Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Mauduith, John
MAUDUITH or MANDUIT, JOHN (fl. 1310), astronomer, was a fellow of Merton College, Oxford, and is supposed to have been elected about 1305. He is said to have resided at Merton as late as 1346; the name of Maudit occurs as bursar in 1311. Mauduith had a great reputation as a physician, astronomer, and theologian. Leland says that his mathematical tables were still well known to students in his time. Richard de Bury [q. v.] was a patron of his. Mauduith or Mauduit is no doubt the correct form of his name, the variety Manduit, given by Tanner and others, is probably an error. Mauduith's Tables are contained in Laud. MS. Misc. 674, f. 69, ‘Tabule Mawdith facte in Oxon. 1310,’ and f. 72, ‘Maudith. Tabula ascensionis signorum in arculo obliquo Oxon., cujus latitudo est 51 grad. et 50 min. verificata Oxon. A.D. 1310.’ In MS. Univ. Camb. Gg. vi. 3, f. 45, there is ‘Parvus Tractatus editus a magistro Johanne Mauduth super quattuor tabulis mirabiliter inventis in civitate Oxon. mcccx.’ Inc.: ‘Quia scientia astronomiæ.’ The four tables are: 1. ‘De chorda et arcu recto et verso, et umbris.’ 2. ‘De arcu æquinoctiali elevato, et horis et arcu diei.’ 3. ‘De altitudine stellarum, et arcu diurno stellæ, et distantia ab æquinoctio.’ 4. ‘De ascensionibus regionis triæ.’ The first of these tables explains Leland's reference to a ‘Libellus de chorda recta et umbra.’ This manuscript may also contain some other small tracts by him. Mauduith is likewise said to have written a treatise, ‘De doctrina Theologica,’ inc.: ‘Legimus in scripturis sacris.’ He left 40s. to the university, to be kept in S. Frideswide's chest (Munimenta Academica, i. 10, Rolls. Ser.).
[Leland's De Scriptt. p. 329; Bale, v. 70; Pits, p. 455; Tanner's Bibl. Brit.-Hib. p. 506; Brodrick's Memorials of Merton College, pp. 193–4 (Oxf. Hist. Soc.); information kindly supplied by Mr. F. Jenkinson, Cambridge University Library.]