Bellarmine · De Scriptoribus Ecclesiasticis · On the Ecclesiastical Writers
Chapter 36: The Fifteenth Century: Capreolus, Vincent Ferrer, Pierre d'Ailly, Gerson and the Imitation of Christ, Thomas of Walden, Bernardine, Capistrano
Our translation, from the Latin of the Opera Omnia (Paris: Vivès, 1870–74), vol. XII, De Scriptoribus Ecclesiasticis, of the New Testament, fifteenth century. The Latin source text is public domain; this English rendering is released with the site. Scripture quotations follow Bellarmine's Vulgate citations, rendered in Douay-Rheims wording where he quotes exactly. Click “Show the Latin” for the original (raw OCR of the scan; scanning errors remain — the scan itself is the authority).
The fifteenth century, from the year 1400 to 1500
Petrus de Ancharano. 1410
Petrus de Ancharano of Bologna, a hearer of Baldus, flourished in the year 1410. He wrote on the decretal books and on the Clementines, and counsels.
Antonius de Butrio. 1410
Antonius de Butrio of Bologna, a contemporary of Petrus de Ancharano, wrote on the decretals and the Clementines, and a repertory of Canon Law.
John Capreolus. 1410
John Capreolus of Toulouse, of the Order of Preachers, a notable defender of the teaching of St. Thomas, wrote commentaries on the four books of the Master of the sentences, in which he explains the teaching of St. Thomas from St. Thomas himself, and resolves excellently the objections of those who attacked it. He was living in the year of the Lord 1410.
St. Vincent. 1410
St. Vincent Ferrer of Valencia, of the Order of Preachers, an Apostolic man, died in the year of the Lord 1418 [1419]. He preached the word of God in many places with the greatest profit to the peoples, God working with him and confirming his sermons with the signs that followed. There are extant under his name three volumes of most useful sermons; which, even if perhaps written down by his disciples, yet contain his teaching. He himself wrote a treatise On the spiritual life, short but full of the best instruction. He wrote also various letters. He was enrolled in the catalogue of saints by the supreme Pontiff Callixtus the third.
Francesco Zabarella. 1410
Francesco Zabarella, of Padua by birth, Archbishop of Florence, and created Cardinal by Pope John XXIII, died in the year 1417. He wrote on the decretals and on the Clementines. He wrote also counsels and various repetitions; and also On the canonical hours. But on the occasion of the very long schism he wrote also a book On the schism, in which there are some things to be corrected; so in the index of prohibited books his book On the schism, with prefaces, printed at Strasbourg by heretics, is forbidden until it is corrected.
Pierre d'Ailly. 1410
Pierre d'Ailly, Archbishop of Cambrai and Cardinal, created by John XXIII in the year 1411, died under Martin V in the year 1426 [1420]. He wrote on the four books of the sentences; likewise On the praise of Scripture and the stability of the Church; Questions on the hexameron; a Paraphrase on the Psalms; Meditations on the Psalms [the two psalm numbers are damaged in the scan]; on the beginning of the Gospel according to Mark; on the Lord's Prayer and the angelic salutation; on the Canticles of blessed Mary, of Zachary and of Simeon; the Mirror of consideration; a Compendium of contemplation; On the spiritual ladder; On the Sacraments; On laws and sects; On the election of the supreme Pontiff; On spiritual exercise; On the general Council; On the twelve honours of St. Joseph; Sermons and letters; On the concord of theology with astrology and history; On the soul and its accidents; Questions on the sphere of John of Sacrobosco; a Treatise on the books of the Meteors. He wrote also the life of St. Peter Celestine, weightily and piously, and he praises and defends against detractors the renunciation of the Pontificate made by him. Nor is it true, what some say, that this life was not written by Pierre d'Ailly the Archbishop and Cardinal, but by another Pierre d'Ailly, head master of the college of Navarre; this, I say, is not true, as is plainly clear from the preface to the life itself, where the author names himself a Bishop. There is one thing in which this author is blamed: that he seems to have thought that the Nativity of Christ could have been foreknown from astrological observations, and brought in for this the appearing of the star which appeared to the Magi; on which see Sixtus of Siena, book 5 of the Holy library, notes 15 and 81, and book 6, note 10.
