On Delaying the Effects of Old Age (1928) - Page 21

page 638; (2) "On the composition of certain medicines" original: "De composicione quarundam medicinarum", beginning "Let us begin in the name of the Lord" original: "Incipiamus in nomine Domini", page 642; (3) "The Antidotal Book a collection of recipes for medicines or antidotes which Master R. Bacon made" original: "Antitodarius quem fecit M. R. Bacon", beginning "After the completion of the universal" original: "Post completum vniuersalis", page 645; (4) beginning "I intend to compose a discourse on a marvelous matter concerning the delay of old age for my lord brother" original: "Intendo componere sermonem rei admirabilis de retardatione senectutis domino meo fratri" (page 655).

8 (page 666). "A certain very useful treatise from the edition or comparison of brother Master Bacon, On the graduation of compound medicines" original: "Quidam tractatus perutilis ex edicione siue comparacione fratris M. Bacon De graduacione medicinarum compositarum". Graduation refers to the mathematical calculation of the qualities, such as heat or moisture, of combined drugs.: beginning "Every inherent form" original: "Omnis forma inherens".

9 (page 669). "On the errors of physicians, by Master Bacon of the Order of Friars Minor the Franciscans" original: "De erroribus medicorum M. Bacon de ordine Minorum": beginning "The common crowd of physicians" original: "Vulgus medicorum".

10 (page 689). "Brother Roger Bacon in the 6th book of Sciences, in the 3rd degree of wisdom . . . says thus: In a proper regimen . . ." original: "Frater Rogerus Bacon in libro 6. Scienciarum in 3^o gradu sapiencie . . . sic ait In debito regimine . . .": ends "Most useful in this world, etc."; this is believed to be from volume 3 of the Compendium of Philosophy original: "Compendium Philosophiae": followed on page 695 by another extract, from the sixth part of Bacon’s Great Work original: "Opus Majus", Bacon's most famous encyclopedic work written for Pope Clement IV, beginning "The bodies of Adam" original: "Corpora vero Ade", ends, a leaf or two being lost, on page 700, "The king's porter received" original: "Regis baiulus rece". This appears to be a partial sentence from a damaged page.. Both passages deal with the prolongation of life.

Milan: Ambrosian Library Biblioteca Ambrosiana I 210 inf. Written in late fifteenth century in Italy; 28 leaves.

"Small works of Roger Bacon" original: "Rogerii Baconis opuscula".

1 (folio 1). "Book of brother Roger Bacon . . . on the delay of the accidents of old age . . ." original: "Liber fratris rogerii bacon . . . de retardatione accidentium senectutis . . ." Beginning: "Lord of the world, who from the most noble lineage" original: "Domine mundi qui ex nobillisuma stirpe".

2 (folio 22). "Summary of the regimen for the elderly." (folio 24). "On the baths of the old and elderly."

3 (folio 24 verso). "On the composition of certain medicines . . ." Beginning: "Let us begin in the name of the Lord."

4 (folio 26). "Here begins the antidote of Roger Bacon." Beginning: "After the completion," ends abruptly at foot of folio 27 recto with the words "the base is destroyed" original: "destruitur basis" (page 106, line 21 below). Folio 27 verso seems to be illegible and the rest to be missing.

(For the description of this manuscript I am dependent only on a photograph kindly lent by Mr. Steele.)

(Oxford) Bodleian Library: Bodley 211 (2927). On parchment; written about the middle of the fifteenth century, perhaps in France.

1. I desire to thank the Bodleian authorities for permission to use the as yet unpublished description of this manuscript in the Summary Catalogue.