JOHN
479
JOHN
extensive and lifelong correspondence on literary,
educational, and ecclesiastical topics with the leading
scholars of Europe. His collected letters (over 300
in number), no less than his other works, form an
in\'alual3le source for the history of thought and ac-
tivity in the twelfth century. His fine taste and
superior training made him the most elegant Latin
writer of his time. He is equally ilistinguished as an
historian and as a philosopher: he was the first
medieval writer to emphasize the importance of his-
torical studies in philosophy and in all other branches
of learning. Naturally of an eclectic turn, he dis-
played in pliilosophy a remarkably sound and judi-
cious critical spirit. Familiar with all the phases of
contemporary scholastic controversies, he was himself
among the first to formulate clearly the solution
known as ■' moderate realism " in answer to the funda-
mental philosophical problem of the value and sig-
nificance of universal ideas.
Works. — The " Metalogicus " is a philosophical trea- tise in four books, in defence of the study of logic and philosophy, against a group of obscurantists whom he nicknamed Cornificians. It is the first medieval treatise to show acquaintance with the whole of -iristotle's "Organon". The " Policraticus", in eight books, deals, as its sub-title (De nugis curialium et vestigiis philosophorum) indicates, partly with church and state diplomacy, partly with pliilosophy and learning generally: a pleasing and readable miscel- laneous compilation. The "Entheticus" (De dog- mate philosophorum) is a Latin elegiac poem of 1852 lines, apparently intended as an introduction to the "Policraticus", and covering practically the same ground in briefer form. The authenticity of the " De Septem Septenis", a brief treatise on the seven liberal arts, is doubted by Haur^au (Nouvelle Biog- raphic Generale, xxv, 539, ISoS) and Schaarschmidt (pp. 278 sq.). The " Historia Pontificahs" was first published by Arndt (Monumenta Germanise His- torica, xx, 517—45, 186S), and identified as the work of John, by Giesebrecht (Bay. Akad. d. Wissensch., Munich, 1873, 124). The actual MS. carries on the Gembloux continuation of Sigebert from 1148 to 1152. It was written about 1164, and dedicated to Peter of La Celle. John also wrote a "Vita Sti. Anselmi" (1163), a "Vita Sti. Thoma; Cantuar." (1171), and the letters already referred to. All these works (except "Hist. Pont.") were edited by Giles, 5 vols., Lon- don, 1848, reprinted in P. L., CXCIX; "Policrati- cus" also ed. C. C. J. Webb (2 vols., Oxford, 1909). The materials for John's biography are contained mainly in his own letters and other works, and in the letters of Peter of La Celle. For John of Salis- bury and the Bull "Laudabiliter", see Adrian IV.
Materials for Hiat. Thomas Becket. ed. Robertson .^nd Sheppard (7 vols., /?. *S., London): Sch.\arschmidt, Joannes Saresberiensis nach Leben und Studien, Schriften und Philosophie (Leipzig, 1862), a good critical appreciation of John's attain- ments as a scholar, but biography needs modification; Demi- MUiD. Jean de Salisbury (Paris, 1873), good on correspondence; Pauli in Dove and Friedberg, Zeitschrift f. Kirchenrecht, XVI (1881). 271; Poole, Illustrations of Die History of Medieval Thought {London, 1884); Idem in Diction/iry of Xational Biogra- phy, s.v.;^orgatz, England under the Angevin Kings CLondon, 1887); Stubbs. Lectures on the Study of Med. and Mod. Hist.. I (London, 1886). vi and vii; Webb in Proceedings of Aruttotelean Society (London, 1894). p. 91; de Wulp. Histoire de la philosophie medievale (Louvain, 1905), pp. 217sqq.; Hau- read. Hist, philos. seal. (Paris, 1872); Turner, History of Phi- losophy (Boston, 1903), 299 sqq.