John Gerson. 1420
John Gerson, a Gaul, a Celestine Monk [as printed; it was his brothers who were Celestines], Chancellor of Paris, a learned and pious man, died in the year of the Lord 1429. He wrote many works, which were published in three volumes at Strasbourg in the year 1488, to which a fourth part was added. But because for the most part they are little works, and in very great number, it was tedious to describe them.
There is usually attributed to this author the most splendid little work On the imitation of Christ, divided into four books. But because it is not counted among the works of Gerson, neither in the catalogue which Gerson's own brother wrote nor in the volumes published at Strasbourg, it has rightly been doubted whether it is Gerson's. Indeed that work is now commonly ascribed to Thomas à Kempis, a very pious man. But neither is it counted among his works, as we shall see a little later. So it is very probable that the author of that little work is a certain John, Abbot of Gersen, or of Gessen, as the most ancient title of this book has it, in a manuscript codex kept in the monastery of Arona, which was once of the Nuns of St. Benedict and is now the house of Novices of the Society of Jesus. And from this it appears that this work was attributed to John Gerson because of the likeness of the name, since the true author was John of Gersen; and yet, because this work was not found among the works of John Gerson, Chancellor of Paris, it was attributed to Thomas à Kempis for some likeness of style, although it was not found among the little works of that Thomas either. But whoever's it is, it is a most useful little work, and rightly received and used in the whole Church with the highest consent of all, and turned into all languages. I certainly, from youth even to old age, have turned this little work over and over very often, and it has always seemed new to me, and even now it tastes wonderfully sweet to my heart.
After I had written these things, there fell into my hands the preface of Henry Sommalius to the four books On the imitation of Christ, published at Rome in the year 1610; in which preface the same Henry affirms that he found these books written in the hand of Thomas à Kempis himself in the library of the Canons regular of St. Martin near Louvain. And since I make much of the testimony of Henry Sommalius, who is of my own order and of known honesty and learning, and yet I do not dare reject the conjecture above altogether, I shall put the matter in the middle and leave the judgement to the reader.
Thomas of Walden. 1420
Thomas of Walden, an Englishman, Prior Provincial of the Carmelite order, flourished in the time of the Pontiff Martin V, to whom he dedicated his work, and died at Rouen in Gaul in the year 1430. He wrote an excellent work which he entitled the Doctrinal of the ancient faith, divided into three volumes. In the first volume it disputes against the Wycliffite and Hussite heretics on God, on Christ, on Peter, on the Church, on religious. In the second, on the Sacraments, against the same. In the third, on the Sacramentals, against the same. He is said also to have written Commentaries on many books of divine Scripture and on the Master of the sentences, and various treatises; but I have seen only those three volumes of the Doctrinal of the ancient faith, nor do I know whether others are extant printed.
Augustine of Rome. 1430
Augustine of Rome, Bishop of Nazareth, of the Order of St. Augustine, wrote on the first book of the sentences; likewise on all the letters of St. Paul; on the canonical letters; on the Apocalypse. He wrote also On original sin; On free will; On the power of the Pope; On the Sacrament of the Godhead of Jesus Christ and of the Church; On Christ the head, and his famous principate; On the charity of Christ toward the elect, and on his infinite love. But these three works are found forbidden in the index of prohibited books until they are expurgated. He died in the year of the Lord 1445 [1443].
John of Imola. 1430
John of Imola, a famous Jurist, wrote on three books of the decretals, on the Sext and the Clementines. He died in the year of the Lord 1436.
