Alchemical Symbolism in the VMS

[bi3mw]

Incipit tractatus qui dicitur planta arborem.
Planta arborem et edifica sibi domum rotundum, hoc est dicere habeas mercurium preparatum
in vase vitrio rotundo positum, et pone in eo hominem centum annorum id est solem puris
simum foliatum vel limatum, et ille senex non cessabit comedere de fructu illius
arbus.

My interpretation ( without research ):

Mercury ( moon, female ) and sulfur ( sun, male ) are starting materials for the great work. At least mercury is clearly mentioned. With the hundred-year-old man who is put in I am still at the puzzle. However, since he is called the (pure) sun, it should be sulfur. So it is the beginning of the process. Salt does not have to be present in older interpretations ( before Paracelsus ).