P. Coffey.
John of Segovia, a Spanish theologian, b. at Segovia towards the end of the fourteenth century; d. probably in 14.58. Nothing is known of him be- fore he took part in the Council of Basle, except that he was archdeacon at Villaviciosa, canon at Toledo, and professor of theology at the University of Sala- rnanca. In 1432 the University of Salanianca and King John II of Castile sent liim as their representative to the Council of Basle, where he was one of the ablest
defenders of the superiority of the council over the
pope. .\t first he endeavoured to mitigate the con-
flict between the council and Pope Eugene IV, with
whom he spent some time at Florence in 1435, but
afterwards he lH'c:ime one of the chief supporters of
the revolutionary jiarty at the council. He took part
in the twenty-eighth session (1 October, 1437) at
which Eugene IV was declared contumacious, and in
the thirty-third session (Ki May, 1439) at which the
pope was declared a heretic. In March, 1439, John
of Segovia represented the council at the Diet of
Mainz. After Eugene IV was deposed by the
council on 25 June, 1439, John of Segovia was ap-
pointed one of the committee whose duty it was to
select a number of theologians to elect the new pope.
He was one of the thirty-three who on 5 November,
14.39, elected the antipope FelLx V. In recognition
for his services he was created cardinal by the anti-
pope on 12 October, 1440. He represented Felix V
at the Parliament of Bourges in 1440, at the Diet of
Mainz in 1441, and that of Frankfort in 1442. At
the end of the schism in 1449 he resigned the car-
dinalate, was appointed titidar Bishop of Csesarea by
Eugene IV, and retired to a Spanish monastery. His
most important literary work is an extensive history
of the Council of Basle, "Historia generalis concilii
Basiliensis. Libri XVIII ", edited by Birk and Beer
in "Monumenta conciliorum generalium Sieculi decimi
quinti: Scriptor. ", II-IV (Vienna, 1873-96). His
other works are a treatise in favour of the Immacu-
late Conception of our Lady, printed at Brussels in
1664; a refutation of the Koran, entitled "De mit-
tendo gladio in Saracenos"; a defence of the "Fil-
iocjue" against the Greeks, entitled "De processu
Spiritus Sancti" (Basle, 1476); a Biblical concor-
dance, ' ' Concordant ise biblic^ vocum indeclinabilium "
(Basle, 1476) ; and a few works defending the supe-
riority of a general council over the pope.
Zimmermann, Juan de Segovia (Breslau, 1882); Antonio, Bibliotheca Hispana Vetus, II (Madrid. 17S8), 225-34; Hal- LER. Concilium Basilienae, Studien und Dokumente, I (Basle, 1896), 19-53.
Michael Ott.
John of St. Facundus. See John of Sahagdn, Saint.
John of St. Thomas (family name John Poinsot), theologian, b. at Lisbon, 9 jime, 1589; d. at Fraga, Spain, 17 June, 1644. Of noble parentage, he was sent early to the University of Coimbra, displayed talents of the first order, completed his humanities and phi- losophy, and obtained the degree of Master of Arts. He then entered the L^niversity of Louvain. Here, too, he showed remarkable ability, and won the title of Bachelor of Theology at an early age. He joined the Dominicans at Madrid in 1612 or 1613, taking the name of John of St. Thomas, by which he is known to history. As professor of philosophy and theology in a monastery at Alcald, he soon took rank among the most learned men of the time, and was placed successively (1630 and 1640) in charge of the two principal chairs of theology in the university of that city. His renown drew the largest number of scholars that had ever attended its theological faculties. No man enjoyed a greater reputation in Spain, or was more frequently consulted on points of doctrine and ecclesiastical matters. His theo- logical and philosophical writings, which have gone through many editions, are among the best exposi- tions of St. Thomas's doctrine, of which he is acknowl- edged to be one of the foremost interpreters. Though he took an active part in the scholastic discussions of his times, his courtesy was such that he is said never to have hurt an opponent's feelings. So faithful was he to the traditions of his order and the principles of the -Vngelic Doctor that in his last illness he could de- clare that, in all the thirty years he had devoted to teaching and writing, he hail not taught or written
