During the thirteenth century a similar negative attitude regarding the privilege of the Immaculate Conception continued to prevail in the schools. This was in no small measure due to Peter Lombard, the Magister Sententiarum. In his Libri Sententiarum, which became the official textbooks of the schools and as such the basis of the great theological commentaries of that century, Peter Lombard states 6 that the Blessed Virgin bore the taint of original sin, but was entirely cleansed before she became the Mother of Christ.
Alexander of Hales, the first Magister Regens of the newly founded Franciscan school at Paris, and one of the first Summists, shared the views of Peter Lombard concerning Mary’s sanctification after her conception. So did John of Rochelle and William of Melito. St. Bonaventure, the great pupil of Alexander of Hales, took a similar position because "It is the most commonly accepted view, the more reasonable, and the safer, being the most in conformity with the saints.’’ 7
The numerous disciples and successors of St. Bonaventure adopted the views of their master. Thus Matthew of Aquasparta, Richard of Middletown, Ubertin of Casale, Peter John Olivi.
Concerning William of Ware, the teacher of Duns Scotus, there exists a controversy. Some maintain that Scotus received his views on the Immaculate Conception from this teacher; while others claim that William of Ware, in the earlier editions of his Commentary on the Sentences, followed the received Franciscan tradition. It was only after the brilliant defense of the Immaculate Conception by his gifted pupil that William of Ware
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