Paul of Burgos. 1430
Paul of Santa Maria, having left the Jewish sect in which he was born, created Bishop of Burgos, wrote additions to the postil of Nicholas of Lyra, which are extant in Lyra himself. He wrote also the Scrutiny of the Scriptures in two books. He was living in the year 1430.
John the Archdeacon. 1430
John of Anagni, Archdeacon of Bologna, wrote commentaries on the Decretals. He wrote also a volume of Counsels. He died in the year of the Lord 1455 [1457].
John of Ragusa. 1438
John of Ragusa, of the Order of Preachers, in the Council of Basel gave a most learned oration for eight days on communion under both kinds against the Hussites, which is extant in Henricus Canisius, volume 3 of the Ancient Readings, where there are found also many other things on the heresies of the Bohemians.
Henry Kalteisen
Henry Kalteisen, of the Order of St. Dominic, in the same Council of Basel disputed against the Hussites on the free preaching of the word of God for three days; and the disputation, or oration, is extant in Henricus Canisius, volume 4, part 2, of the Ancient Readings.
St. Bernardine of Siena. 1438
St. Bernardine, of Siena by birth, a Franciscan by profession, a man famous for learning and miracles, lit up all Italy with sacred sermons. He died at Aquila, where his body is seen whole, in the year of the Lord 1443 [1444], and was enrolled among the saints by the supreme Pontiff Nicholas the fifth in the year 1450. He wrote sermons on the season; sermons on the saints; sermons against the Jews. He wrote also on the Apocalypse; On the eternal Gospel; On the Christian religion; On the Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary; On the Lord's passion; On virtues and vices; On the fruits of Almsgiving; On the threefold state of the soul; On the threefold love of the magi; On the sacrifice of Abraham; On truth; On the love of God and of the soul; On the Holy Spirit; On cases of ownership; the Office of the name of Jesus; On worldly prosperity; On pastoral government; On St. Joseph, the spouse of the Virgin; On the circumstances of the nations; On divine love; On the threefold birth of Christ; On the three torments of sinners; On obedience; the Defence of truth.
John of Palomar. 1438
John of Palomar, Archdeacon of Barcelona, in the same Council of Basel spoke for three days against the Hussites on the civil dominion of clerics; and the oration is extant in Henricus Canisius, volume 4, part 2, of the Ancient Readings.
Blessed John of Capistrano. 1440
Blessed John of Capistrano, an Italian by nation, of the Order of Minors, a very close friend of St. Bernardine, having gone through the greatest labours for the Church, died in the year of the Lord 1456. He wrote On Church dignity, to Pope Nicholas V; On enlightening the conscience; On censures; On the pains of hell and purgatory; On the penances to be enjoined; On restitution and contracts; On matrimony; On the Conception of the Blessed Virgin; On the universal Judgement and Antichrist; On the power of the Pope and of the Council; On the Authority of the Council, or of the Church; the Mirror of Clerics; On cupidity; On the Lord's passion; Against the Hussites; Against John Rokycana, the Hussite heretic. He wrote lastly Letters to various persons.
