Page 38 - Book of Composition

Here begins the disposition of the wise men
for the adapting of the unclean body,

before the elixer be put upon that clean, hard, and
effected body, and before it be made white,
and before the soul be sent into it.

Morienus said : Because elixer is not received but of a body well
cleansed, that the tincture of it may appear more fair, when it has entered
upon it. And this is the first disposition. Begin therefore, under the aid of
God, and first make that the red fume may take the white fume, and pour
them both downward, and conjoin them in such sort, that a like weight of
either of them may be added to the commixtion of them: which being
mixed in a thick vessel, let them be perfectly put in according to the
measure of one pound. And let the mouth of it be conveniently stopped
with clay, for there are winds in them, which if they should not be
detained in the vessel, then would the Magistery be brought to nothing.
But let the clay be that, which in the philosophers books is called luting,
in which put a little salt before the conclusion, whereby it may be the
better strengthened to resist the combustion of the fire so much the
longer. But then make the furnace hot, and that being now made hot, let
the aforesaid vessel be sublimed in it with all things which it contained in
it. And let that sublimation be made after the going down of the sun, and
there let it stand till the day wax cold. Afterwards take out the vessel, and
break it. But if you shall find those things which you put in to be
connected into one body in manner of a stone, take it and grind it well,
and searce [sift] it, which when you shall do, then take another vessel,
and let the bottom of it be round, and put this into it after it is well
ground and searced [sieved], and stop the mouth of the vessel close on
every side with the clay of the philosophers. And then build the furnace
of the philosophers, in which you must kindle the philosophical fire after
the manner of the philosophers, and let it burn with equal heat the space
of twenty days.

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