Part of the Third Work (Opus Tertium)

xii

INTRODUCTION

1 Among these there seems to have been a small manuscript treatise of thirteen leaves, written on paper in the late fifteenth century and attributed to Bacon. It was once bound together with a printed copy of the Obligations by Ralph Strode original: "Obligationes Strodi"; Strode was a fourteenth century logician, which was given to the College by William Moryn. The manuscript treatise, now numbered Y. 8., begins: "I write to you who wish to know about the changing signs of the elements that occur because of the stars at all times of this world. I pray, therefore, that no one easily rejects these sayings, but rather believes through experience and holds to the truth" original: "Scribo vobis qui vultis de mutabilibus pronosciorum elementorum que ab astris contingunt omni tempore seculi huius. Obsecro igitur ne quis dicta faciliter reiciat hec (?) sed experimento credat magis et teneat veritatem.". The concluding note original: "colophon" runs: "Here ends the treatise of most subtle consideration by brother Roger Bacon of the Order of Friars Minor, which is called the Book of Experiments" original: "Explicit tractatus subtilissime consideracionis fratris R. B. ordinis minorum qui experimentarius dicitur".

It was given (along with others¹) in 1543 by William Moryn, a former student of this college original: "quondam hujus collegii alumnus". It is written on paper and contains 206 leaves. These leaves are not numbered. They measure about 12.5 by 8 inches. The manuscript dates from the middle of the fifteenth century. It is not decorated with red ink original: "rubricated"; the practice of using red ink to highlight headings or initials. Spaces were left blank for the initial letters to be added later. The contents are:

(1) Treatise on the consideration of the fifth essence original: "Tractatus de consideratione quinte essentie"; the "fifth essence" or quintessence was the pure material of the heavens in medieval science. Book 1 begins: "Solomon said in the seventh chapter of Wisdom: God has given to me" original: "Dixit Salomon cap. viio Sapiencie : Deus dedit mihi". The ending reads: "Here ends the treatise on the fifth essence which some attribute to master Roger Bacon, others to John of Rupescissa" original: "Explicit tractatus de 5a essentia quem aliqui attribuunt magistro rogero bachon, aliqui Joanni de rucepissa", and so on, leaves 1 to 32b.

(2) [Alchemical treatise without title.] It begins: "You asked which of the three stones is nobler, shorter, and more effective; I have clearly declared this in other books" original: "Quesivisti quis trium lapidum nobilior brevior et efficacior plane hoc aliis libris declaravi". Later it says: "In the name of the holy trinity and eternal unity, Raymond. Since we have treated this governance in many and diverse ways" original: "In nomine sancte trinitatis ac eterne unitatis, Raimundus. Cum in multis et diversis modis super hoc regimine tractavimus". It ends: "upon the grass and finally to attain glory. Here ends all of this which is well known to few" original: "super gramen et tandem consequi gloriam. Explicit hoc totum quod paucis est bene notum", leaves 33 to 42.

(3) Treatise of master Roger Bacon on the multiplication of species original: "Tractatus magistri Rogeri Bacon de multiplicatione specierum"; this work explains how physical forces like light and heat travel through space. It begins: "The first chapter therefore" original: "Primum igitur capitulum", leaves 47 to 86.

(4) [Roger Bacon’s Great Work] original: "Opus Majus" "The first part of this persuasion in which the four universal causes are excluded" original: "Pars prima hujus persuasionis in qua excluduntur 4or universales cause". It begins: "Wisdom is perfect consideration" original: "Sapientia perfecta consideratio". It ends abruptly with the words "passed into Cilicia" original: "transit in Cili[ciam]" in the section on Geography in the Great Work, Part 4 (Bridges edition, volume 1, page 350). The letters "ciam" form the catchword a word at the bottom of a page that matches the first word of the next page to ensure correct order of the next gathering of pages, which is now lost, leaves 87 to 182.

(5) [The fragment here printed.] It begins: "After this follows the operation of mathematics" original: "Post hec sequitur operacio mathematice". It ends: "deceitful. Here ends the Second Work of brother Roger Bacon" original: "fraudulentum. ffinitur 2m opus fratris Rogeri Bacon", leaves 183 to 198.

Mr. Hardy informs me that one William Moryn of the parish of Aldingbourne in Sussex entered the College in 1524 at the age of 13.