Show the Latin (Vives edition, OCR)
SICULUM DECIMUM QUINTUM AB ASSO 1400 AD 1500 De Pedro Ancharano 1410. Petrus de Ancharano- Bononiensis Baldi auditor floruit anno 1410. Scripsit in libros decretales, et in Clementinas, et concilia. De Antonio de Butr io. 1410. Antonius de Butrio Bononiensis, aequalis Petri de Ancharano. Scripsit in decretales, et Clementinas, et repertorium Juris Cano¬ nici. DeJoanne Capreolo. 1410. Joannes Capreolus, Tolosanus, Ordinis Praedicatorum, S. Thomae doctrinae defensor egregius, scripsit commentaria in quatuor libros Magistri sententiarum, in quibus S. Thomae doctrinam ex ipso S. Thoma expli¬ cat, et objectiones eorum, qui illam oppug¬ narunt, optime dissolvit. Vivebat annoDom. 1410. De S. Vincent io. 1410. Sanctus Vincentius Ferrerius Valentinus ordinis Praedicatorum, vir Apostolicus, obiit anno Dom. 1418. Praedicavit multis in locis verbum Dei cum summa utilitate populorum. Deo cooperante, et sermones ejus confir¬ mante sequentibus signis. Exstant sub ejus nomine tres tomi utilissimarum concionum : quae etsi forte ab ejus discipulis scriptae sint, tamen doctrinam ejus continent. Scripsit ipse tractatum de vita spirituali, brevem, sed plenum optima institutione. Scripsit etiam epistolas varias. In catalogum sanctorum relatus est a Cal- lixto tertio summo Pontifice. De Francisco Zabarella. 1410. Franciscus Zabarella, patria Patavinus, Archiepiscopus Florentiae, et Cardinalis cre¬ atus a Joanne XXIII. Papa. Obiit anno 1417. Scripsit in decretales, et in Clementinas. Scripsit etiam consilia, et repetitiones varias. Necnon de horis canonicis. Sed occasione longissimi schismatis scri¬ psit etiam librum de schismate, in quo sunt aliqua corrigenda : quare in indice librorum prohibitorum liber ejus de schismate cnm praefationibus. Argentinae impressus ab hae¬ reticis, prohibitus est, donec corrigatur. De Petro ab A Iliaco. 1410. Petrus ab Alliaco Archiepiscopus Camera- censis et Cardinalis, creatus a Joanne XXIII. anno 1411. Obiit sub Martino V. anno 1426. Scripsit in quatuor fibros sententiarum. Item de laude Scripturae, et Ecclesiae sta¬ bilitate. Quaestiones in exameron. Paraphrasim in Psalmos. Meditationes in Psalmum \v\ et xu. In principium Euangelii secundum Mar¬ cum. In orationem Dominicam, et salutationem angelicam. In Cantica B. Mariae, et Zachariae, et Si- meonis. Speculum considerationis. Compendium contemplationis. De spirituali scala. De Sacramentis. De legibus, et sectis. De electione summi Pontificis. De exercitio spirituali. De Concilio generali. De duodecim honoribus S. Joseph. Sermones, et epistolas. De concordia theologiae, cum astrologia, et historia. De anima, et accidentibus ejus. Quaestiones in sphaeram Jo. de Sacrobosco. DE SCRIPTORIBUS ECCLESIASTICIS Tractatura in libros Meteororum. Scripsit quoque vitam S. Petri Caelestini, graviter, et pie, et renunciationem Pontifi¬ catus ab ipso factam laudat, et defendit contra detractores. Neque verum est, quod aliqui dicunt, hanc vitam non esse scriptam a Petro de Alliaco Archiepiscopo et Cardi¬ nale, sed a quodam alio Petro de Alliaco gymnasii Navatrici Archididascalo ; hoc, in¬ quam, non esse verum, perspicue constat ex praefatione ad ipsam vitam, ubi se auctor Episcopum nominat. Unum est, in quo reprehenditur hic auctor, quod videlicet sensisse > videatur, Christi Nativitatem prae¬ nosci potuisse ex genethliacis observationi¬ bus, atque ad hoc adduxerit apparitionem stellae, quae apparuit Magis, de qua re vide Sixtum Senensem lib. v. bibliothecae san- . ctae, annotatione 15. et 81. et lib. vi. an¬ notat. 