Walter of Winterburn
Encyclopedia
Walter of Winterburn was an English
Dominican
, cardinal
, orator, poet
, philosopher, and theologian.
He entered the Dominican Order
when a youth, and became renowned for learning, prudence, and sanctity of life. Edward I, King of England
, chose him as his confessor
and spiritual director. He was provincial of his order in England from 1290 to 1298, and was created cardinal on February 21, 1304, by Pope Benedict XI
.
In 1305, after having taken part in the election of Clement V
, Walter set out from Perugia
with several other cardinals to join the pope in France
, but at Genoa
he was seized with his last illness, during which he was attended by the dean of the Sacred College, Nicholas de Prato. His remains were first buried in the church of his order at Genoa, but were later transferred to London
, as he had ordered, and interred in the convent to which he had formerly been assigned.
Nicholas Trivet
, an English Anglo-Norman chronicler who was a close friend, wrote that Walter of Winterburn was a man endowed with many superior qualities, natural and supernatural. According to Trivet, he was thoroughly versed in knowledge, graced with rare modesty and a kindly disposition—a model of religious piety and of mature erudition who despite numerous duties in the cloister and at the imperial Court never shortened his hours of prayer.
He left several works on philosophy and theology, chief among them:
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
Dominican
Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
, cardinal
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
, orator, poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
, philosopher, and theologian.
He entered the Dominican Order
Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
when a youth, and became renowned for learning, prudence, and sanctity of life. Edward I, King of England
Edward I of England
Edward I , also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England from 1272 to 1307. The first son of Henry III, Edward was involved early in the political intrigues of his father's reign, which included an outright rebellion by the English barons...
, chose him as his confessor
Confessor
-Confessor of the Faith:Its oldest use is to indicate a saint who has suffered persecution and torture for the faith, but not to the point of death. The term is still used in this way in the East. In Latin Christianity it has come to signify any saint, as well as those who have been declared...
and spiritual director. He was provincial of his order in England from 1290 to 1298, and was created cardinal on February 21, 1304, by Pope Benedict XI
Pope Benedict XI
Blessed Pope Benedict XI , born Nicola Boccasini, was Pope from 1303 to 1304.Born in Treviso, he succeeded Pope Boniface VIII , but was unable to carry out his policies...
.
In 1305, after having taken part in the election of Clement V
Pope Clement V
Pope Clement V, born Raymond Bertrand de Got was Pope from 1305 to his death...
, Walter set out from Perugia
Perugia
Perugia is the capital city of the region of Umbria in central Italy, near the River Tiber, and the capital of the province of Perugia. The city is located about north of Rome. It covers a high hilltop and part of the valleys around the area....
with several other cardinals to join the pope in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, but at Genoa
Genoa
Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....
he was seized with his last illness, during which he was attended by the dean of the Sacred College, Nicholas de Prato. His remains were first buried in the church of his order at Genoa, but were later transferred to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, as he had ordered, and interred in the convent to which he had formerly been assigned.
Nicholas Trivet
Nicholas Trivet
Nicholas Trivet was an English Anglo-Norman chronicler.Trivet was born in Somerset and was the son of Sir Thomas Trevet , a judge who came of a Norfolk or Somerset family...
, an English Anglo-Norman chronicler who was a close friend, wrote that Walter of Winterburn was a man endowed with many superior qualities, natural and supernatural. According to Trivet, he was thoroughly versed in knowledge, graced with rare modesty and a kindly disposition—a model of religious piety and of mature erudition who despite numerous duties in the cloister and at the imperial Court never shortened his hours of prayer.
He left several works on philosophy and theology, chief among them:
- Commentarium in IV sententiarum libros
- Quaestiones theologicae, much in use at that time
- Sermones ad clerum et coram rege habiti