Holcot, Robert

Holcot, Robert an English scholastic of the 14th century, doctor of Oxford University, and a member of the Dominican order, was one of the most liberal interpreters of sacred Scripture in his day, yet an obedient son of the Roman Catholic Church, and a zealous advocate of Nominalism (q.v.). He died a victim of the plague in 1349. Holcot wrote mainly on the sacred Scriptures, but not many of his works have ever gone into print. This may account for the fact that many books whose authorship is doubtful are attributed to him by the Dominicans. Mazonius (in Univ. Platonzis et Aristot. Philosoph. p. 201) has severely criticised the philosophical views of Holcot. His most important published theological works are De Studio Scripturae (Venice, 1586, and often): — In Proverb. Salom. (Paris, 1515, 4to): — In Cantica Canticorum et in septea Prioras Capita Ecclesiasticis (Ven. 1509). Among the works attributed to him by the Dominicans we find Moralisationes Histomriarum (Paris, 1510, 8vo). — Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. Géneralé, 24, 941; Jocher, Gelehrt. Lex. 2, 1671. (J. H. W.)