Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Evesham, Hugh of
EVESHAM, HUGH of (d. 1287), cardinal, is called Atratus by Latin writers, and Il Naro and Lenoir by the Italian and French. It is possible that this is a translation of the English name Black, but there is no evidence in support of the conjecture, his name never occurring in an English form. He was born at Evesham, educated at both the English universities, and completed his studies in France and Italy. He applied himself especially to mathematics and medicine, and from his proficiency in the latter science acquired the name of 'Phœnix' Certain medical questions being under discussion at Rome about 1280, Evesham was invited to go to Rome and give his opinion by the then pope, either Nicholas III at the close of his pontificate, or Martin IV at the commencement of his. The latter pontiff appointed Evesham his physician, and at his first creation of cardinals, on 23 March 1281, at Orvieto, promoted him to that dignity, with the title of St. Laurence in Lucina. He spent the remainder of his life in Rome, where he acted as proctor for the Archbishop of York. Several letters addressed to him are entered in the register of Archbishop Peckham at Lambeth, and in those of other bishops of his time. Peckham writes to him as an old associate both in the university and at Rome.
He died in 1287, on 27 July, according to the Worcester annalist, who ascribes his death to poison. Tanner gives the date as 23 Sept., but on what authority does not appear.
He was buried in the church of San Lorenzo in Lucina, near the sacristy, but his tomb no longer exists. His ecclesiastical preferments in England were: prebendary of Botevant, York, prebendary of Bugthorpe, 11 Nov. 1279, archdeacon of Worcester, 1276, and rector of Spofforth, Yorkshire.
The books which he is said to have written are as follows: 1. 'De Genealogiis humanis.' 2. 'Canones Medicinales.' 3. 'Problemato.' 4. 'Super Opere febrium Isaac' (incip. 'Quoniam de filii bonitate sicut est'). 5. 'Distinctiones predicabiles.' 6. 'Sermo in Dominica Septuagesimæ.' There is a copy of the last-mentioned in the Bodleian Library (Bodl. MS. 50, f. 299), but the others are not known to be extant.
[Cioconiæ's Vita Pontiff. ii. 239; Pita, Scriptorum Angl. p. 370; Marini, Drgli Archiatri Pontificj, p. 27; Tanner's Bibl. Brit. p. 418; Cardella's Memorie de' Cardinali, i. 22; Annales de Wigornia (Rolls ed.), p. 494; Reg. Epist. J. de Peckham (Rolls ed.), pp. 219, 228, 281, 573, 703, 711, 749, 761; Barth. Cotton (Rolls ed.), p. 181; Le Neve's Fasti, iii. 74, 178; Eloy's Dict. de la Médecine.]
Dictionary of National Biography, Errata (1904), p.119
N.B.— f.e. stands for from end and l.l. for last line
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| 90 | i | 20 | Evesham, Hugh of: after 'Phœnix.' insert He was prebendary of York in 1279. |