10. De Joanne Gersone. 1420. Joannes Gerson, Gallus, Monachus Csele- stinus Cancellarius Parisiensis, vir doctus, et pius, obiit anno Dom. 1429. multa opera scripsit, quae tribus tomis edita sunt Argen¬ torati anno 1488., quibus addita est quarta pars. Sed quia, ut plurimum, opuscula sunt parva, et in maximo numero, piguit ea de¬ scribere. Tribui solet huic auctori praecla¬ rissimum opusculum de imitatione Christi, quatuor libris distinctum. Sed quia non nu¬ meratur inter opera Gersonis nec in cata¬ logo quem scripsit frater ipsius Gersonis, nec in tomis editis Argentorati; merito du¬ bitatum est, an illud sit Gersonis. Imo com¬ muniter jam illud opus adscribitur Thomse de Kempis, viro admodum pio. Sed nec inter hujus opera numeratur, ut paulo post vide¬ bimus. Itaque valde probabile est auctorem illius opusculi esse Joannem quemdam Ab¬ batem de Gersensive de Gessen,ut habet in¬ scriptio vetustissima hujus libri, in codice manuscripto, qui asservatur in monasterio Aronensi, quod olim fuit Monacharum sancti Benedicti, et nunc est domus Novitiorum societatis Jesu. Et hinc apparet, hoc opus tributum fuisse Joanni Gersoni propter simi¬ litudinem nominis : quia verus auctor erat Joannes de Gersen : et tamen quia non in¬ veniebatur hoc opus inter opera Joannis Gersonis Cancellarii Parisiensis, tributum fuisse Thomse de Kempis ob similitudinem aliquam styli, quamvis neque inter opuscula ejudem Thomse inveniretur. Sed cujuscum- que sit, opusculum est utilissimum, et jure in tota Ecclesia summo omnium consensu receptum, et frequentatum, et in omnes lin¬ guas conversum. Ego certe ab adolescentia, et usque in senectam hoc opusculum saepis¬ sime volvi, et revolvi, et semper mihi novum apparuit, et nunc etiam mirifice cordi meo sapit. Posteaquam hsec scripseram, incidit in manus meas praefatio Henrici Sommalii in libros quatuor de imitatione Christi, editos Romae anno 1610. in qua praefatione affir¬ mat idem Henricus invenisse se hos libros manu ipsius Thomae de Kempis conscriptos in bibliotheca Canonicorum regularium Sancti Martini apud Lovanium. Et quoniam magni facio testimonium Henrici Sommalii, qui et mei ordinis est, et notae probitatis et doctrinae; nec tamen audeo superiorem con¬ jecturam prorsus rejicere : rem in medio ponam, et lectori judicium relinquam. De Thoma. Valdensi. 1420. • Thomas Yaldensis, Anglus, ordinis Car- melitarum Prior Provincialis, floruit tempore Martini Y. Pontificis, cui opus suum dedi¬ cavit, et obiit Rhotomagiin Gallia, anno 1430. Scripsit opus egregium, quod inscripsit Doctrinale fidei antiquae, tribus tomis distin¬ ctum. In primo tomo disputatur contra haereti¬ cos Wiclesitas et Hussitas , de Deo , de. Christo, de Petro, de Ecclesia, de religiosis. In secundo, de Sacramentis, contra eos¬ dem. In tertio de Sacramentalibus, contra eos¬ dem. Dicitur etiam scripsisse in multos libros divinae Scripturae, et in Magistrum sententis arum Commentaria, et varios tractatus : sed ego non vidi, nisi tomos illos tres Doctrinale fidei antiquae : nec scio an alia exstent typis excusa. De Augustino de Roma. 1430. Augustinus de Roma, Episcopus Nazare¬ nus, Ordinis Sancti Augustini, scripsit In orimum librum sententiarum. Item in omnes epistolas sancti Pauli. In epistolas canonicas. In Apocalypsim Scripsit etiam de peccato originali. AB ANNO DOM. 1400. AD 1500. 