Walter Brit ( alternatively Brit, Brytte, or Brithus) ( fl. 1390), was a

fellow A fellow is a concept whose exact meaning depends on context. In learned or professional societies, it refers to a privileged member who is specially elected in recognition of their work and achievements. Within the context of higher education ...

Merton College, Oxford Merton College (in full: The House or College of Scholars of Merton in the University of Oxford) is one of the Colleges of Oxford University, constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Its foundation can be traced back to the ...

, and the reputed author of several works on astronomy and mathematics, as well as of a treatise on surgery. He has also been described as a follower of

John Wycliffe John Wycliffe (; also spelled Wyclif, Wickliffe, and other variants; 1328 – 31 December 1384) was an English scholastic philosopher, theologian, biblical translator, reformer, Catholic priest, and a seminary professor at the University of O ...

, and as author of a book, ''De auferendis clero possessionibus''.

Lollard identification issue

In the 17th century, Anthony Wood identified Brit with

Walter Brut Walter Brut ( cy, Gwallter Brut) was a fourteenth-century writer from the Welsh borders, whose trial in 1391 is a notable event in the history of Lollardy. Brut described himself as "a sinner, a layman, a farmer and a Christian" in his trial for ...

, a layman of the

diocese of Hereford The Diocese of Hereford is a Church of England diocese based in Hereford, covering Herefordshire, southern Shropshire and a few parishes within Worcestershire in England, and a few parishes within Powys and Monmouthshire in Wales. The cathedral ...

, whose trial before Bishop

Thomas Trevenant John Trevenant (alternatively Trefnant or Tresnant; in some sources named Thomas Trevenant; died 29 March 1404) was a medieval Bishop of Hereford of Welsh descent. He was nominated on 5 May 1389 and consecrated on 20 June 1389.Fryde, et al. ''Ha ...

of Hereford in 1391 is related by

John Foxe John Foxe (1516/1517 – 18 April 1587), an English historian and martyrologist, was the author of '' Actes and Monuments'' (otherwise ''Foxe's Book of Martyrs''), telling of Christian martyrs throughout Western history, but particularly the su ...

. Current scholarship regards the matter as still open, however. Foxe prints the articles of

heresy Heresy is any belief or theory that is strongly at variance with established beliefs or customs, in particular the accepted beliefs of a church or religious organization. The term is usually used in reference to violations of important religi ...

with which Brut was charged, the speech in which he defended himself, and his ultimate submission of his opinions to the determination of the church. Thirty-seven articles were then drawn up and sent to the

University of Cambridge , mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts. Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge. , established = , other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...

to be confuted. Brut, however, appears to have escaped further molestation.

Attribution of scientific writings

The work most frequently cited as Brit's is the ''Theorica Planetarum'', which bears his name in two manuscripts in the

Bodleian Library The Bodleian Library () is the main research library of the University of Oxford, and is one of the oldest libraries in Europe. It derives its name from its founder, Sir Thomas Bodley. With over 13 million printed items, it is the second- ...

(Digby, xv. ff. 58 b-92, and Wood, 8 d, f. 93); it has also been claimed for

Simon Bredon Simon Bredon ( 1300 – 1372) was an English astronomer, mathematician, and physician and priest. He was a member of the Merton School, Oxford, elected a Fellow of Merton c. 1330, perhaps until the year 1342, having formerly been a member of Ba ...

. Pederson considers it as Brit's. The work in question, which begins with the words: , is further to be distinguished from another treatise with the same title, of which the opening words are , and of which the authorship is shown by the notices collected by Baldassarre Boncompagni ( in ''Della Vita e delle Opere di Gherardo Cremonese e di Gherardo di Sabbionetta'')(trans.) ''Of the Life and the Works of Gerard of Cremona and Gerard de Sabloneta'' to be really due to the younger

Gerard of Cremona Gerard of Cremona (Latin: ''Gerardus Cremonensis''; c. 1114 – 1187) was an Italian translator of scientific books from Arabic into Latin. He worked in Toledo, Kingdom of Castile and obtained the Arabic books in the libraries at Toledo. Some of ...

(Gerardus de Sabloneto) in the thirteenth century. The latter has been repeatedly confounded with the ''Theorica'' indifferently assigned by the bibliographers to Brit and Bredon. Another treatise mentioned by

John Bale John Bale (21 November 1495 – November 1563) was an English churchman, historian and controversialist, and Bishop of Ossory in Ireland. He wrote the oldest known historical verse drama in English (on the subject of King John), and developed ...

as the composition of Brit is the ''Theoremata Planetarum'', which Thomas Tanner cites as that existing in the Digby MS. exc. f. 190 b (now f. 169 b). This manuscript dates from about the year 1300, and the work is by

Johannes de Sacrobosco Johannes de Sacrobosco, also written Ioannes de Sacro Bosco, later called John of Holywood or John of Holybush ( 1195 – 1256), was a scholar, monk, and astronomer who taught at the University of Paris. He wrote a short introduction to the Hi ...

. Finally, the ''Cirurgia Walteri Brit'' named in the ancient table of contents in another Digby MS. (xcviii. f. 1 b) has nothing corresponding to it in the volume itself but a set of English medical receipts whose author is not stated (f. 257).

Notes

External links

The Bodleian Library: Digby manuscripts
{{DEFAULTSORT:Brit, Walter Year of birth missing Year of death missing English surgeons Fellows of Merton College, Oxford 14th-century English mathematicians Medieval English mathematicians 14th-century English astronomers 14th-century English medical doctors 14th-century English writers 14th-century Latin writers