THOMAS OF BUNGEY

Also known as Thomas of Bungay; Franciscan theologian; fl. 1270s; d. Northampton, England. Thomas is said to have entered the franciscans at Norwich, but the date of his entry is not known. He became tenth Franciscan master at Oxford (c. 1270–72), eighth minister provincial of the province of England (1272–75), and 15th Franciscan master at Cambridge (c. 1275–79). The time of his death is unknown, but he is said to have been buried at Northampton. He is the first provincial described in the lists as magister, but no details of his provincialate have survived.

In the famous MS Assisi 158, 33 quaestiones are either expressly attributed to Bungey (14) or attributed to him on other grounds (19). All were probably disputed at Cambridge. Most of them concern speculative theology, for example, the Trinity, creation, the Annunciation, the Incarnation, the Real Presence, Satan, sin, virginity, and the Last Judgment. One MS of a commentary on the De celo et mundo also survives. A copy of his Commentary on the Sentences, now lost, once existed in the library of saint augustine abbey at Canterbury. Extracts from what appears to be a commentary on the Epistle to the Romans have recently been edited (Walmsley). His connection with Roger Bacon seems to have been entirely legendary.

Bibliography: a. g. little and f. pelster, Oxford Theology and Theologians, c. A. D. 1282–1302 (Oxford 1934). j. r. h. moorman, The Grey Friars in Cambridge 1225–1538 (Cambridge, Eng.1952). c. walmsley, "Extracts from an Unknown Work of Thomas de Bungeye, O.F.M.," Annali dell'Istituto Superiore di scienze e lettere 'S. Chiara' 5 (1954) 217–238. a. b. emden, Biographical Register of the Scholars of the University of Cambridge before 1500 (Cambridge, Eng. 1963) 106.

[t. c. crowley]