Lawrence of Aquilegia
Encyclopedia
Lawrence of Aquilegia was a thirteenth-century Italian canon
and teacher. He is best known for his treatises on the ars dictaminis
—the medieval art of letter writing. Lawrence’s major works found inspiration in Ciceronian rhetoric
but introduced a new phatic
element to writing and include the Summa dictaminis edita iuxta doctrinam Tullii and the Practica sive usus dictaminis edita ad utilitatem rudium. The Practica is his most popular work and characterizes his pragmatic, phatic approach to letter writing through the use of tables.
of Aquilegia
, Lawrence was born sometime before 1250. After studying the arts at Bologna
(the hub of dictatorial study), he returned home and became canon of Aquilegia. As canon, Lawrence worked closely with the patriarchate
, starting in 1269, where he assisted at the promulgation
of the will of the recently deceased Patriarch of Aquilegia. Lawrence worked with the patriarchate until 1304, making notable appearances in the train of patriarch-elect Philip of Carinthia in 1270 and at patriarch Raimondo della Torre’s generale colloquium in 1274 (Jensen 1973).
Aside from his civic duties, Lawrence was a respected traveling teacher. He began his teaching career in the early 1280s, where medieval scholars propose he traveled first to Bologna, then sojourned in Rome
, Toulouse
, and Orléans
(Jensen 1973). In the late 1290s, Lawrence gained popularity as a teacher in the faculty of arts at Paris
. It was here that he wrote his first treatise, Summa dictaminis, and delivered it to the assembled university. The composition was well received, marking his position as a distinguished dictatores (or orator) and writer on the art of letter writing (Jensen 1973). His popularity rose with his continued writing, and copies of his eight manuscripts on the theory and application of the dictaminal style were widely circulated.
Along with writing manuscripts, Lawrence combined his civic and teaching career, composing letters on behalf of the university at Paris. His most significant letter was addressed to the pope, requesting a studium of Greek
, Arabic, and Tartar
be established (Jensen 1973).
After a distinguished academic and civic career, scholars assume Lawrence died of old age sometime after 1304.
’s De inventione
and the Rhetorica ad Herennium
as well as from fellow dictatores Buoncompagno’s Rhetorica novissima (Jensen 1973).
In the first of the treatise’s eight main parts, Lawrence defines the basic concepts related to dictaminal writing: orator, rhetor, dictatores, and dictamen. He concludes by defining the letter and its parts. Parts two through six concern a detailed description of each of the five parts of a letter: salutation, exordium
, narrative, petition, and conclusion. Of the five parts, the description of the salutation is the longest, which is not surprising given the medieval preoccupation with social levels (Jensen 1973). In parts seven and eight, Lawrence concludes his work with the colours of rhetoric and strategies for embellishment, respectively.
Like its predecessor, this work defines dictamen and the five parts of the letter—known as the “Approved Format” of the time (Murphy 1974). Again, the bulk of the work concerns the salutation, with thirty-seven chapters devoted to salutations for different social levels (i.e. writing to the Pope, writing to a king, writing to a farmer, writing to a scholar). Lawrence covers the other parts of the letter only briefly. He ends his work with a discussion of stylistic vices.
to students and to complement his treatises, Lawrence wrote many letters. The letters exist in two fourteenth-century collections in manuscript form.
: the ars notaria. With the ars notaria, a new class of writers appeared, working as professional secretaries and scribes
. These early notaries concerned themselves with documents’ forms and legal documents.
With his formulaic approach to the ars dictaminis, Lawrence introduced a pragmatic form in his Practica that “t[ook] the chartistic view to its ultimate point” (Murphy 1974). Furthermore, the Practica marks a shift from content- to form-based writing and emphasizes a “phatic rhetoric of personal and official relations” (Perelman 1991). Unlike the classical rhetorical style concerned with persuasion, Lawrence’s works concern writing for social purposes, as is clear from his extensive treatment of the salutation in his treatises on letter writing (Jensen 1973). Medieval rhetoric scholar, James J. Murphy, stresses the phatic approach characterized by Lawrence’s writing, noting “It is the addressee’s level which determines the nature of the letter, not the subject matter or the level of the writer, or the intentions of the writer” (1974).
Lawrence’s applied approach to letter writing also stands as an early ancestor to modern texts on business communication (Perelman 1991). Just as teachers today direct their students to examples of memos and reports in textbooks, Lawrence directed his students to his model letters and tables in the Practica and related texts (Perelman 1991).
Canon (priest)
A canon is a priest or minister who is a member of certain bodies of the Christian clergy subject to an ecclesiastical rule ....
and teacher. He is best known for his treatises on the ars dictaminis
Ars dictaminis
The ars dictaminis was the medieval description of the art of prose composition, and more specifically of the writing of letters . It is closely linked to the ars dictandi, covering the composition of documents other than letters. The standing assumption was that these writings would be composed in...
