Letter from Newton to an unknown recipient regarding an assay of ore

May it please yo^r Lord^ps           I have procured an assay to be made of the Oar w^ch you|r| \L^p/ sent to me, & send y{illeg}|o|u inclosed the Report of the Assayer. by which He found neither \silver nor/ Lead nor any other metal in the Oar: but in melting \assaying/ \it/ some part of it evaporated in a sulphureous fume & the rest {illeg} became a cinder without yeilding any metall. He tells me that if he had had a sufficient quantity of Oar he would have made two or three \{illeg} more/ assays. For a single a|A|ssay is scarce to be trusted \sufficient to ground a rep{illeg}|o|rt upon/ by reason of the different natures of Oars, & unforeseen accidents. & the different natures of Oares. ; & \He tells me also/ that the Oare w^ch I gave him was scarce sufficient to make a single assay: & that to enable him to make a r|R|eport with assurance, there should have been a pound of oar or at the least half a pound, I am & that if I can help him to any more of the Oar he will repeat the Assay. I am
My Lord
                         yo^r Lord^ps most humble & most obedient Serv^t