John of Basingstoke
Encyclopedia
John of Basingstoke [John Basing] (died 1252) was a scholar and ecclesiastic who took his name from Basingstoke
in Hampshire
. Two contemporary sources speak of him: Matthew Paris
and Robert Grosseteste
, bishop of Lincoln
(died 1253). Basingstoke was a friend of Simon de Montfort
and an acquaintance of Paris. Basing studied at Oxford and Paris. His only known dates concern his appointment as archdeacon of Leicester (1236) and his death (1252).
Basingstoke spent a period of unknown length in the Byzantine
territories, which the capture of Constantinople
had opened up to soldiers, colonists, and clerics from western Europe. He became proficient in Greek, and lived in Athens, Greece. Matthew Paris, who admired him, recounts that Basingstoke spoke of a girl, Constantina, who at nineteen was learned in the trivium and quadrivium
and whose knowledge exceeded that of Basingstoke himself. Paris refers to Constantina as the daughter of the archbishop of Athens. In a letter (Roberti Grosseteste … epistolae, ep. 17), Grosseteste invokes Basingstoke as a witness, along with the Dominican Roger Bacon, the Franciscan Adam Marsh, Robert Marsh, and Thomas Wallensis. This reference, to be dated near the beginning of Grosseteste's episcopate (c.1236) thus places Basingstoke within the bishop's inner circle. About 1242, according to Paris, Grosseteste acquired from the Byzantine area a codex containing the ‘Testaments of the twelve patriarchs’, a work of whose existence Basingstoke had learned at Athens and reported to Grosseteste. The codex, which Grosseteste sent for, survives in Cambridge University Library as MS Ff. 1.24. It is the oldest witness (late tenth-century) to the text of the ‘Testaments’. It may have been in the library of Michael Choniates, archbishop of Athens, up to the Latin invasion of 1204. Grosseteste translated it into Latin, with the help (according to Paris) of Nicolas the Greek of St Albans. The version was widely read (seventy-nine known copies survive), and was to be frequently translated into the vernacular languages and published in early modern times. Matthew Paris attributes several works to Basingstoke, none of which has been identified: the Latin version of a Greek writing on the order of the gospels; Templum domini, a piece of scholastic analysis; and a compendium of Greek grammar which Basingstoke himself apparently referred to as ‘the Donatus of the Greeks’ (Paris, Chron., 5.286). It is tempting to think that the latter work may have constituted at least part of the basis of Grosseteste's knowledge of Greek, which was to result in numerous translations and retranslations of Greek and Byzantine writings. Grosseteste certainly had a source in England who illustrated for him the Byzantine pronunciation of Greek and instructed him in the use of accents. He named Basingstoke acting archdeacon of Leicester for the first year of his episcopate (he was consecrated on 7 June 1235), and appointed him permanently, giving him the prebend of St Margaret's, Leicester, which he himself had retained up to his election to Lincoln diocese. Basingstoke's knowledge of the Byzantine world and of the Greek language formed the basis of their relationship. Matthew Paris credited Basingstoke with the knowledge of a Greek system of representing numbers by the employment of a system of strokes (see book by David King).
Basingstoke
Basingstoke is a town in northeast Hampshire, in south central England. It lies across a valley at the source of the River Loddon. It is southwest of London, northeast of Southampton, southwest of Reading and northeast of the county town, Winchester. In 2008 it had an estimated population of...
in Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
. Two contemporary sources speak of him: Matthew Paris
Matthew Paris
Matthew Paris was a Benedictine monk, English chronicler, artist in illuminated manuscripts and cartographer, based at St Albans Abbey in Hertfordshire...
and Robert Grosseteste
Robert Grosseteste
Robert Grosseteste or Grossetete was an English statesman, scholastic philosopher, theologian and Bishop of Lincoln. He was born of humble parents at Stradbroke in Suffolk. A.C...
, bishop of Lincoln
Bishop of Lincoln
The Bishop of Lincoln is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Lincoln in the Province of Canterbury.The present diocese covers the county of Lincolnshire and the unitary authority areas of North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire. The Bishop's seat is located in the Cathedral...
(died 1253). Basingstoke was a friend of Simon de Montfort
Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester
Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester, 1st Earl of Chester , sometimes referred to as Simon V de Montfort to distinguish him from other Simon de Montforts, was an Anglo-Norman nobleman. He led the barons' rebellion against King Henry III of England during the Second Barons' War of 1263-4, and...
and an acquaintance of Paris. Basing studied at Oxford and Paris. His only known dates concern his appointment as archdeacon of Leicester (1236) and his death (1252).
Basingstoke spent a period of unknown length in the Byzantine
Byzantine
Byzantine usually refers to the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages.Byzantine may also refer to:* A citizen of the Byzantine Empire, or native Greek during the Middle Ages...
territories, which the capture of Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
had opened up to soldiers, colonists, and clerics from western Europe. He became proficient in Greek, and lived in Athens, Greece. Matthew Paris, who admired him, recounts that Basingstoke spoke of a girl, Constantina, who at nineteen was learned in the trivium and quadrivium
Quadrivium
The quadrivium comprised the four subjects, or arts, taught in medieval universities, after teaching the trivium. The word is Latin, meaning "the four ways" , and its use for the 4 subjects has been attributed to Boethius or Cassiodorus in the 6th century...
and whose knowledge exceeded that of Basingstoke himself. Paris refers to Constantina as the daughter of the archbishop of Athens. In a letter (Roberti Grosseteste … epistolae, ep. 17), Grosseteste invokes Basingstoke as a witness, along with the Dominican Roger Bacon, the Franciscan Adam Marsh, Robert Marsh, and Thomas Wallensis. This reference, to be dated near the beginning of Grosseteste's episcopate (c.1236) thus places Basingstoke within the bishop's inner circle. About 1242, according to Paris, Grosseteste acquired from the Byzantine area a codex containing the ‘Testaments of the twelve patriarchs’, a work of whose existence Basingstoke had learned at Athens and reported to Grosseteste. The codex, which Grosseteste sent for, survives in Cambridge University Library as MS Ff. 1.24. It is the oldest witness (late tenth-century) to the text of the ‘Testaments’. It may have been in the library of Michael Choniates, archbishop of Athens, up to the Latin invasion of 1204. Grosseteste translated it into Latin, with the help (according to Paris) of Nicolas the Greek of St Albans. The version was widely read (seventy-nine known copies survive), and was to be frequently translated into the vernacular languages and published in early modern times. Matthew Paris attributes several works to Basingstoke, none of which has been identified: the Latin version of a Greek writing on the order of the gospels; Templum domini, a piece of scholastic analysis; and a compendium of Greek grammar which Basingstoke himself apparently referred to as ‘the Donatus of the Greeks’ (Paris, Chron., 5.286). It is tempting to think that the latter work may have constituted at least part of the basis of Grosseteste's knowledge of Greek, which was to result in numerous translations and retranslations of Greek and Byzantine writings. Grosseteste certainly had a source in England who illustrated for him the Byzantine pronunciation of Greek and instructed him in the use of accents. He named Basingstoke acting archdeacon of Leicester for the first year of his episcopate (he was consecrated on 7 June 1235), and appointed him permanently, giving him the prebend of St Margaret's, Leicester, which he himself had retained up to his election to Lincoln diocese. Basingstoke's knowledge of the Byzantine world and of the Greek language formed the basis of their relationship. Matthew Paris credited Basingstoke with the knowledge of a Greek system of representing numbers by the employment of a system of strokes (see book by David King).