RICHARD OF CAMPSALL

English secular theologian of Oxford; b. c. 1285; d. Oxford, c. 1350. Originally a fellow of Balliol College, he became a fellow of Merton College by 1306. Receiving his degree of master of arts by 1308, he studied theology and became regent master in theology by 1322. Throughout his life he was active in academic affairs as proctor and frequent delegate of the university. Present at the excommunication of the mayor of Oxford by the chancellor on Dec. 19, 1325, he was empowered by the chancellor to absolve the mayor on Jan. 10, 1326. He wrote questions on the first three books of the Physics, as well as Notabilitates on the whole Physics; these are not known to be extant. Existing works are Quaestiones super librum Priorum Analyticorum, a Logica valde utilis et realis contra Ocham, and 16 Dicta on contingency and divine foreknowledge. Campsall reacted to the influences of both duns scotus and william of ockham, but he remained an independent thinker. He was buried in the choir of Merton College chapel.

Bibliography: e. a. synan, "Richard of Campsall, an English Theologian of the 14th Century," Mediaeval Studies 14 (1952): 1–8; "R. of C.'s First Question on the Prior Analytics, " Mediaeval Studies 23 (1961): 305–323; "Sixteen Sayings by R. of C. on Contingency and Foreknowledge," Mediaeval Studies 24 (1962): 250–262; "The Universal and Supposition in a Logica Attributed to R. of C.," Nine Mediaeval Thinkers: A Collection of Hitherto Unedited Texts, ed. j. r. o'donnell (Toronto 1955). a. b. emden, A Biographical Register of the University of Oxford to a.d. 1500, 3 v. (Oxford 1957–59) 1:344–345. g. c. brodrick, Memorials of Merton College, with Biographical Notices of the Warden and Fellows (Oxford 1885) 175.

[e. a. synan]