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Richard FitzRalph

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Richard FitzRalph (also Fitz Ralph; c. 1300 – 16 December 1360) was a scholastic philosopher, theologian, and Norman Irish Archbishop of Armagh during the 14th century. His thought exerted a significant influence on John Wycliffe's.[1]

Life

FitzRalph was born into a well-off burgess family of Anglo-Norman/Hiberno-Norman descent in Dundalk, Ireland. He is noted as an ex-fellow and teacher of Balliol College, at the University of Oxford in 1325 (which is the earliest known record of him).[2] By 1331, he was a Regent master in Theology, and soon after was made Vice-Chancellor of the university; this was an almost unparalleled achievement for someone still in his early thirties, let alone an Irishman (although John Prince, in his "Worthies of Devon" makes the case for him being a Devonian and member of the Shillingford family.[3]

As Vice-Chancellor, FitzRalph was faced with the crisis caused by the famous secession of masters and students to found a university at Stamford in Lincolnshire, and it is thought that this issue may have caused his first visit to the Papal Court at Avignon in 1334. He returned to England the following year having been appointed Dean of Lichfield — "notwithstanding that he has canonries and prebends of Crediton and Bosham, and has had provision made for him of the Chancellorship of Lincoln and the canonries and prebends of Armagh and Exeter, all of which he is to resign". In 1337 he was again compelled to visit Avignon, where he remained until 1344. On 31 July 1346, he was consecrated Archbishop of Armagh. In both of these positions, he was revered as a thoughtful and competent administrator.

From 1344, FitzRalph began to keep an account in diary form of his sermons. The shorter, less consequential ones were summarised, while the longer, more learned theological sermons were written in full. This was especially true for those he preached at Avignon. Both forms were written in Latin, and show his love of learning, shared by friends such as Richard of Bury. He is also believed to have sent many of his priests to study at Oxford to further their learning. His writings include his thoughts on infinity, predestination and free will. Like his fellow Irishmen Henry Crumpe and Dr. John Whitehead he was involved in a controversy with the Franciscan friars. He also clashed with the Archbishop of Dublin, John de St Paul, as they continued the century-old controversy over which of them had the right to claim the Primacy of Ireland.

The texts demonstrate that FitzRalph was pre-occupied with social problems in Ireland – twenty-nine sermons were given in Dundalk, Drogheda, Dublin and various places in Meath to churchmen (whom he criticised for their laxity of vocation), merchants (whom he attacked for wasteful extravagances and underhanded trading practises) and the general population, among whom he was very popular as a preacher. At a time of often hostile racial relations between the colonists and natives, he took an honourable stand in denouncing discrimination against the Gaelic Irish. At times severe, this was balanced by his very fair and serious approach as pastor of his flock, be they English, Anglo-Irish, or Gaelic.

He undertook a third visit to Avignon from 1349 to 1351, where he is believed to have participated in the negotiations between the Armenian Apostolic Church and Pope Clement VI. His report on the Black Death is the first firm evidence of its arrival in Ireland. From his return to Ireland in 1351 he became involved in what eventually became a very personal and bitter attack on various orders of mendicant friars. He wished to have their privileges withdrawn in regard to the act of confession, preaching, and other acts as they were undermining his secular clergy. As a result, he undertook a fourth visit to Avignon in 1357 to discuss the matter with Pope Innocent VI. He died there on 16 December 1360. In 1370, his remains were interred at St Nicholas's Church, Dundalk, where his memory was venerated for several centuries and miracles were reported in connection to him.

It is possible that FitzRalph was Chancellor of Oxford University in 1360.[4]

Writings

  • Lectura on the Sentences
  • Summa de Quaestionibus Armenorum
  • Commentary on the Physics (lost)

From the 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia

Richard Fitzralph — Archbishop of Armagh, b. at Dundalk, Ireland, about 1295; d. at Avignon, 16 Dec., 1360. He studied in Oxford, where we first find mention of him in 1325 as an ex-fellow and teacher of Balliol College. He was made doctor of theology before 1331, and was chancellor of Oxford University in 1333. In 1334 he was made chancellor of Lincoln Cathedral, and in Jan., 1335, canon and prebendary of Lichfield, "notwithstanding that he has canonries and prebends of Crediton and Bosham, and has had provision made for him of the Chancellorship of Lincoln and the canonries and prebends of Armagh and Exeter, all of which he is to resign" (Bliss, Calendar of Entries in Papal Registers, II, 524). He was archdeacon of Chester when made dean of Lichfield in 1337. On 31 July, 1346, he was consecrated Archbishop of Armagh.

Fitzralph was a man who pre-eminently joined the speculative temperament with the practical. One of the great Scholastic luminaries of his day, and a close friend of the scholarly Richard of Bury, he fostered learning among his priests by sending many of them to take higher studies in Oxford. He was zealous too in visiting the various church provinces, and in bettering financial as well as spiritual conditions in his own see. He contended for his primatial rights against the immunity claimed by the See of Dublin; and on various occasions acted as peacemaker between the English and the Irish. He was in great demand as a preacher, and many of his sermons are still extant in manuscript. Whilst at Avignon in 1350, Fitzralph presented a memorial from the English clergy reciting certain complaints against the mendicant orders. After serving on a commission appointed by Clement VI to inquire into the points at issue, he embodied his own views in the treatise "De Pauperie Salvatoris", which deals with the subject of evangelical poverty, as well as the questions then agitated concerning dominion, possession, and use, and the relation of these to the state of grace in man. Part of this work is printed by Poole in his edition of Wyclif's "De Dominio Divino" (London, 1890). It was probably during this visit that Fitzralph also took part in the negotiations going on between the Armenian delegates and the pope. He composed an elaborate apologetico-polemic work, entitled "Summa in Quaestionibus Armenorum" (Paris, 1511), in which he displayed his profound knowledge of Scripture with telling effect in refuting the Greek and Armenian heresies.

Fitzralph's controversy with the friars came to a crisis when he was cited to Avignon in 1357. Avowing his entire submission to the authority of the Holy See, he defended his attitude towards the friars in the plea entitled "Defensorium Curatorum" (printed in Goldast's "Monarchia" and elsewhere). He maintained as probable that voluntary mendicancy is contrary to the teachings of Christ. His main plea, however, was for the withdrawal of the privileges of the friars in regard to confessions, preaching, burying, etc. He urged a return to the purity of their original institution, claiming that these privileges undermined the authority of the parochial clergy. The friars were not molested, but by gradual legislation harmony was restored between them and the parish clergy. Fitzralph's position, however, was not directly condemned, and he died in peace at Avignon. In 1370 his remains were transferred to St. Nicholas' church, Dundalk; miracles were reported from his tomb and for several centuries his memory was held in saintly veneration. His printed works are mentioned above. His "Opus in P. Lombardi Sententias" and several other works (list in the "Catholic University Bulletin", XI, 243) are still in manuscript.

References

  1. Back to citation Burns, J. H. (May 1988). The Cambridge History of Medieval Political Thought C.350-c.1450. Cambridge University Press. pp. 644–649. ISBN 9781139055390.
  2. Back to citation "The Sorcery Trial of Alice kyteler by Bernadette Williams". 24 January 2013.
  3. Back to citation Prince, John (1810). Danmonii orientales illustres or The Worthies of Devon (new ed.). Rees and Curtis. p. 364. Retrieved 11 July 2012.
  4. Back to citation Hibbert, Christopher, ed. (1988). "Appendix 5: Chancellors of the University". The Encyclopaedia of Oxford. Macmillan. pp. 521–522. ISBN 0-333-39917-X.

Bibliography

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