoct by their naturall heate. Be therefore wie: for if thou halt be ubtile and wittie in my Chapters (wherein by manifet proe I haue laid open the matter of the tone eaie to be knowne) thou halt tate of that delightfull thing, wherein the whole intention of the Philoophers is placed.



Hope ere this time thou hat already found out by the words alreadie poken (if thou beet not mot dull, ignorant, and foolih) the certaine matter of the learned Philoophers bleed tone, whereon Alchimy worketh, whilet we indeuour to perfect the imperfect, and that with things more then perfect. And for that nature hath deliuered vs the imperfect onely with the perfect, it is our part to make the matter (in the former