463 De libero arbitrio. De potestate Papae. De Sacramento divinitatis Jesu Christi et Eccldsiae. De Christo capite, et ejus inclyto prin¬ cipatu. De charitate Christi circa electos, et de ejus infinito amore. Sed hsec tria opera prohibita inveniuntur in indice librorum prohibitorum, donec ex¬ purgentur. Obiit anno Dom. 1445. De Joanne de Imola. 1430. Joannes de Imola Jureconsultus celebris, scripsit super tres libros decretalium : super sextum, et Clementinas. Obiit anno Dom. 1436. De Paulo B urgens i. 1430. Paulus de Sancta Maria, relicta Judaica secta, in qua natus erat, Episcopus Burgen- sis creatus, scripsit additiones ad postillam Nicolai Lirani, quae exstant in ipso Lirano. Scripsit etiam scrutinium Scripturarum li¬ bris duobus. Vivebat an. 1430. De Joanne Archidiacono. 1430. Joannes de Anania, Archidiaconus Bono¬ niensis, scripsit commentaria in Decretales. Scripsit etiam volumen Consiliorum. Obiit anno Dom. 1455. De Jo . Ragusaeo. 1438. Joannes Ragusaeus ordinis Praedicatorum in Basileensi Concilio orafionem habuit do¬ ctissimam per octo dies de communione sub utraque specie contra Hussitas, quae exstat apud Henricum Canisium tomo tertio anti¬ quae lectionis, ubi etiam multa habentur alia de haeresibus Bohemorum. De Henrico Kalteisen. I * Henricus Kalteisen Ordinis Sancti Domi¬ nici, in eodem Concilio Basileensi disputavit contra Hussitas de libera praedicatione ver¬ bi Dei, per tres dies : et disputatio, sive ora¬ tio exstat apud Henricum Canisium tom. iv par. 2. antiquae lectionis. De S. Bernardino Senensi. 1438. Sanctus Bernardinus, patria Senensis professione Franciscanus, vir doctrina et miraculis clarus, universam Italiam sacris concionibus illustravit. Obiit Aquilae, ubi corpus ejus integrum in¬ visitur, anno Dom. 1443. et a Nicolao quinto summo Pontifice in sanctos relatus est anno 1450. Scripsit sermones de tempore. Sermones de sanctis. Sermones contra Judaeos. Scripsit etiam in Apocalypsim. De Evangelio aeterno. De Christiana religione. De Conceptione B. M. Virg. De passione Domini. De virtutibus et vitiis. De fructibus Eleemosynae. De triplici statu animae. De triplici amore magorum. De sacrificio Abraham. De veritate. De amore Dei et animae. De Spiritu sancto. De casibus proprietatis. Officium nominis Jesu. De mundana prosperitate, De pastorali gubernatione. De S. Joseph sponso Virginis. De circumstantiis nationum. De divino amore. De triplici Christi nativitate. De tribus tormentis peccatorum. De obedientia. Defensorium veritatis. De Joanne de Polemar. 1438. Joannes de Polemar Archidiaconus Barci¬ nonensis, in eodem Concilio Basileensi ora¬ vit per tres dies contra Hussitas de civili dominio clericorum ; et oratio exstat apud Henricum Canisium torno iv. par. 2. antiquae lectionis. # * De B. Joanne de Capristrano. 1440. B. Joannes de Capristrano, natione Italus, Ordinis Minorum S. Bernardini amicissimus, laboribus maximis pro Ecclesia perfunctus obiit anno Dom. 1456. Scripsit de dignitate Ecclesiastica ad Ni¬ colaum V. Papam. 464 DE SCRIPTORIBUS ECCLESIASTICIS De illustranda conscientia. De censuris. De poenis inferni et purgatorii. De poenis injungendis. De restitutione, et contractibus. De matrimonio. De Conceptione B. Virg. De Judicio universali, et Antichristo. De potestate Papae, et Concilii. De Auctoritate Concilii, sive Ecclesia?. Speculum Clericorum. De cupiditate. De passione Domini. Contra Hussitas. Adversus Joannem Rochesanum, haereti¬ cum Hussitam. Scripsit denique Epistolas ad varios.