Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/St. Faith's, John of
ST. FAITH'S, JOHN of (d. 1359), theological writer, was educated at the Carmelite house of St. Faith, near Norwich, and studied at Oxford. He was made governor of the Carmelites of Burnham Norton, Norfolk, and died there, 18 Dec. 1359. He wrote numerous commentaries on the gospels, with indices, sixty-three sermons, a concordance to the works of Thomas Aquinas, on Aristotle's ‘De Cælo et Mundo,’ and a ‘Tabula Juris.’ Many of the ‘incipits’ are given by Bale and Tanner, but the works are not known to exist.
Other learned Carmelites educated at St. Faith's were Benedict of St. Faith's (fl. 1400), who left Norfolk for Italy, was patronised by Cardinal Henricus Minutulus, and is said to have died at Naples.
Peter of St. Faith's (d. 1452), prior of St. Faith's, of noble birth, studied at Cambridge, and became a master in theology. After Henry V's victory over France many Carmelites went to Paris, and Peter was made a doctor of the Sorbonne. On 13 Sept. 1428 he was present at a diocesan synod at Norwich, when William Whyte was charged with heresy (Fascic. Zizan. Rolls Ser. p. 417). In 1450 he was presented to the rectory of Taverham, Norfolk (Blomefield, Norfolk, xi. 473). He died at Norwich, 8 Nov. 1452. He wrote commentaries on St. Peter's Epistles, capitular sermons on Peter Lombard, and other works mentioned by Tanner but not known to be extant.
Robert of St. Faith's (d. 1386) was sent by Urban VI as papal nuncio to Spain and England. He wrote much against the schismatics, but the names of his works are lost. He died in Spain in 1386.
William of St. Faith's (d. 1372) left Norwich for Cambridge, where he became a doctor of divinity. He died in 1372, and was buried at St. Faith's. Bale (vi. 45) and Pits (p. 510) attribute to him numerous theological works, none of which are known to be extant.
[Bale's Scriptores; Tanner's Bibliotheca, s.v. ‘Sanctofidensis,’ Villiers de Sainte-Étienne's Bibliotheca Carmelitana.]