Peter Stokes

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Peter Stokes (died 1399) was an English Carmelite friar, known as an opponent of the teachings of John Wyclif.

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Life

Stokes became a Carmelite at Hitchin, Hertfordshire. Later at the University of Oxford, he graduated there as doctor of divinity, by 1382.

Hitchin market town in the North Hertfordshire District in Hertfordshire, England

Hitchin is a market town in the North Hertfordshire District in Hertfordshire, England, with an estimated population of 33,350.

Hertfordshire County of England

Hertfordshire is one of the home counties in southern England. It is bordered by Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire to the north, Essex to the east, Greater London to the south, and Buckinghamshire to the west. For government statistical purposes, it is placed in the East of England region.

University of Oxford university in Oxford, United Kingdom

The University of Oxford is a collegiate research university in Oxford, England. There is evidence of teaching as early as 1096, making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world and the world's second-oldest university in continuous operation after the University of Bologna. It grew rapidly from 1167 when Henry II banned English students from attending the University of Paris. After disputes between students and Oxford townsfolk in 1209, some academics fled north-east to Cambridge where they established what became the University of Cambridge. The two 'ancient universities' are frequently jointly called 'Oxbridge'. The history and influence of the University of Oxford has made it one of the most prestigious universities in the world.

During the religious troubles in that year of 1382, Stokes acted as the representative of Archbishop William Courtenay in the university. During Lent he had made an ineffectual complaint against Nicholas of Hereford; and in May he had a statement of Hereford's heresies drawn up by notaries. On 28 May the archbishop sent him a list of twenty-four heresies extracted from Wyclif's writings, and directed him to publish it in the university. Robert Rygge, the chancellor, opposed Stokes in the matter, and on 5 June, when Philip Repington preached at the Priory of St Frideswide, Stokes was prevented from publication by the implied threat of violence. On 10 June Stokes took up a position against Repington, but on the following day left Oxford at the summons of the archbishop. He had already reported what had happened in a letter to Courtenay on 6 June, and was now present in the council on 12 June, when Rygge was condemned. The royal letter of 13 July specially forbade Rygge to molest Stokes further.

William Courtenay 14th-century Archbishop of Canterbury and Chancellor of England

William Courtenay was Archbishop of Canterbury, having previously been Bishop of Hereford and Bishop of London.

Robert Rygge DD was an English medieval churchman, college fellow, and university Chancellor, and archdeacon of Barnstaple in Devon.

Priory of St Frideswide, Oxford house of Augustinian canons

The priory of St Frideswide, Oxford, was established as a priory of Augustinian canons regular, in 1122.

Stokes, however, appears to have withdrawn from Oxford; he was in Hitchin, when he died on 18 July 1399.

Works

Stokes is credited with quæstiones, conclusiones, and lecturæ. He also wrote a work in defence of William Ockham, and ‘Præconia Sacræ Scripturæ.’ But the only one of Stokes's writings which seems to have survived is his letter to Archbishop Courtenay on 6 June 1382; it is printed in Fasciculi Zizaniorum .

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References

<i>Dictionary of National Biography</i> Multi-volume reference work

The Dictionary of National Biography (DNB) is a standard work of reference on notable figures from British history, published since 1885. The updated Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (ODNB) was published on 23 September 2004 in 60 volumes and online, with 50,113 biographical articles covering 54,922 lives.

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Wikisource-logo.svg  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain : "Stokes, Peter". Dictionary of National Biography . London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.

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