92 SCIENCE AND THE HUMAN MIND 



on his researches. Naturally, he was accused of magic 

 in which, indeed, he seems to have believed. After 

 spending some years in Paris, where he was made a 

 doctor, he returned to Oxford. But the growing 

 suspicions of his labours caused him to be sent back 

 to Paris for more strict supervision by his Order, 

 and he seems to have been forbidden to write or to 

 teach his doctrines. But now came the chance of 

 Bacon's life. 



Guy de Foulques, an open-minded jurist, warrior 

 and statesman, who had become interested in Bacon's 

 work at Paris, was elected Pope, taking the name of 

 Clement IV. Bacon wrote to him, and in reply, 

 Clement sent a letter to " Dilecto filio, Fratri Rogerio 

 dicto Bacon, Ordinis Fratrum Minorum," commanding 

 him, notwithstanding the prohibition of any prelate 

 or the constitution of his Order, to write out the work 

 which he had been formerly asked for. For some 

 unknown reason, the Pope added an injunction of 

 secrecy, which added to Brother Roger's difficulties. 

 As a friar he was now pledged to poverty, but, by 

 borrowing from friends, he got together enough to 

 provide materials, and, in some fifteen or eighteen 

 months, despatched in 1267 three books to Clement : 

 an Opus May' us, containing his views at length, an 

 Opus Minus, or epitome, and an Opus Tertium, sent 

 after the others, for fear of miscarriage. It is from 

 these books that we chiefly know the work of Roger 

 Bacon. 



Clement died soon after, and Bacon, deprived of his 

 protection, suffered without redress a sentence of 

 imprisonment passed in 1277 by Jerome of Ascoli, 

 General of the Franciscans, who became Pope 



