Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/John of Bury
JOHN (fl. 1460), called of Bury, or John Bury, theologian, born at Bury St. Edmunds, became an Austin friar at Clare. He studied at Cambridge, where he graduated D.D. On 5 Aug. 1459 he was appointed provincial of his order at Erfurt, and this appointment was confirmed on 10 Feb. 1460. He was re-elected to the post in 1462, and for the third time on 12 Jan. 1476. Bodley MS. 797 was presented by him to the monastery of Sheen. In this volume and in his writings he calls himself John Bury. Bury distinguished himself by his opposition to Reginald Pecock, bishop of Chichester, to whose 'Represser of Overmuch Learning' he wrote a reply, which he styled 'Gladius Salomonis,' because it makes not reason but scripture to be the mother of living morality. The treatise was to have consisted of two parts, but only the first was completed. It was undertaken at the request of Thomas Bourchier, archbishop of Canterbury, and is dedicated to him. The only extant part of the 'Gladius Salomonis' is an acute and ingenious reply to the thirteen conclusions of the first part of the 'Represser.' A summary is given by Lewis in his 'Life of Pecock' (pp. 191-6), and copious extracts are printed in the Rolls Series edition of Pecock's 'Represser' (pp. 567-613). The whole work is contained in Bodley MS. 108. Dr. Babington was of opinion that the treatise was written at the end of 1457, but since John describes himself in his preface as 'provincial friar of his order,' the true date must be somewhat later. Bury is also said to have written 'Commentarii in Lucam,' but this work has been also assigned to another John of St. Edmunds (fl. 1350) (Davy, Athenæ Suffolcenses, i. 59, in Addit. MS. 19165). He is further credited with 'Lecturæ Scripturarum' and 'Sermones.'
[Leland, Comment. de Scriptt. p. 448; Tanner's Bibl. Brit.-Hib. p. 431; Gandolfus, August. Scriptt. pp. 207-8; Lewis's Life of Pecock, pp. 190-7; Babington's preface to Repressor, pp. xl-xlii.]