—the medieval art of letter writing. Lawrence’s major works found inspiration in Ciceronian rhetoric
Rhetoric
Rhetoric is the art of discourse, an art that aims to improve the facility of speakers or writers who attempt to inform, persuade, or motivate particular audiences in specific situations. As a subject of formal study and a productive civic practice, rhetoric has played a central role in the Western...
but introduced a new phatic
Phatic
In linguistics, a phatic expression is one whose only function is to perform a social task, as opposed to conveying information.-History:The term was coined by anthropologist Bronisław Malinowski in the early 1900s from Greek phanein: to show oneself, appear.-Understanding:The utterance of a...
element to writing and include the Summa dictaminis edita iuxta doctrinam Tullii and the Practica sive usus dictaminis edita ad utilitatem rudium. The Practica is his most popular work and characterizes his pragmatic, phatic approach to letter writing through the use of tables.
Biographical information
In Cividale in the northern Italian dioceseDiocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
of Aquilegia
Aquileia
Aquileia is an ancient Roman city in what is now Italy, at the head of the Adriatic at the edge of the lagoons, about 10 km from the sea, on the river Natiso , the course of which has changed somewhat since Roman times...
, Lawrence was born sometime before 1250. After studying the arts at Bologna
Bologna
Bologna is the capital city of Emilia-Romagna, in the Po Valley of Northern Italy. The city lies between the Po River and the Apennine Mountains, more specifically, between the Reno River and the Savena River. Bologna is a lively and cosmopolitan Italian college city, with spectacular history,...
(the hub of dictatorial study), he returned home and became canon of Aquilegia. As canon, Lawrence worked closely with the patriarchate
Patriarchate
A patriarchate is the office or jurisdiction of a patriarch. A patriarch, as the term is used here, is either* one of the highest-ranking bishops in Eastern Orthodoxy, earlier, the five that were included in the Pentarchy: Rome, Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem, but now nine,...
, starting in 1269, where he assisted at the promulgation
Promulgation
Promulgation is the act of formally proclaiming or declaring a new statutory or administrative law after its enactment. In some jurisdictions this additional step is necessary before the law can take effect....
of the will of the recently deceased Patriarch of Aquilegia. Lawrence worked with the patriarchate until 1304, making notable appearances in the train of patriarch-elect Philip of Carinthia in 1270 and at patriarch Raimondo della Torre’s generale colloquium in 1274 (Jensen 1973).
Aside from his civic duties, Lawrence was a respected traveling teacher. He began his teaching career in the early 1280s, where medieval scholars propose he traveled first to Bologna, then sojourned in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, Toulouse
Toulouse
Toulouse is a city in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern FranceIt lies on the banks of the River Garonne, 590 km away from Paris and half-way between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea...
, and Orléans
Orléans
-Prehistory and Roman:Cenabum was a Gallic stronghold, one of the principal towns of the Carnutes tribe where the Druids held their annual assembly. It was conquered and destroyed by Julius Caesar in 52 BC, then rebuilt under the Roman Empire...
(Jensen 1973). In the late 1290s, Lawrence gained popularity as a teacher in the faculty of arts at Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. It was here that he wrote his first treatise, Summa dictaminis, and delivered it to the assembled university. The composition was well received, marking his position as a distinguished dictatores (or orator) and writer on the art of letter writing (Jensen 1973). His popularity rose with his continued writing, and copies of his eight manuscripts on the theory and application of the dictaminal style were widely circulated.
Along with writing manuscripts, Lawrence combined his civic and teaching career, composing letters on behalf of the university at Paris. His most significant letter was addressed to the pope, requesting a studium of Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
, Arabic, and Tartar
Tatars
Tatars are a Turkic speaking ethnic group , numbering roughly 7 million.The majority of Tatars live in the Russian Federation, with a population of around 5.5 million, about 2 million of which in the republic of Tatarstan.Significant minority populations are found in Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan,...
be established (Jensen 1973).
After a distinguished academic and civic career, scholars assume Lawrence died of old age sometime after 1304.
Summa dictaminis edita iuxta doctrinam Tullii
Lawrence’s first work, written at Paris and dated between 1298 and 1302, the treatise borrows from CiceroCicero
Marcus Tullius Cicero , was a Roman philosopher, statesman, lawyer, political theorist, and Roman constitutionalist. He came from a wealthy municipal family of the equestrian order, and is widely considered one of Rome's greatest orators and prose stylists.He introduced the Romans to the chief...
’s De inventione
De Inventione
The De Inventione is a handbook for orators that M. Tullius Cicero composed when he was still a young man. Quintillian tells us that Cicero considered the work rendered obsolete by his later writings. Originally four books in all, only two have survived into modern times.-External links:* by C.D....
and the Rhetorica ad Herennium
Rhetorica ad Herennium
The Rhetorica ad Herennium, formerly attributed to Cicero but of unknown authorship, is the oldest surviving Latin book on rhetoric, dating from the 90s BC, and is still used today as a textbook on the structure and uses of rhetoric and persuasion....
as well as from fellow dictatores Buoncompagno’s Rhetorica novissima (Jensen 1973).
