On Delaying the Effects of Old Age

The signatures markings used by bookbinders to keep pages in order appear to be wrongly assigned so that some leaves have been wrongly bound. The continuous text reads as follows: pages 185 to 194, 219 to 222, 199 to 218, 195 to 198, and 223 to 414. This manuscript appears not to have been used by editors.

3 (page 414). The treatise of Peter the Pilgrim of Maricourt Petrus Peregrinus de Maricourt, a 13th-century scientist known for his work on magnetism On the Magnet original: "de Magnete". Here it appears without a title or author’s name. It begins: "Of closest friends" original: "Amicorum intime". It includes a considerable addition at the end of the usual text.

4 (page 431). Book on the Consideration of the Quintessence original: "Liber de consideratione quintae essentiae." The quintessence was the "fifth element," sought by alchemists as a universal medicine.. This work is by a Franciscan of Toulouse. It is often attributed to John of Rupescissa, but here it is attributed to Bacon. It is divided into three books (see pages 471 and 496), but a leaf is lost after page 496. At the end it reads: "Here ends the third book of the Consideration of the Quintessence according to Master Roger Bacon, corrected and written by John Cokkes with his own hands at Oxford" original: "Explicit liber 3us de Consideracione quinte essencie secundum magistrum Rogerum Bacon correctus et scriptus per Johannem Cokkes manibus suis propriis Oxonie". However, books one and two were only corrected by him, not written by him. At page 507, some additions to the first book follow. It begins: "These items written below should follow after the chapter on those things which expel poison" original: "Ista subscripta sequerentur post capitulum de hijs que expellunt venenum". It ends: "These rules end, etc." original: "Expliciunt canones isti, etc."

5 (page 513). "A Short Summary of Brother Roger Bacon on the Gift of God" original: "Breue breuiarium fratris Rogeri Bacon de dono Dei", etc. It begins: "A brief summary briefly abbreviated" original: "Breue breuiarium breuiter abreuiatum". This is an alchemical treatise in two parts. As with item number 2, there is a disruption in the order of the leaves. The text runs through pages 513 to 528, 553 to 560, 537 to 552, 529 to 536, and finally page 561. In the concluding note, Bacon is called the "indescribable doctor of English philosophers" original: "Anglicanorum philosophorum doctor inenarrabilis".

At page 535 is a short treatise titled "Variations of Fires according to the same Cokkes" original: "Diuersitates ignium secundum eundum Cokkes". It begins: "Certain hostile places, however" original: "Quedam autem loca hostilia". A recipe for "Great Greek Fire" original: "magnus ignis Grecus," a combustible chemical weapon used in medieval warfare is found at page 536.

6 (page 569). "This is the practice for making Water of Life" original: "Hec est practica ad faciendum Aquam vite." Aqua Vitae usually refers to distilled alcohol used for medicinal purposes.. It includes a reference to a passage on page 438. It begins: "Take three gallons of wine" original: "Accipe tres lagenas vini". At the end it reads: "These things were compiled... extracted from the original copy from the sayings of various philosophers of the medical art which were first written by Brother Theoderic of the Order of Preachers, Bishop of Cervia in the Romagna near Bologna. Thanks be to God, etc. It ends, etc., Cokkys" original: "Ista sunt compilata . . . ad exemplar originale extracta ex diuersorum dictis philosophorum medicine artis que scripsit primo frater The[o]dericus ordinis Predicatorum episcopus Ceruiensis Romanale [sic] iuxta Bononiam. Deo gracias, etc. Explicit, etc., Cokkys". The Theoderic mentioned above is believed to be Theoderic the Catalan, who was never a bishop, rather than Theoderic Borgognoni, who was the Bishop of Cervia in the Romagna from 1270 to 1298. Some paragraphs on balsam and "Blessed Oil" original: "Oleum benedictum" follow on pages 576 and 579.

7 (page 591). "The book which Brother Roger Bacon of the Order of Friars Minor composed on the Delaying of the Accidents of Old Age..." original: "Liber quem composuit frater Rogerus Bacon de ordine Minorum de Retardacione accidencium senectutis . . .". This is an added title. It begins: "Lord of the world" original: "Domine mundi". It is followed by some additional pieces: (1) "On the universal regime for the old and elderly" original: "De vniuersali regimine senum et seniorum", which begins: "And the sum of the regime" original: "Et summa regiminis".