Two horizontal rows of repeating typographic ornaments depicting stylized trees or flowers in urns, separated by a row of smaller ornamental scrolls.

Sir GEORGE RIPLEY’S

LETTER original: "EPISTLE"

TO

King Edward the Fourth,

EXPLAINED original: "UNFOLDED".

A large decorative woodcut initial 'T' featuring scrolling foliate and vine patterns.

This letter, as it was written directly to a King who was, in his generation, both wise and valiant, comprises the whole secret This refers to the "Great Work" of alchemy: the creation of the Philosopher's Stone. It is both learnedly described and yet skillfully veiled original: "artificially vailed"; in this context, "artificially" means "by the rules of the Art of Alchemy". However, just as the author testifies that in this letter he plainly unties the main knot meaning he clarifies the central difficulty or mystery of the process, so I can and do testify with him that there is nothing more desirable for the