In the first of the treatise’s eight main parts, Lawrence defines the basic concepts related to dictaminal writing: orator, rhetor, dictatores, and dictamen. He concludes by defining the letter and its parts. Parts two through six concern a detailed description of each of the five parts of a letter: salutation, exordium
Exordium (rhetoric)
In Western classical rhetoric, the exordium was the introductory portion of an oration. The term is Latin and the Greek equivalent was called the Proem or Prooimion....
, narrative, petition, and conclusion. Of the five parts, the description of the salutation is the longest, which is not surprising given the medieval preoccupation with social levels (Jensen 1973). In parts seven and eight, Lawrence concludes his work with the colours of rhetoric and strategies for embellishment, respectively.
Summa dictaminis breviter et artificiose composita secundum stilum Romane curie et consuetudinem modernorum (undated)
Also written at Paris, this second work is simpler and shorter than his first. Lawrence intended the work for “novices eager to learn dictamen” (Jensen 1973), and its simplicity contributed to its popularity.Like its predecessor, this work defines dictamen and the five parts of the letter—known as the “Approved Format” of the time (Murphy 1974). Again, the bulk of the work concerns the salutation, with thirty-seven chapters devoted to salutations for different social levels (i.e. writing to the Pope, writing to a king, writing to a farmer, writing to a scholar). Lawrence covers the other parts of the letter only briefly. He ends his work with a discussion of stylistic vices.
Practica sive usus dictaminis edita ad utilitatem rudium (undated)
Lawrence’s most popular work arranges forms of address to people of various social levels in tabular form. Seven tables (one for each class of persons) offer examples of salutations, narratives, petitions, and conclusions (see images 1 and 2 below). The Practica’s formulaic, pragmatic approach to letter writing not only contributed to its popularity but also represents the “mechanistic dead end” (Perelman 1991) of the ars dictaminis. By following the tables, anyone “capable of copying individual letters of the alphabet” (Murphy 1974) could compose a letter to an addressee of a particular social class. The Practica “struck a responsive chord” (Murphy 1974), as no formal artistic training or rhetorical command of language was necessary to write a letter following Lawrence’s tables.Tractatus super diversis modis componendi epistolam; Ars narrandi, petendi, et concludendi; Speculum dictaminis super diversis litterarum formis; Theorica dictaminis (all undated)
These four works represent shortened or excerpted versions of Lawrence’s previous treatises. Some scholars ascribe these works to John of Bondi, believed to be Lawrence’s pupil, but it was regular practice for dictatores to compose different versions of the same manuscript (Murphy 1974).Letters
To model the epistolary styleEpistle
An epistle is a writing directed or sent to a person or group of people, usually an elegant and formal didactic letter. The epistle genre of letter-writing was common in ancient Egypt as part of the scribal-school writing curriculum. The letters in the New Testament from Apostles to Christians...
to students and to complement his treatises, Lawrence wrote many letters. The letters exist in two fourteenth-century collections in manuscript form.
Influence
While Lawrence is known for taking the ars dictaminis to its “mechanistic dead end” (Perelman 1991) and marking its decline, his pragmatic approach marks the corresponding rise of a new movement in ItalyItaly
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
: the ars notaria. With the ars notaria, a new class of writers appeared, working as professional secretaries and scribes
Scribes
Scribes is a minimalist and extensible text editor for GNOME that combines simplicity with power. Scribes focuses on ways workflow and productivity can be intelligently automated and radically improved...
. These early notaries concerned themselves with documents’ forms and legal documents.
With his formulaic approach to the ars dictaminis, Lawrence introduced a pragmatic form in his Practica that “t[ook] the chartistic view to its ultimate point” (Murphy 1974). Furthermore, the Practica marks a shift from content- to form-based writing and emphasizes a “phatic rhetoric of personal and official relations” (Perelman 1991). Unlike the classical rhetorical style concerned with persuasion, Lawrence’s works concern writing for social purposes, as is clear from his extensive treatment of the salutation in his treatises on letter writing (Jensen 1973). Medieval rhetoric scholar, James J. Murphy, stresses the phatic approach characterized by Lawrence’s writing, noting “It is the addressee’s level which determines the nature of the letter, not the subject matter or the level of the writer, or the intentions of the writer” (1974).
Lawrence’s applied approach to letter writing also stands as an early ancestor to modern texts on business communication (Perelman 1991). Just as teachers today direct their students to examples of memos and reports in textbooks, Lawrence directed his students to his model letters and tables in the Practica and related texts (Perelman 1991).
Further reading
- Camargo, Martin. Ars Dictaminis Ars Dictandi. Belgium: Brepols, 1991.
- ---. "The Waning of the Medieval Ars Dictaminis." Rhetorica XIX.2 (Spring 2001): 135-140.
- Capdevila, S. "'La Practica dictaminis' de Llorens de Aquileia, en un codex de Tarragona". Analecta sacra Tarraconensia 6 (1930): 207-29. An edition of the Practica.
- Murphy, James J. Three Medieval Rhetorical Arts. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1971.